Every single time I meet someone in Chicago, they always ask me what my favorite restaurant is. Given the nature of what I do, this isn't a strange question, however for me, it's a fully loaded one. With all the incredible restaurants and so many different genres of food in Chicago, how could I ever possibly narrow it down? My follow-up question is always, "Okay give me a type of cuisine." 90% of the time, they say sushi. Having recently come back from a trip to Tokyo, my sushi snobbery ... [ Read More ]
6 Ingredient Spaghetti Carbonara
Every once in a while, I want just want to indulge in a decadent pasta dish. When I do, my go-to is this incredibly simply spaghetti carbonara dish. With only 6 ingredients, it's easy to make and a really inexpensive way to impress a dinner party. Despite what most people think, a carbonara doesn't actually have any cream in it at all. It gets it's creamy consistency from the combination of the eggs and parmesan cheese. I promise, this recipe will become a staple in your house. 6 ... [ Read More ]
Skinny Tacos w/ Mexican Slaw
Are you trying to keep your summer bod in check but totally craving a good taco? Well I know there are a TON of trendy, margarita mixes out there (I'm looking at you Skinny Girl), but what about a skinny taco recipe? Today, I'm going to change that with a flavorful version that will satisfy any taco craving. For this skinny taco recipe, I refer to use ground turkey and chicken over ground beef because they both have about 20% of the fat that ground beef does. You'll be completely unaware that ... [ Read More ]
EASY 3 Ingredient Flatbread Pizza Dough
There is nothing I love more than grilling outside during the summer. With my husband being a vegetarian, it's really difficult to find satisfying meals that I can throw on the grill for him. Recently, I discovered the most simple flatbread pizza dough that you can easily throw on the outdoor grill, grill pan or even bake in your oven. The best part at all? The flatbread is only 3 ingredients (water doesn't count) and I bet you have every single one in your pantry right now. EASY 3 ... [ Read More ]
A Perfect Girls Night w/ Native Foods
This past weekend, I hosted a desperately needed girls night at my house. Lately, I've been feeling like all I do is go out to events, chat with tons of people and eat lots of really bad food. While it's all really fun, every once in a while I just want to relax with my close friends and eat healthy! Enter Native Foods. A Vegan fast-casual restaurant serving up some of the healthiest and most delicious food in the city! I chose them because a friend recommended them and told me ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Cochon Volant
Nestled within the Hyatt Centric in the Loop, Cochon Volant is Chicago’s newest restaurant by James Bear Award Winner, Roland Liccioni and Schwa Alum, Matt Ayala. Those are some BIG accolades. ...and simply put, you need to go there ASAP. This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to brunch there and I literally fell in love (p.s. no judgement. It's totally normal to fall in love with a restaurant). Besides the incredible food (we will get there in a minute), their décor makes me feel like ... [ Read More ]
Slimmed Down Summertime Salad Dressings
For me, summer is all about the salads. Not only am I trying to be ‘bikini ready’, but burgers don’t do it for me as much as they did in the winter. I want something light, crunchy and nutritious to get me through all the walking I do around the city! However, in the past, I've been the queen of the unhealthy salad. You know the whole “well it has lettuce and no carbs so I’m totally being healthy” idea. Let me tell you a little secret – sometimes your salad isn’t as waist conscious as you ... [ Read More ]
Heavenly Cannoli Dip
Yes, you read the title correctly. Today I'm going to share an incredible recipe for cannoli dip. Go ahead and take a minute and gather yourself (I know I had to when I first heard about this). Honestly, I wish I could take full-credit for this one, but it was the brain child of my gorgeous friend, Brett (Her Tasty Life). We made it this weekend for a fun couples dinner party and I knew I had to share this with you before the holiday weekend. Basically, this dip is everything you love about a ... [ Read More ]
Avocado Hummus
When summer starts to hit, avocados are all I can think about! I not only find myself putting them on anything and everything, but I also start to substitute avocado in for some of the staple ingredients in my favorite recipes. One of my favorite ways to incorporate them into my diet is adding them to hummus! I know you've probably heard that avocados are really high in fat, but it’s important to incorporate the good kind of fat into your diet. This not only satisfies your cravings for other ... [ Read More ]
Product Review: Daiya Dairy-Free Cheesecake
A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of previewing Daiya's new line of frozen dairy-free cheesecakes at a launch event in Chicago. I know what you're probably thinking, "How could a dairy-free cheesecake possibly taste good?" I mean lets be real, anything that is dairy-free, gluten-free AND soy-free has to taste like cardboard right? Well, check out this video below to see some bloggers opinions on this new product line. You may even recognize ... [ Read More ]
