I have encountered the mother ship of all fudge recipes.

Okay, fine. That’s dramatic. But for real, this stuff is legit. It is creamy, dreamy, nutty, chocolate-y deliciousness. And there are only FOUR ingredients. Yes, four.

I have seen lots of freezer fudge recipes on the internet, but I wanted this one to be made with minimal ingredients, contain healthy fats, and not be overly sweet. I started experimenting with one of my favorite chocolate bars and some creamy almond butter, and out came this recipe.

It isn’t lasting long in our house, I find myself reaching my hand into the freezer quite often.

The post Chocolate Almond Butter Freezer Fudge appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

It’s fig season! It’s fig season! It’s fig season! My favorite time of the year. During fig season (which is basically like ONE month long, realistically), I become a fig eating maniac. I put figs on everything. Salads, oatmeal, straight to the face, etc.

This overnight oat concoction is definitely one of my favorites that I’ve ever made. The oat layer is pretty simple actually, its just oats, your non-dairy milk of choice, cinnamon, and chia seeds. Shake it up and you have your breakfast for in the morning.

But the toppings are the real star in this one. Soft, sweet figs, crunchy pistachios (why are those SO annoying to shell?!), and a healthy drizzle of honey. Ohhhhhh em geeeeeee. Make this ASAP, you will thank me later.

The post Pistachio & Fig Overnight Oats appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

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I am so heartbroken for my hometown right now. I have so many family and friends that have been affected by Hurricane Harvey, and it is easy to feel helpless when you are not there in the midst of it, but still want so badly to help in some way. I have put together a list of ways that we can all help. There are SO many people that have been affected by this tragedy, in Houston and the surrounding cities, and the fact that people are coming together from all across the country is truly amazing and kind of magical to watch.

I know that God is using this disaster to bring some light to the world. This is showing all of us that we need each other in times of hardship, and He is using this situation for good.

Luke 10:30-37

Feeding America ->
When disaster strikes, the Feeding America network is on the ground and ready to deliver food and emergency supplies to help people cope in the aftermath.

Feeding America staged food and disaster supplies in locations throughout the South in the days prior to the storm. As the harsh weather continues to batter southeast Texas, Feeding America food banks are delivering food, water, cleaning supplies and other essentials to communities devastated by the storm.

JJ Watt Houston Flood Relief Fund ->

JJ Watt started an amazing fundraiser that started out with a $200,000 goal, and has now surpassed $10,000,000! This is incredible, and the number just keeps going up.

Houston Food Bank ->

There are food banks in several different cities that will be providing food and supplies to the victims of Harvey. (including Corpus Christi, Rockport, and many others)

Houston Humane Society ->

There are so many animals and pets that have been displaced from their homes, and the humane society is taking in so many animals at this time.

Save the Children ->

Emergency responders are working around the clock to provide family-friendly supplies and services to Hurricane Harvey survivors. Your support will help protect vulnerable children and provide desperately needed relief to families. A gift of $100 can provide a secure crib for a little one living in a shelter, help supply a safe space in shelters for 20 displaced children or many other items that are needed to care for the littlest survivors.

Texas Diaper Bank ->

Diapers aren’t covered in many emergency shelters, so the Texas Diaper Bank is providing diapers and essentials for infants and children in need.

Samaritan’s Purse ->

Two Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief units are now in Texas to help residents as they continue to struggle with rain, flooding, and destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey. Soon they will have a total of five of these tractor trailers in the state, setting up volunteer bases around Victoria, Rockport/Portland, Galveston/Santa Fe, and two in Houston.

The post Hurricane Harvey Relief -> How to Help Houston appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

There is only so much warm weather left, so let’s take advantage of it and drink all the smoothies we can! Here are 10 smoothies that are packed full of nutrients to help you use up the rest of your summer fruits.

Mixed Berry Matcha Protein Smoothie

Peanut Butter + Jelly Smoothie

Peaches & Oats Protein Smoothie

Mint Chip Smoothie (fruit free)

World’s Best Watermelon Smoothie

Strawberry Basil Smoothie

Peach Green Smoothie with Avocado + Mint

Green Apple Smoothie

Chocolate Orange Smoothie

Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl

The post 10 Smoothies to Get You Through the Rest of the Summer appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I love how versatile sweet potatoes are! We constantly have some form of sweet potatoes in our house because you can do so many different things with them –> smashed, mashed, in a hash, in a casserole, baked whole, fries, wedges, in baked goods, and the list goes on and on.

They are also highly nutritious. They are an excellent source of beta-carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A), and also contain good amounts of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese. Sometimes potatoes (in general) get a bad wrap from people that are scared of carbs, but I promise you that the nutritional value that you get out of sweet potatoes far outweighs the fact that they are a starchy carb.

Don’t be afraid of carbs, my friends! Just eat the right kind of carbs, and your body will thank you, trust me!

These baked sweet potato fries have an extra little kick from the chipotle powder. They are not too spicy, but have a nice smoky heat to them. This recipe could not be any easier, all you need are sweet potatoes, olive oil, S&P, and chipotle powder.

Throw them in the oven and BOOM. Baked fries. And then the angels start singing.

The post Chipotle Baked Sweet Potato Fries appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

It’s October, so its officially pumpkin season! The second October 1st gets here, everyone is completely obsessing over all things pumpkin.

Guilty.

For the past two weeks I’ve been making pumpkin desserts, pumpkin pie smoothies, pumpkin spice lattes, and now these energy bites. These are the perfect little treat for when you need your pumpkin fix. They are soft, chewy, naturally sweet, contain actual pumpkin puree, and are full of pumpkin pie spices!

And what’s even better is that they are packed full of nutrition –>

• vitamin A and iron from the pumpkin puree
• fiber, carbs, and potassium from the dates
• healthy fats and vitamin E from the pecans
• healthy fats, potassium, and fiber from the shredded coconut

Enjoy these in the morning with a cup of coffee or as an afternoon pick me up! They taste like legit pumpkin pie. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The post Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I think pretty much all of us could stand to work on our posture from time to time. With all of the sitting and hunching over we do at our desks these days, we don’t even realize how bad our posture has gotten. I certainly didn’t realize how many issues I was causing my neck and back until I started seeing my chiropractor this year.

After making an effort to do these 5 stretches at least 3 times each day, I have seen significant improvement in my posture, and SO much less pain in my neck and shoulders. They don’t take long to do, and you can do most of them right at your desk. You will be amazed at how much stopping to stretch helps throughout the day.

Cow Face Pose ->

You can do this sitting in a chair, or while on the floor and sitting back on your heels (as seen here). Inhale and stretch your left arm out to the side, then bend the elbow and bring the arm behind you, pulling the left hand in between the shoulder blades, palm facing out. Then extend the right arm out to the front with thumb facing up toward the ceiling. Bend the elbow and bring the right hand behind your back to meet the left hand in between the shoulder blades, trying to hook the fingers together. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Downward Facing Dog ->

Start in a table top position (on hands and knees), then curl your toes under and press up into a downward facing dog position. Hands are shoulder width apart, feet are hip width apart. Press through your shoulders to feel a nice stretch in the upper body as well as the back of the legs.

Upward Facing Dog ->

Lie face down, palms directly under your shoulders, elbows bent and pulled in close to your sides. The legs are extended, and the tops of the feet are flat on the floor. Inhale, pressing into the palms, pull your torso forward slightly. Straighten the arms, roll your shoulders back and down, and take your gaze slightly up toward the ceiling so that you open your chest up even more. Press into the tops of the feet, lifting your thighs a couple of inches off the floor. Hold for 15-30 seconds.

Seated Shoulder Squeeze ->

You can do this one sitting in a chair, or seated on your heels on the floor. Sit up straight with a long spine, gazing forward. Relax your shoulders back and down, then bring your hands behind you, clasp the fingers together, and pull back and down while squeezing your shoulder blades together. This will open up the front of the shoulders and chest.

