Thanksgiving is in 16 days!
Are you hosting? Traveling locally? Traveling traveling?
In case you're in need of some real food, delicious apps + sides, I've gotcha covered.
Enjoyyyyy,
Tara
Fall is here and I'm gonna spam you with PFF soup recipes
Fall is here and I'm NOT holding back.
Bring on the pumpkin this, apple that, cinnamon everything and souuuuuuuup.
But not just any soup. We have goals, amiright? Soup that has protein, fiber, fat, and intentional carbs in range for fat loss, muscle building, "toning up", blood sugar balance and health optimization ranges. Right?
Let's do it!
This soup collection delivers exactly that. All recipes have 20-40+ grams of protein, 10-20g fat, at least 5g fiber and no more than 25 - 25g net carbs. Oh, and they're delicious! Hope you think so too.
Enjoyyyyy,
Tara
P.S. The final round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind off the year is underway! We started yesterday and some people are already reporting fewer cravings and all-day energy. Woo hoo! While enrollment is no longer open for the course, you will still benefit from hearing all about mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy for fat loss and health goals as we discussed it live on instagram last week. Here's the recording.
Camping Recipes
Any camping plans coming up?
Or maybe you just need a few new, fun outdoor grill options. These are not all PFF + intentional carb balanced and they include plenty of indulgences, but they're an upgrade to the usual camping fare. Use a recipe or two or enjoy the whole sample weekend menu as I've laid it out!
Check these out:
Weekend Camping Menu
Plant-based Weekend Camping Menu
Hope you enjoy,
Tara
No Recipe Needed PFF Meal Collection
Recipes can be so helpful, when we know they're balanced in a way that will help us reach our goals.
Aaaaand when we have the time and desire to cook. And that's why I've been known to send out MANY recipes, free meal plans and recipe collections here in my newsletter from time to time. ;-)
But sometimes we are in a rush. We haven't meal prepped. We don't feel like cooking. Or some combination of that. Enter: throw together meals. These meals are balanced with protein, fat, fiber and some have intentional carbs. They are designed to nourish us, satiate us and help us make progress on goals like fat loss, muscle-building, blood sugar balance and / or health optimization.
I've recently updated this NO RECIPE NEEDED PFF MEAL IDEAS resource. There are omnivore options, lacto-ovo vegetarian options and vegan options. Regardless if you're new around here and missed getting it last time OR we've been partying together here on my blog for years already, I hope you enjoy!
If you're a 1:1 client, on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind or currently in The After Party, you already have this new version in your resource section and of course you know that tweaking things a little to YOUR unique needs can make a big difference!
Speaking of ... are you getting excited about the May round of TRANSFORM yet? Me too! Enrollment opens tomorrow. It's my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. I'll send you a couple of extra emails this coming week while the cart is open to share more about the course, who it's for and what our process is. We do things in a WILDLY different way and I love sharing why it has been so successful for so many people. <3 Once enrollment closes in a week, we'll get right back to our regularly scheduled programming of weekly emails crafted to help you on your journey, for free! ;-)
Just FYI -- there will only be 1 more round of TRANSFORM this year after this May round ... and it won't be until Fall. Today is the last chance to hop on the waitlist and get a discount code sent to you when enrollment begins tomorrow.
XO,
Tara
P.S. In case you missed it on the socials, here are some recent posts:
We talked about senescent cells here
Metabolic dysfunction in our 20s and 30s vs. 40s and beyond
Outdated vs. updated ways to view "dieting"
Metrics I completely ignore in order to get in excellent strength workouts
Indulgence frequency (this might blow your mind)
How to prevent weight regain
4th phase water and why it matters
Fiber guide and free meal plan
Everything is protein this and protein that lately.
And it's great! I'm finally able to post my protein recommendations without all the comments from some traditionally trained nutrition professionals I used to get on the socials up until a few months ago like, "That will ruin your kidneys" and "That's not what the government recommends". (Sufficient protein does not ruin kidney function. Some people with compromised kidney function already need to consume less protein. That's not the same. What I recommendisdifferent from what the government recommends because staying on top of the research on optimal health means there will be differences there.)
So keep getting that protein in!
But let's not forget we have essential fatty acid (fat) needs and fiber plays such a valuable role in nutrition as well! Let's talk about fiber today. Maybe we'll dive into fat in a future newsletter.
Fiber is one way to naturally raise GLP-1 in our bodies.More on that in this post. Fiber helps to make us feel satiated, helps us manage blood sugar, acts as prebiotics (food for our microbiome) and helps us then go on to produce postbiotics (example: butyrate -- these act as signaling molecules and play a big role in many different functions and systems in our body).
I recommend 5-15g of fiber per meal for most people, most of the time. There are some people who seem to need to back off of fiber for a while as they heal their gut, though most people would do best aiming to build back up that fiber once they are healed enough to be able to tolerate it again. Now, three meals a day with 5g of fiber in each would still leave you under the amount recommended. Ideally most women are getting more than 25-30g per day and men are getting at least 35-40g per day.
Here are some high fiber food options:
Beans and Legumes:
Black beans (1/2 cup cooked): 7.5 grams of fiber
Lentils (1/2 cup cooked): 7.8 grams of fiber
Chickpeas (1/2 cup cooked): 6.2 grams of fiber
Split peas (1/2 cup cooked): 8.1 grams of fiber
Vegetables:
Artichokes (1 medium): 6.9 grams of fiber
Broccoli (1 cup cooked): 5.1 grams of fiber
Brussels sprouts (1 cup cooked): 4.1 grams of fiber
Sweet potatoes (1 medium, baked with skin): 3.8 grams of fiber
Carrots (1 medium): 1.7 grams of fiber
Fruits:
Raspberries (1/2 cup): 4 grams of fiber
Avocado (1 medium): 9.2 grams of fiber
Pear (1 medium): 5.5 grams of fiber
Apple (1 medium): 4.4 grams of fiber
Banana (1 medium): 3.1 grams of fiber
Whole Grains:
Quinoa (1/2 cup cooked): 2.6 grams of fiber
Oats (1/2 cup cooked): 2 grams of fiber
Brown rice (1/2 cup cooked): 1.8 grams of fiber
Nuts and Seeds:
Chia seeds (1 ounce, about 2 tablespoons): 10.6 grams of fiber
Flaxseeds (1 ounce, about 2 tablespoons): 7.6 grams of fiber
Almonds (1 ounce, about 23 almonds): 3.5 grams of fiber
Pumpkin seeds (1 ounce): 5.2 grams of fiber
Other:
Acacia fiber (1 tablespoon): 7 grams of fiber
Basil seeds (1 tablespoon): 7 grams of fiber
Lupini bean pasta (1 serving): 15g
Important to note that fiber content may vary slightly depending on factors such as ripeness, cooking method, and specific variety. Many of these high fiber foods check off other nutritional boxes too! Some are intentional carbs, some are fats, and a few have a least a little protein. Others, like the non-starchy veggies, I wouldn't give credit as intentional carbs, fat or protein.
I made this Spring 2024 Recipe Collection for you in case you want to see how to pull this all together in some real meals. There are omnivore recipes, vegan options, vegetarian options. There are breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And they all have 5-15g fiber, at least 30g protein, and fat and intentional carbs dialed in to help with health and body composition goals. I hope you love it!
XO,
Tara
St. Patrick's Day PFF Smoothies
In 5 days, for 24 hours, we're all Irish
Maybe you have your dinner planned ... corned beef + cabbage? Planning to have a Guinness? Maybe you're making or buying Irish soda bread? Or maybe you're just gonna make 1 green thing to consume that day and share with your family and call it a successfully festive day. That's where I come in.
I made this St. Patrick's Day PFF Smoothie collection last year, but added 1 new recipe to it this year and wanted to reshare. All smoothies are balanced with protein, fat, fiber and intentional carbs for fat loss and health optimization goals. :-)
I teach all about this way of eating without tracking in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. Tomorrow is the last day to join this round! If you're already enrolled, I am so excited that you're about to enter Spring + Summer with a level of confidence, energy and health you've been dreaming about. <3
Hope you have a luck of the Irish kinda week! Or at least the optimistic spirit of our 8-year old son who is so determined to trap a leprechaun this year that our whole house is filled with homemade contraptions and miniature long-term living arrangements for them.
XO,
Tara
Between the parties - PFF balanced meal ideas
It's party szn! (GIFT below)
Holidays, holiday parties, friends, family, coworkers ... have you had your fill yet?! :-P
You may decide to use some strategies for healthy holiday-ing this year or maybe you just want to indulge at the parties. Either way, you (and your family?) need to be eating in between all of those parties and plans too. This time of year, we often crave comfort but also ease. Add our goals (fat loss, healing, optimization) on top of that and what are you going to do?
Enjoy this holiday gift I made for you. :-). It's a big collection of meals that are all balanced for fat loss, blood sugar balancing and health optimization goals. I've included a whole bunch of 1 pan meals, stews, soup, a couple of smoothies / smoothie bowl, some warm breakfasts and a couple of super-quick (5 minute) options. They all happen to be free of gluten and dairy. Many are for omnivores (meat, seafood, eggs) and there are a bunch that are plant-based as well.
Did I mention, they're balanced for fat loss and blood sugar balancing? ;-) That means they are great for recalibrating hunger, fullness and cravings in between the holidays and parties as well.
I hope you love it! And actually, I really just hope you use it. <3
If you're on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, get ready for a lot more recipes balanced in a very specific protein / fat / fiber / carb way for your goals. Not only that, but you'll learn how to balance meals this way without needing recipes or a meal plan because who wants to always be following that?!?! Of course we cover lots more than nutrition too. Take a look at the details and hop on the waitlist if you're ready for a change in 2024.
XO,
Tara
Holiday Cheers orrrrrrr....?
CHEERS to ... poison?
Not to be dramatic, but alcohol is a toxin. But you knew that. This newsletter isn't going to be all doom + gloom, though we do need to cover a few less-than-fun facts right off the bat -- and then a free gift for you to lighten the mood. :-P
Most people think the reason alcohol isn't great for their waistline is the extra calories. That's not really it.
Alcohol is a toxin that needs to be detoxed from our body and FAST. We drink and our body immediately gets to work trying to get rid of it. Here's what happens downstream of that:
fat metabolism slows as our body is aiming to process + detox the alcohol
while alcohol itself isn't easily stored as excess body fat, everything else you eat before, during and after drinking will be
alcohol makes our blood sugar ... wonky. It could spike it up, it could come crashing down. But it's rarely in a healthy + stable place when we drink
our pre-frontal cortex is compromised -- decision-making skills are altered. This can range from choosing foods that aren't aligned with your goals to much worse
oftentimes people consume a bunch of sugar, additives, artificial dyes and the like in their drinks ... so now our body is detoxing + processing the actual alcohol AND the stuff that came along for the ride
fatty liver disease is now often caused by overeating but drinking can do this alone and certainly the combination (not just at the same time, but in general) is not a good idea
hangovers suck
alcohol will increase muscle loss and interfere with any muscle gain attempts
Alright. Let's stop there. Some of you might not drink at all. YAY! But if you do and you have any kind of health or body composition goals you're after right now (and I'm assuming you do because this would be a weird newsletter to sign up for if you didn't!), then here's my recommendation:
Drink less.
Seriously. Drink less days per week. Drink less at each sitting or event. Take a month off as a challenge. Set boundaries. Be ok saying you're not going to drink even in the presence of your friends, family and colleagues who do. That can be hard! You and your friend Mary drink every time you see each other for the last 20 years. Feels weird to order the seltzer then, right? But do it! Use it as a chance to tell Mary about your goals and how you feel so much better when you drink less. Don't make it about weight. If you say, "I'm not going to drink b/c I'm trying to lose weight.", many people will reply with, "Oh, diet starts Monday. Come on!" But if you say, "I feel incredible when I skip it!", I highly doubt Mary will say, "Oh, you can feel incredible on Monday instead." It's hard to argue with wanting to feel incredible.
And if you plan to drink less but still occasionally, remember you can stop at half a drink or 1 or 1.5. And the lesser of the evils will be to order liquor (not liqueor) with a non-sweet mixer (like water, seltzer, club soda or over rocks) and if you need a little flavor, something not sweet like muddled lemon or lemon juice, lime juice, mint, cinnamon, rosemary.
If you're hosting or visiting this holiday season and want to have some fun mocktail options to make, here's a little collection of recipes for you. Of course most are indulgences as they are sweet, but feel free to skip the sweetener or keep it simple with sparkling water, and a handful of cranberries on top with rosemary and a few dried orange slices. It's pretty and will add a little flavor without being too sweet.
Hope you enjoy!!
XO,
Tara
P.S. The next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course -- will begin in January. It makes a great gift for someone who just wants to feel better, achieve their health + body composition goals, heal and have a great relationship with food and their body. If you would like to purchase this as a gift for someone, let me know. Gift certificates are available.
P.P.S. Gift certificates are also available for my 1:1 coaching. Email me if you'd like to find out more - Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com
Holiday Cookie Time
It's almost Cookie Month! That's what we're calling December these days, right???
My FAVORITE holiday cookie and everything sweet recipes are inside my e-cookbook, Smart Cookie. There are 84 recipes in there, to be exact. It has something for EVERYone like pumpkin, gingerbread, cranberry, apple, so much chocolate, hazelnut, mint ...
Pies, cake, fat bombs / freezer fudge, no bake, bake, stovetop, slow cooker ... and of course lots of cookies.
But just in case it's not in the cards for you to grab that cookbook this year, I wanted to share these 4 cookie recipes that didn't make it into my book. Hope you enjoyyyyy!
Cookie Mini Collection
XO,
Tara
P.S. If working with me makes sense as a gift for you or from you to someone you care about, here are two options:
1) TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. Enrollment will begin on January 3rd, but if you want to purchase as a gift, just email me and let me know so we can make it happen ... and I will provide you with a gift certificate. Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com
2) One-on-one coaching. Same deal. If you'd like to purchase as a gift for someone, email so we can chat.
One pan PFF meals
It's officially the Fall! My FAVORITE.
I love the weather. I love the leaves changing. I love the scents and flavors (but, like, not the fake ones). I love that we're still outside a ton and that the holidays are approaching but I'm not scrambling to buy gifts and send cards yet. I dunno ... it's a vibe.
But it's also a hectic time of year with back to school, school events, sports, the return of bigger house projects (do you put them on pause for Summer too?), and it's a very packed time of year in my business.
We want to cook, but a lot of times also not really. Right? And we *certainly* don't want a big clean-up. So I made you something! Here's a One Pan PFF-balanced meal collection. There are options for omnivores, plant based peeps, and everything happens to be free of gluten and dairy. Feel free to add your own gluten or dairy if you desire. ;-)
These meals are balanced to help with metabolism-boosting, fat loss, "toning up", muscle-building, blood sugar balancing, craving-busting, and satiety-between-meals goals.
Which one are you going to try first??
Hope you enjoy,
Tara
P.S. Why was the robot couple's anniversary in the Fall?
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.
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They were autumn mated.
Camping Menus
Any camping plans coming up?
Or maybe you just need a few new, fun outdoor grill options. These are not all PFF + intentional carb balanced and they include plenty of indulgences, but they're an upgrade to the usual camping fare. Use a recipe or two or enjoy the whole sample weekend menu as I've laid it out!
Check these out:
Weekend Camping Menu
Plant-based Weekend Camping Menu
Hope you enjoy,
Tara
Summer Popsicle Recipe Collection
Most popsicles are like my trolls...
Cold on the inside and 90% artificial.
HAHA! Heard that joke as "my wife is" and you know I had to switch that up. ;-)
If you've been checking out this blog for at least a year, you might remember that I shared a popsicle recipe collection last year around this time. If you missed it, no worries because I'm sharing all of those with you today AND SEVEN MORE that I just added. Most of the recipes that call for added sweetener like maple syrup are delicious without it too so feel free to dial that down if you'd like. Many are still indulgences, so just keep that in mind! And while they are all cold on the inside, these treats are the real deal -- nothing artificial about 'em.
Popsicle 2023 Recipe Collection
Printer-friendly (no pictures) version
Which one are you gonna try first? Tag me in your pictures if you make these! I wanna see. :-)
Can you believe the unofficial kickoff to Summer is here already?? I'll be half partying / enjoying and half working. With TRANSFORM: Body + Mind in session now plus my new, revamped 1:1 coaching program about to make it's debut to those who first signed up for the interested list (with more openings to come in the near future), there's so much happening behind-the-scenes here at Tara Allen Health!
Hope you have a very happy Memorial Day Weekend.
XO,
Tara
In a lunch rut?
Breakfast is a smoothie or egg situation, dinner is protein, veggie and a starch. Lunch is … confusing? Boring? Leftovers?
In case you need to change it up a little, I made a PFF-balanced lunch collection of 5 recipes for you to check out. Plant-based and omnivore options. All happen to be gluten-free too. These are balanced with just the right amount of protein, fat and fiber to help with fat loss, muscle-building, and “toning up” goals.
Speaking of … are you on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind?? If so, look out for an email from me tomorrow - or later today as I sometimes like to jump the gun ;-) - with the link to sign up. The cart will be open for just 1 week and this is the last round until the Fall, so if you have summer goals of feeling incredible, strong, fit and healthy this year, THIS is your round. Brand new info … with a note from your doctor mentioning a diagnosis with a recommendation for “weight loss”, you might be able to use your FSA or HSA for the cost of TRANSFORM!
XO,
Tara
Healthified Easter and Passover Recipes
Easter and Passover are knocking on our door.
And just in case you're hosting or visiting and want to bring a dish, I wanted to share a couple of recipe collections with you. They won't all work. Some will have ingredients you are allergic to, don't eat, or don't feel like buying. They're not all PFF balanced and many are indulgences. Aaaand my hope is that at least 1 or 2 of these make their way into your belly and the bellies of your loved ones over the next couple of weeks. :-)
Here is the Easter Collection
Here is the Passover Collection
Hope you enjoy!
XO,
Tara
Meal prepping tips + tricks
Meal prepping tips + tricks
Whether you're a block-off-every-Sunday-for-kitchen-time kinda person or of the can't-stand-meal-prepping-because-who-even-knows-what-you're-gonna-want-to-eat-tomorrow-night-nevermind-Thursday variety, I'm hoping some of these tips / tricks will help you make the whole feeding yourself and your family process go more smoothly.
Even though we talk about being able to eat out or order through Door Dash sometimes, the key to success in any health goal is that most of the food you eat is prepared by you or someone who loves you and knows how to balance meals for us to thrive. Batching your time in the kitchen can be a great way to actually spend less time cooking.
1) How's your storage container situation? Grab some more - preferably glass - if you'll need them.
2) Plan to plan. Yeah, it's kinda like making a list of lists but it works. Pick a day and time each week that you'll write out your plan. It's a good habit to get into planning out your meals for the week, scheduling when you'll go grocery shopping or place an online order, and setting aside a couple of hours to pre-cook or chop whatever you can when possible. But first you need to actually sit down and do that. So, plan THAT!
3) Pair the kitchen time with something enjoyable. Save your fav. podcast for cooking time, cook with your family or a friend, or ask Alexa to turn up the 90s alternative or rap or pop or jazz ... whatever makes the time pass for you with a smile on your face. I know it's not always a Hallmark movie moment when you cook with your family, but you're building their skills and one day they will cook for you and you can sit on your butt. Maybe. Let's just pretend. :-P
4) Think about utilizing multiple appliances at once to be most efficient. Example: Protein muffins in the oven, soup on the stovetop, chicken or chili in your instant pot / slow cooker, and raw veggies and fruit to chop on the countertop.
5) When it makes sense, keep different meal components separate until serving. This allows you to mix n' match. Example: roasted veggies can be served with protein and rice for dinner one night, on a big salad for lunch the next day, and then inside an omelette for breakfast another day.
6) If it's a tried and true recipe (the whole fam loves it!), never make just 1 batch. Make 3 or 4 batches so you have leftovers PLUS extra to freeze for quick meals over the next couple of weeks.
7) Every little bit helps. As with everything, the all-or-nothing mentality does us no favors. So what, you don't have 2-3 hours to prep today? (Pshhhh! Who does???) Can you spend 10 minutes chopping up
some carrots to take with hummus for your afternoon snacks? Do it!
8) Wash / soak your produce in a mix of 90% water, 10% vinegar ... or a water + salt mix. Just doing that step will save you time while cooking during the week. Just save more mold-prone items (like berries) to be washed closer to consumption.
9) While you have the salt handy, soak apple slices in water + salt to keep from browning in your lunches or your kids' lunchboxes.
If you need a couple of recipes to prep this weekend, try these:
Protein-packed deviled eggs
Mushroom + Edamame Stir Fry
And if you are looking into meal delivery options, just know I'm constantly looking for ones that are PFF + intentional carb friendly but have yet to find any. Maybe you and I can partner up and make that happen?? Haha. But seriously ... there are a bunch of options that seem to use high quality ingredients (yay), but I haven't found ANY yet that are balanced in a way that'll make us feel amazing and crush our health, body, and longevity goals. HOWEVER, there are some ways around it. Example: I checked out a meal for a client this week from a company called Redefine. It was Take Out Chicken and Broccoli. If she removes half the rice (save for the next day) and adds a drizzle of olive oil or a few slices of avocado, it would be a great PFF + intentional carb meal.
