August 2017 Favorites

I’m sharing my August favorites a few days early this month so that I can share details about a very special AIP resource that’s only available August 24 to 27!  

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

The Complete AIP Resource Library 

This is one you don’t want to miss! 

My friends Mickey and Angie from Autoimmune Wellness have put together a fantastic resource for those healing from chronic illness. It’s called “The Complete Autoimmune Protocol Resource Library,”  featuring over 31 AIP-compliant e-books, including my book “AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats” AND “The Paleo AIP Instant Pot Cookbook” which I designed last summer.  This resource is one I wish had been available when I started AIP back in 2014. And it’s only $28 (which works out to less than $1 per e-book). 

One other really unique aspect to this resource library is that 10% of each purchase will be donated to a charity in the health and wellness community. How cool is that!?! 

• Purchasing on Thursday, Aug 24 benefits Hey Hashi  
• Purchasing on Friday, Aug 25 benefits Ancestral Health Society 
• Purchasing on Saturday, Aug 26 benefits Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund 
• Purchasing on Sunday, Aug 27 benefits The Wahls Foundation  

However, The Complete AIP Resource Library is only available August 24 to 27, so don't delay! 

Peach Season  

Last weekend, we visited two farms, Cider Hill Farm and Applecrest Farm Orchard, for their peach festivals. I hadn’t done any “pick your own” fruit or veggies before, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

Not only was it neat to see exactly where our food is grown, but it gave me a new appreciation for how much work farming can actually involve. And there’s nothing quite like sampling a perfectly ripe, sun-warmed, freshly picked peach.  

Now that we’ve got peaches galore (nearly 40, to be exact), I’ve been adapting some of my recipes to utilize our peach bounty. 

First, I adapted my individual AIP strawberry rhubarb crumbles into peach versions. I replaced the strawberries/rhubarb with 3 cups of chopped peaches, and I added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the both the tigernut crumble topping and to the peach filling. 

Second, I adapted the AIP pear galette recipe from my e-book (don’t forget, it’s available in “The Complete AIP Resource Library”) into an AIP peach galette. I reduce the water in the AIP pate brisee to 2 tsp because we’re experiencing higher humidity weather in NH, and I used peaches instead of pears for the filling, reducing the maple sugar a bit because the peaches were so sweet. And instead of making caramel sauce to go with it, I glazed the baked galette with some warmed fruit-sweetened apricot jam. 

photo by my friend Bekah, who was brave enough to take her phone on the water ;) 

Paddle Boarding 

I caught the paddle boarding bug in July while at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota, but, unfortunately the flies were so bad that I couldn’t be out on the water as much as I’d have liked. Then, some NH  friends told me about a paddle boarding opportunity on the Contoocook River outside Concord, NH. We made reservations, and went on a Sunday afternoon after church. We ended up paddle boarding for 4 miles, 2 miles of which were upstream and against the wind. 

photo by my friend Bekah, who was brave enough to take her phone on the water ;) 

As someone who has struggled with chronic health issues and isn’t use to a ton of physical activity, I’m proud of myself for completing the entire paddle boarding excursion. Yes, I was exhausted by the end and I ended up having some of the worse muscle soreness I’ve ever experienced the evening after and the following day (more on that below), but I’d still go again :) 

Vital Proteins Collagen 

Post-paddle boarding, I had some of the worst muscle soreness and stiffness I’ve ever experienced, but I’m also amazed at how quickly my body bounced back. While I can’t say exactly why I recovered so quickly, I suspect my increased consumption in collagen aided at least a little. I typically put the collagen powder in smoothies. Sometimes I use plain collagen, but other times, if I really want to up the nutrient density (and my vegetable consumption), I’ll use the collagen veggie blend  Vital Proteins developed with Dr. Sarah Ballantyne. The plain collagen is pretty much tasteless, however the veggie blend does have a stronger flavor, so I often use it in smoothies that use sweeter or stronger flavored fruits, like banana or dark cherries. My husband is also a big fan of collagen, though he mixes plain collagen with coffee and coconut oil in the mornings for a homemade bulletproof latte.  

Long Walks by the Beach 

Winter is coming! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that Game of Thrones reference, haha!) I’ve started noticing the days are getting shorter and in looking at the calendar, and I know fall/winter will be here before we know it. I’ve always been a person who loves being near water, whether it’s a lake or the ocean, and I find that there’s something about being near water that refreshes and reenergizes me. While the weather is still beautiful, I’m encouraging myself to take advantage of the Atlantic Ocean being a manageable drive away. Especially when I travel to the farmer’s market, it’s so easy to drive just a little further to the beach, and go for a walk. Not only do these walks help refresh and reenergize my soul, but they also give me some easy physical activity and some vitamin D, if the sun is shining. 

Trader Joe’s Onion Salt (AIP)

As I’ve been spending more time outdoors and doing summer-y activities this month, I’ve been spending less time in the kitchen, and have embraced quicker, more simple meals. This onion salt, which I buy at Trader Joe’s, has been an easy-yet-flavorful addition to my spice collection. I most often sprinkle it on a microwaved white sweet potato, but it’s also been great on oven-baked sweet potato fries, in scrambled eggs (AIP-reintroduction), on roasted vegetables etc. It also may be a blend I take with me when traveling in the future. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, this blend would also be pretty easy to mix up at home. 

So those are a few of my favorites from August. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.