Now that April is here, you know what that means…our sights are set firmly on bikini season {and no this is no April Fool’s joke! How did that sneak up on us so quickly?!} Now’s the time to forgive the lapse on the whole New Year’s resolution business and allow yourself a real fresh start! We wanted to help you {and motivate ourselves!} to do just that, so for this month’s Tasty Tuesdays we’re focusing on dishes that are equal parts good for you and just plain ole’ good.

While I’ve focused on eating healthy for a number of years {with slip ups mind you! I say equal parts quinoa, red wine & dark chocolate!}, I wanted to give you the best tips I possibly could, so I’ve brought in some experts to help.

A few weeks ago I met the lovely ladies, and more importantly, the trained and certified natural chefs behind AQ Wellness – a new Bay Area food service dedicated to helping you live a conscious lifestyle. Being a major juicing and health foods nut, I felt privileged to give the AQ Wellness recipes a serious taste test and I was blown away. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious, but more importantly, everything felt like real food – because it was! Full meals. Delectable fresh salads. Steak for dinner. Sweet, but still healthy, treats as snacks. The whole focus of AQ Wellness is wellness, not feeling deprived or measuring success by numbers on a scale. Yes, cookies are off the menu but I promise you won’t mind so much.

We are kicking things off with a juice. I know, I know…It may seem a bit cliché, but fresh veggie juice seriously is a miracle worker. When I have mine I can skip coffee {most days!}. It’s a wonderful way to wake up and give yourself a burst of energy. It’s also a great alternative to a sugary afternoon snack – or second coffee. If you have a hard time getting enough veggies into your daily diet then I must recommend adding a juice to your repertoire. And trust me – you will love the way this one tastes!

Green Pineapple Juice + Bee Pollen by AQ Wellness

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Ingredients:
1 bunch parsley
1 large handful watercress
4 broccoli spears
1/2 pineapple
1/2 tsp bee pollen

Instructions:

Juice parsley, watercress, broccoli and pineapple using a Vitamix or slow juicer {sadly a blender will not suffice here!}. Whisk in bee pollen, serve and enjoy!

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This is just the start of four weeks’ worth of recipes that will put some healthy options into your daily and nightly routine. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

 

original photography for apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick // original recipe for apartment 34 by AQ Wellness // art direction + styling by Apartment 34