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Banana Bread Truffles

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A super simple recipe and a great way to repurpose leftover banana bread into a rocking snack or dessert!

Hi Friends!

This is not a recipe.

This is just a good idea.

There are no fancy photographs.

There are no exact measurements.

Just some snack time inspiration for you.

A fun way to use up leftover banana bread! Peanut butter, chocolate and bananas are a winning combination!

 

Leftover banana bread
+ nut butter
+ dark chocolate
=
Banana Bread Truffles.

Do it. 

Best guess: I used about 2 cups of crumbled banana bread, 2/3 cup of peanut butter and 1/2 a cup of melted dark chocolate chips.

Mix the crumbles and the nut butter together.
Form into balls.
Freeze for 30 minutes.
Dip in melted chocolate.
Store in the freezer.

Use your favorite banana bread recipe and your favorite nut butter. If your bread is drier, you may want to try adding a splash of milk when you’re forming the balls.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

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Make your own salad dressing to avoid added sugar and other crazy ingredients! This Strawberry Balsamic Dressing pairs well with almost any salad toppings! This post is sponsored by Pompeian. I was compensated for my time. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hi Friends!

So, as promised. I’m back to share a salad dressing recipe today! First, a few things to discuss. As noted above, this is a sponsored post. This year I’m excited to be teaming up with Pompeian to bring you some delicious new recipes. I’m a member of their Pompeian Pantry Insider program, so over the next few months you’ll see a few posts showcasing some of their products.

Did you know that May is actually National Vinegar Month? It’s true. In honor of that, Pompeian asked us to create a spring or summer salad dressing using one of their vinegars. Right up my alley since I’m always looking or new dressings to put on my salads (both traditional and non-traditional). 

Make your own salad dressing to avoid added sugar and other crazy ingredients! This Strawberry Balsamic Dressing pairs well with almost any salad toppings!

Pompeian has a huge selection of vinegars, from balsamic to wine. I used several of their wine vinegars before I started working with them- especially the white wine vinegar, which is perfect in my Fresh Cranberry Sauce.  Here’s the full list of their vinegars:

  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Roasted Garlic Infused Red Wine Vinegar 
  • Pomegranate Infused Red Wine Vinegar 
  • Blueberry Pomegranate Infused Red Wine Vinegar 
  • Açai Pomegranate Infused Red Wine Vinegar
  • White Wine Vinegar 
  • Sherry Aged Wine Vinegar 
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • White Balsamic Vinegar 
  • Pomegranate Infused Balsamic Vinegar 

Ok, so for this dressing….I immediately knew I wanted to incorporate some fresh fruit into the dressing. Lately I’ve been on this kick of making avocado salad dressings, but I wanted to change things up. After considering all of the ingredients in my Salmon Chop Salad, I knew that fresh strawberries would be perfect. I almost included them in the salad itself, but decided it might be fun to put them in the dressing instead.

I opted to use Pompeian’s traditional balsamic vinegar in this dressing, but the pomegranate infused balsamic would have been awesome as well.

Some of the ingredient amounts are a bit variable because they will depend on your tastebuds. I’d start with 3 Tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp mustard and then add more after tasting if you want to.

Make your own salad dressing to avoid added sugar and other crazy ingredients! This Strawberry Balsamic Dressing pairs well with almost any salad toppings!

This dressing is light and refreshing. It would be great over a leafy green salad (especially one with spinach I think) or a non-traditional, lettuce-free salad.

Make your own salad dressing to avoid added sugar and other crazy ingredients! This Strawberry Balsamic Dressing pairs well with almost any salad toppings!

I love how you can see the little strawberry seeds floating around. So good! Heck, I might even pour some of this over grilled chicken and see how it tastes!

Make your own salad dressing to avoid added sugar and other crazy ingredients! This Strawberry Balsamic Dressing pairs well with almost any salad toppings!

 

Let’s chat:
Do you ever put fresh fruit in your dressings?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

 

Salmon Chop Salad

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This Salmon Chop Salad is a protein packed salad full of veggies, without the need for leafy lettuce.

Hi Friends!

So remember last week when I was talking about non-traditional salads, and I was saying that hubby can be totally happy eating just a giant bowl of lettuce with a few broccoli stems on top and calling it a salad? Well, in that post I also mentioned that I’m not actually the biggest fan of lettuce. Give me ALL THE TOPPINGS though! Who’s with me?

Well, if you are with me…then you’ll probably like this Salmon Chop Salad. It’s basically lots of goodies that I would top a traditional salad with….sans lettuce.

This Salmon Chop Salad is sure to be a hit with those who aren't crazy about lettuce but still want to get their vegetables in!

Here’s my recipe. Lucky for you, this “recipe” is about as lax as it gets. So if you see something you don’t like (including the salmon), feel free to swap it out for one of your favs!

Feel free to prepare the veggies however you want. I microwaved my green beans and sweet potatoes but next time I’ll definitely grill or roast them! If I could eat feta right now, I definitely would have included it…but if you don’t like it, leave it out or add your personal favorite cheese. Cubes of fresh mozzarella would be great!

This Salmon Chop Salad is sure to be a hit with those who aren't crazy about lettuce but still want to get their vegetables in!

Another good thing about this salad – you can pretty much top it with any dressing and it will be delicious. So I’m leaving that up to you. HOWEVER, I have a recipe brewing in my head for a new salad dressing I want to try…and I think it’d go particularly well with this salad…so later this week I’m going to remake this and try out my idea. If it turns out, I’ll share it with you guys!

This Salmon Chop Salad is sure to be a hit with those who aren't crazy about lettuce but still want to get their vegetables in!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

15 Minor Life Annoyances

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Hi Friends!

Totally random post today. I noticed something was annoying me the other day and for some reason it got me thinking. It was a little thing…something that most people probably wouldn’t even notice…but it was driving me crazy. I thought it might be fun to make a list of other such things that annoy me. Perhaps some of you can relate to them.

I was originally going to title this post “Things I Hate”…but hate is a strong word…and that’s not really what these are. Just funny little things that drive me crazy, just because I’m me!

15 minor things in life that are just frustrating enough to be annoying.

{I imagine Marcus finds it annoying when he just can’t get his head
quite far enough into the glass to get the milk he wants}

So here we go:

1) Seeing the alarm symbol in the corner of my phone. I’m not one of those people who can leave their alarm set all day every day. Seeing that little symbol drives me crazy. I set it right before I go to bed and turn it off right when I get up. Side note- I also have to set my alarm for a time that ends in a 0 or 5. None of this waking up at 7:23 business for me. 7:20 or 7:25 please.

2) Listening to people chew. Can.NOT.stand.it. The sound of other people chewing drives me crazy/makes me want to cover my ears and run away screaming.

3) Pimples that haven’t been popped. I know it goes against everything they tell you…but I HAVE to pop my pimples. I can’t stand seeing those little whiteheads on my face that haven’t been popped.

4) Having a full inbox. This one is a constant struggle…but having a full inbox drives me crazy. Although I almost never get to empty anymore…I do my best to keep the number of emails in my inbox low. Coming back to my computer after a weekend of ignoring emails…cue mini panic attack until I get it under control.

5) People saying they can’t find something...when they haven’t even really looked. My husband, to a T.
Him- “Where are the chips?”
Me- “In the pantry.”
Him- Cursory 5 second look around the pantry and then “I can’t find them.”
Me- Walk to the pantry and pull them out 3 seconds later.  Sigh.

6) Drinking water without ice. No thank you. I love cold water…room temp grosses me out. Plus I love chewing on ice.

7) Wearing shoes…or socks….or when the blankets are tucked into the end of the bed too tightly and I can’t get my feet out. Drives me nuts! My feet need to breathe.

8) Pants that are too short. Story of my 5’11 life…but really. There is nothing worse than finding a pair of pants you love, trying them on and having them look like high-waters.

9) Choosing paint colors. Have you done this lately? It is THE WORST. The color on the wall never looks anything like the paint chip…and there are just too many to choose from!

10) The Facebook app on my phone. It shows me three posts, and then I scroll down and it literally shows me the exact three same posts again. Stop wasting my time that I’m already wasting!

11) Bad lighting...Like when your pet is doing something adorable…and it’s too dark to take a good picture. Or they look really cute, you take a picture…and then they just look grumpy and angry in the pic.

12) Getting nothing but junk in the mail. I’ve always loved getting the mail…but now it seems like all we get is junk. Makes it not even worth walking to the mailbox! Send me some good snail mail!

13) Non-athletic shorts. Ugh. Give me a pair of lightweight leggings, a long skirt or a maxi dress over a pair of regular shorts any day.

14) Slideshow articles. You know the kind. You see an article headline online that sounds really interesting…and then it’s one of those where you have to click through a million pages of a slide show to see the whole thing.  Just put it all on one page please!

15) Slow walkers. Hubby and I have long legs. We walk fast. Getting stuck behind a slow walker on the sidewalk/stairs/grocery store aisle, etc. is excruciatingly painful.

———–

So there you go. 15 things that annoy me.

Let’s chat:
Tell me some of your minor life annoyances!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Pineapple Chicken with Bok Choy

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A simple, 30 minute meal that is full of wholesome ingredients and flavor.

Hi Friends!

Time for another quick recipe. I skipped out on food prep this weekend because my parents were in town until Sunday afternoon and by then I was too tired from the weekend to do it. So, this week I’ve been throwing stuff together  and making it work since we didn’t go to the grocery store either.

This dinner comes together in under 20 minutes and requires very few ingredients. I made it even easier on myself by pre-chopping the chicken and veggies before I left for Crossfit so that all I had to do when I got home was dump things in a pan.

This Pineapple Chicken with Bok Choy is a healthy one pot meal full of vegetables and asian flavors

Here’s what you need:

 

I served mine with sweet potato noodles because I wanted to try out my new spiralizer. I just sauteed them lightly for a few minutes before I started cooking the chicken, set them aside and then added them back in at the very end. This would also be good served over brown rice or quinoa. Don’t like bok choy? Choose another favorite veggie like green beans or broccoli!

This Pineapple Chicken with Bok Choy is a healthy one pot meal full of vegetables and asian flavors

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Foodie Penpals Reveal Day No Match

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Hi Friends!

It’s Foodie Penpals reveal day. This is actually the first month since I started the program that I didn’t participate. What can I say? Everyone needs a break every once and a while.

But, I still wanted to give you guys the info in case you want to join for next month!

fpp

Here’s some details about FPP in case you want to join in for May:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. 
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. 
-Foodie Penplas is open to US, Canadian & European residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. Same with Europeans.  

If you’re from the US or Canada and are in participating for May, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions. 

You must submit your information by May 4th as pairings will be emailed on May 5th!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

15 Healthy Recipes For The Grill

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Here are 15 healthy recipes for the grill. You can whip up quick, healthy and flavorful meals in no time – everything from meat and fish to vegetables and dessert! 

healthy recipes for the grill

Hi Friends!

As we head into spring and warmer weather begins to stick around, it’s time to fire up the grill! Grilling is a great way to enjoy the outdoors in the spring and fall, and an easy way to keep your kitchen cool on a hot summer day. Depending on where you live, you may even be able to gril in the winter!

I wanted to round up some healthy grilling recipes for you if you’re ready to dust off the grill but not quite sure where to start.  This roundup includes all sorts of meal ideas. Everything from vegetarian recipes, to seafood, to chicken & pork!

15 Healthy Recipes for the Grill

collage of six healthy grilling recipes

six healthy recipes for the grill

 

More healthy recipes for the grill:

 

Happy grilling!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Quinoa Muffins

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These Tomato Basil Mozzarella Quinoa Muffins are gluten-free, savory and loaded with fresh tomato and basil for the perfect party appetizer or nutritious snack!

Hi Friends!

Today I have another fabulous guest post for you! Alexis from Hummusapien is sharing a delish recipe with you. Alexis and I are Columbus locals and we graduated from Ohio State the same year. I went on to do one internship at OSU while she chose a route that took a little longer, but she’ll finish (so soon!!!!) with a Master’s degree and be eligible to take the RD exam! I’m so proud of how hard she’s worked these past couple of years and can’t wait for her to officially become an RD as well! If you haven’t checked out her blog, go do so immediately!

These Tomato Basil Mozzarella Quinoa Muffins are gluten-free, savory and loaded with fresh tomato and basil for the perfect party appetizer or nutritious snack!

————-

Whadduppppp my beany beauties? I’m pretty stoked to be guest posting today for Da Bean AKA the meal planning master AKA the crossfit queen AKA the social media maven. I mean lezbehonest, what does this girl NOT do? Can’t.even.handle the fabulousness. I call first dibs on babysitting #babybean. I’m Alexis, a soon to be RD with a soon to be master’s in nutrition (I’m graduating in ten days, but who’s counting) otherwise known as Hummusapien. But you can just call me hummus. I kid. I blog about healthy eats and treats that more often than not involve chickpeas, avocado, dark chocolate, or some bizarre combination of all three. I’m a big believer in eating real wholesome foods and counting ingredients, not calories. Lettuce eat all the plants! I like to think that your body will thank you when you fuel it up with lots of nutrient-dense goodies, including copious amounts of peanut butter banana chickpea cookies followed by a swig of almond milk directly from the carton.

I may or may not have been referred to as the chickpea whisperer. Maybe it’s because I turn chickpeas into chocolate hummus against their will. Maybe it’s because I roast them and put them on like every salad, ever. Maybe it’s because I whisper to them.

Have no fear–I actually cook with things other than chickpeas, too. Like quinoa! But enough about me. I called these tomato, basil and mozzarella quinoa thangs “muffins” only because I baked them in a muffin tin and had no idea what else to call them. Quinoa cups? Quinoa yums? Quinoa getinmahbellies?

Whatever the hell they are or aren’t, I love these muffies because they’re one of those recipes where you totally forget that you’re eating healthy food. While quinoa has gained legit superfood status over the past couple years, eating it plain is no treat for your taste buds. Jazz it up with fresh basil, juicy tomatoes and grated Parmesan and you’ll be all shut-the-front-door-there’s-no-way-this-is-keen-wa.

Way.

If you’re looking for an adorable bite-sized party app, you can also bake these in a mini muffin tin for about 20 minutes. Then you’ll have 24 babies instead of 12 mamas, which is amazing because eating more than one is always more fun, right?

Right.

Are you drooling yet?!

Thanks to Alexis for stopping by today!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Parfait

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This cinnamon roasted sweet potato parfait is healthy enough for breakfast and sweet enough for dessert!

Hi Friends!

Let’s talk sweet potatoes. I have a bit of a problem when it comes to them. The problem is that for some reason I feel compelled to buy some every single time I go to the grocery store. Even if I already have some at home.

Consequently, I’m constantly having to come up with new ways to eat them. So here’s my latest creation:

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Parfait

These Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Parfaits are the perfect gluten-free snack or dessert! Customize them with your favorite toppings!

Side note- Parfaits are extremely hard to photograph, it turns out, especially when in clear glasses. But you get the idea!

Here’s how you make them:

Pretty simple, right?

These Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Parfaits are the perfect gluten-free snack or dessert! Customize them with your favorite toppings!

If you don’t like pumpkin seeds, sprinkle with your favorite chopped nut. If you want to make this more dessert-like, you could sprinkle with sugar before roasting or add a drizzle of honey to your parfait.

These Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Parfaits are the perfect gluten-free snack or dessert! Customize them with your favorite toppings!

Or top with ice cream instead of Greek yogurt. Just sayin….

These Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Parfaits are the perfect gluten-free snack or dessert! Customize them with your favorite toppings!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

{Recipe Redux} Potstickers

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These homemade Potstickers are healthier than your favorite Asian takeout!

Hi Friends!

Time for another Recipe Redux post. I was actually supposed to post yesterday…but pregnancy brain is getting the best of me and I scheduled it for the wrong day. Anyways…I took last month off because I wasn’t doing much cooking but I’m trying to get back into the swing of things.

These homemade Potstickers are healthier than your favorite Asian takeout!

This month’s theme was:

Treasured Cookware – Share a story of classic cookware – and a healthy recipe to go with it. Some of us will be celebrating Mother’s Day next month (May 11,) but it’s more than once a year that many of us cook with a pan, a wooden spoon or another piece of cookware passed on to us from the kitchens of our favorite relatives. Let’s see what you can cook up with your treasured kitchen tool!

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mom while I was growing up. She taught me a lot of what I know about cooking and baking and I have a lot of great memories of our kitchen time together. There was a time, when I first moved out…to go to college and then into my first apartment, that I had a lot of hand-me-downs from my mom’s kitchen. Over the past 10 years or so, as hubby and I moved into our first house, got married etc…I’ve slowly been replacing a lot of the old, with new.

Of course there are a few things I have held onto for sentimental reasons. The kitchen tool I picked for today’s post is a bit non-traditional. It’s not a pot or pan or baking gadget. It’s a wonton press.

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It probably only cost a few dollars…but it’s something I always remember being in my mom’s kitchen. When my parents sold their house a few years ago, it was one of the first things I snatched up to take to my own kitchen.

So, when I saw this prompt, I immediately thought of it sitting buried in my drawer and decided to make some potstickers since hubby and I both love them! Potstickers are usually made with ground pork…but honestly, I didn’t want to have to worry about it getting cooked all the way, so I chose to use some leftover pork tenderloin I had already cooked.

Here’s the recipe I used:

 

Make potstickers can be a bit tedious..but they’re so delicious that I’d say it’s worth it every once and a while. These homemade Potstickers are healthier than your favorite Asian takeout! Like I mentioned in the notes above:

  • I would have included some shredded cabbage if I had some.
  • Since the wontons are so small, make sure you either dice your pork very finely, or pulse in the food processor a few times to help your filling come together.
  • Don’t overfill the wontons. You really can’t fit very much in each one without causing them to rip.
  • You can skip the pan frying step if you want but you won’t get the nice brown color. I really didn’t use that much oil…just enough so there was a thin layer on the bottom of the pan each time

 

These homemade Potstickers are healthier than your favorite Asian takeout!

Enjoy! –Lindsay–

Fitness Friday 65

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Hi Friends!

It’s been a hot minute since we had a Fitness Friday post so let’s catch up shall we? When we left off, I’d just completed the second workout of the Crossfit Open….so here’s how the next three weeks of Open workouts went down:

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14.3 was the only Open workout where I was a little bit worried about how heavy the weights were. At this point I was still pretty early in my first trimester so I was being careful but still lifting some heavier weights. I knew i’d be fine up to 155 but I didn’t really want to do many at 185…so I took it slow and when I got to the 185# deadlifts I just did 5 of them. Just enough to get me ahead of the people who couldn’t physically lift the weight…but not enough to really tax myself.

14.4 was terribly hard. Getting off the rower means your legs are jello and then having to go straight into toes to bar, which are one of my weaknesses was super rough. I actually put this one off until about 3 hours before the submission deadline because i was dreading it so much. I finished 160 reps which was through 10 of the power cleans I think.

14.5 was just miserable. Burpees and thrusters are on no one’s list of favorite movements…and there was a lot of them. To make it worse, there was no time cap…so you had to do every single rep or you couldn’t submit a score. I just took this one slow and steady. The thruster weight wasn’t super heavy but I was pretty much crawling through the burpees. But I finished! Took me 20:52.

I think I ended up in the top 40% when the open was over!

I love the Open, but I was really glad to get back to regular workouts this year. Here are some of the workouts I’ve been doing over the past several weeks:

ff2.jpg

1. I scaled this one to 75# squat cleans and used a 35# kettlebell. Finished in 7:32.
2. 5 min row – 1230 meters, 3/3 pistols 10 min EMOM, then the wod. I paced myself terribly so my rounds were not consistent at all and I ended up getting a ton the first round and hardly any by the last round.
3. 131 doubles. 6:31 for the wod with a red band for ring dips and 95# for cleans.
4. Left: Class was doing some wod I can’t remember but that wouldn’t have been good for me so I did this one instead in  7:54
Right: Made up my own wod for a quick Friday workout.

ff3.jpg

1. Hubby & I did a garage wod- I did push-ups and they took me FOREVER…can tell I haven’t been doing them much lately. Finished in 8:42. Hubby ran and finished in 11:45.
2. Class was doing 20 burpees, 20 TTB with a 15 minute cap. Last time I did TTB they didn’t feel great so I skipped those and did 20 cal row to get my heartrate up and then 20 pushpress for 5 rounds. Finished in 11:54.
3. I did step ups instead of box jumps and scaled my power cleans from 95# to 75#. Finished in 12:27.
4. Wasn’t feeling well but was hoping moving around would help. Did 10 reps of each movement for 4 rounds and used 55#.. Finished in 11:41 

ff4.jpg

This week so far:
1. 25 min descending EMOTM clean ladder, then mean Cindy. 7+2 Rx. Pumped I was able to do all chest to bar pullups
2. Class was doing a wod with lots of heavy deadlifts and ring dips so I made up my own and squeezed it in before a night of pricing garage sale items. Finished in 9:55.

As you can see, I’m just taking it day by day, workout by workout. If there are things in the programmed wod that don’t feel great or are to heavy, I just modify to make them work for me!

Let’s chat:

How have your workouts been lately?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Birthdays and Babies

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Hi Friends!

Today is my 29th birthday! If you need me, i’ll be busy pretending that this past weekend’s weather (70 and sunny) was meant for my bday…since Mother Nature has decided it should only be 38 degrees today. WHAT?!

I’ll also be eating my last little birthday ice cream cupcake and treating myself to a nap!

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When I was younger, the only “birthday cake” I ever requested was actually more like an ice cream pie. It was an oreo crust filled with strawberry ice cream and topped with m&ms. I found this pic from one of my earlier bdays to show you one my mom made:

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It’s been forever since I had my favorite cake….so this year I decided to treat myself. I made little individual ice cream cupcakes because they’re easier to deal with…the big pie can be hard to cut and this way they’re already pre-portioned. All you have to do is mix together some crushed oreos and a little melted butter and press into the bottoms of the muffin tins, top with strawberry ice cream and then add a few m&ms and store in the freezer. I think I made 8 of them so I’ve been enjoying them for dessert for the past week and a half! Delish.

————

In unrelated news, it’s time to ask for some advice from you guys. Now that you know baby bean is on the way….we need all the help we can get and we’d love your opinions. Here are some questions to get you started:

  • What are the baby must-haves, products, etc? (For baby AND for parents!)
  • What are some things you thought you’d need but ended up not being that important?
  • Have you written a post or read a good article on baby must-haves? Leave me a link!
  • Tips for getting pets ready for babies?
  • Any great websites to score deals on baby stuff?

Let’s hear it!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus

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An easy dinner side dish – Balsamic Roasted Asparagus.

Hi Friends!

We’re talking vegetables again today! I hesitate to even call this a recipe- it’s that simple….but it is one of my family’s favorite side dishes. My mom taught me to make it…and now I make it all the time for Mr. Bean.

An easy dinner side dish - Balsamic Roasted Asparagus.

Really this is just another post encouraging you to eat more veggies 🙂

Here’s what you need:

I mean, really, it doesn’t get any easier than that!

An easy dinner side dish - Balsamic Roasted Asparagus.

Aren’t veggies pretty?!

An easy dinner side dish - Balsamic Roasted Asparagus.

Don’t like asparagus? Try the same thing with carrots!

An easy dinner side dish - Balsamic Roasted Asparagus.

Happy eating!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

PS. Wishing my mom a very happy birthday today! Hope you have a great day. See you soon!

Broccoli Slaw with Peanut Sauce

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This Broccoli Slaw with Peanut Sauce is so easy to make! Don’t throw away those broccoli stems! Turn them into this easy dinner side dish.

Hi Friends!

Today I have a super simple recipe to share with you guys to encourage you to eat your broccoli! And not just the fun little trees at the top. Did you know you can also eat the stems?

Don't throw away those broccoli stems! Turn them into slaw and top with a peanut dressing!

So stop throwing away those broccoli stems and start using them to make this simple slaw! A food processor with a shredding attachment comes in quite handy here. You can use whatever combination of veggies you want- I chose broccoli stems, carrots and red peppers. I also added a simple peanut sauce because everything tastes better with peanut butter…am I right?

Here’s the recipe:

Like I said in the notes above…the sauce is thicker than a traditional liquid sauce. Since it’s thicker, you may want to start by adding half the sauce and mixing until the veggies are coated and then decide if you want to add more. Or, serve them plate and let everyone top with their own sauce!

Don't throw away those broccoli stems! Turn them into slaw and top with a peanut dressing!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

You Made It 3.0

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burgers

As a blogger, nothing makes me happier than seeing my readers make and enjoy the recipes I’ve created! It’s been a few months since I did a “You Made It” showcase, so I wanted to share some of the recipes you’ve been making and loving. It’s always nice to have a second opinion before you try a new recipe…so here are the links to some of the recipes of mine that others have made and enjoyed:

Here are the links to the recipes mentioned above in case you want to check them out:

Breakfasts
Quinoa Breakfast Bars
Lentil Banana Muffins
French Toast Cups

Main Meals
Mexican Cornbread Skillet
Lentil Veggie Mac & Cheese 
Tuna Salad with Avocado 
Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Cheesy Mexican Quinoa
Balsamic Chicken & Strawberry Panini
Greek Black Bean Burgers

Snacks
Freezer Chocolate PB Cups
Sweet Potato Bites
No Bake Protein Bars
FroYo Bites
Healthy Microwave Popcorn 
Jalapeno Cheddar Sweet Potato Puffs 
Homemade Cheez-Its 
Pistachio Pumpkin Seed Butter 
Zucchini Carrot Apple Muffins
Sweet & Spicy Almonds

Desserts
Sweet Potato Brownies 
Peanut Butter Avocado Cookies

Sides
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas
How To Sprout Lentils/ Sprouted Lentil Bread

Thanks so much to all of you for reading, sharing your creations with me and inspiring me every day!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Tips for Starting Yoga as a Beginner

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Yoga 101: Are you thinking about starting yoga? Here are some beginner tips and information on the different styles to help you choose what’s best for you.

