May 2015 ~ Sunday Prep

Monday, May 4, 2015

Lunch? We've Got This in the Bag!!

I have to admit.. I actually enjoy packing my lunch for school. Its kind of like a game. I hate eating the same thing over and over again, and I like eating relatively healthy. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a teenager and I still eat junk food (there was a brownie in this lunch) but I try to just eat a balanced meal, and not obsess over calorie counting.

This meal was actually SO good that I made it again for dinner. For the dinner rendition, I just added a little chicken on top.

So what is this incredible food you ask? A mini flatbread pizza.

It all started when I found this naan bread at Costco. I just so happened to have some mozzarella, grape tomatoes and basil from Trader Joe's. So, I got creative. I preheated my oven to 350 and chopped up the basil and tomatoes fairly small. Once the naan had a layer of mozzarella on it, I put the tomatoes on and just crisped it up in the oven for about 10 minutes.

After the cheese was melted and the naan was a little crispy, I turned off the oven and sprinkled the basil on top (as you can tell, I'm slightly basil obsessed. You, of course, do not have to put this much on!) I popped it back into the oven for less than 2 minutes and after, drizzled some of this AMAZING artisan fig balsamic vinegar on top. Its from this adorable shop here in downtown Bethesda, Secolari. The store itself was beautiful, but the taste of their olive oils and balsamic vinegars was what really sold me. I definitely recommend checking them out.

Now, for the rest of my lunch. As I said, I try to get a good variety. These mini peppers from Mucci Farms are non GMO and really, I just love peppers... Definitely my vegetable of choice.

Then I added a little fruit salad with pineapple, blueberries, and strawberries. For a salty snack, veggie straws are a favorite of mine... plus they're gluten free!

I really try every day to put effort into my lunches. During a long day at school, its just the thing I need to keep going or feel good. If I eat well, I often just feel better all around! It might seem difficult at first, but really making the choice and following through is SO worth it in the end.

If you're inspired to put a spin on your lunch or dinner, let me know! Comment below what you've come up with, or if you tried my recipe. I'd love to hear from you.

xoxo,

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Sick Day

Happy Saturday! Today I am feeling under the weather, but using it as an excuse to do things that make me feel better. I think its important to do this kind of thing even if we aren't sick, just to check in with ourselves. My favorite yogi Adriene (check out her youtube channel "Yoga with Adriene" here) uses this phrase "check in" and I really like it. Its different than saying you need to fix whats wrong in your life. We all go through spots where things just aren't going well (whether its as simple as being sick, or your entire life is on its head) and "checking in" is really about noticing those things. Its good to notice and embrace every part of them, and do what we can to make it a more pleasant experience.

ALSO... side note (: Finally a picture of my favorite tea cup.

So to jump into today's post.

I'm trying to approach this whole sickness deal with the "rest and relaxation" process.

If you know me, you know I have long blonde hair. I've donated it 3 or 4 times (I've lost count) and so many people ask me how I grow it so fast. The answer is.... HAIR MASKS. I know it may sound crazy, but honestly... It. Works. To make it grow I use an egg mask (2 egg yolks, 1 tbs olive oil, leave in for 30 min) but to make it strong I use coconut oil. I find that using coconut oil also makes my hair grow because its not as fragile and the ends aren't breaking off. I used Trader Joe's coconut oil for two years and it was okay. But THEN I discovered this stuff.

It seriously goes in my hair so easily. Its more like a lotion texture instead of being hard and chunky (ew I hate that word).

So yeah I just cover all of my hair with this stuff, put it in a bun or a braid, and leave it in for as long as possible. I usually leave it in for a few hours but you should give it at least 30 minutes. Some people sleep in it but I personally think that's kinda gross plus I would never be able to sleep in a shower cap. Just shampoo it out when you've soaked up all the time you can (it usually takes me about 3 shampoos just to be safe).

I then took a hot bath, did my nails, and did my hair for tomorrow (yes, i really am so lazy that I occasionally do my hair the night before). Here are the products i used: