Category Archives: breakfast

Spring Nourish Bowl

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Nourish bowls are one of my favorite ways to create a quick, easy meal with seasonal produce. All you need is a carbohydrate, veggies, protein, and a good sauce or dressing and you have yourself a deliciously satisfying meal!

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This week I created a nourish bowl with produce from Green BEAN delivery, an online grocery service that delivers fresh, local, and organic produce and grocery items straight to your door. It’s like a customizable CSA! You choose your produce bin based upon your family size and then you can choose from over 1,000 grocery items, including high quality meats, eggs, dairy, and freshly baked breads to add to your delivery.  Your delivery comes in an insulated bin to keep all of your food fresh, which is reused, minimizing waste (win!).  Green BEAN delivery’s mission is to help mend the broken components of our nation’s food systems. They are a family owned company that partners with local farmers and artisans to bring quality food straight to you. Green BEAN is focused on sustainability and has donated over 380+ tons of of food to local food rescues!

I have partnered with Green BEAN delivery to give away TWO $25 gift cards so you can try it for yourself! Visit my instagram page to enter! You can also use the code “BLOOMNOURISH” to get 15% off your first 3 deliveries!

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Spring Nourish Bowl
serves 4

Ingredients:

Rice:
1 cup rice
2 cups bone broth or water

Dressing:
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3 thai chilies, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 limes, juiced
2 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil

Vegetables:
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and sliced into thin strips
8 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
2 bunches radishes, save 2 radishes for topping and quarter the rest

Top With:
Poached Egg
Cilantro
Mint
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Spring Onions
Radishes, thinly sliced
Kimchi (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F.

Cook rice according to instructions. Set aside.

While rice is cooking, combine all dressing ingredients into a small, lidded jar and shake until emulsified. Place vegetables on a roasting pan and coat with dressing. Bake for about 20 minutes or until kale is crispy and the peas and radishes are tender.

Assemble the bowl: Add rice into a large bowl. Layer in the roasted vegetables, followed by the toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

 

Immune Boosting Pink Lemonade Smoothie

Immune Boosting Pink Lemonade Smoothie | Bloom & NourishAs the cold weather is upon us now here in Nashville, I’ve been thinking of ways to boost my  immune system, as it tends to be compromised more during this season.  So I created this refreshing immune boosting smoothie!  However, you can drink this smoothie any time of the year, even while trying to strengthen your immune system during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It’s actually smoothie month at Williams-Sonoma and this week’s theme was “Not Your Average Smoothie” so I thought turning a smoothie into something that boosts your immune system and wards off colds would be a good place to start.  It’s a nice tart smoothie with an optional kick that reminds me of the green lemonade juices I’ve been drinking, but instead it’s beautifully pink from the bright red raspberries.

Immune Boosting Pink Lemonade Smoothie | Bloom & Nourish

Here’s what I threw into my blender + why it’s good for you:

  • Greens: Greens like kale, collard, swiss chard, and spinach are nutritional powerhouses packed with vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, that strengthen your immune system and ward off colds.
  • Orange/Tangerine: Oranges are full of vitamins A + C which help promote production of white blood cells to fight off any foreign invaders, and folate which you need for healthy cell growth. Those looking to get pregnant or are already pregnant will benefit from including folate into their diet as it essential for healthy development of the baby in the mother’s womb, particularly the formation of the neural tube.
  • Lemons and berries: Both are rich in vitamin C and immune boosting antioxidants.
  • Ginger: Ginger is a strong antioxidant that has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Turmeric + Cayenne (optional): Both turmeric and cayenne are very nutrient dense spices, which support your immune system through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Green Monkey Lactation Smoothie

green monkey lactation smoothie | bloom & nourishSome of you know, but others may not realize that along with loving good food, I am also a birth doula and a holistic health counselor, focused on supporting women during the childbearing years.  For a few years now, I have been passionate about helping mamas and mamas-to-be, ensuring they are getting the education and support they need while pregnant, breastfeeding, or prepping for pregnancy.  I feel it an honor to work with women and their families during such an intimate and beautiful time of their lives.  So if you see a little bit more of a focus towards pregnancy, and the like, that is why.  Don’t worry, I’ll still be posting delicious recipes for everyone, but some may have a bit more of a focus towards nourishing nutrients for mama and baby.  If you have any questions, or are interested in how I can support you, as a mama or mama-to-be, feel free to shoot me a message!

green monkey lactation smoothie | bloom & nourish

What mom doesn’t need a little more energy after having a baby?  This smoothie is an easy and delicious way to boost your energy, as well as your breastmilk supply.  Essential fatty acids, such as coconut oil and nuts, and foods high in omega 3, like flax seeds, increase your energy and milk supply.  Spinach, high in phytoestrogens, promotes healthy breast tissue and lactation, and this smoothie is an easy way of incorporating those greens into your daily routine.  Did you know healthy fats, like coconut oil, have some of the highest concentrations of energy out of all nutrients?  Fat is also essential for hormone production, which will help your body produce a fattier, more nutritious breastmilk for baby.  Drink up! It’s delicious way to start your day, whether you are lactating or not. Continue reading

Roasted Potato, Greens, and Goat Cheese Frittata

 roasted potato, greens, and goat cheese frittata | bloom & nourish

Yesterday was the first day of Spring and I could not be more excited. It’s amazing what the sunshine and warm air does for your spirit.  To me, spring signifies change-it symbolizes the change from brown to green, from cold to warm, from bare bushes to colorful blooms, and it is symbolizing much change in my life right now.  This is a season of transition for me, and while it may not always be easy and it’s often times scary, it is exciting and full of so much life and beauty.

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”
-Reinhold Niebuhr

 roasted potato, greens, and goat cheese frittata | bloom & nourish

If you haven’t noticed, I have a thing for frittatas.  I was talking to a good friend on the phone as I was making this for the second time (in two days!) and she asked what I was making for dinner.  When I told her I was making a frittata, she laughed and said, “Of course you are!”  It’s too good not to.  I brought this particular frittata over to a dear friend’s birthday brunch one day, and the next I found myself making it for dinner.  It also makes great leftovers, which I love, and it’s easily adaptable to whatever vegetables and spices you have on hand.  If you’ve never made a frittata, give it a try and let me know what you think.

 roasted potato, greens, and goat cheese frittata | bloom & nourish

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Chipotle Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet

chipotle (purple!) sweet potato breakfast skillet | bloom & nourish chipotle (purple!) sweet potato breakfast skillet | bloom & nourish

I love Saturday mornings–the sun seeping through the blinds, gently waking me from my slumber, with my warm, furry dog curled up at my feet, and my love sleeping at my side.  This is by far my favorite way to start the morning, slowly and gently.  My husband awakes, and we talk about what we will do to fill our day and what we might make to fill our bellies.  I then stumble into the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and put the kettle on for a warm cup of tea.  On this particular Saturday I wanted to make something simple, yet special to nourish our bodies.  I decided on a skillet featuring this beautifully bright purple sweet potato I picked up from the market.  I’m really loving my new vegetable spiralizer, which is what I used to turn the sweet potato into a sort of hash.  I tossed the hash with some chipotle peppers, added eggs, avocado, and some greens and called it a meal!   Continue reading

Fall Spice Granola

fall spice granola (sweetened with fruit) | bloom & nourish

Breakfasts have looked pretty different for me during this elimination diet.  Instead of eggs and avocado on toast or granola with almond milk or green smoothies (too cold!), my breakfasts have consisted of leftover veggies, kale, and sauerkraut.  This has been nice for a change, thinking outside of the box for breakfast, but the other day I really wanted granola, so I set out to make a granola I could eat (gluten-free, nut-free, maple syrup/honey free).  I came across a genius base recipe, and tweaked it to suit my tastes and make it nice and spicy for fall.  It’s only sweetened with puréed fruit, and honestly I don’t miss the extra sugar.  The granola scented the house with cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg as it baked and it was perfectly sweet from the apples, pumpkin, and dates. Packed with vitamins and minerals from the seeds and fruit, this will definitely make its way into our breakfast rotation even after the elimination diet is through.

fall spice granola (sweetened with fruit) | bloom & nourish
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Frittata with Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions, and Mustard Greens

frittata with butternut squash, caramelized onions, & mustard greens | bloom & nourish

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I believe we’ve just turned the corner here in Nashville. It seems like we are finally making our way into the cooler temperature of fall.  I’m so thankful I live in a place that has distinct seasons.  I always get excited when the seasons begin to change, and I start to see different produce in my CSA box. Oh how I’ve missed you butternut squash, dark leafy greens, pumpkin, beets, brussels sprouts, and carrots!

One of the things I received in my CSA box this week was a butternut squash, and I decided on trying it roasted in a frittata.  Did you know butternut squash is actually a fruit, rather than a vegetable because it contains seeds? It’s really a powerhouse of a fruit! It’s full of vitamins A and C, which are helpful in maintaining good vision and a healthy immune system, and boasts loads of antioxidants, specifically carotenoids (think orange and yellow fruits), which can prevent cancer and heart disease.  This squash also contains 15% of your daily value of folate, which pregnant women need for healthy fetal brain development.  The seeds, which are a good source of iron, can be washed and lightly roasted for a delicious snack.

frittata with butternut squash, caramelized onions, & mustard greens | bloom & nourish frittata with butternut squash, caramelized onions, & mustard greens | bloom & nourish

A frittata is very versatile, and a great way to enjoy vegetables from your farmer’s market or CSA, especially ones you aren’t sure what to do with.  I will admit I’ve never had mustard greens, let alone cooked with them.  So, for me this was a good introduction.  Slightly spicier than kale, the mustard greens added a nice kick, nuzzled up against warming butternut squash, and complimented with the sweet, rich flavor of caramelized onions, this frittata is a great way to celebrate fall produce!

frittata with butternut squash, caramelized onions, & mustard greens | bloom & nourish Continue reading