Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.
                               - Doug Larson

There are 5 flavors in food: sweet, salty, savory, sour and bitter. Unfortunately most people's taste buds are less impressed with foods that are bitter, sorry VEGGIES.  Veggies are so vital to our health, yet their bitterness scares everyone away.  RUN! It's the dreaded broccoli monster! But we can absolutely put a stop to this unhealthy habit by being smarter than the veggies. 

We don't have to be stuck in the "old school" style of serving meals anymore; where all food groups are represented and separated.   You don't have to serve a burger with a side of broccoli or a pizza with a side salad.  Serving veggies just as a side dish usually isn't favorable for kids and even adults.  Let's face it, isn't the side veggie dish the last food group to be eaten by kids?  I think it's finally time for us to stop forcing our future generation and significant others to "Eat your veggies!"  Not only is this a burden on you and your family, but it could ultimately create a bad relationship with veggies overall.  Instead, let's embrace the fact that the main course is what everyone wants to eat!

Veggies are retiring from just being a side dish and have been promoted to the main course!   

​We can get lots of healthy nutrients in our bodies by cooking smarter, not harder.  Below are 5 ways to sneak veggies into your main course dishes at home. I have included some simple recipes too that you can use as practice with your family. Happy sneaking!

5 WAYS TO SNEAK IN THOSE VEGGIES

1.  PASTAS: Chop kale or spinach really small and put into either pasta sauces or pasta dishes such as spaghetti or macaroni and cheese. The chopped greens will appear almost as green sprinkles, not a bitter glob of green stuff. 

• Creamy Tomato and Kale Sausage Pasta
• Sourdough "Mac" and Cheese
• Lemon Pasta with Zucchini and Pecans
• Creamy Penne with Zucchini and Garbanzo Beans
• Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta

2.  PIZZA: Dice up any veggie until bite-sized and use as a pizza topping.  Veggies such as brussel sprouts, broccoli, peppers, kale and spinach make for tasty toppings when paired with lots of fresh mozzarella. 

• Buffalo Chicken Pizza
• ​Sausage and Asparagus Pizza 
• ​Pesto Asparagus Prosciutto Pizza 
• ​Chicken Sausage and Krispy Kale Pizza
• Bacon Brussel Sprout and Goat Cheese Pizza

3.  CONDIMENT: Replace iceberg lettuce (which has no nutritional value) in tacos, nachos, burgers, wraps and sandwiches with nutrient dense greens instead!  Some crunchy greens you could use instead are baby spinach, arugula, spring mix blends or bibb lettuce. 

• Chili Nacho Bowl
• Tacos 
• Chicken Chorizo Tacos

4.  MIX-INS: Mix in veggies with potato hashes, fritattas, casseroles and even waffles! 

• Buffalo Breakfast Hash
• Italian Sausage and Kale Breakfast Skillet
• Luck of the Irish Waffles
• ​Bacon Bacon Fritatta 
• Simple Crustless Quiche 
• Chicken and Kale Taco Bake
• Chicken Chorizo Enchiladas

5.  SMOOTHIES: Smoothies are probably the easiest way to hide veggies.  Add in spinach, kale, arugula, cucumber, and much more in with any protein smoothie for a filling meal or snack! 

• Balanced Protein Smoothie 

What's your favorite way to sneak in veggies?  Please share your ideas below!  


                                Always craving good food,
                                                    Jillian 

In pizza we crust. 

Many of you may already know that my family has pizza night once a week, and we love to use diverse toppings so there is no food boredom in our kitchen :).  This quick and simple recipe uses rotisserie chicken #healthyshortcut so there is no need to spend extra time cooking your own chicken, not unless you want to.  Instead of using a typical pizza base of olive oil or tomato sauce we use an avocado oil ranch dressing since it pairs so well with buffalo sauce.  This pizza is "healthed-up" with some fresh chopped kale that gets nice and crispy once baked. 

Are you ready?  Make this simple and healthy pizza this week for the whole family! 

BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA
serves many happy people

Ingredients:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, broken into pieces
• 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce 
• 2 tbsp. butter 
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 
• 1 large pizza crust (your choice) 
• 2-3 tbsp. Tessemae's Creamy Ranch dressing
• 2 cups kale, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 5 slices of fresh mozzarella, halved 

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make buffalo sauce melt butter on medium heat in a small pot.  Once melted add hot sauce and garlic powder and stir together.  Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. 

2.  In a large bowl mix your rotisserie chicken pieces with the buffalo sauce to coat all of the chicken.  Yum! 

3. Using a silicone brush or spoon spread the ranch dressing to cover the entire pizza crust. 

4.  Next, spread the chopped kale all over the ranch dressing. Then top pizza with mozzarella followed by the buffalo chicken pieces.  You probably won't use all of the buffalo chicken so save the leftovers for a fun salad topping or to make a buffalo chicken wrap! 

5.  Bake pizza for about 10-12 minutes or until crust is slightly brown and crispy. 

Enjoy this flavorful and healthy pizza pie! 


                             Always craving good food,
                                                Jillian 

How do I put this?
​You will never sleep again!
                              -a newborn 

When I was pregnant, my life hadn't changed too much and my daily routine pretty much stayed the same.  But now that Lucille is born- BOOM SHAKALACKA!  My life has transformed and turned upside down in the best possible way.  My days now literally revolve around Lucille.  I am her food, her bed, and her comfort. 

My new purpose in life at this moment is to provide Lucille with all of her basic needs, but also to REST in order to allow my body to heal from child birth. 

I'm unsure why, but no one really talks about the postpartum recovery process. Maybe because it can be unpleasant and painful emotionally and physically, or maybe because mamas don't want to scare future mamas? 

Whatever the reason, I think more of us out there should share our postpartum experience in order to unite and build a strong mama community.  We (mamas) are not alone in this process, and can totally support each other during this crazy time in our life. Not to mention our partners can support us too! 

Childbirth is tough, and recovery is no walk in the park either.

After having an episiotomy during my labor (read Lucille's birth story here) I've been resting and taking it easy for almost 3 weeks and counting.  I had no idea recovery would be this long and uncomfortable.  I can see how it can be quite easy to go a little nuts during this postpartum time. 

My undercarriage is a ragtime doll, it's difficult to sit, stand and walk, I'm still getting the hang of this whole breastfeeding gig, and I'm adjusting to a new sleep or should I say lack of sleep schedule. This is me dishing out the realness of the situation, not complaining.

I am extremely grateful for everything I have and continue to grow from the ups and the downs in life. 

Motherhood is an exciting battle and I think we (mamas) are fierce beings to behold! 

Let's spread awareness of our unique journeys of strength and resilience so we can lift each other up when the going gets tough.  We can all join together and inspire sanity in the time of huge life changes, whether you're a mama or not. 

Below I have shared a typical day with Lucille (as a newborn) and the activities that had helped me from going completely off the deep end.   In order to stay happy and healthy during this wonderful transition in my life I had to squeeze in small activities of self-care. 

Three self-care activities that are non-negotiable: 
1.   Eating real, good food throughout the day.
2.  Sleeping as much as I can.
3.  Doing one thing that brings me joy (besides watching Lucille).  

MY "TYPICAL" DAY WITH LUCILLE

Wake up anytime between 4 a.m. - 7 a.m.

• Wake up for the morning feeding. I usually go back to bed if she wakes up at 4 a.m.  and then we both sleep until 7. 
• I drink my freshly ground organic coffee with a little bit of honey and half-n-half. This my favorite self-care activity to start my day :). 
• I eat breakfast, which is usually scrambled eggs, sauteed greens, and sourdough toast. 

• I drink Metamucil (The first poop after child birth is like a horror movie!)
• I feed her whenever she's hungry throughout the day - I don't document times.  My boob is basically at her disposal.  
• She usually sleeps after feedings. 
• I change her diaper every 2-3 hours. 
• I eat a snack.  My current morning snack is a Larabar or yogurt with granola. 
• Every three days she gets a bath. 
• Lucille gets tummy time when she is awake. 

Afternoon 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• I blog or listen to a podcast while she's sleeping or feeding. 
• I eat lunch.  Lunch is usually a balanced protein smoothie so I can fuel my body with lots of nutrients and energy.  
• I squeeze in a 40 minute to 60 minute nap while she sleeps. 
• I watch a Netflix episode or two.  Right now I've been watching Call the Midwife. 
• I eat another snack.  My current afternoon snack is a plate full of almond crackers with melted cheese and a dab of mustard. 
• I take small strolls with Lucille in my house or in my backyard.  We haven't started going on long stroller walks yet because I'm still healing.  Hopefully this will be implemented in my days very soon! 
• Lucille gets more tummy time when she is awake. 

Evening 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

• I prepare a simple dinner or get help to do it for me.  Thanks grandmothers! 
• I will eat another snack while waiting for my husband to come home around 6:45. 
• We eat dinner all together currently on the couch because sitting on our stools (hard surface) just isn't pleasant for me. 
• We may watch a Netflix show together or just sit and talk about our day. 
• We will start to go on neighborhood walks once I'm feeling more confident. I miss these walks so much, but I know I need to be patient and heal. 
• After Lucille's last feeding (around 9) we swaddle her and put her to bed in the bassinet by our bed. 

Crazy hours of the night 1 a.m. - 3:30 a.m.

• Lucille usually sleeps 2 1/2 -3 hours before waking up hungry, so I've been getting up only one time during these hours. 

As you can see, my daily routine with her is very flexible and depends on when Lucille is hungry and when she is sleeping.  I feed her when she's hungry (every 2-4 hours) and she sleeps when she wants.  I integrate tummy time and small walks around my house when she is awake to keep her from boredom.  It is vital that I make time to fuel myself with healthy foods and to take at least one nap a day.  If I don't squeeze in these self-care activities, my body starts to break down and I feel ill. I also make sure to either blog, watch a Netflix episode or listen to a podcast because it brings me joy.  These small self-care activities are a MUST for my health and sanity!

I hope my journey will motivate other mamas (and hey - even the papas) to share their unique stories of the postpartum period as well.  Together we are strong, powerful and thriving! 

Want to hear more about self-care?

Check out our podcast (Simplified Khaos EPISODE 8) that dives deeper into all about me and my husband's self care activities, why they are important to us and some great resources to get you thriving instead of surviving. 


                                 xoxo,
                                                 Jillian ​

How can you ever say anything negative about your body after you have felt the dancing of life from inside your womb?
                                         
                                        -Amethyst Joy

Hey mamas or future mamas!  Whether you have had a baby or are pregnant with your first baby I felt the need to share what essentials I absolutely could not have lived without during my pregnancy.  I have listed my top 5 essentials that helped me to experience the happiest and healthiest pregnancy.  My pregnancy essentials are in no particular order.

1.  Movement
Take those walks mama!  You don't have to do crazy workouts to stay active during your pregnancy.  Embrace whatever movements feel comfortable to you and do them mindfully on a daily basis, whether that's dancing, walking, etc. Try to move throughout the day, especially if you have a job that requires you to sit on your butt.  Drink lots of water to keep you and baby hydrated, which will get you on your feet walking to the bathroom numerous times during the day. Take the stairs when you can and don't be afraid to get a birthing ball to bounce on at home.  Grab some free weights, sit on your ball and watch your favorite show while you get a little arm workout.  Trust me, you will need all of your strength during labor and afterwards when your new free weight will be the actual baby. :) 

2.  Doula
The best investment during my pregnancy was hiring a doula.  Since this was my first pregnancy I wanted to have all of the support and knowledge about what to expect during pregnancy and after pregnancy.  Especially because I wanted to have an unmedicated birth which I knew would be more painful and I would require all of the emotional and physical support I could get. To find out more about how my doula supported me during the birth of Lucille read my birth story.  Studies have shown that a doula is associated with shorter labors, less use of pain medications, lower episiotomy rates, and as much as a 50% reduction in the C-section rate.  Destination Baby is the company I hired to provide me with doula services and I can't say enough positive words about them. I would hire a doula again for future pregnancies in a heart beat too.  Doulas provide services for pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and so much more.  
​
3.  Eat like you have gestational diabetes
I was one of those lucky mamas that was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  At first I was frustrated and confused because I took good care of my body in regards to nutrition and movement.  But little did I know that my case of gestational diabetes was genetic.  My body was reacting differently to sugar while pregnant because of family genes, not because of any other factors.  My diabetes were diet controlled and no medication was needed.  Gestational diabetes meant that everything I ate during my pregnancy had to be balanced with good sources of protein, fats, and carbs in order for my sugar levels to stay at a healthy number. I had to check my blood sugar four times a day to make sure my body was reacting appropriately to the food I was eating.  I thought this would be a nuisance, but it really was a blessing in disguise.  This forced me to be more mindful of my splurges on not-so-nutritious foods and make sure to balance every meal with good sources of real food.  I never felt restricted and was still able to eat what I craved by cooking more at home or by "healthing" up the meals eaten out by including any missing food groups, such as veggies, fats, and/or protein.  Most of my meals eaten during my pregnancy are on my blog if you need some healthy, simple recipes.  I gained a total of 15 pounds during my pregnancy and I felt my body quickly retreat to my normal self after giving birth (see photos below).  Now please don't compare your progress to mine because every body is unique and beautiful in their own way.  These are just the facts about my pregnancy and what I had experienced eating this way.  Nutrition is so important, especially when you're growing a tiny human.  Overall, just be mindful of what you eat and balance your meals with all the food groups. REAL FOOD all the way! 

