by Kristen Norton | Feb 3, 2026 | Lunch/Dinner, Recipes and Meal Ideas
Dressing
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt 2%
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 4 Tbs lemon juice
- 4 olive oil
- 4 tsp dill
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper to taste to taste
Layered Salad
- 2 cup brown rice cooked cooked
- 4 cucumbers small, diced
- 2 cup butternut squash roasted
- 2 cup lentils rinsed and drained
- 1 red onion large, sliced
- 1/3 cup walnuts chopped chopped
- 8 oz baby kale
Make
Combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, dill, salt, and pepper. Adjust to taste.
If using a large jar you can whisk in the bottom of the jar. If making individual servings, whisk in a separate bowl and add equally among serving jars.
Prep
Cook brown rice according to directions. You can use frozen pre-cooked brown rice, defrosted according to directions.
Prepare ingredients according to directions. You can use any pre-roasted vegetable in place of the squash.
Make
Add dressing to the bottom of jars.
Divide the dressing evenly among 4 mason jars. Layer with diced cucumber, sliced red onion, cooked brown rice, roasted butternut squash, cooked lentils, walnuts, and top with baby kale.
Seal the jars and refrigerate until ready to serve. Invert into a serving bowl, toss and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts: Calories 536 Total Fat 23g Saturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 6mg Sodium 118mg Total Carbohydrates 69g Dietary Fiber 16g Total Sugars 9g Protein 21g Calcium 630mg Iron 6mg Potassium 1238mg
by Kristen Norton | Jan 20, 2026 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Every day, we’re flooded with novelty from various media outlets.
Ten-second videos. Flashy ads. Emotion-driven headlines.
But what you feed your brain is just as important as what you feed your body.
In today’s loud world, everyone is sharing opinions about what is “healthy.” Ideas and inspiration can be helpful. But it doesn’t take long for all that input to turn into overwhelm and inaction.
So this year, instead of vowing to change yourself, what if you changed your feed?
Your news feed.
Your Instagram feed.
Your email inbox.
Whatever digital platforms you see every day are influencing how you think, eat, and feel. The good news? You get to curate them. You can make them work for you instead of against you.
Here are a few ways to improve your “brain food.”
Follow credible voices
Not all nutrition content is created equal. Filling your feed with evidence-based, compassionate voices can make a big difference.
First, we hope you are following us (@wellbalancednutritionnc), but in addition, below are other professionals for you to consider.
If you want more intuitive eating, non-diet influences
If you want support for specific nutrition needs
For simple, realistic recipe inspiration
Education and Myth Busting:
Simplify your recipe sources
There is no shortage of recipe ideas online. The problem is having too many.
When everything looks good, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, only to default to takeout or snacks. Next time you meal plan, try this. Choose one or two trusted recipe accounts or sites and let the rest go. Less choice often leads to more follow-through. We polled all the Well Balanced Dietitians and here are the top 4 recipe sites:
Food for thought…
Podcasts, posts, and articles should leave you informed and empowered, not pressured or behind.
If certain content makes you feel like you’re constantly doing it wrong, it may be time to unfollow. Look for voices that educate, not ones that rely on fear or urgency to keep your attention.
Small changes to your feed can create big shifts in clarity, confidence, and consistency. And that’s a much more sustainable place to start the year.
Do a 5-minute feed audit today.
Mute or unfollow one account that leaves you feeling confused or behind. Keep or add accounts that are encouraging and helpful.
by Kristen Norton | Jan 20, 2026 | Lunch/Dinner, Recipes and Meal Ideas
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 2 cup butternut squash chopped or frozen
- 2 cup spinach chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbs ginger shredded
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs ras el hanout or garam masala
- 2 Tbs miso paste
- 4 cup water 4-5 cups
- 1 1/2 cup tomatoes canned, diced
- salt to taste
- cayenne pepper to taste
Prep
Chop onion, butternut squash, and spinach.
Mince garlic, shred ginger, and rinse and drain lentils.
Make
In a large soup pot, sauté onion and garlic gently in olive oil until soft and fragrant.
Stir in ginger and sauté for a few more minutes.
Add spice mix and miso and stir to coat vegetables.
Add squash, lentils, water, coconut milk, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until squash and lentils are soft, adding more water if needed to keep vegetables covered.
Stir in spinach just before serving.
Season with salt to taste, adding cayenne for added heat if desired.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 150 Total Fat 3g Sodium 228mg Total Carbohydrates 26g Dietary Fiber 5g
Total Sugars 4g Protein 8g Calcium 68mg Iron 3mg Potassium 479mg
by Kristen Norton | Jan 13, 2026 | Breakfast, Recipes and Meal Ideas
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup spinach chopped
- 2 eggs large
- 4 egg whites
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tbs feta cheese crumbled (optional)
- 2 Tbs parsley fresh, chopped
Prep
Wash and chop mushrooms and spinach.
Make
In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and spinach and cook until the the mushrooms are browned and both have given up most of their liquid, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper. Pour the eggs over the vegetables. If using the optional feta, add at this point as well. Tilt the pan and lift the edges of the omelet with a spatula as it starts to cook in order to allow the uncooked parts in the middle to flow out to the edges of the pan and cook quicker and more evenly. Cook until the bottom of the omelet begins to slightly brown, about 3 minutes.
Use a spatula to fold the omelet and cook for an additional minute before transferring to a plate and garnishing with fresh parsley. A four 4 egg omelet is enough for 2 people.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 220 Total Fat 14g Saturated Fat 4g Cholesterol 194mg Sodium 307mg otal Carbohydrates 6g
Dietary Fiber 2g Total Sugars 3g Protein 19g Calcium 102mg Iron 2mg Potassium 648mg
by Kristen Norton | Jan 8, 2026 | Lunch/Dinner, Recipes and Meal Ideas
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 medium zucchinis halved and sliced into half-moons
- 1/2 cup pesto store-bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/4 pounds cod fillets
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Prep
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a large baking dish or sheet 6, 6-ounce cod fillets
Prep vegetables according to instructions.
Make
In a large bowl, toss zucchini, peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, 2 tablespoons of pesto, salt, and pepper. Stir in the capers.
Spread the veggie mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Nestle the cod fillets on top of the vegetables and brush the fillets with the remaining pesto.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, and the vegetables are tender.
Top with fresh basil and serve warm with lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 337 Total Fat 14g Saturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 94mg
Sodium 365mg Total Carbohydrates 9g Dietary Fiber 2g Total Sugars 5g Protein 43g
