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When Don Baiocchi was in his 20s, he suffered serious digestive issues accompanied by brain fog, fatigue, and weakness. A recipe developer, he decided to change up his diet and began following a low-fat protocol with lots of whole grains. But this brought no relief.

Then, when a friend mentioned she was going to give up gluten, he decided to try it too — and that changed nearly everything. “I felt a lot better,” he says. “About 90 percent of my digestion issues cleared up.”

Yet he found himself with a new problem: food anxiety.

Gluten-free options weren’t nearly as abundant then as now, so eating anywhere but his own kitchen was risky. Baiocchi could never trust the dishes he ordered in restaurants that appeared to be gluten-free. What if they used glutenous soy sauce unknowingly? What if something was wheat-free but not gluten-free?

The same went for dining at friends’ homes. Eating with others became a source of stress instead of a chance to relax and celebrate.

Many of us can relate. If we have food intolerances, we might feel anxious about food allergens. Maybe we’re preoccupied by the effects certain proteins like gluten and lectins could have on our long-term health. Caloric density is another common concern. Whatever is at the root of our worries, the result is the same: Our relationship with food has become fundamentally stressful and restrictive.

Food is emotional, and anxiety around it is common. But know this: You have options. Even if you need to restrict certain food groups for health reasons, a more relaxed relationship with food is possible.

The Roots of Food Anxiety

There are a host of reasons people develop food anxiety. Painful physical reactions to certain foods, as Baiocchi experienced, are one. Others, according to Maggie Ward, MS, RDN, LDN, nutrition director of The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Mass., include diet culture, food allergies and intolerances, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel disease, and patterns of disordered eating, like orthorexia. (A sibling to anorexia, orthorexia is a restrictive-eating pattern that stems from fears about food quality rather than quantity and caloric value.)

Ward calls food anxiety a “fear of food, which can include a drive to be perfect with one’s food choices.” It can also involve shame, isolation, and in the case of orthorexia and other restrictive-eating disorders, physical symptoms.

“A food-restricted body can start to shut down,” says psychologist and eating-disorder specialist Rachel Millner, PsyD. “People experience bone loss. People develop osteoporosis. Their blood pressure and heart rate can be lowered.”

Food anxiety can exist beneath our conscious awareness, as it did for Melissa Urban, cofounder of Whole30, and author of 10 books, including The Whole30’s Food Freedom Forever: Letting Go of Bad Habits, Guilt, and Anxiety Around Food.

In 2009, Urban felt she was in a good place with her habits and attitude toward food. She’d been through rehab for drug addiction and had become a gym regular as part of her recovery, even teaching CrossFit classes. She’d accepted that she had to eat every two hours — she would get hangry if she didn’t — and that she battled relentless cravings for sugar and carbs.

But during a monthlong nutritional challenge that included giving up grains, dairy, added sugar, and processed foods, Urban was surprised to discover that in her sobriety she had essentially replaced drugs with food. She was using sugar to numb and distract herself so she could avoid feeling her emotions.

“Without access to the carb-dense processed foods I had relied on, I was forced to find other ways to self-soothe, comfort myself, and relieve anxiety,” she writes.

That realization spurred her to dig deeper into the roots of emotional-eating patterns. She’s since made it a mission to help free people from their food anxiety — not just by changing their diets but by changing their thinking.

What Is Food Freedom?

Urban defines food freedom as “feeling empowered to make the food decisions that feel right for you in that moment.”

She emphasizes “in that moment” because true freedom means you’re free to choose based on a range of factors — nutritional, sure, but also social and emotional.

“This morning at breakfast, my husband ordered this croissant-waffle kind of combination, and it looked amazing, but I know how gluten impacts me,” Urban says. “It makes me bloated, it makes my skin break out, and I have book-tour events for the next three days. It was not worth it for me, so I declined. [And] at no point did I feel deprived.”

She has realized that she has the final say over her own food decisions. “I can always say yes. If I want to eat croissant waffles every single day of the week, I can do that.”

Food is social, cultural, familial. “It can be love and can be comfort and can be joy and can be bonding,” Urban says. That’s why she focuses on the importance of choice. Food freedom doesn’t mean eating everything willy-nilly, regardless of how it affects you. It means making choices based on your own sense of what you need.

How To Relax Your Food Vigilance

These strategies can help you regain confidence in eating while still honoring your body’s needs.

Learn about your symptoms.

Not knowing the origins of your digestive distress can lead to a feeling of helplessness and fear around food. By contrast, learning what’s behind your symptoms can reveal a world of choices you didn’t know you had.

