A few years ago I visited my cousins at the beach house they were renting for summer vacation.
We were having a little lunchtime potluck, and so I decided to whip up a healthy and refreshing Greek quinoa salad since we’d be in the hot sun most of the day.
Well apparently, my cousin Ryan has been thinking about that simple side dish since that day, and so for this year’s beach trip repeat, I made that same salad. Continue reading
Apple crisp has always been one of my favorite recipes. Tia, a fellow friend of mine, made a batch of apple crisp last week and ever since I saw her post, I’ve been craving it! I really wanted to be able to bake something today, but when I took a peek at my pantry inventory, I realized that I didn’t have much at the moment. But I did have a few things, including a little bit of coconut flour, two bags of Swerve sweetener with about 1/4 left in each bag, some flaxseed meal, about 1/2 cup of walnuts, 6 gala apples, and an almost-too-ripe-to-use lemon.
I can work with that! Continue reading
Disclosure: I received free product and compensation because of a partnership with Envy Apples, Publix, and the Tampa Bay Bloggers. All delicious thoughts and words are my own.
Actually, I wanted the title to be “Fluffy and buttery almond flour waffles topped with sweet carmelized sliced Envy apples, toasted pecans, and a drizzle of warm apple cinnamon tea glaze” but that was a little wordy. 😉 Continue reading
September 1st marks the beginning of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, followed by October, which we all know is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Have you had your annual well-woman exam this year?
Are you doing monthly breast self-exams? Continue reading
For years I was a member of a gym that focused on group workouts based on high intensity interval training that I absolutely loved. I loved the coaches. I loved the members. I loved the workout, the energy, the challenge, the atmosphere- all of it. For years that place made me feel stronger, faster, and was the first place to support me in becoming the person I am today. They helped me follow my dream to be able to run, and push my body to do more and be more. And I was so grateful for those experiences.
But sometime around November of 2018, those feelings changed. Instead of feeling strong, the workout itself had started to feel really hard on my body, and I even endured some injuries along the way. But as I continued to work on my health goals and get stronger, I wanted to do more. I wanted to go faster and go longer distances on treadmill. I wanted to use heavier weights. I wanted to do more and be more. But the more I pushed, the more I injured myself. My mind and its desire to do more was competing with my body- and my body couldn’t keep up. Feeling this way brought on a lot of internal pressure, and injuries pulled me away from workouts for long spurts of time while I healed. That internal pressure caused me to view exercise as a burden, instead of a blessing. I no longer looked to it as a source of strength. It was a source of setback and disappointment instead. Continue reading
Happy Noche Buena!
Today is our Christmas, as our family celebrates Noche Buena, or the Good Night (read all about our Christmas traditions here on this post).
So tonight is allllll about food, fun, friends, and family!
I’m currently working on finishing up the Lechon Asado (roast pork), made with mojo, which is an amazing marinade of garlic, sour oranges, and oregano… which is making our home smell AH-mazing. My godmother is prepping the black beans, yucca, and her world famous salad (which she says no one can have the recipe to until she has it carved on her tombstone), the rice is fluffy, my dad picked up the Cuban bread from the infamous LaSegunda bakery here in Tampa, and we even have a tray of green bean casserole courtesy of my friend Nayra. We also have cousins bringing desserts and appetizers- when I say Noche Buena is alll about the food, I mean it! Continue reading
I love berries, let me tell you.
They’re sweet, juicy, flavorful, versatile, AND low carb/low sugar!
Continue reading
Happy Fourth of July!
Need a last minute summer snack to whip up for a party or picnic? Try these SUPER simple sweet, sour and spicy quick pickles!
These pickles are SO flavorful, with just the right balance of sweet and sour- with a little kick at the end from some spice. They can be ready is as little as 2 hours and will last 2-3 weeks in an air-tight container in the fridge. You can use whatever type of cucumber you like- English, mini-pickling, etc. OR try using onions, sweet peppers or even carrots! The pickling possibilities are endless! Continue reading
This is one of those recipes that you can whip up within 15 minutes.
One of those recipes that’s perfect for a busy weeknight, or when you’ve just come home from a whirlwind vacation and still don’t feel like doing A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G. #vacationhangover Continue reading
7 years passed by in a blink.
And in these three years I have learned more about myself than in the 32 years prior.
When I first lost my mom, it was difficult to look into the future and envision a normal life. I was 31 going on 32, and could not believe that my time with my mom was over; just like that.
For weeks and months my nights would be filled with thoughts of sorrow. How she would never get to see all the milestones my brother and I still needed to reach, and how my future children would go without knowing their maternal grandmother. My mind was littered with worry, and sadness and until I learned to cope with it all, it would turn out to be one of the hardest times of my life. Continue reading
