Mediterranean Diet Inspiration

"Health and intellect are the two blessings of life."-Menander

Breakfast:

• 6 oz. Greek yogurt with ½ cup strawberries, 2 tbs pomegranate seeds, and 1 tsp. honey
• 1 slice whole-grain toast with half mashed avocado

Lunch:

• 1 whole-grain pita with 2 tbsp. hummus and stuffed with 1 cup fresh greens and 2 slices tomatoes
• 1 medium orange

Dinner:

• 3 oz. mahi mahi 
• ½ cup couscous, ½ cup zucchini, 4 spears asparagus, 1 cup kale

Couscous

Asparagus 

Couscous, zucchini, asparagus

Mahi-Mahi

Mahi-Mahi with veggie couscous

Cheers X

Mediterranean Diet

“…There is the heat of Love, the pulsing rush of Longing, the lover’s whisper, irresistible—magic to make the sanest man go mad.” -Homer, The Iliad

Coast of Italy 2013

Lately, I have been looking for a plan to get in shape and to get healthy. After being injured for two months I realized just how important it is to keep my body in good shape and running well. However, I am not the kind of person who is good at following strict diets (I usually fail in the first couple of days). I really am not great when it comes to self-control. I’m the same way with exercise. I get bored easily and have a hard time sticking to a routine of any kind.

Mykonos, Greece 2009

I was doing some research on different types of meal based diets (e.g. paelo, gluten free, low carb, etc) and I was intrigued by one- the Mediterranean Diet. I’ve been to couple Mediterranean countries and I loved everything I ate as well as their way of life. I’ve decided to try and utilize some of the principles of the Mediterranean diet in an attempt to revitalize my body and health.  

Italian Coast 2013

Basics:

• Benefits: It is a balanced diet that can help avoid cancer, diabetes, and heart issues.
• Key Components: Be active and have a diet high in fish, produce, and nuts while limiting red meat, sugar and  saturated fats.

I’ve been scouring the web for advice and information. Here are some of the best tips I’ve found: 

• Always eat breakfast
• Have seafood twice a week
• Have one vegetarian day every week
• Olive oil should be your main source of fat
• Eat red meat only a few times a month (12-16 oz/month)
• Aim to have a few glasses of red wine per week

I plan to start my forage into the Mediterranean on Sunday.

Santorini, Greece 2009

I'll post everything I'm eating at the end of each day!

Cheers X

Fall Beauty Updates

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."- Coco Chanel

As the days get shorter and the night gets longer and the leaves start to change colors, my beauty routine is changing to match the new season. I think it is important to update my normal routines and products to mirror the changes in my environment. 

Skincare: Now the air is drying out it is more important than ever to stay moisturized. 

• Body:
• I am a big fan of Jergens lotion and I am currently using Jergen's Ultra Healing Lotion to combat the dry air of Autumn.
• I also discovered Morroccan Argan Oil which I use after I moisturize and in the shower or bath. It really does give your skin a silky smooth finish.
• Face:
• I have been wanting to try a Clarisonic Facial brush, but I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money. Instead I decided to buy Ulta's Cleansing System. It only costs $25 compared to $150. I used it for the first time yesterday and I could feel a difference immediately. After I take off my makeup I use Neutrogena Illuminating Foamy Cleanser with the brush and I can feel the air in my pores. I think this is a great purchase for anyone who wants to have clean skin and the ability to really exfoliate well. 
• I am also a major proponent of face masks both for skin benefits and the relaxation benefits. I love this Purifying Mud Mask, it goes on bright blue so you can have great William Wallace moments. 

Nails: Dark colors and neutrals all day. My signature color is Haute Couture Red.

Makeup:

• Eye shadow: I  am currently loving Bobbi Brown Chocolate Eye Palette. For mascara I am a dedicated user of Benefit's They're Real! 
• Blush/Bronzers: I am still using Nars's Blush Bronzer Duo in Orgasm and Laguna, but it is an expensive product, so I also am using Physician's Formula: Pressed Bronzer. In the fall, highlighting your face is super important since your summer tan is fading. I use Benefit: High Beam.
• Lips: This fall I am tending towards tinted chapstick. I love Baby Lips in Grape Vine

No Makeup

Foundation + Eyebrow definition 

Finished Product

Hair: My hair was absolutely destroyed from the summer so in order to get ready for fall, I got a haircut! My stylist took around 3 inches of dead ends from my hair and recut some long layers. She also threw in a complimentary deep conditioning treatment to get some life back into my lifeless hair. 

Before

After

• Products:
• KMS Repair Conditioner and Shampoo

Cheers X

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

“To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup.”- Laurie Colwin

It is finally starting to cool down back East. There is a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees. The weather has been inspiring me to be super domestic and home cook most of my meals. When it is dreary and cold out (which I actually love) there is something very comforting about fresh baked goods and home cooked meals. 

The other day I found myself at work with a hankering for Panera's Broccoli Cheddar soup. I've been a fan of their version for a long time, but I didn't really want to go out to the nearest Panera. Instead I decided to try my hand at making my own Brocolli Cheddar from scratch. I found a couple different recipes and ended up combining a couple that I thought sounded best (and were the easiest to make without a full supply of cooking gear). I was absolutely thrilled with the end result. I think this version is excellent (and dare I say better than Paneras). 

What you need:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 pumpkin pie spice
• 2 russet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 3 large carrots shredded 
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

How to Make: 

• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender (5 minutes)

• Whisk in the flour and cook (4 minutes)

• Add the potatoes (1 min) then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth

• Add the chicken broth and pumpkin pie spice and simmer

• Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened (25 minutes)
• Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer (25 minutes)

• Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted (you can add water if the soup is too thick and add flour if it is too thin)

Enjoy!

I enjoyed mine with a giant loaf of crusty sourdough bread and it was perfect. I hope you like it!

Cheers X

Mediterranean Pizza

“First we eat. Then we do everything else”- MFK Fisher

I am not having the best of luck with the whole mobility thing…I strained my hip flexor a couple days after I got the all clear from my doctors about my broken bones. However, I’m so sick of being unable to do things (I’m going stir crazy) so being the incredibly intelligent woman that I am, I decided to do a ridiculous core workout with my roommate.

This was not smart.

I mean, the workout was great and I really need to get back in shape, but this was akin to just learning to swim and deciding the open sea in a hurricane is your best bet for practice. Basically, I am in a lot of pain. So when I got home from work, the last thing I wanted to do was go to the grocery store. My solution was to throw everything I had together and just see what happened. I was very happy with the end result. I ended up making a (relatively) healthy Mediterranean pizza.   

This recipe is based off of what I had, but this entire thing could be customized. You could use pesto or tomato sauce instead of olive oil or goat cheese or feta instead of mozzarella and cheddar. Honestly, the combinations are endless.

What you need:

• Extra-large tortilla
• Shredded cheese
• Onion
• Garlic
• Bell peppers
• Spinach
• Artichoke hearts
• Black olives
• Olive oil

How to make:

• Preheat your oven to 410 degrees
• Spoon a tablespoon of olive oil over your tortilla

• Sprinkle a layer of cheese over your tortilla

• Place spinach evenly throughout your pizza

• Cut up bell peppers, onions, and artichoke hearts and cover your pizza with them

• Crush garlic and season the pizza
• Sprinkle another fine layer of cheese
• Top with black olives and crushed red peppers
  
  
  
  

• Cook for 10 minutes

After cooking my pizza I decided I was done with standing around so I decided to eat mine in my bed. And it was fantastic.

Cheers X