It was easy to fall in love with the salad bars at my local grocery stores. The produce looks almost too pretty to touch, so it almost pains me to pick out those delectable veggies from their chilly resting places. But, hey, a busy girl's gotta eat, too.

This particular day was one of those where I would be spending most of the day delivering mail to the southeast corner of rural Riley County, Kansas. If the in-laws aren't home, then I've nowhere to stop. Well, that's not completely true. There's that gas station on that one busy highway that borders the western edge of this route. So unless I plan to blow my macros for the day, I have to hit the local grocery stores before heading to the office that day.

You see, I normally would have to stick to protein bars, apples, and a few other pre-packaged choices. When you deliver the mail in the middle of nowhere, food has to keep well,  be very portable, and be almost weather-resistant.

Today was a lucky day. On this particular day, the salad bar opened early and I was the first customer. Some mixed greens here, some baby spinach there, shredded carrot, grilled chicken, cucumbers and half an ounce of Italian dressing, I've got the tastiest salad I've ever eaten while sitting in my in-law's driveway.

I switch up the veggie proportions from time to time. Sometimes grapes or strawberries will make an appearance, but I pretty much stick to this combo. There's just enough variance in texture and flavor that it keeps me interested.

When it comes down to it, this busy girl has no problem disrupting the chi of a pretty salad bar to fuel herself through the day. After, I never would have hit the 100 pound weight loss milestone without strategies like this!

Read more »

I'm not sure I remember what compelled me to buy pumpkin seeds. Maybe it was the need for a portable, satisfying snack that didn't melt, wilt, or wouldn't require chopping, peeling, or refrigeration. I like my snacks to be a bit on the sweet side and, while pumpkin seeds on their own are okay, I found a palatable way to enjoy them.

What You Need:

• 2 measured cups of pumpkin seeds
• 2 measured tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 measured tablespoon of sugar
• 1 measured teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 baking sheet
• 1 sheet of parchment to line baking sheet (optional)

Prepare It:

• Preheat oven to 400º F
• Mix seeds and olive oil in a large bowl
• Mix dry ingredients together and add to seed mixture
• Spread seeds evenly on baking sheet
• Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once every 10 minutes

I divided my batch up into 8 servings, with a single serving fitting nicely in one of those snack sized plastic zip bags. Do that, and you've got a snack ready to go with you anywhere!

Read more »

I love pico de gallo and everything about it. The texture, color, aroma, and taste add a nice little kick to everything I eat. I'll garnish my eggs, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, wraps or I'll just eat it right out of the bowl.  Whatever. It's tasty.

I especially love making pico de gallo in the summer. I'll hit the local produce markets and hunt out as many of the veggies as possible. I love that the process of making this pico de gallo is a little more involved than just chopping up a tomato and lazily adding a packet of seasoning. Why would you do that anyway? Actual food tastes so much better anyway.

The recipe? Confession: it's not my recipe. You can find it through this pin on my Pinterest food board. Just click through the pin, scroll down, and follow the 'simple' version of the recipe.

Oh, and if you happen to try making the Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce recipe with the pico de gallo, let me know what you think of it.

Read more »

Blueberries are perfect. Little, tasty, and packed with plenty of antioxidants, these little suckers are my favorite go-to breakfast staple. Throw them in a blender with my protein and voila - a homemade meal on the go!

What you need:

• A blender
• A kitchen scale that measures in grams
• 140 grams of frozen blueberries
• 28 grams of baby spinach
• 8 ounces of a liquid base - I use 1% organic milk, coconut milk, or coconut water
• 1 scoop (27 grams) of vanilla protein powder
• 1 tablespoon of dry chia seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional)

How I make it:

• Pour liquid base into the blender
• Weigh and add dry ingredients - like the powder, chia seeds, and cinnamon
• Weigh and add frozen blueberries
• Weigh and add baby spinach
• Blend

Easy, huh? Sometimes I'll throw in a second fruit like mango or strawberries, but I think the blueberries can pretty much hold their own. It's a pretty quick breakfast concoction, too, which is nice because I'm often stumbling out the door and on my way to work in the wee hours of the morning.

Read more »