Spring is truly in the air – and I’m ready for it. And it’s about time for some spring produce – which hallelujah thank goodness that asparagus (one of my favorite vegetables) is finally not 43095 dollars in the grocery store anymore!

P.S. I’m totally counting down the days to this Strawberry Festival here in Charleston, SC. I mean, really, a festival made for me and my favorite berry? They shouldn’t have.

Although I roast vegetables all year round, I definitely associate it more with winter because come spring & summer, I like it bright, light, and colorful. With warmer weather on the horizon and the first day of Spring right around the corner, I’m hopping back on the fresh salad train! Citrus, bright greens, fresh berries…the works. Oh kale yeahhhh!

Around the same time last year, I was really into eating a combination of edamame and spring peas…like everyday. It just made for the perfect texture, between the heartiness of edamame and the sweetness of the peas – I tossed it in some lemon juice for a light citrus punch! I even made this edamame and pea basil hummus dip which is still a go-to of mine to bring to weekend get togethers.

Some things never change, but I’m thinking fava beans are the new edamame. Like, fava beans are the new black. Or pink. Or whatever your favorite color is. I make terrible analogies..guess you’ll just have to get used it.

From a nutrition perspective, per one cup, fava beans contain around 13 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of sugar (based off Trader Joe’s shelled frozen fava beans, unsalted) – making it a pretty nice source of plant-based protein.

This salad is like spring on a plate. A combination of my favorite spring produce – asparagus, fava beans, and strawberries tossed in a light citrus mint dressing. It makes a great addition to your dinner entrees, but works perfectly as a lunch option to pack to work as well. And with the upcoming Easter celebrations coming up, this is a nice nutritious side dish to bring to those potlucks. There’s 100% chance that you’ll be the talk of the party if you bring this (and not just how you gave up Netflix for lent)…..but really, you can thank me later. 😉

Minted Strawberry and Fava Bean Salad with Asparagus

2015-03-15 17:55:11

A spring salad with asparagus, fava beans, and strawberries in a light mint and citrus dressing.

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Ingredients

1 lb asparagus
1 cup strawberries, diced,
1 cup fava beans, steamed and shelled
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
Optional: salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large sauce pot, fill halfway with water and bring to a boil.
Add in asparagus. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, until tender.
Remove asparagus and rinse under cold water. Place asparagus in a bowl of ice water.
Repeat the above steps with the fava beans if preparing with uncooked beans.* I used the frozen shelled fava beans from Trader Joe's, which are pre-cooked - just need to be heated. Frozen fava beans should be found in the frozen vegetable aisle of your local grocery store.
Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and mint together. Whisk until smooth. Add black pepper or salt as desired to taste.
Carefully fold in strawberries, asparagus and fava beans - combine thoroughly.
Garnish with extra mint, as desired.
Best served chilled.

By May Zhu

Nutrition Happens https://www.nutritionhappens.com/

March 15, 2015 BY: May

Uncategorized

Friday Things. (3/13/15)

This week was a crazy busy one for me – but hello, we made it to Friday!

And the weather was perfect. King Street was hoppin’ – lots of people are in town for Spring Break and what not – I’m sure it was nice to be welcomed with 70 degree weather and sunshine!

Just another weekly favorites roundup around here today. Catch you back here Sunday!

1) These dried figs. Nature’s candy…but really. They are the perfect naturally sweet snack to nosh on when you need a pick me up. My mom still sends care packages like I’m still in college…and I still love getting them! Pretty sure she buys these in bulk at Costco – but Trader Joe’s has a great selection too, as well as the bulk bins at Whole Foods.

2) I bought a new interval timer for workouts – via Amazon (2-day shipping, what up..!) I’ve been primarily doing a lot of circuits and cross training tabata workouts these days, so I wanted something that wasn’t just a timer on my iPhone. I love it so far – very user friendly!

3) Fridays at work be all like…….this. Trust me, I get productive too but #friyay means taking a little mental break here and there!

4) This fig agave tea via Persimmon Cafe. Do you see those fig pieces though? Ugh. Dreamboat. And where else can you do your laundry and eat a damn good sandwich at the same time? Only at Persimmons.

5) This combination for breakfast – the Whole Foods 365 Protein and Fiber cereal with cashew milk and berries. Lotssaa protein and fiber for breakfast = productive morning. (plus 403430 cups of coffee.)

6) This video of Kanye West dancing to the Rugrats theme. LOL.

7) Swooning over new spring sandals. I’m ready for sandal season!

8) In honor of Chipotle opening on King Street and 2 minutes from my work office….15 Signs Guac is my life via Buzzfeed. (I always get extra guac)

9) Taking parfait breaks during a lunch break at Whisk. I love their cute little shop set-up – it’s perfect to pop in for a juice or smoothie on a beautiful day!

10) Just doing a little soul ~~searching~~ eating the right way via Sugar Bakeshop. I was here buying cupcakes for my boss’s birthday – but doesn’t that mean I get one too? #lemon #carbzzz

11) Treated my self to some candles this week over at Candlefish. Is this not the most adorable library of candles you’ve ever seen in your life?

Throwback this week –

This Bill Murray sighting literally across my office. I know, it’s casual and I have a super creepy stalker picture to prove it. But do you really live in Charleston if you don’t have a creepy stalker picture of Bill Murray to prove it? #everyonegoestoCVS

March 13, 2015 BY: May

Nutrition + Food

What I Ate Wednesday (3/11/15)

First things first…happy Registered Dietitian Day! Thanks to all the RD’s out there that inspires me everyday. Sending so much love and support out there.

Breakfasts:

I eat very intuitively these days. I use to be really paranoid about having the perfect balance of protein + fats + carbs + vitamins + minerals and everything nutritious under the sun, but sometimes, your body knows exactly what it needs – and we need to listen to it. Sometimes I crave fruit for breakfast but other times my body probably thinks it’s had enough sugar for a while and crave savory things and veggies. Sometimes I’m just all like, let me eat all the carbs, while other times my body feels 100% satisfied with healthy fats and protein. And sometimes I just want to eat the entire kitchen and while other times I just want to eat a grapefruit and call it a day (soooo rare, though, ha! #foreverhungry).

My point is that having balanced meals are great and definitely a key element to an overall healthy lifestyle, but as health fanatics, we sometimes get too caught up in comparing our meals with those around us and think that if we didn’t have enough protein like everyone else during breakfast or too many carbs at lunch, we’re doing something wrong. While looking at meal ideas are a great way to inspire you to try new foods, recipes, and meal variations, don’t forget that you do YOU first. There’s no such thing as a “perfect” diet – it’s different for each unique individual. It’s important to understand your body and goals first, and to take a step back from all the social media to re-evaluate what exactly it is that makes you feel best.

And because today is national Registered Dietitian day, I’d like to share this post by Robin, over at the Real Life RD – she’s a RD after my own heart. Everything is says in this post (well, everything she says in general) are words of gold and completely resonates with me.

Anyways, now onto a much lighter tone…a compilation of eats! I’ve decided to just compile meals together for now as part of my WIAW. Everyday is similar but different for me – I feel like sometimes just showing you a day isn’t very reflective of the variety of foods I like to eat. I use to eat pretty much the same thing everyday in college…and while there is nothing wrong with a little routine and sticking to what you know, there is an abundance of nutritious foods out there just waiting to be explored! With that being said, I’ll definitely throw in posts where it’s just a complete one day of eats for me – just so you get a feel of what it’s like in my day.

Breakfast is on rotations between a few things –

This cereal + cashew milk + strawberries + walnuts + bananas + hemp hearts/chia seeds + every ounce of cinnamon I could find.

Or mini breakfast pitas with an egg + spinach + goat cheese + red pepper chili flakes + avocado + grapefruit.

Rudi’s organic spelt muffins with almond butter + fruit + coconut chips + chia seeds & hemp hearts.

Sometimes, a venti is exactly what ~~you~~ I need.

Lunches:

One of my packed lunches/snacks: mini pita + avocado + smoked salmon, carrots + beet hummus, strawberries, green juice via Blend, blood orange Bai5 bubbles.

Oh what’s that? The chickpea from Verde. Not so sad desk lunch. (romaine + chickpeas + feta + roasted red peppers + pita chips + lemon tahini dressing)

Another Verde chickpea salad, different day. Pretty sure if you’re in the downtown Charleston area on a weekday during lunchtime, there’s a 85% chance I will be there!

Dinners:

Roasted up a batch of dijion cauliflower and broccoli for the week!

With these ingredients: a spray of coconut oil (unpictured), red pepper, jalapeño mustard, dijion mustard, and turmeric. Roasted at 400F for about 25 minutes.

And a batch of roasted sweet potatoes with these ingredients: turmeric, curry powder, garlic powder, and red pepper. Un-pictured coconut oil spray.

Roasted at 400F for about 45 minutes. My hack for crispier sweet potatoes is to coat it all in your spices and finish up with a spray of coconut oil right on top – leaves them crispy on the outside and dense on the inside – exactly the way I like them!I love using turmeric in my meals – it’s a such an wonderful healing spice and great for overall digestion.

After I get a few things roasted, I’ll pair them throughout the week with a few protein options – like a side of scrambled eggs.

And this sesame ginger dressing…that I like to dip the sweet potatoes in. Don’t knock it till you try it!

Also had some spelt risotto from Trader Joe’s this week. I added spinach to it and paired it with a runny egg.

Spelt risotto with the roasted veggies from above.

And cowboy caviar added after the picture.

Leftovers are my go-to after post-work workouts. This was a mix of peas, asparagus, Trader Joe’s chili chicken lime burgers, and a dollop of cowboy caviar.

Snacks:

A blood orange. Got it all over my keyboard while peeling it….story of my life. I still eat like I’m 5 years old sometimes.

An Evolution Fresh juice for an afternoon pick-me-up. (the Sweet Greens and Lemon juice!)

Got stuck in some major traffic the other day – so glad I have car snacks packed! Like this maple quinoa cluster with chia seeds from KIND snacks.

An almond butter and carob Go Macro bar for some pre-workout fuel.

And I’ve been munching on these dates with cinnamon raisin peanut butter and dark chocolate chips for a post-dinner (sweet) bite.

March 11, 2015 TAGS: meal ideas, meal inspiration, nutrition happens, what i ate wednesday BY: May

Nutrition + Food

Grocery Haulin’ Tuesday (3/10/15)

Showing you a grocery haul over multiple trips on this Tuesday – aka sharing with you one of my favorite hobbies! I love browsing grocery stores. Just ask any one of my friends and they’ll tell you it’s slightly a problem. I like to think of it as partially staying on top of my field – so it’s sort of like a part time job (or at least how I like to justify it!)

I usually pick up groceries on Sundays to prepare for the week but most of the time it’s just to fill in, since I most likely have items leftover from previous trips. I get pretty indecisive and love to include a variety of fresh produce in my meals so I tend to pick up extra vegetables and batch cook so meals are ready for me when I get home late. Plus, I love to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen so being well stocked is something that’s a norm for me.

From Trader Joe’s: Organic carrots, asparagus, crumbled goat cheese, beet hummus, cowboy caviar – that pairs really well with the quinoa and black bean tortilla chips, rainbow peppercorn, tomato paste in a tube, brussels sprouts, cut butternut squash, chili chicken lime burgers, greek yogurt, baking powder, chocolate & peanut butter chips.

Can you believe you can pick up organic carrots from Trader Joe’s for 89 cents? I mean, really. You can totally make this recipe while you’re at it. I love snacking on whole carrots – I usually cut them up and eat them with hummus. Currently loving the beet hummus pictured above, but I can’t really pick a favorite hummus from TJ! If I don’t finish them before they’re on the verge of going bad, I’ll roast them or toss them into salads and stir-frys.

Tempeh and asparagus are on my weekly essentials list. I also re-stocked on some black pepper, cowboy caviar salsa, and crumbled goat cheese. Goat cheese is my favorite out of all the cheeses. Other cheeses never seem to appeal to me – but I love the creaminess and flavor of goat cheese, so I like to keep that on hand for salads and toast. And it totally reminds me of my rockstar future veterinarian bestie (hi, Alexis!) We use to go visit the goat farms in our glory days back in Clemson…..you’re going to be a hell of a vet, friend!

