Back to school Lunchbox!

Back to School is in full swing and that means coming up with what to pack for lunch every-single-day.

I did some research last year (my first year packing lunch) and found soooo many tips, options, and great ideas, that I'd love to share with all of you!

Before I even start talking about lunch, let me advise- BREAKFAST is KING for children.  Studies keep saying that "eating breakfast has a positive effect on children's cognitive performance, particularly in the domains of memory and attention".
Make a good, heavy breakfast with protein, fiber, and fat.  SKIP the sugary cereals and think eggs or oatmeal with nut butter.


I'll start with some TIPS for EASY Lunch:

• Your Food Rule- First make up what your "lunch rule" is.  For example, mine is "one fruit and one vegetable" with every packed lunch. That makes it simpler for me because then I just "fill up" the rest!
• Be creative- think outside the sandwich box! It could be a variety of little snacks or leftovers from the week.
• Freeze, freeze, freeze- cannot stress this one enough.  Baking some zucchini muffins? make a double batch and freeze. While you make breakfast next week put in toaster oven to defrost/warm and they are ready to be packed.  Easy!  Freeze cheese sticks and pack them frozen, they will still be cold by lunchtime. Also, make smoothies and freeze in Freezie Pop Molds.
• Make it fun!- Use cookie cutters to cut the sandwich or use skewers to put cheery tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese cubes. Not necessary but helps to "mix it up"! 
• Get them involved- I ALWAYS advise this with children.  Ask what they'd like, what they think- of course within the realm of healthy options! They might have some great ideas that they see from friends or that they come up with- you'd be surprised!
• Don't underestimate their willingness to eat it- you'd be surprised what they will eat outside of the house.  Without you (with the best intentions, I know) saying "eat your veggies", "one more bite" etc.  

Now, for the lunch ideas:

The Beloved Sandwich

1. Turkey, cheese & greens sandwich, carrot sticks, and a peach.
2. PB&J (or any nut/seed butter), edamame, and apple.
3. Quesadilla, kale chips, and blueberries.

The Surprise "Snack Bag"

1. A (frozen) cheese stick, whole grain crackers, few nuts, cucumber slices, and a banana.
2. Hard boiled egg, broccoli, a pear.
3. Cheese cubes, turkey and grape skewers with two slices avocado and straberries.
4. Carrot and celery sticks with hummus, a cheese stick, apple.
5. Yogurt- WATCH OUT for sugar content! I like to pack my own plain (whole or low fat) and put berries on top, perhaps some granola or nuts; carrots and cherry tomatoes.
6. Homemade Smoothie of choice (on a Freezie Pop Mold), mini oatmeal muffin, and apple slices.

The Baked Goods

1. Whole wheat Zucchini bread, carrots, and pear.
2. Whole wheat Carrot- Applesauce muffin, kale chips and grapes.

The Hot Lunch (Mostly, The Leftover Lunch)

1. Lentil soup, cucumber slices, apple.
2. Chicken soup with side salad of greens with strawberries.
3. Mac and cheese, carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes, berries.
4. Pasta with red meat sauce, kale chips, a pear.
5. Rice and beans, avocado slices, an apple.
6. Fried rice (EASY!- you can even make it the same morning- throw in a pan some oil, leftover rice, frozen peas, frozen corn, perhaps some pieces of carrot, an egg-scrambled and a hint of soy sauce!), pineapple cubes. 

Lastly, here are some great products for easy lunch box packing:

• Bento lunch box or containers with compartments for those days of mixed, healthy snacks.
• Good thermos- that will keep your hot lunch warm until lunchtime. 
• Freezie Pop Molds- to pack smoothies. Put a couple of ice packs in the lunch box to keep cool.  They will be thawed but still very cold by lunchtime!
• Ice Packs- there are some containers that include ice packs in them.

Need more ideas and beautiful visuals? Here are some fabulous resources.

100 Days of Real Food

Thirty Handmade Days and...
Pinterest, of course... :)

Have a great school year!

XO,

What is a Health Coach?

You might be wondering.  After all, I didn't even know what it was a year ago!

After my nutrition studies at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver, CO I decided to embark on a 1 year program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a health coach.

