There’s nothing like a wholesome muffin to make you happy in the morning or anytime during the day. These Peanut Butter Banana Muffins have a little bit of everything - fruit, fiber, and protein.

Whenever my family and I went out to eat at a Canontese restaurant, we’d always get some kind of dumpling noodle soup. While this soup was and still is one of my mom and dad’s favorite dishes, I never really cared for it. I much preferred stir-fried noodles because I always burned my tongue on the piping-hot soup. As I got older and became pescetarian, I was always weary about whether the broths were vegetarian or chicken-based. So even if I wanted that one-off noodle soup, I never ordered it.

I had the honor of being Kendra Tolbert's guest on her YouTube channel, Live Fertile. Kendra is a women’s health yoga teacher, aromatherapist, and dietitian. She is a dear friend of mine and is a great source to go to for anything women’s health-related, including fertility and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

I am a lazy cook. If a recipe is a little outside of my comfort zone, or if it has a lot of ingredients I can’t easily find, I will choose to make something else or use a shortcut. One of those shortcuts is readymade broth.

Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend and she expressed her confusion on which dietary pattern was the best for health - is it a vegetarian, vegan, or omnivorous diet? I think this is an excellent question because there is evidence to support all fronts, which complicates the answer. Depending on who you speak to or read from, you may get conflicting answers. I’ll lay out some information here so you can judge for yourself.

It's been a little over five weeks since social isolation started in Amsterdam, and in many of my recent virtual conversations, the question of what to cook commonly comes up. So I've decided to share some of my usual go-to and newly tried recipes. All of these recipes are Asian inspired dishes made with minimal ingredients. They are also pescatarian friendly, with most of them being lacto-ovo vegetarian.

I took my first yoga class many years ago, and I remember feeling incredibly nervous. I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up and that people around me would judge me for my lack of flexibility and coordination. I also felt overwhelmed by doing something unfamiliar for 90 minutes (yikes!). If you're thinking about attending a yoga class and you have similar feelings, know that you're not alone. Many people experience first-time jitters.

Earlier this year, I completed my level 1 aromatherapy training from New York Institute of Aromatic Studies. I’m thrilled to incorporate aromatherapy into my practice. Being able to speak about aroma from food and essential oils brings me a lot of joy :).

Whether you’re a new or veteran vegetarian or vegan, everyone always seems to ask: How are you getting your protein, and are you getting enough?

To set the record straight, most vegetarians and vegans can get enough protein from food alone without supplements like protein powders. But, what’s the big deal about protein, and why is everyone fussing about it?

Stir-fries like this glass noodle dish are something I like to cook in heavy rotation. In one pan I incorporate a little bit of everything - starch, protein, and vegetables. This recipe, in particular, has some unique ingredients that may prompt you to take a trip to your local Asian grocer. But, the good news is that there are likely substitutes you can find in your local market.

A study that surveyed brides-to-be found that over 50% wanted to lose weight before their wedding, and 40% intended to diet. Additionally, more than 10% were told by others that they needed to lose weight. Being aware of how vulnerable we can be, how do we take action to avoid falling into the trap of body image negativity?

Aquafaba is the liquid that comes in a can of beans or the cooking liquid resulting from boiling beans at home. When whipped up in a standing or hand mixer, aquafaba can be an excellent egg-replacement for many egg-dependent foods like baked goods, meringue, and mayonnaise.

This quiche takes a little longer than some other meals, but the technique is pretty straightforward. I love this quinoa crust because it’s crispy and packs in whole grains and protein. The filling is light and creamy, full of veggies. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

I am a big advocate of simple meals. Don’t get me wrong--I love hanging out in the kitchen and stirring away at something fancy. But truth be told, I don’t have much time for that. If you’re anything like me and time is a precious thing, or cooking something complex freaks you out, this post is for you. Cooking and meal prep do not have to be very involved at all. All cooking simply means is having your pantry and fridge minimally stocked with some basic tools and you’re good to go.

There are many factors that may affect your decision about when to eat, such as the time of day, your schedule, social engagements, and boredom. For now, I’m focusing specifically on hunger and fullness cues.

As women, I know the last thing we want during our period is to be active. The fatigue, the dull aches and pains, and the bloating can really be a bugger. But as much as we want to stay curled in a tight ball, we should actually move. Aerobic exercise (ex. walking, running, swimming) and yoga have been proven to decrease the severity of menstrual cramps.

I often get asked if a plant-based diet is healthful and sustainable for living. The answer is yes, a plant-based diet can be sustainable. It’s our approach and how we go about monitoring our health that determines if it will be.

For some of my clients who are just starting to get their feet wet with mindful eating, the holidays can be a challenge with all of these activities happening at once. But challenges are good because they help us become more in tune with our bodies.

So take a breath and check out my tips on mindful eating during a holiday party:

Juice is definitely an attractive drink with its vibrant colors and endless possibilities for delicious concoctions. Throw in a sunny day at the beach and it’s a picture-perfect setting.

Aside from its Instagramable features, juice is often portrayed as a cleanser and purifier of all toxicities from your body. But is that true?

As food lovers, food is always on our mind. We are constantly thinking about what is for the next meal. It is very tempting to eat out for all meals and snacks, but that would likely break our budget. Even if we did have an unlimited budget, eating out constantly would probably not be the wisest for our health because it would make it complicated for us to eat balanced meals (yes, I’m talking about fruits and veggies). Restaurant foods are often made with more oil and salt, which will upset our normal digestion process, especially when you throw in being jetlagged.

Although being a pescatarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian gives me more food options than being a vegan, I am still susceptible to nutrient deficiencies. Nevertheless, I don’t regularly take supplemental vitamins because I am believer in food first for nourishment. Another reason? I’m not keen on taking pills.