Tag: recipes

recipes

Benefits of Tomatillos & Salsa Recipe

August 20, 2024

I am slightly obsessed with tomatillos. Yes. Tomatillos, those small “green” tomatoes you often overlook because they look weird. The past few weeks, I have been using them in everything from salsa to salads just to switch things up. After a bit of research, I learned tomatillos are also great for overall health and can lead to healthy hair. Benefits of Tomatillos for Healthy Hair & Body These small tomatoes are filled with minerals such as magnesium, copper, and potassium. They also contain a substantial amount of vitamin C and K and fiber. According to Organic Facts, “Tomatillos contain unique antioxidant phytochemicals called withanolides, which have been directly linked to anti-cancer and antibacterial functions.” Tomatillos are great for eye health, weight-loss and even boost the health of your immune system, which is all ideal for healthy hair from the inside out. Lazy & Easy Tomatillos Salsa 2 handfuls of tomatillos 5 grape tomatoes or 1 small red tomato 1/3 stalk of cilantro 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of black pepper Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until desired consistency. Once you made this salsa, add it to this quick and easy vegetarian rice bowl. I am obsessed with making simple “bowl” meals. Check out one of my favorite ones that only need a few ingredients. Quick Vegetarian Rice Bowl Rice & Quinoa: Cook equal parts of quinoa and rice in rice cooker with equal parts of water Mushrooms: Sauté mushrooms in a pan with coconut oil on med-high heat. Once tender add 2-3 tablespoon of coconut amino and lower heat to simmer for 2-4 mins. Avocado: Cut and remove seed of avocado. Add to bowl. Add juice of one small lime on top of an avocado and slightly smash together. Add everything together in a bowl and enjoy!

Turmeric For Runners – Golden Milk

January 13, 2019

Every week, I have been making this tea called Golden Milk. If you didn’t now basically golden milk is a tea that is a golden color because it’s made with/from turmeric, which is yellowish. It can be made with a variety of spices such as pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Most people make it with regular turmeric but lately I have been using turmeric supplements instead as they are of higher quality and a quick way to ingest the supplements without taking a pill. I have dubbed this “Super Charged Golden Milk Tea.”

Weight Loss for Runners | What I Eat In a Day – Morning Edition

May 10, 2018

Training for the 2018 Boston Marathon, I ended up losing some weight. Actually, I lost more inches than anything. Don’t believe me?!! Look at this before my training and during me during my Boston training?! Whoa!! Right?! When I posted this side-by-side while ago on my Instagram, I was flooded with questions of how I lost weight, what my training was like and much more. A post shared by Alexandria Williams (@alexandriawill) on Apr 15, 2018 at 6:33pm PDT I was to busy and focused mainly on Boston to answer everything, to be honest. But I made it through the Boston craziness sooooo now, I am back at it and am doing a series where I answer your questions about running and weight loss. Focus on Your Morning Time Breakfast and your first few hours of the day are vital to your overall health and well being. If you start with proper fuel it will help you stay on track for the day. This was critical for me so I wanted to start with a few videos on the importance of morning. In this video, I break down the importance of fueling my morning and what I eat from the time I wake up to about midday. Weight Loss for Runners | What I Eat In a Day – Morning Edition List of Foods & Supplements I Mention – Download the Meal Plan Sheet for Free – http://bit.ly/mealpreplist – Alkaline Water: Santevia Kit – https://amzn.to/2Iuhz9P – Sprouts Hummus: Everything – Genuine Health Products https://amzn.to/2rAdBlA – Yerba Mate: https://amzn.to/2KSqu2Z – Harney & Sons Black Tea https://amzn.to/2rzebAQ – Milton’s Crackers https://amzn.to/2Iac5S7 Proper Foundations Helps Me Achieve My Goals! Want more details? Truly everything I discuss is really in my book. I wrote the book and seriously applied all the principles and foundations in it finally!! Having the proper foundation allowed for me to achieved being a sub-3 hour half-marathon finally lose 3 dress sizes trained for the Boston Marathon battled my on-going fight with depression. Yep! It’s the foundation that matters! Don’t start tomorrow or on Monday, start now! Check it out for more details on how to have the proper foundation and healthy hair and body from the inside out. Grab your copy right now!

Chickpea Mason Jar Salad

December 21, 2017

I am often asked what I eat for training for Marathon or on any given day. To be honest, it. varies but one thing that doesn’t change is my need to get some greens in my system each day. Every week, I try to end my day by eating a salad every day. It’s pretty easy to do and readily available anywhere but it can be very expensive if I am eating out and or time-consuming to make. This is why I am obsessed with making salads in a mason jar. It not only helps saves me time and also are very healthy and affordable. So, I figured it’s a great time to share one of my simple and easy recipes using chickpeas for a mason jar salad. Benefits of Chickpeas for Healthy Hair Chickpeas are a great source of protein and other vitamins and nutritions, which aid in strengthening your hair from the inside out. From hummus to salads, chickpeas are both cheap and a very versatile protein rich source. Additionally, chickpeas also help Control Hunger Reduce Cholesterol Helps Protect Against Heart Disease and Cancer Great Source of Fiber and much more! Directions for Chickpea Salads in Mason Jar Now that you know a bit more about chickpeas, here is one of my favorite vegetarian protein-rich salads complete with cooked chickpeas, veggies and a simple Italian dressing. It’s super affordable so feel free to get creative and use roasted vegetables, brown rice, quinoa, eggs and literally anything else. The possibilities are endless! I love making mason jar salads as part of my weekly meal prep. So here is a quick and easy way to make your own mason jar salads within a few simple steps. Drain, season and cook two cans of chickpeas. While chickpeas are cooking, add dressing to the bottom of the mason jar and prep veggies. Start adding ingredients to your mason jar in this order After the dressing, add the chickpeas, shredded veggies, tomatoes and then any herbs and additional seasonings or nuts you may want (hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.) Secure each lid and store in the fridge. Shake up the salad once you’re ready to eat, or you can dump/pour it into a large bowl if you prefer. You can add on a bed of mixed greens, massaged kale, Arugula or ditch the greens and eat as is. I prefer my mason jar salads not to have the greens in them. Mainly because it’s super easy to carry my Kale Queen mason jars in my pursue/bag and the greens stay fresher when not in the jar. That’s it folks! Let me know if you are excited to try it or obsessed with mason jars too?! Click For This Free E-Guide For More…. Want More? Signup For Your Free E-Book

Brandless Not Worth The Hype?!

August 23, 2017

Brandless is a website that has one big mission. with one little $3 price. It’s a site that basically had brandless aka generic/store brand products for one flat price $3. It focuses on the essential products for the kitchen and home. Every single item in the store is $3. YES. You heard and read it right. Literally every single thing on the site is $3. From can openers to organic granola, it has a little bit for everyone all within a few clicks of a button. Most of the products is non-geo, organic or free or crazy additives and chemicals. This sounds to good to be true to me. Brandless has gotten a lot of press and crazy fans of the web since launching just a few months ago. As a frugal shopper, I knew this would be the site for me to help keep me right with my budget and on the healthy track. I was super excited and even reached out to the company regarding my upcoming purchase. So I decided to do a review of my first thoughts of what I ordered and much more. Is Brandless Worth the Hype? First Impressions & Unboxing What did I get for $3? Or the Grand Total of 34.50 bucks + Shipping I ordered a few items that were both good for the belly, body, and household from Brandless — and the whole thing was only $34.50. At first, my order was well over $50 bucks, which is part of the problem. Everything is $3, so you feel like you can go HAM on things you think you want and or need. I had to cut out a lot and only got essential items I needed or could use up should I not like them. Here is the list of items I purchased. Multi-Surface Cleaner Dish Soap – wasted and opened Peppermint Mouthwash Can Opener – scratches on it Organic Oats & Honey Granola Organic English Breakfast Black Tea Fig & Thyme Crisps – can get locally for same price but good Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips (2 bags for $3) Organic Brown Basmati Rice Gochujang Korean Sweet & Spicy Cooking Sauce Organic Poppy Seed Dressing Organic Light Brown Sugar There area few items that are not $3 such as canned beans and chips. They offer those as a certain amount for $3. In this case, the bag of chips were 2 for $3. The items in bold are the ones I like and say are winners. The ones italicized I liked but were questionable as I noted about them in my video. Shipping, Discounts & Membership Shipping is where things get iffy. It is $9 via FedEx, which comes in about 2-3 days. Not too bad. If you want free shipping, you have to spend $72, so that’s roughly purchasing 24 products at one time. They have a membership called B-Program, which cost $36 bucks a year. It allows you free shipping at $48 instead of the $72 price tag. Additionally, you get a sneak peak at new releases early and access to special events. You can learn more about their B-Program here. Meh…. A post shared by Alexandria – FitHair Expert (@alexandriawill) on Aug 22, 2017 at 7:05am PDT For first time orders you get shipping at $3 after that it’s $9. I was so excited when I opened the package but unfortunately it turned into disappointment. It was packaged nicely, but most of my items had some issue with them. From scratches on the can opener to chips and ships and crackers being broken. I think they need to rethink the shipping part especially if I order again and am paying $9. Thanks to shipping issues and most my products looking like they went through hell to get here, I say this is a major FAIL for me. Additionally, by paying $9 for shipping for a little bit over ten products means my items were almost $4 with no way for a refund thanks to the damages. Overall Brandless is a No For Me With Amazon (Prime, Now and Grocery), Trader Joes , Sprouts and Costco all sitting within my finger tips or backyard, I don’t find the need for Brandless. Most of the household items I honestly can purchase at the same price or less even online for name brand products or other ones I trust. Most items that are $3 honestly looked like they were worth $3. I like the packaging of things but most of my items were broken upon arrival or opened and damaged. This is a major fail for me. It get’s a no for me. Save ya coins. ALTERNATIVES FOR BRANDLESS & GREEN CLEANING If you are looking for a site that does have a cool membership and great healthy products for the house. I really love The Grove Collaborative. They have some of the best natural products at great prices, delivered right to your door. It’s my favorite online site to shop for organic, eco-friendly and sustainable items like Dr. Bronner’s, Meyer’s and Seventh Generation. On my first order, I grabbed a special filled with 4 free products – mak ing this FREE 99 for products. Check out why toxic chemicals can affect you hair and my shift to all natural products. Additionally, you can grab $10 bucks to shop on the Grove Collaborative by clicking here. Disclaimer: I wasn’t contacts nor sponsored for this post or to review Brandless. Paid for everything out of my pocket.

How To Make Homemade Raw Walnut Milk

June 22, 2017

Walnuts are one of the best nuts to consume. They are an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids, rich in antioxidants. Additionally, they are a great source of manganese and copper and biotin. They are one of the best nuts to consume for healthy hair from the inside out. So if you have hard time-consuming walnuts, why not try drinking it in the form of milk. See how I make my own homemade walnut milk. Items Needed to Make Homemade Walnut Milk 1 cup Walnuts 2- 32oz of Alkaline or spring water 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt Elle’s Best Nut Milk Bag (see below on how to save on this) High-Speed Blender Bonus: You can add a sweetener of your choice if you want your milk sweeter or add a little flair with some cinnamon or vanilla. How to Make Homemade Raw Walnut Milk It is so easy to make your own nut milk and taste so much better than most store-bought and premade milks. Check out this video where I show you how I make the homemade raw walnut milk. Instructions on Making Walnut Milk Soak walnuts for about 4-6 hours or overnight Drain and rinse walnuts in strainer Place all ingredients into blender and blend for about 60 seconds Strain milk through nut milk bag into mason jar Store for up to 3-5 days The Key to Homemade Milk: The Nut Bag Elle’s Best Nut Milk Bag is a large 12″ X 12″ commercial grade nut milk bag made of fine mesh nylon cheesecloth. It is reusable and functions perfectly as an all-purpose strainer and cold brew coffee filter. You can us the bag for many different things such as milk, juice tea, and cold brew coffee. I absolutely love this nut milk bag. I have had a few other ones as I indicated in my pumpkin milk video and they have not lasted as long as this one. Having a quality nutmilk bags actually, saves you in the longer term by providing more product and a much creamier milk. Discount on Ellie’s Best Nut Milk Bag The folks at Elle’s Best offering you a discount on your purchase plus some freebies. You will get a free e-book Ellie’s Best free e-book filled with recipes and how-to videos. Use Product Code: Alexandria to save and with your order. (Note: This discount and special is only for their website and not Amazon or any other sites you may find the bag on.) Now that you got the big secret to it all I know you are wondering… What To Do With The Left Over Pulp? Now that the milk is removed you can store the remaining bag contents in the refrigerator and use in a variety of dishes such as cookies, pancakes, muffins and much more. I add it to my oatmeal to make it creamy and add extra protein. Likewise, you can just discard it. No shame in that!

