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!
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.
A lemon a day keeps the doctor away! From digestion aid to wrinkle fighter, Lemon is one of those super foods with a myriad health and cosmetic benefits.
I squeeze lemon in my water, sprinkle it over my salad and add it to my veggie juice and for this recipe I mixed it into my yogurt. It’s an easy thing to add to your routine, little effort big results 
Greek yogurt makes a good snack, especially when sweetened with honey. It’s a healthy and satisfying treat that will keep you slim!
I had this for breakfast the other day and I might serve it as a dessert next
Mix the honey an lemon juice into the yogurt. Top it of with sliced kiwi, strawberry and shredded mint leaves.
Have a great weekend! XO
I was surprised to find out that my favorite “healthy” granola has a lot of sugar in it even though it’s named, innocently on the label as “Evaporated cane juice“. Evaporated cane juice is supposed to be a healthy alternative to refined sugar, but I prefer not to have added sugar to my breakfast. So I decided to make my own version I mixed a few cups rolled oats with raisins, dried apricot and dried mango + sunflower and pumpkin seeds.The dried fruit make it taste nice and sweet and when I eat this muesli with hemp milk or yogurt I feel like a winner!
The great thing about making your own muesli is that you get to pick all your favorite flavors. I’m already thinking what I’m going to be making next…! Coconut..dried banana.. Hmmm..
When you make your own muesli make sure you buy “unsulfured” dried fruit (no sugar added). Sulfur dioxide is a preservative to help retain the original fruit color, but it’s not healthy.
Take control over your sugar intake! One spoon less at a time
My friend Krysten Jorgensen from the blog “The Daily Kale” is going to share some of her delicious vegan recipes with MDE on Vegan Fridays! She created “ The Daily Kale” initially for her mom who lives on the other side of the country but her healthy recipes and tips inspire many others including me.
Krysten explains: I became very interested with health, when I realized that my family history (health wise) is not a good one. And at the rate I was going, drinking soda, eating fast food, etc. I would’ve continued that history. I realized that just because my family’s health history is not the best one- it does NOT mean that has to be mine. I’m not destined to have heart problems, diabetes, bad cholesterol, etc. I can change all of these things and I change it with food! Because it all starts there; “Let food be thy medicine“.
This brownie recipe is raw and vegan, I made it yesterday and boy it’s ridiculously good! I had friends over for dinner and we all went for seconds and added a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some cinnamon! It feels SO good knowing that these brownies are nutritious too; You’re mainly eating nuts, dates, avocado and cacao powder! You don’t actually taste the avocado, it creates the mousse-like consistency.
First: Put all the ingredients for the crust in a food processor and when it’s really fine place the mixture in a cake form or dish. Press onto the mixture with a flat spoon or your fingers until it feels solid and make an even surface.
Second: Put all the ingredients for the icing in a food processor and when it’s smooth spoon it onto the crust.
Third: Indulge
(I put it in the freezer for a while to make it more firm; easier to cut squares out of it)
Krysten thanks SO much for sharing this recipe with MDE!
Check out Krysten’s blog: www.facebook.com/TheDailyKale
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.
This morning I made Orange honey yogurt with flaxseed and cinnamon for breakfast…..what a yummy start of my day! Most ready-made fruit yogurts in the supermarket tend to be high in added sugar and preservatives, compromising the overall nutritional value. The picture on the front often looks promising but when looking at the ingredients I’ll pass. I like fruit yoghurt for breakfast or have it as a snack, so I usually purchase plain yogurt and add my own flavor.
Today I mixed my freshly squeezed orange juice with 2% Greek yogurt. I sweetened it with honey (great antioxidant) instead of sugar and added flaxseed and a little bit of cinnamon.
TIP: It’s a great idea to always have a bag of ground Flaxseed in your kitchen. Flaxseed is a perfect non-animal source of Omega-3 fatty acids and mixes great with dough for baked goods, pancakes, smoothies etc.
It only took me five minutes to make a breakfast that will last me until lunch.
Try this yummy breakfast and let me know if you like it!
Poor the yogurt in a bowl, stir in the orange juice until it has a smooth consistency.
Add the honey; start with a little less than a tablespoon, sample it and mix in a little more until you find your “sweet’ spot.
MIx in the flaxseed and sprinkle some cinnamon on top.
A very good morning to you!
I love slurping away on a good, healthy smoothie for breakfast, lunch or as a snack in between meals. My favorite smoothies are sweet with a thick & creamy consistency. I like to use yoghurt or milk as a base but I’ve been searching for a way to replace dairy without compromising taste…..and I found it!
This smoothie is totally dairy-free but still has the creamy texture I love so much. Raw, unsalted cashews bring the “smooth” to this smoothie while providing a wealth of minerals and amino acids.
Cashew nuts are an invaluable ingredient in many raw vegan creamy desserts. I even use them as a substitute for heavy cream in some of my soup recipes.
For the best result, use a powerful blender such as a Vitamix to prepare this smoothie.
Enjoy!
When I was 17 years old, I moved to Milan to start my modeling career. The parents of my best Italian friend owned a fruit store and every time I went to visit, his parents told me that I could bring home whatever I wanted. They only had to tell me once! You should have seen me; like a kid in a candy store, collecting the juiciest peaches, plums, cherries and anything else that looked tasty.
My friend always made fun of me; he couldn’t believe how happy it made me to raid his parents store . He said that if a guy would want to make me feel special, all he had to do is bring a bag of fruit instead of flowers!
That’s actually true.. . I love fruit, and it loves me back, unconditionally LOL.
Today I found a beautiful ripe papaya in the store and after bringing it home, I sliced it open, scooped out the seeds, squeezed lime all over it and I suddenly had a brilliant idea;
I started chopping up an avocado, sprinkled a tiny bit of salt on it and toasted some sliced almonds. I just knew this was going to be a success! It only took a few minutes to make and when I tasted it…OMG, this is such a treat!!! The lime juice, avocado and almonds go so well with he delicious papaya. Try it next time you buy a papaya and you’ll be amazed.
Papayas can be found all year long with their peak season being early summer and fall. Look for papayas that are partially or completely yellow in color. Papayas that are hard and green are immature and will not ripen properly.
Health/Beauty fact: Eat papaya’s to improve the health of your skin, relieve digestive
problems and protect your eyes and your heart.
Papayaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Ever since I placed my feet on Dutch soil two weeks ago, the traditional and “OH-SO-GOOD” Dutch treats have lured me in to many shops and stands with their irresistible look and smell. Most of these treats are laden with sugar, butter, cheese and meat and are not exactly what I would label “models do eat” food
In the pictures you’ll see a few of the treats that I shamelessly devoured:
- Fries with mayonnaise and peanut sauce (the Dutch love their mayonnaise and peanut sauce combo)
- Stroopwafels (All my American friends love these caramel waffles)
- Oliebollen (The Dutch variation of the doughnut which is only available around the winter holidays)
Oh what a Joy these treats bring Not only do they make you slip into a tonic state, they bring back lots of fun childhood memories as well!
Even after all these food festivities I surprisingly have not gained any weight. It must have been the hours of walking and cycling around town every day. I’m happy to know that I was able to indulge without the bulge! Yeah!
I’ll show my body my appreciation by loading it up with healthy foods again
