Red Cabbage Detox Salad with Ginger Vinegar Dressing - $$

Detox, detox, detox!  This is a home run, if you are looking for a cleanse or just a refreshing and healthy meal. Did I mention this is a detox salad? (haha)

Adapted from the Standard Process Diet recipe - Asian Slaw with Warm Ginger Lime Dressing, I’ve added my own twist. The original recipe calls for it to be warm and that didn’t sound great to me so this is just a tossed salad. If I ever try it warm, I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes, and you can do the same for me. Please and thank you.

Ratatouille - $$

What a classic dish. I’ve been making this since I did my Standard Process diet. Before then I think Ratatouille scared me. The french name alone makes it sound complicated, and this was not something my family cooked a lot growing up… if ever. If you are looking for vegetarian summer goodness – this is it!

Avocado Boats with Quinoa-Tomato Salad - $$$

Often times I find myself eating avocado by itself because I’m afraid if I wait another day it will go bad, or I’m in too much of a rush to think of something to do with it.  For a long time I only thought of using avocado to make guacamole or sometimes add to a salad. My energetic side said it was time to jazz up my meals with more avocados. So I present to you the Quinoa-Tomato Salad Avocado Boat.

Strawberry Mint Iced Tea - $

Perfect summer weekend drink! Enough said. Well I guess I should tell you some more about it, huh? I’ve been toying with the idea of a brewed iced tea for a while since I’m a regular hot tea drinker and I think you’ll like it.

Two Top Chicken Marinades - Spicy Red and Garlic Lemon

There are so many off the shelf marinades out there, from bottles of sauce to packets of spices. Too many to choose, and most loaded with processed ingredients. Here are two marinades I made to satisfy the needs of a summer BBQ or a week night dinner.  Both are healthfully crafted with vinegars and spices to help you avoid temptations at the grocery store. So grab a bowl and mix it up for yourself.  

Cold Seasme Thai Noodles - $$

On a hot summer day the last thing I want to do is cook a hot meal, which is why I created this simple noodle dish! This recipe is great for a summer day or for taking to a party so you don’t have to worry about keeping it warm. Yes, you need to cook the noodles, but once the steam has left the building the rest of the prep is “cool”. This is also a cheap way to get your veggies. Carrots, cucumbers and peas are usually the same price year round. The red pepper I look for on sale or you can switch out with green. 

Alternative Eats: French Fries vs. Sweet Potato Fries

There are tons of healthier alternatives for junk food turning up at the grocery store these days, you just have to know what they are.

Today’s alternative eat: Sweet Potato Fries

Which will win?

Left: Ore Ida Extra Crispy Fries ($3.50) 

Right: Alexia Sweet Potato Fries ($3.99)

4 Smoothie Recipes To Mix Up Your Routine

It's summertime and smoothies are the perfect healthy treat. This week a few of my co-workers and I hosted a smoothie bar at work where we crowd-tested 4 of our favorite recipes! Now I’m sharing them with you. Hopefully one of these will peak your taste buds and you can add it to your routine. Since going on my diet I've been drinking a smoothie/shake every morning as my breakfast. You can read more about that in my post here. 

Drinking your breakfast – Do meal replacement shakes work?

If you have been reading my blog you’re probably wondering “Does this girl eat breakfast?!”, because I haven’t posted a single breakfast recipe yet! I do love a good American breakfast of bacon and eggs and I will never say no to brunch, but since I started my diet earlier this year I have been making shakes and smoothies as my breakfast, (at least Monday-Friday). I thought this wouldn’t work for me at first. I mean seriously, I’m supposed to drink 16 oz of liquid and that is supposed to hold me over till lunch? Really? Yes, surprisingly this has turned into my routine and most days I’m alert and ready to take on the day when I take my last sip. I can’t lie, I usually supplement with a granola bar or small helping of veggies before lunch, but for the most part this has curbed my hunger in the morning and my stomach seems to agree, no more weird tummy grumbles mid-morning (common pre-diet after eating my old routine of yogurt and oatmeal!).

Anytime Lentil Stew - $$

I call this "anytime" stew for a couple reasons. For one, your can eat it as a snack, for lunch or dinner. Another is that the ingredients are not seasonal, (unless you are an overachiever and can your own tomatoes and grow kale) so you can make it anytime of the year. It looks like a bowl of mush at first but this dish is packed with flavor from the tomatoes, garlic and sautéed kale. 

Chicken, Spinach, Tomato, and Sun Dried Pesto Skillet with Pasta - $$

Do you like spinach? Do you like tomatoes? Then I think this dish will be a hit! This recipe shares similarities with Chicken Florentine but is dairy free! If you are looking for a hearty meal that doesn’t throw all your best intentions for healthy eating away, this dish is perfect, coming in at around 550 calories (counted courtesy of myfitnesspal.com).

Alternative Eats: Does Greek Yogurt Make Tuna Salad Taste Better?

This week I did a "Mayo Vs. Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad Experiment".

I've been seeing a lot of recipes lately for tuna salad made with Greek yogurt. Intriguing. Greek yogurt is either loved or hated in my observances. I like greek yogurt but the question remains - could tuna salad taste better with greek yogurt instead of mayo?  Will it make traditional tuna salad seem old and antiquated? I wanted to know for myself, so I did a test with a somewhat traditional tuna salad recipe: one batch using mayo and one using plain greek yogurt.

Red Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is pretty bland by itself and gets overlooked against its competitors that are more tasty and colorful, but this recipe is full of flavor and gives it a nice red hue. This is the perfect side dish for chicken or fish. Sometimes I make this for a snack because it’s quick and little mess. I get stuck in a habit of only making broccoli and carrots, so this recipe is nice to mix it up. 

Asian Summer Slaw

This salad is packed with fresh veggies, nutrients and is sure to be a hit at the dinner table! Perfect for a summer barbecue or picnic with friends. The recipe makes a lot, (not my usual 1-2 serving size) but it keeps well in the fridge. I usually end up taking leftovers with me for lunch. If you take this to a barbecue I doubt you'll have that problem (it's bound to be a hit!).

Alternative Eats: BBQ Chips

There are tons of healthier alternatives for junk food turning up at the grocery store these days.

Today's alternative eat: Quinoa BBQ Chips

Simply 7 brand found at Giant Supermarket
$3.50

Simple Nature brand found at Aldi
$1.99

Reach for these quinoa based chips instead of the national brands next time you are in the store. Even if you don't like quinoa, I have a feeling you will like this new take on BBQ chips. They have plenty of flavor with a bit of a kick. Find them in the organic aisle at your grocery store or Aldi if you have one nearby (one of my favorite groceries).