Spinach Pancakes (Gluten Free!)

I hope you all are enjoying your Labor Day weekend! I have a great recipe to share. I've always been a big pancake fan, and this recipe is for some delicious, gluten-free pancakes made with spinach. Yes, spinach. And yes, they are green! I think I've found a new Christmas morning tradition! So fun. And good for you! Here's the recipe! :)

Spinach Pancakes

Ingredients: 

50 grams spinach (about two large handfuls)

2 eggs

2/3 cup oats

1/3 cup almond milk

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons sweetener (I used honey. You could also use maple syrup, agave nectar, etc.)

Chocolate Chips or blueberries, optional (I added chocolate chips to mine, of course!) :)

Blend all ingredients together in blender or food processor. Cook like regular pancakes in a greased skillet on medium-low heat. Top with your favorite syrup, fruit toppings, honey, almond butter, or whatever you desire. 

ENJOY! :)

Quinoa Salad

Happy Friday, everyone! Summer is sadly coming to an end. However, the weather these past few days has screamed summer. I don't know about you, but when it's so hot outside, I prefer to eat cold foods. Today, I made the perfect cold lunch that would also be wonderful as a side dish! Not to mention delicious and healthy. Vegan, gluten free, and dairy free. Here's the recipe!

Ingredients (serves 1):

3/4 cup quinoa, cooked (I had it cold, but it would work warm as well.)

Vegetables of your choice, chopped (I used what I had in my fridge: broccoli, spinach, peas, tomato, 

     and garlic. Any vegetable would work: green peppers, avocados, onion, kale, carrot, cucumber...

     GET CREATIVE!)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper - to taste. (Get creative with your spices, too!)

Simply mix it all up, and ENJOY!

Spinach-Avocado Ice Cream: Vegan & Dairy-Free

Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long. I celebrated my 24th birthday on Sunday! I had a wonderful weekend full of lots of love, smiles, and OF COURSE lots of yummy food. Now, it's back to reality. A week full of school, work and internship until another holiday weekend with friends and family. Which means: MORE food. So, this week I'm gonna try to eat a little lighter with lots and lots of fruits and veggies.

Tonight for dinner, I was craving something sweet and creamy.  Sweet and creamy does not have to mean full of sugar and calories. I came up with some delicious banana ice cream. Made with spinach and avocado! (This is how I justify having ice cream for dinner.) :) Anyway, here is the recipe. Don't turn your nose up at the sound of spinach in ice cream. I PROMISE it is delicious. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1/2 avocado (I put mine in the freezer about a half an hour before dinner to add to the ice cream texture, but you can use room temperature or refrigerated avocado as well.)
1 big handful of spinach
1/2 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla. You can also use coconut milk!)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (You can also use raw honey or agave nectar.)

Put all ingredients in your blender, and blend until you get the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.

I enjoyed mine with pecans and a strawberry on top. DELICIOUS. Dinner doesn't always have to look the same. Get creative! Creativity tastes great! :)

ENJOY.

Sweet Potato Smoothie

The other day when I was eating sweet potato fries, I got to thinking about what it would be like to add sweet potato to a smoothie. After imagining the creamy, pie-like creation, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So, this morning I gave it a try, and it did NOT disappoint. It was thick, creamy, and really did taste like pie. This is a smoothie that I will most definitely be making again!

Ingredients:

1/2 sweet potato, mashed (I cooked my potato the night before. I scrubbed the potato, poked a few holes in it with a fork, put it in a microwave safe dish, cooked it for 4 minutes on one side, flipped it, and cooked it for 4 more minutes. I scooped it out of the skin, mashed it, had half for dinner, and stored the rest in the fridge for my breakfast smoothie.)
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Tbs. almond butter
1/4 inch piece of fresh ginger
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 tsp. chia seeds

Put it all in a blender and blend!

I topped mine with another sprinkle of cinnamon, some shredded coconut, and pecans. It was so delicious that I was sad when it was all gone. Give it a try!

And ENJOY! :)

HIIT: 30 Minute Treadmill Workout

So, if you, like me, are constantly looking for new workouts, forms of exercise or ways to move that will maximize results, you probably have heard a lot about HIIT. It's the new craze! HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. The basic idea of HIIT is that it's more effective to spend less time doing cardio at a higher intensity than it is to spend hours doing cardio at a moderate intensity. For example, experts say that your body benefits more from a half-hour cardio workout that includes intervals of high intensity than it does from a two hour jog. Now, I don't think that they are saying that jogging for two hours is BAD for you. It's just that HIIT workouts are better to see results more quickly because they produce an after burn effect where your body will continue to burn calories for hours after you finish your workout.

This is my take on what I've read about HIIT. If you want more information, do some research! Here' are a few links to get you started!

http://www.lifestyleronline.com/pages/knowledge/what-is-HIIT-training

http://www.fithealthy365.com/what-is-hiit-high-intensity-interval-training/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/14/hiit-workout_n_4426903.html

I try to incorporate intervals into each and every cardio workout that I do. There are many types of HIIT training (strength training, etc.), but I'm gonna share a HIIT cardio workout that I like to do. I try to switch up my cardio day-to-day, but this treadmill workout (or something similar) definitely makes an appearance in my routine at least once a week. Give it a try! It really gets me working up a sweat!

30 Minute HIIT Treadmill Workout 

So, as you can see, it's pretty simple to come up with your own interval cardio plan. Another great start is to try walking (3.5-4.0 speed) for a minute, jogging (5.5-6.5 speed) for a minute, sprinting (7.0-8.5 speed) for 30 seconds, and repeating until you reach 20-30 minutes! Just try to switch up your intensity throughout the workout, focusing on going from high intensity followed by a lower intensity back to high intensity, and also making sure to include a warm up and cool down as well. Changing it up about every minute really keeps the workout from getting boring, so I hope you try it out and ENJOY. Let me know what you think! Now go get your sweat on!

Vegan Lentil Chickpea Burgers

Happy Friday everybody! 
I hope you are having as wonderful of a day as I am. I had today off, so I started my weekend off by sleeping in a bit, and then woke to a nice cup of lemon water and an energizing morning yoga workout. (You can give it a try here!) Then I made myself a nice cup of green tea while I prepared my big breakfast of egg, asparagus, English muffin, and a green smoothie. Delicious.



After breakfast, I started to think about lunch. (Yes, I'm always thinking about food.) What did I want to have? I remember that I had some leftover lentils in the refrigerator, and after scanning some lentil burger recipes on Pinterest, I decided that would be my lunch. None of the recipes I found caught my eye (or I didn't have all the ingredients), so  I decided to create my own recipe from scratch. I had no idea how or if they would even turn out; I just started throwing things in. And luckily, they turned out delicious. So, here is the recipe for my new creation (that I will be sure to make again!).

Vegan Lentil Chickpea Burgers

1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (15 oz.)

1 cup cooked lentils

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 Tbs. minced garlic

½ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. sea salt

½ cup old fashioned oats (or gluten free)

2 Tbs. corn meal

¼ cup chopped green pepper

In a food processor or blender, combine the cooked lentils and chickpeas (straight from the can) until they form a paste. Scrape the paste into a bowl and add in the rest of your ingredients, stirring until well combined. Feel free to add any other spices or veggies that you would like. (I would have put chopped onions in as well, but we were out. Chopped carrots would be another idea. Be creative.) Since there is no raw egg, you can go ahead and taste test the mixture so you know whether or not you want to add something else. Adjust your ingredients until the taste is right to you, and form into patties. Mine made about 6-8.

To cook the burgers, you could try grilling them, but I made mine in a skillet. I heated some coconut oil in a skillet on medium heat until the pan was well heated. Cook the burgers for about five minutes or so on each side. They should turn slightly brown and crispy on the outside, while staying soft on the inside.

I ate mine on top of a bed of veggies, but they would be great on a bun! Or choose a dipping sauce of your choice (or eat it plain like I did!) and dive in with a fork. Yummy! I paired mine with some sweet potato fries. What a great meal! Give them a try. 

ENJOY! And let me know how you like them if you give them a try! :)

Avocado Egg Pizza

Good morning world! I woke up this morning feeling very positive. I have a few changes I'm hoping to make in my life, and this morning I believed that I could, which is a great start. Speaking of great starts, I wanted to have a special breakfast this morning. Something different than my usual meal. Starting off your day with a healthy, delicious, fulfilling meal is the best choice you can make!

I finally have some avocados again (after going a couple weeks without any), so I needed to make something with avo. I NEEDED to. I was having withdrawal. Here is the recipe (incredibly simple) for my avocado egg pizza. It was exactly what I was looking for and more. It was so tasty! And easy. And filling.

Ingredients:

1 ancient grains tortilla (Or any tortilla of your choice. I used the smaller sized tortilla since it was just for me, but feel free to go bigger!)
1/2 avocado, mashed (Again, if you are using a bigger tortilla, you might want to use a whole avocado. Up to you!)
1 egg (Or two if you wanna load it up! I used cage free.)
Cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
Cumin (optional, to taste)
Lemon juice (optional, to taste)
Minced garlic (optional, to taste)
Sea salt (optional, to taste)
Fresh ground pepper (optional, to taste)
Hot sauce (optional, to taste)

First, I made my avocado spread. If you'd like, you can just mash up your avocado and use that. They are so yummy that you don't really need any extras. But I added lemon juice (a few drops), a few shakes of cayenne pepper and cumin, a pinch of sea salt, and about 1/4 tsp. of minced garlic and mixed it all up. 

Next, you need to toast your tortilla for your pizza crust (unless you'd prefer a soft shell!) I used a toaster oven. The smaller tortilla fit right in my toaster oven, so I put it directly on the rack and toasted for a few minutes until it turned a nice brown and started to get crispy. Cook to desired crispiness! You could probably also use a grill or oven, just to give your tortilla a nice crispy crunch.

Meanwhile, while my tortilla was toasting, I cooked my egg. Again, cook your egg however you like it. I made mine sunny side up with a little salt and pepper. But any type of egg would be great on top!

Finally, you just need to construct your pizza. Spread the avocado onto the tortilla and top with your egg. I added a little more pepper and cayenne pepper to the top, and I finished it off with a drizzle of hot sauce. Feel free to add any additional toppings (cheese, veggies, spices, whatever!). Cut pizza and dive in!

It was so good that I literally wanted to dive right in to the center and live there for as long as I could. Especially when I got to the few bites with the runny egg yolk. There's just something about the combination of egg yolk with avocado that makes my heart sing.

I paired my pizza with a Green Dream smoothie by Tara Stiles, once again. But this time, I added some vanilla extract, chia seeds, a tablespoon of almond butter, and topped it with cinnamon, flax seeds, and blueberries.

Such a perfect breakfast. Now, I'm ready to kick today's butt and put some of these changes into motion. Love you all! And thank you for reading. Don't forget to comment below or email me (wellnessbynicky@gmail.com) with any questions, suggestions, or greetings.

And as always: ENJOY! Have a great day, my friends. :)

Chocolate Covered Raspberry Oats: Healthy & Lovely

Ahh what a wonderful morning. It's a rainy day here in Ohio, but after several beautiful days in a row and constantly being outside in the sun and keeping very active, a lazy and rainy Sunday is exactly what the doctor ordered. I started my day with a big glass of water followed by a cup of warm lemon water. Then it was time to dive into breakfast. I was craving something comforting and sweet, yet healthy and fulfilling. Oats with fruit usually fit that for me. This morning, I decided to try out a new creation instead of my usual strawberry and banana or almond butter banana oats. After a little bit of brainstorming, it hit me. How does chocolate covered raspberry sound to you? It sounded great to me, so I dove right in. I put on some Elton John and started gathering ingredients and creating my mouth watering breakfast.

Chocolate Covered Raspberry Oats

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup old fashioned oats (you can also choose to use gluten-free!)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup mashed raspberries
1 Tbsp. peanut butter (I used a chocolate flavored natural peanut butter, but I'm sure regular peanut butter or almond butter would be just as yummy!)
Dark chocolate chips (optional)

To cook the oats, bring the almond milk to a boil and add in the oats. Stirring frequently. Watch them closely so that they don't boil over. Once they start to cook down a bit add in the salt and stir. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mash the raspberries. Once the oats are cooked to desired consistency, turn off the heat and stir in your cocoa and peanut butter. Stir until well combined. Add the oats to the bowl with the raspberries, and again, stir until well combined. And there you have it! So easy!

If you want a little more chocolate flavor (why not?) you can add in a few dark chocolate chips while the oats are hot and stir them in. They will melt and give you a nice little chocolate swirl and extra sweetness. I topped my oats with some shredded coconut, a few raspberries, and some more dark chocolate chips. Yum!

On the side of my oats today, I had a delicious Green Dream smoothie by yogi Tara Stiles. Only three ingredients, and so delicious. I have it almost every morning. Here's the recipe: Green Dream Smoothie (I also usually add a few drops of vanilla extract and some chia seeds, and top it with shredded coconut and pecans!). :)

ENJOY! And have a wonderful Sunday! Give yourself lots of love today. You deserve it. :)

Raw Coconut Energy Balls

Today was such a beautiful day in Ohio, and after doing a little bit of homework, I got out and enjoyed it! I hope you did, too. :)

I'm just having so much fun creating clean treats. If I had the money, I would be baking things all day and night. We have a friend coming over to our place tomorrow, so I had the perfect excuse to make a yummy treat today. And this is the first recipe that I completely designed myself. So, I'm feeling pretty proud. :)

They're delicious! And guilt-free. They can also be vegan with just one substitution. Here's the recipe.

Raw Coconut Energy Balls

These are the dates I use!

Ingredients: 

1 Tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds

1 Tbsp. flax seeds

1 small handful almonds

1 cup pitted dates, chopped

½ cup shredded coconut

2 tsps. Unsweetened cocoa

2 tsps. Coconut oil

1 Tbs. raw honey (for vegan option, use pure maple syrup instead!)

Put pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and almonds in blender or food processor. Blend into a powder. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until well combined. Form the mixture into small balls (makes about 8-10 balls) and roll in more shredded coconut. Store in refrigerator! Easy, right?

