What You Eat Doesn't Matter THAT Much!

I'm a dietitian, so obviously I care about food, nutrition, and overall health, but I need to tell you that what you eat doesn't matter THAT much. Some people may be confused or shocked to hear that sentence coming from me. I mean, don't I want people to eat healthy? Let me explain. I'm not saying that food and nutrition don't matter at all or that we shouldn't be aware of what our body needs and how food affects our health. I'm say that sometimes people put too much emphasis on food and the role it plays in our life. Food is important, but it isn't magical and every bite you eat doesn't need to be "perfect" according to some standard set by some health guru or one set by yourself. Sugar isn't poison and pizza isn't the devil. A focus on healthy eating can even become a serious problem when food becomes so restricted that there isn't much left that you're "allowed" to eat or when the focus on food gets in the way of other aspects of health.

7 More Healthy Foods I ALWAYS Have on Hand

A lot of the foods I eat change throughout the year depending on what's in season and what sounds good to me at the time, but there are some healthy food staples that I always have on hand. These are the foods that are incorporated into a lot of my meals because they provide great flavor or that can be used as a main ingredient in healthy meals or snacks. I made a video like this a little while ago and I thought it was time for me to made another one and share more of the basic foods that I keep stocked in my kitchen. I hope this can give you some ideas and inspiration for your own meals and some insight into what I like to keep around.

PREVIOUS 7 Healthy Foods I Always Have on Hand video

FOODS MENTIONED

• peanut butter/nut butters
• corn tortilla flour
• hot sauce
• avocado
• garlic powder
• hummus
• lemon

How a Dietitian Meal Plans for the Week

Meal planning is a must-do for me. It's the key to my grocery shopping and reducing dinner-time stress. With my weekly meal plan in hand, I don't have to worry about last minute running around to figure what I'm making for dinner or going to the store to buy ingredients. Since meal planning is such an important part of my routine, I thought you might like to see how I make my meal plan. My method is simple and easy and that's why I think it works so well for me. Trust me, you can do it too, even if you aren't a dietitian or nutritionist. I've been using this meal planning method for 4+ years now and I love it!

Are Granola Bars Healthy?

There are a lot of different granola bars out there and new brands are popping up all the time. Actually, it would be more accurate to just call them bars now because they aren't just made with granola ingredients any more. There are so many options now and a lot of people eat them, but are these bars really healthy? I can't just give you a blanket yes or no with this because it depends. Every brand is different and the way you use them matter too. Instead, I'm giving your some things to think about where you're looking are different bars in the store and when you're eating them.

4 Probiotic Foods I Love | Healthy Gut Foods

Probiotics are healthy bacteria that we consume and they can help keep our gut bacteria in a healthy balance. The bacteria in our large intestine play a role in healthy digestion and there's also research looking at other things our gut microbiome might affect. Some people think that the bacteria in our gut could actually impact other diseases and conditions, so it will be exciting to see how our knowledge in this area grows! I like to include a few different probiotic foods in my overall diet, so thought it would fun to share my favorites with you! Yes, we're going to talk about yogurt (because even though everyone knows about it, it's still worth talking about), but we're also going to talk about some other foods that you might not be eating regularly.

Fermented Vegetables book (affiliate link)

Brands mentioned
- Maple Hill Creamery
- Farmstead Ferments
- Jacob's Raw
- Bubbies
- GT's Kombucha

Sarah Moran is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

How Much Juice Should Kids Drink? New Guidelines!

A lot of people wonder how much juice kids should be drinking. The American Academy of Pediatrics just came out with their update juice recommendations for children, so let's talk about it! These new guidelines aren't too different from the previous ones (they do reduce the daily maximums a little for some age groups), but the main change that most people are wondering about is the new recommendation not to provide juice to children from 6 months to 1 year, unless medically indicated. I think these guidelines make sense for a few different reasons, so I'm sharing those reasons with you in this video! And no matter what some people may say, this definitely isn't an all out ban on juice. When it comes to juice, we just don't want to give it to kids too early and we don't want children (or adults) to drink too much.