Pumpkin Seeds For Healthy Hair & DIY Pumpkin Milk

February 10, 2017

Pumpkin seeds are the edible seed of a pumpkin or other types of squash. They are oval, flat and can be found in a variety of colors such as green or white from the outer hull. Pumpkin seeds are a natural source of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. They are powerful seeds packed with vitamins B and K, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, potassium and copper. Pumpkin seeds also contain vitamin E and A, which helps improves the skin tone and aid in the production of new skin cells and repair. Did you know, just a small handful or about 1 ounce of pumpkin seeds contain almost 10g of protein and are packed with fiber?! As you can tell, eating pumpkin seeds can aid in growing healthy hair from the inside out. You can eat pumpkin seeds raw, roasted or add them to salads or snack mixes. My favorite way to consume these seeds is by making my own milk. Homemade Pumpkin Milk This is a quick and easy recipe for making your own homemade pumpkin milk. All you need are the following items: a milk strainer or cloth, about a handful of pumpkin seeds, a 32-ounce mason jar and 64-ounces of water. You can use a sweetener such as vanilla, cinnamon or even honey as an option. I love using pumpkin milk in my shake, smoothies or ice matcha. Check out my video, where I dish on the benefits of pumpkin seeds and show you how to make homemade pumpkin milk. Here are the bags I showed in the video. You can purchase the affordable and popular strainer or the organic cotton cloth I use in the video via amazon.

Bone Broth For Hair Growth

October 7, 2016

When you get sick, often times everyone tell you to drink some chicken noodle soup. I finally learned another reason why is due to the broth. Bone broth isn’t new-new. Many cultures, dishes and even our ancestors have been using it for years. A few years ago, there was a big bone broth hype and I honestly ignored it because it was just another fad to me. It’s been said the vitamins and minerals you get from the broken-down bones have powerful healing properties and can help to alleviate joint and gut pain, boost your immune system, brighten skin and even make your hair shiny. Allison, Communications Specialist for Sprouts and Emilie Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef who runs the Zen and Spice blog, were on hand to teach us #bonebroth101 and two simple soup recipes using the bone broth. Bone broth can be used by simply swapping water or regular stock. BONE BROTH 101 Benefits of Bone Broth There are countless benefits in bone broth. The ones I was most impressed with the most are Treat leaky gut syndrome Overcome food intolerances and allergies Improve joint health Reduce cellulite Boost immune system Indigestion and gut health You can easily make your own batch of bone broth and freeze it for a rainy day or even use it for savory soups such as in a Shrimp Bisque soup. I attended the event with some of my fellow fitness and nutrition bloggers in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area. The event was hosted at Sprout’s newest store in Allen, Texas . The new store has fresh juices, unique prepared foods and even a sushi area. You can find out more about new openings in your area here. Most of us had only heard about Bone Broth but honestly we all didn’t understand the benefits of bone broth and mostly the difference in it from broth. Different Between Broth, Stock and Bone Broth Nourished Kitchen has a great explanation of the different in Broth, Stock and Bone Broth. Broth is typically made with meat and can contain a small amount of bones (think of the bones in a fresh whole chicken). Broth is typically simmered for a short period of time (45 minutes to 2 hours). It is very light in flavor, thin in texture and rich in protein. Stock is typically made with bones and can contain a small amount of meat (think of the meat that adheres to a beef neck bone). Often the bones are roasted before simmering them as this simple technique greatly improves the flavor. Beef stocks, for example, can present a faint acrid flavor if the bones aren’t first roasted. Stock is typically simmered for a moderate amount of time (3 to 4 hours). Stock is a good source of gelatin. Bone Broth is typically made with bones and can contain a small amount of meat adhering to the bones. As with stock, bones are typically roasted first to improve the flavor of the bone broth. Bone broths are typically simmered for a very long period of time (often in excess of 24 hours), with the purpose being not only to produce gelatin from collagen-rich joints but also to release minerals from bones. At the end of cooking, the bones should crumble when pressed lightly between your thumb and forefinger. Benefits of Bone Broth for Hair and Skin So, I had to ask the nutritionist for the benefits of bone broth for growing hair and having amazing skin. There are countless but I will highlight the main ones. Collagen is the main nutrient in bone broth. Collagen is a protein found in the connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and bones. Collagen maintains skin elasticity and firmness additionally is assist with helping skin to be smooth and supple. Wrinkles occur when the collagen in your skin breaks down. Some people apply collagen type of products on the outside but many are choosing to start from the inside out. Your scalp is still skin so having a healthy scalp with has Additionally, bone broth contains other essential vitamins for growing healthy hair such as Magnesium (assist with acne issues and inflammation) and Calcium (Deficiency leads to dull hair). Oh and it’s packed with protein, one serving often contains as much as 10g of protein. Boom! Where to Buy Bone Broth & How to Make It Obviously, since we were at Sprouts, I learned you can purchase the bones in Sprouts‘ Old Tyme Butcher Shop. The butchers can custom-cut any meat, bone cuts or anything just the way you want it. They also can help you pick, which ones are right for your particular recipes. You can make bone broth on your own or you can purchase them. Note, when purchasing please review sourcing, ingredients and if collagen has been removed or added. Below are a few recommendations . I listed them in order of how long it takes to make or cook. DIY Bone Broth – Takes 48 hours Jarrow Bone Broth Powder – 5 Minutes Sprouts Organic Bone Broth – None Major thank you to Sprouts for inviting some of my fellow Dallas Fitness Ambassadors out to learn about Bone Broth. Special thanks to Zen and Spice for teaching us some simple fall soups using Bone Borth.

Simple Pineapple Watermelon Salad

July 15, 2016

Summer is here and I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen cooking. Everything is so fresh and tasting its best. One of my favorite obsessions for the summer are pineapples. I have been eating pineapples with everything – Everything!!!! Simple Pineapple Watermelon Salad Today, I figured I would share a quick post on one of my easy lunch meals that are sure to satisfy your summer taste buds but also keep you fit and healthy. I cut up fresh watermelon and pineapples. Once cut up I added cheese (feta, goat, any of your favorite or omit) with lime juice and mixed everything together. You can also garnish with mint and even add a little bit of cracked pepper for a kick. Cheese is a great vegetarian option for post-workout snack or with a nice healthy sandwich. With natural ingredients and up to 8 grams of protein per serving, you can ensure you are having enough protein in your daily diet. Protein is one of the building blocks of hair. If you don’t get enough, your hair can and will often grow slower and could possibly be much weaker. If you are a cheesehead like myself, the folks at Sargento are offering you a free subscription to Women’s Health Magazine. It’s simple and doesn’t cost you anything out the ordinary. If you are like me, I normally buy two types of cheese. If you are, then hold on to those recipes because any two qualifying Sargento snack products will allow for you to get a one-year subscription to Women’s Health Magazine totally free. Find your perfect snack match: http://www.sargento.com/real-life/wholesome-snacks/string-stick Here are some other great ideas on how to enjoy Summer Snacking One Girl’s Point of View of the Perfect Snack Snack Time As a Women’s Health Action Hero (#whactionhero), I get a chance to try and partner with various companies. I was given a complimentary coupon; however, this blog post is not sponsored. As always, all opinions are my own.

3 Summer Desserts Great for Hair and Body

June 10, 2016

With temperatures increasing for the summer so are my taste buds for summer desserts. From popsicles to pie, my taste buds are flowing for some great desserts. I was asked by Weight Watchers® Ice Cream to create some unique tips celebrating the anticipation of the summer season so three super easy desserts that benefit both your hair and body. Watermelon Watermelon is a great option for summer thanks to its high amount of water content. It also contains a significant amount of vitamins A, B6 and C, antioxidants, amino acids, and potassium, which are both great for your hair and body. Blueberries Blueberries are one of my favorite berries to consume during the summer season. From salads to smoothies to cakes and pies, blueberries can be incorporated in a variety of dishes. Blueberries contain a variety of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C and B6, which all are essential to hair growth. Blueberries also contain a significant amount of fiber, which helps lower cholesterol in the blood and is said to decrease the risk of heart disease. Yogurt Yogurt is one of my favorite desserts in the summer because it contains hair vitamins such as B-2 and B-12 but also a great deal of nutrients essential to the body such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Greek yogurt is one of my favorites as it can contain up to 15g of protein in one serving and low in calorie. Bonus: So I know some of you might not like bake or make anything so if you don’t find any of these desserts appetizing simply head on over to your local Target and Walmart and grab a lower calorie and fat version of your favorite cold dessert. You can also find the Weight Watchers Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Bars, which I enjoyed in the hot summer temperatures. If Raspberry isn’t your thing, they have several other flavors to try. This post is sponsored by Weight Watchers® Ice Cream as a part of their summer celebration. Don’t forget about my giveaway going on for the “Summer Preparation Gift Pack.” Items in the Summer Preparation Gift Pack will include: Nunatt Hair Products, Beach scarf, Garden of Life product, Ellevie body product, a tumbler, Weight Watchers coupons and much more a Rafflecopter giveaway This is a sponsored post on behalf of Weight Watchers Ice Cream. All opinions are my own.Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.