WIAW – Smoothies on the brain

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Between smoothies in the morning and banana ice cream at night I can’t keep bananas on my kitchen counter long enough!

I’ve been making a smoothie every day for breakfast recently because they are refreshing, easy to transport to work and filling!

Here are some variations of what I have been making recently:

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I always start with a banana and almond milk and add a combination of the following:

Frozen mango

Frozen blueberries

Kale

Spinach

Ginger

Nut butter

Chia seeds

Protein powder

What do you love to put in your smoothies?

WIAW – with a sprinkle of stress on top

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As I said earlier this week, change is stirring in the air, and along with the aroma of excitement, the taste of stress has creeped in.

Taking a leap and leaving the safety of the usual day-to-day is a great way to truly find yourself. To grow you need to rise up to challenges that push you to stretch your comfort zone and break posts in what you thought were the fences of your world.

There are plenty of hours where I playfully daydream about the wonderful adventures that are to come, but yesterday was filled with stressful logistical planning and and emotional strain. And while the actual changes in my life will certainly shape me, the journey planning these shifts is almost education enough.

I’m sorry to be so vague about everything and there will come a time to reveal all, but for now I am sure you can all relate to simply growing up and all that comes with it. Of course as a growing girl I need to be properly nourished and after a hard day I decided to make a homey meal of turkey sauce and brown rice pasta:

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Nice and simple: sauté some broccoli, mix in some ground turkey, add some spices of your choice (oregano and garlic) and tomato sauce. I served mine with some brown rice pasta and spinach :)

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Food to warm the soul and soothe growing pains.

What are some of your latest challenges?

Time to break out the summer food

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Well it’s not exactly time for barbecues,  but it’s never too early to break out the breakfast smoothie. As the smell in the air grows crisper and the ground thaws with the touch of the sun, I think it’s appropriate to make a fruity and refreshing morning meal.

Yesterday I broke out the frozen fruit and even went out on a limb and added my first chia seeds to my smoothie.

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Blend: almond milk, frozen mangos, frozen blueberries, one banana, spinach and Chia seeds.

The end result is sadly a dingy hue of bleh, but it’s mighty tasty and quite filling!

What do you like to put in your smoothies?

Long time no blog

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I am SO sorry for not being here.

I am gearing up for some big changes in my life and have neglected one of my favorite friends, my blog. I have been selfish, busy and lazy and have failed to share my ideas and adventures, which has left me feeling a bit empty. I love curling up on the couch, wrapping up in a blanket and spilling my day over the keyboard, so I promise this is my return.

Some of these big changes I cannot share at this time, but I promise  if you continue reading over the next few weeks (and yes, I will be writing more) you will find out all about the new paths in my life. 

I last posted right before I headed off for a lovely week-long spring break with my family and my boyfriend Dave!

Our time was filled with lots of family

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and friendsIMG_1486and I can’t believe that time has come and gone already!

Leading up to this spring break I was praying for each hour to move faster so that I could finally be on vacation, but once that time was upon me I was grasping at every minute to try and slow time down.

Unfortunately, no matter how many times I attempt to manipulate time, that clock still ticks by at the same rate every minute. I am trying to appreciate every moment that I have, whether it is where I want to be or not, but of course that is easier said than done.

Because big changes are hovering in the not so distant future I have decided to practice patience and revel in the time I have now. And of course, what better way to appreciate the now than by posting on this very blog. So there you have it. I will be back soon with reflections on the present – happy Monday!

WIAW – restaurant style

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I have had a few visitors over the past couple of weeks and while I love cooking for guests, I certainly prefer to dine out at fun and delicious San Francisco joints. So if you ever find yourself in the bay area (especially in my neighborhood by the water) you wont be disappointed by these few favorites below:

Pacific Catch

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With only a few seats, taking out is a great way to enjoy your fill of fresh fish and scrumptious sides. My favorite are the sweet potato fries, they are as sweet as candy but you feel slightly better eating them knowing that it’s a vegetable.

Fish

If you find yourself in Marin meandering around the shops in Sausalito, make your way to Fish on the water. With a great view, outdoor seating and plenty of daily catch to meet your fancy, this lunch spot is not to be missed. The fish is so good that their most popular crowd pleaser is fish over a bed of salad. The fish speaks for itself.

Ace Wasabi

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Sushi. I could live on Japanese food for the rest of my life and be happy (and probably have mercury poisoning). Ace has a friendly atmosphere. It’s a neighborhood sushi joint, if one is lucky enough to have a neighborhood sushi joint.

Blue Barn

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Local, farm fresh, seasonal food all dressed up in delectable salad combinations. Plus the take out box is adorable!

Tacolicious

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The name says it all. It’s unfortunate that their salsa is so delicious and they refuse to sell it by the jar. I vow every time to remember tupperware to take home my leftovers….

Please let me know when you try these places and feel free to invite me along if you’re here ;)

WIAW – some eats from the week

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The past few days have been filled with delicious food – some prepared at the hands of others and some cooked chez moi.

The weekend was busy with good friends and adventures including,

some sushi

IMG_1436(Going out for sushi is never complete unless I get to enjoy a seaweed salad as well)

Some homemade cocktails

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(a few beautiful views found their way into my weekend as well)

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Views from the Land’s End Trail in San Francisco

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A childhood indulgence to get me through Monday

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some sun and a good read to nourish my body and soul on my lunch break

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And a heartwarming Sunday dinner of wine, spaghetti squash and chicken

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I marinated some chicken breasts in a plastic bag for a few hours with balsamic dressing and then cooked it in the oven. While the chicken was cooking I poked the squash with a knife several times over and then cooked it in the microwave until the outside became squishy to the touch. Then mixed the chicken, some broccoli and the shredded squash together with some pepper and a small bit of smart balance – yum!

What have you been eating?