Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Ever go to a kid’s birthday party and realize there’s nothing your little one can eat? That’s a regular occurrence for me and my daughter, Ilse. Ilse, like me as a child, is super sensitive to a LOT of common allergens like sugar, eggs, gluten, dairy, and nuts. Wherever we go, there’s often times not a sweet treat she can eat and it’s never fun to be the only kid at a party who doesn’t get to eat any dessert. So my husband Adam and I came up with a super easy, allergen-free cookie we could always bring so Ilse would be able to have a sweet treat with the rest of the kiddos. And guess what happened? Not only did Ilse love these cookies, all the other kids loved them, too! Even when there was a conventional cake or cupcake option, other kids gravitated towards our cookies instead. I even started having parents ask me for the recipe or request that I bring the cookies for their next party! This recipe is truly kid-tested and approved!

Can you really get a cleanse-friendly meal on the table in 30 minutes? Yes, you can! Between kids and full-time work, we’re always looking for fast, healthy options. And who doesn’t love Taco Tuesday? Well, say goodbye to boring taco night! These Chicken Meatball Tacos are spiced with a premade low sodium herb blend, rolled into meatballs, popped into lettuce leaves, and topped with a bright veggie slaw. Serving a non-cleansing family? No problem! Simply provide the hard corn shells or soft tortillas and some shredded cheese and you’ve got a meal that the entire family can enjoy.

I scream, you scream, we all scream…for vegan ice cream! Ice cream is synonymous with summer (if you're in a part of the world where it's currently summer), but all that dairy can leave your belly and sinuses feeling less than happy. That’s where this recipe comes in! Dairy-free and vegan, this ice cream it gets all its creaminess from cashews. Yum! Caramel is one of those flavors that can be hard to make without the dairy, but we feel we’ve come up with a pretty good replacement using dates that really makes this recipe fantastic. You can also use the ice cream base and customize it with some of your favorite flavors (think cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips, berries, mint, you name it!).

Nut milks are a healthy alternative to soy and cow milk products! However, processed almond and coconut milks in the grocery stores still have some strange and scary ingredients! Making your own nut milks with natural and healthy ingredients gives you full awareness of what you are putting into your body. Making your own nut milks is also so much fun and much easier than you may think! With all the environmental toxins we are now faced with, eating and preparing raw and vegan foods is a way we can support our bodies in detoxing toxins and sustaining peace with our environment and other beings we share this planet with. There are also health benefits in replacing dairy products with non-dairy alternatives. Plus, nut milks are delicious and offer a variety of unique flavors and textures! Almond Milk Recipe: You can use this same recipe and ratio for any nut milk or hemp milk.

BBQ! The go-to meal for summer cookouts and gatherings. What’s better on a lazy weekend afternoon than a big plate of finger-licking BBQ sauce-covered meat or veggies? Unfortunately, most store-bought BBQ sauces are laden with added sugars and other impossible-to-pronounce-ingredients. For our cleansers, who are keeping tomatoes off their plates during cleanse-time, it’s also a dish that they’ve long had to avoid. Not anymore! We’ve developed a cleanse-friendly BBQ sauce that is so smoky and delicious you’ll never miss the original. We’ve replaced the tangy-sweetness of the tomato and sugar with beets; the only added sweetener is a little bit of blackstrap molasses. Seriously, it’s so good you’ll want to slather this stuff on everything! We went traditional with this recipe and used it on grilled chicken, but you could go vegetarian or vegan and put it on grilled or roasted veggies too. The possibilities are endless!

Here in Colorado, we start looking forward to the bounty of summer produce that will start making appearances at our local farmer’s market. One of the vegetables we eat the most during the summer is zucchini! It’s chock full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, and it works in so many different recipes (check out our Simple Basil Pesto with Zucchini “Noodles” or Coconut Curry Zucchini Soup). This recipe uses zucchinis to put a new, healthy spin on a breakfast favorite – waffles! These healthy waffles are a great way to get your picky eaters to eat some veggies. Plus, thanks to the cassava flour, which comes from a root, these puffy waffles are actually grain-free and paleo! Enjoy these healthy, paleo, grain-free waffles for a lazy Saturday or Sunday breakfast or brunch.

If you are currently in the midst of summer, ice cream might seem like the most desirable treat on a hot day. While the occasional indulgence can be good for the soul, a regular overload of dairy and sugar that are present in most ice creams, has very few nutritional benefits. In fact, too much of it, can take it's toll on your body and leave you not feeling your best after the cold treat. Luckily, you can still enjoy delicious ice cream as frequently as you'd like, while giving your body nutrients and vitality in the process! Who thought that you could have healthy ice cream? This vegan ice cream recipe will give your body antioxidants and a healthy serving of fruit, while satisfying your ice cream craving on a hot day. Plus, it's simple, and easy to make, as long as you have access to a strong blender or food processor. Enjoy! Ingredients: Frozen Organic Ripe Bananas

I tend to be a creature of habit– and that goes for both the good ones and the bad. So I’ve tried to make one of my habits the evaluation of my habits. As I’ve found out the hard way, there really can be “too much of a good thing.” Think of that catchy pop song: can’t get enough of it for a couple weeks. After that, you’d rather do anything than hear that chorus one more time. Here’s the lesson: catchy pop songs, good (some might argue). Same song over and over endlessly? Not so much. Green smoothies are the catchy pop songs of my diet. I’m a total geek for them. When I get a taste of a new one, I get giddy. And invariably, I’m prone to overdoing it. What develops, as it turns out, can be more than just a taste aversion. You may feel like you’ll go crazy if you hear Justin Bieber croon the word “baby” one more time, but your daily regimen of almond milk, almond butter and raw almonds, for example, can actually cause a physical intolerance to your favorite food, even if that food is packed with essential nutrients.

Summer is in full swing for those of us in the northern hemisphere! Between trips, hikes, and pool days, you probably don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. We know cooking in the summer can be tough, so we’re super excited to share today’s recipe with you (which is also delicious any time of year). Not only does it take just 30 minutes to make, you can whip it up on the grill and avoid heating up your house. It’s also cleanse-approved, so those of you who are cleansing with us this summer can enjoy it, too! Fresh, wild-caught salmon is full of vitamins and minerals, most notably vitamins D and B-12, and is one of the highest foods in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural anti-inflammatory. And this recipe turns up the flavor with lime and chipotle pepper. YUM! Now you can have a delicious, healthy meal on the table in less than an hour. Who’s ready to fire up the grill?

With the World Cup approaching, some healthy party snack recipes will come in handy! In the U.S., nothing says sports, like chicken wings and cheese dip. But if you want to beat the bloat and the hangover morning the next day, stick with us. When it comes to healthy sporting event snacks, we’ve got you covered! Our new Cauliflower “Buffalo” Hummus below is perfect for any big game! Serve it with veggies like sliced cucumbers, carrot and celery sticks. If you want to go all out, try our Green Pea or our Beet Hummus. All three together would make a beautiful spread. No game would be complete without our all-time favorite Spinach Artichoke Dip. This one is now a regular at most of our potlucks and parties. Pair any of these healthy alternatives with one of our Conscious Cocktails and make your 80:20 splurge like a rockstar would. Moscow Mule anyone? Move over Ruffles and sour cream dip! For more healthy alternatives on gameday that will keep you feeling on top of your game, be sure to check our our 80:20 Plan. What’s on your game day menu? Be sure to leave us a comment below.

Summer is here for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere! Hooray! We think you’re going to love our latest cleanse-approved recipe. This Brain Boosting Smoothie Bowl is a bountiful breakfast that will keep you feeling full and focused all morning long! It’s chock full of brain-healthy ALA omega-3 fats from the walnuts, flax and chia seeds. Plus, a smoothie bowl is a great way to mix up your breakfast if you get tired of regular smoothies. Want to do more for your health this summer? Join us for our June 13 Conscious Cleanse to eat real food and get real results that will leave you glowing from the inside out. Are you ready to eat delicious food and feel amazing?

Today’s recipe is cleanse-friendly and can be easily modified to stay within the guidelines of purification if you're currently cleansing. Simply omit the olives if you want to be a purist–or keep them in and consider them part of what’s easing you off of your purification. Enjoy this simple, healthy, and delicious vegetarian recipe!

