Matcha Green Tea Lattes came into my life unexpectedly. Never being one for wellness trends, because of my opinion that following trends is never intuitive, I avoided matcha for a long time. Then on a whim, I shared one with a girlfriend at StoneMill Matcha in San Francisco and I was pleasantly surprised.

I’ve never been a caffeine consumer or a coffee drinker. I always maintained a good, natural energy in the morning and afternoons throughout my 13 year corporate career in banking. I never needed it.  Then I started working for myself three years ago after I quit my corporate job and started my health coaching practice full time. My work became more focused as I practiced time-blocking and chunks of time without breaks dedicated to clients, writing or creating content. So when I had my first matcha out with my girlfriend that day, what I noticed when I went back into work was my calm focus on the tasks at hand. And instead of a jittery energy, it gave me sustained energy.

Matcha tea is a full-bodied green tea when whisked with water. It’s different than tea you find in bags. Matcha tea is select whole tea leaves ground to a very fine powder. Matcha is rich in vitamin C, packed with antioxidants and contains the amino acid L-Theanine which calms the body and promotes alert awareness without headaches or caffeine crashes. Basically, if I want to get shit done for work I’ll make a matcha latte when I need one.

This is the recipe that I always make. I like it because you have the option to make with or without milk. If you happen to be out, you still get the creaminess of the coconut butter and the frothiness from the collagen powder.

Ingredients:
8 oz. boiling water
4 oz. milk of choice (I like using oat milk or cashew milk)
1 tbsp. coconut butter
1 scoop collagen peptides
1/2 to 1 tsp. matcha powder*

(if out of milk, replace with 12 oz. boiling water that has cooled for 5 minutes)

Method:
Add all the ingredients to your blender and blend for 10-15 seconds until frothy. If you don’t want to wake the whole house or neighbors in the morning, you can also blend with a hand frother.

*My favorite matcha powders so far, after trying dozens, have been the following:
MATCHA BAR - from the popular matcha bar, a nice color and flavor
DoMatcha - most mellow flavor, but need a bit more to feel the caffiene.
Ippodo Kannoshiro - the richest in terms of flavor and umami. I love this one.
Matcha Love - cheapest one when you need to save $$

When buying, I recommend looking for organic, ceremonial grade matcha powder that has a bright green color vs. a dull green.

Want more frothy drink recipes? Download my free Breakfast Recipe Book to get my Earl Grey Latte recipe and 10 more amazing breakfast recipes to elevate your morning!

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One of my favorite salad combinations is walnuts with beets. There are so many ways you can play around with these two ingredients in a salad. For this recipe I included a bright pop of citrus with grapefruit and added sweetness with a honey balsamic dressing that is so simple to make it’s silly. 

Walnuts are probably one of my favorite nuts because of their nutrient value. Walnuts contain good fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and are also a great source of the essential fatty acid omega-3. They also contain iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E and even some B vitamins. Talk about a nutritional powerhouse! 

I am specifically using Diamond of California Walnuts in this recipe because they decrease the risk of heart disease by helping maintain healthy cholesterol levels and decreasing blood pressure*.  Diamond of California Walnuts are an American Heart Association Certified Heart Health Food and have been held to the highest standards of quality and freshness to guarantee a delicious experience. 

Here is how you can create this delicious recipe! I made it vegetarian which makes a delicious lunch or side salad for dinner. You could also add protein such as chicken to create a filling dinner!

1 small roasted beet
1/2 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. Diamond of California Walnuts, chopped
1/2 avocado, chopped
1 cup butter lettuce 
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 
1 tbsp. runny honey 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Remove stems from beet. Wrap in foil and bake for 50-60 minutes until you can pierce with a fork. Create your dressing by combining the olive oil, vinegar and honey with a whisk or place ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Assemble your salad, drizzle with dressing and enjoy! The flavor combo of this heart healthy salad is insanely delicious.  

*Pulled from California Walnuts website 

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When I make smoothies I follow my simple formula of 3/4 to 1 cup of liquid + 1/2 cup of fruit (or banana) + 1 cup veggies + 1 tbsp. fats + supplements. You can download my current favorite smoothie recipes here. The last piece to any good smoothie are good supplements. These vary from amount to add as well as what exactly the supplement boost is providing - from protein, fibers or added nutrients.

Let’s dive in!

PROTEIN POWDERS
The market for protein powders is a saturated one, mostly with brands and options that include a long list of unrecognizable ingredients, additives, chemicals, sugars and preservatives. For protein powders, I like to keep things simple, preferably with one or just a few ingredients for a chocolate or vanilla flavor when possible.

Here are my favorites that I personally use and rotate through:

Collagen Peptides - I love this supplement for many reasons. One, it is made with one ingredient (check the label of other brands to make sure) and two it has a whole list of benefits from gut healing and tissue repair for post work out thanks to the long list of amino acids.

For plain I like Vital Proteins, Further Food and Ancient Nutrition.

For flavored I like Vital Proteins Dark Chocolate Blackberry, Further Foods Vanilla, Ancient Nutrition Salted Caramel and Primal Kitchen Chocolate.

For another animal based protein, if you like Whey Protein, I strongly recommend buying one where the only ingredient is “grass-fed whey protein” like with this brand.

Vegan Protein

For vegan proteins I recommend sticking with one ingredient proteins like a pea protein or a hemp protein. You can also simply use hemp seeds! 3 tbsp. of hemp seeds = 10g of protein. You can then add a tablespoon of any nut butter to add more protein to your vegan smoothie.

I also love Philosophie Cacao Dream.

FIBER SUPPLEMENTS

I love adding fiber to my smoothies since it can thicken the consistency and also fiber digests slower than fruit and veggies, which keeps you full and satiated longer than just a fruit smoothie which will leave you hungry again about an hour later. Slower digesting foods such as fats and fiber are great for keeping you full until lunch. The first two fiber supplements listed below also contain Omega-3’s for a boost of fat.

1. Ground Flax Seeds. You could also use whole seeds but I find that ground flax seeds blend better. Be aware that these absorb liquid over time, so best to drink after making within the half hour.

2. Chia Seeds. These babies are such a powerhouse of nutrition. Same as flax seeds, they absorb liquid so best to drink within 10-30 minutes as it will thicken your smoothie.

3. Acacia Fiber. A great fiber boost as well!

OTHER SUPPLEMENT BOOSTS

To save on costs, I like to buy in bulk when possible and I don’t dabble in many adaptogenics as they can be expensive and I really don’t understand or notice any benefits of glamorously marketed products like Sex Dust. lol.

Maca Powder
I love this stuff. It adds a great malty taste to smoothies and it gives me a boost of energy when I want it without caffeine. It also can help with hormone-balancing, ask your functional MD about this if you are curious. I like this brand of maca powder.

Spirulina/Chlorella
I love using green powders when I am having an IBS flare and raw vegetables are hard to digest in smoothies. Spirulina and Chlorella are also green powerhouse providing a sh*t ton of nutrients and can draw out toxins from the body. I like this brand to add to smoothies.

Matcha Powder
So much fun to add to a smoothie! I like to add matcha powder to my Tropical Smoothie in my smoothie recipe download. I prefer ceremonial grade matcha powder.

L-Glutamine
Great for gut healing and also if you have been working out new muscles, running longer distances, or get sore after your workouts - it provides muscle recovery and reduces soreness. I use this brand.

Cacao Powder
If you want an amazing chocolate shake, combine 3/4 cup unsweetened nut milk, 1 frozen banana, one date, a handful of frozen cauliflower, 1 tbsp. of cacao powder and two scoops of chocolate collagen. You are welcome. The bomb diggity.

Alright! That rounds out my favorite smoothie supplements but let me know if you have one or a few I should add to my list!!

If you know me by now, you know that smoothies are my freaking jam. Especially in the morning after a work out. There is nothing more tasty and refreshing than a protein smoothie for recovery after moving your body.

This is hands down my favorite post-work out + recovery smoothie. I love using collagen peptides for protein in my smoothies, not only because it supports good digestion and enhances your immune system but also because it aids in the growth and repair of tissues, tendons, joints and muscles.

So, what’s the secret? Amino acids. Collagen peptides protein powder contains multiple chains of amino acids, including Glutamine which is a key amino acid for healing and cellular turnover and repair. I have linked below to a few of my favorite collagen protein powders.

(I get a v small kick back if you buy through these links, and appreciate the support as always!) 

Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen
Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel
Further Food Collagen (women-owned!)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened nut milk of choice, I like cashew milk
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 big handful of spinach
1 tbsp. almond or cashew butter
1/4 avocado
2 scoops collagen (or equivalent to 20g)

Method:
Add everything to a high-speed blender and blend until combined and creamy. I use a Vitamix and have been loving it five years strong! It has been the best kitchen investment I have ever made, I use it every day and it makes the creamiest smoothies EVER.

Want to get 5 more of my favorite smoothie recipes? Click here to download for free!

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A lot of the clients I work with in my one on one health coaching practice have the health goal of wanting more energy. Most suffer from what I call “the afternoon slump.” You know the feeling, come 3pm you are ready for that afternoon coffee or a nap under your desk. Your energy is zapped.

I ask these clients what they are having for lunch and most of them reply that they are eating a big salad. And when I ask what ingredients are in their salads, it turns out that most of them are lacking sufficient protein.

Not having a sufficient amount of protein in your breakfast and especially your lunch will typically lead to that afternoon energy slump. Protein contains B vitamins that our bodies use to balance our nervous system and particularly B12 in animal protein sources that give us energy*

Adding protein to your morning smoothie or nut butter to your oatmeal or other warm breakfasts is a great place to start. For lunch I like to add a good protein source along with a healthy fat to help satiate me until an afternoon snack and give me energy until dinner. My favorite way to do so is on a salad for lunch.

Scroll for my 5 favorite protein toppers for your salad.

If you are stumped for what protein to add to your salad and how much, look no further! I got my 5 favorite toppers and how much to add, all with ideas for fats to add as well. Can I get a woot woot?

1) CHICKEN. Surprise surprise, but chicken is one of my favorite protein toppers in terms of variety for what salads you can make. I suggest a 4 - 6oz. piece of chicken, or enough shredded chicken that would fit in the palm of your hand. My favorite combinations are a classic chicken caesar like the one pictured above with my easy homemade caesar dressing and avocado; or a chicken salad with sliced almonds, strawberries and olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.

2) EGGS. I love both hard and soft boiled eggs on my salads. It’s so easy to bring with you to work and add on top of your salad. Eggs are the perfect protein as they contain all nine essential amino acids that our body can’t produce on it’s own. I suggest adding two eggs to your salad, or doing one egg and also 1/4 cup of quinoa (a gluten-free grain that is high in protein) or chickpeas. I love me a good chopped salad with romaine, tomatoes, avocado, eggs and chickpeas.

3) BEANS/LENTILS. Plant-based protein from legumes back a big punch in your salad. I love a mexican-themed salad with romaine, 1/2 cup black beans, avocado, cheddar, tomato and a lime +cilantro + olive oil dressing. I love making this a warm salad with 1/4 cup kidney beans and 4 oz. of ground turkey sautéed in olive oil and taco seasoning.

4) STEAK. Don’t shy away from red meat, but do make sure it comes from a local source that is grass-fed. Red meat is high in iron, selenium, zinc and B-12. I like steak salads for when you are going out to lunch with co-workers or clients for work. It’s an easy menu choice when you don’t want to fuss and someone else has picked the place to eat. If ordering steak, I suggest skipping dairy to help with digestion. Chew your steak thoroughly and a 4oz. to 6 oz. portion the size of the palm of your hand is the perfect amount.

5) SHRIMP. The underdog for salad toppers. Here is one of my favorite shrimp salad combos when you are looking for something quick and tasty. I also love making my own shrimp louie salad using a good ranch dressing like this ranch one and also this thousand island dressing.

*if you are a vegan or a vegetarian I recommend getting a blood test to see where your B vitamin levels are and substituting as needed.

Tuna Salad forever has my heart.

I come back to this recipe again and again. I place it on a salad with avocado and veggies like carrots and radishes. I roll it into a whole wheat wrap with dried cranberries and romaine lettuce. I use it on sandwiches with my favorite healthy bread, butter lettuce and avocado or I make it a tuna melt with my favorite cheese.

Curious what my favorite healthy breads are? Check out my healthy carbohydrate guide.

Curious what dairy I prefer for cheese? Check out my healthy food swap guide.

The possibilities are endless and it is so easy to make. It is my lazy go to for lunch when it’s been one of those busy days and I don’t want to spend more than three minutes in the kitchen.

Here’s how you can make the magic happen.

Ingredients:
1 can of your favorite tuna*
3-4 spoonfuls of your favorite dairy-free yogurt**
1/2 TBSP. lemon or lime juice
1/2 TSP. red wine vinegar or ACV
1/2 TSP. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl. Use a fork to break up the tuna. Stir to combine.

Prepare to meet your new favorite tuna salad recipe. Your tastebuds will thank you!

*I like Wild Planet Foods and Safe Catch brands. Note that most cans of tuna claim 2 serving sizes. Remember that a serving size doesn’t dictate your hunger. Personally, I am usually hungry for the whole can and like to stack my sandwich high, but on some days I don’t finish the whole sandwich and that is ok too.

**I like Forager Project cashewgurt, it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overwhelm like almond or coconut yogurt.

I work with a lot of my clients on gut-healing which includes leading them through a personalized elimination plan and reintroduction to pinpoint which foods are causing digestive symptoms. One of the main culprits for many is dairy. Sad but true, because cheese is so so delicious but sometimes we need a break from it in order to heal our guts. With my guidance, I always empower my clients to discover how foods make them feel, so that they can make decisions about what they eat on a day to day basis to feel their best!

I am therefore constantly on the lookout for new products, especially dairy free replacements if dairy is a no-go.

The market of dairy free products is a saturated one, with so many choices it can be hard to know which ones taste good and are made with good ingredients.

But all good, I have done the taste testing and label reading for you!

I have narrowed it down to my top 6 favorite dairy-free products that I always have on rotation when my tummy needs a break from the real thing.

1.     MILK: Forager Project Cashew Milk. Doesn’t get better than this for taste and ingredients. Forager has been around for a minute and has perfected their milk. I love using for smoothies and chia seed pudding as it doesn’t leave a funky after taste like almond milks can.

2.     MILK: Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk.  This is the only coconut milk I have found that doesn’t add Xanthum Gum! You can buy it on Amazon if you can’t find this in your store.  Make sure the label has the word “SIMPLE” on it ;)

3.     CHEESE/CREAM CHEESE: Kite Hill Ricotta Cheese. One word – texture!! I don’t know how they do it but the texture is just like real ricotta and it tastes dang delicious. I am not a big fan of their cream cheese, because 4 out of 5 that I buy always have mold when I open them (what’s up with that?), but I have used this as a spread on bagels and it’s a better cream cheese alternative.

4.     CHEESE: Miyoko’s Vegan Mozz. Holy crap this stuff is epic. It melts, browns and bubbles just like real mozzarella cheese. I kid you not. I would never lie to you!  So the next time you want to make that panini or pizza dairy free, get this stuff pronto.

5.     YOGURT: Forager Project Cashewgurt. I have tried so so so many dairy free yogurts. I still haven’t found a coconut one I like that is versatile, and the almond milk ones have weird aftertastes. There are oat milk ones out on the market now but the ingredients are shit. Forager has nailed it with the texture and mild taste. I don’t only just eat it with granola and fruit but also mix it into dressings and tuna salads.

6.     BUTTER: Miyokos Vegan Butter. Vegan butters can be, errrrr, quite industrial with their ingredients. But this one is really good, made with coconut oil, and melts and bubbles in the pan, and is delicious on bread too!

 
Tada! Hope you enjoy some new ideas for products and leave in the comments your favorites! Always on the hunt for something new.

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When I was younger and my grandparents would come to visit, we would pick them up from the airport and stop at the Marie Callendar’s restaurant which right off of the freeway. Although the location doesn’t exist anymore, and neither do my Marie Callendar carvings, the warm and fuzzy memories have remained. They had a refrigerated rotating pie stand on display right when you walked in the door, showcasing all the featured pies. I had two favorites - the Chocolate Cream and most definitely the Double Cream Blueberry Pie.

I’ve taken my childhood pleasure and recreated it into the most delicious breakfast treat - blueberry cream pie french toast! The outcome was absolute heaven, like angels dancing on my tongue. I kid you not, this healthy french toast is other worldly. Get your booty to the kitchen and make immediately!

I also have 12 more healthy breakfast ideas I’m sharing with your in my free Favorite Breakfast Recipe Ebook, so I don’t leave you hanging after enjoying this tasty and healthy breakfast recipe.

Ready to make this mind blowing blueberry french toast?!! Of course you are… you were already drooling just looking at the photo. You know what’s up. So here is how you can DO IT.

