Beets, where have you been all my life?

I think it's safe to say that the majority of people I know do not like beets. In fact, I think the word despise even comes to mind. I too used to want nothing to do with these ruby red roots. They had a bitter taste and the consistency freaked me out. However, times have changed. I now eat these bad boys a few times a week. It's not necessarily that my taste buds changed, but once I became aware of the health benefits I said to myself I WILL LIKE THEM. 

I use them the most in my smoothies or juices. It's a great way to reap the benefits but not have to eat them whole. They are also great on salads. Just take some spinach, walnuts, goat cheese and then add some beets in there- killer. I now love the taste of beets and never thought that would happen. So, give it a shot as they are insanely good for your bod. Give yourself time to get used to the taste.

So for all of you beet haters out there, check out these amazing health benefits below and try to slowly incorporate them into your life! 

Low in calories

Stimulates liver function

Rich in fiber, vitamin c, magnesium, iron

Boosts energy

Reduces cholesterol & triglycerides
Anti-inflammatory

Natural colon cleanser

Rich in potassium

Purifier for the blood

Lessens tumor cell growth

Immune system booster
Contains betacyanins which counteract cancer

Promotes digestive tract health

 

Inspired yet? As you can see, the benefits are endless...

If there is a time when you bite into that beet and immediately want to spew it out, hopefully this list will be imprinted in your head (or at least on your fridge) and change your mind :) They really do grow on you and can be so beneficial to your health and wellness path.

Why you should be eating grapefruits ALL the time

Did you know grapefruits are almost 90% water?

I have always been a grapefruit gal. Oranges are OK but I prefer grapefruit. When I have a mimosa, I always get it with grapefruit juice instead of orange juice. The best part about this is they are incredibly nutritious and even help with weight loss! Eh hem...come again? Yes. This is true. 

It's definitely a fact that running for miles and sweating every day aids in weight loss. However, in addition to that (notice I said in addition to not in place of...wink wink) there are a ton of different fat-burning, metabolism-boosting foods that can help you on your road to looking and feeling your best. Grapefruits happen to be one of those foods.

Health Benefits:

 High in Vitamin C
Support the immune system

Lowers cholestorol

High in Antioxidants
Contain many cancer preventing properties

Great source of protein

Lowers insulin which can lead to weight loss

 ***

The best time to eat a grapefruit is first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. They are also great snacks and more recently I've added them to my water! Just peel the skin off and cut into little slices and throw them in your water bottle. Super easy! 

***Gotta love grapefruits***

Palate-pleasing pork chops

One thing I rarely make is pork chops. I'm not sure why that is. I just always seem to go the fish or chicken route. Last night I decided I needed to add some spice to my life. I've been tired of the same ole same ole lately. So... I decided to make this ridiculously scrumptious (but healthy! Yes, it's possible) meal consisting of diced pork chops, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts atop tricolor quinoa. It turned out amazing and it gave me that "edge" I've been needing. I know what you're thinking and yes, these days something as simple as making pork chops I see as being edgy. What can I say? :) My bf assisted me in creating this meal as he is the "meat master" between the two of us. Always more fun to have someone help ya in the kitchen!

Ingredients

2 boneless pork chops

1 medium sized sweet potato

2 cups of Brussels sprouts

1 cup of tricolor quinoa 

2 tbsps Balsamic vinegar 

1 tbsp of coconut oil (in liquid form)

1 tbsp of olive oil

Teriyaki sauce

Szechuan spicy stir fry sauce 

garlic salt

red pepper flakes

turmeric

salt and pepper

1) First thing you need to do is preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the sweet potato. Dice it up into little cubes.

2) Rinse the Brussels sprouts and cut the ends off of each of them. Then cut them all in half to make them smaller. 

3) Put the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts in a bowl and add the balsamic vinegar, coconut oil, salt, pepper and mix together really well. 

***

4) Add the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts to a cookie sheet and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

5) Next you need to get the quinoa cooking. Just follow the instructions on the bag/box etc but most quinoa follows the 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water rule and takes about 15 minutes. I ALWAYS use chicken or vegetable broth in place of the water and found it spruces up the flavor quite a bit. 

***

6) Now that you have the veggies and the quinoa cooking you can start on the pork chops. Grab a medium size pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and turn to medium/high heat.

