Hi everyone!

How is your week going? I was loving the sunny + warmer weather we were having last week, and am bummed we are back to colder + rainier weather! Such is life here in Michigan.

Some favorite eats from the past couple of weeks!

Now that spring has officially sprung, I have been all about the asparagus lately. Over Easter weekend, I made my favorite spring veggie pasta using asparagus, peas, shallots, plenty of fresh mint + parsley, and a buttery lemony parmesan sauce. Topped w/ extra parmesan + red pepper flakes. I like to use the chickpea pasta shells I’ve been finding at Whole Foods for some extra protein in this vegetarian dish.

I used the leftover asparagus a few days later in this spring veggie stir fry with asparagus + carrot + red onion. I added quite a bit more veggies/sauce than the recipe calls for so that it would easily last us two nights. I usually make dinner roughly every other day so that we aren’t cooking every night! Served over quinoa and topped with some sesame seeds.

Fun fact –> the English word asparagus comes from the Greek word “asparagos,” which means “to spring up.” Truly a wonderfully springtime vegetable!

I have been loving life sitting out on our balcony during lunch on the sunny days we’ve been having lately. Midday enjoyment + working on my vitamin D levels!! I picked up this delish peach/papaya kombucha at TJ’s which I was a fan of.

I officially stopped taking my vitamin D supplement and am working to increase my levels naturally this spring/summer, so TBD on how that goes! More on that later.

For Easter I made this fabulous carrot cake with raisins, coconut, and pecans. It even incorporates my love for the superb fat source that is tahini! For ease, I made the cake in a 9×13 pan and baked it for about 35 mins.

One key way to prevent obsessive and chaotic eating is to regularly include fun/dessert-type foods that you love and enjoy. Depriving yourself of certain foods and feeling any sense of unhealthy restriction is only going to backfire with obsessive thinking and/or out-of-control eating regarding these types of foods. Not to mention, regularly enjoying all types of foods brings greater fun and overall well-being to life!

Preparing for a dinner of one of my favorite spring/summer veggie bowls! Quinoa topped with a heaping helping of roasted red bell pepper + red onion + zucchini, followed by a lovely dollop of the best sun-dried tomato hummus and plenty of freshly shredded parmesan.

A beautiful morning breakfast of overnight steel-cut oatmeal topped with sesame seeds, peanut butter, honey and fresh raspberries. Fresh or frozen, raspberries have been my jam lately!

As your friendly food-loving dietitian, I recommend including them regularly in your diet for a wide array of health benefits, from cancer protection to heart health to skin health + more!

Lately I have been more intentional to have some butter on my fresh sourdough whenever the opportunity presents itself because you all know I am all about the healthy fats – grass-fed, organic butter included! Simple fave dinner of scrambled eggs (w/ white onion, parmesan, salt, pepper + red chili flakes), roasted veg, + side salad.

One more spotlight for today’s all-star vegetable! I made this simple + tasty dinner of roasted sweet potatoes (w/ salt + pepper + curry powder), roasted asparagus, + chicken with a curry yogurt marinade. We have certainly consumed at least several pounds of asparagus the past week or two thanks to the organic asparagus I’ve been loading up on at Costco!

Refreshing warm-weather salad combo of mixed greens topped w/ chopped carrot + red bell pepper, leftover roasted sweet potatoes, ripe avocado, temeph, + a homemade lemon miso dressing.

For snacking I’ve been enjoying some sweet potato breakfast cookies made with ingredients like oats, almond flour, mashed sweet potato, coconut oil, + raisins. These are game-changers! I will be making again and probably would even add some shredded coconut + toasted pecans. My one thing is that I would probably make them into bars next time so I don’t have to spend the time rolling them into cookie dough balls!

Over the weekend we celebrated my birthday with my family and I made this delicious blackberry lavender cake with homemade lavender milk + lavender syrup. One I’d like to continue making in the future! I frosted it with a cream cheese frosting and blackberry jam in the middle.

Two more favorite dinners as of late –> my favorite spring/summer veggie pasta with roasted veggies + avocado basil pesto + fresh parmesan.

More roasted veg in these epic tacos I dreamed up! Hopefully will be fine-tuning the recipe to share sometime soonish. Seasoned sweet potatoes + black beans + roasted veg (red onion, zucchini, bell peppers + corn) and a simple avocado mash + TJ’s salsa. YUM.

Everyday Enjoyment:

SUNSHINE: As previously mentioned, the sunny days we had earlier in April were amazing! Such a treat to the start of April since it is often so rainy/cold still in Michigan. While I will still run/walk outside in the cold/snow, it is 100x more my favorite when it is warmer and wonderfully sunny out! Ways I have been enjoying the sun this month –> morning runs + sunrises, walks + hikes w/ Alec, eating lunch outside, glimpses of the sunsets in the evenings.

Upcoming weekend plans: For my birthday tomorrow Alec and I are going to Pacific Rim in Ann Arbor (delish Asian-style seafood + meats – I am eyeing the Seared Big Eye Tuna). Then I’m heading to Grand Rapids on Friday for my best friend’s 30th birthday celebration at House of Wine and Reserve. Saturday we are going to a dinner to support Michigan Cru. I was hoping to go on a hike but it is looking like it is going to rain/maybe even snow! Alternative plans may be in the making. At any rate, should be a weekend of good friends + delicious eats!

Movie recommendation: We went to see Nefarious over the weekend which I thought was phenomenal. I would highly recommend seeing it, regardless of your worldview!

Any movies you have seen lately that you would recommend?
What is your birthday dessert of choice??