healthy Archives

Farm to Tablet: Winter Wellness Giveaway!

February 3, 2016 by theblogbloom.com 17 Comments

I have never really been a “medicine” person.

Fortunately for me, I was (and still am) pretty healthy so I didn’t have to be.

I have never been the kind of girl who popped Advil with cramps or growing pains as a teenager or hangovers as a college student. I didn’t even fill my prescription for pain meds after getting my wisdom teeth out. And, my day has never included a vitamin.

That is, until recently.

Nearly in the same moment that I found out I was expecting a baby, my mind went straight to prenatal vitamins.

(Okay, fine. Full disclosure. It was after the, “Oh my God. What have we done?” thought.)

As a late twenty-something, I knew a little about prenatals, their need and their benefit even when babies are the furthest thing from my mind. I even had friends who took them prior to their weddings for faster growing hair and better nails.

… All the while, I couldn’t help but think that they were really tempting fate because with my luck I know how that would have played out for me… just saying.

But, when the time became real for me, I didn’t even know where to begin to look.

After a trip to the library and some Google searches, I knew I wanted something with plenty of folic acid, calcium and iron. I also knew- because I am me- that I wanted something as close to Mother Nature as possible which led me down the road of plant based vitamins.

There I found MegaFood vitamins and I was intrigued.

MegaFood has made whole food supplements for forty years and uses produce from trusted farm partners to create their products. Through their production process, they do not use any damaging temperatures to diminish the natural nutritional value of the fresh food.

The more I learn about not just MegaFood products, but vitamins and supplements in general, the more I think about keeping up with a daily vitamin or two post baby. Even a lactation consultant that I met with recently said to keep it up. She also mentioned that the addition of a daily vitamin is a good thing for new (also sleep deprived) dads to think about too!

MegaFood’s product line includes a handful of Baby and Me options to support pregnancy and to help with breastfeeding. But, there are also many other options for growing kids and teens, adults over forty, men and women, and even vegans to help add balance to their diet.

Since we are at the height of cold and flu season, I have teamed up with MegaFood and we are offering a Winter Wellness Pack to one lucky Bloom reader full of germ fighting Vitamin-C, Vitamin-D and Zinc products! Be sure check out the Giveaway below and tell me how you stay healthy in the winter!

Here are a few of MegaFood and my tips!

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables: This can seem hard without the booming garden and farmers market, but good cold weather options are antioxidant rich cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, garlic and carrots.
Eat Protein: Protein helps to keep blood sugar levels stable (good for a pregnant gal too!) and reduce sugar cravings. People often get sick in the winter because they are eating too many sugars and carbohydrates which can compromise their immune system. Eggs, beans, lentils, quinoa, and cheese are an awesome vegetarian sources of protein especially in the winter. I add lentils, beans and quinoa to soup often.
Stay Social: Even if it’s cold, get out and visit friends. Too many people stay at home during the winter leading to the Winter Blues. Make a coffee date with a friend or family member to keep spirit’s high.
Stay Active: And, even better, get active outside. Use good judgement, obviously, but even if it’s just chilly it will feel great and be great to get bundled up, head outside and get your heart pumping even if it’s only for twenty minutes a day.
Get Extra Sleep: We need to be better about taking cues from nature. When it’s colder and the days are shorter, our bodies naturally need more sleep. Try going to bed about thirty minutes earlier than normal because if you are sleep deprived you will be more susceptible to illness.

Bonus Tip!

Have faith and get excited, because according to dear old Punxsutawney Phil, spring will be coming early!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To The Resolutionist:

January 3, 2015 by theblogbloom.com 1 Comment

I believe in The Resolutionist.

The optimistic. The excited. The one who is inspired to grow and to make a change.

But, the whole idea of a “resolution” gets a lot of smack this time of year.

People claim that it is stupid/inappropriate/negative to set resolutions. They state that resolutions are unattainable wishes that lead to depression. They declare that people who make resolutions are just dreamers. They say why even bother because the resolution will just be broken within 30 days.

News flash: “They” are grumps.

There is always room to try something new. To learn. To grow. To make a change. To make yourself stronger.

To help give everyone’s resolutions a fighting chance we need to stop being so grumpy and use our skills and experiences to help each other.

So, here’s the deal: If your resolution is to save money by not shopping at Anthropologie as much, sorry, forget it. I am not your girl. I can’t help you. I can’t help me.

But, if your resolution is to cook from scratch more, begin to ditch processed foods, eat locally when possible, or even grow your own food, stick around.

These are things I have done and you can to.

Here a few tips to get you started:

So, you want to cook from scratch more often?

Awesome! I am a firm believer in home cooked meals. I honestly think they can change the world. (More on that some other day…)

But, how do you do this without getting discouraged? Without your family hating everything you put in front of them?

Two beginner tips:

1. Having a plan is huge. I meal plan and shop on Sunday’s (sometimes Monday’s) for the whole week. I check the fridge and freezer and see if there is anything I need to use up. I make a plan for left overs be it lunch or re-purposed for the next day’s dinner. I make sure there are different proteins and flavor profiles throughout the week so that we don’t get bored. And, I try my best to stick to my meal plan mainly because I have already invested the money in the meal. This makes take out or eating out not tempting at all even when it’s a busy night. (Got to save that cash for Anthro… duh!)

2. Try your best to learn to like cooking. This is weird, obscure, and maybe even hard. But, if you are going to do it you have to find some joy in it. I thoroughly enjoy getting away from the many screens in my life and working with my hands. I find it refreshing after a long day. Think of it as a way to unwind with a byproduct of a great meal for your family.

But, if that sounds completely ridiculous and there is no way to unwind until kids are in bed; grab a glass of wine, turn on your show and do tomorrow night’s chopping then. Or, befriend your crock pot and prep Tuesday night’s dinner on Monday evening. Put it in the fridge over night, turn it on before heading to work, BINGO.

Plus, coming home from a long day to marvelous smells coming from your crock pot is one of life’s most pure joys. I speak from experience.

So, you want to quit that processed food that you can’t seem to make it through a day without?

You are brave. But, you got this!

I was once the Diet Soda Queen. No seriously. It was a known fact. I love, love, loved it. A Diet Coke can or the 32 ounce Styrofoam cup from a gas station just steps off my college campus was like an accessory for me that I wore proud and daily.

Then I started reading about it. Forget the whole cancer thing: My first concern was for my teeth. Was I staining them? Then my bones. Could I be doing damage to them and become a weak, brittle old lady? Then I read about how it tricks you into thinking you are consuming something sweet, but you really aren’t because it’s a “fake” sweetness, so then you crave and, in turn, eat more sweets.

There is nothing “diet” about that.

Especially when I was in my early twenties and there was a wedding dress in my near future.

Today, I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a diet soda.

How did I do it?

1. Occupy your thirst. I began drinking water like crazy. (Which happens to have loads of benefits. Bonus!) I had water with me at all times so that I couldn’t get thirsty. But, the caffeine thing is hard.

So 2., Start small. Don’t go cold turkey. Let yourself have one or two a week. Maybe a Friday afternoon treat. Whatever. But after a month or so you won’t even miss that treat.

(A byproduct of this? You will become crazy water fiend. You will feel strange if you feel like you have not gotten enough water in a day. And, then you will begin to dream about how wonderful it would be to have beautiful water fountains full of Evian straight from the Alps on every corner like they do in Europe.)

So, you want to eat locally?

Cool. Love it!

However, one tiny issue with this one. If you are in a state like, oh let’s say Indiana? Now is not the greatest time to start. Eating Local has to do a lot with eating seasonally. And in this lovely frozen tundra, there isn’t that much that is in season right now.

But what you can do is get your toes wet and start making a plan:

1. Check out websites like eatwild.com or just even use google to learn about local growers in your area. Reach out to them or follow them on social media to learn what they have for sale right now. Start making relationships with them and maybe even begin purchasing things like their eggs, cheese, or meat which they might have available this time of year.

2. Use this time of year to study up on canning or freezing so that when these farmers have things like tomatoes, berries, or corn this summer you can buy it in bulk and put it away for next January.

Honestly, you should see my freezer right now. We have a lot of eating to do.

So, you want to grow your own food?

Heck yah, you do! You are a rockstar.

Now is a great time to start thinking about this, even if your home is currently frozen like mine. And, man, do I have tips for ya!

This could be a whole post. Or series of posts. Or maybe even a whole blog. Hey, wait.. isn’t that what Bloom kind of is…! 😉

I have done a lot of gardening posts so check them out in the “Garden Tips” tab of the menu bar, but to get you started:

1. Think about what you like to eat and eat often. These are things you should grow. We love tomatoes, herbs and lettuce greens…But, winter squash? Not so much. So we don’t grow it.

2. A good garden isn’t super needy, but it does need sun, water, and good soil. Right now is a good time to think about all these things.

Sun- Is there a place that gets at minimum five hours of good sun light? It can be your windowsill, your patio, your lawn, whatever. That is where your plants should go.

Water- Do you have outdoor hose hook-up’s? Or will your water be coming from inside? Keep that in mind when you are trying to figure out where you want to put your garden. Or, get busy working on your biceps.

Soil- Soil is tricky. Find out if you have sandy or clay soil. Maybe start a compost bin to help bring in organic matter to your garden soil this spring.

