OUR LAZY GIRL'S GUIDE TO DINNER: 20 MINUTE MEALS

2016 is our year of wellness. Healthy body, healthy heart, healthy mind...okay, as healthy as our minds and bodies can be. To be honest, we all just want to eat cookies for dinner and call it a day, but we're trying this thing called adulting...it's kinda hard. 

But, it doesn't have to be. Below are 3 recipes that have been lazy girl taste-tested and approved!

1. Recipe 1: Crispy GF LF Chicken Milanese (DF, GF)

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts

Heirloom Tomatoes

Shallot

Yellow Squash

Lemon

Arugula

Italian Seasoning

Olive Oil

GF flour

Lite mayonnaise 

1. Prep and clean all veggies. Cut yellow squash into slices and place on cooking tray, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes and flip halfway through cooking. 

2. Butterfly cut chicken, dip chicken in mayonnaise, then roll around in gluten free flour, Italian seasoning and place in pan coated in olive oil. Cook chicken until browned on both sides. 

3. Plate arugula salad and top with roasted squash, tomatoes, and chicken. Use lemon to and a drizzle of olive oil to dress the salad. 

2. Coconut Rice & Beef Stir-Fry (DF, GF)

Ingredients:

Lean ground beef

Scallions

Basil

Garlic

Green beans

Basmati rice

Thai seasoning

Lite coconut milk

1. Prep the veggies by cleaning them. Place green beans on a pan drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook until slightly carmelized. (About 15 minutes)

2. Cook the beef by adding beef and seasoning into the pan. Break the meat into pieces until browned.

3. Bring about 3/4 cup coconut milk, 3/4 cup water to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add 1 cup of rice, cover and reduce. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. 

4. Plate rice first, then beef and toss on top green beans. 

3.Spinach & Kidney Bean Polenta (DF, GF)

Ingredients: 
Red Kidney Beans
Red Onion
Spinach
Olive oil
Polenta 

1. So easy, saute in a pan with olive oil red kidney beans, red onion, and spinach. Saute until onions caramelize, and veggies are reduced down. 
2. In a small pot boil 1 cup water, and  add 1/4 c to boiling water, whisk until polenta is thickened.
3. Top polenta with saute and serve!

Stay Lovely,

D.R 

Editor and Curator of

Dusk & Rubies 

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OUR LAZY GIRL'S GUIDE TO BREAKFAST: GREEK YOGURT BOWLS

2016 is our year of wellness. Sound body and sound mind...okay, you caught us, sound mind may never come, but you know what will help? 

Delicious and lazy girl approved breakfast bowls?

Yup.  

Like everything else in the kitchen, when it comes to cooking for just myself, the lazier the better. Here are 5 lazy girl tested and approved breakfasts. We call them Greek yogurt bowls, otherwise known as something you could definitely eat for breakfast, lunch, a snack, dinner, or dessert...

What? They're good! And, take like 2 minutes tops. Win.Win.

(Live G Free is a brand sold by Aldi, these are not pre-made, but come with the brownie mix. Use 2 eggs as directed, and 1/2 cup vegetable oil or avocado oil to substitute for butter! They are SO good. They take 35 min to bake, and about 3 minutes to stir up, and then you have brownies for the week...okay, more like a day...)

(Set it and forget it--we love a good crock pot recipe. This takes 8 apples, 1 cup oats, a sprinkling of cinnamon brown sugar, and a spoon of coconut butter.)

We can testify each bowl is as delicious as they look, and range from only 150 calories to 270 calories. YUM. 

Stay Lovely,

D.R

Editor and Curator of

Dusk & Rubies 

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WELLNESS SERIES: 5 REASONS YOU SHOULD YOGA

I

Yoga is hitting its stride so much so that yoga gear and yoga-wear have become perfectly appropriate outfits to wear outside your studio and away from your practice. For instance you'll see many donning this look to the grocery store (guilty), or for a quick jog through Central Park (guilty again).

During NY fashion week, we too saw plenty of comfortable sporty trends both on those attending the shows and those actually walking the runway.

But despite being fashionable, there is still a stigma to yoga. I still hear people saying, "that's just stretching", or my favorite, "that's not a real workout; I'll do that on like my off day". 

I will admit, if you asked me a year ago, I would have said the exact. same. thing. Well, after practicing yoga for 9 months, I've changed my tune, and here are my reasons why.

1. You WILL see progress.

Like any awesome workout there is room for growth, and if you practice regularly, then you will see progress in you're ability. I'm highly motivated by visual progress, and I think a lot of us are. You will be able to see and feel a difference in your ability the more you practice. 

I could do none of this, let alone a Chatarunga....

2. You will gain strength. 

Speaking of Chatarungas, which are part of every Vinyasa practice, they take a lot of core and arm strength. Here are two videos for a better Chatarunga.

Quick Video:

More In-depth Video:

3. You will gain mobility and flexibility.

Some people are naturally more flexible than others, but yoga can make you bend with the best of them. There are triggers in our day that cause our bodies to become stiff. I bet you didn't know the leading cause of neck and back issues is the constant craning we do over our cell phones. Add the fact that you may have a desk job, that drive to work, or a sedentary lifestyle your mobility is what takes a huge hit over the years. This can easily be reversed, and you can actually be the most flexible you have ever been if you stick with yoga. Your joints will thank you!

  

4. You will have a better appreciation for your body.

What's really cool about yoga is that it is really community based. Of course you can practice on your own, but you can also practice with a lot of other people. Lole is a company that holds free yoga sessions in amazing picturesque places for thousands to enjoy. For many, yoga is more than a workout, and everyone comes onto their mats with a dedication in mind. For me, I was able to learn how to better appreciate and take care of my body. For you it could be something completely different. But, you'll only find out if you give it a try!

5. You'll learn to breathe.

Sounds silly. You're thinking, 'We all know how to breathe; it's instinctual'. But, did you know that in times of stress, or intense rigor, anger, anxiety, we actually stop breathing, and shorten our breaths? One of my yoga instructors said something to our class that has really stuck with me,'yoga without breathing isn't yoga at all; it is just going through the motions'. I think this applies to life as well, our lives without stopping to take deep, long, breaths and to appreciate all that is around is, isn't living; it's just going through the motions. Yoga teaches you how to breathe through the tough stuff. And, I'm all for that. 

The next time a yoga class is offered at your local gym, give it a try! If you need to, then grab a friend. Sometimes we need that extra motivation. You'll  be glad you did!

Stay Lovely,

D.R

Editor and Curator of

Dusk & Rubies Blog 

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