Celeb Nutritionist Kimberly Snyder’s Healthy Supermarket Guide

I’ve followed Kimberly Snyder’s work for a while now – she’s truly an inspiration to me when it comes to nutrition and healthy living. She advocates a plant-based diet supplemented with daily green smoothies, and her philosophy totally matches mine. I recently purchased her brand new book, “Beauty Detox Foods,” which just shipped and I’m sooo excited to dive into it!

I’m a big advocate that healthy shopping = healthy eating, so I find Kim’s supermarket guide suuuper helpful. Thought I’d share it will you as well!

Shop smart my friends!

❤ Sarah

Trader Joe’s Finds

There’s no denying that 1. I’m a sucker for a new product and 2. I’m a huge fan of Trader Joe’s. So to combine the 2 I have a little common rule… every time I go to Trader Joe’s I must get one new product to try; it can be anything, as long as I haven’t purchased it before. My fridge was looking a little sparse and I was feeling very ambitious last night so I went through some products I had bookmarked from other blogs, did a little research and was on my way.

The goal: Purchase products other bloggers recommend or products I found from articles. Here’s what I wound up with.

Savory Edamame Crackers

This was actually well done product placement, stored in the checkout aisle where I was easily convinced by the helpful cashier it was a must.  Salty, crunchy and 38 for a 120 calories… I think so! Very similar to a rice cracker with a little more flavoring.

Raisin Rosemary Crisps

Ok these are not a new product for me but had to be shared. They are the perfect combination of sweet and savory and crunchy yet moist… It’s a double wammy! Paired perfectly with brie cheese and if you’re feeling crazy add a balsamic drizzle or some type of jam.

Chunky Salsa

This Chunky Salsa is a recommendation from Tone it Up, with only 5 calories per 2 tbsp. it’s the perfect sinless mid afternoon snack paired with some celery or organic corn chips.

Better’n Peanut Butter

I’ve seen Better’n Peanut Butter touted on a number of blogs. At 100 calories per 2 tbsp it’s got half the calories of normal peanut butter! I got a little excited and gave this one a try last night… the friend I was with said if he didn’t know, he would have thought it was normal peanut butter…and I definitely agree. This might be the favorite, we’ll have to see!

Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I buy Ezekiel 4:9 bread often and keep it on hand it the freezer, the stats on these are great! I have yet to try the Cinnamon Raisin Bread though.  I’m excited to pair it with Better’n Peanut Butter (above), banana, agave and cinnamon!

Pretzel Slims

Pretzel Slims are also not new to me but worth mentioning and good for snacking on with hummus when you need a quick bite.

Fat Free Spicy Black Bean Dip

This was another recommendation from Tone it Up: 2 tbsp of this fat-free Spicy Black Bean Dip is 30 calories and 2 grams of protein (which is not too shabby for a dip)! Simple ingredient list, cheap ($1.69) and recommended to pair with veggies!

Steamed Lentils

I see these Steamed Lentiles paired with many standard meals on Fitnessista.  I’m most excited about trying this with lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic mixed with quinoa.

Vanilla Almond Milk

This almond milk was a suggestion from Sarah, she had it in the house so I gave it a try and thought I’d switch it up from my standard Almond Breeze.  The stats all line up except 10 calories more per serving, and it’s richer and has a better flavor than Almond Breeze.

Organic Brown Rice

This organic brown rice will be perfect for lazy days.  Comes with 3 individual packets that you just pop in the microwave for 3 minutes.  Since I am technically a household of 1 (no husband or kids), I love food that can be stored in the freezer so it doesn’t go bad.

Spicy Seaweed Ramen

I ran across Spicy Seaweed Ramen a few times and this was a random addition but I thought it was worth giving a try… I’ll let you know how it goes! I will probably add broccoli and some extra seaweed:)

Cilantro Salad Dressing

This reduced fat cilantro salad dressing will be perfect on not only salads but also on my veggie/rice/bean lunch bowls.  It’s got 45 calories, 3.5 g. fat, 2 g. carbs and 1 g. protein per serving.

So do you have any favorite Trader Joe’s products that are worth giving a try?

❤ Jamie

Meatless Monday: Tofu Tahini Wraps

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Ours was filled with going away parties and lots of girl time, gotta love it!

We are both super motivated to get back on the diet and exercise train this week; now that the weather is getting a little better it’s time to start preparing for summer in the NW! So on that note, I thought I’d post a healthy, meat-free protein filled recipe that will get you looking fly in that bikini in no time 🙂

Tofu Tahini Wraps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the tofu:

1/3 block firm tofu, drained well and cut into cubes

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

salt and pepper to taste

For the wrap:

3 stalks steamed kale

4-5 slices bell pepper

1/2 small cooked sweet potato

Small handful cilantro

1-2 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

hot sauce if desired

Gluten free tortillas, collard greens, or sushi nori for wrapping

Saute the garlic, tofu and seasonings (minus nutritional yeast) in coconut oil over medium-high heat. When crispy and brown on all sides, remove from heat and coat with nutritional yeast. Assemble by spreading tahini on the wrap of your choice, top with nutritional yeast, and then add tofu and veggies. Top with hot sauce and roll up!

This is one of my go tos – I’ll often sub tempeh for the tofu and acorn squash for the sweet potato for some variety!

It’s gonna be a big week for us…Real World Portland airs Wednesday night! You know we’ll we tuning in… 🙂

❤ Sarah

Spicy Tuna Open-face Sandwich

Quick and easy lunches are a must when you’re apart of the corporate world! Since I’ve been traveling so much I have yet to hit the grocery store in what feels like >>forever<< so I have been throwing together things I do have. This is how I came up with the spicy tuna!

Spicy Tuna Open-face Sandwich:

• 1 piece Ezekiel bread
• 1 can tuna (in water not oil)
• 1 jalapeno diced
• 1 slice purple onion diced
• 1 piece celery diced
• Dash of hot sauce (I prefer Frank’s)
• 2 tbsp. non-fat greek yogurt (instead of mayo)
• Sliced tomato on the side
• jalapeno hummus

I mixed everything in a bowl while toasting my bread then spread it with a tbsp of jalapeno hummus before topping with my mixture.

It makes a lot so either do two pieces of bread or leave the rest in a bowl as a side (as shown in picture)

Theeeeeeeen since I already opened an individual non-fat greek yogurt I decided to eat the rest as my mid afternoon snack.

Sweetened Greek Yogurt:

• Fage Total Greek Yogurt 0%
• Agave honey
• 7 raspberries
• Cinnamon
• Tbsp of homemade trail mix

It’s my first weekend in town for a month!! Can’t wait to spend it with lots of friends and family:) Have a great weekend!

❤ Jamie

Motivation Monday

Even though the weather this weekend wasn’t San Diego’s best, returning this morning I’m feeling extremely motivated to get back on track. Like I’ve mentioned before, traveling and eating out always make it harder to keep yourself on track but there is something about the lifestyle of living in a bikini down there that motivates me to get my butt back in shape! Here are three motivational Monday tips that I tend to need to remind myself of:

Trying Something New: Paddle boarding, surfing, beach yoga; take advantage of the weather and get out there and try something new.  This way you don’t get sick of your usual routine and end up skipping a workout!

Don’t Skimp on Carbs: Your body needs them to fuel a workout, so and hour before you hit the gym grab something to spike your energy.  Skimping on the carbs (or fueling your body properly) will result in less energy which will result in fewer calories burned, making your time devoted to the gym less effective.

Switch up Your Running Routine: Skip a long, steady run and switch it up with some sprints or intervals–> sprinting builds more muscle. Add a few 10- to 60-second sprints to your run, only slowing down for enough time to catch your breath and go again. This will also in time up your overall pace for those distance runs and gives your metabolism a jolt.

Hope everyone had a great St. Patty’s Day and was able to track down a green beer… or 2!

❤ Jamie

Cabbbbbbo

I’ve never been the girl who lugs her camera around or takes all that time to upload and edit photos ((I know I have a blog now so I’m trying to get better!!)) so  my gf Danica enjoyed doing most of that for us while we were in Cabo last week.  I would always make it a goal to take a few pics before we left for dinner or a night out, fully aware that I would probably tuck it away and be too distracted to get it out the rest of the night.  Thankfully Danica was snapping pictures left and right; candid moments,  new friends, and bachelor party after bachelor party {{Who knew so many bachelor parties went to Cabo?!}}.  She was on her game…unlike someone!  Wellllll lesson learned… unfortunately for us {{and mostly Danica}} she left her phone in a cab on the last night… with 75% of our pictures!!  We may have been doing something that lets just say wasn’t soooo well-behaved so the group made a general consensus not to go back for it.  But as promised here is some of what I do have!

View of our pool

Pre dinner pose

Danica’s parents {{2 of our 10 chaperones}}

Baja Brewing ((w/ one of the best view!))

My type of breakfast @ The Office

Healthy breakfast on our balcony which was paired with a beverage of choice each day

Pool Party @ Nikki Beach

Workout classes that took place daily in our pool

Cheers to having a gf in the wine industry (Upon arrival, the case we had shipped)

Private beach on our way back from a day outing in San Jose

Coug flag hanging in one of the best shrimp restaurants (of course the one with us in it was on D’s camera)

The most amazing white wine sangria before heading to the airport

An absolute MUST if you’re heading to Cabo anytime soon is the Hacienda.  Trust me we did some fine dining this trip and this was easily my all around favorite (and probably the cheapest!!).  You don’t see that pairing often but the  ambiance, view, food, price, friendly staff that never left your glass empty, and cute bachelor party seated next to you… this place was stealer!

Couldn’t stay away from the sun long so I’m heading down to San Diego for the weekend!  Hope everyone has a good one and don’t forget to wear green 😉

❤ Jamie

Seeing Green

Wow, is it already almost St. Patrick’s Day? 2013 is flying by…

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I thought I’d post a few of my favorite green things to get you in the mood.

The military jacket

I’ve been in search of the perfect military jacket for years and FINALLY found The One last week at Nordstrom Rack of all places. I definitely plan on rocking it this weekend since I don’t otherwise own any green. This isn’t the one I bought, but I love it too….

William Rast, at Nordstrom

The Green Smoothie

This is a daily staple for me…I wake up every morning and whip up a fresh fruit and veggie smoothie and it always turns out bright green. I realize that to a newbie, they look unappetizing, but I can honestly say that when I see that bright green color my heart skips a beat. I’ve seriously fallen in love.

My favorite is the one I used in my Mean Green Smoothie Bowl, but here are a few others that look just as awesome and are great starters if you’ve never tried one:

Oh She Glows’ Peppermint Patty Green Machine

Choosing Raw’s Peaches n’ Greens Smoothie

Choosing Raw’s Pina Colada Smoothie

Green Beer…At The Coug

Alright, I realize I don’t even drink beer, but after living in Pullman for 4 years the Coug holds a special place in my heart. So when I see them post St. Patty’s Day promo stuff, I get a little nostalgic. I know Jamie would agree… (ignore the Sounders BS…GO TIMBERS!) Just goes to show that you don’t actually have to be Irish to drink like an Irishman….

Green Smokey Eye

No, green eye shadow doesn’t have to look like clown makeup. In fact, I’m a huge fan of using just a hint of green in my smokey eye because it makes the green in my hazel eyes pop. My fave color is Mildew from Urban Decay. Here’s some inspiration:

What are your favorite green things?

❤ Sarah

Healthy Homemade Trail Mix

So have you all missed me?! Seemed so crazy not touching a computer once in 10 DAYS and  just barely using the cellular… but I have to admit, it was very relaxing! My vacation was a perfect blend of R&R and letting loose and I promise to get some pictures up soon. But considering I’ve abandoned work and my personal life for 10 days I’m swamped trying to catch up before I head to San Diego this Friday (got to maintain the tan right?).  So with all the travel to sunny weather I figured I’d bring you one of my favorite healthy airplane/travel snacks.

I somehow manage to end up with trail mix every time I travel but those pre-made bags don’t really cut it for me.  With trail mix it’s all about getting that perfect bite and mixture of salty, sweet, and a little crunch. So instead of wasting nuts, seeds, chocolate, dried fruit or raisins in the bottom of the bag, make your own with your perfect  pairings.  Considering we know I’m not one for always measuring, I headed over to New Seasons and got to work. Here’s what I through together in my grab bag:

Healthy Homemade Trail Mix

• Coconut Shaving
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Raisins
• Yogurt covered raisins
• Dried (low sugar) Pineapple (only 2 pieces I pulled into little chunks)
• Topped with a little of my own crunched up granola

Here’s the kicker… the whole bag was under $6 and lasted the whole trip! Not bad for New Seasons…

Glad to be back 🙂

❤ Jamie

Friday Faves: Arm Candy I’m Loving

Happy Friday everyone!

