Butter vs Ghee (& beyond): which cooking fat is better?

Not all cooking fats are created equal, but there’s also no need to fear fat. In this blog, I break down butter, ghee, beef tallow, duck fat, lard, plant-based butters including margarine and seed oils - and I share how I personally choose between them.

My approach? Prioritize WHOLE-FOOD FAT SOURCES (nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, etc.) and use cooking fats intentionally, in reasonable amounts. My favorite cooking fats are extra-virgin olive oil and ghee, and avocado oil for higher heat cooking - but ultimately its important to go for higher-quality, a little variety and balance.

Just remember, don’t fall for the idea that swapping seed oils for tallow automatically makes the food healthier.

READ the blog for more!

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Healthy Fats for Optimal Hormonal & Gut Health

Fat is not something to fear; its part of a well-balanced diet, especially for women, as long as you’re eating the right kind of fats. In this blog, I’m breaking down why healthy fats matter for hormones, gut health, digestion and overall well-being, plus i emphasize the quality sources i love and use every day. Remember - not all fats are equal, so quality really matters!

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Nourishing Your Body Naturally: Two Plant-Based Recipes to Support Healthy Iron Levels

If you’ve been feeling tired, weak, short of breath, or have noticed you’re getting dizzy, low iron may be one possible reason. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies worldwide, especially among women of reproductive age, vegetarians, vegans, pregnant women, and endurance athletes.

The good news? In many cases, nutrition and lifestyle can play a powerful role in preventing - and even helping improve - iron deficiency. Building an iron-rich diet is one of the best ways to support healthy iron stores over the long term.

Remember…

Every meal is an opportunity to nourish our bodies with the nutrients they need to thrive.

And even though the most “obvious” sources of iron are from animal proteins, it is possible to get plenty of iron from plant-based foods, too. So today I’m sharing two of my favorite iron-rich recipes - both vegan (no meat!) - for all the “plant-forward” eaters, or even for any carnivores that want to boost their iron levels with more than just meat. These recipes are great for everyone!

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Food as Medicine: Top 5 FOODS for Optimal Gut Health

If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know that I have been talking about the utmost importance of gut health since I started my health coaching career over 10 years ago, as it was one of the first discoveries that prompted my career shift (when I started healing my gut and realized the power of food as medicine), and to me its the #1 area of focus with 95% of my clients. When someone wants to lose weight or just “get healthier”, I first start them with GUT HEALTH basics.

So thats what I want to talk about today!

Our gut is the foundation of overall health - from immunity and energy, to mood, skin, and of course digestion and even weight loss, our gut plays a role in nearly every system in our body.

One of the absolute key drivers of optimal gut health is the food we eat DAILY, in particular, getting enough plants filled with FIBER, pre- and pro-biotics, and antioxidants. So today I dive deeper into the top 5 foods for a healthy gut microbiome (for optimal gut and overall health).

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My take on CREATINE - is it worth it?

Taking creatine supplements is all the rage now… but is it worth the hype?

I personally do believe in the enormous benefits of creatine, as I have seen many clients (and myself!) FEEL the positive shift after starting their daily creatine supplements. Mostly in terms of increasing muscle (of course I recommended creatine in combination with strength training 2-3/week minimum) and some also noticed an improvement in anxiety (again, we added daily breathwork and meditation, too!).

First, what is Creatine? What exactly are the benefits? And how can you easily incorporate it into your daily routine?

I go over all of this in my blog, and share my go-to morning smoothie recipe with creatine!

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One tip to boost weight loss and overall health

If there is ONE thing that I strongly believe is that the #1 step we should all take to reach our weight goals - and boost our overall health - is to COOK MORE FROM HOME.

I share why it’s so important, and of course, some useful tips to make it easier for you to proritize.

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A Delicious Detox-Friendly Vegan Meal that Won't Spike Blood Sugar

I’m sharing one of my favorite plant-based dinner recipes, that not only is packed with protein and great for blood sugar balance, but its also rich in glutathione which helps support your body’s detox pathways. So it’s the ultimate detox-friendly, balanced, filling meal for when you want an easier-to-digest vegan lunch or dinner.

Caulflower florets, chickpeas, tofu and red onion are tossed in a blend of zesty seasonings and roasted to perfection, then served with fresh greens, avocado, and my go-to tahini lemon dressing.

Read more to get my recipe (in both English & Spanish(, and please share when you give it a go! Remember its super versatile and can be adapted to create many delicious variations.

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5 foods to boost Glutathione - our body's #1 detox molecule

Glutathione is a master antioxidant and a cellular powerhouse, whose main role is to aid in DETOX, attaching to toxins and free radicals, neutralizing them, and helping to expel them from the body, while also supporting the growth of healthy cells and mitochondrial dna.

It also plays a role in strenghtening your immune system and lowering signs of aging. Think: more energy, better skin and better overall health.

We produce it naturally, but we need the right inputs to make enough of it. Plus, glutathione levels naturally decrease with age, and factors such as poor diet (alcohol, sugar and other processed foods) and sedentarism can also reduce glutathione levels.

To help boost our glutathione levels, it helsp to eat a diet rich in sulfur-rich foods, and foods that naturally contain glutathione, as well as foods rich in vitamin C and Selenium, two of the main co-factors in proudcing glutathione.

Here are 12 foods to boost your glutathione and support your body’s detox pathways.

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Consuming these 8 herbs will amp up your nutrition & health

Adding some fresh herbs can be the secret to bringing your dishes to life, adding a boost of color, flavor and nutrients.

But the main reason why I make the effort to include herbs (in both my cooking and to garnish my meals) is because they are SO healthy, and it's an easy way to “sneak in some greens”!

I’ve also found that when I add herbs, I usually need less salt, and everything tastes more flavorful.

If you’re not used to cooking/prepping foods with herbs, or tend to only use the same 1-2 herbs, I know it can be a bit daunting to start incorporating them. But honestly, it’s way easier than you may think. You just need some easy ideas and recipes, which is why I’m sharing those with you today.

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6 Tips to add more protein in your day (and digest it well!)

There is tons of hype now around getting sufficient protein, and this hype is definitely valid (but like everything, it requires some customization). READ MORE HERE.

I personally have found adding more protein in my day has helped me naturally lose my postpartum baby weight in a healthy, gradual way while keeping my energy strong and cravings at bay.

However, it’s not just about the amount of protein we consume, but also the QUALITY of the protein, and how well we DIGEST it. Varying your sources of protein (from both animal and plant sources, and ideally organic) is key to help you get a good variety of nutrients and help you have better digestibilty, too.

If you suspect you may be getting insufficient protein and find yourself wanting to try increasing your daily protein intake - in a healthy way that supports your digestion - then I suggest you start by applying some of these 6 easy tips to boost your daily protein intake.

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Meal Prep for a Healthier Week

Some basic meal prep can make feeding yourself and your family - in a healthy way - easier. It gives you a headstart on the week and helps you feel more in control of what you’re eating. And it ensures that there’s always something healthy on hand (that requires little extra prep time).

Just remember that every person and every household is different, so what works for me might not necessarily work for you.

That being said, many people have asked me to share my personal meal prep tips, so today I’m sharing the usual meals I prep almost every week to help inspire you with your meal prep!

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Is buying organic a hype?

As an integrative health and functional nutrition coach, I’ve taken a special interest in prioritizing healthier food choices for myself and my family. Plus, my experience as a mom has pushed me to research even more. In my experience (and based on the research I’ve done), there is a strong case for buying organic foods where possible (which I share in my blog) and this includes minimizing pesticides, GMO-foods and unnecessary food additives. So yes, I’m all in support of buying and eating organic foods as much as possible, especially when it comes to kids.

In today's blog I explain more about what defines organic foods (and non-GMO), all the reserached benefits plus the 3 main reasons why I buy organic, and I give you some tips for getting started!

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Two Easy, Healthy Holiday Recipes (both gluten- and dairy-free)

Happy Holidays! Here are two of my new “holiday friendly” recipes - both stuffed veggies with creamy mixtures. One is a vegan appetizer (stuffed mushrooms) and the other is more of an entree using animal protein (stuffed squash). Both recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, but delicious and balanced - containing tons of fiber, healthy fats and protein.

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Healthy Breakfast Recipe: A new twist to your usual egg-avo toast

Today I’m sharing a SUPER EASY, HEALTHY and FILLING breakfast that I love and highly recommend to anyone. It’s my extra-nutritious take on an egg toast (and a different option to the popular avocado toast). This recipe contains a slice of seed bread, vegan cheese, kale and eggs.

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Best Healing Postpartum Foods + 4 Favorite Recipes

I recently shared 10 tips that helped me recover after birthing my children, and now I want to delve a little deeper into the FOODS that have helped me during this “4th trimester” to nourish myself, heal, promote healthy digestion, and keep up my energy (despite sleepless nights).

I promise that what you eat makes all the difference in your recovery! A healthy nourishing postartum diet is important to: 

  • Replenish nutrients depleted during pregnancy 

  • Support a successful and speedy recovery from birth 

  • Create a healthy supply of (and good quality) breastmilk 

  • Support hormonal balance

Here are the key HEALING FOODS that I was eating daily in my first 40 days postpartum (and continue to enjoy almost daily during my “4th trimester”), and 4 of my go-to recovery RECIPES.

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Easiest Protein Yogurt Chia Parfait

I’m sharing one of my favorite quick and easy healthy breakifasts for those days when you don’t have time to prep your usual breakfast.

NOTE: This recipe is amazing for both gut/digestive health and for balancing hormones (and is of course pregnancy and pospoartum friendly).

Yogurt Chia Almond Butter Berry Bowl

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 cup unsweetened vegan coconut yogurt OR plain Greek yogurt if you tolerate dairy

  • ½ - 1 scoop unflavored (or vanilla) protein powder or collagen peptides *(see note below)

  • 1 ½ tbsp chia seeds OR ¼ cup chia pudding *(see note below)

  • 1 to 1½ tbsp almond butter (option to swap for another nut/seed butter)

  • ½ cup frozen blueberries, strawberries OR cherries, microwaved for 30 seconds (can also use fresh!)

  • optional: 1-2 tablespoons low-glycemic granola

Instructions: Add all ingredients to a bowl and enjoy! *see blog for many tips, subsitutions, etc.

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A delicious, colorful & flavorful salad you'll love

I’m sharing one of my favorite salad bowl recipes - Mediterranean Salad Bowl (inspired by a BeingBrigid recipe) - that is packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, but also rich in colorful, antioxidant-rich veggies that help promote longevity and better immunity (among many other benefits). It’s easy and delicious, and one of my favorite meals for a hot summer day, or when I’m ovulating.

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Your new Favorite Healthy Tacos 3 ways: Fish, Shrimp & Vegan Tacos

I love to do “Taco Tuesdays” and alternate between fish tacos, shrimp tacos and vegan tacos. All three are delicious, and I keep them low-carb by using homemade almond flour tortillas (or I buy the Siete grain-free tortillas). Also, I make sure to ALWAYS add a healthy homemade sauce (my creamy cilantro sauce is vegan and delicious!) and some greens and/or veggies to keep them extra-nutritious, fiber-rich and balanced.

Read my blog for my 3 go-to Taco Recipes (FISH, SHRIMP and VEGAN tacos).

Note: all 3 recipes are high in protein, fiber and healthy fats to support optimal blood sugar balance (plus great for your gut and “anti-inflammatory” as they’re dairy-free and gluten-free).

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Healthy Burgers - 4 ways (gluten free and low carb!)

One of the main ways I like to enjoy red meat is making homemade burgers.

Burgers can actually be very healthy, as long as you choose lean, grass-fed beef, make them at home, and use healthier alternatives to serve your burgers (vs. standard bread and french fries!).

I alternate making burgers with healthier, more nutrient-dense and lower-carb alternatives for bread, including:

  • grilled eggplant “bread”

  • roasted large portobello mushroom “bread”

  • roasted sweet potato “bread”

  • large plantain “tostones” as bread (air fried vs. deep fried)

Also, I ALWAYS serve my burgers with salad and/or extra veggies, and use organic ketchup with no sugar added, mayo with avocado oil (with NO highly processed vegetable oils!), and organic mustard.

Here is my go-to burger recipe, with 4 different replacements for bread (Note: the plantain “bread” is the least healthy / most carbs, so it’s the one I make more for my husband!)

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World Health Day: 4 ways to embrace it and support your health

Happy World Health Day - a special day (April 7th) that serves as a reminder to prioritize our physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.

For me personally, my definition and understanding of health has changed a lot over these past 20 years since I’ve been immersed in the health and wellness world.

Given my journey, personal experience and years as a health caoch, this year I’ve drawn 4 key conclusions on how we can best prioritize our health (and then I share 4 things you can start doing today to put in practice)!

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