Sweet and Spicy Roasted chickpeas

 

When I was in Maui, there were roasted chickpeas everywhere I looked.. at the grocery store or served as a complimentary appetizer at two of the restaurants we went to.. I was hooked. However, I have a feeling they either had a lot of salt or may have been fried. Ignorance is bliss on vacation.

So once I got back, I started researching how to roast chickpeas. The biggest issue seemed to be getting the all of the moisture out of the chickpeas before baking. Therefore, I decided to a) skip the oil 2) try drying the chickpeas with a salad spinner then placing them on a paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.  It actually worked really well.

 

 

 

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne chili powder
• 1/2 packet of Truvia (stevia)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Dry the chickpeas thoroughly with salad spinner and/ or paper towels.
3. Gently toss chickpeas in a bowl with cinnamon, chili powder, and truvia.
4. Place into the oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl
6. Enjoy!

Still Hungry After Dinner?

You know the feeling, a little while after dinner, you are still craving something sweet before you call it a night.  This is one my absolute favorite treats.   It only has two ingredients and protein packed: trader joe’s nonfat plan greek yogurt and sugar free jello mix.  Even if you are not a fan of greek yogurt or never tried it.. I promise you will be hooked.










Take a 1/4-1/3 of greek yogurt, a pinch of sugar free jello and mix it all together. Then place it in the freezer for 10 minutes and enjoy. I have played around with this recipe and added a 1/2 tsp. of almond meal and it tastes more like a healthy cheesecake.




What is your go-to snack at night?

A great way to start your day: Wheatgrass

 

One of my favorite ways to start my day is go to the local juice place after my morning workout and get a shot of wheatgrass. It gives me such an amazing feeling over all well-being. I can barely articulate the feeling it gives me (kind of like a yoga high).

 

What is Wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is grown from the wheat seed (wheat berries), which is the whole kernel of the wheat grain. Wheatgrass provides a concentrated amount of nutrients, including iron, calcium, magnesium, amino acids, chlorophyll, and vitamins A, C and E.

 

 

Benefits of wheatgrass

+ Increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure.

+Cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris

+Stimulates metabolism and the body’s enzyme systems by enriching the blood.

+Stimulates the thyroid gland, correcting obesity, indigestion, and a host of other complaints.

+Restores alkalinity to the blood. The juice’s abundance of alkaline minerals helps reduce over-acidity in the blood. It can be used to relieve many internal pains, and has been used successfully to treat peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and other complaints of the gastrointestinal tract.

+Is a powerful detoxifier, and liver and blood protector. The enzymes and amino acids found in wheatgrass can protect us from carcinogens like no other food or medicine. It strengthens our cells, detoxifies the liver and bloodstream, and chemically neutralizes environmental pollutants.

Today is a new day

As most of us are still with heavy hearts as the details of the Boston
Marathon unfold, we must take this as an opportunity to not only be
grateful, but to really think about how we live our lives each day. Are we
living life to fullest? Are we making the most of who we are? Have we told
our family and our friends that we have loved them lately?  These are some
of the questions on my mind.  


Unfortunately this tragedy hit really close to home as I not only had
friends and friends of friends running in the race, but my cousin was also in
the race. He was only a half a mile from the finish line when the two bombs
went off. What is even more unsettling is that my only uncle was waiting at
the finish line to see his son finish his first marathon.






Thankfully, he was not hit nor injured. What is even more remarkable is that
he jumped to help nearly a dozen of the victims as soon as the incident
occurred.  He was a TRUE first responder and is a HERO (he was watching as
civilian, but is  both a firefighter and a nurse). 






What are the chances of that? How many people would not think twice
about risking their lives to help other?  I cannot imagine what he must have
seen (meanwhile not knowing if his son was alive or dead). Why were others
spared and and others not? While we can not make sense of these tragic
events, we can take what we can from it and live each day like it’s our last.





This made me think of the Steve Jobs when he addressed Stanford in 2005.




“When i was seventeen i read a quote that when something like if you live each day
  
as if it was your last someday you'll most certainly be right

It made an impression on me and since then for the past thirty three years

I've looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself yesterday were the last day

of my life what i want to do what I'm about to do today

and whenever the answer is been known for too many days in a row

I know i need to change something

remembering that all be dead soon is the most important role I've ever encountered to help me make the big

choices in life because almost everything

all external expectations all private all fear of embarrassment of fail

these things just fall away in the face of death

leaving only what is truly important

remembering that you are going to die is the best way i know to avoid the

trap of thinking you have something to lose

you are already naked

there is no reason not to follow your heart”






What are you waiting for?

Current Obsessions: Spring cleaning edition

I hope everyone had another long weekend. The month of February always flies by. I feel like March is definitely the longest month of winter in Oregon. I am sooo ready for it to be  spring. 

1. Clarisonic Mia: Thanks to the recommendation of my bf Liz, I got this little gem this Christmas. I use it about 3-4 times a week and it is life changing! My skin feel so clean and smooth. Plus, it gets rid of all of the dead winter skin and helps provide that healthy glow. I use this along with the Skinceuticals Retexturing Activator.

2. Kombucha Mama: I’ve talked about the many benefits of K before, but this local brand is my absolute favorite. I buy it by the growler and my favorite is pomegranate lemonade for sure.

3. Shark® Steam Mop – S3101: Macy’s had a great sale this weekend and I couldn't resist. I was so over the Swiffer and semi-clean floors. This was also recommended to me by a friend and it is amaze. Sadly enough, I was so excited to use this puppy, I broke it out as soon as I got home. It plugs into the wall and requires for you to just add water.. no cleaner. I couldn't believe how clean my floors looked.

4. Yogi Berry Detox Tea: Some detox tea can literally taste like you are drinking twigs.. this stuff rocks.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Slims TJ's style

I hope everyone is having a nice Valentine’s Day!  Why not show my appreciation with a super messy, but super easy salty sweet homemade gift.

The ingredients: Trader Joes Pretzel Slims & Belgium dark chocolate, festive sprinkles, wax paper, and cute Target boxes to put them in

If you don’t have a double boiler like do, then go ghetto style like me with two different size pots… water on the bottom and chocolate on the top.

Dip the pretzels in the chocolate, shake off the excess chocolate, and put down on wax paper and use sprinkles. Then let them cool for about an hour.

Yum…..

Enjoy the leftovers 

MIA & Little Bro’s 30th celebration

I am still so tired from being gone for 2 weeks. I was in Salt Lake City, Utah the first week for work and then flew home to Boston to see the fam. It was great, but it went by way too fast as usual. Too many loved ones to catch up with and not enough time.  It’s definitely not a bad problem  to have in life. Each time I go home, it reminds me how fortunate I truly am.

I will do a full recap later on this week, but I want to share this..  

Honestly, how cute is she? She may or may not have gotten her cheeks from her Auntie Nicole.

I was so excited as my “little” bro and his family Amy and little Emma. They were able to come down from NY to celebrate his 30th early.

I think he was a little upset he didn’t have toy trucks on his cake like back in the day.

One of many cannolis consumed on this trip. I really should have named this blog spinning and cannolis.

Rise and Shine

Today is day one of traveling for the next couple of weeks. I had a 6am flight this am to SLC for work. I used travel A LOT for work, so I am a definitely a self-proclaimed expert planner when it comes to packing snacks.


At smaller airports, the pickings for healthy breakfast eats are usually slim. So I always try to pack a piece of fruit and some nuts as a back up. 



FYI I have tried bringing greek yogurt and hummus on the plane and some security checkpoints consider this liquid. I would beg to differ.  LAME.







I brought the banana from home and bought the Chobani at the airport.


Luckily, I packed plenty of snacks for the week. These are especially helpful to have in your purse/work bag during extra longs meetings. I usually find the only options during company meetings are donuts, cookies, and chips.

T

Friday Favorite Finds Winter edition

I hope everyone is having a good week. I am trying fight this cold before I leave home for two weeks, so hopefully it will be gone by the end of the weekend.




Garden of Life Perfect Food Super Green Formula: 




This is a great go to if you don’t have any fresh veggies in the fridge to add to a shake or smoothie. This formula is rich in the most antioxidant super foods known including spirulina, chlorella, red algae, kelp, wheat grass, barley, alfalfa sprouts, quinoa, chia, spinach, broccoli, ginger, garlic, etc. It will definitely give your smoothie a funky color ( as my friend Kim would say), but it def tastes better than it sounds.. esp when you also add frozen berries to the mix.










Lululemon Run for Your Life Crop: You really can’t go wrong with lulu from my opinion. It may seem expensive, but you calculate the times per wear, it is well worth it.. especially when work from home like me and gym clothes is really all you wear.  I know it’s cold out, but I can’t stand getting hot at the gym, plus they are perfect for both running (the waist band does not get loose) and spinning.














NuNaturals Liquid Lemon NuStevia:  If you are still using splenda.. please stop and start using any type of stevia.  It is way better for you and will not cause bloating.  So, back Lemon NuStevia.  Let’s say you are craving fro-yo, but it’s too cold out to go out. Grab some nonfat greek yogurt and couple drops of the lemon NuStevia and viola… you have yourself an amaze sweet and healthy alternative for dessert.















Trader Joe’s Sundried Tomatoes:


Bummer tomatoes are only in season in the summertime. I love these guys as an alternative and keep in my pantry along with roasted red pepper and olives to throw in a salad. Plus they aren’t packed in oil like most versions.














Skinceuticals Retexturing Activator: 

This stuff is a life changer.. especially if you have super dry skin and live in dry climate. Sad to say I didn’t have this problem when I lived in sunny San Diego, but in Oregon it is a must have.  You only have one face in life, so you better take care of it!   Here are some of the benefits:

• Normalizes epidermal renewal to create a noticeably smoother, softer surface texture
• Stimulates enzymes that help break the bonds that bind dead cells to the surface of the skin, to dramatically diminish surface lines and wrinkles

Cha Cha Chia Banana Blueberry protein Pancakes

I wanted to share my all-time favorite breakfast. I eat a version of this almost every day. Hopefully, I will never get sick of it.

Promise it tastes way better than it looks 

Banana Blueberry Protein Pancake Ingredients:

• 1/4-1/3 cup of egg whites
• 1/2-1 scoop of protein powder
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of vanilla extract
• 1 small banana
• handful of frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp. of chia seeds

Heat small pan on stop top med-low heat, spray some olive oil with your misto.


In a small bowl mix egg white, protein powder, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Then mash in a banana with a fork, then mix, then add blueberries.



Pour into pan and make sure to flip and cook well on both sides on low heat.

Once you have plated the pancake, top with sugar free or maple syrup and 1 tsp. of Chia seeds.



You may be asking what are Chia seeds?







Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid. They are a source of fiber, reduce blood pressure, etc.   I like to use them on top of protein pancakes, in smoothies, and yogurt bowls.  

You can learn more about it here


You can find them at trader joes, whole foods, amazon, etc.

TIPS FOR Getting Back on Track After a Long Weekend

For those of you who may have enjoyed your long weekend..a little too much, I have some tips of how to jumpstart the rest of your week to get back on track.



1. Alkalize your body and reset your pH level by having a shot of Raw Unfiltered Organic Apple Cider Vinegar  (ACV) first thing when you wake up. This stuff has so many other health benefits as well such as clear skin, reduce bad cholesterol, and blood pressure, etc.

2. Get to the gym and sweat it out. This is probably the last thing you want to do after overindulging, but I promise you will feel better afterwards.

3. Drink copious amounts of lemon water. Lemon and water are both natural diuretics.








4. Eat lots of greens: asparagus, cucumber, spinach, celery, etc.




5. Make a green smoothie: throw protein powder, spinach or kale, frozen berries, almond milk, and ice into a blender.. viola.



6. Take an Epsom salt bath: this will not only relax you, but it was also help release the toxins from your body and get rid of excess water weight.




7. Drink lots of tea: preferably green or dandelion tea as this too is a natural diuretic.  I love yogi detox tea.  I absolutely love the positive words of wisdom on the tea bag.







Hope that helps! What are your tips? 
 

Weekend Happenings

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Hopefully you were able to get outside at some point and enjoy the winter weather.  Fortunately, it has been abnormally warm here for January and I am not complaining.


Saturday night I had such a yummy dinner to celebrate my friend’s bday.  I know the picture doesn't do the dish justice, but this place has the most amazing bbq shrimp. You literally want to drink the sauce.





Birthday celebration= dessert. I am not a big chocolate fan, but the bday girl certainly enjoyed it.  However, we did also manage to get some carrot cake as well which I thoroughly enjoyed.  My mom used to make me one every year for my birthday when I was little. Isn’t it funny the memories  we associate with food? 






Sunday was definitely not a bumday. We were able to take advantage of the nice weather and go skiing.  This place is just in our backyard and I hardly ever go… We really are fortunate.





Two years ago, I injured my shoulder skiing, so I took a bit of a hiatus. I am so glad I got back on the proverbial horse.

What is something in your life that you once enjoyed that no longer do for whatever reason? 

