Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

When I first met my husband, he showed up to a BBQ with a gorgeous gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free fruit tart just for me. “Nice move, dude,” was my first thought. Followed immediately with “where did you pick that beauty up from?” To my surprise he had actually made it himself! Now I know better than to question his baking skills, as he was raised by the queen of baking. Every year on Thanksgiving, he participates in a pie baking contest between him and his two younger brothers. They each have their special pies – apple, pecan and pumpkin. Yes, all three boys are impressive bakers and quite the catch. Recently I put Adam’s pastry skills to good use and asked him to make a fruit tart for my sister’s baby shower. True to form, Adam went back to his roots and made a gorgeous fruit tart. When I saw this work of art I just knew we had to share it with our 80:20 community. It is truly to die for!!

Protein powder is frequently marketed as the key to achieving a lean, muscular body. Especially for those who are physically active, it’s often seen as a necessity for a healthy lifestyle. But is it really good for you? Most conventional protein powders contain added sugars, preservatives, and artificial flavorings. And the most common source of protein in protein powders is whey isolate, which is highly processed and not great for those with dairy sensitivities. And even though vegan protein powders are out there, they are usually full of the same added flavors and sweeteners and are just as highly processed as the non-vegan powders.

Stress, environmental toxins, travel – all these things can cause our hormones to become unbalanced. Hormones act as messengers that send signals throughout the body that can dramatically affect overall health. Your hormones directly influence your metabolism, energy levels, emotional health, sex drive and reproductive system. So no matter your stage in life, making sure your hormones are happy is really important. Typically, as a woman, the first place that you might notice a hormonal imbalance is in your monthly cycle. That’s why we’ve developed this tonic! It works with the body as a whole to help provide nutrients and minerals, lower the burden of stress, and help detoxify and cleanse your system. Whether you’re going through menopause or just trying to regulate your cycle, this tonic will help you find a healthy balance. Even though this particular blend is aimed toward the women in our community, it can also be enjoyed by men as a balancing tonic. Ashwagandha can help with male hormone production and sexual health, while many of the health benefits of the other herbs are vital for both women and men.

One of the great benefits of eating clean whole foods is the palette of color they bring to the table. Or in this case, the glass! Are you ready to add some color to your routine? The Turmeric Sunrise Smoothie will! We all know that turmeric has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and is a very strong antioxidant. We love the addition of blood oranges to any smoothie when they are in season – and when we’re not cleansing. Combine these with ginger and you get one bright and warming pick-me-up. This smoothie keeps your immune system and digestion going strong all day. It’s the perfect smoothie to drink as you transition onto the cleanse, but keep it out of your glass during the cleanse because of the oranges.

Cod may not be the sexiest fish in sea but it sure does pack a nutritional punch worth mentioning. High in omega-3 fatty acids, eating cod (and fish in general) is said to promote good cardiovascular health, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation. And if you know us at all, we’re all about reducing inflammation, so that what makes cod a hidden gem of a cleanse-friendly protein! Conscious Cleanse | Baked Balsamic Cod | www.consciouscleanse.com | #cod #easydinner Cod is a white, mildly flavored fish making it extremely versatile to an array of flavor pairings. It’s great in fish tacos, on the grill, or baked as in the recipe below and the one in our book called Baked Cod with Lemon and Olive Oil. Cod is a popular fish in most regions so it’s easy-to-find and often times inexpensive,

Dairy-free milk – a cleanser’s go-to ingredient to make their green smoothies creamy and delicious. But many store-bought versions have sneaky additives that can sabotage your health. Added thickening agents like gums and carrageenan, common ingredients in many store-bought nut milks, can cause damage to your gut health. Plus, many contain added flavors and added sugars. The best way to avoid these additives is to make your own dairy-free milk at home! And with our recipes, it’s way easier than you might think. All you really need is a high speed blender – that’s it! If you don’t have time to soak your almonds or cashews, try our recipe for hemp milk! It’s the simplest dairy-free milk to make. Plus, it’s a great option for those with nut allergies or sensitivities. All these milks are amazing in green smoothies, chia seed pudding, or just in a glass!

