Healthy Chicks

I whipped this recipe up for lunch this afternoon when I was in a rush to catch a train. It’s such a delightful combination, providing cooling effects with summer vegetables like leafy greens, tomato and cucumber with a savory touch from the walnuts and soft, goat cheese. A summer classic.

Goat Cheese Summer Salad

• 1 c. leafy greens like spinach, arugula and kale
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TB apple cider vinegar
• juice of 1/4 lemon, fresh
• 1 small roma tomato, sliced
• 1/4 c. cucumber, chopped
• 1/8 c. walnuts, chopped
• 1 oz goat cheese

Mix vegetables together, and then add in lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and olive oil for dressing. Top with salt and pepper to taste.… Read More!

Yesterday on The Cleanse was definitely the best for the both of us: lots of energy, good moods and pizzazz. However, I’m not going to lie that yesterday was also the day cravings starting kicking in. Pizza! Coffee! Cheese! Bread! More cheese! Fortunately, I held tight, drank more water, ate more cleansing foods and all was good.

Some people say, “I could never do a cleanse!” “You can’t eat anything!” ” I would die!”

My recommendation? While it can be difficult because your body isn’t used to eating this way, try to think of the things you can eat. Like super creamy, decadent avocados, greens that give you energy and life, fresh juicy fruit, high quality olive oil, endless herbs, and delicious homemade soups. When you think of the things you can do, then it doesn’t seem that bad now does it?

What we ate:

Breakfast: Super Lean Green Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Snack: Handful raw cashwes

Lunch: Mixed greens, collards, spinach, tomato, avocado, cucumber, hummus, olive oil, balsamic, and lemon juice

Snack: 1/2 banana + carrots and hummus

Dinner: Vegetarian Split Pea Soup from Whole Foods + mixed sauteed veggies including yellow squash, zucchini, broccoli rabe and collards

– – … Read More!

Good afternoon ladies! I am pleased to say I am now on Day 4 of my cleanse and feeling spectacular: full of energy, perky and renewed. I’m not going to lie; the first two days were a battle but it seems like the hard part is now over with.

Here’s a recap of yesterday’s menu:

Breakfast: Super Lean Green Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Snack: Handful raw cashews & almonds

Lunch: Large salad packed with spinach, collard greens, apple kale, cucumber, avocado, lemon, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs

Snack: raw carrots & hummus

Dinner: Vegetable soup with carrots, celery, collards, spinach, onions, mushroom, and a dash of sea salt

Dessert: 1/2 a frozen banana

And now for a fun little surprise! Last week Boston Based business Stanz & Co. was kind enough to send me a package of satin elastic hair ties for me to try out.

Seriously, how cute are these? I am totally loving the pink to add a little brightness to a simple outfit and make my hair “pop.” You can shop for your own color combos here on Etsy for just $6.00 a package which is a pretty sweet deal if I do say so myself.

I … Read More!

Calling all Fitness Enthusiasts or those who have recently adopted a more active lifestyle, and have felt the benefits. Whether you are a walker, a marathoner, a yogi, or a busy mom, you’re in the running to be the next Move100 Ambassador.

I am happy to announce I will be taking part in this initiative, and couldn’t be more excited! (More details to come) In the meantime, check out my personal “essay” on why I should be a Move100 Ambassador:

[May 2009]                                                                                      [July 2012]

My name is Rachel Chemerynski, the 20-something author behind healthy living blog Healthy Chicks and health coach at Zesty Living, and I would absolutely love to be the next Move100 Ambassador.

I didn’t always lead a healthy lifestyle. In fact, growing up I struggled with body image issues, dieting and finding the motivation to live well. My college days were consumed of counting calories, binging on desserts, hiding in my room ashamed of my weight or living at the gym to burn off that extra piece of pizza. I was stuck in a lifestyle filled with low self-esteem and guilt.

Flash-forward a few years, and I am now 30 pounds lighter and 1,000 times happier. … Read More!

[taken via Instagram]

This breakfast smoothie is perfect during a cleanse, a hot summer day, or anytime you need to cool down and clean up your diet. Start the day right with a generous serving of vegetables, fruit, and TLC!

• about 1/2 c. coconut milk, unflavored
• 1/2 banana
• 5 baby carrots
• generous handful of kale
• generous handful of mixed collard greens & spinach (choose one if you don’t have both)
• 1/4 c. frozen wild blueberries
• 1/2 c. frozen berries mixture (mine had cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)
• 1/8 c. frozen strawberries
• 1 celery stalk
• about 5 cucumber slices (or the equivalent of half a baby cucumber)
• 1/2 TB flaxseed

~Blend together in a powerful blender and serve immediately. Dust with cinnamon if desired!… Read More!

Today marks day two on the cleanse, and my sister and I are feeling pretty good. Our stomaches feel much flatter and we feel overall “cleaner” from the inside out. The downsides include mild headaches and lack of energy, but I’m hoping that subsides by tomorrow. The first two days are always the hardest, kind of like the first three miles are always the toughest when running.

Speaking of running, today I started my training for the Newport Half Marathon in October. Since this will be my third half marathon, I decided to up my game a bit and train with Hal Higdon’s Intermediate plan which includes interval speed work and tempo runs.  I can’t wait to begin running again, particularly the way it makes me feel on the inside, and working toward my own goal of beating my PR.

OK, back to the cleanse. This is what’s on our plates today:

Breakfast: Green Berry Smoothie with kale, carrots, celery, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, flax seed, and banana made with Coconut milk

Snack: Handful raw cashews & almonds

Lunch: Big green salad with collard greens, spinach, mixed greens, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, apple, basil, dill, lemon juice, garlic, olive … Read More!

After an entire weekend of pig roasting, boozing, desserts, and dinners out, my sister and I both agreed it’d be a good time to do a cleanse. You know, to rid our bodies of toxins, clean up and start fresh. Since we live together, and our fridge & cabinets were completely empty (no temptations!), there could not have been a more perfect time to hit the grocery store for cleansing eats.

We did a 3-day cleanse based off of the book Clean back in March, so were a bit more prepared this time. Basically, we’re cutting out caffeine, alcohol, wheat, grains in general, meat, dairy, starchy vegetables, added sugar, and packaged foods. And we’re stocking up on lots of leafy greens, seasonal vegetables, fresh fruits, super-green smoothies, juices, raw salads, and cleansing soups like Gazpacho and Carrot Ginger.

The idea is to give our digestive system a break, particularly in the morning and evening, and stock up on hearty raw vegetables during the day.

Here’s what Day 1 Looked like:

Breakfast: Green smoothie made with banana, kale, almond milk/coconut milk, carrots, leafy greens, cucumber and celery

Snack: Roasted  Seaweed Snack from Trader Joe’s

Lunch: Big ol’ salad with mixed greens, … Read More!

Good afternoon ladies! I haven’t done one of my Friday Favorites posts in a while, so I figured I’d get back into the groove today. Here’s what I’ve been crushing on this week…

1. Cat Stevens albums, particularly this song. I used to listen to his music when I was younger and it somehow reminds me to be calm, strong, confident and inspired
2. The $50 voucher to Basho Japanese Brasserie that my boyfriend bought me from LivingSocial. They definitely serve up the top three Spicy Tuna Maki rolls I’ve ever tasted.
3. The new FitFluential #proof tanks. Once you sweat, the back reads “#proof” and well it’s an extra excuse to get extra sweaty during workouts!
4. My super refreshing, delicious homemade summer tabouli. It was so good that I’m actually making it again for a summer BBQ this weekend.
5. Sticks & Twigs from Mary’s Gone Crackers. These little gluten free, whole grain pretzels are to die for, and contain good-for-you whole grains like brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, and millet.
6. Grilled turkey burgers with sauteed mushrooms & onions, topped with melted fresh mozzarella.
7. Running! Yes, I am running again in training for the Newport Half Marathon this October. And