Holy guacamole, I've missed my normal routine these past two weeks! My husband and I spent a few (okay, seven!!!) days in sunny Florida and I immediately turned around for a work trip to Chicago which was followed up by a weekend spent in Houston visiting my family. It was a rare occasion for my brother and myself to be in Houston visiting our dad at the same time and spending valuable time catching up was cherished. But to say that I missed blogging, cooking, baking, my husband, my dogs, my bed and just my routine in general is a huge understatement! I thrive on a schedule so my body is feeling all sorts of wacky right now. I did get to visit the Chicago SoulCycle studio a few times. Finding my inner warrior and rocking out hard core with all those fellow riders was such a blast! A 5am wake up call ain't nothing compared to the endorphin high of spinning my heart out, I freaking love it! Cardio junkies, raise your hand!

I'm SO excited to get back into my kitchen and prepping my clean meals, now more than ever I feel extremely connected to how my diet is making me feel. Being the only clean eater in a group of people can be very challenging. I tried my best to be flexible and just modify my options wherever we were for my diet. When that didn't happen, I'd pop an RX Bar and just enjoy the company of others without making it a big deal. I found over the course of the past few days that packing essentials (nuts & bars mainly!) is KEY to surviving a weekend full of meals that are made of things like hot dogs and Hooters' wings. (I'm serious, y'all!) 

Houston had lots of Mexican fare to offer but not many with clean-eating versions. Now that I'm home and craving Mexican food- I turned to this adaptation of Oh She Glow's Stuffed Avocados from the Oh She Glows Everyday Cookbook. It's hearty, filling and bursting with bold flavors. I squeeze a little extra lime juice over each boat to punch up the vibrancy factor. This recipe made a TON of salad so there is plenty for leftovers throughout the week. Served with fresh salsa, tahini & lime, or a dollop of cashew sour cream- it is off the charts delicious. Not to mention stuffing crispy and fresh romaine heart leaves with the salad is just plain old fun to eat! 

This salad is made with wheat berries which is most commonly known in its ground form-- whole wheat flour. These whole kernels are cooked in water and provide a perfect chew to the dish. They are loaded with fiber, protein and Vitamin B! I don't eat wheat very often but this dish is a lovely exception. Let's get our hand dirty in the kitchen, shall we?

Mexican Salad Boats

You need:

• 1 cup wheat berries
• 1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 
• 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
• 3/4 cup fresh corn (1 medium size corn on the cob) 
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 head of romaine lettuce, rinsed and pulled apart into long leaves
• Optional toppings: hummus, diced avocado, cashew sour cream, tahini, extra lime juice, salsa, black olives

Get cooking:

1. Rinse the dry wheat berries and then add to a small pot, cover with water and set over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until the wheat berries become tender but still have a bite to them. 
2. Meanwhile, add black beans, cilantro, corn and pepper to a large bowl. 
3. To make the dressing: add lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, maple, salt, pepper and cayenne to a small bowl. Whisk until combined. 
4. Add the dressing to the black bean mixture. 
5. Once wheat berries are cooked to perfection-drain and rinse them under cool water. Add slightly cooled wheat berries to the black bean bowl with the dressing and stir to combine. 
6. Spoon the mixture into the romaine lettuce boats. 
7. Finish with an extra hit of lime juice, dash of salt and other desired toppings (suggestions above) and enjoy my friends!