When the weather is warm and the days are long, the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven or cook on the hot stove. Even in the colder months, it’s nice to have a simple go-to meal that requires little work. Slow cooker BBQ chicken to the rescue! Whisk up this homemade barbecue sauce, pour on top of the chicken and let it cook as you get on with your day.
This slow cooker BBQ with a delicious home-made sauce is so clutch for a quick and easy meal option. Make it a freezer meal, include it in your meal prep, or make it while you are at work.
Why make your own BBQ sauce??
It is so easy to just pick up a bottle of BBQ sauce at the store. Why even bother making your own? Unlike store bought BBQ sauces, our recipe is free of added sugar. Even recipes online will call for honey, sugar or ketchup. There is nothing wrong with a little sweetness but if you are mindful of your added sugar intake, you know that it can add up really quickly. We opted for nutrient-rich and flavor-boosting tomato paste instead of ketchup. Tomato paste provides a boost of vitamin C, the powerful antioxidant, lycopene, and no added sugar. Don’t worry, the sugar may be absent but the flavor is not! Smoked paprika makes a big difference in this sauce so you won’t want to skip it.
Slow cooker BBQ chicken can be a freezer meal that’s ready to dump-and-cook or it can be part of your weekly meal prep routine.
Whisk up the sauce, pour over chicken breasts in a freezer bag and stash away until you need it. Simply, defrost the day before you want to cook it. It is also a great meal prep option.
Make it a Well Balanced Meal
Barbecue chicken is very versatile. On its own, it is Paleo, Low Carb and Whole30 friendly. You can enjoy it on a hearty whole grain bun or a sweet potato with a hefty helping of sauteed zucchini, green beans, or another vegetable you enjoy).
It’s that time of year again! The longer warm days mean more time to play outside and less desire to spend hours in the kitchen. That’s why we love this simple salsa recipe to round out a taco salad for an easy meal or simply enjoy a with whole grain corn (or lentil) chips as a snack!
It is a warm Spring day in Durham, NC (or your hometown) and your friends, coworkers or honey has invited you to hang out at [fill in the blank], your favorite hip place to sit outside and enjoy a microbrew, glass of wine or signature cocktail. There is no shortage of opportunities to enjoy a “cold one” when the weather gets nice. It seems like it is what you DO this time of year. You may enjoy one after working up a sweat in a boot camp class or sip some wine after a refreshing yoga session.
As a wellness enthusiast, you may have wondered, can I drink alcohol and still be healthy?
If you are a client or follower of Well Balanced Nutrition, you know that we focus on holistic health and wellness that goes beyond simple nutrition. When we answer the question, is drinking alcohol healthy for me, we must look at it from all sides – or as many as possible. I wish that it was a simple answer – “yes, it’s nutritious” OR “no, steer clear.” It’s more complicated than that and it is very personal. Let’s dive into the research, look at things you should consider and how this can all be brought back to your personal wellness journey.
Research suggests moderate drinking is heart healthy.
In 2016 an international consensus statement came out stating that moderate amounts of drinking can benefit your heart by preventing the occurrence of disease and deaths caused by heart disease. That’s a pretty big deal considering heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Cheers to that, right!?
First, let’s stop and define what “moderate drinking” means. In order to potentially see this heart health benefit, a man must stop at 2 drinks per day and women must stop at one drink per day. Before you wine-lovers get too excited, this does not mean pour an entire bottle of wine into one wine glass. (Have you seen those hilarious memes!?)
But before we raise our glasses, a newer study says maybe we should drink even less to reduce our risk.
A newer study updated in 2018, suggests that a better guideline for current drinkers (both men and women) is to drink no more than 7 drinks per week. In their review of the evidence, researchers found the lowest risk of premature death was in those consuming this amount or less.
The heart health takeaway: One 12 ounce beer, 5 oz glass of wine or 1.5 oz shot per day can be protective against heart disease and keep us at low-risk.
While moderate alcohol consumption may benefit our hearts, other evidence suggests that, when it comes to cancer, there is no safe amount.
While heart disease is the number one killer, cancer is right there in second place. It appears that even light to moderate drinking can increase our risks of some cancers. This is true for esophageal, head and neck, and breast cancer.
