The Nutritionist Reviews

March 30, 2018

The Best Products of 2018 Part 8

This review is a little bit different from my usual ones because I was sent a bunch of different products as part of one campaign and I wanted to share some of my favorites from what I received: - Kombucha Culture - I love to experiment in the kitchen and am super excited to make my own kombucha with this kombucha making kit! It makes 1 gallon and I think that it will be a fun experiment. - Flora Women's Care Probiotic - I am all about eating probiotic rich foods but I am not 100% consistent with this so I enjoy taking a probiotic for gut health. This one is great! - Oral Essentials Whitening Kit - I am excited to try these natural teeth whitening strips. What made me especially interested in them is that they are for sensitive teeth which my husband has so I am going to have him try these. - Cybele's Free To Eat Pasta - These pastas are made from green lentils! I am a huge fan of bean based pastas and along with whole-wheat pasta, that is all my family eats. It is a

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March 29, 2018

The Best Products of 2018 Part 7 + Giveaway

1. Mitten Momma Creations T-shirts I am totally a sucker for a cute graphic t-shirt that has anything to do with being a mom and when I saw these shirts from Mitten Momma Creations, I knew that I needed some. Yes, Mitten Momma Creations are made in Michigan which I especially love because I live in Michigan and love to help promote my own state. **Keep reading for an Abby's Better Nut Butter giveaway!

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March 28, 2018

Adalyn 3 1/2 Year Update

My little girl is 3 1/2! There are about 1 million things that I remember about her at this super sweet and a little  bit salty time in our lives so I decided to write a post about it. -Still says "tapato" for potato and tomato. I hope no one ever corrects her. I love it! She calls hot chocolate "hot chocolate, warm chocolate" which I also love. "Ogurt" for yogurt. -As I write in all of Oliver's updates, Adalyn is the BEST big sister ever and is constantly looking out for her brother. She makes sure that he stays safe, is thrilled to see him each morning and after naps, helps feed him, shares all of her toys with him, puts him on the couch to look out the window together and constantly tells him how much she loves him. It is the absolute best! She carries him all around the house which we don't always love but he is beaming every single time. 

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March 27, 2018

Tips for Staying on Track with Exercise

Overall, I enjoy physical activity but I am also like everyone else and sometimes, do not feel like exercising. My mental health is so much better if I get regular physical activity making it something that is very important to me. I feel great when I get some movement in and it gives me more energy through the day which is very important since I have 2 young kids and work from home. This winter has been a cold one and I have mostly relied on exercising on my treadmill which has gone okay but I am ready to amp up my workouts a bit.

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March 26, 2018

Cajun Pork Pasta

Cajun Pork Pasta is loaded with sautéed bell peppers and onions, Cajun seasoned fresh pork, and creamy Cajun noodles and is ready in 30 minutes! This post is sponsored by Smithfield. I have the perfect protein-packed, nutritious, and tasty dinner to share that is ready in 30 minutes or less! I fell in love with all things Cajun a few years ago and have been wanting to make Cajun pasta and finally got around to it. It is loaded with whole-grain pasta, sautéed peppers and onions, sautéed pork and a delicious Cajun sauce. The sauce is slightly creamy, has chunks of fresh tomatoes, and a smoky Cajun flavor.

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March 23, 2018

The Ann Arbor Princess Ball is coming May 12th

I'm freaking out! We are headed to the Ann Arbor Princess Ball on May 12th in Plymouth, Michigan and my daughter is going to absolutely LOVE it. I know that I've mentioned it before but Adalyn literally dresses up as different princesses all day long and changes her costumes all through the day. She sings all of the different princess songs and when she gets to meet different characters, it is her favorite thing in the world. When I saw that all of the princesses are coming to town for this special event, I knew that we had to go! The show is put on by Princess Pros Entertainment and will be at the Inn at St. John's with some of the best princesses. There will be dancing with Cinderella, hula with Moana, making a craft with Rapunzel, singing with Elsa, learning etiquette with belle, getting your face painted and more. It will seriously be Adalyn's dream day!

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March 22, 2018

Kalahari Water Park and Hotel Giveaway

We love taking little trips to water parks that are within a decent driving distance of our home for a night away with the kids. It is a perfect excuse to get out of town for some family fun. I have heard great things about Kalahari and we will be traveling there sometime in the near future. Kalahari is located in Sandusky, Ohio, just 2 hours and 15 minutes from where I live. **Keep reading for a giveaway to Kalahari Water Park for a 1 night stay! Indoor water parks are perfect for people of all ages. We took our baby there for the first time at 10 months old, my 3 1/2 year old loves them and so do my husband and I. It is a ton of fun and seeing the joy in my kid's eyes is the greatest. There is always so much to do at the water park and the kids never want to leave (unless my daughter needs a snack haha).

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March 21, 2018

Is Your Child Waking Up Too Early? Try This!

If your child is getting up too early in the morning, this may be the perfect solution that you were looking for to help them stay in bed and not get up too early. Adalyn has always been our difficult child when it comes to sleep. She was up during the night almost every night until I stopped nursing her at 18 months old. She would cry for hours going to bed until age 2. We had a sweet spot around age 2 1/2-3 where she stayed in her bed, didn't cry and went right to sleep. That was amazing but it didn't last.

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March 20, 2018

How to Make Your Home Cozy This Winter

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GladeFineFragranceMist #CollectiveBias This dog is laying on the heat vent, on a cozy blanket and has not moved for hours. He loves to be cozy! Brrrr, it is still cold here in Michigan! We have had weeks of negative temperatures, then a couple days where it hit over 50 degrees and now it is back to being cold, snowy and icy. Crazy! With two little kids and a couple of sicknesses that have gone through the family, we have embraced staying in more and being cozy in our own home. Sounds pretty obvious but if you know me, you know that I can't stay put- ever! I am always going, going, going and love to be out of the house and doing things. Since I started working from home in April, I am kind of shocked to say that I have actually enjoyed being home more which has surprised me. There is something about being in your cozy home with the people you love that is

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March 19, 2018

Greek Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Pasta

Greek Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Pasta is made with roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, loads of roasted veggies and an easy lemon vinaigrette for a delicious meal! When it comes to lunches, I need something that is quick, tasty, nutritious and filling. This Greek Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Pasta is perfect! I make a big batch of this and eat it through the week. The kids love it and so do I. 

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March 16, 2018

HowUdish App for Healthier Restaurant Meals

When you want to go out to eat, do you ever wish that there were healthier restaurant meals? I sure do! Yes, sometimes, I like ordering a burger and fries just like anyone else might but sometimes, I just want a delicious loaded salad or something lighter. I find that at times, healthier restaurant meals can be hard to find. I am not on a diet or trying to lose weight but after a meal, I don't want to feel awful either.

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March 15, 2018

How to Help Your Baby Gain Weight

This post was sponsored by Philips Avent as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. I shared pretty in-depth information in Oliver's  7 month update  how he was having trouble gaining weight. I was shocked because I had no idea. He seemed like he was nursing well and was doing well on solids, but it just wasn't enough for him. When we went to Oliver's 6-month doctor's appointment, I found out that he only gained 1 oz. in two months. I felt horrible and like a failure as a mom. From that moment on, the next couple of months became all about feeding Oliver as my #1 priority to help him to gain weight.  This picture pains me to look at it because it was taken right before Oliver's appointment when we found out that he wasn't gaining weight and I feel a ton of guilt about it- still. He was always so happy so we had no idea. He was only 13 lbs. 13.5 oz., which was the 4th percentile for wei

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March 14, 2018

Greek Chicken Salad + Peanut Butter Cups- Prep Dish Review

Greek Chicken Salad and homemade Peanut Butter Cups come together in no time thanks to Prep Dish- a meal plan service to save you time and encourages healthy eating! Prep Dish Reviews I am so excited to share these two delicious recipes with you today courtesy of Prep Dish!  Prep Dish is a meal plan subscription company that send weekly Paleo and Gluten Free plans straight to your inbox.   You don't eat paleo or gluten-free? Me neither but the meals are real food meals that can be eaten by everyone. Each week, you will get a meal plan that includes seasonal ingredients that help save you time through the week and are delicious. They can help you save money by thinking through which ingredients you need and how much of each ingredient so that you do not have food waste.

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March 13, 2018

Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps are loaded with thinly sliced grilled chicken, red cabbage, carrots, jasmine rice, green onions, peanuts, lime juice and a flavorful peanut sauce! I first tried lettuce wraps only about a month ago when my brother's friend's wife brought them to a Big Game party. They were delicious and I was totally intrigued. You could really taste the flavors of all of the ingredients because you were using a thin piece of lettuce instead of a bunch of bread or tortilla. My mom made her own version of those lettuce wraps a few weeks later and now, I am making a different version. I can't get enough of peanut sauce on everything so I decided to make peanut chicken lettuce wraps.