American Academy of Pediatrics Juice Guidelines

Birth to 6 months - no juice
6 months to 1 year - no juice, except if medically indicated
1-3 years - maximum 4 ounces 100% juice per day
4-6 years - maximum 4-6 ouces 100% juice per day
7 year and up - maximum 8 ounces per day

Guideline overview

Full guidelines

May Garden Update! Exciting Garden Find + All Plants in the Ground!

It's hard to believe that it's already been a month since my last garden update, but things have really changed in my garden over that time! All of the beds have been cleared, all of the plants have been planted, and we had an exciting garden find: free wood chip mulch! I've planted lots of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, basil, cucumbers, snap peas, melons, pole beans, yellow squash, zucchini, sunflowers, marigolds, and a few more things. We've also been harvesting our Cincinnati Market and Early Scarlet Globe radishes and they've been delicious!

For a point of reference, I'm in Virginia in Zone 7. All of the plants in the garden we either seeded directly or started from seed inside. I like to grow a lot heirloom varieties, so we have some exciting harvests in our future!

Daysy Full Review + Lady Comp Comparison | Natural Birth Control

The time is finally here! I've been using the Daysy natural birth control fertility monitor for 6 months now and, just like I promised in my first impressions and unboxing video, I'm giving you my full review! The Daysy is made by Valley Electronics, the same company that makes the Lady Comp. I've gotten a lot of questions about Daysy on my original Lady Comp video, so I wanted to try Daysy out for myself and give you my opinion on the device. Daysy is very similar to Lady Comp in the way it works. You take your basal body temperature every morning, log your menstrual cycle, and the device gives you a red, yellow, or green light for that day, depending on your fertility status. With that said, there are some real differences between Daysy and Lady Comp. Daysy is smaller and doesn't have much of a display. Instead, Daysy uses a companion app so you can view your past data and any details on your smart phone. The Daysy syncs with the phone app via a cable that plugs into your phone's headphone jack. Depending on your preferences, how you want to use the information, and your budget, you might find that you prefer one device over the other. I'm sharing my thoughts as someone who has used both the Daysy and the Lady Comp and telling you which one I prefer.

My current device, the Lady Comp (affiliate link)

Daysy First Impressions + Unboxing video

Lady Comp Overview video

Lady Comp 3.5 Year Update video

More info on Daysy

More info on Lady Comp

Thanks to the people at Daysy for sending me this device for free to review! As always, all opinions are my own.

Sarah Moran is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

What I Eat in a Day | Healthy Meal Ideas from a Registered Dietitian

It's time for my monthly What I Eat in a Day video! This month is super exciting because my local farmers' market is finally open for the season! That means I'm eating lots of yummy local and seasonal foods and I'm excited to share these spring meals with you! Included in this What I Eat in a Day is my favorite springtime breakfast. I seriously eat it almost every single day this time of year. I hope that seeing what I eat can give you some ideas and inspiration for you own healthy meals and meal planning.

How Many Carbs Should You Eat?

It seems like no matter what's going on in the nutrition world, someone is talking about carbs. The message varies from "carbs are bad for you" to "carbs are the healthiest thing ever" but, no matter what, these messages always seem to get some attention. I know this has left a lot of people confused about carbs and wondering how many carbs we should eat. Now, there isn't one number I can tell you because nutrition is more complicated than that, but I wanted to give you some tips and some guidelines so you can start to think about this stuff. Carbohydrates are a source of energy for our bodies and we need them. It's all about finding the right amount for you.

Foods with carbs + blood sugar video

Are Potatoes Healthy? video

Asparagus Quiche Recipe | Perfect for Brunch!

In a recent What I Eat in a Day video, I showed a quiche that I had made and I got some requests for a recipe, so today I'm showing you how to make an asparagus quiche! I thought asparagus would be perfect for this time of year because it's a quintessential spring food and one of my personal favorites. Plus, I'm always looking for new ways to work it in to my meals for the short period of time it's available. Quiche is a great dish to make because it feels a little fancy and it's super versatile. You can serve quiche for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner and it can be eaten warm, room temperature, or cold. It's a great recipe for dinner when you want something that feels a little special and it's also perfect for brunch or a special occasion, like Mother's Day, a bridal shower, or a baby shower. It can also be made ahead of time and it's really easy to make two at once! This asparagus quiche is delicious and I think you'll love it!

Asparagus Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

• 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1 pound raw asparagus, woody ends removed and cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1.25 teaspoons salt, divided

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or other cheese of your choice)

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1/2 cup cream

 

Directions

1. If making your own pie crust, roll it out, place it in your pie pan, and crimp the edges. Place finished pie crust in the freezer for 30 minutes. If using store-bought pie crust, just store it in the freezer until you're ready to cook it.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Remove pie crust from freezer. Take a piece of parchment paper to line the pie crust and roll it in a ball a few times until crinkly (this will make the parchment easier to work with). Line the pie crust with the parchment.
4. Add pie weights or dry beans on top of the parchment to fill the pie crust. Spread the weights in an even layer and gently push them against the sides of the crust so that there aren't any gaps between the crust and the parchment.
5. Bake the crust in the oven for 20 minutes. Then, remove the crust from the oven, take out the pie weights and parchment, and bake the crust on its own for 10-15 minutes more, or until the crust starts to brown. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside to cool.
6. While the pie crust is baking, prepare the asparagus filling. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is hot, add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent (a few minutes). 
7. Next, add asparagus and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
8. Assemble the quiche by first sprinkling 1/2 of the grated cheese onto the base of the crust. Then, add your asparagus mixture on top of the cheese and spread evenly. Cover the asparagus mixture with the remaining cheese.
9. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, cream, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and whisk until fully combined.
10. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the cheese and asparagus to fill the pie crust.
11. Cook the quiche in a 350F oven for 40 minutes. When it's done, it will still be a little jiggly, but will finish setting up as it cools. Cool for at least 20 minutes and then enjoy, or store in the refrigerator for later.

Biggest Loser Creator Brings Back Former Contestants for New Show. Ugh.

The creator of the Biggest Loser has a new weight loss show in the works. The new show, called The Big Fat Truth, will bring back former Biggest Loser contestants who have gained back the weight they lost on the show. On the new show, they will try to lose the weight again. In addition to featuring former Biggest Loser contestants, the new show will also feature other people who want help losing weight. The promo clip for The Big Fat Truth focuses a lot on the Biggest Loser study that came out last year. That study showed the negative impact that the dieting and weight loss techniques used on the Biggest Loser had on contestants' metabolisms and hormones, even years after their time on the show was over. From the promo clip, it seems that the new show aims to show that weight loss and weight gain aren't affected by biology, but instead are only about the choices that individuals make. I have a lot of issues with what we've seen of this show so far, so let's talk about it.

Biggest Loser Study video

My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets! Worth the Money and Space!

I'm not a big fan of kitchen gadgets. A lot of times I think they take up extra space and cost extra money just to do a job that another kitchen tool can already do. However, there are a few kitchen gadgets that I love! Their the ones that actually do their job well and either do a job that I can't do with another tool or make things so much easier that it just makes sense. In this video, I'm sharing my favorite kitchen gadgets (that actually work) with you!

PRODUCTS MENTIONED
Salad spinner
Slow cooker
Instant Pot
Veggetti
Mini spatula
Waffle maker

Sarah Moran is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

The Truth About Plexus, Advocare, ItWorks!, and other MLM Health and Weight Loss Products

I got a question in the comments of one of my other videos asking for my thoughts on multi-level-marketing/networking marketing health and weight loss products, like Plexus, Advocare, ItWorks!, etc. Now there are a lot of companies that fall into this category, including the ones this commenter asked about, but they are are focused on weight loss, improving health, or a combination of the two. A lot of them are based on supplements and shakes and others bring in body wraps too. The big questions with these products are whether or not they work, if they're healthy, and if they're worth the money. I have a lot of thoughts and issues with many of these products, so it's time for us to talk about it.