Other important things to consider
There are many other things to consider when deciding if drinking alcohol can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you are a pregnant woman or planning to become pregnant, a recovering alcoholic, a person with liver disease, under the legal drinking age or taking one or more medications that interact with alcohol, drinking alcohol poses substantial risks and should be avoided.
The reason you choose to drink matters.
Have you ever thought, “I’m so stressed. I just need a beer (or glass of wine).” If this is a nightly ritual for you, perhaps it is time to think about other more nurturing ways to take care of yourself after a long day or stressful event. The trouble with continuously numbing your pain with a drink (or food) is that it leads to numbing all emotions – even the good ones that you don’t want to miss out on.
Alcohol and Weight loss
For a few reasons, alcohol could be sabotaging your efforts to eat well and lose weight. First, when you drink, your liver will prioritize metabolizing the alcohol and this will put a halt to any fat loss and may even increase fat storage. Also, alcohol increases your appetite and lowers inhibitions making it hard to say no to those pretzels, late night pizza or sweets. Lastly, alcoholic beverages can be high in calories. If you’re serious about losing weight, it’s best to put alcohol aside – or at the very least cut back and choose wisely. Below are calorie counts for alcohol, which vary.
Beer — 250 calories
Red or white wine — 120 calories
Daiquiri — 259 calories
Vodka and club soda — 64 calories
Champagne — 84 calories
Rum and Coke — 91 calories
Cosmopolitan — 230 calories
Bloody Mary — 140 calories
Sangria — 167 calories
Plain Martini — 69 calories
Margarita — 270 calories
Alcohol and Sleep
Drinking alcohol can interfere with a good night’s sleep. While it may make you drowsy initially, drinking alcohol will make your sleep less restorative, more likely to be interrupted and lower in quality, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Alcohol and IBS
If you have a sensitive digestive tract, you may already know that alcohol is a gut irritant. It often causes flare ups for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Everybody is a little different. Some might find that they can tolerate a gin and tonic or glass of dry wine, while beer may really trigger symptoms. Not overdoing it and listening to your body will help keep your gut happier.
I get by with a little help from my friends
If you are going to drink, drinking an alcoholic beverage as part of a healthy meal that you enjoy with good company, may quite possibly be the best way to do it. The benefits of drinking alcohol for heart health may not be much alone, but when you pair it with quality social time and/or nourishing food this combination seems to be a key for living a long healthy and happy life. In the pockets around the world with the highest life expectancy, people drink moderately and regularly. As the researchers who study these communities put it…
“The trick is to drink 1-2 glasses per day (preferably Sardinian Cannonau wine), with friends and/or with food. And no, you can’t save up all week and have 14 drinks on Saturday.” – Dan Buettner, Power 9®
Bringing it back to you and your personal wellness journey.
Now that you know what the research says about your risk, who should avoid alcohol and the many other things to consider, let’s bring the focus back to your individual story. It comes back to figuring out what is right for you. What is your personal and family health history? What are your goals? How does alcohol make you feel? What role does it play in your life? Does it help you live your best life or does it get in the way?
➡️ Let us know in the comments below ⬇️ what your biggest takeaways were from reading this or tell us how alcohol does or doesn’t fit into your healthy lifestyle. Want to improve your habits, but not sure how to get started? We can help. 🙂
Still curious about this topic? Check out these additional resources:
I’m usually pretty good at this, but recently, I fell apart.
It was crazy at my house for a few weeks in a row as we scrambled to get our house ready to be put on the market. The stress in my home was palpable, and the to-do lists were endless between work, home, and kids. Our comforting routine was all out of sorts, which left me floundering.
Luckily, all the hard work paid off, and the house was under contract before we knew it! That meant when we were away on vacation in Florida, we didn’t even need to worry about dealing with an open house or incoming offers. What a relief!
Bring on the relaxation.
Warm weather, family time, and a blank to-do list had me feeling like….awhhhhhhh. I think I relaxed a little too much because, toward the end of the vacation, I wasn’t feeling too stellar. My diet was a bit off track, my sleep was lacking (my kids always have a hard time sleeping in new places), and my physical activity level was embarrassing.