I also picked up a tube of tomato paste, which to be perfectly honest, I added to my basket for the packaging…just being real. That and I want to experiment a little with tomato paste in the kitchen – something I don’t usually reach for!

The pre-cut butternut squash is truly a time saver in the kitchen – I’m sure you’re familiar with it if you’re a Trader Joe’s junkie! I can roast a batch early in the week and eat it as is with some cinnamon as a snack or a side dish part of my meals. It’s also awesome to puree into soups, since it’s pre-cut!

I added a box of chili chicken lime burgers into my cart again this week. My body has been craving it – I tend to be pretty intuitive about cravings and listening to them. Protein wise, I tend to choose fish, seafood, eggs or plant-based proteins, but these chili chicken lime burgers are delicious and definitely hits the spot this week. I love them with a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top!

PS the cowboy caviar pairs perfectly with this quinoa and black bean tortilla chips. Just saying!

Stocked up on some chocolate & peanut butter chips for a special something upcoming project for you…and (surprise!) it contains both!

So I completely goofed and picked up full-fat greek yogurt this week when I really meant to pick up a non-fat one for a recipe I was making this week. Turned out to be more of a blessing really because full fat greek yogurt has more of a creamy texture and flavor. I’m testing a few recipes that uses greek yogurt lately which is why I picked up a container – and it’s looking to be a good one!

From Whole Foods: Mini Pocket Pita Bread, tahini, raspberries, The 365 Protein and Fiber cereal, and soap…ha!

Whole Foods has the best price on organic tahini I’ve seen so far – I LOVE tahini based dishes and dressings, so I always have it in stock in my pantry.

These mini pita pockets have replaced my spelt english muffins for the week – best part besides the fact that they are the perfect mini size? Only 4 ingredients – whole wheat flour, water, honey, yeast and salt. And they are mighty tasty. I have approximately 34093043902 meal ideas using these bad boys. Can someone hire me a personal assistant to organize my thoughts? K, thanks.

Whole Foods bakes their own bread so quality wise, it’s the next best thing to local bakeries. The fresh-ness is real!

I ~~almost~~ always get distracted by the cosmetic section at Whole Foods. And I always pick up soap. The pineapple coconut Alaffia soap though? Smells heavenly. I like to reach for more natural products as far as soaps and shampoos goes – these soaps have become a favorite of mine!

Remember how I was telling you last week that I was trying to branch out a little for breakfast? The Engine 2 Tripe Berry Walnut was good, but this week I tried the Whole Foods 365 Brand Protein and Fiber cereal. Per serving, it has 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein at 6 grams of sugar. It’s a mix of spelt, oats, rye, barley and other grains. It’s definitely a nice alternative for days you feel like changing up your breakfast.

What really gets me is the perfectly crunchy texture – doesn’t get soggy and it’s lightly sweetened!

And pairs PERFECTLY with this cashew milk…which I’m currently loving. Cashew milk is more creamy than almond milk in my opinion…obsessed!

From Whole Foods: Clover sprouts, bulk bin raw pistachios, raspberries…again (#sale), virgin unrefined coconut oil.

Whole Foods has the best sprout selection in my opinion – my go to place when I’m buying them. I also love a good bulk bin, it’s where I typically buy my baking flours, raw nuts, and oats.

From Trader Joe’s: Wild Caught Coho salmon, Dark Chocolate Honey Mints (only 3 ingredients – chocolate liquor, honey, and mint extract – love them!), avocado, egg whites, Fage greek yogurt, organic spinach, and an organic spinach and ricotta pizza.

Trader Joe’s tends to have the best price I’ve seen around for wild caught smoked salmon – I love pairing smoked salmon with avocado either as a breakfast (in a sandwich) or for lunch (on top of a salad). It’s versatile and delicious! I also picked up a spinach and ricotta pizza I’ve never tried before since my foodie senses were tingling….good to have stocked in the freezer just in case! I love the dark chocolate honey mints – they’re perfect for an after dinner bite. And like I said, just 3 ingredients – the honey really compliments the bitterness of the chocolate and mint.

