blog

  • sweet pea mango & ginger smoothie

    If you’ve been following along for awhile you know how much I love smoothies, especially ones with vegetables in them! There’s seriously no reason to make a smoothie without them! They are so easy to throw in and still have a delicious smoothie! Today’s smoothie is in celebration of spring so I decided to throw some sweet peas in it. If you are not used to adding vegetables to your smoothies, I’d say start with a quarter cup of peas and work your way up. As usual, it’s packed with lots of vitamins and antioxidants from the mango, peas and ginger! Add some healthy fats like a scoop of cashew butter or a small handful of pumpkin seeds to add to the absorption of antioxidants! Let me know if you make it and how you like it! Remember to hashtag #hellowholefoods on Instagram!

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  • wild foods are super foods

    Did you know edible wild plants and perennials are the most nutrient dense foods you can eat? Think about it, they have to survive on their own, their seeds have to last through harsh winters, there are no humans tenderly giving them compost or picking pests from their leaves, and watering them if there’s a dry spell. They produce natural chemicals to fight off disease, ward off predators and heal themselves. It’s survival of the fittest. Most modern plants have been bred for texture and flavor and in the process have lost a lot of their nutrient content. Wild plants have more micronutrients and phytochemicals than anything you can buy in a grocery store. Not only that, the fruit and vegetables in the supermarket often travel across oceans to reach us and are weeks old before they enter our mouths. If you pick your own food, you can eat it within minutes or hours within picking it! We know from hunter-gatherers like the Hadza people in Africa that they have much more diversity in their gut microbiota, which is closely linked to lower risk of disease.

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  • why chiropractic care is important for pre-conception, pregnancy, postpartum and beyond

    Today I have the privilege of interviewing my chiropractor Dr. Kim Barber. She went to school at Life University and received her Doctor of Chiropractic Degree (D.C.) in 1996 and has been practicing chiropractic for 21 years. She practices in Bridgewater, NJ with her husband Dr. Joe Barber. I’ve been her patient for about 4 years and I can say that she truly has a passion to help others live their healthiest and feel their best! I have been bringing both my babies as well since they were just a few days old! I love her approach to chiropractic because she looks at the whole person and understands that emotional stress can affect our bodies just as much as physical stress. Chiropractic care is important for everyone regardless of their age but today we are talking specifically why it is important for women who want to become pregnant, are already pregnant and beyond!

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  • dirty dozen / clean fifteen 2018 list

    Every year, the Environmental Working Group comes out with a guide based on studies done by the USDA that indicates which produce contains the most and the least pesticide residue. I find this list to be very helpful especially if buying 100% organic is not an option due to monetary restrictions. The full list includes 48 popular produce items and is also broken down into the “dirty dozen” and “clean fifteen”. We know from scientific studies that many of the pesticides and herbicides sprayed on conventional crops disrupt nervous and endocrine (hormone) systems, increase risk of cancer, contribute to infertility in both males and females and are especially dangerous for children (including the unborn) who’s immune systems are not fully developed and are therefore the most vulnerable to damage.

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  • eating whole foods on a budget

    Eating a whole foods plant based diet does not have to be more expensive than any other way of eating. Before I had babies and both my husband and I were working full time, we had the luxury of buying almost 100% organic. Now that I have two littles at home and I only work weekends that is not the case. With a little mindfulness and planning we have been able to drastically reduce our grocery budget. I’ve rounded up my best tips for eating healthfully on a budget.

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  • whole food toddler snacks you can feel good about

    When we think of snacks for kids, we automatically think of something in a package – a cheese stick, a granola bar, cookies, or crackers. Snacks do not have to come in a package. Offering your children only healthy options when they are young gives them a firm foundation for eating healthfully and expands their palette. A helpful rule is not allowing anything in the house you don’t want them to eat. Save treats and junk food for outside of the home. So many times people will ask me how I get my two year old to eat cauliflower and broccoli, and a big part of it is that we simply do not offer him junk. He has to choose something that we have in the kitchen. Let’s be real, toddlers do not know what is healthy for them and will pick a cookie over a vegetable any day. Our role as parents is to offer them healthy options to give them optimal nutrition as their cells are multiplying, their immune systems being built, and their genes are being programmed. Today I am sharing my go to whole food snacks for toddlers (and some for babies).

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  • taking care of yourself in the 4th trimester

    There’s a reason that the six sacred weeks after the birth of a baby are called a woman’s fourth trimester. Her body is still going through so many changes and a massive healing process, regardless of the type of birth she had. Navigating all the bodily changes all while getting to know a brand new human and keep them alive is no easy feat. She is a new person, a mother, or maybe a mother again, which brings on a whole slew of emotional changes as well. I’ve rounded up some ways to take care of yourself postpartum, some of which I learned the hard way, and I hope you don’t have to!

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  • arugula soup

    I’ve been making this soup for probably a decade and it’s still just as delicious and comforting every time. I know, arugula in a soup may sound weird. You’re probably thinking it will be too bitter. I promise it’s not! The leeks and potatoes balance it all out! Occasionally, like once every 2-3 years occasionally, I will get an incredibly bitter batch of baby arugula that ruins the soup, and I buy arugula ALL THE TIME so the chances of this happening to you are very slim. I really hope it doesn’t! This soup is one of my all time favorites and I hope you love it too!

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  • easy weeknight pasta

    A healthful dinner in 10 minutes? It’s actually doable! One of my go to dinners (especially when my husband isn’t home to help with dinner or the littles) is pasta! Lentil pasta or whole wheat einkorn pasta are my go-tos. Stay away from white pasta that is stripped of the nutrients and stick with whole food versions instead!

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  • easy vegan parmesan

    Ok, I know it isn’t actually cheese but it definitely gives that lightly salty and cheesy taste we all know and love on pasta or in pesto. It’s a great pantry (fridge) staple to sprinkle on veggies or pasta to make it a little more interesting!

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