5 ways to get your MINDSET to BENEFIT instead of SABOTAGE your health?! 🧐
1. If we are STRESSED while we eat, food is NOT digested properly! More likely to store as fat! 🤯
2. When we LOVE ourselves we are more likely to follow through with health promoting behaviors
3. WILLINGNESS to feel uncomfortable feelings allows us to transmute and practice becoming stronger instead of NUMBING with food, drugs, or other coping mechanisms
4. The placebo effect. !! Whether you THINK you can or THINK you can’t, you’re right! 😲 PAY ATTENTION to what you believe!
5. Health is NOT obession with health!! Health is laughter, love, freedom, connection, pleasure, and SO MUCH MORE than nutrition and fitness! 💃
I used think it was impossible to actually be totally free around food and eat healthily. I thought if I allowed all foods, I would eat too many snacks or desserts, and I would end up feeling sick and overall, gross.
Here, I hope you find some peace of mind learning how to practice food freedom AND eat healthily!
1. Food Is Not Just Nutrients
True holistic health is not just calculating our nutrition and sticking to our fitness plan. It involves connection, freedom, pleasure, laughter, relaxation, and so much more. It is awesome to both be intentional about getting in our nutrients because we love ourselves AND to be intentional about prioritizing pleasure, connection, celebration, and memories that are created when we get to savor our favorite foods.
2. Following RULES vs Following LOVE
Are the food rules you have serving you and are they coming from a place of love or fear? Be sure to check in and make sure that the structure you have in place is realistic and loving. Rules often don’t take into consideration the fluctuations of our needs on the day and it is important to love and trust ourselves and slow down so we can be intuitive instead of being a slave to rules.
3. Structure vs. Obsession
Having some structure and a plan is great to help us feel our best. However, this becomes an issue when the structure becomes an obsession. Recognize that your mental health is just as important as physical health and if you start to get obsessive about your food and fitness, observe the fears that may be coming up for you and remind yourself that true holistic health is all about self compassion, freedom AND enjoyment.
At the end of the day, it is always your choice. Even if you have an allergy to a certain food, it is still your choice to eat that food or not and it is your choice to take on the consequences of eating that food or not. I hope this helped you navigate where you are at with your relationship with food. If it resonated at all, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Also, If you’d like help on your plant based holistic health and fitness journey, click here to applyto work together.
It’s definitely that time of year when we want silky smooth skin (I mean, don’t we always). Plus if you’ve ever had dandruff, or brittle hair and nails, this recipe is a must for you! Its got great sources of trace minerals like zinc and selenium as well as vitamin E and healthy fats that are so essential for a glow up. Also, the nutritional yeast is a b-complex powerhouse to help you feel super energized and buzzin like you’re made for. Not to mention is goes PERFECTLY on top of all the seasonal pesto, tomato, basil pasta perfections you’ve been enjoying lately 😛 Give this one a go!
3 Seed Parmesan Cheese
Makes ~10-15 servings
1 cup Brazil nuts
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
0.5-3 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Blend in a food processor S blade until perfect parm consistency
Who would you want to give one last hug goodbye? To express how deeply you care. To allow them see how amazing they are in your eyes, and how grateful you are for them.
What about giving one last hug to yourselfas well?
Don’t go another day…
Wishing you could be any different than exactly as you are right now.
Counting your burdens instead of your blessings. Forcing yourself upstream, working towards goals that don’t nourish your heart and soul.
Not seeing the beauty in each moment- not realizing dreams due to a self worth deficiency. A love deficiency.
Love is an essential nutrient.
At the end of the day, I won’t need more money saved, certifications gained, or visions created..
all I will want to do is express and receive love.
Don’t look back on your life and regret all the days you spent lost in your own head.
Get swept away by the magic that you already are~
Write a love letter to yourself
A thank you letter to yourself
A forgiveness letter to yourself
Look at yourself straight in the eye in the mirror for at least 5 minutes and tell that beautiful miracle human you see how much you love them
Write “get to-do” lists instead of “to-do” lists
Count the moments that make you feel in awe
Feed yourself beautiful vibrant food because you want to
Dress up because you know you’re an absolute goddess
Sing, laugh, and create what you want.
What you want is what the universe wants.
We are the universe.
sending so much love. I hope this helps someone out there
I love being the health fairy. Everyone appreciates that one dish that is actually delish AND in alignment with everyones health goals. Hope you get inspired by this to have fun in the kitchen with what you’ve got and make something colorful, healthy, and delish
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup lentils, soaked + rinsed
Combine + Boil in 4 cups water + let cool
1-2 bags or bunches of kale
1-2 pomegranates
1-2 cups chopped pecans
4-6 persimmons, the smaller kind, chopped
Dressing:
5-8 dates, pitted
3 Tbsp hemp seed
1-2 chunks fresh ginger
3 Tbsp cashews or tahini
3 Tbsp raw almond butter
3/4-1 cup water
Blend smooth and creamy
1. Massage dressing into kale
2. Add the quinoa, lentils, and rest of ingredients and mix well
3. SHARE WITH EVERYONE!
Mmmm comfort food at its finest. I love using chickpea pasta and other bean pastas. They’re super high in protein, fiber, iron, and resistant starch to really help feed your good gut bacteria- helping not only your digestion and blood sugar levels, but also your immunity and mood! Lots of nerves in the gut- feed it well!
Serves about 8:
1 cauliflower, rough chop into large florets
1 yellow onion, discard outer layer and chop into quarters
1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 avocado
1 boiled sweet potato (skin removed)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/4 – 1/2 lemon
16 oz dry elbow macaroni pasta (I like using banza chickpea pasta)
1 cup frozen peas
Steam onion and cauliflower until soft and translucent (about 15 minutes)
Combine steamed vegetables with salt, pepper, avocado, potato, and nutritional yeast in a food processor S blade or high speed blender and blend until smooth
Boil macaroni according to manufacture’s instructions and mix with peas. Pour sauce over macaroni and peas and mix well. Transfer to casserole dish for serving
Fact: The way we prepare our food changes its nutrient content. So, if you’re going to cook your food, in a soup is the best way! Cooking in water means the food can’t go over 212*F. This is a plus because the higher the heat, the more nutrients are denatured and destroyed and the more carcinogenic properties begin to form. With moist heat, there is now browning or charring occurring. Also, in a soup all of the nutrients are cooked into the broth instead of drained out. So you’re eating all of those incredible vitamins and minerals instead of pouring them down the drain with the water.
Medicinal Ingredients
Is it possible to make a whole foods plant based soup that isn’t medicinal magic? Flavor it up with ginger, garlic, and onion, Throw in that turmeric and black pepper and make a curry. Use all those veggies you never heard of like romanesco, leek, and lion’s mane mushroom. The ingredients in hearty wholesome soups and stews are powerful disease prevention and reversal medicine for a calm mind and a happy healthy and long beautiful life!
Variety on Variety
Vegetable soups, bean stews, creamy squash, chili, bisque, even chilled raw soups! The possibilities are endless. Thickening up by blending with cashews, chopping some veggies chunky, blending others, using vegetable juices for a base, maybe even coconut milk, garnishing with pumpkin seeds, or even avocado. There are so many kinds of soups. I eat them almost daily and don’t think I’ll ever get sick of them.
Easy Peasy
Feeling lazy? Me too. I’m down to heat up some water and throw in all my favorite veggies and spices any day. ( me everyday ) Yay soup!
Underrated AF
Soup is a great option. Sure, if you get it in a can it can have some extra sodium look for less than 300mg of sodium per serving or find “no salt added” or “low sodium” options and maybe if you get them at a restaurant they’ll have some oil, but overall, whole foods plant based soups and soups are an incredible option not to be overlooked. Please try making at LEAST one of these recipes this winter!
3 cups carrot juice (3 pounds of carrots, juiced, or put 2-4 carrots chopped in a blender with enough water to reach 3 cups and blend until smooth) (they sell carrot juice at whole foods and trader joe’s)
2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes (Muir Glen Fire Roasted – No Salt Added)
3 cups canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth/stock
diced avocado and chopped green onion, garnish
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and adjust seasoning to taste.
3. THE HERO POT
A large pot
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 small chunk of ginger
1 tbsp ground or fresh turmeric
1 sweet potato
1 cup red lentils
~6 cups filtered water
~1/2 cup broccoli
~1/2 cup celery
~1/2 cup mushrooms
~1/2 cup peas
Lime and avocado to garnish
Prep ingredients: chop vegetables, mince garlic + ginger
Sautee onions and garlic in pot in 1/3 cup of water (keep a jug of water nearby to add as needed)
Add turmeric, lentils, sweet potato, and 5 cups of water and bring to boil for about 10 minutes
Turn down heat to simmer and add in rest of ingredients to simmer for about 15 minutes
Wow. What an extremely lucky child to have a parent reading this. Can you believe you are creating life?! This is HUGE! I am so glad that you are here. Educating yourself for not only an incredibly healthy and happy you, but the best future for your magnificently blessed kiddo as well ❤
YES as a matter of fact there is nothing missing in a vegan diet to raise an EXTREMELY healthy happy successful, talented, bright, beautiful, and alive child. AND you are dramatically reducing your risk for complications, pain, sickness, and beyond.
Educate yourself with all of the material on this post! In general, pregnant women only require about 300 extra calories per day from starch. This video is very informative!
Emphasize beans and greens combined with a source of vitamin C like lemon or orange juice for peak iron absorption. (great recipes)
Incorporate omega-3s daily: ground flax, chia, walnut, hemp, and leafy greens daily for omega-3s (vegan algael oil DHA supplement if you’d like) for a super smart baby 😀
Incorporate calcium rich foods: kale, broccoli, collards, okra, oranges, figs or calcium-set tofu, fortified plant based milk, etc. daily
Get iodine from a dulse or kelp shaker, nori, Eden’s brand beans, or sea palm. Iodized salt is not the best source of iodine as concentrated sodium like that in salt + high sodium foods has been shown to increase blood pressure and may lead to preeclampsia.
Take a B12 supplement 2-6x / week if not already in your multi / fortified foods
Avoid seafood!!! Heavy metals cross placenta as they detox from mom’s body into baby while pregnant and breastfeeding. Mercury, antibiotics, and other additives and heavy metals in seafood and other animal products should be avoided.
Spend at least 20 minutes / day in nature if you can. Relax! Take it easy! Get some natural sunshine vitamin D or make sure it is in you multi or be sure to take a supplement 2000IU/ day should do the trick 🙂
Emphasize whole plant foods like veggies, whole grains, fruit, beans, seeds, and nuts and minimize processed foods like added sugars, processed oils, white and refined flours and flour products, and added sodium and salt.
Practice Intuition: what do you feel like eating? An entire watermelon? Fantastic! 3 whole heads of lettuce with an avocado?! Amazing. Our bodies are incredible. Meditate, listen to what it wants, stay calm, and have so much fun!
Feeding Vegan Kids. The Vegetarian Resource Group. http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/kids.htm. Practical information for parents of children from infancy through adolescence.
Vegetarian Nutrition for Teenagers. The Vegetarian Resource Group. Available at: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/teen_veg.pdf. Brochure designed for teen vegetarians. Covers key nutrients, body weight issues, and simple snacks.
Raising Vegetarian Children. Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Available at:http://vegetariannutrition.net/vegetarian-kids/ Blog written by registered dietitians with suggestions for vegetarian families.
Teen FAQs. Vegetarian Resource Group. Available at: http://www.vrg.org/teen/. Questions and answers about nutrition, social situations, family issues, foods and cooking for vegetarian teens.
Vegetarian Teens. Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Available at: http://vegetariannutrition.net/vegetarian-teens/Blog written by registered dietitians with a focus on vegetarian teens.
Vegan Lunch Box Blog. Available at: http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/. Blog includes many ideas for healthy packed lunches for vegetarian and vegan children.
Who doesn’tLove pasta? Yes, love with a capital “L”. For these recipes I used banza pasta made from chickpeas. Bean pasta is awesome! It is super high in nutrients like iron and beneficial fiber. Plus it is loaded with protein. It’s gluten free and only takes 7-8 minutes to cook. Obsessed. I particularly like the Banza brand because it looks just like regular pasta and has a really nice consistency. Some bean pastas that I have tried are a little mealy and chalky, this brand is nice and noodle-y. I don’t know how else to describe it 😛 Hope you enjoy these recipes! xo
Mmmm when I had this recipe the first time I could have sworn it had peanut butter and sugar in it with its gingery garlic creamy deliciousness. Its just sesame seeds and dates!? What!? So simple and I can assure you this recipe will not disappoint!
Adapted from Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Quick and Easy Chilled Sesame Noodles
Serves 6
Ingredients:
8 ounces bean pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed under cold water, and drained
1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed
1 pound mushrooms, chopped + steamed (or use another pound of broccoli or any other vegetable you love!)
1 large red bell pepper
6 scallions thinly sliced
For the Sauce
1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds, lightly pan toasted
1 cup water
2-3 tablespoons raw almonds or cashews (preferably soaked / sprouted)
3 tablespoons lime juice (or rice vinegar / apple cider vinegar)
Steps
In a high speed blender, puree all the sauce ingredients until smooth
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, bell pepper, scallion, steamed broccoli, and veggies with the sauce until thoroughly coated.
Divide among 6 plates and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prescription Pesto
Yaaas pesto :-P. This recipe has got all the medicine in it, and TBH: there is nothing I crave more. This pesto is BOMB. Don’t be fooled by the word, “medicine.” Back in the day when you used to plug your nose to get the stuff down. This powerful pesto has got the most potent DNA protecting and disease reversing foods like greens, turmeric, beans, walnuts, and garlic. And this medicine, baby. Just can’t get enoughhh yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VITAMIN KATIE 