Hi friends! Hope you that you had a great weekend. Mine was pretty low-key: did some schoolwork (got 100% on my second test!) and stuff around/for the house, went hiking, got some beach time in and just enjoyed the summertime weather. And speaking of summer, today's recipe is most definitely seasonally appropriate. I came up with this salad after having recently eaten a strawberry basil Greek yogurt. I loved the flavor combo, and when I picked up strawberries during my next grocery store run, I started thinking about pairing local strawberries with basil from my backyard for a dish. In general, I like to switch things up in the kitchen, but this just isn't the case when it comes to salad dressings. My go-to dressing mix is extra virgin olive oil + fresh lemon juice + balsamic ... [Read More]
healthy
Red Swiss Chard, Chickpea & Leek Soup {vegan}
When I was younger, I wasn't quite as into health as I am now. Luckily, I grew up in a health-conscious family with parents who exercised often and ate well. Our dinners almost always include nutritious vegetables. I remember feeling embarrassed as a kid when my friends came over and we didn't have an abundance of Oreos and Doritos in our pantry to nosh on like most of their houses did. I used to roll my eyes at my mom when she would take a bite of something super healthy and say, "Mmmm delicious! And it's so good for you!" I was convinced that she sabotaged herself into loving vegetables because of their nutrition content. Keep in mind, I became a vegetarian at age 10, and while I ate veggies and had a decently healthy diet for a kid, I wasn't exactly in love with broccoli and ... [Read More]
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies [Gluten Free & Vegan]
Hi friends! I am super excited because I'm heading to Lake Tahoe tomorrow for a getaway with my hubby! I've never gone skiing before, so wish me luck. We're also planning on trying snowshoeing, and I found a bunch of restaurants that are my style -- including a couple of vegan and gluten free specific eateries that I'm looking forward to trying out. I'll certainly be recapping my trip next week, but today, let's talk about another fun topic: cookies, specifically dark chocolate peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies. How's that for a mouthful? There are a few kitchen creations that are my go-to recipes when I'm in the mood for something specific. When I get into what I think of as a cookie monster mode, this is definitely one of my no brainers to make. When I felt the need to make them ... [Read More]
Autumn Slim Down to Find My Ideal Weight
Hi friends! Today's post is about a topic that a lot of people struggle with: finding, reaching, and staying at their "ideal" weight. It feels very personal for me to write about, but I'm doing it because I know a lot of other people have a hard time with it, and why be afraid to be honest and talk about my journey right? My Weight Story I'll spare you the sob story about how life isn't fair, but I've never been a person who can just be thin without eating right and exercising. The reason why I've never been heavy is because I've (thankfully) never eaten a standard American diet, and I've been active my entire life. I'm so blessed to have grown up in a household where healthy living was just a way of life, and I've carried that mentality with me as an adult. I've never been a ... [Read More]