Mama Jess

11/10/2022

Gorgeous veggies 🥰

My favorite veggie hash recipe can be found over at

09/30/2022

Locals!
Get over to today!
Open till 4pm. I love a fall veggie haul! Organic farming practices, LOCAL veggies that haven’t traveled or Sat in trucks, rainbow of veggies for your gut health! Weekend cooking joy ❤️

We are so lucky to have this here in 60010! Please support them!
🌶🥬🥦🥒🥕🥔🧄🧅🍅🫑

06/30/2022

Summer means Zoodles.
I find that once you sauté them, they reheat well. Great to have in the fridge for a healthy lunch or dinner. Favorite toppings are shrimp, chicken, tofu, salmon, and of course MORE VEGGIES!

1️⃣Pick or buy organic zucchini. It’s a veggie that is often genetically modified if not organic.
2️⃣wash, trim ends and then spiralize.
3️⃣in large pan put a dash of olive oil, heat medium high. Add Zoodles and salt well.
4️⃣sauté for 4-5 minutes. Enjoy!

05/14/2022

Busy weekend ahead meant prepping Friday night.
Veggies ✅
Protein ✅
Breakfasts ✅

Now off to watch kiddos have fun!

Happy Weekend!

04/12/2022

Just a friendly reminder to keep eating those veggies!

Need some motivation?
🥕raw veggies feed your gut bacteria, the good ones. Healthy gut = string immune system and healthy brain
🥕veggies are high in fiber. The Standard American Diet is really lacking in fiber. Fiber helps our body get rid of toxins.
🥕plant nutrients are amazing for your health. Are you falling for ‘plant based’ food marketing? Just eat some veggies instead!
🥕diets high in veggies help prevent so many diseases from cardiovascular to cancer.

01/01/2022

Happy 2022 Friends!
I love this. It’s from fantastic wordsmith & artist.

Enjoy and wishing you the healthiest & happiest year ahead.
🥬🥦🫑🥒🥕🍠🍅

11/07/2021

Several of my sweet friends requested this recipe from my stories last week. Sorry it took me a week to post - it’s been a cook-a-thon over here. Cooking for teenagers! Another full time job 😂

A gift of the Covid Quarantine: I started making a weekly soup for us all to eat for lunches. I keep that up about 9 months out of the year, pausing in summer for more salad prep. I love love having a soup of the week on hand for a quick dinner, snack or perfect lunch.

This soup is creamy but veggie packed. I usually make it the week after Thanksgiving with leftover Turkey added. You can certainly add chicken instead or sans meat works well too!

Again- black rice is highest in fiber and protein of all the rices. It has as much anthocyanins as 🫐🤯 (the colorful antioxidant part that fight inflammation and disease) I love it’s nutty and hearty texture whereas other rice in soup just seems mushy to me as well as blood sugar spiking. No thanks!

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

1 cup carrot, fine chop
1 cup celery, fine chop
1 large shallot, diced
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, fine chop
2 T EVOO
1/4 c flour
S&P to taste
1/3 cup white wine
1 tsp thyme
4 cups chicken broth (or veg)
3/4 cup black rice
3/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
**Optional to add Turkey or chicken

1. Add oil and veggies (carrot, celery, shallot, mushrooms) to large pot. Sauté 8 minutes.
2. Add flour and S&P (I start with 1 tsp salt and just 1/4 tsp pepper) stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add wine and thyme. Inhale that delicious smell, let cook off for 2 minutes.
4. Add broth and rice. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer and cook 35-45 minutes depending rice instructions.
5. Remove from heat. Add yogurt or sour cream. Stir to combine.
6. Enjoy!

Eat those veggies,
Jess

10/06/2021

I shared this tip at my Nutrition talk last week
I didn’t think much of it but some of the participants thought I was a genius 🤓😂 so I thought it best to share with all of you too!⁠
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Simple way to eat more greens 💚 (kale or spinach in particular) is to the throw a whole tub or bag of baby spinach or kale into the freezer. I take out handfuls everyday for smoothies or to boost a quinoa pilaf/pasta dish/cauliflower rice with some greens. You don’t have to worry about your greens going bad in the fridge when they are stashed in the freezer. Totally makes those 5 pound tubs from Costco make sense!

Spinach is high in Vitamin K & A, iron, fiber 💪very low cal and very good for you 💚

Let me know what else is always in your freezer for healthy eating?

