What To Do With Your Herbs- Part 4-Pesto

Creamy Italian Pesto

My herbs are growing like crazy that I can barely keep up with them! My tomato plant is massive, yet I haven’t actually gotten a tomato to eat! I have this mama squirrel that has an obsession with my deck/apartment. She has tried on more than one occasion to get inside. I haven’t seen her as much since I got Henley but while at work yesterday, mama squirrel got into the tomato plant and destroyed most of the tomatoes. Revenge I believe

At least I have my basil which was growing out of C.O.N.T.R.O.L.!!! So what’s an Italian girl to do??? Make pesto!

What You Need: 

•4 cups of basil

•1/2-1 cup of olive oil

•1/3 cup of pine nuts

•1/2 cup Parma cheese

•3-4 cloves of garlic

What To Do:  

•Put all your ingredients in a food processor or blender (food processor works better but I’ve done the wooden spoon trick in the blender many times).

•Blend together until smooth by adding 1/4 cup of olive oil at a time.

•I like to combine my pesto with pasta or over chicken! Xoxo

 

What To Do With Your Lettuce- Part 2

As we continue on with this series, part one was about freezing your herbs with oil (Read the last post if you missed). This time, we are going to talk about all that lettuce I planted.

I am not going to lie, I have never grown lettuce before and had no idea what I was really doing.  I read online how to cut the lettuce so it would continue to grow. How you can achieve this is by cutting the outer leaves and leaving about an inch of the crown.  This will allow your lettuce to keep growing.

But, what if I don’t feel like eating my lettuce right away. What can I do with it so it won’t spoil?

What You Need:

Lettuce

Bowl

Veggie Cleaner

Paper Towels

Water

 

 

What To Do:

1. Rinse your lettuce according to your veggie cleaner or if you don’t have one, just rinse your lettuce to get rid of excess dirt.
2. In the bowl, put a folded piece of paper towel covered in water (the paper towel, not the bowl) on the bottom.
3. Add the lettuce in the bowl, pile them so they have some room to breathe.
4. Put a damp piece of paper towel to cover the lettuce.  Make sure you rewet this paper towel once it gets dry.
5. When you’re ready to eat it, it will be waiting! Just don’t go too many days otherwise your lettuce will not be that great.  I did this overnight and only had to rewet my paper towel once.  The lettuce was still crunchy and fresh tasting.

It was so nice to have lettuce that I grew.  I know where my food is coming from (my mini garden haha) and I control what I feed my plants.  #nogmo #nopesticide  Bam! I feel like a real adult!

 

What To Do With Your Herbs Part 1

I love, love, love when the weather gets warmer and I can start planting herbs. This year, I am also growing tomatoes and lettuce. So the problem is, what can I do with all these herbs?

This will be a multi-part series throughout the Spring and Summer of ways to use herbs and veggies throughout the year.

One of my favorite (and easy) recipes to use with my extra herbs is chopping them up and putting them in an ice cube tray and freeze them with oil.  When you need to pick your herbs, like basil and parsley (which were the two that I used), sometimes you do not have enough to make pesto or you were trying to just shape your plant. The great thing about this recipe is that you can use any mixture of herbs and different oils.  Get <<C.R.E.A.T.I.V.E>>

 

What You Need:

Fresh Basil and Parsley (or another kind of herb)

Olive Oil and Coconut Oil (any oil will work)

Ice Cube Tray

What To Do:

1. Pick your herbs and wash them with veggie wash.
2. Chop the herbs into small pieces.
3. Put the herbs in ice cube trays. You can make any type of mixtures you want. I made two just basil and two just parsley and the rest I mixed both together. I also used olive oil in some and coconut oil in some (1tablespoon so you can keep track for recipes)
4. Put the ice cube tray in the the freezer.  When frozen, I like to put them in a bag labeled when I made it and what it is.  
5. Whenever you need fresh herbs for a recipe, you now have them ready to use at anytime by just reaching into your freezer! This is especially great in the Winter!

Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken with Creamy Tzatziki Sauce

<<• First of all, I have to apologize. I haven’t posted in months and there were many things that happened and I couldn’t keep up. I am sorry!

<<• Secondly, I want to thank you! Thank you for following my journey whether you just subscribed or have been with me since day one! I appreciate each one of you!

<<• Thirdly, I promised that I would share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Working full time, going to school at night full time, and expanding my wine biz, it’s been a lot. Plus I was in the hospital for a week and was diagnosed with my 6th autoimmune disease. I know, another one.

<<• So right now, I want to keep my life more zen. I’m not taking any classes this summer, so I want to dedicate my time, doing the things I love. Like this 🙂

<<• I know, I know… you’re asking where is that recipe? Why is there all this writing before the recipe? Can I just have the recipe?? Haha

Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken with Creamy Tzatziki Sauce

What You Need:

• Free Range, Organic Chicken

•Greek Spice Mixture

•Fresh Lemon Juice

•Olive Oil

•Greek Yogurt

•Cucumber

• 2 Large Garic Cloves, minced

•Salt and Pepper

What To Do:

1. Prepare the chicken to marinate for two hours (at least). In a ziplock baggie (gallon), throw in your chicken, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a dash of salt, and the Greek spices.

2. Wash and shred your cucumber. Place them between paper towels to get out the extra moisture out. Let that sit for an hour.

3. Make your Tzatziki Sauce. In a large bowl, combine a container of Greek yogurt, juice from half of a lemon, cucumbers, garlic, and salt to taste.

4. Let the Tzatziki Sauce chill in the fridge until it is time to eat.

5. Grill your chicken and eat with the Tzatziki Sauce!

Enjoy xoxo

Buffalo Garlic Hot Wings

I finally unpacked enough kitchen stuff and used my oven for the first time! So what to cook???? Hmm…. well
hot wings are my favorite!!! Except that when you order them at a restaurant, often times they are rolled in flour first. These are my version of gluten free baked not rolled in flour and fried, wings.

What You Need:

Chicken Wings

Salt and Pepper

Crushed, dried Garlic

Hot Sauce (I like Franks Red Hot Sauce)

Honey

Cornstarch

What To Do:

Salt and pepper chicken wings and put on a cookie sheet. Cook at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, turn them over and cook for about 20 more. They should be crispy looking on the outside when they are done.
For the sauce, any type of gluten free hot sauce. Everyone has their preference! I like to add a squeeze of honey and 1 tbsp of the crushed, dried garlic. If you like a thicker sauce, add a little bit of cornstarch (1/2 tsp) to the hot sauce (1/2-3/4 c)  Cook on low. When the wings are done, mix them with the sauce. Grab your favorite gluten free dressing and enjoy!

 

Creamy Vegan Avocado Basil Gluten Free Pasta

What a mouthful haha but this creamy vegan pasta is amazing! You have just the right amount of healthy fats without all the bad junk. With a hint of lemon and a kick of crushed red pepper, you can’t go wrong.

What You Need: 

2 Ripe Avocados

1/2 cup Fresh Basil Leaves

2 Whole Garlic Cloves, peeled

1/2 lemon, squeezed

1/3 cup Olive Oil

1/3-1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Broccoli, florets (2 small heads)

10 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half

Gluten Free Pasta

What To Do:

In a pasta pot, boil water and cook gluten free pasta.

In a skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil with the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cook until it is soft but still a little crunchy.

In a food processor (or blender), add the avocados, basil, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, coconut milk, and spices. Blend until all the ingredients are smooth and silky.

In the skillet pan, add the broccoli, pasta, and sauce. Heat until all the ingredients are warm and incorporated together. Top with the sliced cherry tomatoes.

Enjoy xoxo

Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day, Grandma’s Day, Auntie Day, Special Person Day!

This is a hard post to write, not because it’s Mother’s Day (that is hard) but because I’m really letting stuff out. Letting things go. When I started my blogging journey, I wanted it to be authentic, not realizing how open I was really going to be.

I haven’t really processed my momma’s death. It actually started to sink in a couple of months ago that she is actually gone. I have barely cried since she passed and have put on this face, this mask, that everything is okay. Last year, it was so fresh, so new. My family took my grandmother out to lunch and celebrated her. We acknowledged that my mom wasn’t there but kind of swept it under the rug.

I have really started realizing that my mom is gone. It hurts so much. Sometimes the pain is unbearable. I wrote this note exactly one month ago from today…

There are times you miss your mom so much. The pain is unbearable. You have a choice… what do you do? Let it take over or hide it. Hide it in a deep, dark place thinking that it is helping you. To hide it. To suppress it. But it’s not. My therapist told me that covering it up with alcohol and drugs, makes you not actually feel it. To go through the grieving process. To fully accept what has happened. To feel for real. It’s been over a year and it’s the first time I have really cried since my mom has passed. Like the ugly cry where your face gets all scrunched up and you cry so hard you can’t breathe. The one where you can’t stop and snot is running down your face. The kind where you can’t catch your breath. Wishing that it wasn’t real but knowing that this it is. She isn’t coming back. Ever. Maybe in dreams or sunsets or feathers. But not physically here. Gone. Never coming back. Having to accept and understand that. Being the strong one in my family, I had to be the one. The one who took over and made sure everything was okay. Ran smoothly. Hide my Feelings. Be okay when I wasn’t. To put a half hazard smile on and greet people. To accept their words. To know your mom is dead. To accept that. It took a while, for me over a year. My mom, who was my best friend… my sister, my mother, my father, my friend …. my best friend. The beautiful soul she was. The bright light in many people’s day. My mom.