April Garden Update! Plants in the Ground + Under Grow Lights

The gardening season is officially here and there are a lot of things already growing! In this garden update, I'm taking you on a tour of my garden, showing you what I have planted outside so far, and showing you what I have growing inside under the grow lights.

Even though it's early, the garden is already producing! Now of course there aren't any huge harvests yet, but many of the perennials are thriving, including catnip, lemon balm, mint, and sage. Soon we'll also have some radishes!

For a point of reference, I'm in Virginia in Zone 7. All of the plants in the garden we either seeded directly or started from seed inside. I like to grow a lot heirloom varieties, so we have some exciting harvests in our future!

How I Start Seeds for My Garden!

Gardening is a fun thing to do that gives you beautiful plants to look at and food to eat! I've had some questions about how I start seeds for my garden, so I thought it would be fun to show you the process LIVE!

This my last batch of seed starting for this gardening season. In this video I'm starting borage and marigolds. These are both flowers that will add beautiful color to my garden and help me grow more produce by attracting beneficial insects (like pollinators) and deter insects that could damage my plants. I also had plans to start globe amaranth, but, as you'll see in the video, I had to postpone that planting.

In this video, I walk you through the basics of starting seeds indoors, including what kind of soil I use, how to prepare your soil for starting seeds, containers for seed starting, what to do to help your seeds germinate, getting your plant starts enough light, my grow rack and grow light set up, the benefits of starting plants from seed (and why I like to do it), and much more!

What I Eat in a Day | Healthy Meal Ideas from a Registered Dietitian

It's time for a video I do every month where I show you what I eat in a day. I love making these What I Eat in a Day videos because I know how easy it can be to get in a food rut and feel like you need some healthy food inspiration to switch things up! I hope seeing what I ate on this day can give you some ideas for your own meals. I also have a few tips packed into this one on making easy and affordable meals and also on what to do when your food doesn't turn out as good as you were hoping it would.

How to Make Chicken Broth in the Slow Cooker

How Many Meals Should You Eat in a Day?

One big nutrition question that's always floating around is: How many meals should you eat in a day? The number of meals and size of meals is something that comes up again and again, especially in diet plans, diet books, and diet programs. Some people swear by 6 meals per day and then of course we all know the classic 3 meals per day. It can be tricky to figure out who to listen to and what is really right. So, with that in mind, I'm sharing with you how I personally structure my own meals, which also happens to be the meal pattern that I think works well for a lot of people. I like this meal pattern because it leaves you feeling satisfied and it fits well with life so you have time to do things that aren't eating and food related.

My Most Used Condiments for Yummy Healthy Food!

Many people think that healthy food doesn't taste good, but that simply isn't true! Any food can taste good or bad. It's all about how you prepare it and what you like! There are lots of things you can do to give your food flavor, but today I thought it would be fun to talk about condiments! The ones I'm sharing with you are condiments that I always have on hand to add flavor to my food. These are the condiments that I love the most and use the most often!

Too Much Healthy Inspiration?

Healthy inspiration is everywhere. With the internet, we have access to lots of healthy recipes, lots of healthy quotes, and LOTS of healthy food pictures. Most people would think this is a good thing, and a lot of the time it is, but there can be some negatives that come along with it too. If we're surrounded by healthy inspiration, does that skew our idea of what health really is? And does all of that pretty food photography create unrealistic expectations for what every day food should be? Should people talking about health online be careful that they are showing everything they eat, not just the super healthy stuff? This is something I've been thinking about more here lately, and I have some thoughts, but I'm excited to hear what you think too!