Paleo Coconut Flour Bread Recipe

I made this paleo coconut flour bread the other day and I can't stop eating it. I put a little bit of butter or coconut oil on top after heating it up in the microwave -- so good! The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of raw honey but I omitted it from my recipe. I didn't miss it one bit, but if you've got a bit of a sweet tooth, you can add that back in to yours.

What you'll need:
3/4 cup     coconut flour
1 tsp     baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup     coconut oil, softened
1 Tbsp     cinnamon
1 tsp     vanilla extract
2 Tbsp     raw apple cider vinegar
6 large eggs, separated

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a standard loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix together coconut flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Add in softened coconut oil and stir till well blended and smooth.
4. Separate the eggs, beat egg whites till stiff and set aside. Add egg yolks, vanilla and apple cider vinegar to the coconut flour mixture.
5. Quickly fold in egg whites to the mixture.
6. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let us know in the comments if you tried it out!

Tips for Getting Long, Strong, Healthy Hair

Ever since I was little I've almost always had long hair (minus a few unfortunate short cuts that I will never understand). 

It's hard to keep long hair healthy. Here are some of the things that have really helped me over the years and I hope they help you too! 

1. Never brush your hair -- especially when it's wet. This will cause all kinds of damage and breakage. Use a wide tooth comb instead and slowly comb through your hair to remove the tangles. 

2. Do a deep conditioning treatment about once a week. Let it sit on your hair for about 10 minutes before rinsing it out. Your hair will feel smooth and look so shiny.

3. Put your blowdryer down. It may not be fun to sit around with wet hair but I promise you, you'll see a huge difference in how healthy your hair looks if you don't blow dry it every day. I usually wash my hair at night and let it air dry. I touch it up when I get up with a quick swoop of my curling iron or flat iron. 

4. Use a hair protecting serum when you have to apply heat. Need to curl or straighten your hair? Apply a hair protecting serum beforehand to minimize the damage. 

5. Go for regular trims. It may seem silly to cut it often when you're trying to grow out your hair but I promise this will do wonders for the health of your hair. Your split ends will be minimal and you'll give your hair a real chance to grow. Try to get a trim every 6-8 weeks if you can.

6. Take fish oil, vitamin E and flax seeds. These really help promote hair growth and I've seen a huge difference since I started taking them in my hair, skin and nails. 

7. Don't wash your hair every day. Use dry shampoo between washings if your hair is on the greasy side. Washing it will dry your hair out and it's really harsh on your hair. I promise you will see great results! 

These are some tips that have helped me maintain long healthy hair over the years. Do you have any tips to share? 

Health & Nutrition: Non Fruit Smoothie Recipe

I've been on a major smoothie kick lately. I think it has something to do with the nice weather that we're finally getting in Chicago. Also, my parents generously gave Jay and I a Vitamix for our recent wedding shower and I've been obsessed with using it. You wouldn't believe how much of a difference it makes. It's worth every single penny!

I was previously putting a lot of fruit (way too much actually) in my smoothies. I decided to not put any in one day to see if it would taste okay without it. To my surprise, I loved the taste and didn't miss the fruit at all.

I've been having these for breakfasts lately and am surprised on how full they make me. Usually I'm hungry again in just a few short hours, but these keep me full until I can take a break at work.

What you'll need:

One generous handful of almonds or another nut of your choice

One scoop protein powder (I use vanilla egg white protein)

A generous handful of spinach or another green of your choice (I promise you won't taste it!)

1 cup of almond milk or another liquid of choice

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon flax seeds

4 ice cubes

A few dashes of cinnamon

What to do:

1. Put all contents into your mixer and blend for a minute or two.

2. Put in a large cup and enjoy!

Super quick, easy and so good for you! I hope I keep up with these through the summer.

Do you have any smoothie recipes you're loving lately? Share them below in the comments!

Easy Mexican Tostada Recipe

After working 8 hours and commuting a little over 2 hours each day, the last thing I have energy for at the end of the day is cooking an elaborate meal. We try to eat at home Monday-Thursday and I like to incorporate easy and healthy meals into our rotation. These Mexican tostadas are super easy to make and can be customized to your liking. We hope you enjoy them!

What you'll need:

6 corn tortillas

1 can refried beans (I used refried black beans with jalapenos from Trader Joe's)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Optional toppings: sour cream, green onions, cilantro, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, hot sauce, etc.

What to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 

2. Using a basting brush and olive oil, lightly coat both sides of your tortillas 

3. Place your coated tortillas on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes 

4. Use your can of refried beans to evenly coat your six tortillas 

5. Sprinkle your cheese evenly over the tortillas and bake for an additional 5 minutes 

6. Let cool slightly and top with your favorite toppings. We used fresh tomatoes, sour cream and hot sauce last night. I love adding green onions and cilantro too! 

See - told you it was easy! This meal takes less than 20 minutes to make and cleanup is easy too. My kind of weeknight meal :)

Do you have any easy dinner recipes you love? Share them in the comments!