<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"How&amp;#x27;s this for a cool reason to start a blog? One Christmas, Haylie Duff&amp;#x27;s dad gave her her great-grandmother&amp;#x27;s cookbook that was filled with family recipes. Tucked inside, Haylie found a handwritten letter from 1934, penned by a New Orleans cafe owner with one of his top-secret recipes written on it. Inspired, Haylie started The Real Girl&amp;amp;#8217;s Kitchen to continue the tradition&amp;amp;#8212;and share her own special recipes. Here&amp;#x27;s one of them: Haylie&amp;#x27;s Farmer&amp;#x27;s Market Quinoa Salad (and be sure to read on for Haylie&amp;#x27;s skinny cooking tips!). Says Haylie: &amp;quot;Every year I look forward to the summer months for so many reasons...I love the warm summer nights, maxidresses, and summer romances. I love beach days with my girlfriends, and, most of all, I love the nighttime Farmer&amp;amp;#8217;s Market in Hollywood. The Farmer&amp;amp;#8217;s Market inspires me to eat healthy and always brings my family and friends together. I love filling my vintage wicker basket with fresh herbs and vegetables and finding all kinds of fun ways to use them throughout the week. This salad is one of my latest creations and incorporates most of my favorite vegetables. I love the crunchy texture from using raw veggies and the quinoa provides a great kick of protein. Healthy and delicious...my two favorite things.&amp;quot; 2 cups cooked quinoa 1 tbsp. olive oil hint lemon zest generous pinch sea salt generous pinch black pepper 1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano handful of haricot vert 4 or 5 radishes, sliced 1 small carrots, sliced large handful of heirloom tomatoes 3 broccolini florets 6 or 7 asparagus tips, sliced 5 baby zucchini, sliced 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced handful of wild arugula garnish with dill Blanch haricot vert, broccolini florets, and asparagus tips in boiling water. Place in bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove from water. Toss all ingredients together. Garnish with dill. Yum, right? Now check out some of Haylie&amp;#x27;s healthy cooking tips: 1. &amp;quot;Opt for homemade salad dressings! Dressings are only supposed to keep for about a week, so why is this store-bought bottled dressing good for a year?! Because it is filled with preservatives! All you need is a drizzle of olive oil, some lemon, and sea salt to give any greens a vibrant lift!&amp;quot; 2. &amp;quot;Keep track of what you eat! By that, I don&amp;#x27;t mean literally. Although food journals do help a lot of people, it&amp;#x27;s just a little too intense for me. Mentally, take note...if you have a big cheat meal last night, clean your act up today by choosing lean meats and veggies. Don&amp;#x27;t deny yourself little indulgences, but try to not do it two days in a row!&amp;quot; 3. &amp;quot;Caffeine...my weakness. I literally love my morning cup of coffee. I can&amp;#x27;t quit it, I&amp;#x27;ve tried...and there can be tons of calories in that morning cup of joe. Skip the milk! Try drinking black coffee with raw sugar and honey. It took me about a week to adjust, and now it&amp;#x27;s the only way I drink it. This way, you skip a daily dose of dairy and the artificial sweeteners (ew!) that block your rock-star metabolism!&amp;quot; 4. &amp;quot;What you eat will determine your weight-loss results! You can exercise like crazy, but if you are eating junk, you will never lose the junk in your trunk. This doesn&amp;#x27;t mean go to extremes! With exercise or regulating your food. In fact, by only adding a little exercise and a little clean-up on the food front, you can see nice results.&amp;quot; Thanks, Haylie! What do you think of her recipe and tips? More on healthy eating: * 5 hot-weather recipes (no oven required) * How not to destroy your diet at a wedding * Can coffee give you a mental-health boost? Photo: Haylie Duff/The Real Girl&amp;#x27;s Kitchen"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2013/08/haylie-duffs-skinny-cooking-ti>