Things I'm Loving Lately {November Edition}

A few things I've been loving this fall!

1. Luna & Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss Ice Cream
The best non-dairy ice cream I have ever tried.  Soy free, dairy free, gluten free, and not too sugary.  This flavor was delicious, and I loved the real cacoa nibs scattered throughout.  Superfood bonus!

2. Diana's Bananas Banana Babies

Another dessert - I guess I have had a sweet tooth lately.  My grandpa introduced me to these last summer when Jay and I were in Florida.  I recently bought a box at our local Natural Grocers, and they are still as amazing as I remember.  I like that these treats are primarily made of fresh fruit dipped in just a little bit of high quality dark chocolate.  It may not be the healthiest thing you can eat, but it is a pretty good option as far as desserts go. 

3. Archer Farms Simmer Sauces

When I don't have much time to cook dinner, one of my favorite tricks is to doctor up a pre-made sauce with extra veggies and protein.  Target has a great selection of Indian and Thai inspired simmer sauces made from real ingredients and healthy spices. 

I added some garlic, ginger, broccoli, spinach, and simple roasted tofu to this Panang Ginger Curry sauce last night.  It was easy and delicious served on top of brown rice. 

4. Sofritas Organic Tofu at Chipotle

I am a regular at Chipotle.  Up until recently, I have always ordered the exact same veggie burrito bowl loaded with all the salsas and guacamole.  As much as I love my usual, I was really excited to see a new addition to the menu a couple weekends ago when I was in Dallas with my mom.  The "Sofritas" shredded organic tofu is braised with chipotle chilies, roasted poblanos, and spices.  My mom and I both agreed that it was so flavorful and tasted a lot like meat, only better!  I hope they are offering this at my local Chipotle, because I would definitely order it again. 

5. Target + TOMS

I love Target and I love TOMS, so I was really excited to see them combined.  All of the stuff is so cute, and for every gift you buy, they give shoes, a blanket, or a meal to someone in need.  I especially love the throws and this candle - it would make a great Christmas present!  ;)

Just a week until Thanksgiving!  Our Christmas cards have already been ordered, and I am looking forward to the official kick-off of the holiday season.  

See you soon!

Can't-Live-Without Kitchen Gadgets

Hi there.  Hope you all had a great weekend!  Since I've been home for a while now, all the days are sort of running together.  Jay and I are still doing P90X3 everyday and cooking lots of fresh meals from our garden.  We also celebrated a lovely third anniversary last week.  And the biggest news of late is that I bought a new car!  I am so excited about my new Hyundai Tucson.  It's a big step up from my little Toyota Yaris, and I can still hardly believe it's my car!

On another note, I wanted to share a few of my all-time favorite kitchen gadgets with you this morning.  As I was rinsing off some blueberries for breakfast, it got me thinking about how often I use our mini-colander and what did I ever do before I had one?!  So many kitchen gadgets do not live up to their hype and end up collecting dust on the back of a shelf or drawer, but there are a handful of inexpensive items that really do make all the difference in my day-to-day life.  

1. Berry Colander

I use this little colander every single day!  It is perfect for rinsing berries, small veggies, herbs, or anything else that you need to quickly wash.  It can be thrown into the dishwasher for easy cleaning, and then it collapses down to less than an inch when you are ready to put it away.  

2. OXO Citrus Squeezer

I don't know how I lived so long without one of these.  I used to always squeeze lemons and limes by hand, and it was so much work to get out just a little bit of juice.  Plus, the seeds would always end up in my food, no matter what I did.  This citrus squeezer makes it easy to get out so much more juice!  It also filters out the seeds and is dishwasher safe.  It is essential if you have to do a lot of squeezing, like for margaritas or sparkling water. 

Tip: To get even more juice out of your lemons, microwave them whole for 15 seconds before you cut and squeeze.  

