Basics

Woman Crush Wednesday: McKel Hill, MS, RDN

August 31, 2016 By Claire 2 Comments

It feels so right to start the Woman Crush Wednesday series off with the illustrious McKel Hill of Nutrition Stripped.

As a fellow dietitian food blogger, it’s been so inspirational to virtually follow along as McKel has built her business, developed her brand, and shared her nutrition philosophy. Last week, it all culminated in her aptly named cookbook, Nutrition Stripped. I bought one for my dietitian co-worker and one for myself to happily flip and cook through.

A little Saturday morning pre-inspiration via the @nutritionstripped cookbook before today's Hustle Harder workshop with @bossbabesatx + @generalassembly. Weekends well spent. #bossbabesatx #nutritionstripped #thepetiteprofessional

A photo posted by Claire Siegel, RDN, LD (@thepetiteprofessional) on Aug 27, 2016 at 8:15am PDT

McKel has a realistic, whole food, plant-based approach to healthy eating. It includes tons of kale and smoothies, while also making room for chocolate and celebratory margaritas. Also worth mentioning is her aspirational, balanced approach to healthy living. My girlcrush really set in when I started following McKel on Snapchat. Seeing her early AM workouts, wholesome meals, Q&As, coffeeshop work sessions, and life living always makes me want to simultaneously hustle and balance just a bit harder.

Add McKel to your #wcw list by checking out her latest monthly workout playlist, this simple and beautiful lentil salad, healthy body image tips, or follow her on Instagram.

Which healthy food bloggers are you girlcrushing on? Would love to check them out! And, next week, we’ll be talking to my #wcw, homegirl, blogger and ladyboss extraordinaire, Abigail Diaz.

new series: woman crush wednesday

August 24, 2016 By Claire 2 Comments

I spent a lot of time in my high school and college days comparing myself to other girls. I was plagued by the idea that I was not as cool, or as smart, or as popular with boys, or as successful, or as thin, or as pretty as many of the females surrounding me. And instead of facing my own insecurities (and also realizing that they probably had their own to work through, as well), I turned my negativity inside out, directing my distaste toward them instead.

Somewhere in the last few years, I was able to accept myself and started to appreciate the women around me. Or I started appreciating the women around me and accepted myself in turn. The order isn’t important, but the fact that it all happened is.

Consciously or not, I’ve filled my space with a collection of incredible women that inspire me to be awesome. My mom works hard AF, my Grandma is full of wisdom and spunk, my sister is incredibly kind, my friends are so dynamic and bold, and the women I work with are absolute ladybosses that I feel lucky to know and learn from. And outside of my immediate IRL circle are even more influential women– the blogs I read, the podcasts I listen to, the candidate I’ll vote for (ahem)– all marked by two X chromosomes.

And now I want to introduce them to you, not only so you can meet them and follow them and read their work and listen to their shows and buy their products, but also as a counter to the corrosive comparison of my past that’s still so prevalent in the world of women. (Can’t chill on the alliterations, sorry.) We’ll be talking about some of my favorite women to follow along with online, and talking to some women in my real life about real life.

Up first: McKel Hill of Nutrition Stripped. See ya then.

How to Get Back on Track Post-Vacation

June 6, 2016 By Claire 1 Comment

If you even so much as glanced at my San Diego recap, you already know that my favorite way to explore a new city is by mouth. This is probably not very sophisticated of me to admit, but I’ll take a renowned restaurant or weekly farmers market over a bus tour or museum any day, any trip. While it likely has more to do with my general lack of patience, I’d like to attribute this tendency to my desire to experience any city I visit as a true local. (As an example, I spent 5 weeks in Chicago last summer and didn’t visit the Bean a single time, choosing instead to explore as many coffeeshops as I could.)

So eating in a new city is awesome, but walking tours, monuments, and history museums are probably better for your waistline. But… Eating in a new city is awesome. And part of being a #realistRD is knowing that there’s room for indulgences in every healthy life. You already saw how I lived in culinary luxury while on the West Coast, but I’ve since returned to my regular grind, and it’s time to get back on the wagon. Here’s how I bounce back.

Plan ahead

Listen, I’m not suggesting that you spend your valuable vacation days thinking about meal prep, but you can do yourself a favor and start getting back into “real life” mode as you travel back home. I like to take a bit of time in the airport or on the plane looking at the week ahead, planning my workouts and making a grocery list.

Rehydrate, stat

On a normal weekday, I’m fanatic about having water with me at all times. On the weekends or when I’m traveling… Not so much. For me, getting my hydration levels up is first priority and always makes me feel much more myself.

Restock

Hit the grocery store as soon as you can, ideally right after you get home from the airport. If you’re not quite ready for that, pick up a day or so of healthy prepared meals from somewhere like Snap Kitchen (#shamelessworkplugbutIreallymeanit). That way you’ll have plenty of time to think through and execute on a grocery list during your first full day back in town.

Rest up

An important part of getting back into your normal routine is returning to a solid sleep routine, ideally 7-8 hours per night. Between changing time zones, late nights out, and hotel beds, the quality and quantity of your sleep may have suffered. Help ease yourself back into the regular grind by getting plenty of rest your first few nights back home.

What about you guys? How do you get back into the swing of things after some time away? Would love all the tips and tricks I can get!

Petite Travels: San Diego

June 1, 2016 By Claire 3 Comments

DAY 1: travel day

The day got off to a bit of a rough start. I worked a hurried half day and then headed to the airport with the family. In classic Siegel style, we arrived to IAH suuuuper early, only to be greeted by a 2 hour delay.

Fast forward 3ish hours and we landed in beautiful, cool San Diego. We were starving and had already missed our reservation at George’s, so after a quick Yelp search, we decided to hit up Hodad’s in Ocean Beach for a greasy burger and a few too many giant onion rings. While this was a last minute decision, it’s one I’d do over again and highly recommend. Hodad’s is a super casual (if not borderline grungy) burger spot, frequented by (surfing) locals and tourists alike. We all got a kick out of reading the custom license plates that lined the walls while we waited for our food.

After Hodad’s, we drove out to La Jolla and checked into our cute, quaint Airbnb and tucked in for the night.

DAY 2: Gaslamp + La Jolla

Our bodies were still on Texas time, so we got up early and sat down for breakfast at Cody’s, which came recommended by one one of you on Instagram! We ordered coffee (stat) and were pleasantly surprised by how notably rich it was. We kept a server nearby throughout the meal for innumerable refills. In an effort to not overeat as we had the evening before, we split three entreés (Bacon and Cheddar Omelet, Challah French Toast, and Chicken & Biscuits) between the four of us. Not sure if we succeeded on that mission, though, as we explored downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp district for the rest of the afternoon, skipping lunch.

After a brief respite at home, we made up for the previous evening by scoring a reservation at the highly acclaimed George’s. In order to take full advantage of its renowned view, we ate on the Terrace, an outdoor dining room on the restaurant’s third floor. The views were, indeed, spectacular, but I have to admit that I was pretty unimpressed with the restaurant. The place was packed and super loud, and I found the food to be pretty mediocre and overpriced. The highlight of my $39 halibut (supposedly the best item on the menu) was the corn it was served on top of. The rest of my family had the fish tacos, linguine, and yellowtail fish special. I suppose I’m glad we went so we could say we did, but it was by far the least remarkable (and most expensive) place we ate all trip.

DAY 3: Little Italy + Coronado

My sister and I started our morning off with a walk to the beach and along La Jolla’s main street, Avenida de la Playa. We grabbed coffee at Brick & Bell and then got in the car with our parents toward the U.S.S. Midway. I had a lingering feeling in the back of my mind that I was distinctly uninterested in touring the aircraft carrier museum, so when we happened to drive by the most glorious farmers market in the middle of Little Italy, I demanded we make a pitstop. My dad pulled over, Julia and I jumped out, and we agreed to meet a couple hours later. 6+ blocks of fresh produce, baked goods, and other handcrafted items, and it was safe to say we made the right call.

Speaking of calls, we then heard from our parents and met at Broadway Pier for the ferry to Coronado Island. We didn’t end up getting to the island until about 2pm, so we stopped in for lunch at Leroy’s (a solid rec from Sarah; get the burger), and then did a quick self-tour of Hotel Coronado before grabbing an Uber back to the city. Dinner that night was at a cozy little Italian spot in La Jolla called Barbarella. After all the heavy eating I’d been doing (plus a healthy serving of their warm, fresh bread), I had a light chopped salad for dinner.

DAY 4: Rancho Santa Fe + Del Mar

As usual, our day started with food– for me, an acai bowl for breakfast at Shorehouse Kitchen. The bowl was actually exceptional, but what was more amazing was seeing Max Greenfield (aka SCHMIDT from New Girl) casually stroll out of the restaurant with who I can only assume are his nice Jewish parents. My mom unabashedly snapped a pic (full volume “snap” and all), and while I was embarrassed at the time (so not chill), I’m ultimately glad I have photographic proof.

The rest of our afternoon was spent recovering from our first celeb sighting and strolling through the Rancho Santa Fe farmers market, where I had an amaaaazingly delicious vegan lunch. We dined in Del Mar for dinner at Cucina Enoteca, a very hip Italian spot. Its decor reminded me a bit of Benjy’s in Houston. We started with a meat and cheese plate and lots of bread, followed by a chopped salad and bucatini with guanciale, which I split with my sister. Yum.

DAY 5: travel day

Our ride out of San Diego was much smoother than our incoming trip. And, in a celeb sighting bonus round, TI was going through the security line at the same time we were! He is not TSA pre-checked, but was able to cut the entire line. Not sure if they made him take off his shoes or not though…

Phew, that was a lot. All in all, it was a holiday weekend well spent. I have such little time left in Houston (5 full days), so I was happy to spend some quality time away with my family before I take this show on the road to Austin.

As a follow up to this post (and all of my indulgences), I want to write a piece on how to bounce back after a vacation. Let me know in the comments if that’s something you’d like to see!

My Top 10 Favorite Podcasts

May 24, 2016 By Claire 4 Comments

I’ve learned a lot in my first two years of being a real, live employed adult. It’s as if I’ve been enrolled as a full time student in professional development, career advancement, business growth, and email etiquette. But there’s a certain type of intellectual stimulation that I still crave from my college days.

Fortunately for me, podcast production has exploded over the years. They’re one of my favorite forms of entertainment; perfect as a source of passive learning, inspiration, or comedic/emotional relief. If you’ve spent anytime with me IRL, then I’ve probably already recommended a podcast or 10 for you to listen to. If you don’t, now you’re in luck!

Here are my top 10 favorite podcasts to listen to regularly. If you’re an iPhone user, the easiest way to access these is to open your Podcast app, search for the podcast listed below, and subscribe. Join me on the fun!

TED Radio Hour: This show features clips from past TED talks followed by post-TED speaker interviews, all revolving around a chosen theme– Courage, Beauty, and Quiet, to name a few.
This American Life: Similar to TED, TAL tells stories based around a common theme, usually with a journalistic spin. Ira Glass is the host, producer, and all around smart & kewl person. Here are some series highlights.
The Moth: The Moth was my first foray into podcast listening and entertained me on many Austin to Houston to Austin drives throughout college. The Moth features unscripted stories told live by the people that lived them, some will make you LOL and others will make you ugly cry. It’s awesome.
Radiolab: A podcast that explores various subjects– scientific, journalistic, historical, and emotional. Good for your brain.
Freakonomics: Hosted by the book’s co-authors, this show takes an economic approach to a variety of life’s riddles. An unexpected favorite of mine, as I never would’ve considered myself as someone who liked thinking in economic terms. The more ya know.
Stuff You Should Know: Speaking of knowing more, SYSK dives deep into a vast array of subjects to explain, well, how they work.
Women of the Hour: A mini-series by Lena Dunham. She dives into themes like work, love, our bodies, sex, and friendship.
Modern Love: A relatively new podcast based off The New York Times’ reader love stories. Celebrities like Dakota Fanning & Judd Apatow read these essays, and then the original author answers a series of interview questions about it.
Bon Appétit Foodcast: Hosted by the mag’s Editor in Chief, Adam Rapoport, this podcast talks about the latest in restaurants, cooking, wine, and travel. Loved Adam’s recent interview with Gwyn.
2 Dope Queens: A true gift for humans who are alive, breathing, and like to laugh. LOL funny hosts Phoebe Robinson (comic writer) and Jessica Williams (Daily Show correspondent) tell their own personal stories related to race, sex, and gender, followed by hilarious routines from various stand up comics and celebrities. This is legit the highlight of my week, every week.

Did I miss anything? What are your faves?

How to Host a Brunch Party

January 31, 2016 By Claire 3 Comments

A couple months ago, I had the inclination to bring a handful of friends together to my place to celebrate the new year with a homemade brunch. This was one of those ideas that sounded really good at the time of inception, but resulted in a bit of a panic once it actually rolled around.

How was I going to fit 15 people in my tiny apartment?

How was I going to feed 15 people in my previously mentioned tiny apartment?

Why did I choose to do this just days after a 2 week work trip?

Do I have serving platters?

Do I need an ice bucket?

Why didn’t I get cold-pressed juice for the mimosas?!

Did I buy enough bacon? (No, the answer’s always no.)

So, yeah, I was a bit frazzled going into the event. But despite my bout of internal anguish, the party went off without a hitch, thanks to these best practices.

Choose a mix of sweet & savory recipes.
Select at least a few dishes that can be prepared the night before.
Grocery shop with an organized list! I divide my list by section– produce, meat/dairy, aisles, & freezer and then add my ingredients to the list, recipe by recipe, so I’m sure that everything is listed.
Opt for a baked egg dish. They’re perfect for large groups, plus they can be mixed together the night before and baked fresh the morning of.
Use disposable plates, napkins, utensils, cups, etc. I got all this cuteness from Paper Source at 20% off thanks to one of their periodic e-coupons!
Arrange the spread with what you have the most of (fruit salad) to what you have the least of (bacon & muffins). That way, your guests will fill up their plate with your most bountiful dish, leaving just a bit of room for what you might be scant in.
Find a way to label the dishes you’re serving so you’re not having to explain yourself all brunch long. I used labels made from torn up grocery bags stuck with washi tape.
Drink selection should include 1) water, 2) coffee, 3) some sort of brunch libation. I chose to go with mimosas with two types of juice– orange & grapefruit– and several of my dear friends brought champagne as well. I opted for a bottled cold-brew coffee from Starbucks so I wouldn’t have to worry about keeping hot coffee hot.

Recipes:

Pumpkin honey muffins (I added a handful of chopped pistachios)
Maple pumpkin almond butter: equal parts pumpkin purée, almond butter, and maple syrup to taste
Green chile & sausage frittata
Truffled Brussels & gouda tart inspired by this Asparagus Tart from The Forest Feast
Candied bacon

How to Become a Registered Dietitian

January 12, 2016 By Claire Leave a Comment

Remember last week when I told you all about a day in my life as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist? Hopefully you found it fascinating.

Hopefully you found it so fascinating that you too want to take the necessary steps to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, or an RDN.

