Every once in a while I'm hit with a wave of sneezing, nose blowing and sinus inflammation, and it is extremely frustrating, especially when the neti pot doesn't help. When I last found myself in this miserable state I whipped up a beverage with some anti-inflammatory ingredients in hopes it would soothe my sinuses; and low and behold it did!

This sweet and spicy beverage can help reduce inflammation in many parts of the body, and can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Servings: 1

Ingredients (use organic whenever possible):

• Turmeric - powder (1/2 Tbsp) or root (1 inch piece)
• Ginger root - 1 inch piece (or to taste)
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2 Tbsp (or to taste)
• Stevia - powder or drops, to taste*
• Water - 1 cup

* I used 4 drops of Omica vanilla stevia drops. If you don't like the taste of stevia, feel free to use a low glycemic sweetener, like coconut sugar, or none at all.

Directions:

1. Blend together. 
   • A high speed blender is not necessary but if you do not use one you will have to grate the turmeric and ginger roots before blending.

When I'm craving a chocolately treat this is my go-to recipe. It was inspired by an expensive raw dessert I was buying until I realized how simple it was to make at home. Once I started playing with the ingredients the addition of matcha green tea, one of my favorite flavors, took these bites over the top! The truffles take 5 minutes to prep and after a little time in the freezer they're ready to pop into your mouth! They're great to share with kids, romantic partners, friends and colleagues; be sure to let me know what everyone thinks! Oh, and the video demo of this recipe is coming soon.

What a great way to use up all those lingering candy canes - would be a lovely treat for New Years Eve! I found an organic, corn syrup-free variety at Whole Foods and they were perfect for this! The recipe results in a sweet, decadent, salty and crunchy dessert that will delight children and adults alike.

It's free of gluten and soy, and it can be relatively low in sugar if you use a ultra dark chocolate, a raw chocolate and/or one sweetened with stevia or xylitol. It can also be low in salt if you use salt-free tortilla chips and even low in oil and nut-free if you leave out the coconut oil.

I'd like to say that a drop in temperature is responsible for the desire to eat comfort food, but let's be honest - when do you not want macaroni & cheese? OK, maybe it isn't that appealing on a super hot day, but you can always serve it cold right? It's nearly impossible to resist the creamy texture and buttery taste. The only catch is that most mac 'n' cheese is loaded with oil, salt, soy and gluten, which can leave you feeling weighed down and bloated. Fortunately it doesn't have to be that way - this recipe puts a healthy. spin on the classic favorite.

The "cheese" sauce is free of salt, oil, gluten and soy. However, the "secret" ingredient (tortialla chips by Way Better Snacks) adds a tad of the former two - it's totally worth it in my opinion. The flavor is cheese-like and tangy (remiscent of kale chips), the texture smooth and crunchy, and it is extremely filling. Inspired by a recipe in the Forks Over Knives cookbook, this dish is relatively low in fat and can be even more so if you cut back on the amount of cashews you use. Or, if you feel like indulging, double the amount of cashews to make it extra creamy!