Dessert for breakfast? Veggies for breakfast!? As a dietitian, I get equally excited about both! And I think you will be excited too when you try this delicious morning treat.
If you want to start your day with a nourishing breakfast that is ready in no time, look no further. Simply make up a batch of these one night and have breakfast for the next 2-3 days.
Carrot cake overnight oats offer fiber, protein, healthy fat, complex carbs, and phytonutrients. In other words, it’s a breakfast that you can feel really good about.
If you like a warm breakfast like me, just slowly heat your oats up in the microwave (or on the stove if you have more time) right before eating.
Feeling fancy? Garnish with your favorite Greek yogurt and a few more raisins. I’ve also put granola or nuts on top to add a fun crunch.
Have you ever bought fresh herbs at the grocery, used a few sprigs, then found them rotting away weeks later in your produce drawer? Herbs add flavor and nutrition to any meal, but paying $5 for two stems of rosemary is an expensive and wasteful proposition. Meanwhile herbs can be some of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow in your garden.
Getting started
If you don’t have a kitchen garden, herbs can be grown in a pot on a sunny windowsill in the kitchen. I prefer to tuck them in the ground or in a pot in a sunny spot outdoors, keeping in mind that different herbs have different needs. Mint and parsley, for instance, can take a bit of shade in the south and prefer more water. Other woody herbs like rosemary, sage and lavender will suffer from too much water and prefer a well-draining, sandier soil. In general, potted plants need more watering than those growing in the ground.
Many woody herbs are perennial, which means they can last for years. Some only last a season or two. Annuals like cilantro prefer cool spring weather, while basil needs the heat of summer. Parsley is a biennial in the carrot family and will flower and die in its second year. Don’t be surprised, though, if it reseeds itself!
How to use herbs
Once you have herbs readily available, you’ll find yourself reaching for a few sprigs for most any meal. Herbs are delicious in soups, salads, eggs, mashed potatoes and grains, breads, and meats…the list goes on. Besides making food more flavorful, various herbs can be packed with vitamins A, B, C and K. Many are rich in polyphenols, those anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect against cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, joint pain and other conditions.
Another good reason to grow herbs
Herbs also feed the bees and butterflies in your garden when they bloom. The caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly will feed on parsley and fennel, so I recommend putting in extra plants to share the bounty. If you’re not sure about your green thumb, start with one potted plant and grow from there. Even if it doesn’t survive as long as you hoped, you are sure to get plenty of enjoyment and use out of growing your own kitchen herbs.
About the Author:
Brandee Gruener When she’s not blogging for Greener Gardens, Brandee Gruener is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in gardening, food and sustainable living. Brandee also offers consulting services to homeowners who would like to grow a greener garden.
Assemble a salad-in-a-jar and you will thank yourself for it! During a busy week, you can easily grab your salad, dump into a bowl and start enjoying it in minutes.
Putting the salad in a glass jar with an airtight lid ensures it stays fresh for several days. Just be sure to keep your dressing away from your greens by layering your ingredients carefully.
There are many salad variations, but here is one from one of our Meal Prep Workshops that our clients love. It’s sweet, tangy, and satisfying.
If you are looking to complete your meal with a bit more protein, you can easily add more protein-rich foods such as tofu, boiled eggs, chicken or fish. These items are best kept out of the jar and added to the salad right before eating. If you have berries on hand, they go well on top of the salad also.
Nothing is better than a salad-in-a-jar on a busy day. Get your greens in by simply dumping it all into a bowl! This sweet and tangy citrus salad will brighten a winter day.
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 2
Author Lucy Hayhurst, RD, LDN
Ingredients
2tablespoonsolive oil
2tablespoonsorange juice
2tablespoonslemon juice or juice of one lemon
1/2teaspoonthymedried
1teaspoonDijon mustard
1teaspoonrice vinegar
2teaspoonmaple syrup
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonpepper
1small red onionchopped and divided in half
1large orangepeeled, chopped, and divided in half
5cupsmixed greens
2ozgoat cheese
2tablespoonsdried cranberries
2Tablespoonschopped nuts
Instructions
To make the dressing, combine the first 9 ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
Pour half of the dressing in 2 large wide-mouth mason jars.
Add 1/2 chopped onion and orange slices into each jar.