I get a lot of inquiries about the path to dietitian-dom on social media, via email, and at work. Nutrition is being taken more seriously than ever as a viable method for disease prevention/treatment, and dietitians are finally having our day in the sun. Not only are job opportunities increasing, but so are our salaries!

Got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.

So whether you’re in the process of selecting a major or looking to make a big move from your current career path, I hope you find the following helpful.

Step 1:

Complete the educational requirements through an undergraduate or graduate degree. Most people choose to do this by getting a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, or something of the like.

note: If you’re changing careers, I recommend you schedule meetings with several dietetic internship directors to find the best course of action to efficiently complete the internship prerequisites. Some programs will vary in their requirements, so look into a few programs that are interesting to you.

Step 2:

Complete an accredited internship. If you’re in a Coordinated Program, then your internship will be part of your undergraduate program. If you graduated from a Didactic Program, you will need to apply to your internship and go through a matching process.

note: I graduated from the Coordinated Program in Dietetics at The University of Texas, so I’m by no means an expert on the matching process.

Step 3:

Take (and pass) the RDN exam!

Step 4:

Keep up with your continuing education hours so you can be a dietitian 5ever after all that hard work!

A Day in the Life of a Registered Dietitian

January 6, 2016 By Claire 5 Comments

Had so much fun talking @snapkitchen and healthy kids snacks this morning on @khou11 with @sherrykhou!

A photo posted by Claire Siegel, RDN, LD (@thepetiteprofessional) on Sep 19, 2015 at 6:51am PDT

Some FAQ:

Wait, what’s your job title?
So what do you do exactly?
What does your day-to-day look like?

You might already know that I work for Snap Kitchen, a healthy takeaway restaurant chain, but for most people I come into contact with, their familiarity with my chosen career path ends there. And, to be fair, my job is a pretty unusual one, especially compared to the more traditional field of dietetics.

Let me cover my bases:

My official title is RD/LSM, or Registered Dietitian/Local Store Marketing, for Snap Kitchen’s Houston market
Broadly speaking, I provide internal nutrition education, help execute our seasonal menu changes, produce nutrition-related content, manage Houston-area brand partnerships, catering, and local events/community outreach
My days are never the same, which is what keeps me energized at work (and totally dependent on my color-coded Outlook calendar). I spend it bopping around between my office, our stores, our central kitchen, meetings, and external events like Lunch & Learns.

You could say I wear a few hats, and as long as none of them are of the cowboy variety (not my jam), I’m cool with it.

Because my job is so (good) weird, I thought it’d be fun to take you through “a day in the life,” a phrase which probably insinuates a lot more glamor than is deserved, but I’ll let you be the judge.

Here’s how Monday, January 4th went.

5:45AM: wake up

I’m an early bird by nature, waking up with a clear mind, ready to do some pre-work work. This morning I finally sent out my barkTHINS giveaway, wrote a bit for TPP, and planned my blog/fitness/social week out in my planner!

7:00AM: breakfast + get dressed

One of the benefits of getting up before the sun is having plenty of time for a luxurious breakfast, which sets the tone for the rest of my day. Plus, since most of my meals are eaten out of a plastic box (more on that to come), it’s nice to cook for myself once in awhile.

Other common breakfasts for me include overnight oats, green smoothies, or I grab something at work if I’m particularly busy.

8:00AM – 5:00PM: work

As expected, the first Monday of January (and my first day back from a week-long vacation) was a busy one! I spent my day…

Consulting two football players that are training for the Combine at one of our partner gyms, IX Innovations.
Grabbing a quick coffee & answering a couple emails at a local coffeeshop before…
Heading over to the Med Center, where I scoped out the venue for a large event we’re catering in late January
Went back to my office for…
- FOOD. Chicken & Sesame Chopped Salad plus a square of 72% Ghiradelli chocolate for good measure
- More computer stuff– coordinating schedules for events, answering donation requests, making travel arrangements for my trip to Philly, responding to requests for corporate discounts, submitting catering orders for this week’s external events, etc. If only typing counted as cardio…
- The creation of meal plans for the rest of the incoming Combine athletes! I don’t make many custom meal plans these days, but when I do, the calorie goal is normally pretty low. Building giant 2K+ calorie meal plans for these super active, super muscular dudes is so fun.

5:30PM – le gym

Back to IX Innovations (with my baby sis in tow!) to get my butt kicked post-NYE. Being a classically Type A dietitian, it aways feels good to get back into my regular routine. I’m most myself when I exercise regularly, plus it improves the ease and quality of my sleep x a milli.

7:00PM – dinner + Bachelorette + chocolate covered strawberries

My little sister came over for a classic girls’ night– a little blog work during dinner (Grilled Kale Hoppin’ John with extra kale and a drizzle of truffle oil), the season premier of The Bachelor (which I found a little snoozy), and homemade chocolate covered strawberries (which I found a lot delicious).

9:30PM – shower + book + bed!

Ever since I started working my big girl job, my pleasure reading has plummeted. I made a very modest goal of reading 12 books this year, 1 per month. I’m currently checking out a couple samples on my Kindle (A Little Life and The Girl on the Train) but please leave your recommendations in a comment!

Welp, that’s it! Let me know if you like these posts and reading more about my professional slash personal life. Or should I cut the boring stuff and post a “What I Eat in a Day,” a la many other food blogs? Leave it in the comments!

Happy day, Petite Professionals!

Petite Travels: Philadelphia, PA

January 5, 2016 By Claire 3 Comments

Petite Professionals, I need your help! I’ll be in Philly for a couple weeks in January to help open our newest Snap Kitchen market, and I want your recommendations! Where should I eat (especially healthy spots, as our stores won’t be quite open during my trip), workout, drink, shop, play, everything!

Leave a comment below or email me– claire@thepetiteprofessional.com

DIY Peppermint Mocha Body Scrub

November 17, 2015 By Claire Leave a Comment

I often find that the months of November through January are the type that just kind of happen to you. Like, you go to bed on the night of Halloween, and then after about 60 days of pumpkin pie spice, extended family, chocolate peppermint, gift exchanges, and champagne toasts, you come out on the other side utterly exhausted. This year, I’m not really feeling that.

Hear me out, I’m not trying to be a Grinch, but I’d like to be a bit more intentional as I move into the new year. It’s when I spread myself too thin that I feel least like myself. I’m most centered when I leave room for eating well, working out, being creative, and spending quality time with the people I love most. That’s still totally in the holiday spirit, right? Right.

(Here’s where I smoothly transition into talking about this DIY Peppermint Mocha Scrub and how it fits in with my year end objectives.)

With my recent re-focus on nutrition and fitness, I’ve also made a point to prioritize my mental health, namely by choosing to do more things that I love and fewer things that I don’t. One thing that I love is being crafty. Another thing that I love is taking a luxurious bath after a week of strenuous workouts.

Ok, now we’re getting somewhere.

This Peppermint Mocha Body Scrub is positively scrumptious, despite the fact that the meaning of its life is to be slathered all over your body instead of eaten by the spoonful. Not only does it smell like a seasonal creation from the geniuses at Starbucks, but it also has tons of good-for-you skin benefits.

Sugar: a gentle, all-natural exfoliant that won’t clog your skin with chemicals
Coconut oil: a natural moisturizer that’s packed with antioxidant Vitamin E, which protects the skin
Coffee: another way to naturally scrub away dead skin and reveal a fresh, smooth layer; it may also improve the appearance of cellulite and give skin a firmer appearance
Cocoa: contains powerful antioxidants that can help protect your skin
Peppermint oil: offers antimicrobial benefits and aids in oil secretion, leaving your skin soft and glowing! Plus the scent is totally energizing.

That’s a lot of good in one little jar! Time to raid your pantry and stir this stuff up for yourself and any worthy gift-receivers.