09/24/2021

Want to feel like a Super Hero🦸‍♀️? Me too! One thing that makes me feel like the super hero of is when I pull something NUTRITIOUS out of the fridge and have a home cooked meal ready to eat. Just reheat and enjoy this veggie packed frittata 🥚🫑🥒🥦⁠
This frittata tastes like deep dish pizza but much healthier!
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If you're already a meal planner/prepper, this will be a great addition to your list! Works for breakfast or lunch and yes, even dinner (serve with a side salad?) Nutrition facts below. ⁠
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I was thrilled the last of my garden bounty provided the kale, basil and zucchini 👏 Feel free to make the veggie variety your own. Broccoli, arugula, mushrooms, eggplant…only caution is tomatoes can make it too watery. ⁠
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🌱GARDEN VEGGIE FRITTATA🌱⁠
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8 oz breakfast sausage (optional)⁠
2 T EVOO ⁠
1 small yellow onion, diced⁠
1 bell pepper, diced⁠
2 zucchinis, diced⁠
2 cups kale, chopped ⁠
Handful of fresh basil ⁠
12 Eggs⁠⁠
1/2 cup Greek yogurt ⁠
6 oz mozzarella cheese, grated ⁠
1/2 t oregano, dried ⁠
1/2 t salt ⁠
1/4 t pepper ⁠
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1️⃣ Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. ⁠
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2️⃣ Prepare the sausage if using, if it has casings, remove. Sauté or heat up sausage, break into bit size pieces. ⁠
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3️⃣ In large pan, heat EVOO and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes. Then add pepper and zucchini for 3-4 minutes. Add kale at end. ⁠
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4️⃣ Evenly distribute veggies & sausage in baking dish. Sprinkle basil on too evenly. ⁠
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5️⃣ In large bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, cheese, oregano, S&P. ⁠
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6️⃣ Pour egg mixture over veggie mixture. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. You want eggs to be set and top to be golden brown. ⁠
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7️⃣ Serve hot and/or save leftovers for future meals. ⁠
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1/8 of pan: 340 kcal, 20g PRO, 9g CARB, 24g FAT⁠
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09/21/2021

Local Peeps 60010! I’m talking all things Nutrition 101 tomorrow night. Please pass it along or come join the conversation.
Veggies, more veggies and more veggies will be covered 😉🥬🥕🥦🥒🫑🍅

It's not too late to register for tomorrow's nutrition lecture! Call 847-620-4500 or stop by the front desk!

09/17/2021

This is a nutrition tip that crosses from kitchen to outdoors. Gardening seasoning is still upon us but in our area it’s coming to an end. There’s still time to get out and play in the dirt. Even if you don’t have a vegetable garden, playing in your flower beds counts too! Pulling weeds, planting mums sans gardening gloves 😉⁠
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Why is playing in the dirt so good? Gosh - I could on and on, but here are some key points I’ve learned from a brilliant microbiologist (Dr. Jack Gilbert) and a brilliant doctor ( ):⁠
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🪴 Dirt has good bacteria that helps diversify your skin microbiome (and your gut…yes dirt on your veggies!) ⁠
🪴 “Repeated and unnecessary use of hand sanitizers may deplete the natural protective microbial community on your skin. This maybe make it easier for bad bugs to colonize you.” I think the past 18 months has lead us all to use sanitizers too much - time to build back the good bacteria people!! Quote from Dr. Gilbert’s must read book: DIRT IS GOOD
🪴exposure to farms, farm animals, farm living is proven to provide resistance to allergies and autoimmunity. Get a dog if you don’t have farm access!
🪴 playing in the dirt can really be a metaphor for more natural living. Give toxins and chemicals in your home, cleaning products (over sanitation) , skin products, beauty products, food, cooking utensils the boot!! Don’t over-sanitize your home, your hands, your skin, your body!⁠
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09/15/2021

Hello Gorgeous Veggies 😍 Farm stand haul of the week. I won’t be able to stomach a single grocery store tomato after being spoiled by Best tomatoes 🍅 ⁠
Visiting a farmers market is a great way to expose you and your family to:⁠
1. More veggies - many cups per day!⁠
2. More varieties of veggies (try to eat 30+ per week?! Supports your gut microbiome ⁠
3. Fiber - the SAD (standard American diet) is lacking fiber ⁠
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Local peeps: farm stand open Fridays 11-4pm. Don’t miss out!⁠
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Here’s what I made with these treats:⁠
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✅ lunch salads with the lettuce ⁠
✅ homemade salsa with some of tomatoes ⁠
✅ air fryer eggplant slices ⁠
✅ Zoodles with zucchini ⁠
✅ garlic for marinades ⁠
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