I used to make a lot of smoothies back when I was in college. Low-fat yogurt, frozen fruit, ice. EASY. Smoothies have come and gone in my life, a tasty-enough treat, a low-cal weight loss go-to. And then when I went to culinary school and really learned how to cook simple and totally amazing meals, smoothies completely disappeared. There was something lacking in them, and they just didn’t seem inspired to me.

I’m not quite sure how it happened, but I got the blender out a couple of weeks ago and put a smoothie together. But this smoothie was completely unlike any smoothie I had ever made before.

To start, I wouldn’t touch low-fat yogurt if you paid me; I only buy the real stuff now. My favorites are Strauss Organic Plain Whole Milk and Fage Total Classic (though I really want to find an organic Greek yogurt – recommendations, anyone?). I also use fresh, raw nuts and organic coconut water. And, my secret ingredient: dates.

Oh. My. God. Ladies and gentlemen, smoothies are back on the map!

Want to have a taste? Please do! Here’s a recipe for a ridiculously amazing smoothie I made the other day.

10 macadamia nuts
8 raspberries
¼ papaya
2 dates
¼ c. coconut water
1 t. coconut manna (optional)
¼ c. yogurt
¼ banana

I also discovered that I like my smoothies thick enough to eat by the heaping spoonful. Y-U-M.

Get ready to get addicted! I’m having a smoothie for lunch every day these days. I can’t get enough!

Bon appétit!
Kristen

One of the greatest a-ha’s for me on my journey to a blissful body was the realization that getting a body that I loved had everything to do with having a life that I loved. When I started getting out and going to lectures and conferences and taking lots of picnics and filling my cup, my focus shifted from worry and obsession to freedom and joy!

Recently, I noticed that my eating habits were starting to slide (which is very unusual for me because I love eating *just* the right amount). So I started looking at what was going on in my life. And you know what I realized? I was doing the same thing, day in and day out. I needed more FUN in my life!

So in the past few weeks, I’ve been going on picnics, trying new yoga classes, having tea with friends I haven’t seen in months, and reconnecting to my joy! And wouldn’t you know… my healthy happy eating habits have slid right back into place. Like clockwork.

I like to think it’s the Universe’s way of keeping me on track. If we’re not living our joy, what’s the point, right? So get out there and follow your bliss!

Much love,
Kristen

What particular food, weight, or body issues do you struggle with?

Are you carrying extra weight? Do you normally eat well yet still give in to cravings (ooohh… cookies!)? Do you turn to food for comfort when you are stressed?

There are many different ways that our issues show up. And I invite you to consider that all of these issues are really symptoms of something deeper. Weight is a symptom. Cravings are a symptom. Stress eating is a symptom.

A symptom of what, though?

A symptom that something is out of alignment. Now, this could be something physiological (like eating the wrong foods at the wrong times) or it could be from something deep in your soul (like not speaking up for yourself or always putting others first). More often than not, it’s both. Because what we feel on the inside manifests on the outside.

For some, it show up in patterns of eating, in discontent and discomfort, and for some it shows up on your thighs.

So what is the cure?

The cure is to get your body and soul in alignment.

Losing weight and healing your relationship with food starts when you change what you eat, when you eat, and how you eat, but true healing goes much deeper.

When you are living in alignment with who you are, when you are living a full and balanced life creating what you truly want for yourself, and when you are nourishing your body with healthy, balanced, and nutritious foods, your symptoms disappear.

Healing from the inside out. Now, take a deep breath… and release.

My invitation to you

Talk to me! Send me a quick note and tell me what your symptoms are. Often times we just want to be heard. Let’s start the conversation, and start the healing. You can always reach me at kristen@bodyblisscoach.com.

With love and light,
Kristen

I love kale. LOVE it. Sautéed with garlic, sautéed with pepper flakes, sautéed with vinegar, you name it. But raw? (Brakes squealing)… Hold up! There’s something about raw kale that I always shied away from.

Maybe because it’s so much thicker than the other salad greens and I thought it would be too tough or that a dressing wouldn’t be able to stand up to it. Who knows! All I know is that I finally got over my fear of raw kale and all I have to say about that is: Hallelujah!

And now, of course, I’m a kale salad maniac. Here’s one I tried today… (recipe serves 2):

Kale Salad

½ bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped
Carrot
Tomato
Avocado
Hemp seeds
Luscious Tahini Dressing (recipe follows)

I went outside to pick a lemon and found this cute little guy, and decided to make a tahini dressing with lemon.

Luscious Tahini Dressing

1 T. tahini
1 small garlic clove, smashed
1 – 2 T. lemon juice
1 – 2 T. nutritional yeast
2 T. evoo
2 T. hot water
¼ t. sea salt

Bon appetit!
Kristen

I’ve always loved the idea of reinventing myself. And the start of a new year has always been a powerful time for me. A chance to reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going, what I have and what I want for my life. Who do I want to be? How do I want to show up?

For so many years the resolution on the top of my list was some form of: lose the weight, get in shape, do the diet, GET THE BODY I WANT. And for so many years, it just never took root. And every year I felt like a failure.

But what I didn’t get was that I was going about it all wrong.  It wasn’t about dieting, spending hours at the gym, and depriving myself of the foods I loved. It wasn’t about counting grams of fat and fiber or calories burned or having enough willpower to stay away from the dessert table. And it certainly wasn’t about kicking myself when I was down.

It was about finding what works for ME. For my body, for my needs, for my lifestyle. It was about getting the guidance and support I needed to make the transformation from overeating, giving in to cravings, having low energy, and feeling self-conscious in my body… TO nourishing my body, releasing the weight, having vibrant energy, knowing my worth, and loving my body!

And this is what I want to share with you. Now. Today. For anyone who wants to stop living in this low vibration and start living the life you want!

If you are DONE feeling self-conscious about your body, and READY to make 2012 YOUR year, schedule a FREE appointment with me today. You are worth it! https://my.timedriver.com/9ZYKK

The holidays have always been a source of joy for me, but it wasn’t long ago that they were also a source of… well… dread. On one hand, there is so much love and togetherness and holiday spirit, and on the other hand, there is so much chocolate and cookies and parties and feasts.

For someone who easily spun out of control in the midst of the hustle and bustle (and, let’s face it – chaos), the last few weeks of the year always threw me into a tailspin of overeating and shame.

As I’ve been reflecting on a recent client’s very remarkable success (a woman who is shining her light brighter than ever and feels confident and at peace with food during the holidays – for the first time EVER!), it warms my heart and reminds me of my own transformation from pain and struggle to ease and joy.

And it is because of this that I was inspired to offer a gift of support to you. If we haven’t connected yet, this is the perfect time. Schedule your FREE 45-minute “Holiday Support” Session with me at https://my.timedriver.com/XJG1K. This free session is only good through December 31st, so grab a spot while you can!

Don’t put it off any longer. Get the support you need today. You deserve it, and I can help.

With love,
Kristen

OMG – this fudge is, simply, to die for. I can’t believe it’s healthy! It’s got some fun superfood ingredients to make it extra healthy, but it can be made without hemp seeds and mesquite powder if you don’t have those on hand.

For a denser fudge, use less water and for a fudge that’s almost a mousse, use more! Either way, this superfood dessert is chocolate b-l-i-s-s.

Cacao Fig Fudge
(Modified from the Navitas Naturals website)

1 c. dried figs
1 1/2 – 2 c. water
1 T. vanilla
2 c. almond butter
1/2 c. raw cacao powder
1/2 c. raw hemp seeds
1 T. mesquite powder
1/2 t. sea salt

Soak figs in water for about an hour, until soft. Drain and reserve soaking liquid.

In a food processor or blender, blend figs and vanilla until smooth, slowly adding soaking liquid.

Add almond butter until combined.

In a medium bowl, mix cacao powder, hemp seeds, mesquite powder, and sea salt.

Add fig mixture and stir until combined.

Press evenly into a 9″ x 9″ brownie pan and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).

Ta-da!

I was playing around with jam ideas today and came up with a recipe that is, quite frankly, brilliant. It came about because I tried a superfoods “unjam” recipe that didn’t do it for me. The recipe called for chia seeds, water, and fruit. Start by adding the chia seeds to the water to make a “chia gel,” puree some fruit, and mix them together. I thought, why make the chia gel in water… won’t that just dilute the fruit? Well, one bite in and I knew the answer to that!

So then I tried adding the chia seeds straight to the fruit puree, but it was still lacking. The fruit flavor was coming through, but, as I was using raspberries, it was a little tart and needed some sweet to balance it out. Sweet, huh? Well, I threw in a date, pureed it all together, and what came out was pure fruit heaven!

Try it for yourself! It’s super easy and if you don’t have chia seeds on hand, you can leave them out.

Best Jam Ever

6 oz. fruit
1 – 2 dates, pitted
1/2 T. chia seeds (optional)

Puree fruit, dates, and optional chia seeds in a food processor, blender, or even with just a fork!

That’s it. You’re done! Enjoy!

Try it on a slice of warm Cinnamon Date Walnut Bread. Yum!!

I am having so much fun in the kitchen lately! I’m really enjoying baking holiday treats that are both healthy and delicious. Here’s my latest creation and an instant favorite. It’s getting rave reviews from my tasting panel!

Warm Cinnamon Date Walnut Bread

1 1/2 c. hot water
1 c. chopped dates
1 egg
2 T. evoo
1 t. vanilla
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
¾ t. sea salt
1 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Spray 9″x5″ loaf pan with oil.

Combine hot water and dates – let sit for at least 5 min.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, oil, and vanilla. Whisk in dates and soaking liquid.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts.

Mix liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until combined.

Pour into pan and bake 65 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

To serve:
Serve warm with your choice of butter, Neufchatel, cream cheese, or nut butter.

When you want a brownie, you want it now. Am I right? What if I told you that you could make a batch of scrumptious, chocolatey, decadent brownies in under 10 minutes? Sounds good so far…. Well what if I also told you those ooey gooey brownies were actually healthy!

By now I’m sure you’ve heard that chocolate is good for you (3 cheers for antioxidants!). But the health benefits pretty much cancel out the minute you mix it with sugar (e.g. chocolate chips, chocolate bars, chocolate cakes, etc.). So although cacao it self is healthy, chocolate products… not so much.

Enter raw cacao powder. And this recipe. 5 ingredients, superfoods, no sugar. The combination is pure chocolate indulgence. Can you handle it?

Double-Chocolate No-Bake Brownies
(From the Navitas Naturals website)

1 c. raw walnuts
1 c. pitted soft dates (if not soft, add water)
1/2 c. raw cacao powder
Pinch of sea salt
1 T. cacao nibs

In a food processor, process walnuts to a coarse flour.

Add dates, cacao powder, and salt and process until a moist, crumb-like dough has formed.

Spread mixture evenly into an 8″ x 8″ pan. Sprinkle with cacao nibs and press firmly into a solid brownie layer.

Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Variation:
Add chopped raw walnuts with the cacao nibs.