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Low and Slow Chicken Stock

January 13, 2023 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Chicken broth, chicken stock, bone broth… it’s all very similar with a few subtle differences. This is technically a chicken stock because it includes bones with some leftover meat still attached and water simmered with a mirepoix of onions, celery and carrot. It’s also bone broth because if cooked for an extended period of time, the collagen is drawn out even further by the longer cook time and the result has a gelatinous consistency. Either way, homemade broth is far superior to most products sold, especially those sold in tin cans and cardboard boxes.

You may notice this doesn’t have any garlic or salt. The goal is to make it as deeply flavored as possible but keep it neutral for a variety of uses. Seems funny to say that not everything I want to make with this broth needs a garlic flavor – I do love garlic! Not putting any salt ahead of time allows for more control when making your desired dish.

I won’t go into the science and “studies have shown” about bone broth, but rest assured a warm cup of this with some lemon and salt is delicious and I’m convinced has kept me pretty healthy over the past few months. At the very least, you have a killer broth that adds loads of flavor to your dish.

Cheers and good health to you,

Christina

Low and Slow Chicken Stock

There is nothing more comforting than a pot of chicken stock simmering away all day long. And there is nothing more delicious and healthy than to make your own! I keep several quart containers in my freezer at all times – this is possible by freezing bones and carcarsses from whole roasted chickens and when I run out of room in the freezer, it's time to make stock. Endless possibilities, endless health benefits.

Course Kitchen Essentials

Servings 5 quarts

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

4 lbs roasted chicken bones and carcass, meat picked off
6 quarts cold water
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
2 carrots, cut into a few large chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into a few large chunks, including leaves if possible
a few sprigs of parsley optional
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp peppercorn
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Place chicken parts and cold water in a large stainless-steel stockpot. The water needs to cover the ingredients by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, immediately turn down to the barest of simmers – one bubble here, one bubble there. Using a slotted spoon or or a small hand fine mesh strainer, skim off any foam. This helps keep the stock clear.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, peppercorn and apple cider vinegar to the pot. Simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 hours. To keep the stock from getting cloudy, no stirring needed.
Strain stock thorough fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Let cool until no longer warm and then pour into quart sized containers or mason jars. These can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 4 months.
Makes about 4-5 quarts of stock.

Recipe Notes

* If bone broth is desired, simmering on low in a crockpot for 18-24 hrs makes a delicious, even more gelatinous broth. Just follow the same directions as above but add all ingredients to the crockpot at the same time, cover and let it simmer away.

*You can easily skim off the fat from the top after refrigerating or freezing/defrosting the stock.

*I try to keep a quart of bone broth in my refrigerator and drink it fairly regularly, especially during cold and flu season. I heat up a cup of broth, add a pinch of sea salt and squeeze half a lemon. Delicious!

Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Veggies

January 10, 2023 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Happy New Year! I’m excited to continue sharing delicious recipes from my kitchen to yours. As always, 90% of what I eat year round is FOR my health and that’s what I will continue to share here. That said, it’s early January and in CA we are in an unprecedented stormy pattern to begin the year and it begs for a cozy, comforty, make ahead kinda dish. If you’re counting, it has 4 kinds of cheese and I’m okay with that every now and then!

Welcome to the world’s most versatile dish. Stuffed Shells can be made a thousand different ways and dishes like these are great recipes to keep in your back pocket! Don’t have mascarpone? Sub with cream cheese, replace with more ricotta or skip it altogether. No carrots or bell pepper? Add mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach. It all works. I used to focus on veggie only fillings, and of course that works great, but now for added protein – something I’ve been focusing on for a few years – I almost always have high quality bulk sausage on hand. It is a quick and easy protein and delicious in this dish.

The other reason I love this dish is that is can be made ahead in a variety of ways – one way is to stuff the shells and add it to a disposable foil pan, sauce and all, and frozen. They can be baked straight from the oven this way. For a freezer with less room for foil pans – the shells can be stuffed, placed on a small sheet tray, and once frozen can be tossed into a plastic ziplock bag and you can pull out however many you need and cook in a prepared casserole dish – big or small!

Cheers,

Christina

Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Veggies

This recipe is such a great way to add extra veggies into an easy make ahead pasta dish. They freeze great and are a perfect dish to make early in the day for a busy evening. Feel free to swap out veggies for zucchini, spinach, mushrooms or whatever you have on hand – I almost never make the same veggie combo.

Course dinner, Main Course

Keyword stuffed shells

Servings 8 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 12 oz box of jumbo shells
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, finely chopped ~ 1 cup
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped ~ 1 cup
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup mascarpone cheese
2 eggs
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 28 oz jar of pasta sauce I like Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce
¼ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

Cook shells according to package – al dente is easiest to work with. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Place on a sheet pan while you prepare the filling.
In a medium skillet, brown the sausage. When cooked though with good caramel color, add the olive oil and onion. Saute until golden. Add carrots and bell pepper, continuing to cook until the vegetables are tender.
Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute. Take off the heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the cooled sausage and veggie mixture to the bowl and mix well.
Grease a 13×9 inch casserole dish. Add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the dish. Fill shells with mixture and place in prepared dish. Cover with remaining sauce, remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and parmesan.
Cover with greased foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, until bubbly, removing the foil for the last 5-10 minutes.
Garnish with basil.

Recipe Notes

*If you have extra filled shells, you can use a small 8×8 dish and bake alongside the larger dish. Alternatively, I often place extra filled shells on a small sheet tray, freeze, then store in a plastic bag for another day.

Curry-Spiced Chickpea Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

October 26, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

This is one of those recipes that use pantry staples as well as fresh ingredients that I almost always have on hand. It’s adapted from an old Martha Stewart recipe from 10 years ago but my version has more flavor, easily swaps grains, and adds healthy tahini to bind it all together. To make it quicker to prepare, I often use precooked grains such as frozen rice or pre-packaged cooked quinoa and rice blend. I prefer the stronger flavor of cilantro, but I’ve also used parsley with success.

In addition to the suggested toppings, I often like to round out the meal with one of my favorite side dishes, Spiced Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts, a simple recipe found on my blog. As delicious as that dish is, quickly steamed broccoli is a fantastic idea, too. Whatever you do, make sure you include the yogurt sauce and have a spicy sauce option such as Sriracha or Gochujang to drizzle.

I hope this healthy, easy to prepare recipe makes its way into your dinner rotation soon.

Cheers,

Christina

Curry-Spiced Chickpea Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

These vegetarian burgers are delicious with the spiced yogurt sauce, a dollop of hummus and a drizzle of Sriracha sauce over a bed of arugula. These can also be a delicious portable meal by stuffing the burger and all the fixings into flatbread or a pita pocket and served at room temperature.

Course Main Course, vegetarian

Keyword curry spiced burger

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain, whole milk Greek yogurt
1 tsp curry powder
1 lime zested, half of the lime juiced
½ tsp kosher salt

Burgers

1½ cup cooked rice, quinoa or blend I like to use precooked Seeds of Change Organic Quinoa & Brown Rice with Garlic
2 15.5 ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup chopped scallions
¼ chopped cilantro
½ cup shredded carrots
1 tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp curry powder
kosher salt
olive oil

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the yogurt sauce and set aside while you prepare the burgers.
In a food processor, add garbanzo beans, scallions, cilantro, carrots, jalapeño pepper and tahini and pulse until a chunky mixture forms. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add ⅓ cup of the yogurt sauce, rice or quinoa, curry powder and 1 tsp kosher salt to the mixture and combine.
Using a ⅓ cup, scoop and form burgers. If time allows, chill the burgers for 30 minutes before cooking. It's not necessary but can make it easier to flip while cooking. You can also freeze the burgers at this point. Just thaw when ready to use.
To cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium and coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of olive oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the burgers and cook until each side is lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer burgers to a paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve with yogurt sauce.
Makes about 8-10 burgers

Pumpkin Flax Protein Smoothie

October 18, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I love a good fall morning and a cozy beverage, and I absolutely love seasonal ingredients, but pumpkin only being highlighted a few months a year seems like a missed opportunity – especially since canned pumpkin is widely available year-round and a nutritional powerhouse.

All things pumpkin are so profitable for companies like Starbucks and Trader Joe’s that I’m sure they would agree with me that pumpkin should be used year-round. This year, Starbucks brought back the Pumpkin Spice Latte on August 30. August!! Yes, while some were still on summer vacation, tomatoes are overflowing at the farmer’s market and heat waves were in full force, Starbucks was likely making the stores a little extra chilly and pumping out scents of cinnamon, cloves and allspice – all in the name of the Pumpkin Spice season vibe.

Now, let’s not be confused with the pumpkin hype including actual pumpkin in most products. Pumpkin scent or flavor is usually just a combination of spices and sugar – a lot of sugar. If you’ve tried pure canned pumpkin puree you know there’s nothing spiced or sweet about it. Adding pure pumpkin to sweet or savory dishes is such a smart move. By doing this you’re adding a good dose of vitamins A, C and E to support your immune system, fiber to keep you fuller longer, and potassium for heart health.

