Sumac and Pomegranate Roasted Carrots

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I love cooking with the Middle Eastern spice sumac for its bright, lemony flavor and vibrant red hue. Pairing it with cilantro, pomegranate seeds, and tahini dressing enlivens roasted carrots in the most beautiful way. 

This recipe yields 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound carrots
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon duck fat or coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • PrimaFoodie Tahini Dressing
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • ⅛ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 450 g carrots
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon duck fat or coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • PrimaFoodie Tahini Dressing
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit / 220 degrees Celsius.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put carrots on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil, duck fat (or coconut oil), and sumac. Toss evenly and distribute carrots across the sheet, making sure they have plenty of room.
 
3. Bake for 20-30 minutes until tender.

4. Whip up PrimaFoodie tahini dressing.

5. When carrots are finished, remove from oven and transfer to a serving plate.

6. Drizzle with tahini dressing, chopped cilantro, and pomegranate seeds and chopped cilantro. 

7. Serve.  

Tips

**If you are not on a SIBO protocol, adding garlic to this roasted carrot dish is delicious. De-shell whole cloves and place them on the baking sheet with the carrots during the last 10-15 minutes of cook time. 

**If you are not a fan of cilantro, you can also top these carrots with fresh thyme or parsley.

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Ratatouille

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This popular traditional stewed vegetable dish hails from France’s sunny southern region, where fresh produce seems to always be in abundance. Ratatouille is delicious as a satisfying side dish, a bright and flavorful main course, or underneath an egg for a hearty breakfast. 

This recipe yields 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 zucchini
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • ½ yellow bell pepper
  • 1 cup leeks (use only green part for SIBO and low-FODMAP protocols)
  • 1 tablespoon + ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (use 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil for SIBO and low-FODMAP protocols)
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (no added fillers)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided in half
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided in half
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon basil
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon rosemary
  • 2 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 zucchini
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • ½ yellow bell pepper
  • 128 g leeks (use only green part for SIBO and low-FODMAP protocols)
  • 1 tablespoon + 60 ml cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (use 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil for SIBO and low-FODMAP protocols)
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (no added fillers)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided in half
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided in half
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon basil
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon rosemary

Directions

1. Thinly slice tomatoes, squash, and zucchini into round discs. 
 
2. Chop bell peppers and leeks.  

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit / 190 degrees Celsius.

4. Preheat a cast iron skillet or similar oven-safe pan on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. 

5. Add peppers, leeks, and garlic (or garlic-infused olive oil).

6. Allow leeks and peppers to cook for approximately 5-7 minutes.

7. Add diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, red pepper flakes, and basil. Use a spatula to mix and cook for another few minutes. 

8. Place tomato, squash, and zucchini rounds in concentric circles around the pan, starting on the outer edge and working towards the center. 

9. In a small bowl, mix the ¼ cup / 60 ml olive oil with parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and remaining salt and pepper.

10. Using a baster, paint the mixture on top of the squash. 

11. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. 

12. Remove the foil and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes. 

Tips

**You may need to adjust the quantity of vegetables depending on the size of your skillet. I use my 10-inch cast iron pan. 

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We Need to Dismantle and Recreate the American Food Industry

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The lack of transparency about how our food is grown and distributed, and the corrupt politics that have come to rule our most basic needs, impacts all of us. In the US, transparency and truth have been taken over by profit and monopolization, pushing two vital things that we need to thrive—clean water and nutritious food—further away from our reach. 

We need to be talking about this. If we don’t scrutinize it, we may not see it clearly in our day-to-day lives, but the issue will worsen. Some may not want to examine the facts. There’s too much to worry about in the world. Why can’t we simply trust that the food presented on the shelves in our local market is the best for us? I hear this, and I understand. But still: We cannot look away.

My advocacy for accessibility and transparency in food was born out of several things. My heath journey was the first catalyst. I have struggled with various autoimmune conditions throughout the majority of my life. I haven’t been taken seriously by conventional doctors when I broached taking a more holistic path. I’ve been brushed off by colleagues and friends, quickly told to try this prescription or avoid this ingredient. These obstacles prompted me to charter my own course; to educate myself in various protocols and disciplines to rid my system of toxins and nourish my body.

As I began to heal and to see the vitality that can come from eating a nutrient-rich diet that complements my constitutional needs, I faced a dichotomy. On one hand, I was empowered. Food really is medicine, and it is both the root cause and answer to so many health-related issues. This is incredible. On the other hand, nutritious food, and the information surrounding it, is not ubiquitous. So often, it is inaccessible, and a privilege. To make matters worse, our food system uses certain marketing tactics that make certain food appear to be healthier than they truly are. This is wrong.

This injustice became even more glaring when I became a mother. As any mother is, the health of my child became paramount. How can I ensure that the food my daughter eats isn’t going to hurt her? I can lead by example and teach her how to source and cook quality foods. I can embolden her to make the best choices for herself. To read food labels and follow her instinct. I can teach her to be a self-empowered, discerning consumer. But what about the larger world? What can I do about a food industry that cares more for corporate special interests than her health? Why do I need to worry about her being exposed to cancer-causing chemicals that are legally added to foods? How is this even allowed in this country?

In the US, large corporations have a chokehold on the very systems that are meant to protect us. We have this big ominous organization, the FDA, that is supposed to be looking out for us. The FDA approves certain foods and food-like substances, stating they are “safe” to claim space on our plates and in our bodies. What this does is give us a false sense of security. We think: This is FDA-approved, so it must be okay.

In truth, that is not the case. The FDA, and the entire food industry, is manipulated by the organizations with the most money and that have the most invested interest.  Look at any conventional brand, and the chances are great that it is owned or controlled by one of the large corporations, like Tyson. These corporations are more focused on profit than health, therefore they employ practices that cut costs and push large amounts of product into production. This is seen in the vast amounts of large-scale monoculture farming (like corn and soy), confined animal feeding systems, and the constant use of chemical fertilizers and antibiotics. All of these practices, and the many others, are bad for our health and planet.

Furthermore, the majority of the large-scale, corporate crops grown in the US are considered to be “commodity crops,” that are quickly turned into mass-produced, mass-marketed processed foods. How is that justified? How do we rationalize that in our minds?

Where it gets even more maddening (and scary), is when we look at other nations. During my international travels, I’ve researched the local food systems and talked to local farmers and chefs. The deplorable practices allowed in the US are often a distant concept across another border. What we pay a premium for here in the US—grass-fed, free-range, pesticide-free, organic, fresh—is the default in other countries.The European Nation is stricter with labeling. In the US, shelves are filled with food products covered in misleading food labels with meaningless buzzwords like “natural” and “made with organic ingredients.” The EU allows no such manipulation. Items can be labeled organic only if they are, in fact, 95 to 100 percent organic. Any shrewd claims are not allowed. 

The corruption woven through our food system is one of the most immediate threats to our health and planet today—and it extends to every part of our lives. This is why I want to unravel why it matters to care about the whole food system—on a national and global scale—just as much as it matters to care about what comes into our homes and onto our plates. We need to fight for transparency so we can make more informed choices in our day-to-day lives.

Using our voices, time, and dollars to expose the corrupt food industry can have an immediate effect that national politics cannot replicate. We are living during a time of global uncertainty and immense challenges and changes. When we fight as a team, we can galvanize efforts that are much stronger than going it alone. Today, tomorrow, and every day we can take actions—small and large—to participate in and protect the health of ourselves, our families, and our community. 

This can start on our plates.  

xPrimaFoodie


Why We Need to Talk about Our Food System: A Conversation with Dr. Robin Currey

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To say there were learnings from Nichole’s recent conversation with Dr. Robin Currey would be a massive understatement. Our minds were stretched.

Dr. Currey, who is an ethnoecologist specializing in small-scale agricultural systems, teaches resilient sustainable communities and foods systems at Prescott College. Across the globe, she’s advised about the dire need for us to consider the small and big pictures about how our food is grown, distributed, and consumed. She also clarifies the often-misunderstood question of: What does a “sustainable” food system mean today? In essence, it encompasses “everything that has to do with keeping us nourished,” says Dr. Currey. “Anyone can eat, but the nourishment in terms of the kinds of foods that are going to help support our wellness, own individual health and wellness, in addition to the health of the planet[…] that’s what we’re looking at.”

Dr. Currey’s area of expertise is the raison d'être of PrimaFoodie. When Nichole set out to shift the tide of food awareness and clean eating, her motivation touched far beyond our plates. She wanted to reveal the layers of why there are such disparities when it comes to nutritional food access, how we can make clean eating equitable and accessible, and where we can start to make the system just—so it works to nourish every person. Her talk with Dr. Currey spotlights all of this.

We invite you to give their conversation a watch. We’d love to hear your biggest takeaways (send us a note on Instagram). Dr. Currey gives us much to consider, a lot of which is hard to face (particularly about the injustice issues surrounding the distribution channels of our food), but the upside is that we can all take part in making the system better—starting in our own homes. Every action counts.  As Dr. Currey says, we get focused on the specific foods that we eat “that we forget how all the different pieces work together.”




Pistachio Lemon Cake

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Pistachio flour is another gluten-free hero of the kitchen. It lends a hearty texture to this cake, along with a nuttiness that gets brighter with the addition of lemon and vanilla. And the color is stunning. Depending on what time of year it is, we love to top ours with fresh sliced citrus or seasonal berries. 

This recipe yields 1 9-inch cake

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups pistachio flour
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¾ cup maple syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • Ghee or coconut oil for greasing baking pa
  • 380 g pistachio flour
  • 32 g coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 80 ml olive oil
  • 180 ml maple syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • Ghee or coconut oil for greasing baking pa

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius.

  2. Using a pastry blender or fork, mix together pistachio flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and sea salt.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, eggs, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla.

  4. Gently incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture using a whisk or spatula. 

  5. Pour mixture into a well-greased 9-inch baking pan. (Ghee or coconut oil works well for this. Depending on your pan, you may need to use parchment paper, as well.)

  6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Add toppings as desired and serve.  

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Chimichurri Sauce

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Chimichurri is a versatile sauce traditional in Argentinian cuisine. It has a tangy, garlicky flavor that livens up meat dishes, tacos, and even roasted vegetables. You can really dial up the heat by adding hot red peppers or even jalapeño. For our family meals, I keep it mild with just a hint of dried red pepper flakes. 

This recipe yields 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • ⅓ cup Primal Kitchen Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup parsley
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 80 ml Primal Kitchen Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 64 g parsley
  • 32 g cilantro
  • 32 g chopped red onion
  • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic

Directions

  1. Place all the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until well combined. 

Tips

**Make sure you don’t over process the mixture. Chimichurri is meant to be a little bit chunky to really bring out the flavor. 

 
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Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

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Bacon + anything is always a winner, but this easy side dish ups the ante. The bacon comes out crispy, and the asparagus vibrant and perfectly roasted. Plus, the rendered fat adds some natural sweetness. This is a dish for a weekend dinner party or to add some specialness to a weeknight meal. 

