Fats that don't make you fat

One of the biggest misconceptions is that ALL fats are BAD for you. Not true. Que no es verdad (I'm currently learning Spanish and must take every opportunity to practice, show off, etc.) To put it plainly, there are some fats that are not only good for you but actually promote weight loss amongst other benefits. Say whaaaaaaaaaaat? Yep. True story.

The best part about sharing this little fun fact is I happen to adore all of these fats I'm about to list and I incorporate them into my daily routine.

1) Avocados- Vitamin E, powerful antioxidant, age-slowing detoxifiers. Put these in, on, under anything. Sandwiches, eggs, smoothies, a la carte, on toast, as guac-type dip, as a facial. Unlimited opportunities of greatness.

2) Coconut Oil - Antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-cancer properties. It improves digestion and helps with weight loss. It has endless benefits that go on for days. Use in place of olive oil (make sure to rotate because olive oil has many benefits as well and is next in the hot seat) in smoothies, tea or oatmeal. This oil can and will change your life. Give it time. 

3) Olive oil- Rich in antioxidants, aids in cancer prevention, reduces blood pressure and craazy rich in vitamin E. Use in cooking and baking.

4) Nuts- cholesterol-lowering, heart immune boosting, fiber with a capital F that creates super healthy skin.

5) Seeds- Protein. Protein. Protein. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and once again powerful antioxidant carriers. To name a few.

So please don't be fooled when you hear all fats are terrible for you. When someone refers to the fat in a donut as being the same as any of these fats I just listed- kick em in the shins. Hard. You know better now. Knowledge is power. Make these fats a part of your life. However, as usual, everything in moderation :)

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*Click here to read more on the benefits of these fats*



Weekend Love

*My breakfast and lunch today*

*Iced green teas from bucks*

 *Some wheatgrass for the ole bod*

Hope everyone is having a healthy and fun weekend!!

-Kate

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?*

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

I never used to be a huge reader but over the past year I have read some darn good books. This is one of them. It's an amazing go-to guide that you can continuously refer to. It has amazing recipes and really shows you in detail how what you eat affects everything from your mood to your skin. You MUST own it. Super cheap on Amazon. Click here. 

 

Why you should drink warm water with lemon every single day!

For the past year, I have been drinking warm water with lemon juice every morning. The days where I didn't have access to it or forgot, etc. I didn't feel right. It has become part of my daily life and I think you should consider making it a part of yours. The benefits are absolutely mind blowing and make it really hard not to incorporate this simple concoction into your day. AND it couldn't be any easier. Cup of warm water, squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon and you are set! Make sure to drink it first thing in the a.m. before you eat.  

Warm water with lemon boosts your immune system, aids in digestion and weight loss (holy hell, what more could you want?!), and balances your pH. As an alkaline food, lemons help balance out your pH levels which is SO important to your health. Lemon juice also helps flush out toxins and even clears up your skin! These are only a few of the amazing benefits, click here for more details. 

Make it happen. Go get some lemons and start tomorrow. You will notice a difference in yourself. It's the little changes here and there that have a huge effect on our health, our weight loss success and our overall well-being. 

Carpe Diem!!!

Fish Taco Tuesday!

Sure, it's fun to go to a local restaurant to hit up the Taco Tuesday specials. Who doesn't like doing that? However, why not change it up and create your own Taco Tuesday extravaganza at home?! I have the world's BEST fish taco recipe. I stole it from my sister Tara, added a few of my own variations and have been in love ever since. If you really want to impress someone, even if it's yourself, you MUST make these crazy delicious tacos! 

Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you away. I used to immediately turn away from recipes where the ingredients seemed to go on for days. However, with this recipe there's a good chance the majority of these ingredients are already at your casa :)

What you need:

1 tbs of honey
1/2 cup of Coconut oil
S&P

1/4 tbs Garlic salt

1 tsp of Sriracha 

 1/ tsp Red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of Cilantro
1/2 cup of purple cabbage
Queso Fresco
Light sour cream

1 mango

Salsa of your choice

2 eggs 

1/2 cup of lemon juice

1 tbs of lime juice

2 cups of Panko bread crumbs
1 cup of Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

Corn tortillas

Cod or tilapia

You can use cod or tilapia for these tacos. I use cod more often but they are both great so whatever suits your fancy. I usually just buy them frozen because you get more bang for your buck. They have a pack of four at Trader J's for about $7 and if you are making it for two people, you will have leftovers for the next day as they come in a 4-pack.

Step 1: The day before I plan on making the tacos, I take them out of the freezer to thaw. When they are thawed I put them in a Ziploc bag with the marinade.

 Step 2: For the marinade, you throw in the honey, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, splash of water, 1/2 cup of coconut oil (liquified), pepper and red pepper flakes. Mix it all around so it's evenly coated and leave it in the fridge to soak up the goodness.

 You can marinate it as long as you want but I usually let it sit for about six hours. 

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350.

Step 4: Grab three bowls and fill with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs. 

 
*You can use any type of flour you want. However, for those of you who have gluten allergies or are just trying to limit your intake, this flour is amazing*
  
Step 5: One by one, coat the fish in the flour, dip in the egg mixture and then cover them in bread crumbs.  

Step 6: Transfer the fish to a cookie sheet (make sure it's been coated with non-stick spray!)

Step 7: Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Ovens vary so I would check on it after 10 min to be safe. 

Step 8: While the fish is cooking chop up the cabbage, cilantro and mango. 

Add the diced mango to the salsa or set aside separately, your choice :)

*For this cheese it sort of breaks apart into little pieces very easily which is perfect so you just need to put it in a bowl*

Step 9: Make the Special Sauce: Lime juice, Sriracha, salt, pepper and sour cream.

 *I love cooking tortillas on the stove as opposed to just heating them up because they are crunchy and add so much more to the taco*

Step 10: Turn the heat on medium and add some canola oil. Once hot cook the tortillas individually, flipping each a few times until it reaches your desirable crunch level. 
I usually put a napkin down on the plate. As I cook each tortilla, I put a napkin in between each one to soak up some of the oil.

Step 11: Take the fish out and cut into thin slices so it fits perfectly in your taco. Put a layer of special sauce down first, followed by the fish, cabbage, queso fresco, mango salsa, cilantro and some more special sauce to top it off. 

Look how purty it looks! Tastes even better :) 

**One last thing I have to mention is whenever I make these tacos, I always cook some of the tortillas longer to where it's almost stiff-like. Then I put cinnamon sugar all over it and cut it into pieces. It's a delicious, low-maintenance dessert!

Pair these tacos with your favorite margarita or light beer and it's a no-brainer.
Heaven on earth. Watermelon-jalapeño Margaritas?! Yes. These are to die for! Recipe found here

Enjoy your own Taco Tuesday Extravaganza!! 

***Feel free to email me if you should have any questions or need to ad-lib a bit and I'd be happy to help you!

Monday Pic of the Day!

Mondays are always hard for me. I'm sure some if not most of you would agree? No matter how prepared I am for the week, it's always SO hard to get up and find that "seize the day" attitude. Something that seems to help me is reading a motivating quote, seeing an inspiring picture or hearing one of my favorite songs. 

Here is my Monday pic of the day from Amazing Things in the World. Let this inspire you to be thankful for all of your gifts and to use them to better yourself and those around you :)

They proved that disability is not inability.

Happy Monday!!