Back again!

Hello again after a long hiatus! I've been rededicating myself to doing the last bits of my DIY touches for my wedding ... 185 days to go!

Last weekend, I busted out a bunch of boutineers and ended up making wayyy too many! :) I decided to share the end products while I work on a tutorial ... If you like to get creative, these can be pretty easy!

I ended up using some of my leftover handmade flowers that I'm using in my bouquets, little dried flowers that I've picked from Tahoe, Big Sur & Mendocino, and other little pretty things. 

Blair chose these as the his favorites:

I'm a huge fan of turquiose and feathers, so I was stoked he chose these ones.

The other ones that I created are all here ... If anyone is interested in a full on tutorial for a specific one, or even interested in purchasing some, feel free to comment and let me know!

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Next step will be the final touches on the bouquets!! I'll post pictures and if anyone wants tutorials let me know! 

:)

  

Post work out breakfast ... Huevos Rancheros

Good morning everyone! It's been a fabulous morning so far here on the Cali coast ... A pretty, foggy morning and got a great work out in! On my way home, I wanted something filling but that wouldn't drag me down for the rest of the day. As much as I love the concept big, ol greasy breakfasts, I can't do it anymore! If I do, I'm on my tush for the entire day napping and watching Netflix. 

Now I had originally seen this recipe on Real Simple and loved the concept of a breakfast that had a good source of black beans, fiber and protein. But there was only one thing wrong. Ok .. Two.

1. A couple super simple ingredient swaps could reduce the fat and cholesterol.

2. The eggs were poached.

Now bless you if you like runny eggs ... I can't do it. I think I had already explained my little OCD with my recipe for: Sweet Potato Hash & Eggies ... It's just a texture/irrational fear of food born illness thing/I'm a little nuts kinda deal. Let me tell you this will be a little easier if your a poached egg kinda person ... But if not, here's the way I spun it :)

Ingredients

-4 small whole grain or sprouted grain tortillas (if these are unavailable, corn is preferable over flour tortillas)

-4 eggs

-4 cloves garlic, minced

-1 16 oz jar salsa 

-1 15oz can of organic, reduced sodium black beans *rinse,rinse, rinse!

-4 tbsp of reduced fat shredded Mexican style cheese

-4 tbsp Greek yogurt

-black pepper

-if you wish for toppings, I think cilantro, additional hot sauce or shallots would be lovely

1. In a large skillet, give it a spray with your EVOO filled Misto. Place approx 1 tbsp of your minced garlic in the pan and allow to slightly golden. Then crack your eggs and begin to cook as if you were making sunny side up eggies. Sprinkle pepper on top.

2. Transfer your eggs when a little more solidified to a plate (this was the pain the arse part)

3. Preheat your oven broiler to high. Remist your pan and throw in your jar of salsa and black beans and begin to simmer for approx 10 min.

4. While your simmering, throw 4 tortillas into your oven on the top rack and broil for about 2 min.

5. Transfer your eggs from the plate to the ranchero mix (I did it runny side down to cook further) and cover with a lid and continue to simmer.

6. Flip your tortillas and sprinkle about 1 tbsp of cheese to each tortilla. Allow to melt and become awesome.

7. When your cheesy tortilla has achieved that awesomeness, transfer to a plate and top with the Huevos rancheros. Top with Greek yogurt, cilantro, avocado, pico de gallo etc etc.

Next round, I am going to make my own salsa to further decrease the sodium content ... today was just easy :) And not to toot my own horn, but compared to the one I found on Real Simple, my recipe cut the fat in half and had less cholesterol & sodium. So toot-toot!

If you have other suggestions or use your own salsa, share and let me know!

Enjoy!!

Nutritional Information

Serves 4

Calories: 287

Fat: 7.6

Saturated fat: 1.4

Poly: 0

Mono: 0

Trans: 0

Cholesterol: 176.9

Sodium: 976.4

Potassium: 463.8

Protein: 14.8

Vit A: 21.5%

Vit C: 22.5%

Calcium: 12.2%

Iron: 13.8%

Cooper and Owen decided to be my lovely assistants ... Or stalk me for dropped food. I'll figure it out eventually :)

Clean Shredded Chicken and Salsa

I have been on a mission lately to be more dedicated to clean meals with higher protein content. If all goes according to plan with venue shopping, my fiancé and I will be celebrating our big day in 8 months (a little scary time wise actually writing that down!)

Other than wanting to obviously fit into my dress right, it's actually been nice too seeing the changes in my body I've made with consistently working out again after a long hiatus (weird concept, right?) If anything, I want to make sure my diet will compliment my changed work out routine. I'm always open to ideas and suggestions, so if anyone has had success with certain dietary changes, I want to hear them!

This little meal does have it all though ... Flavor, low in calories, freezer and budget friendly and super versatile. Since you get an insane amount of leftovers from just 2 chicken breasts, I like to serve it in different ways so I don't get bored ... Tacos, over quinoa, enchilada or even just a larger serving in a bowl with se avocados and Greek yogurt. Try it out!

-2 chicken breasts

-5 cloves garlic, minced

-1 can black beans

-1 jar taqueria style salsa (I used Fresh and Easy's "Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa")

-2 tbsp tomato paste

-1 tsp rosemary

-splash of EVOO

-1 pinch red pepper flakes

1. Spray your trusty crockpot with a Misto of EVOO. I threw in both breasts full on frozen and it was totally delish. 

2. Add the rest of your ingredients and cook on low for about 5 hours.

3. When you're ready, remove the breasts from the crockpot and shred ... It was super easy to do!

4. Return your shredded chicken back to the crockpot and mix with the salsa and beans.

5. Serve which ever way makes your heart happy!

Nutritional Information

(Makes enough shredded meat for approx 9 tacos)

Calories: 94

Fat: 1.5

Saturated Fat: 0.3

Monounsaturated fat: 0.4

Trans: 0

Cholesterol: 21.1

Sodium: 378.3

Carbs: 12.1

Fiber: 3.2

Sugar: 2.1

Protein: 8.1

Naked Juice Inspired Berry Blast Brekkie Smoothie

Nutritional information to come!! :)

Clean Eating Bison Burger and Sweet Potato Mash

Buffalo. It's not as scary as it sounds. The thought of it used to scare me, mostly because I was terrified of my one crazy uncle who used to love to hunt and clean & cut animals at his house. I was a Philly suburb girl ... Our ideas on "wilderness" were very different. 

Now that I know it's not traumatizing, it's fantastic when they have it for sale at Costco! It's rare anymore if I eat red meat, and if I do, I'd rather it be this. I love that the buffalo that they sell is grass fed, and with no antibiotic use. Plus, with the nutritional benefit of it being a lower fat/cholesterol meat and more nutrient dense than typical domesticated farm meat, it's a win win. It's tender as all get out, and not as gamey flavored as you may think! 

Super nummy :) Tell me what you think!

Serves 4

Bison Burger

-1 lb ground buffalo

-1 egg

-1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

-4 minced garlic cloves

-1 minced shallot

-salt and pepper to taste

-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided

-blue cheese, for topping (only if you want!)

1. In the same pan you'll use for the burgers, quickly sauté your garlic and shallots in a quick spray of EVOO from your trusty Misto. When slightly golden, transfer into a large bowl.

2. In your bowl, also mix meat, egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Mix together and form patties. I got 4.

3. Cook over medium high heat for approx 4-5 min, depending on how rare you like your meat. After flipping the first side and allowing to cook for approximately 4 minutes, place approx 1 tbsp blue cheese on top. Put a lid on top and allow to melt.  I used the same blue cheese I used in: 

Buffalo blue quinoa burgers

I'm telling you, seriously ... Ahhhhhmazing blue cheese!

Sweet Potato Mash

-Mashed meat of approx 4 medium sweet potatoes

-1/2 cup light coconut milk

-1 tsp chipolte powder

-2 heaping tbsp Greek yogurt 

-4 garlic cloves, minced

-1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

-salt & pepper to taste

-1/4 cup reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 400. In a large bowl, mash all your ingredients together to the consistency you like your mashed potatoes. 

Sweet potatoes will give you a softer, creamier texture than russet mashed potatoes. 

Next round, I may sub 1 sweet potato with a russet potatoe ... Just because I like my mashed potatoes with a little more lumpies. I also left some skin and burnt edges in my mix.

2. Misto a medium sized baking dish and transfer your ingredients into it. Sprinkle a little Panko, cheese and black pepper to taste. 

3. Bake for approx 20 min, until cheese melted.

4. Enjoy!

Buffalo blue quinoa burgers

Buffalo blue quinoa burgers & clean eating sweet potato fries

Cheese. Spicy. Sweet potatoes. These are a few of my favorite things. I also adore quinoa ... For such a little guy, it packs such a nutritional punch! Good source of plant based protein, packed with antioxidants and anti inflammatory phytonutrients and so adaptable for tons of meals. 

Quinoa burgers are incredibly adaptable and you can easily play around with a variety of great tastes and flavors. Now the cheese I use in this particular recipe does make it a little more decadent than normal, but hell ... its cheese. These would still be good and even healthier if you nixed the cheese ... but I'm not quite ready for that sacrifice. If you dare to be cholesterol free and/or vegan to do the cheese-less route, tell me what you think!

To me, its a combo that lets me enjoy the delish badness of cheese and buffalo wing sauce, but without feeling as guilty as I used to when I could easily eat a dozen wings. Try it as a substitute for the Superbowl! Here's one of the spins I like to do when making quinoa burgers ... Enjoy!!

Ingredients

(I made this with enough sweet potato fries for 4 servings, and the burgers came out to 7 servings)

Sweet Potato Fries

-3 medium sweet potatoes

-1 tsp chipolte powder

-1 healthy shake of "Jamaica Me Crazy" (this is "shut the front door" amazing with sweet potatoes ... plus its sodium free and packed with flavor)

-1/4 tsp garlic salt

-1 tbsp organic brown sugar

-1 tbsp melted coconut oil (I also adore coconut oil with sweet potatoes .. it accentuates the natural sweetness oh so good)

1. Preheat your oven to 400. Slice your sweet potatoes into lil fry cuts.

2. Place your cut fries into a bag or a container with a lid. Then pour the rest of the ingredients on top & shake until well distributed.

3. Spray a cooking pan with coconut oil, and place your fries on your pan. Cook until browned, approx 20-30 min.

Nutritional Information

Servings: 4

Calories: 146

Fat: 3.5

Saturated Fat: 3

Poly: 0.1

Mono: 0.2

Trans: 0

Cholesterol: 0

Sodium: 133.8

Carbs: 27

Dietary Fiber: 2.2

Sugars: 8.2

Protein: 1.5

Vitamin A: 390%

Vit C: 37.5%

Buffalo Blue Quinoa Burgers

-2 cups uncooked quinoa, cooked & cooled

-5 cloves garlic, minced & 1 shallot, minced - I recommend browning in a pan with a splash of EVOO before adding with the rest of the ingredients

-1 tsp chipolte powder

-1 can Trader Joe's Cannelini beans, mashed (a great way to mix in fiber & good stuff all while not affecting the flavor and helping keep the burgers together!)

-1 egg

-1/2 cup Frank's Buffal Sauce

-1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

-3/4 cup 2% Mexican blend cheese

-1/2 cup blue cheese (I also highly recommend buying a block of blue and cutting it yourself ... Oh so amazing!)

1. Get a large mixing bowl and mix all your ingredients. Blend together just as you would regular hamburgers or meatballs.

2. Heat a large pan over medium-high flame & add a light splash of EVOO and evenly distribute over the surface of the pan.

4. Place your quinoa patties in your pan and cook on one side til browned (approx 6-8 min?). Cook on each side.

5. I serve mine naked with avocado slices. This is also great with additional cheese topping, grilled onions, guac, ranch or ketchup.

Nutritional Information

Servings: 7

Calories: 379

Fat: 10.5

Saturated: 4.9

Cholesterol: 23.6

Sodium: 904.9

Potassium: 33.3

Carbs: 50.5

Fiber: 8.6

Sugars: 4

Protein: 18.8 g

Calcium: 26

Iron: 18.8%

Easy Clean Eating Veggie N Beef Udon Soup

There's just something about soup that's so filling and happy. While I'm a brat and have been able to savor the 80 degree days of January in so cal this winter, I still like my cozies ... Uggs, hoodies and coup. All in moderation ... Or I'll develop heat stroke.

For the rest of the wintery world that wants to enjoy clean and tasty warm food, I think this should totally do it! Plus side ... I found the udon noodles at Costco in a 6 pack. With the meat I was able to find at Trader Joes, I was able to make 4 meals for 2 out of this. Plus each time I made it, I had 4 servings so either lunch for the next day or an additional serving if I'm super hungry. All in all it made a budget friendly meal with minimal time and effort.

Ingredients

-4 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 shallot, minced

-Misto with EVOO

-pinch of red pepper flakes

-2 large handfuls of spinach

-1 large handful of shredded carrots

-1 large handful of bean sprouts 

-1 large handful fresh green beans

-1 pack of Annie Chungs Udon noodles

-1/4 of a package "Angus strip loin steaks" from Trader Joes (typically come in a pound or so pre-packaged thing )

-a healthy squirt of Siracha

-another healthy squirt of lime juice

-1/4 tsp ground ginger

-1/4 tsp ground mustard

-1 tbsp "Better than Bouillon" beef broth flavoring 

-6 cups water

1. In a large saucepan, heat to medium high heat. Once warmed, spray with your Misto or EVOO spray and throw in your garlic, shallots and red pepper. Allow to golden on one side of mixture.

2. Throw in your beef, mustard, ginger, lime juice and Siracha and allow to brown on one side as well.

3. Add 6 cups hot water and beef bouillon flavoring and increase heat to high. Allow to come to boil.

4. At this time, I took the package of Udon noodles and while in the package, cut into 4 quarters. I like small noodles. If you don't feel like it, I'm sure you'll survive with full noodles.

At this time, throw in all your veggies and bring to a boil.

5. Serve! I prefer my veggies this way to be more on the raw end, so the total cook time from start to finish for me was less than ten minutes! 

For less than 160 calories, I'm full, happy and sticking with my financial budget! Woo hoo! Now time to feel less guilty about the glass of wine at the end :)

Nutritional information

Serves 4

Calories: 154

Total fat: 3.5

Saturated fat: 1.8

Polyunsaturated: 0.3

Monounsaturated: 1.8

Cholesterol: 13.8

Sodium: 772.8

Potassium: 101

Carbs: 19.8

Fiber: 2.3

Sugar: 1.9

Protein: 10.5

Sunny Fruity Breakfast Smoothie

Just as promised ... Another tasty brekkie smoothie! I plan on posting my daily smoothie to share so you'll have some great variety every day :)

Every time I'm in the kitchen, my one pup, Owen always follows me and sits patiently right at my feet. He doesn't jump on the counters, or really get in the way ... Just patiently waits for that one little piece to fall. This dog is weird ... He even loves kale. I've never seen a dog drool when I start cutting veggies :)

"You'll drop something ... Eventually"

And of course, throw all those lovely items listed above in the picture into your trusty blender and blend till smooth!

Nutritional information

Serving: 1

Calories: 269

Fat: 10.3

Saturated fat: 2.5

Polyunsaturated: 2.6

Monounsaturated: 4.6

Cholesterol: 0

Sodium: 187.2

Potassium: 816.2

Carbs: 35.5

Fiber: 9.1

Sugar: 21.6

Protein: 12.6

Vitamin A: 95.6%

Vitamin C: 165.1%

Iron: 20.9%

Calcium: 23.6%

Berry & Veggie Breakfast Smoothie

For the next few mornings, I'm gonna give you a TON of great smoothies to get your day going. I did my little grocery run this past weekend, and was able to whip up 30 packs of veggies and fruits to freeze and save for an easy breakfast every morning for myself and the soon to be hubby man. It's a great way to utilize all the bulk veggies and fruits at a good price, and to be able to not give yourself the excuse of not eating well in the am!

In the picture above is the ingredients for this lovely little brekkie ... Just blend till smooth in your blender!

And now for the much anticipated nutrition information ... 

Calories: 270

Fat: 10

Saturated fat:1.7

Polyunsaturated fat: 2.9

Monounsaturated fat: 1

Cholesterol: 0

Sodium: 133.7

Potassium: 156.7

Carbs: 30.4

Fiber: 13.4

Sugar: 8.7

Protein: 15.9

Vitamin A: 204.3%

Vitamin C: 118.6%

Calcium: 28.8%

Iron: 20.5%

Acai Superfood Smoothie ... Crazy Healthy!

Good morning! And of course, happy new year. Now that it's the new year, it's always insane to see the mad rush of people at the gym and the influx of diet books and such at the stores. 

The worse part is that we all feel obligated to need a "resolution", but get so burnt out, we're done by February. Check the amount of people at the gym by the end of February! 

I feel like instead of resolutions that are arbitrarily made in the beginning of the year, we should live our days with intentions. I may sound like a yogi here, but I agree wholeheartedly with the lifestyle of daily intention. To allow yourself to notice the day for what is, and to more wholeheartedly realize why and what you're doing.

Healthy living and eating shouldn't be a punishment that is forced upon us once a year until it becomes intolerable, but a day to day lifestyle to enjoy feeling and looking good, on the inside and out!

Now that I am off my soapbox, I wanted to share a great morning smoothie that definitely makes me feel great! 

This is no doubt one of the easiest ways to pack in a ridiculous amount of nutrients in one shot. 

Even if I'm working that day, I'm full from when I finish around 6am to about 1030, when I like to have a snack and help keep my energy and insulin levels stable to help prevent me from being cranky and sassy. It's a great source of protein, veggies & tastes delish.

Does it look pretty? Hell no. 

Do the old people at work tell me I look like I drink science experiments? Hell yes. 

Does it taste great? Hell yea!

Let's begin ... 

-2 large handfuls of greens (I love a kale, chard & spinach blend)

-1/2 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt

-a splash of agave nectar (honey or pure maple syrup can sub, but I prefer to the low glycemic index of agave)

-a large tablespoon of flaxseed

-1 Acai pack ... I used Sambazon's

-1/2 cup almond milk (I also typically use coconut milk and love it!)

Be crazy and add extras!

Chia seeds & unsweetened coconut flakes are great add ins :)

1. Mix all your ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.

2. Youre done! I like the portable blender containers ... In a rush, I can make one of these in just a couple minutes and throw it in a cooler to have a post workout drink

now the best part ...

Nutritional Information

1 serving

Calories: 342

Fat: 7.8

Saturated Fat: 1.2

Polyunsaturated: 2

Monounsaturated: 1.5

Trans: 0

Cholesterol: 0 (yayyyy)

Sodium: 840

Potassium: 1761.2 (say whhhhhatttttt?!)

Carbs: 43.5

Dietary Fiber: 15.2

Sugars: 22.5

Protein: 24.2 (even better!)

Vit A: 493%

Vit C: 320%

Calcium: 78.8%

Iron: 85%

Tell me the last time a Sausage McMuffin packed that much nutrients!