She's ALIIIIVVVEEE

Hi guys!!

Wowzas, haven't posted here in a long time 😅 I've just been so excited about my @cafekass instagram page! But I'm back here for smore fun!

One thing I did want to share was this new Costco discovery of mine... HAVE YOU HEARD OF TRUFRU CHOCOLATE COVERED RASPBERRIES!?!

They're in the freezer section at Costco - the raspberries are almost like "partly freeze-dried", and frozen, and dipped in white and dark chocolate, and delicious, and heavenly, and probably contain magic or something... (I'm still trying to figure out why they're so addicting). Best of all... they're low in calorie, and a perfecto guilt-free snack/dessert/meal/breakfast/whatever way you want to eat them! Not kidding I'd rather have a handful of these than a gourmet "restaurant dessert"... #alwayscravingthem

Let me tell ya... these things MELT in your mouth. You take a bite and right after your teeth break through the glorious, cold, rich chocolate, they dive deeper into the depths of a sweet and tangy raspberry that disintegrates like cotton candy. Not even joking here.

BONUS they make SO MANY dishes 50,000 times better. I threw them on/in some of my favorite recipes and discovered a whole new world of yum.

Haha in case you can't tell... I kinda like these things....

TruFru might very well be my favorite Acai Bowl topping... 

And making a healthy Chocolate Chunk raspberry "milkshake" with them... A  whole nother level...

👆👆These recipes are all on my instagram page! (@cafekass) 👆👆

AND SHE'S A GENIUS

I'm a genius.

These. Are. Amazing. And will definitely be on my menu at Bakery Zero!! But till then, we might just have to wait (& trust me it'll be worth the wait...)

They taste exactly like the cauliflower crust pizza at Malibu Farm but BONUS: you don't have to drive all the way to California - and pay $20 - to get one! Soooooooo good and only 135 calories 😳

Like I said... I'm a genius. #foodnerd

Update: More Pointers & Lots of Pics!!

Hi guys!!

Update: Life is good.

I'm gonna let you in on a few secrets of mine...

• Find yummy healthy things
• Pick the healthy(er) option
• Know your weaknesses
• Make your own food
• Love your life

First Que: find yummy healthy things

Any acai bowl/smoothie lovers here? How bout peanut butter lovers? I LOVE ME MY SMOOTHIES AND PEANUT BUTTER!! So obviously combining the two is like a recipe from  heaven.

Below are sneak peaks of things that make me hyperventilate (<-- definitely used spell check on that one). 

The Acai bowl is from a place called Pressed For Juice in Las Vegas. This is evidence that it is possible to eat healthy while on the road on long trips with your fam! Highly HIGHLY suggest this place - this acai bowl has it's thick smoothie base on the bottom, yummy granola and fresh fruit, and its topped with their HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER. Its to die for.

The smoothie is homemade and one of my go-tos!! It's got PB2 powder, cacao powder, pink himalayan sea salt, stevia, 1/2 banana, and ice! 

Moral of the Que: Honestly I'd choose these things over a rich, buttery, pound cake for dessert. Not only do I genuinely think they taste yummier, but they make me feel better, less heavy, happy, and they're better for my body! YASSS. 

    

Second Que: Pick the healthy(er) option

If you're an OG reader here, you might know that I LOVE Malibu Farm in Malibu California. This place has 2 money examples of substituting to still be able to eat the things that you love. 

The first example is their cauliflower crust pizza (YUM). Replacing the crust for a veggie is an awesome healthier option and it tastes sooooooo good. 

The second example is this ice cream. It is vegan, meaning it contains no animal products (i.e. milk, cream, eggs, etc). The fact that this stuff is made out of coconut milk makes it so that it settles well in your stomach, it is healthier for you, and it serves as an awesome delicious alternative to your average ice cream. (BTW this is PB flavored too 😏)

 

Third Que: Know your weaknesses

My weakness = nuts. All nuts. Pistachios, almonds, cashews, peanut butter (okay overkill on the PB kass...) 

I have very little portion control with these things and  a visual example of this is seen below...

This is my tub of Costco Cashews (my fav) after just over a week....

SO know your weaknesses... because I know I am very susceptible to inhaling these I decided to divide the rest in individual little baggies with reasonable portions. I allowed myself one of these baggies each day so that I didn't sit there mindlessly with the entire tub on my lap and demolish a ton in one sitting. 

Fourth Que: Make your own food

I have realized that when I go out to eat, I can often make the same thing at home but 10x healthier, 10x less calories, and probably 10x yummier... so I started to loove cooking for myself and started to not like eating out as much. Plus I noticed that my self control was lower at restaurants cuz I'd see everything everyone else was eating and want some ice cream too, but I would get frustrated cuz I knew I had 35 calorie ice cream at home.

Tip: Make this at home! Its SOOO GOOD!

Turkey Avo Almond Cran wrap! (50 cal wrap, turkey slices, spring mix, chopped almonds, 1/4 avocado, dried cranberries)

Last Que: Love life!

While yes, it is always good to pick the healthier option and exercise and eat healthy etc. etc. make sure you don't get overly concerned about it. Life is (at least it should be) so simple. Don't spend too much time thinking about it! If you have a bad day and eat 5 slices of pizza and feel sick, get excited to drink a smoothie and eat a salad tomorrow! Or if you drank a smoothie and ate a salad yesterday, treat yoself to pizza! Listen to your body and love life! 

PB Choc Lava Cake

Any fellow peanut butter addicts out there? 𝠉✋

This STEAMING hot molten lava peanut butter chocolate cake is sooo delicious. I love when things taste naughty but they're actually full of clean, healthy, good-for-you ingredients!
This cake is rich, chocolaty, gooey, peanut buttery, decedent, dairy-free, gluten-free, flourless, sugar-free, quick, easy, and ahMaiZINg!

PB Choc Lava Cake

Serving size - 2 cakes
Ingredients:

• 1 c Enjoy Life 69% cacao dark chocolate chips (dairy, nut & soy-free) *Pic Below
• 1 T Maranatha chunky peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/8 c vanilla coconut yogurt (or greek yogurt if not dairy-free)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 c powdered peanut butter (I use PB2 powder)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400* Fahrenheit

Rub 2 ramekins with coconut oil

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the coconut yogurt, egg, salt, vanilla extract and salt (preferably with a stand mixer) until frothy

Melt your chocolate with a tsp of coconut oil until smooth 

In multiple intervals, slowly add your egg mixture into your melted chocolate while constantly whisking (this ensures your eggs don't scramble from the heat of the chocolate)

Once everything is whisked together, mix in 1/4 c PB2 Powder

Pour some of the mixture into the ramekin until it is 1/2 full

Add in 2 T chunky peanut butter (the more the merrier in my opinion!)

Fill the rest of the ramekin with your chocolate mixture until the peanut butter is completely covered 

Bake for 10 minutes and make sure to let it slightly cool before trying to separate it from the ramekin

Sprinkle some additional PB2 powder on top to make it look cuuuute 

DEVOUR 

(and definitely take a video of the molten lava peanut butter that spills out at the first spoonful!!) 

(Oh! & tag @bakeryzero on Instagram so everyone can see the molten lava goodness!)

(Oh! & bonus points if you add AMAZING cheesy Christmas music to the video! 😆)

Homemade Healthy Twix

THESE ARE GOOD.

When I'm bored, sometimes I'll start throwing things into a food processor and try to make something new and yummy (haha, anyone else?) A few weeks ago I decided that I was going to try to make healthy Twix. So I tried it... BOOM. So good.

• Dairy free
• Gluten free
• Refined sugar free
• Guilt free!

Healthy Homemade Twix Bars

Ingredients:
Base layer-

• 1 c coconut flour
• 3 T coconut sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 c egg whites (or a whole egg)
• vanilla
• 1/2 c apple sauce
• almond milk to reach desired consistency

Caramel layer-

• 12 soaked dates
• 1/4 c water 
• 2 T maple syrup
• pinch of salt
• a few tsp carob powder (optional - this just gives it more of that "toffee" taste)

Chocolate-

• Dark Chocolate 
• 1 T Coconut oil

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients for the base layer until the mix reaches a firm/doughy consistency and press into a pan lined with parchment paper
**You can either place this in the freezer to set OR bake on 375 for 10 minutes**
While the base layer is either setting (or baking), strain the dates and place them into a food processor with 1/4 c water and process until it reaches a smooth consistency
Add in the maple syrup, salt, carob powder, and more water if needed
Once the base layer is ready, spread the date caramel evenly on top
Place it back into the freezer to set again
After about 10 minutes in the freezer, take out your base and caramel concoction and slice into twix-sized bars and either space them out on a plate, or place them on a cooling rack (so you can pour your chocolate evenly on top)
Melt the dark chocolate with the coconut oil
Pour the chocolate evenly over the twix bars until they are all covered
Place your bars back into the freezer and wait for them to set (should only take a few minutes)
Enjoy your dairy-free, refined sugar-free, grain-free, guilt-free treat!

SOO YUMMAY

Tourin' Whole Foods Park City

 

I LOVE touring grocery stores. Especially "specialty"/"nerdy healthy-food-containing" stores. On my Instagram @healthyutahspots, I have been posting pix of my favorite healthy places/menu items to eat around Utah! It has been so fun & I've been so excited to get such a positive response!

Through this account, I was so stoked to be invited to an exclusive pre-store opening event for @WholeFoods in Park City. YES. I was jumping up and down when I saw the tickets - I've always loved Whole Foods! 

• Toured the amazing new features in this GINORMOUS store (double the size of most Whole Foods)
• Treated to a live Jazz band, cute cheese plates, chocolates, and amazing samples
• Fed a yummy dinner
• AND my friend @TristanTausinga & I left with the cutest goodie bags! 

I LOVE GOODIE BAGS

Someone's gonna need to hold me back because I get a little too excited over these places #foodnerd... 

If you'd like to know my favorite "healthy spots" around Utah feel free to follow my instagram account, @healthyutahspots 😊 Catch ya later! 

SHOOT these are my favorite...

  

   

Copycat Cubby's Wild Rice & Kale Salad

One of my most favoritest salads ever... Can't decide if it's a good or bad thing that this re-creation is so spot on cuz now I can have it 4.5 times a day every day 😳

I LOVE this salad from @cubby's (as previously mentioned in my "Healthy Reminder" post when madre & I hiked Timp)

FYI - I do like to change a few things in this salad. Keep in mind that you can have fun & go crazy with each ingredient swap!

Copycat Cubby's Wild Rice & Kale Salad

(I like using spinach so technically this is a 'Wild Rice & Spinach Salad' 😆

Serves 1
Ingredients:

• large handful of spinach (or chopped kale) 
• 1/2 of a microwaveable Minute Rice "Ready to Serve" Multi-Grain Medley cup (got this @Walmart - pic below)
• chopped grilled chicken (I use Foster Farms frozen pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips @Walmart - pic below)
• garlic salt
• 1/2 thinly chopped gala apple 
• 1/2 of a sliced avocado
• dried cranberries
• slivered almonds
• fresh grated parmesan
• lime juice

Directions:

Slice up 1/2 apple and 1/2 avocado
(I would suggest massaging the avocados into the greens - it also acts as the dressing)

Microwave the Multi-Grain Medley rice cup

Microwave the chicken to defrost it, then cut the strips into smaller pieces. Sprinkle on some garlic salt and grill on medium-high heat for just a few seconds to get it a bit of crispier/charred (grilling is optional)

ASSEMBLE! 

Throw everything inside of a bowl, mix it all up, and squirt lime juice on top as the healthy dressing! 

TRUST ME & TRY THIS SALAD - IT'S INCREDIBLE 

Plus, it's super easy, super cheap (got of my all ingredients from Walmart), and super healthy. 

Tourin' Honeybee Produce Company

Hey team!

This post is dedicated to giving a BIG, SWEET shoutout to @honeybeeproducecompany 🍯🐝

OK. I'd say it's pretty common knowledge that I'm a food nerd*
*someone who starts jumping up and down and squealing when any food-related topic is brought up, ranging from normal things like, "it's time to eat lunch" to extremely unusual things such as, "Kass, I saw vanilla bean paste the other day, weren't you looking for that?"

So when I go to super amazing grocery stores, I kind of really geek out and can't contain my excitement...

Three words: Honeybee Produce Company

Honeybee Produce Co. is located in Draper, Utah. I was lucky enough to be treated to an amazing     exclusive tour around the store... GUYS! IT'S BUZZING! 🐝🐝 I basically had a healthified "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" moment. I was full-on cheesing 😃, wide-eyed 😧, and drooling 😛 the entire time I was there - It's incredible.

Honeybee Produce Co. has...

• So many organic options
• A TON of local produce (like locally made healing bath bombs)
• Amazing vegan options
• It is very reasonably priced (especially compared to other higher-end grocers)
• A "Mountain Mix" create-your-own trail mix bar
• A glorious bulk section with a bunch of yummy selections
• An incredible infused olive oil and vinegar section (k but their caramelized garlic extra virgin olive oil... yess)
• Freshly ground peanut, almond and ⭐CASHEW⭐butter
• The coolest "Hive Eatery" where everything is made/baked in store THAT DAY (*their mangoberry salad is yummm)
• Amazing hydro lemonade and kombucha on-tap
• Vegan cloud top coconut cream ice cream

And much more!

👆Not only that, but while they do have a ton of healthy options, what makes this place so unique is that they also feature some of your favorite basic "Walmart", "kid-craving" necessities like Soda and Twinkies!

I dropped by, was treated to an amazing tour (thank you Sarah!) with the nicest & coolest employees, taste-tested the yummiest cheese spread and jelly-topped crackers (that were cranberry, apricot & pistachio flavored...) (no joke, this was a highlight of my week), sampled their amazing vegan coconut cream ice cream, enjoyed their tasty mangoberry salad, was introduced to super delish Mexican CINNAMON flavored dark chocolate, and even got to take home an amazing goodie bag that was packed full of the yummiest, cutest, most awesome healthy goodies ever!

Mangoberry Salad 🙌

Thank you to the cheese-genius herself, Diana!

I know I know... dark chocolate is my weakness

Alright, I pride myself in only promoting the things that I truly love and am passionate about right? I'm always looking for options that are healthy, different, unique, and most important - delicious! That being said, I very highly recommend Honeybee Produce Company. It has so many amazing options that are super reasonably priced. Not only that, but their "Hive Eatery" is delicious and even offers a cute hive seating area to relax and chow on yummy food. Overall, the whole atmosphere here is bomb - so fun, clean, organized, unique, cute, and happy!


Thank you Honeybee Produce Company!!

HEALTHY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

I lovvvvvvve fall!! Lately for some reason it's been so fun for me to finish classes (shocker...), escape the crisp autumn air 🍁🍂 , toast some 45 cal bread, warm up a steaming bowl of soup, and chill on my comfy couch while I fill my belly with warm, amazing food ...Which is exactly what I did after making this delicious tomato basil soup!

It's...

• Dairy-free (Creamed with tofu!)
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Low-calorie
• Super easy to make
• DELICIOUS!!

Dairy-Free Tomato Basil Soup

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 6 oz semi-firm tofu (I got some at Walmart)
• 1/2 small red bell pepper
• 1 whole can of diced tomatoes without added salt (we'll be adding that in later!)
• 2 fresh basil leaves
• garlic salt
• dried diced onions

Directions

BLEND EVERYTHING on a high speed blender until it has reached a smooth, creamy consistency AND ENJOY!!

PB2 Banana Bowl

OK GUYS THIS IS IT. I'm officially releasing one of my all time favorite recipes EVER.
....It's the PB2 Bowl...plus healthy granola...

TIP: make the granola first so the smoothie base doesn't melt 👍😉

PB2 Banana Bowl

It's definitely cool to take your bowl outside and enjoy the morning sun as you demolish it! 😊

Serves 1
Ingredients (for smoothie base)

• 2 heaping T of PB2 powder
• 1/2 c ice
• 1/4 c almond milk (amount might vary depending on blender & desired consistency)
• 1 small to medium sized RIPE banana
• 2 squirts stevia
• large pinch of pink himalayan sea salt (this gives the smoothie a super delicious "buttery" taste, but normal salt always works just fine as well 😀)

Directions

Blend everything! (Thicker consistency is ideal)

**AH! THIS SMOOTHIE IS MY FAVORITE! It is super light & low-calorie and often I will just drink the smoothie on its own without the extra work of making granola! (But the granola is still amazing)**

Ingredients (for sweet n salty granola)

• 1/4 c crispy rice cereal
• 2 T slivered almonds
• 1/8 c quick oats
• 2 heaping T of PB2 powder
• 2 T pure maple syrup
• A large pinch of pink himalayan sea salt (or just normal sea salt)
• optional: a few squirts of "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter" spray
• optional: handful of shredded sweetened coconut
• optional: throw some sliced banana on top

Directions

Mix everything together in a separate bowl and pour on top of smoothie base

**This granola recipe is so bomb because it is light & oil-free! It pairs so perfectly with this smoothie bowl and is soo delicious! My mom will sometimes ask me to make her a bowl of just the granola so she can munch on it! YUM!**

Turkey Feta Spinach Burger

Who loves burgers? Me! ✋

The thing I love about eating healthy is that you can still eat the things you love minus the full/heavy feeling!

These burgers are MONEY. They are one of my favorite meals ever!

PS sorry for not putting exact measurements! I rarely use exact measurements anyways, but this recipe is fairly simple so definitely try it out!

Turkey Feta Spinach Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 part extra lean ground turkey
• 1/2 part chopped spinach
• 1/4 part feta
• 1/4 part quick oats
• 1/4 part egg whites
• salt & pepper
• around 3 T garlic powder (they need more than you'd think)
• garlic salt
• 1/8 part dried or finely chopped onions
• optional: whole wheat burger bun or iceberg lettuce wrap(my fav)
• optional: garnish with parsley

Directions

Mix everything together in a large bowl

Form into patties and grill on a greased pan for 5 minutes each side on medium high heat

*If using a whole wheat bun, grill the bun on the pan as well

*If using a lettuce wrap (MY PERSONAL FAV!!) rinse the iceberg lettuce thoroughly and wrap it around the turkey burger in place of the whole wheat bun

**TASTES AMAZING paired with a ketchup and mustard mixture

Snack Ideas

LOTS of questions I have gotten about what my healthy go-to's are when it comes to snacks! (Yoda...?) I definitely love my snacks and throughout my many munching years, I have developed a few yummy go-to's. Here are some of my favs!

Low calorie "midnight snacking" type of snacks

• lightly salted rice cake
• lightly salted rice cake with warm chocolate PB2 drizzled on top (or "slathered" on top if you're me...)
• apple 
• cotton candy grapes... 😛😍 or just normal seedless grapes (I love to freeze them!!)
• 45 cal bread toast with spray butter on top
• Almond milk smoothies

Healthy every-day "fat burning" type of snacks

• lightly salted almonds
• lightly salted cashews (THE BIG BINS FROM COSTCO ARE BAE)
• chocolate almonds (NOT the chocolate covered ones... Walmart sells a brand that is "chocolate flavored" and they're to die for!)
• pistachios
• popcorn (with little to zero butter)
• apple
• apple dipped in Sara Natha's maple almond butter 
• cotton candy grapes... 😛😍 or just normal seedless grapes (I love to freeze them!!)
• 45 cal bread toast with spray butter on top (or chunky peanut butter)
• multi grain crackers with sliced turkey on top (or the light/low-fat string cheese on top) (or both)
• light string cheese
• lightly salted rice cake topped with chunky peanut butter and jam 
• roasted chickpeas (the store bought ones are really good but even better, try roasting them on your own without any oil.. yum 👌)
• Two Moms in the Raw blueberry or cacao nib granola bars
• Larabars or RX bars
• reduced sugar chewy granola bars
• peanut butter ginger chews
• dark chocolate - in moderation (👈 the moderation part rarely ever happens for me so if I know I am going to scarf it, sometimes I'll just try to completely avoid it!)
• my homemade oat banana bread :):):):):):) (I love heating it up in the microwave and putting maple almond butter or "I can't Believe it's not Butter" spray butter on top!)
• CO2's salted caramel coconut chips 
• Almond milk smoothies (ice+banana+almond milk+cocoa/cacao powder+stevia+pink himalayan sea salt) or (ice+banana+almond milk+PB2 powder+stevia+pink himalayan sea salt)

MY BIG SNACKING TIPS:

-Remember moderation. Too many times I've started snacking, then continued snacking on seconds, then switched to a different snack, then another, then all of a sudden I've eaten the equivalent of an entire meal... plus my stomach hurts.
-Carry a water bottle around!! I notice that when I'm feeling snacky, sometimes I'm actually just thirsty. Now that I carry a water bottle around with me everywhere, I have noticed that my stomach feels satisfied more often!

The Original Acaí Bowl

Who doesn't love Acaí bowls?
✋ me when I can't afford them....

Acaí bowls are not only delicious, but they contain a super fruit (Acaí....) that is pack full of healthy antioxidants. Fun little fact: antioxidants help the body in avoiding damage to cells caused by oxidants.

While these delicious bowls are SO YUMMY, they tend to be extremely over-priced and can often contain loads of extra sugars.

So to all of the Acaí bowl lovers out there, (and to anyone in general) here is the solution!! This is my recipe for your typical, "original" flavored Acaí. (One that is cheaper and way more healthy!)

The Original Acaí
(BTW this is my secret recipe so don't let it get out okay? 😁😂)

Serves 2
Ingredients

• 1 Sambazon unsweetened Acaí packet
• 1/2 c shredded ice
• 1/2 c frozen blueberries
• 1 date (optional)
• 1 banana
• unsweetened almond milk (only a tiny swig at first, then add more to reach desired consistency)
• Optional: 2 large dollops of agave or honey (sometimes instead of agave or honey, I only add a few squirts of stevia)

Directions

Blend and enjoy! Top with homemade granola (recipe below), sliced bananas, and a swirl of honey! 

Homemade granola👇👇

The cinnamon granola topping

• 1 c almonds
• 3 c oats
• 2/3 c honey
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1/8 t almond extract 
• 1&1/4 T cinnamon

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit

Chop the almonds so that you have a bunch of different sizes - some finely chopped, and some larger (it might be a good idea to take half of the almonds and process or blend them to get finer bits)

Mix all of the almonds, oats, and salt in a large bowl 

Microwave the honey and coconut oil for about 30 seconds, then add in the vanilla and almond extracts

Pour the wet honey mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix so that everything is coated evenly

Pour your entire mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake for 5 minutes, stir everything around, then return to the oven for 5 more minutes

Spread granola evenly onto wax paper or a different baking sheet and allow it to cool

After completely cool, break it apart and store in an airtight container!

Quinoa Quiche Bites

Quinoa Quiche Bites
These are a perfect savory meal for a healthy morning breakfast, snack, lunch, (or I even eat them for dinner... and dessert...)

Makes about 36 mini bites
Ingredients

• 1 c uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• water to cook quinoa
• 2 eggs + 2 egg whites
• 2 c shredded spinach
• 2 T minced garlic
• 1/2 c shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c nonfat parmesan cheese
• 3 T dried chopped onion
• chopped low-fat fresh ham
• garlic salt to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• pink himalayan sea salt (or just normal salt) to taste
• pepper to taste

Directions

Cook quinoa according to package directions

Let it cool off

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix cooled quinoa and all of the ingredients in a large bowl

Fill greased mini muffin tins with the mixture

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown

*Can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days

*You can also freeze them for later and heat em up in the microwave when ready to chow!!

You can also use larger muffin tins which yields around 12 :)

That's it I'm recreating it

Hello again!!

CannIgetta GIRLS TRIP!?

Like I've mentioned, my mom and I are besties. We decided to take a long & fun drive to So Cal where we spent the weekend just chilling and watching my bro's HS football game! (& partying in Disneyland but don't tell Dad...)

Since she knows I'm a food nerd, she wanted to take me to try this "delicious/weird/healthy pizza" that she had tried once with her friend a while ago. So we took a little trip to MALIBU!!

It's this place called Malibu Farm and HOLY INCREDIBLE. We shared the cauliflower crust pizza and it tasted like the food-stars aligned and shed inspirational light beams on the hands that created it... and if that made zero sense, lets just say it tasted AMAZING!! It's one of those food moments where the flavors come together so perfectly. Shoot I'm salivating.



Yup. Definitely gonna try to recreate it.

👆That statement actually brings me into another one of my favorite foodie tips! Whenever I order something amazing, I ALWAYS get the weird nagging desire to run home and recreate it but even healthier and yummier. If I nail the recipe, I'll have to post it soon!! Can't wait to food process some cauliflower!! (Wow... if I heard myself say this as a kid I'd probably disown myself).

Oh! And we also decided to try the vegan peanut butter ice cream... another incredible dish. My mom is lactose-intolerant and my stomach sometimes gets gurgly after I have dairy too, so I had fun explaining to my mom that "vegan" meant no animal products and that it was completely dairy-free! Sooo yummy. And the bananas paired perfectly with it 👌

All in all the whole menu looked killer. & I'm dying to go back to try the spaghetti squash lasagna!! (and obviously get that cauliflower pizza again...) Thank you Malibu Farm!!

Raw Vegan Dessert?!

Am I vegan? Nope. But holy cow raw vegan desserts?! Seriously??

The other day, I decided I wanted to make a raw vegan carrot cake. No reason.. kinda just felt like it. So I went to our local Sprouts on student discount day and loaded up on the goods. I got a bunch of randos like Walnuts, Low-Fat Desiccated Coconut, Carrots (Obviously), a real vanilla bean pod!! etc... I basically just threw everything together and voiala! Vwallla...? Voila...?

I AM A CHEF PRODIGY

I even made 3 layers!! Food processors rock! Guys when I save up enough money to open up a real BakeryZero, this will definitely be on my healthy dessert menu 👌. So no worries, you might get to try it soon! 😄 Oh man my mom and I SCARFED it (my dad & bros tried to, but we were too fast...).

The best thing about it is that even though we demolished it, it settled sooo well and didn't leave any of us with a big/full/"food baby" stomach ache! YAS! I LOVE EATING HEALTHY!

Before & After

Left: Hawaii summer of 2016
Right: Cruising Europe summer of 2017

These photos are only a year apart but my "health & fitness journey" began 2 years ago when I was starting my freshman year of college. From leaving High School, to now (finishing my 2nd year of college), I have experienced a 25 lb. weight loss... and I'm still eating like a MANIAC!? (I can eat a lot. No joke)

Okay.. no.. I'm not solely promoting weight loss... that's not my overall goal here (even though it can often be a sweet bonus to being educated and living a healthy lifestyle). My goal is to FEEL healthy and energized and happy! On the inside and the outside.

To be honest I was feeling good in my left photo! I was active and exercising often. And no, I don't believe I was even the slightest bit overweight or unhealthy either! What really happened in these past few years is I became educated. I started to learn what different foods do to my body and how I react to various exercises. I've been able to reach my health and fitness goals as I continue to learn!

My trick is a healthy lifestyle, healthy alternatives, & knowing what/how to substitute! 🙌

Do I still eat Mcdonalds cheeseburgers occasionally? Yes
Do I still eat cinnamon rolls? Yes
Do I still have dessert? Yes
Do I still make mistakes and eat five pounds of dark chocolate after dinner sometimes? Yup
Do I really consider that a mistake though? ....

So stay tuned! Cuz I'm going to share EVERYTHING I am doing to stay fit, happy, energized, and healthy!

Also P.S. Can we just take a moment to appreciate my gnarly tan line on that cruise ship photo... And my Mufassa hair/lion's mane? 🐯 Hahah

Friendly Reminder

Wassupp! So a few days ago this was the conversation my mom & I had...

Mom: "We should hike Timp Mountain sometime"
Me: "Lets do it tomorrow! 4AM!"
Mom: "Oh shoot really? ...Okay!!"

Hahahah it was DANG hard!! But so much fun!!

Moral of the story:
#1 - Think before you speak
#2 - Have fun and enjoy life!!
Ok I'll admit... I am pretty lucky to have a mom that is my twin. We both love exercising and having fun and laughing and traveling and eating salads and smoothies. So even though I accidentally pulled an all-nighter the night before, and even though we started on the wrong trail for an hour and had to come all the way back to the beginning to start all over again, and even though we got lost about 6.5 times during the hike, and even though I am wobbling around everywhere like a chicken, this was still such a blast. Took us 10 hours but we made it!! Aand I may or may not have cried when I saw the parking lot with our car sitting there after... I was dying. Worth it.

BTW anyone else think its the best when you pack a PB&J and it gets kinda squashed and yummy? For some reason I looove it. Chunky Peanut Butter & Grape Jelly.... Ahhhhh. And bonus: we totally got to eat it at the highest peak of Timpanogos Mountain! So fun!

Ran into some fun people too. We talked with a bunch of cool guys at the top, and we even had a "tour guide" for almost half of the hike. His name is Ben Woolsey and he's 75 and a CHAMP. He's hiked it almost 900 times and sometimes does it twice a day.. yeah that's insane. Don't even want to think about it. 75 years old, and he was creaming us. So money.

After our excursion, we were CHOCOLATE WASTED (translation: tired) and it was soo perfect because we treated ourselves to one of our FAVORITE hearty plates from @Cubbys. We both demolished the rice and kale salad and it was absolute bliss. Yum. Sure I can't really remember eating it because I'm almost positive my face was falling into my bowl I was so tired, but I know it was delish because of past experiences... hahah.

Thank you Cubby's! 🙏

BE ACTIVE
HAVE FUN
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
ENJOY LIFE
WORK IT

Peace out girl scout ✌

Gut-Healing Chicken Soup

My stomach was feeling all gurgly and bubbly the other day so I whipped up this soup and it turned out SO YUMMY. The garam masala gives it a little bit of a curry/indian flavor but trust me, it pairs deliciously with everything! I made it for my whole family and even my picky brother loved it!

If you're ever craving some soup, your tummy is hurting, or you just want to try this out, give it a go!!

Gut-Healing Chicken Soup

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato
• 1/2 c cooked shredded chicken
• 1/2 of a shallot (or 1/8c chopped onions)
• 1 t garlic
• 5 chopped mushrooms
• 5 chopped cherry tomatoes
• 2 c low-sodium vegetable broth
• Coconut Oil
• 1/2 c almond milk
• 1/2 t garam masala
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1/4 t ginger
• 1/2 T garlic powder
• garlic salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped cashews to garnish (optional but HIGHLY recommended!)

Directions

Chop the sweet potato, tomatoes, mushrooms and shallot

Heat veggie broth in a soup bowl on medium/high heat

Heat coconut oil on a pan and grill the sweet potatoes for about 3 minutes. At 2 and 1/2 minutes, sprinkle salt and turmeric on top

Add sweet potato to the soup bowl with veggie broth

Now grill the rest of the chopped ingredients along with the garlic. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Add 1/2 of the grilled veggies to a blender with 1/4 of the sweet potato and broth mixture

Blend and add it back into the soup bowl with everything inside

Add in some shredded chicken (You can crockpot cook the chicken in advance, or boil the chicken and shred it as well) 

Add the chicken to the soup bowl

Season with garam masala, salt n' pepper, garlic salt, and ginger

Add in the almond milk to make it creamy!

Mix everything and it's ready to eat! (After you throw on some chopped cashews!!)

Living in Cali!!

Hey!!

Wanna hear something awesome? For about a month during this summer I will be living with my grandparents in Northern California!! WOOT! Northern Cal is my ALL TIME FAV.

I thought this would be a perfecto opportunity to share some more tips on how to eat healthy and be healthy when on vacation/out of town.

Tip #1 - Exercise! 

Try to find time during the mornings or at night to go on a long walk or get a nice little jog in. 

My mom came to California to drop me off and spend a few days with me and her parents! So we’ve been motivating each other to exercise early each morning before the day starts. (Which TBH means we’ve been waking up at 9 or 10… #whoops)

But it's been so awesome because we’ve been able to do so many fun things like walk the beautiful levy out back, make up our own “high fitness playlist” and run our own mini cardio class, etc etc.

And it feels sooooo good because we know we’ve worked hard and can chill and enjoy the rest of the day even more! Plus we feel less guilty at night when we down TONS of HU chocolate bars, white chocolate covered gummy bears, and Trish’s Mini Donuts. #Pier39 #Sanfransisco

Whether you get up early to do a circuit workout, or walk from place to place at the pier, or take the stairs instead of the elevator, or sprint to get a chocolate bar - been there done that - it pays off to get your body active and moving!

FAVORITE CHOCOLATE BARS EVER!! @HUCHOCOLATE

Tip #2 - Look for good food options 
There are always good options!

Okay cmon… for reals how many times do we end up cooking our own meals on vacations? 

While sometimes it's fun and convenient to make a healthy egg white, spinach & feta omelette for lunch or breakfast, most of the time the fam ends up wanting to go out to eat to our fav spots!

My grandma, grandpa, uncle, mom, and I went to a steak house for dinner one night and in an attempt to eat a bit lighter, I ordered a suuuuper yummy salad and a tender steak with the butter on the side. YUM.

When eating out, *TRY TO BE IN CONTROL* Like trying to control your butter intake by ordering it on the side. Or asking for the dressing on the side to control how much you put on your salad. 

My mom and I went to this really good cafe on Pier 3 called The Plant Cafe Organic. I tried to 'be in control' by asking for fresh spinach on the side of my power bowl so that I could make my own little healthy salad! I also asked for the Kale Pesto and Hot Sauce on the side cuz the oil in the pesto would have WRECKED my stomach and while the hot sauce would have done the same thing, it also woulda seared my tongue… #teamnospicy

We also went to CRAB HOUSE for dinner last night!! (MY FAV!!) Healthy tips: try to avoid too much of the bread and butter before the meal, don't dip your crab meat in extra garlic butter (RESIST!) and just TRY to portion control... even though it's nearly impossible...

Tip #3 - Bring healthy snacks to munch on

California traffic… always unpredictable. My mom and I got stuck in traffic from 12-3 when we hadn’t eaten lunch and we were FAMISHED. But Kass to the rescue! I had packed some almonds in a bag and whipped em out right in the nick o' time! Because I had packed almonds, we didn’t get hangry and pull off to grab 5 bean burritos from Taco Bell, or dive for the first treat we could lay eyes on. 

Tip #4 - Portion control your sweets and desserts 

I know I know… This one’s hard. But it pays off in the end I promise. When I’m trying to eat healthier on vacay, I don’t want to completely restrict myself from desserts n' treats especially when everyone else is eating them! SO I allow myself to enjoy!… But not inhale them like I could.

When everyone is eating ice cream, I'd munch on my “healthy chocolate” or if dessert is ordered for everyone after dinner, I’ll take a few bites then call it good. I’ve noticed that when I do this, not only am I a better person because I'm not fighting my family for the most bites... but I feel SO much better compared to when I would demolish an entire dessert and have the biggest stomach ache the whole night (and even the next morning).

Caveat! I'm such a hypocrite cuz I know all of these things are legit^^ but heck no I don't keep to them 100% 24/7. Honestly though, when I don't follow these tips.. I regret it. I always wish I would have listened to my body when it was telling me I was full 5 hrs ago. So it's a "fun" process! Ha. I'm always pumped when I DO listen to my body and feel great and ready party hard the next day!

yuhm

Have you ever tried White Cherries? If not, please put it on your bucket list!

One last thing... I ♡ this place