ENJOY! And have a great weekend! :)

Guilt-Free Banana Mango "Nice" Cream: Vegan, Dairy Free, Raw, Delicious

Anybody else love ice cream so much that you crave it on a daily basis? I know I sure do. I mean it's just so creamy and lovely. But it also comes with a lot of baggage: sugar, calories, guilt. Did you know you can make your own ice cream in just a few minutes with just a few ingredients? And did you also know that this homemade ice cream can be guilt-free while also being vegan and dairy-free? Are you jumping up and down with excitement, anxious for the recipe? Well, wait no further! Here's a recipe for yummy, simple, healthy banana mango "nice" cream. And you don't need an ice cream maker. Any old blender (or food processor will do).

Guilt-Free Banana Mango "Nice" Cream


Ingredients:

1 large banana, frozen (if you use a fresh one, just add some ice to the recipe)
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. almond butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cinnamon to taste



Add all ingredients to a blender and BLEND. If you're using an older blender like I am, be patient and stir a lot. My blender struggles a bit with blending the frozen fruit, but with a little patience and love, the result is so worth the wait.

Top your "nice" cream with whatever toppings you choose. OR eat it plain. It's so delicious that it doesn't need any toppings. But for a little extra loveliness I added a middle layer of granola (that you can barely see in the picture to the left), and a topping of shredded coconut, more granola, and a few dark chocolate chips.


Feel free to add other frozen berries or nut butters making different combinations and flavors. Have fun with it, make it your own, and you'll have a nice little treat for when you can no longer curb the ice cream cravings.

ENJOY! :)

It's Tea Time!: Health Benefits of Tea

I have never liked tea. Not iced tea, hot tea, green tea, sweet tea. None of it. Until recently. After reading about all the wonderful benefits of tea, I decided to change my perspective and give it another shot. First, I tried green tea. No sweeteners. Just hot and plain. And I found that I really quite enjoy it. It only has a slight taste, and I find that drinking hot beverages really soothes me. Now, I'm obsessed. I began trying other types of tea as well. I discovered that my favorites are green tea, Oolong tea, chamomile, and peppermint. I do not like English breakfast tea or chai tea (unless I add a bunch of sweetener). I encourage you to give tea a try even if you have previously sworn against it. Trust me. I was very anti-tea. But after giving it a second chance, I now enjoy at least two cups a day. Meanwhile I get to reap the benefits that come along with tea as well. Try out some different kinds and find your favorite!

Here's a nice little breakdown of a few of my favorite types of tea and their benefits.  You may be surprised!

GREEN TEA

Benefits: 

1. Gives you energy

2. Fights inflammation and bacteria

3. Aids in weight loss: increases fat burn and endurance during exercise (and has zero calories!)

4. Reduces stress

5. Boosts immunity

6. Reduces risk of heart disease, blood clots and high blood pressure

7. Antioxidants provide ant-aging benefits and more! (Check out more about antioxidants and where to get them HERE.)

8. Fights cancer causing cells

9. Boosts brain power

10. Prevents tooth decay and reduces bad breath

11. Hydrates you

12. Reduces Cholesterol

13. Promotes healthy skin and hair

14. Helps in managing diabetes

15. Prevents arthritis and osteoporosis 

OOLONG TEA

Benefits:

1.  Promotes cardiovascular health

2.  Good for skin and hair (anti-aging and prevents hair loss)

3. Enhances metabolism and aids in weight loss

4. Prevents tooth decay

5. Reduces risk of cancer

6. Lowers stress

7. Fights bacterial infections

8. Promotes bone health

9. Great source of energy (yet less caffeine than other teas)

10. High in antioxidants

11. Controls diabetes

12. Boosts brain power

CHAMOMILE TEA

Benefits:

1. Also high in antioxidants

2. Cooled tea bags can reduce bags under the eyes

3. Nourishes and moisturizes skin from the inside out

4. Muscle relaxing properties

5. Stress reliever

6. Reduces pain from stomach ulcers

7. Antibacterial and immunity booster

8. Maintains blood glucose levels

9. Reduces gas and heartburn

10. Can help with migraines

11. Aids in good sleep

12. Reduce menstrual cramps

13. Reduce anxiety

14. Lowers cholesterol

So there you have it. There's no reason to not add tea to your daily diet. DRINK MORE TEA. Your body, mind, skin, and hair will all thank you.

Get sippin', my friends!

Tropical Recovery Smoothie

Hi guys! Here's a real quick post with a recipe to my new favorite post-run smoothie! If you like your smoothies tart/sweet, then give this a try. It's pretty tart. And I loved it! So refreshing. Especially after a five mile run/walk in 80+ degree sunshine!

