Easy Batch Cooking and the Basic 8 with Kelsey Cohrt

I’m so excited to have Kelsey Cohrt joining me on this episode of the podcast where we will be discussing how to effectively meal prep. Kelsey is the creator of Northwest Health Coaching. Through her 1:1 health coaching program, her Gut Health Group, creating specialized weekly meal plans for clients, along with her Batch Cooking Framework Course coming out on May 6th, Kelsey’s goals have always been to help teach busy people how to get healthier food into their belly and incorporate healthy eating habits so they start feeling good. 

We talk about how you can feed yourself, and of course, prepare meals in a straightforward manner. Kelsey also shares her own food experience, the challenges, and her wins while on this journey.

This is such a very important topic to discuss especially now when we are all asked to stay at home. Many of us may feel like we have more time to prepare our meals, but it may not always be that way. Why not use this time to build new healthy habits, right? Tune into this episode for easy-to-follow tips, and get to know Kelsey and her business.

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This episode of The Live Well Podcast is a great discussion with Kelsey Cohrt about effective meal preparation. She is the founder of Northwest Health Coaching which helps people incorporate healthy eating habits and starting feeling good.  We talk about how you can feed yourself, and of course, prepare meals in a straightforward manner.

SHOW NOTES:

• 0:00 Intro 

• 2:55 - Get to know Kelsey Cohrt

  • How The Healing Effects of Food taught her a new way of looking at food

  • Real food + healthy habits + gut support = body will feel way better

• 9:03 - Challenges that most people have when it comes to prepping meals

  • Limited time

  • Struggle with keeping something fresh all week

  • Dislike eating the same meal over and over

• 13:23 - Main components of the Basic 8:

  • 1 batch of grains

  • 1 batch of veggies

  • Greens

  • Protein

  • Ready-to-eat fruit

  • Sauce or dressings

  • Toppings

  • Mid-week meal

  1. 19:24 - What meal prep looks like for Kelsey IRL

  2. 29:53 - The advantage of doing the Basic 8

     • Save time

     • Save money

     • Getting real food in your body

  3. 32:37 - On getting stuck and feeling overwhelmed

  4. 34:00 - Resources 

  5. 37:40 - Where to find Kelsey

     • Kelsey’s website: Northwesthealthcoaching.com

     • How to get a free grocery shopping checklist

  6. 38:47 - Final thoughts and comments

Connect with Kelsey

Website | Pinterest | Instagram

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If you loved this episode, I'd be honored for you to give me a rating on iTunes. This helps me to get content out to others who are interested in getting control of their health through diet, lifestyle shifts and personal empowerment.

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If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell and I'm so excited that you're here! I am a RN & Functional Nutrition Practitioner that helps those with autoimmune disease, hormone imbalance and gut issues heal without overwhelm so you can feel better in your body in a way that honors your unique needs and feels sustainable for the rest of your life. 

If you suffer from:

• Fatigue and energy crashes

• Brain fog

• Poor digestion

• Painful periods and PMS

• Symptoms of autoimmunity

• Stress and overwhelm 

...and aren't getting the support you need, I’m here to help guide you! My job is to clear the overwhelm, help you put the pieces of the puzzle together and co-create a sustainable path forward to help you reach your goals and feel better in your amazing body. When we work together you can’t fail. 

In my health & nutrition coaching programs I support you in the quest to get back into balance by listening to your story, understanding your needs, getting to the roots of imbalance in the body and co-creating a sustainable path to healing together. These sessions weave together functional nutrition and science, lived experience, mindset shifts, and intuitive guidance for a unique and full-spectrum approach to nutrition counseling and holistic health.

I always offer free 20-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and identify what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.

Gluten-Free Seed Bread [Recipe]

I’ve been eating a gluten-free diet for a few years now and it’s honestly become so routine to me now that I hardly notice or remember what it was like to have gluten in my diet. It wasn’t always this way though, and I experimented many times over the years with taking gluten out, bringing it back in, thinking it made a huge difference, not being convinced that it really did anything etc. It’s been about a 15 year journey with chronic illness and autoimmunity for me and I’ve learned A LOT about my body and what works for it in the process as I’m sure anyone reading can relate to!

Changing our diets or any habit in our lives can feel challenging at first. This is normal! When coaching clients through dietary shifts, one of the first pieces is trying to find substitutes or “upgrades” for things you know and love already. This seed bread (based on the Adventure Bread recipe from David Lebovitz) is an amazing substitute for a regular piece of toast and great to top with avocado, turkey slices, honestly….anything you want!

The nuts and seeds provide great vitamins and nutrients combined with fiber to support a healthy digestive system so it’s a real upgrade from a piece of bread high in refined carbohydrates. It’s all held together without flour with the magic of psyllium seed husks! Psyllium seed husks contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber dissolves in water and soothes the digestive tract with its mucilaginous properties, while the insoluble fiber acts like a broom to sweep the the colon. 

My family loves this bread and I make a loaf every 1-2 weeks to have on hand! I really hope you enjoy it!