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March 12, 2018

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot Cake Cheesecake features a whole-grain, dense carrot cake bottom and rich, creamy, Greek yogurt cheesecake combined in one for the perfect dessert! With Easter on its way, my mind has been thinking about different Easter recipes to make. Easter is by far my favorite holiday to celebrate with my family and I look forward to it every year. Especially since it seems to mark the end of winter and beginning of spring. My family has a ton of very specific Easter traditions that we do each year and carrot cake and cheesecake have often fallen into those traditions. My dad’s great Aunt always used to make carrot cake and it was her specialty that we always looked forward to. I have the best Easter dessert to share with you that tastes rich and creamy but is a lightened up dessert: Carrot Cake Cheesecake! **Keep reading for a  $25 virtual Visa gift card and Eggland's Best Eggs coupon giveaway!

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March 08, 2018

The Best Products of 2018 Part 6 + Giveaway

1. That's it Bars and Bites I have the most delicious snack to introduce to you: That's it Bites. They are dark chocolate covered fruit truffles and they're so good! My favorite is the apple banana bites. They are very chewy and dense which I love and are coated in a thin dark chocolate coating. So good! The best part besides them tasting great is that the whole package is only 150 calories. I couldn't believe it!  **Keep reading for a Meli's Cookie Mix giveaway!

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March 07, 2018

Blackened Alaska Cod Tacos

Blackened Alaska Cod Tacos features dry rubbed, blackened sauteed Alaska black cod with crunchy red cabbage, fresh lime juice and a creamy salsa dressing in a toasted corn tortilla! This post was sponsored by Alaska Seafood as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. It is so important to me to expose my kids to all of the foods out there (aside from some junk food that I’d not dying for them to try). I buy all of the unusual fruits and vegetables and serve them in different ways. We talk about the nutrition in different foods and keep it basic and fun. For example, protein is good for our muscles, omega-3 is good for our brains, produce helps us to not get sick, etc. 

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March 06, 2018

Mini Whole-Grain Pancakes + High Calorie Foods for Toddlers

Mini Whole-Grain Pancakes are easy to make and nutritious! Make a large batch and freeze for easy breakfasts and snacks for toddlers! These high-calorie pancakes are gluten-free and made with oats. As a mom, I want the best for my kids, always. When I found out that my son was having trouble gaining weight at 6 months old, my life became all about helping him gain weight (read more about our experience here ). Oliver is gaining weight really well now at almost 1 year old but he is still in the 5th to 10th percentile for weight. As a dietitian, I know the foods that are high in calories and nutrients for young kids and aim to give my son those foods throughout the day to help encourage him to gain weight. These high-calorie pancakes are delicious and nutritious for toddlers.

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March 05, 2018

Vanilla Berry Chia Seed Pudding

Vanilla Berry Chia Seed Pudding takes 5 minutes to make and features layers of creamy vanilla chia seed pudding, frozen whipped berries and is topped with crunchy grain-free granola and berries for a protein, fiber and omega-3 rich breakfast! Have you guys tried chia seed pudding yet? I made it for the first time in the fall and got addicted! It is so, so easy to make and I love the texture. It is kind of hard to describe but I would say that it has a similar texture to overnight oats. I started making chia seed pudding for busy school mornings and make it frequently for the kids and I. Adalyn really enjoys it and even at around 6 months old, Oliver could eat it. I love knowing that the kids and I are getting omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber first thing in the morning to start our day.

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March 02, 2018

Oliver Richard 11 Month Update

It's been a great month with our super happy guy (who was also mixed with some crabbiness thanks to teething). Here is what is new this month:

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March 01, 2018

The Best Products of 2018 Part 5 + Giveaway

1. National Nutrition Month Snacks I recently got to try a few fun snacks that I wanted to share with you: - Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer - I'm drinking the Sugar Free version right now which is made with fresh ginger and is sweetened with stevia. I think that it's super tasty and is a refreshing afternoon drink. I often turn to caffeinated tea or coffee in the afternoon and don't really need it and this is a better alternative. There are only 4 ingredients: carbonated water, fresh ginger, citric acid and stevia. So good! It would make a great mixer as well. **Keep reading for a Squishmallows giveaway!

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