I love smoothies. I really do. When it comes to juicing vs smoothies, I am always team smoothie - when made properly. 

Often, we load our smoothies with tons of fruit (good because of the fiber, but also full of sugar) and skimp on the veggies and protein. So here is a simple equation to help you ensure that smoothie is as healthy as it is tasty.

2 cups veggie + 2 cups fruit (use frozen and skip the ice) + 1 part protein (7-15 grams) + 1/2 cup unsweetened liquid = bomb.com smoothie

Tip for those who prefer to sleep an extra 15 minutes rather than eating a good breakfast. Make smoothie bags (your chosen fruit and vegetables) ahead of time and keep in freezer. In the morning simply combine bag of frozen fruits and veggies with your liquid and protein to the blender and you are good to go. 

As any good nutrition student would, I tried desperately to like kale when I was in college. I tried multiple recipes, but to my dismay, I could barely stomach the taste of this superfood. I gave up for a few years, only managing to add the green to my smoothies. A few years later, on the evening of my Master's graduation, I sat with my family at the True Food Kitchen in Fairfax, VA. If you are unfamiliar with the restaurant, it was created by Dr. Andrew Wiel, who has devoted much of his life to mastering the anti-inflammatory diet. [I will talk more about this in the future]. 

So there I am, trying to decide what to get, when in reality I want to try EVERYTHING. The waitress recommends the Kale Caesar. For a minute I am flooded with flashbacks of my failed attempts and remind myself that I couldn't possibly be a respected dietitian if I don't like kale. So I go for it...

Have you ever take a bite of a dish and actually felt the 'whoosh' of your mind being blown? 

Not only did I like the salad, I was obsessed. I devoured it. I licked the plate clean.

So here we are today, with my version of that tasty salad. Hope you like it!  

I recently had some close friends over for a dinner party. Of course, my work day got the best of me and I knew I would only have about 30 minutes to prepare a dinner worthy of guests. Quickly, I decided on making a simple pesto to smother some zoodles and grilled chicken. I gathered some heirloom cherry tomatoes for a pop of color, and a nice ball of burrata cheese to top the whole thing off.
I was really shocked when everyone at the table, some very picky eaters included, raved about the pesto. I thought to myself - 'It was so easy, I make it all the time. What are they talking about?' Sometimes people don't know how to take a compliment. That was not the case here. I simply did not think something so classic could still rile people up!
When you think about it, isn't it always the most simple thing that gets the attention? A trench coat over a sequin dress; a portrait in a sea of landscapes. End of story, I sent them all home with the recipe and decided it would be the first recipe I post here. 

So here you go. I challenge you to be creative and find new and exciting ways to use this sauce. I'm sure it will become a staple in your home like it has in mine. ​

This recipe is GF, and can be made DF by replacing the romano cheese with nutritional yeast.