I'm a Health Expert on Further Food! -

Hi friends!

I have partnered up with Further Food and I am officially a member of their team of Health Experts, which is made up of tons of other Registered Dietitians and nutritionists! (In other words, my fav kind of people! 🙂 )

There are so many awesome things going on at Further Food, which is what made me want to join this inspiring community. Further Food is a place where you can find delicious recipes (which have all been reviewed by Registered Dietitians!), meal plans, personal stories and articles written for and by people with health conditions all across the board. Further Food’s mission is to help people find relief and good health through food, rather than medicine and supplements. We as a community want to help anyone suffering from a health condition realize that a) you are not alone, and b) there is a healthy and safe way to feel better, and that is through proper nutrition.

On Further Food’s website, you can find information on basically every condition under the sun – food allergies, diabetes, GI issues, cancer, heart-related conditions and more. In addition, you will find testimonials from countless Health Heroes suffering from one of those conditions who have experienced the healing power of nutrition. Those individuals share their stories, as well as tons of delicious recipes that are appropriate for specific diets as well as the general population.

Everyone is looking for a quick fix these days. A pill that will magically make them skinny in a week or make all their health issues disappear. Unfortunately, if you’re living an unhealthy lifestyle, no pill can fix that for you. However, eating well and incorporating exercise into your life is basically guaranteed to lead to health benefits that you may not have thought were possible. Nutritious food truly can act as medicine, while unhealthy foods can do just the opposite and lead to obesity, chronic diseases, and countless other health issues. *In many cases, people suffer from conditions that were not caused as a result of their lifestyle, but rather they were born that way or they developed over time, such as autoimmune disorders, GI diseases, etc. However, if you suffer from something like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, it’s never too late to adopt healthy habits that can improve or potentially even resolve those issues.

Ever since I started this blog in May, I have loved sharing my personal stories, nutrition advice & healthy recipes simply because I’m so passionate about health and wellness. Another awesome benefit that I didn’t expect was getting connected with so many inspiring individuals who value the same things as I do. It is so encouraging and refreshing to communicate with people who totally understand why I care so much about eating well and exercising regularly, and want to motivate others to do the same too. A group of people who doesn’t question it or think I’m over the top about my goals or desire to live this way – they just GET it and support it 100%. Isn’t that what we all need? To be understood and cheered on along the way?

Everyone knows what they could do to improve their health; they just don’t always want to admit that they need to make changes, or can’t find the motivation to do so. The moment you stop thinking of it as a diet and start thinking of it as a lifestyle change is the moment you will get that much closer to success. Talking to someone like me or any of the health heroes & experts on Further Food could spark your interest and make you realize that we are all genuinely happy and excited about living this way. That right there is solid proof that eating well (what some of you may think of as a restrictive “diet”) truly can be delicious, satisfying and make you feel really great all at the same time.

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If you are looking for some inspiration, credible nutrition advice, information on specific health conditions, or delicious recipes, I highly recommend visiting Further Food – you can even subscribe to their newsletter or follow them on all kinds of social media!

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Click here to view my Health Expert profile on Further Food! Some of my posts and recipes will be featured soon! 🙂 I’m so excited and honored to be joining this community of motivational, healthy people.

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Thank you so much to those of you who continue to follow me in this everyday health journey I call life. 🙂

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Okay, so last weekend I tried something that I’ve never tried before — LASAGNA. I’ve always been a little intimidated by lasagna for some reason, and I always kinda avoided it since it’s usually super fattening & contains ground beef, which I don’t eat very often. (Lean red meat is okay in moderation! It’s just not really my thing.) Anyway, I found a few lightened up versions of lasagna that inspired me and went from there! I subbed some of the ricotta cheese for plain non-fat Greek yogurt and I even snuck some whole grains and lean ground chicken in there! ; )

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I must mention, I made this recipe when I was in a major time crunch, so the process was a little frantic… AKA I didn’t do much measuring, slash I threw some things in there that I’m not sure I even remember, but I believe this recipe will get you close enough to the same final product. 🙂 The lasagna was a hit with my parents and boyfriend so I was very pleased!! Oh, and I loved it too. ??I also want to warn you that this recipe can get a little messy and it is a little more labor intensive than some others I have shared. It is not difficult – it just has a few more steps. But it’s actually really fun to make so grab a friend or your significant other to make it with you and you’ll have no problem!

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Healthy Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

10 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked
8-10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
8 oz fat-free or low-fat ricotta cheese
6 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used shredded because I got it on accident – but it works just fine if that’s all you have on hand!)
1 package 95% lean ground chicken, cooked (optional – can leave out if you want a vegetarian dish)
1 egg
32 oz Prego Heart Smart sauce (or spaghetti sauce of your choice)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasonings
Black pepper to taste
Mozzarella cheese for topping (~1.5 tbsp on top of each roll-up)

Instructions:

Cook ground chicken in large skillet on stovetop. Drain the fat. Set aside.
Cook whole wheat lasagna noodles until tender. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Thaw the frozen spinach according to instructions on package and make sure to drain it well.
Combine the spinach, ricotta, Greek yogurt, Parmesan, garlic, seasonings, pepper, egg, and cooked chicken in a medium bowl. Mix well.

6. Pour about 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

7. Lay a piece of wax paper out on counter and spread out a few lasagna noodles at a time, patting them dry on both sides using a paper towel. Spoon some of the chicken and cheese mixture (~1/3 cup) onto the noodles and spread evenly.

8. Roll the noodles up and place one at a time into the 9×13 pan. Place seam side down.

9. Once the rolls are in the pan, spoon some sauce on top of each one and top with about 1-2 tbsp of shredded mozzarella cheese (or desired amount).

Since I cooked 10 noodles, I had enough for 8 roll-ups and then made a “mini” lasagna in a small baking dish! You can do this as well, or just make 2 more roll-ups!

10. Cover pan tightly with foil and place in oven for 40 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with another small side of sauce for dipping. And some garlic bread if you’re feeling crazy. ; )

Enjoy!!