Good morning! I shared this recipe on my instagram yesterday and thought I’d post it here as well. Sometimes I struggle with eating my veggies simply because I don’t know what to do with them or because the thought of cleaning, prepping, and cooking sounds like it’ll take too long. Hey,I’ll make any excuse not to cook when I’m feeling lazy. Thankfully this kale salad takes less than 5 minutes to make, promise!

The measurements are just a guideline of ratios, don’t feel obligated to measure them out! Just eyeball them and add a little more of this and that to your liking.

Five Minute Kale with Miso Tahini Dressing

1/2 bunch kale
1-2 tsp miso paste
1-2 tsp tahini
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp water
sesame seeds
black pepper

Remove rib from kale and chop into manageable pieces (I do a sort of chunky/messy chiffonade). Wash thoroughly and drain and squeeze as much water as you can. Place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened but not cooked all the way through.

Make the dressing by whisking together miso paste and tahini. Add apple cider vinegar and water and mix until smooth and emulsified. Pour onto kale and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with sesame seeds and black pepper. Enjoy!

Whoops, I can’t believe I didn’t share this! Earlier this year I had the pleasure of making this simple two tiered wedding cake for Tawny and Irv. It was confetti cake with strawberry preserves and vanilla buttercream. Their wedding was featured on Green Wedding Shoes and marks my first credit on a wedding blog (woo hoo!). Even more exciting was watching the cake cutting ceremony in their wedding video. This is one of my favorite parts of making cakes but am rarely there for it (obviously), so it really put a smile on my face! Thank you again, Tawny and Irv, for letting me be a part of your big day. You can see more of their photos here.

Tawny & Irv from JP on Vimeo.

I’ve been doing pretty well avoiding refined sugar…until this cake. Let’s just say I “tasted” a little more than usual. My friend Keiko requested a cake for her mother’s birthday and this is what we came up with! She grew up in Hawaii so Keiko wanted to incorporate something tropical. Normally I will only use fruit if I can purchase them fresh and locally grown. I used to use freeze dried berries but I’ve done away with that as well. Thankfully mangoes are currently in season and these were grown in Mexico.

Here is a breakdown of the cake: chiffon cake soaked with coconut milk, mango mousse, chiffon cake with coconut milk, mango mousse, topped off with whipped heavy cream and coconut cream, swirled with some mango puree.

This is a slight departure from my usual multi-layered butter cakes with buttercream. In fact, there’s no butter in this cake at all! While I won’t be giving up butter any time soon (meringue buttercreams are one of the greatest things on earth), it was a fun and exciting change to step out of my comfort zone.

Also, if you haven’t already checked it out, Keiko recently launched her new web shop that’s filled with her beautiful artwork!

A few weeks ago, it never occurred to me that grains and (starchy) carbs practically in everything. Most certainly not a bad thing, but sometimes you just want an alternative. My thought is, if I can replace it with vegetables, why don’t I? It’s all too easy for me to rely on a carb heavy diet when I don’t know what else to cook. This is not a ground breaking recipe by any means, but man is that roasted veggie spread addictive. I found myself using it as a dip with carrots, tossing it in my salad as a dressing, or eating it straight with a spoon. Not the worst snack in the world since it’s just vegetables!

Grain Free Nori Wrap

pickled vegetables (recipe below)
roasted vegetable spread (recipe below)
shredded chicken (optional)
leafy greens, such as spinach, thinly sliced
nori

Place nori on a plate large enough to fit the whole piece, then add ingredients, starting with roasted vegetable spread, then pickled veggies, leafy greens, and chicken. Carefully roll up, then cut and serve.

(Lightly) Pickled Vegetables

1 carrot
1 cucumber
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 t water

Cut carrots into matchstick size, as thin or as thick as you’d like (on the thinner side is easier to eat). Place in a shallow bowl and pour over with apple cider vinegar and water. Let sit for about 15 minutes (or longer if you can) before using.

Roasted Vegetable Spread

1 eggplant
1 bell pepper
2 carrots
2 zucchini
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1-2 T low sodium soy sauce
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut  vegetables into 1-2″ pieces and place on a baking sheet. Roast at 375° F for 35-45 minutes, or until tender with some color. Let cool, then place in blender. Add olive oil and soy sauce, one tablespoon at a time, and blend. Add more olive oil and soy sauce to your preference, then finish with salt and pepper.

Whoa, so much health talk lately! Rest assured I still love baking cakes and believe they are well deserved for special occasions. Just make sure they’re worth the calories, alright?!

Here’s a custom cake I made recently for a baby shower. A buttery vanilla cake filled with layers of lemon cream (the flavor of lemon curd but much smoother with more body!), coated with my favorite cream cheese swiss meringue buttercream. If you love cream cheese but aren’t a fan of how thick, dense, and sugary it can get, this frosting is for you! Everything was then coated with fine shavings of white chocolate.

Because it was a baby shower for a girl, my client ordered cute glittery lace crowns off of etsy in two sizes we and tiered them on top of the cake. Such a princess-y cake! As you can see in the background, everything came together wonderfully. I just wish I got better photos than from my iphone!

You know how they say it takes three weeks to form a habit? Well, it’s been three weeks since my diet change and I’ve finally gotten in the swing of things. While I still crave something sweet every now and then, making healthy choices have almost become second nature. Here are a few habits I’ve picked up along the way.

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I drink 24-32 ounces of water every morning.

I mentioned this a few weeks ago but wanted to share a little more. This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made recently. I never liked drinking water. You were lucky if I had one glass of plain water a day! As much as I refused to admit it, I was probably dehydrated all the time and had to change this. Instead of eating breakfast right away, I gulp down a large glass of water. I’ve noticed that if I drink a larger amount in the morning, I’m more likely to keep up with it for the rest of the day. I carry around a reusable tumbler with a straw that holds 16 oz. and try to fill it up 3 more times. Plus, now if I go out I don’t have to use a disposable cup! My tumbler is always with me. My face has never been clearer, my lips are hardly ever dry, and it’s cut down on my constant snacking since my body was probably thirsty instead of hungry.

I clean and prep my vegetables ahead of time.

It might not happen as soon as I get home, but I try to wash my veggies as soon as I have a chance. This can be an annoying chore to do before every meal, but doing a bunch at once isn’t so bad. For example, I’ve been eating a lot more kale, so I’ll wash, dry, and tear them into pieces and store it in a glass container in the fridge. You can buy them pre-packed like this but I hated throwing a plastic bag away every time and the quality isn’t as fresh. Now I have raw veggies ready for snacking (like carrots) or cooking with a shorter time to get dinner on my plate!

I write down all my meals.

The first two weeks I wrote down exactly what I ate: 3.5 oz 0% greek yogurt, 1 T almond butter, etc. I wanted to get a gauge for how much I was eating. I also wrote down all my snacks. This kept me mindful of how much snacking I really was doing (a lot!) and helped me with portion control. Also, if I forgot how much I was “supposed” to eat (at least 2 cups of veggies) or when I was supposed to eat it (more carbs after a workout) then I can look back on previous days to help me remember. Now that I have a better idea of what and how much to eat, I keep a running log of what I consumed without measuring everything out.

I’ve turned mundane tasks into daily rituals.

Snacking on granola for breakfast while checking my iPhone on the sofa? That used to happen quite often. But now I’ve started my own little morning routine to help me gradually wake up and keep me on track. First I pour my water, then get my breakfast ingredients ready. I try to gulp as much as possible because it turns out I get quite thirsty overnight. As soon as I finish my water, I start on my breakfast, whether its a smoothie (my favorite has been coffee and banana so far, I’ll have to share the recipe!) or eggs or yogurt. Using pretty ceramics like Heath makes the occasion much more special and meaningful, rather than eating yogurt straight out of the tub! I also like to use this time to plan out my day and add events to my calendar.

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Don’t get me wrong, things aren’t close to perfect! I still reach my spoon into the almond butter a few too many times a day and could probably eat a more varied diet, but it’s about progress. I’ve been getting more creative with healthy meals and I can’t wait to start sharing some of their recipes. How do you keep your health in check? Any tips to share?

Over the past few months I’ve been dreaming of owning a juicer but could never justify the cost. The last thing I need in my tiny (matchbox sized, you could say) kitchen is another appliance! Instead, I decided to use what I have: my trusty Vitamix. Armed with an assortment of greens and a fine mesh bag, I attempted my own green green juice.

How did it go? It was a success! Sure, it might take a little longer to separate the fiber from the juice, but I think it evens out because cleanup is a lot quicker in a Vitamix. No, it’s not slowly masticating like the juicer I have my eye on, but it works for now and I’m satisfied. If I end up sticking with it, I might be able to justify the price in the future.

Simple Green Juice in a Vitamix
one serving

1 cucumber
3-4 kale leaves
4-5 lettuce leaves (I used red lettuce simply because it was on sale)
small handful of parsley
1/2 apple (optional)
squeeze of lemon juice

Chop or break up ingredients with your hands and place inside blender, cucumbers and apple first, if using. Add leafy greens on top. Blend on low, gradually increasing speed and pressing ingredients into blade with the tamper. When all ingredients have been pureed, turn Vitamix to high for about 20 seconds more.

Line a large, tall drinking glass or bowl with a fine mesh/nut milk bag. Pour green puree into bag, and squeeze until juice has been extracted and you’re left with a dry pulp. Pour over ice if you like and top it off with a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Have you tried/made green juice before? It takes some time getting used to, but I happen to really enjoy “green” flavors. I prefer not to add any fruit (and instead eat that whole), but apples certainly do make it a bit more palatable. It’s a nice break from making green smoothies all the time, which I love, but sometimes you just want an actual drink and not have to “chew” on your smoothie!

Though I can’t pinpoint any exact reasons, I recently decided to make big changes to my health and well being. A little over a month ago I agreed with my personal trainer/boyfriend, Gary, that I would visit the gym three times a week, with the incentive of one new piece of workout clothing at the end of each month. My goal is to finally get a new pair of pretty gym shoes, which I will be rewarded with only if I consistently exercise for 3 whole months.

Going to the gym was great! Something changed in my mind and I really became dedicated to working hard rather than going through the motions just to barely endure the 1 hour session. A month into my new exercise regimen I decided to really take my diet more seriously. As of right now, I have cut out sugar (except for fruit), reduced my carbohydrate intake to before and after work outs only, and have dramatically increased the amount of vegetables and protein I consume. According to my trainer, this is a very effective way of gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time (in conjunction with exercise, of course). I’ve dedicated myself to strictly adhere to this new lifestyle until June 17, which will be three months since embarking on this lifestyle change.

(Top two photos and bottom left were my healthy meals before my diet change.)

It’s been two weeks since I’ve altered my diet. Too soon to see any changes, but I can’t help but think, “What am I going to do after these 3 months are up?” While this diet might be most effective for gaining muscle and lowering my body fat percentage, it is not environmentally sustainable nor do I want to keep up with it. It’s got me thinking about all sorts of other diets (vegetarianism, locavorism, adding vegan options), wondering what’s best for our bodies’ health and not just our appearance, and has me questioning if our perception of healthy foods has been skewed over time.

At the end of the day, the question I keep asking is, “What is the best diet for my body and the environment?”

What do you think? Have you ever drastically changed your diet for the better?

A beautiful arrangement I was lucky enough to receive by Yasmine Floral Design. You can find her website here and gorgeous instagram feed here. (Mismatched pottery by yours truly, hah!)

After falling down the internet/blog rabbit hole (that I oddly found through a google image search) I came across a TV series called Escape To River Cottage. I’m not quite sure what compelled me to watch it but now I’m hooked. I originally heard of the show’s host, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, through his many cookbooks, but never so much as glanced through them. The show was filmed in 1999 (!) and follows his journey a self sufficient lifestyle in Dorset, England. In the six episode series, Hugh walks us through his journey of starting a garden, raising pigs, chickens, and a cows, and many other aspects of living in the countryside.

Although this was filmed over a decade ago, it’s only been in the last few years I’ve worked harder towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly lifestyle. It can be discouraging when people tell me, “It’s too late to save the world, anything you do won’t make a difference.” But instead of letting it get to me, I finally realized that I do it because it makes me happy to live this way. Sure, people might call me crazy, stupid or that I’m wasting my energy, but I’ve decided to pursue what makes me fulfilled and hope to lead by example. Watching Escape to River Cottage makes me feel like there is some hope left, that what I enjoy isn’t so dumb after all, and that it just might be possible to be as self sufficient as possible.

Also, Dorset reminds me of Portwenn from Doc Martin. If you loved that show maybe you’ll like this one!