New Favorite Foods

I love updating you guys on new foods that I’ve scouted out or become a fan of.

I ended a sentence in a preposition. Sorry! It would have sounded awkward otherwise, and though I usually epitomize the word awkward, I try to keep my writing a little less, um, weird. Onto the food!

1. Blue Diamond Salt ‘N Vinegar almonds.

Not only will these satisfy your salty craving, you get a dose of protein and fiber. They’re very delicious without being a sodium overload.

2. Publix all natural salsas.

Rachel and I picked up a tub of the medium salsa on Saturday. It’s really good! The ingredient list is clean, it’s got a great flavor, and isn’t too chunky. Chunky salsa is nasty.

3. La Croix Peach-Pear sparkling water.

They now sell this canned at Target! It’s definitely  my new favorite La Croix flavor. On another note, I’m still not over how awful the Coconut flavor was. Blech.

Let me tell you a secret: Sometimes if I don’t like a bottle of wine, I add a bit of sparkling water to it. Then bam! I’ve got a tastier, more refreshing glass of happiness.

4. Fiber One 90 Calorie Chocolate Chip Cookies

They’re soft, pack 5 grams of fiber, and contain only 8 grams of sugar. It’s a treat! I highly suggest nuking one in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Mmm!

5. Tropicana Trop50 Raspberry with Green Tea.

Amanda and I used this to mix with our vodka on the boat the other day. It’s only 50 calories per 8 ounces – a great mixer for a lower calorie beverage. Oh, and say hello to Svedka, my favorite vodka. It’s fairly inexpensive and very smooth.

6. Zone Perfect Perfectly Simple nutrition bars.

I was recently sent some samples of these bars and am so grateful! Upon opening the wrapper of the first bar I tried, I thought they looked just like Larabars. They’re SO much better. They’re quite dense, but more nutty and flavorful, with a short list of ingredients.  My favorite was the Cranberry Almond.

7. Buddy Fruits.

Ok, ok. this is definitely glorified fruit puree, but I can be a sucker for cute branding/packaging. I’m every marketer’s dream come true. But hey, moms! Don’t you think your kiddos would much rather get their fruit and vegetable requirements through these? Adorbs.

For the record, the only reason I tried these was because you can get the applesauce packets in the kids meals at Chick-fil-A. True story.

8. Jazz Apples.

These aren’t a new find, but more of a re-discovery thanks to Boding. We found these at Target of all places. They’re the best apples! Gotta love one of God’s most precious gifts to us – fresh fruit!

What new food products have you recently discovered?

Tell me your favorite a)packaged good and b)fresh fruit or vegetable.

CSA Week 7 / Broiled Peaches with Goat Cheese & Honey

The further we get into the Spring season, the better the assortment of produce I receive from Gruber Farm. When I opened last week’s box, I thought “Woah, best week EVER.” Ehhh wrong! This week is even better. I’ve been really happy with Gruber Farm thus far because you get a good assortment of many different types of produce versus a few different things.

Week 7:

• red potatoes
• yellow corn
• onions
• patty pan squash
• a pumpkin? some sort of squash…
• string beans
• peaches (!!)
• turnips

I always dig into the fruit first. It’s the most appealing to me and easiest to cook…or not cook at all. This time I cooked!

Broiled Peaches with Goat Cheese & Honey

This “recipe” doesn’t require drawn out steps; it’s easy as pie. But not a peach pie.

All you do is turn your broiler on low, slice or halve the peaches however you prefer, and pop them in the oven. Watch them!! Let them brown a little, but be careful – they will burn and you will end up with crunch. Not fun.

When they’re browned to your liking, remove them from the oven, drizzle them with honey, and top them with goat cheese crumbles and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Eat them while they’re warm!

Top them with ice cream. But don’t tell me about it. I’ve given up desserts.

This doesn’t count as dessert right?

What’s your favorite fruit-based dessert?

Why is there a phrase “easy as pie”? PIE IS NOT EASY TO MAKE.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. This coconut milk dessert. It’s dairy free and delicious. There are slivers of chocolate and chunks of cookie dough. It tastes much creamier than ice cream, but lighter, if you can believe that.

2. I never thought I’d wear a romper until Kaye donated one to me. It was love at first wear. Last weekend I bought another cute one from Target.

3. Summer fashion. White jeans, blue sandals, pink toes. Color everywhere!

4. I wonder if this wine is any good. I just love the many possible meanings behind the name. Crusher as in crushing grapes? Or crushing on men? Or on men crushing grapes? So many possibilities.

5. To celebrate the release of a product, Blackbaud greeted us with candy this morning.

A lot of candy. Though I prefer chocolate, I grabbed a push pop and a ring pop.

6. I saved the candy for a rainy day and opted for lunch and dessert from Chick-fil-A. I had the Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich with a fruit cup and an IceDream. This picture epitomizes Hungry Meets Healthy.

7. It’s not often that I get bored, but when I do, I like to add Dom Mazzetti’s head to pictures of Kaye and me. We love him!

My Top 10 Must Haves for Healthy Living

This girl loves writing in list format. They’re fun for me to write, easy for you to read, and they look more organized. Sorry if this blog turns into a list  blog. With that said, here are the top 10 things I find necessary for me to live a healthy lifestyle.

1. A schedule/plan. I actually despise making plans, but when it comes to fitting workouts into my life, a schedule is necessary. I typically have a good idea of what my week looks like as far as when I’ll run, which classes I’ll go to, what part of the body I’m strength training, and when my rest days are. I don’t always stick to the schedule, but having an idea of what I want to do prevents me from slacking off.

2. Cute workout clothes. Yes, this motivates me. They don’t even have to be expensive. I haven’t jumped on the Lululemon bandwagon yet. I’m fine with the following.

Favorite top from Target:

Favorite jacket from Gap:

These shorts are necessary in the SC heat.

And these pants? I could wear them every single day.

3. Workouts I really love. Some people love yoga. I hate it. Some people like team sports. I’m too distracted and clumsy. What works for me? Running, kickboxing, and Pure Barre.

4. Stocking my pantry with fruits and vegetables. When grocery shopping, I make sure my basket is full of mostly produce. Always having fresh produce on hand makes me less apt to reach for the packaged crap.

5. My water bottle. It’s rare that I go anywhere without a giant bottle. I’m a huge fan of the Camelbak water bottle. Sometimes biting the nipple hurts my teeth and I’d really like to chug. I just bought this Nalgene bottle from Pure Barre and am loving it.

6. Phone apps. I use IMapMyRun,

I <3 Veggies,

and Pandora because there’s no way I’d exercise without tunes.

7. SLEEP! Although getting enough hours is difficult for me, sleep is necessary for my sanity. Plus, who wants to work out when they’re tired? Not me.

8. Reading materials. The Eat This, Not That series is my favorite to recommend. After years of owning them, I still occasionally use them as reference.

I also love magazines.

9. Blogs for healthy recipe ideas. My favorites are:

• Eat, Live, Run
• 101 Cookbooks
• Fit Sugar

10. Rewards! This is my favorite must-have item. I would go absolutely insane if I didn’t treat myself for all the hard work. Whether it’s a giant glass of wine or a handful of chocolate, I’m indulging. Everything in moderation!

What are YOUR healthy living must haves?

It’s That Time of Year– Spring CSA Time!!

I’m so excited you guys. It’s almost time for the start of my Spring CSA. In case you don’t remember from when I signed up last year, a CSA (community supported agriculture) is a program in which  you sign up with a local farm that provides you a weekly box of produce that they’ve grown.

This year I signed up for a Small Share with Gruber Farm.

The facts:

• Gruber Farm is located just south of St. George.
• The farm has been in operation since 1948 and is family-owned and operated.
• Each week, you pick up your box from one of the convenient drop locations.
• You can choose from 3 different share sizes:

The Spring CSA last for 12 weeks, from late-April to mid-July. Some of the veggies I will find in my share are: beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, butter beans, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, collards, corn, cucumber, eggplant, figs, grapes, green beans, kale, lettuce, okra, onions, peaches, peas, peppers, plums,pole beans, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, snow peas, spinach, squash, strawberries, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, and watermelon. That, my friends, is quite the variety of fresh, local produce. To say I am excited is an understatement.

Why I love CSAs:

• I receive a greater variety of produce than I’d typically buy for myself.
• The drop box locations are very convenient.
• Last year I was forced to try new vegetables that I normally shied away from, which, in turn helped me discover ones that I love. Hello, beets!
• More produce = more nutrients = healthier living
• It encourages me to try new recipes.
• It supports a local farm!

I highly recommend signing up for a CSA with Gruber Farm. Do it with me! Over the 12-week period, I plan to show you my goodies each week and hopefully share new recipes. I’m even more excited for this to start now that I’ve been eating as a vegetarian. I think I’ll appreciate the vegetables much more this go around.

If you’d like to sign up with Gruber Farm, check out their website here. You can easily subscribe for the Spring CSA online, or call Stanely Gruber (843-563-1159) or Susan G. Kirlin (843-693-7069).  Let me know if you sign up!

Do you subscribe to a CSA?

Do you find that it encourages you to eat healthier or try new fruit/vegetables? What’s your favorite part about it?

What’s your favorite vegetable?

What I’m Loving Wednesday Version 10

1. I’ve made a bunch of clothing purchases lately, mostly at Ann Taylor Loft. I’m obsessed with that store bc everything in their petite section fits me like a glove. 

Honest to God, I would wear these black jeans every single day if I didn’t think they would fade. I wore them the Friday I got them, the next Saturday, and last Friday. Obsessed. Besides washing them inside out and in cold water, does anyone have any tips on preserving the color?

I also picked up this top from the regular Ann Taylor – they’ve stepped up their game and have some great items right now.

2. On Sunday, I was admiring a rose gold watch that one of the bartenders at The Macintosh was wearing. She told me she had just bought it from TJ Maxx for $49. It retails for $95. Within, oh, say 30 minutes, I left to get one.

While there, I picked up another one. This one was more expensive at $99, but still, that’s so much cheaper than the original price of $195. I typically wear my Michael Kors silver watch, but these will both be such a fun alternative! It’s hard to tell, but this one is black with rose gold.

3. In the mail today, I received a free Peppermint Stick bar from Clif. Then later at the gym, Erica gave me another one! She had been saving one for me from the samples she received. She’s so sweet!

While I thought this bar was really good, I do prefer the Chocolate peppermint Stick by Luna. Thank goodness that bar is available year round!

4. And speaking of the gym, tonight was the launch of Body Attack 74, which Erica taught. Highlights of the class included:

• lunges/squats combos
• walking burpees
• sprinting
• snowboarding drills and side-to-side skiing moves (my favorite part!)
• a million tricep pushups
• side planks and crunches

The new release was intense! My thighs were burning at the end but I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend this class if you really want to push yourself for a full hour.

5. Back when Lucy lived with me, she always bought papayas.  I bought my own for the first time last night. They’re such a funky looking fruit, but pretty inside!

And check out the awesome nutritionals:

(via)

Also on that site, I found a recipe idea:

That sounds sooooooo good. Miss you, Lucy!!

1. Where do you buy the majority of your clothes from?

2. What are you favorite Clif and Luna Bar flavors?

3. Favorite exotic fruit?