(#21) Healthy Valentine's Day Inspiration: Choose Your Own Adventure Edition

Whether you're spending Valentine's Day alone or with the love of your life, this blog post is going to help inspire you to have a happy, healthy and meaningful valentine's day!

HOW ARE YOU SPENDING

VALENTINE'S DAY?

(CLICK ONE)

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to promote self love on Valentine's day:

1. What am I proud of myself for? What qualities do I admire most about myself? What characteristics do I love about myself?

2. If I loved myself completely, what would I spend most of my time doing? Who would I spend my time with? What would I think and believe about myself?

3. What makes me feel the most loved and supported? How can I welcome more of these things into my life? What can I do TODAY to show myself more self love?

WHAT MEAL ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO ON VALENTINES?

(CLICK ONE)

3 Questions to ask your partner on Valentine's day to spark a deeper connection:

1. What makes you proud of me? What qualities do you admire most about me? What characteristics do you love about me?

2. If we had total and unconditional love in our relationship, what would we do more of? What would we do less of? What would we say more of? What would we say less of?

3. What makes you feel the most loved and supported? How can I make you feel more loved and supported in our life together? What can I do TODAY to show you more love?

WHAT MEAL ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO ON VALENTINES?

(CLICK ONE)

On the Breakfast Menu: Healthy Heart Shaped Pancakes, Fresh Berries and Gut-Healthy Mimosas!

These healthy pancakes are gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free but 100% delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 c Oats

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 c Almond Milk

5 tbsp Melted Coconut Oil

2 Eggs

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tsp Vanilla

Add all ingredients to a high power blender, blend until smooth. Preheat griddle and add your metal heart-shaped cookie cutters to the griddle. Lightly spray with avocado oil, then add pancake mixture to cookie cutters. Flip pancakes when the top starts to bubble. Remove cookie cutter to cook on opposite side. Top pancakes with fresh berries and enjoy!

Usually mimosas are made with champagne but I've created a gut healthy version instead.

The best part, it's light, bubbly and delicious AND there's no guilt sipping it on a Tuesday morning before work.

For this recipe I use Kevita's Pineapple Peach Kombucha. Top it off with orange juice and some fresh fruit.

WHAT'S FOR DESSERT?

(CLICK ONE)

On the Dinner Menu: Dairy Free Alfredo, Side Salad and Pomegranate Mule

I LOVE alfredo. It's been my favorite dish for years. But normal alfredo makes me feel run down, sluggish and upsets my stomach. So I invented a dairy free version that always has me going back for seconds.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup raw cashews

6 cloves minced garlic

1 cup almond milk

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cover cashews in boiling water and let sit to soften.

2. Bring one pot of water to a rolling boil, add pasta and cook as directed.

3. Steam broccoli over pasta while cooking.

4. While water is boiling, Sautee minced garlic in olive oil until golden brown.

5. Add drained cashews, milk, nutritional yeast, lemon and garlic to high powered blender. Blend until smooth. You may need to add more milk in this step, that's normal.

6. Taste your sauce. If it needs more savory flavor add garlic salt. If it needs some acidity add SMALL amounts of lemon juice. If it needs thickening add Tapioca Starch. Remember to start SMALL! You can always add more in but can't take anything out once it has been added.

7. Add 'cashew sauce, pasta and broccoli back to pot and mix together to enjoy.

Serve your pasta with a side salad of choice!

Paired with dinner is a pomegranate mule! Usually a mule is made with vodka, lime juice, ginger beer and a fruit juice of choice.

Instead we'll be making a gut healthy version instead. Using Ginger Kombucha, Pomegranate Juice and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Garnish your glass with a lime wedge and some fresh pomegranate seeds and enjoy!

WHAT'S FOR DESSERT?

(CLICK ONE)

Something Fruity: Strawberry Crumb Bars

Crust and crumble Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oat flour

1 1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients

2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1. For filling, saucepan over low heat. Add the strawberries, maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer while stirring until mixture is thick and goopy, breaking down strawberries as you go.

2. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add in coconut oil and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.

3. Press 2/3 of the dough down into the bottom of the baking pan. Then add filling over top and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over top and bake for 20-25 minutes until top is golden brown.

Wishing you the happiest Valentine's day!

Xoxo,

Bianca

Chocolately Dessert: Chocolate Truffles

To a mini food processor add 6 Tbsp coconut oil, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup maple syrup. Process until smooth.

Using a baking scoop like this one (use the smallest one) scoop individual truffles into a bowl of cocoa powder OR toasted coconut. Swirl bowl until truffle is coated, then gently place on dish (truffles will be extremely soft so handle with care!). Place truffles in fridge for several hours to allow them to firm up. Then enjoy!

Wishing you the happiest Valentine's day!

Xoxo,

Bianca