Blog Posts - Chronically Beautiful!

Banana Nut Muffins

2/26/2019

I recently had this major craving for banana nut muffins, and so these refined sugar-free delights were born! These babies are made with organic, whole wheat flour. And they are sweetened with organic maple sugar! For those of you who don't know, maple sugar is basically just dried maple syrup, and so it's important that you find a brand that is 100% pure and organic so that we can stay away from extra additives and chemicals that are harmful to our bodies. Otherwise, maple syrup is a sweetener that is full of nutrients that your body will love you for! This is why maple sugar is a great sugar substitute and can be used for all of your baked delights!

Healthy Banana Nut Muffins!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup organic maple sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Topping:
1/4 cup maple sugar
2 Tbs. whole wheat flour
2 Tbs. oats
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or you can use your nut of choice)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
In a separate bowl, mash your bananas and add the maple sugar, egg, vanilla, and butter. Whisk together until well combined.
Add the flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until just combined. (Do not over-mix.)
Divide the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. (Each muffin cup will be filled about 2/3 full.)
In a small bowl, combine flour, maple sugar, and butter until mixed. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Divide topping over muffins.
Bake for 18-20 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Chicken Salad Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

2/19/2019

Looking for a DELICIOUS paleo, gluten-free dinner idea? Look no further because these loaded sweet potatoes are absolutely AMAZING and they are something the whole family will love! These sweet potatoes are stuffed with a chicken salad filling, and they are completely gluten-free and filled with healthy fats! They're topped with cilantro and can be served with any of your favorite homemade dressing. I was so surprised at how delicious these turned out, but it's a great way to turn boring sweet potatoes into an exciting dish that virtually anyone will love!

Chicken Salad Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast
3/4 cup celery (diced small)
3/4 cup avocado oil mayo
2 Tbs. mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. dried parsley
4 large sweet potatoes
butter and salt for potato filling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°
Wash and prep potatoes by poking with a fork to allow air to get through while cooking. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 45 mins. to 1 hour or until potatoes are soft all the way through.
While potatoes are cooking, prep your chicken.
Grill chicken in a large skillet. I used salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil to flavor my chicken. You can use whatever you normally would to flavor your chicken while it's cooking.
Once your chicken is cooked all the way through, shred with a fork and remove from heat. I transferred mine into a large glass bowl. Then allow to cool completely before mixing the filling.
For the filling add the mayo, mustard, pepper, salt, dill, and parsley to your chicken and mix until well combined. Store in fridge until your potatoes are ready. (I seasoned my chicken salad to taste so I would highly recommend tasting your chicken, and then adding more mayo or spice according to your taste.)
When your potatoes are finished cooking, remove from the oven and cut down the middle of your potato. Push the two ends of your potato using your thumbs and pointer fingers to open your potato. Using a cookie dough dropper, scoop as much potato out of the skin as you can without mutilating the potato. Place potato in a small bowl. Repeat this step with all four potatoes.
Using a fork, mash your sweet potato in your bowl until well mashed. Mix with a few Tbs. of butter and a tsp. of salt. Then place some of the filling back into each potato but spooning it in and pushing it up against the side of the potato, leaving room for the chicken. (You may not use all of the filling that you just mixed.)
Stuff your chicken filling into each potato. Stuff as much as you can into the potato. Top with cilantro or organic, refined sugar-free dressing of choice. Serve immediately.

*Store in refrigerator.
**Use organic ingredients when feasible.
**You will have leftover chicken filling which you can use for sandwiches or wraps the next day!

Homemade Veggie Pizza!

2/6/2019

Every kid's favorite food... pizza!! This is one of my favorite recipes for a Friday night, mainly because pizza is perfect weekend food, and pizza is really easy to make vegetarian if you're trying to cut down your meat intake. I generally eat meat only three times a week, so this is a delicious option for one of the meat-free nights of the week! This pizza is also completely organic and refined sugar-free!

This is also my PERFECTED crust recipe! I love cooking gluten-free, but not all of my recipes are gluten free because I believe that whole, organic grain is healthy and full of necessary nutrients. So, this crust is made with whole wheat flour, and it's the perfect mix of crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside!

Also, you can top with ANYTHING you like! I topped this one with olives and peppers. But I've also used fresh pineapple, mushrooms, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, really anything you like!

Homemade Pizza!

