GalaLiving

Nourishing Recipes and Wellness Guides for your Mind, Body and Soul

The Incredible, Edible Avocado

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Sometimes when you look at a particular fruit you can just see it’s beautifying properties. Take an avocado for example. The earthy, rough subtle edges of the avocado’s skin that peels away revealing the creamy, buttery, smooth texture of its interior fruit. 

Seriously, my mouth is already watering…

But, what you may not know though is how good avocados actually are for you. So, let me share with you some things I’ve learned along the way to my avocado obsession. If you’ve been following the blog, by now you know how I truly feel about the incredible, edible avocado. …

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A Simple Guide to Being a Chic Suburbanista (2017)

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This picture pretty much sums up my wardrobe. Yup…

Comfy shoes, a snuggly overcoat and a warm knitted hat.  Throw on a cute backpack (or favorite handbag) and some shades and I’m out the door with my two kids… Who said you can’t be stylish and a mom at the same time?!?

Today, I thought we’d take a break from food and fitness and focus on something more fun. Fashion. There are a few statement pieces that I think are worth the investment to get you from dull and shabby to chic and fabulous in no time flat.

Here are my 5 wardrobe essentials to get you looking effortlessly chic and keep you mommy comfortable all winter long….

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Smashed Avocado and Tahini Salad

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Welcome to avocado heaven… This is my go to, weeknight, quick and easy, nutrient rich and protein packed, smashed avocado and tahini salad recipe. 

If you didn’t know already, I have a serious things for avocados. Case in point, my Grape, Avocado, Walnut, Arugula, and Hemp Seed Salad, or my Quinoa, Black Bean and Avocado Fiesta Bowl, or my Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blistered Jalapeno-Corn Vinaigrette, my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl, or how about my Easy Avocado Pasta…

WHOA… that’s a lot! But this recipe elevates my avocado love… to an obsession.

Care to join? …

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8 Life Hacks for a Balanced Life and a Better Year

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1. Make small weekly changes to eat healthier

When people tell me it’s to hard to eat healthy or to change their diet I usually tell them one thing. It took me 5 years to get to eating the way I do now… And the one tip I give them: make one small change by adding in something healthy rather than by trying to take anything out. For me the first thing I started doing was just changing my breakfast. From toast and bagels to a green smoothie daily. Once I had my green smoothie I just continued on with my day as I had always done. A month later I started feeling so much better just by making that one small change that I wanted to keep going… If there’s one thing I would tell you it’s try and eat the same healthy thing for breakfast every day, wether it’s a green smoothie, a cup of oatmeal and berries or whatever you fancy. A month later add something else in and just keep on going… I promise not only will you feel a lot better but your taste buds will change dramatically to the point of not even wanting to touch that french fry on your dinner plate.  …

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Presto Pesto that’s Vegan, Oil, and Nut Free!

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Let’s talk about quick and easy meal planning…. Come on, pull up a chair, I’ll serve you some tea…

Every day for me just seems to get busier. I mean with 2 funny kids, an awesome husband, no nanny to speak of, a house, laundry, bills, paperwork, being a school board member, and chairing two separate committees I seriously feel like I have no time!

And yet, I’m unwilling to compromise on how my family eats. I still want to feed them really healthy, home cooked meals 5 days a week.

Do you feel the same? Okay then let’s talk about how we can make that happen!…

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How Consistent Exercise Changes You Immunity

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I’ve stumbled upon something. Something that made me consider/reconsider how much, how hard and how regularly I exercise. Last August I started on a 6-7 days a week exercise plan. Monday-Sunday as consistently as possible. 6 months later not only did my body see big changes but so did my immunity – in a way I never considered it would. 

Every fall I tend to get a little sick. Nothing major but maybe a cold, or mild flu for a couple of days. I haven’t taken antibiotics in about a decade so that’s a good thing but having 2 young kids in the house there are always viruses floating around when the weather is cooler. And obviously when one of them gets sick who do they sneeze and cough all over? Mommy! 

This year has been particularly bad. And I’m not just saying in this house but in the entire country. Hospitals are packed to the rim with flu patients. People are getting sick left and right and illnesses are lasting for weeks not just days. Both my kids and husband have gone through at least one bad viral bug. Fever, nausea, vomiting…. and yet somehow between exposure to them and the consistent pre/grade-school environment (as I’m at school working on things several days a week) I have avoided getting even the slightest of sniffles. …

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Ultimate 5 Minute Berry Smoothie Bowl

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Hum…. This IS IT folks! Can you tell I’ve been obsessed with smoothie bowls lately?

Let me show you the ways….

Smoothie Bowls That Will Make You Feel Amazing

Smoothie Bowl Recipes You’ll Want To Dive Into

Your Breakfast Called, and It Wants to Be This Smoothie Bowl

I’ve literally tried to make every smoothie bowl out there. And OMG are they yummy!

But sometimes these recipes are too complicated. Like, no I don’t have 10 different types of fresh tropical fruit in my fridge right now?!…. I don’t even have almond milk today. 

So, let’s take this 10 ingredient ordeal and turn it around into a easy, go to, always in my fridge (and freezer) antioxidant packed smoothie bowl recipe. You ready folks, OK let’s go….

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How to Make Delicious 1-Minute Green Smoothies

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Blended green smoothie with ingredients on wooden table

Every day I have a green smoothie for breakfast…

Watcha got there? How’d you make that? Always one of the first great questions I get asked! Well, it’s a pretty simple, and always tasty, combo: leafy greens + fruit + water … and maybe some fancy additions if I’m in the mood. It may seem like a crazy breakfast fad, but honestly once you try a green smoothie, you’ll more likely to become insanely addicted! Trust me, there is nothing better than sipping handfulls of fresh, leafy greens in a delightful fruit fusion fashion. Right?

There are a lot of complicated and fancy green smoothie recipes out there, but I’m here to show you how to blend up a really simple and tasty green smoothie for breakfast every morning in about 1 minute flat. That’s way faster then toasting that bagel and making that cup of coffee you’re used to in the morning! 

Not to mention, dark leafy greens are packed with disease fighting antioxidants, contain high-quality amino acids, important minerals, vitamins, and beneficial phytonutrients. They give you loads of energy, clean plant protein, and keep your skin clear and your system regular. They even help you lose bloating, and pounds!

Now, all you need is a great blender (it’s worth the investment!) and lets get to it, super fast! …

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1-Bowl Banana Coconut Muffins

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803A2088-1 Eating healthy, sometimes I miss muffins. You know, that warm, crumbly bite of sweetness. As a kid, I used to eat muffins all the time… specifically banana muffins… eventually leading directly to my muffin top.

Well friends, I’m hear to tell you a secret… shhhh. I’ve discovered a revolution. As a clean, green, and lean fully grown adult, you can still eat your muffins, and NOT get a muffin top. 

How so, you ask? Mix up a batch of these super moist, tender, fluffy, perfectly sweet with a bit of crunch, banana coconut muffins! 

I call them the grown up version of my original love. You will call them unbelievably delicious!

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