my favorite smoothie bowl recipe

As temperatures have been heating up, I bet your Instagram feed has seen its fair share of smoothie bowls. I mean, they're basically a food blogger's dream: impressively gorgeous, customizable, and their toppings pack an extra nutrient punch.

As one of my first breakfasts of summer, I decided to create smoothie bowl of my own with all of my favorite goodies.  Rachel and I hit Whole Foods for some pretty fruits, then she came over to take photos and enjoy with me. I wrote down the completed recipe so I could present it on the blog and you could make a beautiful breakfast for yourself! So, grab a friend and your blender-- you're gonna wanna make this one.

THE BASE

makes two bowls

• 1/4 ripe avocado....(or 1/2 of those cute mini ones)
• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 cup of frozen raspberries (or any frozen berry, use a lighter berry for a greener color)
• 3 handfuls of fresh baby spinach (or more if you're feelin green)
• 1 handful baby kale
• 1.5 cups sugar free coconut milk (full fat for those healthy fats!
• 1/2 tsp matcha with 1/2 tsp hot water

Blend until creamy, add more coconut milk if it won't blend. (Optional: place your bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes to thicken it so the toppings don't sink!)

THE TOPPINGS

The toppings are what make the bowl. I added tons of fruit and seeds, and you can also add nut butters!

Some ideas:

• Pomegranate
• Kiwi
• Dragonfruit
• Citrus slices
• Blueberries
• Fruit cut with melon baller
• Banana slices
• Drizzled yogurt
• Chia pudding
• Drizzled nut butter
• Hemp hearts
• Chia seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Almond slices
• Coconut flakes/chips

For more inspo, follow my Pinterest board.

stay sunny

meg

recipe created by meg schwieterman, all photos by rachel issler

ten foods with easy sugar free options

Ice cream, slushies, popsicles, lemonade... all the foods that characterize a super fun summer. Our sugar intake tends to increase when we're out of school: meeting friends for ice cream, drinking milkshakes by the pool, or eating tons of candy at sleepovers. Of course, that's life. But as more and more studies point to the harmful effects of too much sugar (inflammation, acne, GI issues, even early death), something has to give.

As we up our sugar intake in some places, it's important to watch out for added sugars elsewhere. We need to find a healthy balance. Many ordinary foods have mounds sugar hiding in them, and there are easy alternatives to avoid this! After being sugar free for three months, I found a lot of really yummy ways to cut out sugar. And I don't mean by using gross sweeteners made in a lab, these are natural, wholesome solutions.

1. Yogurt // Buying plain yogurt (Siggi's is my favorite), and sweetening the taste by adding fruit, fruit reductions, nut butters, or a little bit of honey is a great way to cut sugar in your favorite snack

2. Cereal // Use plain puffed grains like kamut or millet, honey-sweetened granola, or Nature's Path fruit juice corn flakes 

3. Tea and Coffee // You can get used to anything. So, if you're hooked on super sweet tea or a coffee with 2 sugars, try giving it up for a week and use honey, coconut sugar, or unsweetened coconut milk. Coconut milk is naturally sweet and chock full of healthy fats! You'll get used to the taste and save yourself sugar on the daily.

4. Granola Bars // Tons of granola bars marketed as "healthy" are chock-full of sugars. Try RX Bars, Simple Squares, or make your own!

5. Nut Butters // There's a reason why all homemade nut butters are all over heath bloggers' Instagrams. They're yummy, fresh, customizable, and do not contain the sugar content of many store-bought brands. 

6. Alternative Milks // If you're a vegan or a nut milk drinker, be sure you check the ingredients. Extra sugar is a common preservative and ingredient in almond, soy, coconut and other milks. For an easy, real food, all natural version, it's easy to make your own. 

7. Oatmeal // Spice up your morning oats with cinnamon, fruit, and nut butter instead of sugar. 

8. Waffles and Pancakes // In my personal experience, breakfast is the meal where it's easiest to pile on the sugar. To avoid that mistake, look for brands like Simple Mills that don't contain sugar! (Or make your own from scratch)

9. Chocolate // After being sugar-free, my lifesaver has been coconut sugar chocolate (like Eating Evolved or Vivoo). 

10. Jelly // If you're a pb + j lover, it'd be easy to sub your jelly for a brand with no added sugar, like Dafour. Or, you can make your own fruit reduction by boiling berries with citrus juice until they break down.

Enjoy your summer, and remember it's all about balance. Eat that popsicle, but look out for those extra sugars!

stay sunny

meg

ps- so sorry if you saw this post unfinished last week! I accidentally took it out of drafts when it wasn't done. 

prom pictures

I'm currently sitting in a hot and boring study hall in my non-air conditioned school, flipping through pictures and wishing I was back at prom. I attended my first prom a couple of weeks ago and it was a blast! Of course, I was super excited to dress up in a fancy dress and spend time with my friends before the school year ends. I thought I would share some photos from the event with you all...

This is the lineup for what I wore:  dress 1 2 | shoes (similar) | earrings 

I absolutely loved my dress, it was the very first one I tried on so I got lucky!

My pretty pretty best friends

Get someone that looks at you the way Auggie looks at me <3

My little sister, Emma, was just as excited for me to go to Prom as I was

Rachel in front of the camera for once :-)

I kept jewelry to a minimum because the dress was so embellished.  But, I did get to wear my great grandma's rings from the 40's!

I hope everyone had fun at their proms, good luck on final exams!

shop the post

stay sunny

meg

new about page

Hi! Just popping in to say I updated my about page after a long while of "under construction" :-) I love how my blog has grown and changed with me over the past four years, and I hope my new page reflects that. Check it out here, and as always, stay sunny.

meg

instagram | bloglovin'

what's the deal with coffee (and how i take mine)

*via

Can coffee be part of a healthy lifestyle? Do dieticians drink coffee? Do I personally?

The answer to all of the above is yes. If that surprises you, let's face it, coffee lovers get a bad rap. The morning ritual for people all over the world is referred to as a drug, addictive, or just plain bad-for-you. I'm NOT saying that coffee can't be addictive or can't have adverse effects. I AM saying that, if you drink coffee in moderation because you like it (not because you need it), and if you don't load your cup with sugar or other chemicals, it's no big deal. (Read a helpful article by an RD here).

You can utilize your morning cup of coffee in a way to make it work for your body, get tons of nutrients, de-stress, and all the while feel more energized. Here's how I do it:

___________________

1 cup of regular black coffee, usually trader joe's or whole foods

1/4 cup MALK almond milk (or homemade)
I use this type of almond milk because it's literally just almonds and water, no additives, sugar, or gums. I mostly add it for flavor and to help keep me full after breakfast while I'm at school. It contains vitamin E, which helps your skin stay healthy. AND it has fiber, for your gut!

2 tsp coconut oil- I did some research on WHY you should put this healthy fat in your coffee, besides that it makes it super frothy and yummy. (read about more here)
1. it increases energy: coconut oil is made up of lipids that can be quickly metabolized as fuel instead of becoming stored fat.
2. it speeds up your metabolism: this gives your body a little boost to metabolize your breakfast early in the morning and so you can have an energy boost when you need it, early in the day.
3. it's naturally antimicrobial: the lauric acid found in coconut oil is super helpful in strengthening your immune system and fighting off sickness. It helps with preventing cold sores, which I'm prone to.

...and this is definitely not scientific, but when you sip coconut oil coffee from a mug the oil will also moisturize your lips :-)

1 tsp honey- Honey has energy benefits + more, but I just add a small amount for the flavor.

how to prepare:
Froth it all up with a milk frother (I use this one that's $20 and doesn't take up much space). This is the easiest way, but if you want to blend it in a blender or Nutribullet that would work too!

i sometimes add...
ashwaghanda: if you can overlook the fact that you're basically putting shrubs in your coffee, this power herb helps reduce cortisol levels (your stress hormone). I take it when I'm feeling anxious. Not to mention it boosts memory and reduces inflammation, creating the perfect cure for exam week :-) I take it in a drop form, but many people also like it as powder! See what works for you.
collagen: this super protein helps your hair, skin, and nails grow and stay healthy. It also rebuilds your gut wall, which stops inflammatory toxins from leaking into your body! I use Vital Proteins brand.

lastly
please note that coffee is NOT breakfast. Eat some real food, people. :-)

stay sunny

meg

please note this blog post is not to be used as a substitute for professional or medical advice. everyone is different, do not let what works for my body harm your body.