Which Foods Can Help With Blood Pressure?

Which Foods Can Help With Blood Pressure?

by | May 22, 2018 | Diets, Self-care, Women over 40

Blood pressure is said to be the “#1 risk factor for death and disability in the world.”

If you have high blood pressure, it’s best that you are monitored by your healthcare professional. And if you’re on medication for high blood pressure never change that without speaking with a medical professional.

Today, we’ll talk about what exactly blood pressure is, and which foods and lifestyle factors can help with it.

 

What is high blood pressure?

It’s something your doctor commonly checks. You can even do it yourself in many pharmacies, or purchase at-home blood pressure monitors. It measures how hard your blood is pushing against the walls of your blood vessels.

If your vessels are stiff, the pressure increases. It’s important to get your blood pressure checked regularly because for many people there are no symptoms as it slowly creeps higher and higher.

This measurement is important because elevated high blood pressure for too long can cause serious damage. In extreme cases, it can result in blindness, kidney damage, stroke, or even a heart attack.

Here are a few of the foods and drinks that can help with blood pressure.

 

Eat more plants – This is key

If there is one thing you can to eat to help with blood pressure, it’s plants.

Plants increase your intake of many critical nutrients. Especially vitamins C, E, and folate; and minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sulfur. Not to mention the all-around health booster known as fibre. All of these nutrients are needed for optimal heart and blood health.

Some plants to eat more of include leafy greens (kale in particular), legumes, nuts/seeds, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes.

Two plants I want to highlight in particular are flaxseeds and beets. A few tablespoons of ground flaxseeds a day is one of the best foods to help with blood pressure. Beets contain a blood pressure lowering substance called nitrate. Beet juice has been shown to reduce blood pressure within hours of drinking it.

 

Eat fewer processed foods

We’ve all heard the advice to reduce sodium intake for high blood pressure. Not surprisingly, most of the sodium in our diet is from the salt added to processed foods. It’s not from the dash or two on your homemade cooked-from-scratch dinner. Reducing processed food intake not only reduces sodium and sugar intake but also increases intake of more nutrient-dense less processed foods. Win-win.

Ditch the fast-food, takeaways, restaurant meals, and convenience snacks. Replace them with some of the plants I mentioned above.

 

Ditch the caffeine… particularly if you’re sensitive to it

Coffee has been shown to temporarily increase blood pressure. Its effects can last for up to three hours after drinking it. It may not be so bad if you’re not sensitive to it, but caffeine affects some people more than others. Some caffeine sensitivity symptoms include shakiness, worry, irregular heartbeat, or difficulty sleeping.

If you find caffeine affects you, then try switching to decaf or eliminating it altogether.

PRO TIP: Don’t drink a cup of regular coffee or have other sources of caffeine right before your next doctor’s appointment or blood pressure test.

 

Drink hibiscus tea

There is science behind the blood pressure lowering effects of hibiscus tea.

Several clinical studies have shown that it works. In one study, people drank two cups of strong hibiscus tea every morning. Those two cups were made using a total of five tea bags. This lowered the subjects’ blood pressure as much as a blood pressure medication.

 

Lifestyle

In addition to food, know that a number of lifestyle factors can be helpful too.

  • First of all, if you smoke, really focus on quitting.
  • If you drink alcohol, don’t overdo it.
  • If you’re seriously stressed, try meditating, yoga, deep breathing, walking in nature, or any other way that busts your stress.
  • If you don’t exercise, start small. Also try not to overdo exercise if you already have high blood pressure.

 

Conclusion

High blood pressure can be a silent, and all-too-common issue. Elevated blood pressure puts you at risk for serious diseases.

If you have elevated blood pressure, you should be regularly monitored by your healthcare professional, and never change your medications without his/her input.

Some of the key food and lifestyle upgrades that can help with blood pressure are:

  • Eating more plants, particularly ground flaxseeds and beets
  • Eating fewer processed foods
  • Ditching caffeine if you’re sensitive to it
  • Drinking hibiscus tea
  • Quitting smoking
  • Not overdoing alcohol
  • Reducing stress
  • Exercising wisely

 

Recipe (Blood pressure balancing): Smoothie Bowl

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup kale
  • ½ cup berries (your favourite kind)
  • ½ cup beets, raw, diced
  • ½ banana
  • 2 tbsp flaxseeds, ground
  • 1 dash cinnamon
  • ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened

Instructions: Add all ingredients to blender in order listed. Blend until smooth.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: Feel free to top with a few berries or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

 

Thanks for reading and keep well,

 

Tara

Are you excited for more support, ideas, and inspiration?

Simply click on this link to join my free, private Facebook group.
It’s a supportive and inspirational community of women all on a mission to get healthy and happy together.  I share daily tips and recommendations in the group.

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How to Heal Naturally

How to Heal Naturally

by | May 7, 2018 | Self-care

 

I’m Not Feeling Well. What Can I Do (Naturally)?

 

Getting a common cold doesn’t have to be so… common. There are things you can do naturally to make getting sick less likely.

But, if you do happen to get ill, there are things you can also do to help support your body to fight it off.

Good hand hygiene and overall healthy habits can reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place. And good nutrition can help your immune system fight off a cold quicker. Imagine your germ-fighting immune cells all hungry and tired, versus them being nourished and full of energy.

And that’s what this post is all about.

First, I’ll give you some tips to reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place. Then, I’ll let you in on some of my strategies to recover from that cold you may still get from time to time.

Natural tips to reduce your risk of sickness

Here are some great ideas to incorporate into your daily life to reduce your risk of getting sick.

1 – Wash your hands. A lot. Your hands can trap and transport all kinds of microbes that cause sickness. And I’m not just talking about colds here, but lots of different germs.

NOTE: Antibacterial soap is not recommended! Not only is it no more effective than regular soap and water, but it can contribute to antibiotic resistance.

2 – Get enough nutrients. I know this may seem oversimplified, but I would be remiss to exclude it. Every cell in your body, including your immune cells, need enough of all the essential nutrients. The more nutrition you have, the better and stronger you will be, especially with vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin A-rich foods include carrots, sweet potato, and organ meats. Vitamin C-rich foods include bell peppers and citrus. Vitamin E-rich foods include nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.

3 – Probiotic foods. Helping our health-promoting gut microbes with more of their probiotic friends is in order here to help keep the immune system strong. Try 1-2 servings/day of fermented foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, and kombucha.

4 – Prebiotic foods. Feeding those friendly gut microbes their favourite foods can help them to grow and flourish. They love fibrous foods like onions, asparagus, berries, bananas, sweet potatoes, whole grains, and seeds. Aim for 2-3 servings/day.

5 – Get enough sleep. Did you know that our immune system cycles with our circadian system? When we sleep our immune cells produce antibodies to fight infections. Try to get at least 7 hours every single night, even when you’re feeling great.

Natural tips to recover from that sickness

When you do get an infection, not only do you need more nutrients to fight it off, but your body also has a harder time absorbing and using the nutrients you take in. Sometimes this is because of reduced hunger, sometimes due to gastrointestinal reasons. Either way, nourishing your body is even more important. When you do get sick, make sure you are implementing tips 1-5 plus the tips below that are crucial for getting over a common cold.

6 – Drink lots of fluids. Being sick can be dehydrating. Fluids like water, chicken soup, and green tea are warm, hydrating comfort drinks. Chicken soup is a source of electrolytes, especially if homemade from a real chicken with lots of vegetables. Green tea has been shown to boost some of our immune cells, and this can help to better fight off the invading germ.

7 – Rest and recover. When your body is fighting an infection, it’s busy working hard for your health. Give it a break and relax while you’re feeling under the weather.

Conclusion

There are lots of things we can do to stay healthy and reduce infections naturally. Washing your hands is a proven way to reduce your risk. And staying healthy in all other ways helps a lot. Getting enough nutrition, eating probiotic and prebiotic foods, and getting enough sleep are key year-round.

If you do get sick, keep up all of your good habits above, and make sure to add some warm, healthy fluids, and extra rest.

What do you do when you get sick? Let me know in the comments below.

Recipe (Throat soothing): Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root

 

Instructions:

  1. Put ingredients into a small saucepan.
  2. Stir frequently until it becomes foamy. Be careful because the honey can burn easily.
  3. Remove from heat and continue to stir until the foam reduces.
  4. Put the saucepan back on the heat.
  5. Repeat this until a candy thermometer reads 300F.
  6. Drop a bit into a glass of ice water. If the mixture forms a hard, crunchy ball, it’s ready! If not, keep stirring and heating for another minute or two and try with the ice water again.
  7. Once a hard ball forms from a drop into the ice water, let the saucepan cool until the foam has reduced.
  8. Drizzle the candy into a candy mold or onto oiled parchment paper.
  9. Let cool at room temperature until the cough drops are hard.
  10. Pop out of the mold or break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Tip: You can sprinkle them with vitamin C powder to keep them from sticking together.

 

Thanks for reading and keep well,

Tara

Are you excited for more support, ideas, and inspiration?

Simply click on this link to join my free, private Facebook group.
It’s a supportive and inspirational community of women all on a mission to get healthy and happy together.  I share daily tips and recommendations in the group.

Please take a moment to read the DISCLAIMER

How to Reduce Stress (Without Meditating)

How to Reduce Stress (Without Meditating)

by | Apr 23, 2018 | Self-care

Can’t Meditate? Here are 9 Other Ways to Break Free From Stress

 

Practicing meditation is an excellent approach to optimizing your health and overall well-being. It is great for relieving and dealing with stress, and all of the issues that come along with it. But it’s not the only way to get there.

The whole purpose of meditating is to calm the mind and emotions and relax our physical body too. And there is always more than one way to get there.

Let’s talk about some of the other things to try if meditation is not for you.

 

Journaling

Spending some time every day writing out your thoughts can help to relieve stress. You can use journaling to list the things you’re grateful for, this is known as gratitude journaling. You can use it as a “brain dump” to get all of your thoughts and ideas out of your head to soothe your mind. I use The Five-Minute Journal.

 

Reading

Reading can help you learn something new, to advance your knowledge. And, you can also read for pure pleasure. To get caught up in a story and just relax.

 

Colouring

Adult colouring books are all the rage! Repeated movements and focusing on the art you’re creating can help to clear your mind.

 

Knitting or crocheting (or other crafts)

Knitting, crocheting or other yarn activities are a great way to de-stress; this is a skill that comes in all levels from beginner to advanced. You can choose a quick little rectangular scarf to make, or a detailed sweater. You can choose the pattern, size, and yarn. Once you get into the flow of these skills, they’re great to do when you’re feeling stressed. Not only can they relax your mind to focus on your work, but you can end up warming yourself or others with the products you create.

 

Gentle exercise

Gently moving your body is another great way to de-stress. Activities that are slower and less intensive are ideal. Things like walking, yoga, stretching, or tai chi can all be great ways to relax your mind and improve your strength and balance at the same time.

 

Sleep in or take a nap

A common cause of increased stress hormones is lack of sleep. Too little sleep and too much stress go hand-in-hand. So, getting enough good quality sleep is important to help you break free from stress without having to meditate.

 

Pamper yourself

Maybe you love getting massages or mani/pedi’s? Maybe you love a long bath or lighting candles? Perhaps you can add your favourite relaxing music to the mix for a pampering evening? Spending some time to pamper yourself regularly is great for your mind, body, and spirit.

 

Spend time in nature

You don’t have to go away on holiday to relax in nature. While a calm beautiful beach or cabin in the woods may be amazing, you don’t have to go that far. Even spending time on the grass at your local park or playground or walking on a wooded trail in your neighbourhood can do the trick.

 

Make time for people and pets you love

It’s so important to spend time with family, friends, and pets whom you love. New research is coming out about the health issues related to loneliness. Reach out and plan to hang out with your friends, or even offer to take your neighbour’s dog for a walk in the park.

 

Conclusion

Stress reduction is the goal. How you do it, be it meditation or otherwise, is not that important. What’s important is that you find what works for you.

Try journaling, reading, colouring, knitting/crocheting, gentle exercise, sleep, pampering yourself, spending time in nature, and making time for people and pets you love.

Have other great ideas? Let me know what helps you de-stress in the comments below.

 

Recipe (calming): Lavender Essential Oil

Instructions to inhale directly:

Add up to 6 drops of undiluted essential oil to a handkerchief/tissue and inhale occasionally. Use up to 3 times per day.

Instruction for steam inhalation:

Add 3 – 12 drops of undiluted essential oil to a bowl of steaming water. Inhale slowly and deeply for 5 – 10 minutes. Use up to 3 times per day.

 

Thanks for reading and keep well,

 

Tara

Are you excited for more support, ideas, and inspiration?

Simply click on this link to join my free, private Facebook group.
It’s a supportive and inspirational community of women all on a mission to get healthy and happy together.  I share daily tips and recommendations in the group.

