by Christina | Aug 10, 2019 | Member Exclusives, Wellness
Booty bands are one of my favorite pieces of workout “equipment” because they can add a lot of resistance while still being lightweight, small, and easy to travel with. This workout focuses on your lower body, and it’s a great option if you’re looking for something low-impact or a workout to do while traveling.
___________________________
This complete post is only available for The Channel Collective members. Click here to become a member, or click here to log in!
by Christina | Aug 10, 2019 | Recipes, Wellness
When it comes to seafood, octopus doesn’t get enough love. I hadn’t even tried octopus until about a year ago because I had preconceived notions about it, but I fell in love with it when I finally tasted it made right.
Most people think of a weird, unpleasant texture and bland flavor when they think of octopus, but it’s all in how it’s served. A good octopus recipe has a somewhat meaty texture and rich flavor.
Personally, I haven’t really liked the octopus I’ve had at restaurants. The first time I ate octopus and loved it was actually at Erewhon Market in Los Angeles. I had never seen an octopus salad like that before, and the ingredients sounded interesting, so I gave it a go. Lo and behold, it was delicious. My opinion on octopus completely changed after that!
The key to a good octopus dish is dressing it up with bright flavors that really compliment it, and making sure it’s cooked well! Plain octopus isn’t really that exciting, but octopus in a “salad” is a whole new ballgame!
This grilled octopus salad is the perfect recipe to dip your toes in if you’ve never tried octopus before. If you think you don’t like octopus, try this out before you really decide. Trust me, this will change your mind. 😉
This is the perfect light dish for any time of year, but especially spring or summer! The citrus flavors really shine through and give the octopus a lot of dimension. You won’t even realize you’re eating octopus!
Again, you have to cook the octopus well to make sure it has the right texture. This requires two steps, but it’s so worth it! First you’ll boil the octopus until it’s tender (this is key!), and then you’ll pop it on the grill.
The char from the grill gives the octopus an extra pop of flavor that rounds it out perfectly! When you add on a delicious dressing, you’ve got the perfect octopus salad!
If you’re in the mood for seafood and looking to switch it up, try out this delicious grilled octopus salad! People usually overlook the octopus at the store because they don’t know what to do with it, but this is the perfect recipe to try it out! This dish is paleo, pescatarian, low-carb, and keto-friendly!
Paleo Grilled Octopus Salad
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs octopus legs
- Juice from 1 orange
- Filtered water for boiling (enough to cover the octopus by an inch in a pot)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp shallots, sliced with mandolin
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp ground garlic
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
Instructions:
- Boil your water and orange juice in a large pot, and then bring to a simmer. Add the octopus tentacles and simmer for 45-90 minutes, until they’re tender enough to be pierced with a fork.
- Use a towel to rub off the dark purple on the octopus.
- Heat your grill to medium-high, and char the octopus until it has some color. The octopus is already cooked, so you don’t have to do this for long.
- Mix the shallots, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt together in a bowl to make the dressing.
- Slice the octopus and dress with the dressing. Garnish with your minced parsley. Enjoy!
by Christina | Aug 7, 2019 | Member Exclusives, Wellness
If you’ve experienced it firsthand, you know the hell of excessive hunger. There’s a difference between getting hungry often / having a big appetite, and feeling ravenous all the time, no matter how much you eat. Trust me – you can feel the difference. I’ve had plenty of personal experience with feeling constantly starving no matter how much I ate, and I’ve helped many of my clients with the same issue. I remember the days when I could eat 3 whole chickens at one meal and still easily go for another. I know – it can be frightening and confusing when you feel extreme hunger despite eating a lot already. Is there something wrong with me? Is this how I’m supposed to feel? Do I just have to deal with this?!
___________________________
This complete post is only available for The Channel Collective members. Click here to become a member, or click here to log in!
by Christina | Aug 4, 2019 | Recipes, Wellness
Have you missed my sugar-free baking?! I have! 😉
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a recipe for a sugar-free, sweetener-free baked good, so I thought it was about time I changed that! For awhile I was pumping out sweetener-free recipes left and right because I was in such a rhythm while creating my ebooks, #NoSugarNoProblems, which together contain over 60 paleo dessert recipes that are completely sugar-free and sweetener-free! I won’t lie, though – after finishing the second ebook, I was pretty burnt out from baking!
I was in a baking mood recently, though, and I’ve come to realize that moving forward I have to moderate my baking so I don’t get burnt out. Mostly during summer, when it can get very hot in the kitchen!
Anyways, I wanted to make a summer-themed recipe to curb those cravings for a baked good without baking anything too heavy. These Paleo Lemon Blueberry muffins do the job perfectly! They have a natural sweetness from the lemon and coconut, and they’re versatile enough to be served with breakfast, as a snack, or as a light dessert!
I looooove a good sugar-free baked good because you can satisfy your cravings without the unwanted side effects of consuming too much sugar. A little natural sugar won’t hurt anyone, but it’s nice to have an option that’s completely sweetener-free if you want it! If you don’t need the sugar, why add it?
Having sweetener-free recipes on hand is also great if you have digestive issues or if you’re on any type of healing protocol like a candida protocol, low FODMAP, AIP, or just a low-sugar diet. We can all benefit from reducing the amount of sugar in our diets, and I personally feel best when I’m reducing all sweeteners – even the “healthier” options.
When I say these muffins are sugar-free and sweetener-free, that means they’re not only free of cane sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and honey, but they’re also free of xylitol, stevia, monkfruit, erythritol, and any other sweeteners. Those sweeteners can cause digestive issues and cravings for many people, which is why I like to offer options that are completely free of any sweeteners for anyone who has a reaction to them.
These are also a great option if you’re following a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet, because the carb content is much lower than your typical baked good! And if you want to give your kids a muffin without adding to their daily sugar intake, I highly recommend these!
How are these “sweet” without sweeteners? That’s a question I get asked all the time! Well, they’re not as sweet as something filled with cane sugar, but if your palate is adjusted to a paleo-style or whole-foods based diet, these are ideal!
The key is to take advantage of flavors in whole foods that are naturally sweet. In these muffins, the tartness from the lemon and blueberries pair perfectly with the subtle coconut butter to make the muffins sweet, but not too much! I was shocked when I made these for the first time – the batter alone is to die for!
The next time you’re craving a muffin, whip these together for a delicious healthy paleo treat! They’re the perfect thing to bake if you want something on the lighter side, and everyone can enjoy these beauties!
Sweetener-Free Paleo Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup blueberries
- 5 tbsp coconut butter
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners or grease with coconut oil.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until everything is well incorporated.
- Fill each cupcake liner evenly with muffin batter.
- Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes so the muffins set. Enjoy!
by Christina | Aug 3, 2019 | Member Exclusives, Wellness
You might not like to talk about it, but poop gives us a lot of important information about our health. Looking at your stool is actually one of the best ways to figure out what’s going on with your digestion and gut health, which in turn informs you about your overall health. In this post we’ll be discussing what different types of stool mean so that you can figure out if you need to make any adjustments to your nutrition or lifestyle in order to support your health.
___________________________
This complete post is only available for The Channel Collective members. Click here to become a member, or click here to log in!
