Copycat Korean Salad

Korean BBQ is one of the most delicious discoveries I've ever made. I tried it for the first time shortly after moving to the DC area, and I was not disappointed! The unique blend of spices and flavors make this cuisine irresistible. My very favorite Korean BBQ restaurant has this amazing salad that they serve before they bring out the meat. It's so delicious that I fill up on it before the meat even arrives. Then I'm super disciplined and don't eat any meat or rice! Just kidding. I have zero self-control when it comes to Korean food. The bright side of my gluttony is, I ate enough of the salad to figure out how to make it on my own! Here's how I do:

Ingredients:

2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp Korean red pepper flakes (I used the ones pictured, which I found at an international market)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds

Toss ingredients together in a bowl. Divide between two plates and serve!

Nutrition information (serves 2):

Calories: 109 | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fiber: 1g

Vanilla Berry Smoothie

When it's a bazillion degrees outside like it has been these past few days, there's nothing like a nice, cold, refreshing smoothie to cool off. Smoothies can make a great breakfast, snack, or (if you're lazy like me) a quick and easy lunch. If you haven't tried adding spinach to a smoothie before, I strongly encourage you to include it when making this. It's an easy way to get in some great nutrients, and you can't even taste it (promise!)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Muscle Milk)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 handful spinach

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 277 | Fat: 8.5g | Protein: 17g | Carbs: 10g