Kristin Cavallari has come a long way since “Laguna Beach.” She still favors stilettos and beachy blonde highlights, but instead of spending her days feuding with Lauren Conrad and being filmed while staring moodily out at the ocean, she’s busy mothering her three young kids (ages four, two, and 10 months), running her shoe and jewelry businesses, and writing books (last spring’s Balancing in Heels memoir and upcoming cookbook True Roots).
I recently fell down a rabbit hole of Cavallari’s Instagrams, and couldn’t help but aww at the adorable shots of her kids and pics of her nesting in her Chicago home (that’s where her husband, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, is based). So when I was invited to meet her at a kid’s party-themed event she partnered up with Bounty to throw—because that’s the type of event Cavallari hosts these days—I jumped at the chance.
Wearing an oversized black turtleneck sweater, miniskirt, and thigh-high heels, Cavallari greeted me warmly and shared some of her food and fitness secrets, below.
@kristincavallari
For breakfast I had: Two eggs and a double espresso.
For lunch I had: Smoked salmon on bread with avocado from Le Pain Quotidien.
Today I snacked on: Homemade beef jerky that I had in my purse.
@kristincavallari
My go-to healthy drink is: I go through different phases: I love kombucha, and actually make my own. I do green juices. There’s also this stuff called tiger nut milk. Tiger nut is a root vegetable, but you can make milk from it. I buy it from this juice place that puts vanilla, maple syrup, and all kinds of stuff in it—it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever had in my entire life. And it’s supposed to be really good for you.
My favorite workout is: I work out with a trainer three to four times a week and I lift heavy weights. He kicks my butt.
My guilty pleasure food is: Anything sweet—I have a huge sweet tooth. I’ll make a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies, and I’ll put half on a cake stand on our kitchen counter and half in the freezer. When they’re in the freezer, I’m like, I’ll forget they’re there, but I actually like them better frozen, so it kinda defeats the whole purpose…
@kristincavallari
The one thing that always gets me motivated to work out is: Coffee! Also, if I don’t exercise in the morning I’m not going to do it, so I just have to get up, take the boys to school, and go. That’s the only way I do it.
My favorite healthy restaurant is: One of the reasons I love Los Angeles so much is for all of the healthy eating options. M Café is usually my first stop. Erewhon Natural Foods is one of my favorite grocery stores—it’s my heaven, honestly, anything in that store I’ll eat.
The three ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are: Pure maple syrup, almond milk, and rolled oats.
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@kristincavallari
My biggest health trip for travelers is to: Bring food and snacks with you, always, always, always. Last night on the plane here I brought a wrap and a little thing of homemade ranch dressing. I’m like the weirdo on the plane who’s pulling out my little condiments, ha! Just always be prepared, because it’s when you let yourself get so hungry that you start reaching for the crap.
My signature healthy dish is: I have a lot! Something for fall that’s easy and quick if I’m alone with the kids—right now it’s football season, so that’s where my mind is—is crock pot lasagna. I throw in zucchini, squash, brown rice noodles, and ground beef. You throw it in the crock pot and completely forget about it. Or I’ll do a slow roasted chicken: Put a whole chicken in the Dutch oven, add onions, salt, pepper and garlic—whatever you want. You can’t mess it up. Throw it in the oven at 200 degrees for nine and a half hours, take the lid off for the last 30 minutes. It’s so good, it falls right off the bone. I’ll do that for lunch meat for Camden for school, too.
The top songs on my workout playlist right now are: I’m obsessed with the Biebs, man! I mean, honestly, all of his stuff lately is so catchy. It gets me motivated.
The best part of my job is: The fact that I’m able to work and essentially be a stay-at-home mom. So I have the freedom to work from anywhere and make my own hours for the most part.
WENN
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