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September 9, 2014

True Food Kitchen

This post is a a little different than my previous posts. I decided to share something new on here- restaurant reviews! I absolutely LOVE trying new restaurants and hunting down eateries that cook healthy, delicious grub. I’m one of those people who gets all excited to look at menus online and read Yelp reviews in my free time. Anyone else do this, or am I just crazy? I’m also one of those people who pulls out their phone to take pictures of the food that comes to the table. Pictures are not only fun to look back on and share with others, but I also find having some pics of great meals reminds me of great things to order if I go to that restaurant again. Not to mention, if I’m feeling inspired to try my hand at recreating the meal at home, I have a visual reference to guide me in my foodie endeavor.

The first restaurant I’ve got to share with you is called True Food Kitchen. There are locations in Southern California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, and Virginia! I can guarantee they will get more locations because the food is just that good. Their whole philosophy, as stated on their website, is that they “want you to feel better, live longer, and make your mouth happy in the process.” I can totally stand by that, and so can my tastebuds. They are not serving up bland rabbit food. The food is full of flavor, and leaves you satisfied without feeling like you are in a food coma. If you have a True Food Kitchen near you, I highly recommend you stop in. Quite simply, they are serving nutritious food you can feel good about eating. Here are pics of some of my favorite things I have tried so far.

Green Arnie (matcha lemonade), beet and carrot juice, and a honey lemonade

quinoa veggie salad with crunchy almonds, goat cheese, and grilled steelhead salmon

inside out quinoa burger with kale and sweet potatoes

Are you salivating yet? I was while I was putting this post together. Ahhhh the food is so good, to the point where you actually crave healthy foods! Plus most of the menu items are simple to put together at home, so you know I am drawing some major inspiration for future blog recipes! Would you guys try any of these types of foods at a restaurant? What are some of your favorite places to stop in for a healthy bite to eat? Let me know!

XO,

Alexandra

August 12, 2014

My Obsession With the Beet Salad

When you go out to a restaurant, it is probably pretty likely that you have a “go- to” item or two in mind before you even have the menu in hand. For me, it is the beet salad. If there is any salad on the menu that contains beets, you can pretty much guarantee that I will be ordering it. From a health standpoint, I think it is extremely helpful to have some go- to meals in mind when going out to eat, as it can help you keep your health related goals when heading to a restaurant to grab a meal. I also love how most restaurants have their menus online, so you can scope out the food before you go there. I always look at the menu before I go to the restaurant and pick out what I’m going to order. I know that if I have a game plan of ordering the grilled sea bass with mediterranean quinoa and roasted veggies, I will feel less tempted to order something that would prevent me from eating healthy or getting a nutritious meal. I highly recommend looking at a menu before you go out, so you have an idea of some healthy items you can order before your eyes and stomach tell you to do otherwise.

Balsamic beet salad at Prado, Balboa Park

Back to the beet salad. Typically this salad has beets, a sprinkling of some goat-y cheese, and maybe a few other ingredients thrown in, like pistachios or another veggie. To make the salad a more filling meal, I order mine with some grilled salmon or chicken breast. Obviously, the star of the salad is the beet. This root vegetable is full of antioxidants (revealed by their rich color) and is a great source of countless vitamins and minerals to boost your health.

Pesto, pistachios, and grapefruit slices make this beet salad burst with flavor at Sea and Smoke, Del Mar

The beet salad is very versatile, and can be made easily and creatively at home. I’m sharing one way I make the beet salad at home. It makes a nice, light meal, or you can make a big bowl full for serving as a side dish while entertaining.

My take on the beet salad for Summer

Feel free to use any cheese, or vegetable you like- be creative, there is no right or wrong way to make this salad (unless you forget the beets, of course). I will often use the fruits and veggies that I have leftover in the fridge from other recipes- it makes preparing this salad even easier!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Spring mix lettuce

several beets, roasted and sliced (when I’m short on time, I use ready to eat beets, like LoveBeets)

4-5 Strawberries, sliced

several spears of grilled/roasted asparagus

1 1/2 ounces of cheese ( in my opinion, goat cheese is the king cheese for this salad)

1-2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

I feel silly even writing directions to compose a salad because it is such a breeze to do! Just take all your ingredients and toss them together! Crumble the cheese over the salad, drizzle the balsamic, and dig in. This salad is so simple and fresh, I bet you will be as obsessed with it as I am! Let me know what other ingredients you would put in your beet salad, and what are some tips you have for eating healthy when dining out? I would love to hear from you!

XO,

Alexandra

June 23, 2014

To Juice, or Not to Juice

Juicing…is it good? Is it bad? There seems to be an ongoing debate about this health trend. I have a really strong opinion about the matter, so I’m letting you know where this dietitian-in-the-making stands.

First, I do not recommend doing a juice cleanse or a juice fast. These fads might seem like a good idea, but they can actually harm your body. Typically juice fasts are low in calories- much lower than the amount of calories you should be getting in a day, which can put your body into starvation mode and ultimately slow down your metabolism. Nobody wants a slowed down metabolism! Also, it is important that you get enough fat and protein in your diet. Juice cleanses are heavy on the carbs, and contain very little fat or protein if any at all.

Don’t be fooled by the dreaded juice fast as a route to losing weight. You may lose weight while on a juice fast, but as soon as you stop the fast and begin to eat normally again, you will gain it back. Surviving off of juice alone is not a sustainable diet! You will eventually have to go back to eating normal food, so the weight you lost while on a low calorie juice fast will come back.

It is common that people do cleanses to “detox”. Believe it or not, the body has a fully functioning detoxification system built right in! It’s your liver and kidneys, and they are designed to provide your body with all of the detoxification it needs.

Enough of the cons about juicing. But please, I am begging you, for your health and wellbeing, do not put yourself through a juice fast! There are much safer ways to lose weight, and much more enjoyable ways, as well.

Juicing is not all evil! Incorporating a fresh pressed juice into your life can be a great thing! It allows you to get a large amount of nutrients in a small volume. Something to remember when making or purchasing juices is to pick juices that are heavy on vegetables and light on fruits, since the fruits tend to be higher in calories and sugar. Having a juice a day could be a great addition to a diet of clean healthy eating, which is why I’m including one of my favorite juice recipes. Feel free to try different combinations of fruits, veggies, and herbs!

Serves 2-3

3 carrots

3 stalks of celery

1 bunch of parsley

2 apples

an inch or so of ginger root

Chop everything up and toss it in the juicer. The result is a fresh, zingy juice with all the benefits of lovely fruits and vegetables. It is keeps in the fridge for a day or two, but I can never seem to make it last that long!

Let me know what some of your favorite fruits and veggies are to juice! I would love to get some new recipe inspiration.

XO,

Alexandra

April 23, 2014

An Easter Feast

Spring is in full force, and one of my favorite things about Spring (besides the beautiful blooming flowers and chirping birds) is the flavors of the season. This Easter, the dinner menu was bursting with Springtime dishes. The food is lighter, zippier, and fresh than the comforting winter counterparts. All of the dishes we made were delicious, and are the epitome of Spring meals. Whether it’s a celebration or a typical day, I hope these dishes inspire you to cook up some lovely Springtime meals of your own, taking advantage of what’s in season.

Roasted rainbow carrots with herbs

Miniature polenta muffins garnished with sage

Of course, some dyed eggs the colors of daffodils and lilacs

Grilled lamb with mint sauce, basil micro green salad, panko crusted asparagus and peas, and celeriac- purple potato parsley mash completed the celebratory feast!

Vegetables and herbs were the stars of the show. Herbs add so much flavor, without added sodium, fat, or calories, and the veggies seem special with the addition of elements like mint, sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

My favorite part was making the dessert. I whipped up some lemon macarons with a lemon curd filling, topped with candied violets and verbena leaves.They were the perfect ending to our Easter dinner, and I will no doubt be making them again. They were too yummy- I’m obsessed with these little delicacies!

The finished product. Ladurée would be proud.

Isn’t Spring a delicious season? Let me know what some of your favorite Spring dishes are. I’m always looking for more inspiration. And do tell- have you ever had macarons? Ever since I went to Paris a few years ago, I’ve been smitten. You could say I’m a bit of a macaron connoisseur. I’d love to hear what your favorite flavors are!

XO, Alexandra

March 26, 2014

Portobello Pizzas

Who doesn’t love pizza? Unfortunately, pizza isn’t the best food to eat all the time if you are striving for optimal health. Cue the portobello mushroom! Mushrooms are full of B vitamins and can be a great substitute for meat since they are so hearty ( think mushroom burger). They are also a perfect replacement for pizza crust! Of course, they are also gluten free and low in calories, unlike traditional pizza crust.

Portobello pizzas are easy to make and allow you to get your pizza fix for less calories than your standard slice. Plus they are fun to eat because they are like little mini personal pizzas. You can put whatever toppings you like on the pizzas, just as though you were making a normal pizza. Get creative! Below is my standard Margherita pizza recipe as a guide. Let me know what topping combinations you come up with.

can you tell I like basil?

serves 2 as a snack, or one as a meal

Ingredients:

2 portobello mushroom caps, washed

mozzarella cheese ( I used Daiya dairy free, vegan cheese)

6-8 tablespoons pizza sauce (make your own, or use store bought)

several basil leaves

balsamic vinegar (optional)

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. flip your mushrooms so the under side is facing up and spread about 3-4 tablespoons of pizza sauce on each one.

3. sprinkle cheese over the pizza sauce. The amount is up to you, depending on how much you like cheese!

4. place in oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly

5. top pizzas with fresh basil, and if you want to kick the flavor up a notch, top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Bon Appetite! XO Alexandra

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