Camel Pose ->

Camel Pose opens up the entire front of the body (neck, chest, torso, hip flexors, and thighs). Start with your knees hip distance apart, with the feet pointing straight back. Press your hips slightly forward as you reach back with your right arm to gently grasp the right heel. Keep your spine long and your chest lifted as you reach back with the left arm to grasp the left heel. You can drop the head behind, only if if feels okay for your neck.

The post 5 Stretches for Better Posture appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

The temperature is dropping and I’m about to break out the crock pot and chili recipes! Here are 10 warming soup, stew, and chili recipes that will get you through the colder weather months.

Roasted Carrot & Leek Soup

Creamy Potato & Onion Soup

Slow Cooker Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

White Bean & Chard Soup

Creamy Butternut Leek Soup

Lentil Stew with Tomatoes & Kale

Butternut, Fennel, and Chickpea Stew

Turkey Chili Verde

Vegetarian 3-Bean Chili

Coconut Curry Carrot Apple Soup

The post 10 Fall Soup + Chili Recipes appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

Can you get ANY more Fall with this salad?! I don’t think so. Roasted brussels sprouts, wild rice, apples, dried cranberries, dijon dressing, comin’ in hot.

This is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish to go with all of the turkey, green beans, and stuffing goodness. I tend to always be the one in my family to bring the vegetable side dishes or salad. I can’t help myself, I like to add the color to the meal.

I love this hearty ‘salad’ because it contains grains which make it a little more substantial. But also brings the most perfect mix of sweet and savory all in one bowl. The brussels are roasted to add even more great flavor (because who doesn’t like charred brussels sprouts?!), and then you throw in the apples and cranberries and BOOM, fall-flavored Heaven.

This will be a hit at Thanksgiving this year, trust me. And if not Thanksgiving, then it was definitely a hit in my house on a random Tuesday night.

The post Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Brussels + Apples appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

This subject has always been something I never imagined would happen to us. “This is something that happens to other people, I’ll be fine”, I thought in my subconscious. But now it is a part of our story. I am now a statistic, I am now a part of the 1 in 4. I am now in that club that no one ever wants to be in.

The club of women that never got to meet their baby.

Babies lost in the womb were never touched by fear. They were never cold, never hungry, never alone, and most importantly they knew love.

I can only imagine how some women feel completely alone in their grief, because I have had many of those kinds of moments. Even when you have a wonderful husband, and supportive friends and family, you can still feel alone. I don’t want the subject of miscarriage to be taboo anymore. We need to talk about it, women need to know that they are not alone.

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You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Is it my fault? Could I have done something differently? Why couldn’t my body keep my baby safe? I felt that my body was supposed to be a safe haven for this baby, and I had a moment (or a lot of moments) where I didn’t understand why it wasn’t. My body couldn’t hold on to my baby, and I couldn’t help but question if it was my fault.

My flesh really struggled with my spirit on this one, but in the end, I know that it was nothing I did. These things just happen sometimes, for reasons that we will never understand. It was not my fault, and for every other woman out there that has gone through this. It is not your fault either.

“But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed…” – 2 Timothy 4:17

This experience has changed me for the better, it has given me new eyes to see things in a way that I have never seen before. I am making the choice post loss to be happier than ever before, because when I leave this earth one day, I want to be remembered as someone who was joyful, no matter the circumstance. I want to have made a difference in other’s lives, and have left a positive legacy, and this is something I can make happen for this child.

I don’t get to raise this baby, I don’t get to celebrate Christmas with this baby, I can’t watch this baby’s first steps or hear their first word, but I can make their legacy one of joy, rather than sadness. No feeling lasts forever, but the lessons we learn while we’re experiencing those feelings very well may.

Through this experience, I learned that allowing yourself to feel the pain can be a good thing. It’s human to hurt, and we need to let ourselves go through it. When we fight it, it pummels us like a rogue wave. But when we don’t fight it, it passes right over us and we are able to keep swimming. And by letting myself FEEL the emotions, God has been doing some big work on my heart. He has stretched me and changed me in ways I never thought possible. He SEES me in my time of suffering, and He sees you in yours too.

I have been a Christian for quite a few years now, and have been following Jesus for quite some time. But never before have I been forced to put all of my trust in Him than I have over these past few months. It is true when you hear people say that you are never closer to God than when you literally have no hope without Him.

In my weakness, He is strong. And through all of this, the thing that brings me the most comfort is knowing that the first thing my baby saw when her little eyes opened was Jesus.

I feel so strongly about the power of bringing our individual places of darkness into the light. In today’s world of social media, we tend to only show only our highlight reels. But I think we need to start talking about the hills AND the valleys, to normalize things that can sometimes be taboo.

This no longer needs to be taboo, or a silent tragedy that women go through. IT IS OKAY to not be okay. IT IS OKAY to cry. IT IS OKAY to grieve. IT IS OKAY to scratch everything off your to-do list and call it a day. IT IS OKAY to be strong and brave and broken all at once.

I am standing with you.

For those of you who have gone through or are going through a miscarriage, know that I’m grieving with you and surrounding you in love. It is okay to talk about, it is okay to share your feelings, because you are allowed to have those feelings. Don’t ever let anyone tell you how to grieve, or how long to grieve. This is your process, and you will get through it because you are strong. You are strong because you carried that baby (no matter how long), and even though you never got to meet that baby, you are a mother. And THAT makes you strong. He might not change your current circumstance, but He is changing you.

I AM CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. MY STORY MATTERS. YOUR STORY MATTERS.

I will always look back at these pictures of Kenny and I with such bittersweet feelings, because our baby was with us when these photos were taken.

The post I Am Changed for the Better appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I have been so into cabbage over the past few months. I don’t know what started this cabbage kick, but I’ve been using it in our meals pretty often lately. Normally I saute it and make it into a warm cabbage stir-fry type of situation.

For this recipe I decided to leave it raw and just slice it up nice and thin. Cabbage can be kind of tough some time, so I suggest you chop it THIN.

My favorite way to eat cabbage salads or stir-frys is to pair it with Asian flavors. Anything with GF soy sauce always does the trick. The Thai peanut sauce on this salad is SUH GOOD. And so simple.

There are only a few ingredients, and you can easily whip it up in your blender in about 2.5 seconds. It is the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and sour from the peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice.

Top it all with some cilantro and crunchy cashews, and you have yourself a quick, delicious salad packed full of nutrients! I paired this with brown rice and salmon, and my husband couldn’t stop talking about how good it was.

The post Thai Peanut Cabbage Salad appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I really believe that, in some cases, the body has an inherent ability to heal without drugs or unnecessary surgeries. If all the essential elements for healing are available to the body, it can repair and restore itself on its own.

I am going to start a new wellness series about A.M.I.T. (Advanced Muscle Integration Technique) because it is something that has helped me so much over the past few months. I work in a Chiropractic office (Infinity Wellness Center) where I see clients for nutrition counseling, so I have been very fortunate to have the BEST chiropractor in Lubbock (shout out to Dr. Matt!) to teach me all about A.M.I.T.

It is so fascinating how the human body works, and I talk about nutrition and exercise all the time on The Wheatless Kitchen, but there is more to wellness than just nutrition and exercise. If the body is not working and moving correctly, then it can cause a domino effect with other areas of your health. If you are in pain, then you won’t want to workout, and when you aren’t exercising regularly, you are less likely to reach for healthier foods and more likely to reach for comfort foods.

What is A.M.I.T.?

When a muscle is overloaded beyond its ability to compensate, one of two things happen: the muscle fibers tear (sprain/strain), and/or the body will shut down the muscle, inhibiting future injuries. A.M.I.T. is designed to detect and reactivate muscles that were previously deactivated in the body.

When a muscle is deactivated, and then stressed during physical activity, the body will create pain as to avoid injury. It’s so crazy, our bodies are just smart like that. It will avoid using the deactivated muscle, and start adapting by using other muscles to take on the load. This then starts a new site for potential injury, while also starting a cycle of injury after injury.

This is where A.M.I.T.comes in! A.M.I.T. combines 17 healing disciplines into one method. This method allows the practitioner to test over 600 muscles in the body for function. The tests that Dr. Matt has done on me have all been some type of test on strength. For example, he will push against my leg and have me try to resist him to see how my strength is for that specific muscle. It is always comical  when he does these tests because it makes me feel so weak.

But its almost like MAGIC every time he works on a muscle. He reactivates the muscle, then does the same test again. And just like that, I can actually resist him while he applies pressure.

The History of A.M.I.T.

Dr. Alan G. Beardall was one of the original Diplomats in the International College of Applied Kinesiology. Dr. Beardall’s driving force was to never  be satisfied with anything less than maximum function and pain free performance for his patients. He worked tirelessly for years , defining and refining the work that became known as Clinical Kinesiology. CK is a system that enables physicians to isolate and test 310 unilateral muscles in the body for function. In addition, he discovered 12 different reflex systems related to each of the 310 muscles. This revolutionized human performance analysis and treatment.

Through his years of practice, CK became the base upon which A.M.I.T. was developed.

Dr. Craig Buhler had the opportunity to work and study with Dr. Beardall during the development of CK. After Dr. Buhler had graduated and started his own practice, he was selected to become the team chiropratic physician for the Utah Jazz NBA team.

Dr. Buhler served as the team chiropractic doctor for the Utah Jazz for 24 years. During his tenure, he was instrumental in helping create the lowest “player missed games due to injury rate” of any team in the NBA for 24 years. This accomplishment validates the effectiveness of A.M.I.T. He did such a phenomenal job during his tenure that he earned the nickname “Dr. Two Fingers”, coming from the technique of using your fingers to put pressure on two different points of the muscle.

Advanced Muscle Integration Technique has been validated at the elite level of athletics over the course of Dr. Buhler’s career. He developed an understanding of where pain comes from and how to remove it. Many areas of pain are merely adaptations of other areas in the body that were injured previously. This is what makes the A.M.I.T. system so different and effective.

What you will see here…

Today’s post was to introduce you guys to the A.M.I.T. method, and give you some information on it. In the coming months, I will go in depth on each individual muscle when Dr. Matt works on them. If you can find a chiropractor in your city that provides A.M.I.T., I highly recommend you go talk to them.

Like I said at the beginning of the post, having a properly functioning body is a huge component of overall wellness. Chiropractic care has been a life changer for me over the past year.

The post A.M.I.T. -> Advanced Muscle Integration Technique appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I have got one of the EASIEST breakfast/brunch recipes for you today! It only requires a few ingredients, and about 10 minutes of actual work in the kitchen.

WINNING.

Baked eggs are one of my favorite things to make because it is so quick, easy to clean up, and you can be really creative with it. Today I kept it simple with collard greens seasoned with lots of garlic (!!!) and cooked in ghee, which gives them the BEST flavor. The beauty of baked eggs is that you can add whatever your little heart desires! Tomatoes? Yum. Bell Peppers? Absolutely. Onions? Delish.

You can so easily make it your own.

Then just crack those eggs in and throw it all in the oven. Done!  Brunch is served, and you come out looking like Rachael Ray.

Or at least that’s what I imagine for myself.

The post Baked Eggs with Garlicky Collard Greens appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I have the most perfect Valentine’s Day dessert that you can make for your favorite person. I mean, who doesn’t LOVE strawberry shortcake?!

You can whip up these grain-free donuts in only a few minutes, and the best part is that you only need a few ingredients!

Scratch that, the best part is that they are frickin delicious.

They are made with almond and coconut flour, one of my favorite combos. Then just whip up some homemade coconut whipped cream, top with LOTS of juicy strawberries, and OMGGGGG you have yourself a dessert.

If I know my husband, he is going to eat the whole batch in one night. Unless I eat them all first, that is.

The post Grain-Free Strawberry Shortcake Donuts appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

Having a big batch of oatmeal waiting for you in the fridge comes in clutch on busy mornings. I make oatmeal all the time for breakfast, but it is usually the old-fashioned variety, and I always make it fresh that morning.

