The Well Dressed Kitchen

Food For Thought

Why I Am Doing a 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge

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I am starting a 30-Day Smoothie Challenge on Monday, Sept. 30 – I invite anyone to participate, I am looking for people to join me for support and motivation. This  is all about making green smoothies a part of your lifestyle. All you do is drink at least one green smoothie per day. Keep eating regular meals, this is an effort to increase your fruit and veggie intake, no special ingredients or supplements required.

What is the Green Smoothie Challenge:

I am doing the challenge through Simple Green Smoothies. You drink at least one green smoothie a day for the next 30 days…and you can do whatever it takes to make that happen for you. Simple Green Smoothie put together a whole guide of tips and tricks, provides the grocery list for each week, and gives you a recipe for each of the weekdays. This challenge allows you to “freestyle” on the weekends. I plan to pick two of my favorites smoothies for the week and make those for the weekend. Or maybe get creative and use leftover ingredients to come up with my own recipes. Each recipe makes 1 serving, so if you’re doing this challenge with someone else in your household then be sure to double the shopping list and recipes when blending!

Reasons For My 30 Day Smoothie Challenge:

  1. Adding more fruits and veggies into your lifestyle: This 30-Day Smoothie Challenge is all about making green smoothies a part of your lifestyle. Most importantly for me this is not a diet. I don’t believe in diets, they never work because it’s not sustainable. I want to include more types of fruits and veggies in my life and I want to encourage other people to do the same.
  2. Feel better by Eating Better: Some of the results you can expect during this challenge  – more energy, boost your immune system, clearer skin, better mood, lose some weight, and less time in the kitchen.
  3. Challenges Motivate Me: I am the type of person that when I put my mind to something or set a goal, I won’t give up and I make it happen. I am also very competitive by nature so when there is a challenge I am ALL in. It’s always better to do something in a team versus alone so I hope having a small group to motivate each other and keep us going will help. We can post pics, tips, and tricks on social media to send motivation each day. I am a bit nervous about the commitment of posting a new smoothie picture each day for a whole month, but I think this challenge will help spark more creativity.
  4. Instagram is many people’s favorite social media platform. Starting an Instagram challenge not only builds your presence, but gives people an incentive to interact more with your brand and create a stronger community. I want to build more trust and connect with my readers to build more of a camaraderie.

If you want to join the Smoothie Challenge follow these steps:

  1. Purchase your Smoothie Guide: Through Simple Green Smoothies, here is the link: For a limited time the guide is available for only $17 (normally $35). Click here to purchase Smoothie Guide!!!

  2. Take pics and use these Hashtags in ALL your pics and posts:     #thefitnessfoodgals #localfitnessandfood  #girlsthatdrinksmoothies #simplegreensmoothies @thewelldressedkitchen @karas_fit_squad

  3. Watch this video for more details, tips and tricks.

Swap to a reusable straw versus plastic. I drink my smoothies with Mermaid Straws!! They are stainless steel, eco-friendly, fun & stylish! Shop the straws HERE!!! And use my coupon code for 10% off you entire purchase: TWDK10

TRY MY RECIPES:

Simple Avocado Toast

Avocado Caprese Toast + Balsamic Drizzle

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, BECCA @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗

Nutrition Disclaimer

Sweet Potato & Kale Soup

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Beans, Kale, and Sweet Potato make for a hearty, satisfying soup. This Sweet Potato and Kale Soup is one of my new favorites and I hope it will be yours too!

Hearty Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

As soon as the temperature really starts to drop, soup and chili is all I want to eat. They are warm, filling and generally quick and easy to make. 

My meal prep routine in the warmer months is typically a lot of salad and grain bowls. So come winter time I make some slight adjustments. Instead of whisking up vinaigrettes and tossing together bowls of green and fresh veggies, I start cooking larges batches of soup to freeze and eat later. 

Soups are the perfect option for freezer meal prep because soup stays good in the freezer for months. When you come home on a busy weeknight and you want a quick and nutritious meal all you have to do is defrost a serving in the microwave or in a pot on the stove… and just like that, you have a hearty, warm meal that is ready to eat in just a few minutes. 

*TIP* Noodle soups don’t freeze well because they get soggy and overcooked if frozen and defrosted. 

My Sweet Potato and Kale soup will freeze well and is perfect for adding to your meal plan. Make a few batches at once and enjoy quick, cozy leftovers all winter long.

Why I love this Soup:

  1. This Healthy soup recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
  2. Perfect for meal prep and freezes well.
  3. Hearty and flavorful this soup is full of sweet potatoes, kale, and beans. 
Sweet Potato & Kale Soup
 
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Beans, Kale, and Sweet Potato make for a hearty, satisfying soup. This Sweet Potato and Kale Soup is one of my new favorites and I hope it will be yours too!
Ingredients
  • 2 to 3 large sweet potatoes (roughly 3 cups cubed)
  • 4 cups Kale, roughly chopped (about 3 ounces)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 11/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 quart (4 cups) SimplyNature Organic Vegetable Broth
  • 3 green onions
  • 1 lemon, juice of
Instructions
  1. Dice sweet potato into cubes and set aside. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the beans.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté a few minutes, until translucent. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne (optional), and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the sweet potatoes, then add the vegetable broth, beans, and salt and bring to a slight boil.
  3. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and simmer 15 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. While simmering, roughly chop the kale and thinly slice the green onion.
  4. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove from the heat and stir in the kale, green onions, and lemon juice. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Taste, and if desired add additional salt, to taste. Serve garnished with fresh parmesan cheese and a small dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional).

 

More Soup Recipes…

White Bean Chili
White Bean Soup
Easy Homemade 30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup 

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Tag @thewelldressedkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #thewelldressedkitchen 

Ingredients That Make Breakfast So Much Easier

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I know people can struggle with quick and easy breakfasts on hectic mornings – so I want to share 7 ingredients I always keep on hand that make it super easy to make breakfast. With these tips you will be able to eat a nutritious and quick breakfast every morning. 

BANANA PROTEIN MUFFINS

I would say generally speaking, most people aren’t morning people and don’t carve out time to cook and eat breakfast. Mornings to me are my most cherished time of the day. I love the ritual of waking up, drinking my coffee, and eating a light breakfast as I work on my blog. Before the craziness of my day starts and my mind is running in circles… that hour of peace with the combination of peanut butter with oatmeal or toast and my hot coffee, typing away on my laptop and minimal human contact is my favorite self-care ritual.

I will be clear I definitely don’t cook myself breakfast every morning, since some week day mornings I hit snooze too many times or I choose to get an extra 10 minutes in at the gym or under a hot shower. I also understand — not firsthand, but observationally from my sister — that when you have kids, breakfast and early mornings become a necessity, not a luxury. 

All of this to say: I make sure I eat something for breakfast every morning, and I do cook it for myself at least a few days a week. This is why I came up with a few breakfast staples that make it possible to, even easy, to get breakfast on the table in under 10 minutes. 

So here is my advice:

  1. Always have oats in the pantry – Oats are healthy and inexpensive, and you can dress up oats in so many ways. I always buy rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats. They cook in 5 minutes on the stove and are perfect for overnight oats. Simple oats topped with any combination of fruit, nuts, honey, peanut butter or whatever favorite toppings you can think of for a satisfying breakfast in 5 minutes. Make ahead of time my CRANBERRY, NUT, AND CHOCOLATE QUINOA ENERGY BARS  for an on-the-go breakfast.
  2. Buy a few non-perishable oatmeal toppings – such as dried fruit which has a long shelf life, and it’s super handy when you run out of fresh fruit. I always keep raisins in my pantry because they are cheap and great for topping oatmeal or yogurt. I also love all nut butters and all types of nuts. Personally, chia seeds and flaxseed give me a stomach ache but they are also great options. All of these pantry staples will last several months so it’s worth buying them in bulk. They’re cheaper that way, and it means you will always have a delicious topping on hand. 
  3. Keep eggs in your fridge – I have eggs on my grocery list every week. Eggs are a quick breakfast option. I often make my Easy Egg Muffins in the beginning of the week for an on-the-go breakfast that lasts all week-long. I also keep hardboiled eggs in my fridge to have a quick breakfast option. Fried and scrambled eggs take minutes to make. Throw in some spinach and serve with toast and fruit and you have a well-balanced breakfast.
  4. Have bread in the house – If you’re like me and you don’t eat bread that often, keep it in the freezer. If you go through bread quickly I recommend buying pre-sliced loaves and store on counter or in your fridge. If it takes you weeks to go through a single loaf like myself then buy a loaf and slice the bread and keep it in individual sealed bags in the freezer. It only take minutes to defrost and toast a slice in the toaster or under the broiler and then you don’t have to worry about the bread going stale. 
  5. Yogurt is essential – Plain Greek yogurt is full of protein which is essential for good health. I workout in the morning before work and Greek yogurt can be a healthy and satisfying treat after a tough workout. Not only does it tide me over until my next meal, but it actually contains protein that can repair damage done by exercise. I top plain Greek yogurt with honey and almonds. 
  6. Buy fresh fruit every week – Buy seasonal and fresh whenever possible. Depending on the season I keep fresh berries, apples, and bananas in my fridge. Raspberries or Blueberries are great for topping yogurt or oatmeal. Grab an apple or banana on the go and top with a little peanut butter…. YUM!!!
  7. COFFEE!! – Invest in a coffee maker you love. Coffee truly brings me happiness every morning. Making coffee at home tastes better than any $5 coffee I used to purchase every morning on my way to the office. It’s much easier to get out of bed in the morning when I know I get to enjoy a hot cup of coffee… or two and I use a big mug that is guaranteed to make me smile. 

Here are some of my favorites breakfast recipes… 

Easy Egg Muffins
Egg Bake Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Easy Homemade Granola 
Avocado Toast
Simple Avocado Toast

Did you find this post helpful? Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewelldressedkitchen.

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, REBECCA ROSATI @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN!