Thirsty Thursday - Peanut Butter Cup Shake

Happy Thursday!  Today I am featuring my absolute favorite shake - a peanut butter cup shake.  Super easy to make and great for you!


1 cup Water
1 Cup Ice
1 scoop shakeology (or your favorite chocolate protein powder)
2 Tbsp. PB2

Blend & Enjoy!

Kitchen Tools - Is There Really a Difference in Quality??

I have always been the kind of person that bought whatever pots & pans were on sale, were in the color I liked, were the brand of someone I liked, etc.  I don't believe I ever paid more than $100 for a set and although they routinely wore out fairly quickly, I continued this process until a few months ago.

After watching numerous shows, reading articles, checking out what my favorite Chef's used, I became very curious if there was actually a difference in the tools/appliances made and the quality of the food created with them.  Enter my new KitchenAid range.  That is what got all of this started.   I never imagined there could be such a  difference in the meals created in/on that range. I was speechless.  Anyone I prepared a meal for noticed the difference.  The meats cooked in the oven were juicy and more flavorful.  It was literally unbelievable.

This led to my next thought, maybe there was something to this high end cookware and knives.  Still not convinced, I started with one pan and 2 knives and some high end olive oil.  (Allclad and Wusthof and olive oil from Williams Sonoma.)  Although I have always loved omelettes I have NEVER been able to cook one that was presentable or really edible.  The first thing I made was an omelette.  Not only was it perfectly pleasing to the eye, it tasted delicious.  I could not believe it!  I thought possibly it was a fluke.  It was not.  I have made them over and over again all with the same result.

My new knives were razor sharp.  Also something I had never experienced before.  My tomatoes were perfectly sliced, not smashed to death after attempting to cut.  Yes, in all honesty, I did cut myself several times but I can say it was absolutely worth it.  Suddenly cooking became an experience.  Not a chore.  I love every minute I spend preparing meals for my family now. This is not to say I did not enjoy it before, but just like anything else, when you do not have the proper tools, the task is much less enjoyable.   I feel like a gourmet chef now and that is an amazing feeling.

In summary, YES, having the proper tools does make all the difference in the world.  If you spend a large amount of your time in the kitchen as I do, get yourself some high quality tools and create a true VIP experience in your kitchen!

Cheers!

What's In My Gym Bag Monday - Fit Book Exercise Log

Happy Monday!  Today from my gym bag I am featuring my exercise log, Fitbook!  I used the notes section in my phone to electronically keep up with my workouts for a long time.  I found it difficult to keep track of them long term which lead me to search for a better way.  I came across the Fitbook and absolutely love it.  I can plan out my workouts daily, set weekly goals, record food, nutrients, cardio, you name it.  It is definitely all inclusive!

I got mine from amazon.  You can check out the link below:

Happy & Healthy Monday everyone!

Saturday Secrets - Coconut Sugar Syrup

Happy Saturday! Today my secret is coconut sugar syrup. It's super easy to make and I love it in place of maple syrup. I try to always use the sweetener with the lowest glycemic index and coconut sugar is lower than maple syrup or honey.

My first preference is always stevia but it does have a bit of an aftertaste so my second choice is coconut sugar. It tastes amazing and does not have that little "bite" at the end.  One note however, it does change the color of food somewhat. I use it in cole slaw for instance and it gives it a brown tint. 

Here is a super simple recipe to make syrup:

½ cup of coconut sugar

½ cup of water

½ cup of butter

1.Put the sugar & water into a saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring & watching constantly so it does not burn.
2.Once the sugar has melted, add the butter and mix until melted.
3.Bring to a boil & allow to boil for just a minute or two until it starts to thicken.  You do not need to boil it too long because it will get even thicker as it cools.  The longer you let it simmer, the more intense the flavor.
4.Pour into a glass jar or bottle & let cool.

Friday Faves - Drybar Tools

Happy Friday! Today my Friday Faves are two of my favorite hair care tools - DryBar blow dryer and flat iron. I was having a problem with my hair getting burned and damaged. I decided to switch my hair tools to see if a higher end set of tools would stop the damage from happening.

After researching, I decided to give this brand of products a try. I started out with the blow dryer and absolutely loved it. It dries my hair very quickly yet does but burn it. My next purchase was the flat iron. Again, works great on my hair and zero damage. A huge relief for me as my hair is colored so I have to be very careful with the tools I use. 

One note: my flat iron suddenly quit working at about about 6 months old. I filled out the return form and returned it and was sent a brand new flat iron, only it was an upgraded model! Two thumps up to Drybar customer support. I purchased the tools from QVC but they also have them at my favorite shopping site amazon.  Definitely worth the money.  Cheers!

Routine Will Save You Every Time

I am big on routine and being as organized as possible. To the point most would probably think I'm totally boring. But let's face it. Life doesn't always cooperate with us or our plans or our schedules. Things come up. Family gets sick. Dogs get hurt. Things break. You get my point here.

That happens to everyone including me. I fall short on my work outs. My house gets dirtier than usual. The laundry stacks up. But one thing I cling to, sometimes with dear life, is my clean eating plan. 

How do I do that you ask? Meal prep. Every Sunday like clock work. At the minimum all of my protein is cooked for the week and at the maximum, food weighed, measured, packaged, veggies cut and cleaned and snack drawer prepared. Why is this the one thing I cling to when I will let everything else go? Because it makes the biggest difference: in the way I feel, in how much energy I have, in how well I sleep. 

Clean eating is the biggest part of living a healthy lifestyle. Even if I don't work out all week, I can maintain as long as my diet is spot on. Yes it takes a little time but is so beyond worth it. When life gets crazy, I don't go crazy. I just adjust and keep right on going. If I was grabbing McDonalds every day I feel certain that would not be the case.  I don't believe I would have the energy to take care of all the things and those I love which is most important to me.

When things get crazy, cling to one thing that gives you the biggest return on investment. Not sure what that is? Start with your diet. I promise you won't regret it!  Cheers! 

Thirsty Thursday - Sassy Cosmo

Here is a yummy skinny version of a cosmopolitan!  Cheers!

Ingredients:

5 cucumber slices
2 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves
1 oz. vodka
1 cup ice
1 cup sparkling water
2 tsp. St. Germain Liquor

Directions:

1. Place 5 cucumber slices, mint & vodka in the bottle of a serving glass & muddle until mixed.
2. Top with ice & sparkling water, stir to mix.
3. Add a splash of St. Germain; garnish with fruit of your choice. Enjoy!