five foods to put in your mouth

It's Friday friends! My favorite part about Fridays is that clinic closes at noon which leaves the afternoon to get errands or appointments done, and I don't have to pack a lunch!

It's the small things right?

This weekend I'll be babysitting on Saturday and Sunday afternoon for a family that I've known since I moved to Charlottesville. While they are getting rowdy in Vegas I get to hang out with their adorable 5 and 3 year old all weekend.

Anddddd, Whitney turns 25 this weekend! I love this girl too much to put into words and thank God everyday for her friendship. I am so blessed to have such a sweet, sweet friend. I'm so excited to celebrate at her party on Saturday!

I love celebrating people's birthdays with elaborate stuff, but not my own. A really good dinner with love ones, a great glass of wine, and a cupcake with extra buttercream makes me the happiest person alive.

I trained with J this morning doing lower body stuff and getting "mashed." Basically he digs his heels into my muscles [hamstrings today, ahh!] to break up the scar tissue and knots. I love to hate it. I'm hoping to get in some good running this weekend too!

And with running comes food. I know there are about 23984732 articles on the "top five foods you should always eat" but I don't really ever completely agree. We don't necessarily need to always be eating protein, protein, protein in the form of greek yogurt, eggs, and salmon. What we need is to be eating more superfoods...in the form of plants!

Besides the obvious fruits and vegetables, here are my top five foods a plant passionate RD thinks everyone should be eating.

Chia Seeds
These little guys are full of omega 3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation and are chock full of fiber. Better yet, they can absorb 9x their body weight in water, making them awesome for hydration!

Add 1 tablespoon to your oatmeal while cooking or make this Cinnamon Chia Seed Granola!

Unprocessed Grains
With all the paleo hype, [which some aspects I do agree with] grains have been thrown under the bus. I beg to differ. While I definitely think Americans eat way too much processed wheat, grains such as quinoa, brown rice, oats, buckwheat, sprouted grain breads and wraps such as Ezekial, and many more are part of a balanced diet. Embrace the carb people, trust me. Fill your plate with 1/2 veggies, 1/4 beans/legumes, and 1/4 whole grain carbohydrates. And enjoy every last bite.

Make this simple, yet delicious Red Quinoa and Black Bean Vegetable Salad

Coconut [oil, milk, water, shredded]
Yes, it is almost 100% saturated fat- BUT coconut fats are medium chain triglycerides which are completely different than long chain saturated fatty acids [FAs] found in butter, cheese, etc. Research shows coconut to actually boost metabolism. Long chain FAs are packaged up in lipoproteins and transported to tissues and stored as fat whereas medium chain FAs are smaller, don't need to be packaged into lipoproteins, and are transported directly to the mitochondria in liver cells to be burned up for energy.

These Apple Oatmeal Muffins use both coconut milk and oil and make a perfect snack!

Sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts are what most people see in the grocery store, but try broccoli sprouts, bean sprouts, and many others! These guys contain live, active enzymes and are one of the most nutritionally complete foods available. Their pre-digested proteins and bio-available amino acids pack a huge nutrient punch with minimal energy costs. Throw them in whole wheat wraps [Ezekial are my fav] with hummus and veggies or atop salads!

Nut butters
Almond butter is my top fav. One, because its full of protein and fiber. But more importantly it contains an abundance of monounsaturated fatty acids that reduce inflammation, stave off heart disease and diabetes and lower bad cholesterol. But don't stop there- sunflower seed butter is full of the antioxidant, Vitamin E, cashew butter is a good source of magnesium for bone health, and peanut butter contains good monounsaturated fats and iron. Do not fear fat, it keeps you satiated [feeling full longer] and is essential for the body to absorb and utilize Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Three cheers for the good stuff!

Besides putting it on oatmeal and toast [and anything else that serves as a vehicle for my favorite food] try these Peanut Butter Chunk Oatmeal Bars for an after dinner snack or quick pick me up!

Whether you're busy with friends or just relaxing at home, have a wonderful weekend!