My body feels best when I eat nutrient-dense foods made with simple, real-food ingredients. I feel its immediate impact on my sleep, energy, and focus. Eating well is also a way for me to invest in my long-term health.
Half the battle is figuring out what is worth putting in your body. The other half is figuring out what to do when you want something that doesn't fit in this category. I believe there are ways to eat your favorite foods while meeting your nutritional goals.
By giving your recipes a "glow up" and learning how to make nutrient-dense foods well, you can make it easier to achieve your nutrition goals. You don't have to choose between eating well and your health goals.
Discovering foods you love that still closely align with your nutrition goals can keep you from feeling deprived. This will help you stay consistent in a way that being too strict doesn't
Let's explore how to choose nutrient-dense foods and make our favorite foods a little better.
What to Look For
Don't trust a label that says "natural" or "heart-healthy," because those words don't mean much (if anything). Food manufacturers often include misleading claims on packaging to increase sales. We need to check each item on the ingredient list. If all the ingredients meet the criteria above, it is probably a pretty good choice.
When considering ingredients, ask yourself if it could be...
- found in nature
- grown on a farm
- found in your great-great-great-grandmother's kitchen
It is good if it was once alive and thriving. And anything in your great-great-great-grandmother's kitchen was closer to its natural state.
Grandma & Google
Your great-great-great-grandmother's recipes likely came from her friends and relatives. Today, Google can be your best friend for finding nutrient-dense recipes. For example, did you know some people make...
- brownies with avocados and bananas?
- cookies with chickpeas?
- pancakes with just eggs and bananas?
I know they don't sound good, but I promise you that they are delicious. If you have a favorite recipe, do a quick search to find a nutrient-dense version.
Joelle's Brownies
My sister, Joelle, makes incredible brownies. Here is her "glow up" recipe... she replaces the flour, sugar, and vegetable oil with avocados and bananas. They may sound weird, but they are so good.
Ingredients
- 2 Avocados
- 2 Bananas
- 2 Eggs
- ½ Cup Cocoa Powder
- ¼ Cup Raw Honey
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ Cup Dark Chocolate chips (Optional)
Instructions
- Blend avocados, bananas, eggs, cocoa powder, honey, and baking soda.
- Stir in chocolate chips if desired
- Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil.
- Pour into the baking dish.
- Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
This "glow up" banana pancake recipe can be a little tricky at first, but simple once you get the hang of it. Tricks... 1. Be sure to start with enough oil in the pan and warm it up before adding the batter; 2. Do not flip the pancakes too early. Otherwise, the pancakes will stick badly to the pan. 3. The pancakes are very thin; you can add 1/8th a teaspoon of baking powder if you want them fluffier.
Ingredients
- 1 very ripe banana
- 2 eggs
- coconut oil, butter, or ghee
- toppings of choice: maple syrup, berries, honey, nuts, etc.
Directions
- Mash the banana in a mixing bowl until the lumps are very small (or gone).
- Mix in the eggs.
- Melt the oil in a hot pan.
- Pour a couple of tablespoons of batter into the oil.
- Cook until the underside is golden brown (about one minute).
- Slowly work your spatula under the pancake to flip (if it is hard to flip, you may need to cook it a little longer).
- Cook for another minute or until golden brown.
- Remove from the pan.
- Add your choice of toppings.
Note: Sometimes it is easier to combine the banana and eggs in a blender, especially when making a big batch.
Strawberry Avocado Salad
Giving a basic salad a "glow up" can make it taste better. And the fat in this salad actually helps your body absorb more of its nutrients. You can enjoy this salad as a side dish or make it a main meal by adding the chicken. Either way, it's a perfect blend of sweet and tangy.
Ingredients
- 8 oz baby spinach
- 1 1/2 lbs strawberries
- 3 avocados
- 9 T extra virgin olive oil
- 3 T balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3/8 tsp salt
- 3/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- chicken (if desired)
Directions
- Wash and dry produce.
- Cut strawberries into quarters lengthwise. (Discard stems)
- Cut avocados into slices. (Discard pit and skin)
- Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Layer spinach, strawberries, avocado, and dressing. (Chicken if desired.)
- Top with almonds. Enjoy!
Simple and Delicious Roasted Vegetables
Replacing simple carbs with vegetables might sound boring, but that is probably because you haven't experienced butternut squash fries, kale chips, or a great salad. People often think they don't like vegetables because they have never had them made well. With the right seasoning and cooking method, it is hard not to find some that you enjoy.
Roasting veggies is one of the best tricks to make them taste good. It is an easy way to make the flavor and texture better for people who may not like them otherwise. This is one way to make your veggies taste great...
Ingredients
- Vegetable(s) of choice - broccoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, sweet potato, eggplant, acorn squash, butternut squash, fennel, beets, onions, turnips, parsnips, and more!
