After the great cabinet and refrigerator clean out a few weeks back, I realized that there were quite a few forgotten ingredients resting in my cupboard. These were ingredients that I had (very well intentioned) purchased a while back with plans to prepare a few delicious baked goods, but between the San Diego heat wave, (yes, I said that…the San Diego Heat Wave) when the thought of turning on the oven made me sweat + cans getting pushed to the black hole in the back of my cupboard, The Pumpkin Walnut Protein Bars were never prepared.

Luckily, I found the canned pumpkin well before the expiration date and got down to work putting pumpkin where it belongs. (Its TRUE, there actually IS pumpkin in this week’s “Pumpkin Walnut Protein Bars” – thanks Vani Hari “The Food Babe” for the truth about the Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spiced Latte.)

These bars make great breakfast on the run (Check out our Sugars Shakes Blog for more info on getting protein) or a delicious filling snack. They’re an enjoyable treat and the protein powder make makes them very dense so 1 -2 bars is easily filling. My hubby and I love them, but I must admit that one friend wanted them for dessert and then described them as “really good, BUT you can tell they’re ‘healthy’.” I think he was expecting more of a “Pumpkin Cake.”

The bars take about 15 minutes to prepare before they go into the oven and the clean-up is a snap. I used a food processor to make the Oatmeal Flour and my trusty Hamilton Beach hand mixer to beat.   Although I would love one of those Kitchenaid Stand Mixer my counter space/storage space just won’t allow for it at the moment.

The bars last about 1 week when refrigerated. Let us know what you think and if these Pumpkin Bars satisfy your Fall Holiday appetite.

The Pumpkin Protein bars are an approved for Beautiful University, our 8 Week guided prep program that introduces you to the WHOLE FOOD Lifestyle.   Class starts October 13^th so be sure to sign up now for Early Bird pricing, which ends October 9^th.  Click here for all the details.

We look forward to seeing you in the program or on the blog. Until next time,

Live your WHOLE life,

Meg + Shannon

 

 

Pumpkin Walnut Protein Bars

Adapted from Bodybuilding.com

 

Ingredients:

½ C Brown Sugar

4 oz. Apple Sauce or Jar of Baby Food Applesauce

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground clove

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

4 Large Egg Whites

1 – 15 oz. can of raw pumpkin

2 C Oatmeal Flour – See Infographic Above

2 Scoops Vanilla Whey Protein

½ C unsweetened Almond Milk

½ C chopped Walnuts

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 9 X 13 pan with non-stick spray

Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well

Add final 4 ingredients and mix until well incorporated.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 mins.

 

Makes 24 Pumpkin Walnut Protein Bars

1 Square = 63 calories, 2.3 g fat, 8 g carbs, 4 g protein

Fad diets are an American pastime, right up there with baseball and 4th of July cookouts! We’ve heard of cabbage soup, Atkins, sugar-free, low-carb, fat-free, dairy-free, and now gluten-free. Majority of Americans don’t even know what gluten is!

I’ll take you back a few years during a normal day at work when I was at the proverbial water cooler, which was actually the coffee machine and a co-worker was talking about her latest diet. “I’m going gluten-free,” she said with a huge excited smile on her face. Confused, I asked her why. She responded “Duh, to lose weight.”

Ok, chances are you know someone on a GF diet and maybe even nodded your head in uninformed agreement when they said just how terrible gluten is. There are a ton of misconceptions out there about the GF diet (and all diets for that matter). The Jimmy Kimmel show even highlighted the confusion with their viral video asking people ON a gluten-free diet what gluten actually was… spoiler alert: no one knew the answer! For any whole foodies out there who don’t already know, gluten is NOT evil!

Gluten is actually a sticky protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Protein is not inherently bad for us, so what’s the beef with gluten? Certain undigested portions of gluten can slip through our small intestine and wreak havoc on our bodies when conditions are present that cause Celiac disease and gluten-intolerance. People who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance have a combination of a faulty gene and autoantibodies that attack the body when exposed to gluten. Get ready for the real interesting part…

Only 1 in every 133 people has celiac disease and about 6 in every 133 people have a gluten sensitivity. This means that majority of Americans have absolutely no problem with digesting wheat, barley, and rye products!!! The recent explosion of GF items on the market is due to big-money marketing from some of the largest food companies in the business, which brings me back to my co-worker who wanted to lose weight on a GF diet.

The grocery store is full of multi-million dollar marketing campaigns, including all the GF items you’ll see during your next trip down the “health foods” aisle. We’re talking gluten-free pasta, cookies, crackers, pizza, tortilla chips, and even candy. The removal of wheat, barley & rye does NOT make these junk foods any better for the average person’s health. In fact, these GF foods products can be higher in sodium and lower in fiber, protein, vitamins & minerals than their gluten containing counterparts, and they can be double the cost!

So save some money and outsmart the marketing! Next time you see candy labeled gluten-free you will know exactly what they mean. If you’re avoiding gluten to eat less processed foods or fewer carbs and more protein, go for it. But if you’re aiming to lose weight by substituting a box of GF cookies for regular cookies, then you’re just making food companies a ton of money. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported the sales of GF labeled foods as a $23 billion market…maybe I’ll start looking into buying some stock…

If you happen to know anyone (without Celiac or a gluten-intolerance) that has lost weight by changing to a gluten-free diet, chances are they are more aware of the ingredients in their food and are opting to eat more whole foods, which are naturally GF! Gluten itself doesn’t offer special nutritional benefits, but the many whole grains that contain gluten do. They’re rich in an array of vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and iron, as well as fiber. Remember, whole grains are good for us! Majority of the recipes featured on Whole Food Love are naturally gluten-free since they are made with WHOLE foods. If you have a question about a specific recipe or are looking for ways to makeover recipes so that they ARE gluten-free, leave a comment below or check out our Facebook page.

If you are having serious digestive issues and suspect you may have a gluten-intolerance, it’s imperative that you speak with your physician and do not self-diagnose. Celiac disease is a serious health issue and a gluten-free diet is essential. You can also reach out to Shannon at Whole Food Love for more help on how to tell and what you can eat to make yourself feel your best!

 

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

As a military wife whose “home” is always determined by her husband’s next set of orders, I have become an expert at making everything fit in every type of abode.    Admittedly, we are in a military community that does not move nearly as much as others, but even within the boundaries of San Diego/Coronado, we have lived in 4 different homes!

My ultimate dream is to have a house where I can deck out each closet with a beautiful California Closets display, but until then, I will have to enjoy temporary, inexpensive fixes that make all of our belongings fit together like a game of Tetris.

Generally speaking, I am pretty organized – you have to be when you pack up all of your belongings and move every two years (or less)! Since my little man arrived 9 months ago, I have found it a bit harder to keep up with everything. There’s much less time to get everything done and of course, more work – not to mention I clean out his drawers every month as the outfit that was laughably big on him becomes too small to even fit over his head within a matter of weeks. Sound familiar?

During one of my Pilates sessions, a friend mentioned that a local professional organizer had started a Facebook Group called “The Daily Five.” The goal was to purge 5 things per day, take a pic, and post it to the group – sounds simple, right?

I immediately requested to join, but didn’t start purging right away. The methodical side of me said that I should go through each room, cabinet, and cupboard in a specific order, but I was always waiting for the right time to start. You know the right time to start – when each stitch of laundry is folded, all the dishes are cleaned, the dog has been walked, the baby is happily playing, and the kitchen floor has just finished drying from a good scrub. Believe it or not, this perfect time NEVER came and I watched as Amy Gardiner, the amazing professional organizer and group administrator, proclaimed that in the month of August, she had purged over 155 items!

Finally, after a trip home from Costco, riddled with frustration of where I was going to put everything, the “perfect time” found me and thus my necessary “purge” began.

My epiphany happened in the kitchen, which, looking back, is a great place to start. Many of the tendencies to hold onto items that we no longer need do not apply in the kitchen. There is no sentimental attachment to expired food in the fridge.   It’s as simple as finding and tossing. (I don’t take this lightly as one of my pet peeves is wasting food – but if it’s expired there’s only one answer, no decision needed.)

 

Here are 10 Simple Rules that I followed and you can incorporate into your Kitchen Clean-Out (and the other rooms of your home.)

 

1.)  START IN THE KITCHEN

Starting in the kitchen gets you into the habit of purging, which you can then, take with you to the other rooms of your home.   Also, you can make quite a bit of progress in a short amount of time. I was able to clean my freezer, refrigerator and 4 cabinets within 45 minutes. As Amy would say, the difference is AHHHH-Mazing!

2.)  REDUCE WHAT YOU HAVE

You have less to organize when you have less “stuff”.   You don’t have to figure out how to organize it if you simply get rid of it. No need to spend money on organizing materials when its simply not there. Keep this in the forefront of your mind regardless of the square footage of your space.

 

3.)  CHECK EXPIRATION DATES

Spoiled produce or meat is easy to detect and part with, but what about that Costco size ketchup that has been in the back of your fridge for countless months? Check the expiration dates on all of those sauces, condiments, spices, and canned foods. You will be amazed at what you find (you can purge)!

 

4.)  WHEN IN DOUBT…THROW IT OUT

I don’t care what the expiration date says, if it looks bad, its gone! Don’t even chance a bad case of food poisoning. In the future, be more aware of what you purchase and go to the grocery store with a plan!

 

5.)  COMBINE IT!

We had three bags of quinoa opened! They were purchased from Costco at the same time, but at some point they were all opened. The bags were all about a quarter full so I was easily able to combine them and it made the space much cleaner.

This is not always a great idea, especially when there is a big difference in the expiration dates of the items or it will be used up fairly quickly (i.e. its not worth taking the time to combine. It.)

 

6.)  SEPARATE IT!

We had two bags of Almond flour – one opened and one not yet opened. As the opened bag was not clearly visible, there was a pretty good chance that I would have accidentally grabbed the unopened bag, not realizing that the other on was there. This is also really common with the spices.

In order to avoid having several half used bags of the same produce taking up space, I have one cabinet that is reserved for “duplicates.” I use up what I have open and when I run out, I check the “duplicates” cupboard to see if I have an extra stash there or if I need to add it to the Complete Cupboard list.

 

7.)  EXTRA STORAGE SPACE/REFRIGERATOR

Along the lines of Tip #6, if you have extra space, use it! In our current space, we have an extra refrigerator in the garage. (It’s the 1^st time that we have ever had this so I know we are LUCKY!)   This makes it easier for us to take advantage of sales on certain products and keep the refrigerator in the house a bit more organized.

As an example, when Almond Milk is on sale, we stock up. Unopened, almond milk usually lasts 4-6 weeks or more. Once opened, it is good for 7-10 days. If it’s on sale, I’ll get several half gallons and keep one in the kitchen and the rest in the garage refrigerator.

We also keep those not too frequently used sauces and olive oil in the garage refrigerator. I worked with a great chef that gave me a quick tip about olive oil.

Once opened, olive oil starts to lose its freshness after about 2 months. When stored at room temperature it can last for 18-24 months.  After that, it quickly breaks down and turns rancid.

We use olive oil in quite a few dishes and buy the large container of Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil from Costco. At home, I pour half of this bottle into our olive oil dispenser and keep the other half in the Costco bottle. We keep the dispenser at room temperature and the Costco bottle in the refrigerator in the garage until the dispenser needs to be refilled with the remaining half of the Costco bottle*. This is MUCH cheaper and better quality than purchasing the smaller quantities of olive oil at the regular grocery store.

*Note: Only cool the olive oil once. Do not cool, thaw, cool, thaw. After you remove it from the refrigerator and return it to room temperature, do not put it back in the refrigerator.

 

8.)  FORGOTTEN ITEMS

Once you get to the back of the cupboard, you get to rekindle your relationship with all of those items that you INTENDED to use. I reconnected with canned pumpkin that I had purchased months ago with the intention of making my Pumpkin Walnut Protein Bars (stay tuned in the next few weeks for the recipe). I completely forgot about that can until I saw it back there! The next morning I made a batch and they were delicious.

