Spring Greens + Strawberry Salad with Toasted Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette

My mother-in-law has a massive strawberry patch that she tends to every year. One year, prior to Josiah and I getting married, I spent an afternoon with her picking some strawberries and quickly came to appreciate the labor that goes into harvesting these precious gems. I gained a lot from our time together: 1. life advice and appropriate convincing to not apply to Pharmacy school (even though I actually love chemistry) 2. knowledge that store bought strawberries would never be the same and 3. insight into the work that goes into harvesting strawberries and a much stronger appreciation for them. 

From this new found appreciation I've come to learn that I absolutely love to eat strawberries straight up, so that's what I tend to do. However, when I'm in need of a more substantial meal and not just a treat, I like to throw some strawberries on a salad, top it with nuts, drizzle with a little dressing and call it a day. It's become a regular rotation around here because it's as delicious as it is simple. I've come to love this salad as a quick lunch and an easy dish to take to potlucks.  It's dairy-free and gluten-free if those are concerns for you, but if not, I'm certain you'll enjoy it too! 

A few notes before you jump in:

Nuts toasted using the stove top method will not be uniformly browned, but more mottled in appearance. Make sure to keep watching the nuts. Take your eyes off the progress at the wrong point for 30 seconds and you'll find yourself throwing out a pan full of burnt and bitter nuts.

The dressing recipe stays the same every time I make it, but the ratio of strawberries and nuts to lettuce really just depends on what I have on hand because that's how I roll. 

Spring Greens + Strawberry Salad with Toasted Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette 

• 6 cups spring greens
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup cashews, toasted 

Dressing: 

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional) 
• salt and pepper to taste 

For toasting the cashews, heat a skillet on medium and then add the cashews. Spread the nuts out in an even layer and heat over medium, shaking often – don't overcrowd your nuts. Keep stirring or shaking for about 5 minutes, or until nuts are fragrant and browned. Nuts toasted using the stove top method will not be uniformly browned, but more mottled in appearance.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake. Or whisk together in a small bowl. 

To assemble the salad, place the lettuce in a large bowl and top with the strawberries and cashews. Serve with the dressing on the side. 

3-Ingredient Mini Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free + Dairy Free)

If I were stranded on an island and could only bring one food with me I would without a doubt choose peanut butter. No hesitation. I've always been a peanut butter lover. As a kid, peanut butter and jelly was my favorite way to consume it, but as an adult I've found that it basically enhances everything it touches. Example, a banana on it's own is good, but maybe not great. Add peanut butter and it's something I find myself craving ALL THE TIME. Ezekiel bread toasted (almost burnt) topped with peanut butter is another favorite combinations of mine. It's also amazing in oatmeal! Another favorite form of peanut butter, although less likely to be able to be consumed daily, is peanut butter cookies. 

I first fell in love with this particular recipe during my middle school days when I was a babysitting queen. One of the moms I babysat for introduced me to this recipe knowing that my go-to entertainment for the kids was baking and also knowing that keeping the list of ingredients minimal increased the chances of the recipe turning out amidst the chaos. (This is probably true for me whether children are under my supervision or not.) Since then this has been the peanut butter cookie recipe that I always turn to. They're naturally gluten-free and dairy-free so if those are things you need to consider, these are a winner. But whatever your dietary needs, the fact that they only require three ingredients makes them worth a try. And guys,  I mean, it's peanut butter. 

3-Ingredient Mini Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free + Dairy Free) 

• 1 cup natural peanut butter 
• 1 cup raw sugar  + 1/4 cup for rolling 
• 1 egg 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. Combine the peanut butter and sugar. Add in the egg and combine with the peanut butter and sugar mixture. Scoop out the dough and roll into balls and then roll into the reserved sugar. Flatten cookies, using a fork, in a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool fully and enjoy!

Super Simple Superfood Chocolate Bark

Hello friends! 

This is a recipe I have been meaning to share for a bit, but I have been attempting to overcomplicating my words. So in an attempt to keep things super simple all around I'm not going to worry so much about the words, but know that it's a must make! It's great to make and keep in the fridge for a post-dinner treat or to wrap up cute and deliver as a gift! The insanely simple nature of this recipe in combination with it's insanely delicious dessert qualities make me OBSESSED and I am certain you're going to be too! 

In other news: 

Josiah and I have found a church in the city that we love! 

I'm still working through Grey's Anatomy and it's slowly turning into background noise. Is it worth continuing to watch? 

Can This Is Us please come back already??