3. Spaghetti Measurer

I am the worst when it comes to eyeballing pasta measurements.  I usually end up making enough for ten people when I am only intending to cook for two.  Luckily, this $4 pasta measurer has solved all of my spaghetti-making problems.  It helps me create perfect portions so that we don't end up throwing food away or eating a ridiculous amount of noodles. 

4. Swissmar Trio Peeler Set

These are the best peelers ever.  They are SO sharp and can peel any fruit or vegetable effortlessly, even something as thick as a butternut squash.  The trio set comes with three different blades.  The scalper blade is perfect for hard fruits and veggies, like apples and potatoes.  The serrated blade can peel really delicate fruits like peaches and tomatoes.  The julienne blade creates thin julienne sticks from carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, etc.  All three peelers are versatile and work great!

5. Zyliss Can Opener

I have never in my life owned a can opener that opens cans so easily.  Plus, once the can is open, a magnet lifts the lid so you never have to touch a sharp edge.  You can take the lid over to the trash or recycle bin and release it with the touch of a button.  I love it!

6. Zyliss Strong Boy Handheld Jar Opener

Zyliss makes really awesome products, and this jar opener is no exception.  I am a weakling when it comes to opening things and constantly find myself struggling with sealed jars of salsa, pickles, etc.  This jar opener is really easy to use and gets the jar open every time!  The long handle is comfortable and gives added leverage, and the adjustable rubberized band can retract all the way for storage.  It has really made my life a lot easier!

So there you have it!  Sometimes the littlest products can make all the difference!

A Deep Cleaning Schedule

Jay and I are pretty clean people, and we always complete basic household chores like vacuuming, dusting, cleaning bathrooms, and doing laundry on a weekly basis.  We both do quick cleans throughout the week and generally keep most of our clutter under control.  I love the feeling of a clean and organized home!

There are a few areas, however, that we really tend to let go - tasks like washing windows, cleaning the insides of appliances, or wiping out the fridge, to name a few.  They don't need to be done all the time, but that doesn't mean one should never do them. 

This came to my attention last weekend, when I noticed that our oven had some gunk on the inside that was starting to smell like a marshmallow that had fallen into a campfire.  Our oven has a "self-clean" button (as I'm pretty sure most do), but I had never run a cleaning cycle on it (nor on any other oven ever in my life).  Since the inside of this appliance is out of sight about 99 percent of the time, apparently it has also been out-of-mind for me. 

I decided that cleaning the oven was something I really needed to work into my schedule every few months, and that there were probably a lot of other chores along the same lines that I had been neglecting.  They may not need to be done all the time, they still need to be done on occasion.  And "on occasion" means more than once every five years.

I came up with a list of extra chores that don't always get the attention they deserve.  Then, I put together a spreadsheet with the chores in one column and the date completed in another.  I am going to try to choose one or two of these extra tasks each week and then record the date on the spreadsheet (which I have shared with Jay through Google Drive, in case he wants to participate).  This way, I will know exactly how long ago each job was completed, and I can choose to do chores that haven't been tended to recently.

Here is the list I came up with:

• Make cleaning supplies - This is something I always put off, and I think it would be a lot easier if I set aside some time to make my laundry detergent, shower cleaner, etc. all at once. 
• Clean appliances - Vinegar works great for cleaning dishwashers, microwaves, and washing machines. 
• Clean out cars - Even if it just means taking them to the car wash...it's something I really have to make myself do. 
• Wipe down cabinets/appliances - I use a natural all-purpose cleaner on the cabinets and a stainless steel microfiber cloth on the appliances.
• Wipe down baseboards/trim/doors - These are all white in our house, so a quick wipe-down really makes a difference.  
• Clean out one drawer or shelf - The junk drawer can always use it.
• Clean out fridge and freezer - It is amazing what you'll find hidden in the back. 
• Deep clean oven - Now that I know how to do this, I vow to do it more often.
• Clean out one closet - It's amazing how quickly they all fill-up. 
• Wash windows - I love these new miracle glass and mirror cloths I bought on Amazon that require nothing but water!
• Go through bathroom toiletries - It's good to reorganize and toss the expired stuff once in a while. 
• Clean out pantry - More organizing and tossing.
• Spot clean upholstery and carpets - It doesn't take long for our beige couches to get dirty with two dogs. 
• Purge or file all excess papers - This could also include going through the file cabinet, which is long overdue for us.
• Wash throws and dog beds - It's easy to overlook, but they get stinky after a while.
• Clean coffee makers - A vinegar/water cycle does a great job.  You can see my method here. 
• Clean makeup brushes - I also show an easy method for this here. 
• Disinfect/wipe out trash cans - Kind of like the oven, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.  