This recipe yields about 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 package bacon (sugar free)
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 package bacon (sugar free)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius.

  2. Break asparagus stalks at their natural breaking point and place them on a baking sheet.

  3. Toss the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  

  4. Group asparagus in groups of three to five depending on thickness and size.

  5. Gently wrap asparagus bundles with individual slices of raw bacon.

  6. Bake for 20 minutes or until asparagus is soft and bacon is crispy.

Tips

**Our Tahini Dressing pairs well with this delicious side dish.

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Matcha Latte

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The Japanese ceremonial art of making matcha tea is beautiful and meditative. In some tea houses and shops here in LA, you can still experience the full traditional ritual. The creators take pride in their product and hospitality. The key to a great matcha tea is the bamboo whisk that stirs the powdery tea so it’s smooth and creamy. If you don’t have a whisk, a chopstick or wooden spoon will suffice. 

This recipe yields 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  • ½ cup hot water (ideally 175 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (can substitute honey)
  • ½ cup Brazil nut milk (or any nut milk)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut cream
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  • 120 ml cup hot water (ideally 175 degrees Fahrenheit / 80 degrees Celsius)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (can substitute honey)
  • 120 ml cup Brazil nut milk (or any nut milk)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut cream

Directions

  1. In a mug, mix matcha powder with hot water.

  2. Once the powder is fully dissolved, stir in maple syrup (or honey).

  3. In a separate saucepan, heat nut milk. Add coconut cream to the milk and heat, but do not boil.

  4. Pour the milk mixture on top of the matcha mixture. Stir or briefly use a frother to mix and foam the top.

  5. Enjoy!

TIPS

**Matcha is pure green tea and can have a bitter taste. If you like the flavor, experiment with adding more powder. Be sure that the powder fully dissolves in the hot water to avoid a chalky texture. 

**If you do not have pure coconut cream, use canned coconut milk. Simply skim the thick layer of cream off the top after opening the can. Be sure not to shake before opening.

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4 Women Advocating for Equity and Inclusivity in Clean Eating

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Advocacy has endless means of expression—and one of our favorites is food. Think of the ideas spawned, cultures honored, and barriers broken in the kitchen and at the table. It’s incredible. We’re honored by the bold leaders in the food world who are fighting for inclusivity and equity. This week, we wanted to shed light on four women doing just this. Varied in their approach but united by their goal, these women are working to make the table longer to ensure that every person always has a seat.

 Julia Turshen contains multitudes. She is an incredible inspiration in the kitchen. Her cookbooks, including her latest, Simply Julia, thoughtfully outline recipes that are accessible and comforting, and somehow always manage to satiate everyone. She is also a fierce advocate for the BIPOC, female identifying, and queer communities. As founder of Equity at the Table, a digital resource that corrals gender nonconforming chefs, cooks, and restauranteurs, she fights to end the blatant sexism and racial injustices that have long plagued the food world.

When she was First Lady, Michelle Obama campaigned for healthier foods in schools across America, food labeling transparency, and ways to get kids to exercising more. Years after her time in the White House she’s still fighting. This month, the former First Lady unveils her latest project, Waffles + Mochi, a Netflix children’s special that explores the curious world of ingredients and food. We admire her courage to educate the younger generations to not only eat more healthily, but to make inclusivity paramount in the kitchen.

 In 1993, right in the midst of the Somalia civil war, Hawa Hassan was sent by her mother to leave her worn-torn country and move to Seattle with a group of refugees. Her mother did this so Hassan could be safe. Hassan was seven at the time, and she didn’t see anyone from her family until fifteen years later. Since she has grown to become a lauded chef who honors her Somali heritage and her mother’s courage in her cooking and line of Somali foods, Basbaas. She also tells the narratives of other African women in her recent cookbook, In Bibi’s Kitchen. In all her work, Hassan uses food to perpetuate traditions that many refugees often lose. 

Eating organic and clean should be an option for all, not just those with the means. This is the mission of food activist LaRayia Gaston. At her tiny-but-mighty plant-based bodega and lunch spot in LA’s Koreatown, Gaston serves up fresh kale salads and homemade soups all under $10 (many under $5) to ensure customers of all means can afford them. The idea spawned from Gaston’s ‘Lunch on Me’ initiative that feeds vegan meals to those facing homelessness in LA. In everything she does, Gaston seeks to break the barriers that ban too many people from getting the nourishment and empowerment they need to thrive.  

Rethinking Our School Meal Programs

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In the US, we count on schools to provide accessible, nutritious meals for our kids. In many cases, the meals children eat at school account for half of their caloric intake each day. For children living in income households that face food insecurity, school meals are seen as “a nutritional safety net.”  This underscores two critical things: the role school lunches play in a child’s health and development, and our need—as parents and guardians—to ensure the food served is nutritious and accessible.

We can do better with our children. I believe there is a healthier approach within reach, if we’re willing to move away from the entrenched norms, buck the system, and start from scratch.

The Healthiest Head Start

Before looking at the solutions, it’s important to see school lunches for what they are. Many see the meals provided to children as a given in exchange for paying taxes or tuition. But what is the quality? Research over the past two decades shows that cafeteria meals to be high in sodium and processed foods, which means they fall short of feeding our children in the most life-affirming ways possible. It’s important to note that children are in an unfair position. Obesity affects approximately 13.7 million children and adolescents ages 2-19 in the US, and its prevalence is greatly affected by socioeconomic status. 

While various pieces of legislation have passed to ensure children receive higher quality meals with more vegetables (a great deal of effort was made by First Lady Michelle Obama), these intentions still fall short, which means it can’t be left to our government to solve the issue. We need to step in.

A High-Profile Advocate Kick-Starts the Conversation

You may remember Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, the series that chronicled the celebrity British chef’s campaign to take on heart disease, diabetes, and other weight-related diseases in the US and UK by starting with the way our kids eat. In Season 1, which aired in 2010, Oliver focused his efforts on Huntington, West Virginia, statistically one of the unhealthiest cities in the US. The popular chef and health campaigner sought to make strides in the school meal systems in West Virginia, changing minds and transforming menus in a predominantly feel-good experiment in rural America. 

In its second season in 2011, Oliver brought his crusade to Los Angeles, home to the second largest school system in the country. Unlike In West Virginia, here he faced pushback. The Los Angeles Unified School District board of education refused to allow Oliver to film in schools and his subsequent attempts to circumvent their decisions in creative ways. The Los Angeles Times reported the drama centered around school district officials’ fears that the series wouldn’t paint the districts’ prior efforts in a positive light. As quoted in the article, “There certainly was drama and conflict in Huntington as Oliver cajoled cafeteria workers and met with families to try to reform eating habits.,” said district spokesman Jedd Flowers.”

After two episodes, the second season ended abruptly, as did the chance to expose viewers to the changes that could be made possible in our country’s school systems’ meal programs.

Setting the Table for Future Generations’ Success

While Food Revolution fell short of its promises, what lessons can public school systems learn from these game-changing attempts? I believe a lot—as well as a great deal of inspiration.

Here are a few promising case studies that represent programs enacted in schools across the nation, both private and public. Each of these programs has committed to changes ranging from small updates to complete overhauls, but all are headed in the right direction to make a real difference in a child’s health and success.

Hilary Boynton at Manzanita School

One of my most important missions with PrimaFoodie is helping parents educate their children about the food they eat. Kids are powerful advocates; by involving them in these daily decisions, they become more engaged and empowered. Hilary Boynton, a certified holistic health counselor, cook, and author, believes this. A mother of five, Boynton was dissatisfied with the quality of lunches her kids received at their local school in Southern California. She refused to accept the status quo and eventually took over the lunch program at Manzanita School, working hand-in-hand with local farmers and food producers to create affordable, nutrient-rich meals every day. Boynton shares her extensive nutritional knowledge with parents, educators, and home chefs through her Lunch Leader Training Academy, a week-long intensive retreat that offers hands-on strategies for cultivating a healthier approach to nourishing families and communities.

Food2You

Starting with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, the Chicago-based catering and food service management company Food2You feeds children in daycare centers throughout the city and suburbs. Founded by Chicago native Gregory Ingles in 2005, Food2You specializes in nutritionist-approved breakfast, lunch, and snack meal plans that exceed all Federal and Illinois State Board of Education guidelines, as well as those in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Executive Chef Charles Jones and his team craft delicious dishes that kids actually enjoy eating. Food2You works in tandem with the Partnership for a Healthier America, supporting the organization’s Shaping Early Palates initiative. The goal of this ambitious program is to create options to help parents raise veggie lovers by cultivating healthy palates and creating a lifelong desire for nutrient-rich foods — especially vegetables — among children. 

Project Bread’s Chefs in Schools  

Project Bread is an anti-hunger organization that connects communities to stable food sources and advocates for policies that make food more accessible. The program’s innovative Chefs in Schools initiative highlights the importance of food education.  The program, which launched in 2006, partners chef educators with school cafeteria staff to boost menus and provide food choices that are more nutritious, appealing, and culturally appropriate.

Corry Area Primary School

In a dynamic demonstration of what is possible when school administrations collaborate with private health-focused organizations, Corry Area Primary School in Erie, Pennsylvania, was named one of the nation’s first Blue Zones Project Approved schools. Stemming from the influential New York Times bestseller The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest by National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner, the Blue Zones Project aims to improve health and wellbeing by making healthier choices easier and more accessible for everyone.  As part of a larger, community-wide initiative, school officials collaborated with Blue Zones Project experts to implement the essential elements that make up a Blue Zone: nutrition education, increased physical activity, and more mindful choices incorporated into each day.  

The Case for Doing Better

Revamping school meal programs can seem like an overwhelming (perhaps impossible) task, especially during a time of great need in our nation. But it is one of the most critical issues we need to face. Research conducted by the School Nutrition Association summarizes what’s at stake: “Balanced nutrition throughout the day contributes to student success in and out of the classroom. Research demonstrates that school meal programs play an important role in supporting obesity prevention, overall student health and academic achievement by improving children’s diets and combating hunger.”

Here are ways you can make a difference in your children’s food choices and your area’s school meal programs: 

  • Start early at home. Create connections between your children and the foods they eat. You can make this fun—bring your kids to your local farmers’ market and grocery store, have them help you with meal preparation in the kitchen, and encourage the development of their palates as soon as they start eating solids (and even sooner through the mother’s in utero diet) with a wide variety of healthy options. 

  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your school’s administration. Short of complete overhauls, what easy, affordable solutions exist to make the meal programs at your children’s school healthier? Can you, as a parent, become more involved in proactive, productive ways? 

  • Think outside the (lunch) box: What resources are available in your community? Are there like-minded local chefs, farmers, food producers, and food service organizations whose products and services you could tap into? Are there government programs or other grants that could help improve the quality of your school’s meal programs? 

The chances of schools adopting changes are much higher if you make it easy for them to adapt. Start by demonstrating the problem, then present them with viable solutions. As parents and community members, we can all do better, and those steps start with us. Our kids are counting on us.

 

Why We Need to Be Thinking about What’s in Our Wine

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By Stacey Lindsay

For those of us fortunate enough to be able to consider what we put in and on our bodies, our awareness creates a quilt of information. Learning jarring facts about one product weaves into questions about another: If these chemicals are in this olive oil then what’s allowed in my face cream? Yet for many Americans, wine—one of the most popular drinks in the US—is still consumed without a thought about its ingredients. And this is a concern. 

Commercially made wines are often created from industrial farmed grapes laced with chemicals that are manipulated with artificial additives and technological tricks. Makers will resort to using egregious practices to ensure the greatest volume and perceived quality results—without any concern for the impact this has on consumers. “The commercial wine industry is much like the commercial food industry,” says Todd White, founder of Dry Farm Wines, a health-focused, lab tested natural wine merchant. “The goal is to produce more volume for less cost, which ultimately increases profits.” 

In the US, the FDA approves of 76 additives for wine. These include artificial dyes, genetically modified yeast, and various animal byproducts like isinglass (dried fish bladders that are used as a filtering agent), and casein. (Not to mention, adding sugar to wine is widespread in the commercial industry.) For people who drink wine regularly, these chemicals can build up in the body, potentially causing harm. Some researchers in the field have begun measuring the amounts of glyphosate in wine. Other experts link the common wine hangover to all the junk allowed in the juice. 

What this all reveals is a critical missing piece: transparency in labeling. Currently the only ingredient mandated to appear on a wine label in the US is added sulfites. This means all the extras—the thickeners, the dyes, the flavor manipulators—get swallowed without an inkling. If we knew our ’97 Napa pinot had a hint of PVPP, an artificially made plastic substance, we’d likely pass. 

Consumers aren’t the only victims. The commercial wine industry is rife with exploitive and ecologically disruptive practices that include heavy machinery, monoculture practices, and widespread irrigation that wreak havoc on the earth. “As a whole, these practices are often depleting nature instead of supporting it,” says White. “They can remove the diverse plant and animal life as well as decrease the health and balance in soils.”

These days, activism around cleaning up the wine industry exists at every point of the process. Farmers, vintners, distributors, and sommeliers are shedding light on what’s in and around the bottle. Believers are supporting the movement for natural wine, also called low-intervention or clean wine, which touts juice that is made with organic or biodynamic grapes and the least amount of intervention, additives, technological hacks, and chemicals. Although it is nebulous, as there are no labeling requirements for a clean or natural wine, this movement is very promising—and it encourages us to look at our wine the same way we do our food.  

Much of the deep work is happening within smaller distributors and companies, like Dry Farm Wines, that are both acting as educators and gatekeepers of certain ingredients and practices. “It’s almost impossible to know exactly what’s in the majority of wines, which is why we are extremely strict about the criteria that makes up a ‘Dry Farm Wines certified wine,’ says White.

Still, the responsibility lands on us, the consumer. What we choose to support and purchase will echo and perpetuate the problem. Or what we seek to uncover and divest from will help to shift the energy toward a healthier, safer, more ecological wine industry. There is no quick fix. Just like our eggs, personal care, and everything else, we are left to do the parsing ourselves—and this gets trickier than ever without an ingredients label providing some compass. 

But we can start by asking questions.

Tips for Discovering Clean(er) Wines

It’s the wild west when it comes to seeking a wine that is unadulterated and made from environmentally ethical practices. But thankfully, great strides have been made and more people are looking for less additives and more of the real juice. Although we can’t (just yet) give you a straight shot to the best wines, we can give you a checklist that works for us here at PrimaFoodie.

1.)   Ask your local wine shop owner. Small wine shops are abundant in the US and so many are stocking their shelves with more clean wines. These owners are often passionate about what they do (and friendly—they work around wine, after all!) and willing to answer your questions and inform you about the clean wine they stock. Simply asking “I’m looking for wines with minimal additives and responsibly farmed grapes” is a powerful way to start.

2.)   Follow the distributors doing the work. Dry Farm Wines is one of a handful of excellent pioneers in the field right now. As a wine merchant, Dry Farm only sells and supports wines that come from farmers and makers supporting organic agriculture, small farms across the globe, biodiversity in soil, and saving water. They also lab test their wines for additives and toxic chemicals.

3.)   Explore the makers. The clean and natural wine movement is filled with knowledgeable people. Many of them are women- and family-owned. A few American makers to start with include: Subject to Change, Martha Stouman, Horse & Plow, lady of the sunshine, and Donkey & Goat. Like other products, it’s important to shop small and support the conscious makers who care to make a difference.

4.)   Look for the biodynamic and organic label. This certification speaks to the grapes only. Unfortunately, a certified organic wine can still mean that there have been toxic chemicals added to the wine after the grapes been harvested. Still, it’s an excellent start. It assures you that no toxic chemicals have been used in the farming, and that the wine producer likely cares about their product remaining clean—all the way to the glass.

5.)   Have fun with it. The wine world is confusing and huge. Don’t get frustrated if it seems like too vast of an ocean. Follow some amazing activists like Isabelle Legeron, founder of RAW Wine, to learn more. And enjoy it. The more you explore, the more you’ll likely want to keep going—and never drink animal byproducts in your wine again. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Our Broken Food System

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The American food system has a staggering effect on our health. At least one-third of Americans face diet-related issues, including obesity, hypertension, and heart disease. Approximately half of our population either has diabetes or is pre-diabetic. And according to a 2018 study, less than 20 percent of Americans are metabolically healthy.