Do you know what’s better than pumpkin pie? Pumpkin fudge! Our version is vegan, rich and decadent, and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. You’ll notice that this recipe calls for both coconut oil and coconut butter. You might be thinking, “What’s the difference?” Coconut oil is the result of cold-pressing oil from the flesh of the coconut. Coconut butter (like other nut butters) is the pureed flesh of the coconut, including the oil. Both are used together in this recipe to give this fudge its signature creaminess. Even though we L-O-V-E everything pumpkin, it is a food we keep off our plates during the cleanse.

If you’re like us, nothing beats a big green smoothie in the morning! But sometimes, especially when the weather gets colder, a freezing cold green smoothie is the last thing you want to have for breakfast. And there are those who prefer higher protein content for their first meal of the day. So we’ve come up with a yummy alternative breakfast option that is still cleanse-friendly and packs a super protein punch! Since eggs are one of the top 8 allergens and are off-limits during the cleanse, we knew we had to give the usual American breakfast a makeover. This dish is a cleanse-approved spin on the traditional egg-based breakfast skillet that uses ground turkey instead. If a plant-based diet is more your speed, you can substitute cooked chickpeas for the turkey. Plus, it’s a family-friendly breakfast that can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes, perfect for weekend AND weekday mornings!

This time of year, it can be hard to find a dinner that doesn’t take too long and is healthy and filling. As busy moms with hectic work schedules, we totally get it! It can be all too tempting to grab your favorite take-out and call it a night. That’s why we’ve come up with this recipe! And trust us, it’ll beat your take-out any day :) This is a warming, nourishing curry that you can enjoy over steamed kale or cauliflower rice. It’s filling and hearty while still being cleanse-friendly AND vegan-friendly (meatless Monday, anyone?). Plus, it doesn’t take long to make, and is a one-pot meal so you’ll save time on dishes, too! Looking for other easy weeknight recipes? Check out our Weeknight Turkey Broccoli Stir Fry, Jo’s Easy Weeknight Salad, Chipotle Lime Salmon with Massaged Kale, or 30-Minute Chicken Meatball Tacos.

Jo here! Happy Hanukkah! What’re dreidel games without chocolate gelt? Unfortunately, the gelt you buy in the store is usually highly processed and packed with sugar and dairy. So why not make your own at home? It’s easier than you might think! Besides the added sugar and dairy, the main nutritional difference between store-bought gelt coins and my recipe is that my recipe uses raw cacao instead of roasted cacao.

Happy Thanksgiving from our families to yours! This is a wonderful time of year filled with gatherings of loved ones around the dinner table. Why not pick the healthiest options for your holiday spread? Jo, prefers to stay on a low-sugar eating track. So her family has developed a lower-sugar spin on the Thanksgiving classic — cranberry sauce! This tart and delicious recipe will win over even your pickiest family members. Looking for more healthy and delicious Thanksgiving options? Check out our Conscious Thanksgiving spread. What’s YOUR go-to Thanksgiving dish and does it need a Conscious Cleanse makeover? Let us know in the comments below! With love and holiday gratitude,

Happy Thanksgiving from our families to yours! This is a wonderful time of year filled with gatherings of loved ones around the dinner table. Why not pick the healthiest options for your holiday spread? We wanted to take this opportunity to share some of our family favorite recipes that we love to make for Thanksgiving. These dishes are healthy, delicious, and are sure to delight the whole family. Jules, as a vegetarian, finds holiday meals frustrating since they are so frequently centered around a meat dish. So she’s come up with a hearty salad featuring roasted beets. It works well as both a main dish or side dish, perfect for the veggie lovers in your life! Looking for more healthy and delicious Thanksgiving options? Check out our Conscious Thanksgiving spread.

It’s that time of year – sweet treat time! Over the next few months, it’s likely that you’ll be attending holiday parties, cookie exchange, or just have a hankering to do some baking. And, as you know, we’re on a mission to enjoy life while making it healthier. So our cookie recipe today is low sugar, but also nut, seed, grain, dairy, egg, and gluten free. My 2-year-old daughter is allergic to all of the above, so I’m continually looking for ways to make something that she’ll love, as well as any of her friends. That’s a tall list of no-no foods, so finding a flour that checks all of those boxes has made my life so much easier. The secret ingredient in our Raw Cookie Dough Balls is tigernut flour, which is not a nut but a small root vegetable. This little tuber is chock-full of fiber, protein, magnesium and zinc and has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.

Happy Autumn (and happy Spring for our friends in the Southern Hemisphere)! With the school year well under way here in Colorado, we wanted to share a recipe that is a great go-to when you don’t have much time. As working moms with little ones, we know how hard it can be to make sure your family gets a nutritious dinner while trying to juggle all your other responsibilities. That’s where this recipe comes in! This stir fry is healthy, delicious, and best of all, can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. This recipe is also super versatile – it can be easily modified to use whatever veggies or protein you have on hand. You could even make it vegetarian or vegan by substituting the turkey with quinoa or cauliflower rice and omitting the fish sauce. So many possibilities!

Fall is finally here and pumpkin season is upon us! This time of year, it seems like EVERYTHING is pumpkin-spiced! So why not take advantage of the flavor for your skincare routine? We’ve developed a non-toxic Pumpkin Facial Scrub that is not only great for your skin, but will leave you smelling like sugar and spice and everything nice. Besides being the flavor of fall, pumpkin has many hidden benefits for your skin! When used topically, pumpkin can help brighten dull complexions, is full of antioxidants, and has anti-aging properties. Sugar gently exfoliates dead skin away, while avocado oil and coconut oil help to moisturize and cleanse your skin. Honey is antibacterial, which can help acne-prone complexions, and cinnamon can help increase blood flow and plump skin. (Note: If you have sensitive skin, make sure to spot test this scrub on your arm before using on your face.)

It’s finally starting to feel like fall here in Colorado and we could not be more excited to share this autumnal recipe with you! When the weather starts to get cooler, it can be hard to find salads and veggie-based dishes that feel warming and filling. That’s where this recipe comes in! Full of roasted root veggies, it’s hearty enough to keep you going all day long. However, the real star of this dish is the delicata squash! Delicata squash is high in fiber, which can help normalize bowel movements and lower bad cholesterol. It’s also high in vitamin A, which helps eye health, and immunity-boosting vitamin C.

Hey there, Jo here! As a working mom and with the beginning of the school year already upon us, I’m always looking for ways to streamline weeknight dinner prep. That’s why I’ve developed an easy basic salad recipe that is a great go-to for those nights you have less than 30 minutes to put dinner on the table. These are the veggies I usually make sure I always have in my house, but you can adapt it to use whatever you have in your fridge. You can use it as a side or add some grilled chicken, roasted chickpeas, quinoa, or any other protein to make it your meal. This recipe can really be an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of salad!

Here in Colorado, the kids are back in school and with the end of summer in sight (sigh!), we thought it was a good time to squeeze in one more summertime treat. Kids love popsicles, making today’s recipe a perfect after school snack. Heck, this recipe is so full of goodness, we would let our kids have it for breakfast! But what about us adults? Packed with chia seeds, fruit, and coconut water, our cleanse-friendly Tropical Mango Chia Seed Popsicles make a great post-workout snack, giving you instant energy and the quick cool down you need this time of year! Check out the recipe below and if you need to order some popsicle molds, check these out. They’re our favorites. Be sure to share your popsicle creations with us on Facebook and Instagram and stay tuned for more great, cleanse-friendly recipes coming your way. Until next time, stay healthy and strong! With popsicle fun, Mango Chia Seed Popsicles

Before fall forces you to surrender completely to all things pumpkin, give summer one last hurrah (for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere) with this refreshing Raw Key Lime Vanilla Bean Tart. Our Key Lime Tart has all the creamy goodness of the original but without the wheat, dairy, processed sugar, or eggs, so you can feel better about having that second slice (we won’t tell!). For more great recipes, habits, tips, and inspiration for how to continue living vibrantly long after the cleanse ends, be sure to check out our 80:20 Plan HERE. With love and key lime bliss

With this super easy cocktail recipe, we’ve got you covered. It takes about 10 minutes to make and is so delicious and refreshing your guests will never guess just how easy it is! It also features our all-time favorite kombucha, Rowdy Mermaid! They have tons of delicious flavors, and their formula is much lower in sugar than other kombuchas. With the addition of fresh peach slices and raspberries, this cocktail is a celebration of the bounty of summer. Plus, this is a great cocktail for those of you who need a lower sugar option. If you’re looking for a great selection of low sugar wines, check out Dry Farm Wines. We love that they curate wines specifically to make sure they are both high quality and low sugar. We enjoy the challenge of giving a traditional cocktail, like this one, an 80:20 spin!

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!).

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.