Crispy Rice Salad

Hey, it’s Arash 👋

This past week I was in 4 cities in 4 days. Miami Monday morning, New York Monday night and Tuesday for a Good Morning America segment, Minneapolis Wednesday with Madalina for a meeting we’ve been working toward for a long time, then Atlanta Thursday filming content for this top-secret project I keep alluding to.

The two weeks before this one were rough. First it was the move. Then back home in Florida for a couple of days. Then back on the road again.

I was eating out more, not prioritizing protein and fiber the way I normally do… eating larger portions, and I felt it.

On Wednesday I told you I was going to be more intentional for the rest of this trip. I said I’d report back. It went better. Not perfect, but better.

I truly believe we can turn things around in 24 hours. For me, it starts with my next meal. Not Monday. Not next month. My next meal.

So that’s what I’ve been doing.

And speaking of that… here’s one of my favorite meals. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors, lots of protein, a little crunch in every bite, and one of those recipes that makes eating well feel effortless. It’s kind of like tabbouleh meets fattoush, except the crunch comes from crispy rice instead of pita.

32 grams of protein and 22 grams of fiber, which are the exact two things I’d been skipping.

Check it out 👇

Crispy baked rice, cauliflower snowflakes, and Persian cucumbers tossed with fresh mint, parsley, feta, and a ton of lemon.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 3

There are times when I’ve needed to be honest with myself and cut the excuses and show up.

But life goes in seasons and sometimes I need to give myself some grace.

Being overly harsh and rigid has never worked.

Now I think of it like coaching myself. I check in, I look at the situation from multiple angles, and I try to move forward in the best possible way.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about trying to make each decision better than the last.