Everyday Eats: Fresh & Simple

I have a confession to make. The recipes I post on this site are not exactly indicative of the way I eat on a  daily basis. You have been bamboozled into thinking I fix labor-intensive dinners and decadent baked goodies throughout the week, when the truth is, the more complicated dishes I occasionally post are typically prepared and eaten on Sunday only. During the week, I'm all about very simple, straight-forward and healthy cooking. I end up eating very similar meals from week to week. I certainly don't photograph every meal that I make because I fear that some of the simpler (and more repetitive) weeknight dinners might bore you into a stupor. 

But then I realized that maybe that's not true. Lately, some of my favorite reading material includes healthy living blogs where the writers prepare simple dishes with an emphasis on whole grains, fresh produce and healthy fats. Several are vegetarian and/or vegan, which is a diet choice I find myself more and more drawn to. Don't misunderstand me though; I will never turn down a piece of fried chicken. Or the whole bucket, for that matter.

Still, I can't help noticing how much better I feel when I skip heavy dishes in favor of lighter meals chock full of fresh vegetables and fruits. 

And there really is nothing more beautiful than the things created by nature. Wouldn't you say?

Some of my favorite healthy living blogs have turned me onto ingredients I've never even heard of before like chia seeds (a source of omega-3 fatty acids), coconut oil, and nutritional yeast, a popular way for vegans to get more protein while getting their cheese fix too.

One of the biggest changes I've made in my diet in the last two years has been including more dark greens in my diet. Chard, kale, spinach, collard greens--these are all eaten at least one or two times a week in my house. They're so delicious sauteed with garlic, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

I also keep a lot of frozen berries (especially blueberries and strawberries) on hand to toss into smoothies. I mix them up with soy milk and a little vanilla-flavored protein powder and they taste fantastic!

And fish...can't forget the fish. My boyfriend can, cause he hates the stuff, but I sure can't. 

These are some of my favorite healthy living cooking blogs, most of which also include great workout tips. Check them out...they are all excellent and very inspirational. Their lives seem to have such amazing balance, which is what I'm striving to achieve in mine!

* Daily Garnish--Written by Emily, a vegetarian chef trained at Johnson & Wales, this blog has quickly become one of my favorites for her original vegan recipes. She even came up with a recipe to create her own protein powder mix!

* Kath Eats Real Food-- Kath is a registered dietician who posts three times a day to show readers what healthy eaters should be doing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This girl makes some mean salad combos.

* Oh She Glows!-- Angela "got her glow back" by changing the way she eats and shares her recipes--with awesome photos--on her site. She also started her own online bakery with healthy goodies.

* Carrots 'n Cake--Tina's blog is a new discovery, and I love how she balances healthy eats with occasional indulgences...just the way I like to eat.

* Peanut Butter Fingers--I'm amazed by the organization in Julie's life. She accomplishes more by 8 am than I do all day (she works out, walks her dog, writes her blog and eats a healthy breakfast all before heading to her full-time job). Impressive and motivating!

* Meals & Moves--Check the "before and after" photos of Janetha's bod and you will want to follow her diet and exercise advice to a tee.

So this week, I'm devoting some posts to some of my simple everyday eats that focus on healthy whole foods. I may even squeeze in a workout or two. But don't hold me to it.