Guest Blogger and A Chocolate Shake Recipe

I have another guest blogger today, on this wonderful Meatless Monday, a fellow veggie consumer and alum of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Kelly Anne Monahan!  She recently published an ebook that focuses on healthy recipes and clean eating.  Kelly talks about her story, what led her down the path of health and nutrition and she gives some information about her book.  I'm so happy to post her story! After her post, I included a chocolate shake recipe for you, fat free, sugar free, made with whole ingredients.  Enjoy!


I am honored to write a guest blog for Fabulous Vegan Recipes (thanks Nicole)! It's actually great timing too, since my healthy recipe book, Sweet Healthy Living, is available now. It focuses on creating easy recipes with a clean-eating approach.
In addition to the recipes, I also thought it was significant to touch on what led to my creating this recipe book in the first place; how clean eating has greatly helped me manage living with a connective tissue disease called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and the physical challenges that go along with that. With the particular ingredients that I use in my book, it's all about dialing down the inflammation load; the less inflammation the body has, the less pain will occur - no matter what physical challenge you may be facing.
Prior to having even gotten the correct diagnosis in adulthood, I spent a lifetime on a merry-go-round of endless doctors' appointments, treatments, procedures and inaccurate physical therapy protocol. Finally, someone suggested that I go to a geneticist; that's where a lifetime of puzzle pieces finally all fit together. 
During the lifelong process, though, I discovered the world of natural health and cleansing. Now, I avoid processed foods and sugar, gluten, processed (GMO) soy, anything that comes from a cow, and artificial ingredients. They all are thought to cause inflammation in the body. 
I typically eat a plant-based, vegetarian diet. And, I have to tell you, my body most definitely feels the difference when I don't eat exactly just like that. 
As a super happy bonus to eating this way, I lost about 80 pounds over the course of time. (Yes, you might say that I used to be a bit of a chunky monkey!)
And so, after the many years of reading about natural and integrative health - in addition to reporting health news on the radio - I ended up going back to school to get my certification in health coaching. Then, I combined my passion for health with my background in music (I moved to Nashville many moons ago as a singer-songwriter) and opened Sweetie Pie Health & Harmony®. My dad was the one, after all, who had always called me Sweetie Pie, and - since he was the one who had accompanied me so tirelessly to all of the medical appointments while I was growing up - I wanted to pay him that homage.
Thanks for having me on this guest blog! You can sign up for my Sweetie Pie blog via my website at: sweetiepiehealth.com.
You also can find my ebook, Sweet Healthy Living, on my website at: www.sweetiepiehealth.com. It's available online as well at: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, BookBaby and other digital retailers. 

Thank to Kelly for sharing her story and inspiring us all!  Check out Kelly's website and buy her book!

Chocolate shake ingredients:
4 frozen bananas
3 tbsp of cacao or cocoa powder
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tbsp of nutmeg
4 oz of maple sweetened oat milk (see recipe here)

Blend well in your blender until everything is smooth and creamy. Add less milk if you want a thicker shake or don't add milk if you want nana ice cream. This recipe makes enough for two people.