5 Nutrition Noshes and My Utah Adventure Wisdom Wednesday

Nosh One. Wisdom.

Why was I put on this earth?  What is my purpose?  There comes a time in your life when you ask yourself these questions and they are TOUGH questions. There are many things we like to do and are good at but am I and are these things making a difference?  Are they fulfilling you and helping others?  Purpose is a journey and takes time. It is so important to be gentle with yourself when the answers do not come as quickly as you like. But when the answers do come, it will all be worth it. The journey will be worth it. The joy will be worth it. The work will be worth it. 

Because you are worth it. 

~Photo credit and many thanks to my new friend and the beautiful Samantha Rasmussen for posting this picture with her adorable nails!

Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

My conversation today is with Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach Andrew Salgado

As registered dietitians, we sometimes get mistaken for the expert in everything health related. We know as professionals that food, nutrition and physical activity have a very cozy relationship. I don’t know about you, but I was not trained at all in fitness and do not believe I am an expert, but I know how to find them. Which is why I wanted to sit down with Andrew Salgado who is a fitness expert, personal trainer and wellness coach. As Andrew puts it, whatever modality you choose you must have good programming because exercise is different from learning other things. You learn the concept and then your body executes the movement and you need proper body awareness for safety. Andrew is also very in-sync with communicating with his clients and meeting people where they are at on their wellness journey through wellness coaching, which sets him apart from a lot of other fitness professionals.

Please enjoy my fun, informative and down to earth fitness conversation with Andrew

Nosh Three. Week in Review.

This week was pretty amazing!  I had the opportunity to head to Salt Lake City, Utah and hang out with some of my favorite people, the Registered Dietitian's of the Utah Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It was a complete joy to meet new friends and be a part of something greater than I could ever be. 

I got to kick off the second day of their meeting with my presentation and creating a conversation about our story, passions, purpose, philosophy and intentions as Registered Dietitians. As a profession, we are caretakers and I am all about making sure we are taking care of ourselves too.

I met some fascinating Registered Dietitians and RD's-to-be with sincere stories and passions. It is contagious being around others who have all the same feels I do. Kelly was one of those lovelies who inspired me so much and shared how passionate she is for our profession. It touched me deeply and I was lucky to have had a great conversation I will get to share with you later in a podcast.

The day was beautiful in Salt Lake City and I headed downtown to explore the city. It was the perfect night for a walk. The city is surrounded by beautiful mountains and city is a comfortable place to explore. As the sun was setting and I got my bearings, I realized how close I was to Temple Square and got lost around the 10-acre complex in the center of the city. The spring flowers and blooming trees were breath-taking. I have never seen so many tulips and daffodils, in a plethora of colors. There is gorgeous fountains and educations statures around the square. It was educational, beautiful and peaceful. 

Salt Lake Temple

Downtown Salt Lake City

After Temple Square, I wandered over to State Street to catch a glimpse of the Capital at nighttime and then headed to the cool outdoor mall in the middle of the city, City Creek Center. I treated myself to a latte and did some window shopping (this girl can never just walk by a Tiffany's).  

Pork Tacos with Radish! My favorite!

I was completely losing track of time and started to get hungry. I did a lot of research on places to eat in Salt Lake City and there were a few places that interested me, but I ended up at a cozy place by my hotel. I have no idea what the name of the restaurant was, but the pork tacos hit the spot after my 20,000 step adventure. 

Last year, I started watching this show on AMC called Hell on Wheels. It was a little out of character for me to watch a show based on the Union Pacific's construction of the first transcontinental railroad, but after the first episode I was hooked because the show starts in Omaha, NE. Knowing from the show and history of course, the Golden Spike National Historic Site was a little drive outside of Salt Lake, so I had to go and see where the final joining of the rails from the west met the trails of the east. 

Site of the Golden Spike and where the 2 RR's joined. 

Chinese Arch named to recognize the Chinese who worked on the RR

You could also drive through the park and see where the cuts were made into the earth for the railroad to pass through. I was in complete awe on how they were able to cut through the rock with dynamite and by hand. When the rock was moved, you can still see some of the piles they made. 

I then headed back to the city and made a stop at the Great Salt Lake. It is the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere and has a green color because of the algae in the water. I also learned  most oceans have a salinity of around 3.5% and in some areas of the lake the salinity is up to 27%, so there is not any fish in the lake except for brine shrimp. It is an important place for a variety of birds who migrate. 

I then took a drive through Little Cottonwood Canyon, up in the mountains. It was a bustle of hikers, campers and skiers. I stopped for a moment to take in the clear air and listen to the waterfalls amongst the evergreen trees. Gorgeous!

Then it was time to head back to grab a bite to eat, so I ventured around my hotel again and landed at Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana and had a delicious freshly made dinner with a funky wood-fired pizza with more radishes!  

