What is matcha? A heavenly moment in your mouth that leaves you better off with every sip that you take. No, but really - matcha doesn’t only taste amazing but it’s also high in antioxidants and health benefits. In my experience, my body doesn't do well with high doses of caffeine. That is why I can’t do coffee. Coffee makes me jittery and anxious. Thankfully, matcha is a gentler source of caffiene. It gradually builds my energy and lasts longer without the “crash”. I enjoy the pleasure of a delicious matcha latte as it does wonders for my body. It’s a win-win!

I prefer not to go a day without my home-crafted matcha latte. I am a mother to a toddler so I believe it’s justified to be in such a committed relationship to green caffeine (matcha.) I would like to share how I enjoy my matcha latte. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

I like to start off by adding matcha powder into my serving mug along with hot water and honey as a sweetener. I mix the three ingredients until matcha and honey fully dissolve.

I heat up my choice of milk just before it begins to boil. According to the experts, matcha doesn’t taste the best with super-hot boiled water. The boiled water just demolishes the main ingredient. Speaking of milks, I’ve tested different sorts of dairy-free milks, but not all of them seem to go well with the taste of matcha. Almond milk or coconut milk have the hardest time frothing up. Cashew milk can possibly work. But oatmilk and macadamia nut milk will make the creamiest lattes. To achieve frothy milk, I do it the old school way and I use the Bodum Manual Milk Frother. Once my milk gets thick and creamy, I add it into my serving mug.

Ta-dah! That’s the most basic matcha latte you can create within minutes. If you’re feeling extra, you can add different types of syrups or powders to take your matcha to a different level. Some matcha powders are being sold with additional infused ingredients that give a specific taste. I’m telling you, once you get started - local coffee shops will have some serious competition.

Ingredients

1/2 - 1 tsp of ceremonial grade matcha powder

½-1 tsp sweetener; honey or maple syrup

¼ cup hot water (under 190F)

¾ cup of milk

Optional: ¼ tsp syrups/powders for other flavors

Rise and shine, beautiful!

My fancy breakfast bowl contains the perfect amount of nutrients to start the day off in full glory. Whether it’s your slow Tuesday morning or a packed house on a Saturday morning , this oatmeal bowl is sure to become a favorite. You can serve this meal for guests because it’s pleasing to the eye and tasteful to the taste buds. It will also keep everyone full for a long period of time.

instructions: (serving for 2)

I start off by boiling my “go-to” coconut and almond milk blend by Califia. As the milk is heating up, I add two scoops of the grass-fed collagen powder. I also add a dash of salt and the pure bourben vanilla extract.

Once the liquid ingredients start boiling, I put in the oatmeal and chia seeds to give them time to expand during cooking. This particular oatmeal requires to be cooked for 10-20 minutes. I personally cook for 10 and allow it to cool off for 5.

The first step for a beautiful creation is something that I learned from my husband. He always likes to include a pleasant surprise at the bottom of the bowl. In this case, I added frozen blueberries.

Before decorating, I put all of the cooked ingredients into a bowl with blueberries on the bottom layer. Now its time to get carried away with the toppings! My favorite way to decorate the oatmeal bowl has to be a combination of fruit and berries. Grab your most loved granola mix, one scoop or butter, and one scoop of honey. Design it in a way to make it look and taste Instagram worthy. Maybe finish off with a handful of coconut flakes?!

Ingredients:

2 cups of water

1 cup of oatmeal

1-2 tbs of chia seeds

1 tbs cinnamon spice

1-2 tbs collagen powder

1 tbs vanilla extract

Toppings are optional. I can’t stop you there!

Enjoy!

Happy Tuesday, darlings!

Today’s topic is almost as interesting as the season premier of Grey’s Anatomy! Except that we are also realists! We live for the present moment. At this specific moment, it’s Fall outside the doors.

So, here is a recipe for a golden concoction that we like to call the “Coco-Turmeric Latte.” My husband and I like to add our own personal twists to almost anything we put our hands on. Let me know if you have any other interesting ideas for this drink!

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut/almond milk

1 tea bag of your choice (matcha powder works great too!)

2 tbsp coconut oil (grassfed butter optional)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 scoops of collagen powder

Sweetener: 1 tsp honey, maple syrup or stevia

Instructions:

Make your choice of tea. Boil coconut milk. Pour the hot liquids into blender and stir in all the ingredients. Blend for 10-15 seconds. This will create a perfectly creamy and delicious consistency and of course, that coffee shop froth that we all love! Enjoy! 

Hey, it's getting hot out here!

Here are two ways to SURVIVE the hot summer: by consuming refreshing smoothies and by diving into cool water.

This summer heat even gets us Minnesotans gasping for a break in the weather!

Summer is shorter than you think. So, chase the sun! Since you'll be staying around during the tanning season, I want to share a recipe of my go-to tropical smoothie. Whether you're relaxing at the poolside or running late to work, this beautiful creation stays convenient. Whether your goal is to please your taste buds or to save you time, this smoothie will be rockin your world!

We want to show you two versions of our smoothie. The party version (Julie's) and the healthier version (Teddy's).

Here is what I include in my smoothie:

-coconut milk

-pineapple chunks

-mango or peach slices

-strawberries

-1 tablespoon of honey

-2 tablespoon of collagen

-2 tablespoon of hemp seeds

-half a teaspoon of vanilla extract

-optional: sprinkle coconut flakes on top

* * *
'Teddy gets the mic'

Hey guys, here is the smoothie recipe that I make (almost) every morning. Fair warning - the goal of this smoothie is to optimize function and performance, not excite your taste buds.

The "healthier" version:

-coconut/almond milk (unsweetened)

-berries

-collagen protein powder

-hemp seeds

-chia seeds

-coconut oil/MCT oil (cold-pressed)

-optional: go for the "chocolate version" and add unsweetened cacao powder & cacao nibs for crunch factor.

This recipe is the great way to start your morning off on a good note. I start it with unsweetened coconut/almond milk from Trader Joe's because their product is carrageenan-free (a toxin). When it comes to the berries, I opt for mixed berries from Target. Berries are super low on sugar, which helps keep this delicious recipe low-carb.

Collagen is the source of protein that I prefer to consume. Not only does collagen provide your body with the necessary building blocks for muscle, but it has tremendous benefits for skin, nail, and hair health. Make sure that your collagen protein comes from a grass-fed cow. The brand I use is called Zint and you can find it on Amazon. I like it because its non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, and is neutral in flavor.

Hemp seeds are considered a superfood - they are filled with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and even help fight cancer! Hemp seeds are packed with protein as well - so, we are creating an amino acid rave party! Along with the chia seeds, the total amount of protein for this recipe is right around 20g.

Last but not least, coconut oil is the ingredient that will keep you going until lunchtime! Coconut oil has a ton of health benefits, but the main reason we want to eat it first thing in the morning is the healthy FATS. When we drink a high-fat, low-carb smoothie first thing in the morning, this does wonders to our hormones! It puts our body into a fat-burning state so that we can stay lean.

Enjoy!