How to Reduce Your Food Budget
I’ve worked with many patients and clients that list financial burden as a barrier to eating healthy. Eating healthy can be more expensive, but it can also be less expensive based on how you approach it. Sadly, the media and pop culture have created a picture of what healthy eating looks like that most cannot afford. Eating healthy does not mean purchasing organic, dairy-free or completely avoiding items that come in cans or boxes. I wanted to share five tips I use to keep our food costs down.
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Pesto, Chicken and Arugula Salad
This salad is modeled after another one of my favorite local salads in Seattle- “The Super Bowl” from Evergreens. While it might seem simple, the balance of nutrients, texture and flavor leaves me craving it all the time (i’ll admit, I don’t usually crave salads). I love that this salad is a one stop shop- it contains a healthy dose of protein, whole grains and plenty of vegetables.
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Takeout Best Bets
I believe that having the occasional takeout is part of a realistic approach to nutrition. Let’s face it, cooking every single night is not sustainable- we all need a break. I also love takeout as an opportunity to try new foods/cuisine and support local businesses. While meals prepared outside of the home are traditionally more indulgent, there are choices you make in every scenario to feel like you’re still on track with your health goals. I wanted to share my tips and best bets for every type of cuisine.
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Parenting: Starting Solids
Feeding your baby can feel incredibly overwhelming, especially with the amount of information available online. A lot has changed since I practiced in pediatrics five years ago. Baby led weaning (I prefer to call it baby led feeding) has become increasingly popular, and while we did some purees, we primarily used this approach with our son. After recently navigating this myself, I wanted to create a post/guide for this community to start with. I’m sharing my favorite resources, tools and learnings.
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Peanut Crunch Salad
If you were a follower of my previous blog, Eating with a Purpose, you’ll remember this salad. It was such a hit that I knew I needed to share the recipe again. I modeled this flavorful vegan salad after one of my favorites from local Seattle restaurant, Sprout. This plant protein and fiber packed salad is sure to satiate you and what I would describe as a “meal salad.” Because it’s prepared with hearty greens it will hold up longer than your average salad.
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Celebrating One (Difficult) Year of Breastfeeding
Today marks my last day breastfeeding David, and with it comes a huge sense of accomplishment, but more so relief. While I primarily nursed David for the first 3 months, a series of other obstacles led me to exclusively pump for these past nine. Our journey was full of hurdles and came with no shortage of emotion and frustration. Throughout it all, I’ve learned a lot. I wanted to share some tips I will take with me if we are lucky enough to add another baby to our family.
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Habits for a Healthy (and Enjoyable) Holiday
While the holidays will look very different this year, most of us will celebrate in some way or another. There is no denying that food is at the center of most celebrations. For those with a health or weight loss goal, the holidays can bring stress and potentially derail efforts from the prior weeks. My top tip for this special time of year is to adapt your healthy habits to the season rather than turning a switch off until January 1st . In fact, this time of year presents the perfect opportunity to practice flexibility in your routine; this is crucial to building a long term healthy relationship with food. Consider my tips below to enjoy the holiday season without feeling the need to press reset in the New Year.
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Holiday Gift Guide - 2020
My friends have a standing joke that I “influence” them into purchasing certain products. While my intention is not to encourage spending, when I find something great, I like to share it. I also like to put a lot of thought into gifts- they have to be something either meaningful or useful to the recipient (even better if both.). Each item below is one I personally own and love. Perhaps this might even inspire your own wish list #treatyourself.
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Navigating Halloween (For Adults and Kids)
I have fond memories of returning home from trick or treating to marvel at my candy stash. I remember sampling my treats, quickly deciding which were favorites and those that were worth skipping next year. And yes, I also have memories of stomach aches on halloween night from enjoying my loot to its fullest. As a dietitian, I look back at the approach my parents took to Halloween (and treats in general) and I am grateful. While the majority of our meals growing up were nutritious and veggie-forward, we regularly had baked goods as a snack option or chips on a Friday night with our movie. Because I was regularly exposed to treats, I was less likely to binge on them if they were rarely available on special occasions or at friends’ houses. This approach on my parents’ behalf built the foundation for the healthy relationship I have with food today. As Halloween can be a daunting time for adults and children alike, I’m sharing my recommendations for making the most of the spooky season.
