Welcome to volume 26 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the White Chicken Chili. This super easy dish is deceivingly good for how easy it is. It’s packed with veggies in the form of beans and onions, with chicken for protein and a creamy, spiced, flavorful broth. I’ve been making this recipe for my family for years and we love it every time!

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and black bean quesadillas.

Other highlights: The Sweet Potato Hash has been a beloved recipe in my house since 2018, and I just realized it’s never been featured on a meal plan! It’s a savory play on breakfast-for-dinner, made with sweet potatoes, apples, eggs, and more. You’ll love it! We also have a Roasted Veggie and Herb Chicken bowl, which I love for this time of year! There’s so much freshness and brightness from the herbs and dressing. Yum. The Creamy Tortellini Soup is such a winner for families with kids because it’s a creamy, cheesy, pasta-filled soup on the surface, with sneaky nourishing ingredients like veggies and bone broth. The Carnitas Tostadas are so good too. The pork is made with toss-it-all-in ingredients and the tostadas have tons of fresh and flavorful toppings!

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have the Wild Blueberry Muffins. This is a whole-grain, fiber-rich, and healthier muffin recipe, made with Greek yogurt for added protein! They’re refined sugar free, made with whole foods, and super delicious. I love pairing these with a protein chocolate milk, chicken sausage, or turkey bacon for extra protein!

Monday: White Chicken Chili

Tuesday: Sweet Potato Hash

Wednesday: Creamy Tortellini Soup

Thursday: Carnitas Tostadas

Friday: Hall Pass

Saturday: Leftover Night (Tortellini Soup or Carnitas Tostadas)

Sunday: Roasted Veggie and Herb Chicken Bowl

Breakfast prep: Wild Blueberry Muffins

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White Chicken Chili
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 ¼ lbs chicken breast (about 3-4 large chicken breasts)
Salt
Cracked black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 – 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans (White Beans or Navy Beans work too!), drained and rinsed
1 – 10 oz can mild green enchilada sauce (feel free to get medium or spicy if you like some heat)
1 – 4 oz can mild green chilis
1 heaping tbsp taco seasoning (just get the premixed one to save time and money)
3 c chicken stock
1 c half and half
1 ½ c shredded cheese, for topping (I like pepperjack, but anything works!)
Cilantro, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry (if your chicken breasts are really thick, I recommend tenderizing them with a meat tenderizing hammer to thin them out, or filet them!), then season all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

2. Sear the chicken for about 4 minutes on both sides, then cook through (about 8-10 minutes total or 165F). Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate.

3. Drizzle a little more olive oil in the same pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and almost cooked through.

4. Add the beans, enchilada sauce, green chilis, taco seasoning, and chicken stock. Cook at a simmer while you shred the chicken. Add the shredded chicken and half and half and stir to combine. Simmer for a few more minutes.

5. Serve with ¼ c shredded cheese and cilantro, to taste.

Sweet Potato Hash
Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 large sweet potatoes, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 granny smith apple, chopped
8 chicken breakfast sausage links, cut into small pieces
Pinch salt and pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
4 eggs
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salsa and avocado, for topping

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium/high heat. Sauté the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes, mixing frequently.

2. Add the onion, apple, and sausage. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through.

3. Make 4 wells for the eggs, add additional oil if necessary. Crack the eggs into the wells and allow them to cook, or mix in for a scramble.

4. Add additional seasoning, if desired. I like to add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to the eggs. Sprinkle the fresh parsley over the top.

5. Serve with avocado and salsa.

Creamy Tortellini Soup
Serves 6
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 lb ground Italian chicken sausage (I get mine fresh from the butcher)
8 c chicken broth
1.5 lb cheese tortellini (I use Kirkland)
4 c roughly chopped kale
1/2 c heavy cream
Fresh basil, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pot (I prefer cast iron), sauté́ onions, carrots and garlic, in olive oil for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add the parsley, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

2. Create a well in the center of the cooking veggies and add the Italian sausage. As it cooks, break into small pieces. Cook through, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the chicken broth and turn the heat to high, bringing to a boil. When the water is boiling, add tortellini. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer.

4. Add the kale and mix. Simmer until the kale is cooked through. Turn off the heat. Add the cream and mix to combine.

5. Serve hot and garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

Carnitas Tostadas
Serves 4
Total time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients
Pork:
1 ½ lbs pork tenderloin
6 oz salsa verde (I used Herdez brand)
10 oz green enchilada sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp black pepper
¼ c water

Tostadas:
12 corn tortillas
Spray oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 c pico de gallo or salsa
1 c lettuce, shredded
½ c cilantro lime ranch (I like Wild Coyote)
½ c cilantro, chopped
¼ c cojita cheese, crumbled (optional)

Instructions

1. In a crockpot, combine the ingredients for the pork. Rub the seasoning into the pork. Cook on low for 6 hours or high 4 hours (the internal temperature should be 145F). When the pork is done cooking, set the crockpot to warm. Remove the meat from the crockpot and shred (I prefer shredding with a stand mixer and paddle attachment. A hand mixer works too). Put the shredded pork back into the crockpot to soak up the sauce

2. Set the oven to 425F. Spray both sides of each tortilla with oil. Bake on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, flip, and bake for 5 more, until crispy.

3. In a small bowl, season the black beans with the chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Squeeze a lime wedge over the beans. Stir to combine. Set aside.

4. Build each tostada by adding pork, black beans, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, squeeze of lime, cilantro lime ranch, and cilantro.

Roasted Veggie and Herb Chicken Bowl
Serves 4
Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
Bowl:
1 c quinoa, rinsed
1 bundle asparagus, cut into 2 inch strips
10-12 multi-colored mini carrots, peeled and chopped (can also use regular carrots)
¼ c olive oil or avocado oil
2 tsp garlic salt, divided
1 tsp cracked black pepper, divided
2 1/2 tbsp Herbs de Province seasoning (or Italian seasoning works too), divided
Pinch red pepper flakes, divided
1 tsp smoked paprika, divided
1/2 lemon, juiced, divided
4 chicken breasts
4 c spinach

Dressing:
1 c Greek yogurt (full fat)
1/2 c fresh basil
1/2 c fresh dill
1/2 lemon, juiced
pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Preheat a grill or grill pan.

2. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.

3. On a baking sheet, toss the asparagus and carrots with the olive oil, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 tbsp Herbs de Province seasoning, red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and most of the lemon juice. Place in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until fork tender.

4. Pat the chicken dry, rub with a drizzle of olive oil, then season with 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp Herbs de Province, red pepper flakes, 1/2 smoked paprika, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Grill until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Set aside to rest for 5-8 minutes.

5. In a blender or food processor, blend the ingredients for the dressing.

6. Serve the chicken and veggies over a bed of quinoa and spinach. Drizzle the dressing over the top and add additional herbs, if desired.

Wild Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 3/4 c whole wheat flour (+ 1/2 tbsp for coating the berries)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c butter or coconut oil, melted
1/2 c honey
2 eggs
1 c greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c frozen wild blueberries
turbinado sugar or unprocessed raw cane sugar, for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a muffin tin with liners.

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon).

3. Whisk together the wet ingredients (melted butter, honey, eggs, greek yogurt, vanilla).

4. In a small bowl, mix the 1/2 tbsp additional flour with the berries to coat them.

5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry using a spatula. Mix until combined. Add the blueberries and fold in until combined. Be careful to not over mix.

6. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin. Batter makes 12 muffins. Sprinkle the raw sugar evenly over the muffins.

7. Bake for 17-18 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack.

8. ENJOY. Store in the pantry for 5 days or the freezer for 3 months!

I am always looking for ways to say YES to indulgent and delicious foods and make them healthier with whole foods, fiber, and protein. This pasta dish was inspired by my love of cheesy pesto pasta. I added a variety of vegetables that pair beautifully with pesto and WOW it ended up so good! Rounding out at about 40 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving, this is a pasta dish that you can feel so good about AND enjoy the cheesy pesto goodness. My highly opinionated toddler absolutely smashed her portion of this and asked for more. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.

I hope you love it!! & I would love to hear from you if you do :)

One-Pan Zesty Pesto Chicken & Veggie Pasta
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
1.5 lbs chicken
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 c fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

For the pasta
14 oz short-cut noodles (such as bowtie, penne, etc)
1 large shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 crown of broccoli, chopped small (about 2 c)
1/3 c sun-dried tomatoes, oil packed
1 c peas
8 oz mozzarella (pearls or shredded)
6 oz basil pesto

Instructions

Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a bowl or Ziplock bag. Marinate for at least one hour or up to overnight. While the chicken marinates, chop/prep your veggies.

After marinating, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides and cook through (4-5 minutes each side) to 165F.

Cook the noodles according to package instructions.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and add the shallot, garlic, and broccoli. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and peas. Sauté for 3-4 more minutes. While the veggies sauté, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Add the mozzarella, noodles, pesto, and chicken. Mix thoroughly.

Cover and heat over low-medium heat for ~5 minutes. Add salt and pepper according to your preferences.

For me, spring is one of the happiest times of the year. The arrival of spring is lifesaving from those winter blues. It’s energizing and joyful, with traces of slowness from winter, and not quite as busy as summer. Just a little bit quieter than summer, and just a little bit busier than winter. I’ve never particularly loved spring until the last few years (I’ve always been a summer girl), and this year I’m loving it even more.

Each season has different demands on our bodies, which we can meet with focused nutrition and holistic health practices. I detailed a few of the best ones for you in this post :)

naturally managing allergies and spring sickies (seasonal fatigue/colds/congestion)

Allergies are your body’s attempt to protect you through an inflammatory and histamine response against potentially dangerous pathogens. Although this is a noble pursuit, it really ends up just being annoying because despite your body’s best intentions, dandelions are not actually lethal.

Including local and/or manuka honey is a super easy way to help build your body’s immunity to allergens. Local honey contains small amounts of this year’s allergens, and exposing you to them through your diet so your body can get used to them and not attack them, which spares you from the uncomfortable inflammatory histamine response.

Because allergies are inflammatory, you should eat an (you guessed it) anti-inflammatory diet! This means including foods/spices like garlic, turmeric, ginger, citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, olive oil, fish, nuts, berries, and dark chocolate.

Supplement-wise, it’s helpful to take a cod liver oil, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, and probiotics.

eating seasonal vegetables and fruits

The really freaking coolest thing is how the in-season produce often contains the exact nutrients our bodies need to thrive in that season. Here are some of my spring favs:

• Asparagus

• Sugar snap peas

• Artichokes

• Leafy greens like spinach and kale

• Garlic

• Berries

• Apricots

• Oranges

To see more in-season produce in your area, check out this Seasonal Food Guide.

morning sunlight and evening wind-down

Circadian rhythm in the winter is very wacky because daylight hours are so short. This is one of the reasons tiredness, weight gain, and depression are common in the winter. Circadian rhythm touches a lot of aspects of life, including energy levels, mental health, weight/body comp, and more.

Circadian rhythm is the way your body knows it’s day and night and it’s much more important than you think. Much of hormone health and balance is intertwined, and some very important hormones (melatonin and cortisol) are very dependent on circadian rhythm. The good news is that your circadian rhythm is highly trainable (for free!!) because it’s mostly based on your exposure to light.

Best ways to support circadian rhythm:

• Wake up at a consistent time

• Sunlight in your eyes as soon as you can after waking

• Spend time outside throughout the day

• Watch the sunset

• Avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before bed

• Get ready for bed in low light

focus on gut health

Gut health is directly tied to immunity, mental health, and digestion. Spring brings a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit, which are so good for you, but they’re lots of work to digest! To feel your best during spring, support your gut health:

• Aim for 28-30g of fiber per day

• Include probiotic foods like greek yogurt, cottage cheese, pickled vegetables

• Eat roasted, steamed, or sautéed vegetables often

• Avoid processed foods and sugar

• Get enough sleep

• Healthy stress management

don’t skip breakfast

As busyness picks up in the spring and summer, it’s easy to lose track of tiny health habits that make a BIG difference. Like breakfast! Eating a high-protein breakfast within 60-90 minutes of waking is correlated with more morning and afternoon energy, healthier food choices throughout the day, hormone health, and better mood.

cook with fresh herbs

Many herbs are in season during spring, and they are packed with hormone healthy, immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, and gut healthy nutrients (ahem, that’s like everything we’ve talked about so far). Plus, they’re yummy.

Spring herbs:

• cilantro

• chives

• dill

• parsley

• mint

• rosemary

• stinging nettle (tea)

grow your own whole foods

Okay I’m obviously biased in this section because I love gardening, but hear me out. Growing your own food deeply connects you with what you’re putting in your body, what’s in season, and your health.

Try planting these easy-to-grow spring seeds:

• snap peas

• green beans (I like the seychelles variety)

• carrots

• leafy greens (kale, spinach, arugula, lettuce varieties)

• all the herbs listed in the above section

• onions

exercise outside

This one seems obvious, but the ‘why’ goes deeper than the surface. Exercising outside has multi-faceted benefits related to circadian rhythm, mental health, and respiratory health. In combination with the allergy management I talked about above, it can even help you build resistance to the spring allergens!

Try these spring-specific exercise outside ideas:

• hike or nature walk (I love doing this to see the spring blooms in Utah!)

• if you’re a lukewarm warm-weather runner (like me), start running again

• yoga

• functional bodyweight exercise (I lovvee an outside bodyweight circuit!)

always — a whole food high protein diet

Am I beating a dead horse with this? Yes. Will I stop? No. A whole food + high protein diet is what I have preached for YEARS as a dietitian and it has never changed. Not with any change of wind in the popular diet realm, not with any brand deal, not with whatever’s trending.

A high whole food + high protein diet is the absolute foundation for health in any season, including spring! If you want to receive my whole food + high protein meal plan, upgrade your subscription to paid! I send them out twice a month. I also share lots of free recipes on my Instagram.

Subscribe now

I hope you enjoyed this spring health guide — stay tuned for more!

Welcome to volume 25 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

Read more

Welcome to volume 24 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

Read more

Welcome to volume 23 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the Roasted Veggies and Chicken Sausage with Lemon Tahini Sauce. This is (obvi) one of my all-time favorite lunch preps. It reheats like a dream and is absolutely packed with nutrients and flavor.

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and ground beef nachos.

Other highlights: It’s finally warm enough for grill recipes (!!!), so it’s Sweet Chili Kebab time! These kebabs are ridiculously simple and absolutely delicious. Such a crowd pleaser with easy and affordable ingredients!! The Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl started as a “use up the ingredients I have on hand and add a yummy sauce" type of recipe, but then turned into a fan fav. I still get messages and comments loving on this recipe all the time! Sweet and Sour Meatballs are obviously based on the popular sweet and sour chicken from Asian restaurants, but I’m a believer that homemade meatballs are a way to improve basically any recipe. Your whole family will love!! Lastly, we have the Chipotle Salmon Tacos. Pineapples and avocados are in season, so the salsa on this recipe is going to be top-notch. You can swap in shrimp or if you’re not a fish fan, replace with chicken!

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have Healthy Protein Waffles! I doubled the recipe for you for meal prep. Store in the fridge and reheat in the toaster for fresh, fluffy, protein-and-fiber-packed waffles every day this week :)

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Crepes are one of my all-time favorite breakfasts. Growing up, my dad would make us crepes on special occasions, I swear I could eat 20 of them, especially if whipped cream was involved🤪

These crepes are based on lemon berry crepes from one of my favorite brunch restaurants in Provo (TruReligion if you’re local!!). They’re so yummy, but they’re so sugary and have zero protein. So I took my viral protein waffle recipe with over a million views and adapted it to make these crepes! They are sooo good. I love the touch of lemon with fresh blueberries. Truly a healthier and higher protein version of the crepes I’ve loved all my life.

For filling, I highly recommend adding something creamy and a drizzle of honey! My favorite filling was 50% greek yogurt, 50% whipped cream, a bunch of blueberries, and a drizzle of honey. Chef’s kiss🤌

I am 3 weeks postpartum and itching to start feel like myself again (while still enjoying aalllll the baby snuggles)!! Pregnancy is so hard for me and the last 3-4 weeks of my pregnancy was basically survival mode every single day. I’m so glad to be feeling good postpartum so I can ease back into the habits and lifestyle that make me feel alive and well :)

Here’s my uncomplicated plan to feel my best during the postpartum period:

Weeks 1-6:

• Fuel my body for healing and breastmilk production

• Build my diet on nourishing, whole, and healthy food

• Aim for 130-150 grams of protein and 28 grams of per day

• Tracking my food consistently to get really familiar with my intake (calories + macros, no goals — just gathering data! I’m 2 weeks into tracking so far)

• Plenty of rest

• Hydration and minerals!!

