Ginger Shrimp and Chard Stir Fry
Monday night I had a lot on my plate (no pun intended) and needed a quick dinner. I had planned to make Ginger Shrimp and Chard Stir Fry over brown rice, but last minute changed my mind and used Tasty Bite Asian Kung Pao Noodles instead! This was the first time I ever bought this pre-made microwaveable pouch of fresh cooked noodles and vegetables tossed with peanuts in a Kung Pao sauce and I have to say, I was actually quite impressed! The noodles were completely vegan with plenty of delicious pronounceable ingredients including wheat noodles...
read moreSlow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Tacos
On a busy day, my best friend is my crockpot. Nothing is better than coming home to a dinner that has been cooking itself while you’ve been away! After seeing Rick Bayless at the Good Food Festival last month, I grabbed one of his Frontera Seasoning Sauces at the grocery store last week to give it a try! I went with the Red Chile Barbacoa Slow Cook Sauce, a roasted tomato and ancho chile sauce that transforms beef chuck roast into a phenomenal barbacoa right in your slow cooker! And who doesn’t love a good barbacoa when it’s topped with...
read moreThe Biggest Loser Casting in Chicago, May 4th!
I have some exciting news! The Biggest Loser is casting here in Chicago for Season 15! When and Where? Saturday, May 4th @ 10AM-6PM Planet Fitness 3120 N. Pulaski Road (Pulaski and Belmont) Chicago, IL60641 What do I need to know ahead of time? Come Prepared: Visit www.thebiggestlosercasting.com to apply. Although you have the option of submitting a video, The Biggest Loser team prefers meeting you in person at an opening casting call – so be sure to attend on May 4th here in Chicago! Pre-registration is not mandatory if...
read moreQuinoa Oat and Pecan Veggie Burger
I’m always on the search for new and innovative ideas for veggie burgers! This one features red quinoa giving it a fabulous chewy and crunchy texture that I absolutely loved. However, with the added bun, it felt a little carbohydrate heavy, so next time I would be perfectly happy crumbling it over a salad instead! Print Recipe Quinoa Oat and Pecan Veggie Burger Serves 6 Adapted from Eating Well Ingredients: 1 cup water 1/2 cup red quinoa 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup...
read moreSaturday Fresh Picks!
Good morning! The rain has finally stopped and the sun is shining! After returning from crossfit yesterday morning, my second order from Irv and Shelly’s Fresh Picks had arrived! We nearly used up all of the produce from the last order, so I went ahead and ordered another fruit and veggie box! I am loving having this little surprise arrive every weekend! Here is what we got: 1 bunch Swiss chard, 1 bunch lettuce, 1 grapefruit, 1 small head red cabbage, 1 sweet potato, 1 lime, 3 parsnips, 1 bag burdock root, 6 oranges, 3 Granny Smith...
read moreGood Food Festival 2013
Back in March over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, I took my mom to the Good Food Festival at the UIC Forum! We spent all day walking around, consuming countless samples, and learning as much as we could from local farmers and vendors. While we arrived early to beat the crowds, the UIC forum quickly became a busy and happening place! We stopped by to see the Chefs at Play Demos and caught a glimpse of Rick Bayless and Carrie Nahabedian of Naha. We missed Paul Virant of Perennial Virant, but I was just at his restaurant last year for...
read moreHalibut with Garlic Almond and Caper Sauce
Halibut was on crazy sale last weekend at Whole Foods, so I couldn’t help but cook some up for dinner last Sunday night! Instead of brown rice, I made a quick salad with Boston lettuce, watercress, radish, and avocado to serve the fish over. The weather in Chicago was finally a beautiful spring 60 degrees, so Will and I went for a quick 30 minute run out by the lake to enjoy it before enjoying dinner and a night of Game or Thrones! Print Recipe Halibut with Garlic Almond and...
read moreSage French Toast with Apples and Maple Chicken Sausage
Friday night’s Crossfit workout really beat me up. 21 Overhead Squats (@ 65#) 42 Pull-ups 15 Overhead Squats (@ 65#) 30 Pull-ups 9 Overhead Squats (@ 65#) 18 Pull-ups All in under 15 minutes… So it’s no wonder why I haven’t been able to move my arms all weekend. I even slept in until noon on Sunday…quite unlike me. So Sunday brunch was a little later in the afternoon than planned, but nevertheless, I got cooking! Sage French toast with apples and maple chicken sausage with orange juice and a fruit salad of kiwi and...
read moreUrbio
It’s been a long time coming…the official reveal of our Urbio vertical garden! We bought the materials for this project in January, hung the components in February, and just a couple weeks ago, in honor of the first day of spring, finally planted it! There were two things we had to consider when deciding on plants for our garden – light and water. With our west facing windows, we get a ton of indirect sunlight hitting our living room in the late afternoon making it a bright and particularly warm place. Also, the Urbio planters don’t...
read moreIrv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks
I’ve been wanting to join a CSA for a while now, but the logistics of it (cost, amount of food, product predictability, etc.) have been holding us back for years. Until last week. When a friend of mine recommended Irv and Shelly’s Fresh Picks! I actually spoke with a Fresh Picks at the Good Food Festival about my concerns (delivery to someone living in a high rise, produce substitution options, etc.) and quickly became confident that this was a system that would totally work with out lifestyle! Irv and Shelly live in Chicago and...
read moreAbout Me
My name is Amari Cheffer and I am a Registered Dietitian, blogger, and food enthusiast! I started blogging back in 2009 to document my lifelong love affair with food and nutrition. I am a licensed Registered Dietitian with a Master's in Nutrition Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Things I hate most include tasteless diet foods, excuses, hopeless weight-loss advice, and quitters. If you have time to breathe, you have time to eat healthy. It's all about problem solving and planning ahead for your one-of-a-kind lifestyle.
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