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The Truth Behind Food Claims
If nutrition isn’t complicated enough, food packaging and labeling only leaves us confused or leads us astray in our food choices. While the FDA sets detailed criteria to use certain adjectives or health claims on products, others carry no meaning or regulation. In breaking down the meaning of some of these claims, I’m hoping I can help you see beyond the marketing and make informed choices about your food.
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Optimize Your Immune System
In the midst of COVID-19 and the flu season on the horizon, many are interested in boosting their immune system. While supplements may come first to mind, a multi-pronged lifestyle approach is your best bet at ensuring your immune system is armed and ready. The immune system is one of the most complex and connected in our bodies and functions best when elements are in balance. By the same regard, its functioning depends on a systematic approach to optimizing our lifestyle. Nutrition does play an integral role, but so do other lifestyle habits.
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The Ultimate Fall Salad
This hearty salad would be a beautiful complement to a soup or as a part of your holiday menu. It has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors and the candied pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch. High in zinc and vitamin A, it also scores high on the nutritional front.
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Pumpkin Loaf
I’ll be the first to admit that I embrace the pumpkin trend as soon as Fall hits. I genuinely love pumpkin and the warming spices it is typically paired with. With the onset of cool weather, there’s nothing better than curling up with a hot cup of tea and a homemade muffin, scone or loaf. I wanted to create a more nutritious version of Starbucks’ classic pumpkin loaf as a snack option this season. My taste testers will agree that this is a must make.
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The Facts On Fish and Omega 3s
Most of us have heard that fish is beneficial for our health, yet many struggle to eat enough. Fish is recommended as a healthy protein source due to its high content of omega 3 fatty acids. It’s well known that omega 3s play an integral role in everything from brain and eye development to cardiovascular health. Omega 3s are an essential fatty acid, meaning our body cannot make them and they must be derived from our diet.
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Southwest Cauliflower Rice Bowls
While cauliflower has become quite trendy as a low carbohydrate substitute for rice, I appreciate it more as a creative way to increase our daily serving of veggies. Given its mild taste, it complements most flavors and is accepted by even the pickiest of eaters. This dish would work perfectly for a family to serve as a “build your own” bar where kids can customize their toppings.
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Sleep: How to Enhance Your Zzz's
When life gets crazy, why is sleep always the first thing to go? While sleep might seem like the one part of your day that is “flexible,” the impact of poor sleep extends into many aspects of health. For example, a rough night of sleep can wreck havoc on our hunger and fullness cues and lead to afternoon sugar cravings. It can compromise our athletic performance and impair our ability to focus. Whether you’re looking to overhaul or optimize your sleep, I hope my tips below bring you some extra Zzz’s.
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The Keto Diet: Is it Worth It?
In the past three years, I have been asked for my thoughts on this diet more than any other topic. Having specialized in pediatrics for the first four years of my career, I am very familiar with the ketogenic diet in the clinical space as a possible treatment for epilepsy. Since then, it has become incredibly popular as a tool to support weight loss. I’m hoping this post provides a succinct summary of the science and some RD-approved tips if you decide to give it a go.
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Summer Berry Oat Muffins
These muffins were inspired by an abundance of fresh summer fruit and are the perfect mid-morning or afternoon snack. In addition to being incredibly flavorful, these muffins differ from the typical store-bought muffin in that they score high points on the nutrition front (low sugar, high fiber, healthy fat profile). The secret to the crunchy top is folding in the sugar at the end of the recipe. They also freeze beautifully, making them a great option for breakfast meal prep.
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5 Behaviors That Derail Weight Loss
Nine years into practice, I’m sure it’s not surprising to learn that weight loss is the number one reason for a client’s visit. Many have first tried a diet, with or without success. Those that have success find it tends to dissipate over the long term due to the limited sustainability of the diet. My number one priority as a practitioner is to support my clients in long term, lasting change. More often than not, challenges related to weight gain/maintenance are related to the same five behaviors.
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My Journey with Food Allergies (and Tips)
If you have an allergy or intolerance or cook for someone with one, this post is for you. Personally, I have no allergies or intolerances. In an effort to continue breastfeeding and determine what David is allergic to, I have been on multiple elimination diets- to say it has been difficult is an understatement. Through it all, I have gained incredible empathy for past clients I’ve worked with. My hope is that my personal experience can help others in navigating food allergies or intolerances.
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