4.  Education
Knowledge is power! Find trustworthy sources to teach you everything you want to learn about pregnancy, child birth and postpartum.  Postpartum is equally as important to learn about as your pregnancy journey.  Self-care is vital for you while being pregnant and after pregnancy as well.  That baby depends on you, so remember to take good care of yourself physically and emotionally. Sources that I used to educate myself on all things pregnancy are as follows.  The Mama Natural by Genevieve Howland was my go-to text to learn week by week what changes my baby and body were going through. The author also includes recipes, tips and other mama experiences for staying healthy and happy as well.  This book was basically my pregnancy bible.  Podcasts were another great source of education.  I was able to learn about the physiology of my body during child birth on The Birthful Podcast with Whapio Diana Bartlett: Rethinking the Pushing Stage, Episode #114.  ​Another podcast that gave me insight into pregnancy, mom life, and postpartum experiences is Mom's Who Rule the World.  When it comes to nutrition education and more pregnancy insight The Well-Fed Women is another informative podcast to really empower you through your pregnancy and birthing journey.  Knowing more about my body and the child birth process gave me strength and confidence when it was game time in the hospital.  

5.  A support group for mamas 
My support group was a pregnant workout class.  This class motivated me to workout once a week, which I especially needed in the first trimester.  This class is made specifically for pregnant mamas so the workouts are designed to meet my growing body's needs in a safe and fun way.  Fit4Baby is the name of the class which I highly recommend if you can find one near you.  It allowed me to meet other mamas in the area and share stories of what we had been experiencing during our pregnancy journey.  

A woman's body undergoes more changes in nine months than a man's body does in his entire lifetime.  With all of these transformations it was important for me to feel empowered and strong.  My top 5 pregnancy essentials gave me the knowledge and support to trust my body, which was what helped me to have a wonderful pregnancy and childbirth experience.  

I would love if other mamas could share their top pregnancy essentials below! Let's empower other future mamas out there to have a positive pregnancy and childbirth experience. 

                           xoxo
                                         Jillian

Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers- strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.
                                   -Barbara Katz Rothman 

I knew as soon as I was pregnant with Lucille that I wanted to document and share my birth story, no matter how it would turn out to be.  I wanted to remember the day that my body brought another living being into this world.  As a woman, I feel incredibly powerful and grateful to be able to create, grow and birth a tiny living human.  As someone who went through infertility treatments for about a year and a half, there is not one part of pregnancy or of the birthing process that I regret.  All of the tears, stress, aches and pains were welcomed because I knew the outcome would be something unbelievably beautiful. 

As soon as I returned home from the hospital after giving birth I immediately started recording down everything that I had remembered from Lucille's birthday.  My husband, sister, and doula were able to fill in the gaps and approximate times that events took place as well.  I was able to gather very specific details (some very comical, some not so comical) to really tell Lucille's entry into this world as it should be told, uncensored.  My mission of sharing my story is not to scare or frighten anyone about the unmedicated birthing process, but rather to bring awareness that women are POWERFUL!  Our bodies are capable and strong and we should always trust our instincts.  

My birth story is organized by The Holistic Stages of Birth.  I believe these stages describe precisely the entire labor process from beginning to end better than any birthing book or article I have read. Some details are listed briefly and some will go into more detail.  I found it easier to bullet most of the beginning labor events and included more details as it got closer to the finale, aka birthing.  I will use the words "poop", "pee" and "bowel movement" just so you are warned.  I'm not embarrassed to share about what my body naturally decided to go through.  Our bodies are amazing and sh*t happens (pun intended). There will be no sugarcoating of this story, just real, raw events. 

Before reading my birth story there are a few key details to know.  

1. This is my first pregnancy. 
2. I hired a doula. Best investment ever!
3. I created a birth plan that involved no medication, and my husband, sister, mother and doula were the only ones allowed in my birthing room. 
4.  I wanted to quit and take drugs a couple times during labor. 
5. In the end, I stuck to my birth plan and had a natural, unmedicated birth. 

Lucille's Birth Story
June 7, 2018 

Entering the Veil- Active Labor

• 4:50 a.m. Contractions began and literally woke me up at out of bed. I immediately started recording how far apart they were.  As I was recording each contraction time I couldn't believe that this was happening on my actual due date. Thank goodness the day before was my last day of teaching :). 
• 7:00  a.m. I texted my doula to inform her of my contractions. She came over the house 20 minutes later. 
• 8:45 a.m. I stayed at home for awhile just bouncing on my birthing ball until I made the decision to leave for the hospital when contractions were averaging around 4 minutes apart.  My OB was called and we let her know that I was on the way to the hospital, even though she recommended I drink two glasses of water and walk around my house, haha.  I'm so glad I listened to my instincts and not my OB.  Sorry doc.  
• 9:18 a.m.  We arrived at the hospital, signed in and went straight to triage. I was dilated 2-3 cm. My contractions were still bearable at this point.  My husband snapped the last photo of me smiling that day before Lucille was born. From here on out there would be only silence and moans coming from me. 
• 10:30 a.m. We were sent to a labor and delivery room and contractions worsened. Holy cow!  Some contractions felt less intense than others, which was a nice little break.  

• 11 a.m. I positioned my body on all fours in the bed and leaned over on the large birthing ball to get more comfortable.  My doula put counter pressure on various parts of my body during each contraction. My body was feeling very tired and exhausted at this point. My sister fed me an orange popsicle to help keep my sugar levels up.  I never thought I would say this but, "Thank you high corn fructose syrup!" 

Quietude- Resting phase

• I'm unsure if this phase happened for me, but my husband swore I had a tranquil look on my face as I was laying on the bed for a small amount of time right before the pushing stage.  I will just take his word for it.  

The Breakers- Pushing

• 4:30-5 p.m. I transitioned to lay on the left side of my body and asked for a peanut ball to be placed between my legs to help spread them apart. This is the time when I started to feel my body’s urge or readiness to push. My body literally started to push on it's own which was amazing to experience!  This is exactly what I had heard (on the podcast episode) a birthing mama's body would do on it's own. 
• During some of my beginning pushes my water broke making this incredibly loud bursting sound. It sounded like a balloon popping times ten. It was pretty awesome. My doula later told me that more water during one of my pushes rushed out and splashed the nurse, haha.  She said if I wasn't partly covered that the water would have probably splashed my sister and mother too, which would have been hilarious.  Who would have thought labor would be similar to a water park. 
• 5:00 p.m. My doula started putting pressure on my side hip during each contraction/push and my body decided to have yet another lovely bowel movement during one of my pushes.  Yay for more poop! 
• I should also mention that I could actually feel Lucille’s head moving lower.  Even through all of the discomfort I somehow managed to still feel her move.  This was an incredible feeling. 
• 6:10 p.m. My OB came shortly after my water broke and I got in the position to really bear down and push her out.  My feet went into stirrups and that’s when Lucille’s head attempted to make an entrance.  The nurse told me to push like I was having a bowel movement and that’s exactly what I did.  It felt like I was pushing my butt to come off of my body.  Lucille’s head kept bobbing in and out (kind of like Whack-a-mole), so the doctor numbed me below to try and stretch me out with her hands so Lucille's head could come out completely.  This unfortunately did not work. She then made the decision to do an episiotomy so Lucille could head out safely and because her heart rate was starting to drop slightly.  NICU was called in the room just in case of complications.   
• At this point everyone in the room was yelling for me to push.  So for each push I yelled as loud as I could.  I was in full blown mama bear mode.  This baby was coming out now. 

​The Return- Immediate Postpartum

• After my energy levels shot up, I quickly got my gown off of my chest and Lucille was placed on me for skin to skin time.  Her umbilical cord was just long enough to lay her below my chest.  The doctor delayed cord cutting as long as she could and milked the cord to get as much blood as she could from the placenta to Lucille.  Then my husband cut the cord. 
• Soon after the cutting Lucille latched instantly to breast feed.  My nurse put pressure on my stomach to deliver the placenta that had not yet exited my body.  I didn't get the chance to see my placenta which was unfortunate.  Next time (if able) I would love to see this amazing organ. 
• After the placenta left my body, my OB began to instantly numb and stitch me up.  My sister handed me another orange popsicle as Lucille laid on me.  A new baby and a popsicle was a pretty swell way to end my labor. 

I am a true believer that giving birth should be your greatest accomplishment, not your greatest fear. 

I would love if you could share your birth stories below.  Women should empower each other instead of competing with one another. Your body is strong and capable of miraculous things, trust it always. 

                                     xoxo
                                           Jillian