Super Easy Raspberry Banana Smoothie

April 23, 2014

I am a sucker for smoothies. They are just so easy and with the right ingredients, very healthy for you. Eat Well, Clean Eating – you may have heard such phrases? While some may argue that these are just trends… I would disagree. Wellness and taking care of our bodies is important and has to be seen as a lifestyle if we want to succeed.

If you read my past post – Belly And Food – Love/Hate Relationship, you learned why I have decided, with baby steps, to reevaluate the food I put it my body and incorporate clean eating into my lifestyle. It is a challenge because I feel like I am always racing the clock. Time is not on my side. I am sure others will agree and are in the same boat with me. Rowing against the current. When this is the case, it is easy to slip. The holidays did not help my cause either. Between the doughnut at Sunrise Easter Service and the amazing goodness of desserts on display at my Grandmother’s, I felt bloated and blah the last few days.

So, just like most relationships have their ups and downs… my Belly and Food needed to mend things and get back on the saddle as one happy couple. I, of course am always the mediator. It is exhausting!

My immediate go-to are Smoothies. Since I blame time a lot, they are easy – so no excuses! Biggest thing with smoothies is to be smart about what you blend. Juices and flavored yogurts have sugars and can increase the calorie count making what you thought was a healthy choice, actually a sugary sweet dessert. Oh, and adding ice cream, while yummy… makes a milkshake!!

Smoothies are always a fun experiment for me and this one turned out great! It was the ideal blend of tart and sweet. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

RASPBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE:

Serves 2

1 Cup of Frozen Raspberries
2 Bananas
1 Cup of Almond Milk – Original
1 Tbsp of Honey (If you can choose Local or Organic)

Combine the the raspberries, bananas, almond milk and honey in a blender and mix until well blended. Serve up!

Soul By The Sea – Nautical Trends

April 21, 2014

I am pretty sure that my soul belongs by the sea. During a stressful day or situation, when someone says, “Go to your happy place,” mine is always by the water. If I had my choice or say, I would always go with the ocean. The waves, the sand, the breeze… there is nothing better in my opinion. However, give me a lake, stream or bay and I am an equally happy girl!

Maybe it is the way of life of such waterfront towns that pull me in the most? Especially, those off the beaten path. Drive the coastal Carolina’s or even along the bay of good ol’ Maryland, and you will understand what I am saying. Kent Island, St. Micheal’s, Easton, Cambridge – all Maryland Bay towns, that you not only remember for their attractions but for the way you feel when you visit.

It is a way of life. A slower pace. A calm. I long for it this time of year.

The nautical trend is seeing its way back into stores and closets. Here are some of my favorite picks from this season’s trend. I plan on embracing the style while I work away in the mountains and long for my summer days by the sea! Enjoy!

Top 10 Spring Must Haves

April 18, 2014

The warmer temperatures have me re-evaluating my closest, and I must say… it is pretty dreary! I am so over my leggings and sweaters, and so ready for new options. I want to look in the mirror and say “ah!” instead of “eh…”

In my quest for a new outlook on my wardrobe and some direction for Spring shopping, I took some time to investigate what the fashionista’s are labeling as the top trends this Spring. There are lots of fun trends this season, but I rounded up my Top 10 Spring Must Haves below.

So, out with the winter wear and hello, Spring fashions!

Please share in the comment section below, what your favorite Spring Trend is or what you must-have this season. Enjoy!

TOP 10 SPRING 2014 MUST HAVES:

1 – FLORALS
Sundress – J.Crew Factory | $118.00 – ON SALE NOW for $58.00

2 – ESTATE JEWELRY
Ring – ModCloth | $12.99

3 – BOYFRIEND JEANS
Pants – J.Crew | $135

4 – TRENCH COAT
Coat – YesStyle | $53.90

5 – WHITE PANTS
Pant – The Loft | $69.99

6 – FRINGE
Top – YesStyle | $18.90

7 – FLATS
Shoes – Express | $39.90

8 – WHITE PUMPS
Shoes – ASOS | $47.04

9 – CROPPED JACKET
Jacket – AE | $99.95

10 – SMALL HANDBAG / PURSE
Purse – Anthropologie | $88.00

Don’t Whine Over Spilled Wine…

April 11, 2014

So, I was chilling out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool. And all shootin some b-ball outside of the school.

Nah, just kidding but I had to go there when I mentally started my Blog with how I was chilling out. The lyrics just came rushing out of my mind. However, I really was just chilling out and relaxin all cool. It was a long day. It had been a long week.

I rolled up to the house at 8 pm after working all day. We made dinner, and by 9 pm it was just me, a glass of wine and the iPad… you know, just chilling out. I was cruising some of my favorite Blogs, having some “me” time. I was just getting ready to start a Blog post on a completely different topic, when I sat my wine glass on the end table. Or, so I thought. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw drops of wine go midair and in slow motion watched the wine glass slip from the edge and crash all over my tan carpet. Yes, tan carpet.

Ugh! Really? Red Wine all over my carpet. I wanted to cry. Although, I think I was too tired to do so. I wanted to whine, really I wanted to whine, but it was too late to call anyone and no was around to listen to my whoas.

In a hurry I grabbed some items from the kitchen and attempted to tackle the stain. Guess what? It worked! Therefore, I am sharing it with you.

The Red Wine Stain!

Now I have heard of using salt, club soda and even white wine to remove red wine stains. I have been lucky to not have to deal with red wine on my carpet up to this point. However, I was unlucky that the only ingredient I had on hand was salt. So, I attempted another version which includes mixing liquid Dish Detergent and Distilled White Vinegar.

Cleaning Carpet:

First, soak up as much stain as possible with a sponge or wash cloth.
Mix 1 Tbsp of liquid Dish Detergent and 1 Tbsp of Distilled White Vinegar with 2 Cups of warm water.
Using another sponge or wash cloth soaked in the mixture, apply pressure to stain.
Blot in between with original, dry sponge or wash cloth.
Continue steps 4 and 5 until stain is gone.

I used sponges to clean up my mess.

Here is a picture of the after. I waited until the morning to see if the stain would set in and rise over night. To my delight, my tan carpet looked, well tan! I would recommend testing a spot before you attempt on your carpet. Although, if you have spilled red wine before, you know the panic that sets in as you quickly try to clean up.

My carpet after…

The culprit….

If you have some red wine cleaning tips, please feel free to share below! After the madness, I did what many stressed out, tired women would do… I grabbed another glass of wine!

Leftover Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

April 5, 2014

I have never been a breakfast sandwich kind of girl. Now when I say that, it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy eating them, I just tend to not make them. When Nathan gets in the kitchen during breakfast hours, it is all about mastering the ideal breakfast sandwich, which usually includes a fried egg, sausage patty or bacon and lots and lots of cheese. I will reiterate, lots and lots of cheese.

For me, an open face style sandwich is much more appealing during breakfast.

This recipe was born out of my need to clean out the refrigerator and use up some leftovers, but it was so delicious that I just had to share. The night prior, we had salmon for dinner. I baked three salmon filets in the oven at 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. I brushed the salmon with some olive oil and then seasoned with lemon pepper, garlic salt, pepper and dash of sea salt. We also had a random amount of asparagus stalks leftover from a previous weeknight meal. Does anyone else have the same problem as me? Asparagus that is pre-bundled is usually too much for two people but not enough for two separate meal sides? I always feel I throw away a few random stalks.

Don’t you just love how confident that asparagus is in the photo below?

LEFTOVER OPEN FACE BREAKFAST SANDWICH:

Serves 2

1/2 tsp of Olive Oil
Asparagus Stalks – Cut into thirds
1 – English Muffin – You can use wheat, whole grain, white, or switch it up to a bagel half. Anything your heart desires!
1/2 Tbsp of Light Butter
5 – Eggs or 7 – Egg Whites
Splash of Almond Milk – Original
1 – Salmon Filet
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by prepping the Asparagus. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash The Asparagus, snap the ends and cut the stalk into thirds. Coated with 1/2 a tsp of Olive Oil and season with pepper and sea salt. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add 1/2 a Tsp of Light Butter to a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Beat eggs in glass bowl, add a splash of Almond Milk and season with pepper. Add eggs to pan. Let the eggs cook for a minute before you begin to push around mixture. Cut your English Muffin in half and toast both sides. Add eggs, salmon and asparagus to top of an English Muffin half.

Please Note: Salmon was a leftover in this recipe, so no cook time was needed for Salmon; however, if you make this recipe from scratch, bake a Salmon Filet at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Season with Olive Oil, Lemon Pepper Seasoning, Garlic Salt, Pepper and a dash of Sea Salt.

Optional: Garnish with Salsa.

Enjoy!

Oh, Hey Pittsburgh, Hey…

April 3, 2014

So, if you have been a friendly visitor to my Blog since I started the first of the year, you may have read my Weekend Warriors – Deep Creek Lake post. There you would have uncovered a little fact about me and that is that I love spontaneous weekend trips. While I won’t shy away from a vacation opportunity when it presents itself, sometimes I get the most giddy over just a weekend or even a night somewhere new.

Earlier in the year Nathan and I got our hands on some Pittsburgh Penguins tickets… literally!

So, we set out to make a day and night of our time in Pittsburgh. Lately, work has been getting the best of me with some crazy hours and for Nathan, who has a landscape business, this long winter of plowing and the impending Spring rush had us both longing for just a quick getaway. Sometimes it is all you need to clear your mind and get back on track.

We headed straight for the CONSOL Energy Center in hopes of parking the car and getting in some pre-game action. I would highly recommend the Blue Line Grille, which is where we ended up. It is directly across the street from CONSOL.

TIP: The Blue Line Grille was packed! But, we learned they offer Bar only service on the 4th Floor. Instead of waiting in the crowds in the restaurant, head up to the 4th Floor. The views are great and service is quick!

After a quick drink, we raced across the street to our main event. The CONSOL is beautiful!! Clean, sleek and impressive.

TIP: Be careful if you carry a clutch and it has a zipper. This goes for just walking around in life, in general. What does that mean you ask? Well all I can say is that I seriously said a nice prayer of thanks when I realized I lost my car key in the CONSOL and thankful found it! Talk about complete panic and buzz kill. I transferred my phone, ID, lip gloss, some cash and car key lock to my clutch so we didn’t have to worry about my key set. I walked across the street from the bar and up about three sets of escalators, around half the arena, stopped in a bathroom and then met my husband at a concession stand for goodies. I mean I love food! It was only when I giddy from excitement for a night away and the thrill of my first Penguins game did I notice my clutch was unzipped. No big deal right? ID, check, Lip Gloss, check (whew for that one), cell phone, check, Car Key, Car Key, CAR KEY. All belongings were intake except for my car key. You know the key to get in the car after the game, drive to hotel, check in with luggage and continue with trip? I panicked. My husband chuckled. I wish I had his carefree attitude. I distinctly remembered going into the bathroom and hearing something hit the ground. So, I raced back to bathroom, through crowds of people and sure enough. There was my key starter laying in the bathroom stall. Pure relief! So, note to self: Make sure you ALWAYS zip up your clutch.

Once the game was over we headed to the Parking Lot to get our car and head to the Fairmont Pittsburgh where we were staying. Oh, and Penguins won in overtime! Great first game.

TIP: If you choose to stay at the Fairmont, just Valet your car at the hotel before the game. It is a few blocks, but we could have easily walked to the hotel quicker than the traffic we sat in after the game. There are some other hotels very close to CONSOL, but we enjoy the Fairmont, which leads me to accommodations.

Photo credit: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com

We LOVE the Fairmont Pittsburgh! The staff is gracious and helpful, the accommodations are sleek and beautiful and the location is very convenient. Working in the Hospitality Industry, I am pretty picky regarding accommodations and the Fairmont is top-notch! Some of my favorite room features are the in-room Keurig and the very comfortable beds. I adore their spa product line, Le Labo Rose 31, which includes Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel, a Body Bar and a cute hair cap. I think the packaging sells me more than anything!

The Pittsburgh Penguins game brought us to the city, but I was equally excited to venture out to explore the food scene. I have been eyeing up Pittsburgh’s MEAT AND POTATOES, located on Penn Avenue, for some time now.

TIP: Make reservations early! Don’t wing it like us. Or, if you do, cross your fingers that it works out in favor as it did for us.

We waited until we checked-in to decide on dinner and make plans, which resulted in a, “We can seat you at 10:00 pm, or you can come in and enjoy first come, first serve at the bar.” We had the hostess write our name down for 10:00 pm and took our chances. No luck! The place was packed and there were other hovering vultures like ourselves, eyeing up the prey, or fellow bar diners. Which diner would leave first?

We decided to keep our reservation and explore Penn Avenue and the surrounding area for some cocktails and appetizers. Luckily, we snagged two bar seats at Six Penn Kitchen and ordered a round of drinks and some delicious appetizers! I would highly recommend their Smoked Chicken Wings appetizer. They are coasted in a Gogujan hot sauce, garnished with sesame carrots and served with white miso aioli. Delicious!

Before we knew it, 10:00 pm had rolled around and I think by this point I was skipping to the restaurant. MEAT AND POTATOES did not disappoint. I repeat… did not disappoint. In fact, after we filled our bellies my husband said to me, “I think that is the best meal I have ever eaten!” I agreed! The Waitress suggested their Tartare appetizer. Dry aged strip with smoked eggs, chili, seaweed aioli and peanuts. The raw beef scared us yet intrigued us so we did what anyone would do… we ordered.

Amazing! Oh, my entree… well that was delicious too. I ordered the Wagyu Flat Iron which is served over Anson Mills nori grits. I have never been a grits girl but this flavor combination was wonderful and the beef was cooked to perfection.

TIP: This one is simple… Just go to MEAT AND POTATOES. You will not be disappointed.

Overall, I could talk Pittsburgh up even more. It is a great city. My overall suggestion, tackle the city in small bites. Plan multiple trips and make plans to experience different portions. There really is an endless list of possibilities. Check out VisitPittsburgh.com to learn more about the city and plan your itinerary. If you love Pittsburgh like we do, then share your favorite locations for lodging, dining, nightlife and sightseeing below.

And, because I love food and travel… I had to share!

Easy Beef Stir Fry

March 26, 2014

After a day of work I am beat. I mean beat. The kind of beat that when you jump in your car to head home and flip down the visor mirror just to see what your working with… you gasp. Hair awry, dark circles under eyes, make-up in desperate need of either a fresh bare face or retouch… you get the picture. Note to self – just don’t look in the mirror.

My day usually begins around 5:30 am when the alarm goes off, out the door a little after 7:00 am and into work around 8:00 am. I am blessed to have a lot of projects on my plate, meetings and deadlines to meet. The day goes by quick. By the time I walk in the door in the evening it is usually around 7:00 pm, and I still have to make dinner! So, what’s a girl to do?

Order Chinese and call it a day. THE END… I am going to bed. Just kidding,

The correct answer… make a quick, easy meal!

I have become accustomed to the work hours during the week, but I still have yet to perfect the quick, easy meal route. But, I try, boy do I try, and I am getting there. Every now and then I overestimate my time and energy and tackle a meal that would be better suited for a weekend night. I distinctly remember cussing out my dinner at 8:30 pm one evening when I poured my soul into a stock pot of simmering soup and then read… “now transfer ingredients to a blender.” I just wanted Broccoli and Cheese soup! Other nights I succumb to my laziness and just order delivery.

Then other nights, I turn on my superwoman switch and make a meal from scratch that is delicious and homemade. I stuff my belly and then pat myself on the back, “you did good, kid, you did good.”

Meet my friend, Easy Beef Stir Fry. And, really he is easy!

I promise if you Like, Pin and Share this recipe you will thank yourself, because one day it will come to you like a dream and you will think, “Man, I wish I had saved that one.” It is so easy and so good!

Start with some ingredients…

I season both sides of the Top Round Sirloin with Pepper, Sea Salt and Garlic Salt .

Then cut into very thin strips and add to skillet that has been heated up with some oil.

The key here is to get the skillet on a nice medium high heat, and brown the steak slices quickly then toss. I leave on no more than a minute in a half to two minutes and remove. I also do them in batches. As the steak slices cook, remove and place on plate with a paper towel to drain the grease.

Once you have cooked the steak, add your chopped veggies to the same pan. Notice those two cloves of garlic? I add those babies in and toss frequently to infuse the flavor.

Don’t over cook those veggies! No one likes gummy broccoli. Add your steak into the mix and give everything a good toss. It should look a little something like this…

Lower the heat to low and now it is time I introduce you to a new food sport. Have you ever gone garlic fishing? You don’t need a license! Dig through the goodness to find the cloves and toss out. Now for the fun part. I pour 3/4 of a cup of Tsang Classic Stir Fry Sauce over the veggies and steak.

Give everything a good toss. Now for the really hard part. Open a bag of 90-second rice and microwave. If this was a weekend, I may make rice from scratch but again, this was a quick and easy night. Then plate up some rice and a big spoon full of your stir fry and you got yourselves a delicious, simple no need to call take-out dinner! Enjoy!

EASY BEEF STIR FRY:

1 Tbsp of Oil
2 lbs. of Top Round Steak
Pepper, Salt and Garlic Salt to taste
2 Cloves of Garlic
Any Vegetables you want! I used two Broccoli Stocks, 1/2 of a Green Pepper, 1/2 of a Red Pepper, 1/2 of a Yellow Pepper and a handful of Snap Peas.
3/4 Cup of Tsang Classic Stir Fry Sauce
1 – Bag of 90-Second Rice

Add your oil to medium high heat. Season both sides of your Top Round Steak with Pepper, Salt and Garlic Salt, to taste. Slice your Top Round Steak thinly on an angle. Add batches at a time of the sliced steak to the skillet. Brown then toss for a minute and a half. Transfer cooked steak to a plate with a paper towel to drain grease. Continue until steak is cooked. Add vegetables to skillet and two garlic cloves for flavor. Toss frequently. Once crisp but cooked, add steak back into skillet. Lower the heat to low and remove the two garlic cloves. Add 3/4 of a cup of Tsang Classic Stir Fry and toss. Cook 90-Second Rice in microwave according to directions. Plate the rice and top with Stir Fry.

Pantone’s Spring Fashion Report… Style Looks

March 17, 2014

Spring officially arrives March 20th; however, I am kind of annoyed with Spring’s mother. You know her, right? Mother Nature. I mean at this point I think either A) She clearly plays favorites to her children and apparently Winter has her heart or B) She has some weird sense of humor and gets great pleasure out of watching us switch from flip flops one day to snow boots the next, all while sniffling and sneezing.

Sometimes we all must take matters into our own hands, and at this point I am sticking my nose up in the air at Mother Nature. If you won’t give me the sunshine and warmer temps I need to physically feel like Spring is actually near, then I will trick my mind into believing Winter is on its way out and my old friends, Spring and Summer are coming out to play.

I have already redecorated my home. Removing all traces of Winter. Spring florals and candle scents have now taken its place. I actually did that a few weeks ago and Mother Nature reared her ugly head at me and gave a few more shots of Winter.

So, I attempt again… as I write this and stare out my window at the SNOW that covers the green grass that was there this weekend. That white, white, white, white, okay some dirty from the road, white, white, white SNOW. I need some color in my life. Catch my drift? Along with all the wonderful things Spring brings, what I think I am missing the most is the return of great Spring fashion and fun Spring colors.

So, here we go… let’s forget what is actually outside our windows and begin mentally preparing for spring. Please let me introduce you to Pantone’s Spring 2014 Fashion Report!

Photo courtesy of Pantone.com

Each year Pantone puts together its list of colors, which will pretty much guide the design word. So, get use to seeing these. The Color Of The Year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid, which I am actually excited about. Wondering how these colors translate to your closet? Below are three Spring Style Looks I put together in preparation of Spring’s return.

SPRING STYLE LOOK #1

Spring Style Look #1

Striped Skirt – J.Crew 98.00 | Top – J.Crew 79.50 | Necklace – Forerver21 9.80 | Shoes (Dolce Vita) – Piperlime 139.00 | Handbag – H&M 34.95

SPRING STYLE LOOK #2

Spring Style Look #2

Earrings – J.Crew 85.00 | Top – J.Crew 69.50 | Heels – (Ivanka Trump) Zappos 125.00 | Jeans – H&M 39.95 | Watch – Michael Kors 160.00

SPRING STYLE LOOK #3

Spring Style Look #3

Dress – ModCloth 44.99 | Scarf – Banana Republic 35.00 | Sunglasses – (Ray-Ban) J.Crew 145.00 | Hat – (Michael Stars) Piperlime 38.00 | Sandals – (Steve Madden) Piperlime 50.00

Which look do you like the best? Share in the comments below. Time to get Spring Shopping!

Holy Guacamole… Nailed It!

March 12, 2014

You know what I love? A great Guacamole.

It wasn’t always such a sweet relationship between us two. In fact, the beginning was a rocky road for us. I was that girl who would go to a Mexican Restaurant and place my order (usually a Chimichanga) and say, “Oh, and hold the Guacamole.” I totally, noticed the waiter’s eye roll too.

Mostly, I didn’t give it a chance, but I also think I just had some bad versions. It wasn’t until my Sister-In-Law, Amie and her husband, Corey made a batch a few years back, that my thoughts went from, “No, thanks. I will pass.” To, “Holy, Guacamole, where have you been my whole life?”

Start by rounding up your ingredients, ya know… wrangle them in.

Guacamole Ingredients

As, you can tell. It is a pretty shady I mean sparse bunch. Start with the Avocados… the scarey Avocados. I say that because I think it is an intimidating fruit. Yes, it is a fruit people. I think they are avoided because many don’t know how to cut, chop or handle them. Kind of like Avocado’s scarey right-hand man… the Mango!

Before you begin make sure the Avocado is ripe. I cannot stress this enough. It must be ripe. To tell if it is ripe, look for the “Ripe” sticker on the Avocado placed by a diligent Produce employee. Just kidding! Give the Avocado a gentle squeeze. The skin should give a bit. If it doesn’t then it is not quite there. Leave it on the counter a few days to soften up. Here are some more tips.

While it can be intimidating, cutting, chopping and dicing an Avocado is pretty easy. First, start by cutting it in half. You won’t be able to go through because of the pit, but continue to cut around. Then twist slightly to separate the halves.

Avocado Halves

Take your knife and strike the pit so that the blade sticks. Hold the Avocado and twist the knife to loosen and remove the pit. For Guacamole, I use my knife to make length wise and width wise slices (Are they words? Not sure, but you get what I am saying).

Avocados Sliced

Then using a spoon, scoop out the Avocado into a bowl. Don’t forget to scoop out any pulp that remains on the skin.

Avocado Slices

Using the backside of your spoon, smash up the avocado. I like mine chunky. Add in your chopped tomato, diced red onion, the juice of half of a lime and add Garlic Salt, Pepper and Sea Salt (this makes it! Love the course salt) to taste. Give it a stir and serve. It is that easy!

HOLY GUACAMOLE:

Serves 4-6

2 Avocados
1 Heirloom Tomato – Chopped
1/2 Red Onion – Diced
1/2 the Juice of Lime
Garlic Salt, Pepper & Sea Salt – To Taste

Diced Avocados and smash in a bowl. Add chopped tomato, diced red onion, the juice of 1/2 of a lime and give it a good stir. Season with garlic salt, pepper and sea salt to taste.

Belly And Food – Love/Hate Relationship

March 10, 2014

Belly & Food. Hmmm? This post could go in a million directions. Well if you haven’t learned by now I kinda love food. I think I may just be a big foodie. I love trying new things…. I love exploring cities and local hot spots… I love food events… I secretly have a love affair with fair food / food trucks (not a secret anymore!)… I love holidays because my family is centered around a meal that was homemade. I just love food.

I will let you in on another little secret. My belly sometimes does not have the same affection as I do to food. I know spare the details, but it all started a few years ago with agonizing pain in my gut that would cripple me for a few hours or so. I was certain it was a food allergy and made an appointment with a Gastroenterologist, but after a few tests… nothing. No Lactose intolerance, no Celiac disease, heck they even went as far to tell me that I didn’t even posses the gene that would make me develop Celiac disease. At that time, the doctor wrote something down on a piece of paper and said, “Read this. I guarantee if you make some changes to your diet you will notice some changes.” The piece of paper read… “The China Study.”

I picked up the book that week and read a little bit, putting it down only to engage in everything it said not to. I didn’t take it serious. It also overwhelmed me with the statistics and research facts. I mean some points were interesting and others, well they scared me more than living my current life. How could I cut out meats and dairy? I mean I married the son of a son of a farmer.

A few years went by since all of this occurred; however, my reoccurring growing stomach issues lingered. It wasn’t until a few months ago that I actually sat down and decided to give this whole diet thing another look. And, by diet I am not referring to what probably first pops in your mind, but instead my own personal diet… a lifestyle change.

Two words – Clean Eating. Three words – Eliminating processed foods.

That pretty much sums it up! Thinking before you eat. Choosing healthy and natural options vs processed options. It gets a bit deeper but on the surface this simple task alone makes a huge difference.

To go back to my early read, I think the reason “The China Study” scared me so much back then was that it does focus on a plant-based diet, which is something I was not ready for then or even now. I mean I love a hamburger or some BBQ during the summer and don’t you dare touch that bowl of my Grandma’s homemade chicken and wild rice soup. Co-Author, T. Colin Campbell will state that he doesn’t believe in using the words “vegan” or “vegetarian” but plant-based. And, while he doesn’t altogether state you must go 100% plant-based, the book does advocate for such a diet. I can’t give up my meat and dairy, but I can choose the quantity and quality of my food. That is why I have found “Clean Eating” to be much easier to chew on. (Pun 100% intended).

Pinterest has been a HUGE help in this effort. You can find great articles, helpful tips and amazing recipes. Check out my – “Lean, Green and Eat Clean” Board. I started this little journey almost two months ago, with baby steps, and I mean baby steps. The results so far have proven to be quite rewarding. I am hoping to use this Blog to continue to share my story, and hear from you.

Here are a few quick tips on starting to incorporate Clean Eating into your diet.

1) Start Small – I find things are most successful when I don’t put all my eggs in one basket or stop cold turkey. This has been super gradual for me. I still LOVE salty potato chips dipped in cheese and who can say no to an Oreo, but chose moderation and start finding out what is really behind your cravings. For example, for me I have found after a super stressful day I craved sweets and I would reach for a cookie in the cupboard, but now I have found that fruit is just as sweet. I will go for slices of pineapple over a cookie now. 80% of the time stick to the plan and 20% of the time allow yourself to indulge.

2) Add to your Diet… Load up on the veggies and fruits, lean meats and whole grains. At first it may be a challenge, but after about two-weeks I was craving fruits and veggies over sweets.

3) Avoid from your Diet… Processed foods, fast foods, soda and sugary drinks and refined sugars. This is a good starting point. Start making healthy decisions – Choose fresh fruit and veggies over canned, switch a coke for an ice water with lemon, and substitute sugar with some honey in your Hot Tea. Baby steps.

4) Drink Lots of Water – I cannot stress it enough. I drink water all day, but definitely make sure to drink as soon as you wake up, before a meal and before bed. It does wonders.

5) Plan, Plan, Plan – Have you read my Blog Name? Backwards N High Heels – I am busy! Eating clean won’t work unless you plan. Usually Sundays are reserved for week long meal plans followed by a Market Order. Not only does it #1 help me not stress out over dinner during the week, but #2 helps me stay focused so I try not to lose course.

Quotes

I am not perfect and I am by no means a nutritionist, nor have any medical background. This is simply me sharing my experiences with you. I am also practicing in moderation. Please read that again, I am practicing in moderation. Don’t hold it against me if you see me out indulging in wings (oh, because I am a sucker for wings) or enjoying a few cold beers, but know that small, simple changes have made an impact on me and hopefully may help you. Enjoy!