Five Favorites

This week has been pretty great. I got a day and a half off from work because of snow, so I got to spend some extra time with my boyfriend :)

Also, I was at a conference for work on Thursday, and I got to hear from a really interesting man named Jaime Casap. He works for Google in their education department and thinks through how google products can be used in education. He was talking to some Philadelphia students about college and beating the odds.

He was a very dynamic speaker and I was completely engaged the whe time. The most poignant thing he said was that he never asked people what they want to do in the future; rather, he asks them "what problem do you want to solve?" And from there you plan what field to go into, what to study, and where to work in order to solve that problem.

 As someone who is still wondering what to do long term in my life, it really got me thinking about what problem I wanted to solve. You can read Mr. Casap's blog at www.jcasap.com

Anyway, all inspirational speeches aside, here are five things I'm loving this week.

Dr. Jart's Black Label Detox BB Cream

After searching endlessly through paulaschoice.com (a super helpful makeup review website) I finally found a moisturizer/brightener/anti-aging BB Cream that was rated "Best" on their website and didn't cost a fortune. I love the light tint to this moisturizer, it leaves my skin looking flawless and helps lighten the red marks on my face! Also, I bought this with my Birchbox points so it only cost me $6 instead of $36.

Eco Skin Rescue Serum

I bought this serum on a whim from Marshall's, but I've been pleasantly surprised with it. I like the smell of it and it's been doing a good job of helping to moisturize my super dry winter skin.

Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs) Girl Scout Cookies

It's Girl Scout Cookie season and time for my favorite of all the cookies, the Tagalongs. What's not to love? I get my chocolate/peanut butter/baked good fix while supporting young, female entrepreneurship, at least that's what I tell myself when I suck down a box of these.

Semi-Homemade French Onion Soup

Fact: French onion soup can be eaten for any meal (trust me, I've had it from everywhere for brunch to 2AM drunk munchies); it's transcendental.  Fact: you can buy crocks for about $1 each at your local thrift shop. Fact: French Onion soup is easy to make at home. You just need some French Onion soup mix or premade (we added onion slices to Pacifico's Organic FOS), a crusty baguette, and some gruyere cheese. We broiled these suckers on low for 5-6 minutes. Voile! 

Why Oh Why? Podcast

At first I thought I was just going to love to hate Andrea Silenzi, the host of this podcast. The first episode was cringe-worthy awkward in many different ways. But as I listened to the second and third podcasts I realized I was beginning to really enjoy this podcast.

The podcast is about Andrea and her friends' trials and tribulations of being young 20-somethings in Brooklyn looking for love. Think Girls mixed with Sex and the City. A lot of the podcast is filmed while Andrea and her friends share hilarious dating debacles over brunch or sitting on a couch. You feel like you're one of the girls, and the stories are both relate-able and completely ridiculous. I recommend you give this podcast a try! (Even my boyfriend enjoyed listening to some of it ;)

Drinking Buddies (and a Recipe!)

So yesterday I had a very extensive list of things I wanted to do. While I got to some of them, I didn't get around to all of them. My boyfriend took the day off work (yay) which means that I didn't get to do everything on my list because we live in a small apartment. I did get in some workouts and yoga though and we cooked the chicken with root vegetables and kale.

We decided to brave the weather outside and go for a lovely walk through historic Philadelphia, including St. Peter's cemetery. It was cold (10 degrees Fahrenheit)!

We also watched Drinking Buddies on Netflix (while drinking). I've wanted to watch the movie since I heard about it. I love Anna Kendrick and Jake Johnson (Nick from New Girl) and the cast included Olivia Wilde and the guy from Office Space, Ron Livingston.

It's about two friends, Wilde and Johnson, who work at a brewery. The movie is almost completely improv-ed and it comes off as really honest. I recommend drinking during the entire film! I had 2 Angry Orchard Traditional Dry Ciders, and 1 glass of Skinny Vine Wine Chardonnay (and a bunch of Trader Joe's Cheddar Rockets).

After watching the movie, we started dinner. I was pretty buzzed, and I totally recommend cooking a fancy dinner that way, as long as you have strong knife/safety skills!