Hi Friends!

In lieu of a typical Fitness Friday post from me, I thought we’d do something a little different today. I’m a huge advocate of stepping outside of your comfort zone in all areas of life- work, home, fitness, etc. So, I invited one of my good friends, Christine, to teach us a little bit about an area of fitness that is totally outside my comfort zone – yoga.

I’ll be honest…I’ve only tried yoga once or twice and I wasn’t crazy about it…but I do think that could be because I really know nothing about it. Christine is giving us Yoga 101…a great beginners guide for people like me who are looking to start practicing yoga but are feeling a little overwhelmed!

Thinking about starting yoga? Here are some beginner tips and information on the different styles.

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Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be over here at Lindsay’s place today. Lindsay is one of my favorite bloggers (and people!) and I’m honored that she invited me here to share something I love with you – yoga.

I know. I know. Yoga’s just stretching, right? It’s supposed to relax you and it’s good for cross-training. Yoga’s something you think you should do, but it’s so hard to fit it into your already packed schedule.

While most of us are most familiar with the physical practice of yoga that we see in magazines and on Instagram, there are actually 8 limbs or branches of yoga – mental, physical and spiritual practices and disciplines. The physical practice is just one of those branches.

In Sanskrit, yoga means to join or unite. It’s through the practice of all 8 limbs of yoga that we join the body, mind and breath that ultimately lead to enlightenment. Not enlightenment in the sense of, “I am all knowing,” but more in the sense of knowing your true self.

It can be intimidating to try yoga if you’re not familiar with it. I used to be that super stiff and tight runner in the back of the room who was just trying to stretch a lit tie more. Since then, my yoga practice has cracked open more than just my hamstrings but it’s been a process that has taken time.

Thinking about starting yoga? Here are some beginner tips and information on the different styles.

If you’re curious about yoga or interested in starting a practice, here are 5 tips I wish someone had told me when I first started.

1. Try different styles of yoga.
There are so many different types of yoga being marketed today – Hatha, vinyasa, power yoga, hot yoga, bikram, restorative – Gah! There isn’t a one-size-fits-all with yoga. It’s very much a personal practice and you need to find something that resonates with you, just like you would with any other type of exercise.

Here’s a breakdown of some popular styles of yoga:
• Hatha: Generally, Hatha yoga classes offer a great introduction to basic yoga postures. You tend to hold postures for a few breaths so you can explore the pose a bit more.
• Iyengar: The Iyengar method emphasizes the precise alignment of the body, using different props like blocks, straps, chairs and even a ropes wall (which I LOVE!), so that you are structurally sound in your practice.
• Vinyasa: Vinyasa-style of yoga is probably one of the most popular styles. It’s a practice in which movement and breath are linked, creating a dynamic flow from posture to posture. There are a number of different Vinyasa-style yoga classes including Ashtanga, Power Yoga, Jivamukti, etc.
• Restorative: Restorative classes are a great way to relax and restore your body. You use props to help support your body in various yoga poses so that you do not have to exert any effort but are able to experience the effects of the practice.
• Bikram: Bikram yoga was created by Bikram Choudhury. You move through a series of 26 poses in a heated room and each Bikram class always follows the same sequence so you know what to expect when you walk into a studio.

2. Start with a workshop
If you have the chance, I would highly suggest starting with a Beginners Workshop. Rather than trying to keep up in an open level class, risk hurting yourself and leaving not having enjoyed the class, workshops give you a chance to really learn. Teachers will break down the poses and the practice and give you a bit more individual attention.

3. Pay attention to alignment.
Yoga can be great for your body but it can also not be so great if you don’t pay attention to your alignment. As with running, lifting, cross fit and any other sport, proper form is critical to healthy joints and muscles.

4. Ask questions.
That’s what the teacher is there for – ask questions about things you don’t understand or are curious about. Ask about alignment. Ask if something feels off during your practice.

5. Practice within your own body.
This might be the hardest in practice. When you’re in a class surrounded by others, it’s hard not to compare yourself or try to keep up with others. But your yoga practice is just that – YOURS. And your practice (and body) is different every time that you show up on the mat.

Check in with yourself throughout your practice and modify if you’re not feeling it that day and take child’s pose when you need to. The practice of yoga is about being in touch with your own body and mind and giving yourself what you need in that moment.

Thinking about starting yoga? Here are some beginner tips and information on the different styles.

Fundamental Yoga Postures

Here are some great poses for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. These are fundamental poses that will help to lay a solid foundation for your practice. Click the names for more details on each pose.
• Cat-Cow: This is a great way to warm up your spine and begin to move your body.
• Mountain pose: This pose will teach you how to stand well and bring awareness to your posture.
• Tree pose: This pose teaches you balance, which is key as you move on to more advanced balancing poses.
• Wide-Legged Forward Fold: This pose works the lateral aspect of the legs, strengthening and stretching the inner and back of the legs. It also prepares you for poses like Warrior II, Triangle and Extended Side Angle.
• Child’s Pose: This is an amazing resting pose. With the torso on the thighs, you also get the benefits of a deep forward bend, which helps to calm the nervous system.
• Legs up the wall: This pose gives you many of the benefits of an inversion without completely turning yourself upside-down. It’s also a great pose to relieve tired or cramped legs i.e. after a long run.

