Happy October! This used to be my most favorite month, I would get all giddy about the Fall and halloween and cooler weather and my birthday. Now I get excited about everything EXCEPT my birthday! 31.... yikes. Where did my 20s go :( Can I re-live them please?! My little brother is turning 20, two days after me. Lucky dude. Little does he know, these will be the most exhilarating years of his life! But I guess there is soooo much for me to look forward to as I move into another chapter in my life. Growing up doesn't have to be depressing does it?! I will always be young at heart. In keeping with the Fall mood and my awesome hemp products, I created this butternut squash bisque to warm us up as the weather begins to drop. [I live in Florida so by temperature drop I mean 80 degrees versus 90 degrees LOL!]

I am back this week with a new HEMP-alicious recipe! This is an easy one, PACKED with nutrition, and the perfect morning post workout meal if you ask me. On the weekends I love to wake up early(ish) and go for a run to start my day. A couple of weeks ago when I first made this, I thought this would be a great after run breakfast. I debated with myself about making a coffee as well as I needed a little extra kick. But having two beverages just didn't seem right. So I thought why not put my coffee INSIDE my protein smoothie? I don't see why not :)

Helloooooo my little scrumptious foodies! It has been so so long I can't even believe it and I am a little ashamed. Sometimes even when you love doing something so much, you find yourself at a road block. I had a food/writer block. I have also been needing a new laptop pretty bad so that's been turning me off from blogging. I finally get a beautiful camera for my pics and then my laptop decides to suck. Such is life... Since my favorite season is upon us, the inspiration juices are really flowing! I am ready to start anew and get back to playing in the kitchen. This week I came home from work to find a large box of goodies waiting for me at the door. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods was so sweet to send me some wonderful products for me to try out. 

Over Christmas I got a new food processor, and I am just beside myself at everything I had been missing in life.... seriously, did you know you could make INCREDIBLE froyo at home?! Without an ice cream machine?! I feel like I've been sleeping my whole life. Helloooo world! This is my first of many food processor recipes I plan to make. Nut butter anyone? Believe me when I tell you, I never will buy froyo at the store again. This stuff is dessert gold. Only a few simple healthy ingredients and a few minutes in the processor! Check out the two different kinds I made over the weekend....

Gazpacho is the new salad! After trying my hands at this amazing Spanish recipe, I realized I am a silly woman for not making this before. Packed with veggies and what surprised me is that there is no cream in this! Yet, it tastes like the creamiest soup mmmm. The recipe is SO easy that I beg you to make this just once. You will be hooked. In Spain they make big batches and keep it around for a snack. Some even drink it out of a glass! 

My vacation to Spain was an incredible journey. I ate, I danced, I fell in love. What a beautiful country. 

Had a long work day and just don't want to spend the time to create a masterpiece in the kitchen tonight? I feel ya... This is one of my favorite easy and healthy dishes. Fresh wild shrimp with some healthy alternative, quinoa pasta. Sprinkled in is some garlic and some crushed red pepper flakes. Warm olive oil ties this baby together. And don't forget to save the spinach for right before serving to keep it bright and crisp! Top it off with fresh parmesan cheese and you have a soul warming meal that only took you 30 minutes max from start to finish. 

There's nothing better on a crisp fall day than football on the telly and wings/beer in your tummy. The slow cooker really got my favorite hot sauce into the meat and made my little wingies so tender and juicy! I also have a little trick to get them perfectly crisp on the outside too! 

This 5 ingredient crust is fluffy and cheesy and guilt free! Can you believe its also gluten free?! Where has this been all my life? So easy too. The crust only takes about 15 minutes in the oven and then I toss on some of my favorite ingredients and just warm everything back up for 5 minutes and its ready! The whole process takes as long as it would take to cook a frozen pizza from the store with all those yucky ingredients and all those blegh preservatives! I'm in HEAAAAVEN! 

No matter how had I try or how early I set my alarm, I never seem to have enough time to make myself a nutritious and delicious breakfast. I always have to run and end up either just picking up a yogurt or stopping at a Starbucks for one of their sandwiches. Yogurt is fine, but its not enough... and restaurant breakfasts on the go are usually loaded with all sorts of yucky things like waaaaaay to much sodium! So I decided to PRE make these little guys in order to freeze them and have them ready to run out the door! I just heat them up at work and I have a super healthy and filling breakfast without having to run around like a maniac trying to cook when I am half asleep!

This is your day... You have a hubby/wife, you have kids, you have pets, you have some extra weight you need to lose. Finding time for the gym or over analyzing healthy food is a luxury to you. No time, no patience! Well I have the perfect solution! Meal prepping or making a big batch of something to divide up for the week is easy, its a good way to stay healthy, and this recipe here of fajita chicken is deeeeeelicious! If you want, make a HUGE batch for the whole family, serve it to the kids with tortillas for a fun dinner and with some jasmine rice for yourself for a healthier alternative. 

This bad boy was made reminiscent of a rich hot cocoa with marshmallows on a cold winter day! So decadent and satisfying and guess what??! Its guilt-free. I made this for a friend who is gluten-free and used coconut flour. YUMMY!

One of the most simple marinades you will ever make.... and SO packed with flavor and gorgeous too! If it has fresh herbs and fresh garlic, I'm always in :)

So a couple of weeks ago I decided my body needed a detox. Sometimes we get so caught up in eating without thinking about what is going in our bodies... artificial sweeteners, meats with hormones and antibiotics, pesticides, processed yuckiness... Its hard not to. So every now and then I like to rid my body of all this garbage! I did this one week detox with specific daily guidelines and lost 6 lbs, gained incredible energy and felt overall awesome. I posted daily progress reports and recipes too! 

Nothing like some Asian takeout on a rainy afternoon... this is my version of a noodle bowl, with some of my favorite things. Thin sirloin, crispy veggies, noodles and a sauce to die for! So easy to make too, don't waste your money on takeout when you can make a huge batch of this at home and then have it as leftovers as the flavors only get better overnight!