Salsa Chicken

IM Back! I finally moved in to my new house, and I'm ready to get to cooking again! The recipe today was my lunch, and is made with fresh garden veggies, well except for the chicken... It's a high protein meal that will fill you up and taste great!

SALSA CHICKEN & PATTY PAN SQUASH

YUMMM

:)

Ingredients:
4-8 oz Chicken Breast (preferably organic)
1/4 cup Homemade Salsa (or whatever kind you have)
1 Cup Patty pan squash (zucchini works too)
2tsp Coconut oil (1 teaspoon for each pan)
Salt, pepper, crushed red peppers - too taste

Directions: In a medium pan melt coconut oil on medium/low heat, and add seasoned chicken. In a small sauce pan add chopped squash, and add a pinch of salt. Turn squash burner to medium heat, stir occasionally till squash is soft. Heat chicken till it is cooked through, flipping only once!  Place chicken/squash on a plate and top with your salsa of choice!!

Eat up!
About 200 calories depending on the salsa, and amount of chicken

Meals of the day!

Finally A day off! And a perfect day to blog:)

Today I wanted to do another blog about each meal/snack I ate for the day!

Breakfast: It's really important to have a solid breakfast in the morning. It sets the mood for the rest of your meals, and eating choices through out the day. Fruit is great any time a day, but it does contain sugar. Even though it's fructose, sugar is sugar and it will raise your blood sugar levels. Paring it with almonds, which have protein, minimize the spike in blood glucose levels. I also included a slice of sprouted grain bread, with a small amount of butter, for some carbs. Breakfast is the best time of day to have carbohydrates because they give you energy. And when you don't drink coffee like me, you need all the energy you can get!!

Ingredients: Under 200 calories

1 Peach sliced

10 All natural almonds-

1 Slice of Cinnamon raisin sprouted grain bread 

1tsp salted butter-on bread

WATER! 20fl oz

Lunch: Garden Fresh veggies :)
This morning I went to water the areas of the garden that were drooping. And as I was down there I found A huge yellow squash, a good size patty pan squash, two hand fulls of snap peas, a few cherry tomatoes, and about 12 cucumbers! I had some red onion left in the fridge and was inspired! I also included a quick video of me cooking! 

Ingredients:

1 Patty pan squash (my all time favorite)

1/2 medium red onion

4 small cherry tomatoes halved

2 tsp olive oil

1 slice sprouted grain bread 

Directions:

Chop veggies, place in frying pan with oil, sautee, salt, and enjoy!

Post Work out Snack:
15 Dark chocolate Almonds
Handful Cherries
Water!


 Dinner: For dinner I needed to incorporate some protein! So I cooked up some chicken and turned it into an amazing salad. I also had a ton of cucumbers from the garden so I had those on the side. Plus water!

Ingredients:
3 oz Chicken breast
1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 White onion sliced
5 Almonds slivered
2 cups Lettuce
Salt
3tbsp vinegar
Cucumber salad
1 cup Peeled cucumbers
soaked in salt, vinegar for couple hours

 Dessert/sweet snack:
1 Peeled Kiwi
1 Cascadian farms organic dark chocolate granola bar

Melons Galore!

We all have our weaknesses when it comes to summer...*cough* ICE CREAM. Trust me when I say I get my fair share of ice cream! Between Uncle Harry's, Culvers, the Frozen Ladle, and the grocery store, I have more Ice cream than Crazy old women have cats. Any way I wanted to offer a little piece of advice to help when our ice cream eating gets out of control.

My advice-Melons!

Melons are juicy, crunchy, and most importantly sweet!

If I have some honeydew cut up in the fridge I am more likely to grab that than run to the store, waste my gas and get ice cream. That is coming from someone who spends 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week cutting fruit! Still not sick of it :) Plus, melons have a high water content. This fills you up with fewer calories and hydrates you, which is extremely important during these hot months of summer. Melons are great any time of day. I eat them for breakfast, maybe an after pool snack, and even as a side with lunch or dinner. 

To prove a point...

1 cup of ice cream (this does vary)= 250-300 calories
1 cup of watermelon = about 50 calories

AHHH ICecream Everywhere!

You would have to eat 5-6 cup s of water melon to reach the caloric content of a cup of ice cream. And most of us eat more than a cup of ice cream in one sitting! Eating that much melon would be awfully uncomfortable in my opinion. So once and a sh

Food for thought:
Watermelon                              Cantaloupe                            Honeydew
-Vitamin A                                -Vitamin C                            -Folate (good for reproduction)
-Vitamin C                                - Beta carotene
-Potassium                              (orange, good for eyes)

Veggie Orzo: A New Grain Discovery

My mom is a huge fan of Out Post natural food market, and recently brought me along to check it out. She also set a goal to try a new grain from the bulk food section every time she shops there. And, since I was with , I got the honors of picking a new grain to try.

Being a visual eater, I naturally picked the most colorful grain I could find!

*Veggie Orzo*

That night we made it for dinner, and it was a hit! I would say it has a rubberier (probably not a word) texture, like eating little gelatin beads. I just ate it with a little bit of salt and mixed in some of the pork from our dinner. My mom picked up some more the next time she went and we had it again, and I still liked it just as much as the first time.

Sooo if your looking to try something new I would recommend getting some veggie orzo!!!

Beauty Must Have's!

So I know my Blog is normally about food, BUT I thought I would switch it up. I love MAKEUP!!!!!!!!! I love experimenting, creating, and beautifying with it. I do a lot of research, and spend a good chunk of my paychecks on various beauty products. I have found some new amazing brands, and items that I must share with all you lady's out there. (Everything I talk about was purchased by me, and these are my honest opinions.)

Get this look with the products below!

Since I can remember I have had acne.  Because of this make up was always a chore. "How much make up do I have to pile on to cover these pimples".  I don't miss that!!!!!!!! My skin is finally in a better place, and now I can enjoy make up.


Some products I use are high end, and some drug store. I'll try to give prices if it helps and hit every category of beauty.  If you Have questions Contact me on facebook :) Or share with me your favorites beauty products!


WARNING, THIS MAY BE A LOT!


Perfumes: Top 3 (this was a hard one so here are some additional favs- Beyonce Heat, JLo Glow, Unbreakable khloe and lamar, Gucci flora,Giorgio Armani code, Dona karen- in pink.
1. Giorgio Armani-Acqua di Gio- $45-80

2. Coach- Poppy original $45-65ish

3. Dolce and Gabbana- Light Blue $50-80




Hair Must haves!!!!:
1. Pure Morrocan oil- I use Josie Maran's brand $18-50
I use this sometimes on wet hair sometimes on dry on my ends. I will use a very small amount by my roots to stop flyaways. I also use this as a face moisturizer! I have acne prone skin and it doesn't break me out!
2.Macadamia Repair Mask- This stuff makes your hair smell like heaven, and super soft. Once a month I also do a coconut oil masque (melt coconut oil and cover hair with it let sit for an hour and wash out really well, add honey to lighten hair).

3. Chi 44 Iron Guard- Heat protectant

4. Sexy Hair- Powder play
I use place this all around on my roots for volume!

***I am still trying to find the perfect shampoo/ conditioner right now I'm trying Redken so soft, it's good but  it just isn't wowing me :( Another quick tip: I try to only wash my hair every 2-3 days (gross right), but! it has helped my hair so much.

MAKEUP YAY:)
Tools-
MAC 217 blending brush- 23$
Beauty blender knock off from Wal Greens $7
Sigma Flat top Kabuki brush $16
Icing by Clairs Eco brushes (under $10 don't remember the price)

Face Wash- I also use a prescription in conjunction with this face wash.   7-9$



Moistureizer- Aveeno- Clear complexion, I use this after washing my face.


Primers-                                                            
Tarte- Poreless $30. Perfect for oily skin, it's silicone based and smooths out your pores. I tend to use this primer when I need to wear make up for a longer period of time.

Hourglass- Veil mineral Primer Spf 15 $48 Light weight, and feels silky. This is good for days when I don't wear makeup or less.

Laura Mercer- Radiance primer- all time favorite! gives your skin the perfect glow, I get so many compliments when I wear this. $30


Foundation- Saving up to buy MAC studio tech creme foundation :)
1. Revlon Color Stay for oily combination skin $12 (long wearing medium/ full coverage)

2.Neutrogena Healthy skin foundation (nude)- $12 (light/medium coverage)

3. Cover girl Aqua smoothers creme foundation- $8 (very full coverage used mainly to cover blemishes)


Powders- I use translucent powders just to take the shine out of my foundation.
Tarte- Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay setting powder $30
This feels so soft almost like corn starch, a little goes a long way and was worth the price!

Bronzer- So foundation is suppose to match your skin and then you contour and highlight your face with bronzer to warm your skin tone. Currently I am using NYX Matte Bronzer in medium ($10-15), and then a little bit of MAC charcoal brown eye shadow ($16) on my temples and the sides of my nose. However almost any matte brown bronzer is good it doesn't have to be expensive.


Blush- If there is one product I will never spend money on it's blush. To me they all do the same thing!
Elf Blush- Candid Coral $1
 

Concealer-
Benefit-Erase Paste $30
The salmon color counter acts the dark blue's and purples under the eye. great for concealing but has a very sticky texture.

Maybelline- age rewind under eye dark circle eraser $10 This has a smoother serum texture and is also great for under the eyes. However, I can't conceal blemishes with this because it made my skin break out.


Eyeliner-
Elf liquid eye liner $1
Jordana black retractable eye liner- $2-3
MAC Carbon eyeshadow applied w/ angle brush $16

Eyeshadow-
Urban Decay Naked Palette- $50
I love the color sin in the corner of my eye then buck and naked in blended in the crease, it makes the perfect neutral eye.

MAC Eyeshadows
1. Crease: Charcoal brown, Copperplate, Satin Taupe, Carbon
    Highlight/ Inner eye corner:Naked Lunch, Brule
    Lid: Woodwinked, Satin taupe, Carbon, All that Glitters. $16 each

Wet and Wild, and Elf are actually great pigmented eyeshadows for a cheaper alternative!
Eye shadow primers-
Urban decay- potion primer 20$

NYX Jumbo Pencil- Milk $5
Makes any eyeshadow brighter and more pigmented/last longer.

Tarte -clean slate 360 deg creasless eyeshadow primer- 20$
Makes your eye soft and ready for a smooth eye shadow application.

Eye brows-
NYX Brow kit brunette (I just pluck, brush and use the wax from this)

Mascara-
Loreal- Telescopic Carbon Black, Makes my eye lashes perfection! $10

LIPS-I'm not a bit lipstick wearer but I have fallen in love with Revlons Kissable Balm stains! $8
Renezvous, Precious, Charm and Honey are my favorite!


Carmex Vanilla Moisture Plus-$3
The cure to chapped lips with out the over powering smell armex normally has. Vaseline is also a great lip moisturizer. If you want a lip exfoliater mix Vaseline with sugar and apply with fingers in a circular motion.

Setting Spray-
Urban Decay De Slick by Skindanavia
I spray my face before foundation and after my make up is complete to help my extreme oil problem!

NAILs
I love anything ESSIE!!!!!! $8 per bottle
Wet and wild mega last, China glase, Butter london, OPI, Loreal, sinful colors (poor quality but cheap!)

A day of my Food life June 3rd 2012

So I haven't blogged in a while but I'm back!
I have moved back home for the summer and I'm already missing my weekly Whole food runs. Lucky for me though my mom buys just as healthy stuff so I now have a larger pantry to shuffle through (and don't have to pay for it now haha).
 I needed to start today off with a good meal, because yesterday I literally ate Ice cream for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and both snacks :( oops I guess this is where most people would say #YOLO.
Any way... I thought today's post would be on my entire days worth of meals/snacks...Start to finish.

Breakfast: I woke up around 10am since I didn't work today and stayed up late last night watching the notebook with my younger sister Becca. In the morning the first thing I do is pour a glass of water or grab a water bottle. Doing this gets me hydrated and helps reduce the bags under my eyes. Once I have something in my stomach I can usually tell what I'm craving that morning. Today it was something sweet! I found some organic raw instant oatmeal in the cabinet, and decided to dress up some oatmeal for breakfast!
Ingredients:
-Better oats: RAW pure and simple instant oatmeal (1 packet)
-Craisins (about 10)
-Raisins (about 10)
-Brown Sugar 1-3tsp to taste
-1/2 Banana (diced)
-Cinnamon (few dashes)
-Vanilla extract (1/2 tsp)
Directions- follow instructions for the instant oatmeal (mine overflowed boo). Mix the rest of the ingredients in and ENjoy! OTher ideas: nuts, other dried fruits, stevia or truvia, agave nectar, different extracts, apples etc!

I had to use my phone camera blah

Lunch: My lunch today was inspired by our slowly growing garden. Around 2pm my mom asked us to pick the green onions so she could re plant her cucumbers, and since I love my onions I knew it was gonna be part of my lunch. I had a carb meal for breakfast so I needed more protein in my lunch. I grabbed a few organic eggs that we purchased from our local farm and some purple onions from the fridge. I started brainstorming and here was the out come.
Ingredients/tools:
       *Small frying pan
       *large metal cookie cutter: mine was a house shaped one don't ask
       *spatula
-1 egg
-1 egg white
- Chopped onions 1/4 cup
-Cybros Sprouted grain bun
-Turkey deli meat
-Olive oil
-salt
Directions-In the pan add about a tsp of olive oil, a dash of salt, and the onions. Turn stove to med/low. take the cookie cutter and place it between the onions, so the onions are on the outskirts of the pan. In a cup mix eggs and then pour into the cookie cutter. With the spatula scrap the bottom of the eggs so that new egg gets cooked. Once the egg is almost all cooked try and flip the cookie cutter over (you may loose a little egg but don't worry and just scoop in back into the cookie cutter). In between scraping the egg mix the surrounding onions. When all is cooked place turkey on the bun then loosen the egg out of the cookie cutter on that then sprinkle on the onions and boom you have a healthy egg mcmuffin! If you don't want to be fancy you can just scramble your eggs and place them on the bun, but that can get messy. I also had a glass of water on the side.

You can really add anything you want! get creative.

Dessert/snack: Well my mom just got back from Pennsylvania today. All of my moms family lives there, including my grandma Babi (pronounced bubee). She sent back a bag of Carmelo candy bars:)
I couldn't resist, and ate one in about one min flat! end of story!

Snack- We had dinner a bit later today so around 5pm I had a small organic gala apple+16oz water.

Just in case you don't know what apples look like 

Dinner- Well we didn't eat til 7 tonight! My dinner wasn't anything exciting I had alot of broccoli with a pinch of salt, and Opa's chicken wings. (family recipe-pretty much salted chicken wings). I only had two wings because they were fried but I plan on having a bigger snack later. 

I had 3x that much broccoli! I also had 16oz of water.

Late night snack: Being lazy watching my shows I wanted something simple to put together! So I peeled a banana and scooped a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. yummmmm!

sweet!

Overall this was a good day of eating...minus the caramello bar haha. BUT we are faced with sweets and rich foods everyday. If you can balance the rest of the day those little slips won't make a difference. Hope this helps!