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CO Hike Series: Cataract Lake
Fall hiking destination north of Silverthorne in the Gore Range of Colorado When my friend Rachel texted, “Hey wanna hike tomorrow?” I knew I was in for a good day. There are very few people who match my expectations of what it means to HIKE. Rachel gets it. We set off EARLY on a Saturday from Denver. That’s just how it is anymore. If you want to beat traffic on I-70 (morning traffic and the traffic coming back), you’ve gotta get up before the sun on a weekend. I’ll give up my sleep for an easy drive and empty trail. As we drove up to the trailhead in the dark,…
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5 Simple Ways to Dress Up Your Bone Broth
I’ve already tackled all the amazing benefits of Bone Broth and I’m a big proponent of including it as a dietary staple. However, it can get pretty bland and boring. By dressing it up with herbs and spices, you can create endless possibilities of flavor from one base recipe. Here’s my simple formula for dressing up your broth: Basic Broth + Fat + Acid + Herb/Spice + Sea Salt Add Fat I like to add a tablespoon of grass-fed ghee, full-fat coconut milk, or MCT oil to amp up the flavor and the satiety factor. Pairing extra fat in bone broth makes the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K…
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My PRIME DAY picks for a Healthy Kitchen
Nutritionist curated Amazon Prime Day Shopping List Amazon’s Annual Prime Day is HERE! I’m expecting some great kitchen deals: from cookware and appliances to books and storage. Now is a great time to refresh your kitchen and treat yourself! While many deals are kept under wraps until Prime Day kicks off, you can get a sneak peek of upcoming discounts on big kitchen brands like Cuisinart, Instant Pot, Le Creuset, Pyrex and more. Amazon Prime Day is a perk exclusively for Prime Members. If you’re looking to shop for Prime Day deals, I suggest signing up for a free 30-day trial now, so you can access the event for FREE! When it comes to a healthy kitchen, here are some…
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The Health Benefits of Bone Broth
Cate Shanahan, M.D. touts the importance of nose-to-tail eating in her book Deep Nutrition. This ancestral tradition of consuming all parts of an animal has long disappeared. By consuming more than muscle–everything including skin, cartilage, tendons, and organs–we get a balanced intake of all essential amino acids and many overlooked micronutrients. What is in bone broth? Broth made from animal bones is rich in amino acids, minerals, and proteins like collagen and gelatin. Collagen is a main component of connective tissues (cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone, skin; even blood vessels and eyeballs!) in our bodies. The hydrolysis of collagen forms gelatin. Thus, the longer the broth is simmered the higher the…
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CO Hike Series: Hartenstein Lake
Lesser known destination in Buena Vista, CO accessed from the Denny Creek Trailhead I was so fortunate to get a few days this fall to hike with my family. My Mom, Dad, Lucas, and Kelsey flew in to visit and we spent time in Buena Vista, CO. One of our favorite small towns. No, absolutely, our top favorite small town. We love to be on a trail and this weekend we were graced with absolutely perfect fall hiking weather! The trails were nearly empty, the sunshine was warm, and the fall colors made a breathtaking backdrop. Although we have several favorite hikes in the area, Hartenstein Lake was a new…
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Gluten-Free, Oat + Almond Maple Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin is such a perfect pairing for gluten-free baking. Often, GF flours tend to be very dry and tasteless. However, pumpkin add moisture and gives breads, muffins, and cakes a “normal” texture. I used a combination of Oat Flour (which is JUST ground whole oats) and Almond Flour (JUST almond meal). Many gluten-free flours use gums and starches. These are helpful for mimicking the binding quality of gluten, but I found unnecessary for this type of sweet bread. The less-processed and closer-to-whole-food my diet can be, the better I feel. This bread isn’t overly sweet, but I put chocolate on EVERYTHING…. so there was no exception here. I didn’t add…
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Fall Weekend Getaway: 4 Days in Buena Vista, Colorado
A fabulous fall getaway in Buena Vista, Colorado. We hit the trails at peak color season and were rewarded with golden views and cool temps. Here's what we did and what we ate for four days in Buena Vista, Colorado.
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Upgraded Cowboy Cookies: My Ultimate High Country Companion
Cowboy cookies are very nostalgic for me. The chewy, soft texture and marriage of oatmeal, chocolate, and salty crunch make up the perfect cookie. They take me back to the days of wrangling and ranching as a crew girl at Deer Valley Ranch. I mean, I had the coolest summer job during college. I wish I could go back to those days! I got to spend the summer months in beautiful Buena Vista, Colorado on a DUDE RANCH. People have crazy ideas about what a dude ranch is (Thanks, movies). In reality, I describe it best as a weeklong summer camp for families. We had a program that ran Saturday…
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CO Hike Series: Oh Be Joyful!
Lovely hike through Crested Butte’s wildflower-rich valley Summer hiking is my absolute favorite. This season has been challenging. The trails are crowded. Coloradans are out enjoying our home state since there has been a significant halt on travel. I’m all for getting outside and exploring everything this state has to offer; but, man, the crowds are frustrating! My solution has been to escape to lesser-known gems and small mountain towns, like Crested Butte. I most often visit CB in the “shoulder seasons”– the spring and fall outside of peak tourism months. The spring is still *quite* chilly, and many trails are under snow. But the Fall….. The fall is magical.…
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Dairy-Free, High-Protein, Copycat Perfect Bars- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip!
Healthy, No-Bake, Casein-Free, Gluten-Free, High-Protein CopyCat "Perfect" Bars. Fall for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip!