Add 2.5 cups mixed greens to each jar.
Top each salad with 1 oz goat cheese, 1 Tbsp chopped nuts, and 1 Tbsp dried cranberries.
Close with airtight lid and store upright in the refrigerator for up to 5-days.
Notes
For additional protein, add grilled chicken, fish, boiled eggs or tofu.
Have you ever wondered… how do I lose weight fast?
You aren’t alone. Many people are searching for the magic pill or a secret sauce that can help them get the body they want – like by tomorrow. Unfortunately, drastic weight loss that is kept off is seldom attainable. In fact, if we look at research studies on weight loss (from various diets and methods) we find that roughly 80% of people who shed a substantial portion of their body fat will not maintain that degree of weight loss for 12 months.
What is a safe rate of weight loss?
The general recommendation is 1-2 lbs per week.* Slow and steady wins the race. Even at a slower rate, it is important to be wise about your approach and make changes that are more likely to last. Unfortunately, many people will regain some or all of weight loss regardless of how quick or slow it came off.*
What amount of weight loss is realistic and appropriate for health outcomes?
Research indicates that for people who are in the overweight or obese BMI category, a weight loss of 10% of their body weight over a 6 month period is appropriate.* This amount is likely to bring about improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars. It’s debatable whether it is the weight loss or the healthy habits that one adopts to lose weight that really impacts health.
The best approach is wellness-focused not weight loss focused.
At Well Balanced Nutrition, we don’t recommend any trendy diets that promise to help you drop weight fast, but we do have a solution to help you feel better about your body. Our solution, the Well Balanced approach, is not just about the food you eat or the number on the scale. We want to see you healthy and happy, and we know you don’t have to drop 4 pant sizes to achieve that. By accepting yourself, improving your habits from a place of self-compassion, working on attainable action steps, embracing the journey and having some fun along the way, you’ll no longer need to strive for unrealistic ideals or fall for another fad diet attempt. Are you looking for solutions? Take the first step today.
For Super Bowl weekend I was looking forward to eating chicken wings with celery, blue cheese dressing, and sweet potato fries. Then I woke up Saturday morning with a pit in my stomach knowing it was going to be “one of those days.” I can often tell when I wake up if I’m going to have and upset tummy that day. Typically, it starts with a lame bowel movement (sorry if that’s TMI) then it’s followed by low-grade discomfort and occasional nausea.
How do I know it’s a flare-up?
For me (Lucy), it’s been years of learning to listen to my body, tune in to my symptoms, and make adjustments. Most people feel awkward talking about their bowel movements (aka poop); however, that can often be a good indicator of how things are going in your digestive system.
Did you ever watch when Oprah would feature Dr. Oz who introduced Americans to what our intestines look? I’ll never forget, I was a sophomore in college and my mom called me geeking out because Dr. Oz was on TV talking about poop. At that time, this had become a regular topic of conversation because part of learning about food and nutrition is also learning about what comes out the other end.
Anyway, after 2012, and the unfortunate stomach virus, my digestive system changed and so did my poo. Also, one of my initial symptoms included sharp stabbing pains in my gut after I ate almost anything (thank goodness for oatmeal). Nowadays, in a flare-up I feel puffy, bloated, and extremely full after eating even a small meal. Sometimes I get a low-grade headache and nausea. Mostly, it’s just plain uncomfortable. It may take away the desire to eat regular meals and snacks.
By the way, IBS cannot be self-diagnosed. It is a functional disorder that primarily effects the bowels and includes various symptoms including irregular bowel movements, bloating, and/or nausea. There are also tests that can eliminate other potential diagnoses, such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease.
Every body is different.
The other day while discussing IBS-like symptoms my client, Susan*, talked about the “ickiness” of discussing this problem in public. Susan had decided to do the low FODMAP diet to find out which foods were triggering her symptoms. She recognized most people don’t want to talk about what’s happening at the other end of your digestive system. Susan mostly referenced the pain and discomfort that comes with eating trigger foods. She also talked about her own symptoms, which are different than mine, and included a “gurgle-y stomach,” which was her first indicator that something that did not sit well in her gut.
Start with noticing
If you are suspicious about irregularity or other pain and discomfort in your digestive system we recommend starting to notice when, how often, and what the symptoms are. If you’re so inclined, I always recommend food and symptom journal to start to give you a better idea and understanding of how food and symptoms may be connected.
If you’re tired of feeling crappy and ready to find out ways to get on the path of healing contact us. We’re happy to help 🙂
You know that little internal conversation you have when staring at the buffet table, open bar or other indulgent food (or beverage) choice? There’s often opposing voices or thoughts going through our minds such as “it’s not that bad, “or “you know, you really don’t need that…”
You are normal
The good news, you are not crazy if you are hearing voices too! In fact, most of us have an inner helping and sabotaging voice. I think of it as friends versus an accomplice. Our friends help us when we feel down by saying comforting words that are uplifting and encouraging like this exchange with my best friend, Gretchen:
Me: I have a craving to quit my job, eat icing out of a plastic tub, and drink a margarita. Apparently, I’m feeling stressed… G: Is it weird that we have all the same stress things? LoL Me: Hahaha no, makes me feel less strange. And probably just confirms the soulmate best friend thing 😛 G: What’s got you so stressed? Me: It’s the story I’m making up around people canceling or rescheduling last minute (clearly appointments with me don’t matter… Yada yada yada) G: I’m sorry babe. I know that gets to you. You are amazing and important. Everyone overbooks and overdoes this time of year. That’s all it is.
See how Gretchen affirmed my feelings and gave me a chance to process through my negative thoughts? On the flip side, my thoughtful office mate, Richard, is more of an accomplice. When I told him that I was stressed out and craving sugar and/or booze he offered me animal crackers with icing and a beer or wine from the mini fridge. Not that he was purposely trying to sabotage me! On the surface, it sounds like those external stimulants or numbing agents are the cure to our problems, but we typically feel worse about ourselves after using comfort foods to “feel better.”
The answer is in you
I can tell you in moments of stress nothing outside of us can make what’s going on inside feel better. Sure, the chocolate may light up some happy hormones in your brain which could temporarily take away the sadness. However, often when we turn to food or a drink to deal with negative feelings those choices cause guilt or shame, which leads to the downward spiral of making more unhealthy choices.
Recently, while speaking with the client, she mentioned when she eats ice cream with her son in the evening or on weekends her sabotaging voice will say “it’s OK, you’ll do better tomorrow.” I asked, “what does your helping voice say in opposition?” She responded, “I tell myself ‘you know you’re already gaining weight and you don’t really want to gain more weight’.”
Did you notice her helping voice sounds super judgmental?
Is that helpful?
Instead, I asked, if her friend called and explained she was feeling upset and was about to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream “what would you say to a friend you know is trying to lose weight?” She had much more supportive words for her friend that did not include justifying or shaming her choice to eat ice cream.
Food for thought
What kind of stories is you’re sabotaging voice telling you? When do you notice yourself reaching for food or a drink to soothe your negative emotions?
How can you respond to these cravings as a friend instead of an accomplice?
Looking for a friendly dietitian to help you sort out your food cravings? We can help🙂
Did you know approximately 1 in 5 of American’s have IBS and 40% of the population is living with a chronic condition? This is a good reason to be nice to ourselves and nice to others because we don’t know what they are going through. It can be especially challenging to know how to eat well while traveling.
In January, Kristen and I went on our first international Well Balanced adventure to Costa Rica! It was an incredible trip coordinated by our new friend, Amanda Chay, with Wonderment. Needless to say, we had a lot of new experiences such as repelling down the side of the canyon into surprisingly cold water and discovering my new obsession with papaya!
As many of you know, I (Lucy), have been managing and coping with IBS for several years now. Click here to learn more. Anyway, whenever I travel, I get a little extra anxious around the lack of control regarding my food choices. In our small group of seven, we had 80% of the meals preplanned and catered to us. Normally, this sounds like a dream come true! However, when you have food sensitivities it can be more like a nightmare.
How I stay routine and regular
On our first morning in San Jose, Costa Rica, while I scooped up a small bowl of oatmeal my fiancé told our tour guide leader, Amanda, that oatmeal is a daily ritual of mine. She laughed and said, “well you can enjoy a break from that because I don’t have oatmeal on the menu for our breakfasts this week.” I laughed, I looked at Andrew and said, “isn’t she so funny?“ What Amanda did not know is I had packed six portable oatmeal packets and mini almond and peanut butter packets in order to continue my routine, which helps keep other things routine (*wink *wink).
So often, while talking about setting up healthy habits and sticking with them I hear clients say “but I don’t want to be picky or difficult.” For instance, if someone has a digestive and sinus issues they may greatly benefit by going dairy-free; however, when going to a friends house or out to eat they decide to just be polite and eat all the things despite knowing the negative effects of eating dairy products.
Change takes effort at first
Two years ago, when I did the big IBS elimination diet, I found my brain consumed thinking about “what am I going to eat at my next meal??” We’ve learned between 80 to 95% of everything we do is subconscious – think about last time you took a shower… did you think about every move you made? It takes time and energy to make conscious changes to our dietary choices, but it is possible. First, we must become aware of what and why we want to change. Then, we can make a plan and take action.
It doesn’t take that long to start feeling a little better and for your brain to pick up on new habits if you stay consistent. Some people will tell you it’s only 21 days; however, we learned from the book Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin that on average new habits take about 66 days.
Your permission slip…
If you’re in the midst of making dietary and lifestyle changes or you already know what works for you, remember it’s OK to be picky and know that on occasion we might slip up and put cheese on the salad with ranch dressing because after all, we are human.
If you’re ready to feel better and determine which foods may be triggering inflammation and pain in your body, let’s chat.
If you’re wondering, “how can I be healthy through the holidays?” You came to the right place! Today we are bringing you three steps to staying healthy this holiday season.
Step 1: Decide how you want to feel now and on January 1st.
The holidays are full of opportunities to savor food, friends, and fun. Be in the moment and enjoy what matters to you. But don’t forget about your future self. Do you want to wake up the next day feeling bloated and tired? Do you want to wake up in the New Year feeling like you have to start a diet or detox program?
Instead, grab a journal or scrap piece of paper and decide how you want to feel through the holidays and on January 1st. Maybe you want to feel energized, healthy, joyful, confident, or empowered. By writing it down, you direct your inner compass to make intentional choices all season long. Think about what matters most to you this holiday season, savor and enjoy that and let the rest go. Sharing time with loved ones baking cookies may be a cherished activity, but the store-bought cookies at a work party with a lot less meaning may be easy to pass up if you think about it.
Step 2: Know your triggers!
These are the foods, situations, or a time of day that we tend to make our least healthy choices. Have you noticed you crave a sweet treat around 3 PM or 9 PM? That could be a trigger time of day. Or every time you walk by the break room, there seems to be another holiday goodie sitting out, and your brain says, “just one bite won’t hurt!“ These situations may be a trigger for you.
After you’ve determined what triggers your not-so-healthy choices, you can start to set yourself up for success by finding better afternoon or bedtime treats, such as these yummy gingerbread bites or a piece of fruit with nut butter. Also, consider the occasional permission slip. That’s the permission to enjoy that special treat as long as you do so mindfully and sitting at a table (versus hiding in the pantry eating cookies – yea, we’ve been there too!).
This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get out of a healthy routine during the holiday season. That means continuing to eat regular meals and snacks if snacks are a part of your routine. Skipping meals increases our stress hormone levels, causes us to make poor food choices, and sometimes leads to overeating at the next meal.
Well-Balanced Day:
Breakfast: 1 small baked sweet potato + 2 scrambled eggs + 1/4 to 1/2 avocado Lunch: 1 cup vegetable soup + 4-6 oz roasted chicken + 1 whole grain roll Snack: a handful of cashews Dinner: Spaghetti squash + sautéed onion and peppers + turkey sausage Snack: 2 dates + 1 Tbsp. your favorite nutbutter
Food for thought:
Which step do you need to focus on to feel GREAT in the new year?
Need help getting started? We’re happy to chat and help you reach your health and wellness goals. Click hereto talk to your friendly dietitians!
Mix all ingredients, minus dates, into a food processor and blend into a fine flour consistency.
Add 1/2 dates* into food processor and chop until thoroughly combined. Repeat with remaining dates until mixture becomes like a thick dough. *Add water, as needed, for a sticky dough-like texture
Form dough into bite size balls. Sprinkle with coconut flakes (optional) and serve.
Store leftovers in air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
