Smart Nutrition by Jessica Penner, RD

Mornings are hectic! People always tell me they want to eat healthier breakfasts, but don't have the time to prep food in the morning. Breakfast ends up being a quick slice of toast before running out the door. This is a lost opportunity for fruits and veggies! Nearly 90% of Americans are NOT meeting the recommendations for fruit and veggie intake! Make mornings easier & healthier with these grab ‘n blend vegetable smoothie packs in 4 delicious flavours: Chocolate Beet, Vani...lla Green, PB Banana, and Blueberry! Just add your choice of milk, blend, & go! DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE HERE: https://www.smartnutrition.ca//vegetable-smoothie-freezer/

Hands up if you love 5 minute meals! I’m going grocery shopping today and since I’ve only been going every three weeks because of Covid, it’s kind of a big deal. I’m going to be tired when I get home and won’t want to cook! So on grocery shopping days I plan on picking up a rotisserie chicken so that supper is already done for me!... Then I’ll re-purpose the rest of it to make taco chicken meat! Just by adding a few key spices you can transform rotisserie chicken into super flavourful taco meat for salads, wraps, nachos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, chimichangas..... you get the drift! Find my easy recipe here: https://www.smartnutrition.ca//5-minute-chicken-taco-sala/

Do Genetics Dictate Your Weight? A lot of people really feel that weight is out of their control, and I would actually tend to agree, you can't force those numbers to go down or even go up. There are, however, a lot of things that influence your weight that ARE within your control, and looking bleakly at your genetic makeup probably won't help you all that much. Read the article below and let's take some time to evaluate and think about three areas of your life where you've... been trying to get results, but haven't tried a proven technique yet. Tell me what they are, leave a comment, and let's try to find some techniques for you to try! https://www.smartnutrition.ca/n/do-genetics-dictate-weight/

Mmmm, all the flavours of a piping hot samosa filled with warming spices, potatoes and peas, dunked in a sweet peach chutney..... but in the form of a gluten free vegan samosa stew! RECIPE: https://www.smartnutrition.ca//peach-chutney-samosa-stew-/

Need a little taste of spring or a culinary trip to the Mediterranean? Got you covered here with this easy to make, 7 layer dip. You can eat with pita chips or just put the whole mix into a pita or wrap for a delicious and well-balanced meal! https://www.smartnutrition.ca/reci/mediterranean-layer-dip/

Interested to know what happened to me when I ate processed foods for a week? It probably won't surprise you to find out that it wasn't great. I think we know that the word "processed" before food is not the most healthful way to eat, but do you know the range of processed foods and what exactly it does to your body? Read my article or watch my video called "The Journey of the Tomato" to understand processed food more fully.... https://www.smartnutrition.ca//processed-food-what-you-ne/

Caution: This recipe has the potential to start a new obsession... Did you know that sourdough only requires two ingredients? It can eliminate your need for yeast and add health boost and flavour to your breads and other baking items! I've got a step by step (with pics and video!) tutorial for how to make your own starter. ... You can also take a shortcut if you know someone with a mature starter and snag a little of theirs, feeding it as per the instructions in the article! I'm really hoping to make some sourdough converts with this one! (my father-in-law jokes about how often my mother-in-law preaches "the gospel of sourdough"... seriously, it's so great, it has to be shared!) https://www.smartnutrition.ca//how-to-make-a-sourdough-st/

Feeling thankful for safe scientific advancements that keep the cost of food down, and for the amazing farmers that grow our food :) graphic created by CropLife Canada

You guys, the food on the left is BAD food! You should never eat this type of food! It's MOLDY! But the food on the right? Not bad at all! You can feel free to eat this food 100% guilt-free. Not only that, you can also feel free to eat this food 100% guilt-free WITHOUT worry about whether you're ruining your diet. ... In the I Quit Overeating program we believe that ALL food is good food! We are meant to enjoy food that is sweet, salty, or fatty. There ain't no shame in that! I believe you can eat these foods within the context of a nourishing, balancing diet. You just need to be shown how! If you don't want to give up your favourite foods but are tired of having a wrestling match with them, then the I Quit Overeating program is for you! Join now! www.iquitovereating.com

One slice of this veggie lasagna will give you a whopping FOUR servings of veggies! This recipe combines two of my favourite ways of eating veggies: 1) Roasting them to bring out their sweet caramelized flavour 2) Throwing them into main dishes to boost our veggie intake... And, of course, it's sooo tasty even meat lovers will forget there isn't any meat! RECIPE: https://www.smartnutrition.ca//fall-harvest-roasted-veggi/