And here is the plan reduced to a cuter, simpler format:

The oven looks one hundred times better now that it has been cleaned!  I wish I had taken "before" and "after" photos.

On the agenda for this weekend - clean coffee makers (there is some suspicious gunk in the water chamber of our Keurig) and maybe wash cars.

Happy cleaning!

Recent Happenings + Things I'm Loving Lately V

Hello! Long time no see! I realized I haven't blogged all week, but only because I just didn't do or eat anything too terribly exciting over the past few days.  It was a full week of work, plus a couple of boot camp classes and a night of Bachelor watching with my friend, Zenie, as usual.  The rest of the time I was probably parked in front of the TV watching the Olympics.  I love them so much that I get a little stressed when I miss a night - it's hard to catch up once you get behind!  Being an avid Olympics watcher takes real commitment!

Jay is currently out of town for work, so I was solo for Valentine's Day.  I still had a great day - I let my students make Spanish Valentine's in class, and they turned out so cute!  I received lots of fun treats and gifts all day at work (being a teacher on a holiday is the best!), and then spent the evening with my family enjoying a beautiful steak dinner cooked by my aunt and uncle.

And then I got to come home to this:

Cutest valentine ever!  (No offense, Jay.)

Aside from my TV shows, here are some things I am loving this week!

1. Dark Chocolate
There is nothing I love more than a little piece of dark chocolate after dinner to top off the evening.  After all, it's healthy, right?!  The other night, I noticed that my supply was running low, so I wasted no time getting online to order some more.  Luckily, Amazon was having a huge chocolate sale for Valentine's Day, so I got this 4-pack of Ghiradelli chocolates for only about a third of what they cost now.  Score!

Then, this morning, I was opening up some Amazon boxes that had been delivered the night before, and I found another 50 PACK of dark chocolates that Jay has sent me for Valentine's Day.  Needless to say, I don't think I need to worry about running out of chocolates again any time soon!

2. Saucony Kinvara 4 Running Shoes

I am an overpronator, so for years I bought big clunky athletic shoes with tons of arch support to try and correct the problem.  Yet, despite having so much cushion and support, I still had pain in the insides of my feet after running or standing for a long period of time.  Jay (who runs exclusively in barefoot or very minimalist shoes) kept telling me that the only way to strengthen your arches and feet is to stop buying the ultra stabilizing shoes and start using your own muscles to stabilize yourself.  A couple years ago, I bought some Vibram barefoot shoes to use for walking in the warmer months, and I also switched to a lightweight, more minimalist running shoe.  The Saucony Kinvara is flexible with a low heel drop, which encourages a forefoot strike (the way humans are meant to run).  I'm no expert on any of this so I won't try to go into detail, but I do know that my feet have felt great and pain-free with the Kinvara 3, and so far I am loving the Kinvara 4 just as much!

3. Weather Puppy App
As if I didn't obsessively check the weather enough before, now, every time I do, I am greeted with the most adorable puppy pictures. There are multiple doggies/breeds to choose from, and they change based on the weather and time of day.

I can hardly handle the cuteness! 

4. YouTube Workout Videos
Up until the last couple of days, the weather in OKC has been incredibly crappy.  Since it's been almost impossible to run or exercise outside, I have been relying more on videos for my workouts.  My favorites right now are the Winter Shape Up series from the Fitnessista on YouTube.  I love that they are full-length, easy to follow, and tough!  Despite only being about 20 minutes long, they will really make you sweat!  It's a great option for days when you can't get outside or go to the gym.

5. These Animal Articles

US Slopestyle Skiier Aims to Rescue Stray Dogs from Sochi - I love this guy!!

20 Essential Facts Dog Lovers Must Always Remember - Don't read at work like I did.  And have tissues ready.

31 Animals Who Wear Their Hearts On Their Noses - In honor of Valentine's Day!

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Some Recent Healthy Eats

I hope 2014 is off to a great start for all of you!  I'm not too big on resolutions, but after the holidays I've been eager to get back to healthy eating and exercising.  We've finally gotten back in the cooking groove around here, and it feels great.

One recipe source I have been referencing a lot lately is a book called No Meat Athlete by Matt Frazier.

It is full of great plant-based recipes that are genuinely easy and really tasty.  The ingredients are specifically chosen to provide athletes (and I use that term loosely) with the nutrition they need to live a healthy, active lifestyle without animal products.  Jay is currently reading the book and plans to try out one of the half-marathon training plans for his next race.  As of now, I have mainly just read through the recipe section, but I can't wait to read the rest of the book cover-to-cover once Jay is done with it.

We tried a couple recipes from the book this past week, and they were both fantastic.

White Bean Coconut Curry

Super Quick Red Lentils and Rice

On New Years day, I was determined to incorporate some black eyed peas into one of our meals for good luck, so I made a quick "Hoppin' John" salad for lunch. I sauteed green peppers, onions, black eyed peas, and hot sauce, and served it over a spinach salad with a lemon juice/sea salt dressing, cilantro, and some sprouts. Sort of random, but it tasted great.

Another night, we cooked up a superfood packed dinner of wild-caught salmon, risotto, sauteed kale, and sweet potato with coconut oil.  I marinated the salmon in a mixture of olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and minced ginger (another superfood!) and baked it for 15 minutes at 400.  So good!

I also made my favorite Eggplant Parmesan recipe on Friday and served it over spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  It was a great way to squeeze in even more veggies than usual.  

At some point I got hit with a major chocolate craving, so I tried out these Black Bean Brownies from "Chocolate Covered Katie."

I pretty much followed the recipe exactly (although I had to extend the cooking time a bit), so I will just let you refer to the link above if you want to try them out.  The only thing I did differently was add in a tablespoon of instant coffee to give the brownies a little kick.  These were SO good and did not taste anything like beans.  (Apparently I have a thing for making bean-y desserts.  I still love the Pumpkin Banana Bean Bars from Forks Over Knives.)

I hope this post inspired you to make some healthy meals in the upcoming week!  Stay warm out there!

Things I'm Loving Lately - Christmas Present Edition

I received so many awesome presents for Christmas this year from friends and family!  Here are just a few of my faves:

1. Cuisinart Coffee Maker Plus Hot Water System

This coffee maker is just like our old one, but it has an additional instant hot water feature.  Jay and I drink a lot of tea, so we are really loving this product!  The hot water is ready in seconds to use for tea, hot cocoa, oatmeal, or whatever your heart desires.  This model is just a few dollars more than the regular Cuisinart Brew Central, and in my opinion it is worth every penny!

2. Freaker Koozies

Jay and I found these koozies in our stockings, and, as a koozie expert, I can honestly say that these are these are the best of the best.  I love the fun colors and patterns, but the greatest thing is that they will fit over any bottle, can, or jar known to man.  Anything from a regular beer bottle to a bottle of wine to a 2 liter of soda!  It is truly amazing!

3. TOMS Nepal Boots

I think I have worn these boots every single day since my mom gave them to me on Christmas Day.  The super soft fleece lining is so warm and comfortable - I feel like I am wearing slippers all day long.  And I love that TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need with every purchase.

4. Bath and Body Works Snow Day Candle

Bath and Body Works makes the BEST candles!  Somehow the fragrances radiate throughout the house without being overbearing or air-freshener-y.  Since snow days are my most favorite things ever, this candle is perfect for me!  I can't wait to enjoy it on chilly days off from work yet to come.  Thanks, Zenie!

5. Oklahoma Bamboo Cutting Board

My cousin and his wife gave us this beautiful bamboo cutting board in the shape of our home state.  I love that it can be used as a cutting board, serving tray, or just a piece of art.  We currently have it hanging up in our dining room, and it looks great on the wall!  If I ever want to use it for serving, I can just pull it down.  And it can be ordered on Amazon in the shape of any state.  What a great gift!

6. Self-Watering Wine Bottle Flower Pot

My cousin Elise wins the award for most creative gift.  She made these self-watering flower pots out of old wine bottles!  It looks so pretty on our bar, and hopefully it will be really hard to kill the adorable flower she planted.  The above link takes you to a tutorial on Pinterest if you want to attempt the project yourself.

Best wishes for a happy New Year!  See you in 2014!!

Things I'm Loving Lately - Third Edition

We made it to Friday!  Here are a few things that I am loving this week!

Winter Weather
We are in the middle of our first ice/sleet/snow fall of the season, and I am surprised to say that (for the moment) I am loving this weather.  A huge cold front came through yesterday while I was at work, and, since I did not plan ahead, I ended up running around town with no jacket in below freezing temperatures and 30mph winds.  While the experience was awful, it really made me appreciate my cozy house once I finally made it here.  I got on my PJs, made a comforting dinner, poured some wine, and lit a fire.  It was awesome.

 Jay and I stayed in, relaxed, and spent a good portion of the evening cracking up at the dogs, who were acting even more hilarious than usual.  Wendy gathered up all of her "friends" from outside to protect them from the cold, and she spent the entire night proudly guarding her massive toy pile.  She was acting so adorable, and I took about a thousand pictures.

And I can't forget Oliver...he was being a goofball, too.

Today it really started to sleet while I was at work, so I am planning a repeat of last night.  It's only 4:45 and I am already in my PJs by the fire with a cup of tea writing this blog post.  Now if only we could get a snow day on Monday!

Roomba Vacuuming Robot
This one's a biggie. After reading a blog post that raved and raved about the Roomba, Jay and I impulsively purchased a refurbished model from Amazon last week.  This was actually our second impulse vacuum buy of the year...a few months ago we bought a Dyson Animal.  We obviously have a thing for vacuums, but with two doggies running in and out all the time, our passion is justified.  Keeping the house clean is a constant battle, so when we heard that there was a robot that could effectively do it for us, we just couldn't resist.

 We have used little "Roomie" a couple times now, and I can already tell it will be worth every penny.  The other day, I noticed that the dogs had tracked in a bunch of dead grass, so I simply pushed the start button on the Roomba and it drove around and around until every speck of dirt was gone. When it was satisfied with its work, it drove itself back to the home base and hopped right back on the charger.  I love that it is small enough to go under low tables and couches, so it picks up lots of dirt that the regular vacuum can't even reach.  AND you can even set it to run at night while you sleep, so you wake up to a sparkling clean house without lifting a finger.  This thing is the best.

The dogs aren't too sure what to think, but they had better get used to it!

Pomegranates
Pomegranates must be in season, because I have seen them all over the grocery stores lately for cheap!  I bought a couple recently, and they have been SO good!  I really forgot how delicious pomegranate seeds are, not to mention they are one of the healthiest foods you can eat.  They are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium, and they are a great source of fiber.

To get the seeds out, I just cut the pomegranate in half or into fourths, and then sort of start to turn each piece inside out into a bowl of water.  Just roughly pop the seeds out and don't worry if some of the rind falls into the bowl.  The seeds will sink and the rinds will float to the top, so you can easily just fish them out at the end.  Drain the water and enjoy your seeds!

