I HAD intentions of blogging regularly during this time about a re-do of the 4-week pre-summer clean-eating challenge, which I created around this time last year. Four weeks before my wedding and a 10-day Caribbean vacation seems like a reasonable motivator to do the challenge, huh? Unfortunately, I just don't have the hours in the day to track my progress or post a lot of new recipes. Plus, while I AM planning to follow the first portion of the challenge for the next few weeks (the general eat-clean part of it), the 17 day diet part just doesn't fit into my life right now. That kind of restriction simply requires too much time and energy that I don't currently have; plus, I am really trying to maintain my weight (and it's hard NOT to lose weight on the 17 day diet if you really follow it). So, my pre-wedding plan is basically to eat healthy and "clean" -- which I usually do anyway -- but cut down on the added treats for a few weeks, continue working out, and try not to stress! I'm feeling really good about my health right now in general, so it's nice that I don't need to do anything drastic prior to the big day. Besides, who wants to be hungry and grumpy during this beautiful time??
If anyone DOES want to do the 4-week challenge before summer, I'd totally encourage you to do it! Whether you do just the first portion like me or you want to follow the whole 4 weeks like we did last year, it is a great way to start summer off on a healthy foot. Start here, then check out all of the posts within the challenge. And let me know if you have any questions or need a little motivation :)
If anyone DOES want to do the 4-week challenge before summer, I'd totally encourage you to do it! Whether you do just the first portion like me or you want to follow the whole 4 weeks like we did last year, it is a great way to start summer off on a healthy foot. Start here, then check out all of the posts within the challenge. And let me know if you have any questions or need a little motivation :)
As for me, I've been making and eating many of my favorite healthy recipes lately -- my beef and spinach meatballs (which I'll sometimes make with turkey instead of beef), hefty salads like this one and this one, chicken and egg salad for wraps or salads, stuffed avocado, and healthy frittatas. Here's another favorite to add to the list: spinach and arugula salad with shrimp, avocado, and a DELICIOUS homemade cilantro lime yogurt dressing. It's the perfect pre-wedding meal IMO: plenty of veggies, lean protein, healthy fats, and, of course, it's tasty and flavorful. Ryan's word-for-word evaluation after taking a few bites? "This is like, the best salad I've ever had."
I've talked before about how I prefer to make my own salad dressings. I tend to make pretty basic/simple dressings most of the time (olive oil + vinegar + mustard or citrus or herbs). Well, this one is a little fancier. It's creamy and zesty and decadent-tasting and SO full of flavor. Plus, by "fancy" I don't mean difficult: all you have to do is throw a few ingredients into a food processor and -- voila! Easy and delicious.
This salad takes all of 10 minutes to throw together. Perfect for busy summer nights when you want something quick and healthy. The shrimp cooks in 3 minutes, the dressing just takes a quick whirl in the food processor, then you just have to chop a few veggies. Simplicity at its best.
Here's how to make it: