Carrot Top Pesto

You know when you buy beautiful carrots from the store and you're left with their green tops? What on earth are you supposed to do with them? Well, that's what I am here to talk about today, my friends. No more tossing those babies in the compost. While you could always stick them in your freezer bag full of odds and ends for that chicken stock you'll be making soon, there are good reasons to eat them fresh. Not only do they taste like super-concentrated carrots (aka delicious), but they contain 6 times the vitamin C of the root and are a great source of potassium and calcium! They have chlorophyll (as does everything green), which is an excellent source of magnesium. They can be a tad bitter, so using them in something that has other strong flavors (like garlic) is a great idea! Which brings us to today's recipe.

This pesto is incredibly easy to make and versatile to use. It is practically impossible to mess up, because it's just a bunch of tasty things blended together. It freezes well, and can be used to dress cauliflower rice, put on your eggs in the morning, as a topping to your tacos, as a sauce for your spaghetti squash "noodles", or anything else you can think of that needs some green pizzaz.

You'll need a food processor or a blender.

Ingredients:

Greens from approximately 8 carrots, cut just so they're not whole
3 (or so) cloves garlic
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of almonds, leftover almond grounds from making almond milk, or any other kind of nut you like (pecans and hazelnuts also work well)
1 cup olive oil

1. Blend together everything except the olive oil in your food processor until it is ground up and consistent in texture.
2. Place this mixture in a bowl.
3. Whisk in olive oil by hand (this will ensure the oil doesn't get bitter, as it can when blended in a machine).
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

That's it! You have only 5 carrot tops? 1/3 cup of nuts? No big deal! Just add a little more or less olive oil. This pesto is totally customizable to what you have, and is so tasty. Give it a try!

Magnesium!

Magnesium! Making our own body butter! There is so much to talk about, I'm happy you're here.

Have you been craving chocolate? Having muscle cramps? Difficulty sleeping? Anxiety? Lapses in memory? Chances are that you (along with most of the other people in the world) have a magnesium deficiency. Today we are going to stray from the normal everyday healthy food post, and touch on something, that although edible (not tasty, but edible), will impact our health in a different yet very important way!

I adhere to the idea that we should not put anything on our skin that we can't eat. Our skin is our biggest organ and the stuff we put on it eventually makes its way into our blood! You know we absorb something like 7 pounds of chemicals through our skin every year through the use of cosmetics? Yuck! That's why making your own is so important, because just like having control over what we eat by cooking our own food, we want to have control over what is absorbed through our skin (to a degree, of course) by making the stuff that we are slathering ourselves (and our babies) with.

For example, many cosmetics are made with a chemical called DEA, which is believed to cause detrimental effects on brain development when babies are exposed to it prenatally (hi, pregnant ladies!). Glycol Ethers are chemicals found in many cosmetics that can cause infertility in men and can be dangerous to pregnant women. Formaldehyde is sometimes hiding in many things that we buy, which in large amounts can cause things like asthma and menstrual disorders in women. Wowzers! Now, I'm not a scientist, but the one thing that I can guarantee is that when making this body butter, there will be absolutely none of the things I just listed, as well as no:

- lead
- mercury
- glucocorticoids (may cause skin problems)
- parabens (many research studies have found these in breast cancer tumors)
- artificial fragrances
- synthetic colors

...Or any of the other things that are meant to make cosmetics smell/look/feel a certain way and be preserved when made in large quantities.

So we're on the same page, yes? Wonderful. Now let's talk about magnesium.

Magnesium is a mineral that is, like many other minerals, super important for many reasons. Without magnesium, we could not produce energy, our muscles would be in a permanent state of contraction, and we could not adjust the levels of cholesterol produced and released into the blood stream. Because of the farming practices widely used in our food system, the soil that our vegetables are grown in is magnesium-deficient, which means we are not getting the magnesium from vegetables that we once did. Carbonated beverages, which so many of us enjoy, contain phosphates...these substances actually bind with magnesium inside the digestive tract, rendering it unavailable to the body.

Magnesium is necessary for maintenance and regulation of enzyme activity in the body (think digestion), DNA and RNA, and energy production. Magnesium is a macro-mineral, along with calcium, sodium, and potassium and is needed by the body in large amounts. It is also an essential mineral, which means that it needs to be obtained from an outside source because our bodies do not make it. Honestly, the importance of magnesium cannot be expressed enough! you can read more here.

So in other words, here are the good things magnesium facilitates:

- Moving blood sugar into your muscles and disposing of lactic acid (which causes pain and cramping, especially during exercise)
- Lessening depression and anxiety
- Regulating blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetics by supporting insulin function
- Lowering inflammation in the body
- Improving mood and reducing water retention in women with PMS
- Helping you sleep
- Lessening morning sickness in pregnant women
- Supporting strong bones

And guess what: magnesium is best absorbed through our SKIN! You can take an oral supplement, but the amount that remains is pretty minimal after being exposed to the acids and enzymes in the digestive system and being filtered through the kidneys. Still, it is always good to eat magnesium-rich food anyway, and use this body butter as a supplement. Here is a list of some good magnesium-providing foods.

This recipe is easy, fast, and flexible in that you can control what essential oils you use! I used lavender, because among over things, magnesium helps facilitate better sleep, something lavender is know to do as well. Why not let them work together to relax those muscles and get you ready for bed after a hard day?

Gather the following:
1. 1 large glass jar
2. Small saucepan or pot filled about 2 inches up with water.
3. A hand mixer or immersion blender
4. A small mixing bowl
5. Small, airtight glass jar for storage

Ingredients:
1. 1/2 cup magnesium oil *You can also make your own magnesium oil by dissolving 1/2 cup magnesium flakes in 1/2 cup filtered water.
2. 1/4 cup coconut oil
3. 1/8 cup shea butter
4. 1 tsp avocado oil, almond oil, or apricot seed kernel oil (or this can be omitted)
5. 2 Tbsp beeswax
6. 10 drops lavender essential oil (or you could use a different one if you prefer).

Process:
1. Combine coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, and optional oil (#4) in a glass jar.
2. Place the jar in the saucepan filled with water, and over low heat, slowly melt the ingredients, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove the jar from the saucepan and allow ingredients to cool for 10 minutes.

4. Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix with a hand blender or immersion blender on medium-low speed. Slowly add the magnesium oil as you blend.

5. Once the mixture is well mixed, place the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes.
6. Add the lavender (or other) essential oil, mixing at low speed. Once it is incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and whip for 1 minute to create a body butter texture.
7. Scoop the butter into the glass jar.

8. Store next to your bed for use before going to sleep, or use as a massage oil for tired muscles. Makes about 1 cup, so you could get 2 small jars and share some with a friend!

Remember, there are no gross chemicals or alcohol in our beautiful body butter, so be prepared to allow some time for it to seep into your skin! This will keep for about 6 months, so use it up before time is up!

Questions? Suggestions? Stories? Please share! I welcome your comments, and I would also love if you came to chat with me at Glow Fitness! <3

Paleo Chia Pudding!

Ah, Monday. I realize that today being the 4th of July, it will be a little harder to stick to being "sugar free", so why not whip this up today before all the festivities and have yourself a Sugar-Free Tuesday instead? We can have a freebie today, I say. These kinds of dietary changes are gradual and we need not mix any self-judgment or guilt in with it!

This pudding is SUPER easy, super fast to make (not including the soaking time, of course), and absolutely delicious. The chia seeds give it a special texture, and the natural sweetness and creaminess from the coconut milk (along with a touch of honey or maple syrup) is enough to satisfy that sweet tooth. You could even leave out the extra sweetener to make it truly sugar free! When my brain is screaming at me "I NEED ICE CREAM NOW", and this pudding is in the fridge, I can make that healthier choice without even having to think about it!

According to Dr. Axe, Aztec warriors ate chia seeds to give them high energy and endurance. Chia means “strength” in the Mayan language, and chia seeds were known as 'runners food' since warriors would use them as fuel while running long distances during battle. These seeds are rich in omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals, and are a source of anti-oxidants (aka anti-cancer). They have also become known to help people with diabetes better control their blood sugar levels: the gel from the seeds creates a barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes in the stomach, slowing down the conversion of carbs into sugar. They have a ton of fiber, so make sure you eat them in moderation accompanied by plenty of water to avoid stomach discomfort. Chia seeds do have phytic acid (which blocks the absorption of minerals), and phytoestrogens (molecules present in plants that closely resemble human estrogen), but it seems that the health advantages outweigh any negative effects.

Let's get to it! Be aware that this needs to soak for at LEAST 6 hours (better overnight) before being ready to eat. Which is why you should just make it real quick today, and it'll be ready for breakfast tomorrow to get your Tuesday started off right (and help you digest all those 4th of July hot dogs).

Coconut Milk Chia Pudding

Ingredients (I've included regular measurements as well as weighted ones):

1. 1 can unsweetened and full-fat coconut milk* (398 ml/g)
2. 1/2 cup chia seeds (80 g)
3. Scant (just under) 3/4 cup water or coconut water (160g)
4. 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp or 64 g) honey or maple syrup
5. 1/2 tsp (2 g) sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine maple syrup (or honey), salt and water over very low heat until salt is just dissolved.
2. Add can of coconut milk to warm mixture and whisk until all fat melted and mixture is homogenous. Turn off heat.
3. Add the chia seeds and whisk thoroughly to break apart.
4. Pour into a glass container, and allow to soak overnight (or at least 6 hours) in the fridge.
5. Serve with dried golden berries or fresh blueberries (or ANY fruit you like!)

*THIS coconut milk is the only one I have been able to find that is organic, unsweetened, full fat AND doesn't have any of those weird ingredients (guar gum, carageenan, calcium carbonate, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin B12, vitamin D2, natural flavor, sunflower lecithin, locust bean gum, gellan gum, etc). Why do I need all that stuff added? Synthetic vitamins? "Natural Flavors"? Noooo, thanks. Find it online or at your local Whole Foods Market.

Get all your ingredients together and measured before starting.

After 6 hours (overnight will contribute to an even thicker pudding), it will be thick and lovely and ready to enjoy!