Fuel for the Soul

Nourish the Body, Nourish the Soul

Nutrition

How Long Does it Take for your Food to Spoil?

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It can be difficult to keep track of all the food in your fridge, freezer, or pantry – especially if you have a new baby to take care of, buy bigger quantities to food prep, or you have a big family to shop for. Whether you have an (adorable) infant demanding your undivided attention or not, we all simply forget about food that's been pushed to the back of the freezer from time to time! Have no fear, my friends over at Kitchen Cabinet Kings have put together a simple guide and visual that breaks down how long it takes common foods to spoil in the fridge, freezer, or pantry!

How to Make Overnight Oats and Make Breakfast a Breeze in the Morning

Nutrition, Recipekellypuryear1 Comment

How many times have you heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? But how many of us ACTUALLY eat a good breakfast? When your mornings are busy like mine (hello new mom life) or you’re rushing out the door to beat the morning traffic, it can be difficult to find time to give your body the fuel it needs. Let’s face it, mornings are tough (especially with a newborn), but your breakfast shouldn’t be! Enter Overnight Oats - my favorite breakfast to prep ahead of time and have ready when I wake first thing in the morning! 

How my First Pregnancy Taught me the True Meaning of Health

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I WAS a health freak and perfectionist. As a former athlete, a personal trainer, and a Dietitian, I used to pride myself in being the epitome of health and sought out to make a career out of helping others achieve “optimal health.” The problem was, however, that I didn’t even know what the true meaning of “health” was for me, and I was actually very unhealthy for a very long time … That was until I became pregnant with my first child and my “perfect” world was thrown upside down (for the better) and I was smacked in the face with the undeniable truth behind the word “healthy.” If I haven’t lost your attention yet and you find yourself in a similar boat, read on to learn how my first pregnancy taught me the true meaning of health.

The Importance of Eating Fruit and How to Pick out the Perfect Fruit

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Please don't fall for the myth that "fruit is bad for you!" I can't tell you how many times a client, family member, or friend asks me "is fruit really bad for you because it's loaded with sugar?" but I can tell you my response is ALWAYS "no way!" … so please EAT THE FRUIT! Now that I made my point, let's move on to a more challenging topic - picking out the perfect fruit! To help you figure out how to pick out the perfect fruit any time of the year, I enlisted the help of Julissa Garcia from Shari's Berries !!

Postpartum Essentials from a First-Time Mom and Dietitian

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During pregnancy, you may find yourself completely focused on your little bundle of joy that is on the way and not at all concerned with the postpartum recovery period following the birth of your new baby! It's a very long, yet exciting 9+ months waiting for your little one to arrive, but no one really tells you what you will need immediately after your sweet babe is born to care for your baby and survive the first 4-6 weeks postpartum. Here is a list of my top essential items for the postpartum recovery period to help you care for yourself as well, because let's face it - you cannot take care of your newborn if you don't take care of yourself too! 

No Bake Cashew Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookie Bites (gluten-free, allergy-friendly)

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

As a new mom, especially if you are a breastfeeding mom, you may be desperate for quick, wholesome snacks that are super easy to make and loaded with nutrients to help give you energy and boost your milk supply. Enter my No Bake Cashew Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookie Bites that require no baking whatsoever, can be eaten with one hand, and are jam-packed with wholesome ingredients for you and for your breastfed baby (like oats, flaxseed and Brewer's Yeast, aka the "magic milk boosters")! 

The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals

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Keeping your body healthy can be a complicated process, and with
different sources throwing a huge range of information at you, it can be hard
to decipher fact from fiction. Juggling work, a social life, and getting enough
sleep along with exercising and eating healthy can be a big task, and that is
before you even consider making sure that you get enough vitamins and other important
nutrients! Read on to learn more about these important vitamins and how to meet your daily needs with natural food sources!

Recipe Feature: Healthy Southwest Chicken Quinoa Bake (gluten-free)

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

Looking for a delicious recipe that is super easy to make and has minimal hands-on time? Then I have the perfect recipe for you! With five main ingredients and less than 5 minutes of prep time, you will have a wholesome meal on the dinner table in no time at all! Trust me when I say that your whole family will love this recipe too and they won't even know that it's actually healthy! This Healthy Southwest Chicken Quinoa Bake has been a life-saver during my pregnancy and I know it will come in handy when our baby boy finally arrives and I have very limited time! 

