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Fit Soul and Spice has moved!

~ Exciting news! Fit Soul and Spice has moved and transformed!! Check out my new website, girlhackz.com, to continue following my quick healthy lifestyle tips and tricks for girls on the go…

Fit Soul and Spice has moved!

Tag Archives: grand opening

No Bake Brownie Batter Bites…

06 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Spice

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blog, brownies, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, columnists, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lbi, lifestyle, long beach isalnd, long beach island, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style, [Edit]Tagsbay magazine

When we bake homemade brownies, there is one point in the process that pretty much everyone looks forward to:  licking the fudgy, chocolatey spoon!

photo 1

 What if I told you that today’s recipe, in it’s completely prepared state, remains in that soft, rich, homemade brownie batter state?  Wait, there’s more…what if I ALSO told you that it’s gluten free, dairy free, and made with all natural, organic ingredients?

Imagine health benefits including rich antioxidants, lowered cholesterol, prevention of heart disease and high blood pressure, increased metabolism, vibrant skin, shiny well-conditioned hair, a high fiber intake, no unrefined sugars, and nutrient dense calories…from a brownie batter sweet treat!?

I kid you not.

Next time you are preparing a dessert for your chocolate loving family and friends, take the healthy alternative route, and try out today’s simple, hassle free recipe.

Fit Soul and Spice’s No Bake Brownie Batter Bites

FSS No Bake Brownie Batter Bites

FSS No Bake Brownie Batter Bites

Makes 15

 Important Materials Needed: mini muffin pan, mini cupcake liners, small sauté pan, blender

 Ingredients: 

Crust:

1 ½ cups almond flour (finely ground almonds)

6 medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons organic cacao powder

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted in a sauté pan

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling: 

½ cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 drops liquid stevia

½ cup organic coconut palm sugar

½ cup organic cacao powder

4 tablespoons organic honey

Directions: 

Prepare pan with 15 mini cupcake liners

 Crust:

1.  Add to blender:  almond flour, dates, cacao powder.

 2.  Melt coconut oil over high heat, and once melted, add to blender.

 3.  Add vanilla extract to blender.

4.  Blend until all ingredients are combined and dates are pulverized.  You will have to stop and scrape the sides a couple of times throughout.

5.  Remove crust from blender using a spatula.

 6.  Press one heaping teaspoon of batter into each cupcake liner, molding with your fingers into a tartlet shape.  Be sure to press enough to provide space to pour your filling.

7.  Place in refrigerator while you prepare your filling.

Filling:

 1.  In a sauté pan, melt coconut oil over medium heat.  Once melted, reduce heat to low.

 2.  Once coconut oil is melted, add vanilla extract, stevia, coconut palm sugar, and cacao powder, and honey to sauté pan, stirring slowly and gently to combine all ingredients without burning.

3.  Stir over low heat until cacao powder is completely melted, and filling thickens. The filling’s thickness should resemble brownie batter before going into the oven.

 4.  Once thickened, remove from heat and continue to stir for two minutes.  Thickness will slightly increase.

~

– Remove crust from refrigerator.  Pour filling into tartlets until ¾ full.  You do not want them to overflow.

– Return to refrigerator and let sit for about two hours to harden.

– Remove from refrigerator and transfer to a dish when ready to serve.

If you make this delectable snack, please tag @fitsoulandspice on Instagram to show your final result!  Happy [no bake] baking, everyone!

Stay sweet, much love… 🙂

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NEWS: Fit Soul and Spice partners with LBI’s innovative bay magazine. . .

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Fit, Soul, Spice

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bay magazine, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style, [Edit]Tagsbalanced

photo.PNG FSS logo

Hello all 🙂

Today’s announcement is what I anticipate to be the beginning of new friendships, partnerships, and a wonderful collaborative step toward spreading the beauty and benefits of the healthy, balanced, Fit Soul and Spice lifestyle a bit further out into the world…

Fit Soul and Spice has teamed up with bay magazine, Long Beach Island, New Jersey’s #1 leisure and lifestyle magazine, to launch a weekly lifestyle column on their website, http://www.bay-magazine.com/ .

The new Fit Soul and Spice bay magazine column, which can be found on the site’s ‘bay blog‘ page ( http://www.bay-magazine.com/#!blog/c1cny ), will contain a weekly entry consisting of Fit Soul and Spice originals, covering topics such as healthy, simple recipes, clean cooking tips, and a plethora of fitness information catered to all individuals.

You will also see Fit Soul and Spice on stands this summer, as my lifestyle column is scheduled to appear in bay magazine 2015 issues, as well, with a strong emphasis on the use of local LBI ingredients for creating delicious, healthy meals!

bay magazine offers rich and relevant content that reflects the leisure and lifestyle of Long Beach Island, NJ.  It is the only one of its kind; a modern, unique publication that offers extraordinary editorial content exclusive to Long Beach Island.

I am beyond excited to be a part of the talented, professional, creative publication that is bay magazine.  Check out their website for more information about the magazine, advertising opportunities, updated press releases, and the newest FSS entries on the bay blog.

Islanders and vacationers ~ remember to keep an eye out for this year’s issues!

To see bay magazine’s latest press release, click the link below:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/5cb4c7_55926b81363840ce9cd26537ef435b85.pdf

Sending positive vibes to you all . . . so much love 🙂

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Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets…

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Spice

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style

Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets

Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets

If you love caramel, cupcakes, cake, muffins, and basically anything delectable that intertwines sweet and salty, than today’s FSS recipe is a dream come true.

I’ve always loved ooooooey, goooooey caramel, but it’s typically packed with refined sugar and dairy.  In fact, the ingredients are sugar, butter, and heavy cream.  I have been on a mission to create a gooey, chewy, creamy caramel as delicious as the traditional recipe, except that it had to be dairy free and offer health benefits through the use of clean, natural ingredients.  This was when my Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets were born.

These heavenly little cakes are a no bake, hassle free snack, and what’s even better is they’re dairy free, gluten free, and made with all natural ingredients that will break down easily and naturally in your body.  Eat clean, get lean!

Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets

Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets

The perfect amount of sweet with a pinch of salty, I will you all to stock up on your clean pantry ingredients and follow this recipe ASAP!  Oh, and make extras — I guarantee you’re gonna need them, especially if you have friends and family picking on them as a healthy option at your Super Bowl Sunday party!

Sea Salted Caramel Tartlets

Makes One Dozen

Important Materials Needed: mini muffin pan, mini cupcake liners, small sauté pan, blender

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 ¼ cup almond flour (finely ground almonds)

7 medjool dates, pitted

dash of cinnamon

¼ cup organic coconut palm sugar

¼ cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sea Salted Caramel Filling:

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup organic coconut palm sugar

½ cup light vanilla soymilk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon sea salt

Directions:

Prepare pan with 12 mini cupcake liners

Crust:

  1. Add to blender: almond flour, dates, cinnamon, and coconut palm sugar.
  2. Melt coconut oil over high heat, and once melted, add to blender.
  3. Add vanilla extract to blender.
  4. Blend until all ingredients are combined and dates are pulverized. You will have to stop and scrape the sides a couple of times throughout.
  5. Remove crust from blender using a spatula.
  6. Press one heaping teaspoon of batter into each cupcake liner, molding with your fingers into a tartlet shape. Be sure to press enough to provide space to pour your caramel filling.
  7. Place in refrigerator while you prepare your filling.

Sea Salted Caramel Filling:

  1. In a large sauté pan and on low-medium heat, add coconut oil, coconut palm sugar, and soymilk.
  2. Once all ingredients are melted, add vanilla extract.
  3. Mix ingredients constantly on low-medium heat until thickened into a brown caramel (a bourbon brown color), about 12 minutes.

Tip:  To test your caramel’s readiness, scoop some up on your spatula and be sure it is gooey, soft, and droops slowly off – not runny like sugar water, and not hardening to a candy texture.

Finally…

– Remove crust from refrigerator. Pour caramel filling into tartlets until ¾ full. You do not want them to overflow.

– Return to refrigerator and let sit for about two hours to harden.

– Remove from refrigerator. Before serving, sprinkle some sea salt over each tartlet to add another blast of flavor! Serve on a beautiful platter and indulge…guilt free!

Be healthy, be well, be sweet! Much love 🙂

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FSS Wintertime Smoothies…

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Fit, Spice

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balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style

photo 1Many people feel that spring and summer are the only seasons deemed convenient or appropriate to make and enjoy fresh smoothies. The fruit and vegetables are farm fresh, the weather is warmer, and produce tends to be less expensive and more accessible. While these facts may be true, contrary to popular belief, your winter detoxification journey doesn’t have to be treacherous, and it doesn’t have to take a toll on your wallet either. In fact, throughout the winter, cleansing can be quite enjoyable and range from low-average in price, given the right ingredients!

After the typically high processed carb, refined sugar, creamy butter-filled holidays, it can be very beneficial to your mind, body, and skin to make a habit of detoxing, cleansing, and shaking in order to reduce bloating and inflammation, bring a glow to your skin, and release unnatural, unhealthy toxins from your body. If you’re chasing those positive lifestyle goals, smoothies also work as an easy aspect to maintain in living a healthy, fit lifestyle.

I drink smoothies year round; they have become a staple in my lifestyle. Not only are they satisfying and delicious, but when you blend clean, whole ingredients, you are basically exploding those vitamins and nutrients in the blender before consumption. Therefore, nutritional benefits that may not typically take place until reaching your intestines begin taking place from the moment the smoothie touches your lips. Smoothies work as a wonderful dinner alternative. As they move through your body and digest at a faster rate, they help to wash out and remove toxins more effectively, without leaving you overly full for bed.

Below is a list of my favorite Fit Soul and Spice Detox Water and Smoothie originals. They are refreshing all year round, but they are especially helpful throughout the winter months, in that all of the ingredients should be available and affordable at most of your neighborhood markets. Try to replace one meal per day (even two if you desire!) with a smoothie from the list below, and you’ll see and feel the difference almost instantly!

photo 2Fit Soul and Spice Wintertime Detox Shakes:

FSS Detox Water

1 gallon water

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

10 ginger shavings (peel skin off ginger first, and then use peeler for fresh shavings)

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions: Add all ingredients to a large pitcher, and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Consume entire gallon throughout the next day. Repeat this plan for five days to release toxins, reduce bloating and inflammation, and clear your skin, leaving it glowing and vibrant. Combined with lean meals rich in green vegetables such as kale, steamed spinach and broccoli, sliced cucumber, and celery, and daily exercise, you will see and feel a significant difference!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Directions for all smoothie recipes: Combine all ingredients in a blender in the order which they are listed, and blend until combined and smooth.

PB & J Smoothie

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

3 tabelspoons PB2

5 strawberries

2 medjool dates, soaked and pitted

Chocolate Covered Banana Smoothie

 1 cup water

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 scoops chocolate protein powder

2 frozen bananas

2 medjool dates, soaked and pitted

 Fruit Salad Smoothie

 3 cups water

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

2 1/2 cups kale

6 baby carrots

1/2 pear

4 strawberries

1 banana

3 stevia drops (optional)

Beet the Cold Smoothie

1 cup water

1 cup coconut water

1 tablespoon PB2

3 large beets, peeled

½ pear

½ cup kale

1 banana

5 stevia drops

Clean, Green, Smoothie Machine

1 ½ cups water

1 ½ coconut water

1 cup kale

1 large stalk of celery

1 medium sized cucumber, peeled

½ cup baby carrots

5 strawberries

2 medjool dates, soaked and pitted

5 stevia drops

Sweet Tooth Smoothie

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

5 strawberries

1 frozen banana

2 squares organic dark chocolate

Tropical Getaway Smoothie

1 cup water

2 cups coconut water

5 ice cubes

¼ cup organic, unsweetened shredded coconut

4 strawberries

5 mango spears

1 cup pineapple, diced

1 frozen banana

Watermelon Slush Smoothie

½ cup coconut water

6 ice cubes

3 cups watermelon, diced

Winter Blues Smoothie

½ cup coconut water

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

2 cups blueberries

1 kiwi, peeled

**BONUS**

Freeze any of these smoothies into ice pop molds, and have them on hand in your freezer as a clean, lean, delicious healthy dessert option!

photo 3

Tag @fitsoulandspice on Instagram when you make your favorite smoothie from the list!

Enjoy, be well, and happy cleansing!

Much love… 🙂

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NJ/NYC Culinary Courses. . .

16 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Spice

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art, balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style

Happy almost Friday darlings!  I hope you’re having a lovely week, and staying warm if you live in the New York area like me!  I wanted to reach out and inform readers tonight about some exciting news for Fit Soul and Spice in 2015!

Starting this month (January 2015), I’ll be teaching some healthy alternative cooking courses at Hudson County Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute, in Jersey City, NJ.  Culinary course coordinators discovered Fit Soul and Spice, and were truly interested in working together towards educating people about the benefits and aspects of healthy, balanced, clean living!  If you live in the NYC/North Jersey area, and you’re interested in learning more about simple and delicious healthy cooking, what it means to eat “clean,” and living a long-term, sustainable healthy lifestyle, these courses may be the perfect opportunity for you to embark on your life changing healthy lifestyle journey…

photo 3

All of the recipes taught throughout these courses will be Fit Soul and Spice originals; some you can find here, and many you have not yet seen.  Students will be educated in what exactly defines “clean eating,” how to incorporate more whole foods into your healthy lifestyle, cooking with vegan/gluten free/raw foods, and how to use clean, healthy alternative ingredients in place of processed, unnatural, unhealthy options.  ***Bonus: Students will be able to take home leftovers, as well as a copy of all recipes made throughout that day’s course!  Bring healthy home with you…

photo 4

Contact Information!

Below, I have listed some upcoming course information.  Additional course options will be coming soon.  If you’re interested in any other information, please comment below or contact me via fitsoulandspice@gmail.com.

Gluten Free & Loving It  –  Friday, January 23, 2015

Are you or someone you know Gluten Intolerant? Have you been dreaming of gluten-free breads, cakes, cookies and desserts? Well, look no further – in this course we will discuss and use gluten-free flour blends that will be used to create some of these classic favorites. Come learn the basics of Gluten-Free Baking and learn the theory behind the ingredients you need to use to substitute for gluten. This class will be a fun and educational chance to recreate some of your favorite foods you may not be able to enjoy anymore.  Tuition: $69

Pasta Free Italian – Friday, April 24, 2015

Your favorite Italian flavors can be made healthy without sacrificing flavor with some easy-to-learn techniques!  Learn to make ‘noodles’ out of zucchini and sweet potatoes, create healthful sauces for each and a layered polenta lasagna.  Finish off the meal with a banana and coconut tiramisu for dessert.  Whether you eat a gluten free diet or want to learn healthy twists on Italian favorites, this is the class for you.

Gluten-Free Kids Favorites – Sunday, May 3, 2015

Join us for an evening of kid-friendly recipes recreated to be gluten free, including a cauliflower crust cheesy pizza, crunchy mozzarella sticks, zucchini ‘spaghetti’ noodles and chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

Create Your Own Party

For groups of six or more! (bachelorette party, couples night, birthday party…)

*Dates are tentative and may be subject to change.

photo 2

Your healthy lifestyle begins with a positive attitude and hands-on experience.

Remember: healthy happy home, healthy happy life!

Be well!  Much love 🙂

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FSS Gluten Free Pizza Dough…

10 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Fit, Spice

≈ Leave a comment

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balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, spice, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style, [Edit]Tagsart

Fun Fact: Did you know that gluten means “glue” in Latin?

Eating foods with gluten can lead to a sludgy, sticky, sluggish feeling in your stomach, which often effects the way the rest of your body feels.  Read on and try today’s Fit Soul and Spice original recipe in an attempt to cut a bit of gluten out of your life…without giving up your favorite flavors and foods!

Untitled

Fit Soul and Spice’s Gluten Free Pizza Dough

Everyone loves pizza.  What’s not to love?  It’s one of those foods you can have anyway, anywhere, anytime, and know that it’s going to undoubtedly hit the spot.  Crispy, fluffy, ooey gooey, late at night, early in the morning, hot, cold, fresh, or left over..isn’t it fantastic?!  Gotta love it.

Growing up, I made homemade pizza with my mom every Friday night.  My grandpa made it his whole life, and it is a delicious tradition that I am fortunate enough to have had passed down to me as well.  So, pizza, as loved as it already is by the universe, holds sentimental value in my life as well.

IMG_0187

FSS Gluten Free Pizza Dough

Unfortunately, as most of us know, pizza really isn’t good for you at all.  So I accepted long ago that its deliciousness should only be consumed in moderation.  This compromise with myself was all good…until a lactose allergy and IBS diagnosis officially [and quite literally] cramped my style a little over two years ago.  This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because once I stopped consuming pretty much all dairy and took my clean eating habits to whole new level, my entire body felt SO much healthier!  I had no clue how much better I could feel!  It led me to live an even healthier lifestyle, drove me to begin creating delicious healthy alternative recipes, and eventually resulted in the birth of Fit Soul and Spice!  So, I suppose everything happens for a reason. 🙂

This, combined with already implemented lifestyle decisions to become an extremely clean eater, have brought to light things that I do NOT love so much about pizza, which is the way I feel after eating it: stomach bloated and crampy, body sluggish, eyes puffy, iodized salt water retention, sometimes a headache – imagine a food hangover, only worse; longer lasting, uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful.

In the name of research, I suffered through the discomfort and did some experimenting to figure out exactly what may cause discomfort after eating pizza.  (Despite the discomfort, there could’ve been many worse, less tasty areas of interest to experiment with. 😉 )  I learned it wasn’t just about the cheese factor.  I tried different variations of pizza: sauce, no sauce, specific toppings, and even pizza without cheese, and I eventually realized another huge factor of discomfort lies in traditional pizza dough.

Even if you don’t struggle with stomach issues, gluten and chemical based ingredients in traditional pizza dough such as white flour, iodized salt, and unhealthy/unnatural oils may mess with your stomach, causing symptoms listed above.  These ingredients also aren’t good for your skin, your waistline, or your overall health.

FSS Gluten Free Pizza

FSS Gluten Free Pizza Dough

About a year ago, I set out to make a change, and finally, after many, many fails, I’ve succeeded in creating the ultimate gluten free pizza dough!  Below is Fit Soul and Spice‘s recipe for Gluten Free Pizza Dough.  This recipe is as close to the traditional recipe as you will get!  It rises beautifully, bakes well, and even reheats well too!  Most importantly, it’s texture and taste is both satisfying and delicious.

photo 1

Gluten Free Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

1 packet perfect rise yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water (bordering hot but NOT hot)

1 cup gluten free whole grain oat flour

1 cup gluten free 1:1 baking flour

1 cup gluten free flour (Trader Joes brand is what I use!)

3 tablespoons organic coconut palm sugar

1 tablespoon all natural sea salt

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 1/2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl, mix perfect rise yeast with warm water.  Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix GF whole grain oat flour, GF 1:1 baking flour, GF flour, organic coconut palm sugar, xanthan gum, and natural sea salt.  Toss a bit with a dry spoon to combine ingredients.

Form a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Over the well, pour: yeast/water combination and 1 1/2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil.

Mix ingredients on low until combined well and formed into a ball of dough (5-6 minutes).  If you need to stop and scrape the sides of your mixing bowl a few times, that’s perfectly fine!

Let dough sit in a bowl, covered with a dish towel or paper towel, for 1-2 hours in order to rise.

Once risen, spread about a tablespoon of organic extra virgin olive oil on your pizza pan or stone, and roll dough out until about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake on 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Add your favorite toppings, and return to oven to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven), until crust is crispy, bottom is slightly golden (check carefully with a spatula), and toppings have cooked

IMG_0198

FSS Gluten Free Pizza Dough (and fried egg as a topping..pure genius!!)

Bon appétit!!  Pizza dough made gluten free, vegan, healthier, lower in calories and carbs, absolutely delicious, and just as enjoyable as your favorite traditional recipes!  Perhaps we can enjoy pizza more often than we thought, after all!  What a beautiful concept…

Be well, clean eaters.  Much love. 🙂

FSS Gluten Free Pizza

FSS Gluten Free Pizza

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Fitness: Friend, Not Foe…

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by Girlhackz in Fit

≈ 1 Comment

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photoI thought the beginning of the new year would be a good time to reflect on the issue of a seemingly common, quite negative attitude that many develop towards fitness.  Over time, I’ve come to the realization that a great number of people view the gym, or any form of fitness for that matter, as much more of a foe than a friend; a burden or chore, if you will.  Lately, I find myself wondering why this is the case, and how we can try to make efforts towards changing this common attitude and stigma towards fitness, in order to begin forming a positive outlook, and a more upbeat connection.

This is that time of year when tons of people make resolutions, particularly to become more physically fit, healthier, and content/comfortable in their own skin.  Unfortunately, it’s simultaneously a time where people quickly give up on these goals, lose sight of their motivation, and simply quit without realizing that they were already ahead of the game simply by starting!

That being said, I am taking now as an ideal opportunity to approach this topic head on, in an attempt to inspire and motivate anyone – resolutioners and gym rats alike – to approach fitness in 2015 from a more positive angle.

Let’s be honest.  Everyone knows that beginning on January 2nd of each new year, gyms become packed with new faces, sudden lines for the treadmill, and an overall hustle and bustle that was virtually nonexistent on December 31st.  I can vouch for this, as I attended my normally quiet kickboxing class the second day of the 2015, only to find a full house and one bag left that I was lucky to get my hands on.  (Sidenote: This is in no way directed negatively towards anyone committing to fitness, joining the gym, etc. in the new year.  These are simply my observations throughout research for this entry.  Good for ALL of you, keep it up, this is your year!)

However, in the time between February 1 and March 1, the rapid influx of new faces seems to drastically dissipate.  The ‘regulars’ are left, the treadmills are free, and the gym returns to the state of “normality” it possesses the other 9-11 months out of the year.  Evidence: I made sure to go back to that same boxing class one week later to check in on the turnout, and it was pretty much back to its original state.

My big question is: Why?  Why do so many people quit and give up on their goals so quickly?  Why does this pattern persist each year? What’s up with that?

bright sneakers

I am a routine gym goer, but sometimes even the most bona fide gym rats battle a negative attitude towards getting to the gym.  I’ve learned over the years that it’s ALL about ATTITUDE.  Only I control whether I’ll be negative or positive; proactive or inactive.

Yes, everyone misses days here and there and that’s totally normal and fine, but this is really geared most towards those who just can’t seem to maintain their fitness habits.  The BEST piece of advice I can give to those who are reading and relating to this entry is this: Working out and being healthy is not just about making efforts to train your body.  You must train your mind, as well.  Positivity is crucial, and the overall results will follow.

I’ve concluded this: the mindset must change.

All these pressures: strict deadlines, viewing fitness as an awful chore, separating your mind training from your body training, are the very things making you roll your eyes, get down on yourself, and hate thinking about going!  In thinking negatively about fitness, we are only ever hurting ourselves and our results.  Below, I’ve composed a list of eight tips that, if truly accepted and put into practice, can influence a sway in anyone and everyone’s attitude.  They work for me, they’ve worked for those near and dear to me who are not daily gym-goers, and they’ll work for you too, whoever you are and however you relate.

possibilities copy

How To Transform the Gym from Foe to Friend:

1.  Don’t start on the first day of the new year, and don’t give yourself a deadline.

I respect and understand the point of New Year’s resolutions, but I’ve never been a big fan of them.  I consider myself a fairly disciplined person, and I’ve made plenty, and they just seem to fade away in the wind with January 1st.  The emphasis on the first day of the new year tends to ultimately outweigh the resolution itself.  There’s SO much pressure involved in committing to a lifestyle goal when you give yourself this strict start and finish line.  If you’re a certain distance from your ‘deadline’ and you’re not where you’re ‘supposed’ to be, of course you’re likely to quit!  You’ll think negatively, get down on yourself, and lose motivation.  Here’s what you should do: just start today, and go again tomorrow, and then go again the next day, and keep on going.  If you miss a day, so what?  We all do!  Like Forrest Gump said, “I just kept on runnin!”  If you don’t have a finish line in sight that says “PASS” or “FAIL,” going to the gym will simply become a positive aspect of your life.  Relieve yourself of this weight on your shoulders, and the real results will begin to show.

2.  Get out of your own way.

This one requires you to stop thinking and start making moves.  The only person stopping you from getting up and going to the gym is yourself.  Don’t over think the process.  Stand up, put your leggings on, tie those sneakers, blast your favorite music, and get your booty to that gym.  Anyone can find ten reasons they can’t/won’t/shouldn’t go to the gym today.  A one hour workout is 4% of your day.  The rest of the stuff in life will be there for the other 96%, and you deserve 4% for yourself. Every minute you spend on excuses could’ve been filled with burnt calories and pumped up endorphins!

3.  Focus on your future results, not your past attempts.

So, you tried to maintain consistent fitness habits in the past, and you totally failed?  Or you’ve gained 15-20 pounds in the last year, and you feel horrible about it?  The worst, most negative thing you can do in situations like these is to be hard on yourself or think about your past.  Good God, if I dwelled on every fail of my past, I’d never get anything done!  The day you step into that gym, you are stepping into your future and towards an amazing lifestyle change.  Forget what happened.  It’s over, you can’t change it, you learned from it, and it made you who you are right now.  Try your hardest, every single day, to focus on the fact that you’re motivated enough to act and make a change.  Just because you failed once or twice, or maybe even three times, doesn’t mean you’ll fail again.  However, if you focus on failure, failure will follow.  Focus on success, and watch what happens…

4.  Don’t be mad at the gym.  The gym has your back.

I’m definitely guilty of this one sometimes.  Walking into the gym after a long day like, “Ugh, I can’t believe I’m here.  I’m so not feeling it today.  So out of it.  I really, really can’t stand you today, gym.”  When this happens, I try to stop for a second and check myself.  Chances are, you’re probably frustrated about something else going on and it’s trickled down to this.  But remember, the gym is your FRIEND!  It has your back and it can be your sanctuary!  Work out your frustration and clear your mind with a good sweat and a deep burn.  Run fast, punch a bag, lift some weights – pump your system up and out of whatever else is going on.  Throw yourself into your workout and your whole attitude will change.  A solid workout can fix many things.

5.  Start viewing the gym as a place that will change your life.

So many people walk into the gym like it’s there to get them.  Yes, working out requires you to push your limits, and it makes you sweat, and your body aches and burns because of the things you do there.  But it’s a positive challenge, a healthy, invigorating sweat, and aches and burns that are confirming amazing results that you’ve been working for!  If you envision the gym as the sanctuary you visit to improve your body, mind, and life, you’ll be much more motivated to go than if you think of it as a dungeon of torture.  It’s a place where you can improve your health, your skin, your mindset, and your body!  Sounds good when it’s said like that, right?

6.  Make the gym your personal escape.

So many things in life are out of our control.  Walking into the gym, I feel a sense of independence and freedom that allows me to escape and enter my own world for a little while.  Once my headphones are on, and my heart starts to race, I’m somewhere else.  After a long day at work, or chasing kiddies around, or if you’re going through tough times, there are few things better than drifting off into a solid workout.  Running is like a therapy session.  Treat yourself to this escape, and be thankful for the opportunity to regroup and, in theory, run away from everything for a bit.  Before you know it, fitness will become your escape, instead of you wanting to escape fitness.

7.  Associate fitness as part of an overall lifestyle routine.

I once heard someone say “you can’t out-train a bad diet.”  This could not be more true.  I don’t say this to kill your vibe or de-motivate you.  I say this because if you’re truly working towards change and you want positive results, you must treat fitness as only one aspect of your overall lifestyle.  To reach your goals and see amazing changes, your healthy lifestyle should consist primarily of three things: fitness, delicious clean eating, and a positive, upbeat attitude.  Once you put a little less emphasis on gym gym gym, and disperse your energy into overall healthy living, you may put less pressure on yourself when working out.  As a result, the gym will be associated with more positive feelings, and fitness will become a source of joy and satisfaction in your life.

8.  Remember to connect your mind and your body; they are a team.

Finally, I ask that as you work through this list, you remind yourself each day that your body and mind are one.  Remember to keep them connected and listen to them as a joint voice; a team.  They drive results.  Your attitude will reflect in your efforts and motivation, and how you treat your body will impact your state of mind.  Believe that you can work hard and push yourself, and your body will reflect that work.  It’s a simple, natural equation.  You just have to train yourself to connect every single day.  Negativity draws failure, and positivity draws success.  This is true for all things in life.

I wish you success, health, and the results you seek not only in the new year, but every single day!  Be well, be happy, stay positive.  Much love 🙂

healthy food on the go!

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Gluten & Dairy Free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

09 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by Girlhackz in Spice

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, spice, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style

How sweet it is to munch on guilt free desserts!

How sweet it is to munch on guilt free desserts!

These cookies are quick and easy to make during the week.  If you have kids who love their sweets (because who doesn’t?) then I highly suggest this recipe!  If not, I suggest it anyway because they’re sweet, chewy, and even offer health benefits! All of the ingredients are natural and most likely already in your clean eating/healthy lifestyle pantry.  Your kiddies will never know they’re not eating a traditional chocolate chip cookie — which are delicious in moderation, but remember they contain lots of refined sugars, gluten, unhealthy oils, and unhealthy carbs.  Why not file away a simple, healthy, clean cookie recipe like my FSS Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies to make any time, without all of the icky stressing out or worrying about nutrition?

If you don’t own these ingredients already, I highly suggest you buy them. They will serve their purpose for a while.  Trader Joes has everything on this ingredient list for a great price.  I usually buy in slight bulk because of the great deals!

So, I guess I’m especially helping my mom friends today in their quest to find delicious, nutritious, simple snacks to have around the house.

Remember my motto –> healthy pantry, healthy home, healthy life!

Seven ingredients, minimal equipment, and you’re good to go!  Try this recipe soon and be sure to make extras to go with an ice cold glass of soy milk, almond milk, or skim milk!  Yum, yum, and yum!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about one dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup coconut palm sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3-2/3 cup extra dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips made with cacao (depending on how much chocolate chunk you’d like!)

Coconut oil spray (Trader Joes)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350

2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut flour, coconut palm sugar, and baking soda.

3.  In a small-medium sized mixing bowl, mash bananas with a fork until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

 4.  Add wet ingredients to large mixing bowl. Mix either electronically in a mixer on low, or by hand with a fork.

5.  Once all ingredients are combined, add dark chocolate chips and mix until combined evenly throughout.

 6.  Grease a large cookie sheet with coconut oil spray.

 7.  Using a spoon, drop scoops of dough onto your cookie sheet and flatten slightly with your palm.

 8.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until bottoms are dark golden and tops are hardened.

FSS Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies & a Cold Glass of Soy Milk!

FSS Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies & a Cold Glass of Soy Milk!

Life’s too short to leave out the sweets!  Just clean them up! Enjoy!

Much love 🙂

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Dairy, Gluten, Glutton Free ‘Ice Cream’ Sandwiches…

08 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Girlhackz in Soul, Spice

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, ice cream, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, soul, spice, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style

photo 1

Make way for Fit Soul and Spice‘s newest guilt free sweet treat!  I’m not even sure how this happened the other night, but I am soooo happy that it did!  I was busy testing and preparing a recipe for an upcoming gluten free baking class I’m teaching (more info on this in an upcoming entry!), and my dairy free, gluten free, low carb Pumpkin Raisin Cookies were born.

THEN, I noticed ripe, frozen bananas in the freezer and found myself preparing my banana “ice cream” because why not?  This lead to a new flavor: Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream.

Then, THIS resulted in me making the executive decision to bring both recipes together, transforming them into their now magical, delicious, creamy, rich ice cream sandwich form.

This recipe is super duper easy, not to mention made with natural, gluten free, dairy free, low carb ingredients.  Up your fruit intake with this healthy alternative dessert option as well. . .photo 3

Pumpkin Raisin Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes 6 Ice Cream Sandwiches

Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 can organic pumpkin

1 cup coconut palm sugar

1 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon pumpkin spice

2 tablespoons butter, melted OR 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup mixed raisins

 Coconut oil spray (Trader Joes)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

 In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, coconut palm sugar, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and either butter or coconut oil.

 In a small-medium sized mixing bowl, add eggs and vanilla extract.

Add wet ingredients to large mixing bowl (dry ingredients). Mix either electronically in a mixer on low, or by hand with a fork.

Once all ingredients are combined, add raisins and mix until combined evenly throughout.

Grease a large cookie sheet with coconut oil spray.

Using a spoon, drop scoops of dough onto your cookie sheet and flatten slightly with your palm into disc shapes.

Bake for 30-32 minutes, or until bottoms are dark golden and tops are hardened. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

While you make your banana ice cream, put your cookie sheet in the freezer to cool down cookies, avoiding melting the ice cream when sandwiched later.

photo-27

Cinnamon Vanilla Dairy Free Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 bunch ripe bananas, peeled and 3/4 frozen

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon

 Directions:

Add bananas to blender and blend on low-med for about 30 seconds until broken apart.

Add remaining ingredients.

Continue to blend until ice cream is thick, smooth, and creamy.

Store in a large bowl in the freezer until cookies are cool enough to not melt your ice cream.

  1. Remove cookies from freezer after about 15 minutes
  2. Using a spatula, scoop ice cream onto one cookie, and top with a second cookie.
  3. Place sandwiches on a platter and return to freezer promptly.

photo 4

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Butternut Squash Chowder with Herbed Turkey Bites…

08 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Girlhackz in Spice

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

affordable, art, balanced, blog, business, cacao, carbs, Chef, chocolate, chowder, cko, cko hoboken, clean eating, clean eats, company, contest, cook, cooking, create, cuisine, dairy free, date night, dessert, dinner, eataly, event, explore, fall, family, farm food, figs, fit, fit food, fit foodies, fit soul and spice, fitness, fitness writer, fitspo, food art, food writer, foodie, foodies, french cuisine, french foods, fudge, fun food, giveaway, grand opening, gym, gym rat, Health, health nut, healthy, healthy cuisine, Healthy Cuisine Night, healthy date night, healthy home, hoboken, home, hot chocolate, hot yoga, individuality, Italian, Jersey Bites, kitchen, lactose, lamb, lifestyle, love, love to cook, marketing, meat free, meat lovers, new jersey, new year, new york city, nj running company, nutrition, olive oil, organic, party, pie, prize, promo, quinoa, raw, raw cacao, raw food, raw vegan dessert, recipe, resolution, salad, sea fare, seafood, soul, spice, summer treats, sunday dinner, vegan, vegan food, vegan life, Vegetarian, website, winter, work out, yoga, your life, your style

photo 1

Fall is such a motivating, inspiring season.  The leaves transform into vibrant, bright colors, the air becomes fresh and crisp, and the cool days make way for fun activities with family and friends like watching football, apple picking, and (my personal favorite) time for creating new, savory, healthy alternative recipes with farm fresh foods.

I love making my way through all of the farmers markets and well stocked corner stores (the finest little hidden gems if you live in any city) in the area throughout the season, collecting the freshest produce to go home and experiment with.  In the last week, I have made today’s recipe twice, with enough to have substantial leftovers for days to come!

In the chilly weather, soups, stews, and chowders are a must have.  Everyone prefers their own style of ‘souping,’ as I like to call it ~ some enjoy water based, thinner soups, others gravitate towards hardy, chunky stews, and many like thick chowders with little bits and bites of different flavors found throughout each bite.  Me, personally?  I looooove me some chowder any time of year!

photo 2

Now, the bad news about most chowders is that they are typically made with lots of butter and salt and heavy cream, which doesn’t bode well for a healthy lifestyle filled with natural, unprocessed ingredients consisting primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables.  This also makes many chowders EXTREMELY high in sodium, unhealthy fats, refined sugars, and jam packed with dairy.  Being lactose intolerant, the ladder has caused a major cramp in my chowder loving style.

I decided a couple of weeks ago that I must work on a recipe for the sake of healthy and clean eating, warm winter dinners, and all of my fellow lactose intolerant foodies.

I am thrilled to report back with this new dairy free, [optionally] gluten free, low fat, lean, clean, and insanely delicious recipe with an optional meat addition. . .

photo.PNG

Fit Soul and Spice’s Butternut Squash Chowder

Makes 6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large butternut squash, cut in half lengthways (be careful cutting!)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 medium sized apple, peeled and diced

1/2 cup small-medium sized mushrooms of your choice, halved (I love the meaty flavor of oyster mushrooms!)

2 sprigs fresh sage (leave whole)

1 sprig fresh rosemary (leave whole)

4 tablespoons lite coconut milk

2 cups regular soy milk

1 cup water

sea salt and black pepper [to taste]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425

1.  Please butternut squash, inner sides up, on a cookie sheet greased with coconut oil spray.  Using a brush or spoon, brush or drizzle each inner half of the butternut squash with 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive, sea salt, and ground black pepper.

2.  Once oven is preheated, put your squash in the oven for about an hour, or until a fork easily inserts fully through.

3.  In a large sauce pot, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil on medium heat.

4.  Once oil is heated, add garlic, onion, apple, and mushrooms.  Stir to coat and sautee for about 5 minutes, until onion and apple high slightly softened.

5.  Add sage, rosemary, rosemary, and coconut milk to sautee pan.

6.  Continue to combine all ingredients and flavors on medium, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.  Turn down to low, cover, and let sit to marry flavors.  Continue to stir occasionally.

(If you’re adding FSS Herbed Turkey Bites, this is the perfect time to make them.  See this simple recipe below…)

photo 2

Find FSS’s Herbed Turkey Bite Recipe Below!

7.  In a blender or food processor, add soy milk and water.

8.  Once squash is soft and completely cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool until manageable. Once cool enough, scoop all of the meat out of each half into a large bowl.  Transfer all of the squash to your blender with soy milk and water.

9.  Blend on low-medium until combined, smooth, and creamy.

10.  Add chowder base to large sauce pot, and with a large spoon, slowly stir to combine with previously sautéed ingredients.  Add sea salt and ground black pepper to taste (a little bite really kicks up all of the flavors in this chowder).  Keep temperature low, cover pot, and allow flavors to marry.  Stir occasionally.

11.  Before serving, strain sage and rosemary sprigs from the pot.  Their flavors will have strongly marinated into the chowder and can become overbearing if left permanently.

12.  Serve in bowls, and enjoy, and check out this additional meat option to add to your Butternut Squash Chowder…

photo 3

Herbed Turkey Bites

***(Make while your squash cooks, and add as soon as they are made to continue marrying flavors)***

Ingredients:

1 lb lean turkey meat, room temperature

1 sprig rosemary, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, very finely chopped

1 egg

1 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup regular soy milk

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.  Mix and squish using your hands.

Heat a large grill pan to medium-high and grease with coconut oil spray.

Using your hands, form small patties from meat mixture (a little bit bigger then a quarter).

Grill for about 2 minutes on each side, flipping by hand, with tongs, or using a fork.

As each batch is complete, add to large sauce pot with sautéed ingredients and very gently mix with a large spoon.

Continue as Butternut Squash Chowder recipe describes above…

Butternut Squash Chowder with Herbed Turkey Bites

Butternut Squash Chowder with Herbed Turkey Bites

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@fitsoulandspice

Nosh™🥂 . . HAPPIEST 1st BIRTHDAY NOSH PART 1: my goal was to launch my business before i turned 30. tomorrow is my 31st birthday, and one year ago today my food business course was complete, and i'd dotted and crossed the laundry list of official 'i's and t's' for securing and launching my business. i had done it! one day shy of my personal deadline! 😅 ironically, as overwhelming as that process was, the harder stuff came after. Nosh was born, but then i had to give it life AND keep it alive! one year later, there's been some success and some failure, a lot of "what if" moments, i've met awesome people and connected with other girlbosses who are so inspiring, supportive, and empowering, and MANY priceless lessons learned. i enter my second year wiser and more aware, with stronger, new vision for my product and my business, and eager to use both my fails and accomplishments for ongoing motivation and productivity!....➡️ . . #hoboken #nyc #startup #nycfood #coconut #dessert #gloobyfoods #foodporn #eeeeeats #nyceats #lifestyle #food #foodography #eatingfortheinsta #foodgasm #hungry #instagood #foodie #foooooood #womeninbusiness #localbusiness #glutenfree #nondairy #vegan #weekend #organic #youonthechew #girlsonfood #SHALLWENOSH
Nosh™🥂 . . HAPPIEST 1st BIRTHDAY NOSH PART 2: critical advice from a year of learning: surround yourself with positivity and genuine vibes. beyond thankful for my friends, family, and most significantly, my endlessly motivating husband who always pushes me to forge ahead, stay upbeat, and brush off/not entertain any BS! they are supportive everyday. they push me to keep going when i feel self-doubt. they know when to give hugs and when to give tough love. they show up to support. they proudly slap on gloves and work beside me exchange for nothing more than a hug and some free dessert. they believe in my vision, even in moments when i wonder if i can do it. they are the world's BEST taste testers! love love love y'all! year #1 has been rich in learning experiences. excited for new ideas and making new moves in year #2. . .🥂🎂 . . #hoboken #nyc #startup #nycfood #dessert #gloobyfoods #foodporn #eeeeeats #nyceats #lifestyle #food #foodography #eatingfortheinsta #foodgasm #hungry #instagood #foodie #foooooood #womeninbusiness #localbusiness #glutenfree #nondairy #vegan #weekend #organic #youonthechew #girlsonfood #SHALLWENOSH

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