Do you practice yoga? I have a monthly series on my blog – Ask a Yogini – which answers questions about yoga. Please let me know if there’s anything you’re curious about!

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Christine is a freelance writer, yoga instructor, runner and wannabe surfer. She’s the author of the blog Love, Life, Surf where she shares her love of fitness and stories about her experiences as a mom of two young boys trying to balance, work, family, fitness and healthy living. You can also find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Huge thanks to Christine for stopping by today!

Let’s chat:
Are you a yogi? Or are you looking to learn like I am?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Baked Oatmeal

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Baked Oatmeal makes a hearty and filling breakfast. Full of fiber and healthy fats, it’s sure to keep you full. Make a double batch and reheat all week long.

Hi Friends!

Just popping in with a quick new recipe to share today! As you probably know, I eat oatmeal pretty much every morning for breakfast. I usually just make it in the microwave, but yesterday I thought it might be fun to change things up and make a baked version.

Baked Oatmeal makes a hearty and filling breakfast. Full of fiber and healthy fats, it's sure to keep you full. Make a double batch and reheat all week long.

This is a twist on my favorite morning oatmeal combo, with a few adjustments to make it more suitable for baking! Keep in mind that this is not very sweet. It works for me with just the sweetness from the banana and milk and then the fruit and peanut butter drizzle on top. If you like things sweeter, you may want to add a little honey or sugar to yours.

Here’s the recipe:

I don’t know why it took me so many years to discover parchment paper but it really makes getting stuff out of pans a whole heck of a lot easier!

Baked Oatmeal makes a hearty and filling breakfast. Full of fiber and healthy fats, it's sure to keep you full. Make a double batch and reheat all week long.

Feel free to customize this to your liking. Use your favorite fruit, try applesauce if you don’t like banana, or even drizzle with chocolate if you wanna get crazy!

Baked Oatmeal makes a hearty and filling breakfast. Full of fiber and healthy fats, it's sure to keep you full. Make a double batch and reheat all week long.

And don’t feel the need to make yours pretty like mine. That was just for the pictures 🙂

Baked Oatmeal makes a hearty and filling breakfast. Full of fiber and healthy fats, it's sure to keep you full. Make a double batch and reheat all week long.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try Baked Oatmeal from @leangrnbeanblog for a hearty and filling breakfast you can eat all week!” quote=”Try Baked Oatmeal from @leangrnbeanblog for a hearty and filling breakfast you can eat all week!”]

Let’s chat:

Are you an oatmeal lover?
What your favorite oatmeal combo?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

10 Foods That Freeze Well

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Hi Friends!

I didn’t have time to do my food prep this weekend (gasp!)…i know, i know! Oh well, it happens. It did, however, get me thinking about how important the freezer is for weeks like this when I’m too busy to prep food. So, I thought I’d make a list of some foods that freeze well.

Having a well-stocked freezer makes it easy to eat healthy during the week. Here are 10 foods that freeze well. Do some food prep now for easy meals later.

These are things you can make ahead of time, make double batches of, etc and stick in the freezer until you need them!

Here are some ideas for you:

greek black bean burgers

1. Burgers – Whether they’re meat or veggies, burgers freezer really well. You can cook them ahead of time and then let them cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in ziploc bags…then just reheat when you’re ready to eat. Or, you can just form into patties and freeze raw so all you have to do is thaw and cook them.

Try It:  Greek Black Bean Burgers

lasagna{Photo Credit}
2. Casseroles – Not all casseroles are ideal for freezing, but there are definitely plenty of recipes out there that are freezer-friendly! Things like lasagna are great to make ahead of time, freeze and then just warm in the oven on a busy night.

Try It: Healthy Casseroles To Freeze via Eating Well

whole wheat oatmeal pancakes

3. Pancakes & Waffles – These are great to have on hand for busy mornings. Wrap 3-4 pancakes (or however many you want for an individual serving) in saran wrap and freeze in Ziploc bags. In the morning, unwrap and pop them in the toaster or microwave to heat through.

Try it: Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

sausage lentil & kale soup

4. Soups – Most soups freeze extremely well! Make a double batch of your favorite, let cool completely, then transfer half to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Store flat to save space in the freezer!

Try it: Spicy Sausage, Lentil & Kale Soup

roasted vegetable sauce

5. Broths & Sauces – Instead of throwing away your veggie scrap, use them to make a batch of veggie broth. Then freeze in 2-4 cup containers and thaw when needed! Got extra tomatoes in the summer? Make some homemade tomato sauce and freeze to use throughout the winter. Add some meat or lentils to make a bolognese or some extra veggies for added nutrients and then all you have to do is cook up some pasta on a busy night, defrost the sauce and dinner is served!

Try it: Crockpot Roasted Vegetable Sauce

pizza dough{Photo Credit}

6. Muffins/Breads/Doughs – Muffins can make a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack- just be sure to choose ones that have some protein and fiber for staying power. Homemade bread is great because you can avoid the long ingredient lists of store-bought breads. Make a couple extra loaves and stick them in the freezer to use in the following weeks. You can also make things like pizza dough ahead of time..then just transfer to the fridge to thaw before homemade pizza night!