On the other end of the spectrum, America produces and throws away sickening amounts of food each year but a lack of adequate food continues to wreak havoc on lives. Since the global pandemic began to spread like wildfire, researchers estimate more than 50 million Americans may now face food insecurity, a number that includes 17 million children.

What this suggests is alarming: For the supposedly wealthiest country in the world that has access to most substantial technologies and infrastructure, the basic human right of good health and nutrition is few and far between for copious individuals and households. The average American diet consists of excess saturated fat, sodium, processed grains, and added sugars. This surpasses a mere choice: Adulterated, unhealthy, cheap food is the only means of sustenance within reach for many. Eating organically and wholly isn’t even a choice.

The unstable, unjust, and immoral structure of the American food system is one of the greatest threats to our lives today. Inadequate and unaffordable nutrition is a pre-existing condition that leaves all of us vulnerable to physical, emotional, and mental health issues, most egregiously impacting communities that have been institutionally marginalized. The mid-century proliferation of processed foods, the industrialization of small farms, and the sweeping finalization of human lives have left us all in a position where we have to fight for our right to affordable, fresh, accessible nourishment.

As a brand that focuses on clean eating and wholesome nutrition, we at PrimaFoodie consider the food system every day. We think of it when we produce recipes and when we discuss ways to make clean eating easier for everyone. Questions riddle our minds, such as: How can this advice reach the masses? Why is fresh, organic food so hard to find in certain American neighborhoods? When will eating nutrient dense foods, which the scientific communities prove can have an impact in warding off certain diseases, become something that isn’t doable only for those in certain socioeconomic positions but rather is an immediately and continuously accessible thing for every person everywhere?

Because access to clean, healthy food is a right.

These questions are not limited to those of us who simply care or are curious. These are conversations critical to all of us. That is why you’ll be seeing more about the US (and global) food system on PrimaFoodie. It’s a topic paramount to our founder, Nichole. As she’s traveled the world, she’s made notes, talked to chefs and experts, and seen all the ways we’re doing things wrong here in the US, and all the ways we can be doing better.

If you’re curious to learn more about the inequality and unjust practices in how our food is made and distributed, we’ve compiled some great resources to start. By better understanding our food system, we equip ourselves with the knowledge and inspiration to dismantle it and build it back so it’s strong, equitable, and healthy for all.

 Further Reading:

The Sickness in Our Food Supply by Michael Pollan

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Fair Food: Growing a Healthy Sustainable Food System for All by Oran B Hesterman

Food, Farms, and Communities: Exploring Food Systems by Lisa Chase

A Farm on Every Corner: Reimagining America’s Food System by David. A. Lange 


Chocolate Avocado Mousse

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Few desserts are as rich and silky as this chocolate mousse. Made with coconut milk and avocado for optimal creaminess, and maple syrup, dates, and banana for non-refined sweetness, this version is equally indulgent as it is nutrient-dense. And  it only takes minutes to whip up, making it a perfect impromptu treat.

This recipe yields 12 ounces (three 4-ounce servings)

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/4 banana (frozen or room temp)
  • 3 pitted dates
  • 5 tablespoons cacao powder
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • 60 ml coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/4 banana (frozen or room temp)
  • 3 pitted dates
  • 5 tablespoons cacao powder
  • A pinch of sea salt

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients into a high-power blender, starting with the liquid ingredients first to cover the blade. Blend until smooth.

  2. Divide into 4-ounce mason jars and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

  3. Garnish with raspberries or cacao nibs to taste and serve chilled.

Tips

**Banana can be an overpowering flavor. Start with one-quarter and add more as desired for flavor and consistency. 

**A food processor may be used in lieu of a blender. 

Ginger Beet Smoothie

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Too often smoothies are made with the best of intentions but the finished result is a sugar bomb of fructose and little nutrition. This immunity-boosting recipe is the antidote. Beets boast an impressive lineup of iron, folate and B6, while spinach and strawberries pack loads of vitamin C. Add the antioxidants and bioactive compounds from the ginger, and you have a supercharged smoothie you can feel good about drinking daily.

This recipe yields 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large beet
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 inch fresh ginger
  • 1 handful strawberries
  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • 1 handful ice
  • 1 large beet
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 2.5 cm fresh ginger
  • 1 handful strawberries
  • 60 ml coconut milk
  • 1 handful ice

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender and drink immediately. The mixture can also be stored in a Mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

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Linzer Torte Jam Cookies

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There are times when we’re craving a decadent dessert (hello, Red Velvet), and then there are times when a simple, lightly sweet cookie with a cup of tea is perfect. These gluten-free, vegan treats are inspired by the classic Linzer Torte Cookie. Nutty and jammy, the almond flour gives them a perfect richness and crumble. (They’re equally as good sandwiched or as an open-faced jam cookie.)

This recipe yields 12 cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • ½ cup hazelnut flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 32 g melted coconut oil
  • 80 ml cup maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 260 g cups almond flour
  • 64 g hazelnut flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl.

  2. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients.  

  3. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well incorporated.

  4. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about ⅛ inch thick.

  5. Use cookie cutters to create fun shapes.

  6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius for 7-10 minutes or until edges have started to brown.

  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Top with PrimaFoodie homemade Berry Jam. 

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Red Velvet Muffins

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A healthy riff on a beloved treat, these PrimaFoodie-approved Red Velvet cupcakes get their deep crimson color from natural beets (which, in fact, were used in earlier recipes from the 1930s and 1940s). The rich cocoa, vanilla, and coconut oil bring the decadence to the next level.

This recipe yields 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil
  • ¾ cup maple syrup
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 medium size beet (cooked and peeled)
  • 3 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 230 g almond flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 80 ml coconut oil
  • 180 ml maple syrup
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 medium size beet (cooked and peeled)
  • 3 tablespoons cacao powder

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius.

  2. Mix almond flour, baking soda, salt and cacao powder in a bowl and set aside.

  3. Place eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and cooked beets in a food processor and blend for about 15 seconds.   

  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the food processor and mix until fully incorporated.

  5. Scoop into a muffin tin.

  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius. 

TIPS

**I cook mine on the shorter side, keep them on the counter then reheat them in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes and they come out lightly crisp on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside every time.

**To cook beets, fill the bottom of a pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut off the leafy green stem and place beet root in a steamer basket above the boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for about 30 minutes or until beets are soft and can be pierced with a fork. Remove from the heat and allow them to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the beet root. Now they are ready to eat or use for baking.

**Always keep the beet root water from your steamed beets. You can drink it plain, or add it to a smoothie. It has wonderful nutrients and a beautiful red color.

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Tomato Basil Soup

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Aromatic, fresh, and herbaceous, this beloved soup is inviting year-round. The deeper flavor comes from slowly roasting the tomatoes until they become jammy and extra sweet. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of fresh basil. (Note: Since tomatoes aren’t readily available in all farmers’ markets this time of year, be sure to opt for the organic variety from your local market.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds fresh tomatoes
  • 1 cup carrots chopped
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 3 tablespoons garlic, chopped finely
  • 3 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 14 oz jar tomato paste
  • 1 cup basil leaves, chopped
  • 4 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 1.3 kilograms fresh tomatoes
  • 128 g carrots chopped
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 3 tablespoons garlic, chopped finely
  • 3 tablespoons ghee
  • 400 g jar tomato paste
  • 128 g basil leaves, chopped
  • 1.4 liters chicken stock or broth

Directions

  1. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes. 

  2. In a large dutch oven or pot, melt the ghee. Add onions and cook on medium-high heat until they become translucent and aromatic.  

  3. Add garlic and carrots to the pot. Cook for another 5 minutes to soften the carrots.

  4. When the tomatoes finish roasting, add them to the dutch oven along with the chicken stock, tomato paste and basil. 

  5. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to an hour. Then use an immersion blender to blend all the ingredients in the pot into a thin, soupy consistency.

  6. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.  

Tip

**For  a thinner consistency, pour the ingredients into a Vitamix or high power blender and blend on high for 30-40 seconds (Just remember to hold the cap of the blender so that soup doesn’t explode out the top). Further, more broth or olive oil can be added while blending to achieve desired consistency.

**Any variety  of tomatoes can be used. Plum tomatoes and Roma tomatoes are equally delicious. Ripe tomatoes will result in a richer flavor. 

**Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed mason jar and frozen for up to 3 months. Be sure not to pour over the shoulder of the mason jar, to avoid the glass cracking once the liquid freezes and expands. Also, covering the soup with a thin layer of olive oil seals in the soup and helps prevent freezer burn.

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Carrot Ginger Soup

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Another satisfying soup recipe to whip up this winter is carrot ginger soup. This 8-ingredient recipe is simple and easy. With fresh carrots and a hint of ginger, it’ll make your chilly days brighter.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds carrots
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 2 yellow onions
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons powdered ginger
  • 10 ounces coconut milk
  • 2 kilograms carrots
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 2 yellow onions
  • 1.4 liters chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons powdered ginger
  • 15 ml coconut milk

Directions

  1. Roughly chop all carrots and toss them with coconut oil, salt and pepper. Evenly disperse them on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit / 190 degrees Celsius.

  2. In a dutch oven or large stock pot, melt the ghee over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for about five minutes or until the onions are translucent.    

  3. Remove carrots from the oven and place them directly in the pot. Add chicken broth, coconut milk and ginger. Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

  4. Transfer to a Vitamix and blend until smooth. Taste. Season with extra salt or ginger as desired. Serve warm.

Tips

**As always, ghee can be substituted for a richer fat like leftover bacon grease or duck fat. Coconut oil also works.

**Blend the soup in two batches to avoid overcrowding the blender. Carrots are very fibrous, so you might need to add a little extra broth to help the soup move through the blades or for a thinner consistency. If you use an immersion blender, you don’t have to deal with transferring. This works just as well.

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4 Simple Habits that Make Clean Eating Much Easier

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By Stacey Lindsay

Following a clean diet has its challenges. Researchers find that cost, a lack of motivation, and restricted time to be common obstacles that hinder us from eating well. There is also a dearth of understanding around what eating nutritiously really means: In the US, students receive about eight hours below the required nutrition education needed to fuel healthy habits, according to the CDC.

But as any health-focused feat proves, these obstacles are merely just that—obstacles—and what lies on the other side of tenacity is worth it. The key is to make the feat easier. One mindset to adopt: Drop the perfection. “Simple, small changes make a huge difference,” says functional medicine practitioner Dr. Elizabeth Boham, whose practice focuses on the healing power of food.  

Whether you’re looking to eat more greens or revamp your diet entirely, Boham’s advice is something anyone can easily digest.  

  1. Curb the sugar.

This doesn’t only mean putting less in your morning coffee. This means being mindful of all that is hidden, says Boham. Sixty-eight percent of all packaged foods have added sugar. “Start recognizing that foods that come in packages many times have a lot of things added in them that our body just doesn’t need and that isn’t servicing us well.” The easiest and quickest way to reduce sugar is to stop relying on packaged foods, says Boham, and start reaching for more whole foods. 

2. Think in threes.

The next time you go to eat, take a look at your plate. Does it have a balance of some fat, some fiber, and some protein? “So often we’re missing one of those three at a meal and that can result in our blood sugar not being as stable,” says Boham. Not having healthy fat, fiber, and protein in each meal can also lead us to feel fatigued, moody, and susceptible to headaches. Creating meals that are balanced can “help with energy, mood, maintaining a healthy weight, and helps us feel more satiated so we don’t reach for snacks.”

 For easy reference:

·   Foods rich in protein include eggs, chicken, fish, meat, beans and legumes, and nuts and seeds.

·   Foods rich in fat include healthy oils (like olive oil), nuts and seeds, avocados, ghee, and butter.

·   Foods rich in fiber include beans and legumes, vegetables, and fruits.

3. Stay Local

The conventional versus organic conversation is one that continues to challenge many of us—especially when it comes to cost. The workaround is to go seasonal and local. Shopping at your nearby farmers’ market gives you the opportunity to ask the farmers about their practices, says Boham. They may not have paid for the organic certification label, but they still could be farming in sustainable and organic ways. By shopping locally you create connections and get healthy products that are more affordable. Plus, “you’re supporting local business,” says Boham.   

4. Go easy on yourself.

We’re all susceptible to feeling overwhelmed when it comes to our health. This can lead to feelings of despair and wanting to toss in the towel and order a pizza, says Boham. “It can be very exhausting, in a way, if you feel that you have to do this, this, and this.” The truth is, you don’t have to be so strict.  Just by “taking some time to prepare some meals at home, you’ll just start to feel better—faster,” she says. “And then that will help motivate you to make more and more lifestyle adjustments.”


To learn more about Dr. Elizabeth Boham and her practice, visit: drboham.com. 


3 Mindset Tips for Meeting Exercise Resolutions

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Reaching our goals is no easy feat. To create any change requires consistency, gumption, and ultimately belief in ourselves. But so often, we focus too much on the end game rather than the success along the way. It is there, in the process, where the greatness exists. That's why at PrimaFoodie we want to celebrate those small wins. They may seem more limited in size, but they add up to remarkable things. 

It’s the time of year when many of us are trying to make good on big resolutions relating to health and fitness. Whether it’s a new exercise routine or a clean protocol, we come to these decisions with clear-eyed optimism and excitement. But so often—too often, really—we’re left in the dust of our aspirations. But what’s important to remember is that it’s not a lack of gumption or willpower that causes us to fall short of resolutions. It’s our approach. Big goals are achieved through small steps.

I have lived this truth over and over. When I’ve fallen out of an exercise routine, my first instinct would often be to get back on track by leaping into a long run. And then it would hit me: I wasn’t ready for a long run. What I needed was to take a walk around the block—and then to celebrate it. Because that walk would be the first step to the journey that would lead me to the long, joyful run I was envisioning and back into my routine.

If I had pushed myself into a big run, there’s a good chance I would have ended up with exhausted muscles—or worse—and that would have set me back even further. By taking the healthy micro steps that my body really needed, I could build up to a long run in a sustainable way, meaning I’d be able to run easily and often. And that’s really the goal, right? To get into a fitness rhythm where you’re getting exercise most days and you’re feeling good doing it.  

So how do we practice this? By embracing all the steps, no matter their size, and celebrating the small wins. They all add up to a marathon—and by leaning into them, we enjoy the journey so much more. 

 3 Mindset Tips for Meeting Exercise Resolutions

 1. Clear the obstacles.

 All kinds of distractions and impediments can throw us off track. Clear them out of the way so there is nothing between you and your workout.

 -  Get things ready the night before. Fill up your water bottle, lay out your workout clothes, and have everything where it needs to be so you can get to your workout without anything slowing you down.

-  Have a plan. Work with a trainer who creates custom workouts for you or try one of the many workouts available online. There’s so much out there, you don’t have to come up with your workout yourself (and enjoying the challenge with others is motivating).

-  Plan for unexpected opportunities. Keep a pair of running shoes or your favorite workout equipment in your car. If you find yourself out and about with time to spare, you can sneak in some exercise outdoors. It’s a much better way to celebrate free time than hunching over your phone.

 2. Trust that every minute counts.

 Most of us know we should be aiming for at least 150 minutes of physical exercise a week—and that moving more often means even greater health benefits. But this can be broken up into tiny chunks. If 30 minutes a day, five days a week, feels overwhelming, try three 10-minute sessions, or even six 5-minute sessions, in a day. Research shows it’s as beneficial to your health as doing 30 minutes at once. Here are some tips:

 -   Try the scientific 7-minute workout. Many applaud this quick-but-intense interval method.

-   Working from home? Pretend you have to “commute” to your next Zoom meeting and take a walk around the block or go up and down the stairs for a few minutes before you sign on.

-   If you sit a lot during the day, take a 5-minute dance break (or squat break or push-up break) after you complete a big task.

 3. Honor yourself and your wins.

Maybe you’re not up for a full-on marathon today. (If you’re just getting back to an exercise routine, you’re probably not.) So start small—literally. Tell yourself, “I’m not going to run on day one, I’m going to walk around the block.” And then acknowledge and celebrate yourself for doing just that. Even the seemingly small act of taking the stairs can result in a huge shift. Every minute and every movement counts. They are the steps that add up to your lasting fitness journey.


With love,
PrimaFoodie