Tag: nutrients

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DIY COFFEE SCRUB | Body Polishing Scrub made with Coconut oil and Jojoba Oil.

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Hey my loves! Happy Self-care Sunday!!! Summer has arrived and I have to share my favourite DIY. It is my Coffee Body polishing scrub. It is so simple to make with only 4 ingredients. You will love how bright and radiant your skin looks after using this scrub. 

I truly do not think I can live without Coffee, I have tried lol ! 😜 I have fell in deep love with café. I love trying different coffee  whenever I travel. One of my most unforgettable experiences was in the dominican republic on a excursion we stopped at one of the tour guides “tia’s” homes and she made the most incredible cup of cafe. I truly felt blessed to have met her and connected over cafe. Happy Sunday everyone I hope you are having your café and connecting.☕️ 💚💚💚

Coffee has so many benefits there is no surprise why it is the most popular beverage in the world. Coffee has high levels of antioxidants and has a great nutrient profile. Some of the super benefits of coffee include : 

1. Improved Energy levels. 

2. Can help you burn fat and improve your physical performance. 

3. Coffee contains important nutrients, including riboflavin, pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin.

4. Coffee can reduce the appearance of cellulite, and has anti-aging properties.

5. Can lower the risk of Parkinsons, type 2 Diabetes, and alhezimers.

6. Coffee has calming effects the improve your mood.

I did not need much convincing to continue using coffee in my day to day life but these super benefits just made it that much easier! ****Turns on coffee maker*** 💃🏻☕️

What is your favourite coffee ?

Mine: Cafe Bustelo, omg sooo good 🥰😍

I posted my full tutorial for this amazing Coffee Scrub!!

My full tutorial on how to make this Amazing DIY Coffee Scrub

I wanted to share this DIY recipe with you so you could make it for yourself. Its so cheap and easy easy to make. I love products like anyone else but for me they sometimes have way to many fragrances and extra ingredients that can irritate my skin. This scrub is 4 simple clean ingredients and your skin will thank you!

Here is everything you will need :

4 tbsp of Coffee Grounds ( I used arabica coffee)

4 scoops/tbsp raw coconut sugar

4 tbsp coconut oil

3 tsp of jojoba oil

1 glass jar with a seal to keep your scrub fresh and dry in the shower.

IT IS SO SIMPLE!! All you will need to do is put all of your ingredients into the jar and give it a good mix.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog!! I hope you so try this coffee scrub. If you do please feel free to share on Instagram tag me in your pictures @greencupcaketo.

I hope you week is filled with a lot of love and joy! Have a amazing week!! XOXO!

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Banana Sushi with Blueberries, and Almond Butter.

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Happy Wednesday!! Go Bananas 🙂 

Banana sushi is such an impressive snack. It looks like you put a lot of effort into this tasty treat. One of my favourite food is sushi, but I don’t like the after feeling of carb overload. With this banana sushi you will have a boost of energy and feel truly satisfied!! This banana sushi is sweet and savoury. I added almond butter and greek yogurt  for additional protein. The banana is such a great fruit for the sushi. Bananas are one of the most consumed fruits world wide. They come is a number of shapes and sizes. Bananas are filled with tons of nutrients. The health benefits if Bananas is endless. It is no surprise they are so popular. 

Here are the top 10 benefits of Bananas. 

  1. Bananas are high in potassium and contain good levels of protein and dietary fiber.
  2. Fresh Bananas are available year-round. Super easy to incorporate into diet. 
  3. Bananas contain Pectin – a fibre that provides our flesh its spongy form. 
  4. Bananas can help moderate blood sugar levels after meals and may reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying. 
  5. Bananas are rich in fibre and resistant starch, which may feed your gut good bacteria and protect against colon cancer. 
  6. Bananas are high in antioxidants that help reduce damage from free radicals and decrease the risk of some diseases.
  7. Bananas can help in recovery after exercise. Relieving muscle cramps and also provide excellent fuel for endurance exercise.

So ofcourse I couldn’t be more excited to share my variation of Banana sushi.

Here is what you will need: 

1 Banana 

2 tbsp Almond Butter 

1/2 Blueberries 

1 tsp Raw Honey

1/3 rolled oats 

1/3 Dragon friut

1/2 Greek yogurt – plain or blueberry flovor

Step 1: 

Slice Banana in half and remove seeds in centre to create space for the almond butter.

Step 2: 

Add almond butter into the banana space, and add a line of blueberries. Top with honey. 

Step 3: Place Banana half on to top the sushi. Now all your toppings. I added another layer of almond butter, and blueberries. I diced dragon fruit into cubes and added a cube to the tops.Sprinkled the toasted Oats for some texture.

Step 4: Carefully cut into rolls and Enjoy. I added greek yogurt as a side to dip your sushi roll into. 

These Banana Sushi were so good! I love that this sushi roll was a nice bitesized snack that is packed with nutrients. 

I have so many variations I can not wait to share with you.

Have you tried Banana Sushi before? What is your favourite type?

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PINA COLADO CRYSTAL RING POPS with BCAA’s

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This summer I wanted to focus on sweet summer treats that are primarily plant focused recipes. I always think of ice cream or popsicles when I think of summer treats. I found these amazing crystal ring pop molds at the dollar store and they inspired this recipe. 

They are so cute, and nostalgic! The ring pop reminds me of being a kid again. I wanted to make the crystals on the ring pop look like a surprise was inside of them so I had just made some strawberry puree and I knew that both the puree and slices of fresh strawberries would look great with the coconut milk base. 

Nothing says summer to me more than pina coladas and the beach. I wanted to make these ring pops super tasty and boost your energy. I decided to add Pineapple BCAA (branch chain amino acids. Bcaa’s are used to activate protein synthesis and increase muscle recovery. Bcaa are fantastic for reducing exercise fatigue. I love to incorporate Bcaa’s into my water when working out to get the most out of my workouts. This was the perfect option to add to these ring pops. Coconut milk + Pineapple Bcaa = Pina Colada ring pops. ❤ 

These Ring pops are made with only 5 ingredients, and so easy to make.  I added Pineapple BCAA’s to the coconut milk to give the Pina Colada flavour. The molds are in crystal shapes but I wanted to add strawberries to add a little jewels to the ring pops. I added drops of strawberry puree to marble into the rings. These were incredible I felt like I was drinking a pina colada.

Here is everything you will need for 6 Ring pops.

1 cup of Full coconut milk

1 scoop of BCAA pineapple flavour

1/2 strawberries 

1 tsp lemon juice 

1 tsp of coconut sugar. 

Instructions: 

Combine coconut milk and BCAA until smooth, add sliced strawberries and puree. Freeze overnight. Next dip them in hot water to remove from the molds and ENJOY!!!!!!! 

Simple right!!!

I Posted my first Youtube Video!! This video gives you the super easy steps to make these incredible ring pops!! Don’t forget to LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE 🙂

Here is everything you will need for 6 Ring pops.

1 cup of Full coconut milk

1 scoop of BCAA pineapple flavour

1/2 strawberries 

1 tsp lemon juice 

1 tsp of coconut sugar. 

Instructions: 

Combine coconut milk and BCAA until smooth, add sliced strawberries and puree. Freeze overnight. Next dip them in hot water to remove from the molds and ENJOY!!!!!!! 

Pina Colada Crystal Ring Pops

Simple right!!! 

Follow my instagram page : @greencupcaketo 

Thank you for visiting!! Subscribe and Like for more amazing Videos. 

What is your favourite summer treat??

Pineapple has a high amounts of manganese, which is important for antioxidant process.  Pineapples are high  thiamin, a B vitamin that is involved in energy production. These naturally sweet fruit are packed with nutrients with vitamin C and Fibre being significantly high. Did you know that Pineapple contain great allergy fighting nutrient called Bromelain which helps reduce mucas in the nose and throat. Another amazing benefit of pineapple is it can be used both externally and internally to improve your skin condition, thanks to the great anti-inflammatory qualities of vitamin C, bromelain and special enzymes. Pineapple is full of amino acid tryptophan that your body uses to produce serotonin – the “happy hormone”. Pineapples has so many other fantastic benefits , but one of my favourites is this delicious fruit stands tall and even has its own crown!! That is a confident fruit. lol ! 

Now its time from the debatable question, PINEAPPLES on PIZZA? 

ME: OH BUT OFCOURSE, EXTRA PINEAPPLES!

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Cherry and Chocolate Overnight Oats.

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Overnight Oats are so refreshing and super satisfying. If you do prep your meals this would be fantastic to do for the next few days. Overnight oats are really great year around, especially during the warmer months. I have tried a number of different combinations and this Cherry and Chocolate recipe is my favourite.

There are so many options to add like Oats and Chia Seeds. For this recipe I chose to just use rolled oats.

Oats are a whole grain food and are also gluten free. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Oats contain more protein and fat than most grains. So other nutrients oats are packed with are Mangenese, Magnesium, Iron, Folate and B1 (thiamin).  Oats are rich in Antioxidants and contain a powerful Soluable fibre called “ Beta Glucan”.

Beta-glucan fibre has been proven to reduce LDL and Cholesterol levels and reduce blood sugar. Another benefit of eating oats is the gut response to beta glucan. Beta Glucan promotes the release a peptide YY which is a hormone that is proceeded when eating.  This hormone is a Satiety hormone that will help reduce calorie intake and make you full quicker. I love to incorporate oats into many baked goods to increase the fibre. I even add oats to my smoothies or smoothie bowls. Most people prefer rolled, crushed or steel-cut oats due to the faster cooking times. How do you like to prepare your oats?  Muffins? granola ? 

One of my favourite reason to make overnight oats is the simplicity of it. You take it out of the refrigerator top it with your favourite fruit and you have a hearty meal that will giving you tons of energy.

Overnight Oats in 3 steps :

Step 1 : Pour 1/2 cup of rolled oats into mason jar. 1/2 Almond Milk. 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Cover oats and refrigerate overnight.

Step 2: The next day, Take oats out of refrigerator and give the oats a stir. I added a scoop of diary free vanilla yogurt.

Step 3: Chop up cherries, and chocolate. Top your oats and Enjoy!

How simple was that? What is your favourite Overnight Oats Combination?

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Vegan Tacos with Vegan sour cream

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It is my favorite day of the week ” TACO TUESDAY “. LOL! This week keeping with the theme I wanted to focus on Plant based protein. I chose to incorporate Legumes into these delicious tacos. I had some leftover kidney beans and know those would be perfect for the tacos. Legumes are High in Fibre and packed with protein. Eating Legumes and beans can be a life saver on a plant based diet. They are a good source of a complex carbohydrate so you will find them highly satisfying. The actual legumes definition is: “the fruit or seed of plants of the legume family (such as peas or beans) used for food.”  They have so many options to choose from so it is no surprise they have become a staple in Vegetarian and Vegan cooking. Legumes can also aid in Weightloss and promote gut health due to the high fibre content. They have also been proven to stabilize blood sugar and promote heart health.  Some of my favourite legumes are  chickpeas, Kidney beans , peas, and lentils. 

I went out to the garden and pick some fresh herbs to spice these tacos up. I picked some green onion, cilantro , and basil. I also couldn’t resist adding some spinach.

Fresh herbs from the Garden.

I made my own taco seasoning so it is low sodium. I used my seasoning on the grilled peppers and onions with tsp of olive oil in the oven for 15 mins. Then I added the kidney beans that were already cooked for the lasted 10 mins.

Here is the taco seasoning recipe:

3 Tbsp Chilli Powder

1 Tbsp Cumin Powder

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

1 Tsp Cayenne Powder

1 Tsp Paprika Powder

1/2 Tsp Pepper Powder

Combine all ingredients and store in a mason jar. This taco seasoning is Spicy!! How do you like your tacos?

I love homemade Pico de gallo. I wanted to top these tacos with something fresh and this pico de gallo is perfect! It is so simple to make only 4 ingredients. Here is what you will need : 1 large Tomato cubed, 1/2 white onion diced, 1 lime, and Cilantro. Thats it! In a bowl mix the tomato, onion and cilantro together. Then squeeze your lime and mix together. place in refrigerator to chill before serving.

