There's just something about having hearty, yummy vegetables to pair with a cozy dinner on a winter's night! This dish is completely customizable so feel free to change up or add any vegetables you'd like.
Ingredients:
Vegetables
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced
- 1 medium turnip, halved and cut into six wedges
- 1 large parsnip, peeled, cut lengthwise
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup water
Seasoning
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 10 drops YL Black Pepper Vitality Oil
- 2 drops Nutmeg Vitality Oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- fresh parsley
Instructions:
Vegetables: Place all vegetables into a glass baking dish. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over all, add water and tent with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to one hour until veggies are fork tender. Remove from oven, drain water and transfer to a serving bowl.
Seasoning: In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients except parsley and mix well. Add to baked veggies and gently toss. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Makes 3-4 servings.
Becoming a mom has truly been one of the most amazing experiences, but it had a few surprises that I wasn't prepared for. I think there's so much value sharing your experience and things you've learned, so I wanted to share this with you today! I don't want you to view any of these as negative, but rather just changes you might not know!
🎈The way you used to do things will change.
I had heard this before but didn't really want to put much stock into it, as I thought I could control the majority of post baby life - and some of that is still true. However, things really do change. Sometimes it's things like the fact that you can't really get in the same amount of working out that you used to or that you can't just hop on a plane without really thinking about it.
🎈Motherhood might not always be easy to describe.
It's not that you can't find some words to describe how it is to have a baby or care for a baby, but often none of them really do it justice. You all of a sudden would do anything for this other human and you literally can't stop staring at how cute they are 😜yet you do still want to do things for yourself too - sometimes it’s hard to find the balance.
🎈There is a death and rebirth that not everyone talks about.
Some look at it like the death of the maiden self into the matron. And maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. But regardless your life is different, you’re not the same woman you were before you gave birth, you’re just not - and that’s okay (in fact it’s more than okay)❤️
🎈You might not need some of the baby gear your friends got for their kiddos.
Take the time to look a little deeper and be open to the fact that this may change as your baby comes earthside and grows. Do you need that fancy x,y,x that so and so got, that costs $$$ and isn’t actually all that great for your baby? Nahhh I’ll go simple over here❤️
🎈Your body will change.
Seriously it will. I kind of thought that although my body would be different I could go about working out (after appropriate healing time for my body) and eating the same way as before pregnancy and be able to get back to my pre-baby body. Nope. Not the case for me, hormones do funny things to the body and are differently set up for each person.
If you're a new mom, it's going to experience all the emotions and things that come along with it! Becoming a mom is a HUGE transition, but truly in the best way!
Autoimmune isn’t a word I really like to use when it comes to describing different conditions. In fact there are so many different thoughts and feelings around the word autoimmune. Some define it as your immune system mistaking parts of your body as foreign and therefore attacking healthy cells by releasing proteins known as autoantibodies.
Others say, not so much. In fact, when we believe our own body is attacking us we not only hinder our healing process, but often feel our body betrayed us and we become the scapegoat for this 'disease'.
When the medical industry cannot seem to figure out what is causing symptoms like fatigue, inflammation, dizziness, aches & pains it gets labeled as an autoimmune condition.
I know that because of my autoimmune (and the fact that I breastfeed too!) my body needs some extra TLC and that's my focus. I take care of myself for my son and I attempt to ignore what anyone else thinks or says and you should do the same!
The #1 concern as someone who has an autoimmune is to take the extra measures needed to take care of you.
Here's three ways I make sure to give my body some TLC:
✨FOOD
If you know anything about me, you know that food is my number one thing I go to when it comes to healing anything or simply feeling better. I truly believe that there is not one particular diet that literally works for everyone, however there are some overall ideas that typically help us all.
✨Oils
I never, ever, ever leave home without them. There are many uses for each one but some of the ones I carry with me for that extra TLC are lavender, believe blend, RC, lemon and white angelica.
✨Water
Hydration is super key for every single person. There is the balance of electrolytes when drinking water (I used LMNT) and you can drink too much water (yup this does happen), but for many people they're not getting enough. The general guideline for most is to take half your body weight, and drink that amount in ounces of water.
PS: these are things we can all benefit from; even if you don't have an autoimmune!
I love having good soup recipes on hand for the cooler months. There's just something cozy about a cool night and a yummy bowl of soup! This is one to add to your arsenal of soup recipes; it's simple and delicious!
Ingredients:
- 2tbsp organic olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2lbs butternut squash, cubed-I’ve found this already cubed some places but usually cheaper to buy it whole🤷♀️
- 3 cups organic veggie broth or homemade bone broth
- 1 cup organic (if ya can) coconut cream
- 1tbsp brown sugar (I’d half this or omit but up to you!)
- 2 drops clove vitality
- 1 drop cinnamon bark vitality
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In your pan, saute onions, garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and tender.
- Add cubed squash and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth, cream and brown sugar and bring to a boil.
- Boil on medium-high heart for 25 minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
- Remove from heat.
- Using a hand mixer, puree until smooth. Stir in the essential oils. Allow oils to infuse into soup for 5-8 minutes and then serve.
Now that the holidays are over and there aren’t as many situations where less than stellar food is shoved in your face-whatcha going to do now? January has traditionally been a start over time of year which doesn’t always make sense as it’s also a time to hunker down and nest during the cold months. However, the pull to reevaluate and make changes is strong and sometimes really helpful! One of my favorite warm, cozy, healthier foods to make in the winter are definitely soups, including ones like this that has many different foods to support your gut health!
So how does this soup support your gut health? Let's break it down!
Zucchini: 🥒
Zucchini is rich in essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and folate. These nutrients are important for immune function, vision, heart health, and cell division. Zucchini also has a significant amount of dietary fiber which is important for digestive help in terms of regular bowel movements, preventing constipation and supporting healthy gut microbiota.
Celery:
Celery contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, including flavonoids and polyphenols which can help prevent chronic inflammation in the gut. Celery also contains natural enzymes, including one called phthalide, which may have a mild diuretic effect and can contribute to the overall digestive process by breaking down food more efficiently. And celery also has prebiotics which provides fuel for the probiotic bacteria in our gut.
Garlic:
Its compounds produce good gut bacteria that have positive effects on the digestive tract. People take garlic to assist with indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), nausea, and several other issues
Parsnip:
Parsnips are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate
Parsnips are high in fiber, which can support regularity,
improve your digestive health, regulate blood sugar levels, and enhance heart
health.
Ingredients:
- 5–6 cups veggie broth (be sure to check the ingredients on these as sometimes they like to sneak in sugar and gluten!)
- 1 box diced tomatoes (sub 1/3 cup cooked diced beet for AIP)
- 2 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup parsnip, chopped
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped into halfmoons
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Place a large stock pot on the stove on medium heat and add olive oil
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until the onions become translucent
- Add in the parsnips, celery and carrot and sauté until lightly softened for 3-4 minutes
- Pour in the broth and the remainder of the vegetables (reserving the basil and some parsley for topping) and herbs and stir
- Place the lid over the pot and simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Once the veggies are cooked through, add in the spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted
- Allow the soup to cool and top with extra parsley before serving
Adapted from the Paleo Minestrone Soup from Unbound Wellness.
