I'm one of those people that believes soup & winter foods can be eaten at any point of the year. Especially when it is something as tasty & comforting as chili. Chili brings me right back to when I was a student at West Virginia and my roommates and I would make a big batch and eat on it throughout the week. [We would flip between classic chili & this equally tasty Zesty Fiesta Soup!] WVU still brings up so many feelings of nostalgia for me that the best way to help with the homesick feeling is to bring back tastes of home. Of course, the fact that chili is ridiculously tasty helps a lot, too. Classic chili isn't that bad for you, but I like to keep challenging myself to find ways to…
- Category: Dinner -
I'm not sure about you, but after the weekend, my body craves nourishing, detoxing foods. As part of a healthy life balance, I tend to stick with homemade, healthy foods throughout the week. Once the weekend arrives, while I still try to maintain some sort of level of healthiness, I go out to eat, order things I typically wouldn't, and am just generally carefree. Sunday is my day of meal prep, as well. Last Sunday, I took a look in my fridge and noticed I had a lot of produce that was on the verge of going bad if I didn't use it up. One of my favorite things to do with ripe produce is to make soups! I wanted something that was going to be low fat, low in calories, high in healthy…
I realize not alllll of you have Instagram [although I'm extremely obsessed with it and don't understand how not everyone can not be ;) ], so I thought I'd share with you all some of my simple go-to's I typically reserve for my Insta! I have a bit of an obsession with oatmeal. Umm, do you recall this chocolate peanut butter cup or this chocolate covered strawberry recipe??? (drooool). My staple breakfast is most likely oats. This is a cup of plain old fashioned oats cooked in water. After they're cooked, I mix in 1 packet of Truvia, a dash of ground cinnamon, and topped with berries! Making a big ol' batch of spa water and keeping it in the fridge is an easy way I stay hydrated throughout the week! Here we have 4…
Have you ever had one of those nights where you just have no idea what to make for dinner so you just stare helplessly in the fridge? That was me last night, but something amazing came out of it! I really love making stuffed foods. Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers? Yes! Cheesecake Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies? Why not! For one, they're generally healthier. By adding the filling to peppers, tomatoes, or squash, you omit the complex carb element. Not to mention the various veggies add a pop of flavor- these Sweet & Spicy Italian Chicken Stuffed Squashes really hit the spot. What you'll need: 6 medium yellow squash 1 cup white onion 1 medium tomato 1/2 de-seeded jalapeno 2 large handfuls of spinach 4 hot Italian chicken sausage burgers (or 1 lb of your choice of…
I'm a week into the 21 day fix! So far, it's going pretty well. The workouts are tough but 30 minutes is definitely manageable. The thing I miss the most is knowing I am *able to* say yes to things (does that make any sense?!) I'm used to going to happy hour & having a glass of wine or two, going to dinner and ordering what I felt at the moment, or joining in on a BBQ and not needing to pack my own separate grilling necessities. That being said, I understand that 21 days is not forever- it's actually under a month. I'm feeling better, being more aware of what's going into my body is eye opening, and I'm already down 4 pounds [sayyy whaaaat!] PLUS, recipes like this Light Cheesy Shrimp Pasta…
Let's get honest with each other for a moment, nobody has time to cook crazy meals during the week while working or going to school full time. [Unless you're some super human, like Julia Childs or Blair Waldorf (..I think she's queen of all she does)]. That's where my love for one-panned meals comes in. [You guys remember this Baked Hummus Crusted Chicken, right?] A local winery in St. Augustine sells different flavors of white & regular balsamic vinegars. I snagged this tasty raspberry ginger flavor the last time I made a trip. (You can find a similar Blackberry Ginger Balsamic here!) Flavored balsamic vinegars are a great low-cal substitute for classic dressings and sauces. Not only are they healthier, but they're very versicle! You can pair this with a cheese & bread…
Now that the mid 90's have made themselves comfortable and oh so welcomed, I'm officially in full summer mode. One of my favorite summer food preps is to keep marinated, raw shrimp in my fridge. Shrimp is just one of those staple go-to's that you can't beat. Not only is it versatile in flavors, healthy, and tasty, but it also cooks in 3-5 minutes. (yes, please) In a Tupperware container (I like to keep it fancy), I combined: 1 pound raw shrimp (deveined // without the tails // cleaned) 2 tablespoons EVOO 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 squeezed lemon Onion powder & cayenne pepper (to taste) After 2-3 days, I patted myself on the back for being so patient & keeping them in there as long as I did, skewered them onto some kabob sticks…
Oh, Brussels sprouts, the most misunderstood veggie out there. [Side note- did anyone else know it's spelled Brussels sprouts & not brussel sprouts? You really do learn something new every day ;) ] I was on a mission: make my boyfriend like Brussels sprouts. It was a pretty large goal to tackle, but I was up for it. I'd already won this battle once, so I was full on ready to win again. ;) I've always loved vegetables, in any variation, so I've jumped up on the sprout's bandwagon long ago. I was sold; Dj, not so much. Everything is better with balsamic glaze on it, so I started there. After roaming through my pantry, these ingredients popped out- and would you believe it- Dj ate the whole dish! You Need: 1 bag of…