7) Cut off any excess fat (the white stuff) from the pork chops and then cut into little cubes. 

8) Add the pork chops to the pan 

9) Next add in the garlic salt, red pepper flakes and turmeric. I didn't put exact amounts on this because I always wing it depending upon my mood: ie if I want something really spicy, etc. So just add each of these spices to your liking. 

10) Next add in some teriyaki sauce and the Szechuan sauce. Again, adding as much of each as you want. The Szechuan sauce can be found at most grocery stores. It has amazing flavor and spice. However, you can definitely make this without it. 

11) The pork chops should take about 10-12 minutes max. Once they are done remove from heat. 

12) Once the veggies are done take them out and add them to the pan with the pork chops.

13) For plating, add a generous scoop of quinoa to the plate followed by the pork chops/veggie mixture which you will put on top of the quinoa. It looks real fancy and professional. 

***

Turn on the Frank Sinatra Pandora station, light some candles and enjoy some lemon water in a wine glass, because why not?

Enjoy this guilt-free, protein and flavor-packed meal!

Instagram @fitnfreekate

*Breakfast of Champions: 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 spelt cakes with peanut butter, raw honey & cinnamon with some fresh blueberries*

Claire's on Cedros

Claire's on Cedros is by far my absolute favorite breakfast spot in San Diego. It's located on the famous Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach. I am blown away every time I go and continue to be not only satisfied but surprised at how much I feel they just "get me" as far as what I look for in a breakfast restaurant. They have a wide variety of gluten free items and have an in-house bakery! They are also a part of the Green Restaurant Association and thus everything is environmentally friendly. Even better.

They are ALWAYS packed which can bug for sure. However, they have an amazing cafe area where you can order from an assortment of fancy lattes and teas while you wait to be seated. They also serve mimosas (pomegranate is a must) if you are in the mood for a lil bubbly.

More importantly to some, it seems to be a hot spot for celebs. I've had breakfast with Aaron Rogers (Green Bay Packers QB) and Glenn Howerton (Always Sunny in Philly). Sitting at the table next to them counts as having breakfast with them, right? ;)

*Non-fat vanilla latte that comes with a heart!....No, my bf did that for me :) But the latte is so incredibly good and it comes in a huge coffee mug and you just know it's made with love*

*Two fried eggs with basil, turkey sausage and a fruit cup with fresh berries*

*The world's best gluten free toast with homemade blackberry jelly*

*Heart shaped shortbread cookies they give you with the bill. Does it get any better?*

A veggie scramble type of morning...

One of my favorite healthy breakfasts is egg scrambles with lots of veggies. I used to only have a 2 or 3 egg scramble with salt n pepper and that was it. However, I found myself getting hungry not too long after eating it. And that is definitely no good. So, I decided adding veggies in would be a great way to get some of my daily dose of vegetables in for the day, as well as adding a little more girth if you will to leave me a little more satisfied. There have been many days where I feel I don't have enough time to make it or I'm just not in the mood. However, it really takes no time at all. If you are someone who is SUPER on top of it, you can dice up the veggies the night before to save some time in the morning.

Veggie Scramble

1 tsp of coconut oil

2 eggs

Avocado

1/4 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 tbsp fresh minced garlic

1/2 cup diced zucchini

a sprinkle of Oregano

1 tbsp of sesame seeds (not pictured here)

Himalayan Pink salt 

Fresh ground pepper

I usually turn the heat up to medium for a few minutes to get it hot. Then I'll add in the coconut oil, onions and garlic. I let that saute for awhile. It smells amazing and it caramelizes a bit which is divine. Then I add in the veggies for a few minutes, then the eggs. It depends on how you like your veggies. I try not to cook the crap out of them because you lose some of the nutrients. But you also don't want hard zucchini in your scramble so just kind of play with it. After the eggs it cooks pretty fast and I add in the Oregano and pepper. 

Once it's on the plate I add a tiny dash of salt and some more pepper of course. You can never have too much pepper in my book. I use Himalayan salt but you can use regular sea salt as well. I've read some great things about Himalayan salt so I decided to switch over. Click here to find out more info on that. Add some avocado slices and you have yourself a filling but healthy breakfast.

* If you are part of the Sriracha club like I am, add a little to the scramble for a spicy treat :)