Articles by Kristen Michaelis CNC

Kristen Michaelis CNC is a published author and teacher. She's created a general nutrition curriculum used by classrooms around the US and written Beautiful Babies -- a book on nutrition for fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding that premiered at #1 on Amazon in its category, beating out What to Expect When You're Expecting.

OCTOBER GIVEAWAY: Vitamix Blender

This month, I’m giving away another Vitamix Blender to one of you. I am so grateful for you, my readers! You hang with me through thick and thin as we buck conventional nutritional wisdom and cleave to eating according to our ancestral, traditional food ways. Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So, as a way of saying thank you and giving something back, I’m hosting monthly giveaways!

Creamy Chorizo Potatoes Au Gratin

Nothing spells comfort food like cheesy, creamy, potatoes au gratin! In my home, we recently put a twist on this old family favorite by adding homemade chorizo and a creamy queso dip to the mix. YUM. It’s deliciously, mildly spicy and oh so indulgent. If your family enjoys the kick of chorizo and the perfect creaminess of homemade nacho cheese, they will love this Creamy Chorizo Potatoes Au Gratin casserole.

BOOK LOVE: Make Ahead Paleo

One of the biggest ways to save time in your Real Food kitchen is to simply cook ahead. The idea is simple. On a day when you do have time, you prep veggies and put together dishes so that on the days you don’t have time, you can pull a quick meal out of your freezer. You can also batch cook, doubling and tripling recipes that you know freeze well so that you can eat some for dinner that night and put the rest in your freezer for later. Yet if you’ve ever been on any make ahead menu planning sites, there’s a dearth of tasty, grain-free recipes using fresh, seasonal, wholesome ingredients. You’re far more likely to find casseroles made with canned goods than you are a recipe for Citrus Red Onion Slaw with Grilled Chicken. I bet you can already tell why I was excited to get a copy of Make-Ahead Paleo: Healthy Gluten-, Grain- & Dairy-Free Recipes Ready When & Where You Are.

Fight Back Friday September 27th

Welcome to another Fight Back Friday! Today we are bringing together another collection of recipes, tips, anecdotes, and testimonies from members of the Real Food Revolution.

Who are they? Why, they’re the Food Renegades. You know who you are — lovers of SOLE (Sustainable, Organic, Local, and Ethical) food, traditional food, primal food, REAL food, the list goes on. I believe that by joining together, our influence can grow, and we can change the way America (and the industrialized world) eats!

So, let’s have some fun.

DECODING LABELS: Pacific Organic Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ages ago, when I was a very young cook, cream of mushroom soup was a wonder. I could open a can and easily transform it into beef stroganoff, broccoli rice casserole, green bean casserole, you name it. My Taste of Home magazine came crammed with recipe after recipe featuring these condensed soups. When I started transitioning to real food, the canned soups were among the first to go. I learned that it was almost as easy to make my own mushroom roux, and I never looked back. I also didn’t think that any kind of an alternative existed out there. Last week, though, a reader emailed me asking me to decode the ingredients label on her go-to cream of mushroom soup: Pacific Organic Cream of Mushroom Soup.

WINNER and COUPON: Primal Pit Paste Natural Deodorant

Last week, I hosted a giveaway for a 4 pack of Primal Pit Paste natural deodorant. Most store-bought deodorants are full of toxic parabens (linked to breast cancer) and aluminum (linked to Alzheimer’s), so this giveaway excited me.I always enjoy finding personal hygiene and beauty products that are so natural, they’re edible! This week, I’m pleased to announce the winner. For those of you who didn’t win, I’ve even got a consolation prize — a coupon for 25% off all Primal Pit Paste natural deodorants.

BOOK LOVE: DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes

When asked, “why make your own non-toxic cleaning supplies?” many of us will have a handful of answers. It’s better for our household environment. It will reduce our body’s toxic load. It will save us money. It smells nice. In this week’s Weekend Book Love post, I’m giving you all a peak inside my friend Heather’s newest e-book, DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes. Heather blogs at Mommypotamus, and because she’s my friend (and you guys are awesome!), she’s also offering an exclusive 20% off discount to my readers when they buy her book!

Fight Back Friday September 20th

Welcome to another Fight Back Friday! Today we are bringing together another collection of recipes, tips, anecdotes, and testimonies from members of the Real Food Revolution.

So, let’s have some fun.

Decoding Labels: Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli

Want to know what’s in the ever-ubiquitous Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli? This is the world’s #1 selling pre-cooked pasta, and parents everywhere happily feed it to their kids? But what’s it made of? Do the ingredients really measure up? Or is this just glorified junk food?

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

Think you don’t like a particular veggie? Want to know my secret for getting just about anyone to drool over it? Put some bacon on it. This simple commandment has my kiddos loving their spinach, asparagus, and — yes — brussels sprouts. And no, before you lambast me about bacon, I’m talking about the good kind. The kind from hogs raised on pasture, rich in the healthy monounsaturated fats your body needs. With this recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon, you’ll be sure to enjoy these fantastically cute veggies. (As my three year old would say, “They’re baby cabbages.” She also calls broccoli “baby trees.”)