 It's simple. It's delicious. It's light. And it's good for your skin? YES.
The berries in this Triple Berry Collagen Bread aren't the only triple (or try quadruple?) threat involved. Collagen has crazy skin-glowing benefits that can help plump and improve the overall quality of skin + more. Did you know that 70% of our skin is made up of collagen? Adding collagen into your our diet has major health and skin benefits, like the following- Collagen increases skin elasticity and hydration. In a study among women ages 40 to 60, supplementation with collagen for eight weeks showed a 28% average increase in skin moisture levels, and 91% of subjects reported less dry skin after supplementation. Collagen suppresses UV-induced skin damage, photo-aging, and wrinkle depth and volume. Repeated UV exposure has been linked to aging effects on the skin, including wrinkle formation, decreased hydration, and decreased skin-collagen content. In a study measuring skin changes in subjects who were repeatedly exposed to UV damage for 6 weeks, the subjects who were given collagen peptides throughout the trial demonstrated fewer effects of sun damage compared to the control group. Another study measuring the effect of collagen intake on skin wrinkles showed a statistically significant reduction of eye wrinkle volume in comparison to the placebo group after 4 and 8 weeks of daily collagen intake Collagen hides cellulite and eliminates stretch marks. Cellulite becomes more visible as our skin stretches, thins, and sags. By increasing skin-collagen expression and improving skin elasticity and thickness, collagen generates stronger, thicker skin that eliminates stretch marks and hides fat beneath the skin. Oral intake of collagen improves skin more than topical creams. While collagen is used in many skin creams and lotions, it unfortunately does not get absorbed by the skin when applied topically. Topical collagen usually contains full-length collagen protein molecules, which are too big to penetrate the skin. Oral collagen peptides are shorter-chain protein segments that are readily absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized by the skin. In order to reap the benefits of collagen, it must be ingested in peptide form to promote synthesis of new collagen fibers in the skin. I'm so excited to be partnered with Further Food to give you all 10% off on your next order of collagen. Visit www.furtherfood.com and use the code WINGSPANWELLNESS10 at check out! It's flavor-free and really the perfect addition to any recipe for an added boost of protein and skin-glowing magic. In the meantime, put this triple berry bread at the top of your list. Recipe below! xx Ingredients- 1 1/2 cups + 2 TB whole wheat flower ½ cup raspberries, cut in half ⅓ cup strawberries, quartered ½ cup blueberries 5 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup coconut sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup unsweetened almond milk Directions- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Combine all 3 types of berries and 2 tablespoons of WW flour into a bowl (this prevents the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the bread when baking). 3. Beat together butter, sugar, and eggs. 4. To the butter mixture add the baking powder, half of the remaining WW flour (3/4 cup) and half of the almond milk. Mix well. Then add the rest of the WW flour and almond milk. Mix well. 5. Fold in the berries 6. Pour into a greased bread pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
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 I could honestly eat Mexican food three-times a day so coming up with guilt-free recipes that taste super guilty makes me O H S O H A P P Y.
These mahi-mahi fish tacos with carrot, apple and avo "cream" slaw are light enough for hot summer days, quick to throw together and restaurant quality IMO. I find that, for me, avocado is a fabulous substitution for dairy products in recipes. It has the same rich and satisfying flavor and keeps my meals (and tummy) on track PLUS its a great source of healthy fats (great for your skin!). I think you'll love these as much as I do! xx Ingredients- 2 fish filets (I used Mahi Mahi) 3 TB taco seasoning (I make my own) 1 cup Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch Collection 1/4 cup diced carrots 1/4 cup diced honeycrisp apple 1/2 avocado 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt 1 TB lime juice Corn tortillas *makes roughly 6 tacos Directions- 1. Drizzle fish filets with olive or avocado oil and then rub taco seasoning in on both sides. Bake at 400 for around 25-30 minutes (depending on size of filets) 2. Use a blender or food processor to combine avocado, yogurt and lime juice 3. Combine lettuces, carrots, apple and avocado mixture together until avo "cream" sauce is well distributed 4. While fish is cooking, warm or brown corn tortillas on the stove 5. Once fish is done, shred filets and then fill tortillas with fish and slaw 6. Serve with your favorite sides + enjoy  My absolute favorite thing about smoothies is that you can pretty much throw anything in and they'll still taste amazing. They're a great way to get a whole bunch of nutrients quickly and efficiently when you're on the go or even when you're just craving a sweet treat!
When my dad generously shared the harvests of his amazing little garden, including a ginormous zucchini, my first concern was being able to use the produce before it went bad. To prevent this from happening with my zuc, I cut up the zucchini and froze half of it to throw in my smoothies (yes, you're reading this correctly - zucchini in smoothie). Today's smoothie recipe is below and includes a nice sized handful of frozen zucchini (skin on). Abundant in antioxidants and inflammation-fighting nutrients, it's the perfect addition to my (almost) daily drink. G R E E N is just so dang G O O D !!! Try this trick in your next blended beverage + enjoy! xx Ingredients- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries 1/2 frozen banana 1 1/2 cups spinach 2 TB PB2 (peanut butter powder) 1 scoop Further Food collagen 1/2 cup frozen zucchini Granola of your choice Raw honey Directions- Place all ingredients in blender and blend until combined. Top with granola + raw honey.  I am seriously obsessed with power bowls right now. They are the perfect combo of carbs, fat and protein, of crunchy, sweet and hearty and are the perfect go-to meal for busy weeknights.
Last night's dinner was a chicken and veggie power bowl with a base of quinoa, plus finely shredded chicken breast, kale, zucchini fresh from my dad's garden (I can't tell you how much I love farm-to-table), red bell pepper, mushroom, roasted chickpeas, avocado, sweet potato flax seed crackers and homemade honey tahini dressing. Can you say Y U M ? Here's why this combo makes for a powerful dinner -
Power. Bowl. Need I say more? Recipe below! xx Ingredients- Quinoa Kale Shredded chicken breast Chickpeas Zucchini, cubed Mushroom, sliced Red bell pepper, sliced Sweet potato flax seed crackers (or whatever else you like for crunch!) Avocado Turmeric Salt and pepper (to taste) Olive Oil For the dressing- Tahini Raw honey Apple cider vinegar Water Directions- 1. My quinoa and chicken were meal prepped ahead of time, but if not prepare both and set aside 2. Combine zucchini, mushroom and chickpeas in a mixing boil with olive oil and turmeric 3. Spread oiled veggies/legumes on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for about 25 minutes or until golden brown 4. Rinse kale and break into bite size pieces (I use my hands) 5. For dressing, mix about two parts tahini to one part water, honey and apple cider vinegar and stir well, continuing to add water to obtain desired consistency 5. Fill bowls with a mixture of quinoa, chicken, kale, bell pepper + roasted veggies/legumes and then top with crackers and avocado 6. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy! |