I always have to remind my clients – carbs are not always the enemy! Carbs are fuel for your body (more so than protein) and you need them to power through your workouts. However, you still want to limit your carbs to 1 small serving 2-3 times a day with meals and try to chose complex carbs (whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc) vs. white pasta, white rice, etc. I love pasta and if I’m going to have it – I usually try to have it with lunch or a small portion (with some protein) for a mini meal during the day. You can definitely have it with dinner – but make sure you have a good protein source and don’t overdo it. Also, if you are having alcohol or wine with dinner – you should really try to keep your dinner mostly veggies and protein since alcohol is a carb.
I found a great spring recipe from Martha Stewart and tweaked it a little to make it a little healthier. I swapped the heavy cream for Greek yogurt and used whole wheat pasta. Add in grilled shrimp, chicken or fish to add some extra protein. You can have this cold (great for lunches) or hot.
Spring Pasta with Peas and Arugula
Ingredients
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 12 ounces farfalle pasta (use whole wheat to make healthier)
- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt (vs. heavy cream)
- 1/3 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 bunch (5 ounces) arugula, tough stems removed, chopped (*you could also substitute kale!)
Directions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; add peas 1 minute before end of cooking. Drain; return pasta and peas to pot.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine Greek yogurt and broth (you can add a small amount of milk if it’s too thick) on low to medium heat; simmer until thickened slightly, 2-4 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted.
- Add sauce to pasta and peas; toss to combine.
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to pasta along with arugula; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and serve immediately.
This year I decided to come up with a healthy twist on a party favorite: Fried Mozzarella Sticks. I love 
I am still a little scared to make seafood at home because I can never seem to cook it correctly! However, I’ve finally mastered how to cook sea scallops, so I thought I’d share my favorite recipe!
Happy 4th! I hope you guys are all having a fit and healthy holiday week! In case you are looking for some sweet treats or a cocktail – here are a few that won’t wreck your clean diet. 
A few weeks ago I found this amazing Kale and Cranberry Salad at Whole Foods (on their salad bar) that was very light and had an great combination of flavors. But, the last few times I’ve been to the store they don’t have it : ( only other variations that don’t seem quite as tasty. So, last night I decided to just buy all the ingredients myself and try to create something similar on my own. I don’t know if these are the exact ingredients – but it turned out very similar. I think the sesame oil and orange juice (you can use lemon) takes the bitter taste out of the kale. Let the oil and citrus mixture sit on the kale while you chop and prepare the other ingredients. I also chilled my salad for about 15 minutes before serving and it helped the flavors combine better. If you aren’t a fan of raw kale or kale salad, try this other cooked kale recipe 