- 1-2 tbsp of fat of choice – coconut oil, butter, ghee, or animal fat (lard, beef tallow)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Spoon fat onto a 9x13 glass pan (or baking sheet with rimmed edges) and place the pan in the oven to melt the fat.
- Cut vegetables into uniform pieces (florets, matchsticks, cubes, etc.).
- Mix vegetables in the melted fat and season with salt and pepper.
- Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer on the pan.
- Roast vegetables in the oven. Cooking time varies; for heartier vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and sweet potatoes, cook for about 25-30 minutes. Other veggies will take less time. Look for the vegetables to soften (tender when forked) and start to brown on the edges.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the veggies rest for 5-10 minutes in the hot pan. This helps them to crisp up a bit.
- If you tolerate dairy well, you can serve them with a little butter.
What tricks have you found to make your meals a little healthier? I'd love to hear about them.
Dr. Jamie
P.S. To get more great recipes from my sister, follow her adventure at From Scratch Homestead. You will learn about her life on a 5-acre homestead with her husband, kids, gardens, orchard, two dogs, a milk cow, and a smattering of chickens.
Eating fermented food is great for gut health. Previous generations ate a lot of fermented food because fermentation preserves food. Now we have freezers and refrigerators that keep food fresh, so we don't need to ferment our food.
During fermentation, natural bacteria feed on the sugars and starches in the food, creating lactic acid. This extends the food's shelf life and makes it more digestible by preserving and increasing beneficial enzymes, nutrients, and probiotics.
Many people think that you need to get probiotics from a supplement, but you don't. You can get these "good" bacteria through the fermented foods you eat; in fact, that is my favorite way to get them.
Many of us have stopped eating traditional fermented foods, so our probiotic consumption has declined. And as convenience and processed foods have overtaken our pantries, we get less and less probiotics.
Let's explore easy, inexpensive ways to make our own fermented foods.
Why Make Fermented Foods
Fermented foods can make a big difference in how your body processes food, but they can be expensive. Making them yourself lets you save money and control the ingredients used.
1. Increase probiotics - Probiotics are the "good" bacteria in your digestive system. They are known to have tremendous benefits, including improving your immune system, helping digestion, balancing hormones, and even slowing or eliminating disease.
2. Make food more digestible - Fermentation begins to break down food naturally, making it easier to digest. Probiotics and digestive enzymes help your body absorb nutrients in the food that you eat.
3. Save money - Quality fermented foods can be expensive, but with a few simple ingredients you can make your own inexpensive fermented foods. You don't have to buy probiotic supplements, and the health benefits of probiotics could save you future medical expenses.
What fermented food to make?
Most fruits and vegetables are simple to ferment. All you need to do is cut them up, mix them with salt and spices, and pound them to release juices. Then store them in an airtight container and wait. You can find hundreds of recipes for this online; just search "lactofermented" with the name of the food you want to ferment.
My favorite fermented foods to make at home are homemade yogurt and sauerkraut. It is easier and tastier than most people think! I'll share my recipes below.
Homemade Crockpot Yogurt
Ingredients:
- ½ gallon of whole-fat organic milk
- ½ cup of PLAIN yogurt. Read the ingredients, and you will see the cultures listed.
- Note: Make sure milk and cultures are the only ingredients in the plain yogurt you use. Generally, flavored yogurt, including vanilla yogurt, does not have these cultures. Learn more about yogurt here.
Directions:
- Pour the milk into the crockpot and cook on LOW.
- After 2.5 hours, turn off the crockpot.
- Let sit for 3 hours without removing the lid.
- After the 3 hours, quickly remove the lid and stir the plain yogurt into the warm milk.
- Put the lid back on and wrap the crockpot in two large bath towels.
- Let sit on the counter for around 12 hours (or overnight).
- Store the yogurt in quart-size glass mason jars.
- It will thicken after being refrigerated for 4-6 hours.
- NOTE: Don't forget to reserve 1/2 cup to start your next batch.
Add your favorite fresh fruits and nuts. Enjoy!
Traditional Sauerkraut
Ingredients:
- 1 head of cabbage
- 2 tbsp sea salt
Directions:
- Core and shred cabbage.
- Mix cabbage with salt.
- Use your hands to massage the juice from the cabbage or pound it with a meat hammer. (This can take 10-20 minutes; be patient!)
- Place cabbage and juices into a wide-mouth glass mason jar. (Make sure the juices cover the cabbage. Leave at least one inch of space at the top of the jar.)
- Cover tightly and store on the counter for three days
- After three days, move it into the refrigerator.
What other fermented foods do you eat? Let me know on my Facebook page.
Dr. Jamie, D.C.
Ingredients
- 8 oz baby spinach
- 1 1/2 lbs strawberries
- 3 avocados
- 9 T extra virgin olive oil
- 3 T balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 tsp dijon mustard
- 3/8 tsp salt
- 3/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- chicken (optional)
Directions
1. Wash and dry produce.
2. Cut strawberries into quarters lengthwise. (Discard stems)
3. Cut avocados into slices. (Discard pit and skin)
4. Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
5. Layer spinach, strawberries, avocado, and dressing. (Chicken if desired.)
6. Top with almonds.
7. Enjoy!
I love making enough of a recipe to have leftovers for lunch! It's much easier than figuring out two separate meals and ensures a healthy choice on a busy day.
Chicken and Cabbage Stir Up
Ingredients
- 1 meat of rotisserie chicken (shredded)
- 1 1/2 T. virgin coconut oil
- 1 1/2 red onions (thinly sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 one-inch pieces ginger (minced)
- 3 medium heads napa cabbage (thinly sliced crosswise)
- 1 1/2 t. salt
- 3/4 t. black pepper
- 1 1/2 limes (juiced)
- 1/3 c. soy sauce
- 3 T. toasted sesame oil
- 2 T. chili-garlic sauce
Directions
1. Wash and dry produce.
2. Preheat skillet over medium heat. Add the coconut oil to coat the pan.
3. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir while cooking until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
4. Add the cabbage, stirring frequently until softened (about 2-3 minutes).
5. Add the shredded chicken and stir to combine.
6. Add salt, pepper, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili-garlic sauce.
7. Enjoy!
* This dish is adapted from Mealime's "Weeknight Beef & Cabbage Stir Up" recipe.
Here are some healthy ways to make traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Using recipes with real, unprocessed, nourishing ingredients will help us feel better after the meal. You will feel more awake and able to enjoy the rest of the day.
I bet you will be inspired to try more of these recipes when you see how good they taste and how great you feel!
Appetizers:
Easy Whole30 Paleo Snack Board | Kimbrough Daniels
Bacon-Wrapped Butternut Squash Recipe | Paleo Leap
The Best Paleo Meatballs - Whole30 Friendly! - Fresh Water Peaches
Sweet and Tangy Lil' Smokies | Plaid & Paleo (plaidandpaleo.com)
The Bird
Easy Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter
Butterflied Turkey Recipe
Stuffing
Sausage Apple Cranberry Stuffing
Paleo Comfort Food Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole
Paleo Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato & Squash
Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Garlic & Butternut Squash Mash
Butternut Squash Risotto
Cranberries
3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
"Mashed Potatoes"
Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"
Brussel Sprouts
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Beautiful Brussels Sprouts with Onion & Squash
Desserts
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Crisp
Nonalcoholic Drinks
How To Make Virgin Piña Coladas - Strength and Sunshine
Watermelon + Cucumber Cooler - the Whole Smiths
Non-Alcoholic Paleo Strawberry Mojito - Paleo Grubs
You can enjoy a beautiful meal and still feel good enough to enjoy the rest of the day!
Dr. Jamie Thomure (and Joelle Kurczodyna)
*Many of these recipes were taken from an article my sister Joelle wrote. Joelle has a certification in Nutritional Therapy (NTP), is a mom of three kids, and has a homestead with two cows, more than twenty chickens, and a bunch of vegetables! Learn more about the awesome things she is up to at
From Scratch Farmstead.
In summer, a solid breakfast is important to set you up for a good day! It can give you more energy, stabilize your blood sugar, and even help you lose weight. This is especially true if you make sure to include adequate protein.
However, in the chaos of the morning, breakfast can seem like a luxury. You may grab a coffee and a piece of toast before rushing into your day. But what if there was a way to get a nutritious breakfast quickly?
With just a bit of work, you can make breakfast for the whole week. Or you can opt for a more simple recipe and make it on the go. Either way, your body will thank you for taking care of it and giving it what it needs to thrive.
Check out these make-ahead or quick-to-make recipes. For those who cook in the morning, consider prepping the ingredients the night before. (I've given you a quick peek at the ingredients below; click on the link for the complete recipe.)
Bacon, sweet potato, onion, apple, spinach, cinnamon, salt & pepper.
Ham, shredded cheese, eggs, salt, & pepper.
Eggs, chorizo, onion, red pepper, garlic, carrots, zucchini, spices, & salt.
Avocados, eggs, salt, & pepper (toppings of choice such as feta and green onions, or salsa and fresh cilantro, etc.)
Eggs, coconut oil, plantains, garlic cloves, onion, green pepper, jalapeno diced, cilantro, beef or sausage, vinegar, green olives, raisins, tomato sauce, coconut milk, spices, & salt.
You can also create your own recipes. Here are guides for making your own skillets or casseroles. If you use one of these recipes, let me know what you think!
Dr. Jamie
P.S. Learn about the Benefits of A High Protein Breakfast here.