• Walks and pelvic floor restorative movement

Weeks 6-12:

• Keep focusing on fueling, healing, and hydration in my nutrition (gotta keep that milk supply up!)

• High protein and fiber + focus on whole foods (as always!)

• Introduce light weights into my movement, still focusing on pelvic floor and deep core rehab

• More movement in each day (maybe I’ll set a step goal?), but making sure to get enough rest!

• Set very very realistic and nonrestrictive calorie + macro goals

Weeks 12 and onward:

• Continue with a high protein whole food diet (always!!)

• Daily movement with an emphasis on progressive overload weight training. I also want to get back into running because I really enjoy it :)

• Use all the really great data I have gathered about my food intake to set calorie and macro goals for body recomposition, fitness, and milk supply!!

• Continue to loveeee on the body that grew, birthed, and fed my babies through nourishment and kindness

At every stage, my emphasis is nutrition through a whole food + high protein diet. I love to emphasize nourishment, fueling, and data rather than restriction or punishment. I do want to recomp my body and get back to fitness, and I know that can be done from a place of love and appreciation :) my milk supply is really important to me, so that will be a leading consideration in my nutrition plan! I am a huge believer that nourishing your body is an act of love, not discipline or punishment.

I can’t wait to continue sharing high protein + whole food recipes with you guys during this time! I love recipe creation so much and having specific aims/goals inspires so much creativity for me.

This new recipe is perfect for spring and for emphasis on protein, fiber, and whole foods. It’s a one-pan Spring Pea Creamy Orzo skillet — it eats like a creamy indulgent pasta dish, but it’s made lighter and healthier with thoughtfully chosen ingredients. With over 50 grams of protein per serving, it’s easy to hit your protein goals with this one. It’s so good, I can’t wait for you to try it!

Hi and welcome back to Nourish The Holistic, my newsletter where I dive into what the research really says about holistic and hormone health. My goal is to connect you with what is real in health by connecting science/research with holistic health, and make it feel digestible and actionable for anyone and everyone :) Thanks for being here!

Today’s topic is holistic health as an affordable and accessible way to live, which is not how it’s always portrayed. You see, holistic health has a branding problem.

Somewhere along the way, it became synonymous with $90 tinctures, infrared saunas, supplement cabinets that look like small pharmacies, and grocery bills that feel mildly offensive.

But here’s the truth:

Your biology is not impressed by luxury.

Your mitochondria do not care if your smoothie had collagen flown in from New Zealand.

Your nervous system does not require a $75 “calming mist.”

Your hormones are not waiting for a red light mask to start functioning.

You don’t need a $98 adaptogen powder to regulate your nervous system.

Holistic health was never meant to be only for rich people.

Most of what moves the needle?

It’s free. Or close to it.

We’ll get into:

• free and inexpensive ways to live a holistically healthy life

• what you DON’T need to buy

• the few things I find worth investing in

  subscribe nourished & whole - the archive for more holistic nutrition, whole food recipes, meal plans, and more.

1. Eat Whole Foods (Yes, The Unsexy Answer. Hear me out.)

If you zoom out and look at the research on long-term health outcomes — metabolic health, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, gut health — one theme shows up again and again:

Whole foods win.

Dietary patterns rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and minimally processed proteins are consistently associated with:

• Lower inflammatory markers

• Better insulin sensitivity

• Improved gut microbiome diversity

• Reduced chronic disease risk

This isn’t flashy. It doesn’t come in aesthetic packaging.

But it works.

You do not need:

• Protein cereal

• $8 “wellness” snack bars

• $12 seed crackers

• Adaptogen brownies

• Sea moss gel shipped across the country

• The “organic paleo ancestral” option of whatever basic item you were going to buy

You do need:

• Vegetables

• Fruit

• Whole sources of protein like:

  • Chicken, beef, pork

  • Fish

  • Eggs

  • Greek yogurt

  • Beans and lentils

• Whole grains

• Nuts and seeds

Most of the above can be bought for really affordable prices. You can save on groceries by

• Buying frozen fruits and veggies

• Getting canned or dried beans/lentils

• Buying in bulk

• Getting off-brand options

• Getting the whole food option and preparing it yourself (ie making your own sauces, not getting pre-cut vegetables or pre-seasoned meat, etc.)

Holistic health is often just nutrient density without the marketing budget.

2. Nervous System Regulation Is Not a Product

Wellness culture will try to sell you nervous system sprays, vagus nerve tonics, and trauma-release devices.

But your parasympathetic nervous system responds beautifully to:

• Deep breathing

• Humming or singing

• Gentle movement

• Safe social connection

• Laughter

• Doing things you enjoy

• Getting offline and living in your actual life

• Journaling

Slow breathing alone has been shown to reduce heart rate and improve vagal tone.

Social connection is one of the strongest predictors of longevity — stronger than many biomarkers we obsess over.

You cannot supplement your way out of chronic stress if your lifestyle never slows down.

Regulation is behavioral before it is supplemental.

3. Circadian Rhythm Is More Powerful Than Sleep Gummies

If there is one thing modern life disrupts profoundly, it’s light exposure.

Your body runs on a circadian clock. Cortisol, melatonin, insulin sensitivity, body temperature — all of it follows a rhythm anchored primarily by light.

Morning light exposure helps:

• Regulate cortisol timing

• Improve nighttime melatonin release

• Support sleep depth

• Improve metabolic regulation

Free protocol:

• Get outside within 30–60 minutes of waking.

• 5–10 minutes minimum (longer is great).

• Cloudy still counts.

In the evening:

• Dim overhead lighting.

• Reduce screen exposure close to bed.

• Keep a relatively consistent sleep/wake time.

You likely do not need:

• $60 sleep gummies

• 9 forms of magnesium

• A $300 biohacking device

You need consistent light cues, time in sun, and less screen time.

Circadian alignment is foundational for hormone health, mental health, and overall holistic health.

4. Move Your Body (Your Muscles Don’t Care About Boutique Studios)

The research consensus is clear:

• ~150 minutes per week of moderate activity improves cardiovascular health.

• Resistance training improves insulin sensitivity, body composition, and bone density.

• Regular movement reduces depression and anxiety.

Your body does not recognize whether your squat cost $0 or $38 per class.

My entire “home gym” is mismatching weights I’ve bought off Facebook Marketplace and off-brand Amazon items. I don’t have a single matching set from LuluLemon or GymShark. It doesn’t have to be fancy, YOU need to be consistent.

Low-cost or free options:

• Walking (wildly underrated)

• Bodyweight circuits

• YouTube strength workouts

• Playground pull-up bars

• Hiking trails

• Jogging/running

Muscle is metabolically protective tissue. Building it supports blood sugar regulation, metabolism, and long-term holistic health.

No membership required.

5. Grounding & Time Outside

Although it may sound too simple to be true, the research is clear:

• Time in nature reduces sympathetic nervous system activation.

• Spending time outside lowers stress biomarkers.

• Sunlight exposure improves mood and mental health via serotonin pathways.

You don’t need:

• A grounding mat

• Frequency bracelets

• EMF stickers

You need:

• Grass

• Trees

• Sky

• Sunlight

Nervous system regulation. Better mental health. Healthier lungs, heart, and hormones. Free.

6. Homemade > Designer

There are a lot of health products you can make at home instead of spending the extra cash. Here are some examples:

• Electrolytes (water, salt, lemon juice, pinch of cream of tartar for potassium)

• Protein snacks (bars, bites, shakes, muffins, desserts)

• Breakfast prep (healthy breakfast burritos/sandwiches, overnight oats)

• Lunch prep (salads, bowls, sandwiches)

• Health snacks (nut/seed mixes, granola)

• Snack packs (veggies + ranch, pretzels + hummus, fruit + nuts)

• Greek yogurt

Expensive Things You Probably Don’t Need

Let me be clear here, some of these have research for improving holistic health! They’re just not necessary or foundational. Once your foundations are in place, there are tools that can optimize. But optimization without foundation is just expensive distraction.

Colostrum
Limited evidence in healthy adults. Some benefits studied in specific athletic or clinical contexts — not a universal necessity.

Vibration Plates
May support specific rehab or mobility populations. Not necessary or essential for strength, lymphatic drainage, or really anything else that people are claiming online.

Red Light Face Masks
Red light does have research for aiding in skin health/healing. Full red lights are accepted as more effective than masks. Neither are essential for systemic health :)

Continuous Glucose Monitors (for non-diabetics)
Useful in specific metabolic cases. For most healthy adults, balanced meals and resistance training regulate blood sugar effectively.

Extensive Hormone Testing Panels (without indication)
Valuable when clinically indicated. Expensive and often interpreted by under qualified “practitioners.”

Superfood Powders
Contain antioxidants and phytonutrients — so do berries, beans, leafy greens, and cocoa. Whole foods accomplish the same goal.

Detox Teas & Cleanses
Your liver and kidneys already detoxify efficiently. Protein, fiber, and hydration support the process better than laxative teas.

Cold Plunge Setups
Cold plunging does have clear research: cold exposure may support resilience and mood. You just don’t need to do it. Exercise provides similar benefits without a $5,000 installation.

Expensive Probiotic Subscriptions
Certain strains can be therapeutic. Most microbiome support comes from diverse plant fiber and fermented foods.

Overpriced “Health” Snack Foods
Seed crackers and protein granola aren’t magic. Store-brand oats and beans often deliver more nutrition per dollar.

Full Non-Toxic Lifestyle Overhauls
Environmental exposures matter. Having non-toxic items does make a difference in your health. Start with strategic swaps instead of replacing everything at once.

A few things I find worthwhile to spend on as a holistic dietitian

• High quality unprocessed/low-processed meat

• High quality dairy and eggs

• High quality supplements (but just the necessary ones)

• Unrefined sugar options (pure maple syrup, raw unrefined cane sugar, coconut sugar)

• Lower-processed good-ingredient snacks

• High quality protein powder (not necessary!! I just like to have protein on hand to help me hit my protein goals, so I buy a whole food high-quality one :)

• Non-toxic home and body items (I don’t have it all, just some I really value like cleaner, laundry detergent, lotion, soap, food storage containers, kitchen/cooking items, etc.)

Notice that even the things I choose to invest in build on the basics — they don’t replace them.

Holistic health was never supposed to be exclusive (!!!!!!)

It’s not about owning more, buying more, or optimizing every corner of your life. It’s about consistently giving your body the inputs it was designed to respond to: real food, light, movement, rest, connection, fresh air.

Those things aren’t trendy or sexy. They won’t go viral.

But they work.

If you’re on a budget or just tired of feeling like you’re behind, start with the foundations. Build there. Be consistent there. Basics are powerful and accessible.

I would love to hear your thoughts and questions on this topic!! Please drop them in the comments section below :) Thanks for being here!!

Welcome to volume 22 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the Macaroni Salad with Grilled Chicken. This is a lighter + higher protein take on classic macaroni salad and it’s so freaking good. It has extra veggies for crunch and nutrients, and the sauce has Greek yogurt and unrefined sugar as healthier swap-ins. You’ll love!!

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and black bean quesadillas.

Other highlights: We have some really good and really nourishing recipes this week! One of my favorite ever salmon recipes is the Citrus Salmon. It’s so flavorful and the sides are so perfect. The Chili Lime Shrimp is such a quick and easy meal with so much protein, so many nutrients, and so much flavor! The Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta feels so luxuriously creamy and rich while still being really balanced and nourishing. The Stuffed Acorn Squash is waayy too tasty to be as healthy as it is. It’s light, healthy, high protein, packed with veggies, and so flavorful!

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have the Zucchini Bread Baked Oats. This is one of my favorite ever breakfast preps. Like top 3, no doubt. The zucchini and oats add volume and fiber, the chocolate is sooo yummy, and there’s the perfect amount of cinnamon. Pair it with Greek yogurt for creaminess and protein :)

Monday: Macaroni Salad with Grilled Chicken

Tuesday: Chili Lime Shrimp Southwest Bowl

Wednesday: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Thursday: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Friday: Hall Pass

Saturday: Leftover Night (Stuffed Acorn Squash or Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta)

Sunday: Citrus Salmon with Asparagus and Lime Rice

Breakfast prep: Zucchini Bread Baked Oats

Be sure to save the downloadable / printable grocery list below!

Read more

Hi and welcome back to my Nourish The Holistic series (formerly Nourish Your Hormones). I rebranded to be more representative of all the topics I want to cover here!! This week we’re diving into a few of the holistic recipes I love, swear by, and make regularly, even though they might seem weird if you haven’t tried them before🤪

All 4 four of these weirdos have essential nutrients for hormone + holistic health, are made from real + whole food, and taste amazing.

Let’s jump in!!

#4: mineral mocktails

WHY:

Mineral mocktails are something I swear by on a DAILY basis. The mineral stores in our bodies are quickly depleted by normal daily functions and exacerbated by stress, exercise, pregnancy/breastfeeding, exhaustion, overconsumption of processed food, etc. Mineral mocktails help your body to replenish stores, increase energy levels, support hormone health, and deeply hydrate your cells to help your body operate at top capacity.

RECIPE:

The base of every mineral effective mocktail recipe is filtered water, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and Vitamin C. Here’s my favorite way to create that cocktail:

1 quart filtered water
1 serving electrolytes (my favorite flavors are strawberry lemonade and watermelon lime + my discount code is nourishedandwhole)
1 tsp magnesium drops (discount is nourishedandwhole)
1-2 lemon or lime wedges
+ I often add unflavored creatine for an extra nutritional boost (discount is nourishedwhole)

#3: grass-fed gelatin gummies

WHY:

Grass-fed gelatin is a superhero nutrient for your gut. It heals your gut lining, supports a healthy microbiota, and soothes inflammation. It also works like collagen in helping support healthy skin and joints, and is a good source of protein. I love homemade gelatin gummies because they eat like a treat and are so nutritious!!

RECIPE:

To make gelatin gummies, you just need 32 oz (1 quart) of any juice and 1/3 c of pure grass-fed bovine gelatin. I like to use the “Power of” juices from Trader Joe’s because the ingredients are really great and the juices are not from concentrate! And I’ll link my favorite gelatin too, it’s top quality and lasts forever!!

Full Batch Recipe:

32 oz 100% juice

1/3 c pure grass-fed bovine gelatin (my discount code is Savannah10)

Optional: sweetener of choice (honey, agave)

Instructions

1. Pour the juice into a medium/large pot. Sprinkle 1/3 c of gelatin over the top.

2. Let the gelatin soak in at room temperature until it’s no longer white. Then, heat over low heat and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved and the juice is smooth (this only takes a few minutes)

3. Pour the juice into silicone molds or baking dishes or really any container, then place in the fridge to set for 2-3 hours.

4. After setting, they’re ready to eat! Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

#2: bone broth hot chocolate

WHY:

Bone broth has had a moment in the media for the past few years, which can make it feel like a fad. But in reality, bone broth has been used for its nutrition for hundreds of years!! It’s packed with amino acids, collagen, vitamins, and minerals. Gut health is the basis of so much of our health (and is tied to basically every health system in our bodies), and bone broth is another gut health superstar :)

You can use bone broth in a myriad of ways, I love to add it to soups, grains (like cooking rice with bone broth instead of water), sauces, etc. But my favorite way to have bone broth is in homemade hot chocolate. Which I know sounds so weird and gross but HEAR ME OUT. You can’t taste the broth. It just tastes like rich hot chocolate and it’s sooooo good.

RECIPE:

Best Bone Broth Hot Chocolate

Makes 24 oz

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 c chicken bone broth

2 c whole milk

1/3 c maple syrup

1/4 c cacao powder (cacao, not cocoa)

1/4 c dark chocolate, chopped small**

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan or pot and simmer, mixing until the chocolate is melted and everything is completely combined and creamy.

2. Top with whipped cream and extra cacao or cinnamon, or marshmallows, or both!

3. I love to make the full 24 oz and store in a mason jar in the fridge to drink in 8 oz portions throughout the week:)

** This is a dark-tasting hot chocolate, if you like a milk chocolate flavor to your hot cocoa, use milk chocolate instead of dark, add a little bit more maple syrup, and add some whipped cream on top for a little more sweetness and creaminess :)

#1: matcha lattes

WHY:

Matcha is one of the only whole-food sources of caffeine! Combined with amino acid L-theanine, it’s a slow absorbing caffeine that won’t cause anxiety or jitters. As an anxious girly who doesn’t drink soda, I have a super low tolerance for caffeine. So I love that matcha can give me an energy boost without making me feel anxious and shaky.

Matcha is packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that are nourishing and detoxifying. It’s great for heart health, gut health, hormone health, mood, and more :) Matcha is definitely an acquired taste, but it doesn’t always taste like grass!! You just have to know how to make it. Here’s my favorite recipe:

RECIPE:

Serves 1

Total time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 tsp ceremonial grade matcha (I always use Tenzo brand — my discount is nourishedandwhole)

1/4 c water

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Dash of cinnamon

1/2-1 tbsp pure maple syrup (sometimes I make homemade fruit syrups like strawberry, raspberry, or blackberry and I love using those too!)

4-6 oz high quality unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I only use Malk brand)

Instructions

1. Mix the matcha into water. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup and mix in. I use a frother for both of these steps!

2. Add ice to the cup and pour in the almond milk. Mix and enjoy!

Welcome to volume 21 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the Thai Peanut Crunch Salad, which has been one of my all-time favorite lunch preps for the past 5 years. It stays crunchy and fresh all week long, the peanut sauce is so freaking good, and it’s filling and high protein!

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and black bean quesadillas.

Other highlights: The Asian Lettuce Wraps are so so easy and packed with flavor! They can be made into a light low-calorie meal, or bulked up with rice! The Southwest Pasta Salad is not your classic pasta salad. It has the yummiest southwest flavors and extra nutrients!! The Layered Mexican Salad is so fun, perfect for serving on its own or over rice, chips, or tortillas! For Sunday supper, we have the Skirt Steak meal, which feels and tastes so fancy, but it’s actually so easy! My husband raves over it that one!

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have the Veggie Bacon Quiches! These taste like the yummiest comfort food, made with real food, lighter, and healthier ingredients :) it’s so good!

Monday: Thai Peanut Crunch Salad

Tuesday: Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Wednesday: Southwest Pasta Salad

Thursday: Layered Mexican Salad

Friday: Hall Pass

Saturday: Leftover Night (Southwest Pasta or Layered Mexican)

Sunday: Skirt Steak with Garlic Broccolini and Buttery Couscous

Breakfast prep: Veggie Bacon Quiche

Be sure to save the downloadable / printable grocery list below!

downloadable/printable grocery list

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Thai Peanut Crunch Salad
Makes 8-10 servings

Salad:
14 oz chicken breast (If you don’t have an Instant Pot, get rotisserie chicken)
1 c chicken broth (I use bone broth)
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
8 oz spaghetti
½ a green cabbage, chopped
½ a small red cabbage, chopped
1 English (or hothouse) cucumber, chopped
3/4 c shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, chopped

Thai Peanut Dressing:
1/2 c peanut butter
1/3 c honey
1/4 c tamari or soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
1-2 tsp sriracha
Salt and pepper

Additional:
Ranch (I use Wild Coyote)

Instructions

1. In an Instant Pot, add the chicken, broth, and garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the steam to naturally release for 5+ minutes. Shred (I recommend using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer).

2. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.

3. Using a vegetable chopper, chop the cabbages, cucumber, and bell pepper. If you don’t have a veggie chopper, you can chop by hand! Just try to chop everything small and equal.

4. In a bowl or container, mix all the ingredients for the dressing.

5. Combine all the veggies in a mixing bowl and toss. If you’re using for meal prep/storing longer than 24 hours, store the noodles, chicken, salad, and dressing separately.

6. When you’re ready to eat, build each bowl with the chicken, pasta, salad, peanut dressing, and ranch. Toss and serve!

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1 ½ lbs ground turkey
2 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp tamari or low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/3 c hoisin sauce
1 tsp sriracha
1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
¼ c fresh basil or Thai basil, chopped (optional but yummy)
5 green onions, chopped (for topping)
1 head butter lettuce
Optional for bulking up the meal / saving more for meal prep: 1 c rice

Instructions

1. If you’re making rice, get it cooking first.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the turkey and break into pieces as it cooks. Cook through, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low.

4. Add the minced ginger, tamari, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and sriracha. Mix until the sauces are well combined with the turkey and onions. Turn the heat to low.

5. Add the water chestnuts and basil. Mix to combine.

6. Make each wrap by filling the pieces of butter lettuce with the turkey filling, topping with green onion, and eating like a taco (my favorite way to eat these!). Another option is having a base of rice, then the turkey, and adding chopped lettuce and green onions on top like a bowl (this is my husband’s favorite way to eat these!). You can’t go wrong!

Southwest Pasta Salad
Serves 8-10
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
*Grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken also works really well in this recipe
12-14 oz chicken breast (or about 2 large breasts)
1 c chicken broth
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
12 oz short pasta noodles (like penne, fusilli, or macaroni elbows)
2 c corn, fresh or frozen and thawed
2 c black beans
1/2 c red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
¾ c Southwest Ranch Dressing (I recommend Wild Coyote brand)
¼ c cilantro, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Add the chicken, chicken broth, taco seasoning, and olive oil to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high for 8-10 minutes. When it’s done cooking, let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes. Remove from the Instant Pot and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before shredding. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to shred your chicken! It’ll go way faster.

2. While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta noodles according to package instructions and chop the veggies.

3. Add all the ingredients including the pasta and shredded chicken to a large bowl. Add the ranch and mix until well combined. If desired, top with cilantro.

Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Layered Mexican Salad
Serves 6
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp garlic power
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1 c black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c corn, fresh or frozen
1 10oz package cauliflower rice
½ c salsa verde
3/4 c shredded cheese
2 c romaine or green leaf lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
Cilantro lime ranch, for topping. I prefer Wild Coyote.
Lime tortilla chips or warm tortillas, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and sear on both sides, cooking through (about 6-8 minutes total). Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.

2. Add another tbsp avocado oil, onions, and bell peppers to the same skillet. Season with the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. When the veggies are beginning to cook through and soften (about 3-5 minutes), add the black beans and corn, mixing thoroughly.

3. Steam the cauliflower rice according to package instructions.

4. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and add back to the pan with the veggies. Pour in the salsa verde and turn the heat down to simmer. Add the cheese and let it melt.

5. Pour the cooked cauliflower rice into an 8.5x11 or 9x13 baking dish, spreading into one even layer. Add the chicken and veggie mixture over the top. Then add the lettuce, tomatoes, and a drizzle of cilantro lime ranch.

6. Scoop to serve over a warm tortilla or a pile of lime tortilla chips. Enjoy!!

Skirt Steak with Garlic Broccolini and Buttery Couscous
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Active time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
For the steak
1 ¼ lbs skirt steak
1/3 c olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp course Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper

For the couscous
1 c pearl couscous
1 tbsp butter
½ lemon, juiced
¼ c fresh parsley, chopped
¼ c fresh chives, chopped
Salt and pepper

For the broccolini
8-10 heads broccolini, stalks cut into ¼ inch strips
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 ½ tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the steak marinade. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes and then on the counter for 30 more.

2. Preheat a grill or grill pan to 450F.

3. When the steak has about 10 minutes left, make the couscous according to package instructions.

4. In a large skillet, sauté the broccolini and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, until the broccolini is bright green and the garlic is caramelizing. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in the butter. Cover with a lid and allow it to steam until you’re ready to serve. It should still be slightly crunchy and slightly tender.

5. Grill the steak for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before cutting against the grain.

6. Stir the butter, lemon juice, fresh herbs, salt and pepper into the couscous.

7. Serve the steak and broccolini over the couscous with additional herbs and lemon, if desired.

Veggie Bacon Quiche
Total time: 3 ½ hours
Active time: 30 minutes
Makes 2 9-inch quiches

Equipment needed
Food processor
Parchment paper
Skillet for sautéing veggies/cooking bacon
9-inch pie dish
Pie weights (or dry beans)

Ingredients
For the crusts (makes two crusts)
2 ½ c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar (I use unrefined raw cane sugar)
1 c butter, cold, cut into small cubes
8-10 tbsp ice water

For the quiche (these are the ingredients for one quiche, if you’re making both at once, double these ingredients)
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
1 small onion, chopped small
5 slices of turkey bacon
5 eggs
½ c milk
½ c shredded cheese, plus more for topping

Instructions

1. Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor. Pulse on low to combine. Add the butter and mix on high until the butter is cut into pea-sized pieces that are coated in flour.

2. Add about ½ c water to a cup with a few ice cubes. Mix until the ice cubes start to melt.

3. Add the water to the food processor, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing a few times between each addition. I usually add 8-10 tbsp of water. The dough will look pretty dry, but don’t add any extra water! It will come together when you start working it with your hands.

4. Pour the dough onto a clean work surface and until one solid dough ball is formed. Cut the dough ball in half and press into two disks, about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

5. When you’re ready to make the quiche, preheat the oven to 375F.

6. Roll out the pie crust to fit your 9-inch pie dish, trimming the edges as needed. Place a circular piece of parchment paper into the center of the pie crust and add pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 15 minutes.

7. While the pie crust pre-bakes, chop the onion and bell pepper and sauté until the onions are translucent and beginning to caramelize, about 5 minutes. At the same time, cook the bacon until it’s nearly crispy.

8. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and cheese. Add the sauteed veggies and bacon (use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon into small strips).

9. When the pie crust is done pre-baking, remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Turn the oven down to 350F. Pour the egg, veggie, and bacon mixture into the crust and sprinkle additional cheese on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

** To store for meal prep, I recommend cutting into pizza-like slices and keeping in airtight containers in the fridge. To reheat, just microwave in 30 second intervals until it’s hot!

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Hi and welcome back to the Nourish Your Hormones series, where I review topics in nutrition and hormone health. As a registered dietitian and holistic nutritionist, I have thousands of hours of experience in practicing and researching nutrition. Here we’ll talk about what the research really says, practical strategies for improving your hormone health through nutrition, and recipes/food ideas for including hormone healthy food in your diet. I’m so glad you’re here!

We’re officially past the halfway mark of winter, which means we’re in that strange limbo where the holidays are long gone, the novelty of cozy sweaters has worn off, and the sun is still setting way too early. This stretch of the season can feel like survival mode for our hormones, mood, energy, sleep, and stress response, and it’s not just in your head. Light exposure, movement patterns, nutrient status, and circadian rhythm all take a hit during the darker months, and our biology responds accordingly.

The goal of today’s post is to help you make it through the rest of winter feeling more grounded, nourished, and supported, instead of white-knuckling it until the first warm day arrives. We’re talking holistic wellness strategies that actually work—supporting hormones, mental health, immune function, and overall vitality—without forcing you to overhaul your life or become a new person overnight.

If you’ve been feeling tired, sluggish, moodier than usual, or like you’re just waiting for spring to save you, this is your mid-winter guide to feeling better now.

When winter hits, many of us feel the shift: shorter days, colder weather, more time indoors, less sunlight, and a general sense that the body is downshifting into something closer to survival mode. For many, that translates into lower mood, higher fatigue, more cravings, higher stress sensitivity, changes in appetite, and disrupted sleep. None of that is random. Light exposure, temperature, movement patterns, nutrient status, and circadian rhythms all influence hormonal pathways!

If winter has ever felt like “just get through it” season, this guide is designed to help you go from surviving to thriving by supporting the hormones that affect mood, metabolism, immunity, and stress resilience.

Below are ten evidence-informed strategies I use personally and with clients to support hormones through the darker + colder months :)

Eat nutrients your winter hormones love

Nutrients like vitamins A, C, D, and E play roles in immune function, antioxidant defense, and mood support. Vitamin D in particular is synthesized through sun exposure, so levels commonly drop in winter—contributing to fatigue, low mood, and immune vulnerability.

A nutrient-dense winter plate might include:

• Citrus fruits and bell peppers (vitamin C)

• Leafy greens, carrots, and sweet potatoes (vitamins A + antioxidants)

• Salmon and dairy (vitamin D + healthy fats)

• Nuts and seeds (vitamin E, minerals, and healthy fats)

• Broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts (antioxidants and fiber)

This is also where seasonal eating shines—winter produce tends to be grounding, nutrient-rich, and supportive of mood and immunity.

Eat with the seasons

We tend to think of seasonal eating as a culinary trend, but seasonality is a biological phenomenon!! Seasonal produce offers the nutritional profile that matches seasonal needs. In winter, earth produces grounding, mineral-rich, antioxidant-dense foods that help stabilize blood sugar, support immunity, and regulate mood.

Winter examples: winter squash, pomegranates, beets, carrots, turnips, apples, pears, dark leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens. This website is an amazing resource for finding out what’s in season in your area in each month of the year!

Buying seasonally also increases nutrient density and flavor while lowering cost, which makes it easier to actually follow through on hormone-supportive eating patterns.

Get daylight exposure (and yes, clouds count!)

Light is one of the most powerful hormonal signals we have. It regulates cortisol, melatonin, and circadian rhythm—the internal clock that affects sleep, energy, hunger, digestion, and mental health.

In winter, daylight hours shrink, so intentional exposure matters even more. Aim for:

• Morning light within the first hour of waking if possible

• Midday outdoor breaks even if brief

• Face exposure without sunglasses for at least a few minutes

Even on cloudy days, outdoor light is significantly stronger than indoor bulbs and still supports circadian alignment, cortisol regulation, and mood.

Blocking blue light after sunset is the complementary strategy—warm lighting, night mode on devices, lamps and twinkle lights, or blue-light blocking glasses can help preserve natural melatonin production and improve sleep quality.

Lean into warming foods

Warming foods are not only comforting—they support digestion, gut health, circulation, and mood. In Traditional Chinese Medicine and in many culinary traditions, warmth is associated with stronger digestion and immunity. From a biochemical perspective, warm meals are easier to digest, reduce inflammatory load, and provide steady energy during colder months.

Easy winter-friendly staples include soups, stews, curries, oatmeal, roasted vegetables, lentils, and warm bowls made with whole grains and protein.

Healthy fats are particularly important here—hormones are synthesized from fat, and adequate fat intake supports blood sugar stability, nervous system function, and satiety. Think salmon, sardines, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.

Support mood and minerals with herbal teas

Herbal teas are an underappreciated winter tool for mineral replenishment, immunity, digestion, and nervous-system regulation. Depending on the blend, herbs can be soothing (chamomile, passionflower), invigorating (peppermint, ginger), mineral-rich (nettle), or immune-supportive (turmeric, rooibos, licorice root, wild cherry).

Many herbal teas also provide trace minerals that support hormone pathways, including magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

Consider light therapy if you struggle with seasonal sadness

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and subclinical winter mood changes are extremely common, and light therapy can be a legitimate tool for improving mood, energy, and stress tolerance. If you’re thinking of buying a light therapy lamp, make sure it provides at least 10,000 LUX and use it in the morning for optimal circadian effect! For many people, consistency matters more than duration :)

Move your body even when motivation drops

Winter often means disrupted exercise patterns—cold mornings, darker evenings, fewer outdoor activities, and reduced energy all make it harder to stay active. But consistent movement is a powerful hormone regulator. Exercise influences insulin, cortisol, thyroid function, hunger and satiety hormones, sex hormones, and mood-related neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

This does not need to be peak performance season. Focus on consistency: walking, strength training, yoga, pilates, winter sports, or 20-minute at-home workouts all count.

Use mood-boosting foods intentionally

When the environment becomes darker and colder, dopamine and serotonin often decline, and cravings for carbohydrates, chocolate, and comfort foods increase. This is not a lack of willpower—it is biochemistry. You can support mood through nutrient-dense foods that boost neurotransmitters, stabilize blood sugar, and reduce inflammation.

Examples:

• Dark chocolate (polyphenols + magnesium)

• Dairy (tyrosine + tryptophan)

• Animal proteins (amino acids for neurotransmitter synthesis)

• Nuts and seeds (healthy fats + minerals)

• Fruit (fiber + antioxidants)

Pairing carbs with protein or fat can stabilize blood sugar and prevent the energy crash that worsens winter fatigue.

We’re almost out of the woods (!!)

Winter asks more from our biology than we often realize, and it makes sense that so many of us feel stretched thin by February. Shorter days impact our circadian rhythm, stress hormones work harder, nutrient needs shift, and our mood and motivation tend to dip. The good news is that small, intentional winter habits can make a meaningful difference—supporting hormones, energy, immunity, and emotional resilience—without requiring a total lifestyle overhaul.

You don’t have to do all of these strategies perfectly, and you don’t have to feel your best every single day. But nourishing yourself through the darker months pays off. It means arriving at spring not depleted, burnt out, or scrambling to “get back on track,” but already supported, balanced, and ready for the season ahead.

We’re well past the halfway point of winter. Consider this your reminder that surviving isn’t the only option :) With sunlight when you can get it, nutrient-dense food, warm meals, movement, minerals, rest, and a little intention, you can make it to spring with your hormones (and sanity) intact.

Why These Work: Science Highlights

Light & SAD:

• Reduced winter daylight disrupts melatonin and serotonin rhythms, contributing to SAD symptoms (low mood, fatigue).

• Light therapy for 20-60 minutes in the morning mimics sunlight and can improve mood.

Vitamin D:

• Vitamin D receptors are involved in brain function; low vitamin D correlates with SAD, though supplementation evidence is mixed—most benefit appears when deficiency is present.

Exercise:

• Regular moderate exercise increases serotonin and endorphins, reducing depressive symptoms and helping circadian rhythm stability.

Seasonal Produce & Nutrients:

• Winter vegetables like kale, Brussels sprouts, and root vegetables provide vitamins A, C, E, fiber, and antioxidants that support immune and metabolic health.

Works Cited

1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder and Complementary Health Approaches: What the Science Says. NIH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Jan. 2019, https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/seasonal-affective-disorder-and-complementary-health-approaches-science.

2. National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reviewed 2026, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder.

3. “Seasonal Affective Disorder (Holistic).” PeaceHealth Medical Topics, PeaceHealth, https://www.peacehealth.org/medical-topics/id/hn-1270005.

4. “7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Eat This Winter.” EatingWell, Dotdash Meredith, https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7935097/best-anti-inflammatory-foods-to-eat-this-winter/.

5. “11 Nutritious Foods to Eat In the Winter for Energy and …” Verywell Health, Dotdash Meredith, 13 Jan. 2026, https://www.verywellhealth.com/nutritious-winter-foods-11869938.

6. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Symptoms & Causes. Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, https://www.mayoclinic.org/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195.

7. “Light Therapy for Seasonal and Nonseasonal Depression: Efficacy, Protocol, Safety, and Side Effects.” PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16041296/

Welcome to volume 20 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the Healthy Protein and Grain Soup. This one is so simple, but such a winner!! It’s packed with so many nutrients and wholesome ingredients, so warming and gut nourishing, and delicious. It reheats really well for leftovers!

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and black bean quesadillas.

Other highlights: For bowls this week, we have the Bang Bang Beef Bowl and Honey Harissa Chicken Bowl! These two are packed with flavor, simple nourishing ingredients, and yuuummm. You guys know I love bowls so much, and these two are both favorites. If you’re unfamiliar with harissa or sweet Thai chili sauce (in the Bang Bang Bowl, don’t let that intimidate you! Both are really yummy and easy on the palate, even for kids :) The next star is the Juicy Chicken Thighs! These are such a humble ingredient made into a delicious protein base for a highly nourishing meal. The bone broth quinoa and steamed broccoli paired with this one are in the same vein, humble and simple, but so delicious and so healthy! Lastly, the Baked Spinach Ricotta Meatballs are so moist, so flavorful, and sooo good. You can serve them with pasta, rice, quinoa, veggies, or anything really. They are so versatile!

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have the Peanut Butter Banana Protein muffins. These are not the dry, crumbly protein muffins you’ve tried before. They’re moist, peanut buttery, and sweetened with real food (not refined or artificial sugars!). I love to pair these with some Greek yogurt and berries on the side!

Monday: Healthy Protein and Grain Soup

Tuesday: Honey Harissa Chicken Bowl

Wednesday: The Juiciest Chicken Thighs + Quinoa and Steamed Broccoli

Thursday: Baked Spinach Ricotta Meatballs

Friday: Hall Pass

Saturday: Leftover Night (Chicken Thigh meal or Spinach Ricotta Meatballs)

Sunday: Bang Bang Beef Bowl

Breakfast prep: Peanut Butter Protein Muffins

Be sure to save the downloadable / printable grocery list below!

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One of the ways I consider the value of the recipe is how many dishes I have to do after it’s done, so this one is already a high scorer because the dish count is LOW. Besides that, it’s also super delicious, easy to meal prep, high protein, packed with veggies, and super easy. So basically it solves all your problems for you.

You could easily swap in or swap out veggies according to your preference, and the beef/veggies would be good over noodles, zoodles, or greens if you’re not into rice! The Thai Sweet Chili sauce can be found in the Asian/International Foods aisle at basically any grocery store.

An easy family favorite (emphasis on the easy). Enjoy!!

Bang Bang Beef Bowls
Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 ½ c jasmine rice (uncooked)
Cooking spray (I use avocado oil)
1lb ground beef
4-5 green onions, chopped (whites separated from greens)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¾ c carrots, chopped
2 small crowns broccoli, chopped small
Salt
Cracked black pepper
½ c mayo
¼ c Greek yogurt
1/3 c Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
Splash of tamari or soy sauce

Instructions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.

2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with oil. Add the ground beef and break into small pieces as it cooks (4-5 minutes).

3. Add the whites of the green onions, bell pepper, carrots, and broccoli to the skillet. Salt and pepper according to taste preference. Mix and cook through (until veggies are soft and beef is cooked through), about 7-9 minutes, mixing often.

4. While the skillet cooks, mix the sauce by combining the mayo, Greek yogurt, sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and tamari/soy sauce.

5. Turn the skillet down to a simmer, then pour in half of the sauce and mix thoroughly. The other half of the sauce is used for topping when you serve, along with the greens of the green onions. Enjoy!

Welcome to volume 19 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! I hope you enjoyed your holidays and I’m excited to be back with more meal plans :) Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the Chopped Taco Salad. This is one of my most viral recipes, it’s so good! It stays fresh and crunchy all week long, the toppings are so yummy, and it’s high protein. You’ll love it!

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and black bean quesadillas.

Other highlights: One of our all-time favorites are the Meatball Sandwiches! They’re so easy to make, require minimal chopping, and are so filling and satisfying. They’re topped with arugula for freshness and served on ciabatta for the chewiest, fluffiest touch. You’ll love!! Don’t skip the bowls this week, the Crispy Rice Spring Roll Salad and the Baja Balance Bowl are packed with nutrients (including protein and fiber obvi) and so much flavor! I love that they’re so different, it keeps the week interesting! The Enchilada Skillet is another audience-favorite. It’s a shortcut to making amazing, healthier, and balanced enchiladas! Skip the extra time and tortilla-rolling without skimping on flavor or texture :)

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have the Jalapeño Cheddar Protein Bagels are the best protein bagels I’ve ever had for realll. I tried tons of variations of protein bagel recipes while developing this recipe, and they were are dense and dry and gross. These will blow you away!! We love to make bagel sandwiches with these!

Monday: Chopped Taco Salad

Tuesday: Meatball Sandwiches

Wednesday: Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchilada Skillet

Thursday: Crispy Rice Spring Roll Salad

Friday: Hall Pass

Saturday: Leftover Night (Enchilada Skillet and/or Crispy Rice Salad)

Sunday: Baja Balance Bowl

Breakfast prep: Jalapeño Cheddar Protein Bagels

Be sure to save the downloadable / printable grocery list below!

Read more

Sundays and/or Mondays are my meal prep days! I don’t often do a week’s worth of breakfasts/lunches, that’s just not how I usually meal prep. I often prep one meal, snacks, or staples. This week I prepped super simple and soft sandwich bread, peanut butter banana protein muffins, and a high protein plant-forward soup.

I started with the bread because it takes the longest with all the rise time, then I made the muffins, and I finished off with the soup! We had the soup for dinner (with a side of warm homemade bread — yummm), and saved the rest.

To watch the video, tap here.

Here are all the recipes for you:

Perfect Sandwich Bread
Makes 2 loaves
Total time: ~3 hours

Ingredients
1 ½ c water, warmed to about 110F
1 c whole milk, warmed to about 110F
1 tbsp + 1 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
½ c (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
3 tsp salt
840 g (about 6 ¾ c) all-purpose flour (you can also use bread flour)

Instructions

1. Heat the water and milk in the microwave in 20 second increments, testing the temperature with a food thermometer. Pour into a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment (like Kitchen Aid or Bosch). If you don’t have a mixer, you can do this by hand, but it will take some muscle.

2. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into the milk and water. Cover and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

3. Add the butter, salt, and 2 c flour. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then add the rest of the flour 1 cup at a time, about every 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and ensure all the flour is being absorbed.

4. Keep mixing the dough on medium-low speed for another 5-8 minutes, a ball will be formed of slightly tacky dough. If you don’t have a mixer, knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface.

5. Remove your dough ball from the stand mixer bowl and spray the bowl lightly with oil. Set the dough back into the bowl and turn it around, coating it in oil. Cover with a clean towel and allow the dough to rise until it doubles. If you set it in a warm environment (like a sunny window), it will double in about an hour. If it’s cold in your house, it can take up to 2 hours.

6. When the dough has doubled, punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a clean work surface, then turn the dough out onto the surface. Use a dough cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough evenly in half to create your two loaves. Roll each of the dough balls out into large squares, then roll into loaf-shapes. Spray two 9x5-inch loaf pans with oil.

7. Cover the loaf pans with the clean towel and allow them to rise for 1 hour.

8. Take out the top rack of your oven, leaving just the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. I usually don’t have to do this, but I like a dark golden top!

9. Cool the loaf pans on a cooling rack for a few (5ish) minutes before removing the bread from the pans. Then remove the loaves from the pans so the sides and bottom don’t get soggy from condensation. Cool on cooling racks. Bread can be stored in an airtight bag/container at room temp for 6 days.

**For meal prep, I slice one of the loaves and place small pieces of parchment paper between each slice, then store in an airtight bag/container in the freezer.

Peanut Butter Banana Protein Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Total time: 25 minutes
200 cal 24c/9f/9p

Ingredients
3 bananas
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c coconut sugar
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
65 g vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with liners.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until there are no large pieces. Add the peanut butter, coconut oil, egg, vanilla, and sugar. Mix well, until completely combined.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.

5. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin liners. Place in the oven for 15-16 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before eating. Option to drizzle a little bit more peanut butter on top right before eating!

Healthy Protein-and-Grain Soup
Serves 6
Total time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 ½ lbs Italian chicken sausage
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 c carrots, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ c Bob’s Red Mill Soup Mix (13 bean and grain)
6-8 c chicken stock
2 tsp chicken bouillon (I use Nutriorganics bone broth bouillon)
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

1. In a large, heavy bottom stock pot (I prefer cast iron/dutch oven), drizzle some olive oil. Heat over medium heat. Add the chicken sausage and cook through, breaking into small pieces as it cooks (about 5 minutes). Remove the cooked sausage from the pan, setting aide in a bowl or plate.

2. Drizzle some more olive oil (about 1 tbsp) in the pot and add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Pour in the beans and grains soup mix, then add the chicken stock, bouillon, salt and pepper, bay leaves, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes if adding.

3. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add the chicken sausage back in. Cover again and simmer for 1 hour.

4. After 1 hour of simmering, it’s ready to serve!

**For meal prep, store in the in an airtight freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat by simmering in a pot until heated through. I use Souper Cubes to freeze into cubes, then I store in a vacuum-sealed freezer bag.

Welcome to volume 18 of my whole food + high protein meal plans! Here’s what you need to know: each of these meal plans will contain a lunch prep, a breakfast recipe, 4 dinner recipes, and a grocery list. Most of my recipes serve 4, so if your family is bigger than that, you can easily double the recipe!

How this works:

In this meal plan, your lunch prep is the Caprese Pasta Salad. I doubled the recipe for you so you’ll be sure to have enough for leftovers :) This has been a favorite at my house for years and I know you’ll love it too! You can heat it up or eat it cold, either way, it saves really well!

I prefer to make the meal prep on Monday for dinner and then pack away the leftovers for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (so I don’t have to cook twice or eat the same thing every single day for lunch). This week I included a larger meal on Thursday to provide leftovers for more lunches and/or Saturday dinner. Another option is making the meal prep separate and having it for lunch all week. You do you. You’ll notice I leave one day open (in this case, Friday. But you can use this open night on any day that works best for you!) for whatever you want to do. This could be a leftovers night, staple meal night, pizza night, or eat out night. I refer to this as a Hall Pass! Lately our Hall Pass nights have been prepped soups from the freezer, breakfast for dinner, and black bean quesadillas.

Other highlights: The Dumpling Soup, Herby Ricotta Meatballs with Dreamy Garlic Sauce, and Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Avocado Salsa are all NEW recipes, so make sure to try them out! I love the Dumpling Soup because it’s so simple and so freakin flavorful. It’s better than takeout and has much better ingredients! The Herby Ricotta Meatballs are so dreamy. We served them with pasta, but you could do rice, zucchini noodles, greens, or quinoa too! So creamy, so garlicky, so yummy. The Salmon Tacos are so fresh and light, while still being really filling! They’re packed with healthy and real nutrients, and taste like a beach in Hawaii. You’ll love them!

For this week’s breakfast prep, we have the Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes. These are the fluffiest, yummiest buttermilk pancakes. The recipe makes a bunch, so make a huge batch on Sunday and save them for the week! Don’t skip cooking these in butter, trust me. We’re also doing breakfast for dinner one night this week, with a delicious bagel sandwich. These are so quick and easy, have so much protein, and they’re so good!!

Monday: Caprese Pasta Salad

Tuesday: The Best Breakfast Sandwich

Wednesday: Dumpling Soup

Thursday: Herby Ricotta Meatballs with Dreamy Garlic Sauce

Friday: Hall Pass

Saturday: Leftover Night (Ricotta Meatballs or Breakfast Sandwiches)

Sunday: Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Avocado Salsa

Breakfast prep: Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes

Be sure to save the downloadable / printable grocery list below!

Read more

growing up, we called these my mom’s “special cookies” because they are the best chocolate chip cookies ever and we usually only had them around Christmas. I remember her making huge batches to give to neighbors for Christmas and my siblings and I were SO mad that she wouldn’t let us eat the “neighbor cookies.”

in my 29 years of life, I have yet to find a better cookie. at this point, I don’t even see the point in making other chocolate chip cookies because they’re never as good. every time I experiment with new recipes, I regret it.

and like my mom, I make them for neighbor gifts around Christmas time (making my husband and daughter mad in the process because they’re for the neighbors, not for us) and everyone always asks for the recipe. make these for Santa this year and thank me later.

pro tip for making them for yourself. since these are a large batch cookie, and (like all cookies) are best fresh out of the oven, make a few on the day you make the dough, and then roll the rest into dough balls and freeze. that way, you can bake a few every night and have fresh, warm, melty cookies every day. when baking from frozen, bake at 350F for 13 minutes.

The Best Christmas Cookies
Makes 24 cookies
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
2 ½ c rolled oats
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c butter, softened to ~room temperature (a little bit cold/firm is preferred for the best texture)
1 c sugar (I use raw unrefined cane sugar)
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c pecan pieces
12 oz Guittard milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Use a blender or food processor to blend the oats to a coarse powder. Some larger oat pieces are okay, but you mostly want powder.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the oat powder, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until completely combined and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing as you go.

6. Add the pecans and chocolate chips, mix using a wooden spoon.

7. Roll into golf ball sized dough balls, placing at least 1 ½ inches apart on the baking sheet. For fuller, chunkier cookies, place the dough balls in the fridge for 5-10 minutes before baking. For flatter, wider cookies, bake right away.

8. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes, cooling immediately after baking.

Hello and welcome back to Nourish Your Hormones! This week’s topic is how to sleep better and have more energy through hormone health habits. In this guide, I’ll teach you the real foundations for healthy sleep and consistent energy.

When sleep is off, nearly every system that helps you feel energized and alive (metabolism, stress response, immune system, gut, and mental health) fall out of sync. The good news? These systems are designed to be guided and regulated by daily habits.

This guide breaks down what the science says about sleep, circadian rhythms, and how hormone-health habits can help you sleep better and feel more consistently energized.

Key Points to Understand (we’ll review all of them!):

1. Sleep is not your body shutting down, rather it’s the “night shift” where essential tasks that cannot be performed during the day occur.

2. What happens in your body when sleep is disrupted: cortisol shifts, melatonin disruption, insulin sensitivity, hunger/fullness is disrupted, inflammation increases, mood regulation suffers.

3. Circadian rhythm — what it is and how to improve yours

4. How hormone systems affect sleep and vice versa.

5. Evidence-based habits to improve sleep and hormone rhythms.

6. What most “hormone balance” content gets wrong.

At the end, I’ll include a downloadable/printable practical checklist with foundational daily habits for better sleep and energy. Let’s dive in.

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