Till Then Smile Often

Vacation Eats

Happy Wednesday! Can I say how excited I am for today since I am only working two days this week then I have another 4 day weekend! Yeah I am not made about it either. Hoping the weather is a little better this weekend so I can hit the beach.

I have to admit my first day of vacation last week was horrible. I ate like crap and I totally felt it the next day. I tried to make up for it the rest of the weekend. Here are some of my eats!

Breakfast: I needed to fuel up for my hike so I started my day with 2 eggs, one kielbasa dog and a cup or so of watermelon. If I wasn’t hiking for two hours I would have left out the kielbasa. Either way it was super yummy and really hit the spot!

breakfast

Morning Snack: This has to be my absolute favorite hummus but I also got a spinach and artichoke hummus which is a close second!

 snack

Lunch: Coming back from my hike I was famished, and I just got back from grocery shopping. I whipped up a great big salad (romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion, and hand shredded gouda cheese) and a burger using 90% lean ground beef. I added a slice of cheese and a dollop of BBQ sauce.

lunch

 Mid Afternoon snack: I have to recycle this photo because it was my plain on protein shake. I used Cytosports Muscle Milk in Raspberry Cheesecake flavor (picture shows the Graham Cracker flavor which is my favorite but I ran out), 18 ounces of water, 1/2 cup of almond milk, with 6 frozen strawberries, and 1 TBSP of PB2. So yum!

Protein Shake

Dinner: I was trying out a new recipe I found via Pinterest and this coleslaw was so light and refreshing. I never really cared for coleslaw mostly because restaurant served it dripping in mayo and dressing to the point it was soggy. The addition of the apple and using half mayo and half greek yogurt this tasted more like veggies with dip versus drenched cabbage. For the recipe click here.

Apple Cabbage Coleslaw

What were some of your favorite meals of the week?

Have you found a new healthy recipe that I can try?

 

 

Apple Cabbage Coleslaw

Coming off a 4 day long weekend it is a little rough even thinking about going back to the daily grind. With the 4th of July coming up it is so easy to get off track with healthy eating, myself included. So for me it is very important to bring a dish to any party that way you know there is at least one dish is healthy for you to eat. Meats can be eaten wrapped in lettuce or without the bun. I saw this recipe for Apple Cabbage Coleslaw and it is a healthier alternative to potato and pasta salad so hopefully you give it a try! The original pin can be found here.

 Apple Cabbage Coleslaw

Ingredients:

10 ounces Shredded Green Cabbage ~ 1-2 small Gala Apples (partially peeled) ~ 1/2 tsp Sea Salt ~ 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper ~ 1 Tb Raw Apple Cider Vinegar ~ 1/4 cup Mayonnaise ~ 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
Directions:
Cut the peeled apples into matchstick sized strips.
Apple Cabbage Coleslaw
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
Apple Cabbage Coleslaw
Refrigerate coleslaw for at least 1 hour before serving.
Apple Cabbage Coleslaw
Will you try this for your next BBQ?
Linking up with Steph from Life According to Steph and Nikki from Chef In Training.

Is it really over?

Well Monday is here and for the first time in a while I am not mad about it! I still have one more day of vacation left so I am going to enjoy it. This week is going to be so short for me since I have Thursday and Friday off so another four-day weekend is coming up for me. So excited! Before I get ahead of myself let me tell you what I have been up to this weekend.

Friday

I went to Dick’s sporting goods to pick up some new roller blades. I was so hoping to get out and use them but then I realized it has been a while since I have went rollerblading so I need to practice a little bit before hitting the roads. I went to Target to pick up a few items and the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred video. I also stopped at the library to pick up some books I had on hold and then to pick up my beach tag. Since the weather was a little cloudy and rainy I didn’t get to hit the beach but I got to catch up on some reading.

 workout

beach tag

reading

Saturday

I hit up the $1 Flip flop sale at Old Navy where I got a few pairs and two shirts. Let me tell you it was a scene!! I hate crowds since I get very claustrophobic and the line was wrapped around the store like 5 times. It was crazy.

old navy

I headed to my first ever Farmer’s Market and I have to say I was so disappointed. I guess I was hoping for a lot more vendors. I thought there was going to be an abundance of fruits and vegetables but all I got was this bunch of strawberries. So sad.

 market

strawberries

I got to break in my new DVD’s. I did the Level One of the 30 Day Shred and then the Punch and Knee portion of the Taebo Express DVD. Both were a really good workout. I am hoping to do the 30 day shred in the mornings as a supplement to my Half-Marathon training.

Sunday

I actually got to sleep in until 7:30 am and let me tell you it was glorious! I made a hearty breakfast and headed out for a hike.

breakfast

I ended up going to some new trails and it lasted about 2 hours. The 95% humidity didn’t help but I burned a ton of calories. After the hike I head to Lowe’s for some Adirondack chairs and a new grill. Unfortunately the sales person couldn’t figure out where the grill I wanted was located and after waiting around for 45 minutes I gave up. I was hungry from the hike and needed to go grocery shopping.

 chairs

I took Seamus for a walk and then mowed the lawn. A poor bird nest fell out of the tree and landed in my yard. Poor birdie.

biirds

I set up the chairs and Seamus and I soaked up some rays. I had to play the grown-up and vacuum upstairs and did dishes.

Seamus

 That is all for now, I am going to try to go enjoy my last day of vacation! Hoping to get in a bike ride, beach trip or go kayaking if the rain stays away! Happy Monday!

Linking up with Sami at Sami’s Shenanigans and Leann at Join the Gossip .

Also linking up with Postcards from Rachel and Northern Belle Diaries.

 

 

I did the

It’s Vacation Time

So today marks the start of my 4 day weekend. I wish I could say that I slept in until 9 am, but that would be a lie. I woke up at 5:30 am. I am just going to go with it and consider it more time to enjoy the awesomeness which is my vacation, and realize I can take a nap in the afternoon if I want to!! Take that vacation! The weather doesn’t look like it will cooperate for laying at the lake but since it is only a block away I can easily run over it the clouds part.

So I won’t keep you long since I have a to-do list a mile long! Yes, I have a to-do list on vacation, who doesn’t?! Well let me share with you some of the things on my list:

Kayaking

Kayak

Hiking

Hiking

Beach Time

Beach

Running

running

SOURCE 

Rollerblading

rollerblade

SOURCE

Alright it is time for me to go cross some items off my list. Hope you have a great weekend everyone!!

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THE GOOD LIFE BLOG

 

Food Prep

I am not going to lie this week has been a tough one! Not because on my diet but because my workout have been slacking. I think because I am looking forward to this upcoming four day weekend and knowing I am going to get the chance to workout all day for those four days that I have taken it too easy this week. i really need to push myself a little harder and not cut myself so much slack. The prep I did on Sunday made my food choices easy this week so on with the food!!

Breakfast – I made an egg scramble with a handle of spinach wilted in a pan with coconut oil, then added 3/4 cup egg whites and one egg and cooked until done. Served with a low carb slices of bread with a little bit of butter and sugar-free strawberry jam. This was the perfect fuel for my hike.

Spinach Egg Scramble

Mid Morning Snack – I prepped these on Sunday and scooped out 1 cup of Watermelon and Cantalope into each dish so in the morning I can just grab one and go. I also added 12 almonds for some protein.

melon

Lunch – I made a bag of frozen veggies ahead of time so I just scooped out 2 cups of this asian veggie mix (green beans, carrots, watercress, Broccoli) and 4 ounces of chicken. I added a little bit of Mrs. Dash’s Onion and Herb.

Veggies and Chicken

Mid Afternoon Snack – I prepped these on Sunday too. I didn’t really measure these I just did a handful of celery, shredded carrots and 4 or 5 tomatoes. I had a little ranch dressing with it and 5 ounces of Fat Free 0% Greek Yogurt with Sugar Free Yogurt.

Veggie plate

Greek Yogurt

 Dinner –  I saw this recipe on another blog and I just knew I had to make it. Watermelon is my favorite especially in the summer, and I love a good crisp salad. Adding the salad on top of the Watermelon was genius. See here for the recipe.

Prosciutto Basil Salad on Watermelon Plates

 Any healthy foods that you are incorporating into your diet?

What meal do you struggle with the most?

