The Smoothie Vegetarians

With the holidays coming up, the semester that recently ended, and my job being on holiday break, I have had more time to make delicious and healthy recipes. I have been enjoying such a wide range of meals and have been also discovering some new foods and meals that I love. I have really enjoyed cooking and finding new foods or recipes to prepare. These could also be good for holiday parties as well.  The first recipe I have loved making recently is a sandwich and I usually have a side with this. I have been switching up what I have as my side. I usually have quinoa, couscous, fries, tater tots, roasted veggies, or riced veggies on the side when I eat this and I usually switch it up for variety.  (photos by Danielle) For this picture, I have a ciabatta roll by the brand Schar, which is gluten free. I do not personally eat a gluten free diet, but I have been seeing these in the stores and wanted to check them out. I enjoy these with Gardein chicken scallopi...

I place such a high level of importance on healthy eating, but sometimes it can be a struggle to get meals in with a crazy busy schedule. I am usually only home for a few minutes in between work and my grad school classes for the night on most weekdays. Sometimes I try to make quick meals, but during lunch hour I am sometimes home. Fortunately, this free time in my schedule can be devoted to healthy eating and making myself a nice, nourishing meal. I typically am in a rush with only a few minutes to whip something up, but for my free time in the week, I can make some delicious meals. If I have extra time during lunch hour, or I do not have class that night, I can make a more extravagant meal. As the weather gets colder, I have been wanting to make some warmer meals and I want something that will energize me for the night sitting through my clinical classes. (photos by Danielle) For this picture, I have a lot of healthy and delicious foods. I love making smoothie...

With the weather getting warmer, I am finding myself wanting warmer meals when I go to eat. When I am running from work to grad school classes, I am also looking for something quick, but healthy to get me through my long days during the semester. I need foods with a lot of nutrients to get me ready for the day. I try to make these recipes often and you can also add or remove certain ingredients to your liking. I love making quinoa bowls because they do not take long to make depending on the type you buy. I like to boil my quinoa and then add a number of ingredients. I usually add some vegetables, beans, herbs, and spices depending on what I am feeling for the day. Quinoa and beans are really high in protein and many other nutrients. Adding vegetables can add to the nutritious value of these meals. You can make something else as a meal and have this as a side as well. I try to put as much color into these recipes for presentation. I love adding different colors to the meal bec...

This is an amazing salad that my family and I make all the time, especially in the summer because it is so refreshing! I love to bring it to parties too, all of my non-veg friends and family are obsessed with it. Not only is it super healthy so you can keep that nice summer body, but it has a great ratio of macronutrients. The veggies and greens will keep your summer skin beautiful and hydrated, the beans and quinoa will fuel your hard-working muscles with complete proteins, and the olives and sesame seeds will give you a dose of healthy fats to keep your belly feeling full and satisfied. It is great to make in big batches and store in the fridge, because who really wants to spend their summer afternoons in the hot kitchen? Feel free to put your own spin on this recipe, it is completely customizable! You can sub rice for quinoa, chickpeas for black beans, and add in any of your other favorite vegetables. Ingredients 1 cup dry quinoa 2 cans of black beans 1 can ...