LIV Gluten Free Steel Cut Oat and Pink Lady Apple Pancakes with Fresh Berries | Healthy Breakfast Recipe

This is my go-to weekend brunch recipe that my husband and I make when we are burned out on traditional oatmeal and egg dishes. Made with steel cut oats, this recipes is naturally clean and gluten free. Topped with fresh berries, butter and maple syrup, you’ll savor the flavors long after you finish breakfast.

Ingredients:

·      2 cups steel cut oats ( I love Bobs red mill or Quaker Oats)

·      2½ cups almond or coconut milk (the best, purest, coconut milk comes from a can - Native Forest Organics is great)

·      1 whole pink lady or fuji apple, cut in small pieces (I like pink lady for the tartness)

·      2 eggs

·      1 egg white (beaten into a foam- this makes the pancakes fluffy)

·      ½ teaspoon salt

·      2 ½ tablespoons coconut oil

·      1 tsp vanilla

·      1 tsp cinnamon

·      1 tsp baking powder

·      1 tsp of raw organic honey

·      Optional toppings: Fresh berries, organic maple syrup and organic butter.

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender. You can use larger Vitamix or two batches can fit in a Nutribullet. Pulse until batter is smooth.

Heat ceramic skillet with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Once hot, pour first pancake about 4-5 inches in diameter, and about ½ inch thick. *If you make them larger than that they won’t cook in the middle and will be very hard to flip.

Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown, and transfer to warm plate. Repeat until mixture is gone.

Lastly, experiment with different seasonal toppings and flavors. I like to add a square organic butter on top with fresh organic maple syrup and cut strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, depending on what’s in season.  

LIV Italian Chicken Sausage and Peppers | Healthy Dinner Recipe

This is one of my favorite warming meals, packed with bright red bell peppers, cancer fighting onions, garlic, fennel, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick.  Did you know one red bell pepper has more vitamin C than an orange?! I used organic and all natural bell and evans turkey sausage instead of pork. Healthier and less fat. Pair with a piece of crusty Italian bread and you’ve got a delicious meal for days. My Maternal grandmother“Nonna” used to make this for my mom to bring to school back in the 60’s.. tried and true Italian classic.   Mangia!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup EVOO
• 1.25 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage ( about 4 or 5 sausages)
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes (Muir glen or san marzano)
• ½ tsp of crushed fennel seed
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2.3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, leave some whole leaves for presentation at the end
• 1 loaf of Italian crusty bread

Directions

Heat Oil in large skillet over low to medium heat. Add sausages and cook until browned on each side about 9-11 minutes.  Add peppers, onions, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and cook for 7 more minutes. Then add fennel, oregano, and garlic and cook for2 more minutes on low heat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and cook for 25 minutes on low heat, until sauce becomes thickened and aromatic. Serve in large soup bowls with warm crusty bread. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.

LIV Superfood Power Protein Drink © | Healthy Smoothie Recipe

After my LIV Vibrant Green Smoothie © in the morning, I usually make this Power Protein smoothie for my husband and I before we head out for the day. These nutrient-dense smoothies are a tremendous sources of long-burning fuel and superfoods to power your day.  If I’m hungry in the afternoon, this is also a great snack between lunch and dinner.

 Instead of soy or whey protein powder, I recommend brown rice or hemp protein because these proteins are easier to digest, and a cleaner plant-based energy source (free from dairy).  Chia seeds are also a great longevity food, coined “the runners food” packed with protein, fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids and minerals.  

In addition, I’ve included a pinch of raw cacao powder which is one of the worlds top superfoods and revered in Southern American cultures for their energy boosting properties. Last, but certainly not least, I add a heaping spoonful of acai powder or goji berries for an antioxidant blast to help fight free radicals and keep your cells healthy and youthful.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2/3 cup hemp or brown rice protein powder
• ½ cup coconut water
• 3 tsp. chia seeds
• 1 TBSP acai powder or goii berries
• ½ tsp. cacao powder
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Banana

DIRECTIONS

Add the almond milk and coconut water to the blender, and then slowly add in each ingredient. Blend on low speed until smooth.

*Please note that I use a Vitamix blender to make this recipe (yield is apx. 28 oz), but you can easily half the recipe to fit within Nutribullet or SharkNinja large cups.

Whats in your fridge?! | Refrigerator and Pantry Makeover

Is your fridge and pantry packed with junk food and unhealthy snacks?

Are you overwhelmed and not sure where to begin to buy nutritious foods that help you feel fantastic?

Do you need help organizing your fridge and pantry, making healthy cooking at home easy, convenient, and fun?

A healthy diet and lifestyle begins at the grocery shop and in the kitchen. 

Submit a picture of your fridge and pantry to win a free personalized grocery store tour and fridge and pantry makeover where Olivia will accompany you to your local market and help you choose rich, nutritious foods. And of course, help you identify the foods to avoid. Olivia will help you discover what foods to keep in stock so you can create simple, healthy, affordable and easy-to-make meals any time.  Together, you will work with Olivia to find lasting, innovative solutions that work best for you and your family. 

Please send all submissions to olivia.napoli@gmail.com

Grocery Store Nutrition Shopping Tips | How to Makeover Your Pantry

90% of Americans shop in supermarkets, and since 1980, child obesity has tripled. Usually it’s the stuff in the middle of the store, the processed junk we’ve been marketed to all of our lives. Of course we crave that because we’ve been subconsciously brainwashed into thinking that’s what we need. Wrong. Chances are you were raised on this diet and it’s been wreaking havoc on your body ever since.

I’m not sure about you but in my family, when we started incorporating natural foods, fruits, vegetables, we became more aware, our head, heart and mind opened. We had more energy, higher cognition, better performance, we were happier.  Our bodies thanked us over and over again. I want this for you too, that’s why I’m giving you my top tips on how to shop for optimal nutrition. Here they are:

Shop on Periphery of Store

In a typical grocery store, all the fresh stuff is usually on the periphery on the store. I always urge my clients to "eat the rainbow." Look for colorful enzyme-rich fruits & veggies, lean proteins, low carbohydrate foods, good starches (think brown rice, sweet potato, quinoa), healthy fats (raw nuts, avocado, olive oil).

Avoid processed junk

In nutrition school, we were taught not to buy foods with a nutrition label. An apple or a peach doesn’t have a label, because these are whole foods that are good for our bodies. My general rule of thumb is to be wary of any product that contains large amounts of added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sodium, trans fat (hydrogenated vegetable oils), added chemicals that you cant read, commercial dairy, and anything GMO. The good news is that after intense consumer lobbying, most food packages will be required to carry a symbol or label indicating whether the food contains genetically modified ingredients (passed by President Obama July 2016).  Start to become aware of these ingredients, and add less of them to your cart.

Go with a List and Don’t Go Shopping Hungry

This will help you stay focused, structure meals, get a good balance of nutrition, and stay organized for the next week. Plus you wont be throwing unnecessary items in your cart – hint, the processed stuff!

Shop with a Smaller Cart

A smaller cart will help you to be hyper focused and re-think purchasing decisions. In addition, you won’t be overbuying perishable items. (Tip - the longer produce is stored in your fridge, the more nutrient loss occurs).

Buy Local

I cant say enough great things about buying local. Look for seasonal farmer's markets in your town and the "local section" of your primary grocery store. You’re getting the freshest possible produce, it’s less expensive, you are reducing your carbon footprint, and you are eating foods that are energetically indigenous to your are, which is what your body intuitively craves. This is a winning combination.