 

 

 

 

 

Prosciutto Basil Salad on Watermelon Plates

The weather around here is getting extreme, it has been getting into the 90’s so I love nothing more than a recipe that doesn’t require me to heat up the oven.  It is also no secret that I love a good crisp salad and watermelon. A recipe that combines the two is heaven. I also have never thought to use the watermelon as a plate so I really had to try it.  The inspiration for this can be found here.

Prosciutto Basil Salad on Watermelon Plates

 

Ingredients:

3 ounces prosciutto, cut into small pieces (Prosciutto is expensive so regular diced ham can be substituted) ~ 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil ~ 4-5 leaves fresh basil leaves, chopped ~ 2 cups mixed baby salad greens ~ 23 slices red onion, sliced thin ~ 1 small watermelon, sliced into round slabs

Dressing: Salt and ground black pepper ~ 1/2 fresh lime ~ 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar ~ 1 Tbsp EVOO

This serves 1-2 people depending on your portion size so feel free to double for more people. Should be able to get about 5-6 thick slices from one Watermelon.

 

Instructions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Place prosciutto in the coconut or olive oil until prosciutto darkens and crisps up, about 5 minutes.

Prosciutto

 

2. Drain prosciutto and set aside.

3. Toss basil, salad, onion, half the prosciutto, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper; toss to coat.

4. Squeeze in a couple of teaspoons of lime juice to taste; add the red wine vinegar, and EVOO toss to coat again.

5. Sprinkle remaining prosciutto over each watermelon slab, top with a portion of the salad, and serve. I cut a small pie shape into the watermelon to get to the middle.

Prosciutto Basil Salad on Watermelon Plates

What is your favorite no-bake summer recipe?

 

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley.

 

Graduation and Hiking

So this weekend I was kinda lame but it’s okay because the next two weekends with be 4 day weekends and I plan on making up for it. So be prepared for next weekend!

Friday – After a quick 3 mile run at the gym I cleaned my linen closet and found I totally have a hoarding situation going on with my hair care products. I arranged all the hair products into a bin minus the 3 that I use on a daily basis and what was in my shower. In my defense I do have naturally wavy hair that is long so I have products to help straighten it, curl it, and moisturize it. Okay, okay. I know, excuses. I am not ready to admit I have a problem.

Hair Products

I needed to cheer myself up after that disappointing discover so I watched A Haunted House with Marlon Wayans. Such a funny movie if you like non-PC dirty humor spoof movies. Like I laugh at farts so you can only go up from there.

A Haunted House

SOURCE

Saturday – The morning consisted of getting some house chores done, a quick run at the gym before getting ready to head to a Graduation party. My best friends stepson Graduated from high school. He is such a good kid and he was so little when her and her husband met so I feel like I have really watched him grow up. So proud of all he has accomplished and looking forward to watching him experience all that college has to offer, within reason of course! 😉

Graduation Party

I then went over to my Dad’s house to hang up his American Flag over his mantle. It was the perfect size! I then got home around 6 pm and seriously wanted to take a nap. On the way home I heard Taylor Swift’s song 22 and it made me feel so old because in college my night would not have even started yet and I just wanted a nap.

twitter

Sunday – I actually got to sleep in until 8 am. Well 5 am and then slept on the couch till 8am. It was glorious. After grabbing a quick breakfast I headed out for a hike, then grocery shopping. Here is a look at what I got for the week. Note it is mostly fruit and veggies. I had chicken and lean beef left over from last week so I didn’t need much in the way of proteins.

Groceries

After making up a quick lunch I took Seamus for a long walk to tire him out a bit.

Seamus

Someone was tired.

puppy

Till he wanted his belly rubbed.

puppy

Then he wanted to cuddle.

The rest of the night is all about relaxing, watching movies, and food prep. Taking a little time on Sunday to prep my food for the week makes it so much easier to grab and go during the week. It is the only way I can stay on track.

Food Prep

How was your weekend?

Linking up with Sami at Sami’s Shenanigans and Leann at Join the Gossip .

Also linking up with Postcards from Rachel and Northern Belle Diaries.

 

Colors Of The Rainbow

So I got tagged by the amazing Tori from Styled Like a Rockstar and because I am a total blogger failure this week it has taken me awhile to create this post. 🙁 Better late than never right?

Color of the Rainbow

 

The rules are simple…Post your favorite item from the colors below and tag your friends! Easy enough right? You would think. Major guilt my friends. Anyhoo moving on shall we?!

RED:

SOURCE

  I love the Big Sexy Hair brand of hairspray as it really gives my hair volume when I am trying to channel my inner Texan! Great for holding curls for the day too!  I get this at Walmart or Target.

ORANGE:

SOURCE

I use this product pretty much everyday. It is orange in color but it doesn’t show in your hair or anything. It is an unbelieveable leave in conditioner and I have been using it since college. Which has been for ___  *couch* a while.  I get this at Target.

 

YELLOW:

Yellow Purse

I got this purse at Marshall’s for like $25.00 a few months back and I LOVE it!!! Yellow is my favorite color so really anything yellow will do!

GREEN:

Too Faced - Shadow Insurance

SOURCE

This is the best primer potion I have used. I tried the Urban Decay Primer potion and although it works, the wand tends to dry out and since it is a wand I feel a lot of product is wasted once it gets to the end. Since the Too Faced is a squeeze tube you get most if not all out of the tube. Note the tube is small but only a little is needed per lid and mine tends to last at least 6-8 months.

BLUE:

Anchor Poster Small Screenprint Choose your color

SOURCE

I fell in love with this print and ordered it right away! I have a love affair with anchors lately and this print was perfect! I am redecorating my bathroom and this print will be the focal point!

INDIGO:

http://target.scene7.com/is/image//Target/13970540?wid=410&hei=410

SOURCE

I love this 3 minute hair treatment. I try and use it once a week. With really long hair I need all the conditioning I can get. Can you tell yet that I have a little obsession with hair care products! LOL.

VIOLET:

essie® Nail Color - Lilacism

SOURCE

This has to be my new favorite nail color. It is so bright and cheery I love it for Spring and into Summer!

PINK:


Breast Cancer

SOURCE

I set a reminder in my Outlook to click every day! I also try and buy something every month to help support the cause and help fund a Mammogram. While you are there click on the animal one too! 🙂

 

MULTI-COLOR

Winterberry Palette

 SOURCE
I can’t tell you how many palettes that I have from Coastal Scents but let’s say it’s over 10 palettes. They are super inexpensive – like their 120 palette is on sale now for $14.95!! Seriously! The colors are vibrant and highly pigmented. Use a primer and they last all day!

I had a blast putting this together with some of my favorite products. Now I tag The Pink Growl, Blissfully Miller, and My Little HEA

Proud to be an American

Happy Thursday everyone!! I have been a little MIA lately due to being a little busy and having some tummy trouble. I promise to be back in action soon. I was really excited to do this project as I pinned it awhile ago with the intention of making it for my Dad for his birthday and when that didn’t happen I knew I needed to get it done for Father’s Day.

My Dad is a Vietnam vet and when I was little he used to make my brother and me stand when the National Anthem was played during sports events on TV. It was a big deal as it should be. I still cry every time the National Anthem is playing knowing how much it means to my father but also to those who have sacrificied for our country. Hearing my Dad say that he liked it and that it came out good, was really all that mattered, but I hope you like it too. The inspiration for this project can be found here.

 

American Flag

Supplies:  Pine Panel 1-in x 16-in x 72-in cut in half, the cut half into 24 (w) x 8 (h) ~ Valspar Sample Paint in Mineral Blue EB6-1 ~ Valspar Sample Paint in Fabulous Red 1011-2 ~ Valspar Sample Paint in Du Jour ~ 8″ Mending Plate x3 ~ Bag of 8 x 3/4 wood screws Qty 12 ~ Star shaped stencil ~ Foam stamper ~ paint brushes ~ Measuring tape or ruler ~ Pencil ~ sandpaper ~ painter’s tape ~ pliers or screwdriver to distress wood

American Flag

1. Take your two pieces of wood and line up the sides. Place the mending plates about 3″ from the ends and one in the center. No need to be exact. Then using the screws secure top two holes in the top board and bottom two holes on the bottom piece of wood to secure together. Repeat with the other two mending bars.

American Flag

American Flag

2. Turn the board over and using pliers or screwdriver make random cuts and digs into the wood to create an aged appearance. This is completely optional but I think it adds to the final look.

3. Measure and mark out the blue square which will be 10 (w) x 8 (h) from the upper left hand corner of the board.  Then measure and mark in pencil the red stripes. You should be starting with red at the top of the flag. You will need a total of 7 red stripes and 6 white stripes. For the red stripes I did some of the stripes at 2″ and some at 1-3/4″ since it is an odd number of stripes it doesn’t come out to an even number across the wood.

4. Place your tape on the inside of the white sections then paint the red sections. I painted each stripe and then immediately painted a second coat. Allow to dry for about 30-60 minutes. Peel off tape.

American Flag
5. Tape off the blue section and paint, I did two coats.

American Flag

6. Place tape on the red stripes, and paint the white stripes. I immediately did a second coat. Allow to dry for about 30-60 minutes.

American Flag

7. Once the blue section is dry take the star stencil and begin adding your stars. My stencil was a stick on so it was perfect for staying in place and not leaking. I wasn’t particular on begin completely straight, at this point my knees were killing me! I did rows of 6 down and staggered them from row to row and then needed to stick a few randomly to make the 50 stars fit. I think the standard flag has 6 rows of 5 stars and 5 rows of 4 stars. Once all 50 stars are on the board allow to dry.

American Flag

7. I wanted it to look a little rustic and old so I painted some of the white paint over the red stripes and blue square. Then wiped over it with a wet rag. Don’t wipe it all away just smooth it around. I also added some brown acrylic paint to the white to rough it up. You can also run some sandpaper over it to scuff up the finish.

American Flag

If you haven’t already, follow me on Pinterest here.

Now head on over to our two co-hosts Steph and Katie. Be sure to check out all the other pin inspired projects completed.

 

 

Eats for days

I am finally getting serious about my half-marathon training. I mean not that I wasn’t before but now that I have a few 4 mile and 5 mile runs in I feel like it is legit! My diet is starting to get better (read: my face isn’t planted into a tub of Hagan Daas). The weekends food wise are a lot more varied since I get to do my long runs, so calories need to be a little higher. Though I still try to keep it clean.

Breakfast ~ I made some low carb French Toast using egg whites using the Pepperidge Farms Carb Style Bread (nutrition info here). I didn’t measure the egg whites just put some in a shallow plastic dish to cover the bread. Placed in a pan sprayed with Pam and sprinkled with cinnamon, flip until lightly brown on both sides. I used a Sugar Free syrup to taste. Can’t live without coffee so I served with a Caramel Macchiato sugar-free creamer and Truvia.
Low Carb French Toast

 Mid-morning Snack: I am struggling a little on the snacking options as I tend to eat the same thing for snacks on most days. I went with my standard Apple, Peanut Butter and Pecans.

Apple Almonds and Peanut Butter.

Lunch – I made this Pear and Quinoa Salad and it was pretty good. If I was to make it again though I would emit the sesame oil and add mandarin oranges or use a different salad dressing. It had a slight crunch to it and would be a great alternative to potato salad at BBQ’s if looking for a healthier alternative. Pear and Quinoa Salad the recipe is here.

Pear and Quinoa Salad

Afternoon Snack: Yes I play with my food. I couldn’t help it, but it also serves a purpose. Taking the time to set up your food in a fun way can help get kids to eat their veggies. I served one whole cucumber and about 8 cherry tomatoes halved with a side of Tzatziki. Is it wrong to dress up cucumber with a cucumber dill dip? Oh well it was good so I am going with it! This would be good with hummus too! I added a Kielbasa dog to the side for some meat/fat but it could be served alone too.

dinner

 

 Dinner: I made this foil wrapped kielbasa dinner and it was delicious! It was one of those recipes where you just can’t believe it was that easy and quick! It is so easy to customize to your tastes too. I switched out the potatoes for sweet potatoes. This was so good and I will be making this again for sure. For the instructions on how to make go here.

Foil Wrapped Kielbasa Dinner

Random Snack – I am adding these as I have had a handful or two of these veggie sticks. I bought the bag a week and a half ago and still have half a bag, but they are good. They only have like eight ingredients and all of which I can pronounce. Very good healthier alternative to chips and has the crunch like a chip. I found them at Walgreens, but I am sure there are other brands too just check the ingredient list.

Veggie Sticks

How do you sneak in an extra serving of veggies?

Are you snacking healthy?