Ingredients:

Dough:
1 1/3 cup warm water (between 100-110°F)
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbs. raw honey
2 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour
sprinkle of cornmeal for dusting

Sauce:
1 12 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
1 Tbs. basil
Cheese
Desired Toppings

Directions:

Whisk the warm water and honey together together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Gently mix the yeast into the mixture and allow to rest for 5 minutes. (If the yeast is live it should bubble up after you let it sit for a bit.)
Add the olive oil, salt, and flour. Beat on low speed for two minutes. Then knead your dough by mixing for another 2-5 minutes. After kneading, the dough should feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger and if it bounces back it's ready to rise. Otherwise, turn it back on low and keep kneading.
Lightly grease a large glass bowl with butter, place the dough in the bowl and turn it to coat the dough in the butter. Cover the bowl with parchment paper and let rise in a warm, dry environment for about 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375°F and place your pizza stones inside. Allow the stones to heat inside as you shape the dough. (This is what creates the crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside texture.)
Line your counter top with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal on top. When it's ready, punch the dough down to release any air, and divide the dough in half. Use lightly floured hands and a lightly floured rolling pin to gently flatten your dough into a disc your desired size. Do this with both balls of dough on separate sheets of paper.
Spread your sauce, cheese, and other desired toppings on your dough, and slide the parchment paper with the dough on top onto your preheated pizza stones. (They're super hot at this point so be careful and use oven mits!)
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top, and slice and eat immediately.
Store any leftovers in the fridge.

*Use Organic ingredients when feasible.

Lemon Cream Bars

1/28/2019

I'm seriously CRAVING citrus fruit lately! Lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, you name it... I crave it. I'm not totally sure why, but I do know that citrus kills cancer cells in your body and is a great source for vitamin C! So... these lemon bars are organic, refined sugar-free, and they pretty much melt in your mouth! I once had someone tell me that they are like ambrosia for your tongue! So they must be good right?!

These bars are also super versatile so if you want to convert them to gluten-free or dairy-free it's super easy! I'll show you how in the recipe below!

Lemon Cream Bars!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup powdered Lakanto sweetener
1/2 tsp. real salt
2 tsp. lemon zest
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Filling:
4 eggs
1 cup raw honey
1/4 cup classic Lakanto sweetener
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2 large lemons worth)
1 heaping Tbs. lemon zest

Topping:
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered Lakanto sweetener
1 Tbs. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
extra lemon zest to sprinkle on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9x13 inch pan with organic, grass fed butter and set aside.
Thoroughly wash two large lemons and pat dry. Zest both lemon rinds, then slice in half and juice both lemons.
Combine all ingredients for the crust in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a fork or if you're like me... I just used my hands. The dough will resemble coarse crumbs at first, so continue to kneed it together until it forms a ball that sticks together. Mixture should not be sticky.
Press dough evenly into your buttered pan, and bake for 15 minutes. (The crust will be slightly golden brown on top.)
While the crust is baking, whisk together all the ingredients for the filling. When it's thoroughly mixed it should kind of foam up. The mixture will be fairly runny and it will thicken when it bakes.
Pour mixture onto hot crust and return to the oven for 16-18 minutes or until the mixture is slightly browned around the edges. It should also be fairly set in the middle.
Make sure your bars cool COMPLETELY before you make the topping. I'd even recommend refrigerating it for an hour or two before you top it.
To make the topping, whip together all the ingredients with and electric mixer until mixture is smooth and well combined. Spread on top of bars using a rubber spatula. Zest a lemon over the bars to give it that beautiful glazed lemon look.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.
*Store bars in fridge.

**What to make these bars gluten-free? Easy! Simply replace the pastry flour in the crust for almond flour.
**What to make these bars dairy-free? Also super easy! Just replace the cream cheese with a couple cans of coconut cream!

Claire's Chocolate Kisses!

1/22/2019

Okay, I know that it's still January and not quite Valentines season yet, BUT.... I LOVE Valentines day, and I needed something to cheer me up through these gray January days. So... Claire's Kisses were born!! These are a little different than my other chocolate recipes in that they are made with organic cacao wafers, and cacao is a super food that boosts mood, energy, and immune function!

It's a common myth that eating healthy means that you don't eat anything that tastes good, and I'm here to say that you DO NOT have to deprive yourself just because you choose to eat and live a healthful life! Confession.... I used to be OBSESSED with Hershey's chocolate kisses! I was that girl in high school that always had a bag of them in my locker, and I probably consumed a handful a day. I wouldn't recommend that for anyone whether you have a chronic illness or not! So... I'm SUPER EXCITED about these because they're organic, refined sugar-free, and full of nutrients that your body will love!

Stay tuned for different flavored chocolate recipes all through the month of February because this is for sure my new favorite recipe!!

Also, thanks to A Bite of Healthy for helping me out with this recipe! My sister is the creator of this food blog, and she is a food GENIUS! So go check out her blog here.

Claire's Chocolate Kisses!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cacao wafers
4 1/2 Tbs. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. coconut butter
1 tsp. coconut oil

Directions:

Melt ingredients in a double boiler on medium heat until completely melted. (The melting process will be a slow process so be patient, and stir constantly.)
Remove from heat and spoon chocolate into large chocolate chip molds. (You can get them from Amazon)
After filling the mold, gently tap against a counter top to ensure to remove any air bubbles in your chocolate.
Poke a toothpick into each chocolate to ensure that chocolate reaches all the way to the tip of the mold.
Refrigerate for an hour or two, or until chocolate is solid!
Remove from the mold and enjoy!

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

I would HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to make your own coconut butter! It's a super simple process and it makes enough coconut butter to fill a small jar!

All you have to do is take two cups of shredded coconut and blend it in a small blender on high until coconut reaches a creamy texture! Store it in the fridge when you're done and enjoy it in lots of your healthy recipes!

Banana Cream Pie!

1/17/2019

This is me trying my hand at gluten free and dairy free delights! The banana cream pie is super easy to make and it's no bake, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and organic! I was actually super surprised at how delicious it turned out! This is a healthy pie that you won't want to miss!

I originally found this recipe here, but I tweaked it a bit to my liking. But go check out Paleo Bailey and her delicious healthy recipes!

Healthy Banana Cream Pie!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup almond flour
7 Medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Filling:
2 14 oz. cans full-fat coconut cream (refrigerate for a couple of hours prior to use)
2-3 bananas, sliced
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

chopped pecan and extra sliced banana for topping

Directions:

Add all crust ingredients into food processor and blend until everything is finely chopped and well combined. Mixture should be thick and sticky. Add a Tbs. or two of water to help combine the mixture if the nuts aren't blending well.
Lightly coat a 9 inch glass pie pan with melted coconut oil and evenly press the crust mixture into the pan.
Layer the sliced bananas for the filling over the crust. (It's okay if they overlap, and honestly I'd highly recommend a double layer if you really like bananas!)

Add both cans of coconut cream into a mixing bowl, leaving as much liquid in the can as possible (you only want the white creamy stuff).
Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon to the bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the filling together until the coconut cream is thick.
Pour filling over crust and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.
Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until the pie sets.
Add toppings only once ready to eat so the bananas on top don't brown.
Store in refrigerator.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible!

Banana Bread!

1/7/2019

I've always found it quite the struggle to keep sweet breads and cake moist when you're cooking refined sugar-free. With that said, I finally found a banana bread recipe that is super moist, healthy, refined sugar-free, and absolutely delicious! I love banana bread, and this recipe will be a favorite for your kids and your family!

Healthy Banana Bread!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup raw honey
4 eggs
2 cups mashed banana (about 4-5 large bananas)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F and grease with butter 2 9x5 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together by hand with a whisk.
Add the eggs and beat well.
Whisk in the bananas and milk until well combined.
Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and whisk to until well blended.
Lastly, switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in flour just until combined. It's okay if there are some lumps.
Pour batter evenly into each greased loaf pan. Bake for 55 mins. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the bread cool for 10 mins. before removing it from pan.
Remove from loaf pan onto a wire wrack and let cool the rest of the way.
Slice and enjoy!

*Yields two loafs.
*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Raspberry Smoothie Bowl!

1/7/2019

I have always wanted to try making a smoothie bowl, and I finally got the chance! I was looking for a really simple smoothie bowl recipe, and I realized that there isn't much to choose from when it comes to simple smoothies, so I created one myself and here it is! This is a raspberry banana smoothie, and you can basically top it with whatever you'd like! I also used whey powder in the smoothie which is known for detoxing heavy metals out of the gut! Detox and deliciousness! Yay! I topped these with fresh banana, chia-seeds, shredded coconut, and granola. All the ingredients in this recipe are organic and refined-sugar free!!

(Keep in mind that this recipe serves three people. So three small bowls worth!)

Raspberry Banana Smoothie Bowl!

Ingredients:
2 large bananas
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/8 cup maple syrup
3 cups frozen raspberries
1 Tbs. whey protein powder
organic sugar free granola (you can use your own homemade or find the kind I used here)
extra banana
chia-seeds
shredded coconut

Directions:

Add bananas, milk, vanilla, syrup, berries, and powder into a blender and blend thoroughly on high for about 60 seconds. (It blends the best if you add the ingredients to the blender in that order.) Smoothie should be thick and free of any chunks.
Pour smoothie into three small bowls and top with banana slices, chia, coconut, and granola in any design you like! (You can also top with any other topping you'd like. Dried fruit, nuts, berries, etc.)
Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Hashbrown Quiche

1/7/2019

My first quiche! Okay, first of all... making quiche is a learning experience. Second of all, quiche takes a long time to cook, so if you're planning to eat it that day, PLAN AHEAD! Third, I had so much fun making this even if it's totally crazy and just came off the top of my head! Ha! This quiche is made with farm fresh, organic free-range eggs. It's also made with all organic veggies, and the hash-brown crust is made with home-grown, organic potatoes! It's also very versatile so you can pretty much throw whatever you like in it! I think adding olives, tomatoes, and other kinds of peppers would be a great addition to this recipe! This recipe is also topped with fresh, organic, Parmesan cheese, but if that's not an option for you cheddar cheese would work just as well!

Hash-Brown Quiche

Ingredients:

Hash-Brown Crust:
3 cups freshly grated potatoes (about 3-4 large potatoes)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
3 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Quiche:
8 eggs
1 cup dairy unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup diced onion (about a half of a small onion)
1/2 cup diced mini sweet peppers (about 4 small peppers)
3/4 cup diced sliced turkey (omit if you prefer vegetarian quiche)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian spice
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup (split into 1/4 in the mixture, and 1/2 to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

Preheat oven 375° and prep 9 inch spring-form pan by rubbing a thick layer of softened butter on the bottom and sides of pan.
Wash, peel, and grate potatoes with a cheese grater and squeeze out all the extra liquid with a cheese clothe. Mix potatoes, melted butter, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Press potato mixture into the bottom on sides of pan and cook for about 20 minutes.
Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl until well combined. Add diced onion, peppers, turkey, salt, spice, and pepper and whisk lightly until well combined. Add 1/4 cup of cheese and whisk lightly until well combined.
Remove hash-brown crust from oven and immediately pour egg mixture into the crust. Bake at 375° for about an hour. (Cooking time may vary depending on the heat of your oven. I would recommend setting your timer for 45 mins and checking on it. When quiche is finished cooking, it should jiggle ever so slightly, and when a toothpick is inserted it should come out clean.)
Once the quiche is cooked all the way through, open oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Let cook for about 10 more minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing the edge of the pan and serving.
Slice and enjoy!

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Stuffed Peppers!

1/3/2019

I think one of the wonderful things that have come from my Lyme life has been a deeper appreciation for healthy food that I've gained. I absolutely love all the flavors and smells that come from healthy food that I never even noticed before! There's a certain art and beauty that comes from the food we consume, and that beauty not only feeds our bodies but feeds our hearts as well!

I made these peppers tonight on a whim and they were absolutely delicious! They're perfect for the meat eaters that try to eat only small amounts of meat, and they are filled with flavor from my homemade Italian seasoning! They're also really easy to make and can be easily whipped up for dinner on nights where you haven't had time to think about it (hence making them on a whim tonight! Ha!).

Stuffed Peppers!

Ingredients:
6 large bell peppers
2 cups of your favorite rice
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbs. grapeseed oil (or avocado oils works too)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 small onion (diced)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (you can used canned or you can lightly run some fresh tomatoes through a blender)
4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare your rice with 2 cups rice and 4 cups water.
Cut off the tops of your peppers and remove the core and seeds.
In a large skillet add oil and diced onions and saute until brown and cooked. Add the turkey and cook on medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Stir occasionally with spatula so the turkey doesn't burn.
Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese and stir until well blended. Let cook for about a minute or until the cheese is fully melted and remove from heat.
Fill peppers half way with rice. Sprinkle a bit of the cheddar cheese over the rice and then stuff with meat mixture until each pepper is full.
Line the glass pan with whatever rice is left and fit fully stuffed peppers in pan with the rice.
Sprinkle with the rest of your cheddar cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown on top.

*Store leftovers in fridge.
**Use organic ingredients when feasible.

For Italian Seasoning:
3 Tbs. dried parsley
3 Tbs. dried basil
2 1/2 Tbs. dried oregano
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Mix together in a small bowl with a spoon. I got about a 16 oz. jar's worth of seasoning.

*I used all organic herbs, and make sure you smell this blend after it's all made because it smells AMAZING!!!

Welcome to My Kitchen!

Food is one of the greatest forms of science, art, medicine, and sustenance all at the same time! It's what feeds our lives and pumps through our blood. It's what connects us and what gives us energy to fulfill our purpose. It is for that reason that I have a deep passion for discovering, cooking, and eating only the most nutrient dense foods. In my kitchen, we only use organic, whole ingredients that feed the body, as well as the mind and soul. My hope is to inspire healing through healthy AND delicious food that feeds not only our stomachs, but also our hunger for connection and quality of life.

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Disclaimer: For Educational and Informational Purposes Only. The information provided by Chronically Beautiful is for educational and informational purposes only, and is made available to you as self-help tools for your own use. All and any information given on my website is for the purpose of sharing information to help you help yourself, and not for me to take on any other role as any health professional.