Sports Nutrition – GUTSy Performance Nutrition

Carbohydrates, Fat, Nutrition + Health, Running, Sports Nutrition, Spring

Coconut Macaroon No-Bake Cookies

May 4, 2023by RebeccaLeave a Comment

I have a handful of routine no-bake cookie and energy bar formulas I frequently use to make tasty (and still nutritious) treats and snacks. In the winter, I often make a gingerbread variation. Or for routine mid-afternoon snacks, I’ll make a date / hemp protein / apricot / nut or seed energy bar variation.

A couple years ago, I taught a cook-along class with my local Oregon Oiselle running group, and we made one of the recipe variations of these no-bake cookies as a dessert. A couple weeks later while on a run, one of the attendees mentioned she’d adapted the recipe just slightly to make it even easier to whip together, and she was using it for long run and ultra training fuel.

With the combination of milled oats and ground nuts, coconut oil, and a quickly absorbing sugar source (honey or maple syrup), these will indeed make a good fuel option for longer (slower) runs or cycling rides, where the digestive system can take its time a bit and handle a little more complex carbohydrates and fats as fuel.

And I’m all for taking a recipe and making it your own.

I give a variation to make these sort of like no-bake truffles that are coated in a dark chocolate shell, but realistically, I almost never do that. I don’t tend to be a big chocolate person (I do like chocolate! I just rarely crave it or set out to make chocolate infused foods.) But if that sounds good to you, the chocolate / coconut flavor pairing is generally a good one.

Hope you enjoy – as a dessert, a post-workout quick fuel, afternoon snack, or training fuel – or whatever way works for you!

Coconut Macaroon No-Bake Cookies

Nothing like a traditional macaroon but rich in coconut and almond flavor, these are tasty little bites to have as a quick snack or end of day dessert – or training fuel for longer, lower intensity (easy day) efforts.

Prep: 10-15 minutes | Makes: 6-7

½ cup + 2 Tbs. / 70 grams rolled oats
¼ cup / 28 grams almond flour
¼ cup / 20 grams unsweetened coconut flakes
⅛ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. / 32 grams raw coconut butter
½ Tbs. / 7 grams coconut oil
2 ½ Tbs. / 50 grams maple syrup or honey
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
Optional: melted dark chocolate

In a food processor, combine the oats until broken down in a rough flour-like consistency. Then add the remaining ingredients and process until everything comes together.
Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls in using your palms until they are firm and won’t fall apart when you pick them up. Put them on a plate or in a storage container.
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. They will last longer, but won’t taste as fresh. Allow them to come to room temperature before enjoying.

Note: if you’d like a slightly more decadent dessert, melt a small amount of chocolate in a double boiler and dip each cookie into the chocolate. Set in the fridge to firm up.

Ayurveda, GI Problems, Nutrition + Health, Sports Nutrition

“Normal” Habits that Cause Poor Digestion

February 19, 2023by RebeccaLeave a Comment

What’s considered “normal” in our modern culture doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy or optimal.

As a pathway to optimal health and performance, optimal digestion is one of my main focuses as a clinical nutritionist. Why?

Because the fire element in the body is responsible for all forms of transformation internally – digestion, absorption, assimilation, creation of digestive enzymes, maintaining balanced body temperature and metabolism, providing energy, supporting regular and balanced elimination, deep sleep, mental clarity, stability and groundedness, cellular communication, and zest for life.

Among many others.

In nearly all cases, the root cause of weight gain or stagnation, inflammation, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression, hormone imbalances and monthly or menopausal symptoms, are all rooted in the condition of the digestive system’s ability to optimally transform food into a healthy body and mind.

In the last few years, I’ve been increasingly drawn to the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, which is one of if not the oldest, medical system. In Ayurveda, many of the medical terms are in Sanskrit, a very old classical language.

In Sanskrit, there’s this term used with poor digestion called Ama, meaning unripe, uncooked, or undigested food, or events that occur as a result of impaired digestive function.

Can you spot any of the normal food preparation techniques that may be problematic for certain individuals?

In our modern lifestyles, there are lots of “normal” ways of eating that cause ama formation, or impaired digestive function:

Meal combinations that have complicated ingredient combinations or incompatible elements
Eating heavy foods or indigestible foods
- This may be unique to the individual or universal
- For example, A meat lover’s pizza with lots of cheese is not going to be well tolerated by anyone.
Overeating
Eating allergenic or rancid food
Raw and undercooked food
- Especially when it’s cold outside or the individual is cold, dry, and generally undernourished
Eating cold food
- Especially when it’s cold outside or the individual runs cold
Eating dry and dehydrated food
Experiencing intense emotional stress and especially eating when experiencing that stress
Fasting for long periods of time
Irregular eating patterns
- The body likes routine because it has its own circadian rhythms that also regulate digestion as well as sleep/wake cycles. Meaning it’s best to eat at the same times every day!
Suppression of natural urges like needing to go to the bathroom, ignoring hunger or thirst, etc.
When one travels a lot or the season or weather shifts
- The body likes routine, and there may be an adjustment period with seasonal transitions, as well as with traveling to a new place.

Our ancient teachings remind us that modern day “normal” isn’t necessarily natural.

Do you routinely practice any of these seemingly “normal” ways of eating? I know I sometimes do, and I definitely notice a difference in my digestion, energy, skin quality, and generally how I feel – both when I fall into these habits and when I transition back to cooking and eating styles that support digestion. The common culprits for me are uncooked, crunchy salads, overcomplicated “cheffy” meal combinations, and eating when stressed or anxious.

Each of us tends to gravitate to a few of these and they’re often more of the root cause for impaired digestion than the idea that you simply can’t tolerate a big list of random foods.

The ability to take food and break it down into nutrients, and assimilate it into the body to be used as energy is the basis for building healthy body tissue (and thus a healthy body!) The goal for each of us is balanced digestion, and the stable mood, and smooth and efficient symptoms that come with it. This is possible for everyone.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can fix it, I’d love to speak with you in a quick phone consultation!

Learn more about which of the four types of digestion you have.

Ayurveda, Nutrition + Health, Running, Sports Nutrition, Winter

GUTSy Performance Nutrition Gift Guide

December 6, 2022December 13, 2022by RebeccaLeave a Comment

Over the years, I’ve learned that the foundation of good health is proper digestion and mindfulness (being in the present, in a calm state of mind). Not gimmicky supplements and trendy superfoods. With that in mind, if you still have some stocking stuffers or gifts to choose, or plan to give yourself the foundation of good health this coming year, below are a few of my favorite essentials.

Diaspora Co. Spices: Partnering directly with their hand-picked farmers in India, this company is committed to especially high quality and fair prices. The cost to you is worth it, and you’ll taste the quality in your cooking. My favorites are the high curcumin Lakadong turmeric, rose petals, coriander (incredible aroma and flavor), ginger, and fennel seeds. Cooking with spices is one of the keys to unlocking proper digestion – plus flavorful meals!

Burlap & Barrel Hing: An essential cooking spice for those having trouble digesting beans, legumes, garlic, onions, and many other foods. Just a sprinkle goes a long way! Pick up their vanilla extract kit while you’re there!

Farm True Ghee : The only ghee I use and recommend. Using milk from 100% grass-fed and humane-treated cows (they are only collecting milk during the time of year when cows are on grass), Farm True also partners with its Amish farmers in Pennsylvania who are committed to their high standards of care and milk production. I feel comfortable using and recommending this ghee to all those who are sensitive to dairy protein, as the protein has been removed from the milk fat. Ghee is also rich in butyrate, which is an incredibly helpful compound for maintaining and getting back to balanced gut health.

CCF Tea : Cumin, Coriander, and Fennel Seed tea. This is an essential go-to for good digestion and can be quite helpful to sip on this time of year. Available through my custom dispensary at Wellevate, along with a few other wellness mainstays.

Mountain Rose Herbal Tea : Lots of selection of herbal blends for your needs. They are all high quality!

Oregon Hazelnuts: The Willamette Valley in Oregon is home to 99% of the US Hazelnut production. I toured and participated in a farm dinner at My Brothers’ Farm this last fall – local hazelnuts are highly recommended! Use them in homemade snack bars, as a topping to soups, salads, and grain bowls, or use a food processor and turn them into rich, delicious hazelnut butter.

Dried Tart Cherries: Tart cherries might have a little of an endurance athlete health halo around them (which is perhaps not justified in the amount any person would / could regularly consume), but they are sweet pops of flavor that add so much to all sorts of foods (drop cookies, Wonder Woman snack bars, salads, elevated grain dishes), and just one or two with a square of dark chocolate also makes for a delicious and satisfying dessert.

Honey Stinger Caffeinated Energy Gels: Sting or Bee Stung, as the Honey Stinger Hive says. These are my go-to race day fuel.

Nutrition Consultation Gift Card: Give the ultimate gift of good digestion, good health and properly fueled performance – working with a qualified nutrition professional. (Reach out to me to inquire and we’ll get a gift card in the amount you choose sorted.)

A Good Dutch Oven – A good cast iron dutch oven in the size that works for you will be an investment for a lifetime. My 2-quart dutch oven is the go-to pot for cooking stovetop grains like quinoa and rice. They come out perfect every time.

Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower: My go-to cookbook this year! Gill Meller has a talent for turning minimal ingredient lists into delicious elevated meals that highlight seasonal vegetables and fruit. The photos and writing are worth the book alone! Check out some of my other favorite cookbooks and nutrition / food / herbal books for more ideas.

Rifle Journal Spiral Notebook: A spiral journal for writing notes and thoughts.

Tongue Scraper: Won’t go a day without it! A tongue scraper, used first thing every morning, removes all the bacteria and film from your tongue that makes its way up from your digestive tract at night. This is a must for healthy digestion!

Beeswax Candle: A good candle is so helpful for getting into a calm, present state of mind. And beeswax burns clean, so you’re not releasing toxic compounds into your air.

Want to Know More?

Within my nutrition practice, I specialize in endurance athletes and digestive imbalances, from an Ayurvedic and Functional Nutrition foundation. I encourage you to reach out to me for more personalized support or sign up for my monthly newsletter.