Calbee Snapea Crisps
My current snack obsession - I cannot stop eating these!  They taste like a pea pod and a cheese puff all rolled into one.  The first ingredient is whole green peas, and they contain less fat, less sodium, and more fiber than regular potato chips.

Fox Cocktail Shaker
Jay and I recently bought a new little bar cabinet at Target, and when we spotted this fox cocktail shaker we joked that we needed it to complete the look.  We weren't serious at the time, but somehow we couldn't stop making references to that shaker over and over after we got home (and singing "What Does the Fox Say").  I decided that we really did need it, so I ordered it online.  Now it makes me smile every time I look at it!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Things I'm Loving Lately - Second Edition

Hello friends! I hope you are all having a great weekend!

I am currently enjoying my last day of Fall Break (tear).   I spent Thursday and Friday in Fort Worth with Jay cheering on his volleyball team.  I had every intention of taking lots of pictures and doing some sort of travel blog post, but somehow my camera never even left my bag.  Oops.

The trip wasn't too eventful - I watched some volleyball, obviously, and also ate some great meals, got in some shopping, and relaxed at the hotel.  It was nice to get away!

Yesterday we caught up around the house and had some friends over in the evening for Eggplant Parmesan and game night.  Again, I forgot to take pictures, but next time I make that recipe I will be sure to share it with you all.  It is one of my faves!

Speaking of favorites, I have lots of new (or new to me) products that I have really been loving lately, so I thought I would do another blog post to share.

1. New running clothes
I recently bought some running capris on sale at Old Navy and tried them out for the first time today.  They fit great and didn't move around or ride up when I was running.  And I really love the fun stripey pattern!  I'm sure I will be wearing these a lot this fall!

After our run this morning, Jay and I stopped by Academy to pick up a gift for a friend's birthday party later on today.  I just happened to notice a Nike clearance rack, so I had to take a look.  I found this running skirt for only $16, marked down from $52!  I am not exactly sure what the point of a running skirt is, but I have always thought they looked really cute.  Aside from being stylish, I like that this one has two side pockets and a zippered pocket on the back - very practical!  I also picked up a pink dry-fit Nike shirt from the same clearance rack for $15, marked down from $25.  I can't wait to try these out!  Now, if only my new clothes would magically make me better at running...

2. eos Organic Lip Balm
This lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free.  The round shape makes it super easy to apply, and I also feel like it is easier to find in my purse!  The sweet mint flavor leaves your lips really smooth and tingly.  I am addicted to this stuff!

3. Squash Season!

I was so excited to see so many different kids of squash on sale today for just $.78/pound!  I wanted to buy them all.  Expect to see lots of roasted squash on the blog in the next few weeks!

4. Love & Toast Roller Perfume

I think it was my friend Eva who first told me about these natural perfumes a couple months back.  I've heard that most traditional scents contain lots of bad chemicals, so I have been meaning to look at healthier alternatives.  I recently stumbled across a big Love & Toast sale at Sprouts, so I decided that it was the perfect time to try a new perfume!  All of the fragrances smell wonderful without being too overbearing, but I especially liked the "Dew Blossom" scent.  I wore it all weekend in Fort Worth and kept thinking, "I smell good!"  The company also makes lotions and other natural beauty products that are very reasonably priced and adorably packaged, so I will definitely be trying them out. 

5. Say Yes To Carrots Nourishing Body Wash

Speaking of things that smell good, I am also in love with my new Say Yes To Carrots Body Wash.  It smells sooo good, and it is really moisturizing.  Even though it's a bit more expensive than traditional brands, the bottle is big and a little goes a long way.  I think it's a much better value than Burt's Bees or some of the other natural body washes on the market.  The link above is to Amazon, but you can also buy Say Yes To Carrots products at Target...occasionally they will even offer a sale or coupon!

That's all for today!  I am off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday!