As much as I love all things health and wellness, I’m very much about balance. Yes I have certain intolerances, yes eating a certain way makes me feel my best, but at the same time, I believe in enjoying life. While I have a gluten intolerance, I don’t have celiac disease, so hey, once in a while, I’ll enjoy a plate of pasta or a slice of cake. Everything in moderation.
When I stumbled upon Nealy Fischer, the founder of The Flexible Chef, I knew I wanted to get some tips and tricks from her about balancing health and wellness with a joyful, unrestricted lifestyle. Make sure you don’t miss her recipes – I made the guac (without tomato since I’m doing an elimination diet right now), and it was glorious. Also, her cookbook, Food You Want: For The Life You Crave, will be out on April 30th and is now available for pre-order, so snag a copy fast!
Tell us a bit about your background – what got you interested in wellness?
You may be surprised to hear that I’m actually a former chubby kid. I struggled with my weight in my pre-teens and that triggered a battle with restrictive fad-diets and unrealistic trends. While I worked to find a better formula for food success, I also became fully immersed in fitness, quickly realizing that I love a good sweat and the powerful feeling I experience after moving my body. Fitness was a space I thrived, so, naturally, I started teaching. I took my first instructor role in step aerobics classes when I was just 16 years old and began yoga not too long after that.
I like how you call yourself the ‘flexible chef’ and encourage the 90/10 food rule. Why do you think it’s important to responsibly indulge?
By filling your plate with clean, wholesome foods most of the time and allowing yourself to indulge in yummy treats on occasion, you’re satisfying both your body and mind. So many of us go the extreme because we’re obsessed with quick fixes. But most fad diets just leave us spoon deep into a pint of ice cream. We go back to overeating the foods we crave because when we tell ourselves that we can’t have something, it just makes us want it even more. We become obsessed until our willpower is fatigued and we cave.
What are 3 healthy snacks everyone can make at home?
Guacamole with Celery or Gluten-Free Tortilla Chips
Who doesn’t love a good guacamole? In my humble opinion a good guacamole is one the greatest dishes on the planet — it’s a dip, a side, a garnish and, I confess, sometimes even a snack on its own with a spoon! But it kills me when a perfectly good avocado is wasted on a mushy tasteless guac. So here is my contribution to avocado lovers: the best guacamole ever.
Ingredients
- 2 large avocados
- Juice of 1-2 medium size limes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small tomato seeded and chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Jalapeño pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Cut avocado in half.
- Scoop out the flesh into a small bowl.
- Use a knife to slice through the avocado to create small chunks.
- Add lime juice, garlic, tomato, cilantro, and seasonings.
- Use a fork to create the consistency you desire. Do not over-mush!
- Serve immediately.
I like it hot, so I spice up my guacamole with jalapeño peppers or crushed red pepper chili flakes, but if you’re sensitive to too much heat you can always hold back.
Spring Rolls
This no-rules snack idea combines a soft and somewhat chewy wrap with crunchy veggies to create an extremely satisfying bite. I usually pair these with a homemade tahini, sriracha mayo, or peanut sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
- Rice paper rolls
- Carrot
- Mushrooms
- Red bell pepper
- Cucumber
- Onion
- Chopped parsley, mint, and cilantro
Instructions
- Julienne the vegetables and mix with herbs in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
- Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip rice paper rolls into the water for 5-10 seconds each to soften. Lay wrapper flat.
- Spread filling in wraps, roll, and serve with sauce of your choice.
Trail Mix or Muesli
Get creative here: Mix your favorite nuts with seeds, dried fruits and — if you’re feeling like a fun treat — some dark chocolate chips. Here is a combo to get you started, but use whatever you have on hand:
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Pecans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Dried cherries
- Coconut flakes
- Dark chocolate chips
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
What do you typically eat in a day? (Share a sample of exactly what you eat – breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks if you have any)
Breakfast: I always eat some form of eggs and veggies (sometimes the veggies are cooked, other times they’re raw. Sometimes they’re mounded on the side of my plate, other times they’re cooked right in my omelet). If I’ve gone for a run and I’m really hungry then I may also munch on some gluten-free toast.
Lunch: Salad with protein (I usually reach for whatever’s left over from the night before). My refrigerator is always stocked with homemade dressings so whipping up a healthy yet delicious lunch is simple.
Dinner: More veggies and more protein — sometimes a carb if sharing whatever I’m making for my four kids. If I’m out: sushi!
Snacks: When it comes to mid-day munchies, I’m a bit strange. I love snacking on olives straight out of the bottle, or dipping veggie sticks into a creamy tahini sauce. And who doesn’t love a good piece of dark chocolate?!
Give us one food secret
Seaweed and green herbs! They help detoxify and with all the fish we eat, and high mercury levels, these should be regular staples to counteract the effects.
What’s your top tip for weight loss?
Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry! If you’re not sure, sip a tall glass of water first and see how you feel.
Share one easy piece of advice for someone who’s looking to make healthier choices.
Don’t turn to the extreme. Make small changes and stick with them until they become a habit. Celebrate the milestones and learn to crave the feeling of healthy more than the taste of chocolate. Over time, sticking to healthier choices will just become second nature.
PS – if you enjoyed this post, check out what I learned from The 5am Club and why you need this specific planner.