Kale Addict

Oh my gosh you guys. I have some exciting news.

And by news I mean recipe. And by exciting I mean easy.

Ok so I’m mostly just proud that I’m eating kale with something other than that tahini dressing. (Yes, I’ve eaten that pretty much every day, for the last month. ) I think I’m actually addicted to kale. It was starting to get awkward. This poor leafy green has so much more potential. I clearly needed to try something new.

Luckily, when I was swinging by my local Trader Joe’s, I came across this new bag in the frozen aisle- actually, by the sample stand. (Don’t worry, if you don’t have a TJ’s you could still make this, it would just be a little more work.)

Pumped Up Kale Salad

• 2 cups raw kale
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup multigrain blend with veggies* (see note for non-TJ’s substitutions)
• Pinch of salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp shredded romano cheese (optional)

I sautéed the kale in the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic until just wilted (don’t cook it too much, you still want it a bit crunchy) and then I put that aside in a large salad bowl. In the same pan, I lightly warmed the multigrain mix. I sprinkled it with a little salt as well, but that’s up to you. Then I just tossed all that on top of the kale. It was delicious just like that, but later on I added a little Romano cheese, and that was also quite delicious. You could eat this hot or cold. I ate part of it right away while it was warm, and then I put it in the fridge and finished it a few hours later cold. Both delicious.

Note: If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, don’t fear. You can do this, you’ll just have to make your own mix. It’s really just a blend of rice, barley, corn, peas, etc. You could still use a bag of frozen veggies + rice.

Dinners don’t get much easier than that. Especially since it’s good warm or cold! I made enough to pack up for lunch tomorrow, as well.

As for the half marathon training, I have a 7 mile run on the plan for today! This will officially be the farthest I’ve ever run! Wish me luck 🙂

What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s product? (If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, what do you wish you could try?)

Pre-vacation Eats & Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Ah, the last few days before a vacation. Desperately trying to use up all the produce, avoid the grocery store, and eat relatively clean, knowing that vacation will probably include plenty of indulgences…

I’m leaving for Boston this afternoon, so I tried not to fill up my fridge this week. I just bought the essentials (bananas, almond milk, kale, and Chobani) and I’ve been eating those things in a pretty solid rotation for the past few days. I know it’s pretty boring, but I like to eat my favorites until I’m sick of them, and it means I won’t come back to a bunch of spoiled groceries.

To avoid absolutely boring you with a recap of the same old thing, here’s a quick snap shot of the things that haven’t changed:

Breakfast– I don’t know if I’ll stop craving these once the weather gets cold, but for now, I’m sticking with these green smoothies.

Lunch– I literally can’t get enough kale these days. Tossed with a little quinoa for extra protein. So good!

Dinner– I was craving Chobani + Protein Powder + Blueberries + Love Grown Granola, so that’s exactly what I had for dinner.

Snacking– I made another batch of this Samoa Granola and I forgot how addicting it is…(Note: it’s much easier to eat after the chocolate sets up a bit 😉 ) I also had a few handfuls of Wholesome Goodness Yukon Mix while Lindsay and I sat on the porch sipping wine.

Despite my rotation of old favorites, I did whip up a new kind of nut butter. Not because I didn’t already have four jars of various nut butters in the pantry, just because I hadn’t made some in awhile, and it’s fun! I had been craving honey roasted peanuts for some reason, which were a childhood favorite of mine, so that was my inspiration for this concoction!

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

• 2 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional but I liked the subtle flavor)

If you have a Vitamix, this will only take about 5 minutes. If you’re using a regular food processor, it can take up to 15 minutes, but it should still work. Just combine everything in the blender or processor, and let it run on high. You’ll probably need to scrape the sides every 2-3 minutes. If it feels really try, you can add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil, but give it time. You don’t want to add too much oil, or your end product will be too wet. If you want crunchy peanut butter, reserve 1/3 cup of the peanuts, and add them in the last minute or two of blending.
Nothing like fresh peanut butter to inspire some snacking…

My favorite way to enjoy it is simply with an apple or a banana. I also usually have a scoop of PB along side my morning smoothie. The added protein + fat helps keep me full longer. Then again, the easiest way to enjoy it, is right out of the jar 😉

Do you try to use up all your groceries before a trip?

Getting In The Greens

I haven’t been hitting the grocery store as often as normal, so I ran out of greens on Sunday, and wasn’t able to make it to the grocery store until last night. The lack of fresh produce and veggies meant that I was eating a lot of smoothies and yogurt, which I love, but they don’t really pack in a lot of greens the way I normally do.

I think my body was craving greens, because I loaded up on them yesterday.

Breakfast

Ok, this makes me sound a little high maintenance… but every morning starts off with 3 essential drinks.

1. Water (+ lemon and apple cider vinegar)
2. Protein shake (+ frozen spinach)
3. Coffee (+ almond milk and stevia)

I look ridiculous with so many cups on the table. But don’t judge. It’s my thing.

Lunch

I was getting good at packing my lunches, but I was craving a salad. So I had the exact same salad as last week.

This was romaine, chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, carrots, feta, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. So delicious. I could just eat this forever.

Snacky-Snack

I can’t make it through the day without an afternoon snack. Sure, I could probably just eat a bigger lunch, but I kind of love having an afternoon snack. So I usually have something to much on at my desk. I’m addicted to these soy crisps. No greens here, but these actually pack in a decent amount of protein, which helps keep me full until dinner.

Dinner

I ate a light dinner, because I was meeting some girls for drinks at Secco, and didn’t want to be stuffed.

My co-worker (Hi, Angela!) gave me some okra, which I’d never cooked with, but I figured would probably be good roasted.

I sliced it up with a mandolin slicer, sprayed it with a bit of olive oil, sprinkled on some salt and pepper, and roasted it in the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t my favorite. I think okra is probably best fried. Oh well.

I had this with some vegan mac n’ cheese, and it was perfect! I hadn’t had that in forever! Couscous + soymilk + nutritional yeast. Add a little salt and pepper, plus a little paprika, and it’s quite good.

What greens are you eating today?

Navigating the Grocery Store

Let’s get back on track people. Seriously, let’s do it.

Ok, I can blame last week on my birthday. But this week, it’s time to get back to basics. More vegetables, less junk. It’s that simple.

Or so it seems.

Do you ever feel like you keep making the same goals over and over again?

It’s frustrating, I know. I know, because I make them too. So let’s start with healthy eating (what else?!) and where it starts. You may think it starts at the “what’s for dinner” idea… but it’s actually before that.

When you walk into the grocery store, you’re making choices for the rest of the week.

There are two common mistakes people (me) make:

1. You don’t buy healthy food

2. You don’t buy healthy food you actually like

If you don’t have healthy food on hand, you won’t be able to make good choices. And if you don’t buy healthy food that you actually like, it’ll just go to waste.

So here are the staples that I buy at the store, that keep me reaching for healthy food all week:

Clockwise:

• Almond milk- I like unsweetened vanilla and I use it in my smoothies and my coffee
• Frozen fruit- I’ll either mix it with yogurt or eat it right out of the bag!
• Egg Whites- Easily cooked in the microwave with a little string cheese, for a protein packed snack
• Apples/Bananas- The perfect grab and go snacks (and I use a banana in all my smoothies!)
• Onions/Tomatoes- Versatile for everything from stir fry to salsa
• Beans- Canned make it easy for last minute dinners
• Greek Yogurt- I’ll eat this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacking!
• Salad Mix- You’re more likely to eat your vegetables if they’re already washed and ready!

These are the things I stock my cart with when I’m really trying to get back on track. I love pretzels, granola, soy crisps, cereal, and other healthy-ish snacks, but sometimes I have trouble with portion control. Sometimes instead of trying to control it, it’s best to just not have it around. But hey, maybe you’re not all as tempted by Peanut Butter Puffins as I am 😉

I find that lots of veggies and protein tend to be the best way for me to fill up and stay energized. While it’s easy for me to munch my way through a box of cereal, it doesn’t leave me feeling full. I’ll be sticking to protein packed yogurt bowls, and lots of vegetable stir fries!

I started the week off on a pretty good note, with a green smoothie for breakfast, a garlicky kale salad for lunch, and a chipotle burrito bol for dinner. (Hey, I can’t pass on Chipotle!)

What are your grocery store staples?