Roasted Root Vegetables

~40 minutes @375 degrees

We cut up purple potatoes, carrots, Yukon gold potatoes, turnips, and Idaho potatoes.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and roast, turning occasionally.

Roasted Chicken Thighs

35 minutes @ 375 degrees

Rub olive oil over chicken. Season with paprika, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mist with olive oil and roast for 35 minutes or until juices run clear.

Sauteed Kale
~5 minutes

Heat about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sautee pan. Add kale (remove thick stem segments). Sautee with salt and pepper for 2 minutes, add about a teaspoon of lemon juice, sautee until wilted.

Today Brought to You by Pinterest

Well, I finally started using Pinterest. Welcome to 2010(ish?) I tried using Pinterest before, but I just don't get it. So you pin a bunch of things to a board and then what??? If I'm going to use Pinterest then I actually want to use the things that I find and not just pin it and forget it. 

So, yesterday night, when I found out that today would be a snow day for my office, I immediately began making a list of all the things I wanted to do today, inspired by Pinterest. Here it is:

• Wake up
• Do a workout challenge

• 30 Minutes of yoga for flexibility with Yoga Studio App
• eat breakfast
• check email
• paint toes
• blog
• do another workout challenge

• eat lunch

(Found this on Pintrest from here)

• stretch & watch tv (maybe catch up on Revenge)
• clean-up around the house
• do a Lithe workout (it probably won't make much sense unless you belong to Lithe)
• 15 min post-run yoga

• more blogging
• do my Coursera work

I'm taking two courses. This one is for my own personal interest. You can still sign up for it now!

This course is one I'm taking for my job. I'm really learning a lot!

• watch some shows
• roast root vegetables with chicken and sauteed kale for dinner

I'm a little over zealous, but I wanted to make the most of my day off!

What are you up to today? Have you had any Pinterest success?

Snow Day!

If you're on the Northeast coast then you're aware that there's another polar vortex. Which means that I got to have a half day at work today (I got sent home early). Knowing that it would be snowy and cold, I started off my day right with some vanilla bean black tea and some raisin bran (you know you're old when you chose to eat it and enjoy it). 

Like my cowboy mug?

My walk to work was cold but enjoyable. Everyone was prepping for the snow.

Blue salt?!?! Crazy, right?

It started snowing around 9:30 and was really coming down by 11:00. I would have taken some snowy pictures but I was too busy fighting the crazy windy snowy cold so instead here is an adorable dinosaur picture.

I ended up being a total adult when I got home and deep cleaned our bathroom, washed dishes, did laundry, and cooked dinner. 

I already found out that I have off work tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get in a good at-home workout and roast some root vegetables and chicken! I hope you're staying safe and warm!

Taco Sliders

Happy MLK Day!  Today I possibly made the easiest brunch ever. Last night, my boyfriend and I made tacos so we had tons of leftovers; if you're like me then you know that tacos can be eaten for any and every meal.

This morning I topped 2 wasa crackers with cheese and black beans (then I warmed them up) after that I topped them with guacamole and tomatoes and red onion. Delicious!

Rainy Weekend

Super rainy day walking through the park

It's not always sunny in Philadelphia. It was a rainy weekend here in Philadelphia. After what felt like the longest work week ever, I got home Friday night and just laid in bed and watched TV. Yep, that's all. 

On Saturday I had an intense cardio session at my gym which my legs are still sore from today! Saturday night my boyfriend and I went to stay at my sister's house just outside the city. We played card games, ate candy, and drank RumChatta with Fireball Whiskey (it's called a Cinnamon Toast Crunch).

Sunday morning Nick (my boyfriend) and I went to Homegoods to pick up a few organizing things for our apartment. On the way home we stopped at Taco Bell and tried the new Grilled Stuft Nachos. They were delicious (like most things at Taco Bell- not being sarcastic) but definitely not what I would call "nachos on the go." Once we got home I cleaned up our apartment, did 3 loads of laundry, organized some of our cupboards, and took a nice long bath. In total it was a nice weekend but way too short. I'm looking forward to the 3 day weekend next week!

One of my favorite views of Pine St. on my walk home from my gym.

Impromptu Photoshoot

Oh hi guys!

Okay, so I was signed up to go to a Lithe Method class yesterday but I cancelled it because I just didn't feel like going. So, instead I promised myself I would workout at home instead. Well, I figured I should document my workout efforts for my blog, and it quickly just spiraled into me taking a lot of pictures on photobooth. Well, workout accomplished?


I started off super serious about my practice for the day

Namaste bitches

And then I started lifting weights. "Oh Sarah, how do you lift those heavy weights with such ease???"

Doing the Rock eyebrow makes you stronger, I swear

What, you mean THESE WEIGHTS????

But, um, you're a girl, aren't those heavy?

Heck no, girl power woooooooooooo!

Then I chilled out in cobra pose and called it a day.

Ciao!

(Re)Starting My Yoga Practice

(Source)

I've always wanted to be a yogi. They're so flexible and just seem so much more relaxed and down to earth. Not to mention that there are some bangin' yoga bodies out there.

Last year (around October) I was in a good place with yoga and was practicing almost every day. I saw a (much needed) increase in my flexibility and felt a sense of accomplishment for doing something good for myself every day.

Then I fell off the wagon. or should I say mat? I'm one of those inordinately inflexible people. My forward fold isn't even a half bend. Segue: Speaking of yoga, I heard a funny yoga-joke on The League last night. A yoga teacher was mad at one of the guys on the show and said,"Go do an inversion on your moon cycle!" - translation: "do a headstand on your period." Oh haha yoga jokes.

Anyway, I'm still sticking with my 365 Days of Yoga challenge (Day 7 / 365 I know I'm almost there!) and I wanted to ask you all how you stick with a yoga routine?

Right now I'm finishing up Erin Motz's 10 Day Yoga Ab Challenge, but I don't know where to go from there. I think I should work on getting my flexibility back up to at least that of a brittle rubber band.

So I guess my questions are:

• How can I make yoga a part of my everyday life? 
• Are there any yoga programs (for free) that work for you? 
• Are there any specific videos or websites that I should check out?

Let me know in the comments below! Also, as a side note, what do you think of the new site?

Sticking to Your Resolutions

Are you in full-on New Year's Resolution mode? Me too. My two main goals are to be more active and to eat better, so I've taken some of the most common resolutions and compiled some lists (of links) for us to help keep us motivated and on track! Don't fight it, just click on all the links; open all the tabs.

The Resolution: Eat Better

31 Healthy Versions of Your Favorite Comfort Foods- Buzzfeed

• It's not about giving up the things you love, it's about finding a better way to indulge.

27 Easy Ways to Eat Healthier- Buzzfeed

• A simple list of easy substitutions to make small, healthier choices like using avocado instead of mayo on a sandwich

21 Little Lifestyle Changes that Will Help You Be Healthier- Buzzfeed

• It's a proven fact, big changes rarely ever stick. Take things one small change at a time and build from there.

Healthy & Easy Chicken Sausage Frittata

I've been looking to make a frittata for about 2 years now. I know, weird goal. Nothing was really stopping me, I've just never made one. Anyway, I woke up Sunday morning and wanted to make something special and a frittata seemed like the perfect healthy breakfast. I altered a recipe from SkinnyTaste to fit the ingredients I already had in my fridge.

As Claire Robinson from the Food Network says: the great thing about a frittata is it's like an omelette, but you don't have to flip it. Well, I happen to not be able to flip omelettes (also I think they're gross; great in theory but usually gross in taste), so the frittata is a perfect fit for me!

One day I will take an appetizing picture of my food. But not today!

HealthySimpleSmart's Chicken Sausage Frittata (adapted from SkinnyTaste's Recipe)

4 Large Eggs

4 Egg Whites

1/2 white onion, sliced

1 link chicken sausage, diced (I used Trader Joe's Jalapeno Chicken Sausage)

3 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach)

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

First, in an oven safe pan, saute the onions until soft (3-5 min). Add the chicken sausage and cook an additional 2-3 minutes to heat. Finally, add the spinach, saute until wilted.

While onions are cooking crack eggs and egg whites into a bowl and add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add a little bit of water if you like your eggs fluffy. Mix well.

Pour egg mixture over onions, sausage, and spinach. Cook until sides start to firm up. Put the pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Let sit for 2-5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

I suggest serving the frittata with some sriracha. Next time I'd love to add some asparagus or something that will give it a little more crunch!

Five Favorites: The Perfect Snow Day

So if you're in the Northeast you may be aware of the snow storm that's happening as we speak. Outside it's snowy and cold; however, my work almost never closes due to inclement weather :-/ BUT that won't stop me from envisioning my perfect snow day. Here are my 5 tips for having the perfect snow day.

1. Sleep In

Getting enough sleep can help improve your memory, amp up your metabolism, help your body recover quicker, and lift your spirits. If you're one of those people who doesn't understand the value of sleeping in (I don't understand you). You can read all about how great sleep is here.



2. Watch a Good (or Guilty Pleasure) Show

One of my favorite things to do is have a lazy morning where I get to lay in bed and watch TV or read. May I suggest the new season of Community which just aired? They're trying to "re-pilot" the show since it went so off the rails last season. They credit last year's madness to a "gas leak."

3. Start off with Some Yoga

As I mentioned before, I'm doing Erin Motz's 10 Day Yoga Ab Challenge. Today is day 2! 

4. Cook Something Hearty

I made this chili in preparation for the snow. This sweet potato turkey chili from SkinnyTaste.com is failproof. Do yourself a favor and make it today!

Also, I wanted to share, I just recently subscribed to Clean Eating magazine. Holy smokes there are some good recipes to try in here! I love looking through healthy recipes and picking out which ones to make. This issue has a Fiesta Chicken Casserole that I know I'll be making sometime soon. Not to mention the Creamed Greens Mac N' Cheese.

5. Do Something Active

Whether you're the type to bundle up and go for a snowy hike (yeahhh not so much) or the type to stay cozy warm inside, do something active with your day to make sure you feel productive! Did I mention that Nike Training Club recently totally redid their app!?!?!?! You can see my opinion on the older version here (spoiler alert: I like it a lot).  

I'm super excited to see the new improvements! I was messing around on it the other night and you can now create 4-week programs along with make some minor customizations to the predesigned workouts like choosing between doing froggers or burpees.

Well, if you're one of the lucky few who has a snow day today tell me what your favorite part of it is!

Back to the Grind

Ooops! I took another holiday break without telling you guys. Sorry! But this just means that now that I'm back to my regular M-F blogging I'll have so much more to talk about.

First things first: Resolutions

Do you make resolutions? I always do, but I kinda think they're dumb. I don't understand why people always wait until the new year to start thinking about making changes in their lives, but that's exactly what I did this year. My resolutions are pretty much the same as everyone else's: be more active and eat better.

By "be more active" I mean choosing to do more outdoorsy things or taking a long walk or some yoga on a rest day. I workout about 4-6 times a week so I don't feel like I need to up my actual working out-ness, but I could definitely pepper in some more activity when I get home or with my friends. I can't wait for the weather to get warmer!

Eating better for me this mostly means listening to my body to tell me when I'm hungry vs. bored/tired/just want the taste of food. I want to start eating more intuitively. Eating only when I'm hungry and paying attention to portion sizes are the two big things that I really need to work on.

After reading Kris's (the Running Canadian Girl) blog entry about her interesting New Year's Day tradition, I thought it would be cool to do something with the idea of a year, so I decided to go for 365 days of yoga. To kick it off, I signed up for Erin Motz's 10 Day Ab Challenge. It starts today so sign up now! I already completed Day 1 (it's 11 minutes long) and it felt good to finally hit my mat again. I think Erin Motz is adorable and her whole "Bad Yogi" image is one I can embrace.

Also, I've been "treating myself" a little too much lately (what else is new?). Oops! Oh well. Anyway, to encourage myself to continue to kill it at Lithe Method, I bought myself an outfit from Fabletics. Have I told you guys I belong to that website? Anyway, you sign up and every month they release a collection of new workout gear. You can either pick out an outfit and get it shipped to you or you can opt out of getting anything for that month. I got an outfit from them before and the quality is really good for what you're paying. This is the outfit I picked out this month:

In other exciting news: I'm going to Florida in February! Which means I have a very tangible goal to work towards: bikini ready by 2/14! Time to amp up my routine and look amazing in a month and a half! 

What are some of your resolutions? How do you plan to accomplish them?