Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? This recipe is on the chunkier side, coach Emi likes her’s with some of the skin on to add a bit more texture. The great thing about these is that you can modify the milk and butter to suit your tastes! She used 1% milk in order to keep the fat low, but you can use any milk you like. You can also sub the butter for a vegan alternative, such as earth balance, in case you or any friends/family members aren’t into dairy.

If you think Brussels sprouts have to only taste like freshly mowed grass, THINK AGAIN! The trick is to slice them thinly (or be lazy and buy the pre-shaved ones from Trader Joes as I do) and make sure you slightly burn them. That’s where the magic happens.

I’m not sure why our loved ones and friends think that they need to have an opinion on how we choose to eat and take care of our bodies, but they always do. It can be an uncomfortable situation and often leads us to feel bad about the choices we are making to improve our health and find balance in our relationship with food.

As the holidays approach, the number of social gatherings and parties packed into the next few weeks will be numerous. While indulging in a few treats over the holidays won’t derail your progress, a steady stream of regular get-togethers and celebrations over four to six weeks (or eight...who’s counting) can really start to add up. This can have a big impact on your ability to stay on track towards achieving your goals. Here are a few ways you can make it through the holiday party season while balancing your nutritional needs and continuing on the path to success.

Okay, it’s warm out there. At least, for some people. (again, being in the Northeast is great and all but yesterday was cold and rainy and today it’s 65 and sunny… you just never know).

It’s the start of a new week and that means there’s a new ingredient challenge. And this week it’s the most basic fall ingredient of them all. Hello, pumpkin! Pumpkin’s incredibly versatile and I urge you to explore with it this week. It’s great in sweet and savory dishes and it’s rich in vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. You can’t go wrong with this one.

As a business owner, I understand all too well what the December lull does for the coaching industry. If you aren’t selling something that can be given as a gift, your service or business is the first thing cut from a client’s budget this time of year, as gifts and travel expenses take precedent. I’m looking at you, online coaches. This is something most online coaches deal with, as it happens when you own a business that provides an “unnecessary” service. I am here to hopefully offer some words of wisdom to help your coaching business in the long term, as I for one think it is important to be sensitive this time of year.

We decided to have a pumpkin recipe challenge at work with our Black Iron Nutrition clients. I was excited and up for the challenge. I decided I wanted to make a high protein pumpkin bar. We got all kinds of healthy delicious ingredients, and then Krissy and I went to work in the kitchen trying to develop the perfect fall treat.