Kimberley Dawn Consulting

"Plant-Based" "Mostly Plants" "Predominantly Plant-Based" Plant-centric If you’ve found yourself confused with all the various diets and lifestyles out there, know that you’re not alone. I have a lot of clients curious and wanting more information on how to eat more plant-centric and incorporate plant-based proteins into their weekly meal planning. So what is plant-based? To simplify, your diet is focused on eating plants and whole foods - fruits, vegetables, whole gr...ains, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. Plant-based does not necessarily mean vegan. This doesn’t mean you have to eliminate animal products from your diet! You find the right balance for your body, health, and lifestyle needs. In a plant-centric diet you’re focusing on making plants the star ingredient. This way of eating is typically higher in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, phytonutrients and healthy fats because you’re choosing less processed and packaged foods that we know aren’t great for longterm health. So, what does this look like for breakfast, lunch & dinner? Smoothies incorporating raw vegetables, greens, fruits and healthy nuts or seeds Bowls including leafy greens, veggies, plant-based carbohydrates like sweet potato or quinoa, plant-based protein such as tofu, tempeh or marinated chickpeas, fibre, and healthy fats. Soups incorporating fresh, seasonal vegetables and a mix of lentils or beans along with warming spices to enhance the flavour. I’ll typically recommend my clients start with 2 plant-based meals per week and I will provide them with healthy & delicious recipe inspirations to get them started. And guess what? They often find these are even more delicious and satisfying compared to meals they’re already cooking at home!

Did you know there is no nutritional need or benefit that comes from eating added sugar (other than the fact it tastes really good!) If we choose a well-balanced diet including whole grains, fruit & starchy vegetables then we get more than enough "natural" sugars for energy needs and don't need to include any additional sources -unless you’re a highly trained athlete who requires more glucose . However, this sneaky ingredient has made its way into several processed foods... and beverages on the market and we've never consumed more added sugars until now. Did you know the average adult has close to 22 teaspoons or 88 grams of sugar per day?! Yikes... Recommendations for sugar should be no more than 6 teaspoons per day or 24 grams for women & no more than 9 teaspoons per day or 36 grams of sugar for men. An important tool to keep in mind when reading nutrition labels for sugar is 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon sugar. This might help you to better visualize the amount of added sugar in a product. Get familiar with this list above so you can best avoid all the added sugars in your diet! If you're interested in learning more about added sugars within your diet, you should try my 7-Day Cut the Sugar Reset. You'll eliminate all added sugar and "natural" sugars for a total of 7-days. It might really open your eyes to the amount of added sugar in many of the products your having on a daily basis.

Stewed Apples - one of my favourite toppings for oatmeal, pancakes, or on its own topped with almond butter. Apples are one of the best known foods for digestion as they contain two different types of fibre - soluble and insoluble. Stewed Apples: -4 large apples (cored + chopped) -1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger... -1 teaspoon of cinnamon -1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom -2-4 whole cloves -1/2 teaspoon salt -1/3 cup water 1. On low / medium heat, place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook for 5-8 minutes with the lid on. You can add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil for some added flavour, as well. 2. Take the lid off and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Add more water to thin out if you’d like. 3. Enjoy!

HEALTHY SNACKS Check out some ideas for quick & easy snacks to keep on hand for busy days. I'll always encourage my clients to have these readily available at their office or packed in their bags for busy days on-the-go.... Including a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack can help stabilize blood sugar levels, provide a boost in energy, and curb hunger going into your next meal so you don't end up hangry reaching for anything in sight. Swipe to see some quick & easy snack examples. Pregnancy Tip: With my tummy growing and expanding things are starting to get a little compressed in there, making it a struggle to get through a full meal without feeling like I might explode. I've made it a focus to have smaller, frequent meals (every 2 hours or so, depending on the day) that are nutrient-packed to make sure I'm getting all the nutrients for baby and I while remaining somewhat comfortable . This snack list can give you some ideas!

It kills me when I see people posting recipes that are supposedly 'healthier' because they contain 'raw,' or 'unrefined' sugars like honey or agave instead of t...able sugar. Or, when people demonize corn syrup as worse for us than any other sugar (this has never been proven, FYI). Or, when they order raw sugar in their latte instead of white sugar, because it's supposedly not as 'bad.' Uh, nope. In reality, the body breaks down all sugars the same way. Honey, agave (which, by the way, is higher in fructose than high fructose corn syrup...didn't see that one coming, did you?), maple syrup, organic cane sugar, coconut sugar, whatever. They're all the same to your body. So please, don't fool yourself into thinking that some Paleo blogger's 'sugar free' dessert that has maple syrup in it is actually sugar free. And don't listen to those people who say that raw or coconut sugars have 'beneficial nutrients' in them. FFS. Just stop. Do you eat sugar for nutrients? The whole 'unrefined' thing is a total racket, too. Most sugars are 'processed' in some way, except maybe raw honey, which doesn't make it healthier anyhow. White sugar comes from beets or sugar cane, both 'natural' sources. Brown and raw sugar simply contain molasses, which has been removed from white sugar. They aren't healthier in any way. Sure, some of these sweeteners are structurally different than others, and some are higher on the glycemic index. But the differences in how our bodies respond to them are barely perceptible, and in the end, all the sugars we eat end up as glucose, feeding our cells and providing us with energy. Glycemic index of sugar is measured when sugar is eaten in isolation, and since nobody eats any of these sugars on their own (at least I hope not), its impact for each individual sweetener when eaten as part of a meal, isn’t too great on overall blood sugar. It goes without saying, that too much of any type of sugar isn't great for anyone. What I always tell people around sugars or sweeteners (even sugar-free ones) in general, is to choose whichever ones you like, but just choose less. Get yourself accustomed to less sweet overall. Be aware of the hidden sugars in ultra-processed foods. Lastly? Understand that having some sugar in your diet is normal and will not hurt you. Don't be scare into going 'sugar free' by some wellness warrior, which is virtually impossible and totally shitty. Look at reduction, not elimination. Life is good, enjoy the cake. Abby xo