Healthy

Caprese Quinoa Salad.

~ ashraeeiningyoga ~ Leave a comment

My biggest concern with holidays is the lack of healthy options that are usually available for big meals. We are all prepared to indulge to some extent but I also enjoy balance. I’ve come to an age where I can tell if I don’t get enough vegetables in within a day and trust me, I don’t end up being very pleasant by the end of the day. Which means it is very important for me to have some kind of greens on my plate almost every meal. This dish is an excellent protein packed, healthy side option if you are already a fan of caprese salad.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 package of Mozzarella Pearls
  • 1/4 cup fresh Basil leaves (torn to small pieces)
  • 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/8 cup Olive Oil
  • Half diced Cucumber
  • Salt + Pepper

Directions:

  • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil on stovetop. Pour in quinoa and shimmer until water is fully absorbed.
  • Transfer cooked quinoa into medium size bowl.
  • Add in all other ingredients and blend.
  • Chill in the fridge for 3 hours – 3 days. Flavors will intensify and absorb over time.
  • Enjoy!

This is my new favorite sunny day, porch relaxing dish.

Asian Chicken Salad.

~ ashraeeiningyoga ~ 1 Comment

Salads do not need to be boring!

I use to HATE salads. I would say naive things like “I feel like I’m chopping on a tree!”. But through the years, I’ve experimented plenty to find out which ingredients I actually really enjoy and have learned that I actually love and sometimes crave a good, hearty salad.

After a busy weekend of eating out way too much, it’s been nice to be in my new place and cook up my own meals. I’ve been in an Asian phase lately which is where I pulled my inspiration. I whipped up this simple salad this beautiful sunny afternoon with 6 ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • Rotisserie Chicken
  • Teriyaki Sauce
  • Spinach
  • Trader Joe’s Miso Salad Dressing
  • Trader Joe’s Fat Free Feta Cheese
  • Mixed Stir Fry Veggies

Directions:

  1. Shred the rotisserie chicken. If you’re making the salad just for you then baggy up the chicken into 3-4 bags and freeze the remaining chicken to use for later. If you making a salad for a group then feel free to use the entire chicken.
  2. Place shredded chicken into a frying pan or wok. Drizzle with teriyaki sauce and heat on medium heat for 2-5 minutes.
  3. If you’re using microwavable veggies, cook accordingly. If you’re using fresh veggies, sauté in a frying pan over high heat.
  4. Top spinach with Miso salad dressing, cooked chicken, cooked veggies, & feta.
  5. Serve & enjoy!