ELENA MCCOWN
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Prepear App
    • Appetizers
    • Baked Goods
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Meals and Sides
    • Smoothies
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Salads
  • Life
    • My Life
    • Programs
    • Workouts and Exercises
    • Wellness Information and Tips
    • Williamson County, TN Paths, Trails and Parks
  • Disclaimer/Privacy Policy/Terms of Service

Living Life Balanced Blog

Eat Better, Live Better

12/27/2018

2 Comments

 
Eat Better, Live Better: Meal plan and recipes that are gluten-free and dairy-free by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN
I am super excited to announce that I have teamed up with Prepear to make 2019 the best year ever...for you! The new year is a time to start fresh. So many of us are hoping to get organized and eat better in 2019 and meal planning is a concrete, realistic way to tackle your goals. Doing it by yourself might seem daunting, but you don't have to do it alone! I'll provide the recipes for you, so you can focus on getting the food on the table. If you want to be able to take charge of meal planning in an EASY way, look no further. 

I have entered my recipes into the app so you can create your own customized meal plan with any of my breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas. Feel good knowing that by using any of my recipes, you are eating healthy, delicious meals within an appropriate calorie range. Even further customize your experience by changing the servings amount to send the exact ingredients needed into your grocery list AND keep track of your pantry ingredients so you don't buy items you already have!

What's the offer?
  • $1 for three months of healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free recipes (or make substitutions for whole-grain and real dairy ingredients). In honor of the new year, this offer is only available for a short time.
  • Your recipes are ready to go in the connected cooking app, Prepear.
    • What is Prepear?
      • It is an app that supports home cooks throughout the entire planning, shopping and cooking process. 
      • You can collect and organize all your recipes in your own digital cookbook.
      • Your meal plan appears in your planner automatically every week,
      • Customize your meal plan to match your tastes and lifestyle. You can easily swap in your own recipes from your cookbook, or type in recipe-free ideas.
      • Instantly create grocery lists that match your meal plan. Your list is categorized and is right on your phone, so you can check off items as you shop.
      • Recipes are easy to cook from: your phone stays lit while you cook. Check off ingredients and directions as you go. See nutrition data for most recipes, right on the recipe screen.
      • Share your cooking life with your friends and family. Share your meal plan, recipes and what's happening in your kitchen today.

Get ready to:
  • Eat healthier food that tastes better.
  • Organize your time better.
  • Spend more time with your family.
  • Save money.
  • Feel less stressed about making food choices.

I had been looking for months at different apps that would do exactly as I wanted them to do for my clients. I started thinking I wasn't going to find anything and would have to hire someone to create one for me until I found Prepear. Once I met with them and we discussed my needs and what they had to offer, I knew it was the perfect fit! The app is easy to use, it's a great place to store my recipes, it shows nutrition information, it provides an automatic grocery list based off your meal plan, the grocery list is easy to follow while shopping at the store, the app stays awake while cooking and provides an easier way to follow the directions as you go, you can upload your own pictures and make notes of the recipes and eventually it will be able to send your grocery list over to the grocery store for you so you don't even have to do the shopping yourself! 

​Get started HERE!
​

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here. 


Eat Better, Live Better: Meal plan and recipes that are gluten-free and dairy-free by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN
2 Comments

Spinach Stuffed Vegan Manicotti

12/18/2018

0 Comments

 
I had been wanting to make stuffed vegan, gluten-free shells for a long time now but I could never find gluten-free shells in stores and I didn't want to order them online. As I was looking for a replacement, I found gluten-free brown rice manicotti pasta tubes and decided to use them instead and I am so glad I did! I made these to bring dinner over to our friends who just had a baby. Everyone loved it and didn't know it was gluten-free or vegan! This could also be made with dairy or meat if you wanted, of course. I want to make this again but maybe with some Italian sausage or prosciutto! These look fancy (well - my pictures could use a little work, I recommend saving a little sauce to pour over the top at the very end) and are impressive yet so easy to make! I can't wait for you to try them!
Spinach Stuffed Vegan Manicotti: gluten-free and dairy-free recipes by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN
​Servings: 6
Prep/Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 1 box (7 oz) gluten-free brown rice manicotti pasta tubes
  • 1 cups low-sodium marinara sauce
  • 8 oz Kite Hill Ricotta or Cream Cheese 
  • 1 10 oz box frozen spinach, thawed or cooked, cooled and drained
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F and prepare a baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Boil a large pot of water for the pasta and cook them according to package directions, al dente. Drain and lay them carefully on wax paper to cool.
  3. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over the bottom of the baking dish and set the rest of the sauce aside. 
  4. Combine the ricotta, spinach, basil, 4 oz mozzarella and italian seasoning in a large bowl. 
  5. Add the mixture to a large zip lock/piping bag with a hole cut on one corner.
  6. Pipe the mixture into each pasta tube and lay side by side in the baking pan.
  7. Top with almost the rest of the sauce and 2 oz of mozzarella. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, add remaining bit of sauce and 2 oz of cheese and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
  8. Serve as is or with a salad!
0 Comments

