How to cut an Avacado

So sounds pretty simple right, just cut it open and bam perfect avacado pieces, wrong. There's a pit in there, and they're all squishy and just pretty stinking hard to deal with until I found these tips, so here's how I cut my avacados!

 Carefully cut the avacado in half and then simply turn it (like a rubics cube, two hands) and separate the sides. I already ate half of this one then saved it (see bottom) but usually you will have two sides full of "meat."

 To remove the pit, carefully hold the avacado in your hand (the first time you may want to set it one a plate and keep your hands away) take your knife and chop at the pit, you aren't trying to cut through it just get your knife in there. After your knife is in the pit hold the avacado firmly and turn the avacado, the pit should come right out.

 Next cut horizontally along the avacado all the way to the outside (but not through the outer layer).

 Next cut vertically, the same as before (skip this slice if you want large pieces).

 All you have to do now is turn the peel inside out and bam - avacado slices.

If you aren't going to use it all right away, use the side without the pit first, no matter what is left, put both sides together and keep it in a baggie in the fridge.

Easy and Inexpensive Vegetable Soup (Meat Optional)

This soup has kind of been a trial and error dish developed over the last few months. Growing up my mom never used recipes, so every time I ask her how to make something I get the same answer "I don't know I use whatever I have," which for a long time I replied, "Mom, I keep trying but everything I make tastes like crap." Well I am starting to get the hang of it. I started out with just veggies, but decided to add some ground turkey for a heartier meal. Here's my basic vegetable soup recipe.

Vegetable Soup

• Browned Ground Turkey (Optional)
• 1 Can Corn
• 1 Can Green Beens
• 1/2 head of Cabbage Chopped up
• 1 Large Can of Tomatoes
• 1 Container Vegetable Stock
• 3-6 chopped carrots
• 1/2 onion chopped
• Oregano to Taste (I use a LOT so I can cut down on salt)
• Garlic (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• I rinse out all of the above cans with a little water and throw that in too.

• Let it simmer for 45 min- 2 hours. Stir Occasionally.

This soup tastes amazing it is sweet and savory, and perfect on a warm winter night. Feel Free to experiment with other vegetables. I throw in whatever is in my fridge and needs eaten. One day I will try with all fresh vegetables, right now on a budget these are things I generally have at home. This is a very healthy and hearty soup this recipe as listed could feed a good sized family for under $10.00.

Please let me know what additions you make and how they turn out!

New and improved Daily "Green Monster" Smoothie

About two years ago I posted my Daily Smoothie Recipe. Since then I have made some edits and changed it up a little bit, both for taste and for the health benefits of various ingredients.

The Base Smoothie:

• Raw Cacao Powder (natural caffeine great if you don't like coffee and don't want to drink pop)
• Low Fat or Greek Vanilla Yogurt  (Sometimes I use Activia for added probiotics)
• Vanilla Almond Milk (I avoid soy milk, it can cause higher estrogen in women and men)
• Rainbow Chard/ Baby Spinach (Both and great for you and have little taste, I prefer the chard)
• Ground Flaxseed
• Cinnamon (Read about the health benefits of cinnamon)
• Frozen Banana (The riper the better, peel them before you freeze them! See my buying/freezing bananas post)
• Frozen Blueberries (cranberries, acai berries, etc.) - for antioxidants
• Protein Powder (again no soy)
• Honey (Read about the health benefits of honey)
• Vanilla

Optional Ingredients:

• Frozen Apple Slices and Cinnamon (Read my post on why apples are awesome)
• Apples and Peanutbutter
• Peanutbutter and Cinnamon
• Anything you want!

Easy Delicious Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes are amazingly easy to make. They are simple and delicious. From the youngest members of your family to the oldest, these will surely be a hit!

Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes (as many as you want)  
• Olive Oil
• Salt (I use sea salt, or kosher salt)

 Instruction

1.  Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Cut your sweet potatoes into bite sized cubes (you can do bigger pieces, I cook for kids so, these are perfect bite sized chunks, they also cook faster).
   
3. Lightly coat sweet potatoes with olive oil (drizzle a little bit over, mix them up with your hands, start with a little, you can always add more later if necessary!). 
   
4. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
5. Bake in oven for 10 minutes, take out, "stir" potatoes around bake for another 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
   

25 Things that are Keeping you Overweight

I know most of these but this article is a really helpful reason for why you may not be losing weight. You've started working out and eating healthy but you still aren't loosing weight find out why!

