seasonal recipes

DIY Valentine’s Day Desserts

Because a homemade treat is so much more lovely than a box of chocolates, don’t you think? Love is in the air. Valentine’s Day has evolved to celebrate far more than romantic relationships. The day is a fun way to tell your friends, family, teachers, and neighbors that you care about them. Whether you like this holiday, you have to admit it has some perks (hello, chocolate!). The top item most of us plan to gift our sweethearts, ranking above flowers, a gift card, clothing, or even a greeting card? Candy. No real surprise there. Instead of overdosing on sugar bombs, why not try a DIY Valentine’s Day dessert recipe? Whipping up your own dessert at home can help you control the quality of ingredients, sugar content, and more. We’ve rounded up seven day-of-love dessert ideas that will sneak in a little nutrition and maybe even spark a little romance. RELATED: The 10 Easiest Healthy Recipes We’ve Ever Shared Our Site 7 Healthy Desserts for Valentine’s Day A homemade treat is so much more lovely than a box of chocolates, don’t you think? Date Brownies You’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect healthy Valentine’s Day dessert recipe to share with your date (see what we did there?). We’ve replaced all the sugar with naturally-sweet medjool dates (try Joolies Organic Pitted Medjool Dates; $14.00 for two 7-ounce boxes, Amazon). With plenty of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and a couple handfuls of dark chocolate chips in the whole wheat flour-based brownie batter, neither of you will miss the sugar—or likely notice the nutrition upgrade. Get the recipe here. Gluten-Free Chocolate Protein Mug Cake If a chocolate lava cake is your MVP menu item when you dine out, you’ll likely fall for this gluten-free and higher-protein rendition. Instead of fussing with the oven, though, you can cook the entire seven-ingredient chocolate cake in the microwave. Get the recipe here. Chocolate Cherry Smoothie Grab two straws and share a smoothie recipe that’s an ode to those chocolate-covered cherries you might normally snag from a box of chocolate. In this surprisingly healthy shake-like smoothie, the sweet frozen cherries, vanilla extract and cocoa powder team up to make the avocado and spinach inside completely incognito. Get the recipe here. Choco-Avocado Pudding Speaking of avocado, we’ve also added it to this silky chocolate pudding. The heart-healthy fruit is actually the secret ingredient that makes it possible to ace the luxurious texture, with zero butter, cream, or whole milk required. Simply combine an avocado with cocoa, unsweetened almond milk and honey in a blender and blitz until creamy. Dreamy! Get the recipe here. Poached Pears Similar to something you might order at a fancy restaurant, make a half-batch (two pears) of this fruit treat and you’ll have just enough red wine left in the bottle for one generous glass each to pair with dinner. Since this healthy Valentine’s Day dessert is made in the slow cooker, it can essentially prep itself as you enjoy the rest of your holiday plans. Get the recipe here. Protein Cookie Dough To save even more time, skip the baking and cooking all together. While it tastes remarkably similar to the chocolate chip cookie batter you enjoyed at grandma’s house as a kid, this spoonable cookie dough just requires a bowl and a spoon to stir up—then chow down on. A scoop of vanilla protein powder, almond flour and almond butter (such as NOW Foods Nutty Infusions Roasted Almond Butter; $9.64 for 10 ounces, iHerb) make this healthy Valentine’s dessert idea rich in texture and protein. Get the recipe here. Spiked Berries and Cream No need to choose between an after-dinner drink or dessert! The ricotta cheese that acts as the base of this 15-minute treat is spiked with just enough dark rum to ensure your Valentine’s Day ends in good spirits. Top with balsamic-infused berries, and you’ll be ready to officially break up with those basic store-bought chocolate-covered strawberries. Get the recipe here. (photo credit: Shutterstock; Nutritious Life original photography)

9 Nutritious Meals to Make with Thanksgiving Leftovers

Now that Thanksgiving Day is in the books, you might be wondering what the heck to do with all of those Thanksgiving leftovers in your fridge. Whether you were the host or a guest, chances are you ended up with at least some remnants from the biggest food holiday of the year. If you were a guest—lucky you—maybe you took home some of mom’s famous stuffing or shaved turkey for making sandwiches. If you were brave enough to host this year, you were likely left with whatever you couldn’t convince your guests to take home. Either way, if you’ve got Tupperware and baggies of food taking up precious real estate in the fridge, you don’t want any of it to go to waste. If you’re looking for creative and healthy ways to use up what’s left of Thanksgiving dinner, we’ve got a few healthy recipes to help you clean out your fridge and turn those random leftovers into savory meals. Soup’s On! Soup dishes are always great during the colder months, but they’re especially perfect for when you really don’t want to think about cooking anymore. The day after Thanksgiving (and for several days after that), you might just not feel like putting a lot of effort into cooking. We feel you and soups are the perfect solution. Got leftover carrots, celery and onions? You’re well on your way to making this Creamy Mushroom And Farro Soup, a perfect recipe for lunch or dinner to use up some of the extra veggies in your fridge. Farro is high in protein and fiber, and carrots contain the beneficial carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are shown to protect healthy cells in the eyes. You can also add in some leftover turkey and any other vegetables you have around. White Bean Soup with Spicy Sausage is a great way to use all that leftover butternut squash. And the best part? This hearty soup is easy to prepare and provides an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. If you love chili, you’ll fall hard for this Salsa Chili. It’s a perfect way to use up some of that leftover turkey. Just grind it up, add some kidney beans and cashews, a bit of salsa, a few spices, and voila! You’ve got yourself a healthy bowl that’s also full of flavor. Brunch, Anyone? While you may not feel like having a huge breakfast after practically eating yourself into a food coma, it’s important to get in your protein, just like any other day. Whether you eat first thing in the morning or decide to do brunch on Friday, these leftover recipes will hit the spot. The best thing about this Simple Frittata is how flexible the ingredients are. It’s really up to you what to include. So, grab whatever roasted or fresh veggies you have in the fridge, add in some protein and cheese, and you’re golden. Still have a house full of guests and not sure what to feed them? This super-healthy Sweet Potato Zucchini Bread will not disappoint. Plus, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian, so it’s perfect for anyone with food allergies or intolerances looking for breakfast options besides eggs. Sweet Potatoes, FTW! There are so many things you can make with leftover sweet potatoes, it’s almost impossible to run out of recipe ideas. Here are just a couple of our favorite side dishes to try with this uber tuber. Buying too many sweet potatoes isn’t such a bad thing when you can turn them into these nutrient-dense Baked Sweet Potato Fries. They’re sure to be a new favorite. Remember to leave the skin on, as that’s where you’ll get most of the nutrients from. If you’re looking for something a little heartier that also has a ton of protein, try this Sweet Potato and Sausage Bake, made with chicken sausage. It’s a quick, easy, and delicious way to use your leftover spuds. Leftover Favorites We all have our favorite leftover recipes, but these two are always a big hit. They’re easy to make, and when you add in veggies and play with the ingredients a bit, the result is actually pretty healthy. First up: Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza. Swap out tomato sauce for cranberry, add whatever leftovers you’ve got for toppings, and you’ve got yourself a meal. Easy, healthy, delicious, and creative. Another fun option? A healthy twist on the classic grilled cheese. We totally get that Turkey Grilled Cheese might not sound like the healthiest thing to make with your leftovers, but it can be. Take it easy on the cheese, swap out white bread with sprouted grain, sourdough, or rye, add in tomatoes and pesto for veggies, and, of course, pile on some turkey for protein. Now you’ve got an easy-to-make, balanced meal that everyone will love. Eating leftovers will not only clear your overcrowded fridge, but it’s also a great way to have a more sustainable holiday, while also experimenting with some fun new recipes while you’re at it. We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving and get to try out some different ways to use your leftovers. (Image: Shutterstock)

Why You Should Eat Pumpkin Pie And Enjoy Every Calorie

Ask Keri: Pumpkin pie has a gazillion calories, and I’m trying to lose weight. Should I skip it? Keri Says: Pumpkin pie. Cranberry sauce. Stuffing. Mashed Potatoes. Butter. Butter. More butter. Thanksgiving is coming and you already have anxiety just thinking about the decadence that will be staring you in the face on the holiday table, right? You’re imagining the moment you’ll get to dig into your favorite pumpkin pie, topped with freshly whipped cream and surrounded by a crumbly, sweet, and buttery graham crust. You’ll “try to be good” and only have one bite. But when you wind up eating a whole piece, you won’t be able to enjoy it because you’ll immediately start kicking yourself for falling off the healthful path. You’ll say “I’ve blown it!” and maybe even have a second piece, because you know what? You “earned it.” And if everyone else can enjoy it then why can’t you? And you might as well enjoy everything on the table—twice—because Thanksgiving only comes once a year and you’ll just get back on track on Monday morning. Sound familiar? The next day, when you step on the scale, you’ll throw your hands up in the air and curse yourself for eating that “dang piece of pie!” and blame it for the extra pound you’re up or shame yourself for staying the same when you’re trying to lose. Just thinking about all of this negativity is exhausting, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you like to simply eat your favorite piece of pumpkin pie one day in your life and not feel bad about it? Don’t you want—more than anything—not to feel disgusted with yourself and unhappy in your body and eat that piece of pie in peace? That’s not asking too much, and you can have that right now. How to Actually Enjoy Your Pumpkin Pie THIS holiday season, you just gotta try it the Nutritious Life way, and turn it into YOUR way. The Nutritious Life way means that you’re always working hard at living your most Nutritious Life. Most of the time, it has you feeling good about your food, fitness, and wellness choices. There are things that are super easy for you to do (i.e. have your favorite salad at lunchtime) and there will always be areas you need to work a little harder on (i.e. getting yourself to the gym before work). This is normal, and you don’t beat yourself up for not being “perfect.” You just keep trying and improving. Are you working hard on all of your nutrition and wellness work 90% of the time? Good for you! If you’re truly doing great health and nutrition work 90% of the time, you should be… enjoying dessert, a glass of wine, or a savory treat a few times every week. These are what I call conscious indulgences. What is a Conscious Indulgence? A conscious indulgence is a planned treat that you add to your lifestyle only because it’s delicious, makes you happy, and is a part of being an empowered eater. So put that Nutritious Life hat on and change your thinking. Empowered You is now contemplating that same pie and thinking, “I cannot wait to eat a peace (pun intended) of my favorite pie! I’m going to savor every bite.” Empowered eaters can have their cake, pie, chips, or french fries and be satisfied once they’ve eaten it, rather than triggered to want more and more. This mindset reduces stress over food because there’s nothing illicit about the gravy. You planned on eating it. This is the Nutritious Life way—a mindset—deliberate, planned and empowered. Try it out. You’ll see that you’re really proud of your good work and savoring and enjoying your conscious indulgences, and the negative brain power is a forgotten memory. You’ll continue to reach your weight and health goals. Farewell to the Frustrated Old You. You like this You much more. Have a healthful and fabulous Thanksgiving (to make it utterly spectacular check out my healthy Thanksgiving menu). Enjoy your holiday and your conscious indulgence.