The Nutritionist Reviews

December 30, 2016

Products I've Been Loving in 2016 Part 32

1. Corazonas Heartbar Oatmeal Squares Typically, I enjoy bars but don't love them. I feel differently about these bars though: they are delicious! I love all the flavors but my favorites are the banana walnut, blueberry and oatmeal raisin. They are chewy like a soft cookie and are filling. My daughter loves them too! Each bar has 5 grams of fiber and a nutritious snack choice. These bars contain plant sterols which help to lower your LDL cholesterol.

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December 28, 2016

2016 Year in Review

2016 was overall a great year for my family with a very difficult loss of my Busia in November (see below). The high-high of the year was finding out that we are expecting a second baby and the -super-low low was losing my Busia. I love doing a year roundup because it gives me an opportunity to look back on the year and reflect! 2017 is going to be insane for our family with the birth of our second baby and my brother finishing optometry school and becoming a doctor. I can't wait! Aunt Natalie and the Polish Princess! January -We rang in the New Year at my brother's house on the west side of the state. We had lots of champagne and made the most delicious appetizers. Time spent with family = priceless! -Had a Polish family reunion at my Busia's house. February -We celebrated my mom's birthday- for about a week straight! -Troy and I had a night away at MotorCity Casino Hotel - we loved it! -Went to Frankenmuth for the day for a German chicke

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December 27, 2016

20 Most Popular Recipes of 2016

This year has been a huge year of growth for The Nutritionist Reviews. I have worked hard to improve my food photography and have created more recipes than ever. I love creating healthier, original recipes for all of you. It is my passion and one of my favorite things to do. These 20 recipes are the best performing on Pinterest and/or my blog.

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December 23, 2016

Have A Merry Christmas!

I'm signing out for a couple of days to enjoy time with my family. I hope you and your family have the most wonderful Christmas. It will be a couple of wonderful days with my little girl and I literally cannot wait until Christmas morning! I hope you enjoy these photos of my family and I from this holiday season: First non-crying-her-eyes-out photo with Santa! She loved him. Cutting down our tree of my parent's farm Breakfast with Santa brought along Elmo as well which was about the biggest hit ever! Adalyn followed Elmo everywhere the whole time, held his hand, danced, he picked her up, etc. So cute! My in-laws A very special tree topper this year; birds to symbolize the loved ones that we have lost. The blue one is my beloved Busia (grandma) who we lost in November and one of the cardinals is Busia's boyfriend and family member who passed away in July. By age two, manual labor is required ; ) Helping Grandpa Hop cut down his tree.

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December 22, 2016

Bringing Joy to the Elderly

This post was sponsored by Hasbro’s Joy For All brand  as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own. I work in a nursing home and have for the last 7 years. Wow! I didn't realize that it had been that long. I am a registered dietitian that works with patients in long-term care and short-term rehab. I love my job and don't see myself doing anything else (besides my blog career which I love just as much!). At least 1/3 or 1/2 of the patients that I work with have dementia or Alzheimer's disease. It is very common in the industry that I work in and I have learned a lot in my years in the field how to best help these patients. There is a certain way to talk to them, certain way to go about their nutrition, etc. My favorite elderly person in the world who just passed away- my Busia (grandma) with Adalyn! Thankfully, Busia's mind was super-sharp right till the end. Some of the patients that live at my nurs

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December 21, 2016

42 Healthier Holiday Recipes

I love cooking during the holiday season! Some dishes, I try to make healthier. Some, I stick to the originals. Some family recipes should not be changed! These recipes are a little healthier than your typical high-calorie holiday recipes yet are still very delicious. Enjoy!

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December 20, 2016

Staying Healthy During Pregnancy

This post is sponsored. All opinions are my own! I am 25 weeks along with baby #2 and still feeling great! I totally attribute that to living a healthy lifestyle. I certainly have my fair share of indulgences (honey barbeque chips and sour Skittles, I'm talking to you!), but overall, I have made a conscious effort to be healthy. Today, I want to share some of my tips and tricks that I am doing to stay my healthiest during my pregnancy:

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December 19, 2016

Spicy Smashed Potatoes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VidaAguacate #TusFiestas #CollectiveBias Spicy Smashed Potatoes are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and loaded with spicy flavors and topped with avocado, tomato and green onion for the perfect side dish or appetizer.  I have been wanting to make spicy smashed potatoes for at least a year, and finally got around to it! I keep a running Google Document with about 100 recipes I plan to eventually make and share on the blog and cannot believe that it took me so long to make smashed potatoes. I like them so much that I have made smashed potatoes three times in the last few weeks! These spicy smashed potatoes use Avocados From Mexico that are so delicious and creamy!

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December 16, 2016

2016 Mom-To-Be Holiday Gift Guide

I am already a mom and am expecting my second baby in April! Many of the items that we will need for baby, we luckily already have from when we had my daughter. There are some things that I will be purchasing and have bought (or reviewed) during this pregnancy in preparation for the baby coming. One thing in particular has been maternity clothes. I was pregnant with my daughter mostly in the summer and this time, it is the opposite. I have had to stock up on long sleeved tops, sweaters, long dresses, etc. to fill in my wardrobe. Tank tops are not going to cut it with this freezing Michigan weather. Other items that I included in the gift guide are products that I am buying, want or have tried for baby. Good items to get for moms-to-be are maternity items and of course, items for the baby. I hope that this gift guide helps give you some great ideas for shopping for the new mom or mama-to-be in your life! *Keep reading for a HUGE giveaway from PinkBlush, Milk Nursingwear and Balboa

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December 15, 2016

How to Stay Fit During the Winter Months

We recently hit daylight savings time and I am mourning the loss of our evening walks. Getting dark at 5 PM is not cool! Fitness is so important to me because it helps me to feel my best. During pregnancy especially, I find that I feel so much better when I am active then when I sit around all day. Living in Michigan, exercise can get a little tricky in the winter. When it is -10 degrees outside, it is not very inviting to go for a walk outside. That is where my tips come in for staying fit in the winter months.

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December 13, 2016

The Best Teacher Gift Ideas

My husband has been a high school science teacher for 5 years now. Where has the time gone? You wouldn't believe some of the crazy stories I hear from him and some of the interesting stuff he has to go through. Teachers work so hard before, during and after school. People think that a teachers job is from 8-3. Yeah right!

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December 12, 2016

Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Fudge

Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Fudge requires only 4 ingredients and is rich, creamy, no-bake and is stored in your freezer for a healthier treat! Just in time for holiday gifts, this flavorful fudge is here for you! If you are the type of person that likes to make people homemade gifts for the holidays, this fudge is a crowd-pleaser that anyone would love. It is full of a chocolate hazelnut spread (you can use Nutella or another brand) and is so good.

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December 09, 2016

Tips for Getting Your Toddler To Eat Healthy

It might be easy for me to write this because my daughter is a great eater. She almost always eats well at a meal and will eat almost anything I give her. We have definitely had some times of struggling though where I had to learn some tips for getting her to eat well. As a dietitian, what my daughter eats is very important to me. I do let her have some treats and unhealthy foods but it is in moderation.  When it tastes good, you have to close your eyes and really enjoy it! I focus on an overall nutritious diet with whole-grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and whole-milk dairy. We don't give her much juice and to be honest, she doesn't drink milk because she refuses to. She is growing healthy and strong so I know that she is doing a good job of eating well.

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December 08, 2016

Sheet Pan Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sheet Pan Sweet and Sour Chicken is an easy dinner cooked all on one tray for fewer dishes to wash and less work! Features pineapple, bell peppers, carrots, chicken and a homemade sweet and sour sauce. I am all about easy dinners when life gets busy. When my Busia (grandma) was sick, cooking was the last thing on my mind and when we would come home from the hospital, we just grabbed whatever we could find to eat or went out to eat. I am getting back on track by cooking healthy but still want to stick to easier meals. I love sweet and sour chicken and so did my Busia. That is often what she ordered at her favorite Chinese restaurant. Now that she is gone, it is going to be hard to go back to that restaurant that we went to with her so many times. I am not a fan of the breaded version of sweet and sour chicken though.

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December 07, 2016

Brown Sugar Pecan French Toast Casserole

Brown Sugar Pecan French Toast Casserole- an easy make-ahead breakfast with brown sugar, pecans and bananas that the whole family will love! When I think of Christmas morning, I think of time with family, opening presents, the excitement of my little girl and of course, the food. We always celebrate Christmas morning at my parent's house. Now that we have a child of our own, we do our own little present opening around our tree first before heading the 1/2 mile over to my parent's home.

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December 06, 2016

5 Tips for Going Meatless for Non-Vegetarians

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #MyWayToVeg  #CollectiveBias In my household, we do not eat meat everyday. We are not vegetarians but we choose to have some days without meat. There are a few different reasons why we do this. For example, eating meatless meals can often be cheaper than meals with meat- so we choose meatless meals to help save money. We also do it for health reasons. I do not believe that most meals should be filled with meat and there are plenty of awesome alternatives. Eating meatless is also a sustainable choice because it often has less impact on the environment than eating a meat-filled meal. As a dietitian, I am well aware of the vegetarian sources of protein and on days that we do not eat meat, we focus on having a vegetarian protein source. Americans often eat a lot more protein than what their bodies need. We constantly hear to eat more protein but most people are consuming mor

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