Monday Rant #2

Trying to be healthy is hard. 

Mostly when your over saturated with information and conflicting ideas.

It can also be quite easy if you know where to look.

Let's face it, I survive off of leftovers mostly and I don't do any real cooking. 

So, 

I love the following bloggers for their easy

and yummy looking healthy food,

but also for their ability to get up and COOK.

I may stick to eating leftovers while I still don't have my own place, 
but I know that once I'm out again I will 

just HAVE to make some of these girl's goodies.

Whomever stumbles upon this I guarantee their tummies 

will be glad they did.

A BEAUTIFUL MESS

Okay so maybe these recipes aren't exactly on the uber healthy label,
 but better than anything you can get sold- 

YES, DEFINITELY.

Especially if you like sweet stuff like their Cinnamon Dolce or Lavender ice cream recipes. 
Try their Lavender and Honey marshmallows or White Chocolate and Nutella truffles. 

(Eeek! Nutella!)

These girls have so much more going on than food too. So go check them out here.

MY LATEST OBSESSION

This girly, Sam, has many things going on her blog. 
She keeps things interesting and I love all the helpful reviews she has for natural products. 

She also does updates on good food her and her family have been eating. 
You can check out her latest post on this here.

I love the food she posts. 

They all look delicious and are definitely good and healthy.

Can you believe she made these homemade tortillas below?

(photo via link above)

NEVER THE SAME SPICE TWICE

The wonderful Stephanie over at Never the Same Spice Twice always

has something good cooking.

With her What's Cooking weekly line ups of food and her spotlight

recipes you can never have an excuse to not be prepared for dinner.

The Asian Chicken Lettuce wraps recipe seen above look sooo tasty

it might just get me to do some real cooking.

AB PETITE

The lovely Ashlee from AbPetite can be called nothing less than
an adorably healthy cook.

Yes, you read correctly. 

Her recipes, like the Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins above, are not
only delicious and healthy but they are also no scientific experiment.

All her recipes are so easy to follow and she always posts the
nutritional facts. Making her blog a must if you are trying to
keep track of your calorie/protein/carb intake.

PUMPS & IRON

I just had to use this photo of Nicole to show what

uber healthy food (with beer apparently?) 

and great workouts can do.

Nicole mostly blogs about healthy food, fun workouts, 

and pretty fashion.

She definitely inspires me to try to be in my best shape.

And having an athletic tendency 

(though I may not be considered athletic)

I really enjoy her varied workouts.

I love her smoothies, partly because they are so easy.

What's easier than a smoothie?

Go check her out too, here.

Hope you enjoy the food!

Simple: Shopping Tips

Some (sort of) Obvious Shopping Tips

So the other day I decided to stop by my JCP and found that it was inundated with sales.

I am serious. If you don't believe see here.

I did end up getting a couple of things.

But mostly it was fun to try on things and to realize why I used to be so bad at picking my own clothes.

(And thus maybe why my mother decided I couldn't do this without her at 18...)

So here are some simple- mostly obvious- things you should be aware of while shopping:

1. Grab everything that attracts your attention (and is in your budget if you have one). 

Why? You might ask. Because you never know what will be good until you have it on.

See EVERYTHING

2. Sort out your things. It will be easier to change.

Put dresses in one pile, bottoms in another, etc. This way you will be able to quickly change out of one item into the next instead of doing the pants-to-dress-to-shirt-and-now-no-pants-dance.

3. Grab more than one color of the same.

For those who are stuck with the same colors, 

this is a great way to give yourself that opportunity to try some new colors. 

AND you'll still have the other one to compare to. 

If it's a basic like the shirt below then maybe you can even take the chance and buy one of each.

(Especially if it costs $4 each.)

4. When buying pants triple check the fit!

Make sure the front, sides, and back fit in a way in which it is skimming your waist.

If it is low rise make sure it doesn't create a muffin top. 

Go a size up or down as needed but DO NOT try to fit into something that is not your size!

This will create the appearance of heavier and flabby thighs if going too tight

or non-existing butt and body if you're going too baggy. 

A BIT TOO TIGHT!

MUCH TOO LOOSE

5. So important it must be repeated:

Let yourself try on new styles.

You might fall in love:

(I didn't actually get this dress because of budget... but should I go back for it?)

Have a great Friday! Enjoy shopping this weekend!

And for those who will be watching SUPER BOWL. Eat well, my friends ^_^