With the forgotten items, either find a recipe or donate them to a food bank. There’s NO point to having these items take us precious space in your kitchen if you are not going to use them. Whether you decide to make a dish or donate, they will be put to good use.

 

9.)  ORGANIZE YOUR SPACE

Now that you have cleared your space of the items you won’t need, take a look at what you have remaining and organize it in a functional way.

Keep healthy foods and perishables up near the front so you can easily find them before they expire. Also consider getting a few bins for the little items that can easily get disorganized or have to be moved out of the way frequently.   I love these Clear Handled Storage Baskets from the Container Store.

They’re lightweight, have a handle, and are stackable when not in use so the space profile is quite small. I keep most of my baking supplies in the bins so when I need something, I pull one bin out and find it. I don’t have to sift through bunches of bags of almond flour, granulated sugar, oat flour, wheat flour, and powdered sugar that are always falling over to find what I need.

 

10.) ENJOY YOUR NEW SPACE

Enough said – I’ve opened my cabinets and refrigerator a few times just to get that Ahhhh feeling.

 

Ultimately, some storage is more functional that others, but either way, you need to find a suitable solution that works without spending too much money on each space – if you are in a temporary situation. While I am still a ways away from my “DREAM SPACE,” I am a lot closer.

Stay tuned for our Pumpkin Protein Bar recipe and for more tips that I learn as I navigate the other rooms of the house! Thank you Amy for the inspiration!

Live your WHOLE life,

Meg + Shannon

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m so fancy…or at least it’s fun to pretend! First things first, I’m a realist! I love attending, throwing and cooking for dinner parties with friends and fam. One of my biggest dinner party rules is to make sure you thoroughly enjoy yourself, and not slave away in the kitchen! Quality nights are some of the best times of the year, and what’s better than making memories with your friends?! While I don’t (yet) live in a house with a beautiful party hostess-friendly kitchen, I don’t let that stop me from trying to make my food look as fancy as possible! If there’s anyone else out there renting an apartment and dealing with the kitchen that comes along with it…or falling asleep at night with thoughts of their dream kitchen swirling around in their head- you’re not alone.

The last dinner party I attended was actually a lavishly themed bridal shower. Most of my friends are the type to throw an outdoor BBQ, or a potluck style weeknight get-together. But for this bridal shower, presentation counted! The guests picked from bringing an appetizer, side dish, drink, dessert, etc. Now I knew my other friends were taking the easy way out- bringing a bottle of wine or cheese platter, but I LOVE to share great food with friends, and that often means making it from scratch. So I chose (an easy, make-ahead) dessert 🙂  Now I’m sure a handful of you readers are thinking- dessert?! What business does a #wholefoodie health nut have bringing a dessert to a dinner party?

Well, here at Whole Food Love we preach moderation and try to live by the GBB principle (Good, Better, Best). So I aimed to make the “best” dessert: a healthy AND satisfying treat that people wouldn’t automatically peg as a health food (they’d be too distracted by the decadent deliciousness). Plus I think desserts get a bad reputation, which is totally unfair!

Some experts even preach, “Eating dessert makes physiological sense.” This is because glucose (a basic sugar) can help your body absorb food particles, which explains why even after a huge meal you’ll always have room for dessert. Now before you start fantasizing about having a doctor’s note indicating your NEED to have dessert- I must remind you “Everything in Moderation.”

The following recipe is lower in sugar than its store bought alternative and is “make at home” so you can control the ingredients. This sweet “fancy schmancy” dessert recipe will satisfy your craving, impress your dinner guests, and keep you on track with your #healthy #wholefoodie lifestyle.

 

This fluffy, creamy Fancy Schmancy PB & Walnut Whip is so yummy (and easy)! Did I mention it only takes 5 minutes to make?! Plus it’s packed with protein, good fats (yes there are good ones), and antioxidants. So for all of you who associate guilt with dessert, upgrade your choice and prepare to indulge guilt-free! Whether you want to wow your friends (be prepared to repeat “No really, I made that”) or just give yourself a reason to indulge in an elegant delight on a random weeknight, go ahead- it’s Iggy approved!

 

Fancy Schmancy PB & Walnut Whip

***You’ll need an electric-mixer or handheld mixer

Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk, chilled overnight (I found mine in the Foreign Foods isle)

2-3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. organic brown sugar (add in to your specific taste)

¼ cup crushed walnuts

½ oz. dark chocolate bar (we used Cacao for added benefit)

Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

 

Steps:

1. Open the can of chilled coconut milk and scoop the hardened white layer into a bowl. Note that the bottom of the can will have a thinner substance, resembling the coconut milk you see in cartons. Be sure to only scoop the thicker, hardened layer into the bowl.
2. Add the creamy peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice) and vanilla extract and beat with the electric mixer on medium speed until the consistency is smooth and thick.
3. Add the powdered sugar to thicken even more (to desired consistency) and the organic sugar to sweeten to taste. Beat until combined.
4. Line your dessert dish with crushed walnuts until covered. Dollop the PB whip into dish and top with additional crushed walnuts.
5. Break off a piece of the dark chocolate bar and, using a vegetable peeler, shave the sides of the bar for a fancy schmancy curly chocolate garnish. Sprinkle optional cinnamon to taste.
6. Pass out to guests and enjoy!

You can make this delicious dessert a day ahead so you’re not a scrambling hot mess of a hostess. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight mason jar for up to 2 days (NOTE: your walnuts will soften over time if left at the bottom of the PB whip jar).

 

One of the BEST things that you can do for yourself and your family is to SHOP SMART!

I remember the long days at work, coming home exhausted, only to exhaust myself even more by trying to figure out what to eat for dinner (and this was before I had a family – so Mamas, you get even more love!).

Sometimes, I would wind up getting take out, ordering a pizza, or if I was REALLY exhausted, settling for a small helping of peanut butter and crackers. It’s definitely not something that I am proud to admit, but it’s one of the hard truths of working in Corporate America today.

Now, as a Mom, and coming fresh off of a vacation, I realize even more how easy it is to get derailed (and have a whopping grocery bill) when I don’t follow my own rules. A Smart Women can always finish Rich and Healthy at the grocery store checkout when following these 3 Easy Steps.

 

BE A SAVVY SHOPPER

Looking for something more than just “Don’t go to the grocery store hungry?” You need to be a SAVVY shopper. I love clipping coupons for cleaning supplies and paper items, but there aren’t too many coupons for consumers that want to eat fresh.

One of my favorite activities is going to a Farmer’s Markets for fresh produce. The produce here is usually fresher (and often times is picked the morning of the market.) This means the produce retains more nutrients, is higher quality AND will last longer. This girl HATES to throw out food!

Also, consider buying in bulk at stores like Costco. Quite often, its cheaper to buy 5 heads of romaine lettuce at Costco than two heads of romaine lettuce at a regular grocery retailer. As someone whose pet peeve is wasting food, purchasing a larger quantity encourages me to eat those greens before they spoil.  Notice how much more you get for your money!

Fresh fruit freezes VERY well.  (Try saying that three times in a row!) Should you decide to purchase the large container of strawberries and not be able to finish them over the course of a few days, FREEZE them and use ’em in future smoothies!

CHEF IT UP – PREP YOUR OWN SNACKS

Daily trips to the vending machine and purchasing UBER processed foods can really add up…both in your wallet and in your gut. We all know that these foods are not the greatest choices, but quite often they are loaded with fat, salt, sugar, and other chemicals.

Instead, try to make your own snacks at home and divide them in individual serving sizes. Anything that you prepare at home will be less expensive, healthier, have less preservatives and be a BETTER option for you. One of my quick and easy favorites is our award-winning Raw Spinach Hummus Recipe. Bring along fresh veggies for dipping and you are set!

PLANNING AHEAD = TIME SAVINGS + MONEY SAVINGS

Time…it’s the one thing that we are ALL short on. I am always looking for ways to create more and be more effective with the time that I DO have.

By carving out a block of time to decide what you will eat during the week, you will actually create more time later in the week. When you decide what you will eat, you can prepare your grocery list and breeze through the store like Flo Jo. When I’m prepared, my grocery store trips are less than 30 minutes (and this is with my 9 month old reaching for everything.)

When I have planned the weekly menu, I don’t waste time deciding what I’ll have for dinner, and making several trips to the grocery store for single items. I know the game plan and can efficiently move forward with it. This allows me to eat healthier + save $$$.  See our Weekly Meal Planning Guide.

Planning allows me to ONLY buy what I NEED and not purchase foods that I “THINK” I might use during the week. I also purchase more WHOLE foods because it’s what I use to prepare the meals. The processed foods aren’t even on my radar – shopping trip are fast when you can cut out 60% of the aisles! Also, ordering in and eating out is out of the question since I purchased the foods I need and have blocked out the time I need to make it. My body, my family, and my wallet thank me.

CHALLENGE

Take one week to try at least 1 of these tips and let us know what you think! Did you have any other hang ups that you would like us to address in upcoming blogs? Stay tuned and until then…

Live you WHOLE life,

Meg + Shannon

 

 

I’m at an age now where I realize AND can admit that I’ve learned a LOT from my mother! Our mothers have one of the most powerful and important influences on our lives: caring for us when we are too young, rebellious, or stubborn to care for ourselves. Unfortunately, it usually takes us “kids” longer to realize the pearls of wisdom that come with age and experience…the ones that come from all the moms out there!

I had one of those exhausting and crazy weekends, visiting my family for a late summer wedding. Did I mention 10 people were staying in our 3-bedroom house?! It was wonderful and chaotic and entertaining, with lots of HUGE and very deliciously decadent family meals. There was also a lot of running around, keeping appointments and trying to get as many activities in before the Midwest’s scattered thunderstorms so common in late summer. With all the pandemonium, there was one thing that stayed constant: my 8-month old nephew’s feeding times. He’s in this new and exciting time, moving from breast milk to actual (baby) food. Babies love attention and this little guy is no exception! Yesterday, during a morning feeding of sweet potatoes my mother kept repeating to baby “Focus on your food.” Naturally, he was looking side to side, trying to get people’s attention combined with sporadic giggling. The second time my mother spoke this mantra, baby looked and her and caught a spoonful of sweet potatoes in the mouth.

Talk about pearls of wisdom! My mom just identified one of the biggest mealtime mistakes made by Americans. We don’t Focus on our food! Instead we check emails, watch TV, play Clash of Clans, scroll our newsfeed, tweet, commute to work or complete some other sort of multi-tasking. We all have ancestors that considered eating a sacred act. Some give thanks before beginning a meal, mindfully wash their hands, or light candles, all preparing the body and mind to focus on our food. So whether my mom knew it or not, she was promoting mindfulness during our meals, a powerful practice that has been linked to the following AMAZING benefits:

–       Maintain a healthy weight

–       Feel satiated with less food

–       Reduce emotional eating

–       Improve digestion

–       Reduce uncomfortable bloating and gas after meals

Focusing on your food allows you to ENJOY your food! And who doesn’t want that?! Mealtimes, and food itself, connect us to our families, our emotions, the present moment and ourselves. Do you want to improve your eating habits? It’s all about awareness: focusing on the sensations you experience when you eat, and connecting to the thoughts and emotions you have about food. Some experts even believe it’s more about how you eat than what you eat… People eat more when they are not paying attention, so it pays to be mindful when eating.

In what environment are you sitting down for meals? Test out the following tips to see how you can become more mindful during your next meal.

When preparing meals I remember to give thanks to the food itself and its ability to nourish my body. I’m thankful for the earth that provided and people that cultivated the food. Bring back the sacred ritual at your next meal and be totally present. Enjoy!

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon & Meg

 

Vacations are an amazing time to experience new adventures with family, see new places, and R-E-L-A-X. As I am finding out, vacations can also wreak havoc on your health routine if you don’t PLAN. Here are the tips that I will be following for the remainder of this vacation + my next (healthy) vacation – am I getting ahead of myself?

Just as you take time to PLAN your vacation activities, you must also make time to PLAN for your vacation meals.

 Let your vacation help you achieve your health goals – NOT derail them!

Here are 3 easy FREE tips to make your vacation a health success.

1.)    Find a Kitchen (or a Kitchenette)

If you can, book a hotel or room with a kitchen or a kitchenette. This allows you to prepare at least a few meals. You will likely eat better, healthier, & fresher – not to mention saving a few dollars eating out.   If this isn’t an option, NO PROBLEM. There are still other ways!

2.)    Plan at least ONE meal per day.

Whether you are eating out or dining in, plan to have at least 1 wholesome healthy meal. If you are eating out, this is as easy enough as a salad with dressing on the side. If you are prepping your own meal, this may be an egg white scramble. You can feel satisfied and have ample time to discover local eateries while still working towards your health goals.

3.)    Do at least ONE physical activity per day.

There are SO many options, here… outdoor jog, local hike, long walk, swimming, water sports, etc. If none of these options are available for your vacation, there is always a local gym or the hotel gym.

We subscribe to the “Good, Better, Best” School of thought so even if you can only incorporate one of these tips on your next trip, YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. Every step you take to better your health is a step in the right direction.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and want to know where you are going on vacation next and if you accept this challenge. Let us know your vacation struggles in the comments below.

Live your WHOLE life!

Meg + Shannon

 

 

“What vegetable do you want with dinner?” Without fail, my mother would ask us this question every night and I would quickly reply “potatoes!” Mom would explain that potato doesn’t count as a vegetable in her house and I would make a case with technicalities…. a potato is classified as a vegetable, however it is nutritionally categorized as a starchy food due to its high carb content. Maybe this is where my debate skills stem from! After much back and forth, Mom insisted we pick something else, and most often it was corn in butter sauce.

I later learned that my mom was trying to get us excited about eating green vegetables. My dad was the only one in the family who enjoyed brussel spouts and steamed spinach. I know this because my siblings and I would be the last ones at the table, since no one could leave until their plate was empty. I remember a battle with green beans that lasted for hours….being stubborn did NOT serve me well that night! When we had our choice, the kids opted for shoepeg corn in butter sauce, mashed potatoes with butter, or the occasional broccoli in cheese sauce. So are all vegetables created equal?

 The answer is NO!

Different vegetables offer different health benefits, so while you may be getting in the recommended daily servings, you’re missing out on some powerful nutrients! The most commonly eaten vegetables are not as rich in nutrients as some other choices. A classic store bought salad will usually contain only iceberg lettuce, which is definitely better than eating a cheeseburger, but is nutritionally lacking when compared to Romaine lettuce.

America’s favorite iceberg lettuce ranks lowest in nutritional value across the board (it’s 96% water!). What’s the reason for this inequality in lettuce nutrition? The color! Darker, loose leaf lettuce contain more antioxidants and nutrients than their lighter colored counterparts. The darker leaves are able to absorb more light and in turn, synthesize more vitamins! A great rule of thumb to follow:

I’m sure my mother would have loved to hear her kids demand romaine lettuce as their vegetable with dinner! The reality was that we preferred non-green veggies with our meal. For those who enjoy ALL the colors of the rainbow, aim for these veggies:

White: eat cauliflower more often than potatoes

Yellow/orange: eat more carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers instead of corn

Red: choose tomatoes and red peppers over red cabbage & potatoes

According to experts, the more brightly colored the vegetable, the more protective the health benefits thanks to a rich assortment of plant compounds called phytochemicals. These brightly colored foods may offer the most protective health benefits against cancer and other diseases, as well as helping people with diabetes control their calorie and sugar intake (from American Institute of Cancer Research). Whether you have picky eaters, a need to test out new veggies, or just think a colorful veggie tray is pleasing to the eye go for deep, rich colors when choosing your vegetables.

The options are endless, so remember, eat your colors and enjoy the rainbow! And keep in mind that the freshest, organic options are best (without the butter, cheese sauce, and fatty ranch dressing)!

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon & Meg