So I’m now 17 weeks pregnant and the time is FLYING! I’m feeling wonderful; working out 4-5 times a week with a mix of cardio and pregnancy barre DVDs. The morning sickness and lethargy have all but disappeared, replaced by my constant foraging for food. When you’re always hungry it’s tempting to just reach for processed food because you want something fast. Not going to lie, I’ve given in sometimes. But to largely avoid this faux-food pitfall, I’ve been stocking my fridge with healthy staples and making a bunch of quick, delicious recipes from the cookbook, My Healthy Dish.
My Healthy Dish by My Nguyen has become a kitchen staple for me because of how perfect it is for the busy mom. The premise is fresh, easy, whole-food recipes for the entire family (including my picky toddler—huge win!). My is the creator of the blog and Instagram phenomenon My Healthy Dish. Her cookbook by the same name is a collection of 85 of her favorite go-to recipes. It also includes useful information like the smoke point of different oils, how to save money on healthy ingredients, best ways to stock your kitchen and a section devoted to slow-cooker meal prep. The recipes found in this book, along with her consistently gorgeous food photography (the photos in her cookbook are all her own), have turned her into an internationally recognized tastemaker with over 1 million Instagram followers in less than 2 years.
Baby bump, My Healthy Dish Cookbook and Count Me Healthy Bracelets
And as much as I love her creative culinary ideas throughout the book (more on that below) I am just as in love with her success story and My as a person. I’ve been reading her content for years and she is genuine with a core passion for healthy eating. She also wears my Count Me Healthy bracelets often and we’ve formed a bond over making healthy choices a priority for our families.
Redefining The American Dream:
Born in Vietnam in the 80s, she migrated to the US at age 3, went to school, graduated college with a Communications degree and worked a desk job in mortgage financing. Like so many Americans, she clocked +50 hours a week and despite material things like a huge house and designer handbag collection, felt drained and unfulfilled. Then in 2008, a year after buying their 1st home, both she and her husband, Harlen, lost their jobs to the mortgage crisis. Financially they lost everything, became pregnant with twins and had to move in with her mother. Now most of us might want to curl into a ball and give up at this point. But not My. Instead she embraced the experience and looked at it as a way to start fresh—to focus her passion on what she loved to do: create whole food recipes. Instagram was just starting up and it was the perfect outlet to display her dishes. Her fan base grew because her posts are genuine and helpful. Plus she has this awesome way of incorporating her adorable twin girls, Shayna and Kiera, into her kitchen prep so moms can see how meal planning can be a family affair. She turned her passion into an ultra-successful business venture and hasn’t looked back.
Favorite Recipes from My Healthy Dish
Here are a list of my favorites from My’s cookbook, including a couple recipe excerpts from the cookbook, so you can get a taste of the types of family-friendly meals she offers:
Breakfast
Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Butter, Blueberry Chia Jam, Overnight Oats, Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast
Soups, Sides & Sauces
BLT Summer Rolls, Chimichurri Sauce (this is now always in my fridge and I put on everything), Steak Fajita Bowl, Cauliflower Tater Tots, Kale Basil Pesto
Lunch & Dinner
Orange Ginger Salmon, Mexican Lasagna, Grilled Basil Shrimp Scampi, Cheesy Turkey Meatballs, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Slow Cooker Meals
Chicken Sausage Jambalaya, Slow Cooker Vegan Chili, Balsamic Pulled Chicken
Smoothies, Shakes & Desserts
Basil Strawberry & Watermelon Smoothie, Shayna & Kiera’s Strawberry Banana Smoothie (my son Camden is a fan), Almond Joy Bites, Baked Blueberry Quinoa Donuts
If you are looking for Mother’s day gift ideas for the busy mom (let’s face it…that is every mother) I highly recommend My Healthy Dish Cookbook, available here.
*Food photography courtesy of My Nguyen
I also wanted to let you know of a Mother’s Day Giveaway I’m currently running. Enter to win a Mother’s Golden Count Me Healthy bracelet + a $100 gift card for chelseacharles.com and a My Healthy Dish cookbook. Winner will be drawn May 2nd. Enter Below: – xx CC
This looks like a must have!
Hi Edith. Thanks, it has been for me. – CC