Other than how many calories you consume here are some other things happening in your body that may make weight loss a bit stubborn.

1. Sleep and hormones. It is recommended that adults get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Without it, your body’s hormones can become disrupted messing with your metabolism. Lack of sleep causes your body to produce more of your hunger hormone called ghrelin and less of your full hormone, leptin. More ghrelin + less leptin means you can gain weight or have a difficult time losing weight.

Tip: The solution is… sleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping at night seek help from a healthcare professional.

2. Low diversity of gut microbes. Your gut is home of billions of gut microbes. Emerging research is finding a connection between these gut microbes and obesity. Microbes have different jobs scientists are just beginning to understand.

For instance, certain microbes like Helicobacter pylori help regulate appetite hormones. A small French study found that another gut microbe called Akkermansia muciniphila was associated with lower levels of blood sugar, insulin and body fat.

While scientists are weeding out which microbes affect weight the main point is diversity. It’s important to your overall health to have a large diversity of microbes taking up rent in your gut. Things that affect your diversity include antibiotic use, overly sanitizing hands throughout life and a diet high in processed foods.

Tip: Eat a diet high in plant based foods, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. See our list of high probiotic foods to get started working towards a healthy gut. 

3. Chronic dieting. Dieting doesn’t work and in most cases leads to more weight gain. I do realize there is a seduction in quick weight loss and how that affects morale but the reality is dieting is wreaking havoc on your body.

Researchers from UCLA reviewed 31 long term studies on the effectiveness of dieting and concluded that dieting is a consistent predictor of weight gain. Within 4 to 5 years up to two-thirds of the people regained more weight than they lost. Dieting and restricting can interfere with metabolism and lead people to feel overly focused on foods.

Tip: Stop engaging in weight loss diets. Instead become mindful of where your lifestyle (diet, exercise, sleep, stress, etc) is out of balance and create goals to correct those imbalances. 

4. Too much stress. I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve heard this but it’s worth evaluating in your own life. Stress releases hormones like adrenaline setting you up for the “fight or flight” response. Evolutionary wise, your body is expected to exert energy during this process yet that doesn’t happen often with the stressors of today’s world.

Cortisol is released to replenish the body by triggering you to eat. Stress over time can lead to chronic hunger, lack of sleep and that overall “tired wired” feeling. The lack of sleep interrupts your metabolism even further creating a hormone imbalance cycle.

Tip: Find ways to alleviate stress in your life by using coping mechanisms like deep breathing, exercise or yoga. Repair your body by eating a diet high in plant based foods and omega 3 fatty acids. You can also work on saying “no” to things that will build undo stress in your life.

5. All or nothing approach. As a dietitian this is the self sabateur I’ve seen most in my career. People either try to be perfect, “on the diet or plan” or they’re “off” with no focus on healthy eating or activity. This affects your metabolism similar to chronic dieting and leaves you in a bad relationship with food and exercise making it hard to create healthy habits.

I do understand, it’s hard to let go of this all or nothing mindset and trust that you’ll find a good balance but it’s necessary to move forward with long term results and a healthy mindset towards nutrition and exercise.

Tip: Focus on eating healthy and exercising because it makes you feel better- more energy, better concentration, improved mood- vs. weight loss. Allow room for birthday cake and backyard barbecues. For most (unless there are other medical issues going on) the weight loss will come as a natural result. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Many things can affect weight loss like medications, age, medical issues, etc. Find ways to get support to help overcome these obstacles and give yourself time. Weight gain doesn’t happen in two weeks and neither does weight loss.

I know for myself as well as what our clients report, the amount of time it takes to put a meal together is often as important as the ease of skills. A recipe may be incredibly simple but if it takes 25 minutes or more to prep it may be a difficult one to pull together for a busy week night.

I’ve also noticed many food blogs tend to underestimate prep time. I’ve seen countless recipes that state 5 min of prep but then instruct you to chop 4 or more vegetables. I cook a lot and I can’t wash and chop that many veggies in 5 min so I know anyone who’s venturing into cooking for the first time may also struggle with this as well.

Personally on busy days I prefer a longer cooking time than a lot of prep work. I can easily throw a few ingredients in a crock pot or in a pot on the stove top and be free to help my kids with homework or get some household chores done.

I asked some of my fellow blogger friends to share some of their favorite minimal-prep-work recipes to provide some inspiration for week day meals. Give some of these recipes a try to get healthy snacks and meals on the table in little time.

