Crunchy Baked Apple Chips

Baked Apple Chips are a great
alternative to deep-fried
 potato chips.

This recipe is sweet, crunchy, and loaded with spices that are good for your digestive and circulatory system. What more could a girl ask for? Consider these a great mid-day snack paired with a small scoop of chicken salad, and few almonds. 

Cinnamon and cloves are great for
your digestive system. Cayenne
pepper is good for your circulatory
system. Spices are healing!

Every year my fiance and family all go apple picking. We search the Hendersonville, NC apple farms for all types and varieties. I never knew growing up, how many kinds of apples there are and how different each one's flavor profile is. Apples vary greatly in their texture, sweetness to tartness factor, and their crispness. Use a variety of apples in this recipe of whatever kind of apples you can find locally. Granny smith apples are allowed in moderation on the candida diet and some low-carb diets because they are classified as a lower sugar fruit. Enjoy! 

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Primal

Apples chips
may keep for 2-3
weeks in an air-
tight container.

Ingredients:
3 local apples (We used one granny smith, one arkansas black, and one gala apple)
3/4 tbl. ground cinnamon
1/4 tbl. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Sea Salt
Dash Cayenne Pepper

Directions:
1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Wash apples thoroughly and thinly slice your  into 1/8inch pieces.

One of the easiest recipes you'll
ever make!  Prep-time less than 10
minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 175 degrees fahrenheit. Combine apples and seasonings. Mix together with hands until spices are evenly coating the apples.
3. Place apples slices down on parchment paper. Spread apples slices evenly across the surface. Slices may touch but not overlap.
4. Bake (dehydrate) for 8-9 hours or until crispy and the ends curl up. Let cool completely in the oven (We left ours in the oven overnight to cool). Store apple chips in an air tight container. 
*For candida diet, use all granny smith apples.
**Recipe and photos by Keri Rogers.

Yield: enough apple chips to fill one large mason jar.

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Creator of Yoga Props, and Nutrition/Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Education Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!
Contact for details: Website  BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275

Grilled Crisp Romaine Lettuce

Fresh off the grill...time to
get creative!

I'll admit it... Tan and I are pretty infatuated with this stuff right now. I can't get enough grilled romaine lettuce!!  In our house, we're serving it up in many different ways and eating it at least once a week.  It's a nice change of pace from the classic chilled salad, makes a flavorful topping for dishes and soups, and is a great add-on for sandwiches and wraps. I love that grilled romaine lettuce has a fresh yet smokey flavor and layers of crisp texture. Thank you God, for an abundance of delicious healthy foods! :-)

Romaine lettuce is considered the
healthiest of all lettuce varieties.
It contains a high water content,
vitamins A, K, C, and folate,
dietary fiber, and minerals.  

This recipe is so quick and easy to make but will definitely impress your dinner guests.  A couple of weeks back, I hosted a girls night at our place.  I made this grilled romaine lettuce and served it with a variety of salad fixings and an avocado dressing on the side.  We had baked local Native Meats chicken, farm fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, pumpkin seeds, and thai-chili lime cashews.  So delicious.  Although, I have to admit my girlfriends can cook up a storm!  We also shared: arugula and shrimp salad with lemon, a roasted egg plant and bell pepper dip, and fresh raspberries with brie!  Is your mouth watering yet?  Okay, go make this delicious recipe:


Candida Diet, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Paleo, Primal, Vegan

Salad we made with grilled romaine,
local red bell pepper, zucchini and
yellow squash, and cucumber.  

Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce, washed thoroughly*
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
melted coconut oil or grass-fed unsalted butter
1/2 whole lemon

Directions:
1. Heat gas grill to medium heat.  
2. Trim off around 1-3 inches of loose tips of the lettuce depending upon size. Slice in half lengthwise.  
3.  Place lettuce halves belly up on a cutting board. Sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the top to taste. Brush gently with melted fat.  
4.  Lay lettuce belly side down onto hot grill.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and flip.  Cook for 1-2 minutes more.  Remove from grill.  Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the top. 
5. Serve. 

* How to wash lettuce and other fresh foods.
**Photos and recipe by Keri Rogers.

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Creator of Yoga Props, and Nutrition/Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Education Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!
Contact for details: Website  BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275

Farmer's Market Roasted Okra and Zucchini with Garlic and Lemon

Finished Product was crisp, fresh
and delicious!

Yesterday, at the downtown Greenville Farmer's Market I picked up a beautiful selection of locally vegetables and meats.  This week I purchased purple okra, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers, bibb lettuce, red leaf lettuce, mizuna, patty pan squash, garlic, and a selection of humanely raised meats.  It's so much fun to stroll around the market and pick out from each weeks harvest what foods I want to cook and eat. Through trial and error, Tanner and I have learned that shopping at the Farmer's Markets also saves us A LOT of money.  Nutrition-wise, foods that are fresh out of the garden or off the farm are the most nutrient rich. From a Chef's perspective, these farm fresh foods also have the best flavor. When you use quality ingredients you can season them simply, cook them correctly, and they taste great.  It's cooking made easy! :-)  

Burger night while watching
football.  Tan served his on
gluten-free bread and mine
on local Bibb lettuce.

If you don't usually eat okra because of it's slimy texture then you will love it roasted.  It isn't slimy at all and has a awesome flavor.  We paired our roasted vegetables with Grilled Native Meats Grass-fed Beef and Bacon (nitrate/nitrate free) Burgers.  The lemon in this recipe helps these vegetables stand-up to the robust flavor of grass-fed beef.  Enjoy!

Candida Diet, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Primal, Vegan

Ingredients:
1 tbl. coconut oil 
1/2 lb. okra, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Black pepper
Sea Salt

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 lemon, fresh squeezed

Greenbrier Farms in Easley had
purple okra.  Never seen that
before!

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Mix all ingredients except lemon zest and juice in a bowl.  Place on a baking sheet.
3.  Bake for 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring once. Add lemon zest and juice.  Stir to combine. Serve immediately.


Yields 2, approximately 3/4 c. servings

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Creator of Yoga Props, and Nutrition/Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Education Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!
Contact for details: Website  BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275

Braised Ginger and Garlic Kale with Leeks

A different look on a heart healthy
meal.  Just eat real food! 

 A couple of nights ago I had the most delicious kale!  It was cooked perfectly so the bitterness was faint, then layered with fresh leek, ginger, parsley and spices. In our house, I'm the greens fanatic.  I love, love, love greens!  Tanner eats them but wouldn't prefer it. :-)  So I ended up having a quiet night at home when he was working a double shift one night.   I savored the chance to make exactly what I was craving for dinner.  Eggs, bacon and a heaping serving of kale!  This is a great low carbohydrate meal that will help keep your blood sugar balanced for many hours. Every ingredient in this recipe helps to heal the body.  Enjoy!  

Candida Diet, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Primal

Ingredients:
3 kale leaves, coarsely chopped

Spices, herbs, and leeks are
healing and add variety to
all dishes.

1/2 c. homemade chicken stock
1/2 c. water, preferably filtered
1/2 tbl. coconut oil
1 inch piece of leek, white and light green parts only, cut into half moons
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
pinch himalayan pink sea salt
dash black pepper
1 tbl. ginger, freshly grated
2 sprigs of parsley leaves, fine chopped

Directions:
1.  Heat kale, chicken stock, and water over medium high heat in a small saucepan.  Cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened yet still bright in color.  Set aside.
2.  Meanwhile, in a small saute pan heat coconut oil over medium-high heat.  Add leek and saute until softened.  Add spices and fresh ginger. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant and remove from heat.
3.  Drain kale and reserve the cooking liquid.  Combine kale and leek mixture and add kale broth as desired.  
4.  Serve warm.  
*Recipe and photos by Keri Rogers.  

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Creator of Yoga Props, and Nutrition/Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Education Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!
Contact for details: Website  BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275