Loving Naturals

Loving Naturals

 

Hello All!
It's been quite a while since I've posted any updates on here so why don't we jump right back into it.
Recently I was approached by an awesome family owned cosmetic company. I had used their sunscreen chapstick while in Belize and loved it.
Basically their company is founded on the idea that the skin is the largest organ in the body and it absorbs 60% of the product used on it, so why on earth would you cover yourself in harsh chemical!? You wanna know what they put in their products? Well lucky for you they include a list on their website. They let you know the what and the why of each ingredient.

SO after using their products for 2 weeks, here are my reviews on their awesome stuff!

Clear Body SFP30+
I love this stuff! I have super fair skin and enjoy spending a lot of time outside so sun protection matters a lot to me. Not only did this stuff prevent sunburns, but the natural oils left my skin softer than when I started.

Anti Aging Cream
You're only 25, you don't need anti aging cream, blah blah blah. Nonsense. My grandma has only given me 2 pieces of preaching advice and one was to moisturize every night. My skin hasn't been very happy with the seesawing between dry and humid this summer and this has help immensely. I put it on every night after I wash my face and I can definitely tell a difference. I also love that it's not gross and prefumey.

Cappuccino Lip Balm
This is the only thing I'm not totally sold on, and it's only because I'm not a coffee person. But with 12 flavors, you're sure to find one you love. The natural oils are absorbed quickly to combat dryness right now and it isn't slimy. Which means that your hair won't be getting caught in it (if you know anything about my hair, you know that's pretty impressive).

So there you go!
Feel free to use the code LOVEME15 for 15% off any order!!

Cheers!

Rice Noodle Salad Bowl

Even though the calendar says fall, it certainly still feels like summer down here in San Diego! So here's a hearty salad bowl to combine a little of both seasons.

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 3/4 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken
• 2 T Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 2 tsp Ginger Minced

Salad:

• 1 Head Romaine Lettuce
• 3-4 Green Onions (FODMAP followers use green part only)
• 1/4 cup Cilantro
• 3/4 cup Carrots
• 2 cups Mandarin Oranges, drained and rinsed (FODMAP followers avoid those in pear juice or with HFCS)
• 3 oz. Rice Vermicelli Noodles (cook according to package directions) a drizzle with a small amount of sesame oi.
• 1 TB Sesame Seeds, toasted if desired.

Dressing:

• 1/2 Lime juice
• 1T Soy Sauce
• 1T Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 T Sesame Oil
• Pinch Sugar

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken breast in soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger (30 minutes to a couple hours).
2. Grill chicken until cooked thoroughly and then slice in thin strips. 
3. Rinse and chop Lettuce and Carrots
4. Place Lettuce and Carrots in a bowl and dry with a towel.
5. Top with Noodles
6. Add Sliced Chicken and Oranges
7. Drizzle with dressing, top with cilantro, green onions and diced peanuts. 
8. Enjoy!
   

Summer Veggie Rice Bowl

      In case you didn't know, summers in Southern California are hot. Like "I don't wanna eat anything kuz I'm about to melt" hot. So I've gotten a bit stuck on what to make for dinner. One night I decided to pull whatever I wanted to eat out of the fridge and figure out a meal to make out of it. Voila! Cold Veggie Rice Bowl. It's colorful, it's yummy, and it'll make you say "Wow, I'm so super healthy!"

Ingredients:
1/2 c Cooked Rice
1/2 Bell Pepper
1/4 Small Jicama
Handful of Cherry Tomatoes (or 1 regular Tomato)
3 basil Leaves
4 Sprigs of Cilantro, just the leaves
2 Tbs Goat Cheese
Drizzle of Soy Sauce

Dressing:
Apple Cider Vinegar
Garlic Olive Oil
Salt Pepper

 1. Dice all the Veggies (Bell Pepper, Jicama, Tomato) and Herbs (Cilantro and Basil) and combine in bowl

 2. Add Oil, Vinegar, Salt and Pepper. Let sit. The longer you let it sit the more water the salt will pull out and the less soggy your bowl will be. Don't understand that? Ask your high school Bio teacher!

3. Prepare Rice according to instructions.

 4. Put rice in a bowl and add a drizzle of Soy (or Soja) sauce. Top with Veggie combo. Do not dump in the extra liquid in the bottom of the Veggies! Unless you want a soggy mess...
5. Crumble Goat cheese on top.
6. Dig in!!

Other Suggestions:
Things to add to the veggie mixture. MAY NOT BE LOW FODMAP
Cucumber, Beans (black, kidney, garbanzo), cold lentils, carrots, mushrooms, any veggie you want!

Fruit Crisp for 1, or Everyone!

Summer means lots of yummy new fruits! How many times has this happened to you: you buy a bunch of delicious fruit, but before you can eat all of it, the summer heat turns parts of them to mush.
Well now you can turn a few bits of those fruits into a delicious dessert!

I like this recipe because you don't need too much of each ingredient to make it, and you can just make a little treat for your self.  Of you can double, triple, octuple it to share with friends!

I made this recipe low FODMAP for people that can tolerate fructose, but it can easily be made more "typical" (I'll put suggestions at the bottom of the page). I tried a gluten filled butter version while away from my home kitchen and it got pretty good reviews.  I used yellow nectarines but I see no reason why you couldn't use any other fruit.

Recipe:
1 cup diced Fruit (roughly 1 peach, nectarine, apple, etc)
1/2 T Maple Syrup (or other sweetener)

1/4 cup Almond Flour
1/8 cup Oats
1 1/2 T Coconut Oil
1 T Maple Syrup
1/4 t cinnamon
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine Fruit and sweetener in dish

3. Combine Flour, Oats, Coconut Oil, sweetener, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until it seems to be one mixture.

4. Crumble on top of Peach mixture.

5. Cook for 30 minutes, until the top gets a bit crispy. It may take a bit shorter or longer depending on the fruit (longer for apples, a bit shorter for over ripe peaches, shorter for berries)
6. Remove and let cool a bit then enjoy! Top with ice cream, yogurt, cheese, whipped cream, get creative.

The end picture are for 3 times the recipe. I was in a pinch for dishes and I found this gem at a thrift store (yes I checked that it was oven safe). Plus now I get to share it.

Substitutions:
Fruit: Peach, Nectarine, Apple, Pear, Strawberry, Blueberry, you get the point.
Maple Syrup: Honey, Sugar, Agave
Almond Flour: Any type of Flour
Coconut Oil: Butter, Margerine

low FODMAP,  not low FODMAP