One of my favorite things about springtime is deciding what new vegetables my family and I are going to plant in our garden.  This year I want to share a recipe for each item in the garden I am cooking with that week.  Yesterday, we had fresh Romaine and Boston Lettuce.  Skip the salad and make lettuce wraps.  These lettuces are especially thick and can easily substitute for a wrap.  On a hot day, the lettuce wrap was a nice crisp and cool balance to the warm chicken mixture that was enjoyed by all!
life-in-the-lofthouse.com/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

If you are looking for a simple, practical 'no cook' dinner, try this sushi bowl idea out tonight!  Start with white or brown rice. When finished cooking add rice vinegar for the more authentic sushi rice flavor.  I have yet to get rice sticky, but it tastes delicious either way.  Now customize sushi your way!! Here are some ideas.
Proteins - Cooked shrimp, Imitation crab meat, Seared raw sushi grade tuna, Edamame
Vegetable- Carrots, Cucumber, Seaweed Salad
I also like to add mango or banana for some sweetness, and avocado of course as well.    Look at your local grocery store for wasabi sauce and sriacha mayo to top off your bowl, if desired and ENJOY!

Epicurious has been really impressing me with their pasta recipes this month!  Last week I shared a sausage pasta dish, so here's a vegetarian one that was AMAZING! This week another pasta that was simple to make, included few ingredients, and was very well balanced with its nutrient content.  The crispy capers, fresh arugula, soft chickpeas, and the light lemony citrus sauce brought it all together beautifully! 

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lemony-pasta-with-cauliflower-chickpeas-and-arugula

I love when recipes are simple, packed with flavor, and make it look like you went to culinary school.  This dish was so delicious I can not wait to make it again.  I tried to lower the fat content of by reducing the  butter and adding olive oil, and also try turkey sausage instead of Italian sausage.  Make this for a dinner party or just a delish night during the week. 

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sausage-greens-and-beans-pasta

Spring time is finally here and it's time to enjoy the weather and get activity back into our lives!  I like to think about physical activity like I think about food by considering Variety, Balance, and Moderation.

• Variety: Different activities help strengthen different muscles so consider the type of activities you do each day.  Biking, power walking, and running, work our heart and leg muscles, while lifting, or even gardening can work our arm muscles. Think about the activities you enjoy and try to vary them throughout your week. 
• Balance: Since different activities benefit different parts of our bodies, think about balancing them out.  Being physically fit means improved cardiovascular endurance, muscular or bone strength, good balance, and having flexibility.  Keep this in mind when balancing out your weekly experience plans. 
• Moderation: Know yourself and make sure to set your goals appropriately.  Some people need to more more and others can afford a day off. Consider at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week and remember some physical activities of daily life can count towards activity. 

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Smoothies for breakfast are my favorite thing to enjoy in the spring/summer months. They can be light, refreshing, and make the perfect accompaniment to a balanced breakfast or snack.  
To start your smoothie off right, fill the bottom of your blender with a vegetable like kale or spinach, sometimes I will use cucumber for added fresh flavor.  Next, add your dairy which is the plain greek yogurt or milk if you would like.  Fruits can be whatever you like and consider fresh and frozen as options here.  Fresh definitely add more sweetness, and I suggest trying to put your over ripe fruits in the freezer as an icy cold smoothie is why favorite!  Experiment with all different colors to make your smoothies eye appealing.  A serving of healthy fat for added fullness could be some avocado or peanut butter.  Top with some crushed ice and water (if you used yogurt), blend and enjoy!  

​Be sure to add these ingredients to your grocery shopping list one week and enjoy the endless creations you will make. 

Every morning I start my day with a bowl of plain greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola.  When I have time to make my own, I am famous for making this recipe that I am sharing with you today.  It is so delicious I don't like ever having to buy granola, because nothing quite compares to this!   For a little color and added sweetness/fiber I always add craisins and golden raisins.   
https://www.davidlebovitz.com/granola-recipe/

This week my family entered the world of homemade yogurt.  My new favorite kitchen appliance, the Instant-Pot makes the most delicious yogurt I have ever tasted. All I needed to make it was 1 gallon of milk and 2 tablespoons of greek yogurt. It was slightly time consuming, but I think with practice it will become much more efficient.  The time is most definitely worth it.  If you have an Insta Pot you must give this a try! If you don't, put it on your holiday wish list for next year.   

https://recipes.instantpot.com/recipe/instant-pot-yogurt-for-newbies/

In order to eat healthy, I believe you must think about and plan your meals for the week ahead. I don't like going to the grocery store multiple times a week, and it can be difficult not knowing whats for dinner and having to order a pizza.  Consider sitting down for 30 minutes on a Saturday or Sunday morning, grab your grocery store circular for inspiration of what's seasonal and on sale, and decide what you are going to make for dinner for the entire week.  Try to make each night utilize similar proteins and fresh ingredients so that you can use up everything you purchased.  For example: a baked chicken with roasted broccoli and cilantro rice on one night- then the following night can be chicken fajitas topped with cilantro and cook up some peppers and onions fresh for the second night!