Don’t get me wrong – my family and I will enjoy pumpkin pancakes, muffins (a delicious harvest muffin recipe with pumpkin coming soon!) and lattes this fall – but they will include real pumpkin puree. And one of my favorite pumpkin dishes this time of the year is actually a savory dish that I learned in culinary school – pumpkin curry. But as a daily smoothie drinker, and as a lover of seasonal ingredients, it seems like a no brainer to add pumpkin to my smoothies during the fall months, but I’m going to go crazy and add pumpkin to my smoothies even when the pumpkin things have been packed up for the season. Join me!

Cheers,

Christina

Pumpkin Flax Protein Smoothie

This creamy, fiber and protein filled smoothie is a fun addition to the smoothie rotation. Pure pumpkin puree is a nutrient-dense, immune boosting ingredient that is begging to be included in your diet year-round.

Course Smoothie

Keyword protein smoothie, pumpkin

Servings 1 serving

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder Be Well By Kelly is my favorite
3 tbsp pure pumpkin puree
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp pumpkin spice
¼ tsp cinnamon I like Ceylon cinnamon
½ frozen banana
5-6 ice cubes

Roasted Grass-Fed Meatballs

October 4, 2022 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Meatballs are a good idea no matter the season. They are quick to make, freezer friendly, and make great leftovers. I keep several pounds of local omega-3 rich grass-fed ground beef in my garage freezer at all times. It’s a staple for weeknight meals including these meatballs as well as quick tacos, skillet meals and salads. It’s my favorite “fast food” and one that keeps my family fed and nourished.

I’ve finally landed on a meatball recipe that I have been playing with for quite awhile and I’m happy to share it with you. It’s a few different recipes and techniques put together that I think make the most flavorful, tender meatballs. A few key components to this recipe that make it work great – sauteing the onion, garlic and seasonings along with toasting the panko produces much more flavor than raw onions, garlic and soaked bread. The addition of ricotta as well as a light hand while mixing makes a light and tender meatball. The addition of an acid as well as umami rich Worcestershire sauce are unique additions that one of our local restaurants uses. Finally, a cooking technique I learned that doesn’t involve getting my stove all messy from browning meatballs in oil – cooking the meatballs in muffin tins. The rendered fat essentially bastes the meatball to keep it from drying out while the top gets nice and browned.

I hope you get a chance to make this recipe – it makes 24 meatballs and can be easily cut in half, but with them being so freezer friendly, save some for later or share some with a friend!

Cheers,

Christina

Toasting the breadcrumbs along with the onions, garlic and spices adds tons of flavor

Spring loaded scoop makes similar sized meatballs that cook evenly

Brush with olive oil to help brown the meatballs

Browned meatballs get a quick bath in warm marinara sauce – my favorite is Rao’s Marinara

Roasted Grass-Fed Meatballs

Meatballs are a great make ahead dish and this is my go-to recipe. Taking a few minutes to saute the onions, garlic and panko makes for a flavorful, well seasoned meatball. Perfect next to a side of pasta and broccoli but equally tasty stuffed into toasted garlic bread with melted mozzarella cheese.

Servings 24 meatballs

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup red onion, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 lbs grass-fed ground beef
¾ cup whole milk ricotta
3 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup minced fresh basil
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
For serving: Chopped parsley, marinara sauce, grated parmigiano reggiano

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat the olive oil in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add red onions, salt and pepper and saute until tender. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Add panko and cook until slightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, ricotta, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, parsley, basil and cheese. Using clean hands, thoroughly mix the ingredients. Add the cooled panko mixture and incorporate all the ingredients – do not overmix.
To cook meatballs, use a spring loaded scoop to form a round a little larger than a golf ball, about 2 ounces. Place in a greased muffin tin and brush with olive oil and bake about 30 minutes. Meatballs are finished when they have an evenly browned surface and the internal temperature has reached about 150°.
To serve: Transfer meatballs to a pan of warm marinara sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Top with parsley and grated parmigiano reggiano.

Recipe Notes

To freeze meatballs: place raw meatballs on a small sheet pan and once frozen, transfer to a zip top freezer bag. Meatballs can be cooked from frozen but will take a little longer.

Chia Seed Pudding

June 11, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Hi Family and Friends! It’s been a little bit since I’ve posted any recipes and I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying the beginning of summer. The spring was a doozy in my household… busy kids, busy schedules, as well as Covid hitting our house in waves and kinda messing up all kinds of plans. It’s such a strange virus, affecting people so differently – it hit yours truly pretty hard and took me more than a month to feel like myself again. I can happily say I’m feeling 100% again and recently have been able to increase the intensity of my workouts a bit, making up for all that idle time, I suppose. There’s nothing like feeling badly to make you appreciate feeling good!

While I was under the weather, I spent a good amount of time reading. Not surprisingly, I was reading about food. Stanley Tucci’s book Taste: My Life Through Food was given to me by a dear friend and remains one of my most favorite reads in a very long time. I loved reading about his love of food and feeding others and it certainly got me excited about the idea of traveling again! Another good read was David Lebovitz’s The Sweet Life in Paris. I must have been feeling better when I read this book because there are too many dog-eared pages to count all the recipes I’d like to try. Currently, I’m reading Ruth Reichl’s Memoir, Save Me the Plums. It’s a good read so far, but more about the behind the scenes of Gourmet magazine and not nearly as mouth watering as the two previous books I read.

Mostly recently I’ve been working on my upcoming Kids Summer Cooking Camp. I’ve got a small group of local kiddos coming next week for a 4 day cooking camp – each day has a different theme and I’m excited to get in the kitchen teaching again!

The most exciting news is that last week our family returned from celebrating my husband’s 50th birthday on the beautiful island of Kauai. It’s our favorite island by far and we always consider it a treat to go back. As my husband noted, so little changes each time we visit and it’s kind of comforting to find the same ice cream/shave ice and poke shops year after year.

There was one particular dish I had that made me recreate it less than 24 hours after we arrived home. In Poipu Beach there is a coffee hut/breakfast place called Little Fish Coffee. It’s the little yellow building on Poipu Rd. with the looong line the minute it opens. I am not one for long lines, especially in the morning, but it was my husband’s birthday and we needed some good fuel before our hike in Waimea Canyon. Despite the long wait and the high prices, we all enjoyed our breakfast – I loved mine! Iced matcha latte with almond milk and chia seed pudding with fresh mango, kiwi, banana, and homemade granola – delicious.

Chia seeds are one of my top favorite ingredients and I eat them every single day. Chia in a smoothie, sprinkled on toast with almond butter or fairly regularly in a chia seed pudding. I usually just eat the pudding plain but with the fruit, granola and coconut it’s a delicious, satisfying meal that keeps me full for hours and one I’ve enjoyed on the regular since we arrived back home.

We’ve got some adventures planned this summer and I have no doubt the food inspiration will be on overdrive – I hope to share some of those inspired recipes soon!

Cheers,

Christina

Chia Seed Pudding

Chia pudding wears many hats – a satisfying breakfast food, snack or even dessert. It's filling, but in a healthy, feel good kind of way. Inspired by a recent Hawaiian vacation, toppings often include my House Granola, any seasonal fruit and toasted coconut. Sometimes I just squeeze some fresh lemon and simply top with berries or peeled mandarin oranges. Individual containers portioned out make for an easy grab and go treat to enjoy all week.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword chia seeds, pudding

Servings 5 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 ½ cups almond milk I also like unsweetened Macadamia milk
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
½ cup chia seeds
Toppings- fresh fruit, granola, toasted coconut, lemon juice

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add both milks, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Add chia seeds and whisk to combine.
Let sit a minute or two and then whisk again to thoroughly incorporate liquid and chia seeds and to avoid any lumps. Repeat, if needed.
Divide pudding into 5-6 containers with lids and refrigerate for a few hours.

Energy Bites

June 16, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Summer is in full swing, and that means so is the snacking! These power bites are a great addition to your family’s snacking repertoire – whether you’ve got long days of entertaining the kids at home, teenagers logging in for summer distance learning or are hitting the road to safely shelter out of place this summer.

Recently, I had the opportunity to contribute an article on snacking in the June issue of our sweet, local magazine, Hillsborough Living. The magazine is written for and by Hillsborough residents, and it was an honor to submit articles in the May (fridge foraging- frittatas) and June issues. With so many of us spending so much time at home the past few months and likely more time at home this summer, this month’s article on snacking seemed like a timely submission. I hope you find some helpful tips on the list of snack ideas!

Cheers,

Christina

*Hillsborough Living* magazine, June 2020

Energy Bites

These are a great snack to keep in the refrigerator any time of the year. They are quick to make, portable and a healthy alternative to packaged granola bars and power bars that are often high in sugar and additives. Making a double recipe is not a bad idea- they go fast!

Course Snack

Keyword energy bites

Servings 18 bites

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup ground flaxseed meal
½ cup nut butter such as peanut or almond
¼ cup toasted coconut
2 tbsp chocolate chips
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ kosher salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add all ingredients and combine thoroughly. Using a tablespoon, scoop into 18 balls- adding a drizzle more of maple syrup or spoon of nut butter if mixture is too dry to hold together. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Mezcal Con Pepino

September 27, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

A few years ago my husband and I were celebrating our anniversary in Cabo San Lucas at the beautiful Resort at Pedregal. Our vacation was at the end of October during Dia de los Muertos- what a beautifully celebrated holiday with heartfelt emotions and incredible food! We were treated to many days of holiday treats during our stay- including fresh oysters, local fruits and drinks by the pool.

One evening there was a special culinary event with impressive displays of food and drink. Among the baskets of dried crispy snacks- nuts, corn and roasted grasshoppers!- there was a tasting station of mezcal. This smoky alcoholic beverage is made by harvesting the core of the agave plant. It is then cooked inside earthenware and distilled in clay pots. My husband and I were somewhat new to mezcal and enjoyed tasting the varieties with a squeeze of lime.

I have to say that ever since that trip, there has been steady experimentation of mezcal cocktails in our house. The cocktail that has become a household favorite is the Mezcal con Pepino- it’s perfectly refreshing, smoky from the mezcal, tart from the fresh lime, a little spicy from the hot pepper and cooling from the muddled cucumber. Also known as the perfect TGIF year round drink. Very recently, my husband kicked up this house favorite by making a rosemary simple syrup and replacing the recipe’s agave syrup with his new herbaceous syrup- what a smart move. Not necessary, but if you’re feeling like kicking this drink up a notch, you’ll be glad you did.

Mezcal con pepino- with muddled orange bell pepper

Oddly enough, if you’ve got all the ingredients to make this delicious cocktail and discover that your kids ate all the cucumbers- I can assure you that you can safely substitute an orange sweet bell pepper. The result is a drink the color of a Hawaiian sunset and just as refreshing as the cucumber!

Cheers!

Christina

Mezcal Con Pepino Cocktail

This refreshing cocktail hits all the notes- sweet, tart, smoky, spicy, crisp. What more could you ask for? The agave nectar can be substituted with plain simple syrup- although a house favorite is an herbaceous rosemary infused syrup.

Cook's note- In a pinch, orange bell pepper was substituted for the cucumber and it was surprisingly delicious with a beautiful orange color!

Course Beverages

Keyword cocktail, mezcal

Servings 2 drinks

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 ounces Mezcal
2 ounces fresh lime juice
.75 ounces agave nectar or simple syrup
2-3 slices cucumber
2-3 slices serrano or jalapeno pepper
Tajin
Sugar

Instructions

Put lime juice on rim of a glass and coat in tajin and sugar.
Muddle the cucumber and serrano into a cocktail shaker.
Add in mezcal, lime juice, agave/syrup.
Fill with ice and shake.
Pour over ice and garnish with lime and additional tajin.

5 Day Post-Vacay Reset- “The Meal Plan”

August 19, 2019 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Here is the meal plan for a 5 day reset. Any of the dishes with an * will be a recipe on the blog in the coming days. Any dishes with ** already has the recipe posted on the site and can be found in the categories pull down menu or on the recipes menu bar and scrolled to find the blog post with the recipe. I am a few weeks in now and still following the original rules for the most part. I’ve added in organic chicken for more protein as well as matcha green tea in the afternoon. It’s all about moderation- the 80-20 rule works great for me! I hope you enjoy.

Day 1

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with mushroom magic seasoning, cinnamon raisin ezekiel toast with almond butter

Fresh juice- carrot, apple, ginger

Snack– Lara bar

Lunch

Green Salad with Avocado, Garbanzo Beans, Tomato, Slivered Almonds, Apple-Cider Shallot Vinaigrette

Snack- Hummus with snap peas and red bell pepper, plum

Dinner

Grilled Wild Salmon with Lemon Pepper, Dill, Salt, Quinoa Brown Rice Medley, Roasted Broccoli with Olive Oil and Lemon, Glass of Red Wine

Day 2

Breakfast

Smoothie- oat milk, coconut water, Greek yogurt, frozen mango, frozen pineapple, greens blend (chard, spinach, kale), banana, touch of honey

Hard boiled egg

Snack almonds, apple

Lunch

Avocado toast- ezekiel bread, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, aleppo pepper, everything seasoning, lemon juice

Fresh juice- greens blend, apple, celery, cucumber, carrot, parsley, lemon, ginger

Snack– olives

Dinner

*Grilled Southwest Grain Bowl with Roasted Poblano Dressing

Strawberries

Day 3

Breakfast

*Oatmeal (oats, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, chia seeds, toasted unsweetened coconut, slivered almonds, fresh berries)

Latte w/ almond milk, touch of honey

Snack– Rx Bar

Lunch– leftover Southwest Grain Bowl w/ Poblano Dressing

Dinner

*Veggie and Greens Frittata

**Melon Salad with Feta, Jalapeno, Mint

Day 4

Breakfast

Leftover frittata

Smoothie (oatmilk, Greek yogurt, mixed berries, banana, mint)

Cold Brew Coffee (unsweetened almond milk, touch of honey)

Snack– almonds

Lunch– Sweet Greens Curry Grain Bowl

Dinner

*Shrimp Taco Salad

*Blistered Shishito Peppers

Day 5

Breakfast

*Overnight Oat Bowls

Cold Brew with unsweetened almond milk, touch of honey

Snack: Smoothie (oatmilk, Greek yogurt, fresh peach, mixed berries, banana, mint, greens)

Lunch- Leftover frittata, apple slices

Dinner

*Roasted Veggie Medley with Jerk Seasoning, Dates and Goat Cheese, Hummus, Cucumber slices, Green salad

Post-vacay 5 day reset- the “rules”

August 18, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago my family and I enjoyed a fantastic family trip to Vancouver and Whistler. Canada is one special place! Besides those friendly Canadians and spectacular nature with beautiful waterways all around, there was lots of delicious seafood and local produce to enjoy. We indulged in all of that. But, we also indulged in all the bread, alcohol, and treats – that’s part of vacation fun!

As much as I love being away with my favorite people, we all enjoy coming home to our space that we love so much, and getting back to routine- whatever that means during the final days of summer!
Before we returned home, my husband and I decided we needed a little reset in our diet. And, as fate would have it, look what landed on my doorstep that I forgot I had pre-ordered months ago!

In our family, we are generally very healthy eaters, eating the majority of food cooked at home and with care to feed ourselves a balanced diet. But, lately I’ve personally had lots of aches and pains, not to mention chronic tennis elbow for over a year (which I’ve now learned isn’t even inflammation and just a damaged tendon in my elbow that needs some repair.) But being 42 years old and waking up achy and not feeling my best despite a pretty balanced diet and lifestyle- anyone in the same boat?! I decided to tackle a few issues to improve my overall health. Nothing extreme, but it was time to make a few tweaks to feel as healthy as possible (new mattress/pillow coming soon, removing a few toxins in our environment, etc.) Three kids who aren’t slowing down anytime soon means mama cannot slow down anytime soon! And for me, extra coffee to get through the day just isn’t an acceptable solution.

Enter our 5 day Post-Vacay Reset… these “rules” are loosely based on an anti-inflammatory/Mediterranean diet with the intent to not only decrease/cut out inflammatory foods but to increase the amount of anti-inflammatory foods in our daily diet. I wrote these rules on our last (rainy!) day of vacation and dragged my family to Costco straight from the airport (yes, I did this) followed by a solid trip the next morning to the local farmer’s market. In the time it took my family to put away the Costco haul, I had a delicious healthy dinner on the table (grilled wild salmon, brown rice + quinoa, and roasted broccoli).

The “Rules”

NO to…

White stuff (four, rice, potatoes)

Meat/poultry

Refined oils and sugars

MINIMAL…

Dairy (only using Greek yogurt as a protein source for smoothies and overnight oats)

Alcohol (glass of red wine)

YES to…

Lots of whole fruits and veggies

Juicing

Eggs

Seafood (mainly wild salmon, wild canned tuna, shrimp)

Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil

Nuts and seeds

Whole grains (oats, farro, brown rice, quinoa)

Touch of…

Honey/Maple syrup

*used organic when possible and available

Don’t you love a plan that has more “yes” instead of “no”? I have to say that after 5 days of an eating reset, my husband and I both felt better. We continue to enjoy this plan as a base for eating most meals, every day. The exception is that life sometimes includes a few treats and that is something we will continue to enjoy. We’ve added back organic chicken a few times a week, allowing for an increase of healthy protein as we ramp up our workouts.

Next post… the meal plan.

Cheers to healthy eating!

Christina