Recipe: Berry Coulis 🍓

“It’s 5 o’clock somewhere” is a typical rationalization for an alcoholic beverage earlier in the day. Similarly “it’s warm and sunny somewhere” is one of our favorite ways to declare that it’s always time for ice cream, especially with a berry coulis on top.

What is a coulis?

A coulis is a sauce made from puréeing and straining fruit, or vegetables. A fruit coulis is often added to desserts, as you’ll see suggested below.

Is a coulis cooked?

It doesn’t have to be – the definition above means that you could just blend or purée the fruit and strain it, keeping it raw. Some like a warm coulis added to ice cream, cheesecake, or baked goods.

Here’s a berry coulis that you can add to vanilla bean ice cream, our plant-based Banana ‘Nice’ Cream, or even to decadent gluten-free pecan brownies. Stay tuned for that forthcoming recipe!

Prep time: 3 minutes

Cook time: about 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 pint fresh or frozen berries (we used raspberries)

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and heat on medium-low, stirring and mashing the berries down as they cook. You may also want to use an immersion blender. Cook until the sauce is at desired viscosity or thickness. Strain if you desire the remove the seeds. Otherwise, pour your berry coulis over your favorite dessert(s) of choice to add another dimension of flavor and texture. Enjoy!

Mastering Your Mindset: Become the CEO of Your Life 👩‍💼

Each of us has a number of roles and daily responsibilities. On top of our careers, we still have the everyday demands of life – nourishing our relationships with our partners and families, getting brakes replaced, yard work, all sorts of things.

The problem: many of us have our priorities set so that we attend to our business, families, house-keeping or other tasks and we put ourselves on the back burner. And what tends to happen when attention is exclusively paid to the pots on the front burners? The ones in the back get burnt. Clients often mention how for years they’ve assigned themselves to the back burner as a lower priority and by having done so, they’re now dealing with issues such as increased weight, cholesterol levels, thyroid issues, fatigue or low energy, stress and burnout.

Here are some signs and symptoms of burnout and being last on your own list. Let’s just check in and see if some of this rings true for you:

– you can’t remember the last time you went to the doctor for a basic physical, or the dentist for a check-up or cleaning

– you’re mentally and/or physically exhausted at the end of the day

– even when you tell yourself you’re going to take a day off, you still end up working

– you’ve forgotten what fun and joy are, how to play

– productivity is king; why take a bath or a walk when you need to be doing x,y,z?

– your mental health is not where you want it to be and you don’t know how to fix it (“depression-lite”)

Don’t feel bad; you’re not alone here. Some of this has definitely applied to us and our clients, particularly during the pandemic but even now. We can all push ourselves too far, not taking breaks unless we are too fatigued or depressed to work. Then we pile guilt and shame on top, like a toxic sandwich. Maybe you have felt the same and know it’s time for a change.

The solution: it’s time to take charge of your life and create the future you want. How? Getting your mind right and appointing yourself as Chief Executive Officer.

What does it mean to be the CEO of your life?

Think about the role of a CEO. They are in charge of a company, making strategic decisions that impact the success and growth of the organization. Similarly, as the CEO of your life, you are in charge of yourself. You make decisions that impact your success, growth, fulfillment and well-being.

Being the CEO of your life means taking ownership and responsibility for your life. It means acknowledging that you have choices to make for (or against) your own happiness, success, and growth. It means taking charge of your thoughts, emotions, and actions.

How do you master your mindset?

Your mindset is your weltanschauung or way of thinking about the world. It’s the lens through which you view the world, and the perspective determines how you respond to situations. Mastering your mindset means taking wheel and controlling of your thoughts and beliefs, instead of them controlling you, to create the life you want.

Here are some tips for mastering your mindset:

1. Prioritize your health & well-being. This is a hard one – especially for those of us who are helper-type people, parents, or people-pleasers. However, because we tend to put everything and everyone in front our ourselves, there is a tendency to burn out, become resentful or martyrs, or get sick. The airplace mask analogy really applies here.
2. Practice self-awareness. The key to any change begins with being mindful and noticing what your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are serving up. Acknowledge when you’re in a negative thought loop and challenge those thoughts.
3. Cultivate gratitude. What we appreciate appreciates. Focus on the positive aspects and people in your life, and express gratitude for them, in thoughts or a journal.
4. Choose your thoughts carefully. Since our thoughts create our reality to an extent, choose thoughts that are empowering, positive, and supportive of you and your goals. Here again, gratitude can help shift you to a more positive mindset and is certainly better than starting your day with berating your physical appearance.
5. Set realistic or SMART goals. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve and working out measurable steps can help you stay focused and motivated.
6. Develop that leadership muscle and take action. Your thoughts are an important first step but they must be paired with action to bring your goals into reality.

Stepping into the powerful role as CEO of your life takes intention, time, and effort, but it’s worth it. When you take charge of your life, you can create a high-level of health and a deeply fulfilling future. You can make decisions with greater ease, transform vision into desired results, and live a meaningful life more on your terms.

By prioritizing your health and well-being, practicing self-awareness, cultivating gratitude, choosing your thoughts with care, setting goals, and taking action, you can create the life you desire.

Key questions and takeaways

Examine what priorities come before YOU in your own life. What are the perceived benefits keeping you in that position? What are the costs?

What would you being #1 in your life look like? What’s one small step you can take to of #1?

At One Bite Wellness, we are all about small, sustainable changes that ultimately give you the benefit of fantastic health, well-being, and vitality. We agree with the late, great Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “the first wealth is health”. Taking care of yourself pays intangible but REAL dividends and the increased focus, service and productivity can increase your financial well-being too.

Remember no (wo)man is an island. All CEOs have a team and trusted advisors who helps them execute on their vision. What’s your vision for your life? How could improved physical and mental health get you there?

Schedule a complimentary 20-minute Discovery Call and we’ll take care of you, CEO.

Recipe: 🦄 Pink Unicorn Smoothie ✨

Since we’ve had some ridiculously good weather these days (think 70 degrees in February), we thought it high time to hit the freezer to create vibrantly colorful and healthy smoothies. This one is #nofilters gorgeous and the magenta color comes from pitaya, also known as dragonfruit.

If this smoothie were a person, it’d be a ‘triple threat’ – in this case it’s beautiful, tasty and healthy. Kids and adults alike are drawn to this beverage; drinking it provides a plethora of nutrients. Enjoy!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links or discount codes, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may make a commission.

Ingredients

1.5 bananas, frozen

1/2 cup pitaya (dragonfruit)

1/3 cup macadamia nuts

2 cups non-dairy milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a blender container and blend thoroughly.

💔 Break up with Sugar + What Happens

Perhaps you’re popping the last bonbons or chocolates of Valentine’s Day into your mouth as you read this. “Okay, yeah, I know sugar isn’t good for me but how bad is it really? Isn’t it just extra calories?”

How Sugar Harms our Health

Unfortunately, added sugars in our diets are way more deleterious to our health than just giving us extra calories. They can actually cause nutrient depletion, contribute to excess body fat and weight gain, cause a blood-sugar rollercoaster ride, low mood, energy bursts + slumps, disruption of a healthy gut microbiome, feed abnormal cells (e.g. cancer), and so much more.

How to Reduce Sugar in our Diets

Every meaningful change starts with awareness.

Learn about how much added sugar the average American and you eat (don’t be fooled – one of our vegan clients ate mostly healthy food but also managed to get in 117g of added sugar into a single day!)

Educate yourself about how the body processes sugar and its detrimental effects.

Figure out how to identify the many names for sugar in the ingredients lists of the foods you eat.

Check your foods (and your children’s and pets’) for hidden sugars.

Get guidance from a nutrition expert who can help you break your addiction to sugar and support you on your wellness journey.

Tools & Resources to Reduce Added Sugar Consumption

We understand how hard it is to break up with sugar – it was one of our first loves! After deep-dives into educating ourselves and seeing the effects of poor diets, including too much added sugar, in hospitals and clinical practice, we committed to taking control of our own sugar intake and helping others do the same. It’s not easy but it is doable.

Fortunately, we have two options to further both your education + implementation around breaking ties with sugar and gaining better body composition, weight loss, digestion, heart health, better skin, naturally elevated energy levels and more!

1. 1. Join our Sugar Busters Masterclass on Thursday

1. 1. The ’25’ Sugar Detox Challenge is where we have 25g or less of added sugar for 25 days. We have group and individual sessions to help you achieve your best results. Starts on Sunday!

What Happens when you Stop Eating Added Sugar?

A variety of good things! Here’s what some people have experienced through our programs and work together:

“I was already eating well but having a layer of junk food on top of it! By paying attention to sugar intake and assistance in reducing it, I have lost 18.6 lbs in two months!” – Bobbie A., Columbus, OH

“Fall 2018: While eating my second to last of an entire package of cookies (chocolate macadamia nut I believe they were) and calling it lunch, the thought that I love sugar a little too much once again crossed my mind. Those tasty treats also reminded me of my life-long turbulent love affair with sugar… remember when my dear love sugar gave me diabetes for an anniversary present about 10 years ago! While eating that last cookie, I pulled up an article that listed the characteristics of a sugar addict and I think I nailed 5 out of 6! Maybe… maybe now is the time I can do something to gain control over what looks more and more like a real addiction….

Spring 2019: So there I was… standing on a digital scale in my closet looking down at a weight I haven’t seen since the 10^th grade (that’s 37 years ago if you’re curious)!” – Steven (full success story here)

“The individual calls focused on one area and the chance to ask questions one-on-one. This helped me feel accountable and made me think before I ate something. Despite the fact I could have put more effort into it, I did see improvements and lost 7lbs!” – Jane V., Columbus, OH

“Weight loss of 5lbs, pants feel better! I’m in control and am seeing results.” – Erin D., Columbus, OH

“There are so many sources of hidden sugar in the foods than I ever knew! I would recommend this program to everyone, especially moms.” – L.B., Columbus, OH

“I started the challenge because of all the sugar I eat (I love candy). I have had none during this challenge and my whole body feels better. I feel more alert and love seeing how little sugar I can eat. Even more than losing weight, I love the mental focus & overall better health that I’m experiencing during this detox”- Jan R., Columbus, OH

There are only a few questions to ask yourself at this point:

1. 1. What’s your current sugar consumption and health like? What will happen if you don’t make any changes and continue on this path?

1. 1. What do you believe is possible for yourself – how you’d feel, look, focus and produce – if you broke up with added sugar?

You can change the trajectory of your life right now, with your very next meal or snack. Start with reducing added sugars to win big!

4 Beverages for Cozy Weather

The weather here in the Midwest likes to engage in a bit of trickery. Last week, it was sunny and in the 70s and this week, well, it feels like winter. It’s time to pull out the hats and coats as well as the ingredients for making some warming, cozy beverages. Here are some recipes to fit the season:

Our Dairy-free Hot Chocolate was a staple recipe nearly every evening last winter. Whether we were reading a favorite book or magazine or watching holiday movies and the Great British Baking Show, hot chocolate was by our side.

For those who don’t want to have to choose between hot chocolate and coffee, we have a most excellent collaboration between the two: 5-spice Hot Choffee (choffee being a portmanteau of hot chocolate and coffee)

Celebrate with some Peppermint Eggnog! The egg-less, vegan version is included too.

Make yourself the Perfect Cup of Tea and head over to cuddle up on the couch. Increase your knowledge of teas and check in with yourself about which one you need.

Whichever beverage you choose to warm yourself up or celebrate with, enjoy!

Why you Need to Eat Honeynut…Squash?!

Truth be told, the only ‘honey nut’ food item we had heard of, before a couple of weeks ago, was of the breakfast cereal variety. Luckily, one of our favorite organic produce stands at the farmers market added to our lexicon AND our playing with a new, rather cute food in the kitchen.

What exactly is honeynut squash?

Honeynut squash is the ‘child’ of butternut squash and buttercup squash. This crossbreeding gives it a flavor and shape akin to butternut squash, but it is sweeter and more the ‘pocket-size’ version of its parent. Perhaps think of honeynut squash as your own personal butternut squash.

Why you’ll want to eat it

It’s delicious. As mentioned above, it is sweeter than butternut squash- and spoiler alert! – even more so if roasted. And we haven’t even dove into why it’s great for your health yet…

What honeynut squash does for you nutritionally

As with most winter squashes, honeynut squash contains a high level of vitamin A and beta-carotene (which gives it the yellow-orange color). It’s also a wonderful source of minerals such as potassium, iron, copper, calcium and zinc. Known for helping with energy production, B vitamins are in good supply here in this squash too.

How to incorporate it

One of the best, and easiest ways to cook honeynut squash, just like butternut, is to roast it. Then you can turn it into caramelized cubes of golden-orange sweetness that can be added to a salad. It can also be added to pasta and even turned into a quick, blended soup.

Stay tuned! We’ll have an easy, delicious recipe for you coming up in the next few weeks.

Recipe: DIY Iced Coffee 🧋

While winter calls for heated beverages to help warm us up, the spring and summer seasons invite a certain coolness to our drinks – whether they be tea, alcohol, or coffee. Get your ice cubes ready for DIY Iced Coffee!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links or discount codes, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may make a commission.

Ingredients

1.5 cups of room-temperature or refrigerated coffee (ideally mold- and mycotoxin-free coffee; we use Purity Coffee – get 10% off at checkout with code “OneBite”)

1.5 cups of ice

1/2 cup of non-dairy milk (or dairy, if preferred)

Optional extras: sweetener (e.g. maple syrup, stevia, sugar), 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, collagen, or a sprinkle of cardamom

Instructions

Brew coffee and allow to cool. Pour non-dairy milk and ice into an insulated mug or glass and add coffee. Stir and combine other optional extras as desired. Enjoy!

Client Spotlight: Madelynn N. 🏆

Beginning

“My main issue was a lack of energy and a fear that I was not getting enough nutrients from my diet. I am definitely feeling more energized now, and I’m eating a wide variety of foods with plenty of nutrients. The nutrition coaching made me more aware of my daily habits, even those not related to food! It allowed me to recognize how different foods affect my energy level and health issues. I now crave healthier foods because I can feel that my body runs better with them.”

Progress

“I was surprised at how much I began to crave fresh fruits and vegetables! I love sweets but have never really loved anything green. I would come home from work and want a salad. Very strange! 

A huge breakthrough for me was realizing how each new habit impacted other areas of my life. I learned the order in which I should focus on aspects of my health to most effectively get back on track. I really enjoy having more energy to put into different activities that I’ve always wanted to try. I’m taking ice skating lessons now, which I didn’t have the energy to even consider before changing my diet.”

Results

“I now sleep and eat more consistently, eat more fresh food instead of processed food, and listen to my body. If I eat something and it upsets my stomach or I feel off (usually something processed), I try to avoid that food in the future. Likewise, if a food makes me feel great and I crave it, I eat it more. I also eat out a lot less, which has the added bonus of saving me money. The biggest strength is being tuned in to my own body. I choose what I eat consciously instead of letting my emotions or cravings pick for me. I also have a plan for what to do if I fall off healthy eating, which will make me more resilient in the future when issues arise. 

Beans and rice were staples for so long that it’s no wonder I started eating so much fast food to break it up. With my new healthy habits, making sure to spice things up will help me stay on track long-term. “

– Madelynn N.

—————————-

This client in her early 20s wasn’t feeling the energy and vitality we’d all hope, and assume, for someone her age. Like so many vegetarians and vegans, including this author, she fell into the trap of fast-food/ junk-food vegetarianism. But all that’s changed! Now that she has healthy habits in place, and knows how to pick herself back up when she falls, there’s a resiliency that will set her up for success way into her future.

While we wish we’d all started this young, there’s no better time to get a handle on your health than right now. Schedule your complimentary 20-minute Discovery Call to get started.

Recipe: Coconut Almond Smoothie 🥥

After chilly rain earlier this week, the Ohio weather gods have bestowed 60-degree weather upon us. Time to break out your blender and get some chocolate & spring greens in.

Join us in relishing this delicious, anti-inflammatory smoothie that is great for gut health!

Ingredients
2 cups almond milk
2 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp cacao nibs
2 tsp chia seeds
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup spinach
2 medjool dates
1 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp shredded coconut

Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend well. Add additional non-dairy milk or water
to reach desired consistency. Enjoy!

The Green Smoothie Challenge eBook contains tips and tricks of the trade, 14
green smoothie recipes, ideas for substitutions, a food diary, superfood additions,
and the grocery lists for week 1 and 2 of your personal challenge. Armed with this
guide and your trusty blender, you’ll go far!

Start adding in these green smoothies so you can experience having more energy,
clearer skin, improved digestion, weight loss, or any number of benefts as yet
unforeseen.

Get ready to experience the easiest and most sustainable way to enjoy some
superfood-fueling smoothies; grab the guide and get started on the first week
today!

Recipe: Plant-based Taco Tuesday 🌮

You definitely don’t need it to be a Tuesday to enjoy these tasty tacos, but “Sunday Tacos” doesn’t exactly have the desired alliteration. We like to call these the Anytime Tacos – the ‘t’ sound is still in there and it’s much more freeing – but social convention is a powerful thing. Regardless, have this crunchy, delicious, and nutrient-dense meal whenever you’d like. Remember the “Got Milk” slogan? Well, this calcium-rich meal actually does a body good. Enjoy!

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links or discount codes, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may make a commission.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes, depending on number of condiments offered

Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients

1 package of 12 hard taco shells (we used Siete grain-free ones)

1 head of lettuce, romaine or green leaf, chopped

1 can, 15oz of black beans and/or our cauliflower & walnut crumble recipe (if time allows)

1 tsp taco seasoning

2 tomatoes, diced

2 avocados, sliced

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jar of salsa to share

2 limes, sliced (optional)

Instructions

Rinse beans from a can and then put in a small pot over low heat. Add taco seasoning and stir; simmer for about 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees for the tacos. While waiting, prep lettuce, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes and limes. Follow directions on hard taco shell box for how long to heat them up in the oven (about 2-3 minutes). Plate tacos and allow each dinner guest or family member to decorate their own tacos with the condiments provided. Lime juice provides a nice splash of flavor and acidity to the meal. Your taste buds might just shout ¡olé!