Why? Because I slowly realized that nutrition was not THE only answer to health, but that it was much more. (My yoga and meditation trainings were involved in this philosophy.)


My IIN training provided me an understanding that to be healthy you need more than just a good diet- but stress management, activity, a satisfying career, good relationships, etc...

A nutritionist might give you a meal plan, an overwhelming list of what to eat/what not to eat, another list of supplements, etc... but a health coach will help you incorporate healthy habits in a gentle and supportive manner. A health coach is basically an advisor who provides ongoing support and guidance to clients as they set goals and make sustainable changes to improve their health and happiness. We walk you through it and hold you by the hand.

In addition to nutrition, here are some specific concepts I learned and follow as a health coach:

Bio-individuality™: The concept of bio-individuality is that each person has unique food and lifestyle needs. One person’s food is another person’s poison, and that’s why fad diets tend to fail in the long run. Working on the principle of bio-individuality, I support you to make positive changes that are based on your unique needs, lifestyle, preferences, and ancestral background. I use a personalized, holistic approach to ensure that you will have great success.

Primary Food™: It’s easy to overlook all of the things that contribute to our sense of nourishment and fulfillment. It’s not just the food we eat, but all of the other factors present in our daily lives. Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual awareness are essential forms of

nourishment. When these “primary foods” are balanced, what you eat becomes secondary. I will support you in achieving all of your goals, from eating the right foods for your body to living an inspired, fulfilling life.

While Health Coaching is a relatively new concept, it is becoming increasingly popular and effective to improve health.  

• The Huffington Post wrote a great article about why health coaches are important.
• And there is a very informative segment on ABC News about health coaches.
• Men's Journal wrote about the "rise of the health coach".  

More and more, doctors are starting to partner with health coaches. Many have realized they just don't have the time or training to help patients with diet and lifestyle changes but they know it would improve their health.

This is a GREAT article about medical teams partnering with health coaches to better serve a patient. The way medicine should be!

I'm very excited to be starting my business as a heath coach mid-September, so stay tuned for more information on my services and programs!



P.S. Also, make sure to LIKE my Facebook page so you don't miss any great health info, recipes, events, and more! :)

Be well,

Jello (Gelatin) and It's Amazing Health Benefits

Yes, Jello... the sugar and chemical laden food of hospitals, cafeterias, and our childhood. It actually has health benefits. Weeeell... let me get this clear.  NOT the “Jell-O” you can buy in stores which  is packed with sugar and artificial flavors and colors, along with gelatin from conventional animals fed a poor diet.

I'm talking easy, made in 5 minutes, 3 ingredients, homemade Jello! 

This has been my new kick for a sweet treat as I just discovered a ridiculously easy recipe and the amazing health benefits of gelatin. And the best part- my daughter is LOVING it too! :)

But, don't we get it in our diets??
We used to. Traditional diets are typically much higher in gelatin than our modern diets. These cultures wisely practiced eating the whole animal and thus the parts that are high in gelatin- such as skin, tendons, and other gelatinous cuts of meat. But not us! we do the skinless, boneless these days and consider that healthy.

We’ve lost the practice of whole-animal eating, this means that we’re eating a lot less gelatin than our ancestors, if any at all.

And, why should we eat gelatin?  
Consider these health benefits:

1. Gelatin balances out your meat intake.
Muscle meats and eggs are high in methionine, an amino acid that raises homocysteine levels in the blood and increases our need for homocysteine-neutralizing nutrients like vitamins B6, B12, folate, and choline.

We don’t want high homocysteine in our blood because homocysteine is a significant risk factor for serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, mental illness, and fractures. (This might even explain why researchers sometimes find a correlation between high meat intake and various diseases.)

Those eating lots of animal protein need adequate glycine to balance out the methionine from meat, and you’ll get that from gelatin!

2. Gelatin heals your gut.
Oh you've heard me talk about a healthy gut enough. Gelatin can improve gut integrity and digestive strength by enhancing gastric acid secretion and restoring a healthy mucosal lining in the stomach; low stomach acid and an impaired gut barrier are two common digestive problems in our modern society. Gelatin also absorbs water and helps keep fluid in the digestive tract, promoting good intestinal transit and healthy bowel movements.

Gelatin-rich soups and broths are also one of the key components of the GAPS diet, which has been designed to heal the gut and promote healthy digestion. And healthy intestinal cells prevent leaky gut, which is often at the root of many food intolerances, allergies, inflammatory conditions, and autoimmune diseases.

3. Gelatin makes your skin healthy and beautiful.
Who doesn't want that, right?? Gelatin is a known promotor of skin health. Gelatin provides glycine and proline, two amino acids that are used in the production of collagen. Collagen is one of the primary structural elements of skin, so providing the building blocks for this important protein can ensure that your body is able to create enough of it. You've probably heard or used collagen creams and while great, collagen is not as easily ingested by skin. A diet rich in gelatin may also protect against the aging effects of sunlight, preventing wrinkles in the future.

4. Gelatin protects your joints.
Body builders have been using gelatin for decades to help improve joint health and reduce inflammation. And research shows that athletes who took a hydrolyzed collagen supplement experienced less pain in their joints, which could help improve performance for athletes and competitive fitness buffs. If you exercise a lot, eating gelatin can help keep your joints healthy and pain-free.

Also, if you have inflammatory joint or bone diseases like arthritis or osteoporosis, getting adequate gelatin can potentially help you manage inflammation and pain in your joints, and build stronger bones.

5. Gelatin helps you sleep.
Glycine from gelatin has been found to help with sleep. One study found that 3 grams of glycine given to subjects before bedtime produced measurable improvements in sleep quality.

Glycine is also an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which can decrease anxiety and promote mental calmness. This is because glycine antagonizes norepinephrine, a stress hormone which causes feelings of anxiety and panic. Gelatin can thus help keep you calm and sleeping through the night.

How to Eat More Gelatin
The traditional way to get gelatin is from skin, gelatinous meats, and bone broths. Gelatin is only found in animal foods that come from the body of the

animal itself.

If you avoid bones, animal skin or are vegetarian or vegan, I recommend getting a high-quality gelatin powder to add to food or to create yummy, healthy gelatinous desserts. Gelatin is also somewhat more environmentally-friendly than lean meat because it uses parts of the animal that might not be used otherwise.

A great brand of gelatin is Great Lakes, which comes from grass-fed animals. It’s available in both hydrolyzed and whole form; each type has its own health benefits.

Hydrolyzed means the protein is broken into individual amino acids, making them easier to absorb. Use this type to improve skin and joint health or get better sleep. Hydrolyzed gelatin can be mixed into any type of liquid, including cold liquids, so it can be added to cold smoothies or juices easily. It also is great as a real food protein powder.

Whole protein gelatin is better for improving gut health. It helps carry fluid through the intestines, and can even coat the lining of the digestive tract as a soothing and protective layer. This is the type used to make gummies or jello snacks, and must be mixed into warm liquids.

Ready to make Jello?? 

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1½ cups of organic or freshly juiced fruit juice of choice* (grape, orange apple)
• ¼ cup cool water
• ¼ cup hot (almost boiling) water
• 1 tablespoon of Whole Gelatin Powder (Great Lakes is a good brand).
• 1-2 cups of fresh fruit* (optional) - Strawberries, blueberries, apples and orange slices are all really good

Note: Can double recipe.

Instructions

1. Pour the cool water in a large mixing cup or quart sized mason jar and add the gelatin powder.
2. Stir briskly until mixed- it will start to thicken a lot.
3. Add the ¼ cup of really hot water and stir to mix- it should be thinner now.
4. Combine this with the juice and mix well.
5. Put the fruit into the container that you are going to make the jello in. 8x8 baking dishes work well.
6. Pour the jello mixture over the fruit and stir lightly to make sure it has coated the fruit too.
7. Put in the fridge, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight, and serve.
8. Can cut into cubes or scoop out with a melon spoon to make cute shapes.

*Pineapples and fresh pineapple juice have enzymes that won’t let the gelatin set and thus will be runny. I would avoid pineapples for this recipe!

Adapted from: Wellness Mama Blog

Enjoy!