Drop everything you're doing and make
these Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies!! These are some of the best cookies I've ever had… rich and
decadent, but made with wholesome ingredients too....

 

The Latest Recipes

Chocolate Oatmeal Caramel Bars

Making your day a *little* more special with these Chocolate Oatmeal Caramel Bars!! Everyone LOVES these bars—they didn’t even last a day in my house, they’re that good 👏🏽 Oats and almond flour form the base of the bar, swirled with maple for a touch of sweetness and cinnamon for warm spice. The bars are loaded with chocolate chunks and layered with gooey caramel in the middle. My family always asks for me to make these, and you’ll understand why once you give them a try!

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Saucy Thai Spiced Tofu with Sweet Potatoes

This Saucy Thai Spiced Tofu with Sweet Potatoes dish is one of my favorites! The perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner that is so flavorful and satiating. Sweet potatoes stewed with sweet and spicy broth of ginger, chili flakes, turmeric, and coconut milk. Crispy marinated tofu is then tossed with the soft sweet potatoes and flavorful sauce, finished with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and zesty like juice. It’s everything I want in a meal 🤤

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"The food I make is diffused from the essence of my past" 

Hi, I'm Maclaira!

Health by Maclaira is a plant-based food and wellness blog that I started in 2020, in an effort to share delicious ways to feel better. Growing up in a Hispanic household, I’ve always been surrounded by figures like my mother and Abuelita who cultivated in my a love for being in the kitchen. Cooking soon became an outlet to explore my cultural roots and nourish my loved ones.

However, like many others, my family was devastated by chronic illness and it’s crippling effects. Seeking to understand the disease affecting my family, I layered books with sticky notes, analyzed scientific articles, and scoured medical journals. My findings pointed to a cycle of responses that can be traced back to foundational root causes. From this, I became intrigued by the molecular underpinnings of disease and even more so by the interconnectedness of bodily systems.

Seeing that holistic medicine lays at the heart of overcoming modern dilemmas, I aspire to attain a complex understanding of the human body and eradicate chronic conditions--the leading killers today. Captivated by such subjects, I plan to attend Stanford University and apply my knowledge in various ways.

Encouraged by credible studies and research, I decided to turn to a whole foods, plant-based diet, for not only my health, but also to instill conscious change in my family and promote a sustainable future. Because there were few resources and accommodations to plant-based eating at the time, I was challenged to start a diary of my culinary experiments, pushing myself to get creative in the kitchen each day and redefine the foods of my heritage. I captured the process in photos and documented my best recipes, and that’s how Health by Maclaira was born!

In this space, I want to focus on sharing research about how bodily systems are affected by nutrition, as well as irresistible plant-based recipes, most of which reflect my Mexican heritage. My hope is to inspire a love for food and culture in others, as well as the courage to try something new!

 

"Living a healthy lifestyle extends not only your life but also rejuvenates your body and mind."

--Unknown

The Importance of Healthy Living 

 

Healthy living goes beyond what meets the eye... literally. It's not necessarily about physical appearance, but rather well-being as a whole. Here are just a few things that come with maintaining a healthy lifestyle:

 

  • Boosted Energy: A healthy balanced diet and exercise on a daily basis, it will give you a good sleep, allow you to stay fresh and energetic the whole day, and enable the body to perform all functions.
  • Improved Longevity: The adoption of a healthy lifestyle affects personal habits and daily routine activities. With nutrition and exercise, an individual becomes more fit and healthy, thus resulting in longevity. 
  • Prevent Disease: A healthy lifestyle provides immunity against several severe diseases, viruses and bacteria. An active lifestyle prevents the onslaught of chronic conditions, like cancer and heart disease. 
  • Improves Mood: Adopting a healthy lifestyle relaxes the mind and keeps energy levels up throughout the day. Healthy habits, like eating a balanced diet and exercising, produce feel-good hormones, which are shown to improve mood and self-confidence. 
  • Increased Productivity: Living in a healthy manner increases productivity and enhances creativity, which benefits personal life and also professional life. It helps in stimulation of the brain, which enhances productivity and increases creativity, allowing your goals to be achieved. 

The Link Between Faith and Nutrition 

As followers of the one Triune God, Christians recognize that faith infiltrates all areas of life, and nutrition is no exception. While there is no law given to us by God mandating that we have to eat healthy, there are still some very important truths to keep in mind. Since the Bible is not silent on this issue, Christians should take to heart what was spoken and recorded for our good. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." We often forget that we eat to nourish holy temples--not for personal pleasure or indulgence. If you think about it, whole plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables have been proven to exponentially benefit human health and are also the foods explicitly provided by God to human consumption. Genesis 1:29 asserts that, "And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.'" Berries, sprouts, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, the list goes on. All these plants are rich in the nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants needed for optimal function and these are specifically designed for man by God! It's not by accident that individuals who consume a healthy plant-based diet tend to have more energy, better cognitive function, fresher skin, smooth-running digestion, and increased quality of life. When the health benefits and intentional biological design are clearly spelled out, why would anyone want to act contrary to these truths? It is crucial that Christians consider ways to best care for the one body, the holy temple, that was graciously given to them. Honor what your body needs--it will be reflected in the way you think, act, and feel. 

At the same time, healthy food choices may not always be available and that's okay! This is why we have flexibility when it comes to diet. However, in this day and age, it has become increasingly convenient to purchase healthier options and we should absolutely take advantage of that. 

One last thing to keep in mind is the businesses we support by our food choices. Since there is a significant isolation gap between consumers and their food, many are unaware of who they support with their dollars when they make a food purchase. As stewards of God's creation, Christians must be mindful when they make purchases to ensure they don't support a company that performs unsustainable or unethical practices. Stop buying from a company that uses palm oil, which spurs the clearing of rain forests so that palm plantations can be arranged their instead, translating to deforestation, habitat destruction, and the loss of ecosystem services. Don't buy chicken nuggets from a company that gases live chicks or injects hens with hormones that make their breasts so unbearably large that they can no longer stand or sit up. Don't purchase that brightly colored candies that are loaded with artificial red, yellow, and blue dyes that are shown to decrease cognitive performance and exacerbate ADHD symptoms within children. The good news is that as consumers, we hold the power to change our food systems three times a day. Vote for health, stewardship, and overall well being with your fork and make a difference for the better.