- joyfalzone
- joyfalzone
matcha latte
Read moreWhile I absolutely love matcha and its health properties, I’m gonna be honest and say it’s just not in my budget right now. However, I’ve been lucky enough to snag a couple free boxes with my Thrive orders lately so I’m really enjoying a nice matcha latte on cold days. I thought you might like this recipe if matcha is in your budget or you happen to snag some free boxes too!
- joyfalzone
creamy kale ceasar salad recipe
Read moreI know you’re probably skeptical of this “vegan” ceasar dressing but it is seriously amazing! I have been eating this salad every day for over a week now! I love that the dressing has no added oil, just good, nutrient dense fats from the sesame seeds. I could eat the dressing plain, it’s that good! Topping this salad off with a sprinkle of the vegan parmesan also makes it so much better! Give it a try and let me know what you think! Remember to hashtag on Instagram #hellowholefoods!
- joyfalzone
third trimester pregnancy update
Read moreI’ll be 35 weeks pregnant in a couple days and I am definitely at the point where almost everything is uncomfortable, moving, sleeping, picking up my kids. I’ve been having muscle separation pain near my pubic bone and it’s painful to turn over in bed. If I sit on the floor for extended periods of time, it ruins my tailbone and it’s painful to walk, thanks to the hormone relaxin. I am continuing to go to the chiropractor bi-weekly to keep everything aligned. Baby is definitely maxing out on space and I have a feeling this baby is very long like his brother because his feet are all up in my ribs. I’m also at the point where even if I have a half ounce of pee in my bladder I feel like I have a full bladder. Braxton Hicks are coming a lot more frequently the past couple weeks as my uterus preps for labor and birth.
- joyfalzone
what’s the best sweetener?
Read moreDiving into another misunderstood topic today… SUGAR! Thank you for everyone who sent your feedback on this topic on my Insta stories last week! Some of my followers have been asking about this for a long time and the most asked question, “what is the best sweetener to use?”. Cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar? The list could go on forever. But the truth is, when it comes to added sugar, sugar is sugar. All “added” sugar contains 4 calories per gram. Replacing your cane sugar with coconut sugar isn’t going to magically make you a healthy skinny person. There is also no use bragging on the health benefits of any of these sugars either, because they are empty calories. I recently saw a very popular influencer on Instagram posting about how she just loves to give her son these little Manuka honey packets to keep him healthy. I mean come on, there are a lot more nutrients in a carrot that a honey pack. Just because honey may have trace minerals, they are TRACE, and it is still SUGAR.
- joyfalzone
busy momma lunch ideas
Read morePer your request, I am dedicating a post to my favorite go to lunches as a busy momma. I’ve found it’s really hard to nourish yourself properly when you have little people constantly hanging on you and demanding your constant attention and energy. Honestly this was hardest when I only had one baby. My first rule of thumb has been to only have nourishing foods in the house. If you have processed food in the house (cookies, crackers, bagels, candy, pretzels, etc.) of course you are going to eat it instead of veggies and you’re really setting yourself up for failure. These kinds of foods are nutrient sparse and will make you feel even more exhausted. If you keep those types of food out of the house and fill your pantry and refrigerator with whole foods, that’s what you’ll eat!
- joyfalzone
peppermint mocha smoothie
Read moreCafe Nune got me craving a peppermint mocha smoothie! I’m actually not sure what they put in theirs because I haven’t been over yet to try it but when they posted it on Insta I HAD to have one! So here’s what I came up with! Tweak it how you like, add a scoop of cashew butter or tahini or a big handful of greens (because why not?)! Make sure you hashtag #hellowholefoods if you make it and share on Instagram!
- joyfalzone
“gluten-free” is not synonymous with “healthy”
Read moreOne of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to gluten-free diets is that the majority of people have no idea why they are eating that way or even what it means. Did you know only about 3% of the world population has celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine) and maybe another 3% have gluten intolerance? If you suspect you have celiac disease, most definitely get tested for it. If you are one of those people eating gluten-free because your sister’s cousin’s friend told you so, then you better read on!
- joyfalzone
weeknight sweet potato dal
Read moreI honestly can’t believe I haven’t posted this recipe yet! It is one of my all time favorite, super easy weeknight meals. Packed with plant protein from the lentils and so many other benefits like cancer fighting, blood sugar lowering, and stroke reducing properties! The high fiber content in lentils prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal as well as lowering cholesterol levels! I’ve doubled the original recipe from Laura because my husband and I are big eaters and we like to have leftovers. If you’re wondering if you can skip the leeks, DON’T, they really make the dish! Plus, leeks are great prebiotics which feed the good bacteria growing in our guts!
- joyfalzone
my prenatal exercise routine
Read moreThere is a lot of confusion surrounding exercising while pregnant and postpartum, and understandably so, because there is so much conflicting information out there. I did not have all the information I needed when I was pregnant with my first. I continued to do the same exercises I was doing prior to pregnancy which at the time I thought was fine. I found out later that some of the exercises I was doing put too much strain on my core / abdominals and probably caused more muscle separation pain than was normal and hindered my recovery postpartum. I also had no idea how connected breath is to deep core and pelvic floor muscles! These were things I didn’t find on google or even learn from my prenatal care providers.
