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Easy, Healthy No Sugar Added Berry Sorbet

It’s cold dessert season! I’ve loved “nice cream” for years (made in a similar way to the recipe below, but with bananas!) but when one of my girlfriends mentioned she was making a healthy frozen fruit sorbet type dessert in her food processor, I had to start experimenting on my own. I love that this recipe is so quick and easy and that it doesn’t require any fancy ice cream making gadgets. While other frozen fruits may work, I really love using berries for this no sugar added sorbet recipe. Berries are lower in sugar compared to other fruit, contain tons of antioxidants and also have lots of fiber. The Greek yogurt in this recipe helps create a smooth and creamy consistency, plus the protein in it is always a welcome addition! If you are dairy free, you could try using dairy free yogurt options!

Time: 5 Minutes

2 Cups Frozen Berries (any kind will work, or a mix!)
1/3 Cup Greek Yogurt (I use plain but you can use any kind you like!)
2-4 Tbsp Water
Squeeze of Lemon Juice (this is optional but very highly suggested)

1. Add the 2 cups of berries, 1/3 cup of greek yogurt, 2 tbsp of water and squeeze of lemon juice to a food processor.

2. Process on high for 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides down. The consistency may be a little bit crumbly which will resolve after it is processed a little longer and you may also want to add 1 – 2 tbsp more of water!

3. Process until the berries are broken down and the consistency is like a sorbet or ice cream.

4. Divide into bowls and serve immediately.

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My Favorite Quiche

I have been making this easy, healthier quiche for breakfast meal prep a lot lately and I have 4 variations to prove it! This quiche checks all the boxes for me – it’s flavorful, reheats wonderfully, there is less fat and more protein in it than in a traditional quiche and best of all – it’s SO EASY. Another great thing about this easy, healthier quiche is that it isn’t a boring meal prep option – this is totally worthy of making for brunch guests as well! Check out the full recipe and my variations below!

Prep: 15 Minutes; Baking Time: 40 Minutes

6 Eggs
1 Cup of 1% Cottage Cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese (I pretty much always use parmesan)
2 Tbsp Milk (any kind is fine)
2 Cups of Baby Spinach (about half of an 8 oz bag)
2 Tsp Olive Oil
1/2 a White or Sweet Onion, Minced
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
Optional: 1 Pie Crust

1. If using a pre-made or homemade crust, use a fork to poke several holes in the bottom of the crust and bake the crust in the oven at 425 for ten minutes. Remove the crust and turn oven down to 375.

2. While the crust cooks, heat the olive oil in a medium sized pan over high heat and add the minced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring every now and then.

3. Turn heat down to medium. Add in baby spinach and salt. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes until spinach is wilted down. Turn off stove and let the onion and spinach mix cool while you prep the rest of the filling.

4. In a bowl combine the eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, milk and garlic powder. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well blended. Add a pinch of salt and pepper here if you’d like. Stir in Spinach and onion mixture.

5. Place the crust (or greased pie dish) on a baking sheet and fill with egg mixture to catch any spills. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until cooked through.

Notes/Variations:
I am gluten free so I really like the Wholly Gluten Free brand as far as pre-made pie crust. I have also made the above recipe using this super simple hash brown crust!

Another great variation is to make this recipe into omelet bites: I absolutely love these Non-Toxic BPA Free Reusable Silicone Baking Cups. Simply add 1/4 cup of the quiche mixture into the baking cups and bake in the air fryer at 325 for 10 minutes or until set.

I recently just made, baked and froze an entire quiche. I am interested to see how it reheats and will keep you posted!

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5 Simple Things You Can Do To Be A Little More Green


There are SO many things we could all do to be “greener” but I wanted to share a few practices from my day to day life that help. Please let me know if any of these are things you implement in your life or what you do to be a little more green!

1. Donate

Did you know that textile waste is a huge problem, not just overseas where a lot of manufacturing occurs, but also right here in the US? A couple times a year I go through all of my clothes and I donate the ones that no longer suit me. When I am doing this, I use this Sweater Shaver and Lint Remover on items (mostly clothing but on blankets too!) that I am both donating* and keeping. Knowing that I can spend about a minute an item so that the item will appear in better condition and may be more loved in its next home and kept out of a landfill makes me so happy! Aside from clothing, old items like sheets, towels and blankets may also be greatly appreciated. If you have a larger item and no way or desire to transport it to donate, post it on Facebook Marketplace for free! We have found homes for so many construction materials that are in great shape but no longer of use to us this way and these large items have been able to stay out of a landfill.

*When you are donating items, please be cognizant of condition. My best friend runs a not for profit and when she tells us some of the items they recieve, the group chat is appalled! Nationally, a huge expense for not for profits who accept a lot of donations can be getting rid of items that are broken, dangerous, in bad condition or unsanitary. Please, please just throw items out if they fall into these categories so that you are not passing this responsibility on to the group you are “donating” the items to and so that they are not wasting money in their already tight budgets! If a shirt has a bunch of stains or holes, can you use it as a cleaning rag? If you are thinking someone may really enjoy old pasta sauce jars you have collected (yes, this was a real item that was donated to her not for profit) – maybe check with a neighborhood Facebook group to see if anyone has a use for them and then just recycle them if there are no hits!

2. Care For What You Have

During the year, I have designated spots where I keep items that may need dry cleaning and mending. If the items aren’t urgently needed, I will typically wait until I have several items and then bring those to the pros. Doing these two things has allowed me to continue to use a beloved item that may have had something spilled on it or a small tear rather than just throwing the item out. I have also found that even while there may be more of an upfront cost, higher quality, classic items are often worth the initial splurge because they will simply last for years to come.

3. Pre-Loved is the New Black

I will never forget the ripping sound my favorite jeans made when I was sucking it in and sliding into my car through an inches wide opening because someone parked to close to me at the store. I was devastated that my favorite pair of jeans was both ripped beyond repair and discontinued. Enter: resale websites – Poshmark, Mercari and The Real Real for my bougier friends. These are all great options to not only purchase preloved items, but to offload some that may just be collecting dust in your closet so it doesn’t end up in a landfill. The new shoes you forgot to return? The dress you wore once on vacation? Clear your closet space, provide someone else with a new or gently used item they are excited about and make some money in the mean time that you could maybe reinvest in something that is preloved!

4. Vintage and Antiques Shops

While I LOVE the ease of being able to find decor at Target, Hobby Lobby or Home Goods when I am looking for something specific, I have noticed that many of the items I am drawn to or that fill my spaces are similar stylistically to items I am able to source from vintage and antiques shops. We love to travel and this includes road trips near and far where I am always good for finding somewhere to eat and somewhere to go antiquing. Like fast fashion, there are implications on the environment of buying items made quickly and cheaply overseas, utilizing components that may be hazardous to both our health and the environment. While this particular study focuses on safety from household toxins, during the prenatal and perinatal periods, the fact is that many of the textiles in our home from fabric, to flooring and decor can create more toxins in our home. While we should consider things like lead in vintage and antique items, many of the chemicals that are being omitted off of new items are not concerns on vintage and antique products!

5. SHOP LOCAL!

Similar to home decor, a lot of furniture we buy is made quickly and cheaply. The materials for cheap furniture and decor may contain harmful chemicals as noted in the study above and may often be composed of pressed wood, which is known to contain formaldehyde. By shopping locally made, solid wood furniture, you are not only going to get a most likely safer, better quality item but you are also drastically cutting down on emissions from shipping these larger pieces!

This also goes for other local products. If there is an item you can buy locally to cut down on individual shipping or support a local artisan, this is the way to go! Since we sell and ship across the country, whenever possible, we use recycled, recycled packaging materials! We save the packaging materials from the orders we receive to use when we ship orders, and the vast majority of these materials are already recycled!

These are just a few of the ways I try to be “more green” in my day to day life. I would love to hear any of the simple ways or easy tips you have to be more green in your lives!






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Healthier Shamrock Protein Shake

It’s Saint Patrick’s Day Season. Yes, season because when you live in Syracuse, NY – that is what it is. This time of year, you’ve probably seen some ads for McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. My recipe below makes about 24 ounces of shamrock shake, just a little bigger than McD’s 22 ounce size large shamrock shake and quite a bit healthier.

Their version packs in 800 calories, 20 grams of fat, 18 grams of protein, 103 grams of sugar with 84 grams of them being added sugar. The OG shamrock shake ingredients are: Milk, Sugar, Cream, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Mono And Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Glycerin, Contains 2% Or Less: Natural Flavor, Xantham Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Yellow 5, Blue 1.

My healthier shamrock shake is sweetened with dates and banana instead of sugar and high fructose corn syrup while sneaking in some fresh spinach you can’t even taste. This healthier shamrock shake contains 350 calories, 9 grams of fat, 24 grams of protein, 30 grams of sugar with 0 grams of them being added sugar. My version also contains 25% DV Vitamin D, 65% DV Calcium, 30% DV Iron, 165% DV Vitamin A, 60% DV Vitamin C.

I am not someone who is super into minty or mint chocolate stuff, but I cannot get enough of this shake as a dessert or sweet treat! I think I will be making it well outside of the St. Patrick’s Day Season!

Better For You Shamrock Protein Shake
Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 dried dates, about 20 grams (Medjool are larger and sweeter than Noor dates but either will work)
1 Cup Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Handful of Baby Spinach, about 25 grams
1 Frozen Banana
1 Scoop Plain Whey Protein Powder, about 24 grams
1 Cup of Ice
1/4 Tsp Mint Extract
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Optional: 1 Tbsp Cacao Nibs

Instructions:
1. Break or cut the dates away from the pit and place in a microwave safe container with 1/2 cup of the almond milk. Microwave for 30 seconds and set aside. This will help soften the dates so they blend easier in the cold liquid!
2. In a high powered blender, add the remaining 1/2 up almond milk, baby spinach, frozen banana, whey, ice, mint and vanilla extract and the date/almond milk mixture.
3. Blend on high for one minute until smooth and well combined.
4. If using them, add in cacao nibs and blend for another 15 seconds, until nibs are broken down.

Pour into a large container and enjoy!

This isn’t your typical green smoothie or shamrock shake but I know you will love it as much as I do!

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Veggie Packed Pasta-less Salad!

One of the best things about summer is the fresh, local produce and the quintessential summer food staples. It’s so amazing to see how much better everything tastes and how much longer it stays fresh when it was grown nearby. I love creating meals and dishes that are full of color, flavor and with food that is in season in my area.

One of my favorites is my take on a classic pasta salad. This salad has all of the flavors of a traditional pasta salad, while using up your zucchini and summer veggies! The veggies make this recipe packed with antioxidants and fiber as well as low in fat!

Veggie Packed Pasta-less Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchinis, spiralized into zoodles or cut into “noodle” like strips
1/2 tsp Salt
2 bell peppers, chopped ( I like to use a mix of green, red, orange + yellow!)
1 small cucumber, sliced lengthwise and cut into half moon slices
1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Instructions:
1. Spiralize or cut the zucchini into noodle like strips or small, thin pieces. Place in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and mix to make sure the noodles are coated. Let sit for ~15 minutes while you wash and chop the rest of the ingredients. This helps drain off some of the water and keeps the zucchini crisp.

2. Add the bell peppers (I like to use 1/2 a green, red, orange and yellow pepper but any combo to get you to 2 bell peppers will work), cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion to a bowl.

3. Whisk together the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, olive oil and white wine vinegar.

4. Pat the zucchini with a clean tea towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture. Add to the bowl containing the other vegetables.

5. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to coat. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste.

6. Let sit for a half hour if you have the time! This is also great to make ahead for meal prep!

Serve with your favorite protein for a meal, eat as a snack or make for your next gathering! This recipe can easily be tweaked to suit personal tastes. Some add in ideas: olives, shredded Parmesan cheese, cubes of mozzarella, provolone or cheddar cheese, turkey pepperoni, fresh herbs and artichoke hearts.