It is an absolutely GORGEOUS day in Portland today. My friend Tiff and I decided to set up camp at St. Honore Boulangerie, an adorable French bakery on NW 23rd as a change of scenery from our normal working-from-home digs. A little vanilla rooibos tea, a couple gluten free pastries, great company and a loooottt of sunshine – honestly, I’m pretty convinced nothing could get me down today.

In the spirit of spring being right around the corner, I went on a massive shopping spree yesterday to get some spring essentials. So on that theme, I wanted to share some of the staple accessories I’ve been rocking lately.

I have a very distinct personal style, so outside of that, I can be pretty clueless when it comes to fashion. I LOVE the arm candy look, but I am challenged when it comes to putting an appropriate ensemble together. So instead, I’ve been alternating between a few statement wrist pieces that stand alone, so I don’t have to worry about what to pair them with.

The Egyptian inspired cuff bracelet/ring I got at Willows a few months back, and although I think Jamie thought it was a little over the top, it’s gotten a TON of compliments. It’s definitely a statement piece, and it’s just so me. Lately, I’ve been loving pairing it with my gold Hobo clutch that I got for Christmas. It’s such a fun look.

The other cuff is a new little gem that was a Valentine’s Day gift from my parents….yeah, they did good 🙂 I’m obsessed with anything Aztec/Native American printed or themed, so this was serious a perfect gift. The company that makes them, Hipanema, has sooo many cute bracelets. They’re a little spendy, but I absolutely love mine, so I’d say it’s worth the splurge. Here are a few more I’m diggin from their website:

Alright, I need to stop. I’ve spent enough money this week.

Idk about you, but I’m looking forward to a low key weekend spent outdoors – hoping I can get people on board for a hike or something tomorrow, might hit up a yoga workshop, and seeing friends I haven’t seen in a while. Like I said, pretty sure nothing could get me down right now. Spring, get at me.

Have a fab weekend!

❤ Sarah

Adventures in Arizona

As I mentioned, I spent last weekend in Arizona. My mom bought my dad White Sox Spring Training tickets for Christmas, so we planned a weekend to watch some baseball and visit family. It honestly couldn’t have come at a more perfect time; this time of year is rough for me with all the gloomy weather. Spending a few days in the desert sun was just what the doctor ordered!

Saturday, we spent the majority of the day out in Glendale, where the White Sox’s training facility is located. It was an awesome experience overall, we had seats that made us feel like we were sitting on the field, got lots of player autographs and plenty of sun! A word of warning – the ballpark is definitely not a good place for people who like to eat healthy, so bring a snack or eat before you go. I was starving by the time we left, but luckily found an awesome sandwich place called Which Wich that will make any of their subs in a lettuce wrap!

My sister and I at the game

Later we went to dinner with the whole fam, which was awesome since I haven’t seen a lot of them in a pretty long time. It’a always nice to get everyone together!

Ally and I before dinner

The Vitort crew (minus a few)!

On Sunday we decided to go for a hike (betcha can’t guess who’s idea that was….haha). We headed out to Lost Dutchman State Park to hike the Siphon Trail. We didn’t make it all the way to the top (holy steep!) but made it to a decent vantage point and got a pretty spectacular view of the desert! Definitely a far cry from the wet, muddy, forested hike we took the weekend prior.

View from the bottom

My cousins and I at our turnaround point

We hiked a good 4 miles, I definitely felt the burn. Thankfully it was cloudy cause I’m not sure I could have done it in the 80 degree sunshine.

The trip was definitely the relaxing, recharging vacation I needed to put me back on track. My diet and fitness has really taken a back burner to my social life lately, but I finally feel ready to get back into a routine! I swear, if I lived in the sun all the time I’d be in great shape; the sun motivates me to get my butt moving and all I crave in hot weather is fresh fruits and veggies! So I’m trying to bring that feeling back with me as spring is fast approaching. I’m researching Crossfit gyms in the area, so if anyone has any recos let me know!

❤ Sarah