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Quick & Easy Christmas Cookie Recipe
Hey, everyone! A day late, but I spent all day yesterday running around doing last-minute Christmas things, and today I had a photoshoot with a friend for family holiday cards, so it’s been a bit of a whirlwind. I wanted to share with you guys my grandma’s basic Christmas cookie recipe. Cookies make great gifts for all the people on your list- they’re simple to make, easily customizable, and look really pretty in an inexpensive tin from Michael’s. The bonus? They bake in just 6-8 minutes, so just spend like an hour or two on these, and you’re golden (see what I did there). Here’s the recipe: Quick & Easy…
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Homestyle Lasagna Recipe
As I’m writing this, I’m so stuffed I can barely move. What am I stuffed with, you may wish to ask? Short answer? Lasagna. And because I love to share (and I mentioned in my last post that I was hoping it would turn out well), I wanted to post my recipe so all of you can bask in the feeling of a classic comfort-food recipe as the nights get colder. It’s a bit of a mishmash from recipes I picked up on the sides of boxes and tricks I learned from watching my grandma prepare dinner for the family, but I think it tastes unbelievable- and I hope you’ll…
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8 Cozy Recipes For Fall
Today is the official first day of fall, and actually the back half of this week marks the first time all month it’s been cold enough to need a sweater or light jacket out to the car in the mornings. No matter how much I whine about snow, I love this time of year best- the cool weather, the changing leaves, apples and pumpkin being in full season- something about the whole vibe just makes you want to curl up in a cozy sweater and watch the epic fall streaming lineup with a warm meal and the ones you love. I’m a pretty picky eater, but the one thing I’ve…
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How To Stay Healthy As A Picky Eater
No one likes being a picky eater. Either by nature or due to a bad experience with different flavors or textures, sometimes we just don’t like certain foods, and it is what it is. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating for those of us that are more particular than others. Heck, I’d love to be able to eat certain foods- avocado and Greek yogurt, in particular, kill me since they’re each so good for you, yet I still cannot bring myself to eat them. Which brings me to my point- how can you make sure you’re staying healthy, even as someone who is a bit picker? Understand Portion Control. If…
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My Favorite Zero Calorie Drinks
Hey everyone, surprise surprise! I’m a day behind with this post. I actually feel good about writing and publishing this today and finally clearing my backlog of posts. Today, I want to talk about drinking- not alcoholic beverages, but just what we’re consuming to quench our thirst on a regular basis. What I’ve found after months of eating clean is that a lot of bottled beverages, teas, and juices, along with being more expensive than simply drinking water, are chock full of sugar, sodium, aspartame, and other no-no ingredients. I wanted to share a list of my favorite mineral waters and zero calorie drinks that have helped wean me off…
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10 Tips For Eating Healthy On A Budget
People always ask me how I’ve been able to maintain a healthy food routine on a budget. It’s easier than you might think- and it doesn’t have to be something you stress about. Today’s post encompasses some of my tried and true tips for staying on a weekly food budget averaging $40- without sacrificing quality. Check it out below: 1. Keep pantry staples Though expensive to accumulate, spices, oils & vinegars, and dry goods last a long time and are used in nearly every recipe. If you have these things in your pantry ahead of time, you won’t have to take it out of your weekly budget. 2. Hit up…
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Marinated Kale & Quinoa Salad
Hey, let’s go back in time to about a month ago, when Mike and I were soaking up some rays on Ogunquit Beach for our anniversary. We really went all out on the experience- and especially spared no expense on the food. Friday for lunch we hit up Cornerstone, where I ordered what I think might be the best salad I’ve ever had. It was also the most expensive salad I’ve ever had, clocking in at over $10 (it may have even been as high as $15). To be really honest with you, there wasn’t really anything on the plate, and I was curious to see if I could recreate…
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5 Tips to Make Meal Prep Easier
Happy Saturday, everyone! It’s certainly felt like the longest (and hottest) week ever, so I’m so excited to be driving down to my grandma’s house in Rochester later today to spend a fun, family-filled weekend 🙂 Something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately as I run from here to there like a crazy person is how incredible it is that, for the most part, I have been eating pretty clean for the last 130 days. I’ve never been one who could commit to anything exercise or fitness wise, so I know I’ve made some pretty significant lifestyle changes. I have a great post on the blog now about starting…
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5 Delicious Takes On The Classic Burger
Yes, those are my hands in this latest featured image. I wish I remembered to repaint them before taking photos, but hey- this is a blog about putting real life back into lifestyle blogging, so I figure it’s just par for the course. Those of us in the U.S. take Memorial Day weekend for all it is- a long weekend, but more importantly, a time to reflect and thank those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our nation. While we might choose to honor and remember specific relatives or loved ones, the way we celebrate has largely remained unchanged- the weekend is synonymous with family get-togethers, pool parties, and…
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The Skinny on Dieting
Hey, all. I learned while researching health observances for work that today, May 6, is “International No-Diet Day“. According to the National Eating Disorder Centre (NEDIC), the day is meant for us to “encourage people to engage in healthy lifestyles”, “increase public awareness of the dangers and futility of dieting”, and “celebrate the beauty and diversity of our natural shapes and sizes”. I have, as (sadly), many of you reading this probably have, some firsthand appreciation for this stance. A growing digital trend, body positivity and diet-shunning has come about as a reactionary solution to a society that has long peddled “fad diets” as ultimately harmful ineffective or short-term…
