I am deeming myself the self-proclaimed Queen of Fruits & Veggies ;) I truly love eating nourishing foods and think that healthy eating can be both fun and trendy. In my recent article for Anton Newspapers, I talk about a few trendy ways to incorporate more fruits & vegetables into your diet. Here is a short excerpt from the article: How many fruits and vegetables did you eat today? We all know that it’s important to eat our fruits and vegetables, but who says that it has to

Memorial Day is right around the corner! I've compiled 20 of my go-to Memorial Day Barbecue tips in my latest article for Anton Newspapers/Long Island Weekly. Below is a short excerpt from the article. Be sure to check out my column Choosing Health, available every month in all Anton Newspapers and on Long Island Weekly website! Encourage Smaller Portions 1. Be sensible about serving sizes. Instead of grilling extra large burgers, cook smaller burgers to promote portion contr

Who doesn't love a delicious pesto recipe? I had the day off last week and was craving a delicious, fresh, homemade pesto sauce. I stopped at the local market to pick up some fresh basil and got right to cooking! As I browsed my fridge and pantry, I realized that I had forgotten to buy pine nuts at the grocery store. Instead, I had a huge bag of walnuts in the pantry. I swapped out pine nuts for walnuts in this recipe, which ended up working out perfectly. A few simple househ

One of the initial steps in terms of getting your nutrition on track is meal preparation and portion control. Portion control can really make or break you; and for most of us, even when we think we are eating the proper amount of food, it might not always be the case. This sort of portion distortion isn’t our fault- with every passing year, plates become larger and normal portions start to double in size. This makes it much more difficult to eyeball a proper serving size when

Are you a fan of Greek yogurt? This creamy, tart yogurt is packed with a variety of nutritional benefits. Greek yogurt goes through a straining process that thoroughly removes liquids, resulting in a thicker and protein-dense yogurt. One serving of Greek Yogurt can pack close to 20g of protein! Over the weekend, my boyfriend and I were craving a big chicken salad wrap for dinner. I always work with the items in my kitchen when putting together a meal. Greek yogurt is a staple

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I absolutely love the joy that comes with the holiday season. Christmas presents, family memories, and snowy nights are some of my favorite parts of this year :) With the holiday season in full swing, I have seriously been craving some delicious hot chocolate! Who doesn't love snuggling up by the fire with a glass of warm hot cocoa during the holidays?! We used to buy these hot chocolate packets when I was a kid; they were full of sug

Uhm HELLO, how delicious does this salad look?! You know you need to make this ASAP! When I traveled to Miami a few months ago, my boyfriend and I went to a restaurant and enjoyed their special of Grilled Watermelon with Feta and Balsamic Vinegar. This flavor combination was on point! I'll never forget how amazing this dish tasted, we may need to take a trip back to Miami just for that delicious watermelon :) This is a picture of us below at the restaurant (we ate the waterme

Who doesn't love a simple and nutritious salad?! I recently whipped together this delicious Summer Kale & Quinoa Salad for friends during Memorial Day Weekend. The flavors in this salad are bright and refreshing, and they make for the perfect side dish at your summer dinner party or barbecue. Kale is a dark leafy green vegetable that actually hails from the cabbage family. Some nutritional highlights about kale include: 1 cup raw has only 33 calories Naturally low in fat, cho

Did someone say GELATO???? Oh, yes I did! I'm always on the look-out for the latest healthy and delicious recipes. Andddd my kitchen occasionally falls victim to my foodie experiments. Not only do I enjoy testing out new recipes, but I always aim for simplicity when it comes to cooking. If you follow Stef Health Tips on social media, you likely have seen my delicious Nice-Cream recipes. Nice-Cream is a simple and healthy alternative to regular ice-cream; take frozen banana sl

Hey loves :) I hope you are all having a fantastic day! On the blog today is the secret to my delicious, homemade Stef Health Tips Acai bowl! I tried my first Acai Bowl out in Montauk with my boyfriend. We would grab an Acai Bowl at Happy Bowls first thing in the morning, and got hooked! Once we came back from vacation, we found a few delicious Acai Bowl spots nearby. At this point, we have eaten so many Acai Bowls, we consider ourselves Acai connoisseurs. After spending a sm

SNOWPOCALYPSE 2016 has arrived! I'm not one for the snow, but I always try to make the best of a day inside. My snowday agenda usually starts with a sweaty workout in my room; I'm a big fan of Pilates video on YouTube for days that I'm trapped inside the house. Tone It Up workouts are also a great indoor option as well. The rest of the day consists of writing a few articles, touching up things on the blog, finishing any assignments for the upcoming week, and experimenting wit

You spent all of Spring and Summer working on that bikini body. You felt amazing sporting your toned physique around the beach and loved feeling confident in your bikini. Then Fall comes around… Countless workout guides, weight loss plans, and motivational quote stickies pile up with dust as the colder seasons approach. Your time at the gym is now replaced by waiting on line at Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latté. After all of your hard work to get your body into peak shape,

If you’re thinking of becoming a vegetarian, it’s hard to know where to start. You’ve likely heard about the health benefits of a vegan and vegetarian lifestyle, such as a reduced risk of heart disease, lower rates of some forms of cancer, reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and a lower BMI (body mass index). But, where do you begin? Whether you are contemplating becoming a vegetarian or have started on your new vegan journey, there are countless documentaries, books,

Happy Monday Fit Friends! Welcome back to the blog. Today, I'm going to be talking about #MeatlessMondays! As you may already know, I am not a vegetarian. However, due to religious reasons, I eat vegetarian/vegan for a substantial part of the year (every Wednesday & Friday, periods of time leading up to holidays, etc). Nevertheless, my family and I have spent years experimenting with creative and unique meatless dishes! I think that #MeatlessMondays are not only a great way t

Memorial Day Weekend is coming up, and those delicious summer bbq's are just around the corner. I always recommend bringing a healthy dish when eating at someone else's home; not only is this a nice gesture, but it also provides at least one healthy thing for you to eat at the event! A big, gourmet salad can be an easy, yet impressive dish to bring to any bbq. Here is a recipe for one of my all-time favorite salads! You can build your own salad using my Perfect Salad Guide, b

Who doesn't love carbs? It's tragic that dieting has become synonymous with no- or low-carb eating. Carbohydrates are your body's primary and preferred source of fuel; your body needs carbohydrates to function! You don't need to give up on carbs to lose weight or get in shape, and you certainly don't have to give up on pasta! Read my latest article, featured on Poise & Purpose, for six simple strategies to fit pasta into your healthy diet. http://poiseandpurpose.com/6-strateg

If you have taken a look at my Instagram, it's no secret that I am a HUGE salad fan! Packed with vegetables and other delicious goodies, salads can be a nutritional powerhouse. I try to make one salad a day for myself to enjoy at either lunch or dinner; I find that salads really fill me up and keep me satisfied for the day. Everyone knows how to make a classic green salad, but I see salads as a blank slate for us to get super creative with. Salads can be a great option when g

I always say that you can't out-exercise a bad diet! After your long and hard workout, it's unfortunate to cheat yourself by stuffing your face. There will be many times after a difficult workout that you want to eat more, and that is totally okay! Just do so in a sensible way, and don't "erase" all of those dedicated hours at the gym. Planning ahead and arming yourself with healthy post-workout snacks is the key to starving off hunger and staying in shape. Give your body a c

This is the recipe from my recent Instagram of my Homemade Moroccan Quinoa Bowl! Quinoa is a great staple and so easy to prepare. I like to make a big batch in the beginning of the week, and then get creative with toppings for my lunch or dinner. I always try to incorporate protein and vegetables into my quinoa bowl toppings. This dish is vegan (in this picture, I added a side of eggs, but that is totally optional!). Future post to come on meal prep! Ingredients: 3 cups quino

Changing things up today on the blog with a delicious and nutritious recipe! Brussel sprouts are a type of cruciferous vegetable, known to contain important phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber that are important to your health. Research has shown that there is a link between cruciferous vegetable consumption and protection against cancer. Sweet potatoes contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and nutrients that help regulate blood sugar. This is a great fa