Throwing a salad together seems simple enough…but does simple mean boring?  

Salad generally isn’t something we search around to find new recipes for — it’s usually the same old routine, which can indeed become drab.
But guess what?  It doesn’t have to be that way.  (Whew)

It’s time to mix things up and make salads exciting, delicious and something you crave…and once you get creative and find your flow, this will undoubtedly be the case! 

I certainly don’t have to convince you that salads are good for you.  Salads generously provide you a healthy helping of nutrient-packed greens, nourishing raw veggies and an extra pep in your step afterwards.   

With so many perks all in one bowl, it’s time to re-kindle your relationship with salads and get them back on your plate.  
 
Here are 3 tips for making killer salads that you will long for:


1.    Use ingredients that are fresh and in season.  Take a trip to the Farmers Market or your local healthy grocery store to pick up some local, fresh and in season produce…your taste buds will thank you.  For some inspiration, a few of my favorite veggies currently in season are any greens, radishes, raw zucchini (yes, raw and I will give you the recipe from my favorite 21 Day Raw food recharge program down below.).

2.    Mix it up.  Get creative with your ingredients and play with mixing textures.  Combining raw veggies with one cooked veggie can really take it up a notch.  For example, roasting some broccoli, mushrooms or onions to add to your salad will add an interesting and delicious element to your plate.  Do you already have some ideas brewing?  Don’t forget the fruit!  Adding berries to a summer salad is refreshing and quenches that taste for something sweet. 

 
3.    Spin your greens.  After you wash your greens, spinning them dry will help them not become soggy or too wet to absorb your ingredients and dressing.  So break out that Salad Spinner and spin away! 

Honestly, I'm not a 100% raw food eater, but when the warm weather is approaching, my body is begging me for more and more raw veggies, fruits, berries and greens, of course. And because listening to my body is something I learned and is very important, I'm not resisting what it asks for. As I promised here is the one of my favorite recipe.


Raw Pad Thai

• 2 zucchini
• Bag of shredded/matchstick carrots (this cuts down on prep time)
• 1-2 cups Red Cabbage thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper thinly sliced (any color is fine)

 
Sauce:

• ¾ cup raw almond butter (ok to sub peanut butter)

• 2 oranges (juiced)
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• 1 tablespoon Miso
• 1 clove garlic
• Dash of cayenne pepper

 
Optional Toppings: Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Avocado slices, ½ cup sprouts
 
You need a large bowl. Spiral your zucchini with a vegetable spiralizer. If you didn’t get a spiralizer, just cut it lengthwise with a vegetable peeler. Add in carrots, sliced pepper, cabbage and sprouts. Blend all of the ingredients for the sauce in a high- speed blender until completely smooth. Pour half of the sauce into cabbage mixture, toss & coat. Pour the remaining sauce over each portion. Top with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and avocado.  Enjoy!!!!!!
 
 
Are your ideas brewing already?  What are you inspired to throw in your next salad?  Hit ‘reply’ or comment and tell me what you’re ‘cookin’ up! 

I know you’ll want something else special to put atop that delectable salad in your near future, so I’ve included one of my favorite easy, homemade salad dressing recipes for you below as well.  Enjoy! 


Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette 

•    Olive oil -- 1/2 cup 
•    Balsamic Vinegar -- 1/3 cup 
•    Dijon Mustard -- 1⁄2 teaspoon
•    1 clove garlic, minced 
•    Basil -- 1⁄2 teaspoon
•    Salt and Pepper, to taste 

Combine in jar with lid, shake and store. 

I think I've give you something not just to think about but to try and taste. If you want to try a new approach of cleansing your body and like the recipe, then 21 Day Raw Food recharge is for you and you can learn more about it here http://www.liliaswellness.com/21-day-raw-food-recharge.html.
If you the one who has a difficult relationship with food, trying to lose weight but feeling stocked, want to learn more about stress reduction and how it's affecting your weight loss process, how to eat with intention or you just simply want to talk about your challenges, or simply need somebody to listen to you, I'm inviting you to my FREE consultation, where we can talk about everything t, that on your way to live the life you deserve and wish for.  Click here to connect with me
http://www.liliaswellness.com/contact.html
Love, Lilia.