3. Look into seeds and seed starter kits. Planting for areas in the Midwest should begin around March. There are tons and TONS of seed companies out there. Request a catalog and have fun “ooh-ing” and “awe-ing” over the beautiful, colorful veggies and their funny names.

4. A big thing to remember is that there is no need to go crazy when you are starting out. It’s YOUR garden and it can be as big or as small as you want it. Maybe you do herbs in your windowsill? Or tomatoes in pots on your patio? Or maybe you dig up eight beds in the backyard? Perfect. Do what works for you. We started with just tomatoes and peppers and now I couldn’t even tell you how many plants are in our summer garden.

Once you start, you will grow too.

Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2015!

Follow your dreams.

“How Did We Get Here?” by Claire

November 12, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 2 Comments

Wasn’t it super fun to hear from Adam?! I already am excited for his next post in this series. He is so sweet.

Anyways… My turn.

Unless you are really new to Bloom you know a bit about my background. I was born in downtown Chicago. I grew up in a upper middle class, suburban neighborhood on the North West side of Columbus, Ohio in a silly-large house on a golf course. I loved shopping, being with my friends, and if the thought of a farmer happened to cross my mind I was either reading a story book or a history book.

Shop ’til you drop! Me at 12-13ish?

The more I think about answering the question of “How did we get here?” that Adam and I posed to one another recently, the more I realize that it’s really not as crazy as I had originally thought.

There were two very different elements in both of our lives that made starting a garden, and growing beyond the garden, a perfect storm.

While Adam learned to enjoy planting seeds and making things grow with his mom’s help, my mom was helping shape an important piece of my life.

Growing up was a running joke that my mom was “green” before “green” was cool. And, it was often expressed to me by snack-hungry friends that my house had “weird” food.

My sister recently posted this Buzzfeed roundup and it was pretty much my life as a child.

Sugary cereal, Lunch-able’s, Gushers, and Wonder Bread did not exist in my house. Chips were rare. So were trips to fast food restaurants.

Instead, for snacks, we had blue corn chips and air popped popcorn. Our sandwich bread was dark brown, the crust was always on and sometimes it was even covered in unrecognizable seeds. And, nearly every meal we ate was made from scratch.

Out of curiosity, I recently asked my mom why she did this. Today, a mom can find so much (Maybe even too much…) about the benefits of real, whole foods thanks to the blogosphere. But, it was the nineties. Were there articles in the magazines my mom used to receive like “Family Fun” and “Better Home and Gardens” blasting processed foods?

Her answer kind of surprised me.

I thought it was because she wanted us to be healthy. And, yes, she did know the food she was serving us had to be more healthy than fast, processed food, but her main reason behind it was because it was cheaper.

I was confused. How did it get drilled into my head that scratch made, wholesome meals and real food snacks were better for me?

Then it clicked. I had learned this one on my own.

Like most kids who leave the nest, I immediately started trying new things.

I had Taco Bell for the first time at eighteen.

Cheetos became my study snack of choice nights before accounting exams.

The first time I had a Little Debbie Ho-Ho or Zebra Cake I was freshman and it was kind of a “Where have you been my whole life?” moment.

It was a known “thing” in college that I was the Diet Coke Queen. My day was not complete without a stop at the college town’s Discount Den where I could get a 32 ounce Styrofoam cup full of carbonated goodness for a whopping 55 cents.

I was even guilty of housing a jar of icing or a tube of cookie dough in my mini fridge just for snacking… raw. And/or scooped up with pretzels/potato chips/Oreos/my fingers… whatever.

Ohhhkay… you can stop judging me now.

(And, for the record, there were two considerable heartbreaks in my first two years of college… so I get a pass for the cookie dough thing.)

Shockingly, by the fall of junior year, I not only had gained twenty pounds but I just didn’t look good.

A little chub and a big soda.

It was never too bad, but I had breakouts.

I didn’t sleep well and just always looked tired. I felt it too.

I would get occasional headaches and I would pick up colds easily.

And after years and years of life guarding, I struggled through the 500 yard swim when it came time to renew my certification.

Over Thanksgiving Break my parents could tell something was up and suggested that I take vitamins.

I had never taken a vitamin. I barely took cold medicine or pain relief for cramps. I didn’t want to have to take a vitamin. I didn’t want to have to take something man made to make me feel better.

Then it was like I had a break through moment: I had been eating man made foods that made me feel absolutely awful with no problem.

Uh… Lightbulb…!

Getting back to a more natural diet started slowly. I replaced the Cheetos with nuts or veggies with hummus and made an effort not eat after nine… Which, by the way, is SUPER hard to do in college.

After my summer in California where I cooked from scratch often and worked alongside growers creating a small farmer’s market, I came back for senior year with new energy and just felt so much better in general… and about myself.

Right after CA and just before Senior year I took a cruise in Europe with my family and looked so much more healthy in between my two siblings.

People noticed, too.

Guy friends were actually more apt to comment on how much more fit I looked. I can remember one night, just as classes began, I was talking with a great guy, who had been a friend all through college, and he complimented me saying that I looked great, but pressed and asked what had I been doing.

I was kind of stumped for a minute. I wasn’t practicing some hip, uber-intense workout routine or following some trendy diet. So, I thought for a second and simply replied, “I just started taking better care of myself.”

That conscientious decision to just simply “take better care of myself” lead me to my first apartment where scratch made meals with Adam were the norm. To ditching the Diet Coke for good, even when working for the brand. To being excited about local growers and the idea of having my own garden.

That decision to make an effort to do the most and best I can for myself, combined with Adam’s love of growing food, has lead us to where we are today.

Hive and Honey Photography

So, where are we? Adam will tell you this Sunday!

Super Kale

August 25, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 7 Comments

Since graduating in 2009, I have made a career in the food and beverage industry. And, in those five short years, the industry has seen a lot of trends come and go.

Cupcakes.

Food Trucks.

Craft Beer.

Bacon… anything.

Food trends are a fact of life. There will always be something that’s “hot.” So, restaurant’s are always working hard to stay ahead of the trend and discover the best way to style up classics like PB&J or to create the craziest hybrid treat. Cronuts, anyone?

But restaurants are very different from my side of the industry. Restaurant’s offer single experiences. I have always worked with cafeterias and personal chefs, the realm of the industry that focuses on everyday consumption.

Here, we encounter food trends, but they tend to be more nutrition based. In this part of the industry, we are providing our clients with their daily nutrients which is a little more personal than a one-time special occasion. Because of this, our clients are vocal about their wants.

Which is awesome. I love feedback from customers. But the strongest “trend” I have experienced in this side of the food and beverage industry is the Elimination Diet.

An Elimination Diet is when someone cuts something out of their diet. They are recommended by doctors to help determine allergies or food sensitivities, but some claim (… commonly celebrities) that they are a fast and easy way to loose weight.

You have heard of them. No sugar. No carbs. No dairy. No gluten. No corn. No solid food. No meat. No nuts.

This bothers me.

Here’s the deal, and no, I am not an RD, but so long as you don’t have a medical reason not to eat something I don’t think it’s a great idea to totally eliminate it from your diet.

Besides the facts that your friends (and next waitress) might be really annoyed with you hopping from one “non this” to the next “non that” diet and that you are more likely to slip up if you go totally cold turkey, it actually might not be good for you.

Carb free dieters are prone to constipation.

Getting rid of dairy in your diet can leave you at risk for osteoporosis or lower bone density later in life.

Going gluten free when not diagnosed with Celiac can actually wreck even more havoc on your digestive track and have you running to the bathroom often.

Elimination diets also often lead to “Yo-Yo-ing” (because they don’t last), causing emotional and physical stress and messing up a body’s fat to muscle ratio. Some also say the fluxing in body weight can make it easier to gain weight moving forward.

So, if you can eat anything you want count your lucky stars because there are many people that can’t for a host of medical reasons. (And, because carbs and cheese are delish.) Just practice moderation.

I often think that it would be awesome for the next food trend to be “What you SHOULD eat” not what you shouldn’t. Which is why I am a fan of the growing term, “Super Food.”

It helps people know more about nutrient dense foods that are really good for them. Because the term is so hot, it has brought these foods forefront and made them easily accessible.

And, if I had to name the hottest of the Super Foods I would have to go with kale. Kale is big. And it’s Super Food title is well earned. It’s full of vitamins, nutrients and anti-cancer causing properties.

What is undeserved is kale’s a pretty lousy reputation taste wise.

People complain of kale being bitter, which it can be raw if you don’t massage the leaves before eating them. I love to sauté the garden’s kale and this recipe is so easy but packed with a lot of my favorite flavors.

Sauteed Kale

2014-08-25 10:12:54

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon, plus one teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1 pound kale, ribs removed, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.
Add kale and cook, tossing until bright green, about one minute.
Add water and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until kale is tender. About 13 minutes.
Push kale to one side of the pan, add remaining teaspoon of oil to the empty side and cook garlic and crushed read pepper about 30 seconds.
Stir to combine and remove from heat.
Stir in vinegar and salt.
Serve right away.

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Kale does so well in gardens throughout the fall. It will actually taste sweeter after frost. If you want kale in your fall garden, this week is a great time to get it started.

Kale in the garden.