I love that in summer there’s so much fresh fruit and vegetables available. All the colors and flavors make creating a recipe very playful.
I find it easier to eat healthy in summer; I naturally crave lighter food and eat lots of salads. And of course I want to be in shape when I go to the beach 
So I’m sharing a delicious and healthy fruit snack recipe with you that is super easy to make!
Enjoy the sun!
The last couple of days I was looking for something to substitute my lunch sandwich, something substantial, healthy and super tasty. I had given it much thought and when I was going to give it a try I knew exactly what I wanted and voila; the perfect recipe in one try!
These cucumber tuna boats are refreshing and delicious; they have a great crunch and are so flavorful!
I devoured three of them in the past 24 hours LOL. I had two cucumbers, which makes four boats; and had my South African friend Morne test one for me. I got the thumbs up! 
For four servings: ( takes les than 10 min. to make)
This could also be a great appetizer, just cut the boat up in bite size pieces!
Enjoy!
XO
What are you having for lunch today? If you haven’t decided yet.. go for something with salmon! There is no magic health pill, but if there was, it would certainly list salmon as an ingredient. Salmon is rich in omega-3 acids , the building blocks of nerve tissue and brain cells! Yep, It’s a smart choice
I used yogurt instead of cream cheese, very refreshing!
Spread some greek yogurt on your toast. Place a slice of smoked salmon on the yogurt, add the radish and sprinkle some chopped scallions or chives on top . Finish with some black pepper.
When I first moved from Holland to the United States, I discovered the difference in “Bread culture” after ordering my first ham and cheese sandwich at a deli. I couldn’t believe that there were four layers of ham and another four thick layers of cheese on a single sandwich!
When ordering a sandwich in Holland in one of the many deli’s (Broodjeszaak in Dutch) you get exactly one layer of whatever you ordered on your bread! I can only imagine the disappointment Americans must feel when they travel to Holland and order a sandwich They must think it’s a rip off!
Over the years I’ve always stuck with my one layer habit, usually a flavorful cheese like Gouda, sharp cheddar or brie on top of whole grain bread for lunch. But that doesn’t mean that my sandwiches are boring This is what I made today!
Spread a thin layer of your favorite butter or margarine on the toast. Layer the brie, apple, grapes and arugula ( in that order) and crack some pepper on top! Enjoy!
[ really_simple_share]
Who doesn’t like a good curry?! Have you ever made one yourself? This recipe is very easy to make! You have to get a few ingredients that you might not have in your pantry, like the fish sauce and curry paste but it’s worth getting. Once you try this curry, you’ll be hooked. My friends keep asking me to make this over and over again! :)
I love the sweetness of the pineapple in this curry, it makes this real comfort food. And I like to mob up the curry sauce with a whole wheat naan. I literally clean my plate with it; when I’m done eating you won’t find a trace… LOL
Last but not least; stir the pineapple in.
I usually eat this curry with brown rice but tried it with quinoa this time and it was really good too!
Inspired by a recipe of Kristy Bachelder on www.allrecipes.com
It’s Vegan Friday! I really enjoy cooking Vegan as I find most recipes inventive and inspiring. This time I made Krysten Jorgensen’s cauliflower rice with RAW cashew cheese. Wow…..both me and my taste buds are Impressed (while on fire)
This super healthy dish is so tasty and OMG, the cashew cheese is insane! One of the hardest things to give up being Vegan must be cheese, but this truly is a great replacement, and just to remind you….I’m Dutch!
I was surprised that hours after this delicious meal I still did not feel hungry. Later I found out why; the recipe was for two persons and I ate it all by myself! LOL!
Tip: There’s a LOT of garlic in this dish, so share it with the person you’re spending your day or evening with
Thanks for sharing this great recipe with MDE Krysten!
This recipe is for two people:
My dear friend Renee Carmody and her husband Nick are visiting from Colorado. They are both “foodies” and I looked forward their visit as I knew that we would be catching up on life over lots of delicious food
Renee loves seafood so I took her to Casablanca, a fish market in Miami that sells a variety of fresh fish and seafood. Renee walked around like a kid in a candy store and bought; scallops, crab, octopus and salmon. I had never prepared crab or octopus before so I watched her closely and asked Renee to share her recipe with “Models DO eat”.
The great thing about cooking with friends is that you get to know them better by joining them on a journey into their food universe. Food brings people together as it allows us to share an important part of ourselves and show how much we care.
“Love your friends, cook them a meal.”
Grilled Maryland blue crab (For 3-4)
Grilled baby octopus ( Side dish for 3-4)
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Have you ever been to Morocco? If you haven’t and want to experience it, keep reading I traveled to Morocco for several modeling jobs and it was truly an amazing experience. The country is beautiful and the food is unique and delicious. Whenever I eat this dish, my mind instantly wonders off to the little streets of Marrakech with it’s picturesque restaurants.
The aromatic, slightly bitter taste of cumin and the sweetness of the raisins and cinnamon combined with a crispy salad of cucumber, red union and tomato’s. All these distinct flavors of the Moroccan kitchen truly make my mouth water every time I prepare this.
I just love the fact that couscous is so versatile, quick and easy to prepare (10 min). You’re always guaranteed of great results with minimum effort I always stir in a little butter when the couscous is done to enrich the flavor and make it less dry.
Prepare this dish whenever you want to impress your loved one or guests, or if you feel like treating yourself to something special.
Inspired by a recipe on www.foodnetwork.com
The tuna melt is truly an old time favorite sandwich and today I really craved one. I decided to create a healthier variation of this classic sandwich by adding veggies and substituting mayonnaise with Vegenaise. ( I got it at Whole foods)
It’s not easy to please a Dutchie if it comes to a mayonnaise alternative, but I was pleasantly surprised with how close the Vegenaise flavor comes to my favorite Dutch Mayo! It’s egg-free and all natural made with expeller-pressed canola oil, brown rice syrup and apple cider vinegar and contains omega-3 fatty acids, which turns me into an even bigger fan
Tuna is a solid source op protein, which is a vital component in any diet as it’s designed to help build muscle tissue and lose body fat. Canned tuna is cheap and fast to prepare and virtually carb- and fat free! Did I mention tuna is good source of Omega-3 as well ??LOL!! Tuna has it all!
I usually make this sandwich with young Gouda cheese but since I was out of Gouda I made it with a slice of Brie, which turned out to be delicious!!!!
Put the tuna in a bowl.
Finely chop the red union and the bell pepper and mix it in the tuna.
Stir in the Vegenaise.
Season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
Toast the bread and put two slices of cheese on it. (If you like to melt the cheese put it in a heated oven for a minute or two)
Place the collard green on top of the cheese.
Slice a small carrot in two and lay them on opposite sides on the slice of bread.
Add the tuna mixture in the middle of the carrots and place the other piece of bread on top.
Take a BIG bite and…. Enjoy!
1 Whole-wheat naan bread
1 can tuna in water, drained
2 slices of cheddar/ young gouda/ Brie cheese
1 ½ tbsp vegenaisse
1 tbsp red union
¼ cup red bell pepper
collard green
1 small carrot
Salt & pepper
drain the water out of the can, I open up the lit, press it down and hold it up side down in the sink; this way the water will run out.
I really enjoy developing new recipes and modifying existing ones. Every recipe goes through rigorous testing before it receives the label; “Model Approved’ and earns a spot on the blog. I’m very selective and only the best recipes survive
Last Sunday I prepared a wonderful bean salad with avocado, grape tomato’s, corn, onion and a refreshing lime dressing. As I was snapping some pics of my creation my sweet dog Sky came over and sniffed around to see what’s cooking.
Her eyes were definitely asking me if she could please sample the food for me. My eyes warned her that this is NOT doggie food LOL. She laid down close to the bowl as she releases a sigh of disappointment, eying the salad while licking her lips, so cute. I think that Sky agrees; this bean salad is approved
Health fact: Beans are little fat burning machines! They’re high in fiber, aid digestion and have numerous other health benefits. Beans also quickly satisfy your appetite and are a low calorie food.
Do I need to say more? Go beans!!!
This bean salad is a great side dish; grilled chicken or beef would go well with this!
I like to make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it for a while. Leftovers can be eaten the next day (the lime juice acts as a preservative) just refrigerate.
I used pinto beans for this recipe but feel free to use black or red beans or a mix of them.
