Fourth of July Berry Dessert

What is 4th of July without a red, white, and blue treat?

This was originally posted last July 4th; we figure it's worth a repost. This weekend, we hope you celebrate America's birthday to the fullest. Go all out on parades, red, white, and blue, and yummy treats. Attending a party this weekend? Make this cheerful dessert. It definitely won't disappoint. 

This summer, especially for The Fourth, I wanted to create a tasty treat that satisfied my sweet tooth but didn't sit too heavy on my stomach. With that in mind, I snagged some fresh berries from the market, whipped up some coconut whipped cream, and layered them all together for a festive dessert. It's simple, I pulled it together in under 30 minutes, and it's absolutely delicious.

Pro tip: layer it in a clear glass to see the vibrant colors and top with a sprig of mint and some lemon zest.

Fourth of July Berry Dessert

Ingredients ::

+ blueberries
+ strawberries
+ 1 can of coconut milk (full fat)
+ 1 tsp cinnamon
+ 1 tsp vanilla extract
+ 1/4 lemon, juice
+ 1/4 - 1/2 cups coconut sugar (amount to taste)

Recipe ::

1. Place your can of coconut milk in the refrigerator and let sit 12 hours to overnight. This step separates the liquid and coconut meat. 

2. Remove your can from the fridge, flip it over, open it up, and scrape out the coconut meat into your mixing bowl. Set aside the liquid to be used in another recipe. 

3. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and coconut sugar to the coconut in your mixing bowl. 

4. Whip until soft peaks are created. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to solidify more. 

5. When you're ready to plate, add a little bit of whipped cream to the bottom of your glass, top with a layer of blueberries, more whipped cream, a layer of strawberries, repeating until you get to the top.
 
6. Serve and enjoy! Makes at least four. 

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+ What's your favorite festive dessert?

Tag @yourfriend_em on Twitter or Instagram when you make this berry dessert. Share this with people who could use some sweets in their lives. Hashtag #thegreatvibesguide to spread the Great Vibes! Xx.

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Nixing my Sugar Habit

This lady – Emily, here! –  is kicking her sugar habit to the curb for more reasons than just a whittled waistline — in fact, I don’t even think my size will change much. Thankfully my goals are founded in more than just “If I don’t do this, I don’t think I’ll ever feel better”. Sugar can be a serious life impediment and is scientifically proven to be just as addictive as cocaine. Crazy chick said what!? Yesssssss. It’s not something to be taken lightly.

Now, I love sugar. In all forms. Give it to me in frosting, in fruit, rimming a margarita, in candy, chocolate, you name it, sugar and I are in a deeply committed relationship. But I’ve gotta let sugar go, because it’s not me, it’s him, and I’m tired of the roller coaster. I’m nervous about it, yes, but I’m sparked by a need for change. And I’m excited to share that change with all of you over the next several weeks.

It’s slowly been taking over my life in all of the ways that matter. It’s making me overly emotional with highs and lows, making me hold onto water, destroying my teeth, affecting my taste buds, and making my brain kick into high gear and then crash hard and fast. Does any of that resonate with you? Well stick around, because below you’ll read all about an upcoming free teleseminar I’ve got coming your way next month.

On September 9th, I decided that for 21 days I was going to kick my sugar habit.

Why 21 days?
They say 21 days makes a habit. I don’t know who “they” are or why it’s 21 days, but it works. When you do something habitually, 21 days in a row, the body latches pretty tightly in all of it’s scientific ways and helps the choice become more ingrained in your mind and routine. I also chose 21 days so that way the last day fell on the last of the month, and October would be a healthy, rejuvenated, and fresh start.

So you don’t ever want to eat sugar again?
Not true at all. I love sugars in all forms, it’s the reason why I’ll still be eating some kinds (see below). Also, Halloween is my faaaavorite holiday, and in honor of my 21st birthday and my favorite holiday falling side by side, I’m making classic Halloween candies with a personal twist for the month of October (sharing them with all of you, of course) and ringing in the new year of me with classic cocktails turned on their heads — oh yeah, we’re going there. Get ready.

My goal is not to give up sugar completely. It’s to learn how to have the right sugars, in the right amounts, for my individual body without going crazy.

So what ‘sugars’ did you give up? They aren’t all the same, you know.
Yep! You’re right! They aren’t all the same, but unfortunately they all have the same affect on my body. I’ve given up all sugars except fruit sugars, because our bodies can digest fruit sugars more efficiently with the added fiber content, and I also need fruit to survive on campus. So yes, sigh, that means honey and maple syrup, too. But that’s okay, I’m armed with the facts, the knowledge to carry it off, and the determination to turn my health around again.

So that leads me to …

| Sugar Blues |
a live (free) teleseminar with Emily Friend,
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach!

When?

October 13th, 2015 at 6:00pm EST

How do I reserve a space?

Slow your roll, beautiful. Registration starts the 25th! Limited space available, too, so make room for it in your calendar and sign up as soon as the doors open.

+What do you think? Want to kick your sugar habit?

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Catch me on periscope with live broadcasting around 5:30 pm tonight! I’m talking about 50/10, one of my favorite productivity tips — which you can read more about here.

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+ want to join me on this sugar free challenge,
but not quite sure how? Reach out, and contact me! Xx.

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