These date squares are absolutely delicious!!! All natural, healthy ingredients... yet they taste like a mini dessert. Perfect combination of sweet and salty... just perfection. These are 30 day reset approved, and an awesome snack to make ahead and leave in the freezer for whenever you desire. This recipe is adapted from Detoxinista, and it is one of my favorites. 

Ingredients for this recipe:

-2 cups of soft Medjool dates, pitted
-2 cups nuts (I used one cup macadamia and 
   one cup cashews)
-1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 
-2 tablespoons coconut oil
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
​-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place dates and nuts in food processor and blend until a sticky paste starts to form. Then add all other ingredients and blend until everything is mixed in. 

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Take mixture and place in a square pan lined with parchment paper. Press mixture down until even and smooth in pan. 
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Refrigerate for at least one to two hours to set. Then lift mixture out of pan with edges of parchement paper and place on cutting board. Cut into small squares and store in fridge or freezer (will last up to one week in fridge, or a few weeks in freezer - I like to keep mine in freezer and just take them out as I need them).   Enjoy!!!!   :-)
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So I put together a bunch of great green smoothie recipes to share here all in one post. Of course there are endless options and combinations for this type of thing, but it's always nice to have some go-to ideas when you want them. So here we go!

Spinach Apple Green Smoothie:

1 Granny Smith apple, seeded and cut into chunks
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled (did I really need to say that?)  :-)
1 teaspoon almond butter
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup coconut water

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth

Triple Green Smoothie:

2 cups seedless green grapes
1 kiwi peeled and quartered
1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth
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​Tropical Green Smoothie:

1 1/2 cups kale
1 1/2 cups frozen tropical fruit (pineapple, mango mix)
1 1/2 cups ice cubes
3 tablespoons raw honey
3/4 cup orange juice

​Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth

Green Supreme Smoothie: 

2 cups seedless green grapes
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup baby kale

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth
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Go All Green Smoothie:

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 cup ice cubes
2 teaspoons raw honey

Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth
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Pear Avocado Smoothie:

1 cup coconut water
1 1/2 cups ice cubes
1 pear, seeded and cut into chunks
1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/2 cup fresh mint
2 tablespoons lime juice

Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth
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Peaches and Green:

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup packed spinach
1 cup frozen sliced peaches
1 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

​Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth
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           When we think of inflammation, we usually picture a situation like someone banging their knee on something and having the area swell up a bit and become red. The body's defense mechanism kicks in sending tons of white blood cells to the scene to help fight off invaders and start the healing process. Of course this is a normal response that we expect. Unlike this acute form of inflammation, chronic inflammation occurs when this system goes a little haywire and doesn't know when to quit. This steady and slow level of inflammation can actually contribute to disease. Scientists still don't fully understand how and why this occurs, but more is being discovered all the time. 


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       For quite a while now, it has been known that inflammation has a definite connection to certain autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. But now it is being discovered that inflammatory cells can have an effect all over the body, possibly causing cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and more. 

       Some of the basic things we can do to help decrease chronic inflammation are the obvious healthy tasks of eating well, getting enough exercise and making sure we get enough rest. But what else is there? First, it is good to know what kinds of things we should avoid in our diet that may contribute to this problem. Processed foods are saturated with vegetable oils and other industrial seed oils that are direct culprits for increasing inflammation. This is one of the many reasons why a diet that consists of  little to no processed food is preferred, always. These oils are very high in omega 6 fats. In and of themselves, omega 6 fats are not bad, but it's when the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3's gets way off track that it becomes a problem, specifically when taking in too much processed foods. When you are eating primarily whole foods, this issue becomes less of a problem.

         Sugar itself is a huge contributor to inflammation, for sure. Poor regulation of insulin and glucose is an open invitation for chronic inflammation to wreak havoc on our bodies. This is tough because people have eaten so much more sugar since the vilification of fat a years ago (unfortunately). 

       While some studies  suggest a link between dairy and low-grade inflammation, there are others suggesting no correlation at all. Obviously some people don't tolerate dairy well due to lactose intolerance, but many people tolerate some dairy just fine. There are even studies suggesting that certain dairy (specifically fermented dairy like yogurt and kefir) can actually be anti-inflammatory. Grains, legumes and have also been accused of being pro-inflammatory (causing leaky-gut syndrome), but most importantly see how they affect you personally. 

        It is also important to point out some foods that fight chronic inflammation. Green leafy vegetables, olive oil, fatty fish, berries (such as blueberries and strawberries), tomatoes, and nuts are among the top. 

       Tumeric is another anti-inflammatory king due to the compound curcumin that is contains. This can be a great addition to things like scrambled eggs, soups and chilies. Just be careful if you are taking certain diabetes medications or certain blood thinners as this can interfere. Always check with your doctor before adding any kind of dietary supplement (as you can get this is a pill form as well). If eating tumeric in recipes using the root or ground form, for best absorption try to eat it with some black pepper or some healthy fat. Adding black pepper to tumeric increases its bioavailability by 1,000 times! Tumeric is also fat soluble, so it needs some fat to fully dissolve the curcumin and make sure it gets past the stomach and into the blood stream where it will have the most effect. 
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        And my personal favorite, cacao. Raw cacao powder is full of polyphenols that are now being noticed for their anti-inflammatory potential. This is what makes eating dark chocolate (greater than 70% cacao) actually good for you. I love adding raw cacao to many of my recipes and you can find the brand I love here. This is NOT the same as processed cocoa powder you find on the shelf in the grocery store. Take note! Cacao nibs are another awesome way to get theses benefits! Add some crunch to your recipes with theses little gems and reap the rewards of the health benefits at the same time. You can find these here as well! I use both cacao powder and cacao nibs in my homemade protein bars. 
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​Now on to an anti-inflammatory life! 

Let me just start by saying....  you are welcome!  :-)  This is the answer for any of you out there who love chips, love the crunch, and love your salty fix. It can be tough to get enough of that when you're eating right! This is your go-to snack for all of the above reasons.

Ingredients for this recipe (SO simple!)

​-1 bag fancy grade unsweetened coconut flakes (find them here)
-1-2 TBSP coconut oil 
-sea salt

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Then start with your one bag of coconut flakes like these shown below. I recommend this kind especially because the flakes are large and will not crumble as much like a lot of other coconut flakes out there. I have had the best results using these!
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Empty contents of the bag onto a cookie sheet. Melt the coconut oil and drizzle over the flakes. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste, and mix it all through with your hands. 
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Lastly, bake in the oven at 325 degrees for about 7-9 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. What you are left with is a delicious, crunchy salty snack that is all completely healthy fats and just yummy goodness. Just be careful... it is so easy to eat the whole batch at once!  :-)  I like to eat these by themselves, or mix these in with a homemade trail mix too. So delicious.

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​Go get your crunch on!!!  :-)

This is one of my absolute favorite crock pot recipes!

Ingredients for this recipe:
-4 boneless chicken breasts
-2 1/2 TBSP dried oregano
-1 TBSP dried basil
-1 TBSP dried parsley 
-2 cloves minced garlic
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes with juice
-2 cups chicken broth
-1 small can tomato paste
-1/2 jar tomato sauce
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup whole milk (use coconut milk for dairy free option, or just leave 
out the milk altogether and it just won't be "creamy")
-4 cups baby spinach 

​Line the bottom of crockpot with chopped onion and chicken breasts (sometimes I slice the breasts in half to make shorter cooking time if needed) and season with salt and pepper. Add in garlic and all other seasonings with canned diced tomatoes. 

Add all other ingredients except for baby spinach. Cook on high 4 hours or on low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken breasts with a fork, then  add spinach in for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
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You will LOVE IT!!! Yummy goodness.  :-)