I've been running consistently, mostly in the morning, and it has made me feel amazing! If you have some good running tunes recommendations I would love them, because as much as I love the Hamilton soundtrack you can only hear it on repeat so many times. Amazingly my limit was 9,789,478 times. 

I'm thinking that I am going to start another Whole30 the next time I have to get groceries, which will probably be this Wednesday. Who's with me? 

Things are looking to warm up in Chicago!

This coffee creamer is totally my new go-to. 

Have a fantastic week, friends! 

Super Simple Superfood Chocolate Bark 

• 6 ounces of chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Place chocolate in a saucepan on low. Continue to stir until the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Pour the melted chocolate onto a sheet of wax paper and spread it equally around. Sprinkle the chia seeds, walnuts, and whatever other superfood additions you think of. Coconut flakes, almonds, cranberries, or pumpkin seeds would be phenomenal! Allow the chocolate to harden. If you're in a time crunch you can put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Once the chocolate has hardened take a knife or use your hands to break the bark into pieces. Place the bark in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. 

What I Ate On Whole 30 + 5 Things I Learned In The Process

This last January Josiah and I did our first Whole30. I had attempted the program in the past, but had never made it past day four so this year I was determined to start off the year crossing it off of my bucket list. The main reason I wanted to do a Whole30 in the past was to lose weight. If you scroll through instagram you will see success story after success story of people who have lost tons of weight doing Whole30 and then adapting a Whole 30ish lifestyle after completing the program. I was so motivated by those people! But that motivation quickly faded when I started to feel cranky during the detox portion of the program. This time when I started Whole30 though, I had a completely different goal in mind.

Over the past four years I began to suffer three to four times a week with moderate to severe stomach pains. Most of the time I just assumed I overate or "just wasn't feeling good," but through a lot of reading I started to think maybe I was intolerant to something I was eating. I wish I could say that as soon as this possibility crossed my mind I cute everything I could potentially be intolerant to out of my diet, but I didn't. I didn't want it to be true. I kind of ignored the idea that I could be intolerant to something because I didn't want to become one of those high-maintenance people at a restaurant or be the friend that didn't partake in the weekly donut get together. After one too many nights that ended with me on the couch curled up with severe stomach pains I decided it was time to do something about it.  Enter January Whole 30. 

If you are unfamiliar wth Whole30 it is essentially an elimination diet in which you avoid grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar for 30 days and then gradually introduce them back into your diet to determine if you are intolerant to them or not. The idea that I could get rid of my stomach pain was so exciting to me at the start of Whole 30. I was eager to leave behind the nights wasted feeling like I would throw up at any moment. However, I was so concerned about the food restrictions. The number one thing I was worried about was not being able to have cream in my coffee, toast in the morning, or peanut butter (seriously, this almost kept me from doing it!) but despite my uncertainty I decided to give it a shot. Here are the five things that I learned throughout my Whole30. 

1. Eating real food makes you feel like a million bucks 

Before Whole30 I thought I was eating healthy, but I now realize the amount of sugar that I consumed was taking a major toll on my body. I can't pretend that my sugar addiction is fully dealt with, but I have moved away from refined sugars and am trying to get my fix from natural sweeteners (maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar). Words can't even express how much better I feel. Now that we have re-entered real life we have started to include things back into our diet that aren't Whole30 compliant (whole grains - mostly gluten free, and legumes - peanut butter and hummus) and have shifted our main focus to just consuming real, whole foods. My stomach aches have completely disappeared and I could not be more grateful to not be spending my evenings in pain. 

2. Dairy Hates Me 

Through Whole30 I discovered I have an intolerance to dairy. Granted, I will not die if I consume it and there is a chance that occasionally I'll consume it in small quantities, but I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER when I avoid it. My stomach feels so much better and my skin is so much clearer (WIN)! Also, I now can honestly say I LOVE almond milk in my coffee (gasp!). Califia Farms Better Half Almond Milk and Coconut Cream is my favorite coffee ad-in now! 

3. I have major FOMO

FOMO or fear of missing out was and still is a big stumbling block for me. When I go out with friends it is really difficult to be the girl that says no to a donut or cheesy fries because there is that social fear of missing out on the experience. 

I have to constantly remind myself to not feel like I am missing out when I am out with friends because a lot of times the things that I feel like I am "missing out on" are things that will leave me feeling horribly soon after.  Now that I know how good I can feel, it is much easier for me to look at something I was tempted by before and think "Is this worth it?". Most times the answer is no. 

