Fresh Strawberry Oat Crumble

Fresh Strawberry Oat Crumble

Berry picking season is finally here! Yay! Berry picking is an activity we discovered we could do in Kansas City just a few years ago and I look forward to it every spring and summer now. The strawberries come first and usually have a pretty short picking season. Then, we pick the blueberries. Sometimes multiple times. Blackberries are also an option but we have yet to pick those. I'm putting it on my list this summer because they are one of our favorite berries.

I took my son last week to Benny's Berries, which is a little strawberry patch not far from where we live. When we got there we received a large box for picking and were given specific instructions on how to pick the strawberries to make them last longer and to get the best ones. The redder the better! Whenever I pick berries I always tell myself just a few more and we'll be done...and maybe just a few more on the way out. Anyone else? We ended up with 7 1/2 pounds of strawberries in a pretty short amount of time.

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Food Sensitivities and LEAP Therapy

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Food Sensitivities and LEAP Therapy

Hey everyone, I am going to switch things up a bit with this post. I love talking about intuitive eating and similar topics and will continue to discuss those as they are super important so stay tuned for more. But, I'd like to shift gears for a bit and talk about food sensitivities and a program I will be using in my practice called LEAP Therapy. It uses MRT, or mediator release test to test for specific sensitivities to foods and/or chemicals. I'm super excited because I recently finished my training and am now a CLT, or Certified LEAP Therapist.

I posted the quote above because my personal health issues and experiences have pushed me to learn more about the integrative and functional side of nutrition. This means really digging down to the root cause of health conditions and diseases. Food sensitivities can be one of the reasons for some health problems and symptoms, which are often overlooked. So, I will tell you a little more about food sensitivities, who might be affected, and why MRT and LEAP therapy are recommended. I will also link to their website for more great information. It's about to get a little sciency up in here.

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A Letter to Fitness Instructors

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Hey all! I hope you are having a great week! This post is a way for me to get out something that has been weighing on my mind lately and to hopefully make a difference.

I have been taking some awesome group fitness classes at the same studio(s) for the past 3 years. I can't even believe I have been going that long since I was so scared to go in the first place but here I am, still taking my place at the barre most days of the week. They offer a wide variety of classes, none of which are easy. They are fast-paced, high energy, kind of addictive and I like them. Maybe I like them too much. I started because I wasn't happy with my body but I've continued because it makes me stronger and better in many other ways. I've mixed up my schedule over the past 3 years with different classes, different times and different instructors trying to find which ones suit me best. I have a few instructors that I prefer and I few that I tend to avoid, but I think that is the same for most everyone. I need someone that plays great music, can keep my attention for the full hour and puts me in a great mindset. I don't think that is too much to ask for (eye wink, tongue out emoji).

Why I'm Talking About Intuitive Eating

Why I'm Talking About Intuitive Eating

Many of you have probably never heard of Intuitive Eating. Right? I hadn't until about a year ago and it was written in 1995 by 2 dietitians. Where have I been? In my previous job I had a pretty narrow focus for our specific patient populations and didn't get into many other nutrition topics during those 11 years. It wasn't a bad thing because you should focus in on your "niche" and continue to build on that knowledge but I knew I was missing out on some awesome nutrition stuff. When I started blogging a year ago, I connected with more dietitians on social media, which opened my eyes to parts of our field that I am not as or not at all familiar with. Intuitive Eating spoke to me the most and I'll share with you why.

Intuitive Eating is a non-diet approach to wellness that involves connecting with your mind and body to determine what is best for you. Basically finding your "normal eating". Wait, what? No dieting? Exactly! You don't need restriction. You don't need willpower. You don't need guilt. You don't need to count calories, points, macros or anything else. You do need your intuition and some patience. Well, I'll be damned.

Crockpot Sweet Potato BBQ Chili

Crockpot Sweet Potato BBQ Chili

Is anyone else loving chili right now? We are still having a lot of cold days in KC so a good, hearty bowl of chili hits the spot. I know it's late in the football season but the Super Bowl is this weekend and this would be perfect for your game day meal! Make sure you double up the recipe for yummy leftovers too.

I found the inspiration at primaverakitchen.com and changed it up a bit to suit our tastes. If you've read any of my other posts you probably know I love sweet potatoes! I especially love them in this chili for a little sweetness to balance out the spices and the acidity. I also love the texture of the sweet potatoes in this chili.

The first time I made this I told my husband there was no way our 9 y/o was going to eat it because he despises anything with bell pepper. Well, he loved it, red peppers and all. He will occasionally ask me to make this chili for him. OMG, a total Mom win!