If you're super overwhelmed with where to even start with balancing meals, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind would be perfect for you. The next round starts in March and waitlist people will be getting a discount code.
Happy Tuesday,
Tara
Extra Kid-Friendly Balanced Meals
What if the kids' menu at the diner met a super balanced, PFF-friendly bougie meal plan and had a baby?
You'd probably get something like THIS RECIPE COLLECTION I made for you this week. ;-)
Some of these meals have slightly less protein than I'd suggest for adults, but all have at least 10g. The also have fat + fiber. What makes this collection different is that most of these are 'fun' in some way or resemble more typical 'kid menu' items like chicken nuggets and pizza, but with a healthy twist.
All recipes happen to be gluten-free. All but 1 are dairy free (the pizza -- you can easily make it dairy-free by using a different 'cheese'). Some are plant-based and many include meat. Some include protein powder and you'll have to decide if you're comfortable with that. I, personally, am comfortable with my kiddos having protein powder if I approve of the ingredients and actually think it's soooooo much better than most of the rest of the junk that people try to feed kids all the time. But we all draw the line in different places! Some of the recipes have nuts and some don't. Oh, and they're perfectly safe for adults. You won't turn into a kid if you eat these. HAHA!
Point is, pick and choose what might work for you and enjoyyyyyy!
XO,
Tara
P.S. If you'd like some more help improving health and reaching body composition goals (like fat loss, muscle-building, and "toning up"), hop on the waitlist for the March round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind! The January group is kicking some butt already in week 2 and I'd love for you to have this kind of clarity + confidence too.
Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner Ideas
Recipes are cool and all, but sometimes I need to just throw something balanced together as I put out life's dumpster fires and just call it a day.
You too? Here are some meal ideas for you -- both plant-based and omnivore -- that include at least 30g protein. I've included some high protein snacks below, too. And no, you don't have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast or dinner foods for dinner, so feel free to mix it up, you rebel you.
Breakfasts:
Protein box dupe -- 2 hard-boiled eggs, 3 ounces organic deli turkey, apple
1/2 cup oats with 1 scoop protein powder, 1 T nut butter, cinnamon, and a small handful of blueberries
1 serving low sugar Greek yogurt or dairy-free high protein yogurt with 1 T nut butter + 1 T pumpkin seeds
Smoothie with 1.5 - 2 scoops protein powder, water, pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and 1 T flaxseeds
1 full egg + 1 cup egg whites scrambled in coconut oil or butter and topped with greens. salsa, and sauerkraut. Bonus: Add sriracha if you like it spicy like me. :-)
Dinner leftovers including 4-5 ounces meat or seafood, veggies, and a fat source like oil or avocado.
Lunches + Dinners:
Smoothie with 1.5 - 2 scoops protein powder, water, spinach, 1/2 cup berries, and chia seeds
A 20g protein veggie burger salad (cook, break up, and add to greens, veggies, beans, and olive oil)
4-5 ounces of meat / seafood alongside some veggies and additional fat, if needed
Travel -- 2 hard-boiled eggs. packet of pistachios, apple with almond butter, raw + cut veggies
1/5 cups tofu stir fried with colorful veggie mix and a Thai peanut sauce (mix together 1 T PB, 1 TB coconut aminos, 2 T lemon juice, garlic powder, and add water to desired consistency)
Chickpea pasta (like Banza) with peas and tomato sauce
High protein snacks:
Fruit w/ cottage cheese or Greek yogurt
Egg / tuna / chicken salad with high-fiber crackers (like Mary's Gone Crackers)
Organic deli meat roll-ups with matchbook veggies
Mini smoothie -- 1 scoop protein, water, 1/2 banana, 1 T chia seeds
Less processed protein bar like Raw Rev Glo in Creamy Peanut Butter + Sea Salt or PaleoValley
Raw veggies with an edamame hummus dip (blend steamed edamame with your favorite humus)
2 hard-boiled eggs + a piece of fruit or veggie
"Granola" made by tossing nuts + seeds in coconut oil and some flavorings (like cinnamon and vanilla) and roasting.
Organic meat stick and an orange
Feel free to screen shot these lists for future reference!
Reminder: Tomorrow is the LAST day to sign up for this January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. We have a group of people who are about to change their lives (it's a really big deal when we start to feel better in all kinds of ways) and if you're ready to be a part of that group, CHECK IT OUT HERE.
XO,
Tara
Craving-busting meal plan
The holidays are great at ramping up cravings, huh?
It's fine. It's usually worth it, right? But it can be hard to undue swiftly unless we get to the root.
The root of cravings is often an unstable blood sugar, so balancing blood sugar well, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated (consider adding electrolytes) are all important.
I made a quick 1-day meal plan to help with the blood sugar balancing part. Day 1 is an omnivore day and Day 2 is a plant-based day. Use either or both if it'll help! GRAB IT HERE.
Get ready ... the doors for the January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind open tomorrow and will only be open for a week. Today is the last possible day to get on the waitlist and receive a discount code.
XO,
Tara
How much protein do you really need?
Protein is a controversial subject.
If you've ever watched some of those documentaries scaring people away from eating meat, you might be thinking that animal protein -- or protein in general -- should be avoided. There are rumors that protein is damaging to our kidneys, yet the research supports a higher protein intake to support things like better muscle gain and maintenance, immune function, faster healing times, and better blood sugar management.
As with all things in science, there is always more research to be done and we certainly get to tweak things as we find out more. For good and for bad because of the rigors of clinical practice, it takes an average of 17 years for medical and governmental advice to match the quality research.
In other words, our doctors are still mostly telling us to follow the FDA guidelines for protein intake which is set to have us survive, but not thrive.
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient (keeps us full), helps us build muscle and boost our metabolism, has only a minor effect on blood sugar, makes enzymes, peptides, steroids, and hormones that help with digestion, energy production, blood clotting, sleep, immunity, and metabolism, and requires the greatest amount of energy to digest out of all 3 macronutrients. They also help balance our pH, fluids, transport and store nutrients.
Yeah, it's pretty important.
We know individuals with a greater amount of muscle than the average person have a lower all-cause mortality as they get older. Protein (along with strength training) is vital to allow muscle to be built and / or maintained.
Bottom-line: if we want to age well, reduce disease risk, and be more mobile in our later years than what we see as the status quo, we need to be taking in enough protein.
Unless there are contraindications (some people with existing disease, for example, can't tolerate higher amounts of protein), here's what I find works really well for most people, most of the time:
.8 - 1 g of protein per lb. of bodyweight you feel most comfortable at, per day. Why that weird explanation? Excess body fat isn't very metabolically active and doesn't require much in terms of protein intake, so you can choose a number you feel your best at and use that weight to figure out protein intake instead.
If you're 150 lbs and feel good there, this would mean you're taking in 120 - 150 g protein per day. That can be daunting, but keep in mind progress is progress. If you're currently taking in about 60g a day, nudging that up to 80g over the next week or 2 would be AMAZING.
Since most of you are finding out (or already knew) that you need more protein at each meal to hit your targets, I put together a new recipe collection for you. These meals are all at least 30g of protein PLUS have at least 5g fiber, 10-20 g fat, and no more than 35g net carbs. There are some omnivore options and a couple of plant-based options. A few breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Hope you enjoyyyyy!
XO,
Tara
P.S. The other important piece to this is strength training, of course. THIS is a time efficient yet comprehensive full body circuit you could do from home or the gym.
P.P.S. 2023 is right around the corner and I am excited to continue serving you all through my free content (newsletters, blogs, social media), and services like custom meal planning, 1-on-1 coaching, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28 day metabolism-boosting course and The After Party, my monthly membership available to anyone who completes TRANSFORM. I have some cool things planned for the business next year and am really enjoying sharing more with you as it all evolves. :-) Hope you are taking some time this holiday season to just BE a bit and not always DO. That's a weakness of mine and it's particularly tricky this time of year, so I'm reminding myself of that as much as I'm reminding you.
Holiday Cookies
It's almost Cookie Month! That's what we're calling December these days, right???
My FAVORITE holiday cookie and everything sweet recipes are inside my e-cookbook, Smart Cookie. There are 84 recipes in there this year, to be exact. It has something for EVERYone like pumpkin, gingerbread, cranberry, apple, so much chocolate, hazelnut, mint ...
Pies, cake, fat bombs / freezer fudge, no bake, bake, stovetop, slow cooker ... and of course lots of cookies.
But just in case it's not in the cards for you to grab that cookbook this year, I wanted to share these 3 cookie recipes that didn't make it into my book. Hope you enjoyyyyy!
Cookie Recipes
XO,
Tara