Anandamide, the bliss chemical I’m talking about, needs to be activated over and over again. It’s effects are very short-lived. But in a little bit, I’ve got some great tips for you on how to frequently stay stoked.
Articles From the Chef V Blog
Happy Easter! What’s more traditional than decorating Easter Eggs? But what is in all of those nasty dyes that we’ve been using on our food all of these years? Healthy Easter egg dye is easy to make. You can save money buying artificial dyes and get creative this year with household items you already have.
A big shout out to Amanda Patrick for mentioning my Chef V Green Drink on her super popular Instagram page. I’m so happy your beautiful little girls love Green Drink! Amanda says: “So I FINALLY found a green drink the girls will ACTUALLY drink Thank you for all the goodies @chefvlife …. the girls (and I) love you a lot!”
Veronica “V” Wheat is about to spill the (soy)beans with some exciting news: she’s pregnant! Her and hubby, Brandon, are expecting in June. Now with 2 mouths to feed, V is researching what the best—and worst—foods are for pregnancy. Here, she tells us the truth about soy…
A green drink a day can support your mood. There’s research highly-nutrient dense leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables support a healthy mood.
Trying to lose weight? Obviously, diet plays a huge role, along with exercise. But did you know that how much you sleep and the quality of your sleep also plays a crucial part in weight management? And as stress effects your sleep and messes with your cortisol levels, you can spiral into a cycle of poor sleep, fatigue, and excess eating.
Doing an essential detox cleanse right now may protect you from colds and getting the flu in the next few months. Plus, doing a detox is like giving your organs a much-needed tune-up for the colder months ahead.
If you feel like eating tons of comfort food and hibernating this time of year, I don’t blame you. But spring is coming and it’s so important to stay active and healthy this time of year and I’ve got some easy, fun tips to do it!Â
Plant-based burgers are having a moment. It seems that every time I hit the supermarket, there’s a new veggie burger brand. But is this a good thing? Before I answer that question, I reviewed the ingredients list in 7 of the most popular brands of plant-based burgers. Here’s what I found:
If you need a detox and digestion makeover, “V” encourages a pretty strict plant-based diet. That’s because meat is hard to digest and if your digestion is sluggish you should give it a rest.
But that doesn’t mean you should be eating vegan fast food burgers every day. There’s a big difference between plant-based meat and plant-based proteins. In fact, eating mock meat may be worse for your health than regular meat. Instead, find out what the healthiest plant-based proteins are…
Pea protein is one of the most popular vegan proteins with no signs of slowing down, and for good reason. It’s super easy to digest, contains all 9 essential amino acids and doesn’t cause nasty belly bloating. That’s why Chef V is excited to introduce Vanilla Ultra Shake with pea protein for cleanse customers.
A plant-based fast-food burger with a bloody-red chewy texture that tastes just like a regular hamburger? Sound “Impossible” to you?
All dietary minerals are important. But in 2020-2021, zinc just might be the most important. It’s received a lot of attention in research studies. That’s because zinc can help prevent viruses from replicating in cells.
Our bodies do naturally cleanse; however, in today’s world, like you’re saying, we are loaded with toxins. All the preservatives in the food, all the additives, the colors, the dyes. In beauty products alone, there’s 2,000 chemicals that some companies are banning, and they’re not regulated here in the United States. Air pollution has lots of toxins. While our bodies they do naturally detoxify, there’s a lot of things out there that our body – it’s bombarded. It’s too much. So we really do need to give it a break.
Coffee, cortisol, and stress. Just like 10 cups of coffee or glasses of wine a day, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. And when we’re constantly stressed out, we can have too much cortisol coursing through our system. With unhealthy consequences.
Chef V is seeing red for valentine’s day, in a good way with beets. If you’re not on the beet bandwagon then hop on board. Never tried beets? With Chef V’s beet recipes, you’ll eventually fall in love with them and you’ll be healthier for it…
Beets, including beet greens, contain an amazing array of antioxidants, other vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. – Veronica
What are you doing to make this Valentine’s Day special for your mate? A box of chocolates? Flowers? Yawn! While those V-Day traditional go-to’s will always be appreciated, these 5 activities will help resurrect your romantic life—even if you’ve been married for years.
