I belong to a community supported agriculture group, meaning that every Friday, I pick up a box of organic, fresh veggies, delivered from a local farm. This week, I opened it up, and right on top, there was a bunch of asparagus. Spring, in vegetable format. I got really excited. I love spring and sunshine and all the blooming plants.

I also love simple food that’s easy to prepare and tastes delicious. My school has spring break a little earlier than most, meaning that while most teachers and kids are just starting their break, I’m back in the classroom today. As I shared in my last food post, I am trying to get myself back onto some non-Chipotle food regimen, and this salad is definitely going to become a staple. It’s fresh, easy and manages to be both light and nourishing. I’m so into it.

This recipe is adapted from What Katie Ate, but is even simpler and easier (her version includes tomatoes, which I don’t like, a green chili which is too spicy for this baby and cheese, another no-go food for me) but trust me, is still delicious. I tweaked a few things, but am super grateful for her inspiration.

Quinoa and lentils are boiled until cooked. Asparagus is cooked, as well, but only until it turns electric green.

Meanwhile, limes are zested and mint is chopped. You should definitely buy extras for mojitos. I didn’t and I kicked myself the whole time.

The salad gets it’s flavor from lime and mint for sure, but a simple dressing adds a bite and tang. I added lots of red wine vinegar, good quality olive oil, plus some sea salt and pepper.

This salad is served cold, and I think it’d be an amazing addition to any sort of spring like activities: a picnic, a BBQ, or a simple lunch at your desk, like I’m planning to eat it today (womp womp). It sounds almost too good to be true, but it’s magical. I promise.

I got out of my kitchen this weekend, and drove Andrew and I down to Los Angeles. He played poker and I hung out with friends. It was a super great way to wrap up my break. Also? Andrew and I made it through a super long car ride with nary a cross word. Road trips are hard, guys. But we did it! Hurrah!

I got to see Joy while I was in LA, and she introduced me to the wonderous workout that is Soul Cycle. She invited me over lunch and at the time, I was like, “It’s a SPIN class, how bad can it be?!” And then Drea pointed out that there are weights and pushups on the bar and it’s kind of a lot more than just a spin class. But we went early Saturday morning, and wouldn’t you know? It was amazing. A beautiful man named Denis guided me through a fantastic workout that was half ass-kicking and half spiritual journey. But real talk: it was HARD.

As we finished up, I found myself feeling obnoxiously proud that I’d done this thing — that I had put my body through a legit difficult workout and came out feeling amazing, strong and happy.

One of the weirdest things about losing weight and changing your life is that it’s really easy to get caught up on what’s left to accomplish: a goal weight, the things you can’t do, the goals you’ve yet to achieve. And yet, I was struck as I stood outside, sweating and refreshed that a year ago, I couldn’t have done this, and this year, while I experienced some soreness in my shoulders and um, nether regions, I still did it, without dying and/or crying. It was humbling and exciting and it made me really stupid happy.

While I was in Los Angeles, my Timehop App (do you have this? It’s awesome — you get reminders about what you shared online on each day in years past) reminded me that I started my first juice cleanse about a year ago.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’re probably aware of my juicing obsession, but I like to think that juicing is what kicked my health journey into high gear. I attribute juicing as the reason my skin is (mostly) clear and much glowier than it used to be. Juicing helps me with cravings. It gives me energy.

I recommend it. Highly. Get into it! Life-changing.

I thought I would share my favorite “base” juice recipe with you, as well as a few additions if you feel like mixing it up. You will need an actual juicer for this recipe — sorry, a blender doesn’t do it. If you’re looking for a cheap way to start, my juicer is currently on sale at Amazon for just $60! DO IT.

Anyways, it’s simple. Let’s get our juice on!

Green Lemonade

Ingredients

• 2+ cups greens (I prefer kale and spinach, and I also use a lot more than this now! Start with as many greens as you feel comfortable with and add more once you adjust to the green taste.)
• 2 lemons, peels and pith removed, cut small enough to fit in juicer
• 2 apples, cored and cut small enough to fit in juicer (I prefer sweeter apples, others LOVE granny smith)

Optional, if you want to mix it up or prefer a sweeter juice:

• One cup blueberries
• 1-2 oranges, peels and pith removed, cut small enough to fit in juicer

Directions

Run greens through the juicer first. Finish with fruit. Serve juice immediately. I prefer mine over ice, with a straw.

Pro-tip: CLEAN YOUR JUICER. We had a serious situation in ours when I forgot to clean it for 24 hours. Mold grows fast on fresh food, guys. BAD NEWS.

HAPPY JUICING!!!

Happy New Year, friends! I hope 2013 is off to an amazing start for you!

I spent my New Years Eve night at yoga, taking part in what might be my favorite and most memorable class thus far. I loved every minute of it. Andrew joined me and it was a very special evening. I woke up early on New Years day and felt so happy, positive and excited about the year to come. I made myself a green juice and a shot of espresso and got ready to face the year.

Don’t worry, I felt totally smug while doing it. I am fully aware of how douchey the paragraph above makes me sound. But I’m not sorry! It was AWESOME to wake up in my own house, feeling not even a tiny bit hungover, ready to have brunch with the three people I love most in the world: Andrew and my parents.

We hosted my mom and dad for brunch in the later morning, and it was a great way to start the year. Sadly, Andrew and I also decided to start Whole 30 which meant that there were to be no carbs or cheese or mimosas present at this brunch. I wanted it to be a simple meal, but extra delicious to attempt to make up for the lack of potatoes, pancakes and toast, champagne…you know, everything that breakfast stands for.

I settled on an egg and sausage breakfast casserole that I adapted from Mark’s Daily Apple. It seemed easy, Whole 30 compliant and delicious. Perfect.

It didn’t disappoint.

Turkey sausage, eggs, greens and some simple spices come together to make magic.

Thing I want to discuss: how pretty the morning light is in my kitchen. Thing I NEVER want to discuss: how disgusting sausage is when it’s raw. I washed my hands an absurd number of times while making this. Ick.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to deal with it for very long.

Cook your sausage, shred up your spinach and kale, crack the eggs and spice them up before putting the mixture in your pan. An 8×8 square would work here if you want squares, but I went for a round pan because I’m fancy like that (read: too cheap to buy a square pan).

Bake this business, and then voila!

The eggs puff up, the greens soften and the sausage makes it all delicious. If you’re not abstaining from cheese (womp womp) I suspect some gruyere would be amazing in here, but trust me, it’s so delicious you won’t miss the cheese.

Slice it up!

It’s awesome. Plus, you’re eating kale! You’re winning at life and it’s only breakfast.

I served my egg casserole alongside a giant bowl of fruit and a simple salad.

It was a fantastic way to start the new year, plus, if you’re doing any sort of healthy eating resolution, this totally works. I’m planning to make another and eat it for breakfast throughout the week.

Egg and Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

12 eggs

2 cups greens, such as spinach and kale

One package sweet italian turkey sausage, in casings

1 tsp each pepper, salt and garlic powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 and grease pan (I used a round pie pan but an 8×8 pan would also work). Set aside. Brown sausage until completely cooked through. In large bowl, crack eggs and whisk in spices. Shred greens into bite-sized pieces and add to eggs. Add sausage and stir completely. Pour mixture into greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes or more, until everything is firm (it took me at least 45 minutes, but I checked it every five minutes or so after 35). Serve warm.

When Andrew and I met five years ago, it was December, and therefore, the early months of our courtship were spent inside. Eating. Lots of food. Our most favorite date was going to get ice cream and then watching a movie or TV shows. Also some making out. Sorry, mom.

One night, I decided I wanted to make him something special. At the time, I was newly obsessed with Orangette and this recipe seemed like the perfect thing to serve a new boyfriend: cozy and comforting, yet more sophisticated that normal ktichen soup.

Those early days of a relationship are so simple, right? Everyone is on good behavior, you’re more concerned with what movie you’re going to watch, when he’s going to call, what’s going to happen next. No one is leaving their towels on the floor, no one is eating the last of the peanut butter, and no one is comfortable enough to kick the other when they’re snoring.

This recipe is simple, too. It starts with chicken, rubbed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sprinkled with fresh thyme leaves.

Carrots, leeks, broth, and some tiny pasta come together to round out the flavors.

And then, the magic happens. This soup is made salty and full-bodied with the addition of parmigiano reggiano, left to soak in the bottom of the pot. It takes this soup to the next level.

Obviously, this is the cheesy part where I say something about how this soup is just like our relationship: basic things came together to make magic and it’s wonderful and unforgettable. I mean, that’s all true. I feel very lucky. But what I’d rather say is that this soup has endured — it’s still one of our favorite things to eat.

Okay, fine. Our relationship is even better than it was during those simple times. I’m so thankful.

But seriously? Make this soup.

Rustic Chicken Soup

via Orangette

Ingredients

Four boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh thyme (about 10-12 sprigs)
2 quarts chicken broth, plus a bit more broth or water for thinning if needed
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds roughly ¼-inch thick
3 medium leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed thoroughly, and cut into rough 1-inch pieces
1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind, roughly 2 inches square
1/3 cup tiny soup pasta (I used stellinae)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in a baking dish. Rub them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and roughly 3 sprigs’ worth of thyme leaves. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Set the meat aside until cool enough to handle; then shred or chop the chicken.