25 Things that are Keeping you Overweight

Why I love Apples (and you should too)

Besides from the fact that apples are absolutely delicious, they also have a ton of amazing health and weight loss benefits! Because of how many benefits apples have (and the fact that they are easier/quicker to read any way) I/m just going to use bullets, so here we go:

1. Eating one apples gives you the same hydration as one 8oz. glass of water. For athletes this means no water sloshing around in your belly while you are performing. Everyone else- water is good for you, keeps you energized, aids in digestion, and helps with weight loss!
2. Apples are low in calories 100g of fresh apple slices equals about 50 calories! (www.nutrition-and-you.com)
3. Apples help fight heart disease by lowering blood fats (www.whfoods.com).
4. Apples help curb your appetite, studies show eating an apple 15 minutes before a meal lowers the caloric intake by 15% - people who ate apples also felt more satisfied with their meals - apple juice/applesauce or processed apple products did not show the same results as whole apples (www.whfoods.com). 
5.  Apples help maintain good two forms of good bacteria in the large intestine, this helps with stomach discomfort, regularity, and weight loss! (www.whfoods.com)
6.  Full of anti-oxidants (www.nutrition-and-you.com)
7.  "Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body." (www.nutrition-and-you.com).
8. Apples are a great source of B-Complex vitamins which help with the immune system, metabolism, and other bodily functions.  (www.nutrition-and-you.com)

 

If you aren't convinced - go buy a yummy Honey Crisp apple take a big bite and you will be! Apples rock - they are a great snack and meal for kids too. Imagine the health benefits an apple a day can give you and your family!  

Yummy Healthy Knock off "Chewy Bars"

So I am in love with this granola bar recipe I found (and changed significantly) on another blog! Though I have not quite found an exact mixture that sticks together, for now my Chewy bars are more like Chewy Bites. So here's the basic recipe feel free to add different yummy ingredients to flavor or enhance your bars!!

Chewy Granola "Bars"

• 4.5 cups of Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 tsp. Vanilla 
• 2/3 cup Melted Butter (can also substitute coconut oil, bars come out crunchier)
• 1/2 cup Honey 
• 1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut (I use the sweetened kind, next time I'm going to try the unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup - Cup of mini chocolate chips or other fresh fruit spices etc. (I think I'm going to try apple cinnamon next!)
• I also add a few healthy pinches of ground flaxseed, it's good for you and you can't even tell it's there! 

Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22min. and there you go, cheap and easy granola your family will love! I have to make a batch every few days for two of us! We just love it! It's amazing warm too, would make a great dessert!!

$10 off Coconut Oil!

I was on another blog today, How does She?, and found a $10 Coupon for Coconut Oil! I am so pumped because I spend a good deal on it!!

Read my Coconut Oil posts (and hers) it's an amazing products that will do wonders for your weight, hair, skin, and overall health!

$10 off Coupon - Coconut Oil

 

This is the brand of coconut oil I usually get, but this is about half of what I pay for it at my local natural foods store, after I use my $10 coupon, I'm going to get this deal!

Beauty Bet's Yogurt Hair Mask

 Beauty Bet's Yogurt Hair Mask

1/2 c plain yogurt

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 egg

So last week I did a spa night and said I would post my reviews of the DIY treatments I did. Needless to say I'm a little behind on my posting. I did try this treatment and I loved it! My hair did feel a little slimy and unpleasant right away after the treatment, after a wash though my hair was so alive and thick! I should have left the yogurt mask in my hair longer I think though, and I need to do it once a week because my hair hasn't felt that healthy in a long time! The protein in the egg and yogurt help mend split ends and keep your hair strong, the lemon juice is cleansing and makes the mask smell a bit better!

Tip: If you don't have a washing machine handy right away use paper towels or something disposable on your hair while you are waiting with the hair mask in, the towel does not smell pleasant if it sits even over night, I'm glad I used an old towel because I ended up throwing mine it away!

Picture : Me with the Yogurt mask in my hair and the Lemon & Baking Soda Mask on my face, great (cheap) weekly beauty treat for yourself!

Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie

So I just couldn't wait to post! I wrote last night about the Smoothie I was going to make today well, I just made it, and am currently drinking it. It is AMAZING! So here's what I made. It is amazing you can't even taste the spinach! Feel free to adapt and add whatever you think may be yummy!

My Yummy Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie

Important to note: I don't measure when I make my smoothies just guess!

• 1 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
• 1 c. vanilla almond milk (add more if the mixture is too thick for your blender)
• 2 scoops vanilla soy protein
• 1 frozen banana (Peel and cut them before freezing!)
• 2 cups (or more) spinach
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed

Reebok Easytones

   This is not an add for Reebok, not sponsored (I wish it was =) but I LOVE my Easytone's and really need a new pair, I believe I paid around $99 for mine and they are worth every penny! I was skeptical at first but within a day or two of wearing them I can tell that my legs are more toned. After I stop wearing them I can also tell that my lets are getting a little sloppy! I love my shoes! Try them out, you won't be disappointed!

Lemon Juice & Baking Soda

How is your skin? Mine lately is terrible, the humidity and 90+ days aren't good for my skin. So I saw this face mask on Pintrest that is simply Lemon Juice and Baking soda. It works. Here's what I did...

1. Put some baking soda in a dish (1/8 cupish)
2. Then slowly added lemon juice until it was a consistency I could spread on my face. *Heads up you're in for a little fun, there is a little reaction, don't worry nothing explodes!
3. Then I let it sit, it burned a bit after a little while so I rinsed it off, my face was smooth and with daily (or every other day) use is clearer!

Oddly enough, I'm thinking about trying the same mixture to clean my favorite crocks (they are adorable, they look like black ballet flats but are soooo comfy!) I think the lemon juice or the baking soda alone would be helpful but I think if I pour  the baking soda in and then the lemon juice in, the reaction may be a great Croc Cleaner! I'll let you know how it goes...