Do you feel like a slug in the morning? Is guzzling three cups of coffee the only thing that wakes you up from the dead? Chef V offers up 3 caffeine-free ways to help you conquer the day…
Tough times now. More than ever I depend on my yoga practice to settle my mind, re-energize, and reduce unhealthy stress. When it all gets to be just too much, I use these two poses to find a calm, relaxed center – and I try to carry that feeling through the entire day.
This “What Do I Eat Today” gluten-free menu starts with warm lemon water, then Green Drink. For breakfast, Avocado Toast is a rich tasting treat. Lunch is my “Chipotle” style Burrito Bowl, and the day’s snack is a choice of three different hummus’s served with fresh veggies. Dinner is my Quinoa Enchiladas – you can follow the recipe online or watch me make it on my YouTube channel.
Watch the show on YourTube & read the recipe!
We are starting with my famous Quinoa Enchilada – or “the whole enchilada” as my husband says. That’s so cheesy – no pun intended.
Having Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) means experiencing frequent bloating, cramping, diarrhea or constipation and other digestive disturbances. Thankfully, Chef V has one effective recommendation for improving your IBS, courtesy of a Facebook post testimonial.
How often do you eat bread and other foods that contain gluten? If you’re eating gluten everyday, is this a ticking time bomb? Are you setting yourself up for an autoimmune disease or other serious health condition later on in life if you continue on your gluttonous gluten-filled path?
Got a freeloader living in your gut? If you have been diagnosed with parasites, is it possible to kill them off with natural ingredients? For some of the 60 million people(!) in the U.S. that, according to the CDC, are living with toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection, a chronically-bloated belly isn’t the only concern.
Did you know there’s a non-stop party in your gut? It’s true. In your microbiome—the home of your trillions of bacteria, both the friendly and unfriendly kind—your gut bacteria are constantly eating our leftovers. If only we could claim them as tax dependents! So how can you make sure you’re feeding the good guys in your gut and not the bad? Chef V has one simple solution and offers her 3 favorite gut-supporting supplements…
Seaweed will ensure that you’re getting more minerals in your diet. Seaweed salad, dried seaweed “chips” and spirolina in smoothies are ways to get seaweed in your diet.
For many people, cooking a meal at home just isn’t whole without garlic or onions. Harsh breath aside, garlic and onions (allium vegetables) possess potent health-building properties. But for certain people with poor digestion, alliums are just no fun. Chef V explains why garlic and onions can lead to indigestion.
You’ve probably heard of leaky gut but aren’t quite sure what it means. Your intestines are lined with a mucosal barrier. A thin (leaky) intestinal mucosal wall leaks undigested food particles, toxins and microorganisms (bacteria, etc.).
Dark, leafy green veggies are the best and most affordable superfoods on the planet. But what you probably didn’t know about my fave greens are how they specifically help improve gut health. So let’s dive right in.
I’m not bragging, but I jumped on to the kale bandwagon long before the wagon rolled out of hipster neighborhoods and restaurants, serving kale chips and kale smoothies along the way. I may have jumped off other superfood bandwagons–mangosteen: that was fun while it lasted in the early 2000’s but açai berries won over my heart and tummy–but I plan on never abandoning you, kale, even if you do eventually lose hipster cred status.
Replacing a conventional breakfast with liquids has many health benefits and V’s here to explain…
If you’ve been following me for years, you already know how important NOT eating breakfast is.
Eating right for your blood type. I’ve always been so intrigued. I recently found out I’m type A+ and my husband, Brandon is O+. According to the blood type diet, I should be eating lots of vegetarian-friendly food. As somebody who eats a 99% plant-based diet, I would have no problem eating for my particular blood type. But what about Brandon? Should he go on a hunting trip and shoot some wild game? Type O’s should eat basically a Paleo diet: high in lean animal protein with a minimal amount of grains.