Favorite Friday Finds

Justin’s Maple Almond Butter Squeeze Pack: 

This is not only great portion control, but great for those with no self control with any type of nut butter (like me).   The almond maple is my absolute favorite! It’s funny I actually went to college with Justin. He is doing some great things in regards to entrepreneurship by providing micro-loans to people all  around the world. It’s a great way to pay it forward.






 AQUIS Super Absorbent Towel:

I don’t know about you, but my hair is super thick and it takes forever to dry. This is a life changer as it will cut your drying time in half.








Brittany of eatingbirdfood.com Cauliflower Pizza Crust: 

Can’t wait to try making it this weekend!




you can get the recipe here

 Two-faced 3 Way lash lining tool: 

For those of you who know me, I am not a big make-up person, but this liner is amazing! There is a triple tip that can be multiple ways. It allows you to fill spaces between lashes so that the lash line appears thicker or you can use it for a dramatic cat eye (which I will prob never do).





 Martha Stewart Collection Misto: 


A lot of flavor without the fat or weird chemicals that are in olive spray cans you buy at the store (have you ever looked at the actual ingredients… eww).

WIAW- lots of Arugula

I am a little late to the link up, but it was a crazy day.  Please forgive my pictures as I am in dire need of a DSL.

 

This morning I had the best intentions to make a protein waffle to share with you all, but a last minute conference call for work squashed that idea.   Needless to say, I had to grab something quickly after spin class and quiet i.e. if I get asked a question on the call, I can't exactly answer it eating a bowl of captain crunch.

                                                   

TJ Plain Greek Yogurt with a banana.. I know.. pretty underwhelming breakfast.

Not surprisingly, I was craving a second breakfast for lunch (and I had no food in my house).



Eggs whites with sautéed arugula and red onion with a little olive oil, pepper, and basil with an orange on the side. 

Then I had some almonds mid-afternoon.  Fortunately, I made it to Trader Joes (you will find out if you don’t know me already..I am obsessed with TJs).



Arugula salad with grilled chicken,red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, slivered almonds, and balsamic glaze… so good.
I was craving something else, so I decided to made roasted cauliflower.


Some of you asked where to get the nutritional yeast seasoning? Whole Foods and other health food stores usually carry it.
Ingredients:

• Pre-cut/washed Cauliflower
• Bragg’s nutritional yeast seasoning
• 1 tsp. TJs crushed garlic
• 1-2 tbsp. Olive Olive
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
Combine all of the ingredients in a med size bowl
Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes. I like to broil mine at the end to crisp them up.


Enjoy!

New Year’s resolutions

Can you believe we are halfway through the month already? The new year  is exciting.. it is a chance to start fresh, wipe the slate clean, break old habits, make new ones.  Once we start moving towards a goal, we recognize how good it feels… then  life happens…we either get lazy, fall into our old habits, use excuses of why we cannot reach the goals that we had the best intentions of.  I know firsthand as I am guilty of this cycle. 


Source



They say it takes twenty-one days to make a habit and twenty-one days to break a habit.  What could you change if you really decided to commit yourself to something for twenty-one days? What would you decide to do if you knew you could not only fail, but taking these actions would shift your life dramatically? Well maybe not dramatically since it’s only three weeks, but what if you took that momentum and used it take even more steps towards reaching your goal.




It’s funny I was reading The Happiness Project (self help junkie) and she was talking about what truly brings of us happiness and it is not actually reaching the ultimate goal: losing weight, making more money, etc.; it is the journey you take getting there.  This really resonated with me. At the end of any achievement, you’re like... did I really just do that? I think there are two key takeaways: goals are not just a means to an end and take time to savor the journey. 


An effective way of doing this is reflecting during this process. Luckily for you guys, this is not my online journal. I personally like to use penzu.com(because I seriously cannot read my handwriting). This has been a great tool for me, so I wanted to share.   Maybe this post was a pep talk to myself, but maybe someone else can relate as well.

relaxing Weekend

I hope you all are having a nice Sunday. It’s playoff season and we are definitely holed up watching football. 
We headed to cabin for the weekend. It was so nice to get away.




It was a clear day and very chilly out.

I really wanted to toast marshmallows, but the only ones we had were stale. #fail



Ben made some amazing chili though with ground turkey and all of the fixings. Have you guys tried  to replace sour cream with greek yogurt? You can barely tell the difference and it’s loaded with protein.



Go Pats!