The work week can be manic.  It's filled with deadlines, early meetings, late meetings, conference calls, to-dos, redos, launches and the list goes on.  Making dinner is usually the last thing on our mind—but when you make it ridiculously simple, it's hard to say no.  Here are my sure-fire tips for meal prep magic.

Buy your favorite source of protein and cook it with a few different sauces/seasonings

I like to keep things simple and efficient, but I also love great flavors!  That's why I buy one source or protein and cook it three different ways.  To cut down on cooking time, just take a baking tray and separate with aluminum foil dividers, season your protein and pop in the oven.  

Freeze smoothies ahead of time

Muffin tins are good for way more than muffins!  I like to make a batch of smoothies for the whole week, pour them into the muffin tins and freeze the extras.  Then just keep the extras in the freezer until you're ready to use.  Then pop them in the blender with a dash of milk and voila!

Cook lots of veggies

Use the baking tray dividers again to cook multiples veggies a few different ways.  Veggies keep really well in the fridge so store them in glass jars or tupperware and toss into your favorite salads or as a great side dish.  

Chop up some raw veggies and keep them in the fridge

I like to make my own salad bar by chopping up tons of veggies and storing them in water for freshness.  Then I just pick and choose and add them to anything from omelets to salads.  

Make your grains and legumes in bulk

At the beginning of the week make a big batch of your favorite healthy grains such as quinoa, amaranth or black beans.  They make great additions to salads and quinoa bowls.  Toss a bay leaf in there to help keep them fresh over the next few days.  

Make a variety of sauces and dressings

Sauces and dressings change everything!  And they keep well in the fridge too.  Make a few different sauces and pour them into the muffin tin and freeze them until you're ready to use.  You can also make a variety of salad dressings and store them in glass jars to fancy up salads and veggie bowls.  

Prepare lots of protein snacks

Always be prepared with a healthy protein snack!  I like to bake a dozen eggs in the muffin tin at the beginning of the week.  Hardboiled (or baked) eggs make for a great breakfasts and on-the-go snacks and they keep well too!

Got any fun meal prep tips? Let us know in the comments section.  

 

Let's face it, nothing is worse than a soggy bologna sandwich.  But they're fast and easy and they end up in more lunch boxes than we can count.  Until today.  Here are three (relatively) quick and easy lunches that will take you from lame to luscious in fifteen minutes or less.  

Cashew Pesto Pasta

Enchilada Chicken Mango Salad

Baked Veggie Kale Salad

Holiday weekends can be hard. They're usually full of sugary cocktails, unhealthy desserts and fried everything. Here are a few pointers (and recipes) to keep you on point without feelings deprived this holiday weekend.  

•IF YOU'RE GOING OUT TO EAT, TAKE THE LEAD ON CHOOSING A RESTAURANT: Whether it’s a work dinner or a date, jump in and offer suggestions for restaurants that you know have healthy and wholesome options for you. Clean Plates is a great resource for finding healthy places to eat in your area.

•CHECK OUT THE MENU AHEAD OF TIME: If you can’t pick the place, don’t fret. Look at the menu and see what options are aligned with your way of eating. If you don’t see too much on the menu for you, it’s okay. You can call ahead and explain your food preferences or you can even ask the server if the kitchen can put together something simple for you such as a lean grilled protein and steamed vegetables. Usually, restaurants have these ingredients and you just have to ask nicely so they’ll accommodate you.

•HEADED TO AN UNHEALTHY BBQ?  NEVER SHOW UP HUNGRY!  I’m not suggesting you have a full-on meal beforehand, but have a handful of almonds, a low-glycemic fruit, or a lean piece of protein so you don’t arrive to the party ravenous and dive head-first into the deep fried oreos or a plate of french fries. Making sure you don’t have low blood sugar while heading out to a meal is a great way to keep you on track.

•GO FOR GREENS: Narrow in on a few dishes that are heavy on the greens. Avoid anything with lots of sauces, as there may be hidden ingredients that you might be trying to avoid. Your goal should be to eat about 50 percent veggies accompanied by a nice lean protein and some complex carbohydrates like quinoa. If you don’t think your friends will be serving anything like that, then offer to bring your own, or a nice big salad for the group.  

•HYDRATE: Often times we mistake dehydration for hunger—especially in the summer heat. Being thirsty can actually lead us to overeat, so make sure you’re getting plenty of water.  If you're drinking adult beverages, hydrate even more and grab some shade as hanging out in the sun will make you sweat even more and throw your electrolyte balance off.  

•ADULT BEVERAGES: If you can skip the drinks, you’ll be doing your body and brain a favor. But if you absolutely must drink because the peer pressure is too much, make good choices and cap yourself at two drinks. Opt for a red wine or a hard liquor without any sugary mixes added to it. Vodka soda, gin and soda, tequila with a squeeze of lime are all better options than sugar-laden cocktails. You can also find our favorite healthy cocktails here

•CRAVING DESSERT?: No problem!  Fruit can be a real treat on the eyes and tastebuds, but if you want something extra special, try my vegan brownies, or mango vegan tart.  

You probably know from casually perusing my feed that I'm mildly obsessed with the phenom know as the smoothie.  What's not to love?  They are epic jars of blended goodness, packed with nutrients and oftentimes more delicious than desserts.  They're an efficient way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need without downing handfuls of supplements.  But dare I say it, even this gal needs the occasional change up.  Enter the smoothie bowl—the smoothie made even better (gasp!!). Anything we can pile healthy toppings onto is fine with us.  Here are three super quick, super delicious and super healthy bowls that will have you saying "I pitaya the fool who doesn't have one." 

The Dragon Fruit Bowl

If you're a sucker for beautiful, bright colors and super tasty treats, this bowl is for you!  Dragon Fruit, also known as pitaya, is rich in vitamins B & C as well as minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus.  Thanks to it's low cholesterol content, it also has heart health benefits.  Plus, this color is just too much to say no to!

Ingredients:

1 packet of pitaya plus

1 frozen banana

1/4-1/2  a cup of almond milk (if you’ve worked out extra-hard, try swapping the almond milk for coconut water for added electrolytes)

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

A dash of vanilla

Toppings:

1 kiwi sliced and cut into quarters

Goji berries

Directions:

Blend the pitaya, banana, almond milk and protein powder in the blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Slice the kiwis and sprinkle them on top along with the goji berries.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Acai Bowl

Every wanna-be healthy joint is serving up some form of the acai bowl these days—but most are loaded with sugar.  This version goes hard on the antioxidants and electrolytes to keep you healthy and hydrated making it the perfect post-workout breaky.

Bowl Ingredients:

1 packet of Ama Fruits unsweetened acai

1 overripe frozen banana OR 3/4 cup Thai coconut meat (coconut meat is a low-sugar heart-healthy alternative)

1 tsp. of cacao

1 tablespoon of peanut butter (No peanut butter? No problem. Any nut butter will do!)

1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup of coconut water

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder

Toppings:

1/4 small banana, sliced (if you're watching your sugar, you can skip this)

1/4 cup granola, optional (unsweetened)

1 tbsp. shredded unsweetened coconut

1 tbsp. peanut butter

Directions:

Blend the packet of acai, banana or coconut meat, cacao, peanut butter, almond milk, protein powder and coconut water in the blender until smooth. Add the sliced banana, granola, coconut and peanut butter on top and enjoy!

 

Green Smoothie Bowl

Leafy greens already have such a great reputation that I hardly need to sing their praises.  Stealthily sneaking them into your breakfast is a great way to get a vitamin-boost and also a fabulous color!

Bowl Ingredients:

1 frozen banana

1 cup of kale

1 cup of spinach

1/2 a cup of frozen pineapple chunks

1/2 a cup of unsweetened almond milk

A dash of honey

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

Toppings:

2 fresh figs

1 tbsp. of goji berries

2 tsp. of coconut shreds

Directions:

Blend the frozen banana, kale, spinach, pineapple, almond milk, protein powder and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Slice the figs in half and add them to the top of the bowl along with the goji berries and coconut shreds. Drizzle some honey across the top and enjoy!

Juice cleanses are not new but with juice locations popping up on every corner in major cities they're gaining even more popularity.  But are they really as healthy and as good for you as everyone seems to think?  This health coach went under cover to report.  

Let's start by looking at the nutritional profile of some of the healthier cold-pressed juices out there. 

At a whopping 51 grams of sugar and less than 1 gram of fiber, this particular juice is a blood sugar nightmare.  You might be asking why in a post about juice cleanses we're talking about blood sugar?  Well, it's because a balanced blood sugar supports everything from good energy to a positive mood.  Not to mention that a high or low blood sugar can lead to headaches, fatigue, moodiness and more.  If you're looking for lasting energy and strong mental performance, a balanced blood sugar is key.  

When foods have an excess of sugar, even fruit sugar, and not enough fats or fiber to slow the absorption of sugar, it results in a blood sugar spike (you know the feeling, flying really really high, followed by a really lethargic crash).  When our blood sugar is high we can't think clearly or perform at our best.  And yes, though our bodies and muscles do need carbohydrates to thrive, there are much better sources and deliveries for our bodies.  

Though many of these juices contain necessary vitamins and minerals, the costs unfortunately outweigh the benefits.  It's virtually impossible to support your bodies detoxification systems with a nutritional profile like the one above and so they are not a viable "cleanse" option.  Some of the lower glycemic options can absolutely be incorporated into your daily routine along with other healthy fats and proteins.  

So what does a good cleanse really look like?

The goal of a cleanse is to reset your system and maximize detoxification so your body can get back to it's best.  It should be nutritionally balanced, remove common allergens, support your body's detox pathways and leave you feeling better than when you started!  And though I recommend that you talk to your health care provider before starting a new program, there are a few out of the box solutions that work really well to support a detox.

The Clean Program

The Program was developed by world-renowned Doctor, Alejandro Junger, who, through his own health struggles developed a cleanse that focuses on healing your gut.  He recommends removing common allergens like gluten, dairy, eggs and more.  The starter-kit includes two daily shakes loaded with protein, fiber and other goodies, plus supplements to support detoxification.  We've tried it and we love it!  No blood sugar crashes here.  

BeWell By Frank Lipman

Like the Clean Program, BeWell was developed by one of the leaders in functional medicine—Dr. Frank Lipman.  It focuses on a healthy digestive system and supporting your adrenals for a real holistic approach to cleansing.  The kit includes shakes, supplements, recipes and more!  Of course, we had to try this one as well, and the results were just as good.  Plus, the supplements were really top notch.  

Arbonne 30-Days to Healthier Living

This 30-day cleanse is based on similar principles as the above. The 30-day kit has everything you need for a total body reset, including daily shakes, probiotics, energy supplements and detox teas.  The shakes taste great and the "fizzy sticks" for energy are filled with B vitamins and are a perfect afternoon pick-me-up.  The detox teas were our favorite and really helped with water balance.  

Have you ever tried a cleanse?  We'd love to know your thoughts!