Brain Functions Archives - Page 4 of 11

Paleo Pasta With Sardines, Anchovies, And Breadcrumbs

April 29, 2019/18 Comments/in Boosting Energy, Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Increased Athletic Performance, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management, Youthful Appearance paleo, grain-free, dairy-free, nut-free, quick pasta, seafood, fish /by Stacey Isaacs

This paleo pasta with sardines, anchovies, and breadcrumbs is my favorite pasta ever! Even if you think you don’t like sardines and anchovies, you will love this recipe.

When I was in Lake Como, Italy, I had my favorite pasta dish ever. I took the recommendation of our waiter and ordered a dish that had sardines in it.

I don’t think had I ever had pasta with sardines before. And, honestly, I don’t think it sounded great at the time. But, the setting was beautiful, the night air fragrant, and the wine was flowing. I was all in.

To this day, I can say with certainty that I have never ever had food that good before and — until now — I haven’t had it since.

This paleo pasta with sardines, anchovies, and breadcrumbs is my take on that glorious pasta dish. I’ve made it paleo friendly, and I’ve used …

Spicy Ground Turkey Pasta

April 13, 2019/1 Comment/in Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free pasta, meat, simple, Asian /by Stacey Isaacs

This Spicy Ground Turkey Pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner — it’s so easy and so delicious!

I love spice. And because of this love, if you open my refrigerator and look on the door shelves, you’ll see a ridiculous variety of different jars and bottles of various spice blends, sauces, and pastes. When I’m ready to cook, I unload this mass of ingredients onto my counter and I begin. This makes me sometimes think twice about making my favorite spicy dishes when I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

But, now… things have gotten way easier…

I found my new spice blend obsession: Ayoba-Yo Spice Blend. It’s a rare thing for me to be willing to give up my trusted spice jars, but this spice blend is so good that I’ve been able to streamline my cooking so much. This single jar is …

Paleo Creamy Carrot Soup

January 5, 2019/0 Comments/in Boosting Energy, Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Food Categories, Managing Illnesses, Weight Management soup, paleo, whole30, comfort food, vegetarian Recipe adapted from: [url href="https://www.101cookbooks.com/simple-carrot-soup/" target="_blank"]101 Cookbooks[/url] /by Stacey Isaacs

Creamy. Delicate. Flavorful. Delicious. Healthy. And, so easy! This paleo creamy carrot soup is all these things and more…

I am not a winter person. I always wanted to be a winter person, but alas… I am not.

I tried to like skiing. It looks so cool and sexy when I see other people do it. I hate heights and I don’t enjoy being cold, so this didn’t go so well for me.

I don’t like having to bundle up in heavy layers each time I want to go out. It actually annoys me…

But, I do love a good sweater and a cute pair of boots.

And, I do love winter food. Comfort food. Stew. Cups of hot lattes, superfood creamy drinks, and hot tea make me really happy.

The best of all: SOUP.

I love a good hearty, chunky soup like my White Bean And Kale Soup or …

Grain-Free Pumpkin Muffins

December 17, 2018/5 Comments/in Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Increased Athletic Performance, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management muffins, paleo, grain-free, dairy-free, breakfast, snack recipe adapted from: [url href="https://wellnessmama.com/3655/coconut-flour-pumpkin-bread/?ck_subscriber_id=134207901" target="_blank"]Wellness Mama[/url] /by Stacey Isaacs

These grain-free pumpkin muffins are delicious — but since they are completely grain-free, they will actually give you energy, soothe your digestion, and of course, make you smile.

I am a chef. I’m not a baker. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I cook with love and I love to taste as I stir, and season as I taste. It’s like a foodie’s dance of sorts.

Baking just mystifies me. It’s all too measured for my liking. There’s no tasting as you go, and no seasoning things up halfway through.

Over the past few years, I’ve come up with tried-and-true baked goods recipes that even I can make. Believe me, this means these recipes are idiot-proof.

Since I eat grain-free and dairy-free, there are not a lot of store-bought baked goods options that taste good. If I’m going to eat candy or cake or cookies or muffins or pies, …

Dairy Free Creamy Cauliflower Bone Broth Soup

November 5, 2018/0 Comments/in Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management gluten free, dairy free soup /by Stacey Isaacs

This Dairy Free Creamy Cauliflower Bone Broth Soup is creamy, delicious, and healing! It’s topped with crispy spicy chickpeas and fried herbs… oh my!

I’m so happy that fall is in full swing here in New York City. The leaves are changing and they are just gorgeous. Every time I go outside, I’m engulfed by amazing vibrant reds and yellows and oranges. It makes me happy. And, it makes me crave soup.

The other day, I came inside and my head was still filled with all of these bright autumnal colors. I threw open the windows, let the crisp air inside, and I set about making a healing pot of soup.

I find it amusing that with all of these hues in my head, the soup I ended up creating is so deliciously devoid of bright colors. I just love the creamy whiteness of this dairy free creamy cauliflower bone …

Homemade Simple Guacamole

September 25, 2018/1 Comment/in Boosting Energy, Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Managing Illnesses, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management, Youthful Appearance appetizer, dip paleo, whole30, gluten-free /by Stacey Isaacs

This homemade simple guacamole recipe is one you will make again and again and again. This video will take you through it step by simple step…

Guacamole is awesome. It’s really high on the list of great things that we can thank fresh avocados for. I mean, guacamole was around and amazing way before avocado toast.

Avocado toast is delicious, but guacamole is a classic. Everyone should have a great fresh homemade simple guacamole recipe in their arsenal. When you make this the first time — whether you serve it to thankful guests or eat the whole bowl yourself (and yes, I’ve been there done that…) — you will never buy store-bought guacamole again.

And it’s easy. Really easy.

I am going through this recipe with you, in real time, step by step. A lot of times when I cook for you or cook with you, I don’t do it …

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

July 11, 2018/2 Comments/in Boosting Energy, Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management, Youthful Appearance smoothie, fruit, breakfast, snack paleo, whole30, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free /by Stacey Isaacs

This pineapple mango smoothie is bright and refreshing… but the best thing about it is that it will help your digestion!

I make smoothies all the time. I mean, every day. My Vitamix gets more use than any kitchen tool I’ve ever owned. I just love the idea that I can pick out whatever food and herbs and supplements I need at a particular moment, toss them all in the blender, and have a healing cocktail of sorts that will boost my energy, fix my digestion, decrease my inflammation, or lift my mood in a matter of seconds.

To me, it’s like magic. Smoothies are the epitome of food is medicine.

When I was in school getting my Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine, we learned all about the value and the amazing healing powers of Chinese herbs. And, I cook with Chinese herbs all the time. One of my …

Espresso Chocolate Chip Smoothie

June 17, 2018/3 Comments/in Boosting Energy, Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Increased Athletic Performance, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management, Youthful Appearance smoothie, breakfast, snack, blender paleo, vegan, vegetarian /by Stacey Isaacs

This delicious espresso chocolate chip smoothie will give you energy, balance your hormones, and make you smile!

When I start out to make a smoothie — which I do many times a week — I almost always stop, close my eyes, breathe deeply, and really notice what kind of flavor combination my mouth wants and what kinds of superfoods and healing ingredients my body needs. Yes, I’m aware that I turn the business of smoothie making into an oddly serious affair, but hey, it works for me. And today, this espresso chocolate chip smoothie is what I wanted and needed.

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, we take our two huge dogs to Central Park for coffee and croissants. We get coffee. The dogs get croissants. We sit by the lake and people watch. It’s awesome. And then we come home and have breakfast. One of the reasons it’s not so …

Pink Pitaya Mango Smoothie Bowl

June 16, 2018/0 Comments/in Boosting Energy, Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Increased Athletic Performance, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management, Youthful Appearance smoothie bowl, summer, blender, Vitamix, fruit vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free /by Stacey Isaacs

This pink pitaya mango smoothie bowl is the perfect thing to keep you hydrated on a hot summer day… and it’s as delicious as it is pretty!

Color is so important. We’ve all heard the saying “eat the rainbow”… and that’s because the way to stay healthy is to eat as many colors as possible. I eat tons of greens, lots of reds, there’s plenty of yellows and oranges too. But, pink… well that’s a little harder to find. This beautifully healing pink pitaya mango smoothie bowl is the perfect way to get your pink on.

In Chinese medicine, each organ in the body is associated with a different color. Black/blue is great for the kidneys and red is for the heart. Mix blue and red together, and you’ve got pink. The more prominent a color is, the more healing power it has — and just look at this pink …

Blueberry Orange Chia Pudding

June 13, 2018/3 Comments/in Boosting Immune System, Brain Functions, Digestive Health, Elevated Mood, Food Categories, Increased Athletic Performance, Managing Illnesses, Managing Stress, Reduced Aches & Pains, Reduced Inflammation, Weight Management, Youthful Appearance make-ahead, superfoods, chia seeds breakfast, pudding, parfait /by Stacey Isaacs

Make-ahead breakfasts are awesome. Imagine opening your fridge and having blueberry orange chia pudding waiting for you in the morning… it will make you smile.

I’m like a pusher when it comes to chia pudding. I make everyone try it. And, most of them end up loving it. I’m not going to lie though… there are still a few souls I’m trying to win over, but I’m not giving up. I’ve been developing chia puddings in tons of different flavors. And, this blueberry orange chia pudding recipe won over someone who I never thought would ever eat chia pudding. I just love it when stuff like this happens!

I was hosting my book club at my apartment one night. And, I, not surprisingly, used this as an event to test out recipes on unsuspecting people. I made 8 cute little jars of this chia pudding and had them at the …