How Your Diet Influences Your Good and Bad Habits

Eating right is one of those good habits that some people seem to stick to naturally while others struggle. But the truth of the matter is that good habits gain momentum. And the more good habits you have, the more good habits you’re likely to adopt.

And if you’re looking to turn over a new leaf, diet is a great place to start. Good nutrition can actually have an impact on your ability or likelihood of adopting more good habits.

In this post, we’re going to explore how your diet influences good and bad habits.

May282020

Tavolino’s is Open!

No need to add any fluff to this one; we’re getting right to the point. Tavolino’s, one of our favorite spots in New Orleans, is open for take-out. They re-opened yesterday and we were there to greet them. Alana has been craving their goods for quite some time and I don’t think anyone can blame her. They make some of the best pizza in the city, their drink selection is one-of-a-kind, and the atmosphere is hard to match. They have a few socially distanced tables available out front, but take-out was the most popular option, according to our observations last night.

Oct262018

Fit’s Go-To Healthy Lunch: Salad Kit + Tuna

If you see us on social media, you often see us going big when we eat. Sure, we definitely enjoy dining out and eating big, but most of our meals are pretty dang healthy. That’s how we can afford to eat whole pizzas or all-you-can-eat sushi! Fit works from home which means she typically has the pantry at her disposal. This can mean glory or disaster. Luckily, we keep a pretty clean pantry (ignore the sour candy that Fit stashed behind the electric beater), so there’s not many “bad” options to fall for. Still, she tries to decide what she’s going to eat for lunch at the beginning of the day, or better yet–at the beginning of the week.

On most days, you can find Fit in the kitchen (usually on a phone call or meeting), assembling her lunch. Yeah, I said assembling because she plays it smart. Fit’s go-to healthy lunch is half of a salad kit and a can of tuna. It takes under five minutes to whip up, even when she puts some flair into it! Salad kits are a blessing. Sure, they may not be quite as cost-effective as a huge tub of spinach and some carrots, but they have variety and make a healthy lunch delicious and easy. Making salads from scratch can be somewhat tedious with all the chopping. She usually waits until they’re on sale for like $2.99 and then buys a bunch for the week. And because she has a “baby belly,” she only needs half of one per lunch.

Mar102018

Gwen: LA Restaurant Review

Not everything goes according to plan, and when you go to restaurants “on your list” for dinner one night and lunch the next day, it can really throw you for a loop… and this did! I was planning on a romantic (and expensive) dinner at Gwen, but what we never expected was to discover that Gwen is one of LA’s hidden LUNCH gems! Some of the highest quality meats in the city at reasonable prices?! Yea, actually.

Even though the restaurant’s tall ceilings, accented by incredible design and elaborate chandeliers, are still present, this is actually a very casual lunch spot. You order at the counter, take a number (I’m not sure if we actually took one) and the wait staff brings your food to the table when it’s ready. It wasn’t immediate, since they clearly cook from scratch, but it was relatively empty in there and didn’t take long at all.

Aug052016

Proper English Cucumber Sandwiches

There’s no food quite like Cucumber Sandwiches to make you feel like you’re having a proper tea time (except, perhaps, tea). They’re dainty, delicate, mild, but better yet, delicious. They want to make you drink tea, lift your pinkie, and wear a fancy hat. To go along with our Downton Abbey themed get-together where we also had raspberry meringue pie, a summer salad, and egg curry sandwiches, we of course had to feature cucumber sandwiches! I took this recipe right from the The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook: From Lady Mary’s Crab Canapes to Mrs. Patmore’s Christmas Pudding – More Than 150 Recipes from Upstairs and Downstairs (Unofficial Cookbook) and boy did it serve us well. This is the perfect bite to satisfy any party, tea or not! There are definitely substitutions that can be made to make it even healthier.

Dec242015

Mac n Cheese Will Never Be the Same

It’s like an episode of Chopped. Why would you transform a perfectly delicious and prepared food into an ingredient of another dish? More importantly, how would you do it? Obviously, because you can and it makes the other dish THAT much more enjoyable. Halfpops are a delicious snack that are far more provocative to eat than popcorn with that additional textural crunch. What’s even better is that these little bites (which remind me of a Peruvian choclo corn) have more flavor than your standard popcorn, but don’t achieve that by sacrificing your health or your waistline.

So now, we look at macaroni and cheese, arguably the greatest food ever. While most enjoy it out of the box with a flavor packet (and there is nothing wrong with that), it is becoming elevated more often and served in fine restaurants for the same price as a steak. A prime example would be a lobster mac. We all know that the key component has always been a rich and creamy cheese sauce, but more attention is slowly being given to the baked breadcrumb or panko crust.