Produce: strawberries, yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, grapefruit. You know, just all the essentials. I’ll cut up my produce early in the week and store them like so in zip-lock bags. Sometimes I throw them in the freezer if I have extra that I will use for a later recipe. I know, not the most eco-friendly, but truthfully, it’s just so easy for me to store and clean up!

What was on your grocery list this week? Tried any of these items before?

March 10, 2015 TAGS: grocery haul, nutrition, trader joes, vegetables, wellness, what i bought tuesday, whole foods BY: May

Nutrition + Food Recipes

Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Chip Granola Clusters

I definitely ate too many of these while making them. I mean, can you blame me though? They’re the perfect snack-sized granola clusters. It always happen with granola, doesn’t it? You go in a for a handful one minute and find an empty bag and yell YOLO the next.

I don’t know about you, but every time I open a new bag of granola, I reach for the biggest cluster first. Why is it that the rest of the bag is just slightly less exciting?

March 8, 2015 TAGS: granola, healthy, healthy desserts, healthy snacks, ice cream, nutrition happens, recipes, sea salt caramel, snacks BY: May

Nutrition + Food

Friday Favorites. (3/6/15)

March is finally here! Warm weather totally happened this week and so did running outside in shorts. Such a spring weather tease, since I’m currently back in pants (it’s a high of 40’s today, seriously?)…so not cool (not literally.)

This week’s Charleston picture is brought to you near Waterfront Park. The views here never get old for me. Everyday gives me new perspective – it’s beautiful on many different levels!

However, Sunday is Daylight Savings Time and I’m so excited to have extra sunlight. I’m 100% a summer kinda person – the beach and warm weather are more of my scene.

Hope you are having the best of Fridays. Enjoy a few favorites of my favorite link-ups and shenanigans of the week and I’ll catch you back here Sunday!

1) Salads at Verde. I went 3 times this week for lunch. Sorry not sorry. It’s their March Madness….gotta support the locals! #thechickpeaismylife

2) I’m sorry, but I just found the cutest umbrella ever. If it’s going to rain…I want this to match my rainboots, because let’s be real, the best part about rain is wearing your rainboots.

3) Fun fact: I am obsessed with the show Modern Family. Can’t even put to words how I felt when they filmed this episode with the use of just iPhones and iPads. Week made.

4) These car snacks of the week: (mini) Go Macro bars and handcrafted peanuts via Lush Gourmet.

4) This article from Thrillest. The most popular Instagram-ed food items on social media – interesting, right? I mean, cake is fun and all..but really? Maybe I’m a little (or very) bias but seriously, how is avocado NOT on this list? Or the fact that avocado is STILL not an emoji? #emojilife #wherestheavocado

4) This handcreme. I took another shopping lunch break the other day and strolled over to L’Occitane and convinced myself that my dry hands needed some help. So glad I instigated myself to treat myself – cause this smells deeevine! It’s made with almond milk and has a slight almond-y fragrance. Love.

5) This Buzzfeed article that made me literally LOL – 25 Things We Took for Granted in the 00’s. Number 8 though. AOL away messages were my life.

6) Mid-day coffee breaks via Collective Coffee Company. Iced coffee is has no seasons.

7) These portion marked zip-lock bags from Target. So CUTE. Basic girl problems…I know, but okay when was the last time you walked out of Target buying only one thing? Yeah, okay. Long live Target and impulsive buys! #whatissavings

8). Friday Throwback: This situation right here happening. Seriously, when my pool opens again….no joke I will be the first person there!

March 6, 2015 TAGS: food, friday favorites, life, nutrition happens, wellness BY: May

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Nutrition Happens

Nutrition Happens

May

Minted Strawberry and Fava Bean Salad with Asparagus

Like this:

Friday Things. (3/13/15)

Like this:

What I Ate Wednesday (3/11/15)

Breakfasts:

Lunches:

Dinners:

Snacks:

Like this:

Grocery Haulin’ Tuesday (3/10/15)

Like this:

Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Chip Granola Clusters

Friday Favorites. (3/6/15)

Like this: