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Food

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Making Meals Easier with HelloFresh

Recently, we’ve been in a rut with dinner meal options. When Sasha is in town, we try to visit the new house when he wraps up work at the end of the day, so we’re rushing home to walk Belle, make dinner, and get the girls to bed at a good time. I always cook a vegetarian meal for me and the girls, and when Sasha is here, he’ll add fish or chicken to whatever I prefer. I find we always end up making the same three meals over-and-over again. I have been wanting to try HelloFresh for ages now, and after doing two weeks of meals, we are hooked. We chose the 3 meals per week option for 4 people on the Veggie Plan, and we’ve been so happy with the meals we’ve received so far. The girls loved the ravioli, and Sasha and I both really loved the couscous dish we had during our first week. When Sasha was gone on Wednesday, I made a ‘grilled cheese’ dish for me and Sydney – it tasted so good. The ingredients all come packaged perfectly – ready to be diced/chopped and put into the dishes. The recipe cards make everything so easy to follow, and the meals look très professional.

If you’ve been wanting to try a meal delivery service, but haven’t done so yet – I truly encourage you to try HelloFresh. Also, you can receive six free @hellofresh meals if you use the code SNAPSHOTS60 when you checkout. Sign up for a week here! Check out the meal options for the week of November 7 – that’s a week you don’t want to miss (Lauren Conrad’s Cauliflower Stir-Fry Bowl? Yes, please!).

Healthy Antioxidant Salad Recipe

Vegetarian Antioxidant Salad Salata Healthy Low Calories

It definitely feels like spring here in Houston, and I am so excited to start adding our family favorite Summer Salad back into the dinner rotation. I will definitely miss the Brussels sprouts and root vegetables of fall harvest salads, but having colorful fruit, feta and light dressings on my greens makes me ever happier.

I’m including the ingredients that we use to make our favorite salad below. All of these nutritious items are packed with antioxidants, which are molecules used by your body to fight against disease causing radicals. Studies show that people who eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables have fewer diseases, so they’re on our plates at both lunch and dinner (except Isla’s, because she is currently a carbarian).

I will either buy these ingredients when I’m at the grocery store, or get this salad (typically to-go) from Salata, because it is just so easy. Per the Salata portions, the salad has 345 calories (including feta, excluding a dressing) – and it’s huge! 

Stay Healthy this Holiday with Salata

healthyholidayIt’s almost time to write your New Year Resolutions, which, for many people, will include something about getting back into shape or eating healthier. I’m still working on mine, and want to reevaluate my progress on my 2015 resolutions (shared here).Salata Holiday

One of the easiest ways to make wise meal choices is to pick a healthy restaurant that won’t tempt you with high calorie menu items. I love eating at Salata, because every ingredient has the calorie count on the identifying label as you walk through the salad bar line. On multiple occasions this holiday season, we’ve had guests over to the house – sometimes just a handful and other times, a lot of people. We chose to let Salata take care of the food. Yesterday, my sister-in-law called to say she was coming over, so I went on my way home to get food for her, Isla and myself. I chose to make the Keen Wah (quinoa, get it?) Kale salad, which included kale, radish, red onion, jicama, cucumber, pumpkin seeds, cranberry, and quinoa, with balsamic vinaigrette as the dressing. Isla got a similar salad, and Ivana got the Green Goodness as a wrap. You can see the whole catering menu here.

I love having people over to the house and making fun cocktails, appetizers, and healthy desserts, but I’m definitely more comfortable with having Salata for the salad course. Everyone loves it.

What do you normally do for having people over at your house? Have you tried Salata’s catering yet? 

Hope you have a wonderful NYE celebration tomorrow!  Ailee_Petrovic_151229_L86A8692

salatalogoI am part of the Salata Blogger Program. I was not paid for this post, but received goods (food!) for free. You have my word that all opinions are my own (and are honest!).

Strawberry Hibiscus Hard Lemonade Recipe

Low Calorie Simple Summer Cocktail - Strawberry Hibiscus Hard Lemonade (Brought to you by Snapshots & My Thoughts x Cake & Confetti).

After Meredith (Owner of Cake & Confetti) whipped up a delicious (and rather stiff!) Texas cocktail for 5 O’Clock Fashionistas last week (which I photographed), we thought… why not make this a weekly thing? Genius, right? Ha. Instead of bringing you a typical bar cocktail, which includes ten or more fancy ingredients and is loaded with calories, Meredith had the genius idea of having a low-calorie cocktail series made with four or less ingredients. I obviously loved the idea!

So the first cocktail in the series is a Strawberry Hibiscus Hard Lemonade made with kombucha, lemon vodka and lemon juice. It is delicious. I literally slurped it down in a matter of minutes (I think Meredith added less vodka in my drink because I’m a baby!). It’s so light and refreshing, and perfect for a hot summer day. 

Healthy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

healthyveganchocolatecupcakes

It has been far too long since I baked anything, as I went a litttttle crazy after Mara gave me this raw vegan cookbook for Christmas (it’s amazing, and I highly recommend you buy it!). After making delicious treats almost every other day, I think Sasha and I both needed a cleanse from pitted dates (essentials in raw ‘baking,’ and also one of my favorite foods on the planet). 

After shooting Meredith’s cocktail last week, I remembered how much fun I have doing recipe posts and so decided to play around in the kitchen to create a delicious healthy chocolate cupcake. After a few (ahem) failed attempts, I have created a delicious and fudgy cake that tastes delicious even without the vegan cream cheese icing (but it’s definitely a yummy bonus). 

As soon as the cupcakes had cooled from the oven, I let Isla taste test the first one. She literally smooshed it into her mouth in order to eat it quicker (and I had to squat Belle away, as she kept trying to get a bite). Then Isla stood with her hands on the kitchen cabinets and said, “Mowwwwww” (her attempt at “More”). Then Sasha got home and ate about five. So needless to say, they’re tasty – and easy to make! If the photos tickle your fancy, then give them a try and make sure to let me know if you love them!