Crazy Easy, Super Tasty Chickpea Salad

One of my favorite salad toppings is marinated chickpeas. I used to search for them every time I'd have lunch from one of those cold buffet bars...until I realized, "why don't I just make them myself?" This is one of those recipes that you can slap together whenever you have some downtime and then store in the fridge to pull out later for a quick take-to-work lunch, a dinner side dish or an anytime snack! It's also one of those things that tastes better after it sits a little while (in the fridge, anywhere from an hour or up to a day in advance) so the flavors can meld.

One of my favorite salad toppings is marinated chickpeas. I used to search for them every time I'd have lunch from one of those cold buffet bars...until I realized, "why don't I just make them myself?" This is one of those recipes that you can slap together whenever you have some downtime and then store in the fridge to pull out later for a quick take-to-work lunch, a dinner side dish or an anytime snack! It's also one of those things that tastes better after it sits a little while (in the fridge, anywhere from an hour or up to a day in advance) so the flavors can meld.

My Own Mastectomy Experience

Last week, Angelina Jolie's announcement of her preventive bilateral mastectomy and breast reconstruction, after finding out she carried the BRCA1 breast cancer gene, was met with mostly positive reaction. But some questioned whether this information was helpful or would just result in a surge of young women requesting genetic testing, which is not recommended for everyone and may result in unnecessary financial, emotional and possibly physical costs to pay.

I'm no stranger to controversial discussions around breast cancer. After my own mastectomy I came to understand that (my diagnosis) ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), can be a source of heated conversation for many people, particularly for DCIS patients and those women who have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

Last week, Angelina Jolie's announcement of her preventive bilateral mastectomy and breast reconstruction, after finding out she carried the BRCA1 breast cancer gene, was met with mostly positive reaction. But some questioned whether this information was helpful or would just result in a surge of young women requesting genetic testing, which is not recommended for everyone and may result in unnecessary financial, emotional and possibly physical costs to pay.

I'm no stranger to controversial discussions around breast cancer. After my own mastectomy I came to understand that (my diagnosis) ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), can be a source of heated conversation for many people, particularly for DCIS patients and those women who have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

FREE Workouts all Summer Long in NYC

I love summer in the city. I love that the weather is finally comfortable enough for me, someone who is always cold, to skip the subway and walk all of Manhattan, from downtown to uptown, morning to night. I love August, when tourists and locals alike leave town and suddenly the city is quiet and peaceful. Most of all, I love all the great free events that return each May. I feel so connected to my city when I'm enjoying an evening Jazz performance or yoga class in one of our public parks.

One of the best things about these summer offerings is the free outdoor group exercise classes. Offered all summer long, they are a great introduction to a new fitness activity and an opportunity for starting healthy new habits in a stress-, judgement-, and commitment-free environment, surrounded by the energy and beauty of NYC.

I love summer in the city. I love that the weather is finally comfortable enough for me, someone who is always cold, to skip the subway and walk all of Manhattan, from downtown to uptown, morning to night. I love August, when tourists and locals alike leave town and suddenly the city is quiet and peaceful. Most of all, I love all the great free events that return each May. I feel so connected to my city when I'm enjoying an evening Jazz performance or yoga class in one of our public parks.

One of the best things about these summer offerings is the free outdoor group exercise classes. Offered all summer long, they are a great introduction to a new fitness activity and an opportunity for starting healthy new habits in a stress-, judgement-, and commitment-free environment, surrounded by the energy and beauty of NYC.

2 Apps Take the Guesswork Out of Healthy Grocery Shopping

So, you may have noticed that I completely skipped over last week's blog post. I have been taking some time to do some major soul searching and consider the best way to communicate my passion for fun and easy healthy living to the masses. To make it up to you, today's post has got it all: it's short, sweet, fun & functional! I'm sharing with you two awesome resources that make healthy grocery shopping a little less overwhelming. I had been planning to install these apps on my phone for awhile now and finally got around to it. Don't wait like I did!

Do you go to the super market with the best of intentions, planning to make healthy choices, brain bursting with nutrition information from magazines, TV segments and friends, only to find yourself completely confused once you're standing in the aisles comparing food labels? Fooducate aims to eliminate that confusion.

So, you may have noticed that I completely skipped over last week's blog post. I have been taking some time to do some major soul searching and consider the best way to communicate my passion for fun and easy healthy living to the masses. To make it up to you, today's post has got it all: it's short, sweet, fun & functional! I'm sharing with you two awesome resources that make healthy grocery shopping a little less overwhelming. I had been planning to install these apps on my phone for awhile now and finally got around to it. Don't wait like I did!

Do you go to the super market with the best of intentions, planning to make healthy choices, brain bursting with nutrition information from magazines, TV segments and friends, only to find yourself completely confused once you're standing in the aisles comparing food labels? Fooducate aims to eliminate that confusion.