Low Calorie Dinner: Chicken, Veggies and Organic Pasta

I got home from work last night and was basically shaking with hunger.  I knew that my body needed meat but I did not want to break my healthy streak and settle for a high fatty source of protein.  As I was perusing my refrigerator, I realized I had purchased chicken and some veggies for a stir fry.  HOWEVER, I chose to use my organic pasta (deeeeelish) made by Nature's Legacy to make a pasta dish.  I chopped up some asparagus and red peppers and was ready to cook.

You will need:
15-20 stalks of asparagus, chopped
1-2 medium red peppers, chopped
3 large chicken breasts, diced
Sea salt to taste



I fried the chicken and the asparagus and red peppers (chopped) in water and sea salt instead of oil.  I did not feel that any flavor was lost and it cooked everything beautifully!  I fried the asparagus and red peppers in water and sea salt as well and added them to the chicken until the pasta was ready.  The sauce that I used was made from a mixture of pureed cauliflower, organic chicken stock, and a dash of garlic and onion powder.  It tasted JUST like Alfredo sauce but had a significantly lower amount of calories.  I found ANOTHER great blog called www.bloglovin.com which had a great cauliflower Alfredo sauce recipe which I changed just a bit.

You will need:

- four cloves garlic, minced. 

- 1/2 TBSP plain greek yogurt and 1/2 TBSP butter, softened

- 1 head cauliflower 

- 2 teaspoons salt 

- 1 generous pinch of pepper, to taste. 

- 3/4 cup vegetable broth 

- 1/2 cup milk 

- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

- olive oil, to taste.

Just mix the yogurt/butter combo with the salt, pepper, milk, broth, and oil in pan to warm while you puree the cauliflower in your food processor.  Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.  If the mixture is too thick, add milk until it reaches your desired texture.   
Add the sauce to the pasta and stir in chicken, asparagus, and red peppers and ENJOY!



   

Smashin' Summer Fashion

Summer is coming, Summer is coming, SUMMER IS COMING!  There are definitely some hot new fashion pieces that making a HUGE splash on the runways this Spring and Summer.  We are seeing lots of beautiful colors (blues, yellows, rosy pinks, and lilac purples) with the mix & match prints (florals, stripes, and polka dots).  I am in LOVE with mixing prints and colors to make a statement.  I am loving the new J. Crew looks this Spring as well as some of the beautiful looks that Ann Taylor has come out with.  

J.Crew is currently having a major sale on their Winter and early Spring line and I nabbed this cute floral tee for just under $20.  The necklace is also from J.Crew's Summer 2013 line and the sunglasses were purchased at the Loft as a part of their pre-Spring line.  This is the PERFECT time to shop for Winter and Fall items because they are all on sale but often-times stores will have their pre-Spring line on sale in March and April as well.  Be on the look-out for 30-40% off sales at most stores for the upcoming Easter holiday.  

Another fashion tip: Lessen the amount of make-up you wear in the summer. It's not as clean or neat because the heat and sun will cause your make-up to fade and you will look haggard and tired.  Find some primers or foundations that have SPF in them.  My personal Summer favorites are the Clinique Super Primer and the Matte Foundation from Bare Minerals.  Neither of these make me break-out (and I have uber-sensitive skin) and they clean off really nicely.  

I also would suggest using a tinted lip balm as opposed to lip stick or gloss.  They can get sticky and messy in the heat whereas a lip balm will moisturize and give you a gorgeous color as well.  I use Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Petunia.  Try not using dark or heavy eye make up either.  These can create a dark look when the weather is bright and cheery.  My fave?  Yves Saint Laurent Shock in Deep Black.  It goes on thick and makes my eyelashes look luscious full!  Enjoy these INCREDIBLE products this spring and summer and I promise you will be hooked.  

Why Fashion, Fitness, and Food?

These seem to be an extremely random set of topics for a blog right?  What does fashion have to do with food?  And why would fitness and fashion be combined?

The answer?  The overall well-being of men and women.  We must eat healthy and exercise to be physically and mentally fit and it is important to dress right for your lifestyle in a comfortable and pleasant way.  You do not have to have a perfectly sculpted body with the cooking skills of Gordan Ramsay and the fashion vision of Rachel Zoe to increase your overall well-being in these categories.  Just focus on starting at the beginning and working into a comfortable habit and VOILA!  You are achieved what millions are striving to each day.  

I grew up playing sports and was labeled a "tomboy" throughout junior high and the first of high school.  With the help of a few good high school friends, my style sense began to pick up and as I moved out on my own, my cooking skills and fitness methods did as well.  Everyone starts at the beginning and so can you!  

This is where I began.  I wore my sports uniforms, fleece sweaters, and denim skirts.  Pretty bad huh?  Well I also had hardly any muscle and was never comfortable in my own skin.  After I made the changes in my life to create a healthy well-being, things changed in how I viewed myself and my confidence was given a boost.  

I enjoy working out, shopping for great deals (and occasionally splurging on some must-have pieces), and cooking.  I have learned to shop smart for food and make enough for several meals and they are from scratch!  They are healthy and clean and DELICIOUS!  I have found the best times to go shopping and the best brands to shop for when you need something to last.  I now understand the difference between being fit and just being there.  It makes a HUGE difference in your life and this I promise you.