So, it’s May now! That’s pretty crazy. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve had some health-related issues recently and in response to everything, I decided to look to a functional health doctor for some guidance and help. From our first appointment, she determined that I need to go gluten and dairy-free for a bit.
Now this isn’t something that will solve everyone’s problems, but we’ve determined that cutting out all gluten and dairy may be a way to resolve some of my problems. I’m going to see how things go this way, and then adjust if needed in a couple of months. I’ve really only been doing this gluten and dairy-free thing for a week or two now so I don’t have much to report, but things do seem a little better which I like to see!
When I first started this, it was reallllly shocking to see just how much gluten and dairy there is in the food we eat! Milk wasn’t a huge loss for me because I cut milk from my diet back in high school. Pasta has been out of the picture for a while now too because I’ve been sensitive to it for some time now. Instead of regular pasta, I’ve substituted for chickpea pasta and found that I like that just about the same. But looking at something like mac’ and cheese now, there’s so much to consider! No butter, no cheese, and no pasta. But if I substitute, I can maybe make it work! I think I just need to do some research and I’ll figure things out.
Becoming more aware of how I fuel my body has been very eye-opening. I’m learning to look more into what is actually in the foods I eat and I have actually really enjoyed the process! It’s cool to be able to figure out how I can feed myself so that I feel the best I possibly can. Sometimes, it has been a bit frustrating or hard though. When the rest of my family is enjoying a dessert that I would’ve loved to eat a month or two ago, now I’m sitting out on that. But that’s ok! I honestly feel grateful to even be having a problem like this.
I just hope that with these adjustments to my diet, I am able to start feeling better internally and that this will ultimately help me feel better about myself overall! If any of you out there are gluten and/or dairy-free and have any suggestions or tips for me, I would gladly appreciate your insight. Have a wonderful week and enjoy the beginning of your May!!
My mom recently stumbled across this fun and very pretty looking star puff pastry dessert that we definitely tried and really enjoyed! I’ll just cut to the chase right away with the recipe and if what you see in the picture below interests ya, then stick around!
Ingredients: -2 packages of puff pastry (we use the one by Pepperidge Farms, with this you just want to make sure you can get puff pastry that can be cut into circles about the size of a pie and rolled!) -33.5 oz jar of Nutella (you will use the entire thing!) -One egg (you’ll end up beating it) -Strawberry jam
Recipe: Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your first puff pastry sheet on the parchment paper. Cut the edges so that you make a circle with the puff pastry. Place Nutella on the puff pastry using a spoon. Do not place any on the outer edge of the puff pastry though! Leave about an inch on the edges. We found that it was easiest to warm up the Nutella in the microwave for like 15 seconds so it was softer and easier to move around. After you’ve placed the Nutella, go ahead and place your next puff pastry sheet over top of your first. Repeat the process of placing Nutella and then the next puff pastry sheet until you’ve placed the fourth puff pastry sheet on top. Don’t put Nutella on top of your last layer. Instead, lightly roll the dough so that the Nutella has a chance to spread evenly in each layer. With this done, take your fingers and gently press on the edges of your puff pastry so that the edges will seal somewhat. Using the mouth of a glass, press gently into the center of your pastry to leave a mark. With this circle, you’re now going to make 16 even cuts from that circle. With these 16 even slices, you’re now going to take 2 slices (1 in your right hand and 1 in your left) and twist the slices. Twist the slice on the right to the right twice and the slice on the left to your left twice. After this, join the slices by folding the edges over. You can use water here too to help make a better seal for the slices. Repeat this until you have 8 points. Now, beat your one egg and brush the beaten egg all over your pastry. This will help give it a nice golden color when it’s done baking! Place your puff pastry in the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown! Once, your pastry is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. Once it has cooled, brush strawberry jam over the top of the pastry. And that’s it! That’s how you make a star puff pastry!
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Nutella but I really enjoyed it in this star puff pastry dessert. I think the puff pastry and the strawberry jam helped calm down the strong Nutella taste and it was really yummy! I hope you get a chance to try this one out! Trust me, it’s MUCH easier than it looks. Then, you’ll have something pretty to look at and then eat! Enjoy your star puff pastry!!
To those of you in the United States, I hope you enjoyed a restful and good Thanksgiving. I always enjoy Thanksgiving and think it’s a great day to reflect on everything there is to be thankful for. If you’re not in the States, I hope you also had a great, restful, and enjoyable week.
You all have NO idea how much I needed this Thanksgiving break. I’m so thankful that my university gives me a week off, especially considering that I haven’t had a day off from school since Labor Day. It was a much needed and appreciated break, let me tell you.
I started off my break doing absolutely nothing. I think by Tuesday, I was doing some homework but it was refreshing to think about everything that wasn’t school for at least three days. Wednesday, I went to a volleyball game with my family and I haven’t been to one in a long time so that was actually a lot of fun. After the game, we went to the mall to look at some things for Christmas. The mall was pretty busy and it was honestly really comforting to see it with more people around. It was something familiar again. While the mall is definitely more stressful that way, I forgot what it was like to be around so many people! To our surprise, it was snowing when we left the mall. It’s about time Colorado. We haven’t had any snow yet this year so it was nice to see it. 😊
Thursday- the big turkey day. I had the chance to help my mom with the food for Thanksgiving this year and it was honestly a lot of fun!! it was a lot of work but it was so worth it. We made our own pumpkin pies and for two of them, we also made the crust. After this year’s Thanksgiving, I have decided that I can only have homemade pumpkin pie. It really is the best!! If you’re ever interested in our recipe, let me know. 😉 I never really realized how rewarding it is to enjoy something you’ve made and see others enjoy it too. So fun. While it was just my parents and sister at the table, we enjoyed a wonderful turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and of course our pumpkin pie. My favorite food this year was the green bean casserole. It has typically always been mashed potatoes with a truckload of gravy glazing it in the past but this year, the green beans were the winner for me! Aside from the meal, it was wonderful to spend a nice, relaxing day with my family. We also had the ability to Skype with my aunt and uncle that night which was another great treat. I haven’t seen them since this summer so it was great to see them again, even if it was virtually.
After a great Thanksgiving, the week was very low-key. Friday was a fun day too- my sister helped me take some graduation pictures! On top of that, the rest of my break was some tennis, some working out, and also some shopping, and a lot of homework. I feel recharged and ready to finish up my last semester of undergrad now. It’s crazy to think that I have two weeks left of classes and then finals and then graduation!! Exciting things are coming! I hope you all have a wonderful week! ❤️
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22! This past Wednesday was my 22nd birthday! Birthday celebrations can be so much fun and I will definitely be the one to say that these celebrations were not limited to October 20th. 🥳
Last weekend, I celebrated a bit early with my family. Beside releasing the baby squirrels, I also worked out, played tennis, and got to do some birthday shopping with the help of my mom and sister. We also went to one of my favorite restaurants for a pre-birthday dinner. My dad and I both got the knife-and-fork chili cheese burger at Ted’s Montana Grill and that will forever be one of my favorites, so I wanted to throw that out to everyone if you’re looking at the menu there!
On Tuesday night this past week, one of my friends surprised me with roses while I was at work which I thought was the sweetest thing ever. If you ask me, it’s the little things that are super special. And then on Wednesday, my actual birthday, I had 22 by Taylor Swift stuck in my head all day- no joke. It was a really good day though! I started my day with a good workout and then went to dinner with two of my friends and sister. Torchy’s Tacos has been a tradition up to this point, so I definitely kept that tradition going. The trashy trailer park taco is the best there in my opinion. Let me know if I’m missing out on something else though!!
And then this weekend, the birthday celebrations still did not end. Something I’m starting to realize is that birthdays are not limited to the day they occur on. Birthday celebrations can last a week and I have no problem with that! Before going out to dinner, I went and got my nails done at this place called Nailbar in Fort Collins. I like getting my nails done but sometimes I find it a bit stressful, especially when the place is really busy and kind of hectic. They were definitely also pushing me to get dip done instead of just gel and I don’t appreciate being pressured like that. My manicure looks fine though and it was fun overall.
After that, my friend group went out with me last night for dinner at the Union Bar and Soda Fountain and then we went to Social after. The spicy chicken tenders at Union were SO GOOD and their fries were also pretty yummy. Shoestring fries hit different than steak fries for sure. After dinner, we went to a speakeasy called Social and it was a very cute!! I do not drink and while this place was definitely a bar, it was a very sophisticated and fun sit-down place. They also had a really good non-alcoholic beverage menu and I really liked the Neutral Karma drink they had.
If I take anything away from this past week of birthday celebrations, it’s that I have such an amazing group of people that surround me and I am so incredibly grateful to them for everything. ❤️ My friends and my family make me feel so special and I love each and every person so so much. Here’s to being 22!
