Greek Yogurt Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

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This one’s become a regular in my kitchen—I’ve made it multiple times and it’s consistently amazing.

Holds together perfectly, unbeatable flavor, and totally dietitian-approved!👍🏻👍🏻

Ingredients: gluten free flour and greek yogurt

😍 What I love:

Greek yogurt in the crust = sneaky protein boost!
I don’t always pile protein on my pizza, so this trick helps balance things out… brilliant.

Plus, Bob’s Red Mill GF Flour (made with chickpeas, sorghum, and fava beans) adds fiber—something pizza usually skips.
Protein + fiber = satisfaction that lasts.

👨🏻‍🍳 Here’s how…

3 ingredients for the dough:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

Add in some garlic powder if you’d like

Preheat your oven to 400.

Mix together dough ingredients with a spoon and then knead together with your hands.

It will be sticky! Add a little olive oil on your hands to help prevent sticking.

Shape the dough into a pizza crust on parchment paper placed on a baking sheet.

I like to another piece of parchment on top of the dough and roll it out flat with a rolling pin.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, carefully flip the pizza crust over and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, add tomato sauce, cheese and any other toppings and return to the oven for about 5-10 more minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve with salad or any cooked/raw veggies! 

2 slices of pizza with a green salad

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A Fresh Start

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Girl with cup of tea looking out window with the quote: Every day is a fresh start..The first day of 2025… Exciting!!

I am all for the fresh start that a new year brings.
And for the hopes of self-improvement, self-care, healthier habits, growth, positive change, etc.

But here’s what I find so interesting:
We can have that “New Year” inspiration ANY time we want it…

Life is a journey that frequently gets out of balance for all of us. There are meals we regret eating and entire days when we feel awful about our habits. Often this can spiral and we get discouraged.

Sunrise with quote: Look ahead, not back. This puts our focus on what we can control instead of what we cannot change.

Dwelling on what has happened brings up feelings of shame, anger, guilt, inadequacy, disappointment, etc. These are powerful emotions that make you feel stuck and keep you from changing direction.

Instead, look ahead! You don’t even have to wait until tomorrow.

👉🏻Use this tip for whenever you have ventured off of your wellness path and need to get back on:

Come up with a  behavior consistent with your health values that you can do as soon as possible. Mindlessly overate potato chips in front of the computer? Just think ahead to your next meal. Decide what that will look like. Plan it out the way you want it to be and consider how you want it to make you feel. 

Every new BREATH is a fresh start too! You can reset your intentions with your next exhale.😮‍💨

This kind of attitude produces feelings of hope, compassion, optimism and a chance to start again.
You will feel better immediately because you’re taking what you’ve learned from the past, letting it go, and looking ahead to what you CAN control and change.

Whenever you’re feeling stuck, remember that you always have the next moment to choose your fresh start.🥰

Reset. Restart. Refocus. As many times as you need to. Just don't quit.

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Make Ramen into a Nutritious, Balanced Meal

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Mug of ramen noodles with spinach, peas and peanut butter.

 There are always ways to nutritionally improve any of your favorite foods– even ramen!

🍜 Tips to Making a Healthier, Balanced Ramen Noodle Soup:

🍤🫘 Add a protein source like chicken, tofu, tempeh, edamame, shrimp or hard boiled eggs. Consider black beans, chickpeas, lentils, cannellini beans or peas too– while these aren’t quite as high in protein, they still provide health promoting plant-based protein plus the benefits of fiber.

🥬🍄 Mix in some frozen spinach for antioxidants and additional vitamins, minerals and fiber. Thaw first by rinsing in a colander– or add it frozen to your hot soup to cool it quicker. Try cauliflower rice, peppers, mushrooms, carrots or mixed veggies for additional nutrients.

🥄🥜 Stir in a big spoonful of peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter for healthy fats and satiety– this makes your soup creamier and absolutely delicious.

🧂🤏 Use less of the seasoning packet if you’re looking to reduce sodium in your diet. Ramen seasonings vary in sodium content so check your label. If it’s got 20% or more of the recommended daily value it’s considered high-sodium. You can still use the whole packet; it’s just smart to be aware of how many high-sodium foods you’re eating over the course of your day.

🔎 👀 Read the ingredients to see what you’re getting. I like the Lotus brand that makes ramen from whole grains like brown rice, millet and buckwheat vs enriched wheat flour and oil, so you get a little more fiber…

Rice ramen noodle packet by Lotus FoodsNutrition facts panel for Lotus Foods ramen noodles.

🤫 They’re at Job Lot now for $1!

 Remember: Protein, fat and fiber help keep you full longer. If satiety is a goal, add these to your carb-rich meals and snacks to turn down your hunger hormones.

     

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    Date-Sweetened Cranberry Sauce

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    making date sweetened cranberry sauce compared to white sugar

    health benefits of cranberries and dates

    Make cranberry sauce the way YOU like it-

    But here is an option if you’re looking to obtain the health benefits of cranberries without any added sugar.

    chopping dates and adding water to start the sauce

    simmering the sauce to break down the dates and cook the cranberries.

    ❤️ Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins, a chemical compound that gives them their bright color. This inhibits bacteria from sticking to cells lining the urinary tract, so they may help prevent UTIs.

    ❤️ Cranberries are also loaded with polyphenols that have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

    ❤️ Cranberry sauce doesn’t have to be enjoyed only on Thanksgiving day. You can use it as a side dish with any meal, on salads or add it in wraps or sandwiches. It even makes a delicious and nutritious topping to your breakfast oatmeal! 🥣

     

    a note about sweetness and how it's relative and can taste buds can be reset.

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    Motivational quote: Let go of the idea that something is wrong with you.

    How Your Thoughts Affect Your Results

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    motivational quote: Let go of the idea that something is wrong with you.

    Feeling stuck by not taking action or by taking actions that aren’t supporting your goals? 😠

     Look at your THOUGHTS.

    What are you telling yourself about yourself?

    Your self-identity (how you think of yourself) has a BIG impact on your behavior!

    If your habits aren’t moving you in the direction you want to be heading, take a peek at what’s going on in your head. 🤯

    Here’s how it works:
    Thoughts ➡️ Feelings ➡️ Actions

    Your thoughts create your feelings, which drive your actions.

    And your actions, of course, determine the results you’re getting/not getting.

     

    It all starts with what you are thinking about yourself.

    Most people aren’t even aware of their thoughts because they happen automatically.

    UNTIL you notice them and change them!

    So, the first thing to do is: Generate self-awareness.

    Pay attention to your opinion of yourself.

    Your opinion of yourself determines how you feel about yourself.

    How you feel determines what you do.

    What you do determines your results.

    The results you’re getting or not getting directly stem from your thoughts and beliefs.

     

    Limiting beliefs (ex. I’m not good enough) are NOT helpful for getting you to take the actions you’re trying to take.

    Those thoughts make you feel like 💩.
    And when you feel like 💩, it affects how you live your life.

    This is how the connection between thoughts and results works:

    Depiction of the connection between thoughts, feelings and behavior.

    You want to work (it takes practice!) on catching your unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with thoughts that will help create the feelings you want to feel. Anything we want, we want because of how it will make us feel (or how we think it will make us feel). Take weight loss for example– You don’t want the weight loss for the sake of weight loss. You want it because you think it will make you feel more confident, energetic, self-accepting, etc. Are thoughts like “I’m so fat” giving your those feelings? Of course not. And so you’re likely not going to live your life doing the things you need to do to lose weight.

    It may not be as easy as simply changing those thoughts if they have been on repeat for years.

    So, here’s a suggestion for improving how you think of yourself–

    Instead of lying to yourself with positive affirmations (which can be 💪🏻powerful💪🏻 for changing your mindset IF you believe them)…

    Try using to phrase “May I_______” instead of “I am______”

    Use “May I” until you begin to believe “I am!”

    Examples:
    🌟 May I be strong today.
    🌟 May I radiate self-confidence.
    🌟 May I have the energy to do this.
    🌟 May I forgive myself and move on.
    🌟 May I breathe in positivity.
    🌟 May I inspire others with my kind words and actions.
    🌟 May I love and accept myself.
    🌟 May I be the change I want to see in the world! 💗

     

    It’s actually pretty incredible if you think about this:

    You can think WHATEVER you want.

    You have a CHOICE to think kind and positive thoughts about yourself and nobody can tell you that you’re wrong.

    The truth is: There is nothing wrong with you.
    Free yourself of this belief and your world opens up to change.

    avocado looking in the mirror telling himself "You're fat, but you're GOOD fat."

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    Girl on yoga mat meditating. Maintaining a healthy body is a lifestyle, not a destination.

    Will This Make Me Fat?

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    quiz with numerous foods like peanut butter and avocados asking which of these is fattening?

    Answer: NONE of them! Read on for an explanation…

     

    “Is ____________ fattening?”

    Common question!
    🤥 But– It’s a myth that an individual food is “fattening.”

    Some foods contain more fat, carbohydrates or calories than others. Also, foods vary in nutritional value:

    🥑🥜 A food high in fat (ex. avocado, nuts, peanut butter) can also contain beneficial nutrients making it a healthy addition to your diet. High-fat does not equal bad or fattening.

    🍌🍠 A food high in carbs (ex. banana, sweet potato) can also contain beneficial nutrients making it a healthy addition to your diet. High-carb does not equal bad or fattening.

    🍪 Some foods are more ultra-processed and have fewer beneficial nutrients (ex. cookies, brownies, ice-cream). These foods taste delicious and provide enjoyment! Lower-nutrient does not equal bad or fattening.

     While it’s smart to be aware of where different types of foods fall on the nutrition spectrum, you can still incorporate ANY kind of food into your diet without it being “fattening.”

     

    Meme about how individual foods are not fattening or not. It's more about how taking in more calories than your body needs over a period of time that causes weight gain.

    💫 Change your mindset from:
    “Is it fattening?”
    to…
    “How does this food fit into my day of eating as a whole?” 💗

     

    girl on yoga mat with a quote about how you won't get fat eating one bad meal and you won't get lean eating one healthy meal. You are what you repeatedly do.

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    12 Body Image Healing Tools (Printable!)

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    Body image is something a huge number of my clients struggle with.

    And because I have been there too, I can empathize.🤗

    I’m living proof that it is possible to go from loathing your body to actually loving it! 💗

    Believe me, life is so much better when you’re not fighting yourself or food anymore.

    I used to think I had no choice about having a negative body image; that was just the way it was and it wouldn’t change unless my body changed. Not true.

    Body image isn’t about how your body looks.

    It’s about how you feel about your body.

    And no, you don’t need to have a different body to feel better about it.

    While you may not have much control over your physical traits, you have every bit of authority over your brain and what goes on in there.

    Yes, you have much more say in this matter than you thought!

    Often, a negative body image has become a habit. In order to learn how to change how you think & feel about your body, you’re likely going to benefit from some tools. These tools are behavior changes & mindset shifts designed to challenge your current thoughts & beliefs about your body that are holding you back.

    I’ve put together this handout of 12 tools that have helped me heal my negative body image. You may find certain ones resonate while others don’t. Take what you need. Like learning anything new, you will need to practice at reinventing your body image. Know that it can be done once you decide you want a more positive, kind and compassionate mindset and a more peaceful life. ✌🏻

    It is not about changing your body.
    It’s about changing your attitude & beliefs about your body.

    12 body image healing tools page one12 body image healing tools page 2

    Print your free 12 Body Image Healing Tools here!

    ✌🏻

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    Image of emoji faces to help you connect what you're feeling with the message it's trying to give you.

    Emotional Eating: The PAUSE

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    Try this: Hello (insert what you are feeling). I think you are trying to tell me: (fill in the blank.)

    Feeling out of control with emotional eating? 😩

    First of all, eating for emotional reasons is OK! 🤗

    But for some people, it can become problematic because it becomes an automatic, unwanted response to feeling something uncomfortable.

    There IS a way to break out of this!

    Try this:

    ✨ Rather than feel something and immediately react with eating, take a moment to notice and name what you are feeling:

    Ex) Sad, tired, bored, stressed.

    ✨ Identifying your emotion inserts a PAUSE between the trigger (the emotion) and the response (eating).

    ✨ Hitting the pause button gives you the space and the freedom to make a decision.

    🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe you want to eat– and that’s OK!

    Ex) I’m sad. (PAUSE) I’m going to make a cup of tea and enjoy a few chocolates because that is exactly what I need right now.

    👉🏻 Eating becomes a conscious choice that doesn’t leave you feeling out of control.

    🤷🏻‍♂️ Or maybe you use the pause as an opportunity to choose an alternative action. After naming the feeling, ask yourself what it is trying to tell you.

    Ex) I’m tired. (PAUSE) Putting my feet up on the couch for 15 minutes will help me feel better.

    I’m bored. (PAUSE) Accomplishing a task on my household chore list will help me feel better.

    I’m stressed. (PAUSE) Calling my best friend will help me feel better.

    👉🏻 Identifying and naming what you are feeling gives you the chance to step away from it and make the decision that will help you feel better….

    Maybe eating…. But maybe not.

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    Bento box with carrots, blueberries, cottage cheese, turkey, banana, wrap and lara bar.

    Bento Box Cheat Sheet: Printable!

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    Lunch idea! 😃➡️ Make a BENTO BOX!

    Bento box with carrots, blueberries, cottage cheese, turkey, banana, wrap and lara bar.

