I love breakfast! It sets me up for a fat burning day.

If I eat nutritious, whole food, I don't feel hungry until lunchtime. Even if I'm in a horrible rush, I never leave the house without something in my tummy.  Many of my clients make the mistake of skipping breakfast, which stops the fat burning power your body innately has.  They skip that crucial meal, or drink too much coffee, don’t eat enough protein and healthy fat, or consume high carbohydrates and then wonder why they carry extra weight.  It’s amazing to watch the pounds fall off when people add a healthy breakfast to their life.

A smoothie is my way to go. It fills you up and gets all those good nutrients inside you in one great drink.  It’s important to “chew” your smoothie taking in all those nutrients slowly, therefore allowing proper absorption. I often make my son and daughter a smoothie so that I can sneak in chia seeds, homemade almond milk, coconut oil,  and greens without them batting an eye. Shhhhh, don’t tell them!

If I don’t even have time for a smoothie (which is rare) I will grab a handful of raw nuts or seeds. I always have some in my purse or car for an afternoon snack.  Although raw nuts are an excellent choice to eat, if you have weak digestion they can somewhat be difficult to digest causing indigestion and bloat.  This appears to be due to the enzyme inhibitor, phytic acid that keeps nuts and seeds in a dormant state until conditions are right.  To neutralize this acid and gain the maximum nutritional benefit, it is best to soak or sprout them in water before eating. This will stimulate the process of germination, releasing the vitamin C and increasing the vitamin B content.  Soaking nuts also breaks down the starch responsible for intestinal distress. Almonds and walnuts should be soaked at least 12 hours. Cashews should be soaked at least 6 hours.  Once they are softened, rinse in water and add them directly to your smoothie or some other recipe. I also love to dehydrate them or lightly bake and add sea salt and spices. 

My favorite nuts are almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, and walnuts. My favorite seeds are chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.  A day does not go by where I don't have a handful of nuts or seeds. I store them in mason jars on my kitchen counter so my whole family can readily enjoy them.  Most of us are deficient in these essential fatty acids within those nuts and seeds.  They help us burn excess fat, improve our immune system, lower inflammation, remove toxins from our skin, intestinal tract and kidneys. They also nourish and feed our brain and eyes,  lubricate our cardiovascular system, which reducing the threat of heart disease and stroke.

 My Favorite Nut Milk Recipe:

One cup raw (natural) almonds, soaked
3 to 4 cups of purified water
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp of unrefined coconut oil
Dash of sea salt

Place almonds in a bowl and cover with filtered water and soak overnight or 6-8 hours. Discard water.

Add nuts, fresh filtered water being careful not to fill your blender past 3/4 full.  Add lid tightly and blend on high speed until nuts are completely broken down, usually 1-2 minutes. Strain with a nut milk bag (available online or at health food stores) into a jug or bowl.  If you don't have a nut milk bag, you can also use cheesecloth. Rinse the blender and add back the strained nut milk. I then add my cinnamon, salt, and coconut oil with the nut milk.  Delicious! I add this to my smoothies, afternoon hot green tea, chia seed pudding,  and granola.