Kara Lydon | The Foodie Dietitian Blog

Tofu Banh Mi Bowl

May 18th, 2017 | Posted in Entree, Lunch, Recipes | 4 comments

Inspired by my recent trip to Vietnam, this Tofu Banh Mi Bowl is packed with Vietnamese flavor and nutrition!Banh mi and pho were the only two Vietnamese foods I’d ever tried here at home before I went to Vietnam. But I knew that the authentic versions I’d sink my teeth into across the globe would be 10x better. I was wrong. They were 100x better!

Traditional banh mi is piled high with pork and pate so I did a little research before going to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to see if there were any vegetarian banh mi sandwiches that I could try. Trip Advisor travelers recommended one spot and surprise, surprise, we found ourselves hunkering down there for lunch on our first day. Their vegetarian banh mi was incredible. Crispy, fried tofu with a mushroom pate, pickled vegetables, lots of cilantro and a variety of sauces to choose from (I went…

Why You Should Get Out in Nature (Mindful Monday)

May 15th, 2017 | Posted in MindfulMonday | 1 comment

A reminder about the studied benefits of spending time in nature, what it does for our health and why you should get out in nature! If you’re feeling stressed, this Mindful Monday is a must read.Hey guys! I’m so excited to introduce you to my intern, Emma. Emma’s a student at Boston University finishing up her graduate coursework in nutrition and about to embark on her dietetic internship to become a RD! She has been helping me out behind the scenes here at TFD for the past six months. This girl and I have lots in common – we both share a love for travel, yoga and the outdoors, which is what this guest post is all about! Without further ado, meet Emma!

Hi all! I would first love to thank Kara for taking me on as an intern during my graduate studies at BU to help with her social media, research,…

Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl (vegan)

May 11th, 2017 | Posted in Entree, Lunch, Recipes | 10 comments

A delightfully refreshing and seasonal dish, this vegan-friendly spring vegetable buddha bowl is packed with seasonal veggies, tofu and a minty creamy cashew dressing. I like Buddha bowls. The concept is simple and customizable. Choose a grain base. Add veggies of choice. Add tofu, beans, lentils, etc. Some nuts, seeds or avo for good measure. And top with a sauce. Always with a sauce. I created a fall seasonal Buddha bowl last year complete with apples, kale and butternut squash and it was so popular that Buzzfeed featured it in their Buddha bowl recipe round-up! So I figured why not create a spring version of the Buddha bowl to celebrate the bounty of spring produce that’s available right now.

Oh, Spring. We love you for your strawberries, rhubarb, radishes, asparagus, artichokes, sugar snap peas, watercress and so much more. This bowl is an ode to you. You and your moderate 50-60 degree weather. You…

Spring Grain Salad With Fava and Fennel

May 4th, 2017 | Posted in Entree, healthy eating, Recipes | 19 comments

This spring grain salad with fava and fennel is made with toasted pearl barley and is chock full of refreshing seasonal produce and flavor. I just got back from an appointment with an orthopedist to review the results of my MRI. The good news is there was nothing super alarming, no crazy enormous bulging discs or herniations to be found. The bad news is we have nothing to point where we can confidently say that’s the source of your pain. Basically I have the wear and tear of a spine of a 40-year-old and that’s only about ten years off so again nothing alarming. The doctor told me today that I really just need to rest and give it time to heal. I told him I wasn’t so good at resting. And he said well we need to find you some other outlets. That’s where this recipe comes in.

Shucking fava…

Luang Prabang Salad (Laos salad)

April 27th, 2017 | Posted in Appetizer, Entree, Lunch, Recipes | 18 comments

The freshest salad there ever was, this Luang Prabang salad is packed with tons of herbs and paired with a creamy sweet and sour dressing, inspired by my recent trip to Laos.One of the reasons I love traveling (and there are many) is that I always return with new inspiration for blog recipes. I love being able to bring back a taste of my adventures abroad (like my Slow Cooker Greek Baked Beans and Greek Salmon Gyros with Beet Tzatziki) and share them with you and I love the challenge of recreating my favorite global dishes in the comfort of my own kitchen. I have so much to tell you about my recent travels to Vietnam and Laos and don’t worry there will be plenty of posts to follow recapping our trip but today I’m kicking off my trips down memory lane with a favorite Laotian recipe.

It’s funny. We almost didn’t go to Laos. Originally,…

What Do Intuitive Eating and The Universe Have in Common?

April 10th, 2017 | Posted in MindfulMonday | 1 comment

After reading The Universe Has Your Back, I’m sharing thoughts on the relationship between faith, The Universe, love, control, fear and intuitive eating. Hey guys!

The hubs is sick in bed this morning during our first day in Hanoi so I’m taking advantage of the downtime here to write on the blog. I had plans of writing weekly travel recaps while I was here but someone unpacked my external hard drive (we’ll cut said person some slack though because he’s not feeling well) after I packed it and it houses all my photo software. And travel recaps sans photos would be pretty darn boring. So, Im going to write a couple Mindful Monday posts instead.

I brought three books with me to read during this trip and the first one that I finished last week had a huge impact – Gabrielle Bernstein’s The Universe Has Your Back. I read Gabby’s May Cause Miracles a…

The Hidden Side Effects of Food As Medicine (Mindful Monday)

April 3rd, 2017 | Posted in MindfulMonday | 14 comments

Hey ya’ll! Steve and I are soaking up sunshine and good vibes in Nha Trang, Vietnam today, a beach town on the coast of Vietnam. Or, we’re in a mud bath. The only two things Nha Trang is known for :). Anyways, I’m suuuuper excited because one of my RD besties, Rachael, is guest blogging today. Rachael and I share very similar philosophies around food, nutrition, wellness, life, etc., so you will love her. She practices intuitive eating with her clients as well and writes such thoughtful posts on the matter on her Wellness Wednesday series over at Avocado A Day Nutrition. And the post she wrote today on the side effects of food as medicine is no exception! Without further ado..take it away, Rachael! Hello there! I’m Rachael, the private practice dietitian and blogger behind Avocado A Day Nutrition. Thrilled to be guest posting today while Kara is off gallivanting around Vietnam….