-
joyfalzone
spiced apple overnight steel cut oats
No CommentsRead moreWarm oatmeal on a cold morning is the ultimate comfort food AND it is also good for you! The consumption of 3 servings of whole grains every day is as powerful as high blood pressure medications! Just a single serving of whole grains daily can lower cholesterol! The fiber in whole grains also causes an increase in the diversity of bacteria in your microbiome (community of bacteria in your gut). This is a really good thing because is strengthens your immune system in the process, reduces inflammation and your risk for chronic disease! I also don’t want to forget to remind the breastfeeding mommas that oats are a galactogogue, which means they naturally increase a mother’s milk supply! Today’s post isn’t so much of a recipe as it is a method which I learned from Anne-Marie over at Zero Waste Chef. If you haven’t tried making steel cut oats this way, give it a go!
01 -
joyfalzone
hemp protein bars
No CommentsRead moreI know some of you were asking for granola bars, and while these aren’t granola bars per se, they are delicious! Made with four types of seeds, they’re packed with protein, iron, B vitamins, magnesium and omega-3s (those essential fatty acids you keep hearing about that reduce inflammation). Omega-3s are important for baby’s brain development as well as brain health for all ages! Both hemp and chia seeds are complete plant proteins, meaning they contain all 9 essential amino acids we need as humans. Hemp is also one of the world’s most sustainable crops because it grows in nearly every climate and is used all over the world as a source of food, fiber, textile, paper and even fuel! To make these bars a little more toddler friendly, I cut them up into bite sized chunks.
-
joyfalzone
pumpkin spice overnight oats
No CommentsRead moreQuick, no fuss, nutrition packed breakfasts are essential to starting your day off right. Before I had littles and worked outside of my home this was true but even more so now that I am a mother of two and work as a health coach on the weekends. Someone always needs me and sometimes even a smoothie isn’t something I have time for. That’s why I always, and I mean always, have pre-made breakfast bars, muffins, or something like these overnight oats or chia pudding in the fridge and ready to grab and go.
-
joyfalzone
blueberry oat smoothie
No CommentsRead moreSmoothies are my favorite breakfast or quick snack in the summer! There are endless possibilities and they are refreshing and help keep you hydrated. Since it’s blueberry season on the east coast, I’m sharing one of my favorite blueberry smoothies that I keep in rotation.
-
joyfalzone
hibiscus berry smoothie bowl
No CommentsRead moreI love smoothies! It is such an easy way to have a nutritious breakfast or snack in minutes with basically no work on your part besides throwing ingredients in the blender! This berry smoothie has been one of my go-tos especially during early pregnancy when green smoothies nauseated me. The berries pack cancer-fighting antioxidants and more than 100% of your daily value of vitamin C as well as lots of other vitamins and minerals. Berries have a low glycemic index compared to most other fruit and have been linked to improved regulation of blood sugar as well as lowering risk for cardiovascular disease. In one study, participants who consumed at last 3 servings of low-GI fruits per day (including blueberries) saw significant improvement in their regulation of blood sugar over a three-month period of time. (Their blood levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, or HgA1C were used as the standard of measurement in this study.) Oats and almond butter make this smoothie filling enough for breakfast. The fat in the almond butter also helps your body digest slower which also helps regulate blood sugar.
-
joyfalzone
peach & oat breakfast smoothie
1 CommentRead moreI love how modern kitchen appliances can turn healthful food into quick, easy, and delicious meals! One of my favorite kitchen appliances is our blender. My husband and I use it so often that my baby isn’t even fazed by it. Mostly we use it for smoothies, which are my go-to breakfast in the summer. Smoothies are great to take with you on your commute to work or drink with one hand while you hold a baby in the other.