#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 January Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One. Wisdom.

How does cold weather and winter make you feel?

I never use to really think about this question when I was younger. Winter was just a part of life living where I do. I have long forgotten the snow days during school and the long walks across my college campus in which I never was prepared for and was always missing a glove. 

But now...that is a different story entirely. Of course I love the warmer weather, longer days of sunlight and not having to wear fifty layers of clothing just to walk from my car to my office. I just have realized how winter and cold takes a toll of my mental stability. I get sad and blue during the winter for no reason. I find myself not wanting to leave my house, ever. My body aches a little bit more, I stress about driving and don't even get me started on snow removal. 

Living where I do is also a choice and winter comes with it. It's almost February and truly, we have had winter for about 3 weeks. It is all about perspective. The days are getting longer and April is only 2 short months away. When I have negative winter words, I know I have the power to change my perspective and my thoughts. I can embrace this season of weather and of life. It can be a time to complain or it can be a time to reflect and look forward to what is to come. 

Either way, I am going to try to keep perspective and apologize in advance. 

Nosh Two. #Embracethehellyeah Conversation. 

Conversation 111:  #EmbracetheHellYeah Conversation

What makes you say “hellyeah” at the end of the day?  For any question I am asked or I ask myself, if I cannot 100% say hell yeah as my answer then it is a hell no. I want you to embrace saying yes with your whole heart and soul by enjoying every part of your authentic life. At the end of each month, I want to get more up close and personal with you all on the other side of the airwaves and share with you more about my how my podcast guests are I are doing our best  to #embracethehellyeah.

Connect and let me know what you think by emailing me or connecting with me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Nosh Three. Weekly HellYeah!

January has been cold and snowy and did I mention cold. One this month, we had a lovely snow overnight resulting in at least 7 inches with 30 mph winds, resulting in some lovely drifts all over my neighborhood. My neighbor was nice enough to blaze a trail in the morning to get me started. 

And I had my moment of when I wished I hired someone to scoop my snow. Then I quickly checked myself and reminded myself I have the ability to do this task myself.  I viewed it as my workout for the day, popped in my headphones and headed out to conquer. This was my before photo of complete dread and I felt the complete opposite afterwards. I was ready to rock the day and turned my frown upside down. 

This month my tribe finally had the opportunity to get together post-holiday and have a much needed cocktail club. It is citrus season, so I wanted to make sure I chose a cocktail with citrus and so I could also use my new citrus peel toy. Works so great!

The Sidecar was a strong one with a lovely citrus flavor while making everyone warm and toasty. If you are looking for a great winter beverage you can sip on for awhile, try out the Sidecar. 

During January, I usually catch up on trying new recipes because it is too cold to do anything else and being in a warm toasty kitchen is a great idea. One I really enjoyed was a power bite recipe from Kodiak Cakes. I thought they were a little too dry to roll, so I did add a little more almond milk to make them roll better. Instead of 2 tablespoons of almond milk, I used 6 tablespoons. I also added a few Spicy and Sweet roasted pecans I shared in this post made with my new favorite sugar-free sweetener Swerve.

Peanut Butter Protein Bites by Kiwi and Carrots

INGREDIENTS 

8 Medjool dates, pitted 

1 cup Kodiak Cakes Peanut Butter Power Cakes Flapjack and Waffle Mix 

1 scoop (about 1/4 cup) of your favorite vanilla protein powder 

1 cup natural peanut butter, creamy 

6 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

2 tablespoons chia seeds 

1/2 cup rolled oats 

1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut 

3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips 

DIRECTIONS 

Combine pitted dates, Kodiak Cakes mix, and protein powder in a food processor and pulse until incorporated. Add peanut butter and almond milk and pulse until a sticky dough forms. Remove from processor and place on wax paper or in a large glass mixing bowl. Using your hands, gently mix in chia seeds, rolled oats, shredded coconut and chocolate chips. Roll into small balls and place in the freezer in an airtight container to harden. Store in freezer or fridge and enjoy cold or at room temperature

Nosh Four. Weekly Soundtrack. 

Just listened to this soundtrack for my last snow scooping extravaganza. Find my #LessStuffMoreLife Soundtrack on Apple Music and Spotify. 

