Bora Bora By Land - Private Beach Villa

April 4, 2017

Where we stayed: Le Méridien, Bora Bora

After spending a few glorious days in an overwater bungalow, Mark and I decided to spend the last half of our honeymoon on land. We loved the idea of experiencing both worlds, Bora Bora by sea and land. And by land I mean a private beach villa! It's definitely different from the overwater bungalow but it was so spacious with our own private pool and beach. I instantly fell in love and made myself feel right at home.

Mornings at our private beach villa were my absolute favorite. The lagoon was untouched, water as smooth as glass, and the sun peeked through the towering palm trees with a warm glow. It was one of the most peaceful ways to wake up in paradise with a gentle wakeup call from the tropical birds and sun rays. Experiencing the early tropical mornings on our leisurely way to breakfast became our favorite parts of the day!

After breakfast, we would usually spend the rest of our morning exploring the resort, lounging in our private beach villa, and planning our next excursion or activity. We loved just walking the sandy paths, soaking up the beach views.

I could not get over the palm trees! They were everywhere, seemingly filling every open spot of sand with their giant leaves, towering over everyone below. I was mesmerized by their beauty.

After spending the rest of the morning and early afternoon soaking up the beach views (and a few drinks), we would usually head back to our the villa. We loved to take a dip in our infinity pool, snorkel in the lagoon, and open up all the doors and windows and lounge with a good book in our living room. Our beach villa was an absolute dream, with so much space to stretch out, I sometimes couldn't hear Mark on the other side of the villa!

Our favorite part about Le Méridien was the Turtle Center. Temporarily home to about 9 sea turtles, the resort is also a rehabilitation center for injured and sick turtles. Every day, you can feed the turtles under the close supervision of their caretakers. During the day, some of the turtles were allowed to swim in an enclosed habitat to stretch their flippers. Once the turtles are healthy enough, they are released back into the wild to live the rest of their lives out in the Bora Bora reefs.

We loved stopping by the turtle center, checking out their enclosed habitat almost everyday. The coral, fish, and sea creatures living in the habitat were astounding, all living together like they would out in the wild. Through the crystal clear water we spotted trumpet fish, yellow puffer fish, and sea urchin, all swimming about in perfect harmony.

Bora Bora by land is nothing like Bora Bora by sea. But for me, I was so excited to experience both, exploring the island over water and on the beach.

Next, I can't wait to tell you about the food we had on the island! I'll give you a teaser: there was a lot of seafood.

Bora Bora by Sea - Overwater Bungalow

March 30, 2017

Where we stayed: Le Méridien, Bora Bora

Bora Bora is quite a mystical place. A cluster of tiny islands, floating in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by coral reefs and gentle waves. The water is so crystal clear you can see straight through to the lagoon's bottom, waving hello to Bora Bora's sting rays, parrot fish, and docile reef sharks swimming below.

The journey to Bora Bora was long but well worth the three airports and red eye flights. Stunned by the views from our tiny Tahitian airplane, we couldn't wait to explore the island and celebrate our first few days as newlyweds with our tropical honeymoon. On our own private boat, we left the island's airport and jetted off to our hotel, Le Méridien. On the way, we passed by scattered strings of bungalows, all perfectly aligned, floating high above the water. Each resort's cluster of bungalows were unique, but all had the post-card-perfect look with straw roofs and island charm. Greeted at the hotel boat dock with ultra fragrant wedding leis and a local Polynesian band, Mark and I both looked at each other and decided we were never leaving!

After checking into the hotel, we were whisked away on golf carts to our floating overwater bungalow. We decided to spend half of our honeymoon in an overwater bungalow and the other half in a private beach villa.

Our overwater bungalow was absolutely stunning with gorgeous views of the lagoon looking out to the main island of Bora Bora. Our bungalow had a direct staircase to the water below, a bathtub with a lookout over the lagoon (my favorite part!), and captivating glass bottom floor.

The water around the island changes color quickly depending on the depth below. The dark gorgeous blue water is very deep while the lighter, crystal like water is very shallow. While passing over the water by boat, the colors looked like blue tie-dye, changing minute by minute as the captain navigated away from the shallow sand banks.

From the shore, our views of the bungalows looked like we were holding up a post card. From almost anywhere on the resort, you could look out and see the iconic water bungalows dotting the horizon. We loved going to the beach and wading in the hip deep water, with the occasional sting ray swimming past.

We made a habit of going into town every night for dinner. The evening boat rides were always spectacular, taking us around Bora Bora at sunset. We got to watch the sun go down behind the mountain - pink, purple, and deep blue colors would light up the sky.

While in town for dinner, the hotel staff transformed our floating bungalow into a cozy, intimate space. The glass bottom floor was covered with woven island rugs, the blinds were drawn, and only the sound of gentle waves and occasional sway from the waters below would remind us that you are floating over the lagoon. Sleeping in the bungalow took some getting used to. After a few nights the rocking of the bungalow, whistling of the wind through the window's wood slats, and the splashing of the water below put a spell on me and coaxted me to sleep.

We absolutely loved our overwater bungalow! It was such a dream to stay in such an iconic room high above crystal clear water. About half way through our honeymoon, we swapped out our bungalow for a private beach villa, with a pool and tons of room to stretch out.

I can't wait to share the second half of our honeymoon and explore Bora Bora by land with you!

Packing for Bora Bora

March 28, 2017

There are a few things you should know before packing for Bora Bora. This picturesque destination is the definition of glamorous island life, with floating water bungalows, bushy green palm trees, and water the color of turquoise.

Mark and I had never been to the French Polynesian Islands and we were so excited to celebrate our honeymoon at Le Méridien, floating on an overwater bungalow. We packed for Bora Bora like we were going to Maui, just with a few additional items - like passports! I packed swimsuits, hats, sandals, dresses, and other beachy essentials. However, there were items we regrettably didn't bring and other items we regretted packing. Yes, you will be just fine if you show up with only one swimsuit and flip flops but there are a few additional essential items I highly recommend you consider when packing for Bora Bora.

Packing for Bora Bora

Things to Leave at Home:

Polynesian Francs - We had no issues with our US credit cards and easily used them at the hotel, airport, and island shops. If you need to bring some kind of cash, almost everyone also accepts US dollars.
Formal Wear - Even in the fanciest of restaurants, girls can get away with a summer dress and boys in khaki shorts and a polo. Leave your fancy dresses, heels, and dress shoes at home.
Snorkel Gear - Each hotel is different but our hotel provided complimentary snorkel gear that you could use any time you want. They even had rentable scuba gear if you like to deep-dive and explore the gorgeous reefs.
Beach Towels - Again, like above, every hotel is different but our hotel provided complimentary beach towels, whenever we needed them. Don't waste your precious luggage space on a towel!

Complimenting Outfit Colors & Textures:

White linen (men's shirt, women's dress), turquoise jewelry, khaki bottoms, palm tree green and tropical leaf prints (like this piece), and yellow straw woven accent pieces (like a purse or hat).

Island Vibe:

Very casual, informal. Pack anything beachy, light weight, and tropical.

Random Travel Tip:

When you get on the small airplane to go from the island of Tahiti to Bora Bora, it's open seating, so ask the flight attendant which side of the airplane has the best view. Be sure to have your camera ready, the views are unbelievable!

What to Pack:

Sunscreen - Because we were minimizing liquids in our carry-on luggage, we relied on the hotel to have sunscreen in the resort shops. But the sunscreen options at the resort were limited, extremely expensive, and had a very weird texture (looked more like thick white clay than dissolvable sunscreen). I would suggest a coral reef safe and water resistant sunscreen like this brand here! Also, if you burn easily, pack aloe vera. Our resort didn't have any after sun lotions or creams, so come prepared!
Sun Hats - I wore my floppy yellow sun hat every day the sun was beaming. It was by far my most used and favorite item I packed for the trip.
Light Jacket - Although it was very warm in Bora Bora, I was so thankful to have brought a jean jacket. Not only did it match everything, but it was perfect for our evening boat rides when we would travel back and forth from the main island. I also loved having it for the few days it rained while we were there - I stayed nice and dry!
Duty-Free Wine & Spirits! - We noticed many people on our flight buying duty-free bottles of wine and spirits, and we couldn't figure out why! Quickly we realized that bringing your own booze to the resort is not only popular, but practically encouraged by the hotels. The drinks at the hotel were delicious but we loved going into town and picking up a few great wine bottles at the local grocery store to bring them back to enjoy. I never buy duty-free items when I travel, but I would absolutely stock up on duty-free drinks next time we fly to Bora Bora.
Hair Ties - The island is pretty humid, and with the wind and daily boat rides, my hair was a little unmanageable at times! I almost always wore my hair up or tucked away from the wind.
Something to Read - This tip might seem pretty obvious but there is a lot of lounge time on the island. If your days are not full of activities, it's easy to get stir crazy. Keep yourself busy with a good book or some fun blog articles (hint, hint! check out my latest travels here).

If you are using this guide to pack for an upcoming trip to Bora Bora, I am insanely jealous! Have a Passion Rise cocktail, wiggle your toes in the soft white sand, and savor every moment of the colorful sunsets!

And more importantly, when packing for Bora Bora, leave some space in your carry-on for me! I travel light and am a ton of fun 😉

Wellness Bites: Salty Summary of New Sodium Research

March 22, 2017

Sodium has been a double edge sword for as long as I can remember. As humans, we need sodium to survive but too much, for too long can hurt our health. In the culinary world, sodium gives food flavor, helps awaken our tastebuds, and helps to preserve food giving it a long shelf life. Sodium in high amounts can also raise our blood pressure, over time leading to heart disease. We have a love - hate relationship with sodium and a few new sodium research studies just potentially made things a little more complicated for the world's favorite flavor enhancer - salt!

New Sodium Research Says ..

Eating the lowest amount of sodium might not be as healthy as we previously thought

Currently, the Dietary Guidelines recommend we have no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, which is about a teaspoon of table salt. We have always thought that the less salt we eat, the better but new sodium research is showing that lower isn't exactly healthier. Recently, research is suggesting that people who eat 2,300mg of sodium per day (right at the upper daily recommendation) are actually more heart healthy than people who eat much less sodium per day.

When we don't eat enough salt, our body releases hormones that try to preserve and save as much salt as possible. Unfortunately, those same salt-saving hormones also create inflammation in the body which, down the line, could hurt your heart and arteries. Interestingly enough, eating too much salt (more than one and a half teaspoons of salt) also causes your heart and arteries to strain by increasing your blood pressure, making your heart work harder to pump blood through your body.

What does this mean for you?

If you live a healthy lifestyle, consistently check food labels, eat mostly unprocessed and home cooked whole foods, you can fearlessly add a little more salt to your meals - no more than a teaspoon of table salt for the day. On the flip side, the group of people who are not eating enough sodium is very small, with most people eating too much salt which is hurting their health. The average American eats 3,400 mg of sodium per day, going way above the daily salt recommendation. The sneaky high sodium culprits? Pizza, bread, cheese, cold cuts, soups, chicken, condiments, and many other every-day foods.

So, the real question is, do you know how much sodium you are eating? Which camp do you fall in: A) Don't eat enough sodium, or B) Eat too much sodium. And, most importantly, if you can't answer that question, you really need to find out!

Sodium Resources

Knowing & Lowering Your Sodium Numbers

Track your sodium intake: USDA Super Tracker, American Heart Association's Sodium Tracker, Get the Facts: Sources of Sodium in Your Diet

If your sodium intake is too high: Change Your Salty Ways in 21 Days, How to Reduce Your Sodium, The Salty 6: Surprising Foods that Add the Most Sodium to Our Diets

Research

Low-Sodium Diet Research, Sodium Consumption has a Sweet Spot, National Health and Nutrition Survey

*If you have any questions about salt, your heart, and overall health, consult your doctor and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who specializes in heart health.

Have a nutrition & wellness topic you would like me to research and possibly feature in an upcoming wellness bites article? Email me at michele@mymillennialkitchen.com!

Spring Cleaning Kitchen Checklist + Free Printable

March 20, 2017

Is it Spring already? Say it isn't so! When the weather starts changing I love rotating my closet, putting my heavy coats in boxes out of sight, and my dresses come out of hiding from the depths of the upstairs closet. Because I am a trained Chef, I pay special attention to Spring cleaning kitchen to-do's. When Spring cleaning my kitchen, I pay special attention to the ever growing list of outstanding kitchen cleaning to-do's, beyond the everyday touchups.

A clean and tidy kitchen requires a lot of upkeep. Sometimes, non-urgent cleaning and maintenance slips through the cracks. We have all been there! But with Spring approaching and new seasonal, fresh dishes waiting to be made, I hunker down and rid the kitchen of Fall and Winter's crumbs.

To help you Spring clean the kitchen, I created the Foodie's Guide to Spring Clean the Kitchen, covering the deep cleaning items that are often forgotten. This guide goes beyond the everyday kitchen tasks and focuses on the seasonal and annual items we are more likely to miss. Print out the Foodie's Guide to Spring Clean the Kitchen to use as a seasonal reference or send it to a friend.

Hey, your kitchen will be spring-cleaning-sparkling in no time!

Spring Cleaning Kitchen Checklist

Go beyond the daily kitchen cleaning duties with this deep cleaning kitchen guide. Print out this Foodie's Guide to Spring Clean the Kitchen, stick it on the inside cupboard door, and use it whenever you get the urge to deep clean your domain. Each kitchen is unique, so feel free to expand on or skip steps depending on your space. Click here for printer friendly version.

Checking the Expiration:

Oils & Vinegars
Sauces
Condiments
Canned Goods
Spices & Seasonings - Not only check the expiration, but also give all of your spices the smell test. If the spices don't have a smell (or the right smell), the spices might have gone bad and need to be tossed.
Flour & Nuts - These foods contain oils that can go rancid once expired
Tea Bags & Coffee Grounds

Cleaning Out the Corners:

Clean the Trashcan - Clean out any stains, spills, and eliminate odors
Clean Silverware Drawer Organizer - Take out all silverware from your utensil organizer and clean out the holder
Wipe Off Shelves - Include all cupboards, cabinets, and pantries; this is where crumbs and sticky spills usually hang out
Kitchen Walls - When wiping down the walls, pay special attention to the wall behind the stove where splattered grease from cooking can build up
Under the Sink - Clean out the newspaper or mat under the sink, paying special attention for potential leaks or water damage
Replace Your Sponge or Kitchen Scrubber - This should be done often
Wash Reusable Grocery Bags - Over time, reusable bags can accumulate a lot of built up dirt and bacteria if not washed and cleaned regularly

Deep Clean Appliances:

Toaster or Toaster Oven- Shake out leftover crumbs and wipe down (cleaning resource)
Coffee Machine - over time, hard water and coffee bean oils build up in your machine. Cleaning it not only makes your machine last longer and work more effectively, it can also improve the taste of your morning brew! (Keurig: cleaning resource, traditional coffee machine: cleaning resource)
Oven (cleaning resource)
Stovetop (cleaning resources for glass top, electric burners, and gas range)
Dishwasher - refresh by removing built up hard water and food particles (natural cleaning resource)
Refresh the Garbage Disposal (cleaning resource)

Consider:

Sharpening Knives
Check Oven Temperature Accuracy
Check Refrigerator and Freezer Temperature Accuracy
Decluttering - donate unused or out-of-date kitchenware, dish ware, and gadgets
Wash and Polish Special Occasion Dish Ware - This usually entails 'special occasion' items that only get used once or twice a year like nice silverware, fine china, and top shelf wine glasses or champagne flutes.

Need help finding a Spring cleaning checklist for the rest of your house? Check out these other great resources!

Spring Cleaning the Bedroom / Spring Cleaning the Living Room / Spring Cleaning the Bathroom

Turkey Mushroom Meatballs

March 16, 2017

There are a few reasons why I am really excited to share this recipe with you: 1) I love pasta and any recipe that encourages me to eat more of it, 2) each turkey meatball is packed with shredded mushrooms, and 3) these tender turkey and mushroom meatballs are so moist and juicy! What's the trick for tender turkey meatballs? I use my secret ingredient, ground mushrooms! Oh yes, just wait till you try a bite.

Lately I have been playing around with ground turkey and have been finding ways to boost its flavor and tenderness. Ground turkey is a great lean protein but it tends to be a bit dry and bland. Adding blended mushrooms to the ground turkey mix before cooking plumps up the ground turkey, adds that delicious meaty flavor, and boosts your veggie intake.

Chef's Tip: Different mushroom varieties have add different flavors to ground meat. Portobello and crimini mushrooms have a stronger, meatier flavor while button mushrooms tend to be a little less bold. For this recipe, I am using button mushrooms, but feel free to adjust the mushroom type depending on where your cravings are taking you.

Enjoy these tender turkey meatballs coated in your favorite marinara sauce, lay them in a bed of freshly cooked pasta, and top them with chopped herbs and grated parmesan.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate & comment in the section below or tag me on Instagram @mymillennialkitchen. I’d love to know if you made any ingredient swaps or if you have any questions!

Turkey Mushroom Meatballs

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These delicious turkey and mushroom meatballs are so juicy, tender, and unbelievably flavorful. These turkey meatballs are healthy because they are a blend of mushrooms and turkey which keeps these meatballs juicy and full of 'meaty' flavor. Enjoy!

Author: Michele Sidorenkov, RDN
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 40
Yield: 12 Meatballs 1x
Category: Entrée
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

¼ bunch of flat leaf parsley (fits into ½ a cup if packed down with the stems)

3 garlic cloves

8 oz of sliced mushrooms, (baby Bella, cremini, and button mushrooms are recommended) cleaned and dry

16 oz of ground turkey

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 400˚ F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with tinfoil. Add parsley and garlic cloves to the food processor (see NOTE 1). Pulse a few times to break down some of the bigger ingredients, then process on high for 10-15 seconds, until everything is a ground consistency.

2. Add mushrooms to the same food processor and pulse intermittently for about 1 minute to break up the mushrooms into a ground consistency. Pulse the mushrooms slowly, making sure they do not become a puree (see NOTE 2). If you have a few stubborn mushrooms that won’t break down, open the food processor and give everything a stir, then continue to pulse.

3. In a medium bowl, add the food processor mix, ground turkey, parmesan cheese, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and mix with your hand until evenly combined. Make sure not to over mix.

4. Using a ¼th cup measure, scoop and roll each turkey meatball and place onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, ensuring the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 165˚ F. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy.

Notes

NOTE 1: If you don’t have a food processor, you can always use a knife and cutting board, mincing everything as finely as you can.

NOTE 2: If you break down the mushrooms too much, don’t worry the recipe will still turn out great! The meatballs will just be a little more watery and not hold their circular shape as well and release more juice when cooking.

NOTE 3: I highly recommend cooking with a meat thermometer, which you would place at this point in the cooking process. Insert the stem of the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meatball before cooking. Position the temperature reader towards the oven window so you see the thermometer temperature reading without having to open the oven door.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3 Meatballs
Calories: 369
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 625 mg
Fat: 23 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 34 g
Cholesterol: 131 mg

Keywords: Turkey Mushroom Meatballs, Healthy Turkey Meatballs

A special thank you to the 2020 ASU and Maricopa County Dietetic Interns for helping me recipe test and analyze the nutritionals for this recipe!

This recipe was given a major update on March 17th, 2021 where the post, recipe, nutritional information, and images were updated.

My Secret Ingredient for Juicy Ground Turkey

March 14, 2017

I've been experimenting with one of my new favorite proteins - ground turkey. Usually the words 'juicy' and 'ground turkey' are not often put together, but I found the secret ingredient for seriously juicy ground turkey! And it's so delicious. Another bonus, this juicy ground turkey recipe tastes like beef! I never would have thought a ground turkey recipe could taste this good.

While shopping at the grocery store, this lean protein seemed to always take the back shelf, never quite making its way into my basket. Recently I decided to switch up my proteins and give ground turkey a try. On its own, I found ground turkey to be a little dry and plain, so I took to the kitchen tinkering with the best way to prepare, season, and serve ground turkey. My 'beef' with ground turkey is that its low fat qualities can work against itself, turning this healthy, lean protein into a dry dish if not properly prepared.

After a few taste tests, I found the secret accompanying ingredient for seriously tender ground turkey. Mushrooms! Ground mushrooms to be exact. Trust me, with this juicy recipe, you will fall head over heels in love with ground turkey. Mushrooms add moisture, mouthfeel, and umami (beefy) flavor to the otherwise dry ground turkey. When mushrooms are chopped up into little bits, they easily and evenly mix with ground turkey making the protein so tender and flavorful while also giving the dish a veggie boost. And we all love that!

My Secret Ingredient for Juicy Ground Turkey

I love the flavors in this healthy ingredient combo and decided to create a really quick recipe, taking this mushroom and ground turkey recipe to the next level. Adding thyme helps to intensify the meatiness to the mushrooms, and garlic is the perfect complimenting ingredient. Use the secret ingredient juicy ground turkey recipe below for taco fillings, nacho toppings, accompanying a pasta dish, or sprinkled on top of a salad. Honestly though, the combinations are endless!

You can also play around with the mushroom to turkey ratio depending on the desired moisture level. The Mushroom Council says you can go up to an 80% mushroom, 20% turkey blend! And that sounds delicious.

Pro Tip: Portabella and crimini mushrooms have a stronger, meatier flavor while button mushrooms tend to be a little less bold and are a better color match for ground turkey or chicken. I am using button mushrooms for this recipe, but feel free to adjust the mushroom type depending on where your cravings are taking you.

Juicy Ground Turkey Recipe

How will you include this juicy ground turkey recipe into your meals? I would love to hear how you use it! I whipped up some juicy ground turkey meatballs using the same ground mushroom and turkey technique. Take your ground turkey skills to the next level and try my turkey meatball recipe by clicking here!

Healthy & Juicy Ground Turkey

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Ground turkey on its own can be a little dry. Give ground turkey a veggie boost with this delicious recipe and never have dry, boring ground turkey again! Serve this versatile ground turkey recipe as a taco fillings, nacho toppings, with pasta, or sprinkled on top of a salad. Using ground mushrooms in this recipe will make your turkey taste like beef and will add lots of moisture.

Author: Michele Sidorenkov, RDN
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: about 3 cups 1x
Category: Protein
Method: Sautée
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

8oz. of sliced mushrooms

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (just leaves, no stems)

½ teaspoon salt

1 pound 99% lean ground turkey

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Pulse in a food processor: Add mushrooms garlic cloves, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until the mixture turns to a ground beef consistency (about 20-25 pulses).
Mix all together: In a medium bowl combine the pulsed mushroom mixture, ground turkey, and salt. Mix all ingredients together until throughly combined.
Cook: Place a medium-sized skillet on the stove and set the temperature to medium-high heat. Once the pan is warm, add olive oil, then the turkey mushroom mixture to the skillet. Cook for about 20 minutes using a spatula to occasionally stir and break up mixture into smaller pieces. The ground turkey is ready when the meat has throughly browned and reached a temperature of 165˚F.

Equipment

Cuisinart Food Processor

Buy Now →

Everyday olive oil

Buy Now →

Morton Kosher Salt

Buy Now →

Notes

The links listed above are Amazon affiliate links to the exact ingredients and equipment brands I used for this recipe.

Substitutions:
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme for 1 ½ teaspoons of dried thyme or dried Italian seasoning
- Substitute olive oil for any neutral flavor cooking oil that can withstand higher cooking temperatures, like canola, avocado oil, or sunflower oil
If you don't have a food processor, you can use a knife to chop the mushroom, garlic, and thyme into fine pieces.
1 cup of this recipe is equal to 1 serving of vegetables.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 heaping cup
Calories: 233
Sugar: 0g
Sodium: 475mg
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 3g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 36g
Cholesterol: 93mg

Keywords: healthy ground turkey

Rules for the Ultimate Wedding Registry

February 7, 2017

With weddings come registries and all of the excitement of hunting for the ultimate wedding registry decor - silk sheets, candles, kitchen gadgets, and decorative knick knacks. It's easy to get overwhelmed when picking the perfect items your close friends and family will select to fill your newlywed home. As a couple, it is actually quite a responsibility picking the right items to start your life together. You have the unique opportunity to start from scratch, really deciding what items you want to fill your home.

For someone like me, who has every kitchen gadget under the sun, creating the perfect registry was quite a struggle. And to complicate things, I had just moved in with Mark, so we were trying to declutter our combined households, not add more items to the ones we already had. Another issue I had when creating our registry is that I hold sentimental value to many of my possessions, making it difficult when it comes time to pare down, organize, and donate old or unused items. If someone gifts us a spatula or flower print cup from our wedding registry, it would be really difficult for me to throw away the items when they break or when the print goes out of style. How could I throw it away? It was from our wedding! I could already see our beloved registry items stacked in boxes in the garage once they pass their prime and no longer have a place in our kitchen.

What's on our Ultimate Wedding Registry?

As I dove deeper into the registry it became more and more clear what the ultimate wedding registry looks like. In my opinion, the best wedding registry items could be described using that same words you would use to describe your future marriage, like quality, classic, longevity, and timeless. Look for items that won't go out of style and are durable enough to last forever. As I slowly started realizing the value of quality items and the symbolism I wanted them to have in our newlywed home, we realized that the ultimate wedding registry includes fine china.

Fine China for your Ultimate Wedding Registry

Fine china is something that will never go out of style. It represents quality, a proper home, family meals, and (bonus) is something you can show off to your new in-laws when you host Thanksgiving. I also love the idea that your guests are putting together a collection of items to create one thing that you will share with others. Your aunt buys you the china soup bowl, your cousin gets you the accent plate, then when it's date night in or friends come to visit, you can bring out the china that your friends and family collectively came together to give to you for those exact moments. To me, the moments where you break bread with your friends, family or loved ones, are the most valuable. Sticking with the 'breaking bread' theme, other items we added to our ultimate wedding registry were Waterford crystal wine glasses, a Waterford flute set, and the All-Clad slow cooker with all-in-one browning.

Think you can't add fine china to your ultimate wedding registry because it's too expensive?

Believe it or not, even some of the most prized fine china comes in a variety of price points depending on your guest's budget. Yes, the five piece dinner sets are expensive, but the full dinner set items are also sold individually and the prices are much more reasonable. From our Wedgwood Vera Wang Lace fine china set a tea cup saucer was $12, a salad plate $32, and a coffee cup $16. If these prices are still too high, choose a more affordable china style and brand, there are many quality china sets for a variety of prices. Breaking down a five piece china set will make the ultimate wedding registry affordable for any budget.

Rules for the Ultimate Wedding Registry:

Below are some rules and guides to help you navigate the wedding registry process. Sticking to these rules will help you put together the ultimate wedding registry and start your life as a newlyweds with items you will love and cherish as much as each other.

Go in with a Game Plan - When you first create an online registry, it can be overwhelming. You are flooded with suggestions for items that you may or may not actually need. Yeah, the items they suggest are cute but you probably don't need the gold polka dot accent pillow or monogrammed stool. Create a game plan so you can steer clear of the registry distractions, helping you pick the items you actually need. Remember, you can always buy that gold polka dot pillow later. Now is the time to add quality items on your list.

Make the Registry Decisions Together - It might be tempting to go in and create the wedding registry without your significant other because you are excited or maybe you already know what you want (psst, fine china!). Although, I'm sure it's much easier to set up the registry yourself, I would strongly suggest you create the registry with your partner, getting their feedback, preferences, and suggestions. It's important to include your other half when deciding what items you are going to share in your newlywed home.

Choose Neutral Color Items - Try to steer clear of items that are overly pink, girly, or feminine. You want your partner to use and love the items too! Feminine pieces have their place, and trust me, I love my girly decor! But the wedding registry isn't the place to load up on items that make the house cute. It's a place where you select items that you will both use and love. Great neutral colors for the registry are cream, gold, stainless steel, and gray, or you can select items that incorporate your wedding colors.

Pick High Quality Items - Keep in mind, you get what you pay for and cheap items will probably not last as long or be as effective. For kitchen gadgets or utensils, choose high quality, durable brands. Stick with the idea that these items, like your marriage, should last a lifetime!

Choose Items in a Variety of Price Points - Selecting items in a variety of price points for your registry helps your guests select items they feel financially comfortable gifting. You want to make sure everyone can afford the items on your registry and giving them a wide range of prices to choose from removes the financial pressure. The perfect combination is having a few low priced items, a good mix of medium priced items, and also include some items that seem out of reach - you never know who might gift you a top shelf registry item unless you ask!

With all of these rules and considerations, always remember, have fun! Being engaged is such an exciting and blissful time. If you only take away one sliver of advice, just remember to choose quality items and always include your other half in the process in the registry process.

Happy registry shopping!

Rules for Creating the Ultimate Wedding Registry

How He Asked

January 31, 2017

Right now my heart is so full with wedding planning, reconnecting with family over the holidays, and finally unpacking my moving boxes in the home that my fiancé Mark and I now share. Our (almost) year long engagement has flown by and to celebrate I am starting a wedding series to caputre our engagement journey, share some wedding planning tips, and discuss all things bridal. And the best way to start this wedding series is from the beginning, with how he asked.

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where my family still lives. Being only a short flight away, I travel back and forth from Arizona often, and more recently with an additional travel companion, my boyfriend Mark. Mark got to spend a lot of quality time with my family, attending graduations, thanksgivings, and family vacations. For a family of all girls (with the exception of my Dad), I was shocked at how well everyone got along and how seamlessly he fit in. My sisters instantly took Mark in as an older brother figure. It felt just like it was supposed to.

So, when it came to asking me to marry him, he enlisted the help of my two younger sisters to pull off the question of a lifetime.

Mark travels a lot for work, and lucky for me, I sometimes get to tag along. Pitched to me as just another work trip, Mark and I flew to San Francisco where we I would hang out with my family for the day while Mark worked from the City. My sisters (and co-conspirators) took me around Marin for the day, casually grabbing lunch with my Mom, and taking a walk under the Golden Gate Bridge around Vista Point and Presidio Yacht Club.

We eventually ended up at a small little lookout point where my sisters suggested we pose and take pictures of the view. As we posed, I felt my sister's hand fall away and another lightly touch on my side. It was Mark! And he had a ring! As he slowly got down on one knee, I realized what was happening and was so excited.

After the proposal, my family, Mark, and I all went to dinner in the City, at a gorgeous restaurant overlooking the San Francisco Bay. During dinner, it was so funny to hear all of the proposal details - from the fake work trip to choosing the exact proposal location. There was so much that went into this proposal!

After the dinner, Mark and I then stayed the night in San Francisco at our favorite hotel - The Palace. We were welcomed to our suite with a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, the perfect finish to the most exciting day of our lives.

After all of the engagement excitement and Mark's months of planning, the next big hurdle begins - planning the wedding! during our 11 month engagement I learned so many tips and tricks, and as the wedding gets closer i'll be sharing more about it here. Stay tuned!

Hey, I'm a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

January 13, 2017

I am so excited to announce that I am officially a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), a credentialed expert in nutrition! I am now equipped to translate research and science into plain language to help you adapt and strategize your everyday lifestyle choices into healthy, edible actions. Becoming a RDN also means, it's time to celebrate and open a bottle of champagne! I have been working towards this credential since 2009, so you better believe I am toasting to that!

I would now like to take this time to talk about what RDN's do and the path it takes to become a credentialed nutrition expert. Becoming a RDN takes a minimum of 5 years, with most RDN's taking longer to earn the credential. To become a RDN, you need to earn a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree from a University. During your dietetics undergrad, you take challenging courses, like organic chemistry, anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, micro and macronutrient metabolism, and many, many other difficult science courses. Some other dietetic courses include medical nutrition therapy, foodservice management, community nutrition, nutrition communication, and other nutrition courses. Many of the students in my dietetics undergrad went on to medical, pharmacy, and physician assistant school because many of the dietetics courses overlap with the prerequisites for those specialized programs.

After you complete your dietetics degree, you then need to complete an extremely competitive and intensive 9 month accredited dietetic internship where you put all of your undergrad science, counseling, and management knowledge into practice. During the internship you attend ICU rounds at the hospital, calculate IV nutrients for patients who don't have a functioning digestive system, counsel low income mothers about their underweight children - and the list goes on. The internship is designed to expose you to every aspect of nutrition, helping to guide you to your nutrition specialty.

Then, after you have completed all of your internship rotations, case studies, and projects, you are able to sit for the national RDN exam. Then, like magic, you are officially a RDN!

Now let's take a trip down memory lane to reminisce the crazy, rocky ride it took me to finally become a RDN.

2008 - Started at Arizona State University
2009-ish - Changed my major from nutrition communications to dietetics so that I could pursue becoming a RDN
2013 - Graduated with my degree in dietetics
2013 - Began working as a nutritionist with Aramark at ASU's dinning facilities
2014 - Completed my Associates Degree in the Culinary Arts - read about becoming a Chef here
2015 - Started the 9 month Dietetic Internship Program at Arizona State University - read my tips for matching to a DI program here
2016 - Became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist!!

As you can see it took me almost 8 years to become a RDN, and although that timeline might seem straight forward, there were a few setbacks and detours along the way. Getting accepted into my Dietetic Internship Program was extremely difficult and the internship itself was definitely challenging at times. Studying for the RDN exam was also extremely difficult because I was so distracted with my website, wedding planning, and traveling and it was such an amazing feeling to finally sit for the exam and finish what I had started.

When I started college in 2008 and began to discover out my passions, goals, and aspirations, I never would have guesses I would have ended up on this path. And now I am crossing the finish line, at the end of the crooked and windy road on my own two feet. I now have the word Chef at the beginning of my name and RDN credentials at the end, and I couldn't think of anything more sweet.

Check out my resource page for Dietetic Students & Dietetic Interns here!

Photo credit: Photos were taken by the extremely talented Andrew Jade Photography