Thai Quinoa Squash Salad

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Hi!! By the time you see this post I will hopefully be leisurely sunning myself on a California beach, sipping mojitos, without a care in the world :) So while I'm away on vacay I asked Dara, from Generation Y Foodie, to please come and share one of her fabulous recipes with you all! This girl has some of my favorite recipes on the web, always healthy, super inventive, and practical for real world cooking. I could literally cook my way through her blog Monday through Friday.. and then put it … [Read more...]

Shrimp and Avocado Citrus Salad

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Hi guys! Today is an extra special post for too many reasons to count! First - I'm guest posting today for one of my absolute favorite blogs ever - The Realistic Nutritionist! If you haven't checked out her site yet you are seriously missing out. She is personally responsible for about 99.9% of my food cravings. So thanks Claire.... :) To check out my post and say hi to one of my all time favorite foodies click here for the link! AND I have the fabulous Ashley visiting today with a post on … [Read more...]

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

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  So we're coming into the last week of January everyone! Its just about that time when every day-time talk show, magazine, and newspaper reminds us that we are in a competition with our New Years Resolutions and its time to check the score...   So if chocolate, cycling class, and happy hour are kicking your pretty little butt, stop stressing because this isn't the NFL. Not even high school basketball... this is pee wee soccer ladies and gents; and everyone is a winner as long … [Read more...]

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Basil, & Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Happy (almost) Friday everyone! We're just breaking into January and the New Year is all about discovering a new and fabulous you! Unfortunately, I just discovered.... that I am a big baby. A crabby, whining, rub my tummy kind of 6 month year old. I woke up New Years Day (go figure) with the flu and it absolutely kicked me to the curb. I've been living in mountain of dirty tissues, half drunk mugs of tea, and trashy gossip mags. But lucky for everyone around me (sorry!) I'm back on my feet … [Read more...]

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Do you know what is less fun than dishwashing. Laundry. Going to the dentist. And finding out the real calorie counts at Starbucks. Combined. Apartment shopping.    For real. Craigslist  and I are seriously fighting right now. That and every other apartment agency in Chicago. But I'm keeping my chin up! The Carrie Bradshaw in me still firmly believes that sparkles, cosmos, and Manolo Blahniks (or DSW) are destined for my future. And no matter what little whole in the wall me and … [Read more...]

Super Foods for Super Women – Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

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  With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ashley and I thought it would be the perfect time to do a feature on Women's Health. Us ladies work our butts off! We are strong, smart, creative women and the best way to keep us moving is to fuel our bodies to be their best and brightest. A lot of us tend to spend so much time worrying about getting everything so perfect in our lives - I think sometimes we just need to take a step back and really remember how lucky we are to be us! … [Read more...]

Quick White Bean Nicoise Salad and Quick Fixes When You’ve Overindulged

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  So I had such a great time this weekend! One of my very best friend's from growing up got married and her wedding was fabulous!! I have never seen a couple so in love - if I ever had any thoughts that real love and soul mates don't actually exist (Flash back 2 weeks ago to me shoving my face with soy ice-cream... watching 500 Days of Summer...and wondering why Prince Charming hasn't called yet....), 5 minutes into their wedding and you would have already completed your E-Harmony … [Read more...]

Quinoa Curry with Mango and Tomatoes

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  I have a big. fat. crush. on quinoa. I'm rocking some sexy red lipstick and some low cut pjs for this dinner. Maybe even my bunny slippers.     Lately quinoa's become the super hot Senior Quarterback of health food. I have a (totally controllable...!) magazine obsession... and I swear this stuff's seen more media appearances in the last month than Katie Holmes and Suri. All the health professionals can't stop talking about it and all us health nerds are grabbing … [Read more...]

Roasted Salmon Summer Salad with Capers and Sweet Red Onion

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    I just can't do it guys. Nope. No way. No how.   You can dress it up all you want... smother it in bbq sauce, hide it in a quesadilla, pound it into a burger....   Okkkk maybe mold it into a McNugget...   But I cannot eat chicken again this week. I have hit my poultry limit. Do you ever get like that??   I don't eat red meat and I'm usually too lazy to defrost frozen fish so my weeknight meals usually revolve around … [Read more...]

Tomato, Avocado, and Cucumber Crostini with Creamy Sherry Vinaigrette

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Happy (Insert Holiday Here)!   It's officially wedding season....bbq season... baby shower season, memorial day... 4th of July.....grill outs....   Summer's coming and all this gorgeous warm weather (Its going to be 90 degrees today in Chicago!) means finding every possible excuse to celebrate cold beer, blue skies, fresh food, and awesome friends!     It also means that Jenny from apartment 201 is probably going to ask you to bring an appetizer to tomorrow … [Read more...]

An Earth Day Inspired Dinner Party

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 So today's post is extra special - like deserving of glitter, a gold star, and maybe even a firework kind of special... I hosted my very first dinner party ever yesterday! I am so excited that Foodbuzz.com liked my proposal for an Earth Day themed, earth-friendly, vegetarian (mostly vegan!) dinner party, because it gave me an amazing excuse to invite over my closest friends to be with the people I love the most - doing the thing I love the most...cooking! I loved having an Earth … [Read more...]