What’s for Lunch?

Okay, I have been thinking long and hard about what I want to blog. I have a couple recipes [Sweet Potato Fritters, Chopped Thai Salad] that have been sitting in the draft section of my blog posts [FOR MONTHS], and I just haven’t taken the time to search for the photos or remake the recipes to make sure that everything is right.

So, I am showing you some of the meals I had during my internship.

Oh. Backup. Update. I’M A DIETITIAN! Yes. A registered and licensed dietitian in the state of North Carolina. [Insert party emoji] How the heck does that sound!? Pretty stinkin’ good. I finished my internship in early May, took my exam late May, and a few weeks ago I accepted a job in the area at a hospital. I will write a post on all of that soon, but I wanted to throw a food post in first.

During my internship, I had to pack lunch almost every day. This was a struggle sometimes but a great learning experience and let’s just say I was eating pretty dang well!

Here are some ideas for lunches and snacks. I eat a morning snack and afternoon snack, so that’s why it looks like so much food, haha! I find lunches to be hard (as well as dinners.. planning can be tough!) so hopefully you can find some inspiration.

Oh, and here’s how this is going to go down: M = meal, so there’s M1-5 (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner). That means if M2 = morning snack, M3 = lunch, and M4 = afternoon snack. Lastly, please excuse the photo quality. I packed these bad boys at night when there is no sunlight.

M2 .. Okay, I’m really trying to remember how this one went. Hah! We will say M2 grapes & nuts, M3 asian cucumber salad & sweet potato chips, M4 hummus & peppers [and this was probably a Monday, on which I did spin at 6pm and usually ate a banana beforehand, hence TWO M2s!]

M2 Larabar [the best flavors are Coconut Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Brownie! OH and the Mint Chocolate Brownie is TO DIE FOR], M3 salad with all the fix-ins like black beans, tomatoes, edamame, spinach, carrots, etc. & grapes, M4 granola bites at my internship and a banana on the way to the gym!

M2 Larabar & apple slices, M3 salad & tortellini with homemade sun-dried tomato pesto [holy yum], M4 yogurt & banana [can you tell how much I like bananas yet?]

M2 Clif bar & pear slices, M3 wrap & sweet potato chips, M4 grapes

Pictured above is meal prep madness! This is 2 days worth of food: M2 Larabar, M3 Chopped Thai Salad & pears with cinnamon or mixed berries, M4 banana!

M2 yogurt + clementines, M3 salad [with sun-dried tomato pesto!] & pears, M4 tomatoes

M2 mixed fruit, M3 salad & cucumber with guacamole, M4 banana!

M2 trail mix, M3 salad & apple, M4 not pictured – WHAT?! Maybe a banana?!

And lastly, snack edition! On Wednesdays, I would get a shrimp burrito bowl [Burrito Bowl Wednesdays!] so I only packed snacks. M2 nuts & pear, M4 guacamole & celery!

Hope you all enjoyed this peak into what I’ve been eating. Despite not blogging, I’ve documented a lot of my meals and might incorporate some into posts but I do like an official photoshoot with my food to make it pretty for the blog. Hang tight for that and tips on how to become a dietitian (and how to stay sane while doing it!).

Parmesan Cashew Crusted Salmon

This is big. HUGE. {Name that movie!}

This is my first non-vegetarian post. You know those blue ghoul-like gasp face emojis? Insert several here.

So, how did this come about? Since I have slacked at blogging lately, I probably haven’t given you the whole story. Or maybe I have? I slightly remember talking about it…

Quick review: this January I tried gluten free / dairy free for a month. I made it about 16 days before caving – cheese is delicious. so is ice cream – but during that time I decided that it was next to impossible to not starve and to eat out at restaurants being a gluten free / dairy free / vegetarian individual. So I decided to add seafood back into my diet.

Best. Decision. Ever.

And the rest is history. Seafood is delicious, protein-packed, and so healthy. And this recipe is super tasty. Crunchy, cheesy, summery, and full of flavor.

Bonus recipe: pair this with a summer-inspired wine spritzer – grapefruit La Croix, grapefruit white wine (or any white wine), and a slice of lemon.

Parmesan Cashew Crusted Salmon
Inspired by Spark Recipes

2 salmon filets, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c whole cashews
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

1. Pulse cashews and parmesan cheese in a food processor until finely ground.
2. Place salmon on tinfoil-covered baking sheet and brush olive oil on top of salmon.
3. Press cashew-parmesan mixture into salmon and cover salmon with foil.
4. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes and then remove foil and bake 5 more minutes.
5. Pair with sautéed veggies and / or quinoa plus a summer wine spritzer.

5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Muffins

Where have these been all my life? These are delicious. And easy. Muffins in a blender?! Yes.

I was actually planning on making some other muffins – I will not say from what source – and they were a TOTAL AND COMPLETE FAIL. I hate failed recipes. They make me discouraged. They make me frustrated and angry. So. I calmly left these failed muffins, grossly molded to the muffin tin, there to deal with later.. and made these.

And oh holy moly was I excited. 5 ingredients. 1 blender. Unlimited future options.

Since these are all healthy ingredients (besides the sprinkles; and the honey is optional), these are basically like.. a fruit. Or a healthy bread. Or totally acceptable for breakfast, snacks, AND dessert. Did I mention they only make about 5 muffins? Aka all for you and no fears of overeating or worrying about them going bad before you finish them.

5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Muffins
Adapted slightly from Thirty Handmade Days

1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 very ripe banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp honey [optional]
Optional add ins: almonds, chocolate sprinkles [obviously, I chose these]

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. BLEND ALL INGREDIENTS. For the win.
3. Pour batter into greased muffin tins, and sprinkle almonds and chocolate sprinkles on top.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Healthy Chocolate Mint Smoothie

I have so much to tell you.

First of all, if you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have started the Low FODMAP Diet. Quick 101: FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are sugars/carbohydrates found in foods that can trigger IBS. You can find more here, but I just wanted to fill you in on the change that Skinny Muffin is about to see for the next couple weeks and maybe forever.

 

I started yesterday, so today is Day 2, but I feel a lot better. Already. It’s pretty miraculous. If you’re interested in FODMAP, I am posting some of my lunches on Instagram. They are currently pretty bland (rice, quinoa, salad, hard-boiled eggs) but once I go to the grocery store, I think I can expand my diet a little bit.

The point is that I decided to have a “one last treat” kind of thing before I started. I think eventually I could have this again, but I’ve seen mixed information on cocoa powder, so I’m staying away for a bit. And nuts [almond butter] are supposed to be eaten in moderation, so I’m not sure when I will be able to have this smoothie again, but let me just say.. I am counting down the DAYS.

This smoothie is delicious. It’s like someone liquified a Thin Mint cookie. And you get the pleasure of having the recipe. My coworker told me about this really awesome blog, Living Healthy With Chocolate, and obviously I started searching for something delicious. I mean, they are all delicious, but something I already had ingredients for.

With the 80°F weather, you deserve this. Life is hard. School, work, late nights, finding time for the gym, everything. You deserve a delicious beverage. Side note: I think this would be amazing with Bailey’s Irish Cream. Next time??

Healthy Chocolate Mint Shake
Adapted slightly from Living Healthy With Chocolate

1/2 c cold water
1 banana, frozen
1/4 c cocoa powder
2 tbsp almond butter
Splash of mint extract (1/8 tsp if you have it)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend in a blender or Magic Bullet.

Grape and Celery Pasta Salad

So I have OFFICIALLY finished the 5th Harry Potter book. And am about to dive into the 6th.

This calls for a celebration. A celebration with pasta.

This is one of those ‘kitchen sink’ meals, where you throw everything in your fridge into a bowl and call it a meal. This turned out quite well, but the large shells were a bit of a pain. I love love love large pasta shells but sometimes they are just so big and impossible to deal with.

However, this is the perfect combination of sweet [grapes], crunchy [celery], and flavorful [sun-dried tomato and basil cheese]. Whip this up to keep on hand and pack in your lunch. I am slowly but surely mastering the art of packing lunch and snacks to keep me going through my 8am-5pm school days.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

2 cups large shell pasta or 1 cup smaller pasta
1 c grapes, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 c chopped pecans
1 Laughing Cow sun-dried tomato and basil cheese wedge, melted
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Feta for flavor
Mixed greens

1. Cook pasta according to directions, then drain.
2. Combine pasta, grapes, celery, and pecans in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, and cheese wedge. Microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring until melted, or melt in a pot. Pour over pasta.
4. Serve pasta over mixed greens and sprinkle feta on top.