Weight Loss Wonders: Tips and Tricks

Sleep is a paradox. Or at least, it kind of seems that way when examined from an evolutionary standpoint. When we’re asleep, we have diminished awareness of our surroundings, leaving us vulnerable to predators and other threats in the environment. And from a practical perspective, lying down with your eyes closed for eight hours also seems like a fairly unproductive behavior, which no doubt is why high-achieving people throughout history have sought to get by with less of it. Despite these obvious disadvantages, we spend about a third of our life in slumber. And not just us – some form of sleep is nearly ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. Finally, as everyone knows all too well, disturbances to sleep can have a serious negative impact on our physical and mental health, making it hard to minimize even if you really want to.  The universality of sleep, as well as our inexorable need for it, in the face of its costs, suggests that sleep is extremely important . But for what...

Instant Pot Rice Pudding... or as I like to call it I.P.R.P hahah because it is too good not to! This Rice Pudding is so quick and easy to make thanks to the Instant Pot! This recipe is a one pot dish and everyone who tries it loves it! It's an easy dessert or a sweet treat, with just the right amount of sweet to cinnamon flavor. Make it with me! Last year, I turned a classic recipe for Mango Sticky Rice into an Instant Pot recipe and the crowd went wild! This recipe has thousands of views and reviews because it is so easy and it's seriously delicious! I knew I wanted to make another "rice" dessert in my IP and Rice Pudding came to mind. I love the way that it turned out! My favorite thing about the Instant Pot is that every recipe is a one pot recipe! That little sauté button on the front is one of my best friends! It's great for cooking onions and garlic, browning meat, and so much more! You will be using the sauté feature in this recipe. For...

This easy Honey Dijon Baked Salmon recipe is our new favorite! The salmon is cooked in a honey, Dijon and garlic glaze. It comes together in just 10 minutes. This delicious salmon recipe is perfect for a fancy dinner but it's also easy enough for a weeknight meal! Make it with me! As most of you know, I spent a week in Alaska this summer fishing for Salmon and Halibut! We shipped home about a hundred pounds of fish and I have been loving it! I love creating new fish recipes and this recipe is one of my favorites! The sauce is simple and easy to throw together and the salmon tastes amazing! We served it with a side of asparagus and over a bed of brown rice!  Salmon is such a light and healthy protein. It's awesome for counting calories and macros! I have many more salmon recipes coming to the blog soon and I can't wait to share them with you! Honey Dijon Baked Salmon Yields 2 servings Calories Per Serving: 311calories Carb: 10g / Protein: 30g / Fat: 16...

THE BEST Cinnamon Candied Pecans! Crunchy, sweet, and totally delicious!! Perfect for on the side snacking, as a topping in salads, or to bag up and give away as gifts! Make it with me! This Cinnamon Candied method can be used on any nut! Almonds, peanuts, cashews, or pecans! My favorite salad to use these candied pecans in is my Pear & Cinnamon Pecan Salad . This recipe is a must try! Everyone who tastes it, loves it! Cinnamon Candied Pecans Yields 4 cups 1 pound pecans 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 egg white 1 tablespoon water Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Whisk the egg white, vanilla and water with a fork in a large bowl until frothy. Add the pecans to the egg white mixture and stir until they are well coated. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large ziploc bag. Pour the pecans into the ziploc bag, seal and shake until well coated with your...

This Pear & Cinnamon Pecan Salad is the perfect blend of savory and sweet! Made with fresh pear slices, cooked chicken, the most delicious homemade candied cinnamon pecans, and a homemade cinnamon vinaigrette dressing to tie it all together. Make it with me! The key ingredient to making this salad really delicious is making the Candied Cinnamon Pecans! They are a real treat!! I always make a large batch of the nuts so I can have them on a hand for a couple of weeks! They are great added to salads like this, or just plain as a snack! This recipe is the perfect salad to transition from Summer into Fall! Pears are in season here in Utah in September! It's the perfect blend of savory and sweet. Pear & Cinnamon Pecan Salad Yields 6 servings 2 cups cooked chicken breast 8 cups spinach 2 pears, pealed and sliced 1 cup candied cinnamon pecans 6 tablespoons parmesan cheese Cinnamon Vinaigrette Dressing: 4 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil 4 tablesp...

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas are my favorite type of enchiladas! These come together so quickly and they taste amazing!! These are the perfect meal to add to the weekly dinner rotation! These enchiladas are light, healthy, and easy to make! Make it with me! To cook the chicken for this recipe, my favorite way is to cook it in the Instant Pot! The chicken comes out so flavorful and moist, and it shreds so easily. To see how I do that, check out this post Easy Shredded Chicken . In these pictures, I doubled the recipe and make 8 enchiladas! This recipe works great to double, or even triple! You can also half it if you only need 2. This recipe is great with a side of Homemade Refried Beans  and Spanish Rice . Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas  Yields 4 servings  1 cup (2-3 breasts) shredded chicken, fully cooked 1⁄4 cup nonfat, plain Greek yogurt 2 Tbs. raw honey 2 Tbs. lime juice 1 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. garlic powder 4 whole grain tortillas 1 c...

Peach Cobbler from the Instant Pot is a hit. The best Instant Pot Peach Cobbler Recipe you will ever need! Minimal ingredients, bold flavor, and it comes together quickly! Make this easy, delicious cobbler with me! Peach cobbler is a stable recipe this time of year! No dutch oven required, make this recipe in my favorite kitchen appliance, the Instant Pot! You can use fresh or canned peaches, which makes this recipe available to make year round! I've said it before and I will say it again, I love my Instant Pot! It's my favorite kitchen appliance because it is so versatile! I can make anything from hard boiled eggs, to mashed potatoes, to soups and chilis, to a complete meal! It you haven't jumped on the Instant Pot train yet, it's time! ALL ABOARD! Shop the 6 and 8 quart Instant Pots through the links below! 6 Quart Instant Pot   8 Quart Instant Pot    This recipe is super quick and easy to follow! You will need to use the Pot in Pot method to c...

The best Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff! Your favorite easy dinner just got even easier thanks to my favorite kitchen appliance! This meal is hearty, quick, and simple to make! It's one of those meals that is always in the dinner rotation at my house! Make it with me! For this recipe, you can use a couple different options of meat! You can use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken! You can also use thinly sliced beef sirloin, which is my favorite! I buy a case of Philly's Best Beef Steaks at Costco in the freezer section and they are awesome! You get 40, 4 ounce patties that are portioned and thinly sliced. This is the box you're looking for! I've said it before and I will say it again, I love my Instant Pot! It's my favorite kitchen appliance because it is so versatile! I can make anything from hard boiled eggs, to mashed potatoes, to soups and chilis, to a complete meal! It you haven't jumped on the Instant Pot train yet, it's time! AL...