ratatouille & barley salad

since i did my juice cleanse at the beginning of may, i've been eating A LOT more fruits and veggies.  this change in eating habits has lead to my new favorite thing to do on sunday - shopping at the farmers market!  not only are the fruits and vegetables at the farmers market fresher than the grocery store, but they taste better & pretty there is pretty much no packaging (zero waste!).  since i've been buying all this amazing produce from the farmers market, i've had to find new recipes that focus on more vegetables and less on meat and diary.  i scoured the web and discovered this website that pretty much follows exactly how i have been eating!  i found a recipe for ratatouille & barley salad that was a perfect match for all the goodies i bought at the farmers market!

ratatouille & barley salad (adapted from this recipe)

serves 4

1 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 cup water

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon raw agave nectar

half an eggplant, sliced into 1/2" slices

3 squash (i used 1 green zucchini, 1 yellow zucchini, and 1 yellow summer squash), 1/2" slices

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup basil, finely chopped

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

salt & pepper to taste

step 1: rinse the pearl barley.  add barley to a pot with the water & bring to a boil.  once the barley is boiling, reduce to a simmer and let cook about 20 minutes or until tender.

step 2: drain any remain water from the barley.  add the minced garlic and a pinch of salt, mix.  then add the oil, vinegar and agave.

step 3: using a oiled grill pan, grill the eggplant & squashes until they are charred and soft.  set aside to cool a bit.  cut the eggplant into about 1"x1' pieces.  add to the barley. 

step 4: cut the tomatoes, chop the basil and parsley & add to the barley.

step 5:  mix until all ingidents are combined.  salt & pepper to taste.  serve & enjoy!

this was a delicious and light sunday night dinner, and i have enough leftovers for lunch!  oh, did i mention my farmers market is certifited organic so everything sold there is organic?  yep, it is!  one more reason to shop the farmers market!  do you shop at the farmers market?

garden fresh dinner

while i'm back to eating completely, i've tried to stay off most dairy and meat. i'm not saying i'm going vegetarian (already tried that for about 6 years) or vegan. i've had a bit of milk with my cereal in the morning... and that is about it so far!  i thought i'd share this super healthy, and super delish meal that goes perfectly with my new eating habits!  also - it works with the whole zero waste obsession i'm having right now. 

quinoa & black bean salad

makes about 4 servings

ingredients

1 1/4 cups dry quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

2 medium zucchini, sliced length wise

2 small red peppers, halved & seeded

2 cups black beans - i made my own black beans!

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 handful of chopped cilantro

juice of 1 lime

olive oil

cumin

cayenne pepper

salt 

pepper

step 1: rinse the quinoa in a strainer.  place washed quinoa in a pot & add about 1 1/2 cups of water.  most instructions will say to use a 1:2 ratio, but i always find that my quinoa is a bit too soft.  i did some googling and found that a ratio of about 1:1.25 makes perfect quinoa!  bring the quinoa to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 mins.

step 2: while the quinoa is simmering - grill the zucchini.  i used a grill pan, which made the process super easy.

step 3:  roast the red peppers - place on a foil lined pan cut side down and put into a 450 degree oven for about 30 mins.  remove the peppers from the oven, place in a glass bowl and cover for a few minutes.  the steam will make it easier to peel off the skins. 

homemade black beans!  thats BPA free!

step 4:  the quinoa should be done by now.  fluff with a fork and place in a large bowl.  drain the black beans and place into the bowl.  add the garlic & cilantro.

step 5:  roughly chop the zucchini and the roasted red peppers.  add to the bowl.

step 6: drizzle the lime juice and olive oil - to taste.  season with the cumin, cayenne, salt & pepper to taste.  toss the salad to combine.

i served the salad with steamed artichokes - which i grew in my garden!  you can also add some cheese to this if you want - feta or cotija would be tasty!  i skipped the cheese, and i don't think it really made a difference.  even the boyfriend ate the salad, so you know its gotta be good!   
   

typical new years talk - diet & exercise

hi guys!  so sorry for the lack of posting the last few weeks!  my bff was home for the holidays so there was lots of hanging out, watching movies and eating food!  everything is finally starting to settle down from the craziness and everyone starts focusing on the same thing - health.  after all the over-eating, baked goods and treats, i've joined in on the whole "starting the new year healthy" thing (but mostly i just want my jeans to fit comfortably again!).  this means, eating better foods, smaller portions (a.k.a. non-holiday portions) and getting back into a regular workout routine.  there are two things that i think help: 1. exercise & weight loss iphone apps, and 2. good, comfortable workout gear!

the apps: the two apps i use are loseit! for tracking what i eat, and runkeeper for when i run/hike/go on walks (you can also get a heart monitor to go with the app for a more accurate count of calories burned).  

   

the gear:

1. lululemon scoop neck tank - i'm a big lululemon fan (i wear the wunderunder leggings as regular leggings), and actually most of my workout clothes are from lululemon.  i love the scoop neck tank - its flattering & comfortable! 

2. groove bottle by camelbak - drinking water.  not just important to keep you hydrated during a workout, but also helps with weight loss!  it can make you feel full so you eat less, and will flush out the toxins from your body!  i love this one from camelbak - not only does it have a filter included, but it has that awesome bite valve so you won't have to unscrew the lid of a stainless steel bottle! 

3. relay capri - capris are my favorite to wear when working out.  super comfortable and flattering!    

4. low cut socks -i have a few pairs of "anatomically correct" workout socks, and seriously i cannot wear any other socks when i workout.  so comfortable!  and great ventilation - my feet don't get hot! definitely worth the money!

5.  headband - my hair is soooo long and it drives me crazy when i am exercising!  i love these headbands that have the non-slip tape on the inside so it stays put on my head.

6. nike move fit shoes - i've never been a big fan of the athletic shoe, i always felt that the shoes made my feet look huge!  but these shoes from nike aren't bulky looking and there are some great color combos to choose from!   

7.  marc by marc jacobs pretty nylon printed tote - of course you need something cute to carry all your workout crap in!  

anyone else start diet & exercise plan for the new year?  what's your fave workout gear?