It might be the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean we throw our nutrition goals out the window! I love being on the lookout for healthier, plant based alternatives to some of my family's favorite dishes, and this one was a true standout. It’s beautifully red and green for the holiday season, it’s plant based, and it requires NO baking!

Try it and let me know what you think.

Vegan No Bake Matcha Cheesecake, from Running on Real Food

If you’re a matcha-lover or have some matcha powder you don’t know what to do with, this matcha cheesecake is such a fun way to use it! You can use ceremonial or culinary grade matcha but you’ll get the best color with a bright green powder, usually what you’d find in a good quality ceremonial grade matcha.

This simple cake is gorgeous, perfectly zesty, and lightly sweetened with a hint of earthy matcha flavor. It’s like a matcha latte in cheesecake form!

Enjoy this beautiful dessert for a special occasion this holiday season or–let’s be honest– store it in the freezer so you can pull a slice or two anytime you need one!

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust

1 cup almond flour (112 g)
1 cup pecans (100 g)
4 tablespoons of maple syrup (70 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

For the Cream Filling

1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 6–12 hours) (200 g )
1/3 cup of melted coconut oil (50 g)
1 cup of coconut cream (215 g)
1/2 cup maple syrup (115 g)
⅓ cup lemon juice (50 g)
2 tbsp matcha powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon soy lecithin (optional, for better emulsion. Buy online or in well stocked grocery stores)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak Cashews: Soak the cashews for at least 6 hours up to overnight in a bowl of water. When you’re ready to make the cake drain and rinse.
   
2. Make Crust: Add the ingredients for the crust to a food processor and blend into a moldable dough. Use your hands to firmly press the dough into an 8-inch springform pan until you have a smooth, even layer.
   
3. Blend Filling: Add the drained cashews to a high-speed blender with the rest of the cream ingredients and blend into a very smooth consistency.
   
4. Add Filling to Crust: Pour the cream over the crust in the pan. Smooth with a spatula if needed.
   
5. Freeze: Place the cake in the freezer for 2 hours up to overnight.
   
6. Serve: Let thaw briefly at room temperature or in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before serving.
   

If you try it out, let me know what you think!

For many people, fall is the season of turning leaves, cozy sweaters, and all things warm and cozy. But for farmers it’s also the time of harvest, and this brings an abundance of fresh foods that grew all summer to our grocery store shelves. 

Thanks to a growing global supply chain, most fruits and vegetables are available in supermarkets year round. So why should you seek out seasonal produce? Seasonal fruits and vegetables are:

-Better for your health: When fruits and veggies are eaten in their proper season, they are more nutrient dense because they have matured on the plant, rather than being picked early and made to ripen in a truck with chemicals.
-Better for the environment-  Seasonal produce more often comes from local farms, which means less emissions from airplanes and trucks necessary to bring us produce from all over the world. Eating local also reduces water use, land use, soil degradation, and pollution
-Better for your taste buds: An apple freshly plucked from a tree will be much tastier than one shipped thousands of miles or left in cold storage for months.
-Better for your budget: Fruits and vegetables are likely to be at their best price in the fall, so you’ll save money by sticking to what’s in season.

So what's in Season this Fall? Check it out:
1. Sweet potatoes
2. Beets
3. Pumpkin
4. Butternut squash
5. Brussel sprouts
6. Apples
7. Cranberries
8. Kale
9. Eggplant
10. Broccoli

Not a big fan of the raw veggie? All of the above veggies taste WONDERFUL when you roast them in the oven. Just cut up your chosen one, toss it lightly in olive oil, and spread on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees until browned. Simple and your body will thank you!  What is your favorite fall recipe?

Some of life’s greatest partnerships:

A cold night and a warm fire

Movies and Popcorn

Fresh Sheets on a Soft Bed

Pilates and Nutrition

Wait, what?

You read that right– Pilates and nutrition are one of life’s sweetest– and most rewarding– partnerships out there! You can’t out-exercise a bad diet, and you can’t only eat well despite being sedentary and hope for a wellness miracle. BOTH factors work together to create the greatest impact.

A recent study highlights JUST how good these two are together. The study assessed data from almost 350,000 participants over 10 years. It found that people who ate a high-quality diet, which included at least 4.5 cups of vegetables and fruits a day, and also had regular physical activity had the greatest reductions in risk of deathly illnesses. Overall physical activity, including walking, was associated with benefits, but vigorous activity that led to sweating was particularly protective against cardiovascular disease risk, even at just 10 to 75 minutes per week!

I recommend clients come in three times a week to get the most benefit from their Pilates routine, but you can see from the study that even if you can’t currently commit to three times a week, ANY movement is better than none.

Follow these tips to get the most wellness bang for your buck!

• Start with a private session if you’re new to Pilates, haven’t been to a Pilates class in a while, or desire more individualization in your session
• Schedule a duet session with a friend - working out with a buddy is shown to improve your results. It helps with accountability and keeps you engaged longer!
• Join in on a group session to mix things up and save BIG with our monthly membership ($225/month for unlimited sessions)

Struggling to get enough fruits and veggies in your day? Here are some creative ways to get your 4.5 cups/day:

• Add vegetables to your sauces
• Try veggie noodles in place of pasta
• Try a fruit or veggie-filled smoothie (spinach and avocado are good to add in!)
• Make a cauliflower pizza crust

A good rule of thumb is to make vegetables and fruits the MAIN dish on your plate.  Soon enough, you will see the changes in the way your body functions and your overall feelings of well being!

Have you ever woke in your bed thinking about your email inbox and to-dos for the day and just felt a huge amount of anxiety?  


We’ve all been there. In a 2021 survey of 1,500 U.S. workers, more than half said they were feeling burned out as a result of their job demands, and a whopping 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs last December in what has come to be known as the “great resignation.” Even with a “perfect life,” we can experience burnout.
 
When people think of burnout, mental and emotional symptoms such as feelings of helplessness and cynicism often come to mind. But burnout can lead to physical symptoms as well, and make us more susceptible to disease. This makes it all the more important that we’re able to recognize the signs and know what to do about them.
 
Along with things like chronic fatigue, cynicism, pessimism, and detachment, the following physical signs can be an indicator of burnout:
 

• Sleeplessness (Insomnia)
  
• Pain in the lower abdomen
  
• Headaches
  
• A racing heartbeat
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Feeling dizzy or fainting
  
• Pain in the intestines
  

 
We’re often told the solution is to do more self-care or to add more positive practices to our routine. But sometimes….the solution is to just do less. The road to burnout is paved with over-committing yourself and overbooking your calendar–oftentimes with commitments you don’t really even want to do. Before you know it, your day is jammed with tasks and the need to be available at all times of the day and night. 
 
Take a look at all you’re committed to, and start to prioritize the things that you TRULY value and that bring your joy. It can be hard, but it's ok to say No to requests on your time that don’t fit in with your main priorities. 
 
Only you can turn the tide on burnout. But when you do, you’ll be so thankful that you did.​