I am all about batch cooking. I do not have time to cook every day, nor do I care to! Twice a week I cook up a bunch of veggies that will last me for days. I'll use them for my breakfast and dinner all week long. (Lunch is always raw veggies.) 

One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to roast them. You can do a whole bunch at once so it's a better use of your time. Plus, they taste scrumptious! 

The best vegetables to roast are, well...any veggies! Broccoli, cauliflower, squash, Brussels sprouts; they're all so yummy roasted. Each time you make these, change up the veggies and spices for a totally new dish.

I have to say, I do love my coffee. For years I drank it light and sweet. Heaven forbid! Now there are days where I drink it black or with a touch of stevia. I guess I'm starting to appreciate the taste of coffee as I age!

I still remember the time that I opened the refrigerator as a kid and saw what looked like a glass of soda. That was a rarity in my house so I seized the opportunity and took a sip. Wow, was I shocked when I tasted my mom's very strong, black coffee! I vowed never to drink the stuff again. Of course that all went out the window in high school! The addiction quickly took hold.

I've given it up plenty of times since then. Every time I go on a cleanse I like to take a break from it. Eventually, it works it's way back into my life. I'm not an everything in moderation kind of person, but in this case, I'm good with 1-2 cups per day. 

When I switched to a Keurig, I started to like coffee even more. It just tastes better. Between the cost and waste there was no way I was using the disposable k-cups though. The best part about using the reusable k-cups is you can add flavors to the grinds like cinnamon or cocoa powder. Mmmmm, yummy!

This summer I was in the mood for iced coffee and created this recipe that I can't get enough of. My own version of an Iced Mocha Coffee. Give it a try! I hope you enjoy!

FYI: A Starbucks's Grande Iced Caffé Mocha has 320 calories and 17g of fat. Mine has approximately 35 calories and 3 grams of fat depending on your milk choice. Plus, it will be no where near $3-$4 per cup! Bonus!! 

Mornings can be a crazy time of the day. For most of us, the last thing we want to do is cook! Living a whole foods life doesn't leave us much choice. Except for batch cooking! Batch cooking is an essential tool that I teach my clients so that home cooked meals become super easy. 

Batch cooking simply means that you take a few hours to do lots of cooking for the week. Then you're simply re-heating the leftovers for the next four to five days. I usually suggest two batch days per week. Once you get in the habit of taking the time to do this each week, you will save yourself tons of frustration over having nothing healthy to eat in a pinch. 

The biggest problem my clients come across is failing to prepare. They are left rushing around with nothing to eat which means they resort to grabbing anything that's quick and easy. We all know quick and easy means convenience foods. Inevitably, this is when things start going down hill. A few days of that stuff and they are NOT happy with their weight loss progress and/or the way they feel. 

That's where this Frittata comes in. No more frustration in the morning over what to eat. It's a very simple dish that only needs to be made every 4 days. Changing up the veggies and seasonings will give you a whole new dish each time. You can also add ground meat or sausage to the pan before heating the veggies. I usually have a serving of home made sausage on the side. 

I must eat a ton of salad every week! It truly is a favorite meal for me. If I don't have it for lunch I feel like something is missing. I put the whole kitchen sink in my salads, too. A little bit of everything. The one thing I don't put on there is bottled salad dressings. The ingredient lists of these things are ridiculous! Vegetable oil, sugar, preservatives, MSG, polypropylene glycol…ugh! All those chemicals on those beautiful, healthy veggies.

The one bottled dressing I do miss is ranch. When I changed my diet to dairy free, this is something I really missed. Then I found this recipe from Theclothesmakesthegirl.com. It’s really yummy and something I use all the time and not just for salads. It's a great dip for veggies or as a topping for fish or chicken.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!