Whipping Up a Great Galentine's Day

There are pros and cons to us no longer being in the same city…many more cons, than pros. On one hand, we can bring you more varied content. On the other hand, we miss out on some traditions we started together. One of those was hosting Galentine’s Day for our best friends. We love everything about the idea of pulling our best girls together and celebrating their power and awesome-ness with a good workout and amazing food.

This year, we are heading into our own kitchens for Galentine’s Day celebrations with plans to bring along homemade, healthy goodies.

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No-Bake Energy Balls

I have become a tiny bit (a lot) obsessed with these energy balls offered by a local meal delivery service. I find myself wanting to order the meals for the week, just so I can have a supply of these delicious little bites. However, I’m pretty serious with my meal prep on Sunday, so I decided to just go ahead and try something similar on my own.

These have become my favorite treat. They help curb my sweet tooth while giving me a little bit of protein and healthy fats. Also, while the serving size is two bites, I find myself satisfied after having one. Finally, they are so quick and easy to make. I realized these could make great Galentine’s Day treat. Make a big batch and arrange them on a cute tray. Or, wrap two to three of them in cellophane paper, tie them with a bow, and give as a treat to friends.

-CaCera

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats

• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (you could also use almond or cashew butter)

• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed

• 1/2 cup dark semisweet chocolate chips

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

3. Makes about 20-25 balls.

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Citrus Quinoa Salad

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This Citrus Quinoa Salad is one of my favorite meals because it’s quick, simple, filling, and you can easily customize it to fit anyone’s meal plan of the month. It makes a great healthy dish to bring to your next Galentine’s celebration; depending on your ingredients, it can be an appetizer or the full-course!. The star of this salad is the bright, fresh citrus dressing, which we highly recommend doubling because it makes a great marinade for tofu, chicken, or fish.

-Shawnie

Bright Citrus Dressing (Cooking Time 5- Minutes)

Ingredients

• Juice of one lemon (two for extra zest)

• 1/4 cup of olive oil

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

• Two Cloves of Garlic (Mashed)

• Sea Salt

• Black Pepper

Directions

1. Combine, mix, and set aside

Quinoa Salad (Cooking Time - 10-15 MINUTES)

Ingredient

• One cup of dry quinoa

• 16 oz can of garbanzo beans

• 3 cups or one bag of arugula (you can also use spinach or kale)

• One bell pepper (diced)

• One cup of cherry tomatoes (sliced )

• Optional: Feta Cheese, slice almonds, or dried cranberries

• Optional: Protein (Tofu, Chicken, or Shrimp)

Directions

1. Cook quinoa according to package

2. Combine quinoa, beans, bell pepper, and greens

3. Pour dressing and mix

4. Add cherry tomatoes

5. Add optional ingredients on top

6. Enjoy!