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped pineapple (I used fresh, but you can use frozen too.)
1/2 cup chopped mango (I used frozen, but you can use fresh!)
1Tbs. shredded coconut
1 slice lemon (I threw it in with the zest left on It's good for you!)
1/2 cup blueberry kefir (You could use almond milk, coconut water, or regular water if you don't have any of these!)
1 handful of spinach 
1 tsp. chia seeds
1/4 cup old fashioned oats

Blend and ENJOY! I topped mine with more shredded coconuts and a few blueberries :)

Classic Chicken Burgers

Hey everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful first day of June. It's a beautiful day here in Ohio. I did some hiking, reading on the porch, and then a little bit of grilling for dinner. Here's a recipe for a simple chicken burger that has a nice classic taste. Not too bland, not too busy. Just classic. And delicious. Definitely a good burger to add lots of fixins' to. So, have fun with it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary
1 tsp. italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Form into patties. (Mine made six!) Throw them on the grill and cook to desired doneness. Just make sure that the inside is at least 165 degrees! Also, oil your grill ahead of time so that the burgers don't stick.

I topped mine with some spinach, tomato and roasted red pepper hummus on a toasted whole wheat English muffin with a side of asparagus. YUM. It would also probably be great with avocado. Or you could try it with cheese and sautéed peppers and onions. Maybe some mushrooms. Or grilled pineapple. Get creative. Let this burger be your empty canvas. Give it a try when you want a little change from your normal beef patties, and ENJOY :)

Thanks for reading. Love you guys! As always, comment with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Also, if you have any recipes you'd like me to try, comment down below or email me at wellnessbynicky@gmail.com. Let me know if you've tried any of my recipes. I'd love to see pictures! And don't forget to stay up-to-date with my social media sites for daily food, fitness, and wellness inspiration. Instagram: wellnessbynicky; Twitter: @wellnessbynicky; Facebook: www.facebook.com/wellnessbynicky

You Are Beautiful

Today, I set myself free. As I looked in the mirror this morning, before the usual parade of negative thought and self hate made its way through my brain, I made a decision. Today, I am going to love myself. Today, I am beautiful. We need to learn to make this decision every morning of every day for the rest of our lives. We need to learn to overcome those false accusations put upon us by our overly critical brains. We need to love ourselves for all the wonderful things that we are. Be grateful for every breath that you take. You are lucky to have this life, this body. Don't take it for granted. You need to look in the mirror and believe that you are beautiful every single morning. Because you are. You are so unbelievably beautiful. There is no one in the world like you. Let your unique qualities shine through. Show the world who you are.



I've always felt that I didn't belong. I struggled to find people that I truly connected with and felt
similar to. So, I started acting differently around people so that I would fit in. Changing my interests and opinions to be like all my friends, dulling my shine. I was afraid to stand out. It's like I was a daisy standing in a field of pebbles. I was terrified that the wind would blow and show off my petals, revealing my secret, screaming "I'm not like you!" Now, I'm beginning to see that the real reason I'm afraid of the wind, is because I'm scared that my petals will fall off, turning me to stone like all of my neighbors. Never be afraid to be YOU and to love yourself for every bit of who YOU are. Relish in those little things that make you different from everyone else. Show off. Sparkle. You are a flower in a field of stones. You are a light in the dark. You are beautiful. Love yourself. Respect yourself. You deserve it, you beautiful flower. 

Holiday Goodies without the Guilt

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I don't know about you, but my holidays, especially ones filled with family gatherings, BBQs and picnics, are usually also filled with unhealthy foods, too many cookies, and overindulgence. If that was you this weekend (like it was me), don't panic. Today is a new day. Start fresh and make healthy choices. A few days and a few too many cookies are not the end of the world. Don't get down on yourself. Just keep going.

I didn't actually go to any parties yesterday. My boyfriend and I went grocery shopping and spent the day spending time together at home. However, the holiday spirit was in the air, and I couldn't help myself. I had to make at least SOME kind of dessert, right? I mean, it IS a holiday. At least that's what I kept telling myself. I did want to keep the desserts on the healthier side, though, so this is what I came up with. I thought I'd share these healthy desserts so that maybe on your next holiday, you can eat as much dessert as you want without feeling that guilt creep up on you.

First, I found a recipe for a guilt-free peanut butter pie. Um, yes please. It looked amazing, and I had all the ingredients. I was sold. (I found the original recipe at http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/09/no-bake-peanut-butter-pie/. I also suggest checking out some of her other recipes. She's amazing!)

I'll also break down the recipe here as well, with a few minor changes by me. It was very simple.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used half all natural peanut butter with no salt added and half JIF, so mine wasn't completely guilt free, but I ran out of my natural PB! You can also use any other nut butter or sunflower seed butter.)
4 large bananas
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. sea salt (or table salt)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted 
(or you can sub with an additional 1/4 cup PB)
5 Tbsp. raw honey (I actually used about 2 Tbsp. With the added sugar in the JIF peanut butter, I didn't need the extra sweetness, so you can just add sweetener to taste. You can use pure maple syrup if you want your pie to be vegan! You can also use powdered sugar, agave nectar, or stevia extract. The honey worked great for me!)

Combine all ingredients into a high powered blender. Mine struggled with this a little bit, because it got clogged up with all the peanut butter (I just have a yard sale blender.), so just be careful of that and stir frequently. You could probably use a food processor as well. Anyway, combine all ingredients until very smooth. Mine was still a little lumpy because my blender was getting real sluggish, but it really didn't matter.

After blending, pour the mixture into a prepared pie crust (You can make your own, use a store-bought, or go crustless! I went crustless. I also didn't have a spring form pie pan, so I just poured mine into a glass baking dish, and it worked just fine. You can also check out this healthy pie crust at: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/05/13/ridiculously-easy-chocolate-pie-crust/).

After pouring, you can put it straight in the freezer to set (if you used PB instead of coconut oil, you can just put it in the fridge). Before putting mine in the freezer, I decided to top mine with some shredded coconut, crushed pecans, and melted dark chocolate. You can use whatever toppings you want or no toppings at all. Trust me, the peanut butter filling is delicious enough on its own. I may or may not have licked the entire blender clean :)

So there you have it. I have been keeping mine in the freezer, then I just take it out and let it thaw a bit before eating. (Or I just take a fork right to the dish for a few frozen bites.) A guilt-free dessert that can be raw, vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free depending on the ingredients you choose. And it is so delicious. My boyfriend gave it two big thumbs up! And I can't stay away from it either! :)

The second dessert I made is even healthier, a bit less sweet and rich, and a lot more simple. A watermelon pie. All I did was slice a watermelon in half (I had a baby seedless watermelon, so my pie was teeny tiny), and cut off a slice. Then, you just simply spread Greek yogurt on top of the center of the watermelon, and add berries, nuts, spices, or whatever else you want. And ta-da! You have a watermelon pie. I added berries, pecan, and cinnamon to mine. What would you add to yours? You can slice it up into triangles or serve however you wish (I ate mine with a fork!).

So, there you have it. Two simple, healthy, and delicious desserts that would be a hit at any holiday party. Try them out and ENJOY! :)

Please tell me in the comments if you have tried any of my recipes. I'd like to know what you thought of them! Also, feel free to email me with other questions or recipe suggestions at wellnessbynicky@gmail.com. Thanks everyone! :)

Yoga: Where It All Began

A lot of people have been asking me how I got into doing yoga and what tips I have for getting started. I thought I would talk about it a little bit on here. To be honest, the reason I decided to give yoga a try might sound a little weird. I have a huge girl crush on Jennifer Aniston. I like to watch and read interviews that she's done, and she couldn't stop raving about this yoga thing. How it changed her body and her life. How she went from being unhappy and feeling kind of lost, to loving herself and knowing exactly who she is. I was feeling these same feelings: lost, confused about who I was and who I wanted to be. I didn't love myself as much as I should have. I didn't feel happy and comfortable in my own skin, and I was stressing myself out all the time about the future. I needed a change. Desperately. Jen inspired me. I decided that I was going to devote a little bit of time to myself every single day through yoga. I wanted to get to know myself from the inside out, and maybe, just maybe, I would fall in love with "me" along the way.

I had tried a few yoga videos months before, but it never really stuck. This time, I decided to start with Jen's main inspiration: Mandy Ingber. Mandy is Jen's personal yoga instructor, and she has a DVD/book out called Yogalosophy (You can find the book and DVD here: http://mandyingber.shop.sportstoday.com). It's a wonderful routine that combines traditional yoga poses with toning exercises to create a kind of hybrid workout. I thought it was the perfect transition into yoga. And it kicked my BUTT. I started doing the video a few times a week, and I was hooked. I wanted to start to explore what else was out there. I wanted to learn everything there was to learn about yoga.

I read a book called "Yoga and the Quest for the True Self" by Stephen Cope. It was more about the spiritual side of yoga and how it's a lifestyle, not just a workout. The book gave me a wonderful foundation for the yoga practice I was about to create for myself. Then, I became obsessed. I started following dozens of yogis on social media, and I was constantly typing "yoga" into my Pinterest search bar. I read article after article about the foundations of yoga, the benefits, the different types. I bookmarked dozens of videos. I studied the poses and practiced them over and over, memorizing the name and perfecting the shape. I bought a mat (I found a cheap one at TJ Maxx), and I rolled it out every day. I could see myself getting stronger and more flexible as the days went on.

After doing several videos from several different instructors, I found my favorites. I keep them on my computer so I can go back to them whenever I want. Here are some of my favorite full-length routines that I like to do:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUVZAMbGtDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSG7PsdZG04

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnDmN2IkSPo

https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=kHEAgEzPK_E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85s6X5hO780

http://www.fitsugar.com/Bikini-Body-Yoga-Workout-34707417

Some of these are more advanced than others. Some are longer. Some are shorter. Find what you like. All yoga instructors have different styles of teaching. You just have to get out there, try out a bunch of different types and teachers and get a feel for what you like. Along with these videos, I also like to do anything by Yoga with Adriene (Adriene Mishler), Tara Stiles, Mandy Ingber, and Rachel Brathen. These are my four go-to yogis. There are others, too, of course. But these are the YouTube channels that I subscribe to. I still search YouTube for different videos according to my specific needs at that time. That's what I love about having a home practice. You are in complete control, and there are so many videos out there that you can find in a click. I originally wanted to attend a studio, but when I saw the prices, I knew it wasn't going to be possible for awhile. Now that I've gotten deeper into my home practice, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I was originally nervous about going to a studio, because I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't feel comfortable with my body, and I didn't want others judging me. As I get deeper into my understanding of yoga, that fear has completely vanished. Yoga is about loving yourself and finding ease and movement in your body. It's about syncing your body and your mind and finding your inner light. It's not about how flexible you are, how defined your muscles are, how far you can go into a pose. It's not about whether or not you can touch your toes or stand on your hands. It's about you. It's about cultivating a loving, supporting relationship with yourself. It's about loving yourself for exactly who you are at this exact moment. It's about spending time with yourself, doing what's best for your body. It's about using your breath and your body to quiet your mind, to ignore all the stress and nagging thoughts and to-do lists. It's about love and light and adventure. Yoga is so much more than a workout. It's a bonding experience with yourself.

You may think that all of that sounds a little out there. But I promise, once you get into a regular yoga practice of your own, all of these things will start to make sense. Don't be afraid to start. Don't ever think you aren't flexible enough. That's what yoga is for: it helps you BECOME flexible. Flexibility isn't a prerequisite. Also, yoga is for everyone. Boys, girls, old, young, overweight, thin, in shape, out of shape. Everybody. Give it a try.

Also, don't leave out the restorative yoga practices. There are tons of videos for these as well. Yoga for bedtime, yoga for when you are sick, yoga for your time of the month, yoga to relieve stress, yoga for depression, yin yoga. These are just as beneficial for your body as the fast moving, sweaty, flowing routines. Don't leave them out! I like to do a little restorative yoga every night before bed with a nice cup of hot tea, and I've found that it's my favorite part of the day. I just can't wait to get on my mat.

Yoga has changed my body, my mind, and my outlook on so many things. It has opened me up to things I've never even thought about. It makes me feel wonderful to see progress. And it has made me more aware of the food I was putting into my body as well. My yoga practice was what made me decide to change my eating habits. When feeling so great in your body after yoga, it makes zero sense to fill your body with food that is not good for you. It makes you want to do the best things for your body in every possible way.

This is when I started researching the best kinds of foods for your body. I was reading about what to eat, when to eat it, and how much to eat. I read "The Body Book" by Cameron Diaz, and I loved it. She talks about the science behind food and nutrition, and she gives information on a diet consisting of whole foods only. She also talks about fitness and what it does for your body. I became obsessed with finding recipes using these super foods I've learned so much about through my research and finding new fitness routines to do on top of my yoga. Day by day I could see myself changing. I didn't only feel good about how I looked, but I felt amazing physically. I was having trouble with constant stomachaches before, but after changing my diet, I rarely have stomachaches or headaches. I feel wonderful. I feel healthy. I feel strong. I feel centered. I feel beautiful.

If you are serious about changing your life, all of the information you need is right at your fingertips. People always ask me to give them tips on losing weight and changing my diet. They want to know if it's easy. My answer is always: "yes and no." It's easy because there are no complicated tricks or methods to it. It's easy, because all you need to do is eat foods that are natural. Not processed. Whole foods. Natural sugars, as in fruit, honey, and maple syrup; no artificial sweeteners. Drink more water and tea. Less soda and sugary drinks. More whole grains, less refined white flour. And move your body. Stay active. Stretch. Take walks. Dance. Sweat. It's easy. It's hard because changing your lifestyle takes a lot of hard work. You're gonna crave foods that are bad for you. You're gonna want to overeat. You're gonna have to work your muscles hard. You're gonna put in a lot of time researching and preparing meals. It's hard to break any bad habits. So, yes. You will have to put in the work. There are no quick tips or tricks. You're gonna work your butt off. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Not only will you see the progress on your body right in front of you, but you will feel so proud that you did this. YOU did it. No one else. So, what are you waiting for? Change your life.

Here are a few more links that you should check out if you are interested in starting your own journey with yoga:

What is Yoga? http://www.youbeauty.com/body-fitness/yoga-for-beginners

Types of Yoga: http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/yoga-and-their-benefits/?ref=pin

List of Yoga Poses for Beginners (With Pictures!): http://blog.codyapp.com/yoga-for-beginners/

Rachel Brathen (my favorite yogi!): http://rachelbrathen.com

Tara Stiles: http://tarastiles.com

Yoga With Adriene (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFKE7WVJfvaHW5q283SxchA


Beautiful Article on How Yoga Helps You Love Your Body: http://yogainternational.com/article/view/how-yoga-helps-you-love-your-body


Now get out there, do your research, and find some videos that you love! Let me know how it goes or if you have any other questions! Feel free to message me on Facebook: (www.facebook.com/wellnessbynicky) or email me at wellnessbynicky@gmail.com.

LOVE YOU ALL. Namaste :)

Get Out & Grill: Chicken Burgers, Grilled Fruit, and Guilt-Free Blondies!

I was a busy, busy girl today, and I loved every minute of it. While on a nice long walk, my brain was busy thinking of something yummy to make for dinner. As the sun hit my face, it was only natural for my thoughts to drift to our grill. Whatever I decided to make, it HAD to be grilled. It was a perfect day to grill out!

I had some ground chicken in my refrigerator that I needed to use up, so that made my decision easy. Chicken burgers & grilled veggies. Off to the grocery store I went to pick up some yummy fixins'. :)

Like I said before, something about Sundays feels like the perfect day to spend some time in the kitchen. I cooked some lentils to prepare for weekly meals. Then, it was baking time. I wanted to make something sweet and delicious to snack on throughout my week, but I also wanted it to be completely guilt-free. I came across the idea for chickpea blondies that really caught my attention. Flourless, vegan, and gluten-free. Perfect! Chickpeas in a dessert may sound a little weird, but I promise they are so yummy!

Here's the blondies recipe:

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

1/2 cup almond butter (you could also use natural peanut butter!)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar (I actually used raw honey in mine, so that's another option if you aren't vegan!)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or vegan chocolate chips)
(If you want your blondies to have more of a cake-like texture and less fudgy, you can also add one egg. This will obviously make it not vegan, though.)


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and spray an 8x8 baking dish with your favorite cooking spray. Combine all ingredients, except for the chocolate chips into a food processor. I actually don't have a food processor (I'm planning on investing in one soon!), so I used my blender and that worked just fine. After blending or processing the ingredients into a smooth batter, fold in the chocolate chips.






Spread the batter into your baking dish, and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The edges should look a golden brown color. Be careful not to cook too long. They might seem a little underdone, but you don't want them to dry out. With no raw eggs, it's fine if they are a little gooey!


Cool for 20 minutes, then sprinkle some sea salt on top, cut into squares, and ENJOY your guilt-free blondies!


http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2013/04/flourless-chocolate-chip-chickpea-blondies-with-sea-salt-vegan-gluten-free-healthy/ (original recipe)

Next, it was time to start to prepare our dinner.

My boyfriend is the grill master, but I usually do the preparing. He decided to have some good ol' hot dogs while I opted for chicken and spinach burgers. We also grilled up some zucchini coins (tossed in olive oil, salt, & pepper) and corn on the cob. We were saving the fruit for dessert.

Here's the recipe for the chicken & spinach burgers! 

1 lb. ground chicken (you could also use turkey!)

10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 

2 Tbs. barbecue sauce of your choice

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients and form into patties. Grill for about ten minutes (make sure to oil your grill surface first so your burgers won't stick!) or until thermometer reads 165 degrees and the meat is no longer pink. I noticed that the spinach part of the burgers was starting to get overdone before the chicken was completely cooked, so I actually finished them off in the oven. But just see how it works for you. Try turning your grill to a lower heat. I actually used a bit more than 10 oz. of spinach, so that might've been my problem. 

Anyway, once fully cooked, you can eat your burger anyway you choose. I just ate mine with a fork alongside my veggies, but you can also put it on a bun like a regular burger along with your favorite toppings. I like to put my burgers on a whole wheat English muffin. I'm excited to have leftover chicken burgers for the rest of the week. It was delicious! 

Now, it was time for dessert. The sun was still shining, so we were gonna take full advantage of that grill. Our dessert consisted of grilled nectarine and pineapple. Yum!

Just cut a nectarine in half and remove the pit. Place inside down on the grill and cook until grill lines appear (a few minutes). Cut your pineapple however you like and place it on the grill (if you cut into chunks, using a skewer would be the way to go! I sliced mine into rings.). Cook until grill lines appear. I sprinkled cinnamon on my fruit before grilling. After grilling, I stacked my fruit and topped it with some Greek yogurt, more cinnamon, pecans, flaxseeds, and a drizzle of raw honey. You could also top with ice cream or whatever you like. 

DELICIOUS. :)