Well, let’s just blow this whole textural concept out of the water and take it to another level. Enter the already mentioned Halfpops. While making your famous mac n’ cheese recipe, toast some half pops on low heat and make sure they don’t burn. You can use the aged cheddar, chipotle, or sea salt. I’d recommend saving the caramel ones for dessert. As soon as you’ve finished your mac, serve with a bowl of toasted Halfpops and allow each diner to choose how much crunch they want. I’ve gotten to the point where I want at least two bits of crunchy delight in each mouthful, but I’ll leave that part up to you because making decisions on how to eat your mac n’ cheese might make the different in you staying hungry and fit!

Jan062015

Vegan Mushroom “Stroganoff”

Recently, some friends and I have been having “movie nights” (actually during the day) where we eat and watch a movie. This past time, we all brought food to share. I planned on making a vegan dish that our friend who doesn’t eat cheese or soy could eat. Now, I didn’t actually make it in time for this get-together, but I eventually did successfully complete it! And boy was it worth the wait! I made a vegan mushroom stroganoff. This dish is full of flavor, with the mushrooms giving that depth and heartiness. Since we live in Koreatown, there aren’t a lot of typical noodles, so we used udon noodles! It actually turned out well. Chris has been eating it every day for work, as this recipe makes a great deal of food. Let’s get to it.

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

2015-01-04 10:18:52

Serves 4

A yummy substitution for its beef counterpart

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

8 oz package of any type of noodle
1 onion
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp whole wheat flour (not all used at once)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tomato sauce
1.5 lbs mushrooms
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbsp rice vinegar

Instructions

Chop the mushrooms into 2 inch pieces and slice up the onions
Cook the noodles as per directions on the package (undercook them slightly)
Drain and set aside
In a large saucepan, saute the olive oil and onions
Add two tbsp of whole wheat flour and stir constantly for 30 seconds
Slowly add the broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, and tomato sauce until mixture starts to become thick and bubbly
Add mushroom, sage, salt and thyme and stir
Cook for about 5-7 minutes until mushrooms have shrunk and absorbed juice
Add vinegar and continue to let simmer for 5 minutes
Now, add the noodles alongside another tbsp of flour
Serve hot!

By Hungry and Fit

Adapted from One Green Planet

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

I am very pleased with how this dish came out, and it was inspired by One Green Planet. This is a great dish for anyone and everyone because it’s vegan and has no soy. It holds well for leftovers as well as the mushrooms continue to marinate with flavor. It’s very simple, the only time-consuming part is chopping up the mushrooms and onions, and even then it’s not a very long time at all. I’d be interested to see all types of noodles work with this, so please share if you decide to make it. It’s a perfect winter dish–full of flavor and warmth. It’s even been cold here in Los Angeles with temperatures of 39 degrees in the morning! That is cold for LA, let me tell you. Please enjoy this warm dish and as always, stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Jan292014

Best Thai in Boulder: Aloy Thai

Instead of getting Chinese take-outs growing up, we always got Thai. And I am oh-so-happy for that! It’s rare that I’m not in a mood for Thai food. I just love all the deep flavors right along with that spark of zest at the end. And because we grew up having it as take-outs, it reminds me of home in a weird way. We’ve tried a lot of the Thai places in Boulder and finally we took a friend’s advice to go to Aloy Thai, and I’m so glad we did! The combination of a great price and awesome taste knocks it out of the park.

Let’s start with the dishes. The first time we came here was after a gym session (surprise, surprise), and I wasn’t feeling so hot. Everyone at work was sick around me, and I wanted to burn anything out! When we would get sniffly or sick as a kid, instead of chicken noodle soup, my dad would go get us Tom Yum Soup, a spicy Thai soup. It is so delicious and has that kick that will make your nose run. So you know I went there and ordered a huge bowl of Tom Yum Noodle Soup with Tofu. Serving was so big I had a full lunch of it tomorrow. Chris got the pineapple fried rice with chicken and he devoured it with a big smile on his face. And he got it a second time when we came back! I got the Pad Thai the second time. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was still good. We also have gotten the vegetable fresh spring rolls numerous times and love them–so fresh and we nearly drink the peanut sauce that goes with it.

Veggie fresh spring rolls!

Tom Yum Soup

The atmosphere is also excellent, with Thai designs and a yellow-orange lighting. They have plenty of staff and the service is always great. The music is nice and it is never too loud. The price definitely seals the deal. The huge tom yum noodle soup was only $9–NINE DOLLARS. Chris’ pineapple fried rice came to only $11. It was such an amazing dinner for such a good price, we are constantly going back.

If you’re in Boulder and craving some Thai, stop at Aloy Thai. It has delicious dishes that won’t break the bank. Avoid the Pad Thai, but dig into anything you can get your hands on! Hungry and Fit gives Aloy Thai a big thumbs up. And as always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Two cuties under the pingpong table

Sep092013

Happy 23rd Birthday, Alana!

Yay! Happy Birthday to me! Chris and I had a great “birthday weekend” (his birthday is this coming Thursday—yes, a pair of Virgos) involving lots of good food and good company. Though I am peeved at myself for not taking more group photos, oh well! ABC Family obviously knew that it was my birthday weekend because it was a Harry Potter Weekend (yessss). So besides home We decided on our “group birthday dinner” (meaning more than just Chris and I) we would do on the Saturday. We couldn’t decide on a place…from Korea House to Efrain’s and we finally decided on one of our favorite spots, Tibet Kitchen. But before that, Saturday morning, we went with friends to go play Frisbee Golf on a hot morning. But the view was incredible.

Frisbee golf view

Sample of a Tibet Kitchen plate

Really should’ve taken pictures of the group as a whole, but it included co-workers, friends, and family–a great bunch. We all had a ton of food and felt pretty full…but not full enough to not get ice cream! We finished the night off well with plenty of ice cream to celebrate. It was a great time. The next morning (on my actual birthday) we went to breakfast at Lucille’s, a southern, New Orleans-style breakfast joint. I always hear how popular it is and we got there at the right time. No wait, and we got a seat outside on an absolutely beautiful morning. We obviously got some beignets to share and some dishes for ourselves. It was absolutely delicious and neither of us could finish it (hellooo leftovers!).

I could eat wayyyy too many beignets

After we stuffed ourselves, we ran over to Flatirons Mall AMC (which has the most comfy recliner chairs, it’s ridiculous) and caught a double feature of The Butler and Riddick (both reviews to come). We enjoyed both, but came out starving because it was about 4 hours of movie time with no snacks in between (I forgot the popcorn!). After a long debate about what to eat, we decided on trying Protos Pizza up in North Boulder. And we loved it. We ordered 4 small pies (don’t worry, it was 4-slice, small slice pizzas, not real expensive) to try everything out. The ingredients were fresh, crust cooked to perfection, and a wonderful blend of flavors.

This is a piece from each pie

After that, Chris went to give a private swim lesson. We did a laid-back workout, and then headed to Ras Kassa’s Ethiopian Restaurant. It was open late and we had never tried it. We ordered a “vegetarian passport meal for two” which ended up being a ton of food plus two drinks and dessert! Let’s just say there’s a good amount of leftovers in the fridge. It was an absolutely lovely night, we sat outside next to a creek and beautiful little lights. We enjoyed some drink and a lot of food and had a great time.

Those rolled up parts are injera (Ethiopian “bread”) to use to eat the rest of the meal

Honey Wine and Papaya Margarita

So I had a great great birthday, and I was lucky enough to get cards from loved ones and presents too. My parents sent me great gifts plus a boat load of Trader Joe’s goodies. Chris got me a wonderful collection of presents that was perfectly catered to who I am. Overall, I had a lovely birthday and look forward to celebrating Chris’ coming up soon. As always…stay hungry and fit!

Trader Joe’s yummies

Yes that’s a bento box on top (and Game of Thrones graphic novel)

Chris got me crocs!! I know my friends will be so happy (not

Miyazaki play on Wizard of Oz hoodie (from Chris, of course)

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Nymeria on her back

Jul132013

Easy Korean-Style Beef Bowl

If you know us, we love Korean food (as Chris spent a summer in South Korea and consequently fell in love with the culture he had already been into). So when I stumbled upon this fantastic easy (ridiculously easy) recipe by one of my favorite food bloggers, I had to recreate it (altered it slightly)! Mine may not look as pretty, mostly because it was all for Chris so he got the entire beef bowl (4 servings) so that you can’t see the rice (oops!). My version of the recipe has less sugar, less spice (Chris has a Geographic Tongue, so he can’t have spice), and brown rice instead of white. Makes it a little bit healthier, but it was healthy from the start. He had worked a long day at work, and I was taking a rest day on workouts, so I decided to make him something that he would love and fill him up...Korean style!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3-4 normal people (Chris ate it all)

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame teriyaki sauce
1/4 crushed red-pepper flakes [you can use more if you like spice]
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon oil
1.5 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
cooked brown rice

Directions

Mix together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame teriyaki sauce, ginger, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. It’d be best to use a fork or a whisk to really blend everything together.

Leave that to the side. Heat up the oil in a saucepan over medium to high heat. Add the chopped garlic to the oil

Once you get that lovely cooking garlic smell, it’s time to throw the ground beef in. Cook it until it’s browned, breaking it up as you do. Could take 4-8 minutes depending on your stove. While it’s cooking, chop up your green onions.

So purdy

Drain the excess fat (ew). Stir in the magical mixture we created at the start, letting it get to all of the meat and soak up the flavor. Add the green onions as well. By this time, it will be smelling goooood.

And serve over rice! It’s smart to cook it beforehand so it’s ready there waiting for you.

You won’t be able to see the rice in my dish, because it’s smothered by the beef! It was such an easy, quick recipe (perfect for summer days when it’s too hot to cook a lot), I would do it again in a heartbeat. Chris loved it and literally ate the whole pound of ground beef plus the rice. Guess it was alright. Thanks to DamnDelicious for the recipe and use it to stay hungry and fit!

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