5/7/2014 Mother's Day BrunchingWhat on earth would we do without our moms? I've been feeling terribly sick all week, and even at 26 (and-a-half) years old when my fiancé was asking me what I needed or what he could get me, all I could think of was "I need my mom!" Without even asking her, my mom just knew, and within 2 hours she was out of San Diego and at my door, soup-in-hand, ready to take care of me. There's just nothing better. For all they do for us, we need to spoil them big time - every day, but especially this Sunday for Mother's Day. Brunch is my absolute favorite meal. It's like an occasion all on it's own. There is so much deliciousness packed into the all-encompassing meal that is brunch - I like to start it off with tangerine mimosas, then have some breakfasty bites, then throw in a few fresh salads options, and end it with some sweets - now that's how to throw a brunch. And that's exactly what you should do on Sunday to honor your moms! Here's some WeekNight Bite recipes that will fit perfectly into your homemade (& healthy!) Mother's Day Brunch! Are you hungry yet?
Happy brunching and happy Mother's Day to my amazing mom and my soon-to-be Mother-in-Law!
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4/9/2014 Clean Eating 101 + WNB's First Guest Post & A Clean Recipe: Layered Quinoa Fiesta Salad!We've all heard about "eating clean", right? I know it's a phrase I throw around often . . . After an indulgent weekend, Monday morning rolls around and I can usually be caught saying "ughhh! I need to eat cleeeaan this week and detox immediately!" But what does it really mean to eat clean? It's not as hard as you may think, and I've brought in the Clean Eating expert (for our very first guest post ever!) to show us the way! Enter the fabulous Christina Markos --> A SoCal native with a passion for wellness, cooking, and nutrition. Tina and I met through our mutual friend Sierra while wine tasting in Santa Barbara and hit it off instantly. We talked about our love of cooking and our favorite healthy recipes, and I heard all about her culinary training, nutrition courses that she has taken, and her job as the editor for the Adelle Davis Foundation’s online magazine, which is dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of America’s most famous nutritionists, while promoting health and supporting programs that build school gardens and wellness programs at major Universities nationwide. Amazing right? I can't think of a better person to write today's guest post! Alright let's get into it . . . Here are all the rules, tips, and clean eating tricks from Tina: Clean Eating is NOT a diet, it is simply lifestyle change and one we can all make pretty easily! There are no “restrictions” with clean eating, you simply begin by eating more healthy foods - foods that contain nutrients that are essential and vital. You eat food in its purest form as much as you can to eliminate added preservatives and chemicals. When people try to “diet”, their life becomes focused on that diet- they are no longer able to go out to eat with friends anymore, they start to really crave the foods they can’t have and end up bingeing on something that wasn’t on their “diet”. Their life becomes their diet. Clean eating works in reverse, you eat foods that are delicious, healthy and in turn give you more energy, a clearer mind, and a stronger body so your life can be about YOU, not a diet. Diets are not healthy and they confuse your metabolism which is crucial for regulating your digestive system and maintaining a healthy weight. Clean eating is a way of life, something that you can start today and stick to forever! Tina's 6 Simple Ways to Start Eating Clean TODAY 1. Eat an orange instead of drinking a glass of OJ. Eating the “whole” version of something is almost always the better choice. The more processed the food is, the more it becomes laden with preservatives, sugars, artificial dyes, ingredients, and other added “flavors”. Any item in its natural unprocessed form is always best. 2. Only buy things with 6 ingredients or less. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list of most processed foods there are at the grocery store? There are tons and tons of unhealthy and unnatural ingredients- even hidden in health food products! Eating clean means staying away from all of those unnatural ingredients that accumulate as toxins in our bodies. Keep it simple and you will be healthier. A handful of homemade trail mix or raw nuts, or an organic string cheese and apple are great on-the-go ideas, and if you have to get a bar, choose gluten free and vegan option such as larabars which have 3 ingredients or less (fruits+nuts+salt). You can also try making your own bars! 3. Use healthy fats and oils. When you are clean eating, you want to use healthy cooking oils and consume healthy fats. Extra virgin olive oil, grape seed and coconut oil are going to be the best options. As for healthy fats (other than those oils), stick to nuts and nut butters, flax seeds, avocado, low-fat dairy, and salmon. All of these contain those healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are so good for us. 4. Rid your pantry of highly processed foods. Example: that box of cookies or cheesy crackers. Opt for healthy snack and dessert alternatives. Low-fat cheese or raw nut butter and wasa crisps or yogurt dip with veggies. Desserts could include a healthy low-fat greek yogurt parfait with berries, cacao nibs and agave nectar, a fresh ripe piece of fruit, a healthy homemade hot cocoa or a few raw cocoa nibs. It is about buying foods in their purest form and eating them in that form. Next time you are in your pantry look at the ingredients in your cereal, crackers or cookies. If they have more than 6 ingredients or you don’t even know what some of them mean, it’s time to toss! 5. No more white flour & limit white sugar. Whole wheat bread can sometimes list the second ingredient as white flour! Don’t be tricked-look for healthy sprouted breads such as Ezekial or find whole wheat breads that contain only 100% whole wheat flour. Switch out your pasta to whole wheat, gluten-free, quinoa, and brown rice versions. Instead of sugar in your coffee or ice cream, use raw honey or agave, make a healthy ice cream with bananas (see Weeknight Bite recipe!) 