Hilary Davidson, a journalist and novelist, suffered from gastrointestinal distress, painful mouth ulcers, migraine, and skin rashes from the age of 8; at one point she was taking five different medications for her symptoms. Finally, at 32, she was diagnosed with celiac disease.

Her diagnosis felt freeing, Davidson says. Once she understood what was causing her distress, she could take her health into her own hands. She quit gluten and no longer needed her prescription meds. She now helps other people with celiac disease, through her website and Substack newsletter, Gluten-Free Guidebook.

Davidson gets emails from readers who’ve just been diagnosed — or from their family members who are unsure how to proceed. “Sometimes people think the whole household will have to be gluten-free, or that they can’t go to restaurants unless the entire place is gluten-free.”

Fortunately, neither of those things is true. “I understand that people feel scared by the diagnosis,” she says. “It can make people feel [like] their world is smaller, instead of realizing now the information is in your hands to expand your world now. You have this one thing that you have to avoid and everything else is open to you.”

Keep a food journal.

Marc David, MA, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, suggests journaling and keeping a written inventory of your beliefs about food and diet. Write down everything that you believe is good and bad for you, he advises. Then go over that list and ask yourself if, at any point, you’re being extreme.

“Can I include some of these ‘bad’ foods in my diet — especially if I’m going to eat them anyway?” David says. Unless you’re restricting for specific health reasons, like an allergy or celiac disease, the answer could be yes, at least provisionally. This gives you one more dietary choice — and one fewer food item to feed your anxiety.

Journaling is also a great way to track your physical responses to certain foods. Baiocchi tried this and discovered that, while gluten is a hard no for him, dairy was sometimes OK. This offered him a whole class of foods — and a less restrictive diet.

Keeping this type of journal can help you make more conscious, informed decisions while building your confidence. Tracking your physical and emotional reactions to certain foods can train you to begin tuning in to your body.

Trust yourself.

Trusting yourself is key to feeling more relaxed around food. Millner, who works with people healing from eating disorders, says that “diet culture takes us away from any kind of trusting relationship with our body and makes it all about external choices.”

She points out that relying on external sources to help us decide what to eat can quickly morph into fear-based decision-making. “Diet culture makes us afraid of food because it tells us to fear weight gain,” she says. “Freedom happens when we stop making decisions about food based on a set of rules or a set of external mandates and are able to tune in to our body’s needs.”

David likens food anxiety to dissociation. When you’re feeling anxiety about food, he says, you’re not in your body — you’re only in your head. He suggests picturing your breath in your body, literally breathing into your upper body, your lower body, your feet. Take five or 10 slow, deep breaths before you start eating to ground yourself.

“The body is a very wise animal,” he notes. “We just have to start to listen to it more.”

Free food from morality.

Urban grew up with older aunts and cousins who measured their food choices in moral terms. “Every time we got together for coffee or a holiday it was, ‘This pie is going straight to my hips,’ or ‘I’m saving my calories for wine,’ or ‘She’s being so good — she’s not eating dessert today,’” she recalls.

Those experiences led Urban to moralize her own food choices. Learning to “uncouple morality from food” was a gradual process for her.

Today, she reports that she hasn’t felt guilty about or around food for many years. She also counsels people to change their moral approach to food. If someone says, “I feel so guilty I ate those chips,” she advises them to correct it with, “Excuse me, no I don’t feel guilty — I haven’t done anything wrong.” Consistently checking our thoughts and words for food-related value judgments can make a world of difference.

David concurs. “Food freedom is not about morality with food, with some foods being good and some foods being bad,” he says, adding that all-or-nothing thinking contributes to anxiety, so reducing it can help.

Slow down.

For many people, speed-eating is a sign of food anxiety. “When they eat, they eat fast, because they’re thinking food is the enemy,” David explains. “Whenever you encounter the enemy, you want to get it over with.”

When we eat quickly, the brain doesn’t have enough time to register the experience. “When the brain doesn’t experience taste, pleasure, aroma, satisfaction — what does it do?” asks David. “It says, I’m hungry. And you keep eating.”

Slowing down at mealtimes can be as simple as setting down your fork between bites or looking up and out the window for a moment. Pausing in this way can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, turning on the relaxation response so your body enters the rest and digest phase.

“We’re seeking taste. We’re seeking satisfaction. That is the biological imperative,” says David. “You can only experience those when you’re relaxed.”

Reframe food as a friend.

When you’ve been thinking of food as your enemy, learning to see it as a friend won’t happen overnight. So David suggests focusing on one simple, neutral fact: Humans must eat. “Make peace with the fact that we are designed to seek food, to eat food, to enjoy food, and to need food for our biological survival.”

Gentleness is key to successful habit change, as well. When working with her clients, Millner doesn’t try to go right from an eating disorder to flexible and fluid eating. “There has to be a middle step,” she explains. “And, usually, that middle step is making sure that meals and snacks happen every day at certain times, that people are fully nourished.”

This might sound like rigid discipline, but structure can be its own kind of freedom, she says. “It’s coming from a place of healing and not a place of the eating disorder or the dieting mind.”

Ward sees a lot of people in her practice who suffer from food allergies and sensitivities. Even when a person has eliminated problem foods and begun to recover from symptoms, fear can linger.

Her goal is to help them rebuild their relationship with food, which involves learning to see food not as their enemy but as part of their medicine. “That’s really what we practice here,” she says. “Food as medicine.”

Urban takes it one step further, advising her readers to “keep your diet broad and joyful.” Even if you must avoid certain foods to maintain your health, you can still appreciate and enjoy the foods you can have, she notes. Eating in a joyful, sustainable, and satisfying way can be just as supportive as the foods you choose.

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Explore the recipes in this collection:

• Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls
• Mushroom and Black Bean Birria
• Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Hand Pies

I’ve spent more than 20 years identifying “blue zones” — places around the world where my research team and I have identified the longest-lived people — and learning lessons from centenarians. These are people living years beyond average life expectancies, and those extra years are largely free from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

How did they do it? Not through fad diets, exercise programs, supplements, “superfoods,” or any of the other ways “healthy” marketers sell to us. In fact, people in blue zones never tried to live a long time. They didn’t pursue health and longevity the way Americans do. Instead, we think, their healthy, long lives are a result of living in the right environment — and, of course, of the food they eat and the consistency with which they eat it.

We observed that people in the blue zones almost always cook at home using mostly whole foods and plant-based ingredients. And most of their calories come from ingredients — like grains, greens, tubers, and beans — that are commonly associated with “peasant food.”

The recipes in this book, developed by Peter Barrett, are inspired by this type of cooking. Here are three recipes to try.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls

These delicious, satisfying, and beautiful bowls come together very quickly if you bake the sweet potatoes the day before. Orange sweet potatoes are great for this, but purple varieties bake to a beautifully cakey consistency that works even better. (Purple sweet potatoes get their color from powerful longevity-boosting antioxidants.) You can prepare the whipped base ahead of time and just heat and garnish it in the morning for a super-easy breakfast.

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 5 to 10 minutes (with precooked sweet potatoes)

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

For the Base

• 2 cups sweet-potato flesh (from 2 medium potatoes, baked until very soft, then peeled)
• ¼ cup coconut yogurt
• 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs. maple syrup
• ½ tsp. fresh grated ginger
• ¼ vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ⅛ salt

Topping Variations

Chocolate-Covered Cherry

• 1 tbs. unsweetened dried cherries
• 1 tbs. slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp. cacao nibs
• 1 tsp. chia seeds, soaked overnight in water and drained

Morning Glory Orange Spice

• 1 tbs. walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 tbs. medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about ½ to 1 date)
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• ¼ tsp. spice blend*

* To make spice blend, combine ¼ teaspoon each of ground cardamom, ground cloves, ground allspice, and ground cinnamon. You can store this mixture in a jar for up to a month.

Maple-Pumpkin Spice

• 1 tbs. pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 tbs. medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about ½ to 1 date)
• 1 tsp. flax seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• ¼ tsp. pumpkin spice

Pomegranate Power Bowl

• 1 tbs. pomegranate seeds
• 1 tbs. macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 tbs. coconut flakes, toasted
• 1 tsp. hemp seeds, toasted

Tart Apple Crumble

• 2 tbs. diced tart apple (like Pink Lady)
• 1 tbs. granola
• 1 tbs. walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 tsp. maple syrup

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth. (You can also use a regular blender for this step.)
2. Add toppings of your choice or one of the above recommendations.

Mushroom and Black Bean Birria

Birria is a slow-cooked Mexican stew that’s often strained and served alongside tacos as a dipping sauce. And it’s becoming more popular in recipe trends in America, too — no surprise, since our research found U.S. diners love Mexican flavor profiles. You can choose to serve this dish as a stew or strained as a taco filling. Traditionally, birria is made with meat, but this Blue Zones version delivers great flavor and tons of fiber along with the magical health benefits of black beans.