I find it funny that last week’s post was about food and how much I love this one protein shake I’ve figured that I really like. Now here we are, talking about what I realized this past week as I’ve worked through fighting with food. I feel like I’m finally winning this fight. 🙂
As I’ve focused more on my fitness and developing a sustainable routine for my lifestyle, I realized how some of the things I’ve done in my life have really affected my relationship with food and with myself overall. In particular, pageantry and modeling have created a strange complex that has made me feel angry and frustrated with myself for not always eating “clean” or healthy. So if I were to eat a cookie, for example, to treat myself after an exam or rough day with classes or something, I might enjoy that cookie in the moment but later feel disgusted with myself for allowing myself to have that extra sugar and junk in my body. I might work out harder the next day or make my lunch or dinner somewhat smaller the next day to compensate for that which is SO WRONG. And I have just now realized that.
Since freshman year of college, I have been struggling and fighting myself so hard every time I eat something that my mind has decided to deem as “unclean” or “unhealthy”. I’ve always been a bit lenient on special occasions like birthdays and other celebrations. I have always allowed myself to relax a bit then, but in general, I have been so rough with myself in terms of food because I thought needed to be that way in order to look a certain way. While I have learned that I can cut out certain foods and feel good, I have also learned that I’m much more miserable by restricting myself to the salad bar and produce aisle at the grocery store. I haven’t been happy feeling afraid of eating certain things. There hasn’t been progress made by fighting with food like I have, so I knew something had to change. And no, it was not my diet. It was my mindset.
Ever since I began working with my trainer, I feel like my eyes have opened so much more and I am so thankful to have her and my mom in my life. They have both helped me so much with building a better relationship with food and I really cannot thank them enough for helping me with this. I feel like my fighting with food has become much less of a fight and I’m so much happier for it. While I still restrict or limit certain things, I feel much more free with my eating. There is much less shame, frustration, and anger associated with allowing certain foods every once in a while which is amazing and I’m so happy that I’ve had this change in mindset. It has not been easy to reach this point, but we are here and we are in a much healthier position with food now which I am so happy to say.
I’ve substituted pasta for rice and quinoa because of how much more rice and quinoa can give me nutritionally. And there are still days where I really just want spaghetti or penne. What do I do in situations like this? I make myself what I want! It might be gluten-free or whole wheat, because that benefits me more and I’ve found works better for me and what my goals are, and that’s ok! I’m ok with it! And what if I’m at a restaurant and I’m really wanting pasta? I allow myself to have it. I allow it because I know this is a once-in-a-while thing and that this one meal isn’t going to cause me to gain five pounds or lose any progress. I’ve learned to avoid milk because it causes inflammation and irritates my stomach. Instead, I have substituted that for oat and almond milk. I still enjoy ice cream though. 😉 That’s too hard to give up haha. Again, in moderation it can’t hurt me too bad! I’ve increased my fiber and protein intake and that’s because I have goals set for myself. I focus on including more veggies and meats or eggs on my plate and I’m much happier for that.
There are some days where I feel like I deserve a piece of chocolate or two. I allow myself that treat and I move on with it! I work out the same amount I have been for the past seven months and I feel no pressure to work out extra to work off those calories. And why is that? I now know that I’m not eating large amounts of chocolate every day. There is moderation. This was a one-time thing and if it becomes more of a habit, it’s something I can work on and learn to manage. This is something so important to keep in mind and is something I wish I had allowed myself to think about in the past.
As mentioned earlier, I am truly so thankful to have people like my mom and trainer in my life. They have helped me build healthier relationships with food and working out, but most importantly with myself. I am finally learning to honor my body and love myself. I am feeling like a more confident and free person for it. Of course, there are still days where I struggle and I still have moments where I’m frustrated or upset, but I recognize that it’s okay to have days like that. I truck along, keep moving forward, and keep working hard. And I encourage you all to do the same. See you next weekend.
Image credits to Tasty Kitchen. I wish mine looked this fancy, but I do know it tastes pretty good. 🙂
I’m definitely no nutrition expert or dietician, but I feel like I have also learned a thing or two trying to work on what I eat. While I definitely am still figuring a lot of things out, I have found one thing I really like: peanut butter chocolate banana protein shakes. There was never a specific recipe I found, I just decided to try things out and I loved it. So if you’re interested in learning how to make the perfect protein shake (at least according to me!!) then stick around. All you need is a blender, a banana or two, peanut butter or peanut butter powder, and your favorite chocolate protein powder.
Here’s my recipe! – At least one banana – A good tablespoon of peanut butter powder (PB-Fit All Natural) – Half of a scoop of Simple Truth’s chocolate protein powder – Califa Farms unsweetened almond milk (I just pour this until it covers the banana, peanut. butter, and protein powder)
With all of your good stuff in your blender, just blend until smooth and then enjoy! I really like to have this for breakfast in addition to an omelet or some hard-boiled eggs. Sometimes, this is really good on its own in between meals. I find that it serves as a good filler until I’m ready to eat an actual meal. Yummy yummy! 🙂
I’ve really been working on adding more protein to my diet and I’ve found that this is one of the many ways to do so. Eggs and chicken are a few more of my favorite ways to get my protein in! If there’s anyone reading this that also enjoys a good protein shake, share your recipes with me! I’d love to try them. 🙂 Have a great week and I’ll see you next Sunday!
So I have a kitchen now and it’s something that I’ve really enjoyed using! And with that kitchen, I’ve been able to do a bit more cooking than I have in the past and I recently discovered that cooking and working with food is actually kinda fun!
In the mornings, I like to make myself avocado toast, scrambled eggs, or an omelet, and I also add some sort of meat, whether that’s chicken or some form of sausage. I’ve also recently discovered that cheese inside omelets is so good. I don’t know if that’s just a me thing or if that’s something that other people have also enjoyed, but I know that I enjoy it now! As far as how I make my eggs, I have an egg cooker that does all the work for me. Yes, this may seem like I’m not actually doing the cooking, but I still prep a lot of stuff to make sure I get my eggs just how I want them that morning. It’s a very handy, helpful little appliance. 🙂
As I’ve grown in my cooking and food handling abilities, I’ve learned how to cut a variety of different things, my favorites being avocados (I just really like avocado) and mangoes. Mangoes were a bit tricky in the beginning but I think I’ve figured out a system when it comes to cutting those. I was not aware of the flat seed in the center when I cut my first mango and I wish you could have all been there to see my reaction. I thought to myself, “This is one strong mango!”, “Is my knife broken?”, “Maybe I’ll follow the hard parts of this mango as best I can but just cut around…” HAHA. After about ten minutes of struggling with my first mango, I washed my very sticky hands and proceeded to watch at least three videos on how to properly cut a mango. We’re good now. The internet is a great resource for learning how to prep food and make things and I’ve definitely taken advantage of it.
Also, I apologize for the low-quality picture but this was the first breakfast I had in my apartment and I was pretty proud of it, even if my poached eggs were a bit overdone. It still tasted good. 🙂 Something I haven’t made yet in my apartment but I’m excited to make is pasta. I’ve made rice and that has turned out pretty decent so far but I’m really excited to try out this yummy whole wheat penne and spaghetti I have. I have some sauce and sausage I could put it with and I feel like either the penne or spaghetti could be really good. We shall see!
If anyone has anything easy to make and yummy that they recommend I try, let me know! I’d be happy to try new things out and eat some good food. Who doesn’t wanna eat good food? Have a good week and I’ll see you all next weekend!
There’s this smoothie/acai bowl place I’ve heard of before called Rush Bowl and I have ALWAYS wanted to try it. Ever since my first açaí bowl at Denver International Airport, I’ve been dying to find a place in my hometown or in Fort Collins, since that’s where I go to school that has something like that. This past week, I needed something super yummy to decompress and I think I found it. An organic chemistry exam and physics exam in one night really takes it’s toll!!
I was flipping through the little coupon book I picked up on campus the other day and it had “Buy one get one free” at Rush Bowls and I was like, “Hmmmmm. Sounds amazing! I’m gonna go!” But I’ve been sick and then it was kinda chilly this morning and I wasn’t feeling 100% so I wasn’t able to go. But then, one of my friends asked me around 3 today if I wanted to go and by then it was a lot nicer and I was feeling better so I gladly accepted her offer.
You might be asking yourself, “What is an açaí bowl or more specifically a “Rush” Bowl?” Well I got you. Basically it’s a combination of blended fruits in combination with frozen yogurt and/or milk of your choice. These bowls can then be adorned with graham crackers, granola, honey, sliced fruit, and honestly whatever else sounds good to you!
What was amazing about the bowl I had, which was Rush Bowl’s seasonal pumpkin spice bowl was that it wasn’t horribly sweet (just the perfect amount of sweet if you ask me!), it was under 400 calories (I’m not big on counting but lately I’ve been a bit more careful), and it tasted AMAZING. This past week was absolute nuts so I believe I deserved to treat myself. And what was awesome about Rush Bowl was that I felt like I was treating myself, but it wasn’t a bunch of super salty, junk foods. It was something I felt good about putting in my body. 🙂 I can say that I’m obsessed with Rush Bowl for sure and you will definitely find me using that buy one, get one free deal as often as possible on the weekends. I’m also super pumped because they’re adding one in Broomfield (my hometown) and I know where I’m taking my family when it opens!! Haha.
In the future, I’m excited to try their Chai’s Mystique bowl, Apple or Peach Cobbler Bowl, Lemon Squeeze Bowl, and Oasis Bowl. Although I’m not going to lie…it all looks pretty dang good. It would honestly be so fun to try and make an açaí bowl at home. I feel like that could be really good. Or a disaster… Guess we’ll have to find out! Have a wonderful week everyone!
My mom and I recently have been trying a bunch of different healthy recipes and one of my favorites has been the hummus and beet wraps. If you’re interested in trying it out, here’s the recipe below! My mom makes the hummus that we add to our wraps, but that recipe is not included in the recipe I’m providing here. Any hummus that you enjoy can work. 🙂
4 cups of arugula (roughly chopped)
1 beet (grated)
2 tbsp of low-fat feta cheese
2 tbsp of hummus
Sprouted grain tortillas (my family and I usually get the tortillas by Simple Truth)
Wash the arugula prior to assembling your wrap. Place a tortilla on a place. Spread hummus on a tortilla, leaving at least an inch border. I like to add enough hummus that it creates a decent layer on the tortilla. Taking about a handful or two of arugula sprinkle it evenly around the tortilla. Add some of the grated beets on top of the arugula. I don’t tend to add too much of the grated beets as a preference thing, but you can add as little or as much of the beets as you would like. After the beets, sprinkle feta cheese on top. Once all of the good stuff is placed as you like it, assemble the wrap and enjoy!
I find that just one wrap can be quite filling, but if you want another, that’s okay too! I’ve never really been a fan of beets, but this recipe has helped me come to terms with them. So I hope you give hummus and beet wraps a try, and if not, that’s okay too. Just throwing out some healthy, tasty options. 🙂 Have a good week everyone!
The Inventing Room: one of the quirkiest and most fun dessert places I’ve ever been to. It’s inspired by the room in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where Violet Beauregarde chews the bubblegum and turns into a giant blueberry. It has crazy different desserts and used liquid nitrogen to make all of its ice cream and many parts of its many desserts!
My dad decided it would be fun to check out some good dessert place in Denver, and that’s just what we did. We arrived at The Inventing Room a little after they opened, which was around 2 today I think and the place was busy but not packed. The building looks kinda industrial and modern, but there’s also a whimsical and fun vibe to it.
When we ordered, the cashier handed us a bag of popcorn that had been left to sit in liquid nitrogen and it was fun to eat. If you’ve ever seen those Nitro Ball things that are fairly popular, it was like eating those. The popcorn was cold but still yummy and then it was like being a dragon! Kinda fun, right?
I ended up ordering the s’mores cream puff which is one of their best-sellers, my mom got the lemon curd creme brûlée crepe, and my dad and sister both got Butter-beer floats (inspired by the drink in Harry Potter!). Some of the other menu items included a nitro peach pie, a unicorn galaxy tart (which I’m dying to get the next time we go back), Mexican fried ice cream, and a Colorado honey sundae which sounds so yummy. They had ice cream (what dessert shop doesn’t?) and you could make your own sundaes. There was also handcrafted candy which looked interesting and I think it would be fun to try in the future.
Overall, the desserts were yummy, the service was good, and my family and I will be heading back! If you’re looking for a weird but super fun place to go and please your sweet tooth, I recommend The Inventing Room. Parking can be a bit tricky to find, but it’s free so that’s convenient. I would also totally recommend trying the s’mores cream puff (the toasted marshmallow was DELICIOUS) and just going to have some fun. 🙂 The Harry Potter tasting plate sounds like it could be a lot of fun for all of the Harry Potter fans out there.
I hope you all have a good week and I’ll see ya next Sunday! Stay sweet! 🙂
