Healthy Chicks

I first fell in love with pesto when I studied abroad in Italy one summer during college. Nothing compares to the delicious blend of basil, walnuts, garlic and freshly shaved parmesan cheese. While I love pesto, I don’t cook with it as much as I’d like to because a.) I’m not a huge fan of store-bought varieties and b.) making your own can be quite a mess. (Side note: I will most likely be making my own more now that I own a Vitamix!)

For those of you who enjoy pesto, but aren’t in the mood to battle with your food processor, this recipe is for you. Instead of making a pesto sauce, I combined all the ingredients into my pasta dish to create the same flavors in half the time. Oh, and it’s gluten free friendly!

Quinoa Pasta with Lazy Girl’s Pesto

Makes two servings

• 1 to 1 1/2 c. quinoa pasta (you can substitute brown rice pasta if you’d like)
• 2 cloves garlic (I use more because I’m a huge fan of garlic)
• 1. c frozen broccoli
• 1 c. frozen spinach
• 2 TB coconut oil
• 1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 TB walnuts, chopped
• approximately 1 TB

Every woman has something that they can justify spending their money on. For some it’s new shoes, a watch or even a car, but for me it’s anything to do with my health. That’s why I dropped $450 + on a Vitamix last weekend at the Natural Living Health Expo in Sturbridge, MA.

Normally, I’d think it would be crazy to spend over $400 on a blender, but you see the Vitamix 5200 is no ordinary blender. Rather, I consider it an investment for my health.

You see, I have been a lover of green smoothies and juices for a while now, and no machine could do the trick. I’d sacrifice nutritious skin and fiber that would get eaten up by my juicer, or have to use 1,000 carrots just to create a cup of liquid. Not to mention the number of times I’d press blend and nothing would happen. I was losing hope.

Then entered the Vitamix. I had been dreaming of owning this machine for some time now, but I just didn’t think it was in my budget. However, it took just two minutes watching the live demo at the health expo, and I was sold. The super-friendly … Read More!

Ever since I started training for my first half marathon in NYC about a year and a half ago, I’ve become somewhat obsessed with running. It’s hard to believe that I am now just 13 days away from my third half marathon in Newport, Rhode Island. As much as I love running, one thing is certain: it’s all about the music for me. While some enjoy running with nature, I need an iPod to get me through my runs, especially those longer training runs. Fortunately, there’s dozens of great songs out there to make for an extra sweaty workout.

Here’s a look of some of my top running songs right now. Please add your own in the comment section below!

XoXo,


… Read More!

This morning, my family head down to Niantic, CT to run the Half Marathon/5K road race. Since I will be running a half marathon in three weeks from today, I decided to take it easy by doing the 5K this time around.

Well, I guess I didn’t really take it easy after all; I ended up crushing my 5k PR by over a minute at a brisk 25:37. It’s hard to believe that I completed my first 5K just about fives years ago in over 33 minutes!

Someone on twitter had asked me how I knocked over a minute off my time, or what I was doing differently. Honestly, it’s all mental for me. These past couple months of half marathon training have taught me that I can push myself in ways I never thought I could. I can do it. I can run faster. I also give props to the amazing community online, including all the fellow Fitfluential ambassadors. Seriously, can you get more inspired than that?

I was super proud of my PR, but even more proud of my mom who ran her very first 5K for the entire distance. My dad, sister, cousin and her husband … Read More!

Since moving in with The Boy two weeks ago, we’ve quickly become much more…domestic (well, at least in the kitchen). While I do enjoy cooking homemade meals, when I lived with my sister I frequently settled for salads, signature pasta dishes or breakfast for dinner. Since our schedules were so different, I would often cook for myself and therefore resorted to something easy.

However, living with a man is a completely different beast. Soups, salad, and what I consider “leftovers” simply don’t suffice for a Real Meal. Men need hearty, wholesome, grandiose dishes and thus we’ve become quite familiar with our teeny tiny Cambridge kitchen.

Thankfully, we both like to cook and we both enjoy eating well. I lucked out that my guy doesn’t eat processed food, soda, take-out pizza or boxed meals, but rather enjoys organic meats, high-quality cooking oils and most importantly: real food.

Here’s what’s been on our dinner menu lately:

–Homemade Gluten Free pizza with spinach, broccoli, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, mushroom, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning (crust mix from Bob’s Red Mill)

–Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers (inspired by Simply Life blog)

–Green Quinoa & Rice Bowl (Inspired by Life … Read More!

Last week, I hosted my first workshop at Fitness Together North End for my  health counseling business Zesty Living. On the second Wednesday of every month, I will be leading a wellness workshop on various topics, ranging from healthy snacks to a green smoothie demo. This month’s topic was Healthy Breakfasts for Busy & Active Professionals.

For those who missed out, I wrote a blog post highlighting the discussion:

You know what they say: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” While you may have heard this over and over again, it’s about time you listen up.

Not only is breakfast a great way to start the day off on the right (healthy) foot, but it’s essentially “breaking the fast” from not eating for 8 to 10 hours throughout the night. Therefore, when we awake, our bodies are screaming for food and nourishment, so the first meal we put into them—breakfast, that is—is extremely important.

Studies have shown that eating a healthy breakfast can increase the metabolism, promote clear, focused thinking, curb cravings, decrease mood swings, and potentially lower our LDL (bad cholesterol).

If that’s not enough reason to squeeze in some breakfast, I don’t know what … Read More!

You’re fighting with your boyfriend. Your PMS level is off the charts. Work is unbearable. Your kids are driving you insane. You’re simply in a funk. Sound familiar? We all have those weeks where we’d much rather crawl in a cave and hideout, but unfortunately that’s now how it works. So, instead, why not make the best of a less-than-perfect day with these all-natural mood boosters that can help turn your day around.

1. Infuse Your Mood Tea*: While many of us drink tea to unwind after a long day or settle our stomach, it can also be used to infuse your mood – literally. Sun Chlorella USA recently came out with their newest “Infuse Your Mood” tea to balance the mind, body and spirit. Made with 100% natural Eleutherococcus senticosus leaf, the tea is crafted to create a natural state of comfort during our far too common hectic lifestyles. As an adaptogen, Infuse Your Mood is meant to reduce stress and improve mental altertness. Enjoy a fresh cup of this earthy-tasting tea anytime you’re feeling sluggish for an instant mood boost.

2. De-Clutter: Every once in a while, all we need is a big dose of de-cluttering. … Read More!

As you know, I enjoy healthy eating for my mind and body, but I also like loading up on foods that are good for my skin. Unfortunately, I didn’t really get the best luck when it comes to naturally, flawless skin, so I do whatever I can to treat my skin with kindness. And for me, that starts with my diet.

This salad is packed with good-for-your-skin eats like Omega-3 rich avocados, olive oil and walnuts, while providing a great source of energy to get you through that mid day slump. It also works wonderfully as a post-workout recovery meal.

Omega Avocado & Tomato Salad

• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1 small Roma tomato, diced
• 1/4 c. cucumber, chopped
• 1 cage free egg
• 1 TB cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• about 1 TB balsamic vinegar
• small handful walnuts
• dash of Parmesan cheese, fresh (optional)

1. Whisk together the balsamic and olive oil to create a delicious dressing. Mix together with veggies and greens.
2. In the meantime, fry an egg over medium heat to your liking (I like to leave it a little bit runny).
3. Top with walnuts and Parmesan.

Do you take your diet into consideration when it comes to your skin? … Read More!