Tag: healthy eating

Categories
Let's Get Cooking

Let’s Get Cooking: Southwest Chicken Salad

Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is off to a good start. As we embark on a new year, it’s time for some new and fresh content. Every year when I work on my blog, I always like to add new pieces and content. The closer I get to living on my own, the more I like to try out new foods and recipes. Get ready for some fun recipes that I plan on making and adapting. 

One of my favorite types of food or meals to make are ones with things I already have at home, not only is it resourceful since you aren’t wasting food but it’s also a creative outlet with cooking. 

This week’s recipe is Southwest Chicken Salad. This is so easy to make. I started with making some barbecue chicken. I just make regular chicken breasts and put barbecue sauce on top and cook them. Pretty simple, right?!

Southwest Chicken Salad

As far as the salad goes I start off with a simple garden salad. I added lettuce, celery, and onions. I then had little bowls for all the sides, but if you like them all you can just put it in the large salad. In smaller bowls I put black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, and taco chips. I also had dressing like Ranch and French available for toppings. 

All the ingredients

For my meal I added salad with black beans, corn, chicken, chips, cheese and dressing. 

This meal was fast and easy to make. I had all the ingredients in my fridge and it was very filling and healthy. I  was even able to have leftovers for other meals. 

This meal will definitely be on rotation for my meal planning. I can’t wait to learn more meals and share them with you too. 

What are some of your favorite go-to meals?!

Categories
Fabulous living

Keeping Your Energy Up

Hello everyone! I have a different post in mind for today. I don’t know about you but these past few weeks have flown by, mostly due to the fact I have been working a lot, between me filing in for people off, the Election coming up, and my normal work schedule, it has been very busy. I am still loving it but right now this season of life is work and although its busy, I’m learning a lot and my hard work is paying off. Last week, I had the opportunity to anchor and produce my first hour long show, and then two days later, I got to do it again. In those times I realized my hard work was paying off but I still have a lot to learn. That’s something that I love about what I do, every day I am constantly learning and improving. 

With that being said, these past few weeks have been hectic, I have gone from working nights (3 pm – 12 am) to mornings (2 am -10:30 am), this week I am back to nights and weekends, which is my normal shift. 

One question I get asked a lot with my job is keeping up with long days and changing schedules and keeping my energy up. For starters, I don’t drink coffee, and I don’t sleep a lot, haha, that’s something I’m working on. I don’t have a secret, mostly, once I’m up for the day at 6:30, I’m up. I head straight to the gym and then get things done around the house, whether it’s chores, or running errands, or picking up, I eat lunch and then it’s work time for the day/night, I eat dinner at work, so in total I eat two meals a day. After work, I come home and crash around 12:30. 

So, definitely have long days but I’m on the go a lot and doing things so I’m keeping busy but if I sit down or chill then I get tired, so as long as I don’t sit down the energy keeps going, On weekends, it’s a different story since I work 9:30-6:30, so it’s more of a normal schedule. It’s when I work nights is when it gets tricky. 

A few little tips/tricks I do to keep my energy up is by drinking lots of water, I try to drink 60 fluid ounces a day. Whether it’s at the gym, through the morning or at work. I stay very hydrated. 

I also love to start the day at the gym, it gets me up and moving and energized and ready to take on the day and it wakes me up.

I also try to get outside as much as I can whether it’s a walk after the gym or to get the mail, I aim for 30 mins but sometimes it doesn’t happy. 

I also remind myself about giving myself grace. I know easier said than done but reminding myself, “Grace Not Perfection”.

This is just a snapshot of life right now and answering some questions that I have been getting recently. Also, if you have nay tips on keeping your energy up…drop them below!!!

Categories
Fitness

Leading A Healthier Lifestyle

Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday!!

I hope you are all having a great week!! I don’t know about you, but this summer has flown by! I can’t believe we are getting ready for back to school. It’s certainly different not to be heading back to school when my friends who are younger than me are heading back or when my sibling are getting back in the classroom. 

One of the things that has been on my summer to do list was to live a healthier and balanced lifestyle. This was something I wanted to aim for in 2020, but then the pandemic hit, so things got put on the back burner. This summer, as more things opened up, I wanted to continue to live a healthier lifestyle. Throughout 2020, I have wanted to work out more, eat better and get more fresh air, and this summer I have been doing a great job of accomplishing all that.

Just for a quick recap…in the early months of the year, (January and February)  I was working out five days a week, it felt great to be back in the gym, then during the early time period (March-June) in the pandemic when everything was closed, I would try and get some walks in a few times a week, and tried to eat healthier. 

Finally, in the summer, once the gyms opened up (June!!!) , I was back in the gym five days a week (and I still am!!!), I also try to go for a walk every day, whether it’s a few hours or a few minutes, I love getting a good workout in followed by fresh air outside.

I also have been doing better by being more intentional with what I am eating and when I am eating, not just eating to eat but eating because I am hungry. In my life and schedule right now, it works out better to eat two meals a day, again, it may not work for everyone but in my life and my schedule its better for two health meals and no snacking. I also drink a lot of water, sometimes going through several bottles of water a day. 

My energy levels are been up and I have been feeling more energetic too! 

In life there are a lot of things we can’t control, but the simple things like eating healthier or getting a work out in or more fresh air are easy ways that I can do to make my life a bit smoother. What are things you do to make your life a bit more smoother or peaceful or ways that you promote self care in your life?!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and soak up the last few weeks of summer!!!

Categories
Fitness

Fit Bit Versa Lite Review

Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday! I hope you had a great weekend and start for your week. Last week, I shared that I had to bite the bullet and buy a new fit bit. I got my first one three and a half years ago, I wrote a blog post about my experience with the Alta HR here. Their life expectancy is a year so I was more than happy that it lasted this long.

I decided to go with the Fit Bit Vera Lite Edition. I knew what I wanted with a the fit bit, I wanted something that would track my steps, calories burned, exercise, sleep, and receive notifications. 

I have been happy with how the Versa Lite has worked out so far. The battery is long lasting, I typically charge it when I’m relaxing and I don’t need to wear it to track my fitness or steps. 

The alarm clock on it super helpful for when I’m sleeping, I still have an alarm on my phone, but having an alarm right on your wrist works great.

The bigger screen face is one of my favorite parts, when I get a call or text I can read them full message and not just a preview, like my old one. I love how my phone and my watch can sync up. I can see more notifications on my watch such as remidners or calendar. 

The exercise feature is my absolute favorite, but it’s something I need to always remind myself about. The fit bit tracks your exercise, whether it’s a work out, walk, run, bike, or training. But, the key is remembering to start the work out so it tracks it. 

I have found my fit bit to be very accurate when it comes to logging my steps and heart rate. 

I’m a competitive person, therefore, I always try to hit 10,000 steps a day, it was much easier in college when I was walking to and from my dorm to campus, but this summer I have been trying to get in a morning work out and a walk in, sometimes both happen, other times it’s one or another, my fit bit helps holds me accountable to my fitness goals. 

I’ve always been a fan of fit bit and their products and I have been happy with my new Versa Lite so far. What are your favorite fitness products and if you have the Versa Lite, what are your favorite features? 

Enjoy the warm weather this week and spend some time outside!

Categories
Fabulous living

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! 

I don’t know about you but I LOVE a good recipe to kick off my week. Back by popular demand I will be having more of my favorite foods on the blog in the next coming months. This summer my go to order whenever I was out was seafood tacos, whether it was fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or even lobster tacos…I loved mixing my two favorite foods of seafood and tacos together! After I ate and tried A LOT of tacos this summer, I decided to make up my own version of shrimp tacos.

  • Lobster roll
  • Fish tacos
  • Shrimp Tacos
  • Lobster flatbread

This is a light and flavorful meal, that can be assembled in less than 15 minutes depending on the prep. It was perfect for summer but still could be enjoyed in the early fall or even late spring. Plus, making this recipe now reminds me of the carefree days of summer!

Here’s what you need:

White flour tortilla shells

Grilled shrimp (for extra flavor)

Salsa (I love the peach salsa for something extra fruity)

*Lettuce

*Tomato

*Cheese

*Sour cream

*Guacamole 

*all of these are optional for extra flavor

Homemade Shrimp Tacos

To Prepare:

To begin you need to prepare your shrimp. I typically buy a frozen bag of shrimp and use it when I need it for a recipe. I begin to thaw it the night before I need it, then in the morning I boil them in a pot full of water with sea salt until they turn a light pink, typically between 12-15 minutes, once they are cooked to my liking, I drain the water and rinse them with cold water before storing them in the fridge with a few fresh cut lemons for flavor. 

Now, if you prefer to just have shrimp that’s not grilled you can begin to assemble your tacos, but I personally like extra flavor, so I remove the shrimp from the fridge and season it with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. I mix in a bowl with shrimp and olive oil.  Then begin to grill them for a few minutes into the are golden brown.

Once they are done on the grill, it’s time to assemble the tacos. I personally like a few pieces of shrimp, peach salsa, and a pinch of cheese. 

Who doesn’t love a flavorful taco?!

If you want a healthier version, ditch the tortilla and make a shrimp salad with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and shrimp. 

In retrospect, I should not have been writing this post when I am craving shrimp tacos and can’t make them at the moment. But, if you are a seafood lover or loves to try new tacos then this is the recipe for you!

What’s your favorite meal that’s fast and easy?

Categories
Fabulous living

Summer Favorites

Happy Tuesday!

I hope you all had enjoyable weekends. I was out of town this past weekend, doing some work for school as well as celebrating one of my friend’s birthdays an seeing lots of college friends. It was such a fun weekend to see everyone and catch up!

Today’s post is all about my summertime favorites, from music I’m listening to, shows I’m binge watching, fashion trends, and summer snacks. 

Favorite Music: Summer Time = Country Music. I have been adding to my country loving playlist all summer long, it’s a perfect blend of Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Darius Rucker and more. I love playing it while I’m at work or road tripping. 

Love me some country music in the summer

Favorite Binge Worthy TV Show: Outlander has been my go-to this summer, My friend Bailey got me hooked on it and now I can’t stopped. SO good. I can’t wait until the next season comes out. 

Who else has binge watched?!

Favorite Drink: I have been drinking all the water this summer, but to change it up I love adding some lemon, mint, cucumber, or other fresh fruits for a refreshing taste. Plus, its great for detoxing.

Drink for the day-water, strawberries, lemon and mint.Delicious and refreshing

Favorite Food: I am all about the salads in the summer. Check out my favorite summer salads here!

Fresh salads in the summer

Favorite Beauty Products: In the summer, I am all about minimal makeup. Unless I am at work, I am just wearing the basics, a bit of foundation and mascara are my go-tos. I have also been growing my hair out for the summer and use less product on it. During the school year, I would be straightening it several times a week and using lots of product, in the summer I have been letting it dry naturally and leaving it down. There is something refreshing about natural hair.

Minimal makeup for summer for the win

Favorite Summer Activity: Nothing says summer like going for strolls in the evening followed by ice cream. I am always down for an ice cream run. 

I always love going on hikes in the morning or evening

Favorite Spot: Whenever I get a chance to relax, you will find me outside by the pool reading, it doesn’t happen every day but I love being by the pool with a book in my hand. I have been reading a lot this summer and I can’t wait to share my summer book review with you.

Favorite place to read at the end of the day

That’s just a glimpse into my favorite things in the summer. The carefree days of summer are fleeting. Soak up all moments and make them into memories. See you on Thursday for another look of the day!

Categories
Fabulous living

Slice of Summer-Pizza Edition

Happy Tuesday!

A while back, I shared some summer salads and I got so many positive responses back from YOU! 

I figured it was time for another recipe, today I’m sharing all about homemade pizza (well, kind of homemade pizza). 

In my family, we are big fans of Pizza Friday- a fun way to unwind after a long week and treat ourselves! Whether it’s ordering in or making our own, we all love Pizza Fridays!

I’m sharing our favorite types of pizzas-one that everyone will like and specialty pizza. Start taking notes, you will want to make these for yourselves!

Who doesn’t love pizza?!

We will start with the original cheese pizza.

What you Need:

-Pie Shell (Boboli pizza is my favorite-easy to use right away or freeze and save for later.)

-Pizza Sauce (whether you like to make your own or buy store bought-you need lots of sauce)

-Mozzarella Shredded Cheese (I typically don’t measure it out but rather sprinkler it on top of the sauce)

What you need

Directions:

After laying the shell out on a pizza tray, pour and spread pizza sauce on the pie shell, I prefer the more sauce the better on mine. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the sauce and spread evenly. Add basil or oregano for extra taste. Once your pizza is constructed, place in oven for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees and Enjoy!

Before
After

Our next pizza will be a white pizza-which is personally my favorite!

What you Need:

Pie Shell (Boboli pizza is my favorite-easy to use right away or freeze and save for later.)

-Mozzarella Shredded Cheese (I typically don’t measure it out but rather sprinkler it on top of the crust)

-Cherry Tomatoes (They give so much flavor to your pizza)

-Olive Oil (for flavor)

-Basil Seasoning (for taste)

-Oregano Seasoning (for taste)

-Balsamic Vinegar (for taste) 

Add these spices to your plain pizza

Directions:

Start by sprinkling mozzarella cheese on top of pie crust evenly. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top on mozzarella cheese. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and lay on top of cheese. Sprinkle basil and oregano seasonings throughout the pizza evenly. Add a dash or balsamic vinegar for taste. The seasonings are optional, it’s mostly done for flavor. Once done with assembling the pizza, place in oven for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees. Take out and enjoy! This is an easy meal for a family on a busy night, it takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and make. This would also make a great appetizer for an Italian night!

Before
After

What are your favorite pizza combinations?!

Share them in the comments below!!

Eat up!

Categories
Fitness

Healthy Summer Habits

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday. 

I hope you all had a wonderful and joyous Fourth of July! I know I had such a fun weekend with family. We grilled, swam, spent time outside and enjoyed the summer season. I truly soaked up the time I had at home and was present in the moment, something I am working on for the summer.

However, after the holiday weekend, it’s time to get back on track with healthy and cleaning eating.

One of my goals this summer was having healthier habits. I wanted to feel my best during the summer months and focus more on my healthy since during the school year it can take a back seat sometimes. I have started to implement ways to live a healthier lifestyle this summer, with summer well under way I figured I would take the time to share with you, healthier habits that have been working well for me. 

  • No snacking!

This has been the hardest thing to do, but the biggest game changer. Through my time in college, I have tried different health kicks, from eating small meals through the day, no carbs for lent and working out almost every day. I have seen the best results by not snacking. I typically eat three medium meals a day, and between meals I just drink water. I have lost weight by sticking to this regime as well as feel better and not full all the time. Here’s a look at what I’ll eat in a day.

Breakfast (7:30 am) -Apple, peanut butter, and banana muffin

Lunch (12:30pm)-Caprese Salad with some animal crackers on the side

Dinner (7:00pm) -Spaghetti and a Side Salad with a piece of chocolate for something sweet.

The key is to eating all the food at one time and not between meals. In the mornings, it’s not too hard, I’m busy with work and doing things that I don’t get hungry. However, the afternoons are more challenging, especially when I get home from work and am craving something sweet. Drinking lots of water through the day helps combat the need to eat something.

  • Drink all the water.

Speaking of water, drinking water through the day is such a healthy step in the right direction. My goal is to drink 64 fl oz of water a day, to put that in perspective, that would be like drink 3 large tumblers of water through the day which is easy, especially when you are sitting at your desk through the day or you are battling hunger in the afternoon. 

Always have my water wherever I go
  • Get outside and take a walk. 

On the more physical side of things, walking is such an easy thing to do. Not only are your getting exercise but you are also able to clear your and getting in touch with nature. I like to take walks and visit with a friend, listen to a podcast or take a walk with my dogs. Plus, I’m getting my steps in which is a bonus. I aim to get 10,000 steps a day and most of the time I am hitting that goal with working, running errands and getting a walk in. 

These are just three ways that have been keeping me on track for a healthy lifestyle in the summer. What ways are you staying healthy in the summer months?

Categories
Fabulous living

Summer Salads

Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

I hope your week’s are off to a great start! One thing you may or may not know about me is that I am a food lover! I love trying different things, whether it’s sweet or savory…although I prefer sweet! Haha! I hope to bring more recipes to the blog this year, whether it’s meals, sweet treats, or side dishes. I love to try new recipes and I would love to share them with you!

One of my goals for this summer is to start healthier habits, one of the ways I am working to achieve this is by making more healthier dishes.  I prefer to eat at home rather than going out, I like to know what I am putting in my body. Salads are a huge component of what I eat daily. Whether it’s pre-made salads from the grocery store for lunch or a large tossed salad for dinner, I try to eat a salad for a meal each day.

Today, I am going to share three easy salads to make for lunch or dinner. They are easy to make, nutritious, and filling. Let’s begin!

  1. Caprese Salad 

What You Need:

Spinach 

Sliced Tomatoes (1-3 depending on how much you want to make)

Mozzarella Cheese (1/2- 1 full ball depending on how much you want to make)

Olive Oil (for drizzling)

Balsamic Vinegar (for drizzling)

Oregano (for drizzling)

Basil (for drizzling)

Garlic (for drizzling)

Directions

  • Place Spinach on platter
  • Lay Sliced Tomato on top of Spinach
  • Put Mozzarella on top of Tomato
  • Drizzle your mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, basil, and garlic on top of salad for taste.
  • Enjoy!
Caprese Salad

2. Apple and Almond Salad

All the food

What You Need:

Lettuce

Spinach

Sliced Apple ( ½-1 full apple depending on serving size)

Sliced Grapes (1 cup-each grape cut in half)

Sliced Colby Jack Cheese (1/2 bar- or shredded cheese works great too)

Sliced Almonds (or your favorite nut)

Dried Cranberries

Directions

  • Slice Lettuce, Apple, Grapes, and Colby Jack Cheese and put in large bowl
  • Add Spinach to mixture
  • Add Slice Almonds and Cranberries to Salad for extra taste
  • Mix all parts together
  • Add your favorite dressing for taste
  • Enjoy!
Apple and Almond Salad

3. Poppyseed Chicken Salad

What You Need:

Lettuce

Sliced Grilled Chicken Breast

Strawberries (1/2-1 full apple depending on serving size)

Pineapple (I like to get pre sliced pineapple to make it easier when preparing meals)

Poppyseed Dressing 

Directions

  • Cook Grilled Chicken Breast and add your favorite seasoning for taste
  • Cut up lettuce and add chicken when cooled to mixture 
  • Slice strawberries and pineapples and add to mixture
  • Drizzle Poppyseed dressing on top for taste
  • Enjoy!
Poppyseed Salad

All three of these salads are super easy to prepare and meal prep! You can make a big bowl of it for dinner as a side or make a large bowl for yourself and eat it for lunch for the whole week. You can easily adjust portions to what works best for you. Not only are these fun and light for summer but also healthy and filling.

What are your favorite meals to meal prep? What are your go-to summer salads? Share them below!

Categories
Fabulous living

TWO Years of Blogging

Two years…it’s amazing how much has changed since I started this blog after my freshmen year of college. Just to show how much I have changed, here’s my first ever post. I started this blog as a way to talk about transitioning and adjusting to college life along with fitness, organization and fashion and it has become so much more than that. I’ve become a better writer, more open, a stronger person and stepped out of my comfort zone with this blog.

 I’ve shared about the places I’ve travelled to, like Washington D.C., Chicago, andRome. 

  • Me in D.C.
  • Chilly in Chi-town!
  • ROMA

I’ve talked about ways to decorate your dorm room,organize your makeup, and prepare for college exams. 

  • Junior Year dorm room
  • Makeup Organization at it’s finest
  • Finals prep

I have shared over 100 different outfits, they have ranged from semi-formal looks, outfits for the office, clothes for thewinter, spring, summer, and fall.

  • Semi-formal
  • Professional
  • Winter
  • Fall
  • Summer
  • Spring

I have talked a lot about college living,summer internships, and the adjustments to living in college.

Getting in front of the camera too at my internship

Some of my favorite posts have been my semester recaps,summer recaps,and fun facts about me. 

  • Making memories with family
  • Many moments with friends
  • Trips Abroad
  • Time spent studying
  • Family trips
  • Trips to the city

That is just a look into my favorite posts that I’ve covered these past two years. I opened up about being homesick, getting used to college life, and home life, and back to college life. I have shared my friends, family, dogs, and favorite things with you- from tv shows, books, and ways to have fun.

This blog has been a great stress reliever, whenever I would be stressed or I wanted to share something new I learned, my blog was my go-to.

 I truly wouldn’t be here without you all! Thank you for your love, support and for reading my posts every day whether it is about fashion, fitness, or day to day life. I have had so many people and friends tell me they have read my blog, follow it, or make a suggestion for it. It means so much to me that you take the time out of your lives to read about my life. This next year of blogging will be different as I will be graduating college and entering a new phase in my life. There will also be some surprises in this next year, there will be new content, different types of posts, and so many fun things in the future so stay tuned!! But not to fear, the blog is not going anywhere. I’m going to taking it day by day as I start a new adventure and I hope you will come with me on this journey. 

Thank you for reading, the love, and support

Here’s to TWO years of ups and downs and taking it one day at a time.