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Zinc Health Benefits and Recipe

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When you hear about Zinc regarding your health, you probably only think of it as one of the many effective natural cold remedies and only necessary once in a great while to help you fight the common cold. Zinc, however, is required for the functions of over 300 enzymes and is needed in small amounts every day in order to maintain health. Zinc is involved in many important processes in your body and has significant therapeutic benefits for several common, chronic diseases (like fighting cancer or reversing heart disease). Read on to learn more about the health benefits and natural food sources of this powerful nutrient!

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Yerba Mate Health Benefits and Recipes

Nutrition, Recipekellypuryear3 Comments

We have all heard of green tea and know that is has tons of health benefits, but have you heard of Yerba Mate tea? Well, Yerba Mate has even more health benefits than green tea, thanks to its active compounds (including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) and has higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than green tea as well. While Yerba Mate may not be a nutrient, per se, it is worth being recognized in this series, so read on to learn about the numerous health benefits and natural food sources of Yerba Mate.

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Xanthophylls Health Benefits and Recipe

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

I bet you didn’t know there is a powerful nutrient that starts with the letter “X”! There is actually a group of phytonutrients named Xanthophylls, which keep your body’s cells safe from dangerous free radicals and boost your overall health. Xanthophylls are non-essential, plant-based nutrients that have numerous health benefits. There are 5 main Xanthophylls (Astaxanthin, Canthaxanthin, Cryptoxanthin, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin) and they all provide a host of health benefits. Read on to learn about the numerous health benefits and natural food sources of Xanthophylls.

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Water Health Benefits and Recipe

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

We all know that drinking plenty of water a day is beneficial, but do you know why? Water is actually an essential nutrient with tons of benefits and makes up about 60% of the body! In addition to hydration, water fills the spaces in and between cells and helps form structures of large molecules such as protein and glycogen. Read on to learn about the numerous health benefits and natural food sources of Water!

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Vitamin C Health Benefits and Recipe

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

We have all heard of Vitamin C and its ability to fight off the common cold, but did you know that Vitamin C also plays a role in maintaining the health of collagen and connective tissues as well as acting as an antioxidant? Like most vitamins, Vitamin C is not made in your body on its own so you have to include plenty of food sources that contain Vitamin C in order to achieve these awesome heal the benefits. Read on to learn more about the health benefits and natural food sources of this powerful nutrient!

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Thiamine Health Benefits and Recipe

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Have you ever wondered how the food we eat turns into energy? Well, a coenzyme called Thiamine (or vitamin B1) is used by the body to metabolize food for energy and to maintain proper heart and nerve function. Without Thiamine, carbohydrates and protein cannot be properly used by the body to carry out various important functions. Read on to learn more about the wonderful health benefits and natural sources of Thiamine.

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Riboflavin Health Benefits and Recipe

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

Did you know that there is a B vitamin that also has antioxidant properties within the body? That’s right, Riboflavin (also known as Vitamin B2) helps maintain healthy blood cells, helps regulate energy production and boost energy levels, helps prevent headaches, and provides many more benefits. Read on to learn more about the awesome health benefits and natural sources of Riboflavin.

Nutrients by the Alphabet: Quercetin Health Benefits and Recipe

Nutrition, RecipekellypuryearComment

We all know what superfoods are, but do you know what makes a superfood so super? Antioxidants! That’s right! And today we are going to talk about a type of flavonoid antioxidant called Quercetin that truly is super and provides a host of awesome health benefits (from heart health to boosting your immune system and longevity)!! Read on to learn more about those amazing health benefits and where to find good natural sources of Quercetin.

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Recipe, NutritionkellypuryearComment

In search of the best oatmeal banana chocolate chip cookies that are super easy to make and actually made with healthier ingredients? Then look no further for I have the perfect recipe for you and you probably already have all of the ingredients at home! Made with wholesome ingredients that are actually good for you and so tasty you'll want to eat these oatmeal cookies for breakfast, snack time, and dessert! And for a bonus for my breastfeeding mommas, these tasty cookies will even help boost your milk supply (thanks to the rolled oats, ground flaxseed, and optional Brewer's Yeast) and help keep you energized throughout the long days and even longer nights with a newborn!