If you have been following along with the Healthy Life Project, it has been a look into my husband Matt's health and wellness journey.  Here are the other project updates if you need to catch up:  

Update #5 
Update #4
Update #3
Update #2
Update #1
The Beginning 

Matt has probably learned some valuable lessons from this project, but I have learned some lessons as well.  Most importantly, you cannot force someone to be excited about something.  I am always super pumped to try new healthy foods, participate in healthy activities, and soak in all the information I can about healthy living.  I realize that not everyone gets excited about these things like I do, but I was really hoping that my husband would jump on board.  

The point of this soliloquy is that Matt has not reached the point where he is so excited about fitness that he doesn't even want to eat junk food or skip the gym and sit on the couch.  And I can't make him get excited, he will need to reach that point on his own.  I'm certainly not saying that I am perfect- I have bad days too!  But I know in the end that I will usually choose health over bad habits, and won't let one junky meal or one skipped workout derail me forever.   

One of the issues that holds Matt back is emotional eating- the idea of turning to food for comfort in situations of anger, stress, or sadness.  For those of you that know Matt & I in person, you know that Matt is a journalist.  A few weeks ago, he took advantage of an opportunity at work to interview a nutritionist from a local hospital about emotional eating.  She has an amazing story of how she overcame emotional eating, and I wanted to share the interview because I know a TON of people deal with this to some extent.     

So in conclusion of the Healthy Life Project- there is no conclusion.  Healthy living is an ongoing journey, and you truly have to be ready to embark on it.  So whether you are crazy like me and obsessed with all things healthy living, or if you are just starting your journey, there is so much more to learn.  Let's do it together.     

Go ahead and call me crazy for posting a recipe for a hot, creamy, comforting dish on Memorial Day weekend.  But once you try this Brussel Sprout Mac & Cheese, you will understand why I couldn't wait to share this.  

The weather here is Pennsylvania is still pretty cool (I think we topped out at 65 degrees yesterday) so making a hot meal wasn't too ridiculous.  But even if you are in a warmer weather city, sometimes nothing is better than a hearty bowl of mac & cheese after a long day.    

My friend Carrie introduced me to one of her favorite blogs- Yummy Mummy Kitchen.  The recipes on the site looked SO good, I knew I needed to try one.  My Brussel Sprout Mac & Cheese was inspired by Yummy Mummy Kitchen's version, I didn't even make too many adjustments.  My modifications were really just to cut the portion size down since I'm only feeding 2 people.  

Before you tell me you don't like Brussel Sprouts- try them roasted!  Roasting the brussels really creates a delicious savory flavor. If you absolutely can't do it- this would probably be good with broccoli or cauliflower.  

Several months ago, I picked up a box of dates at a local market on a whim.  I wasn't sure what to do with them, but I knew I would probably like them since one of my favorite snacks- the Larabar- is made primarily of dates.  I used some of the dates to make Whole Foods Oat Date Bars- which were really good- but I was still craving a homemade version of that Larabar gooey deliciousness.  

So the dates sat in my cupboard until a visit from my mother-in-law, Sue, a few weeks ago.  Sue is famous for making me photocopies of random recipes she finds.  Parents do the silliest things, don't they??  The latest photocopied recipe I received was for Oatmeal Date Squares.  It seemed like fate that I should make them.   

Like I usually do, I adjusted the recipe to make it a bit healthier.  I wish I could give proper credit to the original writer of the Oatmeal Date Square recipe that inspired my creation, but my aforementioned photocopy just says "Healthy Heart Menus" and "Page 46" at the bottom.  So funny.     

I stored these Oat Date Bars in the fridge, and ate one every night for dessert.  Okay, maybe a few times I ate two.  But with the low amount of sugar and butter in these bars, they are definitely a better dessert option than a sugary sweet cookie or piece of cake.

Weekends can be a girl's worst nightmare when it comes to eating healthy- there are so many temptations!  Before I truly got a grasp on how to eat, I would diligently eat healthy during the week only to get derailed on the weekend.  Any progress I made during the week would be cancelled out by a weekend of overindulging.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I thought it would be fun to do a "day in the life" post about what I eat on a typical weekend.  I try to indulge a LITTLE bit, but still stay on track most of the time.  Here is a typical weekend of eats for me.        

Friday Night:  

The weather was beautiful last Friday, so Matt & I enjoyed a glass of wine and a grilled dinner.  I had an organic beef burger with foil pouch potatoes, a glass of red wine, and water of course.  And I may have gone back for another half glass of wine.  So good.    

Saturday:  
Random fact about me:  I wake up really early, but it takes me awhile to get moving.  My workweek is so rushed in the mornings, I like to ease into my day on the weekend.  A typical Saturday morning starts with a long leisurely dog walk, then I come home and make everyone breakfast.  

On the breakfast menu was a pancake made with Bob's Red Mill mix, topped with peanut butter, banana slices, and honey.  A big peanut butter & banana pancake is one of my favorite breakfasts ever, especially when it's followed by a big cup of coffee.  

Here is another random weekend fact:  I go to the gym at 10:30 am on Saturdays for either yoga or pilates.  I went to the grocery store immediately afterwards, so I packed a workweek granola bar to eat while I was driving between the gym and grocery store.  I knew that by the time I got the shopping done it would be almost 1 pm, and I would be starving if I didn't have a snack.  

While I was at the grocery store, I found myself drooling over the watermelon I spotted in the produce case with the already cut-up fruit.  I had to have it.  I ate two slices for lunch, along with a Morningstar Farm vegan burger.  Sadly, the watermelon was not that great.  Meh.  

After spending a busy afternoon doing household chores and taking a silly girl to the dog park, I thought that picking up some Panera takeout for dinner sounded like a great idea.  I got an iced coffee and my favorite Panera salad- the Thai Chopped Chicken Salad.  I can't seem to bring myself to order something else there, this salad is so good.

Sadie waited for me in the car while I was picking up food; when I returned to the car I found she had taken over my seat.  Sorry for the bad cell phone photography skills but I thought this was super cute.  I figured she wanted to drive us home.  :) 

Along with the Thai Chopped Chicken salad, I ate half of the whole grain baguette Panera serves on the side, and half of this ridiculous chocolate cookie.  It was super delish, but I also knew that it had over 400 calories so I couldn't bring myself to eat the whole thing.  Indulge a LITTLE, right?  

And that does it for my Friday and Saturday!  I do want to mention that part of eating healthy on the weekend is making sure to drink lots of water, especially if you are exercising or drinking adult beverages.  While I only photographed my wine and coffee, I also drank a ton of water on Friday and Saturday. 

I think you can see that I definitely eat yummy food on the weekend, but I have learned to find a better way of dealing with eating my favorite foods.  Instead of hitting up a greasy fast food hamburger joint- grill your own organic burger at home.  Instead of going to the grocery store hungry and overeating at lunch, plan ahead and pack a healthy snack.  It is possible to have a healthy weekend without feeling deprived, I promise!  

El Sol is one of my favorite Harrisburg restaurants- I love Mexican food.  I make a ton of Mexican inspired dishes at home, but sometimes I need to just go to a Mexican restaurant and chow down.    

I started my meal with a House Margarita on the rocks.  It was very refreshing, but a bit syrupy for my taste.  On previous visits I have ordered the Fresca Margarita or the Organic Margarita, which are both made without the sour mix.  The more natural versions taste much better to me, but I wanted to try the House since it costs $3 or $4 less than the Fresca or Organic Margarita.  I guess I'll be paying more next time for what I really want.  Sigh.

The margarita was ordered along with a glass of water- one of the rules I set for myself to create a healthier eating out experience is to drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink I have.  You can read more of my healthy eating out tips here.         

The food at El Sol was once again amazing, doesn't this look delicious?  My mom, Matt & I each ordered the taco trio; you get to choose three different tacos from a wide variety of taco options.  Pictured here are the fried fish, grilled fish, and chicken tacos.  Matt & my mom each got the fish, chicken, and some sort of beef option too.  

We all agreed that the chicken tacos were the best, the chicken was juicy and had just the right amount of spice.  The tomato salad and refried beans on the side were also delish.  I ate the fried fish taco, the chicken taco and the salad, but then I got really full.  I ate a few bites of the beans and the grilled fish taco so I could taste everything, but then Matt polished off the rest of the food for me.  

El Sol is a great place for fresh, delicious Mexican, but it probably isn't for everyone.  If you are someone who likes to sit down and binge on chips & salsa (you have to buy chips separately at El Sol) then eat a big pile of greasy food doused in cheese, this probably isn't for you.  But for me, having salsa, cilantro and onions on top of my food is right up my alley.                

It must be the warmer weather that's making me want salad for dinner.  I have been making dinner salads at least once a week lately, and they have been really yummy.  I definitely recommend doing a dinner salad on a hot day, or just a day when you are tired or crunched for time- dinner salads usually come together pretty quickly.  

I think that the key to making a delicious dinner salad is using a variety of ingredients, and making sure to add protein.  For me, no protein = starving an hour later.    

One of my favorite blogs to hit up for recipes is The Yummy Life, that's where I found the recipe for Everyday Italian Tossed Salad.  Everything I have made from The Yummy Life has been tasty and easy, so I knew this Italian salad would be too.  

I followed the recipe exactly as written for the salad portion, but I cut the salad dressing recipe in half- it was plenty for 4 servings.  I tossed half the salad with half the dressing in a big bowl for dinner, then I put the rest of the dressing & salad in containers to make packed lunches for Matt & I to eat at work the next day.  

Top your Italian Tossed Salad with a bit of tempeh, and you've got yourself a meal!  I cut the tempeh into smaller pieces so it seemed like little croutons of sorts.  So, so good.  Enjoy the warm weather friends, and make yourself a nice big dinner salad.  

A few weeks ago, my sister and I had a conversation about reducing the amount of meat that we eat.  I have been on my flexitarian journey for about a year, eating meat once every week or two.  I sometimes remember an old favorite meat dish that I used to eat all the time and think of how I can recreate it- like BBQ Chicken Pizza.  

No, this is not BBQ Chicken Pizza pictured here- but BBQ CAULIFLOWER PIZZA!  I'm not sure who started the whole BBQ pizza thing, but it became a favorite in my house after Matt & I ate a BBQ Chicken Pizza at California Pizza Kitchen when we were in Las Vegas.     

California Pizza Kitchen's flavor combination of BBQ sauce, cheese, cilantro & onion is a real winner.  Years ago, I started making my own version of the BBQ pizza using leftover Easy Crockpot Chicken, and oh man was it delicious.  I started to realize that it wasn't the actual chicken in the pizza I was craving, but the whole melty, cheesy, BBQ sauce flavor.  

So, if you are craving BBQ pizza but are trying to cut back on the meat, try this!  It turned out great and really did the trick for me.  The recipe below lists the amount of each ingredient I used, but you can modify the amount depending on your personal taste.  If you LOVE the BBQ sauce, use a lot!  If you like more onion, add more!  You get the idea.   

BBQ Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients for 4 servings:  
1 ball whole wheat pizza dough 
favorite BBQ sauce, about 1/2 a bottle
1 head fresh or 1 bag frozen cauliflower
shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, about 1/2 cup of each 
red onion, about 1/4 cup finely chopped 
fresh cilantro 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Chop the fresh cauliflower, or if you are using frozen defrost it in the microwave.  Place it on a nonstick foil-lined baking sheet, toss with some olive oil, then roast for about 30 minutes until done.

While cauliflower is cooking, prep the rest of the ingredients.  Roll out the pizza dough and stretch it out to fill your baking sheet or pizza stone; then chop your onions & cilantro.  Once the cauliflower is done, toss with a few spoonfuls of BBQ sauce to coat it.  Spread BBQ sauce on your pizza crust, then top with BBQ cauliflower, cheeses, and onion.  

Bake for about 20 minutes or until pizza crust is done and cheese is starting to brown.  Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then slice & serve hot.      

Lately I have really been loving falafel.  Falafel in a pita is one of my go-to takeout orders at Shab's Pita Stroller, but sometimes I like to create my own version of my favorite takeout at home.  I have made sweet potato kale falafel at home several times, which is super yummy, but I was craving a more traditional tasting version.     

After doing a bit of searching online, I found this falafel recipe to use as inspiration.  It looked easy and didn't have a crazy ingredient list- exactly what I wanted.  The falafel ended up being really good!  Flavorful, moist, and hearty.  For those of you new to falafel, I think of it as a Greek flavored vegetarian meatball.    

As usual, I modified the recipe based on what sounded good to me and what ingredients I had on hand.  Here is what I came up with:  

Homemade Baked Falafel

Ingredients: 
1 can chickpeas 
1/2 a large onion 
2 big handfuls fresh parsley
1 handful fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic 
1 egg 
2 teaspoons cumin 
2 or 3 shakes of hot sauce 
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt & pepper  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and prep a baking sheet by lining with nonstick foil.  Add onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic and lemon juice to food processor, pulse until finely chopped.  

In a bowl, mash chickpeas with a potato masher or fork, leaving a bit chunky.  Stir in the onion mixture and the rest of the ingredients, the mixture will be a bit sticky but should hold together.  Roll into balls, the mixture should make 12-16, depending on the size you like your falafel.  

Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray, then place falafel balls on the sheet.  Press each ball with a spoon to flatten into a disk-like shape.  Spray the top with cooking spray.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, flipping once, until nice & golden brown.    

The night I cooked this falafel, I also made a Greek-style quinoa salad.  I didn't love the salad, the falafel was definitely the star of the show.  Next time, I'll either put the falafel in a pita, or serve with a Mediterranean Salad.  

The falafel was so good, I ended up dipping a few extra pieces in avocado tahini sauce and gobbling it up.  Yum yum yum!       

This was my second visit to The Sturges Speakeasy- it's the new restaurant that was formerly Garrisons for you Harrisburg peeps.  Matt & I went for lunch, so I started off the meal with my one of my favorite day drinks- the Bloody Mary.  So yummy.  I <3 green olives in my Bloody.     

I was in the mood for something light- I love going out to lunch on the weekend, but I don't love feeling weighed down all day from eating too heavy of a meal.  I might be tempted to take after Sadie and spend my entire afternoon napping in the sun.  Which actually doesn't sound too terrible.  Anyway, back to the lunch.    

I ended up ordering an item off the weekly specials menu- it was lettuce wraps with shrimp, cabbage, corn, & black beans.  It tasted good but was a little TOO light.  I ended up needing a snack and eating a Greek yogurt when I got home.  In retrospect I should have ordered another small appetizer, they had a bunch of yummy looking ones on the menu.        

On the other hand, Matt ordered a huge pork belly sandwich that was also on the weekly specials menu.  He said it was really good, but was SO filling that he did end up taking a nap in the afternoon.  So, good for the taste buds, but not so good for the waistline.  

Sturges Speakeasy has different specials each week, which are definitely worth a try.  I really want to go back now that the weather is warmer because they have a nice looking upstairs patio.  Anyone else think that eating and drinking are automatically more enjoyable when done outside?   

Another yummy frittata recipe.  Seriously I can't get enough of these easy baked omelets.  Delicious, nutritious, and the combinations are endless.  I make many frittata variations, usually with whatever ingredients I have in the fridge that I need to use up.  

This combination features soy sausage.  I used the Gimme Lean soy sausage that comes in a log of sorts, but you can use your favorite soy sausage. Or if you are a meat eater, some lean chicken sausage would work here too.  

Just for fun, here are a few reasons I love frittatas:  

• I am super cheap and hate throwing away food.  This is a great way for me to use up veggies.   
• I love eggs for dinner, but I'm terrible at making omelets.  I have no idea how people do it.    
• Frittatas are really easy, but they look and sound fancy.  Saying you ate a frittata for dinner sounds so much classier than saying eggs for dinner- am I right?