Melissa

Drinks, Recipe Box

Memorial Day Skinny Fruit Punch Sangria

May 27, 2016 by Melissa

Happy Memorial Day weekend! To all of those that have served, I thank you. All that have served gave some, but some gave all. For those, this day is for you. My family is highly involved in the military, so Memorial Day was always special for us. We'd take the day to be thankful for those that have served, are currently serving, and us having the freedom to all be together. We'd do the typical Memorial Day activities, cook out, play games, but we'd always be sure to remember the reason why this day is so special. This Memorial Day weekend, two of our friends from WVU, Erik & Val are coming up for the weekend from Philly. We're going to explore Jacksonville, probably head down to St. Augustine, and, of course, spend plenty…

Skinny Breakfast Pizza

May 25, 2016 by Melissa

So lately I've been craving pizza like crazy. I am currently loving on thin crust; the extra crunchy texture is everything, guys. The other day, it was 9 am when my pizza cravings hit. Seriously.9.am. Not wanting to cave in too early in the day (even though healthy pizza is totally a thing), I decided to stick with breakfast, but make a play on the standard pizza to reinvent it into a food acceptable for that early in the day. So, low and behold, breakfast pizza was born, and I don't see myself ever going back to another weekend breakfast idea any time soon! Well, unless it has anything to do with guacamole goat cheese toast, but that's it. ;) Serving: 1 breakfast pizza 1 whole wheat, low carb tortilla 2-3 tablespoons of a…

Social Medial Happy Hour : Blogger Series

May 17, 2016 by Melissa

"How-to-make-your-blog-grow-in-followers"

GreenPalateLife is now almost 3 years old (!!!) It's crazy to think of where I started vs where I am now. My posts have changed, my creativity levels have increased, and I've been pleasantly surprised that no matter how much time has past, there is always going to be something new and interesting to cover. (Yes, that was a big fear of mine when I first started out!) As my blog continues to grow, I'm finding that I'm getting asked a lot more my tips and tricks to keep my blog going. These questions range from the basics of my advice to people thinking of starting a blog, to more complex questions, such as how to actually design a blog, what databases I prefer, how to grow your follower count, the best SEO tips,…

Caprese Balsamic Soft Boiled Eggs

May 13, 2016 by Melissa

I think one big misconception about eating a healthy diet is that there is so much prep and time that goes into it. In reality, I'm always finding ways to whip up meals and snacks that take less than 10 minutes. The key is to keep certain staples around your house that are prepped beforehand. I like to meal prep one day during the week (usually Sunday nights or Monday nights) basic foods that I know can work in various recipes. These generally include: Brown rice Hard boiled eggs Soft boiled eggs Baked veggies Brown rice pasta or whole wheat pasta Spaghetti squash Tofu (or chicken, shrimp, ground turkey, or any other lean protein) Then, when the day comes, I can mix and match what I want to eat. The meals generally include: Stir…

Guacamole Goat Cheese Toast

May 10, 2016 by Melissa

When it comes to breakfast, lunch, dinner, (okay, literally any time of the day), avocado is my jam. I have a very similar love affair with goat cheese, so when I combine the two, something magical happens. If you remember my go-to breakfast for avocado English muffins, this post won't come as a surprise to you that this is still my ultimate go-to breakfast combo, but adding some variations to recipes never hurt anyone. In fact, I've found ways to improve on already stellar recipes (teriyaki chicken stir fry BAKE, anyone?) I was really craving some avocado toast the other morning, but I just had one problem: I didn't have any ripe avocados. However, I'm not one to give up that easily, and when I realized that I had some single servings of guacamole…

Feel Good Friday; vol. 18

May 6, 2016 by Melissa

Why hello there, Friday, you are looking rather fine today. ;) This week felt rather long for me, but I have a feeling it has a lot to do with my pending trip to Mexico next week... Dj and I are heading off to Charlotte next Thursday to spend the night exploring the city before we jet of to Cancun to meet my best friend, Sara, and her fiance for the weekend + start of the week! I am super excited; I've never been to Charlotte or Cancun. Anything that you would recommend as a must-see or must-do? This weekend, the plan is to take it easy. I'd like to get some shopping done and deep clean my apartment. Of course, my plans for relaxing weekends never seem to pan out (major case of…

Make Ahead Red Pepper Breakfast Sandwiches

May 4, 2016 by Melissa

"Meal-Prep-Roasted-Red-Pepper-Breakfast-Sandwiches"

Every Sunday, I set aside time to meal prep different breakfasts and lunches throughout the workweek. I am the kind of person that gets bored with repetition, especially when it comes to food. I'm not the biggest fan of leftovers, maybe after a few days, but eating the exact same thing as the morning before just does not appeal to me. To help this, I meal prep smaller batches of different variations of food. For lunch, I love making a few containers of this skinny cheesy shrimp pasta, some teriyaki chicken stir fry bake, or even this light fruit & nut chicken salad. Lunch is pretty easy & has a ton of different options. Breakfast, however, is pretty basic. To switch it up, I create some chocolate covered almond protein bites, a few make…

The Beginners Guide to Running a Mile

May 1, 2016 by Melissa

I read a new book the other week called You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. It was great- I downloaded it on Audible as well so that I could listen to it on my way to work. I cannot recommend this book enough! It really gave me the push to start thinking of my goals in life and what I want to improve on. My health has always been a big driving factor in my life, especially the few months. I've always wanted to get more into running, but it hasn't always come easy. Something in YAABA really stuck out to me, she said, "set goals right outside of your comfort zone and go from there." Start with 1/2 a mile per day, put on a great playlist, and just go out and do…

- Author: Melissa -

Memorial Day Skinny Fruit Punch Sangria

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Skinny Breakfast Pizza

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Caprese Balsamic Soft Boiled Eggs

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Guacamole Goat Cheese Toast

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Feel Good Friday; vol. 18

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Make Ahead Red Pepper Breakfast Sandwiches

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The Beginners Guide to Running a Mile

Read more