You did not become overweight and out of shape from one bad meal, one bad day of eating, or even one bad week of indulgences. 🍕 True story!

Now before you read further I want you to know that I truly am ecstatic to FINALLY be pregnant, especially after our struggle to get to this point. https://www.nicoledarabi.com/post/infertility And because you’re reading this blog, it means that I actually found a little bit of time where I don’t feel like I’m rocking in a boat that’s drifted out to sea. Isn’t that what morning sickness (let’s be real “all day sickness”) feels like? Or maybe it’s more comparable to the worst

Persian Saffron Chicken is one of the easiest meals to make in bulk. It’s light, tangy, and somehow we never get sick of it! I married into a Persian Family, which means I would be ousted if I didn’t know how to make Joojeh Kabob. Well, not really but it sure does score some points with my in laws! Nima and I make this combination of dishes for lunch more than any other because it’s so simple and very easy to make in bulk. It’s light, tangy, and somehow we never get sick of i

Visually appealing, savory, sweet, and comforting. It’s the quintessential fall meal. Squash obsessed peeps raise your hands! 🙋🏻‍♀️ In past years I had turned up my nose to squash because in my opinion it can be a total pain to work with. Certain varieties are difficult to cut, de-seed, and oh my god they take forever to cook! Delicata squash seems to be a hidden gem in the squash community though. My husbands facial features said it all when he took a bite of this meal the

Sweet potatoes – not just for Thanksgiving! They are a MUST have in my food prep regimen, and soon they will be in yours too! You could say I have a mild obsession with sweet potatoes. These delicious little root vegetables can be added to any dish morning, noon or night to add natural sweetness, color, and texture. They are a fantastic carb source filled with antioxidants and are also known for their anti-inflammatory & blood-sugar regulating qualities. It’s a win-win for sw

This easy to make turkey chili is full of flavor and texture and is perfect for bulk cooking. Fall and winter are the perfect seasons to whip up easy and healthy one pot meals. This recipe is always in our meal planning rotation because of it’s simplicity and great macronutrient content. Perfect for large family gatherings or to bring to a sporting event party. Superbowl is this weekend, wink wink The accompanying video puts a lovely visual to this recipe! It’s worth a look.

The rollercoaster ride of infertility and trying to conceive. I’m taking a moment to pause my writing about food prepping to share a more personal story with all of you. Come sit around the camp fire with me. It’s story time. Those of you who have been following me on social media have heard me speak openly about my struggle with unexplained infertility over the past two years. Like many others who have dealt with this subject, you never expect that you’ll be the one on the r

Get ready to add a little calienté to your meal prep routine! Add this deconstructed taco recipe to your food prep repertoire. It’s fast and extremely easy to assemble for those times when you’re short on time and you need a quick food prep session. We all love tacos (right?) but taco shells and tortillas can be a pain to deal with when transporting your food from home to work during the week. This easy deconstructed taco recipe has been one of my tried and true go to’s since

Was there ever a more perfect recipe for a massive meal prep for the week? I have to give myself a pat on the back for this one in particular because I admit I’m not the most familiar with Asian cooking. In the past I’ve tended to steer clear from Asian recipes because 1.) they’re usually gluten laden and 2.) HELLO sodium and bloated everything, no thanks. Those things are not a concern with this recipe. I was able to keep the sodium and sugar situation in check, wohoo! I’ve

Let’s face it! We all get overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the right meal plan or diet philosophy that suites our needs. We are constantly bombarded with the latest fads, evil foods to avoid, or the promise that some “magic foods” will cure all of our health issues, help us loose 10lbs in a week, and so on. I hate to be the bearer of bad new but there is absolutely no magic pill. Wah Wah! The truth is every single one of us is working with a different body type, differen

You say you want a better body but do you want a better complete package? Mind, body and soul are connected. Picture this: A woman sits down for her first meeting with her nutritionist or personal trainer to discuss goals and what brought her here in the first place. 90% of the time most of the women will reach for their phone to pull up a photo of someone else who she believe has it all and says, “I want to look like her.” Now reflect on that statement for a second…”I want

Oh how I love convenience. These little muffins have become an absolute staple in our household over the years. If they are not fully stocked in the fridge with a back up stash in the freezer, you can see my husband’s face turn to shear panic! These muffins ARE our healthy convenience “go to meal” usually for pre or post workout. I first learned how to make a simplified version of this recipe from my coach Kristi Tauti when I began training for my fist bikini competition. I w

My goodness I’ve been meaning to blog about this recipe for a while now. A few months ago I posted a photo of my Egg White Muffins on my Instagram page and everyone went nuts over it. Without further adieu, here is the long awaited recipe: Anything in a muffin tin = quick “on the go” food for me. Our lives are a constant hustle from place to place and having a quick and healthy protein source is like liquid gold, not to mention they’re super cute! You’ll notice in my original

Your body needs rest just as much as it needs movement. Listen to your body...it knows better than you. A little reflection as we head into the weekend: Sometimes you need to let yourself zen the heck out & pay attention to what your body and mind are asking of you. If they need to rest, then REST and don’t feel guilty one bit. It’s essential for your mind and body to sit idle just as much as they need to move and be active. My husband and I took a nice little vacation to Cab

If you have started reading my blog and your head is spinning thinking “okay, all of these recipes in bulk are great, but where the heck do I start with this whole meal prep thing?” Never fear my food prepping scholars, I will give you an overview of what you’ll need to begin. This is a quick run-down to get you started as I will be going more in depth with future posts. Try not to get overwhelmed as you read this. Remember to take baby steps, and be kind to yourself as you l

Weekly food prep is an instrumental part of living a healthy lifestyle and giving your body what it needs so it can do what you ask it to do every day; day in and day out. Unfortunately too many people let this crucial component fall by the wayside. I know because I was one of those people. Before I began competing in bodybuilding I was an avid athlete, training for running events, lifting weights, hiking, climbing…you name it I was involved in it! I thought that I always ate

Create a blog post subtitle that summarizes your post in a few short, punchy sentences and entices your audience to continue reading. Girlfriends, Mothers, Wives, Aunts, Sisters – You only get one YOU! As women we feel constant pressure to be and do everything for everyone else with grace, perfection, and finesse. Bleh! As a new nutritionist I’m seeing the effects first hand of what happens to women when they focus all their energy on others and put themselves last. Too many