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

January is also the perfect time to continue my natural deodorant quest. I am trying 2 new brands this month. As of right now, I haven't found one that sticks out as an overall winner. I have found it is good to rotate them and use a different one each day. Maybe my arm pits like variety, I am going to go with it. I have really enjoyed both of these as far as keeping my sweating and scent in check. LaVanila has been great when I am wearing layers and layers of clothing and still sweating. It has helped keep the perspiration away. The Weleda has been working great too and the pomegranate scent is lovely.  I enjoy it being a roll on as Ban used to be my favorite deodorant. Will keep you updated on ones I am trying and what ones win after I have been using natural deodorants for a year. 

~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!

#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 #EmbracetheHellYeah Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One. Wisdom.

What does making a difference mean to you? 

Every year at my work, we have a free breakfast honoring our veterans. We take out all the produce aisle, put up tons of tables and welcome all the men and women who served our country from our community. We also have a map of the world and have each Veteran place a star on the location of where they served.  All of this is a very small token of our appreciation to these special people, many of which do not know what a difference they have truly made in the freedom we have in this country. 

We all can make a daily difference. We don’t have to wait for one day a year like Veterans Day or the upcoming holidays. We all can do our part by being good people, helping others, doing something you believe in and being respectful in the process. It’s time to put your star on the map and define the difference you want to make. 

 Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

Today’s conversation is with Sam Osterhaus, a registered dietitian and food lover who just recently took a leap of faith in her career, started a new job and is living out her passion for public health.

Sam is the type of person you want to hang out with all the time because of her energy and maybe her awesome skills creating some delicious dishes in the kitchen. Sam had a great start to her career working in corporate wellness and foodservice, but her primary passion for public health kept tugging at her heart strings. While she has made the change, she is excited to work a job she loves as well as put love into her own private practice and the personal side to her dietitian life. Get to know Sam a little more today and learn why she is someone you will want to hang out with too.

Please enjoy my conversation with Sam

Connect with Sam on her Mindfully Well website and Instagram.

Nosh Three. Weekly #HellYeah. 

A few weeks ago, I had the joy to travel to Oklahoma to spend some time with a group of people I am fortunate to have known since I was a little girl. There has been some time in between visits with some of them, but I hope to change this moving forward. These men and their lovely wives spent a lot of time with my Dad, wayyy before I ever existed. When I was younger, I loved when Dad's Air Force buddies would come visit because it meant story time. And let me tell you, these stories are the best. It was also the only time it was ok my young ears heard certain words. What I love about it now, is hearing those stories through my adult ears and having a better understanding about this time in all of their lives. They were brothers and love each other more than anyone will ever know. I am just lucky to still be a part of these special relationships and get the opportunity to be a part of these priceless connections.  This trip really made my heart full and I look forward to next year. 

Crazy car shenanigans with Barb and Mom. 

Tresa takes technology multitasking to the next level with this irresistible photo. While she was in the "office" she had her iPhone, iPad and Kindle operating at the same time to get shit done. 

Breakfast of biscuits and homemade gravy was dreamy. Carol make some delicious gravy. It was so good, Tresa kept the leftovers for the next day. I was a little jealous but did have seconds. 

This Veterans Day, I was traveling and Delta offered a sweet treat in honor of our Veterans.  I really thought this was a nice gesture, while some passengers voiced otherwise. It's the small things that recognizes people who do big things. It is being grateful for the service and sacrifice by being a good American. This is the best way to give thanks, it is by showing them, every day, all year long.  

Nosh Four. Weekly Playlist. 

This weeks "Veterans Day" music playlist can be found on Apple Music and Spotify. 

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

In the spirit of the season, I had to share this with you. I met my friend Anita through social media and we recently had a great conversation. At the time of our conversation, she had a list of things she wanted to accomplish in the near future but she left out this being one of them. Congratulations Anita Tamborrel Davila on becoming a citizen!  I am in awe of everything she has accomplished and I look forward to sharing her journey so far with you all very soon on the podcast. 

~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!

#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 Inspirational Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One. Wisdom.

Does aging bother you?

