Food is neither good or bad, but we as a society have assigned moral values to food. So what happens is that when you eat a food you believe is “bad”, then you consciously and unconsciously see yourself as a bad person for eating that food?
Read MoreThis salad is great for traveling because it is all mixed together and has lots of crunchy vegetables for texture and to prevent soggy lettuce as the dressing is already mixed in when prepared. Simply pack a portion of this salad in a tupperware container and bring along with you. Don’t forget the spork!
Read More10 SIMPLE KITCHEN SWAPS TO LIVE DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY
Read More“I’m sick of having no energy!” …. Sound familiar? Dealing with a general lack of energy, annoying fatigue, and overall sluggishness is one of the most common complaints I hear from clients in my nutrition practice. However, when I dig deeper, I often find three main roots to this lack of energy; a burdened liver, rollercoaster blood sugar levels, and an inconsistent eating routine.
Read MoreStart the day off with delicious waffles containing hormone balancing Maca root powder!
½ cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons maca powder
½ tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 tablespoons raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
¼ cup almond butter
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup mashed banana
3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
Optional Toppings:
sliced banana
slivered almonds
coconut cream
pure maple syrup or agave nectar
dark chocolate chips
cinnamon
Instructions
1. In a large bowl add combine the coconut flour, maca powder, and baking soda and mix.
2. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, almond butter, honey, almond milk, vanilla, and mashed banana until smooth.
3. Slowly add the wet to the dry and stir until a smooth batter is achieved.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Heat your waffle iron as directed for the iron, once hot add the batter to the iron.
6. Repeat until all the batter is used up - my waffle iron made 6 large waffles.
7. Top the waffles with the optional toppings and enjoy!
(Recipe makes 6 waffles. In the recipe, reduce the almond butter to 2 tablespoons and increase the mashed banana to 1/2 cup)
Top waffles with 1/4 cup raspberries mashed with 1 tsp pure maple syrup
470 cal/57g carb/21g fat/15g protein/13g fibre
Keep blood sugars stable with healthy protein and fats at your morning snack.
1 mini Lemon & Dill tuna can (85g)
140 cal /2g carb /7g fat /18g protein
Bring in the hormone balancing benefits of spinach, broccoli, ginger, and free-range chicken with this tasty and filling Dragon Bowl.
SAUCE:
1½ cups coconut milk (I mixed full fat and light)
2 heaping tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 heaping tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons red thai curry paste
2 tablespoons coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
1½ tablespoons coconut palm sugar
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons minced ginger or ginger paste
BOWL INGREDIENTS:
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, diced into small pieces (cook with coconut or olive oil - see instructions)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 cups broccoli crowns, chopped
1 cup snap peas
2 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked
GARNISHES:
2 cups spinach
¼ head of red cabbage, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup cilantro. chopped
¼ cup peanuts, crushed
(Recipe makes 4 servings, in the recipe omit the peanut garnish, reduce the peanut butter to 1 tablespoon, and use only light coconut milk)
416 cal/ 42g carb/ 13g fat/ 30g protein/ 6g fibre
Add a dose of healthy digestive boosting hormone-balancing chia seeds to your day with some healthy proteins for blood sugar stabilization.
Blend:
1 scoop Natural Plant Based Protein Powder (hemp, pea, or rice)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk.
235 cal/ 24g carb/ 5g fat/ 28g protein/ 8g fibre
Enjoy this wonderfully balanced salad with hormone-balancing salmon and leafy greens.
2 bunches red kale, washed, chopped and massaged with ½ tsp sea salt for 1-2 minutes
5 ounces salmon lox (or smoked salmon or gravlax)
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 cup green beans, cut and trimmed - blanched by plunging into boiling water for 1 minute then removing and running under cold water for 1-2 minutes.
½ cup olives (I use castella olives)
1 cup baby potatoes, roasted - pre-roast before making the salad at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (I usually just use leftover roasted potatoes for my nicoise salad)
¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette of choice (prepared or homemade)
Instructions
1. Blanch the beans, set aside.
2. Prepare the kale, and add to a large bowl.
3. Layer with the roasted potatoes, lox, sliced egg, olives, green beans and roasted potatoes.
4. Drizzle with the dressing.
5. Enjoy!
(Recipe makes 2 servings)
402cal/ 34g carb/ 18g fat/ 26g protein/ 5g fibre
1,663cal / 158g carb / 65g fat / 117g protein / 32g fibre
By Aleshia Pinto, Less With Bread
These little muffins make a great on-the go breakfast or snack. Greek yogurt keeps them moist and fluffy with the bonus of added protein, while honey and coconut oil make this a sweet treat.
Adding the juice and zest of a lemon gives it a strong flavour, totally reminds me of lemonade and warmer days. This recipe is a good base to add other ingredients too - a handful of blueberries if you have those in your freezer, a tablespoon of poppy seeds, or better yet, chia seeds for a bit of added texture.
*Makes 12 large or 24 small
2 cups whole wheat flour (I find one cup white and one cup whole wheat works best)
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
1 cup vanilla greek yogurt (or plain)
1 lemon, both juice and zest
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
*feel free to use all coconut oil instead of butter; butter adds fluffiness
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin pan using coconut oil cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk.
3. Cream the butter/oil, zest and sugar together in a second bowl. Add egg, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, folding gently after each time until just combined. This is where you would fold in additional ingredients, if you were using them.
5. Add to muffin tin using ice cream scooper - the batter will be thick, don’t worry.
6. Bake 16-20 minutes (depending on your oven) or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cook in tin for 5 minutes then transfer to cooking rack to cool completely
BY Christal Sczebel, C.H.N., Nutritionist in the Kitch
Ah, stress. Our bodies need it to function, but, far too often this necessary stress becomes overwhelming or chronic and leaves us feeling exhausted, anxious, irritable, depressed, or all of the above. Not only does chronic stress affect our mood and performance but it can lead to weight gain or the inactivity to lose weight despite our best efforts.
When stress occurs on a consistent basis from many factors in our life creating chronic stress there is a hormonal cycle which occurs that can damage the adrenal glands (the glands that regulate stress hormones in our bodies), leading to more stress, and further cortisol overproduction. This vicious cycle can ultimately lead to fatigued adrenals, blood sugar issues, and increased body fat.
I myself am no stranger to the negative effects of high stress levels and have had to learn how to manage my stress through diet, exercise, and saying “No” in the kindest way possible! It’s a work in progress, but the more I learn, the better I become at overall stress management. Remember, practice makes progress!
When it comes to nutrition, food can definitely be a friend or foe for managing stress and keeping the cortisol cycle at bay. Let’s look at the some Stress Busting Foods and how they help our bodies combat the negative effects of stress as well as the two main Stress Inducing Foods to limit.
1. Oranges - These juicy sweet fruits are loaded with Vitamin C, which is one of the main vitamins essential for healthy adrenal gland function. Our adrenal glands are the stress hormone regulators of the body and can suffer when we are under chronic stress. Giving the body a steady boost of Vitamin C found in oranges can help counteract the burden on the adrenals.
2. Turkey - We have all heard that turkey makes us sleepy, and while that might be slightly true, it’s actually a relaxing effect which is from the amino acid L-Tryptophan which is plentiful in turkey. L-Tryptophan increases the production of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin in our body which can reduce irritability or a depressed mood from chronic stress.
3. Spinach - One of my favourite leafy greens! Spinach is loaded with Folate, a B Vitamin that increases dopamine (another feel-good neurotransmitter like serotonin) produced by the body. B Vitamins are also depleted when the body is under chronic stress so ensuring you are getting adequate food sources of Vitamin B, like spinach, can keep those B Vitamins at healthy levels!
4. Wild Salmon - This oily and delicious fish is full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids which have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Because chronic stress can increase inflammation in the body resulting in joint pain, muscle tension, and cognitive issues like brain fog and poor memory, salmon can help to counteract this health-hindering inflammation.
5. Dark Chocolate - Who doesn’t reach for the chocolate when stressed?! Well, that might not actually be a bad thing… in moderation of course. High quality dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa) made with unrefined sugars is full of antioxidants which combat the negative effects of chronic stress in the body. So yes, pass (one or two squares of) the chocolate!
1. Refined Sugars - Aside from tasting delicious, refined sugars, provide us with nothing beneficial, especially during periods of stress. When refined sugars are consumed we can experience big fluctuations in blood sugar levels which lend to mood swings, energy lows, irritability, and the inability to cope with stress. While we may want to naturally reach for sugar when we are stressed it’s better to go with naturally sweet foods like yogurt with berries, an apple with cinnamon, or a piece of (high quality 70% + ) dark chocolate!
2. Caffeine - …and all the coffee drinkers are instantly angry with me… I know, but hear me out! Caffeine, in moderation can be fine for many people, one cup of joe a day might be just what the doctor ordered for you, but caffeine also becomes a stress inducer when it it is consumed in large amounts (more than 500ml per day). A higher intake can stimulate the surge of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, which intensifies the physical stress response in the body and can lend to its chronic nature. Also, if you are an anxiety-prone individual or someone who is often always feeling “stressed-out”, caffeine will only serve to perpetuate those symptoms.
While our diet does play a big role in our ability to deal with stress as well as combat the effects of stress on our bodies, a healthy diet alone will not solve chronic stress.
One of the best ways to kick stress in the butt is targeting it directly at the roots!
If you feel constantly overwhelmed, burdened, and weighed down by the amount of stress in your life (I’ve been there too!) it is so very important to look at what the sources of your stress are and take action. What can be changed? Can you pull back in areas of your life and do less? Can you cut down on commitments? Are you always saying Yes to please others when you really just want to say No? Do you set unrealistic expectations for yourself? I encourage you to honour your health and learn about setting healthy boundaries which is a key component to stress management.
If something cannot be changed about a situation, then changing perspective is always a good start. Our thoughts are powerful and while we may find ourselves overly stressed due to circumstances out of our control, intentional positive thinking is a very real and useful tool for keeping stress levels at bay!
As GorgoGirls we are strong, but we also have our (necessary) limits. Knowing and respecting those limits is essential to our overall health. Let’s always remember to make time for work, play, and rest!
