The Fit Girl's Kitchen

I had the honor and pleasure of spending this past Tuesday with my lovely friend Amelia, a talented photographer and fellow Bali yogini, as we took some pictures for my new website and company FitGirl Wellness.

Amelia's story is one of the most emotional and inspirational that I have personally known; she is also one of the strongest people I know.

Self portrait of Amelia from her website

I didn't really get to meet Amelia until we arrived in Bali, and after spending the first full day in silence, the remainder of our trip was spent really getting to know one another on a spiritual level. I knew that she had been diagnosed with cancer, was in the process of completing her chemotherapy treatments, and the doctors had just BARELY granted her clearance to take the trip. Her hair was just beginning to grow back, and her scars made it hard for her to practice like rest of us.

But she was there in the shala, every morning, wearing some earthy, airy fabulous scarf or tunic, camera in tow, poised to capture our practice when she had to take rest from her own.

Read more about Amelia's story here

We didn't discuss the details of her cancer really until we took a break to eat lunch this week... I did not realize that after living in New York for three years, she took a quick weekend trip home to consult with a family doctor about some odd symptoms she was having and was diagnosed on the spot - not returning to her Brooklyn apartment until six months later to move her things back home.

But Amelia is so much more than this story. She is truly one of the most lovely, beautiful people I have ever met. Her light, loving and airy personality is reflected in every photograph she takes. (See more of her work here). I am so honored and lucky to have been able to spend the day shooting with my friend; this is just a taste of some of the gorgeousness she was able to capture right in my own backyard.




Ok sorry this was supposed to be a post about salad. We had a fabulous lunch together on my patio in between shooting there and the beach, but that seems kind of ridiculous to talk about now. However the salad was damn delicious so I will share the recipe as planned.

I also had a little cucumber mint water for us to sip on during the day. Super easy to make and super refreshing.


We jammed out to Michael Jackson, we got creative with yoga props to sit on, and we got super creative with a bag of Milorganite when the wind kept blowing away the our photo reflector.

And we got to spend the entire day outside. Which we agreed, was the best. Well, after agreeing that our new JOBS were the best, feeling so much gratitude for being able to do what we love.

Ok sorry the salad. It's delish.

Farro Arugula Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Feta

(measurements are guesstimated. I eyeball everything. Go with what looks good to you)
2 handfuls baby spinach
2 handfuls baby arugula
3/4 cup cooked farro
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Fresh lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Dressing
Combo of Basil Infused Olive Oil and 18 Year Aged Balsamic from Oro di Oliva (any good olive oil and balsamic will do)

Shrimp
Pre-marinated and prepped cajun shrimp skewers from Whole Foods (buy them raw, cook right before eating or similar recipe here)


I made 1 cup of (uncooked) farro on Monday night and it made enough to incorporate into my salads for the entire week. Farro is a nutty, superfood grain that's chock full of fiber, magnesium and is classified as a "smart carb". I like to think of it as the orzo of the grain world.


Combine spinach, arugula, salt and pepper in large mixing bowl. Add in dressing to taste, then mix in cooked farro and feta. Squeeze fresh lemon on top.

While you are prepping the salad, grill the shrimp or sear on the stove using coconut oil over medium-high heat, 1-2 minutes per side. The shrimp are tiny, so they will cook in under 4 minutes total.


I try to keep this blog as authentic as possible, so buying the pre-prepped shrimp was a great time saver for getting this salad on the table in under 15 minutes. If you are making your own, make sure to soak the skewers first so they don't burn.



All in all, we were able to enjoy a fabulous lunch outside with some aged cheddar and fig spread, which we both agreed would have gone VERY well with a glass of wine...but alas, we had work to do.

Stay tuned for more photos from our day, including some fun beach shots which you will see in event and website promo in the coming months.


A HUGE thank you to the lovely Amelia Coffaro for sharing her talents and day with me.

(No thank you to our imaginary photo assistant, Shirley, who was completely worthless when we needed her for lighting adjusting/clothes pinning/holding things. She was literally replaced by a bag of poop.)

All images © 2014 Amelia Coffaro and FitGirl Wellness LLC.
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So after my fabulous spin class at SoulCycle last week, I proceeded to eat and drink my face off for the next five days. While I have no problem indulging in a Sprinkles cupcake from time to time, this was excessive. I was exhausted, lethargic, crabby - it was time for a cleanse.

I try to do a cleanse 2-3 times a year just to get out all of the bad stuff and detox - it's like pushing a big red RESET button for my body.


Full disclosure, the cleanse I am talking about is not a juice or water + cayenne pepper + maple syrup only for 5 days (where you start hallucinating about bread and donuts or lose your will to live) - this cleanse combines supplements with 7 days of "clean eating".

What is Clean Eating?

Clean eating focuses on organic foods, lean meats and non-processed foods (i.e. anything that comes in a package or a box). Many people who want to do a cleanse or detox plan end up cutting out important nutrients by cutting out too many foods. This cleanse still allows you to eat, while taking supplements to aid in healthy digestion.

What Cleanse Do You Recommend?

For the past few years, I've been doing the GNC "Be Cleansed" detox. I love this cleanse because it is gentle, straightforward and doesn't cost $300. I've recommended it to multiple friends, so you can imagine my despair when I walked into GNC on Monday and found out they had discontinued it.

Not. Cool.

The consultant there recommended going with the GNC Complete Body Cleansing Program.

GNC Complete Body Cleanse

We even pulled out a list of the supplements in both to compare (thanks Shane!) They were virtually identical except for this one had AM and PM packets, and no premixed drink in the morning. I decided to give it a shot.

Guide to a Cleanse

Timing is key with a cleanse. It is really important to try and stick to the clean eating program, so if your upcoming week schedule is full with dinners, parties or travel, it will be much harder to incorporate. That said, you will almost always have SOMETHING planned. Just try to make smart decisions  - if you tell your friends you are on a cleanse, they may even be nice enough to go to a raw or vegan restaurant with you (love you girls!)

Yes, I made this someecard

Again, clean eating is key. If you "cheat", it's like pouring yourself a glass of filtered water and then topping it off with tap. What was the point of that?

I eat pretty "clean" to begin with, but the hardest part for me is cutting out snacking, cheese, and bread. I love crackers, pretzels, cheeses and big, fat, sandwiches. However, rice is allowed and there are plenty of rice cereals, rice wraps and rice crackers to get your "crunch" fix.

Sample Detox Meal Plan

I'm going to be real with you and share what I ate this week.
Shopping tip: go to the grocery store and shop only on the outside aisles.

Monday

Breakfast: Banana smoothie with almond milk
Lunch: Green Dream Juice (Apple, ginger, celery, kale) with small salad (spinach, chickpeas, red pepper)
Dinner: Asparagus and Salmon stir fry over Trader Joe's Rice Noodles

Tuesday

Breakfast: soy yogurt with fresh raspberries
Lunch: Protein Bar Veggie Quinoa Chili Bowl (add avocado)
Snack: Raw Almonds
Dinner: IdiotProof Salmon and sauteed garlic spinach (made by my fabulous friend Scoops!)

Wednesday

Breakfast: Protein Bar Fruit Loop'd smoothie - vanilla protein, almond milk, blueberries, banana
Lunch: Winter Veggie Quinoa Salad from Pret
Dinner: Lettuce Taco wraps with ground turkey, avocado, tomatoes and greek yogurt

Thursday

Breakfast: Fresh squeezed blood orange juice and rice cereal with almond milk
Lunch: Awesome Avocado Salad (see recipe below)
Snack: Sesamark rice thins and hummus
Dinner: Seared whitefish (I used monkfish) with sauteed mushrooms and watercress

Friday
Breakfast: soy yogurt with fresh blueberries
Lunch: Bean burrito (black beans, onion, tomato, cilantro, soy cheese)
Dinner: Baked chicken (marinated in balsamic and herbs de province), brown rice and steamed asparagus

Awesome Avocado Salad

This was one of my favorite meals of the week and was so quick and easy! If you are making it at work, make the dressing at home and mix everything else there so nothing gets soggy.

Salad
Spinach
Butter Lettuce
Alfalfa Sprouts
1/2 an avocado
Marinated Cooked Shrimp (I got mine from the seafood bar at Whole Foods)

Dressing
Fresh Lime Juice
Olive Oil
Balsamic
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix equal parts lime juice, olive oil and balsamic. Whisk together. (I actually use lime infused olive oil from Oro Di Oliva but this works just as well).

Final Thoughts...

This is a very gentle, inexpensive cleanse that can easily be done multiple times a year to reset your body. It gets easier every time to cut out processed foods and always inspires me eat cleaner after I am done.

Many of the recipes on this site are cleanse-friendly (my spaghetti squash is the result of a cleanse recipe and is great to make in the summer or fall when it is in season!)

It is also important to drink at least 8oz of water with each meal on your cleanse to flush everything out. I supplement tea for coffee in the morning. If you have any questions or want more detailed recipes, let me know!

Happy cleansing!
Kat

My favorite new addition to my recipe rotation has to be spaghetti squash. It has the triple threat quality of being mega-healthy, easy to cook and big enough to produce great leftovers.

Spaghetti Squash with Feta & Roasted Shrimp