easy peanut sauce

A quick, easy, Asian-inspired peanut sauce. I'm not the biggest peanut butter fan, but this sauce is still one of my favorites!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Tbs. your favorite peanut butter
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1/2 Tbs. hoisin sauce

• 1 1/2 Tbs. water
• A dash of chili garlic sauce
• A splash of lime juice

1. Pour all ingredients into a bowl and stir vigorously until everything is well combined
2. Adjust flavors and spiciness to your liking
3. Serve as a dipping sauce with fresh spring rolls, or pour on top of a stir fry or noodle bowl

grilled brussels skewers

Summertime is BBQ-time, and if you're looking for a crowd pleaser, try these brussels sprouts skewers, 'cause they're seriously amazing!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. brussels sprouts
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 package wooden skewers

1. Place the skewers in a large dish & cover them with water to soak while you prep everything else & heat up the grill
2. Toss together the brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt & pepper in a large mixing bowl or plastic bag
3. When the sprouts are evenly coated with the oil & spices, slide them onto the skewers
4. Place the skewers on a hot grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side
5. When perfectly blackened, serve them up & dig in! Yum!

erin's favorite salad

Salads can be seriously boring, but this one is full of color, texture & flavor. This is my absolute favorite, go-to salad, and I could eat it everyday.

Ingredients:

• 2 large kale leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup red cabbage chopped
• 1 carrot shredded

• 1 Tbl. ground flax seed
• 1 tsp. your favorite spice or dried herb
• 2 Tbl. your favorite salad dressing

1. Chop, shred, measure, grind, and get all the ingredients prepped
2. Combine the veggies, flax, and spices in a bowl or on a plate and top with dressing
3. Grab a fork and dig in!

* If you're looking to add some protein, top off your salad with 1/2 cup beans, hard-boiled egg, or a sliced Boca chik'n patty :)

slow cooker lentils & veggies

Crock pot cooking isn't just for the winter months! Throw everything in, go to work, and come home to a hot, tasty meal without having to heat up the kitchen. Lentils & veggies? Yes please.

Adapted from this Lentil & Veggie Stew recipe on Skinny Ms.

Ingredients:

• 1 large garlic clove diced
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 4 carrots sliced
• 3/4 onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery sliced
• 12 oz frozen green beans

• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 3 cups low-sodium tomato juice
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup dry lentils

1. Prepare all the ingredients by chopping the vegetables & measuring out the spices & liquids
2. Place everything except the lentils into the crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours
3. After 8-10 hours-ish, add in the lentils and cook for 1 more hour
4. When the lentils are tender, adjust the liquid and/or seasoning to your liking & dig in! - I like my portion served with hot sauce :)

frozen yogurt popsicles

I broke out my popsicle molds for the first time last week, and I can already tell that these frozen yogurt pops are going to be my obsession for the summer!

Ingredients:

• your favorite yogurt- I used Chobani non fat Greek yogurt, since it was on sale at the store :)
• popsicle sticks
• popsicle molds or dixie cups

1. Peel the lid off the yogurt and stir it up until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined
2. Pour the yogurt into the popsicle molds or dixie cups and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes
3. After 30 minutes, shove a popsicle stick into the middle of the yogurt & leave them in the freezer overnight
4. When you want a frozen treat, run the mold or cup under hot water & remove the yogurt pop

Seriously, I'm obsessed. They're healthy, easy to make, and the perfect summertime treat. I can't wait to spend the next few months experimenting with different flavors! Any suggestions?

friday's fave 5: japan travels

Traveling to a new country is always exciting & my recent trip to Japan already has me wistfully thinking of some of my my favorite things

1. Seeing one-of-a-kind places. Itsukushima-jinja in Miyajima was absolutely stunning, and totally unique- unlike anything I've ever seen before
2. Trying new experiences- I rode my first electric bike all over the island of Naoshima & it was a blast!
3. Seeing old friends & making new ones- Matt, Michael & I were college roommates, and getting to reunite in Japan was way too much fun ;)
4. The FOOD! Is there anything better than eating in a foreign country? We ate so many strange & amazing things, but one of my favorite items was the tofu! This one was soft, creamy & layered. Yum!
5. THE DRINK! Matcha, Sake, green tea & beer. Maybe it's the experience, or maybe it's because it's so fresh, but everything just tastes better when you're traveling

After such an amazing adventure, it's always hard to get back to normal life. Luckily, I have lots of photos and tasty memories that will get me through until the next exploit :)

friday's fave 5: leftover Easter eggs

Easter celebrations usually mean leftover hard-boiled eggs, and while there are 100 ways to eat them, here are just a few of my favorites

1. Top half a whole wheat bagel or english muffin with chopped egg & a sprinkle of salt & pepper
2. Slice up an egg and place it on top of your favorite big, leafy salad for some added protein
3. Mix up diced egg with a little onion, salt, pepper & Vegenaise for a quick & easy egg-salad that's great between toast with lettuce
4. Place slices of hard-boiled egg on top of your pizza! Sounds weird, but it's totally delicious :)
5. And finally, don't forget about plain- grab an egg for a post-workout snack or a quick breakfast on-the-go. All the fancy stuff is fun, but hard-boiled eggs are awesome all on their own too.

What's your favorite way to eat those leftover hard-boiled eggs?