Merry Christmas

It's been a busy past few weeks.  With life filled with lots of great challenges, road blocks, and a few nights lasting way too late, I've taken some extra time to stay quiet and just be.  As the year comes to an end, I have found myself naturally reflecting back on the year and critically judging myself.  Not celebrating the highs enough and focusing possibly too much on the lows. 

I've been working on accepting that negative energy is part of life, but being able to accept it, push it away, and move forward has become my new project I'm working on this time of year.  It has been necessary for me to literally take a few breaths, count my blessings (no matter how corny that sounds-you need to do it), and smile.  I am a true believer in making yourself happy first and not depending on only others making you happy. It's a recipe for disappointment and sadness and not a fulfilling way to go through this life. 

I may be all over with my thoughts and there is not a real theme for this post other than I am all over the place right now. Holiday activities, present shopping, animals needing to go to the vet, work overload, more animals needing to go to the vet, and trying to enjoy it all sometimes takes an extra cup of coffee and a few Christmas cookies for breakfast. Other days it's necessary to just drop what your doing and spend some time with the ones you love and really be in the moment. 

Right now it's important to enjoy who and what is already in your life and just be.  In just another week it's a new year and time to think of your new goals and who and what you would like to add to your life. For now, I hope everyone has a safe and healthy holiday, and I hope these Christmas picture outtakes make everyone smile a little (making three dogs sit still in a snow storm is harder than I thought!)  Merry Christmas to you all!

Xo,

Laura

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

With the weather getting colder and more snowy evenings coming this way, I tend to want to stay at home for dinner and a enjoy a comfort food meal with a good glass of red wine.  But if I ate mac n' cheese, vegetable lasagna and pizza every night, I probably wouldn't be able to fit out of my house when it was time for me to leave.  Thus, incorporating a savory, filling meal into the dinner line-up that doesn't make me change too many pant sizes.

I've tried a few different versions of what to mix into quinoa to make it just right, and I (obviously) really enjoy it with the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and pomegranate seeds for the taste and the crunch.  The acorn squash is the treat to this meal and all you need to season it is a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Xo,
Laura


Ingredients:
Serves 4 (make with just one acorn squash and you will have some quinoa left over for lunch!)

• 2  acorn squash
• 1 pomegranate (1/2 cup pomegranate seeds)
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit 

~Cut acorn squash in half vertically

~Scoop out seeds in the middle to make a space for the quinoa 

~Drizzle squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

~Line a baking sheet with tin foil and lay squash on baking sheet, squash side down, skin facing out

~Bake squash for 35-45 minutes until soft

~While squash is baking, cook quinoa according to package directions (usually 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water and takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes to cook)

~Once quinoa is cooked, mix in pumpkin seeds, almonds, and pomegranate seeds into the quinoa

~Remove squash from oven, allow to cool for five minutes before removing from baking sheet

~Scoop quinoa mixture into acorn squash and serve warm

Gingerbread Cookie Smoothie

I have officially made the switch from my fall obsession and pumpkin everything craze to more peppermint infused cocktails and ginger spiced everything.  However, I am still trying to stay healthy through out the holiday without over indulging every day.  

I love the holiday themed desserts and drinks.  It is very hard for me to say no all the time to freshly baked cookies or hot chocolate as my after dinner treat, again every night.  For me, the holiday is a time to treat yourself a few times to enjoy the deliciousness of all things homemade, but I also like to keep active and healthy all through out the Christmas season.

I decided to try a few extra spices in my smoothie the other morning to try and create the feeling of drinking a liquid gingerbread cookie.  It is still low in calories, keeps you full for a few hours, and really does taste like a healthy, holiday treat.  I added a scoop of protein to make it a full breakfast, but without the protein it tastes just as good.  Pour yourself a glass or two and enjoy feeling full and satisfied with this healthy, holiday smoothie.  Happy December!

Xo,
Laura

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of vanilla almond milk (coconut milk or regular milk works too)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup of ice cubes (add extra if the banana is not frozen)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Extra: 1 scoop Perfect Fit Protein (my favorite!)

Add all ingredients to blender and mix until smooth.  Add an extra shake or two of cinnamon to the top of the smoothie and enjoy!