Happy end of May, my friend! I swear I say this every roundup post, but time seriously has a way of flying by. It really feels like May just started, but it definitely hasn’t! So it’s time for May’s blogging roundup, and holy smokes, just looking at this month’s posts tells me what a busy month May has been.
As I reflect back a bit on May, I’ve learned a few things from the month: Always be up for an adventure, be grateful for planning ahead, and step outside of your comfort zone.
At the end of April I was headed on a very last minute (like next day) trip for work, and my boss asks if I was up for it. “Um, of course!” was my reply, and I kinda love that about me. I’m a pretty laid back person, and I don’t get thrown off by a lot. So while that trip was not convenient, I allowed myself to enjoy the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants style adventure we had.
This trip was SO not convenient, because that week I was starting week 1 of the Tone It Up Bikini Series. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s an 8 week program where you eat clean and exercise a ton. So work travel totally threw me off my game, but rather than throw in the towel, I vowed to stick with it. And I’m several weeks in now, and am doing really well. However, there was a Garth Brooks’ concert outing, Memorial Day weekend family adventures, and the occasional dinner out where I strayed from the clean eating. But the TIU girls are realistic about this, and encourage you to make up for it on the next meal, and I did and felt like a success.
Now that work travel had me super happy that I’ve been working ahead on my blog this month, because I was feeling very behind. Plus it kinda threw me off of the rhythm I’d created with exercising, eating right, finding blog inspiration. So it was a clean slate kinda month for me.
And finally there’s the comfort zone, which we all love to curl up in. I’ve been really stretching myself with creating videos for you on my blog lately, coming up with new and delicious recipes, and staying consistent with my newsletter. All of these things add a little stress and pressure to my life, but without change, there’s no growth. And I’m not just talking blog growth but also personal growth too.
So as we recap May’s blogging roundup, just know that when you commit to something, you can accomplish big things. And if you veer off course, correct your path and jump back on track. You’ll be glad you did. And I encourage you to ask yourself what is a trait you’ve noticed this month or year that you like about yourself?
So let’s dive into May’s blogging roundup, shall we?!
May’s Recipe Blogging Roundup:
Snacks:
I made my very first smoothie bowl this month in the form of this Acai Berry Smoothie Bowl. I’ve been admiring gorgeous smoothie bowl pics on Instagram for ages, and had always wanted to try one. And oh my goodness, this berry filled one was worth the wait! The hardest ingredient to find is the Acai puree but Trader Joe’s had it, if that helps you figure out where to locate your own! This is one tasty little bowl!
And when you have a smoothie bowl, you need something to top it with. My Spiced Almond Granola recipe was the perfect addition to the above recipe, but also for healthy snacking in general. I took a granola recipe I love and reduced the sugars in it by a fair amount, making this not only yummy but much better for me. I love this granola for an afternoon snack, topping yogurt or smoothies, and for road trip snacking too! You will adore this treat!
Main Meals:
With Cinco de Mayo upon us, I was totally inspired to create a Mexican dish. But as I try to eat dairy free, Mexican doesn’t seem like the best option. But I created a Healthy Chicken Tostada recipe that didn’t have the cheese or sour cream that you find in a lot of Mexican food these days. Instead it’s just packed with veggies and chicken and tons of flavor.
I was craving something healthy, light, and flavorful this month and ceviche popped into my mind. So I made a Tilapia Citrus Ceviche that totally satisfied my cravings. Veggies abound in this salad-like ceviche that has tons of citrus, a little heat, and great texture. If you enjoy eating fish and seafood, then you’ll love this dish!
Sauces:
In my search for something to replace sour cream in my tostada above, I fell in love with this Dairy Free Mexican Lime Crema. It’s so delicious that I ended up keeping it on hand for a healthy salad dressing or to toss my roasted veggies in for a creamy addition. And I love how it’s filled with healthy, guilt-free ingredients! Yum!!
Dessert:
As I am happily going along on my dairy free adventure, I’m missing ice cream a ton! So I decided to create my own version in the form of this Dairy Free Coffee Ice Cream. Add in some dark chocolate and spices, and this ice cream will have you shaking your head at how it’s so creamy without any milk products! I have a feeling it’ll inspire you to create your own ice cream variety too!
May’s Weekly Crush Blogging Roundup:
Cookbook Love:
I did something a little different with this month’s cookbook feature by choose the Clean Skin from Within book by Dr. Trevor Cates. This book is half recipes and the other half is all about your skin. You learn what common skin issues there are and the causes of them. Plus you can identify your skin type along with things you can do for your specific needs. This book has been really eye opening and is a must read for anyone who has ever felt like their skin was out of control.
Kitchen 101:
Spring is here and when it comes to warm temperatures, lemons and citrus are a great ingredient to always have on hand. So that inspired me to share all of my lemon-filled cooking knowledge with you. From the benefits of lemons and why we should use them a lot to my favorite tips and tricks, you’ll get tons of info here. I also created a video for you on my favorite ways to zest and juice a lemon without dealing with those pesky seeds! Also you’ll get some healthy lemonade recipes for the warm weather plus all of my favorite lemon-y recipes I’ve whipped up over the years. I believe this is one of my favorite posts this year so far!
All About Quinoa:
Quinoa is a super powerful ingredient that is an amazing source of protein and fiber and more. But if you haven’t worked with it much, it can seem intimidating. And if you have, then maybe you’re a bit bored with what else to do with it. So I’m sharing my 7 Must Try Quinoa Dishes that I’ve discovered over the past 6 years on my blog. From sweet to savory to just plain good, you don’t want to miss this. I’m also including a free recipe guide with all 7 recipes so you have quick access!
Let’s Talk Turmeric:
To complete May’s blogging roundup, I had turmeric on my mind thanks to this month’s cookbook feature. Turmeric is an amazing ingredient and I’ve talked about it on a few occasions now. So in this post, I’m sharing this refreshing and super yummy Tropical Turmeric Chia Smoothie. This drink is packed with good-for-you ingredients that will have your body thanking you and your taste buds quite happy. Plus I’m highlighting a few of my favorite dishes I’ve made that have turmeric in them for some fun ideas on how to get this power packed spice into your diet even more.
Whew, that’s quite the blogging roundup of posts for May, and they’re all pretty great if I do say so. I don’t think I could pick a favorite recipe or weekly crush post this month if you made me. Six insanely good and healthy recipes, plus learning about your skin. Then I ended up featuring 3 ingredients that do your body good and my favorite ways to use them.
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If you’re interested in learning how to eat and cook dairy free, check out my 5 days to dairy free challenge. And if you’re loving what you see and want to keep up with all of my recipes and posts, be sure to join my newsletter here and you’re also going to get a free gift of my favorite kitchen tools I can’t live without.
I can’t wait to hear which of these blogging roundup posts you’re most excited about. I covered a lot this month all in an effort to help you kick ass in the kitchen even more! Which do you want to start using more of: Lemons, quinoa, or turmeric? That turmeric smoothie may have you loving turmeric, so you’ve been warned!
Stay inspired & discover new things!
~Kelli
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