sambaFRESH cleanse. I DID IT!!!!!

Two weeks ago I completed the 3 day, #614sfcleanse with sambaFRESH.  When I say completed, I mean, I actually did it.  6 organic pure pressed 16 oz juices only for 3 days (water and green tea as you like). Unless you count licking the peanut butter off my spoon while fixing sandwhichs for the kids a total deal breaker:/  This is an amazing accomplishment for anyone but ESPECIALLY ME!! You guys, I am not exagerrating when I say I have NO will power when it comes to food. Like none. I've been known to eat vats of Nutella, a whole Mrs. Goodman's cake & the Double Cheeseburger meal from McDonalds. This girl loves to eat. That's not to say I always eat crap. Avocado is my fav, sushi is the norm & I have even been drinking "juice" from Kroger. So I thought I knew what juice was like.

Green juice=gross, fruity pink ones=good, right?  Boy was I ever wrong. The fact that I made it 3 days drinking only juice is a testament to the amazing quality of organic, pure pressed juices. I rarely felt  hungry because my body was waaaay more hydrated than normal & receiving tons of vitamins & nutrients in one of the purest forms. Sure, I got really Hangry after seeing a Burger King commercial ( I don't even like BK) but that is to be expected. So much of diet & exercise are mind over matter. The 3 day cleanse for me was no different.
It helps that 5 of the 6 juices I had each day tasted like amazingly delicious desserts. Even the green one!!! I am serious you guys, I am still craving sambaFresh.  My favorite was, SOL, carrot, pear, orange apple & lime. I could drink this orange beauty for breakfast EVERY DAY!  After the cleanse I went in to samba and realized you can taste tons of the juices. DO IT because they are delish, with the added benefit of hydration, glowy skin, & tons of energy. If you're interested in the cleanses check out some of the packages here. I did the rainbow & loved it. Added bonus? My work pants that are normally booty tight, seemed to fit better. Maybe I forgot to put them in the dryer or maybe I was way less bloated? I'm guessing it was a combo of both!!

I mentioned 5 out of 6 were delish. Here is where I confess that I was not a perfect cleanser. When I picked up my juice I should have checked out the Detox ingredients before I left. If I had, I would have switched to Detox 4 which doesn't have habenero peppers. If it tasted bad I could have just chugged it but the spiciness was a deal breaker for me. Just couldn't get it down.
Let me say it again. If I can do it YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! Here are a few tips to make your cleanse as successful as possible.

1. Schedule the cleanse during a time you know you'll have busy days. This will help keep your mind off of food & make the days go quickly. Do not schedule lunch meetings, dinner dates or brunch. Your will power is not that strong.

2. Make sure you work with the sambaFresh staff to get the cleanse that will work best for you. Esp your Detox Juice. My friend Sarah & I hanging out w Dave, one of sambaFRESH's super sweet & juicy employees.

3. Bring an icy cooler with all your juice, except maybe dinner. The first day I had one juice for breakfast before work and only packed 2 additional juices. By 3pm I was DYING. Luckily I work for myself & could run home to get my juice. The next two days I brought all my juice with me.
4. Don't watch regular TV. Snuggle in and watch Netflix (have you streamed The Killing?) to avoid those nasty food commercials. Then perhaps you can avoid getting super hangry & wanting to strangle everyone around you.
5. Plan on going to bed early. I usually had my dinner juice, Proteina (YUMMM) by 5pm. Watched a few shows & went to bed pretty much as soon as the kids did. I'm a snacker & it was the best way to check myself before I wrecked myself!!!!!
 6. You may want to unfriend some of your foodie friends on IG. Just for a few days. Again, my will power is not strong enough to stare at Kitties Cakes & Sassafras Bakery all day. For realz!!!
7. Don't put TOO much pressure on your self. Dinner time was the hardest for me. I'd sail through the day & then have to fix my kiddos dinner. It was hard. I totally licked the knife. Who cares, I'm not perfect & don't want to be. If you are feeling overwhelmed or your body is demanding food. Go ahead & modify. Check out Girl About Columbus' (Amanda) post here. She modified a bit & still killed the cleanse.

What I'm Doing Now

Obsessed with this banner, especially these colors. The WHOLE vibe, I could totally create Thanksgiving around this. Find it here.

Next week I'm heading to New Orleans for a quick work trip & CAN NOT WAIT to explore the city. My parents lived there in the late 70's when they first got married. They go back as often as they can for there anniversary which happens to fall on Cinco De Mayo, Jazz Fest time in NOLA.  Some of my favorite bloggers checked out NOLA recently & posted some good recommendations. Here. Here.

Photo Credit: Rusty Costanza, The Times-Picayune archive
Since I'll be traveling I need some good book recommendations. Anyone? Anyone? I've already got Wonder from the library & was hoping to get the 2nd book in the Divergent Series, Allegiant, but it always seems to be checked out. Yes i know it's old school to actually check out books as opposed to using an EReader. I'm not tech savvy people. Plus I love the library & will never give it up!!!!

Butternut Squash is one of my favs. I saw these from the Pioneer Woman yesterday & they look so easy (and yummy) I think I could even make them!!!!

Photo Credit: The Pioneer Woman
Mia & I have been planning our weekend. So far we've decided on hot chocolate w marshmallows, story time at the library & this mornign she said she wants to do a "project." She loves to sit on my lap & scroll through Pinterest. These are pretty cute!!!! Find these & more crafts here.

Peach Strawberry Basil Smoothie

I had been looking forward to the Food Truck Festival forever. Sooooo inevitably my kid gets sick, right? Like seriously, up all nite with croup sick. I do not recommend!!  If I had made it to the festival I would have been looking for a smoothie truck. Perhaps there would have been a Peach Strawberry Basil smoothie?  Here is my version, Wesley & mama tested & approved!

2 ripe peaches
6 strawberries
1 large basil leaf
2 Tbs Cream of Coconut ( I use Goya found in the Thai section at Gian Eagle)
1 c water
10 ice cubes
Blend
We use the Nutribullet & are obsessed at the EASY clean up!!!!!!!
While I was pretending to be at the Food Truck Festival I may have also eaten a whole pizza, a giant ice cream sundae & a root beer float. Hopefully I can roll myself to the gym on Monday!!!

Lately to curb my chocolate cravings (when I'm not pretending to be at the Food Truck Festival) I make this amazing Chocolate Banana Almond Butter Smoothie.
1 Frozen Banana
1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbs Almond Butter (I want to try Justin's maple Almond but its like $13 a jar)
2 Tbs Cream of Coconut (Doesn't make it coconutty, just adds sweetness)
1 c unsweetened coconut milk
10 ice cubes
Blend

Here's Mia's carrot mango smoothie too!
SO DELICIOUS!!!!

Vegan Friendly Chili & the Cutest Gpa Sweater

I volunteered to make dinner on Saturday, a rarity for sure. When I told Damon what was on the menu......he ordered pizza. HAHA No hard feelings, more for me & I got to add mushrooms.  DELICIOUS Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili adapted from this recipe at The Simple Veganista .  I'll spare you pictures of the ugly quinoa. Here's Mims enjoying th 50 degree warm up. How adorable is this Gap sweater I snagged at OUAC?  She's gna steal your grandpa's style...

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
• 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
  
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 large sweet pototo, diced (with or without the skin...I leave the skin on)
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 box sliced baby bellas YUMMMM
• 5 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (my new obsession)
• 1  tablespoons chili powder (lowered amount bc I was afraid of over powering the potato)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• a few dashes of garlic powder
• a few dashes of onion powder
• sea salt to taste
• 4 cups (32 oz) vegetable broth
• Serve w/ avocado & sprinkle w cilantro 

In large pot heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and they start to turn brown. Add garlic, cook for another minute or so. Add  tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder, cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, liquids, beans, mushrooms and sweet potato, stir until combined. Add quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

We've been using the Melissa & Doug responsibility chart to practice manners & such. She got a little confused but was sooooo proud!!  "Mom, can I get a smiley face for using my imagination today? Sure, baby what did you do? I said Please & Thank you." HAHA There may have also been an unfortunate raking incident with her unicorn. "Mom, my crouch hurts..." 