Happy Friday! We always look for ways we can carry on our healthy eating habits into other aspects of our lives, while still making room for indulgences. That’s why we’ve developed our 80:20 Lifestyle Program! Our formula for lifelong vibrancy is simple: Eat and live consciously about 80% of the time, and throw away any thoughts of deprivation the other 20%. This allows you to continue healthy eating practices while still enjoying a conscious treat every now and then, free from guilt and regret. Now, who’s in the mood for a Conscious Cocktail? Enter El Sueño! We’ve put a healthy spin on a refreshing, South-of-the-border inspired cocktail. It’s super refreshing.

We all need an occasional boost in mood and energy! Try these 5 foods for an almost instant energizer to your mind, body, and soul!

Summertime is right around the corner, and we are looking forward to a season full of cookouts, outdoor gatherings, and family trips. Coming up with treats that are healthy but also easy to eat on the go can be hard, so we’ve come up with a recipe that hits the spot! Our Chewy Cacao Bars are a great treat for picnics, outdoor parties, road trips – you name it! And they totally blow away those overly-processed and sugar-filled snack bars. This is one of many recipes that are included in our 80:20 Lifestyle Program. We’ve developed this program to help you maintain your post-Cleanse vibrancy, but still have room to indulge every once in a while, so you can live life to the fullest (and healthiest)!

‘Tis the season…for brunch! Chances are, you may be planning a Mother’s Day brunch gathering this weekend or next, and we have the perfect healthy entree that will look amazing on any brunch spread. The best part? It’s super easy to make! Presenting…Sweet Potato Toast (3 Ways)! Everyone is going nuts for avocado toast these days, so we’ve given it a healthy makeover by serving it on toasted slices of sweet potato! For those who are sensitive to avocado or aren’t as fond of it as we are, we’ve also topped our sweet potato slices with our fan-favorite Beet Hummus. And for those who are craving a sweeter snack, we’ve made a version topped with almond butter, banana, and cinnamon. Is your mouth watering yet?

Spring is here for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and that means the start of fresh veggie season! Yay! We love going to our local farmer’s market and seeing all the delicious fresh produce available. And what better way to use that fresh bounty of seasonal vegetables than to make a big, beautiful, meal-sized salad? Here at the Conscious Cleanse, meal-sized salads are not your average skimpy side salad, but a salad big and bountiful enough to leave you feeling full and satisfied. This salad is filled with fresh greens, colorful veggies, sprouts, a creamy salad dressing, and your favorite plant or animal protein. It truly looks and tastes like the definition of abundance! What’s your favorite spring salad ingredient? If you try this recipe, tag us on Facebook or Instagram, we LOVE seeing how our readers make our recipes their own.

Three. Bean. Salad. These three words can evoke childhood memories of a sweet and sour side salad often served at family cookouts. It seems as though you were either a big fan or completely disgusted by it. (Note: we were both the latter, but today’s recipes has changed everything!) ​Today we’ve taken a traditional recipe and turn it on its head, modernizing it with fresh flavors that will have you scratching your head saying, “I can’t believe this is a Three Bean Salad!” Welcome to the new millennium Three Bean Salad! Although we may not describe ourselves as regular bean eaters, they no doubt are a staple in many vegetarian and vegan diets. Filled with protein, fiber, and B vitamins, beans can be an important part of a healthy diet. Not Your Grandma’s Three Bean Salad makes a colorful, tasty, and healthy choice to bring to your next BBQ, summer potluck, or even camping! Plus, this recipe will take you less than 30 minutes to toss together. Bonus!

For many, spring is in the air and the weather is getting warmer. To celebrate, we’ve blended up a new Conscious Cocktail just for you! Our Frozen Avocado Margarita is the perfect detox-retox drink combining fresh avocado and cilantro with the tangy-lime tequila we love in a good margarita! Looking for more refreshing cocktails (or mocktails)? Check out some of our favorites here. Enjoy your margaritas and 80:20!

By now you’ve probably heard that gut health is an important part of the overall picture of what it means to live in a healthy, disease-free body. With more research coming out every day, we’re just scratching the surface in terms of what we know about the depth and complexity of the gut biome. What we do know is that it’s important to build up the healthy bacteria in your gut. And today’s recipe will help you do just that! Most people see the word ‘bacteria’ and run. We’ve been taught that bacteria is bad and that we should kill it, sanitize it, and get rid of it at all cost. But, hold onto your horses – healthy bacteria is a completely different story! And having a healthy gut biome is key to vibrant health. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “Optimal gut health has become a prominent focus in 21st century health. Having too many bad critters hanging out in the gut has been linked to numerous problems – including autism, obesity, diabetes, allergies, autoimmunity, depression, cancer, heart disease, fibromyalgia, eczema, and asthma. The links between chronic illness and an imbalanced microbiome (or gut bacteria) keep growing every day.” There are many ways you can improve your gut health, which will also promote a stronger immune system since so much of the immune system is actually found in the gut.

We’re excited to share a new 80:20 recipe with you! One of Jules’ family's all-time favorite candy is the special chocolate peanut butter eggs that Reese’s makes. So good. So addicting. So full of sugar and other crap. To help us all avoid the candy, and subsequent sugar hangover, we whipped up these delicious Chocolate Almond Butter Cups. They’re as decadent (without being too sweet) as they are cute. Be sure to Amazon Prime this little silicone baking mold if you don’t already have one.

If you happen to be new to cleansing, it’s easy to find yourself spending extra time in the kitchen as well as the grocery store filling your cart with all the new ingredients and healthy alternatives. At first glance, eating healthy may seem to be more costly, but today we’re gonna show you how to cleanse on a budget and save yourself some cash. For years, I ate almost every meal out. I bought prepackaged convenience snacks, indulged in specialty coffee and tea drinks and only shopped at “Whole Paycheck.” The Thai food takeout driver and I were on a first name basis. My thinking was, “since I’m just one person, it’s cheaper for me to eat out and not waste money and/or food by cooking for just myself.” Turns out, just the opposite was true, not to mention not as healthy. Over the last five years, I’ve learned that in order to make a quantum leap in my health I would have focus on fresh whole foods and prepare most, if not all of my meals at home. These practices not only make me feel good, but they’ve also made my bank account much happier too.

The inevitable urge to clean up their home, car or closet will soon emerge for people doing a food and/or yoga cleanse.. We call this the natural spillover effect. When you cleanse yourself on the inside and your mind isn’t running wild on caffeine and sugar, you start to think more clearly. When you’re thinking more clearly, you start to connect more deeply with your surroundings, oftentimes producing a spontaneous desire to clean out the junk drawer, reorganize your closet or donate the growing pile of stuff in the basement. [lemon rosemary cleaner] Tackling some of these big projects can feel quite liberating, especially if they’ve been energetically weighing you down (in come cases for years!). I had one cleanser tell me this week that she cleaned out her basement and now she keeps going back downstairs just to look at it because it makes her feel so happy and light. Sounds good, doesn’t? How would you like to feel this way about your entire life? While this might sound like a grand idea in theory, the reality is oftentimes much different. It can feel daunting and even downright overwhelming to think about all the ways in which you want to detox or change your space. For many of us, we can’t even keep up with the mail and the recycling, let alone all the other “should dos.”

In a recent recipe and blog post, I dropped the “caffeine bomb”. Many of you reading are saying, “Ugh, I’d rather not talk about that anymore.” But just in case you missed it, here are some reasons to consider giving up your beloved coffee drink! This week we’re here to offer an alternative, to soften the blow of going sans coffee with a “too good to be true” coffee alternative. Enter, Dandelion Root Coffee. Dandelion root, often associated with the pesky dandelion weed, has been used for centuries to treat depression, scurvy and even diabetes. It’s difficult to find dandelion root in most health food stores, so you’re best bet is to buy it online. We bought our dandelion root and chicory from Frontier Natural Products and Starwest Botanicals. A great liver detoxifier, dandelion root, it is also known for aiding in digestion and weight loss. The other magic ingredient in this nutty warm elixir is chicory, which gives this drink its rich coffee flavor. Chicory is full of antioxidants and helps to reduce inflammation in the body to boot.

Purification is all about slowing down and tuning in. Take a brisk walk to soak up the elusive sunshine with your favorite pup, go to the yin yoga class you’ve been thinking about all week, or spend some quality downtime with friends and family. We have come up with a bright, tasty, and creative soup. It’s full of phytonutrients, minerals, and fiber. All of these contribute to overall nervous system health while being comforting and a little classy too! The gremolata puts to use the zest of the lemon and reminds us that spring is just around the corner. Use your creativity to swirl and twirl the Coconut Crema on top of the soup. Like a mini art class! Enjoy! And Happy Purification!