The Nourished Family

Nutrient Dense Recipes + Answers for Healthier Families

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About

Hi there! I’m Rashele. Welcome to my blog! 

The Nourished Family is a blog inspired by my passion for creating delicious, nutrient dense food for my family. I hope to inspire you to get in your kitchen and cook healthy, practical, and budget-friendly recipes for your own family. Because what you eat (& digest) really does matter!

Every single recipe is designed with your health in mind. 100% free of junk & 100% healthy ingredients (natural sweeteners in moderation). My recipes are crafted to be full of real food ingredients that nourish the body. Every single recipe is gluten-free and most are also dairy-free, grain-free and/or Paleo. When I use dairy, I advocate for products from 100% grass-fed animals that are non-homogenized.  Sweet & Sour Chicken | Just one of our many nutrient dense recipe. Visit www.thenourishedfamily.com for more!

Why I Started This Blog

I believe that what you eat & digest really does matter. And not just a little …. but a whole lot. Food is medicine!

But to be honest, my kitchen hasn’t always been a happy place. There was a day several years ago where I stood in my kitchen holding my first baby in my arms and I felt completely overwhelmed.

  • I had just learned that the low fat/high protein diet my husband and I followed for years wasn’t evidence based and could be downright detrimental to babies and children.
  • I learned that I needed things like pastured eggs, grass-fed meats, and non-homogenized milk … where in the heck was I going to get that from?
  • I learned about glyphosate and about pesticide residue in the urine samples of children; how were we going to afford eating organic?
  • I learned about disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and how it plays into chronic disease for children.
  • I learned about soaking, sprouting, fermentation, gut bacteria, detoxing my home, safe personal care items, and more.

I resolved to change one item at a time. To change one step at a time. It took years and I am still continually learning and improving.

And so The Nourished Family blog was born—this time for you! To give you place to come, to inspire you, to show you how to eat delicious food no matter what your restrictions may or may not be, and to nourish a community of people who believe that what we eat (and digest!) really does matter. In addition to recipes, I will be sharing tips for healthy living,  such as this article on Vitamins & Supplements for Children and insight on all things related to having a non-toxic home & raising healthy families.

My blog will focus on providing you with delicious recipes that are easy to search based on your needs. Don’t have dietary restrictions? That’s okay! Come to The Nourished Family to find recipes that are always healthy and full of nourishing ingredients.

About | Nutrient dense recipes & Answers for Healthier Families

My Recipe Philosophy 

I believe that real food with nourishing ingredients should be satiating & delicious. I am passionate about healthy food and making it a lifestyle that is sustainable. Not only have I created recipes but I also share with you the knowledge I have about the unique health benefits of a variety of foods and ingredients.

I specifically cater to those that follow special diets including gluten-free, Paleo, dairy-free, & sugar-free.

There is just one caveat: healthy ingredients must never sacrifice taste.

Now, if you are used to eating highly processed food full of refined sugar and flour it is going to take some time to get accustomed to eating real food. Hang in there though because real food recipes are nature & creativity at their finest; truly satiating, nutrient dense, & body healing. This cake is real food and it looks positively UH-MAZING, right?

Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe {Vegan & Gluten-free} | This Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake is definitely as HEALTHY & DELICIOUS as cake gets. Moist, fluffy, naturally sweetened. You are going to love this recipe! | thenourishedfamily.com

Getting a little personal:

I’m a Mom: I have two beautiful daughters, counting down the arrival of baby #3 in August of 2018, and am an advocate for natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and nutrient dense foods for pregnant mamas & little growing bodies. I love being a mother and consider marriage and raising children my life’s vocation.

I’m a Wife: I’ve been married to my handsome husband for 8 years now and so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and father to our children!

I’m a Registered Nurse: I have had the privilege of working as an RN in the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department for the last 8 years and currently enjoy working in an exclusively pediatric emergency department.

Meet The Nourished Family | Nutrient dense recipes + Answers for healthier families | thenourishedfamily.com

I’m a Researcher: It seems that the more I learn, the more I realize how little I actually know. I strive to use evidence-based practice both in my profession and in my home as a wife & mother.