A Fresh Start

12/14/2018

0 Comments

 
A Fresh Start by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN
Maybe you had every intention to eat healthy, exercise and reduce stress during the holidays but it just seemed to get away from you. That's okay! It happens. Do the best that you can right now. Small steps do lead to big changes. There are still two weeks left of the year. Use them wisely. 

If you feel like you just can't commit to anything right now until the holidays are over, I understand that too. The start of a new year always seems to bring about an opportunity to wipe the proverbial slate clean and start again. Although, a New Year's resolution should not lead to deprivation, restriction, diets, hardcore workouts, extreme exercise every day or the idea of making perfect, healthy choices every day. These unrealistic expectations are the reasons why most people don't stick with their resolutions past January.

You also don't even need to make a "resolution". Instead, why don't you just decide to start making small changes that can lead to a huge impact on your life, wellbeing and body? Instead of a major, overwhelming overhaul, these small, attainable steps can lead you to a healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life. Some ideas are to start incorporating small acts of kindness for others once a month, practicing gratitude at the end of each week, taking time to yourself each day for your mental health, try new fruits and vegetables during the week, walk around the block, etc. Whatever it is that you want to work on, decide on one long term-goal and set several short-term goals with achievable, realistic steps to help you get there. Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish.

Do you have trouble making goals? Whatever your goal may be, even if it isn't specifically health related, please contact me so that I can help you! 

If you do want to start eating healthier and exercising yet you aren't quite sure where to start, join my new Fresh Start menu planning and exercise program! You will receive 4 weeks of menu plans and two workouts (one with weights and one without). You also will gain access to ask me any questions and have me help you along with this new journey. 

If you want to learn the basics of how to start living a healthy lifestyle on your own - behavior change information, how to meal plan, what foods you should eat more of, restaurant cheat sheets, a sample workout routine and more, then join Boost!

If you are just looking for a quick reset after the holidays, join 7 Day Slim Down for a week's worth of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) all planned out for you with a corresponding grocery list and workout guide. Get ready to lose that holiday bloat, look good and feel great, all without feeling deprived, starved, or restricted! Plus you get a bonus treat each day!

If you are more interested in working one-on-one with me for some health coaching, customized menu planning, workout guides, grocery list creation and ordering, grocery store tours, fridge and pantry clean outs, cooking lessons, cooking demos or more, please contact me today! 




0 Comments

How to Stay on Track During the Holidays

12/6/2018

0 Comments

 
How to Stay on Track During the Holidays: by Elena McCown, LLC, a health coach in Franklin, TN.
We are now smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. It might have shown up a lot faster than expected and you might not be feeling that prepared. Don't put yourself on the back burner and keep your life on hold until January 1. Start taking care of yourself now! 

Your social schedule might be looking pretty busy right now and you could be thinking that it is just all too much. The good thing is, you can stay (or get) healthy right now and not take up much time at all! With these tips below, you can feel your best, enjoy your holiday events AND stay healthy this season,

