We’re already over a month into 2014–craziness! Just over a month post-graduation, and I’m still trying to figure things out. Ah, such is the life of a (currently) unemployed 20-something.
I wanted to start a new kind of post as a way to look back on the previous month, and with my love for Instagram, what better way to do that than through the filter of my Insta account?
New-to-me Uber bar flavors, scored for $1 at Target. #funfoodiefinds
Clothes shopping makes me happy…and shopping the sales makes my wallet happy. #shopsmart
Homemade grain free pizza >>> delivery. Quick, vegan, healthy and tasty makes this a winner. #nograinsnoproblem
Dawwww it’s little blonde baby me! #babypictures
Banana softserve all day errry day! Blended with PlantFusion for a protein boost and topped with PB+stevia chocolate chips to make it dessert-worthy. #heaveninabowl
Iced coffee in January? Why not? #bejealous
Where do I get my protein? From this delicious bowl, of course. #proteinpacked
Snow is the bane of my existence…but it is really pretty. #ohtheweatheroutsideisfrightful
What were some of your favorite moments (Instagrammed or not) from January?
Thanks for all the advice, support and helpful words on my last post! I always get a little anxious before posting my more open posts, especially regarding my eating disorder recovery, but then I’m always blown away (in a good way) by the responses I get. So thanks, as always!
Instead of doing WIAW this week (let’s be honest, I forget to take food pics, even though I’m not as busy anymore) I wanted to share some of the things I’ve been loving this week. Maybe this will become a regular kind of post, we’ll see!
Work-appropriate dresses
I feel like I’ve been shopping sooooo much lately, and I kinda have, just to use up my Christmas/graduation $$$. It’s finally all gone after 4 shopping trips, and my latest one lat weekend gave me 3 new dresses I can add to my work wear. Yeah, so I’m not working just yet, but I want to be ready for when I do get my first job, and all of these dresses will look great on camera and off. Plus each of the dresses (1 from H&M, 2 from Forever 21) were inexpensive YET fairly well-made, so I’m hoping they’ll last a long time. I may not be able to wait til I’m working to wear them…I love them so much I want to wear them NOW!
Starbucks black iced coffee
I don’t go to Starbucks as regularly as I did my last year and a half of college (2-3 times per month) but sometimes I still want to treat myself to some quality ‘bucks time. Last Friday was warm–60 degrees–and sunny, so it was the perfect time to grab my favorite drink, a black iced coffee. I know it’s so simple, and maybe boring, but it’s got a great flavor that’s even better with just a little stevia added. I love that I could drink an iced drink in January, when most of the country was dealing with sub-freezing temperatures and snow. It was good I got my iced coffee fix when I did, because it finally snowed on Monday…but I’m sure iced coffee weather will be back again in a week!
Someecards
Someecards are the best, aren’t they? So accurate to life, and better than regular old cards. They just get my sarcastic sense of humor. The one above was taken from a Buzzfeed post my dad shared with me that was supposed to be the different U.S. states summed up in a postcard, and meant to be offensive. Sorry, but the Colorado one is pretty darn accurate but not that offensive. Whole Foods is one of the best stores ever–why wouldn’t a state want to be like Whole Foods? That’s actually something I’ll miss a lot about Colorado if I end up moving elsewhere for my first job–it has so many Whole Foods and health stores (still no Trader Joes til February though!)
Sunwarrior protein powder
I’ve had Sunwarrior before a few times, but I wasn’t really a fan of how chalky and powdery it was. Until I tried the classic blend. This stuff is way creamier and tastes even better than the warrior blend. The vanilla is so rich and creamy it’s almost hard to believe it’s a raw vegan protein powder. I’ve been loving a scoop of it for breakfast (16 grams of protein!) mixed with unsweetened almond milk and a little coconut flour and topped with fresh fruit.
Plaids+leggings
I love my dresses and skirts, but sometimes I want to dress a little more casually. Black leggings (from American Eagle in the picture) look sleek and chic while still being comfy and they pair well with buffalo plaid shirts. I wore this on a day I was just hanging around the house doing laundry and such but it would be just as cute for running errands or grabbing some Starbucks paired with black riding boots and an oversize tote bag!
I’m writing this post from my tablet since my laptop decided to freak out on me and not turn on. All I gotta say is, thank God this didn’t happen last year when I had to write papers and I’m also glad I got a bluetooth keyboard for Christmas. It makes post-writing on a tablet a little easier!
Current Book: Ha, me read books? When I’m not in school anymore? I’ve been taking a much-needed hiatus from all books since finals week but maybe in a few months I’ll relearn how to read for pleasure!
Current Music: I’m back on the alt music train after Christmas. I’m really loving Tennis Court by Lorde. Yes, I know everyone’s still gaga over Royals, but lets be honest, that song came out on Alt Nation last summer and was only recently picked up by the masses. I prefer some of her lesser known songs.
Current Guilty Pleasure: So Delicious brand no sugar added chocolate coconut-milk ice cream. I know, I know, who says sugar free ice cream is a ”guilty pleasure”? Honestly, it’s not really other than the fact that it costs $6/pint at Whole Foods and is sweetened with erythritol (which is better than most fake sweeteeners). Really though, it tastes like the fudgsicles from my childhood and who wouldn’t want that?
Current Nail Color: Actually not the color I’m wearing now (that would be Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Pacific blue) but before this, they were an OPI red covered with Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear gold glitter.
Perfect for Christmas!
Current Drink: Waterrrrr. How boring can I get?
CurrentFood: Homemade PB&J and protein raisinet (raisins+chocolate protein powder+cocoa powder) balls, grain free vegan pizza, romain lettuce+dates, raw jalapeno sunflower seeds from bulk bins at Whole Foods, eggplant, peanut butter+melted coconut oil.
This is way better than delivery!
Current TV Show: The Newsroom, as usual. My dad and I only have one more episode of the 1st season left on Netflix 😦 Then we have to wait awhile til season 2 comes out on DVD.
Current Celebrity Crush: Mila Kunis. She looked stunning at the Golden Globes (when does she not?) and she’s always an amazing actress, whether in funny movies like Ted or more serious ones like Black Swan. Plus I love her voice–it makes me feel less self-conscious for havng a low(er) voice.
So gorg!
Current Wishlist: More blazers (I have a newfound obsession with work-appropriate AND cute clothes), more money left on my iTunes giftcard so I can buy more songs I’ve been wanting for awhile, for it to be spring already (I’m already sick of winter and we haven’t even gotten it that bad yet), for my doctor’s appointment next month to be helpful (there is probably some serious underlying issue that will explain my skin problems/digestive woes/lack of period for almost 9 months).
I have an addiction...to clothes shopping!
Current Triumphs: Keeping up with applying to jobs (more on that below), trying to reconnect with my sister (we got in a huge fight last week and I’ve been trying to show her how much I care
about her, even if she doesn’t have time for me right now), working on feeling confident in myself in various ways.
Current Bane of Existence: Not hearing back yet from ANY of the jobs I’ve applied to. I know it’s only been a few weeks or even days for some of them (the first application was sent out on December 28) but I dunno, I was expecting to at least hear something, at least confirmation that the stations I applied to received my resume/cover letter. My dad said it may take a few MONTHS to even hear anything, which is discouraging. I’m going to keep plugging away though and applying to at least 3 TV stations each week. I’m just so impatient–I want a job NOW!
Current Outfit: This was actually from when I went shopping in Denver with my mom this past weekend. The sweater is new, from Christmas, and I love the slightly cropped length and lace detail. The jeggings are my new favorite, black, from American Eagle and scored for only $13!
Thanks for all the helpful words on my last post! It’s hard to deal with well-meaning but unhelpful advice from family and friends, but it’s a good reminder that we have to take those words with a grain of salt and do what’s best for our health.
I wanted to bring back the Friday Five posts again and this week, I’m focusing on some fun food things for all my fellow foodies out there!
1. I found some new Larabar flavors…at Target!
You all know my love for Target and Larabars…so put the two together and it’s a perfect match! I actually generally don’t buy my Larabars from Target since they don’t usually have a huge selection like Whole Foods and Sprouts do. But since they have a lot of New Years resolution health stuff right now, they had some Uber bars on sale for $1 each, including 2 new-to-me flavors! You definitely can’t beat that–and they sound downright delicious too.
Ummmm, yum!
2. I’m obsessed with making grain-free flatbreads.
First, it was this flatbread made into grain free stuffing. Then it was my staple socca. Now it’s this focaccia, which happens to be egg-free also! If you think grain free baking is hard, try it without eggs. It’s really fun to experiment with grain-free flours and when something turns out delicious, it’s even better.
3. I’m really craving the produce of spring and summer.
Winter is hard enough as it is, with plenty of cold days, snow and the general feeling of blah-ness once the holidays are over. At least I didn’t get hit with the crazy cold weather here in Colorado (we’ve been in the 40s and 50s, which I can’t complain too much about) and we get over 300 days of sunshine each year, so my mood stays the same. The one thing I crave (other than warmer weather) is spring and summer produce. I miss all the berries, the watermelon, the peaches and cherries, the asparagus and the artichokes. Winter produce just isn’t cutting it–I’m already sick of squashes and citrus. At least I still have my beloved pomegranate…only 68 days until spring arrives!
I miss having fresh berries for my breakfast!
4. I haven’t had peanut flour in over 6 months…and I kinda want it again.
Remember when I was addicted to ordering food from iHerb? Yeah, me neither since the last time I ordered from them was last May! I don’t know what happened, but I guess I got more budget-conscious and my monthly orders stopped happening. I used to eat peanut flour AT LEAST once per day, and I haven’t had it since June. I just miiiiight end up ordering some more with some of my graduation money, but then again, it might all go towards clothes #sorrynotsorry
5. I’m debating going back on the raw foods train.
I actually did this for quite a while last summer and then I stopped once school started back up and fall came and there was less good produce around. I’m not planning on going 100% raw anytime soon, but I’d like to reincorporate more raw foods into my diet. I’m a big fan of eating whole, minimally-processed foods and this just takes it an extra step. This might be more realistic once spring happens, because there will be more produce, and I love loading up my plate with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, but in the meantime, I’m going to be buying more raw things, like nuts/seeds and making my own almond milk and stuff like that. I have a lot more time on my hands now that I’m just looking for a job, so I have tons of time to experiment in the kitchen!
I’m going to be making more recipes from this book.
Anyone else missing the warm weather produce? What’s a food you haven’t eaten in awhile that you want to start eating again more often?
I don’t know about you, but winter is not exactly my favorite season. Where I live, it’s the start of the cold and snowy season (though let’s be real, we get snow in October AND April, but that’s beside the point) and it’s just overall blah. I love and always look forward to the holiday season, but once the New Year has been rung in and the Christmas decorations have been put back in the closet, it’s just not as fun anymore.
One thing I do love about winter is looking forward to winter fashion hitting stores. As much as I love summer and fall fashion, once those seasons start to wrap up, I get excited about what new styles will be in for the upcoming season and how I can incorporate them into my wardrobe.
Even though winter clothes aren’t quite as cute as summer ones, accessories are fun and fresh year-round. And one of the most classic accessories ever is glasses. Even before I needed contacts, I always thought glasses looked kinda cool and even now I wear my hipster ‘readers’ on days that I’m wearing my contacts but want to go for a different look.
Warby Parker is my favorite eyeglasses company, not just because they have fun and fabulous styles but also because of their mission. With every pair of glasses sold, they distribute a pair to someone in need. A lot of us might not think glasses make such a huge impact on someone’s life, but they really do. This mission really serves needy people in impoverished nations so they can be happy, healthy and successful. Everyone deserves to have good vision!
Warby Parker’s new winter collection debuts today, and I couldn’t be more excited about the styles they’re offering. Ever since I discovered the company, I’ve loved their quirky cool glasses, and they really do have a style for everyone. They’re pretty affordable as far as glasses go, and I love that they offer new styles frequently. The best part is, they have showroom locations in 7 states but even if you don’t have one near you, they offer FREE virtual and home try-ons so you can make sure you’re getting the right glasses for you.
These glasses are perfect for every winter activity.
Here’s a description of their winter collection:
Winter’s best diversions—doubling up on thermals, watching your breath steam up the window, scribbling through a Sunday crossword puzzle—deserve a proper pair of glasses to bring them into focus.
Our new Winter Collection is rustic meets modern: six new shapes in five new colors, including two custom two-toned acetates, in addition to some of our most dependably stylish frames in cold-weather hues. All frames are $95, including prescription lenses.
They make good companions for rooting around a bookcase, dashing through the snow, getting up to indoor mischief. The possibilities stretch on as shorter days give way to longer nights.
I like that they’re offering 6 new styles and 5 new colors for both men and women and all their styles really capture the essence of winter while still being very classy and elegant. My personal favorite is the Welty in plum marblewood–I like how it looks rustic and wooden with a girly touch of purple and a versatile shape that would look great on all face types. I would definitely consider buying this pair in the near future, as I’ve had my current pair of glasses for 3 years and I’d love to go for a new look. I really like how Warby Parker has so many options for trying on glasses, the price is right and their mission is so important. What’s not to love?
Aren’t these so cute?
If you’re interested in their winter collection, you can check out all their styles here.
I was not compensated in any way on this blog post. All opinions are my own, but a big thank you goes out to Warby Parker for allowing me to share their winter collection with you.
Thank you guys again for all your amazing, thoughtful comments on my clean eating post! I feel like it’s a well-intentioned goal of a lot of bloggers out there, especially former ED sufferers, but it can get out of hand way too easily and a life of balance is a lot easier and healthier to manage!
It’s kind of ironic, then, that I’m posting a very ‘clean’ recipe today. I really do think that eating ‘clean’ or healthy will be something I’ll want to do most of the time, obviously not the point of obsession, but just enough to feel healthy, happy and balanced. And actually, this recipe is challenging one of my old ED fears–fats. I used to be terrified of them to the point that I’d meticulously measure out a teaspoon of almond butter, and that was the bulk of my fats for the day. Luckily, I’ve come around and started to embrace all the wonderful and healthy plant-based fats, most recently coconut. Now I love sauteing my veggies in coconut oil and sprinkling coconut shreds over everything and anything.
But raw desserts in general still challenge me, which is why I’m making it a goal of mine to incorporate more raw recipes into my life. That sounds like it’s restrictive, and it could be, but for me it won’t be because I need to see that nuts and seeds and coconut won’t make me blow up like a balloon. Raw desserts are much less processed than typical desserts, and preserve more of the nutrients in the ingredients than healthified desserts, but they don’t shy away from plant-based fats. However, I really adore raw desserts, whether homemade, store-bought or from a restaurant, so I really want to experiment with them more often. I do have a few raw desserts I’ve made before, as you can see from my recipes tab but I want to try all new flavor combos.
So pumpkin is generally thought of as a fall food, and seeing as it’s winter (and nearly spring, yay!) it may not be as fitting but it’s still just as delicious. And pumpkin puree is usually available in grocery stores year round, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find any of these ingredients. If you’d rather, you can use other squash purees but just make this mousse…you won’t regret it!
This tastes like real pumpkin pie…but it’s all raw!
Pumpkin Pie Mousse(vegan, raw, gluten free, grain free)
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 12 hours (I soaked mine for 2 days)
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp raw honey (not technically vegan, but I use it because it’s raw and healthier than other sugar sources)
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt and vanilla extract, to taste
In a food processor/high powered blender, process soaked and rinsed cashews for at least a minute, or until they become creamy and smooth. You may need to add up to 1 tbsp of water to smooth out. Add in melted coconut oil, honey, pumpkin and spices and blend until combined. Serve chilled topped with shredded coconut, raisins, raw crushed pecans or coconut milk whipped cream. Makes 2 large servings.
Do you enjoy raw desserts? Is pumpkin a fall food or a year-round food for you?
Before I get into the post, let me just say a big “Thank you!” to everyone who took the time to read and comment on my post on Tuesday. I really needed to hear your words of encouragement and tough love so thanks again. You all had some great points!
Ever heard the old fashion adage ‘never wear white after Labor Day’? It seems so old-fashioned, right? I mean, who doesn’t wear white in some form in the months between Labor Day and Memorial Day? And really, what’s so wrong with that? An article in Time even says that the practice is outdated–it’s rumored to have started because wearing white in the summer was a way to stay cool in the absence of A/C, and once summer was over, people returned to their jobs and more drab-colored clothing. But today, it’s definitely acceptable to wear white year-round, even in the winter.
White isn’t one of my favorite colors (too boring) or even my favorite neutral (that would be dark grey or brown) but it’s a nice way to mix up a more colorful outfit. And you can definitely wear it in the winter, despite what people say. Sure, you might not want to go for white pants but that’s mostly because you don’t want to get them dirty trekking through the snow and slush. But accessories and pops of white are definitely fair game.
White rose ring: Forever 21.
I love white accessories, they’re so clean and simple. This ring is a newer addition to my growing collection and it’s probably my new favorite. It was super cheap (like $3) but it’s stayed intact so far and it looks cute, especially with polished nails.
Easy fit white sweater: Abercrombie ; Fitch. Royal blue chiffon skirt: Abercrombie & Fitch.
I do wear white in my outfits, mainly as sweaters. But I like wearing it with brighter pieces, like this royal blue skirt. White goes with literally everything, so you can’t go wrong. Just make sure the style of the white piece you’re wearing generally coordinates with the style of the colored piece.
White watch: American Eagle.
This watch is an even newer purchase, and it was definitely worth the price (though it was cheap-ish too). I’ve always liked the look of white watches and when I stumbled upon this one, I knew I had to have it. I really like the pink accents and simplistic style of the watch.
Do you wear white in the winter? What’s your favorite kind of accessory?
Hi guys, long time no see huh? It’s getting to be that time of the year again…back-to-school time! So I’ve been pretty busy the past few days getting everything packed and ready for second semester. I’m actually really excited to go back–my classes seem interesting, I’m ready to do weather anchoring again and I can’t wait to be back in my apartment so I can do whatever the heck I want. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family to pieces, but I need my alone time sometimes and having my own kitchen again will be nice.
Since life’s been cray over here, I’m gonna borrow a little survey I spotted on Amanda’s blog the other day so enjoy…and I’ll be back next week with some updates!
Current Books: Erm…uh…I’m actually not a big book reader (please don’t hate me!). I do have some books I love, like Dave Barry (he is hilarious!) and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, but I haven‘t actually read them in awhile. I am loving Veganomicon though–so many delicious vegan recipes I need to try out.
Current Music: Anything by Foster the People. Love them. I just added their station to Pandora and I’m addicted. Right now I can’t get Houdini out of my head.
Current Guilty Pleasure: Lotions from Bath & Body Works. Seriously, can I just buy them all?! They smell so delicious…
Current Nail Color: OPI’s Giftcards for Everyone. Oh, and Sally Hansen’s Posh Plum on my ring fingers. I got the OPI color as a mini giftset for Christmas and the colors are perfect for winter.
I’m still mastering the art of nail polishing.
Current Drink: I can’t go without my (almost) daily ACV morning cocktail. 1 tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar, English toffee stevia drops to taste, cinnamon and water to dilute. It tastes like a sour apple pie.
Current Food: I’m loving the sweet potato+sunflower butter+peanut flour paste+raisins+chocolate chips combo, as I mentioned on WIAW. Sounds weird, tastes heavenly and never gets old.
Current Favorite Show: I heard the new season of WNTW (What Not to Wear) is on so I really need to start watching that again, I really missed my Clinton & Stacy fix. Other than that, I think 1600 Penn is hilarious and I love Chopped on the Food Network.
Current Wishlist: I would love some Starbucks and iTunes gift cards because I’m cheap and don’t want to pay for my own coffee and music #collegeproblems
Current Needs: Not sure if this is more of a need or a want, but dumbbells. I really want more muscle and bodyweight training alone isn’t cutting it. I’m really wanting to start a strength training routine so I’m planning on hitting up Target soon to pick up some cute and colorful weights.
Current Bane of My Existence: The fact that everyone is coming down with the flu, and I reaaaaaaallllly don’t want to get it. No such thing as hand sanitizer overload during flu season.
Current Celebrity Crush: Bradley Cooper. He was amazing in Silver Linings Playbook, and he doesn’t look half bad 😉
Mmmmm, yes…
Current Indulgence: My recent trip to Whole Foods. A little over $100…yikes. Yes, it was a restock-my-apartment-because-it’s-foodless trip but still. Hope they’ll last me awhile!
Current Blessing: No snow in the forecast for awhile. I know we could really use the moisture but I’m already sick of winter and snow. Bring on summer!
Current Slang: Whatevs. I know that’s so old and lame but I don’t care, I still use it.
Current Excitement: My family’s spending the day with me tomorrow at my apartment and it’s gonna be fun! We’re going out to eat at my favorite vegan restaurant (which my omni family all love) and my sister and I will probably do some hardcore shopping and jamming out in the car. We’re so cool…
What I got the last time I went to Tasty Harmony…oh sooooo good!
Current Mood: Excited for tomorrow, and nervous for the semester to start.
Current Link: Zite. They have an app and everything, but I love it because you put in your interests and it generates new stories and articles on those and related topics for you to read…and it changes every day!
almostveggirlie 