Randomness: A few of my favorite things are dark chocolate, Humm Coconut Lime Kombucha (seriously addicting!), and my all time favorite fruit is a fresh-picked peach. I love sunshine, log fireplaces, and escaping into the mountains as much as possible.

Social media is my arch nemesis. No seriously—I am an introvert and a little old-fashioned. I love books!

I like to repurpose furniture and have built a few things out of wood including our kitchen table & this play kitchen for our kids. The kitchen is made out of plywood and standard lumbar & was truly a labor of love. It isn’t perfect but the kids love it!

About | Rashele likes to build as a hobby | thenourishedfamily.comMy motto in life is to take small projects and turn them into ginormous complicated projects that I really don’t have time for. My only saving grace is that I have tunnel vision and tackle things head-on with (sometimes) too much passion.

At a lastly, on a personal level– I am living life with intention, following Jesus Christ, & striving to grow in virtue so that I can be the best version of me as I live out my vocations as a mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, & co-worker, & nurse.

I’m a consultant: I sell some Pampered Chef products that I personally own, love, & have used for 10+ years. 

Check out some of my popular recipes:

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe {Paleo} | A healthy Thanksgiving tradition that is easy to make, naturally sweetened, & Paleo | thenourishedfamily.com Easy Grilled Steak Fajitas Recipe | This a simple recipe that our family loves all year round. Easily made Paleo with grain free tortillas & dairy-free by omitting the cheese.  | thenourishedfamily.com  Sweet and Sour Chicken {Paleo} | This Sweet & Sour Chicken is a absolutely divine. It's so good you won't even want dessert afterwards! Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, & naturally sweetened. | thenourishedfamily.comThese Mint Chocolate Truffle Bites were meant to be a copycat for the Larabar Bites my kids love, but I dare say, they are even better tasting and way easier on the budget! Sweetened with dates, collagen added for extra protein, and a touch of dark chocolate.  | thenourishedfamily.com Best Hot Chocolate Recipe Ever {Turmeric, Collagen} | The Best Hot Chocolate Recipe Ever ... umm, really? Could it be that good? YEESSSS! Rich dark raw cacao, creamy, a hint of maple syrup of sweetness, subtle hints of turmeric & cinnamon with a little collagen, gelatin, & coconut oil (or butter) thrown in for added nourishment. | thenourishedfamily.com

Or browse health-related resources:

  1. 20 Ways to Keep Your Kids Healthy this Winter
  2. 7 Essential Vitamins & Supplements for Children
  3. How to Buy Grass-fed Beef
  4. How to Buy Food in Bulk 

Stay in Touch

Subscribe to my blog for free recipes, food-related articles, health articles, meal plans, healthy home tips, and more. This is your invite to join my community of health-minded mama’s!

I’d love for you to stay in touch with The Nourished Family & always be up to date. Find me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you’d like to contact me, you can fill out the form here or shoot Rashele an email directly at thenourishedfam(at)gmail.com.

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Health Tips

  • How to Use Collagen Daily

    Strawberry Lime Popsicles, Blueberry Coconut Popsicles, in smoothies (strawberry, banana, coconut milk, collagen, white chia seeds, & shake of stevia is our current favorite!). It can be dissolved in cold water, kefir soda, kombucha, or lemon water and used in warm tea, coffee, or hot cacao.

    Because collagen dissolves in cold liquids easily and has almost no taste it is easy slip it in unnoticed! Great Lakes is the brand we buy because it is from grass-fed cows, has a good reputation, and the price is about half of other leading brands. Vital Proteins is another well know, trusted grass-fed brand.

  • How we eat saturated fat daily

    Cooking eggs in coconut oil or animal fat

    Using lard and palm shortening to make pastries and cookies

    Butter & coconut oil coffee (aka the popular "bullet proof coffee")

    Buttered or coconut oil coated veggies

    Grass-fed beef several times each week

    Chocolate coconut candies 

    Recommended reading: "The Big Fat Surprise" by Nina Teicholz

  • Eggs are a Superfood!

    Did you know that a single egg contains: 5 grams of good fats (omega-3's & omega 6's), 6 grams of protein, vitamins A, B2, B5, B6 B12, D, E, K, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, zinc, and choline. Studies are now showing that eggs do not raise cholesterol and may even lower the incidence of heart disease and stroke. Pastured eggs may even lower triglyceride levels for some people! To find nutrient dense eggs be sure to look for eggs laid by hens that roam free in a large pasture, eat insects, and are ideally supplemented with organic table scraps. If they are given grain check to make sure it is non-GMO and free of corn and soy.

  • Collagen Peptides: Why We Love Them

    Collagen is an insoluble protein that accounts for 1/3 of the protein in our bodies and 70% of the protein in our skin; it has multiple health benefits including joint repair, boosting the health of skin, hair, and nails, helping to heal leaky gut, improving metabolism, energy, muscle mass, and reducing stretch marks/cellulite.

     

  • Ratio of Omega 6 vs. Omega 3 Fatty Acids in EGGS

    According to this study, conventional eggs have a 19:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1). Whoa! Truly pastured hens eating insects (and free of corn, soy, GMO's) have a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. What's the problem with omega-6 fatty acids? Nothing when consumed in small quantities. However, in larger quantities omega-6 is known to help stimulate more inflammation in the body. We currently buy our eggs locally for ~$5/dozen and it is worth every penny. These yolks are like liquid gold! Bright yellow, thick, and super tasty. The yolk takes up most of the egg with a smaller but equally delicious egg white and the egg shell itself is hard to break. (1) Fallon, Sally, Mary G. Enig, Kim Murray, and Marion Dearth. "Fats." Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. Washington, DC: NewTrends, 2005. 11. Print.

  • Babies & Toddlers Eat Ferments Too!

    Do our kids eat fermented foods? Absolutely! Milk kefir smoothies, kefir "soda", kombucha, sauerkraut, fermented garlic & dill pickles, fermented ketchup, & dirt. Yes -- dirt. We encourage our kids to get dirty & if they put good soil in their mouths I don't sweat it. The key is to start early if possible; we were able to start our second child much sooner and by 8 months she was eating sauerkraut plain right off her tray (and prefers it to "pancakes" to this day!).

  • How We Eat Fermeted Foods Every Day

    We eat 1-2 tablespoons of fermented foods and/or 2-6 ounces of a fermented beverage with every meal. Why? To help our immune system, improve our digestion, increase energy, and take good care of our guts. Here is a real life example of how we eat ferments every day: Breakfast: Eggs with sauerkraut or kimchi & Kombucha/Snack: Milk kefir smoothie/Lunch: Fermented pickles or carrots/ Mid-afternoon: Kefir water or kefir soda/Dinner: Fermented ginger carrots or garlic cloves.

  • Are Probiotics BAD For You?Are Probiotics BAD For You?

    Improving one's gut micro biome is a hot topic these days ... but is the standard "probiotic" the way to do this? Is consuming billions of copies of just 3-24 strands of bacteria (when your gut contains 30,000+ species) just another billion dollar industry that is underserving the needs of our bodies?

    Check out my favorite (free) podcast episodes to learn what triple board certified Zach Bush, MD & microbiology researcher Kiran Krishnan have to say on the subject:

    Why You Can’t Get Away From The Toxin Glyphosate (& What You Can Do About It) 

    Improve Your Gut Microbiome

     

  • We LOVE Saturated Fat

    Thank goodness it is no longer shocking to hear that saturated fat (animal fats such as lard & tallow, coconut oil, butter, and palm shortening) are actually good for you. The culprit that is deleterious to our health is ... drumroll .....sugar! For our families this means no refined sweeteners, keeping all forms of sugar minimal, and including moderate amounts of well sourced (organic, grass-fed, pasture raised, sustainably sourced, etc.) saturated fat in our diet daily.

Get Recipes & Healthy Family Resources

admin(at)thenourishedfamily.com
Rashele and Shelly
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