Month: December 2014

Chicago

chicago-20Healthy eating while traveling is easy as pie when you have Larabar! These are my go-to portable travel snacks because they are a gluten-free blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts, and spices – made from whole foods. Each flavor contains no more than nine ingredients, is minimally processed, and are as close to their natural state as possible. Their “Pie” flavors come in Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Apple, PieCoconut Cream Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Cherry Pie!
chicago-1I went to visit Matt for a few days while he was on the Jingle Ball tour in Chicago.
chicago-7Beanie: Ebay (color: navy)   |  Jacket: Nasty Gal  |   Leggings: Zella  |  Boots: Stuart Wizeman (also here)
Had to take a photo at The Bean in Millennium Park!
chicago-4Jacket: Nasty Gal  |  Mittens: H&M  Bag: Goyard GM Tote 

I’ve heard about DAVID’s Tea for years and I finally got to visit a store while I was in Chicago. t did not disappoint at all. I seriously spent an hour in there, bought Christmas gifts for all of my friends, and made Matt walk back two days in a row so I could get a “Forever Nuts” tea latte each day! Their branding and stores are soon cute! Love the bright teal color of the cups!
chicago-2Matt holding all of my DAVID’s Tea! haha.
chicago-5Matt and I were walking down the street and did a full on double take when we saw a sign in front of Starbucks that said “BEER.” Say what? Beer? At Starbucks? We walking in to check it out…
chicago-6Lo and behold they serve wine & cheese, and bacon wrapped dates at this Starbucks location after 2pm! We definitely don’t have this at any of the Starbucks locations in Southern California by my house!
chicago-13We stopped by Whole Foods to pick up Sandwiches for lunch, and I was pleasantly surprised to see nutritional yeast at the salad bar! I love putting nutritional yeast on my salads for a vegan “cheese” option, but not all Whole Foods have nutritional Yeast at their salad bars. It’s the little things!
chicago-8One night we met up with our friends Kevin & Ali, and Josiah, and went to a blues bar! The following is what happens when I say “lets take a photo!”
chicago-9 chicago-10 chicago-11 chicago-14chicago-22On the last night of my trip was The Jingle Ball show. Love getting to hangout with my little nugget Shawn!
chicago-17chicago-18Iggy is seriously too cute, and that booty is insane. I need to start doing more squats.
chicago-19chicago-15Snow in Chicago!
chicago-21Beanie: Ebay (color: mustard)   |  Jacket: Nasty Gal

Health & Happiness
xo-CatherineI am currently in Seattle and on my way to Toronto, Seattle photos coming up next!

Vegan Eggnog

Vegan-Eggnog-5Copper Mule Mug:  Sur La Table

Vegan-Eggnog-1Vitamix 750: Sur La Table (on sale)

Vegan-Eggnog-2 Vegan-Eggnog-3 Vegan-Eggnog-4Copper Mule Mug:  Sur La Table

December has been FLYING by. I cannot believe that 2014 is coming to an end. I just arrived home on Friday from visiting Matt while he was on tour in Chicago, and hosted my annual Ugly Sweater party the next night (Saturday). Photos to come : )

I am I am so so so so so excited because (drumroll please) today I finished my Christmas shopping! I started off overly eager online holiday shopping before Thanksgiving this year and then as soon as mid December rolled around I was more behind than anyone I knew! How the heck does that even happen?! Today I conquered Target (twice) and Ikea. It was no easy feat, but I took the furthest parking spots away and “hoofed it” as my mom would say, battled the crowds, survived the lengthy lines, and conquered Christmas shopping! WOHOO!!!

One of my favorite things in the world is giving gifts. I never ask my friends of family for lists – not because I want to get them random things, but because I listen to them all year long and compile a little secret list and surprise them when Christmas comes around. Gift giving is kind of my thing. I will do anything to get the perfect gift for someone, a la Arnold Schwarzenegger looking for TurboMan in “Jingle All the Way” (such a good movie)! It gives me so much joy to see my friends and family excited and surprised when they open gifts. There’s nothing like it!
Anyone else finish their Christmas shopping already?!

Now that the shopping talk is done, it’s time to cozy up by the fire, watch christmas movies, and sip on some vegan egg-less nog!

Traditional eggnog is filled with sugar, heavy cream, and egg yolk, which equals tons of saturated fat and cholesterol – yikes! Of course you can buy vegan eggnog in stores, but most of them contain loads of refined sugar. This eggnog recipe is made from whole plant based foods (with the exception of rum extract!) and natural sugars from Medjool dates!

You might ask, isn’t this recipe a little heavy on the fat (nuts)? Yes, it’s definitely a treat, but the fats from nuts are healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).

Why are MUFAs good for you?
Monounsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood which can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Research also shows that these good-for-you fats may even target body fat where it’s hardest to lose – in your belly! Eat fat to lose fat! Good fat, that is!

Vegan Eggnog
By Chef AJ
Serves 4

3 cups almond milk
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp rum extract
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Ground nutmeg & cinnamon sticks for garnish

Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy. Best when served cold.

Healthy Happy Holidays,
xo-Catherine

Dole Spinach Hummus & Pita Christmas Trees + Giveaway

Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-10Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-1 Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-4Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-2 Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-3Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-5 Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-6 Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-8 Dole-Christmas-Tree-Spinach-Hummus-Pita-9Seasons green-ings little bunnies! Christmas is approaching and it’s time to think outside of the box, I mean bowl (salad bowl, that is!) for creative healthy holiday appetizers! I created these adorable Christmas tree appetizers out of pita bread, pretzel sticks, homemade spinach hummus (made with Dole Baby Spinach), and red bell peppers as decorations. There is no cooking required, which makes it a win in my book, plus they’re great for kids and adults. These adorable little appies will be the talk of any holiday party! Lettuce celebrate! ha ha ha!

Dole Spinach Hummus & Pita Christmas Trees
Makes about 1 1/4 cup of hummus
Each pita round makes 8 “trees”

Dole Spinach Hummus
2 cups Dole Baby Spinach, packed
1 cup chickpeas
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp tahini
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 – 1 whole clove garlic
pinch of sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until evenly mixed. Scrape down the sides of food processor with a spatula occasionally if needed.

Christmas Trees
whole grain pita bread
pretzel sticks
1 red bell pepper

Cut each round of pita bread into 8 triangles. Gently poke a pretzel stick into the bottom end of each pita using a twisting motion. Spread a thin layer of spinach hummus on each piece of pita. Thinly slice and chop the bell pepper into small pieces and decorate the pita trees (like tinsel or garland).

For more healthy holiday recipes, try Dole’s Laurel RougeWinter Citrus SaladButternut Hummus Tartine with Parmesan, and Green Pancakes with Pear-Lime Relish!

Health & Happiness
xo-Catherine

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Must use a valid email address to enter. Must be a US resident to enter. Giveaway ends on Sunday, December 21st at 11:59 PM (PST).
1 winner will be randomly selected and announced on Monday, December 22nd.

This post has been sponsored by Dole. I received compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

Siggi’s Yogurt Breakfast Bark

Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-9

I am so excited to partner with siggi’s Icelandic-style strained yogurt for this colorful, creative healthy breakfast recipe! I remember the first time I saw siggi’s on the shelf at Whole Foods. In a refrigerated aisle filled with cups of yogurt, siggi’s adorable minimalist recyclable packaging definitely stood out to me, so of course I bought it – totally based on looks (although the nutrition stats were pretty awesome as well)! Go ahead and judge siggi’s by their super awesome packaging, because their product is just as amazing on the inside as it is on the outside! Just like their motto states “simple ingredients, not a lot of sugar.”

“In fact, every container of siggi’s yogurt contains more protein than sugar. siggi’s products do not contain any artificial preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, flavors or colors and is made with milk from cows not treated with rGBH.” -siggi’s

What is “Skyr” or Icelandic Yogurt?
Skyr, pronounced “skeer,” is the traditional yogurt of Iceland. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey, the water naturally found in milk, is then strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier, concentrated yogurt. So to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.

Want to try Siggi’s?
Find siggi’s in a store near you with their store locator!

Want to save on siggi’s?
Save $1 on your purchase of 2 siggi’s yogurt cups with a coupon (located at the top right of their website)

Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-1 Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-2 Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-3 Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-4 Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-6Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-7Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-5 Siggis-Icelandic-Yogurt-Breakfast-Bark-8I love siggi’s recyclable packaging. The outer label is removable so it can be recycled separately from the plastic – so clever!

For today’s recipe, I used a 5.3 oz container of siggi’s Vanilla, which has only 100 calories 0g fat, 14g protein, and 9g sugar. I love love love the Madagascar bourbon vanilla used in this flavor. You can see flecks of real vanilla bean in the yogurt, and the flavor is just magical!

With thick creamy Icelandic-style yogurt, sweet pomegranate seeds, and crunchy pistachios, this breakfast bark has the perfect combination of salty and sweet, plus an added punch of protein and antioxidants to start your morning off right!

There is minimal prep, plus it’s easy to store! Keep extra breakfast bark on hand for mornings when you’re short on time or as a healthy snack option.

siggi’s Yogurt Pomegranate Pistachio Breakfast Bark
Serves 1-2

1  5.3 oz container siggi’s Vanilla Yogurt
2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
2 Tbsp pistachios, crushed

Mix ingredients together in siggi’s container until well combined. Line a baking sheet or small freezer safe pan with wax paper. Spread the yogurt mixture out onto wax paper evenly (about 1/4 inch thick). Freeze uncovered overnight. In the morning remove from the baking sheet and cut or break into small piece and eat cold. Store extra pieces in a freezer safe container.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown:
Produce: pomegranate seeds
Whole Grain: none (would be great with 1/4 cup rolled oats mixed in!)
Protein: siggi’s yogurt
Plant Based Fat: pistachios

Next time you’re in a morning rush about to have a meltdown; relax, open the freezer, grab some breakfast bark, and avoid being hangry at all costs!

For more creative recipes using siggi’s, visit their website!

Health & Happiness
xo-Catherine

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siggi’s rather delicious yogurts with simple ingredients and not a lot of sugar.
Try delicious flavors like vanilla, pumpkin & spice, and mixed berries & açai, power up your breakfast with their recipes and print a coupon.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of siggi’s Dairy. The opinions and text are all mine.

Strawberry Banana Candy Cane

Strawberry-Banana-Candy-CaneI am all about cute healthy snack ideas, and this one is is sure to please kids and adults! It would be a super cute holiday breakfast for little ones, or a fun festive setup for a chocolate fondue date night with friends or loved ones! All you need are freshly sliced strawberries and bananas!

I cannot believe how quickly Christmas is approaching! I’ve been doing pretty much all of my Christmas shopping online this year, and I cannot wait to give my family and friends their gifts because I feel like I totally nailed it! Have you gotten close to finishing (or starting!) your holiday shopping?!

So on Sunday, Matt came home from a month on tour (he has been on the road since Nov 1st)! I drove down to San Diego to see him and get lunch with his parents before he left again 4 hours later for the Jingle Ball tour! I thought you guys would get a good laugh from this photo we took. Full “Grumpy Cat” face (perfect that my nickname is Cat), latched onto his leg at San Diego International Airport, haha.

Matt-and-Cat-airportBeanie: Ebay (color: mustard)  |  Sweater: Forever 21  |  Leggings: Zella  |  Boots: Stuart Wizeman (also here)

Health & Happinessxo-Catherine

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