Breakfasts

Cherry Oatmeal Bowl by Amy Gorin Nutrition

Baked Eggs with Kale and Herbs by Real Living Nutrition

Snacks

Two Ingredient High Protein Cottage Cheese Berry Ice via Abbey’s Kitchen

Lemon Herb White Bean Dip by Dietitian Debbie Dishes

Entrees

Pistachio Crusted Trout by Real Living Nutrition

Apple Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker by Whole Food Real Families

Easy Curried Noodles with Tofu by Karla Lydon

Soups/chilis/Stews

Pea Soup with Rosemary and Thyme by Real Living Nutrition

Slow Cooker BBQ Chili by  The Nutritionist Reviews

Heirloom Bean and Spinach Soup by Shaw Simple Swaps

Oooo Baby, it’s Chili Inside by Chef up to the Plate

Sides

Arugula Salad with Strawberries, Radishes, Macadamia Nuts and Gorgonzola Dressing by Italicana Kitchen

Here are twelve delicious treats that can satisfy your sweet tooth and give you a little boost of vitamins and minerals.

Treats with fruit

No matter how you slice it, fruit is healthy. Enjoy these yummy treats and get in some fiber too!

No-Bake Peppermint Chocolate Bites from The Lean Green Bean

Coconut Oil Blueberry Scones with Rosemary by the Minimalist Baker

Cranberry Chocolate Chia Cookies by the Hummusapien

Treats with vegetables

I’m not a huge fan of hiding veggies, but when it’s disguised in chocolate, I say no problem! 

Sneaky Chocolate Bundt Cake by Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

Sneaky Ingredient Carrot Cake Muffins by Nutty Nutrition and Fitness

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Avocado Frosting By Nutty Nutrition and Fitness

Sweet Potato Pie Bites by The Nutritionist Reviews

Treats with Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds provide protein, healthy fats and fiber! Eat up!

Spiced Caramelized Pecans by Imagelicious

Treats with dairy or milk substitutes

Milk is more than just calcium. Milk and milk alternatives also provide protein and vitamin D if they are fortified. 

Blueberry Pie Cheeseball by Your Choice Nutrition

Fig and Cranberry Brie Tartlets by Sweet Cayenne

Creamy Orange Bars by Your Choice Nutrition

Eggnog Protein Shake by The Fit Cookie

Bring along one of these healthier treats to your next holiday party!

I love exploring different salsa recipes and summer is the perfect time. Even if you’re not making tomato based salsa, summer fruits like watermelon and mango make perfect salsas to accompany a recipe like salmon or quesadillas and you’ll find a variety of chiles are all around!

Check out this summer salsa round up:

Tomato/Chile Based SALSAS

I’m a fan of  traditional tomato based salsas. Perfect for chip dipping and using on scrambled eggs in the morning. If you roast or grill the tomatoes before blending into salsa it will release more lycopene shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and prostate cancer.

Poblano and Lime Salsa from us! Real Living Nutrition Services

Hatch Chile Salsa Verde from Simple Swaps

Classic Tomato Salsa from Whole Food Real Families

Fruit Salsas

Fruit salsa pairs so nicely with fish. Next time you grill salmon or halibut, add one of the following salsas to top it off.

Fresh Strawberry Salsa from Healthy Ideas Place

Cucumber Mango Salsa from Healthy Ideas Place

Avocado Salsa by Sharon Palmer

Cara Cara Orange Salsa Fresca from E.A. Stewart Spicy RD Nutrition

Black Bean and Mango Salsa from Living Well Kitchen

Peach Corn and Black Bean Salsa from Nutrition Starring You

Peach Salsa from The Nutritionist Reviews

Salsa within a Recipe

Not sure what to do with salsa other than dipping chips? Try some of these clever ideas of using salsa within a full recipe.

Shrimp Quesadilla with Mango Salsa by Italicana Kitchen

Walnut Crusted Fish with Salsa from Living Well Kitchen

Other than great taste, the best thing about salsa is it’s a healthy go to dip. I’ve never seen a salsa that isn’t full of healthful plant based ingredients. Add it to eggs, burritos, tacos, or even rice bowls and enjoy!

We took this simple salad to the next level by adding Pomegranate juice infusing a touch of sweetness to the vinegar.

I changed this recipe up a bit by using bite-sized cherry tomatoes and mini balls of mozzarella to skewer into individual servings. These little bites make it easy to entertain during the holiday rush. It’s a no fuss recipe that comes together easily. While I think the pomegranate step is definitely worth the extra effort, you can forgo all the cooking and just use a dash of Balsamic vinegar instead.

The red, white and green colors are also quite festive for the holiday season. If you planning a holiday party or simply expecting visitors to stop by, make up a batch of these festive Tomato and Mozzarella Bites.

PREP TIME: 10 mins

COOK TIME: 5 mins

TOTAL TIME: 15 mins

SERVES: 16

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup pomegranate juice
• 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• salt to taste
• 16 fresh basil leaves
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced ¼ inch thick and cut in fourths if using a large ball. Otherwise you can use 16 small mozzarella balls.
• ¼ cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, cook the vinegar and pomegranate juice over medium heat until it reduces by half, approximately 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, layer the sliced tomatoes on a serving platter and sprinkle each with salt. Layer a basil leaf over each tomato and top with mozzarella. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic pomegranate reduction over the tomato and mozzarella bites.
3. Pierce each mozzarella bite with a toothpick and serve.

I’ve made a similar version to this recipe using new potatoes. I stumbled onto this version when all I had lying around was a sweet potato and thought, why not? This recipe is so simple using only two main ingredients and can be used as a breakfast dish along side a poached egg or works great as an all inclusive side dish for dinner. I like recipes like this that don’t have too much fuss. They taste great and I can get vegetables on the table with ease.

In this dish the kale and sweet potato take center stage with just a pinch of garlic salt to tie it in together. Both the sweet potato and kale provide a great source of Vitamin A and fiber along with other nutrients. While I love this recipe by itself I think it really does shine with a soft poached egg…just my opinion. Give it a try and let me know what you paired it with.

PREP TIME: 6 mins

COOK TIME: 8 mins

TOTAL TIME: 14 mins

SERVES: 1 to 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small sweet potato, diced
• 2 kale leaves, broken from stem and roughly chopped
• garlic salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the diced sweet potatoes, add the garlic salt and cook, stirring frequently so the sides don’t burn, for about 4 minutes.
2. Add the kale, saute for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Serve!

No problem, I’ll just stop by the store after I drop the kids off at school. Well, then my daughter woke up with some issues turning into a 2 hour urgent care visit, a prescription fiasco taking half the day to resolve, and a whole lot of grumpy sibling fighting, making it a no-visit-to-the-store-kind-of-day. Whether you have kids or not, some days just don’t go as planned.

Thanks to frozen peas in my freezer and my fresh herbs growing in pots on my windowsill, dinner still happened. It was quick, painless and yummy. I keep certain fruits and vegetables on hand in the freezer at all times so I can still make a meal if all else fails. With a little crusty bread, Melba toast or grilled cheese to dip into this yummy pea soup you’ve got a healthy delicious meal that you can make with ease.

This recipe is brimming with Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Folate, Magnesium, and fiber not to mention a great profile of other minerals and Phytonutrients. Flavor and health all rolled up into one.

This version of pea soup is a bit different than the traditional kind. I found a recipe in an old 1960’s cookbook where they used lettuce in the pea soup. I thought that seemed very strange but spinach…spinach seemed like a good alternative to me.

I also wanted to omit the savory ham flavor in this version and opted for floral undertones of Rosemary and Thyme. If you don’t have fresh herbs you can easily replace with the dried variety. Adding a touch of Greek yogurt makes this soup a little extra creamy and oh so tasty.

Make yourself some crusty bread or grilled cheese or just eat it solo. It’s a simple solution for dinner when you need to depend on freezer foods in a jiffy.

PREP TIME: 5 mins

COOK TIME: 15 mins

TOTAL TIME: 20 mins

SERVES: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 one-pound packages of frozen peas
• 2 cans vegetable broth (can use chicken broth)
• 1 cup packed spinach leaves
• 6 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a large pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 12 minutes until vegetables are softened.
3. Turn stove off. Using an immersion blender, or using batches in a stand up blender, blend soup until desired thickness. If you like chunky blend shortly, if you like smooth blend thoroughly.
4. Bring back to the pot (if using stand up blender) and add yogurt. Mix the yogurt in with a spoon.
5. Serve.

Problem? None of us are big fans of Corned Beef and Cabbage and I couldn’t figure out what else to serve. My mother in law told me to find a good stew recipe and that I did.

This stew is truly a treat and perfect for our one time a year celebration. I found the recipe online in a newspaper article, which was originally from a Tavern somewhere on the east coast. The article was removed so I’m unable to acknowledge the name of the Tavern. Sorry! I’ve been making it for years now and have changed it around a bit to make it my own.

Although there’s a lot of chopping in this recipe it comes together easily since I use store bought rotisserie chicken and it’s a one pot meal. I have to say, what sets this stew apart is of course the stout beer but also the mushrooms. It gives a whole new rich, savory flavor compared to the more classic stews.

It also happens to be a great low glycemic meal with assorted vegetables and lean meat. Using new potatoes instead of Russet, gives you a lower glycemic load for the meal.

I serve this with Irish Soda Bread, yum! My other Irish discover. If you’ve never made this bread before it’s so easy. It gives you a rustic, crusty outside and soft inside. I add a little dash of honey to my dough to make it a bit sweeter.

If you want to make a St. Patrick’s day feast sans the Corned Beef give this stew a try!

PREP TIME: 15 mins

COOK TIME: 45 mins

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

SERVES: 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup Guinness stout
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 8 to 10 small yellow, new potatoes, diced
• 2 cups rotisserie chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ½ pound Cremini mushrooms, quartered (button mushrooms are fine)
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrots, onions, salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently so you don’t burn the garlic, until vegetables are soft and fragrant.
2. Add the Guinness beer. Cover the pot and cook stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add the potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the chicken, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms and half the parsley. Simmer for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked to your desired preference. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with remainder of fresh parsley.

I can’t help but get a little excited when strawberry season rolls around again. It not only means that I get to enjoy that sweet red fruit again, but also the end of wearing my heavy winter coat and layers! (Winters in Chicago start to feel awfully long come late April.)

To celebrate the warmer weather, why not try this tasty strawberry banana frozen yogurt recipe? Honesty, it couldn’t be any more simple.

Simply puree all of your ingredients together in a food processor until smooth and serve. In just minutes you have a sweet, tart frozen dessert that is not only tasty, but healthy.

Unlike some other recipes for frozen yogurt, this one does not require an ice cream maker either. You just have to make sure to use frozen fruit when preparing the yogurt.

If you prefer it to be sweeter, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of honey or maple syrup if needed. Personally, I found that the banana adds just enough natural sweetness.

Cool off on even the hottest day with this tasty strawberry banana frozen yogurt that comes together in minutes and is healthy too!

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. frozen strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• ½ cup plain, full fat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Optional Toppings:

• Shredded unsweetened coconut
• Freeze dried berries
• Berry sauce
• Chopped dark chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Serve immediately for a soft frozen yogurt or freeze in an airtight container for 30-45 minutes to be able to create round scoops. If you leave it in the freezer too long, it will become too hard to scoop. In that case, just let it sit out until it softens.

Baked eggs aren’t anything new, but what I love about them is it’s an easy way to add some veggies to your day. It’s recommended to eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day yet according to the Center for Disease Control American adults only average 1.6 servings of vegetables a day.

While there are many reasons Americans aren’t eating enough of these colorful plants, one issue is time. People are busy and having to chop and prepare vegetables when you aren’t used to doing it can be challenging.

That’s where the baked egg comes in. You can add something as simple as kale or spinach or chop up mushroom, onions, zucchini…really whatever you like. It’s an easy way to add a vegetable first thing in the morning.

Baking eggs is an easy, no-fuss way to make them. You can have your eggs cooking in the oven while you get ready in the morning and have a healthy hot meal before you walk out the door. I like to use kale or spinach with fresh herbs because it’s that much easier. No chopping vegetables, you can just tear the kale into bite side pieces and quickly chop your herbs or replace with dried herbs.

In the end you get a beautiful egg breakfast with a serving of vegetables giving you healthful nutrients and antioxidants to start your day on the right track. Give it a try.

PREP TIME: 8 mins

COOK TIME: 15 mins

TOTAL TIME: 23 mins

RECIPE TYPE: Breakfast

CUISINE: American

SERVES: 1 egg, can add more ramekins to make more eggs

INGREDIENTS

• ½ teaspoon butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Kale leaf, tear bite sized pieces away from the stem
• ¼ teaspoon fresh Rosemary, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon fresh Thyme, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 Egg

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Rub the inside of a ramekin with butter or oil. Add the kale or any other vegetables you’re going to use.
3. Add a cracked egg, salt and herbs.
4. Place ramekin into a baking dish and pour hot water to create a bath around the ramekins
5. Place the pan on the center rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the yolk is cooked to your preference.