Monthly Archives: April 2013

Tasty Tuesday: Guacamole Hummus

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Two of my favorite dips coming together as one. In a delicious, savory, creamy union. Ok well that might sound a little bit vulgar but you get the point. This dip is awesome. I originally found it packaged in Trader Joes and LOVED it. Unfortunately we don’t have a TJ’s in Peoria so I decided to try it for myself. SO glad I made the effort. YUM.

This is packed with healthy fat and protein. It’s super easy and cheap to make. In the last few days we have eaten it on tacos, with crackers, and straight off the spoon. This may become a regular in our fridge. So without further ado, here it is!

GuacamoleHummus Continue reading →

Mindful Monday: The Man Who Retired At 30

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As most of my regular readers know, I do not live on very much money. This is definitely not because of my employers, they are generous people … it’s because of my past.

I went to a private university in Boston, year-round, for six years. Boston is one of the most expensive cities in the country. And, as an architecture student, 80-hour weeks left me no time or brainpower to work. Of course, I waitressed and had internships but nothing lasted very long because I always eventually got burnt out. Continue reading →

Friday Movie Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

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My man has been gone for 2 weeks and I’ve been watching a lot of TV. His presence has a grounding effect on me so when he’s not around, TV is the only thing that will relax my brain.

I rarely watch cable. Mostly because I HATE commercials. We have basic cable so Mike can watch sports and news and I have two subscriptions: Hulu+ and HBO. I love being able to pull up whatever I want to watch on my computer and just hooking it up to the TV. Technology eh?

BestExoticMarigoldHotel Continue reading →

Thriving Thursday: Health By My Rules

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Not too long ago, I hit a point where my body was in the best shape it had ever been. I don’t mean I have ripped abs or buns of steel, it’s just that there isn’t anything WRONG. I have as much energy as anyone could ask for, I sleep through the night, for the most part. None of my joints hurt and my stomach isn’t bloated. I don’t get headaches or allergies and, if I feel like getting up and running three miles, I do. Continue reading →

Workout Wednesday: Keep on Keepin’ On

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There’s a lot going on in the US right now. To think of a few things: Boston Marathon bombings, Texas explosion, Peoria flooding … Lots of sadness, but also, lots of kindness. Check out this awesome quote I found from Mr.Rogers.

ScaryMrRogers Continue reading →

Tasty Tuesday: Acorn Squash and Carrot Soup

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How do I name a soup to convey its deliciousness? The title of this post isn’t all that enticing but wowza this soup is amazing. It’s fresh, flavorful, and surprisingly filling. I was starving so I made a batch of this stuff and threw a couple of pieces of toast on my plate. I got so wrapped up in the soup that I forgot the toast! I ate two bowls and couldn’t have fit anything else in my belly. Plus, it’s really EASY.

I don’t make soup often but I never regret it. I made a big batch in half an hour. I probably could have eaten it all in one sitting but then I would have to roll myself to bed. So I froze half of it and now we have dinner for another night.

SquashCarrotSoup Continue reading →

Mindful Monday: What’s Beautiful About You?

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My sisters and I had a skype conversation last week. They had just been on a hike and, in talking to each other about what they want to do with their lives, they both became very inspired. They called me for some advice, “we want to help people (women especially) with their confidence issues, how should we do it?” They already had a bunch of great ideas and we worked over a few details. They will, hopefully, be starting work on their campaign in the next couple months.

Around the same time, I got an email from my mom. She sent me a link to this video. It made me cry, of course. Watch it. It’s three minutes you won’t regret using. Continue reading →

Friday by Design: Gold Dipped Milk Jug

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I keep seeing all these painted glass beauties on Pinterest so finally I decided to do one myself. It was so easy and now I have the prettiest milk jug you ever did see. I did it just like the DIY leather belts. Set up a station in my living room and did a few coats a night. It took me about 5 days, 5 minutes a day.

Because I now make my own almond and coconut milk, I really needed someway to store them in my fridge. A few goodwill visits later, I finally found an old-school milk jug for $2. I cleaned it with soap and boiling water and set to painting it.

photo 2 Continue reading →

Thriving Thursday: Natural Deodorant for the Smelly Woman-UPDATED

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Confession: I am a smelly person. I have been since I hit puberty. My feet don’t really smell. And neither does my breath. But my armpits, WOOOEYYY! Let’s just say you definitely don’t want to hug me in an unprotected B.O. moment.

The Background: But it’s not just the smell, I also just sweat a lot. When I was in middle school, I would suffer through the 95°F weather with a sweatshirt on just so kids wouldn’t laugh at my pit sweat. Continue reading →

Wednesday Workout: Arm and Core Series

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For the most part, these 12-minute workouts have been total body. But sometimes it’s nice to work a muscle group to failure. And by nice I mean absolutely torturous but worth it the next week when you are undeniably stronger.

So today’s workout focuses on arms (my weakest area) and core. It’s really important to work all muscle groups but, as some of you may have heard, a strong core is essential to overall wellness. A strong core supports a strong spine, and all internal organs. It’s important for athletes, elderly people, recovering people, and YOU! Continue reading →