    Bento Box with baby carrots, everything but the bagel cottage cheese, turkey slices, blueberries, banana, PB&J in sprouted grain wrap and a Lara Bar

    Bento Box Cheat Sheet

    Aim for variety & balance, not perfection:

    🍎🥕🍍🥦 FRUIT AND/OR VEGGIE
    (carrots, celery, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, jicama, cucumber, tomatoes, radish, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, melon, mango, apple, orange, peach, plum, cherries, figs, dates, raisins, apricots)

    🥚🥑🥜🧀 PROTEIN & FAT
    (cheese, nuts/nut butters, tuna, chicken, turkey, tofu, tempeh, avocado, yogurt, cottage cheese, hard boiled egg, jerky, edamame)

    🥪🍚🍿🫓 CARBOHYDRATE
    (tortilla/wrap, whole-grain bread, popcorn, beans/bean salad, pasta/pasta salad, crackers, hummus, rice, potatoes, granola)

    🍫🍪🍵 😁 ANYTHING ELSE THAT BRINGS YOU JOY!

    Soooo many great possible combos…

    Here are a few of my lunch boxes that I remembered to snap a photo of–

    There is a bit of overlap. 😅 You’ll notice I have my go-tos :

     

     Chicken, cheese, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, dried apricots, carrots, celery, Tahini Medjool Date Cookies & an apple:

    Bento box with tahini medjool date cookies, turkey, cheese, macadamia nuts, carrots, celery, dried apricots and an apple. 

     

    Beef jerky, Laughing Cow Cheese, mixed nuts/seeds/coconut, apple, peanut butter, peppers, cucumbers & a couple of chocolates:

    Bento box with cucumber, peppers, apples, peanut butter, cheese, beef jerky, trail mix and chocolate.

     

    Turkey, Mary’s Gone Crackers, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, celery & peanut butter:

    Bento box with turkey, crackers, peanut butter, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots and celery.

     

    Chomps meat stick, grapes, Babybel cheese, walnuts, wasabi almonds, Mary’s Gone Crackers, carrots, celery & peanut butter:

    Bento box with meat stick, cheese, grapes, crackers, carrots, celery, nuts and peanut butter.

     

    Tuna salad wrap, Babybel cheese, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts & dates:

    Bento box with tuna wrap, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, cheese, dates and nuts.

     

    Tempeh and guacamole in sprouted grain wrap, apple, carrots, cottage cheese, dried apricots & brazil nuts:

    Bento box with cottage cheese, tempeh and avocado wrap, apples, carrots and brazil nuts.

     

    Cottage cheese, grapes, carrots, celery, apples, oranges, Crunchmasters crackers, peanut butter & a TRUBAR & banana that I had for an afternoon snack:

    bento box full of veggies, fruits, cottage cheese, peanut butter, crackers, protein bar and banana

     

    Peanut butter, jelly and arugula in whole grain tortilla, orange, grapes, carrots & Babybel cheese:

    Bento box with peanut butter and jelly wrap, cheese, carrot, grapes and orange slices.

    Once you know the basic combo of foods to include for balance, you can easily build yourself a tasty, nutritious bento box from foods you (hopefully) have in your kitchen. Most require little to no prep time.

    Remember: Fruit/Veg, Protein/Fat, Carbohydrate & anything else you love that makes you look forward to lunchtime. 💗

    Print your Bento Box Cheat Sheet here!

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    List of vegan breakfast ideas.

    Vegan Food Ideas

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    Fun fact about me: I was vegan for over 12 years! 😲

    It’s been more than 10 years now since I returned to being omnivorous, but I am supportive of anyone who chooses to follow a vegan diet and wants to learn how to do it in a healthy way. 💓

    Here are a few important nutrients you want to ensure you are getting adequate amounts of in a vegan diet:

    ✔️ B12 (you will need a supplement)
    ✔️ Iron
    ✔️ Zinc
    ✔️ Omega-3 fatty acids
    ✔️ Protein
    ✔️ Calcium & D

    You may wonder… What do vegans eat?

    In a nutshell, anything not containing animal products. Vegans eat 100% plants!

    Here are a few examples of some balanced, nutrient-rich vegan breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks:

    List of vegan breakfast ideas

     

    list of vegan lunch ideas.

     

    List of vegan dinner ideas.

     

    List of vegan snack ideas.

    👉🏻 Vegan does not necessarily equal healthier.

    There are high-nutrient vegan diets as well as low-nutrient vegan diets. 😊

    (Just like there are high-nutrient omnivore diets and low-nutrient omnivore diets.)

    And just like with any way of eating…

    ✨Variety and balance are key!✨

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