This time, I decided to give steel cut oats a try. And since they take a little longer to cook than rolled oats, I thought I’d give batch cooking a try with the steel cut. OMG, they came out so creamy and dreamy that I may never go back to regular oats.

It was so convenient to just have the pre-made oats right in the fridge so that all I had to do each morning was heat it up and add my toppings. (the big batch recipe for plain steel cut oats will be at the bottom of the post) I wanted to get creative and come up with a different topping combo for each day. I documented it and here’s what I came up with…

Mixed Berry with Almond & Coconut

• berries of choice (I used raspberry and blackberry)
• raw almonds
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• dash of maple syrup (optional)

Apple Pie

• chopped apple
• raw almonds
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• dash of maple syrup

Carrot Cake

• shredded carrot
• raw walnuts
• raisins
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• maple syrup

Banana Nut

• sliced banana
• raw cashews
• raw almonds
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• sprinkle of cinnamon

Chocolate Orange

• segmented orange (I used a couple of cuties)
• mini chocolate chips
• raw cashews

The post Gluten-Free Steel Cut Oatmeal -> 5 ways appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I can’t believe that I’ve been making recipes, sharing wellness tips, and writing to you guys in this little corner of the internet for 5 YEARS now!

I started this website to help other people that have to live with food allergies and intolerances, and I never want to lose sight of that on TWK. This space has been as much for you as it is for me. I have learned so much along the way, and my favorite part of blogging and being a part of this community is getting to connect with you guys. Even after 5 years, I still get so excited and giddy every time I get an email or message about someone making my recipes.

So to everyone who has ever read a post, made a recipe, or given me kind words of encouragement, THANK YOU! You guys have allowed me to use my voice and share my love for wellness, and I am so grateful. I have put so much time and love into this space, it really has become my baby over these past 5 years…

Which brings me to our BIG NEWS…

We are adding a new team member to The Wheatless Kitchen!

We decided that it was time to add to the mix, and we have never been more excited about anything in our lives. Baby Bell will be joining us in October!

If you saw this post from last year, then you know that we have gone through a lot to get through this moment. But God’s timing is always better than ours, and we could not be more excited for this gift that He has given us.

This little GIRL is going to be helping me whip up gluten-free cookies in the kitchen in no time!

The post 5 Year Blogiversary + BIG NEWS! appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I had so much fun getting to take a TWK smoothie recipe to a yoga workshop this weekend!

The beautiful studio that I teach barre classes at hosted an amazing yoga workshop for a group of yogis in the community. Three talented yoga instructors got together to educate and inspire fellow yogis. They learned about the physical aspects, benefits, and concepts of yoga. They had one on one mat time, working through poses, inversions and headstands, as well as learned about the 8 limbs of yoga, chakras, and broke down 20 postures with breath and alignment work.

TWK got to take part by making smoothies for everyone! I got to team up with my friend Meradyth from Sooo Granola, and together we made these delicious smoothie bowls for the group. I used one of my favorite smoothie recipes from the archives, and we topped them with the granola. They were a hit, and I love that we got to hang out and listen to part of the workshop.

Lubbock friends, if you ever need to host a private event, make sure you look into Body by Indigenous. It is the most gorgeous space! And also, if you have never tried Sooo Granola, then you can order it here. IT IS BOMB.

The post TWK in the community –> Body by Indigenous Yoga Workshop! appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

Chickpeas are one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. They are so versatile, and packed full of nutrition. You can use them so many ways; roasted, in soups, salads, and baked goods just to name a few.

Not only are they full of fiber and plant-based protein, they pack an impressive amount of iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin K. They are a great addition to any type of diet, so I decided to round up 10 of my favorite recipes that I’ve made with chickpeas.

Moroccan Roasted Chickpea Salad

Quinoa and Roasted Chickpea Collard Wraps

Grain-Free Snickerdoodle Blondies

Balsamic Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Dijon Vinaigrette

Black Rice Stir-Fry with Bok Choy, Carrots, & Chickpeas

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons

Butternut Squash Puree with Chipotle Chickpeas

Quinoa with Mushrooms, Arugula & Chickpeas

Butternut, Fennel & Chickpea Stew

The post 10 Creative Chickpea Recipes appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I can’t believe we are half way through this pregnancy! Everyone keeps telling me that once you hit 20 weeks, then it just flies by. And I’m not going to lie, I really need it to not fly by TOO quickly because I feel like we still have so much to do!

I haven’t done any pregnancy updates on TWK yet, and I’ve been getting questions on how I’ve been feeling, and what I’ve been doing differently during pregnancy. So I though it was about time for an update…

How I’m Feeling

The beginning of the pregnancy was pretty rough, I was extremely nauseous ALL the time, and got sick a handful of times during the first trimester. I pretty much lived on a diet that consisted of toast and crackers. I was extremely fatigued (as are most women in the first tri), and really had to practice giving myself a lot of grace for feeling like an unproductive human in society for two months straight.

But then when I hit about 14-15 weeks, things really took a turn. The nausea started to subside, which immediately made me feel so much better! It felt like a Christmas miracle when vegetables actually started to sound appealing to me again, ha!

At about week 18, I also started to see a huge difference in my energy levels. I mean, let’s be real, I still get tired way quicker than before I was pregnant, and still take a nap on most days. But overall, I’m not feeling the need to sleep all day every day. Hallelujah.

Food -> Cravings + Aversions

Because I felt so sick during those first couple of months, nothing really sounded good to me. Except for toast and oatmeal. Those two things were my lifeline. I had a strong aversion to chicken, and still kind of do most of the time. Vegetables did NOT sound good to me, every time I tried to make myself eat a salad, I would just want to gag. This is how I knew pregnancy hormones were a real thing, because not wanting vegetables was so not like me!

But once the nausea started to subside in the second trimester, all of those normal foods started to sound good again. I could handle vegetables, and I have been really craving fruit. Mostly apples, berries, citrus fruits, and watermelon. I’m pretty sure I’ve been eating my weight in watermelon.

Exercise

I am still going strong with teaching my CycleBar and barre classes! Starting this week though, I am lowering the number of classes I am teaching per week because I am trying to really listen to my body. And my body is telling me that it needs a little bit of a break. I am still definitely able to move pretty well on the bike, but I just know that I need to tone it down a bit.

This will give me the opportunity to actually do some of my own workouts at home, which I’m so excited about. Up until now, all of my classes have been taking up all of my energy, so I’m pumped to be able to start incorporating some more prenatal pilates/yoga/weights into my routine.

I really attribute staying active (even when I was feeling sick) to the fact that I really haven’t had too many aches and pains thus far. I’ve had a few moments of lower back or hip pain, but that hasn’t happened often and I think its because of exercise. I know the common pregnancy pains will definitely get worse as the baby gets bigger, but I am so grateful that I haven’t had too much of that during the first half of this pregnancy.

Self-Care

I’ve been trying to make sure that I really take care of myself throughout this pregnancy to ensure that I can feel my best. Other than regular exercise and incorporating lots of nutrient dense foods, I have been doing a few self care rituals that have been so beneficial.

Epsom salt baths have been my best friend. I’ve been better about doing them during the second trimester so far, and they have helped so much! I haven’t really had any swelling yet, and I think the baths have helped with that. Epsom salt provides magnesium, which can help with tension and sore muscles, so any time my muscles are a little sore, a bath is happening! This can also help a ton with back and hip pain, so I’m sure I’ll be using them for that in the future too.

I’ve also been taking the time to stretch, relax, and meditate every single day. Even if it is just 5 minutes, it does wonders for my mind and body.

Honestly, I think the biggest thing I’ve been allowing myself to do more of is SLEEP. I’ve had a lot of restless nights throughout this pregnancy, mostly due to the fact that I’m already getting a little uncomfortable when I lie down at night (and the belly isn’t even that big yet!), so I’ve been letting my self sleep in a little later, as well as take naps when I need them. I used to feel guilty and unproductive if I let myself nap too often, but now I’m embracing it and I feel so much better. The work will get done eventually, so I just keep reminding myself that I’m growing a human and that requires rest!