1. Find your "Why". Think about why you want to be healthy and what exactly that means to you. Find your driving force. If you remind yourself of your "why" you are more likely to stay on track and less likely to overindulge, skip workouts, skimp on sleep, etc.
2. Bring your own food. If you are going to a party and aren't sure if there will be healthy options there, bring some of your own! Maybe you will even convince others to start eating healthier when they see how tasty it can be!
3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals usually backfires. Eat your normal, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. This will help you to remain in control and eat an appropriate amount of food instead of starving and eating everything in sight.
4. Aim to fill up on vegetables, fruits and lean protein. This will help prevent cravings and will crowd out other less healthy food options since you will be too satisfied to eat anything else after (or at least you won't be able to eat THAT much dessert)!
5. Limit alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are empty calories and can lead to making bad choices - with food and other areas of life. Now, I'm not saying you can't drink, but on those special occasions when you do, choose lower calorie options and have at least one glass of water in between every drink.
6. Be mindful. Try to stay in the moment when chatting with friends and family, eating, working, getting ready for bed, or exercising. When focusing your attention on what you are doing you can accomplish that activity better, regulate your emotions and decrease stress, anxiety and depression. By living in each moment you can really appreciate life and lower your stress levels. Start practicing mindfulness by meditating first thing in the morning or right before bed every day when it is quiet.
7. Workout when you can. A few minutes here and a few minutes there can really add up! Do what you can when you can. Try to pencil in a workout each day and make it a priority. If that doesn't seem possible right now, just do your best! Go on a walk at lunch, park far anyway anywhere you go (if it's safe to do so), take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator, stand at your desk instead of sit, etc.!
8. Don't fall into the spending trap. If you don't have a lot of money or just don't want to spend it on decorations, parties or gifts, talk with your friends and family and arrange a white elephant exchange, secret Santa, opt out of gifts altogether or come up with alternative solutions. Don't put more pressure and stress on yourself and your family by overspending and getting into debt because of the holidays. 
9. Predict. Plan. Prepare. Think about what your week will look like and then what each day will look like. Plan your food, workouts and sleep schedule so you know what you have time for. If you can't plan that much in advance, at least k
now where your next meal will be (at home/office/restaurant/etc.) and decide ahead of time what food choice you will make/order. 
10. Forgive yourself! Nobody is perfect and nobody expects you to be. If you slip up, eat too much, don't workout, skimp on sleep, etc., just forgive yourself and move on! Do the best you can with your time and resources and expect to not be perfect! It is just a bump in the road that doesn't need to throw you off course. Pick yourself back up and get right back on track as soon as possible. You are doing good, don't talk negatively to yourself to make yourself think otherwise! 

Do you need someone to help you along the way? With my Fresh Start program you will receive 4 weeks of menu plans and 2 workout guides! You will get full access to talk with me and ask me any questions! I can also help you with one-on-one coaching if that fits into your life better! Also, if you download the free Prepear app, you can also easily have all the recipes in one app and order your groceries through Walmart!


Don't wait until January 1, take charge of your health through these next few crazy weeks!
0 Comments
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Elena McCown, LLC Health Coach in Franklin, TN

    About Me

    I am a food loving, activity seeking health coach who resides in Franklin, TN with my husband and two sweet dogs (Lola & Penny).
    ​

    Allergies

    I believe everyone should eat balanced and not cut food groups if you don't medically need to. All foods can fit in a healthy diet. Unfortunately, I have to avoid gluten and also limit myself with dairy, so my goal is to provide healthy, gluten-free/dairy-free recipes so EVERYONE can enjoy all foods, even if you do have to cut out certain food groups. My recipes are encouraged for everyone to eat, not just for those with sensitivities/allergies! Most of my recipes can be easily converted by using real dairy and whole-wheat in place of my allergy-free substitutes. 

    Search

    Looking for something specific? Everything can be found by category under the "Life" and "Recipes" sections on my website or you can search below.

    Archives

    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018

    Categories

    All
    Life
    Recipes
    Start Here!

    RSS Feed

Location

Find Out More

                  About                     Contact 
            Services           Online Programs
                    Blog                    Life
          Recipes            Prepear App
  Disclaimer/Privacy Policy/TOS

Connect With Me

@elenamccown

Newsletter

Picture
Elena McCown, LLC Health Coach in Franklin, TN
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Prepear App
    • Appetizers
    • Baked Goods
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Meals and Sides
    • Smoothies
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Salads
  • Life
    • My Life
    • Programs
    • Workouts and Exercises
    • Wellness Information and Tips
    • Williamson County, TN Paths, Trails and Parks
  • Disclaimer/Privacy Policy/Terms of Service