I knew I didn’t have to make it up, just make it back on track. On the way home from Florida, I reflected on the things I did well and the things that I could have done differently. This builds on the ideas Lucy shared in part one about being picky and sticking to what works well for you.
Fun foods are fun, but only if they don’t stop the fun for YOU.
I reminded myself of what we remind the tribe all the time. Your diet doesn’t need to be perfect. Annnnd there is a little more room (in my book) for fun foods while on vacation, because, well, it’s vacation! However, having so many fun foods that you feel terrible or wreck your goals doesn’t serve you. Tapping into your intuitive eating skills can come in handy here.
I’ll give you an example. I went out to eat one night in Florida and wanted to enjoy a cocktail. So I had one. Unfortunately, cocktails can include a lot of juice or flavored syrups that make me feel sick. The one I ordered was delicious and fruity – but definitely loaded with sugar. That night, when we returned to the house, I was offered another sugary adult beverage. It sounded fun at the time, but I declined. I knew it might be enjoyable for a bit, but the next day, I’d likely have a headache and an upset stomach. That’s no good when you are headed to the beach!
Your body will usually tell you when you are overdoing it.
Sometimes we don’t end up saying no to that second drink or the dessert. That’s okay. Nothing to beat yourself up about. It happens. If your body responds in uncomfortable ways like feeling bloated, having indigestion, or not being able to sleep well, for example, don’t ignore those symptoms. Take those into consideration next time. In the meantime, you can do this yoga routine to try to feel better.
I know a few people who push through those things and completely zone out from their bodies’ cues. Continously ignoring these signals can lead to health problems, weight gain, and a loss of well-being. Go ahead, tune in, take note, and know where to draw the line next time.
5 Creative Ways To Get Your Veggies In on Vacation
You know we love veggies at Well Balanced Nutrition, so it will likely come as no surprise when I encourage you to find a way to eat them while on vacation. Veggies provide fiber, water, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Here are some things I did on this trip.
BYOV. We had some greens in the refrigerator that we took with us in a cooler so they wouldn’t go to waste while we were gone. When we stopped at Chick-fil-A, I carried in a small container of my arugula and ordered nuggets to go with it. Sorry, not sorry! It was the light and yummy meal I needed to get me through the car trip.
Once we were there, my husband picked up a veggie tray from the grocery store. It was a simple way to make sure we had veggies that were easy to incorporate. Raw veggies and dip can be a great snack or round-out lunch.
Make an egg casserole for breakfast. I love egg dishes because you can make them ahead and sneak veggies in at breakfast. We made this breakfast casserole and even my dad who doesn’t dig most veggies, enjoyed it.
Get an order of veggies on the side when you eat out. From my experience, even when the description on the menu lists an array of vegetables in a dish, the amount of vegetables present in the meal is very small. One night, I enjoyed a creamy pasta dish with broccoli at a table overlooking the water. I was right, it didn’t come with much broccoli at all. So I asked for a side of steamed broccoli that I tossed into my pasta to double up the portion.
If veggies are just really hard to find or get,focus on fiber-rich fruits like pears, kiwi, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Beans can be another good source of fiber.
What didn’t go so well:
After a whirlwind of two weeks, I was ready to rest. Taking it easy is great, but movement is also good for you. I went into sloth mode a little too hard. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find the right balance. In hindsight, I wish I had found a few more opportunities to walk.
If you have young kids, you know – going on vacation is not restful at night. Getting a good night’s sleep can feel impossible.
Make it back!
Vacations are awesome! If you come back from a vacation feeling worse than when you left, maybe it’s time to revisit some of your habits while away. Being an intuitive eater, splurging smartly, and fitting in those veggies may help you come back refreshed and balanced. Or maybe you did the best you can, and giving yourself grace is what you need. In the end, it’s a week or two – it is not an end-all-be-all kind of situation. Don’t beat yourself up. Live, learn, and make it back to habits that make you feel your best at the first opportunity you can.
It is an evidenced-based, mind-body philosophy comprised of 10 Principles and created by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch in 1995. In Evelyn Tribole’s words, “Essentially, Intuitive Eating is a personal process of honoring health by listening and responding to the direct messages of the body in order to meet your physical and psychological needs. [This] includes physical activity for the sake of feeling good, rejecting the dieting mentality, using nutrition information without judgment, and respecting your body, regardless of how you feel about its shape.”
With intuitive eating, you call the shots.
Intuitive eating involves using your natural ability to be tuned into your mind and body. Only you know what hunger, fullness, and satisfaction feel like. Only you know your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Therefore, as the expert of your own body, you may be empowered to call the shots about what, when and how much you eat.
Intuitive Eating is not a diet or food plan.
A dieter relies on outside cues and rules, whereas the intuitive eater relies on inner cues to eat as much or as little as they need. A dieter may label foods as bad or good, whereas intuitive eaters find a balance of choosing foods that feel good and foods that provide nutrition the body needs.
Will I lose weight if I use intuitive eating?
Some people will lose weight when they start to eat intuitively. Perhaps this is because when using intuitive eating they eat for emotional reasons less often and no longer have negative emotions around eating that can lead to overeating. However, intuitive eating is not designed for weight loss. It was designed as a weight-neutral approach. The goal of intuitive eating is gaining a healthy relationship with food and your body.
Why we like intuitive eating.
At Well Balanced Nutrition, we work with you to ditch the diet and become an intuitive eater. Diets do not lead to long term change, but paying attention to what your body needs, learning about nutrition, respecting your body, and implementing more self-care habits can leave you happier and healthier in the long term.
Ready to get off the diet roller coaster? You got this! Take the first step.
You know those pretty pictures you see on Instagram or Pinterest with someone’s meals prepared for the whole week? Maybe you think “wow, I should do that too.“
The Sunday meal prep phenomenon
Then after weeks of thinking about it, you buckle down one Sunday afternoon, spend 3 hours in the kitchen, and get the meals for the next 5-workdays chopped, prepped, cooked, and stored in individual containers. By Wednesday, you’re so over the brown rice, broccoli, and baked chicken that your favorite go-to takeout spots are looking better and better.
First of all, you’re not alone. This is completely normal. Our human brains thrive on a variety of nutrients; therefore, when we eat the same meal day-after-day, we get less pleasure each time we eat that dish. You may grin and bear it in an effort not to waste food (or the time you spent preparing the meals); however, consciously or subconsciously you may decide this meal prep thing just ain’t for you.
But I still want to eat at home more
Maybe eating the same meal(s) day-after-day did not pan out, but there are other options.
Last summer, I spoke with a client who decided to pull all of her favorite cookbooks out and prepare 3-4 new recipes each week. She came back a month later, feeling defeated, and expressed disappointment that she had only tried 2 new recipes total since our previous appointment. It turns out that she had a busy work schedule that included traveling at least two weeks out of the month and did not give her much downtime to try cooking new foods.
Together, we talked about options and solutions and I proposed she consider simplifying her food prep plans. All the recipes in cookbooks and Insta inspiration are great, but instead of thinking about preparing an entire meal we can start by incorporating food prep vs. meal prep.
What’s the difference between food prep and meal prep?
Whenever you think of a meal, I hope you picture the Well Balanced Nutrition plate, including half the plate filled with non-starchy vegetables (and/or fruits), happy protein, complex carbs, and a delicious fat to bring it all together.
I will admit, it can be overwhelming to think of incorporating all of the things, all the time. Each time you eat is an opportunity to practice becoming Well Balanced. Instead of preparing meals with every component of the plate, I recommend starting with food prep. This can include making 2-3 dishes that you can later mix-and-match to combine into a meal. For instance, you can prepare a few servings of chicken salad to eat with a simple mixed greens salad or sliced cucumber and whole grain crackers. There is almost always a batch of quinoa or rice in my fridge, which can easily turn into a power bowl or Brown Rice Salsa Salad.
Meal prep may look like this…
Food prep may look like this…
Food for thought
If you’ve been beating yourself up for not being a meal prep superstar this is a good chance to (1) be nice to yourself because we each need to figure out our own system. Next, (2) consider trying food prep instead of meal prep. Pick a few items you already feel confident preparing and try making those this week.
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.
