Shrimp Veggie Bowl

As the holiday's approach, so do the number of social obligations and days spent shopping for friends and family. Dinner is usually the last thing on my mind at the end of one of these long days. When I am unprepared and hungry, fast food becomes an easy option. I'm not here to preach about how horrible fast food is, because let's face it we all eat it at some point! Keeping veggies chopped and ingredients for go-to recipes available are two simple ways to keep yourself on track through the holidays. 

Last night I wasn't busy, but I was feeling lazy! I decided to make a shrimp & veggie bowl to increase my vegetable and fiber intake for the day. I added broccoli, onion, carrots, and mushrooms to mine but literally any assortment of veggies will work for these simple meals. Next time I am hoping to chop up some squash and potatoes for a more dense meal. 

Holding yourself accountable through November and December is so important. Whether you've started exercising again, eating healthier, or even maintaining a goal you set at the beginning of 2016- letting yourself slip during the holidays is easy. I think we should all get a jump on our 2017 new year's resolutions by starting (or maintaining) a few healthy habits through the next month and a half. 

My goals for the holiday season:

1. Eat at least 3 servings of vegetables a day

2. Continue BBG 3x per week

3. Eat 1 dessert per gathering (not a sampling of every single one!)

4. Walk or jog for 30 minutes 2x per week

These are four things I do every week with little to no effort, but with busier times approaching it will become easier for me to blow them off to spend time with family, bake, and shop. Those activities are important too, but waking up a little earlier every morning and making a few more healthy choices in the food court can make a huge difference! 

I put together this quick meal by roasting my veggies in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper on 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Next, I added the shrimp tossed in the same spices and put it back in the oven for 6 minutes. Last, I added a little more salt and pepper and through it all in bowl. It really is that easy! Approximately 25 minutes from start to finish and a delicious, extra healthy, meal ready to go. 

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Happy hump day! October flew by, and I am hoping November does the same. I want to focus on really feeling the holidays and getting into the spirit, but as of today I officially have one month of my internship left and after a short break (I'm calling it my grown up winter break hiatus) I finally start nursing school. It's hard not to get excited and hope for time to move fast. 

Onto the nuts! I absolutely love the smell of roasting spiced nuts in the little kiosk at the mall, it gives me a warm and cozy feeling that only cinnamon sugar can. I've never actually tried the mall nuts but can only assume that smell turns into an even better taste. 

A few months ago I received an email with a list of "healthy dessert recipes" and since then, Cinnamon Roasted Almonds has been marked as a recipe to try. Now I am all for processed sugar filled unhealthy desserts, but all in moderation. There's a time and a place for ice cream and pie- Wednesday night on the couch watching TV with my boyfriend is not one of them. So, this is where my healthy dessert love comes in. I have made everything from raw brownies to coconut oil based peanut butter cups, each one has its pros and cons but definitely gets the job done. The spiced almonds were very simple to make and turned out perfectly even though I deviated from the recipe to accommodate the amounts of each ingredient I had on hand. 

Warning: they are addicting. It's hard to eat just one serving size of almonds let alone sweet/crunchy/cinnamon-y almonds!

Once I placed them in a mason jar I realized what great gifts they would make for all of the upcoming holiday festivities. With the right ribbon and personalized note, these spiced almond jars are perfect for every hostess and coworker on your list.

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
Ingredients
4 cups of almonds
1/2 a cup of honey
1/4 a cup of sugar
1 tbsp of cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Parchment paper (I used foil, but definitely wish I had used parchment)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
2. Combine honey and almonds in a bowl until well coated
3. Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt
4. Spread the almonds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown