matcha and margs.

Thai Coconut Soup with Greens (Df, Gf, Paleo, Whole30)

dinner, lunch, recipes

For the longest time, I absolutely hated anything curry flavored. I despised the taste of curry powers, etc. and avoided it at all costs. Flash forward to now and what do you know – my palette matured and I love a good, creamy curry. This love came about from trying a lot of Thai food and truly growing a love for all of its flavors and ingredients. My favorite Thai dish that I consume whenever it is found on a menu is Thai Coconut Soup. It is extremely creamy and filled with a variety of comforting flavorings. It was only time until I made my own to enjoy at home!

One of the first ingredients you will use in my recipe is lemongrass. This is not an item you want to skip as it adds a wonderful acidic note to the dish. You can find lemongrass in your produce section or packaged in the international section of your grocery store. Fresh is always better, but no stress if you cannot find it in your product section. The next aromatic ingredient you will use is minced ginger and this is one of my favorite parts of the soup. It pairs great with the creamy coconut milk, chicken broth, shiitake mushrooms, and kale, making this the perfectly satisfying soup. And of course, you can’t forget the red curry paste!

I decided to add in Nature’s Greens Organic Kale Greens into the Thai Coconut Soup as they add additional vitamins and nutrients. I love Nature’s Greens triple washed greens and they really added a nice additional layer to the dish.

Are you vegan or vegetarian? Or do you want more protein?

No worries here; you can hold the fish sauce and add more coconut aminos. You can also swap the chicken broth for veggie broth. To make this meal more filling, I will sometimes poach two chicken breasts and add them to the finished soup. In order to poach chicken breasts, you will put two defrosted breasts into a pot and cover with water and seasonings of your choice. Bring the water to a boil and once boiling, put the heat down to low and let simmer for around 13-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Once completed, take two forks and shred apart the chicken.

Recipe:

Print Recipe

Thai Coconut Soup with Greens (Df, Gf, Paleo, Whole30)

Cook Time25 mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: Asian-inspired, Thai
Keyword: Coconut, Dairy Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Soup, Thai, Thai Food, Thai Soup, Whole 30, Whole 30 Approved

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tbsp chopped lemongrass
  • 2 tbsp minced ginger
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
  • 3 cans coconut milk full fat
  • 2 1/2 tsp coconut aminos 4 tbsp if skipping fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce omit if vegan/vegetarian
  • 1 package shiitake mushrooms
  • salt to taste
  • 2 handfuls Nature's Greens Organic Kale Greens
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • optional: cilantro, limes, poached chicken

Instructions

  • Heat up the avocado oil in a soup pot on medium
    heat for about a minute. Add the chopped lemongrass, minced ginger and the red curry paste to the pot and saute in the oil until translucent.
  • Add in the broth, kale, fish sauce, and coconut aminos and let everything simmer for around 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir consistently.
  • Add in the coconut milk and the shiitake mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft. This should take around five minutes.
  • If you are adding in poached chicken, do so at this point. Instructions on this are above.
  • Add in the juice of two limes and the salt to taste. I highly recommend adding cilantro for garnish as well! Serve & enjoy.

If you decide to make this deliciously cozy Thai Coconut Soup, please tag me on Instagram at @matcha_and_margs. I greatly appreciate the support you all give me and I would love to send the love right back. This post has been sponsored by Nature’s Greens, but all opinions are wholeheartedly my own. I am extremely proud to partner with a brand that I have been supporting for many years now!

Happy cooking, friends!

Xo,

Cori

Buffalo Chicken Game Day Sliders

appetizers, dinner, game day, recipes, snacks

There doesn’t have to be a sports game on for me to enjoy all things buffalo, but its always fun when the two coincide! I took my love of buffalo and created these cute, delicious buffalo chicken sliders. They pair perfectly with a ripe avocado, some ranch, and the 7 Grain Sprouted Dinner Rolls from Angelic Bakehouse. I tried their sprouted grain products about a year ago and become obsessed. Not only do they taste wonderful, but they have amazingly clean ingredients. I knew I had to create something fun with these dinner rolls, and I sure do love a slider!

The buffalo chicken sliders are packed with flavor, spice, and even a little cheese for good measure. I use a goats milk cheese in the recipe, but you can definitely use blue cheese if you are a fan. The toppings are customizable and the recipe itself could not be easier to whip up. My recommended toppings are avocado, extra buffalo sauce, ranch (I like Sir Kensington’s brand), coleslaw, tomatoes, etc.

If you just want to make the meat patties and not the sliders as a whole, that works too! The mixture can be rolled into meatballs to enjoy. I love pairing them as meatballs with spaghetti squash, ranch, and broccoli. You can also leave out the cheese if you cannot tolerate dairy; they will still taste great! I love a customizable recipe and want to be sure that I always share options with you guys.

If you decide to make the recipe, let me know! If you post it to Instagram, be sure to tag me @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love right back. I’d love to see how you decide to enjoy them!

Recipe:

Print Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Game Day Sliders

Prep Time10 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buffalo Chicken, Chicken, Game Day Food, Sliders

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup buffalo sauce + extra for drizzling
  • 1 tbsp chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • pinch red pepper flake
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles can use blue cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 package Angelic Bakehouse 7 Grain Sprouted Dinner Rolls

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
  • Form into small, 1 1/2 inch sliders and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
  • Place in the oven and cook for around 16-17 minutes.
  • Let cool, coat with more buffalo sauce and serve on the Angelic Bakehouse dinner rolls!
  • Top with toppings of your choosing. I like ranch, avocado, more cheese, coleslaw, tomatoes, etc. Have fun with it!

This post has been sponsored by Angelic Bakehouse, but all of the opinions are wholeheartedly my own. Thank you so much for supporting me and my sponsored content, it truly means a lot! I only affiliate my brand with other brands that align directly and meaningfully with my own. Because of this, I am able to continue sharing mostly free content with all of you. I hope that you enjoy, friends!

xo,

Cori

One Skillet Paella (Gf, Df)

dinner, recipes

Paella has always been a dish that I looked forward to ordering in restaurants. I thought it was an impossible dish to master at home. Recently, I discovered that it is really not all that difficult! The key to making a paella dish at home is to use a good cast iron skillet and high quality saffron.

The first batch of saffron I used, my parents brought me back from Barcelona. Have no fear, that definitely is not necessary! I ended up buying the saffron on Amazon that had the highest ratings, and it performed really well in the recipe. For the cast iron skillet, you can also get those on Amazon. Here is the link for the skillet I use. Here is the link to the saffron I purchased.

The rice that I used in this recipe is from Right Rice. You can purchase the original flavor here or at your local Kroger store! The rice is made from a base of legumes like chickpeas, lentils, etc. and is a really filling option. If you are looking to make this paella with regular rice, you definitely can! Unfortunately, I have not tested the exact measurements for how much rice you would need. There is about a cup and a half of cooked rice that comes out of the bag from Right Rice, and you could totally play around with the seasonings provided.

The Recipe:

Print Recipe

One Skillet Paella (Gf, Df)

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Spanish
Keyword: Paella, Rice, Rice Dish, Spanish Food

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
  • 3-4 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 links chicken sausage Can use any type of sausage/chorizo. I like Bilinski's sausage.
  • ~20-25 pieces shrimp Tails off
  • 1 package Right Rice Original Vegetable Rice Can use another rice, but I have not tested the exact amount.
  • 1 1/2 diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp saffron
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 1/3 cups bone broth For cooking the rice. I like Bonafide Provisions.
  • 2 tbsp bone broth Save this for the final steps
  • juice of half of a lemon
  • parsley for garnish Optional

Instructions

  • Cook the Right Rice according to the package. Instead of using water, cook in the chicken broth! Set the cooked rice aside.
  • Heat the oil, onions, and garlic in your cast iron skillet and saute until translucent and fragrant.
  • Add the sausage in and cook for about a minute. Be sure to double check that your sausage is pre-cooked. If it is not, cook the sausage until it is about half way through cooking.
  • Add the shrimp in and cook for about a couple minutes. They will not be fully cooked, but you do not want your shrimp to overcook and become rubbery throughout the rest of the cooking process.
  • Add in the paprika and the salt and stir everything together. Turn the heat down to medium, medium-low.
  • Add in the rice and the diced tomatoes and mix everything together.
  • Add the remaining 2 tbsp of bone broth, the saffron, and the lemon juice. Let everything simmer for a few minutes.
  • Add in the frozen peas and let everything simmer for a few more minutes. The rice will absorb the bone broth. Make sure your proteins are fully cooked at this point!
  • You can garnish the paella with parsley, a little more salt and enjoy!

I am thinking that the next batch I make of this is definitely going to need to be paired with a homemade Sangria recipe. Who wants to join me?!

If you make the recipe, remember to tag me on Instagram @matcha_and_margs so that I can send you the love and support right back! I hope you all enjoy this festive and flavorful recipe. Adios amigos!

xo,

Cori

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Gut Health, Probiotics, Enzymes and all that good stuff!

blog, posts

Gut health is such a mysterious pillar of wellness. It is not easy to define which things our bodies can tolerate and which things that they can’t. As we age, different foods become harder to digest and it is more common to grow food intolerances. Unfortunately, bloating is common and we’ve all had meals that have left our stomachs in knots. The hardest part to me about all of this is that our gut is technically our “second brain”. There is a nerve that physically connects our brain to our gut called the Vagus Nerve. This connection can lead to imbalances in our bodies, whether it be bouts of anxiety, depression, etc.

So, how do you even begin to figure this all out?! Every situation looks different, but here is the story of my journey with my gut. I share this in hopes that anyone with a similar story can gain insight into what may be going on inside.

My Gut Health Story:

My story with my gut is complicated and frankly still is. About two years ago, I started having extremely bad stomach pains. It got to the point where I did not want to go out knowing that my night would probably end in a stomach ache. The most frustrating part was that I really could not decipher which foods made my stomach feel that way. The pain was inconsistent and not telling of what was going on inside of me.

We all know that the internet is a scary place, but I definitely learned this on my journey. “Cut out all grains, all dairy, sugar, etc. indefinitely”, you name it. I did not want to go this route as it felt extremely restrictive. I came across a lot of credible sources that shared information with me about elimination diets, probiotic supplements and foods.

After a lot of reading, I decided to follow an elimination diet for 3 weeks solely to figure out which foods were causing the discomfort. I don’t like to use the word “diet”, but in this scenario it was a short term protocol with the purpose of getting down to the bottom of some health issues. For three weeks, I cut out a specific list of foods. After the elimination phase was over, I would add one thing back each week that was typically harder to digest. This ranged from gluten, dairy, legumes, and so on. I learned from this protocol that my gut was extremely sensitive to dairy. Sigh. My diet did not include an abundance of dairy, but I knew it was time to limit it.

Beyond the Elimination Diet

Aside from this, I spent a lot of time doing research on a probiotic to start incorporating into my routine. I wanted the very best option, as probiotics surely are not cheap. A good probiotic has the true power to monitor the gut and make changes in gut health for good. They have the power to to destroy harmful organisms which allows the growth of good microbes in the gut. On top of all of this, they can help us digest foods more easily and absorb more of their nutrients. I was on a mission and I was not giving up.

A plethora of peers recommended Silver Fern Probiotics to me. I was hesitant at first about the price, but I was not in a place to put a price tag on my health. I read countless reviews, did the groundwork, and placed an order. About two and a half weeks after I started to take these probiotics, I noticed huge changes. My stomach pain and bloating had been immensely reduced. I began to have less social anxiety about going out and ending the night in pain. These probiotics worked WELL and they worked FAST. I’ll spare you on too many details, but my tummy was definitely happy again. 🙂

Where I’m at Now

About two months ago, I visited Greece. Before my trip, I had not consumed any dairy in two years. When traveling, I am ALL about gaining experiences and fully immersing myself into a country’s culture. I could not go on the trip and not try the local feta, right?! After some more research, I decided to buy digestive enzymes to eat before all meals that contained dairy. I still was going to continue taking my probiotics everyday, but use the enzymes as a precautionary step.

Overall this went pretty well! At first, I definitely felt some discomfort as dairy was a foreign substance to my body. I also definitely over did it as I was super excited to try all of the local foods. By the end of the trip, I was able to figure out a routine with dairy that didn’t upset my stomach too much. I limited my intake each day and made sure I was eating the highest quality that I could find. I learned that my body responded better to goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses. With the help of these enzymes and my daily probiotic usage, I was able to find a love for dairy again.

I’m not here saying that it has been the perfect gut health journey since Greece, but I am extremely happy with the progress I have made. My gut has been so much stronger, and I have been able to enjoy some forms of dairy here and there. Two years later, I still take the Silver Fern supplements everyday and completely trust everything about the brand. I know that consistently taking the probiotic for two years has yielded in positive, permanent changes in my gut health. That is something for me that you can not put a price tag on.

My meal recently, enjoying homemade Shakshuka with my favorite cheese that I discovered in Greece — Halloumi.

The Silver Fern Difference

As mentioned before, there are so many benefits to taking a high quality probiotic. From restoring the gut flora to helping improve your stomach acidity, they really do have so much power. When we opt for lower quality probiotics, often the strands are already dead on the shelf. If they aren’t dead yet, there is a high chance that they will die upon entering a gut with high acidity. If you have taken a probiotic before, you are probably familiar with the strands they contain and the amount of CFUs. Many bottles advertise thousands of different CFUs. This is often a marketing tactic, so again you have to do your research. It really is about the quality of the strands you are putting into your body, not the quantity.

The Silver Fern Brand has had third party testing done to guarantee 100% survive-ability rate once the probiotic reaches your gut. Silver Fern Brand’s Ultimate Probiotic contains potent high quality strains that offer an endless amount of benefits to our bodies.

Probiotics help produce digestive enzymes in the gut like lactase. As we age, we produce a significantly less amount of digestive enzymes. This yields in a difficulty digesting our foods and absorbing their nutrients. This is why when we get older, we may develop food intolerances that we have not had before. Its why I decided to add digestive enzymes to my routine before meals. They are made to help replenish your gut with missing enzymes and help you break down foods that are difficult to digest. The Silver Fern Ultimate Digestive Enzymes are THREE TIMES stronger than common enzymes on the market. They help your intestines directly with complete protein digestion.

My General Gut Health Advice:

I have never been a science person, but the science behind our gut health and the impact of probiotics and digestive enzymes really fascinates me. Please remember that I am not a qualified health practitioner, and if you are facing serious gut health issues, you should definitely consult your doctor. I am sharing with you my general gut health advice that can hopefully help give insight into stomach discomfort you may be dealing with and beyond.

When purchasing any probiotic or digestive enzymes, do endless amounts of research. This is one area of my life that I really do not put a budget on. The gut is our second brain, and when there are imbalances it can really effect our mood and mental health. Try out different supplements and really tune in to how they are impacting your body. These days, it is extremely easy to get caught up in the trends on social media. It is important to be able to sort through this and be able to find out what works for you and your body. Don’t over complicate things. If a company has high quality practices, it will not be hard to find information on the products that they offer.

If you have the time and the patience, you could explore an elimination diet! This helped me immensely and I was able to see which foods really did trigger bloating and discomfort. I also have made a conscious effort to include fermented foods into my diet. Although these do not travel directly to our gut and provide us with probiotics, they serve as a great source of nutrients for the bacteria in our gut. Another supplement I take often is collagen, which helps support the lining of our guts.

Everybody is different!

You know the drill, but we really all do have different imbalances in our gut and what works for me may not work for you. Be sure to consult your doctor if you are experiencing serious issues; there could be an underlying issue that is causing everything. There are actions that we can take each day to help improve our gut health, even if there is something more serious going on on the back end.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this! I could write a handful of posts all about gut health and different things that help me, but I will keep this one at an appropriate length. If you have any questions about my personal journey, I am an open book and am always happy to chat with you.

This post has been sponsored by the Silver Fern Brand, but all of the opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own. I am extremely proud to be partnering with a company that has had such a positive impact on my health the past couple of years! Cheers to good gut health and less food intolerances 🙂

xo,

Cori

When Matcha drinks Coffee: Why I’m Loving Pour Over Coffee

blog, Uncategorized

Matcha here, checking in to share a new coffee machine and method of preparation that I have been loving: pour over coffee. Do not get me wrong, I love a good frothy matcha in the morning. There is something so cozy about coffee to me; I love how its smell instantly signifies the start of a new day. It signifies that it is time to wake up and get started on whatever your day has to offer.

Coffee is definitely known to go through trends; whether it be Nitro brew or oat milk lattes, the list is endless. The latest buzz I’ve been seeing at coffee shops and from different baristas is pour over coffee. There is nothing too fancy about it, which was a big reason I was so interested in trying it out. Pour over coffee simply gives you total control over the brewing process and allows you to have a stronger and tastier cup of coffee. It also yields a much smaller mess than other methods, which I am all about.

So, whats the buzz?

I’m excited to share that the pour over method is my new method of choice thanks to Mr. Coffee. Sadly, I have been attached to my Keurig machine for years. It definitely makes me cringe at how many K-cups I have been through and wasted. But alas, we cannot all be totally perfect in our sustainability efforts. This is a big reason why I wanted to share my new find with all of you. I am happy to have found a method that reduces waste and tastes a LOT better in my opinion.

Pour over coffee is a method of brewing coffee that allows you to control the temperature of water you are using. Because of this, the water temperature is at the optimal heat to brew your coffee — 200 degrees Fahrenheit. You are also able to control how fast the water pours over the coffee. In this case, the slower the better as it gives more time for the water to absorb all of the flavor notes of the coffee beans.

How do I make it at home?

One thing I really love about the Mr. Coffee Pour Over Machine is that it is extremely intuitive. It has an LED screen with instructions and the machine beeps at you if you miss a step or if you do anything wrong. I mean, I totally need this setting on for all of the happenings in my life! Forgot to lock the front door? Accidentally left the lights on before leaving the house? Dog has to go to the bathroom? Please beep at me!

You have the option with the machine to make 2, 4, or 6 cups of coffee. I really love this feature as it allows you do reduce waste. It’s really nice that you aren’t required to brew an entire pot; you have total control over what is made.

The machine retails for around $139. To me, any machine like this is a smart investment as we all know how expensive coffee shops can be. To purchase the machine, you can click the link here. I will add a highlight to my Instagram page showing how easy it is to brew with the machine. Because, who doesn’t love a tutorial?

This blog post is sponsored by Mr. Coffee but all of the opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about pour over coffee! Tell me, have you tried out this method before? What is your brewing method of choice? Are you a coffee or a matcha person? As you can tell, I am a happy mix of both and am extremely excited to have found this new method to use in the ease of my home. Wishing you all a great day ahead!

xo,

Cori