Highlights

I think the coolest thing that I’ve experienced so far is getting to feel the baby move around all the time. I think that is probably every mom’s favorite part of pregnancy. It is so bizarre to feel her jump around in there, and every time it happens, I can’t help but smile.

Kenny finally got to feel her kick from the outside the other day! I had just had some coffee, and she was doing gymnastics in there! I could tell she was kicking harder than normal, and luckily I was with him so he could feel her too! (I very rarely have had caffeine, so I guess when I drank that cold brew, she went a little nuts!)

Another highlight is that I’m finally starting to get a bump! It took a while, but she’s out there now! Trying to dress myself every day has been interesting all of a sudden. Nothing fits quite like it did, but I can still fit into a lot of my regular clothes. So I’m kind of in that in-between stage right now. I don’t mind though, I’m super grateful for this little bump, and I feel really lucky to be growing this little girl. That being said though, I’ll take any advice I can get on maternity clothes.

Sweet Gifts

Our friends are THE BEST, and baby girl has already received some of the cutest gifts. I am so grateful that she is going to have so many wonderful people in her life.

I will be back in a few weeks with another update!

The post 20 week pregnancy update! appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.

I think we all reach for quick and easy snacks more often in the summer. Between hanging out by the pool, backyard barbecues, and all of amazing fresh fruits available, snacks are a must! I put together a list of quick, easy, and super healthy snacks that will keep you cool and happy this summer.

Smoothies, all the smoothies!

You can whip up a delicious fruit and veggie filled smoothie in no time! Just throw together your favorite fruit, green leafy veggies, and some protein powder for some staying power.

Strawberry Basil Protein Smoothie

10 smoothies for the summer months

Get creative with your toast!

If I’m wanting something more on the savory side, my go-to is always avocado toast. Just mash a ripe avocado on some gluten-free toast, then add whatever you want on top. You can keep it as simple as a sprinkle of sea salt, or even drizzle on some honey.

If you are craving sweet, then go for a nut butter topping for your toast. Peanut butter is always my favorite, with some sliced strawberries, hemp seeds, and honey drizzled over the top. For some extra protein, add a smear of yogurt with that nut butter and fruit!

Quinn Snacks Popcorn

Popcorn is one of my husband’s favorite snacks. It is quick, easy, and a good choice as a healthy whole grain. You can make it yourself on the stovetop in a large pot, but why do that when you have Quinn’s Pure Pop bags?! They make it so convenient to enjoy your favorite popcorn, but without all of the weird chemicals that usually come in microwave popcorn bags.

Quinn Snacks is the first in the industry to make chemical, plastic, and susceptor free bags, and they are also compostable! The ingredient pouches are applied after popping the kernels, meaning the oils and butter are never microwaved. As a result, the oils and and natural ingredients are never heated, leading to a cleaner tasting popcorn. They use REAL, grass-fed clarified butter (ghee), it is all non-GMO, and nothing artificial, EVER.

If I am going to be eating a snack that comes in a package, I want to feel good about it. And Quinn Snacks makes me feel good about eating a high quality product. Let’s have a movie night!

You can buy Quinn Snacks popcorn here.

Balls & Bars

I love making snack balls out of nuts, dates, and healthy fats. My favorites are always the ones with chocolate (like these peanut cacao energy balls), duh. But get creative! You can use any type of nut/seed, spices, other flavors, etc.

And you can even make your own bars, whether they be protein bars, or oat bars. These almond coconut bars are a personal favorite.

Fruit, fruit, fruit!

I think it goes without saying that fruit is always a go-to snack in the summer time. Watermelon, berries, and figs are in season, so take advantage while you can!

roasted figs with goat cheese, walnuts & honey

The post Quick & Healthy Summer Snacks appeared first on The Wheatless Kitchen.