Try it: How To Freeze Pizza Dough via The Kitchn

1

7. Energy Balls – These make the perfect snack, and I love keeping them in the freezer. They stay cold and tasty but don’t freeze all the way through so you can’t eat them. My personal favorite combo is 2 cups chopped, pitted dates, 1 1/2 cups almonds, 1/2 cup peanut butter…plus some chia seeds and pumpkin seeds. There are endless combinations out there.

Try it: Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Popcorn Cups

burritos

8. Burritos – You can customize these to be breakfast burritos or more traditional burritos for lunch or dinner. Wrap them individually, then defrost in the microwave for a quick meal!

Try It: Freezer Burritos

herbs{Photo Credit}

9. Fresh herbs – Whether you get fancy and make pesto or simply just need to store a surplus of fresh herbs from the Farmer’s market, ice cube trays make a great vehicle for storing fresh herbs. Spoon the pesto straight into the trays, freeze, then remove and store in an airtight container. For plain herbs, chop well and place a couple tablespoons in each tray. Fill with olive oil or broth and freeze…then just throw the herb cubes into the pan when you’re making a dish that calls for them!

Try it: How To Freeze Herbs in Olive Oil via The Kitchn

beans

10. Beans & Lentils – You can make a whole bag of dried beans or lentils at once, let them cool and then divide them into ziploc bags and store them in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, smack the bag on the counter a few times to loosen and add directly to whatever you’re making. For best results, undercook them slightly initially and they’ll cook a little more in whatever dish you add them to:

Try it: How To Cook & Freeze Beans 

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Edited to add: One more that I forgot to include but is certainly worthy of inclusion…COOKIE DOUGH! Whip up a batch of cookie dough, use a cookie scoop and scoop dough onto a baking sheet. Place in the freezer, then store the scoops of dough in an airtight container. When you’re craving cookies, just bake up 3-4 at a time!

Obviously this is not an all-inclusive list. There are LOTS of other things that freeze well and can help you stock your freezer for busy weeks- like meat, veggies etc!

Let’s chat:
What are you favorite food items to freeze? Leave us links!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

If you liked this post, you’ll love my ebook – The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep. It dives into even more detail about how to food prep, troubleshoots common problems and provides tons of tips to make it easier! Click the image below for more details.

The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep Ebook

Foodie Penpals Reveal Day with Shera

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Hi Friends!

Time for another Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

FPP-post

This month I exchanged boxes with reader Shera! She runs a daycare out of her home and it made this box extra fun. She even sent me an adorable photo of the kiddos getting ready to mail my box! I loved it.

So here’s what she sent me:

fpp.jpg

  • Tortilla chips- WIN! You guys know I love those.
  • Black bean noodles – I actually got some of these for Christmas from my mom. They’re so fun!
  • Guacamole mix – I think we all know how I feel about guac 🙂
  • Ginger- LOVE.
  • Nut butter- delish.
  • Trailmix – so good.
  • Spicy pumpkin seeds – amazing
  • chili flakes – we like it spicy around here!
  • Gum- haven’t tried it yet but i’m intrigued.
  • Plus ADORABLE cards from the kids! I loved them 🙂

Thanks so much for an amazing package Shera!

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Here’s some details about FPP in case you want to join in for March:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. 
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. 
-Foodie Penplas is open to US, Canadian & European residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. Same with Europeans.  

If you’re from the US or Canada and are in participating for March, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions. 

You must submit your information by April 4th as pairings will be emailed on April 5th!

If you participated this month, link up below and go check out a few other posts to see what they got!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby

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A German pancake that’s lightly sweetened and puffs up when you bake it – the apple cinnamon flavor makes it a treat you won’t want to miss out on!

Hi Friends!

This isn’t the post I was planning to share today…but the other night I got this craving for a dutch baby and I couldn’t get it out of my head…so I made one for lunch yesterday, snapped a few pics and thought I’d share it with you today. If you’ve never heard of a dutch baby…it’s also known as a German pancake. At a basic level, there’s really not much too it…it’s just some eggs, milk, a little flour and a little sugar. I remember eating them as a little kid but for some reason I rarely make them now.

Make this Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby for a family breakfast on the weekend. Also known as a german pancake, you can easily customize with your favorite add-ins!

The thing that really makes dutch babies so awesome is the toppings and mix-ins you choose. There’s not a ton of flavor in the “pancake” part…but I view it mainly as a vehicle for the toppings. They’re great with fresh fruit and yogurt in the summertime (or anytime, really…) – I especially love them with peaches! This time, I decided to go the apple cinnamon route.

Here’s what you need:

Here’s a look at it just out of the oven. It will be puffy when it comes out and then deflate slightly. I used bread flour because I read somewhere that it makes them the puffiest, but you could also try with AP flour…or even whole wheat flour but it might not puff as much.

Make this Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby for a family breakfast on the weekend. Also known as a german pancake, you can easily customize with your favorite add-ins!

Like I said, it’s the toppings that really make this…so get creative! Pretty much any fruit is delicious, add more cinnamon or vanilla if you like it, drizzle with syrup, fruit sauce, etc.

Make this Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby for a family breakfast on the weekend. Also known as a german pancake, you can easily customize with your favorite add-ins!

These make the perfect treat for a weekend breakfast. If you want to serve more people, you could try doubling the recipe so it’s a bit thicker. (I haven’t tried that personally though, so no promises!)

Make this Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby for a family breakfast on the weekend. Also known as a german pancake, you can easily customize with your favorite add-ins!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–