The only time age bothers me is when it takes a little more stretching to get out of bed in the morning or when I get pooped a little bit earlier in the day - otherwise, it doesn't bother me at all. The year I turned 25 was a lot harder for me than the year I turned 40. I know why. I was a lot of things but mostly the fear of the unknown. I was young, starting my whole life after college and had not a friggin clue what I was doing. But age 40, yeah that felt good. I finally felt after a brief intermission of 15 years that included a little bit of good, a little bit of so-so and too much shitty, I really like how 40 fit. It was finally a time in my life I felt good in my skin and was looking forward to the road ahead. I truly 'leveled-up."

It all honestly, you can tell people whatever age you want to tell them. Sometimes I tell people I am 10 years older. It really doesn't matter. What does matter is how you feel at this time in your life. A few aches and pains are tolerable as long as they are not in your mind or in your heart. Don't wait until the next level to make it the best level. 

Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

Top 5 in 5: Up Close and Personal Conversation with Anne Elizabeth

Each week, I put out my Weekly Wisdom Blog which includes my Top 5 Nutrition Noshes: my Weekly Wisdom, my Weekly Conversations, my Weekly Hellyeah, my Weekly Kick Ass Jams  and What I Love Right Now. At the end of each month, I want to get more up close and personal with you all on the other side of the airwaves. I will be recapping my crazy, delicious and random #hellyeah adventures in my  Top 5 in 5. This month, I’m sharing with you why I didn’t attend FNCE and some random thoughts on human connection.

Connect and let me know what you think by emailing me or connecting with me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Nosh Three. Weekly #Hellyeah. 

My sweet, sweet friend Jason 'leveled-up' to a new decade and his significant other Justin set up the best surprise for him. I picked him up bright and early in the morning to entertain him for the day and it had to be the most awful day of his life. I tried to play it off like I had some amazing day of birthday fun planned for him, when really it was him helping me run random errands, going to a Cross Country meet and watching random TV shows...without any cocktails. Then I asked if he was ready to get home and I am pretty sure he said yes before I even finished my question. 

As we pulled up to Jason's house, the front was plastered with a little surprise. 

All the amazing family and friends who came to celebrate Jason. 

This cake is 100% on the money for Jason's Birthday and I am still in awe of the detail of this cake. I also just realized I didn't get a taste!

Hallway shenanigans before the party bus arrived. I get so much joy from seeing these smiling faces. 

Jason getting a little birthday song at Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar. Such a fun place to go in West Des Moines to celebrate any occasion and there were A LOT of celebrations in the crowd. 

Always take photos of any special events in your life. These are the moments you will cherish and will brighten any day you need a pick me up. My heartbeats are priceless. 

Nosh Four. Weekly Kick Ass Jams. 

My "Level Up" Kick Ass Jams of the week are available on AppleMusic and Spotify. 

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

I couldn't choose between what I was loving right now. October is National Pork Month and Halloween, so my things I love are a combination of both. The National Pork Board has a wealth of information about the health and nutrition of pork. My favorite, Pork tenderloin, for example, is just as lean as skinless chicken breast and meets the government guidelines for “extra lean”. In total, six pork cuts meet the USDA guidelines for “lean,” with less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. Any cuts from the loin — like pork chops and pork roast — are leaner than skinless chicken thigh, according to USDA data. Pork steaks or roasts from the leg (“fresh ham”) are also lean choices.  And don't forget to cook it to the internal temp of 145 degrees for the perfect pork that stay juicy and tender, especially for the leaner cuts. 

I made this delicious Jerk Seasoned Pork Tenderloin, get the recipe here from the Pork Checkoff. 

Last month, some friends and I were talking about our favorite cereals and mine were Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Kix and Life. They mentioned these 3 cereals and I had no idea what they were talking about nor have I ever eaten them. Needless to say, I got a box of goodies on my doorstep this past week and guess what I am having for breakfast, lunch and dinner today for Halloween? 

The final thing I love this week is one of our Dietitian Picks this month:  USA Pears. I always feel good about giving kids fruit for Halloween but I think they were a little more accepting because USA Pears sent these adorable sticker sheets for the kids to make their own #PearMonster during our Trick or Treat event at the Fleur Hy-Vee. 

~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!

#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 Inspirational Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One. Wisdom. 

What are you waiting for?

What have you been putting off?  Is it a project at work?  An assignment in school?  Balancing your checkbook (do people even do that anymore)? Replacing a burned out light bulb?  Home improvement projects (like me)?  Living your dreams?

All these "tasks" go together believe it or not. If you are putting off simple things how in the world are you ever going to accomplish the big things?  You have to deal with the WHOLE to-do list, crossing each task off to live the life you want. If you're not taking care of things needing attention (including a burned out light bulb) you're living in a state of scatter.  It will be very difficult to keep your eye on the prize of the life you want to live because everything else is distracting you. Do not put things off, don't tell yourself you will get to it later. 

Get shit done. All of it. Even the stuff you don't want to do. If you don't know how to do it, figure it out or hire someone to help you.  Everything you cross off the list is just getting you one step closer to the deep down true life goals you want to crush.  

Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation. 

Each week, I put out my Weekly Wisdom Blog which includes my Top 5 Inspirational Nutrition Noshes: Wisdom, Weekly Conversations, Weekly Inspiration, Weekly Music Inspiration and What I Love Right Now. At the end of each month, I want to get more up close and personal with you all on the other side of the airwaves. I will be recapping my crazy, delicious and random #hellyeah adventures in my Top 5 in 5. September is one of my favorite months because I have been enjoying being home, spending time working on all things me and looking forward to fall. I also talk a little more about what authenticity means to me.

Connect and let me know what you think by emailing me or connecting with me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Nosh Three. Weekly #Hellyeah. 

I am a procrastinator by nature and it is an awful trait. I have tried to change it repeatedly and it never sticks. Sooo, I'm embracing it and rolling with it. But this week I did not procrastinate. I planned it and it was amazing. I had time off and had a honey-do list of home projects and things I wanted to accomplish. Then it rained and derailed my outdoor things I needed to do. Instead of putting it off after a minor setback, I rocked it out and feel so accomplished. I also look back on the week, wonder how I got it all done and confirmed with myself I probably never want to do it again. 

I have never made so many trips to Menards. Thank goodness it is right down the street. 5 trips, 4 days is a new record. I appreciate my Mom helping me with one trip to keep me calm. Did you know they have snacks at Menards?  That might have helped keep me calm too. 

I decided it would be a good idea to pain the concrete foundation of my house after living there 9 years. I also decided I needed 45 bags of soil to even out some low spots. Then I decided I needed a lot of energy and hydration to get me though this project. Thanks to Perfect Bars and MOCU Kombucha. 

After 5 rounds of paint removal, concrete wash, primer and 2 coats of paint, 45 bags of dirt and 1 bag of grass seed. I completed my outdoor project. Then it was time for a TV segment on KCCI for Iowa Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics bright and early Sunday am. 

September is #FamilyMealsMonth and it a great time to focus on planning more meals with your family at home each week. I shared one of my favorite meals we would make as a family. 

Tacos was a meal my family would make together, with each of us taking a task. I loved to grate the cheese because then I could "sample" it to make sure it was ok. You can find the recipe for these delicious tacos thanks to Hy-Vee:  https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/tricked-out-tacos. I also love how Chobani created this new way to deliver plain Greek yogurt to my tacos.  

Nosh Four. Weekly KickAss Jams.

I don't know about you but I need music to pump me up to accomplish hard things. It gets me in the right mindset to get shit done and keep me doing it. Here are some of my favorite "pump me up" songs to help you accomplish any task this week - on Apple Music and Spotify. 

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

I was excited to receive this in the mail this past week and a signed copy too!  I just started reading it and hope to have the author, Dan, on my podcast. It is so great to see Registered Dietitians writing books! Now, I am off to put my feet up after a long week of being a domestic goddess and dive in. 

For those of you who might be interested:  Food Sobriety by Dan Fenyvesi, MS, RD 

Registered dietitian, chronic disease specialist, and Fulbright Scholar Dan Fenyvesi was inspired to write Food Sobriety after years of working on obesity and weight loss in Nicaragua and the United States. After his own experi­ences with diet — and seeing his patients’ successes and failures — he understood that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, he developed a simple, inexpensive method of sustainable weight loss based on solid science and the traditional diets of Latin America.

~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!

#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One. Wisdom.

What was one of your favorite birthday celebrations to date?

Birthdays are THE BEST holiday. It is the day you came into this world to make your mark. That day started a lifetime of endless possibilities, learning experiences, challenges, hopes, dreams and developing meaningful relationships. It is your day. It deserves to be celebrated. You deserve to be celebrated, every year of your life. 

I love to celebrate my family and friends birthdays, more than any other holiday on the calendar. I always had lovely birthdays. My Mom would make the most beautifully decorated cakes by hand. One that sticks in my memory is a big pink heart with her famous chocolate cake in the inside. I can still remember blowing out the candles on that special cake and having my parents, sister and grandparents sweetly singing Happy Birthday to me. 

I hope you have memories like this of your birthday and I also hope you are able to create more of them in the future. The day you were born is an important part of history.  No matter what your age, you are never too young or too old for others to sing to you while you blow out your candles. 

Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

Today’s conversation is with Jen Plaggemars, a registered dietitian who fulfilled a dream to go back to culinary school and become a chef.

Do you ever scroll through social media to find a recipe for something but you’re not quite sure what that something is?  Then you come across photos that start to make you hungry and you must know what the recipe is? Insert Chef Jen. Jen and I worked for the same company for few years, but we really didn’t know each other until I saw a photo of these gorgeous fried plantain chips with a chipotle pineapple guacamole dip and I wanted, no...needed, to be her friend.  She is a dietitian and is now following a dream of being a personal chef and has created a pretty delicious life that I am excited to share with you.

Please enjoy my conversation with Jen

Connect with Jen on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Nosh Three. Weekly Inspiration. 

Being able to celebrate the birthdays of people we love and care about always inspire me. It reminds me another year has passed and each birthday I celebrates reminds me to reflect on what I have accomplished over that past year. I review all my goals: personal and professional. It is a quarterly check in to see where I am at or what I have forgotten about. I am also inspired greatly by the humans who I celebrate these birthdays with.  I am a big card person, so I spend time picking out the perfect card for each of them. In the card, I tell them how they inspire and influence my life in a positive way. I also make sure to remind them of why they mean so much to me. Who know other people's birthdays could be a source of personal and professional inspiration? I was fortunate to have another year to celebrate 2 fabulous ladies, my Mom and my frista (friend from another mista) Carlena. 

Nothing says pure joy like a birthday donut with sprinkles and coffee of course!

It is always fun to celebrate my Mom on her birthday.

The sweet little cake the ladies at the Hy-Vee on Fleur made for her. We really have
the best bakery in Des Moines. 

Happy Happy Birthday to Carlena. We spent the night under the red lights of Parliament Pub West

Had to take a break from cutting a rug and soak it all in. 

Nosh Four. Weekly Music Inspiration.

When I went home to spend the day with my Mom for her birthday, I had to have a playlist to start the day with donuts and coffee on "The Patio."  Hope you enjoy my birthday beats on Apple Music and Spotify.

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

A few years ago, I went on this fantastically amazing trip to St. Helena and Napa Valley California. At almost all the restaurants we dined at, there were roasted shishito peppers on the menu as an appetizer. I loved them. As I was perusing my favorite Hy-Vee on Fleur Drive, I found a bag courtesy of Melissa's Produce and I immediately grabbed some. I am so glad I did. I roasted the whole bag and munched on them for lunch. According to the Melissa's website "shishitos are traditionally served in Japanese cuisine roasted and tossed with sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce." They are mild but lively, sweet and have a hint of smoke to them especially when roasted. Until you get a orange mature one, then the lively factor skyrockets. You might choke a little and your eyes might water, I cannot confirm or deny this happened :).

Roasted Shishitos: Preheat oven to 375 degrees, clean peppers, pat dry and lay in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and generously sprinkle freshly cracked pepper and course salt. Bake until peppers skin start to brown slightly, 3-5 minutes, turning once.

Next time, I am trying it with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds and light soy sauce for dipping.

~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!