Alternate breakfasts

     I was pinteresting this morning, and I think I'm going to restart my losing weight train. I know healthy food is tasty, I just need to get off my lazy butt and do something. I think if I keep moving, it wont be such a bad idea that I am moving and cooking and exercising and making myself feel better. When I have a lazy day, it turns into this cycle that I can't get out of. So, tomorrow morning I'm up by 8. It will be hard, but worth it. :)

I found this yummy looking smoothie recipe this morning here, and I want to try it. I'll keep you updated....


So, a little over a week later and I'm finally talking about my smoothies. I have started making them, adding a scoop of protein for the after workout smoothie, and really overall enjoying them.
I found this smoothie post on pinterest, and decided this was the way to do it. spend one day freezing and preparing, making the rest of the work easy peasy.

I did  really well on preparing and cutting up all of the fruit. I even put the yogurt in the mini muffin pan like the post said to do.  And then my boyfriend got involved...

Now I had to start all over with the fruit.

     The second batch doesn't look as good, but I was in a frustrated hurry. I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and cut up about 6 strawberries, 1 banana and 2 kiwis. I only had one mango, and that ended up on the floor. I hated cutting up the mango (as I am not familiar with them at all) so I was not about to go buy another one. 
     Once all the fruit was frozen and the yogurt was frozen I separated them into freezer bags. A large handful of strawberries, one slice of banana, 4 slices of kiwi, and three mini muffin frozen yogurts per bag. I have been using them all week. I just dump the bag into the blender, add a scoop of protein powder, and about a half cup of milk. If I have some pomegranate juice or orange juice, I will add about a quarter cup of that as well. Turns out as a delicious and yummy breakfast smoothie that is healthy too. But so much for that getting up at 8am thing...

Salads!

     I don't know why it took me so long to make this amazing salad. If I would have known it was SO DAMN EASY, I would have been eating a lot of it long ago. I get like that though, afraid to venture out to do or buy some things.

     Well, I finally made my first purchase of mozzarella cheese. I have been growing a basil plant, and have started (thanks to my boyfriend) cooking with olive oil.

     This plate is only one roma tomato! and I sliced the sliced mozzarella in half, so as not to overpower the tomato. A leaf or two of basil, washed, in between the cheese and tomato. Then i sprinkled a little salt over the entire thing. This salt step is huge for me, as I don't add salt to anything, I even go out of my way to buy low sodium items. Then i drizzled a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the whole thing. Mmmm!

     Also, last night, I ventured into making my first homemade pasta salad. I usually buy the boxes of Suddenly salad and add my own few twists to them, but this one was all from scratch! I started with this recipe, but here is what I ended up with:

8 ounces Garden rotini noodles

1 large avocado, halved, seeded, chopped, peeled

4 slices bacon, crisp cooked, drained and crumbled

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

1 medium zucchini, coarsly chopped

1 can peas

1/4 red onion

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package. While pasta is cooking, empty can of peas into pot and add zucchini, on low heat. Heat until zucchini is slightly tender.
2. In large bowl, combine avocado, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and onion.
3. Drain pasta, peas and zucchini. Add to large bowl and mix all ingredients together. Serve.

     I totally forgot the cheese that the original recipe called for, but it was delicious nonetheless. I am thinking next time of adding chunks of mozzarella. I also think the onions were a little crunchy for the rest of the salad, but their taste was a good addition. I will definitely make this again.

The reason why

     I've decided to write a blog about my experiences on trying new things I found online, and on pinterest. Its a good way for me to keep track of what I liked, didn't, what I want to try again, but mostly to appease myself in remembering what I did. It is also a reason for me to start using all of those crafting accessories and tools that I have spent so much money collecting, and a way for me to remember the delicious food I ate, without having to post it on Facebook and get everyone mad. The writing will be terrible, pictures will be fuzzy or non-existent, but like I said, I'm doing this for me. 

Ok, so here goes my first one.

We've all seen the cute hair styles on pinterest, such as  http://seabelle.tumblr.com/post/26881295804 / (my pinterest post)

French braid and bun

I basically french braided my hair, then put the tail in a bun and bobby pinned it to my head. I've done it a couple times now, and each time I'll do something different to the front; either a small poof, or a side braid. Now if only I could find other easy things to do to my hair myself.