..or are you just conditioned to be that way? A few weeks back, I stumbled across a quote on Instagram that struck a nerve with me, so I took to Instagram stories with my thoughts. Here's what I said.

My diet has gone through lots of twists and turns and shifts and shimmies over the years.

Today I’m going to share with you the four ways I’ve been able to gain enough confidence to develop my own Erin Plan - and how YOU can find your ideal diet.

Just so you know, creating a recipe title is hands down the hardest part of writing a recipe. I don't even know what's happening here. It's a type of bread. But it's not banana bread or zucchini bread or pumpkin bread. It's good. And there's a whole can of beans in there, so that's pretty tricky, no?

There are five different fruits and veggies slammed into this smoothie bowl. If made according to this recipe, it offers up about 400 calories, 14 grams of fat, 11 gram of fiber and 25 grams of protein. Not too shabby whether you're feeding it to your kids, or eating it yourself!

I'm developing lots of new recipes for my new nutrition program. And I'm gonna share one with you this week because Super Bowl and chili go together like...super bowl and chili.

I've been making veggie chili for over a decade, and I've never once written down a recipe. But I did you guys a solid and actually measured out ingredients and listed out steps. I tweaked my OG recipe a little bit to make it more detox-friendly.

I wanted an easy and nutritious snack that we could pack up on the fly...so I made these cookies. They contain fat, protein and fiber—the 3 things I look for in a hearty snack. They’re super tasty (pleased both the adults and toddler), but definitely not your traditional chewy gooey chocolate chip cookie, more like a snack bar in cookie form. So heads up there. We’ve already made them 3 times. Try ‘em out!

People are looking to get healthy, and deep down we know that this requires us to alter our lives. The savvy diet industry is on to this, and so they market their unhealthy quick fixes as “lifestyle changes” to sell to more people.

In an attempt to reconnect with nature, I’ve been paying close attention to lunar cycles this past year. I’ve crafted some simple rituals and have started syncing up my intentions with the changing moons. It has given me a newfound respect for beginnings and endings, as well as a new lens with which to view the new year. There’s something to be said for a clean slate and a clear vision.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get healthy. That’s not the issue. The issue is how we approach it. Diet culture instills unrealistic ideals of beauty and provides us with unhealthy ways of achieving them. And then they make a hefty profit.

So smoothies it is. A boon for you, because I'm coming up with different recipes to keep things fresh. I'm also dumping these recipes into my Funk'tional Holidays Facebook group—so head on over there if you haven't already! I've got other holistic practitioners adding free workouts, yoga videos, meditations and Ayurvedic practices to keep you healthy and sane throughout the holidays!

BUT! This week I popped into the Durham Juicery like the college kid I think I still am and ordered the Faster Than Light smoothie. I can’t even explain the joy that it brought me. It was cold, creamy and creative. It was so good I told my husband about it later that day. And texted my friend before going to bed that night because I was still thinking about it. And then made it for breakfast the next day.

What does apple sauce have to do with gut health? Check out today's blog to learn more. Or just skip ahead to the recipe—it's the easiest apple sauce you will ever make.

Artificial sweeteners are ubiquitous in our food system. Food manufacturers add them to sodas, energy and sports drinks, protein powders, health bars, yogurt, gum, candy, and pharmaceuticals (including syrups and antibiotics for children).

Artificial sweeteners are the food industry’s way of harmonizing our cravings for sweet things with our concern for calories. The appeal is that we can enjoy sweet food without the weight gain and deleterious spikes in blood sugar. Seems like a win-win, right? Not so fast. Despite FDA approval, these non-nutritive sweeteners pose a threat in terms of weight gain, food cravings, gut health, and more.

I’m jumping into the heart of the subject right out of the gate: kids eat a lot of refined carbohydrates. Goldfish, cereal, bread, frozen waffles, boxed mac n’ cheese, breaded chicken fingers…sound familiar? These foods are both convenient and hyper-palatable (meaning they excite your little one’s taste buds). They’re also reinforced by our government. The USDA champions the “healthy whole grains” ideology to children and adults alike. It’s understandable that parents keep buying these foods thinking they are healthy kid snacks.

Elderberry syrup is an effective botanical for preventing - and shortening the duration of—the common cold and flu. This antioxidant-packed berry contains vitamin C, A and minerals.

To support the immune system, take elderberry syrup regularly throughout the fall and winter months. It is safe for the whole family - including kiddos and pregnant or nursing mamas. If you do get a cold or the flu, you can ramp up the dose (see below) to shorten the duration of your illness.

I made this grain-free apple crisp two days in a row because my husband and kid ate the first batch while I was at yoga. Savages. Second time around I wrote down the recipe so I could share with you. Luuuuckkkkyyy. If you've recently visited an apple orchard with your family to post fall images all over social media, cheers. Now you're swimming in apples. Here's what to do with them.

"Transdermal mineral therapy refers to bringing in minerals through the skin. This is what what was going on in those Azorian hot springs. No wonder why I felt so great! When you soak in a mineral-rich bath, you take in minerals from the skin. This can ease up any mineral-deficiency symptoms like anxiety, irritability, headaches, muscle weakness, fatigue, arthritis, muscle/bone/joint pain, dizziness, tremors, cramps, heart palpitations.

I was determined to bring this experience back home, and my husband was opposed to drilling our backyard to hit the earth's crust. So I crafted up a recipe using mineral-rich substances like sea salts, epsom salts and magnesium crystals."

We have, on average, 700 synthetic chemicals in our bodies.

We are constantly exposed to many environmental pollutants, drugs and dietary components. The majority of these chemicals have not been tested for safety in human health. As Kelly Brogran, MD points out, we have an “innocent until proven guilty” approach when it comes to chemicals in pharmaceuticals, food, personal care products, cookware, and other everyday items. Unfortunately, we are starting to understand that not only do these toxicants impact us negatively, but combinations of these toxicants can exacerbate their harmful effects, something referred to as the “cocktail effect.”

Nothing makes you feel like you’re on a surf trip or yoga retreat more than eating an acai bowl (well, except for maybe surfing and yoga). A cross between eating ice cream and drinking a smoothie, frozen acai is like a tropical vacation in a bowl. And pretty much just as expensive, especially if you’re feeding a lot of little hands. But you can still get all the fun and yum without the hefty price tag! Here’s how to make DIY acai bowls at home.

It feels like we’re in a lose-lose situation when it comes to the sun. We’re scared of it, we’re scared of sun cancer and now we’re also scared of sunscreen because it just might be the MOST TOXIC THING EVER. But what’s the truth? What’s healthy? What’s not?