Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon

by Christine Lusita | | Recipes

Creamy avocado and savoury smoked salmon pair up for the ultimate breakfast

  • 1 slice country grain or sourdough bread, approximately 1⁄2 inch thick
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1⁄2 avocado
  • 2 slices heirloom tomato
  • 3 slices cucumber
  • 3 thin slices red onion
  • 3 pieces thinly sliced smoked salmon
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lightly brush bread with olive oil and toast until golden brown. Top with avocado and mash with a fork to cover entire surface. Top with tomato, cucumber, red onion, and smoked salmon. Add lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

SMARTER goals are better goals

by Christine Lusita | | Lifestyle

Originally used for establishing business objectives, SMART is a well-known system that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The idea is that a SMART goal—one that hits all the buttons—is an achievable goal. And with that in mind, I’ve created the SMARTER (like you!) goal-setting system. It’s my belief that SMART goals should also be Energizing (so that you’re really pumped about working on them) and Revisable (so that you can build in needed flexibility).

Here’s how SMARTER breaks down.

SPECIFIC. A vague goal is no goal at all. “Cutting down on bread” or “walking more” are not exactly the flags that will rally the troops. Your goal has to be worded so that you can say, “Yes! I did that!” Whether it’s “lose seven pounds” or “run a 10K” or “compete in a Spartan race,” your goal needs to have a there there. Think about exactly what you want to achieve. Define it. Revise it. Then see yourself doing it. When you can state something solid and specific about what you want to accomplish, you have yourself a goal.

MEASURABLE. Here’s where your goal starts to take on real dimension. If you want to run a 10K, what pace do you want to hit? If you want to lose seven pounds, how many calories will you need to cut back? By giving yourself parameters—“I want to run a Spar- tan Race in under two hours”—you’re ensuring that you’re really in the race, and that a celebration victory lies ahead.

ATTAINABLE. This is a good one. The unattainable goal—looking like Cindy Crawford, perhaps?—is the reason repeat dieters end up back on the couch with a bag of Cheetos. Goals have to be realistic enough to be achievable, but challenging enough so that victory is sweet. So, if you’re 40 pounds overweight, don’t give yourself the goal of losing every pound in three months. Start with an achievable, celebrate-able goal of, say, 10 pounds in two months. Make it a stretch, but keep it real.

RELEVANT. This step helps clarify whether this goal really matters to you and you alone. If you want to run a 10K, for instance, ask yourself why. Is it because you’re naturally drawn to running and enjoy competition? Or is it because your friend is running the race and talked you into it? As you set your goals, keep your values and priorities first and foremost. If your goal is not a natural fit, or if you’re doing it to please someone else, you might want to choose a different goal.

This is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula

Parfait

by Christine Lusita | | Recipes

This healthy yogurt parfait recipe combines fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and crunchy granola for an easy breakfast.

  • 1⁄2 c. Greek coconut yogurt
  • 1⁄4 c. crumbled angel food cake
  • 1⁄4 c. raspberries, blueberries,blackberries, bananas, strawberries
  • 1 tbsp. coconut whipped cream

Coconut Whipped Cream

Makes 1 cup

  • 1 c. coconut cream full-fat (refrigerate can overnight)
  • 3–4 tbsp. coconut sugar
  • 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract

Put 1⁄4 cup yogurt into small mason jar. Top with crumbled angel food cake, then 1⁄4 c. yogurt, top with fresh fruit, and garnish with coconut whipped cream.

For the Coconut Whipped Cream: Place mixing bowl in freezer 2 hours before whipping. Open refrigerated can, discard liquid, and place coconut solids in chilled bowl. Whip until fluffy. Add coconut sugar and vanilla; whip until smooth. Refrigerate until chill and firm. Serve at room temperature.

This recipe is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula