It's been awhile since we've had a Friday Favorites, so here's a special edition for today covering meal prep & kitchen favorites. I've been talking about doing this post for awhile, but I wanted to make sure it was narrowed it down to things I consider an important part of any kitchen and they are things we use daily/weekly.

My new and most favorite thing on here is the Instant Pot. When I posted about it recently on my facebook page I received quite a few puzzled responses.. leading me to believe that word has not gotten out about these time-saving machines. We've only had ours a few weeks but I've used it almost everyday - just experimenting with what it can do. I have yet to try bone broth and yogurt, but those are on my list. The fact that I can cook a whole chicken in less than half an hour and end up with the juiciest chicken ever kinda blows my mind.

Aeropress. You've seen it mentioned before, only because you need this mini espresso machine in your life. We don't own an coffee pot. Just this little guy for the past five years - and I drink coffee every single day.  You'll also notice the multi-tasking coffee & herb grinder and electric, wireless kettle - both versatile kitchen staples and they make the aeropress even easier to use.

When we ventured to Sonoma wine-country a couple summers ago, Aria was still drinking bottles, but no longer nursing. We Airbnb'd our trip and figured we would just microwave bottles  - but didn't happen to notice that one of our houses we booked for a few nights did NOT have a microwave. To heat anything my options were stove-top or a little electric kettle. I opted for the electric kettle after it brought water to a boil in less than 2 minutes and made warming a bottle a breeze. We Amazoned (that is a word right?) one before we even got back home.






Okay, back to food. Meal Prep. I have finally invested in some good bowls to use in the kitchen and as simple as that may seem, it makes meal prep life so much easier. So treat yourself to some mixing bowls and dance in the kitchen..

Any sort of food prep requires lots of storage containers - and if I can portion out that food ahead of time, I'm less likely to overeat, skip a meal, snack on cookies.. or waste my time making lunch on Tuesday.

For more automatic food miracles - get yourself a rice cooker. If you get an Instant Pot, you can make your rice or oatmeal in that. This sweet little thing also steams veggies.. and can do large portions of steel cut oatmeal really easily.

Spiralizer - We don't eat much pasta, but I do love pesto, and zucchini noodles are a low carb, versatile way to prep some veggies to mix things up. Toss in some shrimp or chicken and your favorite sauce and you have a meal.

My parents used to use the phrase "We didn't have a pot to piss in.." to describe how broke they were when they got married. Seth and I have been married 8 years and we finally got some good pots & pans ourselves in the past few years.. and that in itself made cooking together a whole lot easier.. less meals were burnt to the crusty cheap pans, cleanup isn't so time consuming and food is actually cooked evenly. So get a good pan..

Lastly.. that nutrition scale has made weighing and measuring food a breeze.. it comes with a handy little booklet (in which we've highlighted our frequent foods) where you can plug in the corresponding code for whatever you are eating.. throw it on the scale and you have all your macros laid out.. fat, carbs, protein.. even sodium, fiber.. anything that you find in a nutrition facts chart. So when you shove a bunch of food in a container and ditch the packaging.. you can still find out how much is in your next serving.

Hopefully there is a few things here that can make your kitchen life a bit easier, and cut down on the time you spend there, so you can do other more important things. My meal prep used to take me 4-5 hours for a weeks worth of food.. but now I'm down to about two hours. The fact that I can cook 12lbs of chicken in 15 minutes still has me in awe of that Instant Pot.

Feel free to drop your kitchen suggestions and any questions you have in the comments below!

xoxo, McKenzie





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The next Whole30 starts next week and I'm here to help you prepare as much as I can, so Pin this post, or save it somewhere you can find it again because here's a list of resources that I turn to over and over again.

I'm kicking it off with my Shopping Guide - this is not a full blown list, these are my staples that I buy at Costco & Trader Joes. There are more than is listed that is Whole30 compliant, just check your labels.




Here's are some comprehensive list's straight from the Whole30 site to help you navigate and prepare:
SHOPPING LIST & IN-STORE GUIDE (for food on a budget). And don't forget to STOCK YOUR PANTRY

Read your labels: SUGAR IS SUGAR & CHEAT SHEET TO INGREDIENTS

Because it's still summer, and we want to make the most of it, here's a few guides to DINING OUT & TRAVELING

and since I've been there on the no-egg diet, here's a few lists with modifications for EGG & NIGHTSHADE FREE

Many people I've spoke to about the Whole30 see it as another weight-loss diet, but in reality, it's a diet to hit the reset button. Chronic inflammation is often a long-standing result of diets poor in nutrients, filled with easy and convenient food, or those treats that our brain convinces us we need.. like wine, beer, ice-cream.. oreos. I'll be the first to admit I cave to these cravings pretty easily, figuring a small package of gummy snacks or a glass of wine is no big deal. But it adds up. Fast.

The Whole30 is more of a non-scale victory diet. Yes, you can and may lose weight, but it's not due to being on a calorie-restricted diet. There is no calorie counting here. No meal tracking or adding up your macros. It's a real food diet, you aren't depriving yourself, you are taking care of yourself.

I love this list of NON-SCALE VICTORIES that you may see during the next 30 days. The Whole30 can also be a Whole60, Whole90.. Whole6 months or WholeLife.. and probably should be to some extent. But the more you focus on this being a healthy lifestyle change, the better the results.

I'm not going to lie, when you cut out the junk, the processes sugar, alcohols, fake food, your brain is going to want it. Bad. It's going to tell you this diet is silly, that one little bite of cupcake or a sip of beer isn't going to hurt anything. It's a lie.

Our brains become programmed to feel like it needs those foods since the chemical reaction to these sweet, mind-numbing, garbage-filled ingredients creates a chemical reaction in the brain that makes it want more - just like any addiction. I know first hand that you can become addicted to chocolate-chips.. Oreos.. or even gummy bears (are you seeing a theme here? - I have a sweet tooth).

Because of this, the first 10 days are the most brutal.. the first day or so, you'll be just fine. You'll be on the "this is for the new me" high.. but then the fact that you haven't ate xyz that you normally do, will set in. Stay strong. You are in control.

The Whole30 offers a email subscription that I highly recommend, full of tips and tricks as well as a sense of "you've got this". I also highly recommend their first book, It Starts with Food, where they walk you through the "Why's" of this diet, then it won't seem like meaningless restrictions. It's all the science behind how various ingredients affect your mind & body. The good & the bad.

Their second book, The Whole 30 is the short-hand version. The meat and potatoes.. err..vegetables.. so to speak, of this diet. Straightforward info and lots of recipes to get your started.

Don't overthink this. Just Eat Real Food #jerf
Keep it simple.
Don't binge before starting. That only makes it harder.
Plan Ahead. Stock your pantry & fridge before day 1. Meal prep, have healthy selections ready to go.
Never go to the store hungry. period.
Do it with a friend. Have your best friend, or spouse do it with you - and let people know before you start. That way when you go to a backyard bbq and are sipping LaCroix + Pom and skip the cheesy mashed potatoes and rolls, they'll know why.
Give yourself a break. If you eat something from the not-approved list, start over with your next meal, don't completely fall off because you tripped. Don't binge the rest of the day because you ate one of grandma's waffles.

We're in this together - please connect with me via Instagram, even just a comment or DM to let me know you're in. That way we can stay in touch and support each other! I'll be sharing my daily meals,and you can follow along with hashtags:

#mckenzieswhole30 for daily inspiration and to follow my 30 day journey

I'm so excited for you to join us in this next round of Whole30! Also, check out my last post

I'll be sharing my quick, go-to meals later this week!

xoxo, McKenzie

I'm pretty sure gummybears are apart of my DNA at this point.. and will be part of our girls soon.. I mean, it was my number one craving while I was pregnant with Aria and is kinda a household staple.. thank you Costco..

We do ration them, making them more of a treat for Aria.. but I wanted to make a healthier version - gummy snacks that are actually good for you!

These gummy snacks are ridiculously easy to make, fun to eat (I mean.. look at their little bear faces!)  and an easy way for everyone to boost their nutrient intake without all the sugar and artificial flavorings.

Do invest in some good gelatin - you'll reap that much more benefit from these little gummies. Gelatin in known for: maintaining joint health and recovery,  supporting skin, hair & nail growth, supports digestion, and helps to enhance cellular turnover which is great for your skin! Going down a rabbit hole for a moment, one of my very first posts here on Barbell in the Kitchen was a well-researched post about Gelatin.. you can read it here.

I chose to include NingXia Red in my gummy snacks, because I’m all about finding new ways to consume this amazing super fruit drink! It’s packed full of antioxidants and supports energy levels, normal cellular function, normal eye health.. really all of your body's systems. And, it’s delicious!


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup organic tart cherry juice
1/2 cup NingXia Red
2 Tbsp grass-fed gelatin
5-6 drops of Orange Vitality essential oil
Silicone Bear Molds

DIRECTIONS
These take maybe 10 minutes to make, total. Too easy!

1. Place silicone molds on a baking sheet or tray that will fit in your refrigerator or freezer (for the gummies to set). Doing this first makes it easier to chill them without making a mess before they’ve set! If you don’t have molds you can lightly grease a glass baking pan with coconut oil so you’ll be able to remove it once it’s set to cut into shapes.

2. Pour the juices into a small saucepan and bring to an almost boil.
Remove from heat and very slowly add the gelatin 1 Tbsp at a time while whisking until blended.  Add essential oil and whisk again

4. Pour or use a dropper to fill the silicone molds with the mixture (my gummy bear molds came with a dropper!), pour any leftovers into a glass dish (grease lightly if you’d like to remove and cut shapes). Whisk a few times during this process to keep the mixture well blended.

5. Place in refrigerator for a couple of hours to set. Or if you’re impatient like me, put them in the freezer for 15 minutes! Remove from molds or cut into shapes (this set of cutters are cute!)

Store in the refrigerator, they’ll last about 4-5 days (if you can restrain yourself from eating them all at once!)

To get yourself some Ningxia, GO HERE, you can choose Retail Member to just purchase the Ningxia Red, or Choose Wholesale Member for 24% off - and add it to your Starter Kit order. Check out this page for more details.



Comment or send me a message if you have any questions! What kind of gummies are you making?

xoxo

Hey guys, so we're gearing up for an August Whole30 and would LOVE to have you join us!! I'll be sharing some of my favorite Whole30 compliant recipes and resources later this week, so stay tuned.

I'm sharing this recipes since it's one of my favorites from WellFed 2.. You guys, you NEED this book. Every single recipe is Whole30 compliant and abolutely delicious. The original WellFed is pretty amazing too, and walks you through all the basics for food & meal prep - making eating clean so simple and easy. And when your Whole30 is over, you'll find yourself using these books over and over because the recipes are that good.

Okay, most of these are kitchen staples, the entire thing is done in only one pan it comes together quick. My husband isn't a huge coconut fan, so I with the most recent batch I cooked the chicken & veggies in avocado oil but still added in the coconut milk. When asked what he thought about the coconut flavor, I got a thumbs up and a nod as he took another bite.. man of few words, haha. The coconut flavor was definitely milder - so keep that in mind if you want less coconut flavor.

This recipe is versatile and simple, and easy to adjust to your personal liking.

Jerk Seasoning 

(you'll soon use this for everything)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon allspice
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Measure all of the spices into a medium bowl and mix with a fork until combined.

2 Transfer the spice blend to an airtight container and sprinkle it on meat and veggies when you want to add a spicy-sweet-hot kick to whatever’s on your plate. Reduce the cayenne if you like things on the milder side.

Pineapple Jerk Chicken (aka Pina Colada Chicken)

Summer is FINALLY here, (if you're in Oregon like me, winter lasted 10 months too long) - but sunny weather means all the fun posts and summertime activities. We love essential oils and all the fun DIY's and festive things that come with them, so I thought I'd share a few things I've put together recently in case you're a new member of our team or interested in what all essential oils can do.

First things first, because in the valley.. we have lots of bugs.

1.  Outdoor Spray: In a 2oz glass bottle, add 1 tablespoon witch hazel then add 10 drops Lemongrass + 10 drops Citronella (you can also use Purification) + 8 drops Lavender, top with distilled water. Shake before each use and avoid spraying on face, I prefer to spray lightly on back of the head/shirt, arms & around ankles/shoes. You can also bring that diffuser outside for to enjoy dinner on the back patio or fun in the yard.

But on the flipside for those super busy moms, (because mommin' ain't easy) Young Living just launched (literally last week!) a deet-free insect repellent that when tested by a third party was 30% MORE EFFECTIVE - and is so, so much better for you and your children than the chemical-based sprays. So there you go.. a not-DIY thing on a DIY post. ;)



2.  After Sun Spray: This one is perfect after an afternoon at the park or playing in the water. In a 4oz bottle: 1 tablespoon witch hazel + 1 oz pure aloe vera gel + 10 drops lavender + 10 drops Copaiba + 10 drops Peppermint. Mist on sunkissed skin as needed.  One of the new product launches was a spray called Lavaderm After-Sun Spray - so that makes that easy too!

3.  Sugar Scrub:  These are so fun because the possibilities are endless! The ratios that I use are 1 cup of sugar (white or brown) + 1/4 cup of oil (coconut, almond or jojoba)+ 10-12 drops of essential oil. This makes one small mason jar which should last a few weeks! Using these ratios, you can pretty much make any kind of sugar scrub using things you have on hand. A few of my favorite oil combos are Orange + Stress Away or Grapefruit + Peppermint or any of these individually. These make for super amazing gifts - triple the recipe and make a few smaller jars to give to teachers, moms, etc.

Please note to avoid peppermint if nursing and to avoid citrus oils on skin before spending time in the sun.

4.  Homemade Play-Dough: 

You will need:
1 cup of flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup of hot water
1/2 cup of salt
1 tbsp. cream of tartar
3-5 drops of essential oil - we love using Lavender, Stress Away or Peace & Calming
+ food coloring of your choice.

Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the hot water and oil and stir until mixture becomes thick & clumpy, once it sticks together, pull out of the bowl place on wax paper to cool. Once the playdough has cooled, add your essential oils and mix well with your hands. This is such a fun activity to do with your kids, and using calming/relaxing essential oils will provide an aromatic environment that is soothing and entertaining at the same time

4.  Beach Day Room Spray:  In a 12 oz. spray bottle, add 12 drops Grapefruit + 8 drops Bergamot + 5 drops Stress Away and top with distilled water. Mist around your home or on linens to freshen the room (from 12+ inches to make sure oil does not stain) for a summery, beachy vibe!

6.  Long Hair- Don't Care Leave-in Conditioner:  In a 2oz. glass spray bottle, add 1 tablespoon coconut milk (yes, milk ;)) + 10 drops essential oil (lavender + rosemary) and top with distilled water. Shake before each use & store in the refrigerator. 

PS. Add a few drops of Lavender to your shampoo during every hair wash to promote healthy hair growth

7.  Mermaid Hair Salt Spray: In a 4oz spray bottle combine 1 tablespoon epsom salt + 2 teaspoons organic coconut oil + 2 teaspoons aloe vera gel (the real stuff) + 5-10 drops essential oils of choice (rosemary & grapefruit* or lavender & lemon* both smell amazing!). Top with warm distilled water and shake before use. Spritz on dry hair fora "I just had a relaxing swim in the ocean" look ;)  

>>A couple notes for this recipe - you can definitely use real sea salt, however that can result in a crunchier feel and can be somewhat drying for the hair shaft. Epsom salt results in a softer, more natural wave and is gentler on hair.

>> And the * is because citrus oils are photosensitive and will lighten your hair, so omit if you'd like.



We absolutely love oils & believe that every household should have them. If you don’t already use oils & want to get learn more, you can read more over here! In this post, I talk about all the ways we use essential oils everyday and to find any of the spray bottles mentioned above, head over to My Favorite Oil Swag (scroll down the page a bit). Also, follow along on our Happy Mama Essentials instagram.

xoxo