Self Theory Nutrition

05/29/2024

BEST Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp oil or melted butter (we like coconut oil)
3 Tbsp chocolate chips
Splash of vanilla extract
1 large microwave safe mug

Add dry ingredients to a mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract mix again. Microwave for 3 minutes. Cake should fall out of the mug.

Enjoy!

10/17/2023

Suzanne Somers was a fighter. An inspiration and beautiful soul. Aside from my personal favorite 80’s show- Three’s Company, many people do not know she knew her stuff when it came to health.

She was diagnosed with a very agressive form of cancer 23 years ago. She was never expected to live as long as she did.

While we all mourn her passing, I also celebrate her passion to speak out and educate others on her truth and expeiences beating disease using functional medicine. Despite the odds, she actually lived a full life.

09/15/2023

Electrolytes are certain nutrients (or chemicals) present in your body that have many important functions—from regulating your heartbeat to allowing your muscles to contract so you can move.

The major electrolytes found within the body include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphate and chloride. Because these crucial nutrients help stimulate nerves throughout the body and balance fluid levels, an electrolyte imbalance can cause a variety of serious negative symptoms, including some that are potentially deadly.

You obtain electrolytes through eating different foods and drinking certain fluids, while you lose them partially through exercise, sweating, going to the bathroom and urinating. This is why a poor diet, too little or too much exercise, and being sick are some possible causes for an electrolyte imbalance.

Some of the major roles that electrolytes have within the body include:

🟡Calcium: Helping with muscle contractions, nerve signaling, blood clotting, cell division, and forming/maintaining bones and teeth

🟡Potassium: Helping blood pressure level to stay stable, regulating heart contractions, helping with muscle functions

🟡Magnesium: Needed for muscle contractions, proper heart rhythms, nerve functioning, bone-building and strength, reducing anxiety, digestion, and keeping a stable protein-fluid balance

🟡Sodium: Helps maintain fluid balance, needed for muscle contractions, and helps with nerve signaling

🟡Chloride: Maintains fluid balance

Credit: Juice for Health

04/11/2023

TAYLOR SWIFT CASSEROLE!!

According to Parade, a few years ago, Taylor Swift headed to Del Frisco’s Grille in New York for dinner after the VMAs and fell head over heels with this rich, pecan-and-oat-topped sweet potato casserole. The recipe has been modified and switched it into an Instant Pot recipe and made a bit healthier by using less sugar and less butter. Even with these changes the sweet potato casserole is so delicious!

I think Taylor would agree. ☺️

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes
6 Tbsp butter, softened and divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup quick oatmeal
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Add the sweet potatoes to a steamer basket. Pour 1 ½ cups of water into bottom of Instant Pot. Drop the steamer basket into the Instant Pot.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Remove the steamer basket. Discard liquid in the pot.

In a bowl, add 4 Tbsp of the butter, brown sugar, pecans and oatmeal. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter in and mix.
Pour the cooked sweet potatoes into empty Instant Pot liner. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter, kosher salt and egg.

Spread the mixture evenly in bottom of Instant Pot. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the top evenly.

Cover Instant Pot with an air fryer lid. Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have an air fryer lid then make the recipe as stated through step 4. Then spread the sweet potato mixture into a 8×8 inch baking dish and sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the top evenly. Bake in the oven at 375° F for 15 minutes.

You can easily double this recipe to feed a crowd. Double all ingredients (keep the water under steamer basket the same) and keep the same cooking time.

Credit: 365daysofcrockpot

01/07/2023

Frozen Yogurt Bark ❤️

Ingredients:

2 cups Greek yogurt, plain
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1/4 cup pistachios chopped

Instructions:

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with maple syrup and vanilla until combined. and place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer. Top with blueberries, strawberries and pistachios. Freeze 4 hours or until frozen through. Break into pieces and enjoy! Store pieces in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Other Yummy Yogurt Bark Combinations:

Chunky Monkey. Greek yogurt + cocoa powder + maple syrup + sliced bananas

Trail Mix. Greek yogurt + granola + mini chocolate chips + blueberries

Berry Blast. Greek yogurt + strawberry jam + strawberries + raspberries + blueberries

Peanut Butter Cup. Greek yogurt + peanut butter + chopped peanuts + mini chocolate chips

Health Nut. Greek yogurt + maple syrup + chia seeds + chopped pecans and pistachios

Tropical Treat. Greek yogurt + maple syrup + coconut extract + coconut flakes + mango + pineapple

Credit: Super Healthy Kids

11/04/2022

These are delicious!
Even your kids will love them.

See how to make keto cheddar bay biscuits (cheesy keto biscuits) in 30 minutes! These easy keto low carb cheddar biscuits taste just like Red Lobster ones, with only 3g net carbs each.

10/30/2022

MONGOLIAN GROUND BEEF

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1/4 cup broth
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp coconut sugar (omit for whole30)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp arrowroot starch
1 thumb ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, sliced into 1” slices

INSTRUCTIONS

Using a large skillet, brown the ground beef on medium heat, adding salt and pepper. Once the beef is browned, set aside, leaving about 2 tbsp of fat in the pan.

In a seperate bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, broth, apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, and arrowroot starch. Set aside.

Using the same pan, bring the heat to low-medium heat and add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.

Pour the sauce into the pan and stir. Allow to heat and thick for 1-2 minutes.

Add the ground beef back to the pan and stir well to coat with the sauce. Add the green onions and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened.

Serve fresh over cauliflower rice or with vegetables of your choice.

Credit: Unboundwellness

10/21/2022

Not everyone gets excited about gnawing on raw veggies. 🫣

Luckily, research shows that steaming your vegetables produces favorable results for flavor and texture, which, in the end, could help you to eat more of them! 🙌

Often times when we cook our vegetables, we over (steam/boil/bake) and nuke all the wonderful nutrients out of them. Defeats the purpose of eating our veggies, right?!

Steaming vegetables makes them easier to chew and digest. Proper steaming keeps all those valuable nutrients inside the veggies instead of in the cooking liquid.

When lightly steaming vegetables on cooktop, use large sauce pan with about 1/4 inch of liquid. Always keep heat settings on low. Water should never reach a boil.

Here is a quick little cheat sheet with proper steaming times for each veggie.

10/19/2022

I love the Fall, mostly because I have an addiction to pumpkin. This recipe is super yummy and healthy!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie:

Ingredients
1/2 c. full fat plain yogurt
4 drops of liquid vanilla stevia
2 oz. frozen pumpkin puree or 2 pumpkin puree "ice cubes"
1/2 frozen banana cut into 1-inch chunks
1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, or homemade recipe below
1 cinnamon stick for garnish

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
4 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 tsp. ground ginger
3 tsp. ground allspice

Instructions:
Pre-freeze pumpkin puree by dividing 1 (15 oz.) can into an ice cube tray and freezing. (You will have enough to fill more than one tray.)

Combine all ingredients (except cinnamon stick) in blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into glass; garnish with a cinnamon stick.

10/18/2022

Halloween 🎃 is the season for junk….

So why not switch things up and make things a bit more interesting.

These “Monster Apple Mouths” are super fun to make. They also make a healthy snack.

Bonus: Sometimes we can get our kids to try and like new foods by having them create an entertaining recipe— like this one!!

10/15/2022

Get the biggest bang for your buck. Minimize food waste and learn food preservation techniques.

A great tip for storing lemons.

10/10/2022

After a busy weekend of events and social gatherings- my gut sometimes needs some TLC.

Love this smoothie recipe on a Monday morning to rejuvenate my belly.