Ingredients
(serves 1)
2 pieces sprouted wheat bread
2 eggs
splash of unsweetened nut milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 
a few shakes of cinnamon 
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1-2 tbsp. maple syrup 
1 tbsp. melted coconut butter

Method 

Whisk the eggs, nut milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Dip each piece of toast on both sides until the egg mixture is fully saturated. Cook on a non-stick skillet for 3-4 minutes on both sides. While the french toast cooks place the blueberries and maple syrup in a sauce pan. Heat until the maple syrup starts to bubble and turn heat to medium-low until the blueberries soften. Mash half the blueberry compote with a fork. Place french toast on a plate, top with blueberries and drizzle with the melted coconut butter.  DIVE IN AND ENJOY!!

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David and I always go through the “what’s for dinner?” text at around 3 or 4 o’clock almost every day. This typically plays out as one of us suggesting what we are craving and the other agreeing or suggesting something better (usually me, just saying). David makes a stop at the grocery store to pick up the ingredients and I cook it up when he gets home. Because teamwork makes the dreamwork. And speaking of dreams… that is what this quick and easy pasta recipe is made of!

The pasta dish is the perfect blend of melty parmesan cheese with my favorite summer veggies and duh, bacon of course! I added a generous amount of pepper and also butter for a cacio e pepe vibe and the result was perfection.

Best of all, this dish literally took 15 minutes to cook and can be customized for a party of one or a family of 4. All you need to do is adjust by dividing in half or one-fourth of the serving sizes below.

It’s time for a summer pasta party in your mouth!

Ingredients
(serves 4)

1 box pasta of choice. I chose pasta spirals, but imagine it would be good with fettuccine, rigatoni or orecchiette.
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into small pieces
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1/2 stick of grass-fed butter
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
1 packet of nitrate-free and sugar-free organic bacon
Salt and pepper to season

Method

Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Use a large heavy bottom pan. While the pasta is cooking, make the bacon in a cast iron skillet. 2 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add in the corn and the asparagus. Drain the pasta with the veggies and reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta and veggies back into the pan with a splash of the pasta water. add in the butter and stir in to melt. Add in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and stir to melt. Chop up the cooked bacon and add to the pasta. Add a generous serving of black pepper and a good sprinkle of salt. Stir until everything is combined. Scoop into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese and DIG IN!

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Less cooking and more chilling this holiday weekend. David and I drove up north an hour and a half outside of the city to relax for the three-day weekend. We bought the ingredients at a local farm stand to make this super simple and satisfying vegan curry bowl. I love this dish because it only requires a few ingredients and minimal prep and cooking time. So you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time out in nature or relaxing on the couch with a good book.

I moved in with David almost two years ago, we live in the Mission District of San Francisco. We share a wall and a beautiful outdoor deck with our neighbors who David has known for 10 years. For the three day weekend, while they stayed in the city, they gave us the keys to their place up in the forest near Sebastopol, CA. We spent yesterday eating at a roadside bakery, driving country roads and wandering redwood groves with trees big enough for us to stand in.

At night when we sleep the quiet is deafening. As city folk we are used to constant street noise, and when you escape for a quiet weekend it can be hard to get used to the quiet at night. Truth be told it took me a while to fall asleep last night, but once I did… I was out! Are used to sleeping with the hum of the city, or the quiet of the country?

We kept meals simple while staying here, and with access to a kitchen we are able to make simple yogurt bowls with local granola, sandwiches with local bakery bread and this easy vegan curry bowl for dinner with veggies purchased from the farm stand down the road. I have had this recipe on repeat for the past two weeks. Enjoy!

Weeknight Vegan Curry Bowl
(serves 2)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon coriander
3 teaspoons yellow curry powder
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1 can of chickpeas
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup veggie broth
1/2 bunch of dino kale, stems removed and chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 avocado
Sea salt
Lemon Juice

Method:
In a dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic and ginger to cook for a few minutes with the coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Add the chickpeas, veggie broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes to let flavors come together. Add the kale and a pinch of salt and cook for another 5-10 minutes with the lid on to allow the kale to cook and steam. Season with more salt, pepper and a big squeeze of lemon. Serve over 1/2 cup of rice with chopped avocado. 

Recipe adapted from this book, which I highly recommend buying. It has a ton of really great recipes!

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