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Gluten free seed bread

Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups rolled oats*

• 1 cup sunflower seeds, hulled (optional to toast)

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, hulled (optional to toast)

• 3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional to toast)

• 3/4 cup flax seeds

• 1/3 cup psyllium seed husks

• 3 tablespoons chia seeds

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 1/2 cups water

*I have made a version of this bread without the oats before and it’s a lot more dense but really delicious! You may have to adjust the amount of liquid you use for the “dough” if omitting the oats.

Directions

1. It’s optional to toast the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts to add more flavor to your bread. To do this preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC.) Spread the sunflower and pumpkin seeds and walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until they start to brown (about 10-15 minutes).

2. Mix together all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

3. Stir in the maple syrup or honey, olive oil and water. (I have made loaves before without syrup or honey and they turned out great as well!)

4. Use your hands to work the “dough” you’ve created to make sure everything is combined.

5. Line a loaf pan with baking paper. Spoon your dough into the loaf pan and smooth out the top.

6. Place this in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

7. Remove the bread from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400ºF (200ºC.) Bake the bread for 1 hour. Take it out and let cool on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours. It will be temping to cut into it but allowing it to fully cool and settle before cutting into it makes it a lot better and more formed!

8. Slice and toast bread. Top it with grass-fed butter, avocado, turkey meat, hummus, honestly, you NAME it!

Enjoy and leave me a comment about how you liked it!

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If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell and I'm so excited that you're here! I am a RN & Functional Nutrition Practitioner that helps those with autoimmune disease, hormone imbalance and gut issues heal without overwhelm so you can feel better in your body in a way that honors your unique needs and feels sustainable for the rest of your life. 

If you suffer from:

• Fatigue and energy crashes

• Brain fog

• Poor digestion

• Painful periods and PMS

• Symptoms of autoimmunity

• Stress and overwhelm 

...and aren't getting the support you need, I’m here to help guide you! My job is to clear the overwhelm, help you put the pieces of the puzzle together and co-create a sustainable path forward to help you reach your goals and feel better in your amazing body. When we work together you can’t fail. 

In my health & nutrition coaching programs I support you in the quest to get back into balance by listening to your story, understanding your needs, getting to the roots of imbalance in the body and co-creating a sustainable path to healing together. These sessions weave together functional nutrition and science, lived experience, mindset shifts, and intuitive guidance for a unique and full-spectrum approach to nutrition counseling and holistic health.

I always offer free 20-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and identify what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.

My Daily Matcha Latte Recipe

It’s no secret that I LOVE my matcha. But this was not always the case! As someone who adores the ritual of a warm cup of something in the morning, I had a pretty tough time coming to term with the fact that my morning coffee was not doing me any favors. Although I had been drinking it for years (and even worked as a barista) when I really tuned in years ago I realized that coffee was irritating my already irritated and inflamed gut, was adding to my already heightened state of stress and was a trigger for some of my worst inflammatory symptoms.

When transitioning away from coffee I realized I needed something tasty and satisfying I could put in it’s place! I love this matcha latte recipe and enjoy it pretty much every morning. The addition of fat and protein keep my blood sugar stable, and the caffeine in the matcha gives me a much more even energy boost than coffee.

L-Theanine, an amino acid found in matcha, combines with caffeine to create increased focused and sustained energy throughout the day. L-Theanine can help lower blood pressure, enhance mood and promotes a sense of calmness by relaxing alpha waves in the brain (associated with a feeling of happiness and alertness) and increasing dopamine production – two of the brain’s ‘feel good’ chemicals. [1] I find matcha to be really gentle and must easier on my nervous system than coffee. It’s worth experimenting to see what works for you!

Matcha is also a potent antioxidant. On the ORAC scale (oxygen radical absorbance capacity – a measure of the antioxidant capacity of food), it surpasses all other antioxidant rich foods including blueberries, pomegranates, and dark chocolate. As you can see there are tons of reasons to give matcha a try! Let me know how you like the recipe below!

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My daily matcha latte recipe

Ingredients

• 1 scoop matcha powder (I love Soar Organics)

• 2 scoops collagen powder (I’m currently using Further Foods collagen and love it!)

• Splash of coconut milk OR 1 tbsp coconut butter

• Dash of cinnamon

• 8oz hot water
  
  
  

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a blender except water.

2. Allow the boiled water to cool slightly and pour into the mixture to avoid burning the matcha.

3. Blend until frothy and combined (about 30 seconds)

4. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!

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Hi! I’m Christina

If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell and I'm so excited that you're here! I am a RN & Functional Nutrition Practitioner that helps those with autoimmune disease, hormone imbalance and gut issues heal without overwhelm so you can feel better in your body in a way that honors your unique needs and feels sustainable for the rest of your life. 

If you suffer from:

• Fatigue and energy crashes

• Brain fog

• Poor digestion

• Painful periods and PMS

• Symptoms of autoimmunity

• Stress and overwhelm 

...and aren't getting the support you need, I’m here to help guide you! My job is to clear the overwhelm, help you put the pieces of the puzzle together and co-create a sustainable path forward to help you reach your goals and feel better in your amazing body. When we work together you can’t fail. 

In my health & nutrition coaching programs I support you in the quest to get back into balance by listening to your story, understanding your needs, getting to the roots of imbalance in the body and co-creating a sustainable path to healing together. These sessions weave together functional nutrition and science, lived experience, mindset shifts, and intuitive guidance for a unique and full-spectrum approach to nutrition counseling and holistic health.

I always offer free 20-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and identify what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.

Does everyone with autoimmunity need to avoid gluten and dairy?

Firstly, everyone with autoimmunity, even with the same diagnosis is very different and the reasons for immune system dysfunction are going to be very different as well. I can’t emphasize that enough. 

That being said, there are common foods to look at that might be adding to an inflammatory response.

The top 3 inflammatory foods to consider first are:

1. Gluten

2. Dairy

3. and refined sugar

Gluten

Even if you don’t have Celiac Disease, it can be a good idea to avoid gluten if you have an autoimmune disease or are working to support your gut for a number of reasons. It’s becoming increasingly clear that celiac disease is only one manifestation of gluten intolerance, and that “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” (meaning people that react to gluten, but do not have celiac disease) is a legitimate health concern. Symptoms can range from GI discomfort to fatigue and even neurological issues [1]. 

This is because a component of gluten found in grains known as gliadin has been shown to cause leaky gut and inflammation for those with gut issues or autoimmune disease [2]. We know that 70% of our immune system lies around the gut, so whenever there are immune issues you want to look to the gut first and foremost. 

It’s also risky for those with autoimmunity because of a phenomenon called molecular mimicry.  Molecular mimicry occurs when your body is exposed to an invader (in this case gluten). Your immune system memorizes its structure so that it can develop a defense against it and recognize it in the future [3]. Gluten, which is a particularly large protein, happens to be structurally similar to a number of your body’s tissues, particularly your thyroid [4].   

To really know if gluten is something that affects you, the best way is to eliminate gluten from your diet (30-60 days) and then perform a gluten challenge, taking careful note of any symptoms. 

Dairy

Dairy tends to be a little bit more individual in my personal experience as in some people tolerate yogurt, butter or certain cheese but don’t feel as great when they have milk or ice cream.

Here are a few reasons why dairy might not feel great in your body: 

Approximately 65% of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose (a sugar found in milk) after infancy [5].

Dairy is often a culprit in gastrointestinal symptoms related to leaky gut and can increase mucus production which can irritate the gut lining and affect nutrient absorption. Additionally, commercially available dairy products have higher rates of hormones and toxins that aren’t great for your body. 

If there is leaky gut, immune activation and inflammation, it’s best to remove certain known inflammatory foods for a period of time to “cool down the fires.” 

For example, say you eat dairy in the presence of leaky gut and inflammation. The inflammatory proteins from dairy can slip through GI wall and trigger the immune system which is going to trigger the autoimmune response. Dairy can add potential xenoestrogens to an already overloaded hormonal system and is going to further tax the liver, in turn, affecting blood sugar, adrenals and ultimately the full system.

You can see how it really affects the entire body even if you don’t have overt digestive issues. I find it best to “clear the muddy waters” as my mentor Andrea Nakayama says, and give your body a break from these potentially inflammatory foods for a period of time. From there, you are better able to see what other issues persist and move forward. 

So, should I remove gluten and dairy from my diet?

You may benefit from removing gluten and dairy for a period of time and then reintroducing them from a better baseline to fully understand how they are making you feel.

There are some practitioners that believe that gluten is a root cause of all chronic illness and everyone should avoid it.I’m not sure that I have enough information to be able to concur with that, but I think what we know about the gut and the immune system it’s definitely something to consider if you have chronic autoimmune issues [1]. 

As with anything, it’s not a black and white answer but rather, it depends! I hope this helps to shed light on the process and the bio-individuality of including gluten or dairy into your diet.

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If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell and I'm so excited that you're here! I am a RN & Functional Nutrition Practitioner that helps those with autoimmune disease, hormone imbalance and gut issues heal without overwhelm so you can feel better in your body in a way that honors your unique needs and feels sustainable for the rest of your life. 

If you suffer from:

• Fatigue and energy crashes

• Brain fog

• Poor digestion

• Painful periods and PMS

• Symptoms of autoimmunity

• Stress and overwhelm 

...and aren't getting the support you need, I’m here to help guide you! My job is to clear the overwhelm, help you put the pieces of the puzzle together and co-create a sustainable path forward to help you reach your goals and feel better in your amazing body. When we work together you can’t fail. 

In my health & nutrition coaching programs I support you in the quest to get back into balance by listening to your story, understanding your needs, getting to the roots of imbalance in the body and co-creating a sustainable path to healing together. These sessions weave together functional nutrition and science, lived experience, breathwork, mindset shifts, and intuitive guidance for a unique and full-spectrum approach to nutrition counseling and holistic health.

I always offer free 20-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and identify what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.