I wrote that while I was ugly crying, not knowing what to do.  My emotions were everywhere and I didn’t know how to make it stop.  At that point, I didn’t even know if I was going to stop crying.

All these beautiful memories… the pictures, her words. The love that comes through them.  That is where I find happiness and sadness all at the same time. It is hard to lose someone. It is hard to lose a family member.  It is hard to lose someone you are so close to. It is even harder to lose your person.

Xoxo

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! I hope we are all enjoying the day and spreading love throughout. I made a healthier version of a chocolate mousse that feels decadent but is made from healthy fats.

 

What You Need:

1 Ripe Avocado

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 cup Melted, Dark Chocolate Chips

1 Tablespoon Honey

1/4 cup Coconut Milk

Pinch of Salt

Raspberries or Strawberries

Whipped Cream

What To Do:

In a food processor, pulse all the ingredients until you get a creamy consistency. Put into prepared mini cups and put in the refrigerator until cold. I left mine in the refrigerator over night. When chilled, top with whipped cream and your favorite berry. You won’t believe how decadent and rich this tastes!

Enjoy xoxo

Happy New Year!

I am so happy to close the door to 2016. This year has been one of the most difficult years of my life. Between my mom’s sudden passing and dealing with the emotions with that to my uncle’s passing after he had made so many milestones since the accident. Being with my ex who had brain surgery to us making the difficult decision to not be together anymore. I can’t forget the lessons I learned or how strong I realized I was.

There were happy things that happened too. My cousin got married and two more of my cousins got engaged. The love and bond of my family becoming closer that united us more than we could ever imagine. To the “fierce five” as my aunt calls us who have been through more tragedies than a person should have to endure in a lifetime. To my amazing friends and family who have supported me throughout this difficult year has shown me that I can get through anything. To all my lovegfreelife friends who have helped make my blog successful with their support.

There will always be challenges in life but it is how you react to them that either makes or breaks a person. I have learned this past year to love more, to not hold grudges because you don’t know when it will be the last time you speak to them. Life is precious. It is short and can be taken away at anytime. As I go into 2017, I am choosing love to guide me. “Love is love is love is love”. Happy New Years! Xoxo

 

Celiac Awareness Day!

When you look at this picture, do you see someone who is fighting a chronic illness and an autoimmune disease (multiple autoimmune diseases)? I don’t but I am.
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Today is National Celiac Awareness Day. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder where when gluten is ingested, it leads to damage in the small intestine. Your body thinks that there is a foreign invader in your intestine, so the villi gets attacked and damaged. Your body in response eventually struggles to absorb nutrients. Not only does it affect your intestines, Celiac Disease can encourage other autoimmune diseases to appear and other damaging problems. Anything from various cancers to thyroid problems to neurological manifestations.

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Researchers have found that Celiac Disease is hereditary and it affects 1 in 100 people worldwide. 2 1/2 million people live everyday with undiagnosed Celiac Disease. Without the proper tools, people who go too long without a diagnosis are putting themselves in extreme danger.

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When I was finally diagnosed (it used to take years to get a diagnosis) with Celiac Disease seven years ago, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought I just didn’t have to eat wheat. I would participate in happy hour after work and drink beer or eat gluten containing food because it was a holiday. I was naive and uneducated. I would often feel sick afterwards and sometimes that would last for days. My first major health episode came when I nearly died from an infected gallbladder. A few years after that, my appendix needed to come out. While the doctors were in there, they noticed that I had scar tissue wrapped around my stomach and my intestines. The scar tissue was removed but not without other complications. After that surgery, I began to do some research. I would have weird symptoms that never made sense like my hair and eyelashes would fall out, my joints hurt, I had brain fog, my stomach always felt bad, I always had a headache, and I overall felt like shit. I soon realized my “random symptoms” were really a part of having Celiac Disease. I found a book, Jennifer’s Way, by Jennifer Esposito that chronicled her life with her diagnosis with Celiac. After reading it, it changed my outlook on life. I didn’t know that ingesting gluten was actually killing me. I was doing irreversible damage to my body.

I had the chance last year to meet Jennifer and thanked her for saving my life. I did a 360 in my life and cut gluten completely out. I am not going to lie and say it has been all peachy since then. I have suffered from multiple hospitalizations, new autoimmune disease diagnosis, and other health complications. But I am far better off health wise than I was seven years ago. And even though I sometimes struggle to get out of bed because I had a flare up, I know that I am trying my best to feed my body the medicine it needs through food. That’s the thing with an “invisible illness”. The person looks fine on the outside but is dealing with many debilitating things on the inside.

So if you take away anything from this, know that we are all fighting a battle that people don’t know about. Someone might “look fine” on the outside but is sick on the inside. So be kind to each other. Listen when someone says that they feel a certain way. You never know what battle they might be facing.

To find out more information on Celiac Disease, visit https://celiac.org.