Madeline Nutrition Giveaway!

Recently, my friend Maddie started her own business as a nutrition consultant. What I like about her is she makes healthy living approachable. Plus she's cute as a button. When I move back to the States, I hope to utilize her services, which are listed here. For now I read her awesome blog for nutrition/wellness/health inspo. Can't get enough.

And right now she has a GIVEAWAY going on that I'm so sad I can't enter (I feel like she wouldn't want to pay international shipping costs, just a guess). But YOU -- if you live in the States, I'm assuming -- can enter it! So don't mind me, I'll just be over here dreaming of Santa Barbara honey, rosemary blistered almonds, and strawberry preserves.

New Year's Day

It's New Year's Day and everyone's probably recovering from the night before's debauchery and thinking about trying to get healthy. I didn't party hard at all last night. Outback Steakhouse, a few sips of champagne, and in bed by 9:30. But still, since I've been in Santa Barbara I've been pigging out on all the food I've been missing. So here are some health-centric ideas for you:

A trusty smoothie via Into the Gloss: 1 cup milk (vitamin D), a whole banana (vitamin B6 and potassium), 1 dollop of honey (magnesium), and ice. B6 helps support and increase your metabolism, potassium = electrolytes, and vitamin D does something important to your insulin levels when they need it most, which is apparently fantastic. Honey is like gasoline for your liver.

I've always wanted to do this Food Lover's Cleanse via Bon Appetit. It doesn't seem like it would feel very restricting.

Yoga, of course. Santa Barbara recently got a Core Power Yoga studio, which is the studio I went to in Seattle and I miss it so much, so I'm going to try to go to a class or two while I'm here.

Ok, I find this woman to be a little obnoxious, but I recommend her ballet workout. It's really easy and you definitely have sore muscles after doing it. 

Don't forget the kale! It's my go-to when I want something healthy. This salad has become one of my FAVORITES.

Good luck, everyone!

List the Ways You Can Cleanse for Spring

1. Quit my job and start a new career

2. Catch some rays in Hawaii (in 6 days!)

3. Clean out my clothes

4. File my taxes

5. Lots of Y O G A

6. Donate items to Goodwill

7. Take technology-free days once a week (or maybe month)

8. Eat less meat (especially if I don't know where it comes from)

9. Make money-saving goals

10. Make concrete goals for my art business

11. Set a curfew on the internet and TV and discover the natural balance between daylight and darkness, work and rest.

12. Walk more

13. Massage it out

14. Clean out my makeup

Thanks, Moorea!

List the Things That Make You Feel Healthy

1. Finding a yoga practice that I adore
2. My love for kale
3. Getting my heart rate going
4. Never skipping breakfast
5. Grapefruit
6. Getting enough sleep (I've really never had an issue with this)
7. Meditating
8. Investing in my relationships; cultivating them
9. Taking me antidepressant medication!
10. Taking the time to tidy the space around me (I'm not always very good at this)
11. Taking the time to be alone (I'm an introvert at heart)
12. Creating a restful environment in my bedroom (clean sheets, candles, soft lighting)
13. Cooking for myself and others (rather than going out to eat or getting delivery too much)
14. Sunlight! Warmth!
15. Eating when I'm hungry -- and not overeating -- rather than eating to fill a void
16. Not drinking too much alcohol (finally at a point where I'm truly noticing the repercussions of going overboard with booze)
17. Taking a break from media every now and then
18. Drinking more water and less sugary beverages (I've completely cut out soda)
19. Walking/biking places rather than driving (admittedly, this is harder in the winter months)
20. Setting goals for myself
21. Staying present, but moving forward
22. Having a positive outlook on sex and my body (Goodbye, religion-driven guilt!)

Thanks, Moorea!

Vegetables Everywhere!

Josh and I have been doing a CSA box for the past couple weeks. It's really helped us eat healthier and not eat out as much because there are just SO MANY VEGETABLES we get in the box and it would be a waste to have them go bad. I don't think I've ever eaten so many vegetables in my life. Here's what's been cooking...

Cauliflower soup

So ridiculously easy.

Egglplant and mozzarella melt

An old standby.

Pan-roasted salmon

Not a vegetable, but I did make this.

Other things that I've made with the ridiculous amount of vegetables taking over my kitchen: shaved fennel and golden beet salad, roasted squash, kale salad... Josh made AWESOME mashed potatoes. 

Wish us luck as we continue in this endeavor!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

I can't remember where I first heard about Chia seeds... It could have been from My New Roots. These little guys, which resemble black sesame seeds or poppy seeds, are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. They also help with digestion and curb your appetite.

You can put them in and on lots of things. I sprinkled some in my wild rice the other night. Put them in smoothies, on top of yogurt, in baked goods, on salads... They don't taste like much other than "seedy" and provide a nice crunch.

AND they're "sacred." So you can tell all your friends you're ingesting, ancient sacred seeds :)

PS: Yes, they are the chia in Chia Pets!

My Current Mantra

Body Fuzion

This is how I work out.


...kidding.

Work It

Here's a workout mix I recently made to pump me up when I'm on the elliptical and such. Because without it, I get sooo bored. You can listen to it on 8tracks. Thanks to all my friends for the suggestions!

(That's what I wear when I exercise ... in my dreams)

Beauty Foods

Avocado for your hair.
Rich in vitamins A, C, and E. It gives you ultra-glossy, hydrated hair. Try this Burt's Bees pre-shampoo treatment, with avocado oil. Research has even shown that avocados can help with serious skin issues like eczema.










Zinc-rich foods for your skin.
(Such as pumpkin seeds). Help to repair skin damage and keep it soft and supple. Has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that may help calm irritated skin from the inside out. Try Lush's handy gurugu hand cream.










Dark greens for your hair.
An excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum (the oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles... it's the body's natural hair conditioner).














Papaya for your skin.
The tropical fruit is high in vitamin C, one of the most potent antioxidants for protecting skin from damage that leads to wrinkles. Try this papaya enzyme gel. Or try this homemade skin-brightening mask.

Credits: webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/top-10-foods-for-healthy-hair ; bbcgoodfood.com/content/wellbeing/features/skin-glow/1/ ; health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306837_2,00.html ; redbookmag.com/beauty-fashion/tips-advice/foods-that-are-good-for-skin#slide-2

Healthy Inspiration

My prediction was right: I caught a cold this weekend, and am currently in bed, resting. It helps a bit looking at the images above: colorful flowers, underwater kisses, far-off places, warm sun...

{all images from my Tumblr and Pinterest}

What the Hell Am I Doing?!

Sorry for the abrupt title. I'm tired and hungry. I haven't had coffee today. And I won't be having it for the next three weeks. I'm doing the Whole Living Action Plan, a three-week cleanse/detox. I've never done a cleanse/detox before, and let me tell you: it's the first day and I'm already struggling! But I'm determined to make it through and challenge myself. For the first week, I'm only allowed to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Even typing that out makes me feel discouraged. How am I going to pull this off?! Please send me your good vibes!

Things I hope to achieve/what this detox means to me:

I hope that I can learn healthier eating habits.
I hope that I feel a good difference in my body because of what I'm eating.
This detox is a challenge for me. I want to challenge myself.
I hope that I learn how to not abuse food (use it as a crutch, comfort, etc).

My internet pal Katie is also doing it, so I'm definitely looking to her for inspiration, as well as Sarah Burton of My New Roots, who planned the first week of the cleanse. I had to email her and ask her if I was allowed to drink Kombucha during the cleanse... She told me NO! because it's very stimulating and not conducive to a resting period. :(

Here's what I'm eating today:

Breakfast... Mango-Coconut Water Smoothie
Snack... Nuts and berries trail mix
Lunch... Avocado With Bell Pepper and Tomato
Dinner... Roasted Peppers, Cauliflower, and Almonds

You Are What You Eat

Green tea ice cubes, whaatttt?!

I've noticed that if I am busy and need energy and stamina to get through busy days, it's probably not a great idea that I feed myself gross things. You know, like, lots of dairy, lots of sugar, nothing that came from, say, a tree or garden. What I'm saying is, I've had a fall-out with nutrition and I need to get back on the wagon. That's why I've recruited this girl to help me (she's a budding nutritionist). And I'm using this blog post to pressure her to really seriously help me. I'm crying out for help!!!


How do you guys treat your bod well?

Avocado, Baby

This might be one of my proudest foodie moments to date: I made a chilled soup.

Disclaimer: I am not a chilled soup fan.

Except for when it's hot outside and I need to recover from a hard day of partying (all for the USA!) and it involves avocado.

I originally found this recipe on My New Roots, but it's actually from Whole Living.

One of the cool things about this recipe is that it has no dairy in it (2nd disclaimer: I love my cream and cheese and butter). It uses coconut water (GREAT for hangovers) and lime juice. The results are delicious. My dinner guests were very impressed.

Perfect served with Sea Breezes and these tasty bites.


*Title note: did you guys ever read this book when you were a little kid?

I Love Your Blog!

My New Roots' tag-line is "how to make healthy choices every day." That is certainly something I can use a lesson in, nutrition-wise. The blog is run by Sarah Britton, a holistic nutritionist and vegetarian chef in Copenhagen, Denmark (my goodness, I would just love to go visit her!). I'm so intrigued by the different health lessons she presents, along with gorgeous photography. Anything that inspires me to eat healthier, I will get behind 100 percent. Sidenote: I REALLY hope she makes more videos. Love that quinoa one.