With March being nutrition month, it’s a perfect time to prioritize your health and wellness. I am on ABC Sacramento with realistic tips and recipes to help you make more informed food choices and develop healthier eating habits this month and the months ahead.
My first tip is to replace your morning coffee with Yerba Mate.
Yerba Mate comes from the naturally caffeinated leaves of a species of holly tree found deep in the Atlantic Forest of South America and is a powerhouse of health benefits. It provides caffeine, similar to what you’d find in your morning coffee, theobromine — the feel-good component of chocolate, and polyphenols, a contributor to antioxidant activity also found in green tea offering a smooth surge of energy and focus. I recommend the Guayakí brand because they are committed to regenerative, organic, and fair-trade ingredients. This loose leaf is traditionally enjoyed with a gourd and metal straw called a bombilla, but it can also be made in a French press or with an infuser and the new ready-to-drink Berry Lemonade is perfect for on the go. You can even transform it into an energizing spritzer. In a glass add yerba mate ice cubes, fill halfway with Berry Lemonade, add fresh orange juice + top off with sparkling water. You can find Guayaki locally at Nugget and Raley’s.
My next tip is to help meet your recommended 2 cup servings of fruit and 2.5 cup servings of veggies per day by adding a smoothie to your day.
Evive Frozen smoothie cubes are made of whole fruits, veggies and superfoods with no sugar added. Simply take one wheel, pop all the cubes in the blender, add 7oz of liquid and blend. No blender? No problem! you can pop all 8 cubes in a shaker bottle, add 1 cup of water, let thaw and shake well! The Mango Kiwi Lemon is a zesty kiwi-mango smoothie, as smooth as fruit punch, packed with probiotics, great source of 6 vitamins and high in fiber for a tropical delight and available exclusively in the frozen section at Sprouts. All the Evive smoothie cubes are Gluten-free, Dairy-free and NON-GMO. You can find all flavors and retailers at EviveNutrition.com.
My next tip is to set your kids up for healthy eating success.
Serenity Kids just debuted a new line of World Explorers pouches – a delicious culinary experience in a convenient BPA-free pouch that has balanced macronutrients to meet the needs of little ones with 5g protein and 5g healthy fat. These six new delicious and bold flavors are inspired by mouth-watering recipes from around the world and feature ethically sourced meats from farms that practice regenerative agriculture, blended with organic vegetables, herbs, and spices to help encourage exploration and expand the palate of little ones during their flavor window. Each pouch has been tested for heavy metals and has received the Clean Label Project Pesticide Free award. Meat is an ideal first food for little ones as it is a source of bioavailable fat and protein as well as micronutrients essential for baby’s development. You can find the new line featuring six culinary-inspired varieties at Walmart as well as on Thrive Market and Amazon.
Finally, sweeten up your life without the spike, carbs, or calories of processed sugar with SweetLeaf’s better-for-you sweeteners that taste just as delicious as the real thing.
SweetLeaf® Sweet Drops® are a keto-friendly, gluten-free, zero calorie liquid sweetener that can help sweeten up your favorite recipes and drinks without any additional flavors or sugars. SweetLeaf’s All Purpose Sweeteners taste, bake, brown and caramelize just like sugar, measure cup for cup just like sugar and have no artificial ingredients. They bake perfectly into desserts with benefits like these single-serve apple crisps. In a large bowl, make the crumble topping by combining ¼ cup rolled oats ¼ cup blanched almond flour, 2 tbsp oil, ¼ cup walnuts and ¼ cup SweetLeaf®?%50 Reduced Calorie Coconut Sugar. In another large bowl, make the filling by combining 3 chopped apples with cinnamon and ¼ cup of SweetLeaf®?%50 Reduced Calorie Coconut Sugar. Transfer to single-serve skillets and bake for 25 min at 350 F. You can find the SweetLeaf products locally at Raley’s, Target and Kroger.
