Morning smoothie

Wow- It has been a long time since I last posted sorry for the hiatus, I have just been crazy busy, including planning for my upcoming wedding!!  I still can not believe it is only 12 weeks away!! With it being so close I have to admit, I have been going a little crazy when it comes to going to the gym and  eating healthy (or I should say healthier than I already was!).
So this morning I decided to use some of my fresh fruits to make a strawberry/banana smoothie to start off this hot and humid day, and it was delish! So I want to share it with you!

Ingredients-

5 strawberries
1/2 Banana
1/2 cup of Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Handful of ice

Blend together and you will have a very yummy and healthy smoothie!
If you want to make it even better for your body, you can add some flax seeds to it.

I am now ready to start my day!!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Quick and yummy breakfast

Yes, I know it has been awhile! I am just one busy bee lately.  But I wanted to share this delicious breakfast I have been eating lately.
I went strawberry picking months ago and still have some left in the freezer. Yes I know- time for them to go! So to add some flavor into my oatmeal I just tossed a few in and VIOLA- a yummy and naturally sweet oatmeal.
Oatmeal is high in fiber, so it will keep you feeling full longer. It is also gluten free and can protect you against heart failure.  Besides being beneficial to your body, it also tastes great. 
Strawberries are also good in fiber, containing 13%.  Because of the antioxidant's and anti-inflammatory's  found in them, it makes Strawberries anti-Cancer!
Oatmeal is a great breakfast for you and your body, however some people do find the taste to be a bit bland, that is why the Strawberries make a great addition!
Eat healthy and stay warm this winter!

Butternut Squash Soup

What a rainy, cold, day it is today. It is one of those days I want to stay inside and read a good book under the covers. Since I am off on Fridays I can do this, however, I know most people can not.  Since it is a cool day out, I was thinking about what to do for lunch or even dinner and that is when I thought about how nice a warm bowl of soup would be.
Butternut squash happens to be in season now and what a perfect way to spend my day off.  I can make the soup, which is so easy to do and then eat it for lunch and it will warm me right up as well as give my body loads of nutrients that I would not be receiving if I were to eat something else.  
Butternut Squash is a winter squash that is loaded with many nutrients your body needs.  Not only does it contain a great dose of fiber to help your heart out and keep you feeling full but it also contains
nutrients known as carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease and help your vision. Also, with only a 1-cup serving, you get nearly half the recommended daily dose of antioxidant-rich vitamin C. If all these great benefits do not make you want to try it, let me tell you the taste is delish and you will be doing your body a huge favor by consuming it!
Here is an easy yet yummy recipe for butternut squash soup.  Believe me you will want to eat it all in one day!

Ingredients:
1 3-pound butternut squash–peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (5-6 cups)
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt (or regular iodized salt)
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 1-2 tsp. dried sage ( I used dried sage)
6 cups chicken broth ( I used vegetable broth and I didn't use 6
cups.. I used enough to until it covered the squash in the stock pot)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss the squash with 2
tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the pepper.
Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in an oven for 15
minutes or until they are caramelized.  Set aside when done

In stock pot- add the rest of the oil (1 Tbsp) and butter and heat
over medium.  Add the onion and the sage, stirring occasionally for
about 10 minutes. Add the squash, broth, and the remaining salt and
bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the
liquid is flavorful. Remove from heat. Using a blender or a food
processor, blend the soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pot
and let simmer until ready to serve. I topped mine with a little
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for some extra flavor.

Stay healthy and warm this winter!

Goals for 2012

I am not the biggest believer in resolutions.  I have tried making them in the past and just end up disappointing myself.  Like in 2005, when I said I would quit smoking just to find myself "sneaking" them on the nights we went out drinking-which happened to be almost every night. What is the point of saying you are going to do something when you find yourself doing the opposite?  

I do not like to continue setting myself up for disappointment, so that is why I do not make resolutions anymore.  Now, I like to make goals for the New Year and I feel like it is something that people should try to do. Instead of saying, “I am not going to do something anymore”, I want to tell myself to “do something new by the end of the year.” I feel everyone should try this just once to see if it works for them.  It definitely makes the year a bit more interesting. You get to prove to yourself that you can do something new or even take pride in the fact that you tried.

I do not have many goals this year because I know how incredibly busy I will be for most of it.  You never want to over-do it or else you won't have relaxation time which is a must as well!

My number one goal this year is for my dream business to become a reality.  I want to encourage children to eat healthier and to teach them the benefits of it. I believe the best way to start off is by contacting places that work with children; i.e. schools, doctor's offices, etc.  This leads to my second goal of the year: make a portfolio of different projects and activities for the different topics and age groups I want to work with.  If I want to start going places, I know people are going to ask me questions. For example. “What will I be doing with the students for the hour?” I would like to have a few different ideas with me to present to the person interviewing me. My last goal for this year is on the business side of things. I would like to work with children at least a few days a week, whether it is one-on-one or doing workshops with a group. I just want the door to open for my future. 

For my personal life, I would like to read a bit more than I did last year.  I love books- the way they smell, the way they feel- anything you can think about a book is what I love about them! I also love sinking into the couch with a glass of wine or cup of hot green tea and start reading a good book! 2011 was extremely busy with school that I didn't have much time to read for fun. This year, I would like to set a goal to read at least 12 new books - considering I repeat some old favorites every now and then, so that makes at least one new book a month.  I would also like to mediate and learn how to relax more than I do now.  I am a person who gets anxious every once in while and there are things that I do not know how to handle the right way, so I would like to work on that for myself and for the people who are around me on a regular basis.

Goals are a good thing to have.  You get to prove to yourself what you are capable of and to me, that is what makes a good New Year!

Hope you all make goals you can keep this year!  Happy 2012 to all.