Craving Fresh Fruits and Vegetables after Holiday Foods Indulgence

After a lovely Thanksgiving week of carbs and more carbs, I am craving anything healthy-mostly fruits and vegetables.  My body seems so out of balance~~I’m sluggish and feeling a bit pudgy. Now with a broken toe that is slowing me down a bit, I feel the need to reset and nourish myself in a healthy way.

Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Right now, the garden is producing beautiful greens~ lettuce, kale and arugula. I am hoping for another abundant year of arugula because I could make and eat this simple salad every single day. The Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe is from Stone Gable.

Greens from the garden

I literally keep a mason jar of this dressing in the refrigerator all the time. Over the summer, when the greens bolt due to the heat, I buy baby arugula from the grocery store. But I can honestly say that picking arugula fresh from the garden is so much better.

My all time favorite salad

This salad has a few, simple ingredients. Arugula, shaved Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Plus the lemon dressing. That’s it. So tasty and clean. Truly one of my favorite recipes to make. My recent houseguests loved it too. Recipe is below.

Food Babe’s Pineapple Grapefruit Hair Shake

Vani Hari, better known as “The Food Babe”, has an amazing story about how eating different foods changed her life. As a result, she has made it a mission to challenge how big food giants do business. For example, she influenced Kraft Foods to remove the harmful dyes from their Mac ‘n Cheese. Her website is a plethora of information on food choices and is filled with fabulous recipes.

Fresh ingredients

One of my go to recipes when I’m feeling the holiday bloat is this green shake from her website.

There are 6 simple ingredients:  Kale or spinach, celery, cucumber, grapefruit, frozen pineapple and water. I substitute frozen mango and pineapple, when I am unable to find plain, frozen pineapple.

Fruits and vegetables

I just ordered her cookbook and I will let you know if it is any good. Here is her website.

Food Babe’s Pineapple Grapefruit Shake

This shake is so refreshing and you can always add more of the frozen pineapple if you prefer it sweeter.

Healthy Chicken Soup

Another resource for good, healthy recipes is Ambitious Kitchen. This chicken soup looks so delicious and with the cold and flu season upon us, I hope to make this and freeze it for those days when I feel something coming on.

Ambitious Kitchen’s Healthy Chicken Soup

The best part of this delicious chicken soup is all of its wonderful the anti-inflammatory, cold-fighting ingredients.

  • Ginger: Great for digestion and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent to use in recipes.
  • Garlic: Truly the best when you’re sick. Garlic is full of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why we use 6 cloves of garlic in this soup. That’s right, you’re going to sick this cold’s ass.
  • Turmeric: Super trendy and very good for you. Best when consumed with a black pepper to help for optimal absorption. This recipe calls for fresh turmeric (if you can find it).
  • Chicken: We’re packin’ this recipe with protein too — and guess what? The chicken actually cooks in the soup broth, leaving it tender and making it easy for you!
  • Fresh herbs: Rosemary & thyme add additional flavor in this recipe.
  • Pearl (or Israeli) Couscous: Besides the veggies, the couscous is really the star because it helps to thicken the broth and keep the soup hearty. You’ll want to use pearl couscous (also labeled Israeli couscous in stores) in the recipe. It just provides the perfect texture for the soup. 

Doesn’t this look so yummy? I cannot wait to make it. You can find the recipe here.

Healthy Focus

The last of our houseguests left yesterday so I am ready to get back on a routine to eat healthier and clean out my system. Unless you are a person who eats completely clean and healthy 100% of the time, what do you do to reverse the holiday bloat?

Good time to eat your veggies

I am returning to a limited exercise program as I have to keep all weight off my big toe, but not moving is not an option. Reducing my caloric intake to match my activity level will be necessary too.

Please share what you do to get your body back to recover after holiday eating. My vitamin regiment is back on track too as is my daily probiotic. I’m hoping that by being thoughtful in my eating and exercising this week and next, that the brain fog will lift and I will restore my energy.


Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

An easy and elegant salad filled with flavor.

  • 1-2 bags, boxes, bunches fresh arugula
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano Cheese (shaved)
  • 1/4 cup toasted pepitas or pine nuts
  • 1-2 lemons, juice of
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 medium sized shallot (finely diced)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

  1. Put the arugula in a large bowl.

  2. Make the lemon vinaigrette by putting the lemon juice, olive oil, shallots, dijon mustard, and salt into a Mason Jar and shake it vigorously.

  3. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the arugula and toss to coat.

  4. Sprinkle the nuts over the salad and toss.

  5. Shave the Parmesan over the top of the salad and serve immediately.

I do not toast the pine nuts. Use one large lemon or two small lemons for the dressing.


Here is the recipe for Food Babe’s Pineapple Grapefruit Hari Shake:


Food Babe’s Pineapple Grapefruit Hari Shake

Refreshing shake with fruits and vegetables.

  • 2 cups kale (removed from stem)
  • 2 large stalks celery (chopped)
  • 1/2 cucumber (chopped)
  • 1/2 grapefruit
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple
  • 6 ounces water

  1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly and place in a large bowl.

  2. Add 6 ounces of water into a blender with celery, cucumber, and grapefruit.

  3. Blend for 30 seconds until just incorporated.

  4. Add all the other ingredients and keep blending for another 30 seconds-1 minute.

Makes 1 serving. You can add protein powder and 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds for a meal replacement shake or after a workout. Buy organic ingredients if possible.

Beverage