Katie Watts Nutrition

04/14/2026

This lightened-up 7 layer Mexican dip is the perfect app to bring to your next potluck. I love a quick, healthy, flavorful dish when I have to serve a crowd. The refried beans provide protein and fiber; you get even more fiber and healthy fats from the avocado. Using light sour cream keeps the macros balanced so you can tuck in with your favorite tortilla chips without reservation, but no judgement if you prefer the full-fat version.

Ingredients (serves 18-20):

Two 16 oz cans of refried beans
16 oz of Guacamole
16 oz of light sour cream
1 packet Taco seasoning
14 oz of Mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped green or red onion
2 cup chopped tomato (4 medium tomatoes)
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
2 oz can ripe black olives (optional)

Mix together the sour cream and taco seasoning. Then in a 9x13 baking dish, spread out the refried beans in a unified layer. Then add your layer of guacamole, followed by a layer of the sour cream/taco seasoning combination. Sprinkle on your cheese, then add the green onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, and black olives if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature with tortilla chips.

02/26/2026

If you're a girl that likes to eat (like me!), a measley half cup of oats for breakfast isn't going to cut it.

When it comes to satiety, we have two levers we can pull: protein and food volume.

So to make my oatmeal a satisfying breakfast without eating enough oats to send my blood sugar to the moon, I start with a half cup of cooked rolled oats, mix in a cup of cooked cauliflower rice, a scoop of chocolate protein powder, 2 tbsp ground chia seeds, and 1-2 tbsp peanut butter (or powdered peanut butter if I'm going for something lighter).

This combo turns a sad, tiny oatmeal into 37 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, and the satisfaction of tucking into a big ol' bowl of food. Plus who doesn't love kicking off the day with a sneaky serving of veg under the belt?

And don't worry, it doesn't taste at all like cauliflower--just a chocolate peanut butter cup 😋

02/19/2026

When you’re sick, your body is running a massive immune response — and that takes energy.
Chicken soup delivers easy-to-digest protein, minerals, and fluids so your body can focus on fighting the bug instead of diverting resources to heavy digestion.

Chicken broth contains two amino acids that the body needs in abundance during illness:
💛 Glycine → supports glutathione production, calms inflammation, and promotes deeper rest & recovery
💛 Glutamine → fuels immune cells and helps maintain the integrity of your gut lining (where a huge portion of your immune system lives)

Now add in a rainbow of vegetables and you get:
🥕 vitamins + minerals for cellular function
💧 hydration from the fluid + electrolytes
⚡ nutrients in a form that’s gentle on a low appetite

And let’s not forget the upgrades from your spice rack:
🧄 Garlic – antimicrobial & immune activating
🌶 Cayenne – supports circulation & mucus clearance
🌿 Oregano + thyme – antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory

Toss in beans for soluble fiber and you create a powerful detox assist — helping bind and remove endotoxins produced as your immune system breaks down viruses or bacteria.

This is why traditional cultures reached for chicken soup long before we had research — it’s strategically designed for recovery.

Save this for your next sick day 🤧

02/16/2026

We had a wonderful time at our Galentine's Retreat at yesterday. We nourished the body and nervous system with yoga to kick off the day, I shared some nutritional strategies to support energy and mood, and we concluded with a thoughtful discussion around finding passion and purpose in life in the midst of the demands of career and family led by and . Some yummy snacks were provided by and a healthy, macro-balanced lunch by . All the gals walked away with goodie bags full of self-care items so they could carry the good vibes into their week. Such a fun event, and we're already scheming about the next one!

02/03/2026

Sometimes you just want something that tastes decadent but don't want to feel like sh*t after you eat it. This is an easy one to pull together that tastes like dessert but is packed with nutrients. Win-win.

Ingredients and instructions:
The night before, mix 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, 2 tablespoons of h**p seeds, 2 tablespoons of rolled oats, 1/2 cup of blueberries or sliced strawberries (frozen is fine), 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and a half cup of water. Or if you're in a rush, throw everything in a blender until smooth -- no need to soak.

When you're ready to eat, mix a half-cup of non-dairy yogurt (or use dairy if that's your jam) with 1 scoop of protein powder and 1 tablespoon of nut butter in a separate bowl until smooth (I used coconut yogurt, peanut butter, and chocolate protein powder).

Top the chia pudding with the yogurt mixture to make it pretty or mix it all together like the animal you are and enjoy that stable blood sugar energy.

01/26/2026

I had so much fun chatting with Chris at WJBM radio on all things nutrition! If you missed it on the radio, you can watch a recording of our conversation on YouTube

On this episode of The WJBM Local Spotlight Show, host Chris Lorton sits down with Jerseyville native Katie Watts, who is working toward becoming a Certified...

01/14/2026

I am so pleased that a few like-minded, wellness professionals reached out to ask me to participate in this wellness retreat. If you're in the Edwardsville area, this is going to be a laid-back, fun event all about how to prioritize your wellness in this fast-paced, modern world. Scan the QR code to register or message me with any questions!

01/13/2026

There is plenty of science behind why you should eat slowly and mindfully to aid in digestion and absorption of your food, but really I'm just about cultivating as much joy in my day as possible.

01/07/2026

What's your favorite healthy snack swap?

01/03/2026

Many of us know cortisol as a stress hormone, but it's primary job is to mobilize glucose (think--a tiger is chasing us, we need a burst of energy to run away!). When our blood sugar gets too low overnight, the adrenal glands will start releasing cortisol to tell the liver to start releasing glucose. Cortisol also makes us feel alert, which is great during the daytime but not so great when you're trying to get your beauty sleep. There are 4 common causes I usually see with folks that are dipping too low overnight:

1. Your last meal of the day didn't have the proper balance of macronutrients. If we have more carbohydrates than our body needs, we can "overshoot" insulin. Insulin will shuttle all of the glucose out of our bloodstream causing us to dip too low (called reactive or post-prandial hypoglycemia).

2. You're not eating enough in the daytime, particularly earlier in the day. I often see this with folks who are very active or who practice intermittent fasting. Making sure our glycogen stores are full before we go to bed ensures we have enough fuel readily available for the body to tap into overnight.

3. Your liver is overburdened. It's the liver's job to create glucose when we haven't eaten in a while, so if it's busy processing other things (toxins, hormones, alcohol, etc.) it can be a little sluggish responding to the body's need for more glucose.

4. Your HPA axis is dysregulated. HPA stands for hypothalamus - pituitary - adrenals, and it's the system that manages our repsonse to stress. When we're under chronic stress, whether from physical or psychological sources, our HPA axis can become over- and/or underactive, which will manifest in high and/or low blood sugar.

It's worth noting that blood sugar isn't always the reason you're waking up at 3 am -- cortisol naturally starts rising in the early morning hours no matter what your blood sugar levels are, but ideally it's not disrupting your sleep significantly. A CGM is a great way to learn if your 3 am wakings are due to blood sugar or something else.