She Eats

Mia has always been a great, adventurous eater. Put something, anything really, in front of her & she would try it. I attribute this to using baby led weaning methods as early as 8 months (Thanks Esther:)

As we approach 2 I'm noticing her sweet teeth erupting. I'm her mama therefore she has sweet teeth not a sweet tooth!! She comes by it honestly!!!!   Now that were out at birthday parties, play groups, etc. she is being exposed to different, not so healthy things as well. She knows what McDonald's is, for goodness sake.  That being said, at home I am trying to satisfy her sweet tooth with healthier versions of ice cream, pudding & milkshakes.  My favorite site for these recipes is The Diva Dish!!!  I can't wait to try her homemade ice cream.   Since smoothies are SOOOO simple we started our morning w a yummy Pina Colada concoction I found on Pinterest. I added chia seeds for extra omega-3s. I told Mia it was a milkshake & gave her a cute straw to eat it with. She was sold!!!!!! P.S She calls straws knives....kind of frightening:/

Watch, Listen, Yum

With all of our shows on winter break we've been streaming Homeland. We are just starting the 2nd season & officially hooked. I also caught up on the last few seasons of Dexter, which was delightful in a twisted serial killer kind of way!!!

A few days ago I was driving, listening to my XM & switched on the Margaritville channel. Strangely Dave Matthews Band Satellite was on. I think it was a tribute to Dave's birthday!!! I had forgotten how much I love the sound of DMB & what a great album this is!!!!! Thanks Jimmy Buffet for reminding me!!

Mia & i shared a bag of Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Risottto & WE WANT MORE!!!  I think a trip to TJs might be in order this weekend.

Our Weekend

In photos of course:)

1. We've been watching tons of the London Olympics. Here is the finish of the women's marathon.

2. Mama got a sweet flower from a father daughter walk. 3. Quiche is the perfect baby finger food I tell ya. Check out some yummy recipes here!!! A great way to hide tons of veggies & chia seeds!! 

 4. Exploring 5. Swinging 6. & 7. Walking & Walking & Walking!!!!!

8. & 9. Spoon Me Yogurt bar fun. Mama, daddy & Gma had yogurt, poor Mimi got jipped & got fruit!!! 7. At Aquarium Adventures. Daddy really wants a fish tank. My only request, a sea horse!!!

Our Weekend

Needless to say way better then running like a faucet, screaming baby LAST weekend.

1. Mia's favorite sleeping companion, Cookie.  2. Ellie had a photo shoot for some of the items in my soon to open Etsy shop:) 3. Playdate with Ada & Esther!! 4 Butternut Squash, Ricotta & Sage Pizza. I MADE THAT:) 5. Nerdy Good Will find. 6. Walking w daddy at the Farmer's Market. She walked dthe most this weekend that she ever has!!!!

We regretted not taking a photo of the yummy fruit tart we had at La Chatelaine:(  Also saw Batman Rises, & it was AWESOME.  Below is the recipe for a yummy the yummy. I was trying to cook FAST while distracting Mia w a cookie so I may have (definitely) added too much sage. I didn't even measure,  just chopped and added everthing i had..OOOOps. Also used  a bagged pizza crust, just added some chia seeds & olive oil into the mix.

Butternut Squash, Sage & Ricotta Pizza

: source

Ingredients

• 1  butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled
• 1  small yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings
• 3  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  1-pound package refrigerated pizza dough
• 1  tablespoon  cornmeal
• 1  tablespoon  fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2  cup  fresh ricotta

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice into 1-inch chunks. Place the squash and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil, season with the salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Increase oven temperature to 450° F. Roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick. Clean the baking sheet and sprinkle it with the cornmeal. Place the dough on top. Scatter the squash and onion mixture over the dough, sprinkle with the thyme, and add dollops of the ricotta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes

Hers & His

Damon & I are as different as night & day. Literally...he prefers night, I prefer day!!  Remember Virgo vs. Pisces?  The one thing we do have in common? We love to EAT!!!  Pizza specifically.  Even then he goes for the margherita. I go for mushroom & gorgonzola. They were both delicious!! Mile 229 for the win!!!

Post Script This is the same nite as Food Truck Festival. It's a miracle that we don't weigh 700lbs.

Post Post Script Damon didn't eat at the Food Truck Festival bc he's kind of a germaphob.

Post Post Post Script Don't be mad I called you a germaphob, I only mean it a little!!!

Food Truck Festival

Last nite was the 2nd Annual Food Truck Festival at the Columbus Commons.  It was AWESOME!!!!! I'm already excited for next year!! I hit the Cheesy Truck for a delicious grill cheese w creamy English Cotswald & smoked bacon. Delicious. Then it was on to Go Cupcakes. Mint chocolate & Carmel Pecan were amazing.  I always thought living in NYC for year & really learning the city would be so cool. Finding delicious food trucks would definitely be part of my weekly routine. Signing off wishing again that I was Carrie Bradshaw:)

Beach Bum Dream

How amazingly adorable are these drift wood "houses" from Mareth at Lime Riot??? I had never even heard of Elmers Paint Pens until i stumbled on this cute project here. Now I want to run out & buy some immediately. Then move to the beach where there is lots of drift wood available, & hopefully a free baby sitter who can keep my almost 15 month old from eating and/or rubbing sand in her eyes.  While i'm dreaming , how about someone delivering fresh pina coladas while we are painting & beach side basking...Yes PLEASE!!!

:source

If you google Worlds Best Pina Colada recipe this is what comes up:)

6 oz Bacardi black rum
8 oz Coco Lopez cream of coconut
8 oz pineapple juice
1 pineapple wedge

Green Jeans & Green Drinks

I have a confession. I like the band wagon. I'm slooooow to jump on but, I admit it. I like it up there!!  Two trends I crave right this minute are, YuMMy Green Drinks ANNNND, drum roll, no eye roll , please, COLORED JEANS. Yes they were super popular in 8th grade & NO i didn't have a pair. The closest I came was a pair of white Levis. Yet, the attraction has always been there. TRUE STORY, I saw a girl wearing green jeans in my 9th grade Algebra class & immediately knew I wanted to be be her friend. Fast forward 17 years later I can promise you she will not be jumping on the colored jean band wagon BUT I hope she gets a little nolstagic as I bust out my new pink bisou bisous, a sweet $4 thrift store find!!! Love you Ber Ber.

Ok, back to the Green Drinks.  Red Velvet cupcakes are my current obsession so this recipe from THE DIVA DISH (who I LOVE) looks super yummy. She has an AWESOME post on Green Drinks here!!

        Red Velvet Smoothie

1 C. non dairy milk

1 medium beet peeled, steamed, and chopped

1/3 c. frozen raspberries, cherries, or strawberries

1 frozen banana

4 TB. cocoa powder

4 pitted dates

1 TB. chia seeds

2 tsp. sweetener of choice

1 tsp. vanilla

I was also browsing super KI scrapbooker Jaime Waters & she posted this recipe, from here.  Sounds tasty.        

Weekend Fun Times

 1. I got some yummy Kale at the Farmer's Market & tried my hand at Kale Chips. YUM!!
***Break kale into bite size pieces.  Toss in Olive Oil. Sprinkle with  Parmesan cheese & sea salt. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. I stirred the chips half way to prevent burning!!

2. Breakfast, Peonies & Kisses at the Farmers Market. Polka Dot Silk Tank Franchescas, Sunnies H&M. 3. Play Date with Gavin. 4. Working on Mia's First Year Shutterfly book!!