​Next up is the topic of setting and achieving your goals.  We will cover the topic of financial goals as well, as financial health is a very important aspect of your overall health and wellbeing. 
 
We will cover tips on:
 
- Setting realistic goals
- Areas to consider when setting your goals
- Staying on track to reaching your goals
- Understanding your “why” to help encourage you in reaching your goals
- Having a healthy financial relationship
- Understanding how your financial relationship was shaped
- Improving your financial relationship
- Understanding what may be holding you back financially

Reaching Your Goals
Because sometimes life gets in the way and our vision gets blurred.
 
GOAL SETTING

• Setting goals helps paint your vision and give you something to actively work in the direction of.
• Setting goals also helps you measure your accomplishments and pride yourself in getting closer to your goals.
• Identify your goals, set specific steps to reach them, and start with step 1. 

 
AREAS TO CONSIDER

• Financial goals
• Career goals
• Educational goals
• Family and relationship goals
• Physical and health goals
• Travel and Leisure goals

 
TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR GOALS

• Be realistic.  Set your goals in a manner that will allow you to succeed at reaching them.
• Write your goals out on paper.  Keep this list handy, and include deadlines for yourself.
• What next?  Make a plan.  How will you achieve these goals?  Create step-by-step guidelines for you to stay on track. 
• Now - go for it!  Stay focused and on track with your deadline.  Pride yourself in your accomplishments as you achieve your goals over time.

 
STAYING ON TRACK

• Break down each goal into action steps you can take slowly. 
• Be realistic with your time schedule for your goals.  Setting a deadline that may be hard to reach in a small amount of time may cause disappointment. Set a deadline that you are able to reach.
• Learn from your mistakes.  Are things not going as planned with your goals?  Understand why this is, reevaluate, and tackle your goal with your new understanding of yourself. 

 
 
 
REMEMBERING YOUR REASON

• A fantastic way to stay on track is to remember the end result you are working toward.
• What will change for you once you reach this goal you have set for yourself?
• Write this down beside each goal to remind you why you’re on this journey, and to feel excited about getting there!

​FINANCIAL HEALTH
Diving into your relationship with money
 
FINANCIAL HEALTH

• Our beliefs about finances began in us as children.
• Are you aware of what your relationship with money is?
• Ask yourself this:  What is my earliest memory of money? What do you remember feeling about this topic as a child?
• Perhaps you were raised in a household that worried greatly about money and providing.  You may remember thinking of money as something that was unattainable and lacking.
• Or, perhaps you were raised in a household with an abundant amount of money.  In this case, you may remember money being free flowing and always available.
• Whatever your situation was, it is likely these early memories have shaped your current relationship with money.

 
So…about that relationship with money.
How do we create a healthy one?
 
FINANCIAL TIPS

• Do not spend more money than you bring in.
• Create a safety net fund for hardships.
• Tuck some money away every paycheck for savings, no matter how small.
• Commit to paying down the debts you have, and actively pursue this goal monthly.

 
IMPROVING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY

• Write time into your schedule to evaluate your financial situation regularly.  Keep track of your spending to see where your money goes.  Seeing this laid out over a timeline helps us to understand where we may be spending frivolously, and to understand our spending patterns. 
• Make this a priority.  You will understand much about your financial situations when you understand your patterns and habits.

• Celebrate your accomplishments and respect your situation, whatever it may be.  It is important to celebrate your small and large victories. 
• An important factor in any relationship is respect.  No matter what situation you may be in financially, respect where you are at this present moment. 

• Release your grip a bit.  Holding on too tightly and with much control may be causing you to have negative emotions toward money and your financial health. 
• Make your commitment to your financial relationship a long-term commitment. 

 
WHAT MAY BE HOLDING YOU BACK

• Does your relationship with money begin with you feeling that you are undeserving of abundance?
• Don’t get trapped in the “I’ll be happy when…” mentality. 
• Change your mindset from “I can’t afford this” to one of “What would make it possible for me to afford this?” Evaluate how it would enrich your life to attain what you feel is out of reach for you - and be honest when you evaluate.  It may be the unattainable nature that is most attractive, instead of the actual purchase and ownership of your desired good.

​Take out a pen and paper to jot down your answers.
 
1.  What is your most important short-term goal to reach?
2.  What is your most important long-term goal to reach?
3.  What helps you most in keeping on track toward your goals?
4.  How will you reward yourself when you reach your first set goal?
5.  Share your “why.”  What is your number one reason for working toward this goal?
6.  What will change in your life when you attain your main goal?
7.  How do you keep yourself accountable?
8.  What can you do this week to begin improving your relationship with money?
9.  When do you feel most stressed about money? 
10.  How do you feel your life would be different if you reached your financial goals?
11.  What is the first step you can take to help alleviate stress in your life surrounding money?
12.  What is your biggest struggle with your relationship with finances?
13.  What tip will you implement into your life this week?
14.  What is your first memory of money?  How do you think this shaped your current relationship with money?

The stress, the Holiday parties, the gift-wrapping, the cooking – done!  The Holidays are over. 
As we transition from the Holidays to the excitement of a new year, we set goals and create hopes for ourselves for the coming year.
Statistically, those goals don’t make it past January.  With your proactive decision to join this program, we’re going to make this year different.
We will journey through some work together on a few important topics, but it’s up to you to make the commitment so that you may accomplish the change you desire.  I believe in you.
 
Our first topic is Stress Management.
 
We will cover tips on:
- Understanding what stress is
- Understanding what happens in the body when stress occurs
- Understanding how and why we handle stress differently
- How to combat stress naturally

Stress Management
The low down on stress and
how to deal with it naturally
 
 
WHAT IS STRESS?

• Anything that poses a threat to our wellbeing can be considered stress.
• Stress isn’t always a negative thing-- sometimes it gives us that kick into gear that we need to complete our tasks. 

 
What IS important is how we deal with stress. 
 
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BODY WHEN WE’RE STRESSED?

• Our heart rate rises
• Immune system takes a hit
• Tense muscles
• Blood pressure rises
• Breathing changes and becomes rapid
• Digestive system slows
• Mind becomes cluttered
• Sleep becomes disrupted

 
WHY WE HANDLE STRESS DIFFERENTLY

• Since we are all different, we have to figure out what works best for our own unique body.
• Considering we have different resources from one another, which also factors into our plan of action to combat stress, can also explain why we handle stress differently from others.
• Personal interpretation of your stressful situation plays a huge factor in how to help your stressful situation.

 
WHAT CAN WE DO TO COMBAT STRESS NATURALLY?
RELAX!

• Commit to yoga and meditation to help assist your stress levels. 
• Set aside a 30-minute time during your day to just be.  Be alone with yourself and be present.  Journaling during this time would be very beneficial. 
• Schedule a massage for yourself when stress is heightened.

 
CUT OUT THE CHEMICALS

• Stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and other chemicals that may be causing more harm to you. 
• If you can’t cut them out completely, greatly lower your intake.

 
BREATHE

• Take a deep breath.  Hold it for 5 seconds.  Release.
• Learn some breathing exercises to use throughout your day.  They are incredibly beneficial in combating stressful situations.

 
CUT BACK ON NON ESSENTIALS

• Do you have too much on your plate? 
• List your responsibilities on paper.  See what can be put on hold or eliminated completely. 
• Can any of your responsibilities be transferred to someone else?  Divide your responsibilities if at all possible.
• Do not take on any extra responsibilities until your stress is under control.

 
EXERCISE

• Hit the gym and release those endorphins.  Nature’s pharmacy is right at your fingertips. 
• Commit to at least a 20-minute walk per day if fitting the gym in isn’t possible with your schedule.  Your health is incredibly important - find an exercise routine that will fit best in your daily routine.

 
EAT HEALTHY

• Your diet is key in keeping yourself healthy. 
• Add more whole foods into your diet to begin feeling better overall. 
• Cut out processed foods, or at least lower your intake.  Baby steps create habits that yield lasting results.

 
SEEK A COUNSELOR

• Sometimes talking to someone is the best medicine.  Find a trusted counselor in your area to meet with if you feel you are unable to handle your stress on your own.

 
GET YOUR LIFE ORGANIZED

• Organization creates a peace of mind.
• De-clutter your life to promote feeling more in control of your surroundings.
• Create lists of to-do items for yourself daily, and check them off as you go along.  This feeling of accomplishment creates pride and helps keep you organized throughout the day.

 
 
PUT DOWN THAT PHONE

• We are a society that’s constantly connected to the internet through smart phones, iPads, and laptops.  Turn off all of your technical devices for at least 30 minutes per day.  Disconnect from the world, and be present with right where you are for that time frame. 

 
TAKE YOUR VITAMINS

• Be sure you are getting enough of B Vitamins.
• B Vitamins are essential in promoting brain and nervous system function - and are also a great source of energy!
• Consider fresh green juices daily to pack in many other vitamins and nutrients directly to your bloodstream. 

As we age, our bodies go through changes that often cause us to look or feel tired, achy, less energetic. One of those changes is that, once we hit our 30s, our bodies begin to produce less collagen, and that trend continues as we age. Collagen helps our skin look fuller; when we produce less collagen, our skin loses that fullness and looks thin and/or more wrinkly. But what we eat can help! The best foods for boosting our body’s production of collagen are:

Fish: Fish with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids – such as salmon – help keep our skin cells healthy. That’s because healthy skin cells contain a protective, fatty membrane that helps promote plumper skin. Whenever possible, choose wild salmon. King salmon has high fat content and a buttery texture. Coho is milder and often lighter in color.

Fruits and veggies (water-based): In addition to containing high percentages of water, watermelon, cucumbers and celery also contain sulfur, a necessary mineral in order for our bodies to produce collagen. They also help you stay hydrated, which also adds to the suppleness of our skin.

Dark leafy greens: Dark green vegetables -- such as kale, Swiss chard, collards, and spinach -- contain vitamin C, which promotes collagen. They also contain antioxidants, which help prevent collagen from breaking down. You can make a dark, leafy green salad, add cucumbers and celery, and top it off with salmon for a collagen-boosting meal!

Berries: Yes, all of your favorite berries help fight free radicals and increase collagen production levels! Hello, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries!

Red and orange vegetables: Yes, color does matter! Red veggies (such as tomatoes, red peppers and beets) contain lycopene, a natural antioxidant. Experts also believe that lycopene protects the skin from sun damage, so it’s like getting a two-fer: fighting free radicals and the enzymes that break down collagen, while boosting collagen levels! And don’t forget about the orange vegetables, too! Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, all are high in vitamin A, a natural restorative vitamin that helps reverse damaged skin and regenerates collagen. Fall is the perfect season for roasting these veggies!

Garlic: Garlic is a well-known longevity food for many reasons! When it comes to collagen, garlic is one of the best sources of sulfur (and you may remember from an earlier bullet, our body needs sulfur to produce collagen). Garlic also contains taurine, which help builds damaged collagen fibers.

Egg whites: Egg whites actually contain collagen! They are also high in lysine and proline, which both help support your body’s collagen production.

If you don’t eat eggs: Nuts also contain lysine. The highest source is macadamia nuts, but walnuts and almonds are also good choices.

White tea: Research shows that white tea protects the structure of collagen, and stops the enzymes that break down collagen. Brew white tea as you would any other tea, and you can drink it warm or cooled. Forgo the sugar or honey, however, as sugar not only breaks down collagen, but it adds to other age-related symptoms such as achy joints.

Now that you know what to eat to boost collagen production, try some of my favorite Age-Busting Recipes!

Salmon with Red and Orange Vegetables
Serves 2-3

Ingredients: 
• 2 King salmon (wild) fillets, washed and patted dry, skin on 
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes 
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped small or minced 
• 1 red pepper, chopped 
• 1 bunch kale, chopped or torn into small pieces 
• ½ cup of vegetable stock 
• 2 to 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 TBSP fresh-squeezed lemon juice 
• 2 TBSP water 
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 
Place cubed butternut squash and chopped garlic in a plastic zip bag with 1 TBSP olive oil; close tightly and shake/massage bag until all cubes are well covered with oil and garlic is evenly dispersed. Pour into a glass baking dish and cover; bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until squash breaks easily when pierced with a fork. Keep covered and set aside.

Meanwhile, pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into medium sauté pan. Add chopped red peppers and kale. Sauté on medium, stirring until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and add the cooked pepper and kale to the butternut squash/garlic dish, re-cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, pat dry the salmon very well to prepare for grilling or sautéing. For sautéing: Add 1 TBSP olive oil to clean pan and pre-heat on medium-high until oil is hot. Add the salmon fillets to the pan, skin side down, and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the salmon with a dash of salt and pepper. Halfway through cooking, add 2 TBSP lemon juice and 1-2 TBSP water. Cook on medium-low until salmon is light pink inside.

When done, place the salmon fillets on a platter; drain the vegetables and place them around the salmon. Serve warm.

Cilantro Coconut Quinoa Seafood Stew
Ingredients: 
• 1 pound seafood, such as salmon, tilapia and/or shrimp (peeled and deveined). 
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa 
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced or chopped 
• 1 TBSP coconut oil 
• 1 cup canned coconut milk 
• 4 cups water or chicken broth 
• ½ cup cilantro 
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes 
• 1 lemon, juiced 
• Dash of cayenne pepper 
• ½ TBSP sea salt 
• 3 chopped scallions 
• 1 lime (for garnish)

Directions: 
Cut fish/shrimp into bite size pieces and chop onion, garlic and cilantro. Set aside. Add coconut oil to a medium-sized pot and turn on burner to high. Add in the garlic and onions and reduce heat to medium. Once the onions start to become translucent add the coconut milk and seafood and cook on medium for about 5 minutes. Next, add the water, lemon juice, dash of cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Let cook for about 10 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and cooked quinoa reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Check fish to be sure it’s cooked through. Then turn off the stove and add the cilantro and scallions. Garnish each bowl with a slice of lime. Serve warm. Can be stored covered in refrigerator – it’s even better the next day!

Are YOU ready for Change? Let the change of seasons inspire healthy changes for you! Get the BEST results by working with your own personal Health Coach! Learn how what you eat may be causing your symptoms or sabotaging your weight-loss goals!

Right now is the PERFECT time to focus on YOU!If you would like to look and feel better, have more energy, and reduce your food-related symptoms, I would love to help you! Visit my website at www.liliaswellness.com to learn more about MY COACHING PROGRAMS on how you can loose weight, eliminated symptoms such as headaches and digestive issues (constipation, gas/bloating, reflux), and how feel more confident, happy, sexy, have glowing skin, energetic and love yourself than you have in years. You can, too! Learn to break unhealthy habits; stop "emotional eating;" reduce cravings; sleep well, and much, much more!

I look forward to helping you achieve your health or weight-loss goals!



Thank you for your referrals!

Have you ever downed an entire package of chips, crackers, or cookies? Ate pizza or cake until you felt sick? Drank more coffee or wine than your body wanted?

Do you remember how you were feeling at the time?

I ask because sometimes we overeat to help distract us from emotional pain. Think about it—have you noticed that sometimes when you overeat you’re not hungry at all? What you are is lonely. Or angry. Or sad. Or resentful. Or frustrated. Or something else.

So what hurt are YOU holding on to?

Tap Into the Power of Forgiveness

Wouldn’t it be more effective to address your uncomfortable feelings? The best, most thorough, most divinely perfect way to do that is forgiveness.

Forgiving is not easy, even for the most enlightened among us. If you’ve been allowing your present health to be controlled by past hurts, I urge you to commit to forgiving. These steps can help:

• Talk to sympathetic friends and family about your desire to forgive. Chatting with others is tremendously comforting.
  
• Write a letter to the person you’d like to forgive. You can decide whether or not you send it.
  
• See the situation from the other person’s perspective—your own perspective may change.
  
• Don’t forget to forgive yourself. Sometimes we can be harshest with ourselves.
  
• Understand that you are responsible for your own attitude. Don’t let holding a grudge keep you from feeling free, open, and powerful in your own life. 
  

Forgive and watch how much easier your relationship with eating becomes.

GET EVEN HEALTHIER!

Are you ready to live your healthiest life yet? Want to change your relationship to eating? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!