Hollywood Holland

The Best Salad for Healthy Skin: How to Make Seaweed Salad

Holland — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:21:33 +0000

Before moving to California the thought of eating sushi and raw fish made me sick! One night I was driving home from the gym starving and I swear the only thing within blocks were sushi restraunts as California is known for their high quality seafood. I wasn’t quite ready to dive into a plate of raw fish and after working out I didn’t want to wreck my diet. The waiter suggested that I try a seaweed salad. Seaweed? It didn’t sound very appetizing. My first thought was “isn’t this the nasty stuff you find on Lake Minnetonka and I’m supposed to eat it?” Gross. After contemplating it for about 5 minutes I said screw it I’m hungry! Thankfully it turned out to be very yummy, healthy, and satisfying. It also turns out that seaweed is great for your skin, low in calories, and high in calcium, iron and vitamins. Score! This salad also makes a great snack in between meals.

My girlfriends and I decided to make our own seaweed salad that we won’t be mad if you steal the recipe.

Cocktail Bodega: Serving Up A Dose of Vitamin C That Will Leave You Buzzing

Holland — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:09:38 +0000

A couple weeks ago while I was visiting New York I came across a fantastic place to grab a cocktail: Cocktail Bodega! At Cocktail Bodega they make the BEST alcoholic smoothies. You get to pick out a selection of fruits, juice, and liquor and then they blend it up into a refreshing beverage. I decided to opt for a berry, coconut vodka, and coconut water concoction. These drinks are a great way to keep up with your vitamin C while getting your buzz on. They also make a great partner to sit pool side with while catching some rays. Bottoms up!

Spa Salad Served: How to Make a Green Papaya Salad

Holland — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:19:07 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Kimlai Yingling of www.eatinasian.com who introduced me to a fabulous and healthy popular vietnamese dish: Green Papaya Salad. It’s a simple and easy vietnamese tradition that’s low in calories, high in protein, and only takes about 5 minutes to make. The papaya even has some amazing skin soothing enzymes you can use on your face! I’ll definitely be sitting with this dish pool side this summer and I hope you’ll join me! Enjoy!

Traveling to a Small Town? How NOT to Wreck Your Diet

Holland — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:31:48 +0000

Over the past week I went to visit a friend in a small town in Utah. In LA we’re so spoiled with so many healthy eating options so what’s one to do when they visit a small town home away from home where the food options are slim picking? Below I have listed a great option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that I found to be very successful for keeping my diet in line while away on vacation.

Breakfast:

An egg white omelette is a great option. It’s full of protein and be sure to ask for it with extra veggies and no butter or oil. Usually they will bring you potatoes on the side I say skip the carbs and get a side of tomato slices and whole wheat toast.

Lunch:

You can normally find a cobb salad at any restaurant establishment that normally consists of chicken, romaine lettuce, egg, tomatoes, and avocado but make sure you tell them to skip the blue cheese dressing and bacon while opting for olive oil.

Dinner:

Chicken is always a great choice and I love to mix it with sauteed spinach and if you must consume an alcoholic beverage opt for a heart healthy glass of red wine.

Now there’s no excuses when you’re home away from home.

A Beverly Hills Inspired Lunch in Less than 5 Minutes: How to Make Tuna Tartare

Holland — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:43:38 +0000

One of my girlfriends and I love to have a weekly lunch date at Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills where we order the best tuna tartare I’ve ever had in my life. Tuna tartare is one of my favorite things to order for lunch because it’s light, healthy, and a nutritious way to add protein to your diet. I decided to replicate this delicious dish and trade out the tuna for salmon to add some healthy omega 3′s to the mix which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. This dish literally took me 5 minutes to whip together and was so yummy! Enjoy!

A Comforting Way to Incorporate the Good Carbs: Butternut Squash & Barley Pilaf

Holland — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:36:58 +0000

Are you still swearing off carbs trying to shed those pesky pounds you gained over the holidays? Well no need because carbs are not the enemy despite what the fad Hollywood diets may claim. Now I’m not saying you can run for a slice of pizza or calzone here. There are good and bad carbs. Some of the bad carbs are processed white flour while the good carbs are natural and healthy like brown rice and quinoa. I recently discovered a new, fun, healthy, and tasty carb to add to my diet: barley. Barley contains high levels of dietary fiber and selenium (a type of antioxidant). Recent studies showed that a diet high in beta-glucan from barley helps lower blood LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Barley may also help stabilize blood glucose levels, which may benefit people with diabetes. Knowing all of these great benefits, I cooked up a butternut squash and barley pilaf at the weekly Hollywood Hills girls dinner night. With the colder weather blowing through LA it was a healthy comforting meal on a chilly night. For all my friend’s suffering from the crazy climate in the Midwest, this dish will warm you up without weighing you down.

The Delicious Solution to a NO Carb Resolution: Spagetti Squash

Holland — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:06:13 +0000

Along with many others, I’ve sworn off carbs as part of a 2013 new year’s resolution. What? No more pasta? Before you feel deprived dry those eyes because I’ve found a satisfying and fun alternative that’s mouth watering delicious: spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is low in calories, averaging 42 calories per 1-cup! Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled, steamed, or microwaved. It can be served with or without sauce, as a substitute for pasta. The seeds can be roasted, similar to pumpkin seeds.

Spaghetti squash can be cooked a number of ways, but I chose to bake the squash in the oven. I served this dish at my weekly girls potluck in the Hollywood Hills last night and it was a big hit. Everyone got their pasta fix without the guilt or spoiling their new year’s resolutions.

1) To make this dish start by cutting the squash in half and scooping out the inside seeds and strands. Then lay the squash halves on a baking sheet and cover it with foil.

2) Bake the squash in the oven for approximately an hour and a half

3) Remove the squash from the oven and scoop out the insides, discarding the skin

4) Serve the squash with your favorite tomato sauce bon appetit!

Eat Often Weigh Less: Rev Your Metabolism in 2013

Holland — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:15:23 +0000

The holidays are officially over and while it may have been cute to overindulge during the holidays and hide underneath a safe layer of sweaters, the summer will be here before we know it! It’s time to ditch the Bailys Irish Cream and hefty portions in lieu of bikini season. It’s pretty apparent that most people vow to exercise more, eat healthier, and lose weight in the new year. While exercising is awesome, 80% of weight loss is contributed to diet alone. Now before you put yourself on a starvation diet, I talked to my friend and celebrity trainer Lauren Kern who stresses that to keep our metabolisms running at top speed it’s important to eat small meals or snacks every 3 hours. This plan also keeps us from consuming unnecessary portions as they say burn more consume less. This may sound tedious, but it’s rather easy to pack some healthy snacks between meals. Here are 5 of my favorite ways to keep that blood pumping all day long:

1) Raw vegetables and hummus such as carrot and celery sticks

2) Green Juice my favorite is from ReJuice that consists of celery, kale, ginger, lemon, and spinach

3) Handful of Raw Almonds

4) Protein Shake consisting of vegan protein, blueberries, and almond milk

5) 1 Cup of Greek Yogurt

Happy Snacking!

Best Way to Pamper Your Pooch During the Holidays

Holland — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 14:02:46 +0000

I love the holiday season. There’s never a dull moment, from holiday parties, to decorating, to cooking, and eating. I always find a way to keep busy and entertained. This year however, I’ve had to kindly decline some of the fun after undertaking the responsibility of caring for a Maltipoo puppy. I’ve had to come up with some puppy friendly alternatives that are just as joyful. If you’re a new dog owner or a long time pooch parent, I invite you to check out some of these wonderful festivities to do with your furry friend:

1. Decorate the tree together

2.Open Your Dog Stocking. Why not? If you have a stocking – your dog should too.

3. Purchase your dog a festive attire

4. Host a dog holiday party for only pet owners and their pooch

5. Make Some Dog Holiday Cookies

Festive Holiday Cookies

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups water
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, egg, peanut butter, vanilla and water. Mix well. Add flours, corn meal, oats and peanuts and mix well to form a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until thoroughly mixed together. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack. Makes 30 cookies

What are you doing with your pooch this holiday season?

Eyewear to make a statement wherever you go

Holland — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:03:08 +0000

Growing up, I always thought eyewear was uncool. I confess, I judged and felt bad for those that were forced to wear glasses, as I walked around confidently with my 20-20 vision. Glasses were seen as something nerdy and unwanted. Many people I knew, were opting for contacts rather than to be seen or called four eyes. Kids are so mean sometimes!

However, over the years eyewear has become a must have accessory. Wearing glasses now is seen as intelligent, sophisticated, and cool. People are sporting glasses even with their perfect vision. Hollywood celebrities are even walking down the red carpet in confidence making a bold statement. One of the most popular and for sure most popular line is the geek look. Geek truly is the new chic! If you want to make a statement wherever you go check out my favorite line at www.GeekEyewear.com as pictured on the celebs below! Geek your geek on!