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Grapefruit Avocado Salad

June 22, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

Now that summer is finally here (!) and the days are heating up, I thought it was the perfect time to try out some light, refreshing citrus salad recipes.

While it might seem like a strange combination, avocado and grapefruit are one of my favorite pairings. The creaminess of the avocado contrasts with the brightness of the grapefruit flavors, which add just the right amount of tang to make this salad different and interesting.

I hope you enjoy, and happy summer!

Grapefruit Avocado Salad

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Ingredients

1 head butter lettuce
2 grapefruits,peels and segmented
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup fennel, thinly sliced
2 tbs mint, finely chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs lemon juice
1 shallot, finely diced
Salt and peper to taste

Instructions

Segment grapefruit in to pieces by carefully peeling off skin (be sure to remove the white segment) and segment into slices. Slice avocado and set aside.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Lightly toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve immediately.

6 Ways to Get A Better Night’s Sleep

February 26, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

Recently, it seems like everyone has been talking about sleep. Case and point: Arianna Huffington’s “sleep revolution” claims that 40% of the US population gets less than 6 hours each night, resulting in 60 million sleeping pill prescriptions annually (!).

It’s no secret that sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle and beauty routine, but we all know that in practice it can be tough, especially with a busy schedule. Here are my top tips to help catch some Zs this week:

Turn of all electronics by 9 pm: I know, I know, we all have our poison—email, Facebook, Instagram—that keeps us up. But swapping electronics with a book or magazine is necessary to a good night’s sleep since these devices can suppress melatonin production (a sleep hormone). BONUS: Leaving your phone on the other side of the room will make you even more willing to turn off that alarm in the morning. Win win.
Meditation and deep breathing: Even a few minutes of deep breathing, light stretching, or yoga system goes a long way to calm the nervous system. Here’s a quick routine you can practice right before bed.
Sip chamomile tea: Or ginger, or peppermint, or any other kind of herbal tea that suits your fancy. A steaming cup of tea has a power-down effect and is a great treat to help train you brain to calm down. Not a tea drinker? Warm milk with a pinch of salt and cinnamon should also do the trick.
Stay active: Studies show that moving more during the day has a positive correlation with better and deeper sleep at night. It doesn’t have to be a crazy Soul Cycle class—even a nice long brisk walk with the dog is enough to train your mind to calm down when it’s time for bed.
List it out: That is, it’s often helpful to jot down any tasks or things you didn’t get done and set it aside in a journal on your nightstand.
Monitor your midnight snacks: This is probably the #1 reason why most people struggle with sleep. Try setting a cut-off for heavy or sugary foods–especially sweets–a few hours before bed. When your blood sugar spikes, it causes that awful tossing and turning that will keep you all through the night. Nobody wants that! If you do need a snack, try something protein rich with healthy fats, like a handful of nuts or my favorite, turkey slices with avocado.

Fourth of July Tasting Menu

July 3, 2015 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

The Fourth of July has always been one of my very favorite holidays. It’s the perfect holiday right in the middle of summer and it’s so reminiscent of all of my favorite things–sunshine, beach days, picnics, sundresses, and quality time with family and friends. Here’s the tasting menu I made this year, including strawberry mint salad, pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches, assorted vegetable kabobs, rosemary sweet potato fries, and a decadent gluten free blueberry crisp to top things off. Individual recipes will be posted tomorrow so that you can make them in time for the 4th!

Strawberry Mint Salad: Spinach, strawberries, blueberries, feta, sliced almonds, and a balsamic raspberry reduction

Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries: Recipe here

Vegetable Kabobs: Zucchini, Peppers, and Mushrooms

Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Blueberry Crisp

Travel Survival Kit

May 21, 2015 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

With Memorial Day coming up on Monday (how did that happen so fast?!) a lot of us will be going on trips this weekend to celebrate the beginning of summer, which always begs the question: how do I possibly stay healthy while traveling?? Here are some of my favorite tips, including what I like to pack in my travel bag, to keep you on track this week!

First, here’s a little spread of some things I’m bringing on my next trip! How cute is this monogrammed bag?

Monogrammed Tote Bag: Mud pie

Now for the best part….the snacks! I love arugula in the summer for its light, peppery flavor, so this is a simple lunch salad I threw together with alfalfa sprouts, radish, and zucchini with lemon for garnish:

Make your own trail mix is also really fun 🙂 Pumpkin/sunflower seeds, dried apricot, dark chocolate chips, and hazelnuts would all be great additions to this!

P.S. These cute little jars are 1.5 oz so it’s just the right amount!

Healthy Travel 101: The Basics

Bring your own snacks. I have a general rule that I try not to buy food at the airport whenever possible since the options are usually super unhealthy (read: fried) and are always incredibly pricey for what you get. I’d much rather save that money and spend it on a nice meal or souvenir once I get to my destination! Some alternatives so you can build your own travel snack pack:

NatureBox snacks: NatureBox is a monthly subscription service for healthy snacks tailored to your tastes, and believe me guys, it’s EPIC. My favorites are their pistachio power clusters, Greek yogurt covered pretzels, and dried fruits. You can try out a free trial (!) here.

PaleoKrunch Cereal: For those of you looking for a paleo or gluten-free option, this is it! I’m beyond addicted to their granola, especially the cranberry and apple pie flavors. Their granola is a little sweet, but I love that it’s made with all-natural ingredients like almond meal, coconut oil, and tons of nuts and seeds for minerals and fiber.

Tea Bags: You can always get unlimited hot water in-flight, so I really like to bring my own tea bags along with me to stay hydrated. Peppermint, chamomile, and ginger are my favorites because they settle your stomach, especially since your digestion can easily become off when you’re travelling and around so many foreign foods and experiences.
Other Snack Ideas: Beet humus and carrots/crudites, almond snack packs, string cheese. fruit, and almond butter are some of my other favorites! If you’re worried about portion control or mess, Justin’s peanut butter/almond butter squeeze packs are amazing. Still needs more ideas? Check out my last post on homemade kale chips and sweet potato fries (teaser: they both take under 5 minutes to make)

Hydrate. Your mom probably said this to you all the time growing up (I know mine did), but it really does help to keep you feeling energized and to prevent colds! I don’t like drinking water but occasionally throw lemon, mint, cucumber, orange slices, or whatever else I have on hand to my water bottle to stay up on my water before and after flights.

Relax and meditate. Lavender essential oils are a really wonderful and natural way to de-stress (because we all know that travelling can get stressful sometimes!) and fall asleep for long trips. Deep breathing also helps to calm the nervous system and shut out the world around you so you can get some z’s.

Safe travels!