Pour chicken broth into a large pot, Dutch oven, or stockpot. Add the carrots, leeks, cheese rind, and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook about 25 minutes, until vegetables are tender and broth smells lightly of the cheese. Add the leaves of 7 or so sprigs of thyme, and let cook another five minutes. Add chicken and pasta (and a bit of additional broth or water, if you feel the mixture is too thick), return the soup to a boil, turn down the heat, and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Retrieve and discard the cheese rind. Ladle into bowls.

Serves a lot.

I was late to the brussels sprouts party. I didn’t even eat a sprout until I was 28 years old. Now, brussels sprouts are like that friend you just met but can’t remember your life without.

One of my favorite episodes of Sex and the City was the one in which Carrie discusses her Secret Single Behavior. Oh man. That’s real. I’m not a single lady anymore, but since Andrew travels quite a bit, I log a lot of time pretending I’m single. At first, I used to spend the first few days moping and being sad. And while I miss him terribly, I’m so accustomed to Andrew being gone that I jump right into my SSB.

Don’t get excited, it’s not too thrilling. I definitely don’t read Vogue standing up while eating saltines and grape jelly. Nope, not this girl. My SSB includes listening to podcasts as I fall asleep, making as much noise as I want in the morning and brussels sprouts.

When Andrew leaves, I make an immediate stop at the grocery store for a big ol’ bag of brussels sprouts. Then, I roast them for dinner and eat them with an egg on top every night. It’s perfect, really. I roll in from yoga, cut up my sprouts while I’m all sweaty, throw ‘em in to roast, fry an egg and BOOM. Dinner for one.

If you’ve never tried brussels sprouts, or if you hated them as a kid, I’d urge you to give these a try. Roasting them gives them a whole new flavor, and it’s delicious. It’s super simple, and trust me, these sprouts are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or all three. You know, hypothetically speaking.

Simple Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

Sprouts, about 8 per person

Two cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 T olive oil, for sprouts

1 T olive oil, for egg

salt and pepper to taste

Egg, one (or two!) per person

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut the ends off the brussels sprouts and quarter. Rinse the sprouts in a colander and ensure that they’re dry and clean. Mince garlic. Arrange sprouts in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Ensure all sprouts are coated. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, or until sprouts are browned. Some will become crispy — don’t worry! They’re delicious.

 About five minutes before the sprouts finish roasting, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in pan. When oil is hot, add egg to pan. Cover to cook until white is cooked through, about three minutes. Turn off heat and leave in pan until yolk reaches cooked consistency you prefer.

I love breakfast. It’s my favorite part of the day.

I think my love of breakfast started with my dad. When I was little, my dad worked swing shift a lot, so he would arrive home in the wee hours of the morning. I would wake up early to hang out with him. Typically, I’d get up and watch Mousercise — a Mickey Mouse exercise program. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do it. I’d just sit on my little beach towel in my bathing suit and watch, and wait for my dad to come home.

When he got home, it was breakfast time. My dad loves breakfast as much as I do. It was a morning ritual, the two of us moving around the kitchen, passing sections of the newspaper back and forth and chatting quietly. We didn’t do a lot of fancy food, usually cereal, Cream of Wheat, some toast. As I got older, we’d share a pot of coffee.

I loved those mornings with my dad.

Nowadays, breakfast is still a big deal in my life. I don’t understand you people who skip breakfast or only drink coffee. You’re missing some of the best food ever!

Since breakfast is usually consumed in my classroom, I like to make it easy.

This steel cut pumpkin oatmeal is easy. It’s satisfying. It’s not too sweet. It’s basically my favorite thing.

Steel cut oats are one of the healthiest things you can eat. They’re low on the glycemic index, and give you much more energy than regular oats. They’re the least processed kind of oats you can consume.

The key to making delicious steel cut oats is cooking them in soy milk (or regular milk, if you’re a dairy person) instead of water. They get creamy and chewy instead of tasteless.

With the addition of pumpkin, a touch of honey and vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, they become spicy and sweet. Plus, pumpkin is a super food, so…yeah. You’re winning at life.

After a quick simmer, these oats are ready. I usually make a big batch on the weekend and freeze them into individual portions for the week. They reheat beautifully, and make a perfect breakfast.

Just add coffee, obviously.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oats, dry

4 cups soy milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 T honey

1 T cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Directions

Put soy milk in saucepan and bring to boil. Add steel cut oats and turn heat down slightly, so oats can summer. Allow oats to cook until soft, about 25 minutes. Stir in honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin. Adjust seasoning as needed, to your taste preference. Top with additional pumpkin, honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Serve immediately, or freeze into portions.

Serves four.