Please take a moment to read the DISCLAIMER

What to Eat for Healthy Skin

What to Eat for Healthy Skin

by | Mar 27, 2018 | Cleansing, Hormones, Self-care

There are so many things that can go wrong with the skin: dryness, redness, blemishes, etc.

Healthy skin is a reflection of internal health. There are many creams and cosmetics to put on top of your skin. But, there are also lots of things you can do to nurture and nourish your skin to better health from the inside.

How better to do this than with food?

Your skin needs many nutrients: water, essential fats, vitamins, and amino acids. Here are five foods (and drinks and lifestyle tips) to consider if your goal is healthier-looking skin.

Let’s dive in.

Skin Food #1 – Water

No doubt hydration is key for healthy-looking skin! Water and other hydrating fluids are great to help your skin stay moist and supple.

And for a bit of an extra anti-inflammatory hydrating boost, try boosting your water with anti-inflammatory green tea (sugar-free if possible).

Skin Food #2 – Fish

Fish contains many nutrients important for skin health – omega-3s, and vitamins A and D to name a few.

Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory to help cool the flames of inflammation. Vitamin A can help with blemishes and dryness, while vitamin D helps with skin tone.

Skin Food #3 – Bell peppers, citrus, and broccoli

Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in our body. It’s also known to help our skin stay firm and supple.

Vitamin C is necessary for your body to make collagen. So, foods rich in vitamin C are great for your skin. Cue: bell peppers, citrus, and broccoli.

FUN FACT: Overcooking vitamin C-rich foods can destroy some of the skin-supporting vitamins. So, try having these lightly steamed or raw for maximum vitamin C levels.

Skin Food #4 – Bone broth

Homemade bone broth contains a lot of the amino acid glycine. Glycine is another essential component of the skin protein collagen.

Glycine helps speed the healing of the skin and the gut. Win-win.

Skin “Food” #5 – Sleep more & stress less

I know these aren’t exactly foods, but they’re an important part of naturally great skin. When we don’t sleep enough, or stress too much our body flips on systems that affect our whole body… including our skin.

Stress hormones can increase inflammation and lead to not-so-healthy looking skin. Prioritise sleep and stress management, and you can see results in your life, and in your skin.

Watch out for these foods

Some foods are allergenic or inflammatory. These can cause all sorts of issues in your body, including affecting your skin.

It’s hard to come up with one list of inflammatory or allergenic foods for everyone. Each person is biochemically unique, so you may have to go through this and see what applies to you. There are a few common allergens that may be a good bet to eliminate from your diet.

The first is processed foods. These are pretty much not-so-good for everyone. And they can affect your health in so many ways, including how your skin looks & feels. Try ditching pre-packaged and fast foods in favour of whole foods as much as possible. Not just for your skin, for your whole body (and mind).

The second is gluten. While only a small number of people have serious reactions to gluten (i.e., celiac disease), many more people are intolerant to it (me). Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and a few other grains. Many people have had several health concerns, including skin issues, clear up after eliminating gluten from their diets.

Third in line is dairy. It could be a hormonal response or even an insulin response. We don’t quite know why, but many people who cut out dairy report better skin.

 

Conclusion

Skin health is not just about what you put on your skin, but what your skin gets from the inside too. There are lots of important nutrients and foods to help support healthy skin. Which also means, that there are lots of foods that can affect your skin in negative ways as well.

Hydrating, eating nutrient dense whole foods, and avoiding common allergenic and inflammatory foods might make all the difference for you.

Do you have an awesome recipe or tips for people to eat more of these “skin-healthifying” foods? Let me know in the comments below.

Recipe (Omega-3 vitamin C rich): Not Your Typical Salmon Salad

Serves 2

  • 4 cups baby spinach (or mixed greens)
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • ½ large cucumber, chopped
  • 8 oz smoked salmon, or 1 can salmon, roughly chopped
  • Drizzle of your favourite (gluten-free, dairy-free) dressing

 

Instructions

Place 2 cups of greens into each of 2 bowls.

Top with veggies and salmon.

Drizzle with dressing.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: Serve with a large mug of green tea for an extra skin-supporting bonus.

 

Thanks for reading and keep well,

 

Tara

Are you excited for more support, ideas, and inspiration?

Simply click on this link to join my free, private Facebook group.
It’s a supportive and inspirational community of women all on a mission to get healthy and happy together.  I share daily tips and recommendations in the group.

Please take a moment to read the DISCLAIMER

The True Health Benefits of Exercise

The True Health Benefits of Exercise

by | Mar 12, 2018 | Self-care

Exercise. It can improve your health on all levels. We’re not just talking about being fitter and stronger. We’re talking about overall health and longevity.

 

Regular exercise improves your heart health, brain health, muscle and bone health, diabetes, and arthritis. Beyond those, it also reduces stress, boosts moods, increases your energy, and can improve your sleep. And exercise prevents death from any cause (“all-cause mortality”).

 

Convinced yet?

 

The benefits of exercise come from improving blood flow and reducing inflammation and blood sugar levels. They come from moving your muscles (including your heart muscle) and pulling on your bones.

 

You don’t need to go overboard on exercise to get these amazing health results. As little as 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 days/week is enough.

 

And you don’t have to do a particular kind of exercise. All four types of exercise have health benefits. They are:

  • Endurance (brisk walking, jogging, yard work, dancing, aerobics, cycling, swimming)
  • Strength (climbing stairs, carrying groceries, lifting weights, using a resistance band or your body weight, Pilates)
  • Balance (standing on one-foot, Tai Chi)
  • Flexibility (stretching, yoga)

 

Don’t forget, all exercise counts, even if it’s not doing a sport or in a gym. Weekend hikes, walking to the shop and doing household chores also count towards your weekly exercise goal.

 

Let me take a minute to prove to you how healthy exercise really is. Here are a few key points.

 

Exercise for heart health

Exercise reduced cardiac mortality by 31% in middle aged men who previously had a heart attack.

 

Regular exercise reduces blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure).

 

Exercise for brain health

Exercise can improve physical function and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease. It also reduces changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Exercise improved mental functions by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is involved in learning and memory. It also increases the size of the part of the brain for memory and learning (the “hippocampus”); this was shown mostly with aerobic exercise.

 

Exercise for muscle and bone health

Regular physical activity can help maintain strong muscles and bones; this is particularly true for strength exercises. As we age, we naturally start to lose muscle mass and bone density. So, to prevent osteoporosis, exercise regularly.

 

Exercise for diabetes

People with diabetes who exercise have better insulin sensitivity and HbA1C values (the marker of glycemic control).

 

Exercise does this because by contracting your muscles, you’re fueling them with sugar in your blood. This helps to manage blood sugar levels better than without exercise.

 

Conclusion

These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the health benefits of exercise. By doing just 30 minutes 5 days/week, you can vastly improve your health. Since there are different benefits for different types, try mixing up what you do throughout the week. You don’t even need an “official” workout. Walking to the grocery shop or doing household chores can count too.

 

If you’re just starting, then pick something you enjoy, get some accountability (exercise tracker or a friend), and start.

 

What’s your favourite exercise and how often do you do it?

 

Recipe (exercise recovery): Coconut Water Refresher

Serves 2

  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 2 cups watermelon
  • ½ tsp lime juice
  • 1 dash salt
  • 1 cup ice
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Instructions:

Blend the first four ingredients until well mixed. Add ice and pulse until ice is crushed.

Pour into glasses or water bottle and add chia seeds. Shake/stir before drinking.

Serve & enjoy!

 

Tip: The chia seeds add extra fibre, protein, and omega-3s.

 

Thanks for reading and keep well,

Tara

Are you excited for more support, ideas, and inspiration?

Simply click on this link to join my free, private Facebook group.
It’s a supportive and inspirational community of women all on a mission to get healthy and happy together.  I share daily tips and recommendations in the group.

Please take a moment to read the DISCLAIMER

Considering Going Dairy Free? Read this…

Considering Going Dairy Free? Read this…

by | Feb 26, 2018 | Self-care, Women over 40

Need Help Going Dairy-free? Here are 6 Great Substitutes

 

If you’re reading this, you likely are or are considering going dairy-free. You may have an intolerance, have been told to eliminate dairy, or just want to have less of it.

Either way, dairy is not an essential nutrient, and there are lots of things you can have instead.

These include not just milk, but also yoghurt, butter, parmesan, and even pudding and ice cream!

 

Dairy-free products are becoming more and more popular. Nowadays you can easily find them in the grocery shop. But read your labels! Some contain far too much sugar, or other ingredients you may not want to eat or drink.

 

I’ve put together some simple recipes to make delicious dairy-free foods right in your kitchen.

 

Go ahead and try my dairy substitutes.

 

Delicious dairy-free milk

Dairy-free milk is so easy to make and flavour yourself. You can make milk out of just about any nut or seed. You can even make alternative milk out of grains like rice, oats, or quinoa. And you can flavour them too.

It just takes a high-powered blender, some water, and cheesecloth to filter out any remaining bits.

For flavouring, you can add a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, or vanilla extract. You can also sweeten your milk with soaked dates, maple syrup, or honey.

To make a super-simple dairy-free milk just soak ½ cup of almonds, coconut, or even hemp seeds for a few hours (if you have the time). Soaking is optional, but it makes the blending process easier and the final milk creamier. Then drain the soaking water, rinse, and add to a blender with 2 cups of fresh water. Blend on high until smooth (about 1 minute). Add your flavourings, if desired. Then strain through a nut milk bag, fine mesh strainer, or a few layers of cheesecloth.

If you want to make a dairy-free cream, just blend your nuts, seeds and/or grains with 1 cup of water instead of 2 for a thicker, creamier, dairy-free milk.

 

Delicious dairy-free yoghurt

Technically, with the right yoghurt starter probiotic culture, you can make yoghurt out of any dairy-free milk. The most common one to ferment into yoghurt is coconut milk. But you can use almond milk or other nut or seed milk.

The trick here is with the fermentation. Follow the instructions on the label of the yoghurt starter culture and enjoy delicious dairy-free yoghurt in a few days.

 

Delicious dairy-free butter alternatives

Nut and seed butter is a fabulous substitute for dairy butter. Plus, they have the bonus of fibre, protein, and other nutrients that real butter doesn’t have.

Have you tried coconut oil? It’s a great dairy-free substitute for butter. You can fry with it, or even bake with it. You can even use it to pop popping corn in a pot on your stove.

I love the mild flavour of coconut oil in anything I bake with bananas. It tastes better than butter anyway.

 

Delicious dairy-free parmesan

If you haven’t tried nutritional yeast, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much it tastes like grated parmesan. Plus, it contains some B vitamins as well.

It’s a salty, cheesy, flaky powder that you can use wherever you want to add a pop of savoury flavour to any dish.

TIP: After you’ve popped your popcorn, sprinkle it with a bit of nutritional yeast for a salty, cheesy flavour.

 

Delicious dairy-free puddings

Did you know you can make a delicious and thick pudding without dairy? That’s right; the plant kingdom has some natural thickeners that are full of fibre.

You can make a chocolate pudding with avocado. Take one whole avocado and blend it with ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ cup dairy-free milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and honey or maple syrup to taste. Then add dairy-free milk to thin if desired.

For chocolate chia pudding, use ⅓ cup chia seeds and place in food processor with 1.5 cups dairy-free milk. Wait for 5-10 minutes until the seeds soak up the liquid. Then add ¼ cup cocoa powder, tsp vanilla extract, and honey or maple syrup to taste. Blend into a smooth pudding.

 

Delicious dairy-free ice cream

N’ice cream is another delicious dessert made with frozen bananas. I’ve included the recipe for this below.

 

Conclusion

Dairy-free is easy! Making delicious dairy-free yoghurt, milk, butter, parmesan flavour, and even pudding and ice cream is simple.

 

Are you going to try any of these recipes? Do you have a great one to share as well?

Let me know in the comments below.

 

Recipe (dairy-free): Chocolate Almond N’ice Cream

Serves 2

  • 2 bananas, chopped and frozen
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 2 tbsp almond butter, unsweetened

Instructions:

1 – Add chopped frozen bananas to a food processor. Pulse or lightly blend until almost smooth.

2 – Add cocoa powder and nut butter. Pulse or lightly blend until mixed.

Serve immediately & enjoy!

Tip: Try different nut and/or seed butter. Or instead of cocoa powder and/or seed butter, use just the bananas with a ½ cup of frozen berries. The recipe combinations are endless.

 

Thanks for reading and keep well,

Tara

Are you excited for more support, ideas, and inspiration?

Simply click on this link to join my free, private Facebook group.
It’s a supportive and inspirational community of women all on a mission to get healthy and happy together.  I share daily tips and recommendations in the group.

Please take a moment to read the DISCLAIMER