Makes 4 servings  •  Cook time 30 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

Chili Paste

• 4 ancho chilies
• 4 pasilla chilies
• 2 chilies de arbol
• 8 peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika (hot or sweet, according to taste)
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ white or yellow onion, peeled
• 1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp. salt

Birria

• 2 tbs. avocado oil
• ½ white or yellow onion, diced
• 1 lb. button mushrooms, halved or quartered into bite-sized pieces
• 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered into bite-sized pieces
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 6 cups vegetable stock or dashi

To Serve (Optional)

• Corn tortillas
• 1 cup cilantro sprigs, chopped
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, sliced
• 2 limes, quartered

Directions

1. To make the chili paste, toast the chilies in a large dry pot over medium-high heat until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chilies and use a knife to destem and deseed, discarding the stems and seeds. Set the chilies aside in a bowl.
2. In the same pot, toast the peppercorns, cloves, cumin, coriander, paprika, and cinnamon until fragrant and just beginning to smoke, 1 to 2 minutes. Put the toasted spices and remaining chili-paste ingredients in a high-powered blender with the peppers and purée until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.
3. To make the birria, wipe the pot clean, then add the oil and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir well, then add the salt and stir again. Sauté the mushrooms until they give up their liquid and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the beans, stock, and chili-paste mixture to the pot and stir well to combine. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer to meld the flavors, about 15 minutes.
5. Taste for seasoning and serve as a stew. If you want to make tacos, strain the birria and put the mushroom-bean mixture in one serving bowl and the liquid in another. Either way, serve with the tortillas and garnishes, taco-bar style.

Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Hand Pies

There’s nothing more American than apple pie. And now you can have a Blue Zones–approved version in the form of these portable pies wrapped in a flaky crust and filled with warm and comforting apple and cinnamon.

Makes 4 pies   •  Cook time 30 minutes, plus 1 hour chill time

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ cup fine semolina flour
• 4 oz. coconut oil, frozen and cut into chunks
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup ice water

Filling

• 1 large pie apple, finely diced
• 2 tbs. raisins
• ½ tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbs. maple syrup, plus 2 tbs. to finish
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1. To make the crust, put the flours, coconut oil, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the oil is broken up, with the largest pieces of coconut-oil chunks no bigger than a pea.
2. Add the water and pulse again until the dough starts to come together. Don’t overwork it or it will get tough. Turn the dough out onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, and wrap it tightly. Rest it in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. (You can make the crust ahead of time and keep it tightly wrapped in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for up to a month.)
3. To make the filling, toss all the filling ingredients (except the maple syrup for finishing) in a bowl until combined.
4. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. To make the hand pies, let the dough come to room temperature. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out into a sheet about ⅛-inch thick. Use a knife to trim ragged edges, then use the trimmed pieces to press and fill any holes so that you end up with a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 16 inches long.
5. Cut the sheet of dough into rectangular quarters. Place a quarter of the filling on one half of each piece of dough, leaving ½ inch around the edges. Fold the empty half of the dough over the filling, line up the edges, and press down gently all the way around. Use a fork to poke the top of each pie, and then press down with the fork to seal the three joined edges of the crust.
6. Brush the tops of the pies with the remaining maple syrup and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Let cool 10–15 minutes before serving.

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We tend to think about protein solely as a muscle-building tool, and that’s certainly a priority for the aging body. It’s key to preventing sarcopenia — the loss of lean muscle mass as we grow older.

But proteins are more versatile than we think. “Proteins are the master regulators of all that is happening in your body, controlling function in all tissues and organs, including muscle,” explains Gabrielle Lyon, DO, in her book Forever Strong. “They include enzymes — a class of proteins that catalyze all the chemical reactions within the body. Proteins also support energy production and cell-to-cell communication.”

Yet most of us — especially seniors — don’t consume nearly as much protein as we need for optimal health.

A 2020 study found that as many as 30 percent of older Americans don’t meet the recommended dietary allowance of protein (0.36 grams per pound of body weight), and as many as 76 percent fall short of the more optimal goal of 0.54 grams per pound of body weight.

Skimping on protein forces the body to protect its most vital organs at the expense of muscle.

“A body trying to make do with a low-protein diet will prioritize the survival of the liver, heart, brain, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract,” Lyon explains. “Eating only enough protein to fuel these essential functions will leave your body lacking sufficient amino-acid supply to support skeletal-muscle growth and repair.”

Animal products are the best source of protein, she argues, citing their balanced amino-acid profiles and nutrient density. “Moreover, their core nutrients are more bioavailable relative to plant foods.”

No matter how you choose to source your protein, Paul Kriegler, RD, CPT, director of nutritional product development at Life Time, recommends that you make sure it comes from high-quality foods. On the animal front, that means opting for grassfed beef, free-range chicken, and wild-caught fish while avoiding factory-farmed and highly processed animal products.

For those enjoying plant-forward diets, choose organic, whole-ingredient foods such as tempeh and nuts rather than ultraprocessed imitation meats.

This article originally appeared as “For the Aging Body Protein is Priceless” in the September/October 2025 issue of Experience Life.

The post The Importance of Protein for the Aging Body appeared first on Experience Life.

Explore the recipes in this collection:

• Pumpkin Red Lentil Stew
• Pumpkin Butter Chicken
• Pumpkin Farro Curry
• Pumpkin Halwa

When we think of fall, we think of cozy sweaters, colorful leaves, and — of course — pumpkins. When this beloved gourd starts popping up in grocery stores, you know autumn has really arrived.

But cooking a whole pumpkin can be tedious and time-consuming, leaving some of us reluctant to tackle recipes that include this seasonal ingredient. Enter canned pumpkin.

A can of pumpkin purée is like a hidden treasure in your pantry. Ready whenever you need it, it’s incredibly versatile in sweet and savory recipes alike, making it easy to incorporate into your diet. Canned pumpkin is also as nutrient dense as fresh pumpkin — if not more so. It’s packed with vitamins A, C, and E, which are good for your eyes and skin as well as your immune system. And it’s full of fiber, which supports digestive health and blood-sugar control.

In these recipes, canned pumpkin is paired with the warming spices of Indian cuisine — like cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and cardamom — to enhance the pumpkin’s mildly sweet, earthy flavor. Try these Indian-inspired recipes to experiment with it in new ways.

Pumpkin Red Lentil Stew

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 15 minutes  •  Cook time 30 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• 2 tbs. coconut or avocado oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 medium potato, cubed
• ¾ tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 1 10-oz. bag frozen peas and carrots
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Place a large pot over medium heat, then add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds, then stir in the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about three to five minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about one minute. Stir in the coriander, turmeric, and chili powder, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Add the red lentils and stir to mix well with the spices, then pour in the vegetable broth or water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the cubed potato, salt, and pepper, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the lentils and the potatoes are nearly cooked through, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the pumpkin and the frozen peas and carrots. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; add water to thin if necessary.
6. Serve the stew hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.

Pumpkin Butter Chicken

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 15 minutes  •  Cook time 35 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• 2 tbs. butter
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. garam masala
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce (about 1 cup)
• 2 tbs. dried fenugreek leaves, also known as methi (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream (or 1 can full-fat coconut milk)
• Cooked rice or naan for serving
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about three to five minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for three to five minutes, until it’s just beginning to brown, and then add the spices and salt and stir to coat the chicken. Cook for a few minutes more, until the spices are fragrant.
4. Add the pumpkin, tomato sauce, and dried fenugreek leaves (if using), and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a low simmer, then cover the skillet and simmer on low heat for about five minutes.
5. Add the heavy cream or coconut milk and stir to combine. Cover the pot and continue to cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; add water to thin if necessary. Serve the butter chicken hot with cooked rice or naan, garnished with fresh cilantro.

Pumpkin Farro Curry

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 15 minutes  •  Cook time 55 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• 3 tbs. ghee, divided
• 1 cup cubed paneer (or firm tofu)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• ½ tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 1 cup farro, rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• Naan for serving

Directions

1. In a large pot or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee over medium heat. Add the paneer or tofu cubes and cook until browned lightly on all sides, about seven to 10 minutes. Remove the cubes from the pot and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee to the pot, then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Stir in the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about three to five minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for about one minute. Stir in the spices, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the pumpkin and the farro, stirring to mix well with the spices.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Once the farro is almost cooked through, add the chopped spinach and paneer or tofu cubes. Continue to simmer for another five to 10 minutes until the farro is tender.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; add water to thin if necessary. Serve the curry hot, with naan.

Pumpkin Halwa

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 10 minutes  •  Cook time 35 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• ¼ cup ghee
• 1 15. oz can pumpkin
• 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk or dairy-free alternative
• ¼ cup milk or dairy-free alternative
• ½ tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 cup chopped roasted nuts (such as pistachios, walnuts, or pecans), plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, then add the ghee and heat until melted. Add the pumpkin and stir well to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about five minutes.
2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the milk to the pan and stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking the mixture, stirring often, until it thickens and starts to come together, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the cardamom and continue to cook until the halwa looks glossy and somewhat darker. It will start to pull away from the sides of the pan when it’s reduced enough.
4. Add the nuts and stir to combine, then remove from the heat and allow the halwa to cool slightly.
5. Serve garnished with extra chopped nuts.

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In a routine that prioritizes health and fitness, consuming enough protein often takes center stage in the nutritional strategy. We’ve probably all seen those social media posts with people joking that their protein goals have become their full-time job. It can be a lot, which is why many people turn to conventional protein sources or processed protein products to meet their needs.

I’m a busy mom with a full-time coaching career who takes an anti-inflammatory approach to eating. I am able to reach my goal of 130 grams of protein per day while maintaining a commitment to clean, whole foods and spending only about 90 minutes per week on meal prep. There’s a way to do this that you’re likely not seeing on your social media pages — unless you’re following me.

As someone who lives this balance daily, I’ve developed strategies that allow me to nourish my body with adequate protein without compromising my decision to maintain a holistic approach to nutrition.

What Does a Holistic Approach to Nutrition Mean to Me?

My nutrition approach is not just about consuming certain macros — it’s about choosing foods that support my body’s natural functions and minimize inflammation. My non-negotiables include:

• Minimizing highly processed foods
• Eliminating inflammatory seed oils
• Choosing whole-food sources first
• Being mindful of food quality and sourcing
• Listening to my body’s response to different foods

Taking this approach has transformed how I feel, perform, and recover. But it does require more intentionality when you’re trying to hit specific nutrition targets, especially for protein.

Protein Quality Matters as Much as Quantity

Based on my body weight and activity level, my personal daily protein goal is 130 grams. (If you’re curious about the training I’m fueling for, it’s outlined in my Body Blueprint program, which you can learn more about here.) I could technically get to that target through various means, including protein bars, bottled protein shakes, and processed foods engineered to be protein rich. But not all protein sources are created equal, especially when we consider their inflammatory potential.

Conventional protein sources can contain:

• Artificial additives and preservatives
• Inflammatory oils
• Added sugars
• Dairy from conventionally raised cows
• Factory-farmed animal products

These have the potential to cause negative health effects — and may even interfere with the very recovery processes we’re trying to support through high-protein intake. Consider buying options that are organic and pasture-raised, grass-fed, or wild-caught (depending on protein source), as well as those that are free from artificial hormones and antibiotics. It’s also important to seek out fish that’s low in mercury and other heavy metals.

There’s a pervasive myth in fitness circles that getting adequate protein requires compromising on food quality — protein bars with mysterious ingredients, powders with artificial sweeteners, heavily processed meat products. My experience proves otherwise.

My Daily Protein Distribution Strategy

Rather than treating protein as something to “get in” in whatever way possible, I approach it as an integral part of each meal. I typically distribute my targeted 130 grams of protein throughout the day like this:

Breakfast (approximately 30 to 35 grams)

My morning protein often comes from a few sources:

• 3 pasture-raised eggs (6 to 7 grams of protein per egg)
• Chicken sausage without additives (about 14 grams of protein per serving)

These are complete protein sources that deliver essential amino acids. The eggs also provide important nutrients like choline, which supports cognitive function and metabolic health.

I always pair my protein at breakfast with carbohydrates — usually two sourdough bagels or strawberries or an apple. Because this is the meal I eat before I strength train, the combination helps give me an edge for my training session. This approach can vary for each individual based on their meal and training timing.

Lunch (approximately 40 to 45 grams)

Midday is when I focus on heartier protein:

• Grass-fed beef (about 22 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving)

I often eat this in the form of a nourishing bowl with plenty of vegetables and anti-inflammatory herbs and spices. Sometimes it’s also accompanied by quinoa (one of the few plant sources with a complete amino acid profile).

Grass-fed beef contains a healthier fatty acid profile than conventionally-raised beef, with higher omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may help reduce inflammation.

Dinner (approximately 35 to 40 grams)

My evening protein sources rotate between these options:

• Pasture-raised chicken (about 26 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving)
• Wild-caught salmon or other fatty fish (about 22 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving)
• Occasionally other clean animal proteins like pasture-raised pork or lamb

I intentionally incorporate fatty fish like salmon at least twice a week as it’s a source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. The protein is almost secondary to me as salmon has an incredible nutritional profile.

Snacks and Supplements (approximately 15 to 20 grams)

To bridge any remaining gaps to meet my protein goal, I turn to:

• Grass-fed whey protein powder (for those with certain preferences or sensitivities, you can also turn to plant-based options; I prefer LTH Grass-Fed Whey Protein)
• Grass-fed beef sticks without additives or preservatives
• Plain Greek yogurt from pasture-raised cows, on occasion

This daily distribution strategy typically brings me to my 130-gram target while also allowing me to consume clean, whole foods.

Complementing Protein With Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Protein doesn’t exist in isolation in my nutrition plan. I strategically pair my protein sources with a variety of nutrient-rich foods:

• Abundant fresh fruit for hydration, fiber, and antioxidants
• Diverse vegetables for phytonutrients and fiber
• Herbs and spices (such as turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon) for their anti-inflammatory properties
• Healthy fats like avocados and olives

This comprehensive approach ensures that while meeting my protein needs, I’m also obtaining other necessary nutrients. These other food sources are an essential part of my nutrition strategy that’s focused on fighting inflammation (rather than contributing to it).

A Note for Those With Autoimmune Conditions or Food Reactions

As someone who is managing an autoimmune condition, focusing on clean, whole foods and anti-inflammatory nutrition strategies is invaluable for how I feel and function each day. Here are some benefits I’ve found from starting with single-ingredient, high-quality protein sources (always consult with your healthcare provider for your unique circumstances):

• Identify triggers more easily. It’s often simpler to identify the food(s) that might be causing a reaction when you’re eating whole foods (with single or minimal ingredients).
• Minimize exposure to common allergens. Some processed protein products may contain dairy, gluten, soy, or eggs, which are known for being foods people commonly react to.
• Reduce overall inflammatory burden. By removing inflammatory ingredients, you can give your immune system a break and potentially see an improvement in symptoms.
• Customize based on individual tolerance. Some may do better with plant proteins, while others might thrive on animal sources. A whole-foods approach allows room for personalization.

Practical Tips for Implementation

By prioritizing nutrient-dense protein sources and planning thoughtfully, I consistently hit my protein goal while also maintaining a diet that supports my holistic approach to nutrition. The key is planning ahead and making quality protein a priority, not an afterthought. If you’re inspired to adopt a similar approach, here are some practical starting points:

• Calculate your personal protein target based on your body weight and activity level. (Learn more: “How Much Protein Do I Need?”)
• Audit your current protein sources for inflammatory ingredients and quality.
• Plan your meals around whole-food proteins first, then add carbohydrates and fats.
• Batch cook quality proteins to ensure you always have healthy options available.
• Reserve supplements for genuine gaps rather than making them your primary protein source.
• Listen to your body’s responses to different protein sources and adjust accordingly.
• Consider the full nutrient profile of your protein choices, not just the grams of protein they contain.

Adopting a Holistic Protein Perspective

Meeting your protein goals while maintaining a holistic, anti-inflammatory diet isn’t about finding loopholes or “magic” products. It’s about leveraging the power of whole foods and being mindful of sourcing and intentional with your choices. Framed this way, you can see protein as not only a muscle-building macronutrient, but also as a vehicle for comprehensive nourishment.

By choosing quality, whole-food proteins and thoughtfully distributing them throughout your day, you can support your performance and recovery goals while honoring your body’s needs for nutrition. This isn’t just about physique or performance: It’s about creating sustainable health practices that serve your body for the long-term.

The post How Coach Hayley Akradi Hits Her Daily Protein Goals appeared first on Experience Life.

Explore the recipes in this collection:

• Green Goddess Broccoli Salad
• Bok Choy Miso Soup
• Mediterranean Caramelized Cabbage With Tzatziki Sauce
• Crispy Cauliflower Parmesan
• Roasted Romaine Hearts

Any farmers’ market shopper knows that summertime is a prime season for excellent produce. And while I love tomatoes and stone fruits as much as anyone, I’m partial to the handful of cool-weather vegetables that crop up at my local market as summer turns to fall. Think crucifers and veggies that grow in heads — broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, and cabbage.

Most of these vegetables are available year-round at many grocery stores. But because they thrive in cooler temperatures, fall is often a great time to find locally grown varieties.

Whatever the weather where you live, it’s always a good time to consider building a meal around a head of one of these vegetables. They boast an impressive array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They’re all good sources of vitamins C and K, which help support the immune system, bone health, blood-sugar regulation, and more. Another nutrient they have in common: folate, a B vitamin that’s crucial for building blood cells and DNA.

Any way you slice them, these hearty vegetables offer a variety of health-supporting benefits. And these recipes will make you feel good from your head to your toes.

Green Goddess Broccoli Salad

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 20 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup diced red cabbage
• 1 tbs. dried cranberries, chopped
• ¼ cup roasted cashews, chopped
• ½ cup diced fresh mozzarella

Green Goddess Dressing

• ¾ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup fresh parsley, loosely packed
• 1 tbs. fresh mint leaves
• 1 tbs. fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbs. fresh dill
• 3 tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Mix the broccoli, carrot, cabbage, cranberries, cashews, and mozzarella in a large bowl.
2. Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (small flecks of herbs will remain).
3. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.

Bok Choy Miso Soup

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 15 minutes  •  Cook time 20 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• 1 tbs. sesame oil
• ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 2 tbs. white miso paste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 6 oz. rice noodles
• 2 heads baby bok choy, stalks diced and leaves thinly sliced
• ½ cup mung-bean sprouts
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Sriracha, to taste

Directions

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.
2. Sauté the onion and mushrooms until they begin to soften, approximately five minutes.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about two minutes more.
4. Stir in the salt and miso paste, then add the broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Adjust the heat as needed to bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the noodles and cook according to package directions. When the noodles are about halfway done, add the bok choy.
5. Once the noodles are tender and the bok choy is wilted, stir in the bean sprouts.
6. Divide the soup among four bowls, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and sriracha to taste.

Mediterranean Caramelized Cabbage With Tzatziki Sauce

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 10 minutes  •  Cook time 1 hour

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

Cabbage

• 1 head savoy cabbage
• 2 tbs. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 tbs. tahini
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
• ¼ tsp. ground coriander
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ cup vegetable broth

Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup grated cucumber
• 1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. minced fresh dill
• ¼ tsp. sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the cabbage head in half and cut each half into four wedges.
3. In a cast-iron pan (or other oven-safe vessel), warm 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat until shimmering.
4. Cook the cabbage wedges in batches, flipping once and adding the second tablespoon of oil as necessary, until the cut sides are well browned, approximately four to six minutes per side.
5. While the cabbage is browning, mix the tahini, oregano, thyme, rosemary, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
6. Remove the browned cabbage wedges from the pan. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan, then add the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, then remove the pan from heat.
7. Spread the tahini mixture over the bottom of the pan and arrange the cabbage wedges in the pan in a single layer (a bit of overlap is fine).
8. Pour in the vegetable broth and place the pan in the oven.
9. Roast until the cabbage is fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
10. While the cabbage is roasting, make the tzatziki sauce by mixing the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, and salt in a small bowl.
11. Scoop the cabbage and the tahini mixture out of the pan, and serve with the tzatziki sauce alongside.

Crispy Cauliflower Parmesan

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 15 minutes  •  Cook time 30 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• 4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tbs. butter
• ½ small white onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup canned tomato sauce
• 2 tbs. minced fresh parsley
• ½ cup panko or other breadcrumbs (or gluten-free alternative)
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the oregano, rosemary, basil, and salt. Add the cauliflower and toss until well coated, then place it on the baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork-tender and beginning to crisp at the edges.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until lightly golden, approximately five minutes, then add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
4. Stir in the tomato sauce and fresh parsley, and remove from the heat.
5. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix in the breadcrumbs and cook over medium heat until crispy and toasted, two to four minutes.
6. Remove the cauliflower from the oven, pour the tomato-sauce mixture over the top, and toss to coat.
7. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top, and finish with the breadcrumbs.
8. Return the baking sheet to the oven for five minutes, and then serve.

Roasted Romaine Hearts

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 5 minutes  •  Cook time 10 minutes

• Ingredients
• Directions

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. plus 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large romaine hearts
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• 2 tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon wedge

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle it with a teaspoon of the oil.
2. Wash the lettuce heads and pat dry. Slice each one in half lengthwise.
3. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, anchovy paste, and remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil until well-blended.
4. Arrange the lettuce on the baking sheet, cut side up. Use a pastry brush to cover the cut sides with the anchovy-garlic mixture, dividing it evenly among the pieces.
5. Roast the romaine until it is wilted and the edges are beginning to brown, eight to 10 minutes.
6. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the Parmesan in a thin layer. Bake until the cheese has melted and is golden, three to five minutes, then remove from the oven. The cheese will become crisp as it cools.
7. Crumble the cheese crisp over the top, add a squeeze of fresh lemon, and enjoy warm.

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Photographer: Terry Brennan; Food Stylist: Betsy Nelson. This article originally appeared as “Head of the Table” in the September/October 2026 issue of Experience Life.

The post 5 Hearty Mains Featuring Cruciferous Veggies appeared first on Experience Life.