Panzanella Salad, look at the shaved Parmigiano Reggiano!

Special of the Day:  Sausage/Radish/Arugula/Avocado Creme

The Tiramisu was delish, paired with an Espresso

I ended the day, all cozied up in my bed and filled with so much joy from my adventure in Utah. I know I will be going back for more adventure to be had!  

Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week.

Joyful Utah Adventure Workout Playlist of the Week by Anne Elizabeth on Apple Music

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now.

I love that I was west enough to enjoy one of my favorite fast food places, In-and-Out Burger. This was my treat after my presentation. The cheeseburger, French fries and my favorite chocolate shake was the cherry on top of my weekend in Utah. 

~AE

National Nutrition Month Wisdom Wednesday

Happy National Nutrition Month!  Every March, every Registered Dietitian I know, gets a little excited there is a whole month dedicated to what we are beyond passionate about: nutrition. I love nutrition. No seriously. I am not kidding.  I think it is mind-blowing how food is the fuel our bodies use for EVERYTHING!  When you are eating an apple, did you ever stop and think about how you are consuming the antioxidant Vitamin C and it is protecting your cells to help lower your risk of chronic disease? Or how Vitamin C plays a role is making collagen to aid in wound healing (hello paper cut) and to keep your skin healthy? This is exactly why I became a registered dietitian. I want to spread the message of all things wonderful about food and your health in the preventative stages, starting at birth. 

This month, I also sincerely want to celebrate my favorite people. Registered Dietitians are the most awesome professionals I know. I am inspired constantly of the intelligence, passion, devotion and purpose of my peers. This is why I wrote my book, this is why I do my podcast. I want to celebrate our profession and these kick-ass professionals. I want the world to recognize the importance of THE nutrition experts.  It is the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. If you know one, give them some praise this month and especially next week on March 8th. It is their day and they are 100% worthy of a little celebration. 

Weekly Conversation

My conversation this week is with Jenny Norgaard, RD, LD

Jenny and I go way back to meeting each other during our internship and have shared many great experiences we still discuss and laugh about today, as well as a lifelong friendship.  She initially was going to go into nursing and decided after a conversation with a registered dietitian in her hometown, she was hooked. After experiencing a variety of careers in the dietetics field, Jenny currently feels at home and is very passionate about the preventative side of health and wellness.

Click here to enjoy my conversation with Jenny

Week in Review

Since I was away from home for a few days last week, gangster kitty missed me a little bit. I have been home for about a week now and she has finally stopped meowing constantly and feels comfortable leaving my side. Last week, not so much.

I enjoyed this moment of her softly laying her head on my arm and dreaming. Her little kitten paws were curling up and she was purring so it must have been a pretty stellar dream.

Now only if she would just quit shedding!!!!!

Last year, I was telling a co-worker that I would rather receive a bouquet of basil than a bouquet of flowers. I am pretty much basil's #1 fan and it is the gift that keeps on giving.

When I arrived at work last week, I have a lovely "Bouquasil™" sitting on my desk, with yummy container of pesto and birthday card. My co-worker remembered. Complete kindness.

Let's just say, I have been eating it all week and it is almost gone. I made these fancy pizza's Monday with goat cheese and tomato sauce.

Workout Playlist of the Week

I am so excited for spring and had to put together a motivating March Playlist.

Listen to "In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb" Workout Playlist of the Week by Anne Elizabeth on Apple Music











What I Love Right Now

If you want to make a great tasting, quick and healthier pizza at home, you should give Golden Homes Ultra Thin Pizza Crusts a try. They have 2-3 packs of family and personal sizes which will accommodate anyone who is in need of a pizza fix. Thank goodness I had some in the freezer for my "bouqasil™" bonanza!  Whole wheat, whole grain and protein options are available as well. I am a huge fan of the protein crusts. They get really crispy in less than 12 minutes and can hold a lot of toppings (my test for any pizza crust).

At Thanksgiving last year, I learned all about a supplement that every woman in my family was taking. How did I not know about this?  Collagen. I know I have been losing it rapidly when I gander into the mirror every morning and see my temples sinking in and my laugh lines, but I did not know you could help decrease the loss of it by using it daily. Not only is our skin made up of collagen but so are our nails, hair, joints and bones. This seems like a no-brainer!

It is available in pill form and in a powder. After much research, I opted for the powder. When you are looking for a collagen supplement, it is recommend for >3000 mg of both Type 1 & 3. I chose this one from Neocell.

Mix well with water and drink on an empty stomach and do not take with other protein-rich foods, because they will compete for absorption. It is tasteless so I have no problem drinking this at all!

I have only done this consistently for 3 weeks, so I will report back in 3 months to see if I notice a different. I would love a little less knee pain when I run as well as thicker hair and smoother skin. Can you help me with that collagen?  Please?!?!?! Thank you in advance!

~AE