School is back in session.

Sports are full throttle.

And corporate duties are never ending as you overachieve and outperform.

High quality meals can be hard to come by when you’re a SuperMOM. Protein at breakfast and lunch helps to stablize the blood sugar and reduces the amount of times you want to stand in the pantry snacking on processed food that doesn't really taste good. 

These protein balls can be used as a meal add-on or as a quick simple snack. I always make two batches as they freeze well for the next week or travel events. 

The Best Protein Balls

• 1 cup Artisana organic cashew butter
• 1 cup Ancient Nutrition vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp. mini DF Enjoy Life chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup cacao powder, plus extra for dusting
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp. Nutiva organic coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes, plus more for coating

Blend all ingredients, then form into balls and roll in...

Tomatoes are Michigan’s summer fruit and our Fam eats a lot of them! 

As new gut health research evolves they’re finding more benefits in plant sources. The fiber in tomatoes promotes the growth of good bacteria and discourages harmful bacteria such as C. difficile, according to Canada’s GI Society. (1) Tomatoes are also an outstanding source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant protecting cells from aging (Hello, nature’s natural anti-aging cream!)

A healthy gut can help you lose weight and much more. If you’re struggling to lose a pound because you are suffering from gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in healthy vs bad gut bacteria, you may want to boost probiotic activity with tomatoes. 

Signs of poor gut health include the inability to lose stubborn weight, constipation, and diarrhea. 

During the summer months take advantage of tomatoes because they are vibrant in color and bursting with flavor! 

Here’s a simple Summer Tomato Salad...

If you’re feeling blah from a weekend full of burgers, sexy cocktails, and chips & dips, kick off the week with a meatless Monday. This will allow your body to “Rest & Digest & Recover” so that you crave healthy food throughout the week.

CHICKPEA PATTIES & GRILLED PEACH AND CHERRY SKEWERS 

I get it, after a Summer Fun weekend you wake up Monday feeling bloated, foggy, and not motivated to get back in that bathing suit.

I’m pro protein but allowing your body to “Rest & Digest” by consuming a meatless meal is a great idea to help take the load off your overreacted digestion system. When you have a chronic health condition like weight gain or bloating you may need to first focus on consuming foods that are easy to digest. This may mean consuming mono meals (1 ingredient meal), slightly cooked veggies, smoothies, or soup.

Cherries are natural health bombs. They promote better sleep, because they are a good natural source of melatonin, (BTW, there is a higher level...

Did you know it's a good idea to change your eating habits each season?

Your body should naturally be craving seasonal foods like:

• Spring: Detox foods like leafy greens and citrus
• Summer: Cooling foods like watermelon
• Fall: Grounding foods like squash and nuts
• Winter: Warming foods like meat and fats

My son and I are little obsessed with carrots right now so if you're easing into the detox season this carrot salad is a must try. 

SHREDDED CARROT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 lb bag (16 oz.) organic carrots
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon umeboshi plum vinegar (or lemon juice + a pinch sea salt)
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of a handful of freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dried currants (optional)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional) 

Directions:

1. Shred/grate carrots by hand with a food grater (watch those fingers!) or in a food processor.
2. In a large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, umeboshi plum vinegar (or...

Have you fallen victim to a diet trend because your friend had major success? You tried it and your results were “meh,” at best. Or maybe you spent $$$ only for it not to work.

In order to lose weight and feel great, you NEED the 6-Step Protocol. 

1. Diagnose
2. Diet
3. Rest
4. Exercise 
5. Stress Management
6. Supplements

Most often as a busy professional mom you skip about 80% of these steps because you’re overwhelmed with doing it all. 

When it comes to losing weight, you need to eat the “right foods”. Finding the “right” foods is more important than eating “less” food. Your body needs food for fuel, but it also needs the right fuel mixture for your unique gut blueprint.  

In my practice, I focus on helping you find the foods with diagnostic testing and metabolic typing analysis. You know you have the right fuel mixture when you start shedding the stubborn weight and your chronic symptoms fade away.  

...

If all you had to do to lose weight was thoroughly chew your food, would you focus on that effort? 

Losing weight and ditching the bloat starts with chewing your food properly. Digestion begins in your mouth. The minute you smell or start chewing food enzymes are released from your digestive system which includes the mouth. The enzymes released in your mouth help to break down carbohydrates.

A professional working mom’s life is not set up for long lunch breaks or peaceful dinners at the kitchen table. It requires healthy meals to accommodate a need for speed.

Shoveling food without proper breakdown sets the stage for poor digestion.  Poor digestion opens the floodgate to unwanted symptoms like:  weight gain, acne, poor sleep, hormonal issues, adrenal fatigue, constipation, acne, IBS, low sex drive, mood swings, and food allergies! Most importantly, when you do not digest properly your body cannot transform your food into energy. 

I hear this all the time...

Stressed Out?

Stress not only thinks you need wine at 6pm but also depletes your mineral reserves causing exhaustion. 

When you crave items like chocolate it’s your body’s signal that there is a magnesium and hormone imbalance. 

Instead of sneaking into the pantry for multiple handfuls of chocolate chips try crushing your chocolate craving with my two new favorite healthy chocolate product picks:

LMNT Chocolate Mint

Taste: A

LMNT Lab has several flavors, raspberry being one of my favorites, but if you’re looking for a weight-friendly alternative to hot chocolate I recommend swapping out the chemical infested hot chocolate packets with the LMNT Mint Chocolate. 

Recipe: 

Mix ½ Mint Chocolate packet with 8 oz of vanilla almond milk.  

Nutritional Value: A (compared to packaged hot chocolate)

Pro: Dairy free, sugar free, stabilize blood sugar, energy boost

Con: Not real chocolate

Crio Bru - Brewed Cacao

Taste: A

This sample pack...

Fermented foods have been around for centuries and were highly consumed before fast food monopolized the industry.

If you’ve tried kombucha or REAL yogurt (not the sweet treats you find in the grocery store) then you’ve at least experienced the microbe rich food.

I used to turn my nose to my dad’s basement fermentation process. It looked like a science lab project, collecting mold. It wasn’t until I obtained my Fermentationist certification did I realize all the benefits of fermented foods.

The Greek meaning of probiotic is ‘for life’. The fermentation process transforms food into a substance that is rich in probiotics (good bacteria) which is beneficial for your health. Fermented foods feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, helping to increase the number of good microbes, while crowding out harmful ones.

Various studies have proven that unfriendly gut bacteria are associated with obesity. “Good” bacteria help digest food, fight off...

Was your 2021 extraordinary? Full of unpredictable events which put you on an emotional roller coaster.

Corporate was no exception. A schedule full of triple booked meetings and eating meals through a straw for an energy boost became normal.

The modern-day mom lifestyle of eating PC (processed crap), swallowing food whole, or eating the wrong foods for your body deprives your cells of the type of fuel it requires to tackle the hustle & bustle.

To beat the painful feeling and look of the bulging belly bloat, step one is chewing your food properly. This means slowing down and pausing while you eat.

I know this may seem like an impossible task, but your body needs to be in the rest & digest state to perform the digestion functions properly.

If you are stressed, anxious, or emotional you will ignite your "fight or flight” system which halts the body's digestive functions.

Digestion is about transforming your food into fuel and when you slow down it allows your body to...

Eat chocolate. 

Yes, eat chocolate! Dark chocolate that is.

Did you know that if you crave chocolate there is a good chance you’re depleted in the mineral magnesium? What causes this depletion? Super MOM stress!

Dark Chocolate contains 70% cocoa and is loaded with beneficial flavonoids. It helps in maintaining cardiovascular health, preventing diabetes, and even lowering the risk of cancer. The flavonoids in dark chocolate are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits which prevent premature aging and doctor visits. 

Not only is dark chocolate great for the immune system it can also aid in weight loss and gut health! 

Weight Loss

Eating dark chocolate before having your meal is helpful in controlling your portions as it makes you feel satiated for longer. The chocolate triggers hormones in the body that make you feel fuller for longer and makes you eat less consequently.

Gut Health

Chocolate is considered a prebiotic that is rich,...