Homemade Almond Milk

This almond milk recipe is maybe the easiest thing you’ll ever make in your kitchen!

I know that nothing is easier than buying a carton of milk from the grocery store. And I’ll be honest, I buy milk allllll the time at the store so I’m in no way trying to make you feel bad if you have never made your own. But just in case you’re interested in making your own, I’m here to let you know it’s super simple and worth trying.

One reason I became interested in making my own milk is because I couldn’t pronounce some of the ingredients in the store bought milk I was buying and I’m not a fan of that. When I make my own, the ingredients are almonds and water. That’s it! So I feel better about putting it in my body and I know where it came from and that’s important to me.

Here’s how you do it:

First, soak your almonds overnight. This part is easy. Put 1/2 cup of almonds in a glass jar, cover them with water, and let them soak while you sleep. In the morning, drain and rinse them and they will be ready to go!

In the past I have taken all the skins off each almond after soaking. It’s not hard, but it’s a little time consuming. With my most recent round, I left the skins on and there is absolutely zero difference in taste so I will be doing it this way for now on.

After rinsing, place them in your blender with 2.5 cups of filtered water. Blend on high speed for about 5 mins. This is the step where you can add flavor if you wish. I sometimes add a splash of vanilla extract and it’s a great addition .

The last step is to strain it so you can separate the almond pulp from the liquid. I use this milk bag and I love it! [Side note: It’s actually called a “nut milk bag”. Doesn’t that sound disgusting? The term “nut milk”‘ is not the most appealing term when it comes to food! I’ll leave it at that. Haha!]

So anyways, straight from the blender you will pour the milk into the nut bag with a large container under it to catch your milk as it goes through the bag. Lightly squeeze the bag until all the liquid is out and all you have left in the bag is the almond pulp. You can go on Pinterest and find tons of recipes that use almond pulp so don’t throw it out! I will be posting a few fun recipes on the blog soon and I’ll link them here when they are available.

Transfer the milk to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Pretty easy right?

*This recipe makes about 2.5 cups of milk. If you want more, just double it. But I have found that it only lasts a few days in the fridge before it goes bad so I make small batches to ensure it stays fresh.

Print Recipe
 Homemade Almond Milk
This almond milk is so creamy and delicious and so easy to make. It will have you wondering why you ever buy but milk at the store!
Course Condiments
Cuisine Beverages
Keyword dairy free, eat move live happy
Prep Time 10 Mins
Servings
Cups
Ingredients
Course Condiments
Cuisine Beverages
Keyword dairy free, eat move live happy
Prep Time 10 Mins
Servings
Cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Soak your almonds overnight. Put 1/2 cup of almonds in a glass jar, cover them with water, and let them soak while you sleep.
  2. In the morning, drain and rinse them.
  3. After rinsing, place them in your blender with 2.5 cups of filtered water. Blend on high speed for about 5 mins.
  4. Use a milk bag (linked above) to strain the almonds. Lightly squeeze the bag until all the liquid is out and all you have left in the bag is the almond pulp. Don't discard the pulp!
  5. Transfer the milk to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Healthy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

This healthy banana bread recipe is sure to rock your world! Well, it rocked mine anyways. It’s gluten free and refined sugar free and it’s even been given a thumbs up by my kiddos (that’s REALLY saying something). I’ve been playing around with banana bread recipes for a while now and while I have loved them all, this one deserves to be shared with you! And the best part?? I only used one bowl so clean-up is a breeze!

Banana bread is one of those things that I always love having around and the great news is, this recipe is healthy and made with good-for-you ingredients that you can feel good about putting into your body.

I made this loaf with a few bananas that had ripened while we were away in the Bahamas for a few days. When we got home, they were sitting on the counter practically begging to be baked into this glorious banana bread, so I couldn’t let them down, right?! Make sure when you get ready to make this recipe, your bananas are super spotty or close to black. Sounds so gross but it really is the secret to great banana bread.

Soooo, are we ready to get baking??

Okay good! Me too!

First, you want to mash your super ripe bananas in a mixing bowl. I use a fork and go to town until most of the lumps are out (a few are okay). Next, add in the eggs and whisk them up with the bananas until they are mixed well. In the same bowl, add the almond flour, gluten free flour, and baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined.

In a separate small bowl (I used a ramekin), add in the cinnamon and coconut sugar and stir it up. Don’t add this to the batter. This is going to be for that smiling cinnamon layer in the center of your loaf.

Told you it smiles 🙂

In a well-sprayed loaf pan, add 1/2 of the batter. Sprinkle 1/2 of your cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Make sure all the batter is covered. Then add the other 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/ sugar mixture to the top, again covering all the batter. Put your loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 mins. The cinnamon and sugar top should be dark and crispy. If it is, you did everything right!

Keep scrolling for the printable recipe and be sure to let me know in the comments how it turned out!

Print Recipe
 Healthy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
This healthy banana bread has the perfect blend of sweetness and cinnamon to make this a family favorite! It's gluten-free, dairy free and refined sugar-free, too!
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword banana bread, cinnamon swirl, dairy free, eat move live happy, gluten free, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, refined sugar free
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Servings
loaf
Ingredients
For the batter:
For the swirl/topping
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword banana bread, cinnamon swirl, dairy free, eat move live happy, gluten free, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, refined sugar free
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Servings
loaf
Ingredients
For the batter:
For the swirl/topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while you make your batter. 1. First, you want to mash the super ripe bananas in a mixing bowl until most of the lumps are out (a few are okay). 2. Next, add in the eggs and whisk them up with the bananas until they are mixed well. 3. In the same bowl, add the almond flour, gluten free flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined. 4. In a separate small bowl, add in the cinnamon and coconut sugar and stir it up. Don't add this to the batter. This is going to be for that smiling cinnamon layer in the center of your loaf. 5. In a well-sprayed loaf pan, add 1/2 of the batter. 6. Sprinkle 1/2 of your cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Make sure all the batter is covered. 7. Add the other 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture to the top, again covering all the batter. 8. Put your loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 mins. When it's done, the cinnamon and sugar top should be dark and crispy. If it is, you did everything right! 9. Let it cool for at least 30 mins and slice into 8 slices. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes

Make sure you use super ripe, or almost black bananas for best results.

 

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken

This whole chicken recipe has been one that is tried and true in our household and I wanted to share it with you because something this good shouldn’t be kept a secret!

I’ve tested the recipe over and over again to make sure it’s perfect, and I feel like it just keeps getting better and better. Even my 6 year old can’t stop eating it when I’m cutting it up for dinner time. He reminds me of the dad on A Christmas Story who can’t stay away from the turkey!

The key to making this amazing chicken recipe is using a cast iron dutch oven. I was gifted mine for Christmas from my mama but this is the link to the exact one. I used to bake chicken in a regular pan before and while it was really good, this dutch oven is a game changer. If you don’t have one, just bake it in a pan. You’ll still get amazing results!

To prep your chicken, you’ll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It’s a dirty job but somebody’s gotta do it!

Under the skin you’ll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in a few sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. On top of the skin, I like to sprinkle it with lots of seasonings. I don’t measure this part but you’ll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Then thinly slice 1 lemon and place them all over the top of the chicken. It should look something like this…

Once it’s ready, you are going to put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. So a 4 pound chicken will need an additional 80 mins. You’ll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.

Once it’s done cooking and reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees, you’ll take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting it. This is an important step because it lets all the juices settle so they don’t run all over your cutting board instead of in your mouth. Ha!

Notes:

If you’d like to make this a whole meal in one pot, you can add veggies like carrots, onions, and/or potatoes under and around the chicken before you put it in the oven. Those veggies will absorb the flavors of the chicken and spices and will taste amazing!

To roast the garlic, drizzle a few cloves in olive oil, add them to foil and make a little packet. Roast it at 450 for 20 mins. It should come out caramelized, brown(ish), and soft.

If your lemons slide off, secure them with a toothpick. You can remove the toothpick before serving.

Remember, you’ll bake the chicken for 15 mins at 475 then an additional 20 mins at 350 for every pound that your chicken weighs. When it’s done, the internal temp of your chicken should be 165.

Print Recipe
 Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken
This chicken recipe is cooked in a cast iron dutch oven and is sure to be a crowd favorite!
Course Main Dish
Keyword chicken, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, rosemary
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken)
Servings
chicken
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword chicken, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, rosemary
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken)
Servings
chicken
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Step 1: Prep your chicken. You'll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it! Step 2: Under the skin you'll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in 2 sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. Step 3: On top of the skin, sprinkle with lots of seasonings. You'll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Step 4: Thinly slice the lemon and place the slices on top of the chicken. Add the last sprig of rosemary to the top. Step 5: Put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. See recipe notes. You'll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.

Lemon Garlic Cashew Sauce

This sauce is seriously the yummiest, creamiest, most delicious non-cheese sauce my taste buds have ever experienced. I’ll be honest, I’m not opposed to eating dairy at all. I actually love it. But I also love dishes that don’t have it. I’ve experimented with recipes that meet the guidelines of all different ways of eating simply because they sound delicious. This creamy cashew sauce is vegan, paleo, and Whole30 if you’re into that but it’s also just plain delicious if you’re not.

I first started making is sauce about a year ago and the first time I made it, it knocked my socks off. I’ve changed the recipe a little bit and this version is probably my favorite so far.

We’ll start with the garlic. This recipe calls for roasted garlic because raw garlic is a little too overpowering and it’s all you taste. With the roasted garlic, the flavor is there but subtle. The best part is, roasting garlic is super easy! Just lay out a piece of foil, put the whole cloves of garlic on top and drizzle with oil. Wrap it up like a little packet and roast it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 mins. It should be slightly brown and easy to mash when it’s ready. Your house will smell amazing, too.

For the cashews, this recipe calls for them to be soaked. This is as simple as putting them in a glass jar, covering with water, and letting them soak. I soaked mine overnight but even a few hours will do the trick. To tell the truth, I’ve made this with frozen cashews before and it was amazing so you really can’t screw it up! After soaking, drain and rinse them before adding to the food processor/blender.

That’s it for the prep work! The rest of the recipe just has you adding all of the ingredients to the food processor and blending it for about 5 minutes until it’s thick and creamy. After it’s blended, you can warm it up if desired, or eat it room temp. Personally, I like to pour it over spaghetti squash or pasta and just let the heat of that warm it up.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this recipe after giving it a try!

Print Recipe
 Lemon Garlic Cashew Sauce
This thick and creamy cashew sauce tastes delicious on meats, veggies, pasta and more!
Course Sauces
Keyword cashew, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course Sauces
Keyword cashew, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. 1. Drain your cashews and rinse. 2. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and blend for about 5 minutes until all of the ingredients are combined. Stop periodically to scrape the sides. You may need to add more milk to reach the desired consistency. It's best when it's thick but still pourable. 3. You may use this sauce right away or store in a jar in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Taco Seasoning Mix

As you’ll soon learn, I am a taco fanatic. I’ve mentioned before that we do taco night at least once a week in our house and it’s always a favorite for all 4 of us. We just cant. get. enough. With that said, we go through A LOT of taco seasoning mix! And while I don’t mind the taste of the little packets from the grocery store, I’m not a fan of what’s inside of them. Plus, it’s just so easy to make your own and the flavor is out of this world! You can use this mix on any protein you are using for taco night including chicken, steak, shrimp, fish and even chickpeas.

This version is not spicy. If you like it spicy you can always add a little cayenne or red pepper flakes to the mix to add some extra heat.

This will last a few months (if you don’t use it all first) in a mason jar or other container. When seasoning your food, you’ll use about 2 tablespoons per pound of meat plus 1/4 cup of water, more if needed. If you like it a little thicker, a teaspoon of cornstarch will thicken it right up. Enjoy!

Print Recipe
 Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Course Condiments
Cuisine Taco Night
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, Taco Seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Course Condiments
Cuisine Taco Night
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, Taco Seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. When you are ready to cook, add 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat and ¼ cup of water. You can also add 1 tsp of cornstarch to thicken if desired. Store any extra seasoning in an airtight container or mason jar to keep it fresh.

Fun Facts Friday #1

Published on by admin

With everything being so new with this blog, instagram, and everything else, I figured it would be entertaining to do a fun facts Friday to give you a little insight to who I am. I’ll keep it going for a few Fridays until I run out of things to tell you!

#1- I have been married for almost 8 years to my handsome husband, Cody. We had a beautiful October wedding in the middle of nowhere and it was an amazing day to say the least!

This is my absolute favorite picture from that day.

#2- I was a teacher for 6 years. Not 6 consecutive years, though. I taught for 3 years, felt like it wasn’t the right career, took 4 years off to have kids and stay home with them. Then went back to teaching for 3 more years. Got confirmation that it wasn’t the right career choice and now here I am! Whew! Talk about a long story short 😉

#3- Drink of choice? Margarita on the rocks. Not healthy, but freaking delicious.

#4- I have an obsession with Papermate Flair Pens. I can’t get enough of them. I love the colors and the way they write and if they ever stop making them, I’m protesting. Who’s with me?

#5- Favorite food? Tortilla chips. Can’t stop, won’t stop!

#6- I have 2 kids. Words wouldn’t even do it justice if I tried telling you how awesome they are. Just trust me that I gave birth to 2 of the most amazing people God has ever created!

#7- During the summer we go through one watermelon a week. I cut it up in chunks and it fills 3 one gallon bags. We eat it with breakfast, lunch and dinner and the snacks between. So, so GOOD!

#8- I genuinely enjoy working out. I love to wake up early and get it out of the way before the rest of my family wakes up. The endorphins are a real thing.

#9- I do all of my workouts in my living room. I haven’t had a gym membership in YEARS. I like to use the SWEAT app, Beachbody programs (I’m not a Beachbody coach), and YouTube videos. I do weights and cardio, and I just started dabbling with pilates and yoga.

That’s it for today! Hope you have a wonderful Friday! I’m off to go shopping with my beautiful mama.

Tell me: What’s something you want me to know about you?

Hello world!

Published on by admin

My name is Chelsie and I want to welcome you to my blog! This has been a long time coming and I am sooo excited to FINALLY have things up and running.

I’m going to give you a little backstory to get you caught up on my journey and how I got here because it all plays an important part in where I am now.

I have been into healthy eating since my middle school days. That’s about the time that cooking shows started to become a thing (Hey, Emeril! BAM!) and I loved watching them! They didn’t always cook healthy dishes, but if I replicated a recipe in our kitchen, I would add my own little spin on it to make it healthy for me and my family (is it weird that I cooked in middle school? I just realized that it might be?). This continued into my adult years and I really started to take things seriously when I had kids of my own. During my first pregnancy I started paying extra close attention to what I ate because I wanted a healthy baby. Then, once I had him I had a strong desire to keep it going so I could be a mom that was active and present. I started learning about things like mindfulness, processed food and chemicals, antibiotics and all that stuff and knew I wanted to give my kids the healthiest start to life that I could.

I’ve exercised and eaten healthy(ish) most of my life (I’m all about balance and you’ll hear me use that word a lot), but I really began to feel good in my body when I started showing it some mad respect. I began feeling and seeing changes that made me believe in the healing power of food and movement. Through health and wellness I discovered that being healthy was so much more than being in a smaller body. And THAT lit a fire in me like never before.

Let’s just say I haven’t turned back! I knew I wanted to somehow make a career of this passion but it took me a while to figure out exactly how to do that. I felt a strong pull to help other people find their own definition of “healthy”; whatever that looks like for them.

So I decided to go back to school. I don’t have a degree in nutrition but I did a lot of research on programs available in the health and wellness world and discovered Health Coaching. With my degree in Psychology, I was qualified to enter into this field following a certification. I chose the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute and after about a year of classes, I am certified! I can now help people of all ages, from children, to seniors and everyone in between including pregnant and nursing mamas.

I will be focusing on food and recipe development because that is my passion. I cook almost all of our meals at home so you’ll be seeing a lot of what we eat as well as new recipes that you can try for yourself. Most of it will be healthy but you might see some fun treats sneak in now and then because all food is delicious and that’s just how I roll.

If you are interested in receiving health coaching, check out the “coaching services” tab on the homepage to see what I offer. Everything can be done virtually nowadays so even if you are far away from me, we can work it out.

Thanks to all my family, friends and followers for coming along on this journey with me.

Tell me: What’s your favorite food ?? (healthy or not, I won’t judge)