6. Make you plate colorful and savor each bite. The idea with clean eating is when you make simple and healthy meals they are most likely going to look amazing on the plate. Colorful veggies, brown rice, fresh salmon with a salad makes for a pretty plate. Yogurt and fresh mixed berries is a pretty way to start the day! Take the time to sit at the table when you are eating your major meals. It will help you to slow down, savor and realize when you are full. Your body will thank you for ridding those toxins and receiving the real nutrients! I love all these tips and am going to put them to use in my daily life ASAP! And now for a clean and delicious recipe:
Tina's Layered Quinoa Fiesta Salad 3/11/2014 Shaved Brussels Sprout, Kale & Pomegranate SaladIt's WeekNight Bite Wednesday, and I have a fabulous recipe to share with you that I know you will just love! This Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Pomegranate salad has become my new go-to dinner. Whenever I make it, I'll do a huge serving so I have enough to pack for my lunch the next day, and it is even better after all the flavors have come together overnight. You don't need to worry about a soggy salad for lunch - this one is still super crispy and fresh! It's a jam-packed full of healthy ingredients, tons of texture, and a whole bunch of flavor. I got inspired to create this salad when I saw a new blend of lettuces at Trader Joe's called the "Cruciferous Crunch Collection" - not an easy or pretty name, but the blend of chopped kale, shaved brussels sprouts, purple cabbage, and green cabbage definitely intrigued me. Now here's the key to making this salad a success: just like I did with THIS kale salad recipe, you have to give the greens some lovin' and MASSAGE them until they became a bit softer, nicer, and happier. This will take all the coarseness and bitterness out of the brussels and the kale, so it's very important!
1/22/2014 Kale, Chicken & Farro SaladToday I'm going wedding dress shopping. AHH! I'm so excited. With this in mind last night, I wanted to make a super healthy and light dinner, so I could wake up feeling great for the big day ahead. I was craving a refreshing and delicious salad, packed with tons of yummy ingredients that would keep me full and satisfied, instead of reaching for a giant handful of chocolate chips, post-salad. Part of me was tempted to go pick up my favorite Chicken Chopped Salad from True Food Kitchen, but with Farmers Market kale in my refrigerator, and pretty much every other ingredient that's in the Chicken Chopped, I decided to make my own spin on this delish salad. The trick to making a perfect kale salad is simple - give it a little massage. Like people, kale gets much nicer, happier, and less bitter after a good massage. My favorite method is to pour some olive oil over the kale and work it into the leaves with my hands. Then I add lemon juice and continue giving the kale some love. This will break it down and make it much softer and tastier. All you have to do after that is add your favorite ingredients and season with salt and pepper! It's that easy. Let's talk about our ingredients for a minute. We've got farro, which is a delicious grain packed with fiber to keep you full. We've got grilled chicken for added protein, dates and cranberries for a little sweetness, vitamin-rich pine nuts for a yummy nutty crunch, avocado for good healthy fats and tons of health benefits, and of course the superstar - KALE - which is just the healthy goddess of greens. Fresh shaved parmesan right on top and we're ready to go. How delicious and healthy does that sound? Sounds like the perfect pre-wedding-dress-shopping-meal to me. For everyone who made resolutions to eat healthier in 2014, you'll love this salad. It's definitely going to be a staple in our house this year.
12/11/2013 Lentil Avocado Salad w/ Pesto DressingWho's been enjoying the holidays and all the delicious treats of the season? I know I have! Seriously. I can't help it, it's all around me! All of the amazing food blogs I follow are starting to post holiday dessert ideas and my sweet tooth is in heaven. I opened my cabinet the other day and a giant bag of Ghiradelli peppermint bark squares were staring right at me, practically begging me to eat a bunch of them. And I did. And they were delicious. Having this MAJOR sweet tooth, I've learned that it just doesn't work to deprive myself of treats or say that anything is "off limits". Instead I'm attempting to have a little bit of all the things I love, just in moderation, and balancing them with super healthy and satisfying meals, like THIS Lentil & Avocado Salad! When you eat healthy, fresh, and clean meals like this, there's always room for a little dessert at the end of the day, right?!
This recipe is the epitome of freshness. It's filled with protein, fiber, and omega-3s, plus it's super satisfying and filling . . . not like one of those measly salads that only fills you up for an hour. I went to dinner the other night with my friend Hannah at Le Pain Quotidien, one of my go-to restaurant picks when I need some healthiness in my life. I always order their Lentil Avocado salad and it's just so good, every time. So, I made my own (!!) and now all of you can make it too! |
CATEGORIESPOPULAR POSTSJuly 28th, 2016Almond Milk Matcha LattesJune 23, 2017Almond Butter Cup SmoothieABOUT LINDSAYLindsay is a Holistic Nutritionist who lives for a great meal, a beautiful farmers market, daily matcha lattes, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Weeknight Bite is Lindsay's happy place where her nutrition practice, simple recipes, and wellness tips come together to inspire you to live a healthy, balanced life.
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