Too much dairy can be bad for digestion, especially for kids, which is why more people are choosing to limit their intake or eliminate it completely from their diets. Here’s a creamy and delicious mock milkshake recipe that will please your taste buds and your tummy! – Veronica
Scientists say that the state of our gut is vital to good health and influences our ability to lose weight. Each of us have a “microbiome” in our belly – our own set of bacteria. Staying mindful of the impact of what we eat on our gut and following a healthy diet has a huge impact on how we feel.
Have you ever heard the saying, “a healthy mind lives in a healthy body?” The way Chef V founder Veronica “V” Kress sees it, a healthy mind exists because of a healthy gut. But it’s not just mental health that’s linked to gut health. The immune system, cardiovascular health, skin appearance, and, of course, how you look in a swimsuit is all controlled by the health of your gut. So V is here to offer 5 easy tips to boost gut health.
The best veggies for a healthy gut, skin, hair and nails are the same ones in Chef V’s mega-popular Green Drink. And it’s no coincidence that these same veggies are also the best for helping you cleanse and detox.
Gut health survival guide: Chef V’s 5 Tips For Success – Follow these 5 tips for a healthy gut during the holidays…walk, take digestive enzymes, probiotics
A few Chef V customers recently posted how having a Green Drink first thing in the morning has improved their energy throughout the day and even their sleep quality. So I decided to look into the connection between how green leafy veggies affect sleep quality. I also provide a handful of tips on how to get restful zzzzz’s.
Try a mocktail if you are looking to enjoy refreshing drink but hate the added alcohol calories. Take a break and try a Chef V mocktail recipe
We know that eating more veggies can boost the number of friendly bacteria in your gut. But what’s a mystery to most people is if how we prepare our veggies affects gut health in any way. “V” reveals if there’s a winner between raw veggies or cooked plant-based foods.
This “What Do I Eat Today” menu starts with warm lemon water, then Green Drink. For breakfast, Warm Cinnamon Quinoa. For lunch, my Mediterranean Stew, and for dinner, Chicken Pot Pie, a gluten-free recipe with a vegan option, demonstrated in this month’s Chef V Cooking School video.
The benefits of Green Drink for skin can have much more of an impact than a cosmetic procedure like a facial. After all, facials and other beauty care methods are only, well, skin deep. But green drinks can benefit your skin from the inside out. Chef V explains….
My moussaka “What Do I Eat Today” menu starts with warm lemon water, then Green Drink. For breakfast, Easy Cereal with Chef V’s Almond Milk. For lunch, my Creamy Sweet Potato Soup, and for dinner, Vegan Moussaka, demonstrated in this month’s Chef V Cooking School video.
“V” loves adding turmeric and ginger to her protein smoothies, which she always has about 30 minutes after breaking her fast with Organic Green Drink. Ginger and turmeric are powerful anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammation fighters. But did you know that they’re also great for your gut microbiome? Here’s how…
This super simple recipe has only 7 ingredients and is so easy to make. It has so much flavor, is so filling and balanced, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! “You don’t even know do’, it’s the BEST Risotto!”
My “What Do I Eat Today” menu: Warm lemon water, Green Drink, ginger Apple Berry Smoothie, Spicy Vegetable Soup, and Turkey Risotto.
This month’s “What do I eat Today” menu is all about eating healthy during the crazy busy holiday season. I’m working extra hours to manage holiday orders and when I get out of the office to shop for gifts, lines are long and traffic is heavy. So this menu is all about eating well on the go.
Welcome to my cooking school! Watch the video on YouTube and read the recipe. This month we are making salmon beurre blanc We’ll go through all the steps to make the sauce and prep the salmon and pasta, then assemble and enjoy. Yumm!
My pumpkin pie recipe is better for your health because it contains low-glycemic coconut sugar and dairy-free coconut whipped cream.