Healthy Living Chef. Author. Entrepreneur.
I’ve had a lot of requests for batch cooking recipes or recipes you can prep once and eat all week long so today we’re diving into 5 recipes that I love to prep for the week and what I do to change things up so I never get bored!
Tools Required:
Citrus Juicer – I love my citrus juicer so I can get the most juice out of my lemons and limes. They also make squeezing the citrus super simple!
Glass Bowl – You just can’t beat a good set of nesting bowls for meal prep and making dressings. I also own over 20 of these glass bowls from IKEA which work perfectly for kale massaging!
My Thought Process:
It’s a little known fact that raw kale is gross. If you don’t believe me, give it a taste and you’ll find out just how tough and fibrous this leafy green can be. And while I’m a huge fan of sautéed kale (green power bowls are my life), warmer weather makes me crave lighter meals and that means more raw fruits and veggies. But I am NOT cool with giving up my kale and this has led me to play around with about a million different ways to squeeze it in every week – everything from kale chips to lighter lemony kale soups to smoothies and even raw massaged kale salads.
Happy Friday! Summer is in full swing and I don’t know about you ladies but I have picnics on my mind. It’s the perfect summer date. Pack up the dogs, some of my favorite canned rose or chardonnay, a cute blanket and of course, a healthy picnic and you’ve got the ultimate summer date night.
Here’s what’s on my menu:
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I just wish someone would tell me what to eat”? I feel ya, girl. You’re way too busy to even think about it and you just need a plan so you can stay on track, lose the weight and eat delicious food with minimal time and effort required. You’re not the only one.
Ask anyone what they should to do to drop a few pounds, and they’ll most likely say, “I need to cut back on carbs.” As a health and nutrition coach, I’ve heard it about a million times. Carbs have gotten such a bad rep over the years and most recently, going nearly carb-free (the keto diet) has become the go-to weight-loss craze. And while low carb / ketogenic diets may work for quick weight loss, more than likely women who lose weight with a low carb diet are unable to sustain it for any period of time. Eventually, they’ll hit a plateau or gain back the weight they originally lost.
Continue reading “Why Low Carb Diets Don’t Work + What to Do Instead”
The 4th of July is just days away and to be honest it’s one of my favorite holidays to celebrate of course, because it’s Mike’s birthday, but also because it’s one of those days you can usually find me outside, cocktail in hand grilling up a huge spread of food while listening to music and hanging out with friends. It’s the best!
I figured I’d put together a post with some of my go-to holiday weekend recipes!
First things first, I start with a Jalapeno Margarita. It’s slightly sweet, a little spicy and so refreshing!
I love to make up Shrimp Boil Packets AHP 128 in advance and then throw them on the grill when my guests arrive – this minimal clean-up simple take on the traditional Low Country Boil is so fun to eat and absolutely delish! I actually cooked this one up recently on an episode of Mom2Mom.
Summer Vegetable Pasta AHP 099 is another awesome summery entertaining friendly recipe! While fresh pasta is my favorite it also works well with dried fettuccine. It’s a light, flavorful pasta dish loaded with a mix of sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, tender zucchini, and fresh mint, finished off with salty Pecorino Romano cheese! I mean, what else could you possibly need?
Grilled Shrimp and Artichoke Salad AHP 153 A light and crisp refreshing salad. Perfect as an appetizer or side!
Late Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad with Ciabatta Toast AHP 189 A salad of simply dressed heirloom tomatoes with crunchy ciabatta toasts, just begging to soak up all of the olive oil and juices. This one is simple but oh so good!
Vegetarian Panzanella Salad AHP 067 Crispy Mediterranean veggies and crunchy baguette croutons all tossed in a tangy red wine and mustard vinaigrette for the perfect summer salad alongside almost any grilled meat!
Pork Chops with Grain Mustard Potato Salad AHP 501 – this potato salad is a game changer.
And for dessert, I go all out with the red white and blue theme with my Macerated Berries and Limoncello Creme. They’re super simple to make but SO elegant and delicious.
So there ya have it – a little glimpse into what you probably find on my table on the 4th of July at my house 🙂 Can’t wait to see what you all cook up this holiday weekend!
xo
Kate
A go-to cocktail for summertime I can’t get enough of the combination of this slightly sweet, spicy and tangy jalapeño margarita! Pair it with AHP Mexican Quinoa and Black Bean Salad AHP 339 or Skillet Steak Stir Fry AHP 104 for a delicious meal that’ll make you feel like you’re on vacation.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
Directions:
BLEND – add more almond milk to reach desired texture
stir in 1 tbs chia seeds + serve!!
ps if you have spinach add a handful 🙂
Springtime means a bounty of new ingredients coming into season and one recipe I look forward to once spring arrives each year is my eggplant caponata. A hearty combination of eggplant, bell pepper and spinach with sweet, chewy raisins and tangy red wine vinegar piled atop a crusty baguette smeared with goat cheese. Each bite is full of flavor and oh so satisfying. I love packing eggplant caponata for a picnic by wrapping each sandwich in parchment paper and serving it alongside fresh fruit, some cut up veggies and of course, wine!
The second the weather gets warm and I open the windows to a fresh breeze blowing through the house I immediately think cocktails on the patio. Anyone else? It’s crazy how the weather shifts not only my mood but also what my body craves. Bare feet, lighter meals, lots of walking, and oh yea – cocktails. While I am a total margarita (freshly squeezed with extra jalapeno – of course) or muddled mint mojito (extra lime and light simple syrup), those are more special occasion cocktails in my mind. So when it’s Monday and I’m in my bare feet with Brazilian Soul Radio blaring on Pandora and the breeze blowing through my house I want something a little simpler to take out and sip on the patio at promptly 5 pm (I like to think of it as a little mini work-break-happy-hour).