"#HaveAPlant" Weekly Wisdom

 

Do you eat fruits and vegetables when you are traveling?

September has been all about traveling for me, which I love but oh boy, do my eating habits getting a little wacky. I don't know why traveling rocks my world when it comes to balance of food but I have realized my sincere need for being a creature of habit. I flourish when I am in a steady state of living. I become a crazy college girl when I am traveling. My water intake decreases, my hunger increases (who else feels to eat airport food the minute you get there?) and my fruit and veggies consumption declines. 

There is no explanation why because everywhere I have been and plan on going have plentiful produce available to me. It's all about mindset and habits for me. 

Which is why I am loving how Produce for Better Health is promoting National Fruit and Veggie Month #NFVM2022, inspiring me to to become a Habits & Hacks Queen (long live her majesty). In celebration of National Fruits & Veggies Month this September, it’s time to get serious about the “doing."

Habits: People crave the “how to.” Habits are the repeatable, automatic behaviors that make the difference in healthy living. People just need to be taught how to and be inspired to create fruit and veggie habits. 

Hacks: People who learn a new fruit and/or vegetable hack are more likely to #haveaplant more often. In the NFVM Toolkit they have some awesome graphics, helping me to inspire my own based on my own habit I needed a hack for:  #haveaplant whenever I travel. I know I am not the only one out there!

I am gearing up for my next trip and this is going to be at the forefront of my mind when I grab my morning milchkaffee, or dine on my first schnitzel. 

What is a habit you need a #haveaplant hack for?

#bigdietitianenergy | #embracethehellyeah

~AE

#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 "To the Beach' Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One.

Where do you like to go when you need a little TLC and time for yourself?

My first choice (and easiest to get to) is my big comfy white chair.  My second choice will always be the beach. I don't care where, as long as there is sand between my toes, sun on my skin, the smell of salt in the air and the therapeutic sounds of waves.  I am in a total state of bliss. It is even better when shared with my heartbeats because I am getting to share my happiest place with people I love. 

In reality, we can really take ourselves to our favorite place whenever we need it by indulging yourself in a few mindful minutes a day. Closing your eyes, going to that place and just doing some deep breathing for 1 minute at least 3 times a day. This will help you increase oxygen in the body, slowing down your heart rate and inducing the feelings of calmness and relaxation. Exactly what happens to me when I am at the beach and breathing normally. 

Someday, I will own a tiny house, ok small house on the beach.  Until then, I will schedule my bi-annual beach getaways and my mini getaways in my head during the day. 

Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation. 

Today’s conversation is with Tonya Huenink, a registered dietitian who has worked in all areas of dietetics and has started her own meal planning business called Meal Squeeze.

Tonya is native to my favorite state of Iowa and at one point worked for the same company as I did. Throughout her adventures as a Registered Dietitian, she has worked in many different areas of dietetics including clinical, outpatient, food service and school nutrition. Tonya has developed a passion over the years for equipping families of all sizes to sit down for a balanced meal together which has lead to her creating her own business. Not only is this meal planning service great for families but it is also great for other registered dietitians to use with their own clients. Tonya shares some great insight of how she created her business, marketing and a few business tools she has discovered along the way.

Click here to enjoy my conversation with Tonya

Connect with Tonya on her Meal Squeeze Website, Facebook, and Instagram

Nosh Three. Weekly #Hellyeah.

Right after had I the joy to speak at the Iowa Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting, I whisked away for quick mini-beach vacation with my heartbeat Brenda and her significant other Jason. There were a few changes in the flight situation right before I left, but we got it figured out and we were going to make the most out of our time away. This was my first trip to Panama City Beach, Florida and it was beautiful! We stayed in the presidential suite of their timeshare and had some awesome views. 

The weather was a little chilly (which I laugh now because 60 degrees seems tropical as it is 27 degrees here in Iowa) but the minute we got there we dumped our bags and we headed to the beach. 

The sand is so white and soft, it is amazing. There were only a few other people out, so it was like having it all to ourselves. There was a great little place to have a tropical drink and some eats right by the hotel that we could walk to, Sharky's Beachfront Restaurant. 

We didn't care how chilly it was, we wanted to sit outside, sip a cocktail and watch the sunset. My favorite quote from the weekend was from Brenda:  "Some people like sunrises, I like sunsets." I think I would have to agree. A sunset it the perfect way to end an amazing day. 

As far as food, I had 2 missions:  eat raw oysters and as much key lime pie as possible. Thank goodness Sharky's came through on both. I started with my raw oysters and Brenda was a total sport to try them. 

I also got some baked ones, which I really enjoyed too. These reminded me of the smoked oysters we would eat at home. My Dad would get cans of smoked oysters and as a treat on a weekend, we would eat them with saltines. It might sound a little crazy, but don't knock it until you try it. These had Parmesan baked on top and were perfect on top of a saltine. 

And of course, the key lime pie finisher. Pure yum!

The next day, it was going to be a lot warmer, so we were ready for some beach time adventures. But first, coffee. 

And then brunch...

Which took us to our favorite place, The Donut Hole. 

The atmosphere just radiates brunch. It is light and airy and smells of sweet yummy goodness tickle your nose the minute you walk in. If there is a wait, you can play yard games or sit and relax outside. We got there at the perfect time with barely a wait. 

Right when you walk in is the donut and pastry madness. At that time, I wanted one of each. 

Then there was the cake case. Dead stop. Cheesecakes, layer cakes, brownies, all of the goodies you could want. All made in-house, so again, how do you choose?

They have an extensive menu from breakfast items, to sandwiches and salads. It was very hard to choose but I think the "Diet" Plate seemed like the only logical choice for this Dietitian. It seriously was everything I loved about brunch in one dish. 

I will take another please!  Jason got the same thing and I think I ate more than he did, almost cleaned my plate. 

Brenda ordered the chocolate chip pancakes and of course I had to try these too. This was a short stack and were stellar. 

We then drove along the ocean and stopped a few places, including the cute little town of Seaside for a drink and a little shopping. The views are what I channel when I take my mini breathing breaks throughout the day. I definitely want to go back here when we have more time. Highly recommend as a great place to go on your Florida vacation. 

And of course I had to end the night with my to-go key lime pie from The Donut Hole. 

The last day started out with more key lime pie. I started the morning (ha, yes the morning) with a key lime martini at Andy's Flour Power Cafe & Bakery oh and we had brunch too but this was the most delicious part of the meal in my eyes. I am so mad I didn't get their key lime pie because Jason did and said it was awesome. Next time Andy, I am coming for ya!

We went on a little walking tour of Panama City Beach. I think what I like most about it, is it is not a city with a lot of hustle and bustle this time of year. It was a little chilly but I enjoyed the fact we had the beach to ourselves and we didn't have to fight any crowds while we were there. I am looking forward to another trip back for more sun, beach, ocean, oysters and key lime pie. 

Nosh Four. Weekly Soundtrack. 

PCB Weekly Soundtrack is available on Apple Music and Spotify. 

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

What I loved the most about this trip is our evening on the beach, watching the sunset, feeling the sand in our toes and the water on our feet. We chatted for hours and had cake by the ocean. There is nothing more precious than time with people you love. Those are moments you never get back but will live on forever. Brenda and I have started a new thing, so I will be sharing many more "cake by the ocean" adventures we will be having. 

~AE

*All views and opinions on products, food and businesses in this blog post are my own and are not sponsored in any way. I just love to share great things!

Top 5 Nutrition Noshes and Weekly Wisdom from Minneapolis

Nutrition Nosh One. Wisdom. 

The element of surprise has been a little lost in my life. I think when I was younger it was simultaneously used with the word discovery because I was learning and experiencing new things all the time. As I get older, I do not have the opportunity to experience surprises as often and I miss it. I always give people a weird look when they say they hate surprises. Who hates surprises, really?  I think it is so important to be open to what could happen, not what we expect to happen. You see, when we have expectations, the only person we disappoint is ourselves. No one else. I have learned to be open. Open to being surprised, trying something new, letting someone surprise me and then in return being grateful for the experience. It is a healthy swap; not only in our personal and professional lives but even with our food and nutrition.  Get out there and take a walk on the wild side. Try a new veggie, go on a vacation to no where you have ever been, jump out of an airplane. Expect nothing out of any adventure because the littlest surprises can bring something life changing.  

Nutrition Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation. 

My conversation today is with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Jessie Hatch

Jessie has such a beautiful and poetic dietetic journey so far. She found an interest in nutrition at a young age with her family having a garden and always eating her fruits and vegetables. When she went to college, she took nutrition and fell in love with the class, navigating her way to her dietetics degree with the help of a few very important professors. She sheds some light on getting a masters degree, always being open to opportunities and embracing the importance of being a life-long learner. She is currently working passionately with moms and babies, including neonatals, being in the media providing education and serving as president of the Utah Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Please click here to enjoy my conversation with Jessie.

Nutrition Nosh Three. Week in Review.

After my conference, I decided to stay in Minneapolis for some extra fun for a few days. I had some plans with family, which unfortunately fell through but I had a completely different adventure. I stayed at the snazzy and modern Radisson Red Minneapolis which is right by the new U.S. Bank Stadium. I loved the simplicity of the room, the bed was very comfy and there was a table in the room for all my work and personal things. Nice little gym and hip bar/food in the main lobby. A lot of downtown Minneapolis is also accessible by walking from this hotel, which is how I love to experience a city. A  really fun thing about this hotel, when you walk through the front entrance, there is a large wall with a screen/camera you can take your own selfie on. Proof below! 

I was so luckily surprised by friend Jason who came down to help me create a Minneapolis experience after my change of plans. It was so fun!

We found ourselves grabbing a quick bite before heading out downtown at Eastside Minneapolis. This was the second time dining here because I really wanted to have more fresh oysters. I have found myself on a oyster eating adventure too and because I am surprised by how much I like them.  Eastside has a nice little appetizer of oysters in the half shell, 3 from the east coast and 3 from the west coast accompanied by cocktail, lemon, horseradish sauces and a Barrel Aged Mignonette. I am quickly finding out I am a fan of the east coast brine and saltier flavors. 

During my Midwest Dairy conference, I received a beautiful memento from my friend Jen Haugen. I opened it up during oyster #2. Another surprise! We shared a booth at FNCE this past year showcasing being new authors with our books. Her book, The Mom's Guide to a Nourishing Garden, is what inspired me to complete my own book and is a beautiful read connecting family and food. Our friendship of support and fun has been a incredible surprise in my life. She inspires me every day and I am so very thankful!

After some oyster fuel, Jason and I took off for our walking, eating and cocktail adventure. Just down from the Eastside is the bridge going overlooking the river and I got this pretty photo in the afternoon. 

While taking in the scenery, we consulted some friends and got a great recommendation for happy hour at Barrio. I am not a huge tequila drinker but there was a flight available on their menu and I thought why the hell not! I did learn after this experience, I do enjoy an aged tequila A LOT!  It is very tasty and perfect for sipping. Why in the world did I ever do shots of tequila?  No bueno. I will be sipping from now on. 

The happy menu is VERY happy. A plentiful menu of delicious and creative appetizers ranging from $3 to $5. I chose the guac with house made chips and salsas. It was the perfect compliment to the tequila flight (and my water and Dos XX). 

After we bathed in happiness at Barrio, we went on another walk to the Warehouse District to a recommended speakeasy, Marvel Bar. I have been to a couple of speakeasy's and at each of them we had to ring a doorbell and know a password. That is not the case at Marvel Bar. Jason and I made it to the well-know "purple door" and rang the door bell and stood there. As we had confused looks on our faces, I thought, why don't we try the door. Completely open. I think we laughed about it for 10 minutes. And we laughed about it again today! Marvel Bar had a great vibe, comfy and cozy seats and an extensive list of craft cocktails. They have a great list of creative original cocktails and also some classics available (I enjoyed a few Manhattans). It is definitely worth the trip to experience this trendy speakeasy.

We had a fun night of new experiences, all because I let someone surprise me! Thanks Jason!

While I was away, I had more surprises!  My Mom and cousins Christine and Denis, asked if they could come to my house for a little weekend getaway. Of course, B&B Anne Elizabeth is always open to my heartbeats. I thought they would come down, relax, explore Des Moines. I am not quite sure how much of that they did because I was surprised by LED lights underneath my kitchen countertops!  They are the coolest! They are small and put out a ton of light, without using a lot of energy. It was such a great gift!

Another great surprise were these beautiful pots from Earl May. I have a beautiful Bird of Paradise and a Ponytail Palm Tree in my living room. Each are around 38 years old and have been re-potted a few times because they have grown so much over the years. The Bird is from Hawaii when we use to live there and the Palm was a gift at my Dad's new job when we moved to Iowa. A LOT of history with these plants and they look great in my house. The plants are totally busting out of their current pots so now they will have a new happy home to live in. I am going to have to reserve a room for Mom and Christine and Denis at my B&B to assist with the move. I hope I can persuade them with food and cocktails (and maybe a back rub). I will be sharing with you how this all unfolds in the weeks to come. 

Nutrition Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week. 

This weeks playlist is inspired by all my adventures with my friend Jason.  

It can only put a smile on your face when you are doing your deadlifts!

 Nutrition Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

If you haven't noticed by now, I love writing. Back in college when I took creative writing, I had no idea it was something that would bring me joy. It is also great to see your name in print. I am very grateful for the opportunity to write for different entities and had to share one of my latest this year. There is some great information about pineapples and one of my most favorite recipes. Head over to Best Foods Facts for a quick and fun read I am proud of.

Each week this month, I am going to share a dairy delicious idea or recipe with you to celebrate National Dairy Month. This week, I am really enjoying all the fresh fruit in the Midwest. Raspberries are one of my most favorite fruits and Siggi's Dairy Raspberry Yogurt is always found in my refrigerator. I usually do not have yogurt for breakfast, but enjoy getting creative with it for lunch or even a quick dinner, especially when it is 96 degrees outside!  I like to add in different things for crunch and added nutrition. This week, I partied with fresh raspberries, a chopped up KIND Madagascar Vanilla Almond Bar and 1/3 cup of JollyTime Simply Popped Popcorn. Sounds completely random right?  It was very filling, crunch, sweet and surprisingly delicious. Almost all my favorite things in a perfect package. Remember:  the littlest surprises can bring something life changing, even in a cup of yogurt. 

~AE

5 Nutrition Noshes and Food Hangover Wisdom Wednesday

Nosh One. Wisdom. 

Hungry. Cravings. Food. More. Now. 

There are days all I want to do is eat the house down. It is usually after a holiday where I eat anything  and everything I want with wild abandon. Then the next day....my body pays for it. 

It is in food hangover mode. It is sleepy, exhausted, lethargic. My brain is fuzzy, I cannot focus. My pants are tight, my socks are cutting off the circulation in my legs and ankles, a new pimple has decided to pay my chin a visit and my thirst cannot be conquered. 

I could give 2 shits what the scale says after a day of eating like this. It is all about the way I feel. I feel horrible and my body is doing everything to process the caloric, sugar and fat madness boxing it out inside my body. Then there is my appetite, it is raging out of control and I want to continue the inhaling of all things made of sugar and fat deliciousness. I am a firm believer my appetite spirals when I eat an excess of any food, including fruits and vegetables. 

It is all about balance and portion size and all foods fit. Quote me on that AND please, please, pretty please hold me to it upon the next holiday.  Thank you. 

Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

The Story, Journey and Passion of Brian Smith, RDN, LD

My conversation today is with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Brian Smith.  I have to tell you, sitting and talking with Brian is like sitting with a friend I have known for a 100 years. He is so warm and welcoming. What I love about this conversation with Brian is that he has had multiple careers, has traveled around the world, was a star college athlete, brews his own beer, loves to cook, is raising 2 daughters after the passing of his wife and still lives a good examined life with much satisfaction. He truly embodies the definition of living his passion by being a registered dietitian. If you are someone who has found dietetics later in life, you will find a great connection with Brian. Also, if you are a student or intern, Brian is a mentor who welcomes you with open arms. I wish I would have had him in my life at the start of my dietetics adventures.

Click here to enjoy my conversation with Brian

Nosh Three. Week in Review. 

This past week I flew into Indianapolis to speak at the Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting: Making A Difference.  

It was my first time to Indianapolis and it was a quick in and out. It was great to meet new dietitians again! I was surprised to learn there are more than 1400 members of IAND and 4 colleges that either offer a dietetics program and/or internship. A lot of mentoring and preceptors in Indiana! I absolutely am loving getting to know new people along my journey and maybe getting a chance to touch their lives in some way. I also got to do some podcasting with 2 new friends that I cannot wait to share with you. Registered Dietitians are doing some AHHHH-MAZZING things!  I am always blown away by my peers!  It confirms the path I chose was the right one. 

Before I boarded my plane back to Iowa, I had a few hours to catch some of the local eats in Indiana. I headed to the Broad Ripple neighborhood. There were a ton of restaurants and places to enjoy a cocktail, but Flatwater Restaurant caught my eye based on menu items and what I was hungry for!

It was a beautiful day to sit on the patio overlooking the canal. Very relaxing place to enjoy my last few hours in Indy. 

Wedge Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, yum!

House-made hummus I could have eaten with a spoon. 

Pulled Pork Nachos

I kind of had a problem choosing one thing and I did not make it past the appetizer/salad section of the menu. So now, I will have to go back!  Everything was delicious and you can tell they made about everything in house. The Green Goddess dressing on the salad was delicious and the hummus was creamy and perfectly flavored. It was even a bigger treat to have a dill cucumber salad and kalamata olives with it. The nacho chips were made fresh too and the brisket was perfect, not to smokey and perfectly tender. I highly recommend!

Since I was traveling, I also had a lot of work to do, so I decided to host Easter at my house this year.  As I was getting things ready on Saturday night, I channeled my Dad and decided to dye eggs. Something I never did when I was younger because my Dad and sister always did it for the family. I had no idea how to even do it, so thank goodness for McCormick's dye and easy directions. 

The finished project!  I even had a white crayon for adding decor!

I decided to fancy up my table with beautiful glass chargers my sweet cousin Christine gave to me that matches my polka dots and dots on my glasses and dishes. The Easter Bunny brought my guests a Lindt Gold Bunny and a snack container of Skippy Natural Peanut Butter for dipping (I still haven't eaten mine, but I know he will be whispering to me tonight). 

Ham and fresh asparagus make a pretty presentation. 

Roasted sweet potatoes with honey and fresh rosemary

Hy-Vee Seasons Magazine saved the day and gave me some great and easy recipes for Easter dinner. Thank goodness!  I did not have much time to plan and it was easy to grab the magazine and shop right from there in-store. 

My Gramma Alice celebrated 91 years of life this past Friday, so it seemed only fitting to have her favorite pie, sing Happy Birthday and make wishes. My mom also brought her delectable caramel pecan cinnamon rolls (with golden raisins! Yipee!) that I have mentioned before. So I had to have a little of each. It was a great, relaxing day!

Too much sugar?  Nah.

Love these two beauties. 

Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week. 

Channeling my inner small town country girl this week, channel yours and click here!

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now.

While I was in Utah, I met Registered Dietitian Brianna Rhodes, who love to cook and entertain as well as being a wife and a mother of 3 kiddos. She has started her own new adventure, her own business, RD and Me Nutrition.  She enjoys one-on-one counseling and takes clients to help them make real lifestyle changes with the help of her coaching and expertise. You must go check out her blog!  She shares easy and delicious recipes in her blog with mouth-watering photos of her food creations.  You can sign up for her blog, Confessions of a Dietitian, and never miss a recipe. This is a picture of her Cran-Apple Chicken Salad. I love her passion: "teaching you that nutrition is simple and to get back to basic, healthy and happy eating." I have made a couple of her recipes, including this one, her Asian Lettuce Wraps & Chow Mein and her Greek Meatballs & Couscous. All of them are soooo easy, delicious and healthy. What is also SOOO GREAT is she includes the nutrition label for each recipe. Give her some love and yourself some love by going to her website to make some of her recipes. I know I will be visiting often!

~AE