Patriotic Smoothie Popsicles for 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

In celebration of our country's independence, it's always fun to take the patriotic theme up a notch, so let's do it! Get your popsicle molds ready because it's about to get red, white and blue up in here...

My kiddos and I love making smoothie popsicles by experimenting with different ingredients and throwing them all in the blender. There are so many variations. Want a more smoothie-like base? Try milk or a plant-based mylk to start. Want a thinner consistency? Use water or coconut water. Add fruit (and veggies!) from there + throw in some ice cubes if that's your thing.

Don’t have any popsicle molds? That’s okay! Use only 1 cup of your base liquid and add some ice cubes for a creamier texture. Then put each smoothie side-by-side in a bowl to create a red, white and blue smoothie bowl! Top with berries, banana slices, hemp seeds or coconut flakes to stay on theme ;).

The best part about all of this, is the ingredients are completely within your control, so it’s easy to make tweaks so that they’re allergy-friendly for your particular needs. Check out my recipe suggestions:

Red Pops:

• 1 - 1.5 cups of base liquid

• 1/2 cup of raspberries

• 1/2 cup of strawberries

• Additional Options-

  • Chia or hemp seeds for protein

  • Honey (to desired level of sweetness)

White Pops:

• 1 -1.5 cups of base liquid

• 1.5 cups of frozen pineapple

• 1 banana (frozen if possible)

• Additional Options-

  • 1/3 cup of yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)

  • Hemp seeds

  • Honey (to desired level of sweetness)

  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

  • Top with coconut flakes

Blue Pops :

• 1 - 1.5 cups of base liquid

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

• 1 medium banana

• Additional Options:

  • 1-2 tsp. blue spirulina (blue majik)

  • 1 small handful of spinach

  • 1/4 avocado (for creaminess)

  • 1 tbsp. sunflower seed butter 

  • Hemp or chia seeds

  • Honey (to desired level of sweetness)

Enjoy and tag me on Instagram in any popsicle photos (@hey_kimk) - I'd love toSubscribe the Hey, Kim K. Newsletter right here! check out your creations! And, let me know in the comments how everything turns out :)

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Mindful Eating + Food Allergy Awareness

What is mindful eating, and how on Earth is it applicable to someone with food allergies?

Simply put, mindful is prioritizing your awareness so that your focus is only on what you are eating and the experience of eating. The purpose of mindful eating is to teach you how to tune into your body. It also aides in digestion and stress management while allowing you to make improvements to your eating habits.

There are many different tools to help you eat mindfully. Check these out!:

• When you first get your food, take a minute to smell the aroma and visually take it in. Continue to use those senses throughout your meal.

• Take a bite, but really think about evaluating the flavors. Notice how the flavors change (or don’t) with each bite.

• Chew slowly and more! Let’s not gulp down our food, folks. Try to chew each bite around 32 times for optimal digestion and to assist with your mindfulness.

• Get rid of distractions. You want to be able to appreciate the food that you’re eating. Sometimes doing that in front of the TV or at your computer prevents that from happening. Instead, try to have your meals with family or friends or take a few minutes to enjoy your meal while reading or having some down time at the kitchen table.

• Tune into your body. What messages is your body sending you? Are you starting to feel full? Does the food actually taste good to you? Is this food making you feel good?

• Show gratitude. Think about how fortunate you are to be able to nourish your body with healthy food. Think about the hard work it took to get that food onto your plate. Fill yourself up with food and gratefulness with each bite.

After checking out all of the tools, did you notice the potential interplay between mindful eating and food allergies? It all comes down to focusing on your food. Look at labels before you eat or feed someone with food allergies to ensure safety. Think about the food you or your loved one is about to eat and evaluate potential cross-contact and unsafe ingredients.

Even when trying new foods that are on your “safe list,” it is a good idea to implement a mindfulness practice. When you start to eat, listen to what your body is telling you. In cases of minor reactions or when a severe reaction is building, you want to pay attention to the body’s signals.

Try starting small and slowly. Look at your food, smell it and then put it up to your lips. Zone into any signs your body may send you. Are your lips tingling? Does it smell unappetizing? Make eating a purposeful progression and stop to check in with yourself (or food allergy sufferer) before each step.

Of course, this will not always work and cannot be used in place of doctor’s orders or medical diagnoses. But it can be useful in learning about your body is reacting to foods you believe to be outside of your food allergy zone.

To sum things up, eating mindfully is yet another tool for us, food allergy fam.

Easy Steps for Upgrading Your Life (even during quarantine!)

How can we pivot when unprepared for a major life moment?

What do you do when everything you have planned for the last few months gets majorly derailed? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself over and over again lately. I’m still feeling good but am just so confused about where to go from here. I had big plans. There were a lot of blog posts ready to roll out after my launch. Lots of topics I wanted to cover about living with food allergies and eating healthy. But right now, none of it seems top of mind.

I, like so many of you, am still trying to navigate my new normal and switch paths…for the time being. Instead of starting off by focusing all of my attention on all things food allergy, I’m going to follow my gut and dive into a different aspect of being a health coach. You see, not only am I trained to help with diet and nutrition, but I’m also educated on how to guide you to balancing all aspects of your life.

There have been some GINORMOUS changes lately with the COVID-19 pandemic and most of us living under stay-at-home orders. Things are changing constantly. For instance, in LA, we now have to wear masks when visiting an essential business. To make matters more complicated, these were changes that none of us really had the time to plan for. The enormity of it all still hasn’t completely sunk in.

In my own microcosm there’s been a lot to take in. Between tons of housework, homeschooling the kids and trying to launch a successful business, it feels like trying to adapt has taken precedence over grieving for my former life.

When I talk to friends or family, everyone agrees - this sucks and we’re all ready for a break- and then part of me at the same time feels guilty for actually liking this version. I think it’s perfectly okay to feel both (or feel something completely different!). It’s just a lot right now.

This all leads me to you. Part of being a health coach is guiding your clients down their personal path towards their own ideal version of well-being and optimal lifestyle. It is also serving as the point person during the process; someone who will keep you going (you can do it!) and provide you with some well-intentioned accountability.

Let’s make the most of this together. I have a plan, and I’ve got you! For the next week let’s make the most of the situation together. There are five areas of our quarantine life that we can work on together and bring some more light and positivity into our lives. Are you down to get down?!

There’s four key areas we can focus on during our week: 1) self-care 2) connections 3) movement and 4) nutrition.

SELF-CARE

Let’s start off by thinking about how you can work in some sort of a win during your day. I like to start my days off feeling accomplished, grounded and with a positive mindset. For me, this means simply making my bed. Another form of self-care for me is getting into bed early and reading. This is something I’ve enjoyed doing since I was a kid and it really helps me tune back in and feel like I’m taking time out just for me. Self-care can also look like going for your own record-breaking run or cleaning out an entire room, or something small, like taking an aromatherapy bath or remembering to floss.

And, your self-care activity doesn’t have to be the same everyday. Listen to your gut and follow what you feel. A good self-care practice will ensure you stay grounded and emotionally in balance. This is always important, but even more so right now. Taking time for yourself is something you deserve to prioritize for your own well-being, so get to it!

CONNECTION

Did you know that one factor some longevity experts attribute a long life is a strong sense of community? It makes sense. Think about how you feel after hanging out with someone who truly knows and gets you. How does it feel to know that there’s someone you can depend on and how does it feel knowing you just helped someone in need? All of these things strengthen our sense of connection to others and potentially lowers our stress (and cortisol) levels. Lower stress also can result in healthier immune function. Science is showing us that people need people.

Being an introvert, I’m all too happy to stay at home or go on an outing just by myself. However, when I make the extra effort and push myself to make a connection, I always feel so good about it. I try to remind myself of that feeling when I’m getting stuck in my “I’m good being solo” ways.

Now, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the stay-at-home mandates, it’s harder than ever to connect…even if we really want to! So, it’s time to get creative. Try FaceTime, download a fun social app (my family uses Houseparty), talk to your neighbors from a safe social distance or go old school and just pick up your phone! Make connecting a priority and see what style suits you best. It will lift your spirits and even potentially improve your immune system and lifespan.

MOVEMENT

Move your body for at least 20 minutes a day and improve your mood, immune system and brain function. It can also help with your sleep, not to mention all of the added benefits to your physical body. If you want to supersize your movement, get outside for some vitamin D to help boost your immune system even more!

Some people may think they need to workout hard to get all of these benefits, but just talking a walk can do it. Right now the options for exercise are limited, so it’s time to get creative. Workout with a friend virtually, attend an online sweat session, or deep clean the bathroom! Anything that gets your blood flowing and body moving counts!

If you haven’t worked out in a while, that’s okay. Start small and give yourself grace. Pick something you actually enjoy and go with it. If you don’t like it, pick something new the next day. Have fun experimenting and remember it will get easier.

Some other tips to keep up your exercise in quarantine are:

1) Just start the habit. In the morning, commit to yourself that no matter what, you will move that day. It can be five minutes or an hour. It can be an online HIIT workout or some stretching. Just do it everyday and your body and mind will start to expect it naturally.

2) Be accountable. Tell a friend your plan and that you’ll be letting her know if you achieve your goal at the end of the day. Or, try an app that has you pay if you don’t follow through with your workout. If you’re a list person, put your exercise on your daily to-do list or calendar so you know you’ll have to check it off.

3) Use an alarm. Commit to yourself that when the alarm goes off, you’ll stop what you’re doing and workout. You’ve already set the time aside, so you’re just doing it! Get the family, your S.O. or your roomie involved and have them commit to the alarm and your workout, too. Helpful hint: it’s a great way to round up the troops for a family walk.

4) Set Yourself Up for Success. If you’re WFH, use it to your advantage. Put on your workout clothes first thing in the morning, so there’s one less obstacle between you and your workout. If you know you won’t workout in the afternoon, then try waking up a little earlier to get your movement out of the way. Figure out the night before what your intended movement is for the next day and get psyched. Visualize how good it will feel to move your body and how proud of yourself you’ll be. It may be cheesy, but it works!

SLEEP

Sleep is my everything. If I don’t get a good night sleep, I know I’m going to pay the next day. Yes, some nights are totally worth it, but try not to make it an all the time thing. If you want to prioritize sleep, then do it! Get in bed around the same time every night. Make the room dark and cool and try to turn off electronics before getting in bed. These are just some tips to get you started. Feel free to contact me for more!

Don’t forget, sign-up for my newsletter to get updates on all my new blog posts and more! Also, check in with my instagram (@hey_kimk) and tag me with your healthy lifestyle activities. I’ll repost to our community so we can all connect!

Also, if you’re looking for some fun, free activities to do with your kiddos while staying at home, head on over to my Resources Page for my go-to list!