3. meal Prepping is worth the time investment

I was a big fan of meal prepping pre-Whole30, but I became adamant about it when we were on the program and it was our key to success. Sometimes I would get home late from work starving and if I didn't have pre-roasted veggies, potatoes, and chicken or some sort of soup to heat up quickly I would likely have wound up ordering pizza. Post-Whole30 my meal prep game is still strong and I am certain that the time that I spend on Sundays in the kitchen helps keep us on track throughout the week. 

4. Health is worth the financial investment 

I can't deny that eating healthy cost more than eating mac n' cheese or McDonalds for every meal, but I guarantee that it is worth it. You don't have to consume ALL organic vegetables or fruits or the rarest anti-inflammatory spices available or buy Whole Food's $17 almond butter, but it is important that you don't skimp on the quality and realness of your food. The way that it makes you feel though, is priceless (cheesy, but true!).

5. Establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is possible 

I now see that balance is possible and that jumping from one "diet" plan to another or restricting myself for a few days with the idea that a "cheat day" was coming created a very unhealthy mentality that was built on a bad relationship with food.  I have no plans to maintain a fully Whole30 complaint style of eating, but am fully grateful that it has gotten me to where I am and now see that it is possible to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. 

Having a goal in mind that focused on how my body felt and not about how much I weighed truly got me to the finish line. My focus wasn't on a specific number, but rather it was about getting myself to feel my best. I would encourage you to try your own Whole30 and see how amazing you can feel. If Whole30 is something you are interested in, but seems too daunting that is OKAY. I would encourage you to slowly try to make real food choices. I by no means have it "figured out", but we are gradually finding ways we can feel out best and I am so grateful to finally be able to say that. 

When I was researching Whole30 before we did the program I found the meal ideas super inspiring and helpful so I've including ALOT of meals that I had while doing the program. I'm sorry if it is overload, but I hope that it is helpful for you if you are planning to start a program soon. If you have any questions, need support during your Whole30, or just want to hear more about mine shoot me an email and I would be more than happy to chat with you. 

Carrots and plantain chips with guacamole  

Chipotle Chicken Salad with peppers and onions, medium salsa, pico, and a side of guac. (Which was free!! 😱)  

Banana + spinach + cashew milk smoothie bowl topped with cashews and almonds and raisins

Coffee with Almond Milk at Ipsento 606  

Spinach and eggs with avocado and salsa  

Whole Foods salad bar concoction (grapes, lettuce, blueberries, detox salad, shredded carrots, red onion, hard boiled eggs, and bacon with vinegar and olive oil  

Red curry with zucchini, peppers, onions, and potatoes  

Peppers, curry potatoes, kale and butternut squash hash topped with two eggs 

Lemon chicken and broccoli and spinach soup made with coconut milk  

Trader Joe's chicken sausage with a veggie platter and ranch  

Almonds, pumpkin seeds, and a cutie orange 

Buffalo chicken on a sweet potato with cucumbers and ranch  

Sundried tomatoes and eggs with avocado  

Banana with pumpkin seeds and almonds and gingerbread herbal tea  

Broccoli and spinach coconut milk soup with Trader Joe's Chicken Sausage

Trader Joe's Chili Lime Chicken Patty, garlic potatoes, and carrots + ranch  

Shared with Josiah while watching The Blacklist: apple slices topped with lime juice and cinnamon with a few almonds on the side 

Spinach and sundried tomatoes with eggs  

Frozen berries with almond milk  

Coconut chocolate RX bar  

Raisins and almonds  

Seasoned Chicken thighs with potatoes and carrots and ranch 

Spinach broccoli coconut cream soup, seasoned chicken thigh, almonds and raisins  

Berries with almond milk and olives - not my proudest meal 🙈 

Butternut squash, potato, peppers, and kale with eggs and avocado  

Trader Joe's Chili Lime Chicken Burger, Trader Joe's Grilled Cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts. I used spicy mustard for dipping. 

Quick pickled cucumbers with a few crushed almonds

Frozen blueberries with almonds, cashews, and almondmilk  

Eggs with butternut squash, kale, and potato hash  

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup with spinach 

Orange slices

Josiah's cinnamon apple, pepper, chicken concoction with Brussels sprouts  

Eggs with salsa  

Chicken, Roasted Brussels sprout, and Roasted Cauliflower  

Chia pudding with almond butter and banana

Brussel sporuts, chicken sausage, and potato hash with eggs  

Chipotle Chicken Salad with pico, mild salsa, and Guac

Warm Sweet Potato Chia Seed Pudding topped with almond butter, bananas, and cinnamon 

Chicken salad with apples, cashews, and raisins with carrots  

Apple slices with almond butter