Fueling a Healthy New Year
At Rêve, we are not big on New Year’s resolutions. There is something about the flip of a calendar that feels a bit arbitrary. What is it about January 1st—really just a day like all others—that calls for major shifts in our goals and behaviors? That said, we seek to develop rhythms and routines that develop our strength and fuel us to tackle challenges all year around. In order to help us do that, we asked Rêve instructor, Abbey Hybl to provide us with a few of her favorite, go to recipes for some healthy, but oh so tasty, meals.
When she's not rocking out on the instructor’s podium, Abbey loves experimenting in the kitchen. She draws a lot of inspiration from the internet, but always offers her own variation on things, customizing the ingredients to meet her personal preferences. She says, “I love following lots of “foodies” and “fitspos” on Instagram, mainly because it’s so fun to put my own twist on recipes that they’ve created. I rarely actually measure anything when I cook (I really only do when I bake) and what’s fun about all of these recipes is that you can swap in different veggies or fruits based off of your likes and dislikes!” She curated a menu of a day’s worth of her favorite foods for us. Check it out!
BREAKFAST
“Go-To Blueberry Cauliflower Smoothie”
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut water or almond milk
2 dates
1 cup frozen cauliflower (best when steamed and then frozen)
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 scoop protein powder (I use Tone It Up Vanilla)
¼-½ of an avocado
1 tbsp maca powder
2 tbsp peanut butter powder (or you can add a big ole’ scoop of your favorite nut butter to the top of the smoothie)
1-2 big handfuls of spinach
½ frozen banana
¼ cup granola (I’m a huge Purely Elizabeth fan just because the flavors are so great, it’s an awesome company--albeit a bit pricey--but you can top it with whatever granola you like!)
Directions:
Add everything to a blender and blend for 30-45 seconds (I often find that the longer I blend, the thicker it will become)
Add more coconut water and blend further if smoothie is too thick
Top with granola and peanut butter (if not used in smoothie)
LUNCH
“Loaded Veggie Protein Bliss Bowl”
This may seem like a long-winded recipe but you can make it as simple or complex as you like. Remember to pick veggies that you like! You can roast them ahead of time and also switch up the protein choice (hard boiled eggs, veggie burger, chicken breast, tuna).
Ingredients:
For Salad:
2 cups spinach or spring mix
½ cup curry chickpeas
1 cup roasted broccoli
½ cup roasted sweet potato
½ cup roasted carrots
Optional: Hummus and avocado
For Turkey Burgers:
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon mixed seasoning (I used a Mrs. Dash Italian blend)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup Almond Flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
For Turkey Burgers:
Heat olive oil in pan and sauté onion until golden. Add garlic and cook for about 1-2 mins. Longer
Mix seasoning, salt, pepper, almond flour and egg in a bowl.
Add onion mixture and ground turkey and mix it all together (hands are your best tool here)
Form into 6 patties and place on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil
Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through
For Veggies:
Add olive oil, salt & Pepper and Garlic Salt to a large bowl and add sweet potatoes and carrots (I often roast these in big batches for the whole week!)
Bake at 450F for 40-45 mins
Add broccoli to a pan over med-high heat. Add about ¼ ½ cup water. Cover and bring water to a boil. Cook for 2-3 min. (You can also steam these in the microwave on high for 5 min)
Add chickpeas, 1 1/2 tsp. Curry powder and 1 tsp. Paprika and olive oil to a pan and sauté for 2-3 min (you’re really just coating and heating the chickpeas)
For Salad:
Put spinach in a bowl, top with veggies, chickpeas and turkey burger
Top with a scoop of hummus Trader Joe's beet hummus and ¼ avocado
DINNER
“Lazy Lentil Soup”
This is a perfect recipe for chilly Maine nights. This soup is nourishing and delicious—and the leftovers serve as the perfect grab and go for lunch the next day!
Ingredients:
1 bag dried lentils
2 cups carrots (sliced/coined)
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups butternut squash
1 cup celery (chopped)
1 chopped sweet onion
½ tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon salt
½ tablespoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons herbs de provence (Mrs. Dash)
Directions:
Sauté onion, garlic and olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add everything to a crockpot and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours (I usually go with 6 hours on HIGH).
Add 3 cups of the soup mixture to a blender and blender for 15-30 seconds. Add back to the soup. Repeat 1-2 more times.
Optional: Stir in 2 cups steamed kale or spinach
Season to taste if need be and make sure to serve with a big piece of crusty bread.
Snack and Dessert
“Greek Yogurt Banana Bread”
Eating well doesn’t mean that you have to give up all of your favorite snacks! This banana bread will satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt.
Ingredients:
2-4 overripe bananas (the more the better)
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
Dash of sea salt
2 large eggs
½ plain Greek yogurt (you can use Vanilla too –this will add some more sweetness to the bread)
You can add ¼-½ cup applesauce for additional moisture
¼ cup maple syrup
Optional: ¼ cup brown or coconut sugar
60% dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blender to combine. Make sure not to over blend!
Bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes.
Serve with a tall glass of milk and maybe add a scoop of your favorite nut butter!
For some additional inspiration for tasty meals and healthy snacks, follow a few Abbey's favorites on Instagram:
Bon appetit!