Plating your taco is the best part! I layered the onions peppers and kidney beans on the bottom, added a bed on spinach and topped with the pico de gallo. I bought the vegan sour cream which was delioucis! But I will need to work on my own recipe very soon!

These tacos were packed with protein and so flavourful! Who said Taco’s can’t been healthy??

How do you make your favourite tacos?

Happy Taco Tuesday ❤

ENJOY!!!

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Green PB & J Smoothie.

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Green Smoothies are a great way to start your day. I love trying new ingredients and making new variations of the smoothie but this Green PB AND J smoothie has been one recipe I keep coming back to. It reminds me of a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a smoothie. This recipe was not intentional at all. When I tried it it brought me back to my childhood. I love Peanut butter and Jelly but don’t tend to make them anymore. Its nice to have it in smoothie form.

Smoothies are great because you can load them with tons of nutrients. I chose to use a nut butter is this smoothie. I want this smoothie to have protein and healthy fats.

Getting my daily protein in can seem challenging because I  have eliminated meat and diary from my diet. This week I want to focus all of my recipes on natural sources of plant based protein. Some amazing benefits of nuts and seeds are the are packed with nutrients. A great example is the  brazil nut, Just one nut is more than the daily recommended intake for selenium providing over 100% of the nutrient. Another benefit you may not think about when you think about nuts and seeds is they have anti inflammatory properties. One of the more obvious benefits is the great source of fibre. My favourite benefit of of nuts and seed is the Versatility! You can never get bored with them. You can have them in nut butter, toasted, raw, chopped and so much more.

For this recipe I chose Almond Butter and Almond milk.

Here is everything you will need:

Ingredients: 

1 Ripe Banana 

1/2 avocado 

1/2 almond milk 

1 tbsp almond butter 

1/3 cup strawberries 

1/2 cup ice cubes

1 tsp spirulina powder

1 scoop of strawberry protein powder. 

Now all you have to do is blend and enjoy this amazing smoothie. ❤

What is your favourite nut butter? I hope you give this recipe a try!! Thank you for visiting the blog.

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Summer Coconut Smoothie Bowl.

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I love a good smoothie bowl for breakfast or brunch. I usually do intermitted fasting so my first meal is after 18 hours of fasting and I quite hungry by that point. I like to have a nutrient packed meal. I like to add healthy fats to my smoothie bowls. This is a rich and creamy smoothie bowl made with Coconut milk.

We are so lucky to have so many great options for Milk alternatives. One of my favourite milks to add to recipes is Coconut milk. Coconut milk contains Medium – Chain Triglycerides. (MCTs). These MCTs have been linked to weight-loss. MCTs produce  energy through a process called thermogenesis, or heat production. Coconuts also contain a Lipid “Lauric acid” . Lauric Acid has many anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which support a strong immune system. Coconut milk is very high in nutrients and minerals. It is delicious and a great addition to a lot of my favourite recipes. I even use coconut milk in my beauty routines. 

How do you like to incorporate coconut milk into you meals or beauty routine? 

Now back to the super easy smoothie bowl. Here is everything you will need.

I can not wait to share more of my smoothie bowl recipes. I love to play with different favours and toppings. This recipe was fresh and tangy with the cranberries. How do you top your smoothie bowls ?

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Spicy Guacamole. Turn up the Heat Guac!

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I love a good creamy avocado on almost anything. Avocados in my smoothies, on my toast, and on their own.  Eating a lot of avocados can seem like a lot but this superfood has so many benefits you can enjoy them guilt free. High in nutrients like potassium and Vitamin K. Avocados and avocado oil are high in monounsaturated fat and so many other health benefits. 

Tonight is the Nba finals!! I’m not a huge basketball fan but I’m from Toronto so I have to watch. GO RAPTORS! I need healthy snacks when I watch any major sporting event! Tonight in honour of turning up the heat on the warriors I decided Spicy Guacamole was only right! This recipe was so good, and simple to prepare. Here is what you will need:

Ingredients :

2 Avocados

1 large tomato

1 onion

2 chilli pepper chopped

1 lemon

2 tsp siracha

1 tsp sazon

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp red hot chilli flakes

Use a fork to mash Avocados. Combine tomatoes and onions together and add dry seasoning to mixture. Fold in the tamales and add tomato mixture until will combined. Finish with lemon juice. Enjoy it with corn tortilla chips 🙂

I hope you try this spicy recipe and have a gallon of water close by! It’s super hot but flavourful.

Enjoy!!! We the north!! Let’s turn up the Heat tonight! GO RAPTORS!!

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Watermelon Sorbet. Perfect for a Pre/Post workout Snack.

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Watermelon is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B5, and vitamin C. Watermelon is the richest known nutrient  source of the amino acid citrulline. The highest amount is found in the white rind that surrounds the flesh.  Drinking watermelon Juice before a workout can boost performance and help reduce recovery time. Push through your workout with Watermelon Juice. Watermelon is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B5, and vitamin C. Watermelon is the richest known nutrient source of the amino acid citrulline. The highest amount is found in the white rind that surrounds the flesh.

Watermelon is a good source of citrulline, which is converted into arginine in your body. This amino acids contributes in the nitric oxide production process. Nitric oxide is a gas molecule that causes the muscles around your blood vessels to relax and dilate. This leads to a reduction in blood pressure.

I love to read research studies on supplements because I want to know how the supplement performs. Twenty-four male soccer players ingested either Cit + Arg or placebo (both 1.2 g/day each) for 6 days. On day 7, they ingested Cit + Arg 1 h before performing a 10-min full-power pedaling test on a bicycle ergometer. Power output was significantly greater with Cit + Arg than in the placebo group. The conclusion was that seven days of oral Citrulline (1.2 g/d) and Arginine (1.2 g/d) ingestion improved 10-min cycling performance and the perception of physical exertion in male collegiate soccer players. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30847640

This watermelon sorbet is so refreshing! The lemon gives the sorbet a tangy taste, which makes this taste like a healthy jolly rancher candy. Lemon is highly acidic and when fully digested, it has many alkalizing health benefits for our bodies. I love watermelon and I know feel even better about eating it. I like to be intentional about what I consume so creating this Sorbet recipe is perfect for me. So many benefits, pre workout sorbet, Post workout sorbet and Low calorie snack.

Here is what you will need:

Add Frozen Fruit and lemon juice into Blender.
Blend until smooth and freeze again for 1 hour.
Let sit out for 5 mins, and Enjoy!
The perfect sweet treat with zero guilt. ❤

The instructions are super simple. Here they are :

Step 1: freeze watermelon & Strawberry overnight.

Step 2: add frozen fruit to blender on high, add 2tsp lemon juice.

Step 3: transfer to a flat glass container. freeze for 1 hour.

Step 4: remove container from freezer, let stand for 5 mins and serve.

Enjoy ❤

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Why you should maintain high levels of Vitamin C!

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Enjoy the many benefits of Vitamin C.

We often think about Vitamin C when we have cold and flu symptoms for the immune boosting properties. However Vitamin C has many other benefits our body requires to perform at optimal health.

Vitamin C is also commonly referred to as ascorbic acid, is a vitamin found in various foods and sold as a dietary supplement. Recently it has been recognized as a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C can protect the body from highly reactive molecules known as free radicals. Studies have shown that vitamin C supplementation has been promoted as a potent antioxidant for athletes. It helps to combat oxidative damage that occurs during intense exercise.

Collagen Formation is another function that requires suffienct Vitamin C. Vitamin C is necessary for our bodies to produce collagen. Vitamin C enhances collagen production and reduces damage including wrinkles and hyper-pigmentation. Maintaining high levels of vitamin C is crucial for healthy, and glowing skin.

Food Sources that are rich in Vitamin C are citrus fruits like lemons, kiwi and limes. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are also rich in Vitamin C. The recommended daily requirement for males is 90 mg per day, for females it is 75 mg.

lemon, kiwi and limes all rich in Vitamin C

A simple snack to get in your daily recommended Vitamin C intake is:

1 orange – 74.5 MG

1 kiwi – 92.7 MG

3/4 Cantaloupe – 23.6 MG

Total Vitamin C = 190.8 MG

Enjoy the Spring with these wonderful natural sources of Vitamin C. Have a little lemon with your limes. 🙂