Foodie Friday #4

{Homemade Tomato Sauce}

~Whole wheat linguini, tomato sauce, eggplant, and zucchini ~

{Eggplant & Tofu}

~Lunch from Nine & Nine Thai Kitchen, Pasadena ~

{Roasted Almond & Fig Gelato}

~An after dinner treat from Caffe Primo, Downtown LA ~

Foodie Friday #3

Bruschetta from Wine 661, Valencia, CA

Vegan Wrap from Eat Real Cafe, Newhall, CA

Blood Orange, Kumquat, & Naval orange Juice from Pressed Juicery, Pasadena, CA

My new recipe for a Creamy Greek Yogurt & Spinach Dip

{Hello Spring!} Creamy Greek Yogurt Spinach Dip

Spring is here! (In Southern California it feels a bit more like summer, but we'll disregard that for now).

Now that it's spring, that means it's almost summer, which means you can meet me at the beach! As soon as the temperature starts rising, you can't keep me inside. There's nothing more I'd rather do than sit on the beach with a mojito and listen to some "Laid-back Beach Music" on Pandora.

A long day laying in the sun can be exhausting which makes it the perfect time to indulge in a refreshing snack! And, nothing screams spring more to me than yogurt! Whether its frozen, Greek, or both, it is the ultimate refreshing food.

Creamy Greek Yogurt Spinach Dip

This cool and creamy recipe for a Greek Yogurt Spinach Dip is a  refreshing take on the party classic. The fresh flavors of yogurt and dill make this recipe the perfect way to kick off spring! Make this dish vegan-friendly by substituting the Greek yogurt for soy yogurt.

Ingredients:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 sprig fresh dill, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1. Mix yogurt, spinach, and garlic in a bowl.
2. Garnish with dill.

Serve and enjoy! Happy Spring!

14 Best Pre- & Post-Workout Snacks

You've laced up your sneakers, stretched your legs, and you're ready to feel the burn. Or, maybe you've just completed your workout, are sweating profusely, and are stumbling to the shower. Either way, a pre- and post-workout snack that offers the right balance of nutrients can help satisfy hunger, help you go the distance, and repair muscle tissues.

Here are some of my favorite energy-packed snacks...

#1 Apple Slices + Peanut Butter

#2 Carrots + Hummus

#3 Whole Wheat Toast + Nut Butter

#4 Greek Yogurt + Fruit

#5 Whole Wheat Crackers + Low-Fat Cheese

#6 Nuts + Dried Fruit

#7 Fresh Fruit Smoothie

#8 Rice Cake + Nut Butter + Banana

#9 Celery + Yogurt + Walnuts

#10 Chocolate Milk

#11 Protein Bar

#12 Low-Fat String Cheese

#13 Hard-Boiled Egg

#14 Edamame

Note: Remember to stay hydrated! Drink adequate amounts of water throughout the day.

Foodie Friday #2

{Vegan Sweet Potato Pie}

~ Mid-day snack from Buster's Cafe, South Pasadena ~

{Homemade Soup}

~ Spinach, Potatoes, Barley, Vegetable Broth, & Chicken ~

{Heirloom Salad}

~ The Organic Center's 11th Annual VIP Dinner at Expo West ~

{Creamy Mushroom Pasta}

~ Recipe from NourishRDs ~

A Visit to the Natural Products Expo West

Entrance to the expo

This weekend I attended the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. As a nutritionist, nothing gets me more excited than an expo hall of natural food products. As soon as I arrived, I heard the sweet, sweet voice of Michael Franti. (OK, this may be a little more exciting than the expo hall I was about to enter). The entrance to the convention center was lined with booths featuring a variety of food companies eagerly handing out samples of their products. First stop, breakfast burritos. I'm glad I came hungry!

 

Inside the expo hall were more booths and more food! The rush of attendees stuffed their bags with as many samples as possible. Within ten minutes, I was feeling a little lopsided. Some booths got a little more creative with fun themes, hangouts, and costumes. Clif Bar Company and So Delicious were some of my favorite stops of the day.

Clif Bar Company

I thoroughly enjoyed eating my way around the expo hall, but believe it or not, there was much more to see than just food! Companies featuring lines of beauty products, cleaning supplies, and candles were also present to share the benefits of their natural products.

So Delicious

After a long day of snacking and walking with a 10 pound bag, I was thrilled to attend The Organic Center's 11th Annual VIP Dinner. The night opened with a video called, "The Natural Effect," which you can watch here. The tables were decorated with fresh flowers, wine, and flavored water. A beautiful heirloom salad was placed at each seat along with a basket of artisan baked breads. I surprisingly built up a large appetite to eat a little bit of everything at the amazingly crafted buffet which consisted of roasted root vegetables, jasmine rice, hangar steak, and grouper. An assortment of petite desserts were displayed on a wall including fruit tarts and cakes. During dinner, Jessica Shade, the director of science programs introduced us to the exciting research The Organic Center is currently involved in and what we can expect to hear more about in the future. It really was a lovely night.

Dinner hosted by The Organic Center