Time feels like it’s flying this year! I looked at my desk calendar and noticed that I had an upcoming business trip to Seattle, a city I have never been before.

Of course I had to Google the town, its attractions and more importantly, the healthy eateries near by.

My coworkers don’t mind that I choose our dinner spots because my palette is diverse, I love all food, and always keep everyone in consideration.

As I browsed the online menus, I notice lots of seafood joints, typical steakhouses, oooo…. an African restaurant and one that fit me perfectly…. a cafe called “JUICE IT“.

According to Google maps, JUICE IT was only a few blocks from my hotel, and one block from where I was working.

Yay!

So I took a 7:30 am flight out from Philly airport (go Phillies!) and landed in Seattle by noon. I made it to my hotel, unpacked, put my warm boots on and trucked around the city.

The weather was cloudy, a little breezy and in the mid 50s. For a change, the lack of sun made it feel relaxing and peaceful.

Anyway, so as I walked around I came across this funky food vendor that served pulled pork and grilled veggie sandwiches. I loved the design of the Maximus Minimus mobile, but I wasn’t in the mood to stuff my belly with grease so I kept it moving.

Everyone seemed to point me to the direction of the famous PIKE STREET MARKET, so I headed over to check it out.                  

It was soooo cute! The market place featured hundreds of vendors including fresh seafood, fruits and veggies, pastries, nuts and candy, arts and crafts, and even live music!

The sight of fresh everything triggered my appetite, so I decided to find this “JUICE IT” place.

After a few blocks of walking, I finally arrived at the Convention Center where I saw a sign for the eatery. It wasn’t visible from the street, but arrows pointed me into the basement of the building and there it was!

It was a little quaint cafe that displayed its menu on a chalk display.

Hmmm…. What should I get?

I heard a few people order a rice bowl and others requested fresh juices. Since it was around 3 pm then, I decided to keep it light and order their “Cleansing Juice” with my own twist.

It was my turn in line, and a beautiful glowing girl smiled and asked for my order. Of course, I always add a twist to my orders but she was sweet enough to cater to anything I wanted.

This concoction consisted of Carrot, kale, beet, cucumber, apple, wheatgrass and ginger. I added a scoop of whey protein to make it a mini meal and to fill me up until dinner time.

I was so intrigued by this little spot and sparked up a conversation with the staff. The glowing juicer girl was actually the owner. She introduced herself as Abigail and revealed that she had owned this place for 15 years! What! She looked like she was in her mid, to late 20s… wow… maybe the Juice is keeping her young and radiant.

When my juice was done, I thanked everyone and assured them that I would return in the next few days.

A few hours later, my hunger struck again and I couldn’t help but crave that Juice cafe again. Oh well, I’m going for it!

“You’re back!” Abigail smiled and asked what I would like. I noticed a Wild Salmon rice bowl that sounded tempting and delicious so I asked her opinion.

“It’s yummy! And light!”…. as she put her hands on her hips and swayed side to side. ha ha.. what a bubbly chick! I like this one!

Ok.. yummy and light are two words that perfectly describe good Ghada food so I ordered it…

In just a few minutes, Abigail handed me a brown paper to-go box with my meal inside. I sat at one of the tables outside and opened my package to dig in.

Mmmmm…. Interesting concoction!

On the bottom was a perfect portion of cozy steamed brown rice, topped with smoked wild salmon, then topped with cucumbers, sweet peppers, cabbage,broccoli, carrots, spinach and finally topped with lemon dill sauce.

Wow… what a delicious little rice bowl! I had to go back in and give the staff props on their delicious food and discuss their menu.

Before I left, Abigail reached into a glass case and pointed to a few homemade raw desserts. I had a choice of cranberry oats, coconut, peanut butter or magic chocolate… hmmmm… let’s do coconut!

All I thought was.. I wish I could take this whole place home with me!

For the next 4 days, I stopped in at least twice a day to order a Cleansing Juice and my Wild Salmon rice bowl. The fresh ingredients and atmosphere were so addictive and kept me wanting to come back for more.

Before I left to head back to Philly, I made sure to grab Abigail’s info so we can keep in touch. I felt like I truly found a hidden treasure.

If you’re in the Seattle area, and you’re looking for fresh, light and healthy food, please stop by JUICE IT. I promise you’ll thank me!

Click here to check out their menu!

Tune in this Sunday and I’ll teach you how to make a similar version of this delicious Wild Salmon bowl!

I was recently in Dewey Beach, Delaware for a Pop music festival and stumbled upon a local bar that served bison burgers. Being familiar with Bison meat and its “better than beef” claims, I decided to order their Bison beef slider special.  After three delicious sliders made it down to my belly, I still felt light, unlike the sluggish feeling I get after a fatty beef burger.

Like I mentioned earlier this week, wild meats like bison contain less saturated fat than your typical red meat. So if you’re looking for a healthier option then try picking some wild meat at your local butcher or market.

Check out this easy recipe to make a lean, mean Bison Burger!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground bison meat
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1 Egg
• Salt n peppa

Preparation:

• Mix all ingredients together
• form your patties and refrigerate for an hour
• Grill it up!

Enjoy this lean bison patty on a whole grain roll or wrap it in a lettuce leaf if you’re watching your carbs. The topping combinations are endless so get creative. Some of my favorite toppings are sauteed onions, mushrooms, blue cheese crumbles and some pungent swiss cheese.

Just because you’re watching your weight, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste.

Enjoy life!

This week we’re going to learn how to throw a bunch of ingredients together to make a vegetarian friendly, protein-packed meal that is low in fat and calories. Summer is around the corner, so I’ll try my best to showcase healthy, light fare meals until then. After the summer months, I’ll hook you up with some delicious heartier recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 can chick peas
• Few green onions/ scallions
• 3 cloves of garlic/ minced
• 1 tomato
• 3 celery stalks
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• few mint leaves
• Bunch of parsley
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Lettuce leafs (round lettuce)
• Salt n Peppa

Preparation:

• chop your scallions, garlic, tomato, celery, parsley and mint
• pour your chickpeas on top
• dress your mix with lemon juice, olive oil and salt n peppa
• scoop your salad into a lettuce leaf and serve

If you’re a true Greek Food lover, then serve this along side a perfectly roasted leg of lamb or chops. Click here if you want to make my award winning lamb recipe!

Love,

Ghada

Hi Smallworld Beauties!

Nutrition is a very important factor in the “Love Your Life” program. I have created a guide that can be easily applied to your lifestyle, and easy enough to maintain for life.

By following the “Love Your Life” nutrition plan, you will not only notice a boost of energy and self confidence, but you may also start noticing a reduction in your waistline. Everyone’s results will vary depending on their level of activity, and caloric intake versus output.

Before you start, you should take a minute to make a promise to yourself. Promise that will do the best you can to love your body and life because YOU deserve it. Promises will help motivate you to stay on track.

Did you make your promise? If yes, then you are ready to start!

The “Love your Life” program consists of 5-6 nutritious small meals instead of 3 enormous ones!

* Think of your new body as an engine that you must feed every few hours to keep it running at its best. By fueling your body this way, you will feel more energetic; feel less likely to binge on huge portions of food, and less likely for your body to store fat from excess calories.

 * A key to making this program work is planning and pre-packing your meals. I like to dedicate a few hours on Sunday to make most of my mini meals so that I don’t have to worry about taking time out of my busy work week. Pre-packing also prevents me from overeating and overspending. I also like to keep a journal of foods consumed and physical activity performed. 

* Here is a sample menu that you may follow. Feel free to customize it to better suit your taste buds. The times will vary depending on your schedule so feel do adjust your eating times and remember to allow 2-3 ½ hours between each little meal. 

Do refer back to the “Love Your Life” Grocery list if you need more ideas for fruits, veggies, protein, carbs and healthy fats.

Breakfast: 7 am EAT LIKE A QUEEN

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz 1 egg & 4 egg whites

* 1 serving of complex carbs ½ cup oatmeal

* 1 serving of healthy fat 1 tbsp olive oil

* 1 serving of fruit 1 cup frozen berries

* 1 serving of veggies 1 cup spinach

* 1 cup of tea/ coffee green tea w/stevia

* Midmorning Snack: 9:30 am

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz protein shake w/ water

* 1 serving of fruit or veggies 1 small apple

 

Lunch Noon

EAT LIKE A PRINCESS

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz grilled chicken

* 1 serving of complex carbs 1 cup brown rice

* 1-2 servings of Veggies 2 cups green beans

* 1 serving of hea0lthy fat ¼ medium avocado

* Afternoon Snack 3:00 pm

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz 2 tbsp hummus

* 1 serving of veggies 1 cup celery and carrot sticks

 

Dinner 6:30 pm

EAT LIKE A PEASANT

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz broiled salmon

* 1-2 servings of veggies 2 cups asparagus

* 1 serving of complex carbs 1 medium sweet potato

 

 Late night Snack (only if needed) 1 cup plain yogurt w/stevia

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz 2 slices turkey or protein shake

* 1 serving of veggies 1 cup broccoli

 

Here’s one more!

* Breakfast: 7 am EAT LIKE A QUEEN

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz 4 strips Turkey Bacon

* 1 serving of complex carbs 1 medium sweet potato

* 1 serving of healthy fat 1 tbsp coconut oil

* 1 serving of fruit 1 cup blueberries

* 1 serving of veggies (optional) 1 cup brocolli

* 1 cup of tea/ coffee green tea w/stevia

* Midmorning Snack: 9:30 am

* 1 serving of protein 1 oz almonds

* 1 serving of fruit or veggies 1 medium pear

* Lunch  Noon  EAT LIKE A PRINCESS

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz canned salmon

* 1 serving of complex carbs 1 cup Bulgur

* 1-2 servings of Veggies 2 cups asparagus

* 1 serving of hea0lthy fat 1tbsp flaxseed oil

* Afternoon Snack 3:00 pm

* 1 serving of protein low fat cottage cheese

* 1 serving of veggies 1 cup sweet red peppers

* Dinner 6:30 pm EAT LIKE A PEASANT

* 1 serving of protein 3-5 oz 1 turkey burger w/ low fat

* 1-2 servings of veggies 2 cups mixed vegetables

* 1 serving of complex carbs whole wheat bun

 

* Late night Snack (only if needed)

* 1 serving of protein protein shake w/ water

* 1 serving of veggies 1 cup snap peas

The “Love your Life” program is sweet and simple.

 

You will notice that your mini meals will feel bigger than they are and that you will not be as hungry the longer you remain on the program.  Do pay attention to the increase of energy and the desire to engage in more physical activity.

 

On the “Love your Life” program, you may enjoy a day of moderate cheating. For example, I have dedicated Saturday as my cheat day. I prefer to cheat during lunch so I can have time to burn off the extra calories by bedtime.

 

After a few months of being on this program, you will notice that your body craves excellence and that you may not want to cheat. If I do cheat, I usually indulge in baked potatoes, white pizza slices or homemade tiramasu.

 

Now that I have given you a few tips on how to customize your meals, grab your journal and start planning your new healthy life, filled with nutritious food. In addition to tracking food and exercise, try to pay attention to your emotions and mental health.

 

I’m so happy that you have agreed to give the “Love your Life” program a try, and I look forward to hearing about your progress!

 

Love,

Ghada