Nutrition is such an interesting subject. There are so many dietary theories out there with millions of loyal followers, yet often they conflict with each other. (Image via the Institute for Integrative Nutrition) In all honesty, some of them make me cringe a bit. I'm talking to you, Paleo followers that claim they're "eating like a cave man" yet they buy conventionally raised meat that was likely transported from halfway across the country from animals that had been pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, and fed a diet unnatural to them. But I digress. Nutrition can definitely be confusing for people, even for someone whose studied nutrition and is really into food like myself. While dietary theories can drastically differ in ideology, there's one thing that I believe all ... [Read More]
veggies
Veggie Pappardelle Bolognese
This lovely Friday marks what would have been my grandma's 80th birthday. Before last month, I had never lost a person I was really close with. On one hand, I feel blessed to have lived nearly 27 years before experiencing the loss of a person that was so dear to my heart. I'm grateful that when I did lose a person so important to my life, it was one who had led a pretty long, happy life. But on the other hand, it still hasn't been easy by any stretch. As anyone whose lost someone close to them can probably relate, I think it may be the worst feeling in the world to have this aching that can never be satisfied, a hole in your heart because someone you loved has passed away. You wish you could talk to them and just hear their voice again. I look for signs of her everywhere, ... [Read More]
Meatless Monday Recipe Idea: Black Bean Veggie Tacos with Cashew Cream [Gluten Free]
Hi friends! Another weekend has flown by, and it was a good one for me. I kicked off my weekend with a much needed massage at the student massage school near me, San Jose National Holistic Institute. The students perform whatever massage they've been working on in school, and this time it was a Swedish massage. The masseuse did a good job of working on all of my achy muscles for an hour -- for $20. Needless to say, it was awesome! Afterwards I headed over to the mall to spoil myself a little, and I picked up a new Athleta workout top and some beauty loot from LUSH and Benefit Cosmetics. I'm kind of in love with LUSH. I spent some time in there playing around with things and wound up nabbing a facial cleanser and seaweed mask that I tested out and loved this weekend. I don't go shopping ... [Read More]
Marsala Wine Portobello & Tomato Pizza Pockets
To me, Sundays are the best for experimenting in the kitchen. Whether I wake up with a growling belly and a breakfast idea on my mind, have some time to leisurely play around in the afternoon, or spend part of my evening whipping up a dinner recipe, many of my Sundays involve the creation of a recipe or two. Last Sunday, dinnertime was my chance to get a little creative with food, and this is what I came up with... What is this doughy, cheesy ball of goodness you ask? It's a yummy recipe that was born out of my desire to make a pizza-like dinner, yet not exactly be typical pizza. I've deemed them Marsala Wine Portobello Mushroom & Tomato Pizza Pockets. It all started when I had a couple of mini portobello mushroom caps left over from a risotto dish I made the week before that I wanted ... [Read More]
Quinoa Green Bean Salad with Marcona Almonds
Hi friends! Happy Hump Day! Hope you're having a good one. I'm taking a little lunch break to blog today. I ran across this awesome quote earlier: Well isn't that a good healthy living rule of thumb?! And speaking of plants, I have quite a nutritious, delicious recipe to share today: It all started when I happened to see a recipe with marcona almonds somewhere. It reminded me how much I love them, and all of a sudden I was on a mission to nab marcona almonds and create a recipe that incorporates them. Once I decided that I'd make a quinoa salad, ingredient ideas just started dancing in my head. I have a fresh mint plant that I've barely used recently. The other day I got a whiff of the plant while watering it. I love the smell of fresh mint, and I started thinking that I need to ... [Read More]
No-Bake Summer Veggie & Lemon Ricotta Lasagna
Growing up, I was not a fan of corn on the cob. I didn't despise it, but I just didn't really get what was so special about it. It seemed as though everyone ate it on a daily basis in the summer. Fast forward to now, and all of a sudden I like corn on the cob - and enjoy cutting it off the cob and throwing it into recipes even more. My husband, on the other hand, thinks that corn should only be eaten on the cob. But when it comes to persuading him to like foods, I tend to be pretty persistent. He was once a bean hater, and now I hardly ever hear a complaint when I throw chickpeas in our salads. In fact, he now voluntarily orders lentil soup sometimes. Point of the matter is, I'm not giving up on throwing corn into recipes just yet my friends! So when I came across a recipe in the ... [Read More]