H_78-Butterz – Aspire Zen – Holistic Health Coaching with Amy

There’s beauty in the breakdown

What a week it’s been. A routine visit to the vet came back with a cancer diagnosis, my planned restful 3 days working away from home were cancelled due to waiting for my dishwasher replacement to get delivered although it never did (that’s its own long story), work was especially good and busy this week, and all this while dealing with aunt Flo and uterine fibroids (imagine a murder scene’s worth of blood and lots of dizziness and fatigue). “Life” happened on many levels this week, as it does, and now that I have a moment to pause, tired and reflective, I’m centering in on the learnings of this week, and there is truly beauty in the breakdown. Here are my 5 main takeaways.

Aspire Zen Food

Quinoa Bowls Two Ways

Quinoa is a fabulous and delicious, versatile, gluten-free grain. Being nutrient dense and full of protein and fiber, it has become a staple element for anyone focused on whole foods and plant-based eating. It can be flavored any way you desire, so you can use it anyplace you’d normally use rice or couscous, including for breakfast! Here are two yummy, simple ways to enjoy quinoa. 1. Breakfast Quinoa bowl, with green beans, hummus, and fried egg. 2. Quinoa Sausage Kale Bowls.

Aspire Zen Food

Butternut Squash Chili

I love a good hardy bowl of chili. I created this one because I had a surplus of butternut squash (this seems to happen to me frequently for some reason). The squash add a nice kick of sweetness that is balanced nicely with the smokey and very spicy heat from chipotle in adobo.

I also added some chia seeds at the very end. They make the chili nice and thick without using a starch. They also help fight inflammation and provide a plant-based source of protein and heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

You can keep this dish vegan/vegetarian by using a plant-based ground such as Beyond Beef or just adding beans. This dish is also fabulous with lean ground turkey or beef. If you’re watching your saturated fat, go for just beans or the turkey.

Aspiring Zen

2020 Holiday Survival Guide

Happy Holiday 2020!! First of all, a moment of celebration to acknowledge that we made it all the way to December in this wild and crazy year. In accordance with everything else 2020, your holidays might be looking a little bit different this year. Perhaps you are home instead of traveling (like me), or maybe your home is feeling a little more empty than usual with friends and family unable to visit.

If the holidays are feeling a little off and you’re feeling less than festive, I hear you, it is definitley different htis year, but it doesn’t have to be a season of despair. Here are a few potential silver linings and ideas to make the 2020 covid Christmas a little brighter, including some recipes

Aspire Zen Food

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I’m a huge mushroom and stuffing fan. This dish brings them both together for an irresistible, comforting meal. We are using Beyond Beef and quinoa for the stuffing base which makes this meal meatless (vegan/plant-based) and gluten-free. It’s seasoned with fresh thyme and parsley, garlic, and onions, and a little vegan parmesan for a nutty, salty, cheesy flavor.

Aspire Zen Food

Mexican Stuffed Squash with Cilantro Goddess Dressing

This recipe was born because I had an extra-large bunch of fresh cilantro on hand, a very large acorn squash, and I love Mexican Food! This dish is extra hearty with both beans and Beyond Meat Ground. I added smokey chipotle in adobo, cumin, and chili powder to generate a rich, slow-cooked flavor profile that pairs very nicely with the slight sweetness of the squash.

Aspire Zen Food

Knowing what you eat and why helps meet weight…

Food tracking. I’ll be the first to admit, this can get tedious. But bear with me. Have you ever heard the saying “knowing is half the battle”? Well that certainly applies here. We may think we know every calorie we’re putting into our mouths, but study after study, such as this one, show that we tend to underestimate how much we’re eating and overestimate how many calories we’re burning. This can be frustrating when we think we’re doing everything right and don’t know why we aren’t seeing results.

Aspire Zen Food

Caponata protein-packed pasta with vegan sausage and ricotta

A mouthful of a title and a mouthful of wonderful tangy, creamy, pasta goodness that you can feel good about eating. All the classic caponata flavors plus the high of eating pasta, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, extra protein, and healthy fats.

Aspire Zen Food

Thai Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is a staple meal for many of us. It can also get boring when we make it the same. way. every. time. (SNORE)

Enter new flavors! The simple solution to cooking boredom. I found a recipe for Larb to deal with my excess of butternut squash. Then applied the same scrumptious Thai flavors to chicken breast, roasted both together and we had a bomb-a$$ meal in about an hour. So, pro tip – when dinner feels a little monotonous, you can keep your star ingredients and techniques, but tweak the flavors to re-imagine dinner in a whole new way. YAY!!

Aspire Zen Food

Fall Into Balance – What to make with those…

If you just finished up the Fall into Balance Cleanse, you may have found yourself surrounded by extra food goodies like carrots, butternut squash, cabbage, rosemary, and thyme. All of these recipes are gentle enough to eat as you’re easing out of your cleanse without breaking havoc on your gut or undoing all the good you just did during detox.

Even if you haven’t done the cleanse, and are itching to use some seasonal produce in healthy delicious ways, the recipes below should provide a little inspiration. Enjoy!!

Author: H_78-Butterz