Super-Nourishment for the Busy Mama
I know you’re busy. Like, really busy. As in, don’t-you-dare-add-one-more-thing-to-my-list-because-I-might-throw-something-at-your-head busy.
I get it, because I’m there too. (But don’t worry, your head is safe with me.)
But hear me, girl. Your body cannot keep doing what it’s doing without proper nourishment. If you keep pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion without replenishing what you’re using up, well, eventually you won’t have anything else to use.
Enter burnout.
Now that is a place I’d rather not visit. And if I keep my body nourished, then I am well on my way to preventing myself from going there.
Okay, cool, you get that you need to nourish your body… but with WHAT TIME? That’s what you’re caps-lock-shouting at me at this point, right?
Well friend, that’s where this blog post comes in. I want to give you some solid examples of how you can super-nourish your body in as little time as possible. Because that’s the dream, isn’t it? Well, mine anyway.
For the purposes of this blog post, I’m going to assume your meals are already pretty darn good, if you do say so yourself. If not, well, these tips can definitely still help, but I suggest reading this to make sure you’ve got your bases covered.
Having said that, here we’re talkin’ about certain health superstars that you can quickly add to your meals or snacks that will up the nutrition status (and therefore make YOU, mama, healthier), without requiring much (if any) effort. Sounds pretty great, right? Well then let’s dive on in.
Super-Nourishing Add-Ins
- Chia seeds (whole or ground)
Add 1–2 Tbsp of these babies to your salad or smoothie. - Ground flaxseeds
Do the same as with chia seeds. You don’t have to do both; what I like to do is go through one package of one and then buy the other. This helps ensure you’re getting a variety of nutrients. - Hemp hearts
Add 2–3 Tbsp to your salad or smoothie. You can do this in addition to either chia or flax. Awesome way to increase protein! - Collagen powder
Add 1 Tbsp to a hot drink (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, you get it). You can also throw it into a smoothie or any cold drink. Oh, the gut healing and anti-inflammatory power! Plus its immune strengthening abilities… just an awesome (and quick) super-nourisher. - Greens powder
Add it to a smoothie or simply throw it in a shaker cup with water and go, girl. The one that I took throughout pregnancy and still now while breastfeeding is Genuine Health Fermented Organic Gut Superfoods+. I like the summer berry flavour… not that sweet, but I like it (and I tend to like things sweet, so.) - Actual greens (ex: spinach)
Add a bunch (as in, 6 or more handfuls) of spinach while cooking an oil- or cream-based pasta sauce, right at the end. Stir it in; it reduces a ton and adds a subtle flavour but a whole lotta nutrients. You can also throw a few handfuls into a smoothie. - Mineral Matrix
Add 2 Tbsp to a smoothie or hot drink… it adds a butterscotch-y flavour, which I’m not complaining about. This is one food-based powder that I suggest all mamas have in their supplement cupboard. It’s dehydrated whey from grass-fed goats… not the protein part of whey, but rather, the mineral part. SUCH a great source of minerals, which we need for, um, everything. - Coconut oil
Add 1–2 Tbsp to a smoothie or cook with it (you can even get it unflavoured if you don’t like the coconut flava). - Flax oil
Put 1–2 Tbsp in a smoothie or add it to your salad dressing. A good way to get it in there is to do 1 part olive oil, 1 part flax oil, and 1 part vinegar (like apple cider or balsamic). So for example, 1/4 cup of each. Then add some chopped garlic, sea salt and pepper and call it… a really good salad dressing. - Boiled eggs or raw (pastured) egg yolks
I know eggs are technically part of the main event, but the boiled variety is an awesome addition to any meal or snack. It packs a protein- and fat-filled punch (my favourite kind), and is great on the go as well. Always have some on hand! - Egg yolks are fantastic smoothie add-ins, and you can’t even tell they’re there, believe me! I know, I know, it seems gross… but trust me, it’s not. And the amount of nutrition you’re adding to your bod is SO worth it. Eggs from grass-fed (AKA pastured) hens are ideal, as they provide the best nutrition.
- Butter and MCT oil
Ever added butter to your coffee? (or any hot drink, really) Try it! The unsalted grass-fed kind is best for this, and it’s ideal to mix it up in your blender so it doesn’t just float on the top of your drink. (Hello, butter lips!) MCT oil (or Brain Octane oil) is another great addition, and yes you can do both. So many brain-nourishing nutrients, plus helpful for blood sugar and immune system, and seriously SO much more! - Start with 1 tsp (or less) of each, and work your way up. Your bod has to digest all that fat and it can take some time to get used to. The amount I put in my drink is 2 Tbsp of each… but like I said, start small!
- You can also add MCT (or Brain Octane) oil to your smoothie, and stirring butter into your cooked veggies hugely helps increase their nutrient status (and flava!).
- Canned salmon (with skin and bones)
Add this to a salad or simply eat on its own. Once you mash it up, you can’t even tell the skin or bones are there. Seriously. And what an amazing source of omega-3 fats and minerals… that’s why it’s such a great idea to get the one with all the goods. And don’t even think about draining it before mashing; that liquid is packed with omega-3 fats! It’s not added water (unless that’s an ingredient listed on the label); it’s the natural juice from the salmon. Uh, yum! - Almond butter (or natural peanut butter)
Spoon. Jar. Mouth. Easy as that. You can also put some in a little bowl and dip an apple or banana into it. And if you’re feeling REALLY fancy, you can add a spoon of coconut oil to the almond butter, mix it up, and have an even more decadent (and nutrient-rich) snack. Count me in.
This list is by no means complete, but that’s the fun with food, at least in my opinion. The options are endless, and the possible combinations even more so!
Now, you might see all those ingredients including possible smoothie add-ins, things you can add to your coffee, things you can throw into your salad… and you may think, WHOA! Laura, I am never gonna be able to leave my kitchen! Too many options! You thought you were relieving my stress but you’ve just added to it!
Girl, I feel you. Just because there are so many things you could do doesn’t mean you need to do all of them every time. In fact, please don’t. Instead, pick one or two (or more if you cray like that) and do it up. The next time, try a different combo. You’ll find your favourites… and you’ll be getting a variety of nutrients along the way. Double win!
What is YOUR fav way to quickly super-nourish your body? Add it to our list by putting it in a comment below.
Looking for more energy, mama? Click here.
Laura Lima is a holistic nutritionist, stay-at-home mompreneur, wife to Hamilton Realtor, Miguel Lima, and mama to Cutest Baby Ever, Ellie. (Ha.) She believes that focusing on real foods leads to feeling fantastic and having more energy so women can take on the many calls of mamahood (and life in general). She spends much of her time in her free Facebook group where she teaches how to do just that. Are you a new(ish) mama? She’d love for you to join her there.
Oh hey! I’m Laura, a holistic nutritionist, reality TV junkie, and bookworm. I work with new mamas to help them separate fact from fiction so they know what the heck to eat to feel energy again, without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. And I love doing it!!
On my blog (over at newmamanation.com), you’ll find easy + delish recipes as well as (hopefully) helpful and relatable blog posts on many things motherhood.
If you’re a fellow mama (or mama-to-be!), I’d freakin’ love it if you joined me in my FB group. There are recipes, fun challenges, FB Lives, and chats all about nutrition for new mamas. You can get there by going to newmamanation.com and clicking on “FB Group”.
And if you want my top 10 tips for more energy (stat!), then go to bit.ly/newmamas, where you’ll get that free download plus be signed up for my email list for other exciting stuff.
I’ll be waiting for you at all of the above and I can’t wait to see you there!
