Travel Hangover + a Swiss Birthday

May 19, 2014 By Laura

The hangover is one downside to travel.

Besides the bathrooms on trains.

Coming home is my least favorite part about any vacation. The harsh reality of a travel hangover: waking up without a mountain view, fighting jet lag, and realizing you can no longer subside on bread, cheese, chocolate, and wine. ~~Or can I…?~~

With a sad heart I left Lucie in Zurich on Saturday morning. I had one last espresso (with the little chocolates they always serve them with) and bought a pretzel for the plane ride. I became addicted to “bretzels” on this trip.

Even the creamer is prettier in Switzerland

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Super Clean Eating is Fun

April 7, 2014 By Laura

People turn their noses up at the word “cleanse.”

Yet they embrace the McDonald’s…

This cleanse is my favorite because you can eat. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss peanut butter and meat. However, judging from the way my body has responded, I needed the break. I’ll refrain from the TMI, but let’s just say I’m definitely cleaner!

The other awesome thing about this cleanse is the creativity it inspires. Check out of some the fun stuff I’ve made in the past few days!

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5 Things I Love

February 10, 2014 By Laura

Last week was a long one.

Understatement of the year.

This past weekend I made sure to savour every blissful moment. I took an extra moment to appreciate new product finds, watch my sister’s music video on repeat, and enjoy dinner at a special restaurant for no particular occasion.

In this month of love, I wanted to share a few apples of my eye with you guys! ♥

1. Jojoba Oil

It is saving my skin from winter. My skin is dry in this crazy weather, yet it is also oily in spots and prone to breakouts. Slathering it with oil was a terrifying thought… but I trusted my sister’s advice and gave it a shot. Lo and behold, it works!

I now use Jojoba oil as a nightly moisturizer, along with a bit of tea tree oil on any acne spots. Both can be found at Whole Foods or most natural food stores.

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3 Surprisingly Quick Meals

February 3, 2014 By Laura

A little prep can go a long way.

This is why Sundays are sacred.

If I do my weekly shopping and prep right, I don’t need a detailed meal plan. My preference is to make a bunch of stuff and then figure out what flavors I want to add and how to mix and match it throughout the week. Variety is the best way I know to stay on track. If I’m not interested in what I’m eating, I’m not content.

Here are three meals that I threw together quickly when what I had on hand. They look fancy-ish, but in reality they were incredibly easy (and fun) to make. Who doesn’t think quickies are marvelous? 😉

The incredible, edible egg is one of my favorite breakfasts. This wrap was inspired by a french toast craving on an icy morning, and the fact that I was out of bread.

I kept the stuffing simple with cottage cheese, but you could use Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and any number of spices. Adapt it to your preference, and what you have on hand.

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Mexican Chicken Soup

January 19, 2014 By Laura

The only thing I like better than Indian food is Mexican food.

Depending on the day.

On this MLK Day, I am celebrating equality Mexican-style with soup. After seeing Jenn’s Crock-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, I was craving a batch. Alas, I have no crock-pot and I can’t follow a recipe. This is what resulted:

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Easy Oat Flatbread

January 13, 2014 By Laura

Easy has been the name of the game lately.

Don’t worry, I have something more complex coming.

After a month of holiday party baking and creating, I’m appreciating the simple more and more. I was particularly glad when Heather brought back her Meatless Monday link up with the simplest of ingredients: oats. Simple doesn’t have to mean typical though!

Please ignore my janky nails.

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Brussels and Prosciutto Skewers [Recipe]

January 6, 2014 By Laura

Apparently there’s a Brussels gene.

I got the version that is addicted to them.

For the New Years Eve pairing dinner I co-hosted, I made Brussels and Prosciutto Skewers. People loved them… except I was told by one person that there is a gene (like the cilantro gene) where some people think they taste bitter.

Apparently about 50% of the world has this gene. If you’re not one of those unfortunate people, you’ll love this recipe. (Recipe at the bottom of post.)

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A Relaxing Weekend

November 25, 2013 By Laura

This weekend was relaxing.

My version of relaxing… which is active relaxed.

This was the first weekend in a long time where I didn’t HAVE to do anything productive. I still did lots of things, but it was nice to not have a set agenda.

Friday night I had an impromptu dinner with my mom at local Italian restaurant Double Zero. We had a great time catching up and eating. I hadn’t seen her since my competition!

My favorite dish was the grilled octopus with pancetta hash, asparagus puree, and citrus vinaigrette, but the lamb farro was a close second. It was a smoke and braise lamb shoulder with apricots, figs, fresh ricotta, and a poached egg. Next to all that the beet salad was underwhelming.

This next morning I woke up ravenous, so I threw together some quick pancakes. I am not the Pancake Queen, so I was surprised when they turned out to be quite good!

I posted this Almond-Chocolate Pancake recipe here. The topping was the icing on the (pan)cake. I used Lorann Oils Irish Cream flavor in it!

Then it was off to the gym for a glute workout with some of my teammates. I normally workout solo and forgot how much fun it is to have a gym morning with friends!

After the workout we stood around talking about food (of course), and my friend Rachael revealed she hadn’t been to Whole Foods before! I suggested a post-workout trip and off we went. 2 hours later, we were full of samples and hot bar boxes and Rachael learned why we lovingly call it “Whole Paycheck.” She Instagrammed her finds – have you ever tried any of these items? Black bean pasta and no-salt mustard are awesome!

Saturday night I had a friend date with Kat. I’ve been looking forward to catching up with her for weeks! We talked and laughed for hours. You know those friends who just “get” you? That’s Kat.

We ate at the bar at Kimball House. Their cocktail program is incredible! Their take on a Manhattan used cola bitters – coolest thing ever! The food was ok… I’d go back for a pre-dinner drink or a nightcap.

Their take on a Manhattan with cola bitters, sautéed mushroom salad, and beef tartar

I took an “artsy” shot! Sort of:

Sunday was a beautiful day in Atlanta. It was sunny and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky! I decided to go for a run and enjoy the weather… as soon as I stepped outside I realized that – despite the sun – it was in the 30s. About a mile into it I thawed out and enjoyed myself.

I love the trees with the red leaves. They look like they’re on fire!

When I returned I had a lot to do in the kitchen. All fun creations! It was kombucha-brewing day. I have been brewing my own for over a year now. It’s really easy, especially if you have a starter kit (you need a “mother” called a scoby). Mine was from Brooklyn Kombucha, but you could also beg a friend who brews for a scoby.

This week’s flavors are cranberry-ginger-lemon and blackberry-lemon-mint.

I also did some baking for the Sunday evening end of season party at my training gym, House of Payne. I’ll share my #strangebugood brownie recipe next week. 😉

This is what happens when a bunch of competitors get together for a post-season party. It’s ok… we’re bulking…

There were plenty of green veggies, clean sweet potato casseroles, and protein. That pic just wasn’t as much fun.

I am so thankful to have found Steve and his gym. This group of competitors is top-notch. Everyone is kind and always willing to lend a hand. They are funny, genuine people who I am proud to be associated with.

Linking up to Katie’s MIMM again – I’d say this “relaxing” weekend was pretty marvelous!

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I’m 100% enjoying food freedom again. Bulking season is my favorite.

When was the last time you had an agenda-free weekend?

Have you been to Whole Foods? Do you remember your first time?