Eating Vegan in Spain

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Saint Augustine 

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Beach umbrellas in Malaga

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This year has been pretty incredible. I mean–ME–the same girl who was once afraid of planes and never used to take vacations or go anywhere exciting–has been to Italy, Aruba, and now SPAIN all in just nine months. So allow me to let you in on a little secret…

 

I finally caught it.

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My plane to Madrid!

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I’ve got the TRAVEL BUG.

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First and foremost, let me offer my sincerest apologies for being missing in action this summer. Thank you Prettyfitlifers for being so understanding during my brief hiatus. I’m beginning to realize that blogging is pretty darn close to a full-time job, especially as I find myself getting pickier and pickier with the content I aim to feature on my page. I promised myself when I started this blog that I would never put up a post just to put up a post. Everything that I publish is carefully thought out, written, photographed and edited until it’s ready to be put out there for all of you :) . Unfortunately, this means that each post can take quite a bit of time to go live! Writing for Pretty Fit Life is my true passion, however, seeing as I already have a full-time (paying!) job–and a new one at that– when work calls, I must answer :) .

 

And thank goodness I do…or I never would have been given the opportunity to go on this amazing trip to Spain!

 

You see, Spain wasn’t soley for pleasure (though I still enjoyed every second of it). I actually had the opportunity to go on an EF Tour for work. What does that mean exactly? Well, for 11 beautiful days I criss-crossed my way through Spain, hitting Málaga, Granada, Seville, Córdoba, Madrid and Barcelona all along the way. And I wasn’t alone on this action-packed adventure–I was accompanied by a group of middle school students, a handful of teachers, another EF staffer (known as a tour consultant), and one awesomely patient tour guide.

 

Crazy? Probably.

Educational? Absolutely.

Amazing? Yes. DEFINITELY.

 

Unfortunately I didn’t have enough room in my luggage to pack my computer on this little trip–YEP…this girl packed for 11 days and only brought a carry-on. BOO-YA! (Those of you who know me understand that this is an INCREDIBLE feat—I once brought a hairdryer camping for goodness sake). I did, however, have my phone. So even though I couldn’t blog in real-time (as much as I’d hoped I could), I managed to Instagram my way through all six cities.

 

And I don’t think I missed a beat…

I took almost 1,000 photos.

 

Okay, so I was definitely “that tourist” who took pictures of anything and everything (a rock Ashley? Really??). But I was just so memserized by every little piece of this gorgeous country that I wanted to document it all (thankfully, by the end of my trip I had become much more selective with my picture-taking). I’m equally embarrassed to admit that I went to Spain not really knowing much about the country’s incredibly rich history. But all that changed the moment I met Laura–our EF tour guide. This incredible lady knew it all! I would never be able to fit everything I learned into just one blog post (and don’t worry, I won’t turn this into a history lesson) but just so you can see exactly what I was up to while on tour, here’s a little breakdown of my trip day by day:

 

Experience Spain

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Photo Credit:

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Day 1: SPAIN!

Fly overnight to Spain

 

Day 2: Málaga & Granada

Meet my Tour Director and student group at the airport. Relax on the beach in Malaga before traveling to Granada.

 

Day 3: Granada

Take a guided tour of Granada, visit the Alhambra, visit a Moroccan tea house, attend a traditional flamenco show.

 

Day 4: Granada & Seville

Visit an olive oil farm, travel to Seville, take a walking tour of Seville, attend a classical flamenco show.

 

Day 5: Seville

Take a guided tour of Seville, visit the Seville Alcázar, visit the Seville Cathedral, visit the Seville Bullring, enjoy free time in Seville, take a salsa dance lesson, take a boat cruise along the river at night.

 

Day 6: Córdoba & Madrid

Travel to Córdoba, visit the Mezquita, continue on to Madrid, try vegetable paella.

 

Day 7: Madrid

Take a guided tour of Madrid, visit the Royal Palace, take a walking tour of Madrid, visit the Prado Museum.

 

Day 8: Madrid

Visit a local school, visit Dali exhibit, enjoy free time (aka shopping + sangria :) ).

 

Day 9: Madrid & Barcelona

Experience an AVE train to Barcelona, take a guided tour of Barcelona, visit Parque Güell, take a bike tour around Barcelona.

 

Day 10: Barcelona

Take a walking tour of Barcelona, hit the beach and explore the city on my own.

 

Day 11: USA

Depart for home :(

 

Yep. Our days were pretty jam-packed. And thanks to our knowledgeable tour director, they were pretty awesome too. Laura guided us through each day in each city perfectly. She also guided us through breakfast, lunch, dinner and every meal in between–YES–she even managed to help little old vegan me not go hungry. In fact, Laura made me feel like quite the VIP, calling restaurants ahead of time and speaking to the chef to ask (en espanol of course) whether or not certain meals were made with (or could be made without) dairy, eggs, beef stock, chicken, fish (etc…). Now, I successfully ate my way all through Italy as a vegan, so I figured Spain would be pretty similar. And while Italian food is still my favorite (helloooo can you say soy gelato??) Spain proved to be a pretty manageable place to maintain a plant-based diet– it just meant getting a little creative every now and then.

 

The fantastic thing about Spain and Italy is that they rarely use butter in their cooking (unlike traditional American fare). Instead, olive oil is the product of choice– this makes perfect sense given the fact that these two countries are the leading olive oil producers in the world (Spain accounts for 43.8% of the world’s production while Italy accounts for 21.5%). This took a lot of the guess work out of ordering food since I wasn’t left wondering whether or not butter was used to cook my veggies, rice (etc…).  And even better? Where there’s olive oil, there are bound to be plenty of olives!

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"Aceitunas" (olives) + sangria = the perfect afternoon snack :)

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And olive trees…

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Unripe olives on an olive tree in Seville

 

And hanging out near those olive trees also happen to be plenty of orange trees (just my luck! :) ).

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In addition to olive oil, did you know that Spain is one of the world’s foremost exporters of oranges?  Orange are everywhere (especially in Seville). I was amazed by the amount of fruit dotting the public trees.  One afternoon after lunch I reached up and plucked a big, juicy orange from one of the many trees lining a busy street in Seville but our tour director quickly shooed my hand away and informed me that the fruit was not for eating. Turns out there was a reason why all of those oranges were still sitting pretty in their branches. You see, in Spain there are three main types of oranges– sweet oranges (Valencia oranges), blood oranges, and sour oranges (Seville oranges). Turns out all of those oranges I saw in the trees were the sour oranges, and they were still up there because they’re too bitter to eat as a piece of fresh fruit alone. Instead, sour oranges are used to make marmalade, liqueurs, spices, and teas. I actually had the opportunity to try some fresh marmalade at a Spanish olive oil farm and it was pretty tasty– much more bitter than the sugary stuff we have here, but yummy nonetheless.

 

I also had the opportunity to taste test some of the farm’s fresh olive oil and learn some fun facts about the oil. For instance, olive oil should always be stored in a dark container because the light can putrify it (so all that olive oil in clear glass bottles? Don’t buy it!). We also learned all about olive oil production (it’s quite tedious, so I won’t get into it right now but feel free to read all about it here!)  Instead, let’s focus on the important stuff…

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Olive oil tasting in Seville

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Like sangria…

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And “cerveza” (beer)…

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And “alimentos” (food)…

 

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And more sangria…;)

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(Okay. So clearly you now know my weakness…)

But naughty drinks aside…let’s talk about the food! Since this trip was essentially an all-incusive tour, most of the meals were already planned out. This meant that we had set menus at area restaurants or ate set meals at the hotel restaurants. Now, I’ll be quite honest and admit that not every meal was a hit on this trip– for the first couple of nights at our hotel in Granada I was served a plate of soggy and bland canned green beans, artichokes, carrots, cauliflower, and white asparagus (not exactly the tastiest meal in the world)– but thankfully the food situation got much better, especially when we went out to eat.

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A disappointing meal...

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An amazingggg meal! :)

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I already mentioned that the Spanish love their olive oil, so no need to worry too much about butter– but the Spanish also love their pork…which meant I had to be extra careful about asking for things  ”sin carne” (without meat) when it came to ordering food. Thankfully the most popular type of Spanish cuisine — tapas– provided me with plenty of veggie options to choose from.

 

Tapas are a variety of small appetizer plates (both hot and cold) and snacks that can be shared with friends or combined to create a full meal. This was perfect for me because all I had to do was order a few veggie plates and I’d have a complete dinner. Plus, I loved being able to sample and taste a few different things rather than order just one main course off the menu.

 

Some of my favorite things to order were “pimientos de padrón” (small, sweet, green peppers roasted in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt), “aceitunas” (olives), “verduras asadas” (roasted vegetables), “espinacas con garbanzos” (spinach, olive oil, garlic, and garbanzo beans), “humus” (hummus), “champiñones salteados” (mushrooms sauteed in olive oil and white wine), and “pan con tomate” (bread topped with tomato, olive oil, and garlic).

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Roasted pimientos

 

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A bowl of olives is a tapas staple!

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Roasted veggies never get old. I could eat them every day.

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Looks terrible...tastes delicious! You've gotta trust me on this one...

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Hummus is yummy in any country :)

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Bad lighting, good mushrooms!

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"Pan con Tomate" is the perfect snack after a day of touring

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Soup, better knows as “sopa” in Spain, is another typical menu item I was thankful for. Almost every restaurant has some sort of veggie-based soup to choose from which made eating out much easier for me. The most common soup I came across in every city was gazpacho. To my surprise, however, traditional gazpacho soup is not the same kind of gazpacho we have here in the United States. Spanish gazpacho is a cold, tomato-based soup made by blending tomatoes, soaked bread, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a food processor until silky smooth. The first time I saw the soup, I was convinced there had to be dairy in it because it seemed to have a creamy consistency. Nonetheless, the waiter assured me gazpacho is dairy-free and the smoothness comes from blending the oil and bread (I Googled the recipe later and confirmed the waiter’s explanation was the truth :) ).

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Silky smooth gazpacho

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Oh…and did I mention it tastes amazing??

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Another popular soup on many menus is “sopa de lentejas,” or lentil soup. I  would order this option over gazpacho when I felt I needed to get an extra dose of protein in my veggie-heavy diet.

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Hearty but healthy lentil soup

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As popular as tapas are in Spain, this wasn’t my only option for every single meal. I was actually able to enjoy a few well-rounded vegan dinners here and there as well. Couscous, lentils, grilled veggies, salad, and the popular Spanish rice dish known as “paella” were all fair game. I even found a couple vegan restaurants– one in Madrid and one in Barcelona. Sadly, the Madrid restaurant was closed when I finally had a moment to slip away and venture out on my own, but I was able to test out the vegan restaurant in Barcelona :) (pictures below!).

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Couscous mushrooms blood orange salad

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Marinated veggie taster plate-- Spain goes "simple vegan" :)

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Saffron gives this vegetable paella a beautiful golden hue

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Simple salad with white asparagus-- I found this to be a salad staple in Spain

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Roasted peppers, peas, asparagus, tomato, and rice plate-- drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled in sea salt...perfection!

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More roasted veggies...

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Pecan couscous with curried carrots and eggplant

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This meal was SO good...I asked for it again! Peas, tomatoes, rice, peppers, lettuce (with less olive oil this time). Simple!

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Pineapple carpaccio for dessert-- looks unimpressive...tasted INCREDIBLE!

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Assorted melon for dessert. The yellow melon is a Spanish melon and is quite possibly the most sweet and tasty melon I've ever had!

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Even a tea girl like me had to have some Spanish coffee...or "espreso" in this case :) .

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Believe it or not, aside from enjoying amazing vegan Spanish food, I also enjoyed some amazing places!  So, I wanted to leave you with some fun photos in addition to food photos that I snapped over the course of my trip. Enjoy!

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Famous Flamenco show in Granada-- the studio is built into a cave in a mountain!

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Yes, even in Spain I found my bubbly water :)

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Rioja-- a delicous Spanish wine and newfound love

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Street in Cordoba

I found my knight in shining armor in Spain!

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A beautiful sunny day in Barcelona (plus my attempt at an artistic "selfie"...)

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More dried fruit

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On a boat cruise in Seville

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Fountain in Barcelona

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The 1992 Olympics Barcelona Fish sculpture

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The Sagrada Família in Barcelona

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Enjoying sangria in Madrid :)

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A view from my morning run in Granada

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Ceiling decor in Barcelona

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Gorgeous flowers in a Seville garden

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Original Roman bridge to Cordoba

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Bullring in Seville

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Flamenco cave in Granada

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The Barcelona shoreline

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Overlooking Barclona

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Fancy Spanish melon

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Flamenco dancer in Granada

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Biking in Barcelona

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Church tower in Cordoba

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A little friend I made during my morning run in Madrid :)

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At the Park Güell in Barcelona

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Park Güell in Barcelona

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Even the doors are pretty in Spain

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The streets of Malaga

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Beach in Malaga

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Plaza de España in Seville

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Mezquita-- the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba

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Enjoying the marina in Barcelona

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Driving between cities we saw lots and lots of sunflower fields. Absolutely gorgeous!

Olive trees at an olive oil farm

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Entrance to Alcazar-- Seville Palace

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Cake from a (wait for it!) VEGAN restaurant in Barcelona!

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Veggie and bean burgers also from the little vegan restaurant in Barcelona

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Fancy ceiling lamps in Granada

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Striking a pose in Barcelona

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Not all those who wander are lost.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

 

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Fabulously Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

 

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Sources:

Olive Oil Production

Experience Spain EF Tour 


Running: The Heart & “Sole” of it

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“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”– John Bingham

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Did you know that June 5th was National Running Day? I know that was a few days ago, but after social media started blowing up with everyone’s updates, tweets, and images from their “National Running Day runs,” it got me thinking about what it means to be a runner. So, in honor of this day, I too decided to take a break from blogging and devote some extra time to the road.

 

As I laced up my sneakers, powered up my iPod, and headed out to run my favorite 6-mile loop around the Charles River… I paused. Given the fact that it was National Running Day, it only seemed appropriate to use this run as a time to reflect upon what running really means to me—after all…I wasn’t always a runner. So I shut off my iPod and hit the streets in silence– ready to breathe in the warm spring air and stay in the present– a far cry from my usual plugged-in, zoned-out, training-driven runs.

 

Then, I did what I do best.

I ran.

 

With nothing to distract me– aside from the occasional biker or a small family of geese crossing my path– I had plenty of time to get lost in my thoughts and reflect. Around mile three, I was feeling pretty amazing– light, yet powerful on my feet– breathing hard,  yet slow and steady. With the warm sun on my face and the salty breeze in my hair I almost forgot I was in the middle of the city.

 

It was then that I started thinking about why I run in the first place. I began to think about how grateful I am that I even can run. I thought about the Boston Marathon and I thought about my first 5K….

 

Clearly running goes much deeper than a pair of snazzy sneakers, some fancy leggings, and a Lululemon zip-up. It’s something you grow to love deep down in your soul–and it’s a relationship you must nurture if you want it to love you back.

 

In fact, come to think of it… running has been one of  the longest relationships I’ve ever had. Growing up I was always a very active child. I spent my time running around and playing outside with the neighbors, taking multiple dance classes a week, and participating in organized sports, however, I didn’t get my first real taste of running until back in middle school when my Dad convinced me to join the cross-country team. I was a tiny little thing, so I guess running looked like it should come naturally, and, well, I suppose it did–in fact, I was quite good! I entered a few local races and  actually placed…or sometimes WON. Once I started a little collection of those gold, plastic trophies and race teeshirts…I was hooked. I was officially a runner. And that’s when I began to truly understand what it meant to be a part of the running community.

 

Running isn’t just a hobby–

It’s a character-defining sport.

 

I know this may sound far-fetched to some, but I truly believe I became the person I am today because of running—namely because of  my amazing track and cross-country coach, Mr. Estey, and my inspiring track and cross-country teammates who quickly became like a second family to me. From the very beginning I understood that running takes discipline, commitment, patience and perseverance– these traits have shaped my entire life and defined me as a person to this very day.

 

How so? Well, first of all I learned very quickly that when it comes to running, (or getting anything I want in life), no one will ever be able to put in the work for me. When you race or when you run, your soul is right out there for all to see—plain and simple. There’s no hiding on a race course or on a track, there’s no hanging out on the sidelines, there’s no passing the ball to someone else to take the pressure off your back, and there are definitely no timeouts.When you run, you’re showing the world what you’re capable of and just how badly you want it.

 

Talk about sheer pressure.

Not to mention sheer glory when you succeed. 

 

But just like any other relationship…my running relationship has certainly had it’s fair share of ups and downs. As I got a little older and headed off to high school, I (naturally) wondered what else was out there. I flirted with the idea of trying out a different sport in the past, but never made any moves…until I finally fell under the spell of something else–something that looked more attractive, more fun and more popular: cheerleading (much to my father’s dismay). I swooned over the adorable uniforms and the fleeting promise of teenage stardom, much like a 14-year-old girl crushes on the “bad boy” in school. Thankfully this was just a stint of adolescent rebellion, and soon enough I ran back into the comfortable arms (and ratty old sneakers) of my first love– running.

 

Over the next few years, running and I endured a lot together. We won some races, lost some races, set PRs, and suffered through shin splints, blisters, exhaustion, foot injuries, and a terrible bout of mono. I cried, I celebrated, and I cried some more over the stress and emotions that came along with running–yet we still worked through the hard times and pushed on. I trained well, qualified for a few State Championships, and ultimately became Captain of my high school cross-country team in my senior year. Then, like most high school relationships, we took a break when I went to college. I became too busy with classes, and studying, and meeting new friends. I traded my long, relaxing runs for fast-paced, interval-driven gym sessions. Staying fit wasn’t a fun hobby anymore–I worked out to forget about a stressful day and because I was petrified of the dreaded “freshman 15″ associated with the first year of dorm-living.

 

And then I got sick.

And for the first time ever I couldn’t run.

 

When I was sick I was put on 100% exercise restriction. For two years I wasn’t allowed to exercise at all…even walking up a flight of stairs or across campus (when I was well enough to return to school) was considered a workout. I was miserable. For someone as active of as me, it felt like a death sentence (as pathetic as it sounds). Eventually I recovered and became healthy enough to run again, but my body had become incredibly weak and sore and stiff and tired easily from all that time off. I could finally get back to my normal routine and yet for the first time ever I didn’t want to run– it had come naturally to me for so long, and now I could barely run a mile without my legs screaming in agony. I needed to rebuild my muscle from scratch in order to gain strength and flexibility– basically, I had to retrain my body all over again. So, I hit the gym instead.

 

The frustration with my body continued–this time because it just couldn’t do the things it used to. Gradually, I (sadly) started to lose that spark inside of me– the one that once defined me as a runner. Even though I slowly grew stronger over time (the resilience of the human body truly is amazing), running just wasn’t the same. The only time I would go out for a run was when I couldn’t get to the gym or when I was away for the weekend and needed to get in a workout. Essentially I only ran when I had to. I stopped timing myself and tracking my mileage on these runs– out of fear I wouldn’t live up to my own high standards. When I graduated college and moved to Boston, I immediately joined an expensive gym, created a vigorous workout schedule, and stuck to it. It was easier to take these classes, go on those machines, and work out for this long rather than be alone with my body and mind on the road. I was still afraid I wouldn’t be good enough for me– or for the runner I used to be.

 

But then something started happening at work…

 

As soon as the warm weather arrived, I noticed that more and more people were going out for a run during their lunch break or at the end of the work day– and for good reason. When it comes to running in the city, you can’t find a better location than my office. As I mentioned in a previous post, my company is located on the border of Cambridge and Boston right along the beautiful Charles River. This river route gives runners the option of running a 2-mile, 4-mile, 6-mile, or 8-mile loop– perfect for runners at any level. And that was just the beauty of it– whether someone was training for a marathon or starting to run for the first time,  people of all levels were hitting the road and giving it their best shot… and they were loving it.

 

Every time I saw an employee come back from a run, I couldn’t help but notice how happy and refreshed they looked. I mean, what better way to relieve stress while also energizing the body and mind? Science has already proven that exercise can do just this. According to the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, exercise releases chemicals (endorphins) that make you feel happy while also releasing chemicals that suppress stress and anxiety inducing hormones (adrenalin and cortisol).  Similar findings published in these two articles found in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine  have also discovered that exercising during the work day improves mood, health, and overall productivity (additional evidence was also presented at an annual meeting of the  American College of Sports Medicine).

 

Okay, so I’m sure most people know all this information already– exercise = a happy and healthy you!  However, doing the same old exercises every day can get pretty darn stale and take some of the fun, relaxing benefits of working out away. I was starting to feel pretty burned out from my gym-centered workout routines, and I knew I needed to do something else that exercised my mind as well as my body (yes, I know yoga is SO beneficial for the body and mind but I still haven’t warmed up to the idea of it yet– maybe that will be my next mission ;) baby steps, right?). For me, running was that “something” that used to do just this. Way back when–on the days when I wasn’t working on pacing or racing– it wasn’t rare for me to go out for a run with no idea where I was headed. I liked to call these “fun runs”– just enjoying everything around me and letting curiosity lead the way.

 

Finally.

I was ready to try it again.

 

So with nothing to lose, I laced up my sneakers, put the watch away, and decided to go for a nice, easy run along the river– enjoying the views until I felt like turning around. I wasn’t going to worry about pace, or mileage, or the number of calories burned. I was going to run to escape the world (if only for a few minutes) and to appreciate my body for all that it can do. And you know what happened when I put all the negative thoughts about being good enough aside?

 

I ran like the wind.

 

That’s right. I still had it in me after all :) . A year later, I’m still running whenever I get a chance (I’ve even entered a few races!). Yes, I still hit the gym on most days, but when I need a different type of workout– one for the heart and the sole (like what I did there? I know, I’m good ;) ), I lace up my running shoes and hit the road. And while I’m out there I make sure to thank the Universe for giving me strong and healthy legs that carry me through strenuous workouts–even though they never seem to get the breaks that they deserve. I thank them for putting up with the 5:00 AM workouts and the late night workouts when I know they’d much rather be resting in bed than hitting the gym or hitting the road. But most of all, I thank them for never giving up on me, and never letting me forget that once a runner…always a runner.

 

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“Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you’re young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don’t let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.” – John Bingham 

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Healthfully Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

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Sources: 

Exercising at Work

10 Reasons Play Can Make You Healthy and More Productive

Exercise May Make You a Better Worker

Does Exercise Make You Happy?

 

 

 

 


Blissful Blueberry-Baked Oatmeal

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“Have blueberries whenever you are low – destiny will change and you will be high.” – Adam Voichester

 

Last weekend was pretty yucky. Sure the weather was gorgeous and the sun was shining…but I still (somehow) managed to contract a nasty virus and a case of bronchitis that left me feeling the sickest I’ve felt in years. (Yes, only I would somehow find a way to become bedridden with a fever during the first official weekend of summer weather in Boston!).

 

So, while everyone else was hanging out at the beach sunbathing, day-drinking, and barbequing…I was curled up on the couch with the shades drawn, covered in cough drop wrappers, and drugged up on prescription cold medicine (Note: I typically avoid unnecessary medications at all costs, but at the rate that things were going, I was happy to get my hands on anything that would knock me out and allow me to sleep– even if only for a minute).

 

Between crying to my Mom (okay, I may be 26, but I KNOW I’m not the only one who still wants their Mom when they’re sick!) and forcing myself to sip on coconut water and miso soup… I couldn’t even bear to think about food… or recipes…or blogging. And you know something is seriously wrong when Ashley doesn’t want to blog!

 

Thankfully, I had my appetite back by Monday….

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And an extra dose of creativity to boot!

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My body was craving something hearty and wholesome yet light enough so that it wouldn’t be difficult to digest. After all, I needed something substantial to help me regain some strength and power me through the work day.

Oh, and if this meal could also be ridiculously easy to throw together,well, that’d be just peachy :)

 

The deliciously easy answer?

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BAKED Oatmeal.

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Baked oatmeal is a slightly denser and (in my opinion) a much cozier take on your typical oatmeal or overnight oats. Baking the oatmeal allows you to cut it into squares and serve it on a plate–or perhaps eat it straight from the baking dish itself with nothing but a fork and a smile on your face! (I won’t  judge you because I may or may not have done this myself…)

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And we can’t forget the best part of all…

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It’s healthy too ;)

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I’m talking LOW-FAT, GLUTEN-FREE, HIGH-FIBER, & LOW-SUGAR GOOEY PERFECTION.

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Plus…blueberries are just bursting with beauty-boosting antioxidants :)

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Perfect for rainy days, lazy mornings, or when hosting a healthy weekend brunch– I promise this dish will quickly become a breakfast favorite.

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Blissful Blueberry-Baked Oatmeal

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Dry Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup whole grain oats
  • Slightly over 1/4 cup blended oats (just toss oats in a blender until it turns into flour, or use store-bought oat flour if you’d like).
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice…)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Dash of salt
  • Optional: granola (I used this for topping), shredded coconut (I sprinkled this on my oatmeal before baking), chocolate chips (toss a few in the mixture if you want to make naughty oatmeal ;) ).

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup almond milk (I like using unsweetened vanilla)
  • 2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup (or honey if not a strict vegan–molasses might also be an interesting choice! While I don’t use agave, that would also work. And if you are looking to keep it sugar-free, you could also sub in stevia to taste–just increase milk by 2 tablespoons).
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Heaping 1/2 cup of blueberries PLUS a few extra for topping (I used fresh blueberries, but frozen could also work. Don’t love blueberries? No worries! Sub in chopped apple, sliced banana, or your preferred berry of choice).
  • Optional: A tiny dash of almond extract (I just ADORE the sweet and nutty hint of flavor almond extract gives oatmeal, cookies, cakes, smoothies…anything really :) ).

Directions:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350º.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

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  • Mix all the wet ingredients together and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well and stir in blueberries.

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  • Add in any fun extras (chocolate chips, coconut, etc…).
  • Pour oatmeal mixture into a pan or a dish (I used a brownie baking dish) and bake for 45 to 50 minutes (or until edges and top begin to lightly brown). It should look slightly underdone.

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  • Top with a drizzle of maple syrup, a handful of granola, extra blueberries, or whatever you’d like.
  •  Dig in and ENJOY!

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Just be warned…

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You may never want plain old oatmeal ever again!

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Healthfully Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

 

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Reach the Beach 2013!

 

Photo credit: EF Education First

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“Unless it’s crazy, ambitious, and delusional it’s not worth our time.” –Anonymous

 

 

What could possibly be crazier than cramming 12 co-workers into TWO vans, for 24 hours, on ZERO sleep? How about cramming 12 sweaty co-workers into TWO vans, for 24 hours, on ZERO sleep– all while running 200 miles in between?!

 

I know what you’re thinking…

“That’s insanity! It’s pure MADNESS! It can’t be real!”

 

First of all, yes, it is real. And second of all you’re 100% right–it actually is just as insane as it sounds. But you know what? (And here’s the craziest part of all)…IT’S FUN! And that’s pretty much EF Education First (“EF” for short) in a nutshell…

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Crazy, ambitious, & FUN.

 

Just another day in the EF Boston office (Photo Credit: Facebook- Say Hello to the World)

 

It’s easy to be all three of these things when you consider what EF does. The Swedish-born company is the world leader in international education– and it specializes in educational travel, language training, academic degree programs and cultural exchange. And seriously, what’s more fun and exciting than TRAVEL?

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(Judging by my reaction to the Duomo in Florence… not much :) )

 

Now, for those of you who haven’t heard of EF, don’t worry– you’re going to be seeing a WHOLE lot more of us (and our signature color,“disruptive pink”) around the Boston area soon enough–the new Cambridge office (which will serve as the North American headquarters) is set to open in May of 2014. It’s located right along North Point Park on the Charles River where Boston, Cambridge, and Charlestown come to meet. Just check out the stunning design below…

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Opening May 2014

 

You see, EF has a knack for taking things to the next level–whether we’re building a striking new office (do you SEE that glass waterfall!), killing it in sales, or planning an extravagant summer party…maintaining a level of normalcy is one of the only things that EF doesn’t do well.  So, when a slew of fabulous and fit EF staff showed an interest in running, organizing a simple 5K just wouldn’t cut it for this young, hip, n’ happening (not to mention quite competitive) company. Instead, the EF Running Club was created! And it wasn’t long before EF staff started putting together running teams and competing with each other to see who could log the most miles during the work week. (In addition to bragging rights, the team that racked up the most mileage won some pretty sweet new running digs, compliments of EF;)).

 

It should come as no surprise, then, that EF jumped at the opportunity to participate in Reach the Beach– a New Balance sponsored relay race that takes running to a whole new level of extreme.

 

The RTB Relay is a 200-mile relay race that starts in Princeton, MA at the Mount Wachusett Ski Area and finishes at Horseneck Beach State Reservation in Westport, MA. The relay consists of 12 person teams that rotate through 36 transition areas as they cover the full 200 miles. This means that each relay team member runs three legs of varying lengths and difficulty. For the super competitive runners out there, there’s also an Ultra Distance division which has a team limit of six members. The runners in this “elite” group rotate in a set order once the race begins and are obligated to follow this rotation until the final runner Reaches the Beach. For instance, I ran a total of 19.33 miles split into three legs– 6.71 miles, 5.97 miles, and 6.65 miles respectively.

 

Last year a few brave souls from the EF Boston office ran the relay race and absolutely LOVED it– in fact, some staff loved it so much that they even signed up for the New Hampshire relay a few months later. So this year, because our office is full of  crazy, athletic, and all-around awesome individuals (and a pretty cool CEO who also happens to be quite the athlete himself), EF decided to sponsor seven teams of our own and run the race as a company…

 

 

EF Boston RTB Group Shot! Sorry for the fuzzy image quality (Photo Credit: Norbert Lorscheider)

 

A WHOPPING 103 OF US.

 

And so the EF staff banded together, split into seven teams (by office floor), came up with silly team names, and decorated 13 vans (each floor had two vans, but the Elite team only had one since they’d be running all 36 legs of the race themselves–those crazies!). My team, the ninth floor, came up with the team name “Amigos Rapidos.” We decked out our van with sombreros, maracas, blow-up burros and cacti and hit the road (literally).  Thanks to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, all of the EF runners were able to document our journey for the full 200 miles. I thought I’d share some of my favorite photos from the race below :)

Cool kicks. Cooler kids. #EFRUNS! (Instagram: jbarbato34)

Don't worry guys...I made plenty of peanut butter sandwich fuel for everybody--vegan and non-vegan (note the honey and Nutella)! (Instagram: prettyfitlife)

Just the EF Ultra Elite team mascot in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall at EF...no big deal--totally normal. (Instagram: onefoodguy)

Oh you know...just noticing how much EF is owning the roster ;) (Instagram: onefoodguy)

RTB starting line-- Ready to RACE! (Instagram: Alex Digregorio)

EF is ready to go! (Instagram: prettyfitlife)

EF Elite team ready to kick off RTB. (Instagram: prettyfitlife)

Just chillin' on the chairlift at Wachusett Mountain (starting line). (Instagram: prettyfitlife)

Aaaand we're OFF! (Instagram: prettyfitlife)

Amigos Rapidos-- My awesome team van! (Instagram: prettyfitlife).

Amigos Rapidos' silly van decor. (Photo Credit: Katie Sullivan)

Just hanging out with the amigos (Photo Credit: Reach the Beach)

Ready for my first handoff! (Instagram: dwardlet)

Finishing strong! (Please disregard my ugly race face. K thx!) (Instagram: rhauck)

Van ride sing-a-longs (Instagram: iamdianabanana)

Ready to GLOW for our night runs! (Instagram: meaghanmurray)

EF staffers are hardcore. And epic. (Instagram: jbarbato34)

Getting ready for my (scary!) night run... (Instagram: iamdianabanana)

My awesome team (The Amigos Rapidos!) waiting for me to finish my final leg. (Instagram: dwardlet)

Both of our vans running across the finish line together :) (Instagram: meaghanmurray)

Time to celebrate! (Instagram: prettyfitlife)

The "Amigos Rapidos" at an EF happy hour reunion (Instagram: dwardlet)

 

Running Reach the Beach reminded me how much I love to race. I guess years of competitive running (and the perfectionist-induced stress that accompanied it) made me a little wary to get back into racing once I hit my 20′s…but something about this race resonated differently. Sure, I’ll always have that competitive edge to me, and I’ll sure as heck be shooting for that next PR, but I also realized that running isn’t always just about getting to the finish–it’s about believing in yourself, believing in others, and having some fun making friends while you’re at it. Running is a community and I’m realizing it’s an awesome one to be a part of again :) . In fact…I’ve already signed up for two more races just this summer! (The City Sports Back in the Day 10k 80′s themed run & The Falmouth Road Race ).

 

What do you think? Maybe I can rack up a few more of these babies (and find a few new running buddies too!) before summer ends… :)

#RunningSummer

 

Reach the Beach Medals :) (Photo Credit: Reach the Beach)

 

“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.” — John Bingham

 

He certainly says it best.

Keep running people :) .

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Healthfully Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

 

 


Best Ever Oatmeal Cookies (with chia seeds!)

 

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When I’m bored, things can get pretty dangerous.

Particularly if I’m anywhere in the vicinity of a kitchen…

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You see, I don’t do well with being “bored.” I’m the kind of person who feels the need to be in a constant state of motion–always doing, creating, and working on something.

 

The bonus?

 

Boredom is pretty much an open invitation for some serious recipe experimentation– no matter what the hour (and you can’t put a time cap on inspiration people!). When I’m bored, I will literally rummage through every one of my cupboards and every inch of my refrigerator and try to create a masterpiece out of whatever I can find. And believe me, when you stock the kitchen like I do, It’s a Christmas miracle if I can pull a decent dinner together! But what can I say…I love  a challenge. “Chopped” has nothing on me.

 

Thankfully, what often starts off looking like a dangerous experiment typically turns into a delightful surprise – I’ve actually come up with some of my best recipes during these random bouts of boredness. So it’s a good thing I got a little ancy last weekend…because inspiration struck around, oh, 11:00 on a Saturday night when I suddenly found myself hell-bent on creating this quick and easy vegan oatmeal cookie recipe…

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You see, the boyfriend and I had just gotten back from watching the Red Sox game at a bar down the street when I decided it has been far too long since I’ve put up a recipe post (I know, I know. Please forgive me :( ?). Originally I had the idea to whip up some overnight oatmeal (don’t worry, recipe to come!) so that breakfast would be all set and good to go pre-spin class the next morning…but I had a little hankering for a midnight snack ;) .

 

Cookies and milk anyone?

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So.

There I was. 

11:30 at night. 

Baking…

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I starting tossing together a whole bunch of ingredients (eyeballing rather than measuring them) and in about 10 minutes, a dozen soft and chewy oatmeal cookies emerged on a plate ready for the boyfriend to taste-test…

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After a moment of hesitation and the “look” — that “how on EARTH did you bake something in 10 minutes?” look– he took a bite and declared “These are the BEST oatmeal cookies… EVER!” And the best part of all? Aside from being 100% delicious and 100% whole grain… these vegan cookies are lower in sugar and lower in fat than your traditional oatmeal cookies. Plus, the added chia seeds provide a healthy dose of omega-3s for good measure!

 

Betcha wonder where I got the name, huh? :)

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Comfy pj’s, ice-cold almond milk, and warm and cozy cookies?

Go ahead.

Tell me that’s not heaven.

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Needless to say, the first batch of oatmeal cookies didn’t last very long. And to be honest, since I tossed the ingredients together without doing any measuring, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to replicate this amazing recipe again…

 

But don’t worry!

EVERYONE REMAIN CALM.

Here it is :)

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Cookie on.

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Best EVER Oatmeal Cookies

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole-grain oats
  • 1/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (regular flour will also work if you don’t have pastry flour. Looking to make these gluten-free? Sub extra oats for flour)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (for a lower-sugar version, feel free to cut back on the sugar and sub in a little stevia. Just be sure increase the applesauce by 2-3 tablespoons so the batter isn’t too dry)
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional, but are a healthy way to get your omega-3s!)
  • 1/2 (heaping) teaspoon cinnamon
  • slightly over 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 (heaping) cup of applesauce
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil (you can try to cut this out for fat-free cookies, but I cannot vouch for the taste/texture without it…plus, a little healthy fat is perfectly okay!)
  • 1-2 individual boxes of raisins
  • Optional: try adding in 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut,a small handful of chocolate chips or a few drops of vanilla stevia (for extra sweetness)

 

Directions:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

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  • Mix all the wet ingredients in another bowl and add to the dry ingredients– mix well.
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  • Grease a cookie sheet with all-natural, non-stick spray or coconut oil.
  • Spoon batter into little balls (slightly smaller than a golf ball) and place them on the cookie sheet.
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  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (or until they start to brown around the edges).
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  • Note: The cookies will be very soft when you take them out of the oven and may not look done– don’t worry–they will firm up as they cool.
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  • Serve with an ice-cold glass of almond milk :)
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  • Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (if you don’t eat them right away that is!)
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Go on.

Show those late night munchies who’s boss!

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Healthfully yours,

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Ashley Michelle

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Eating Vegan in Aruba

 

Bon Bini Aruba!

 

For those of you who aren’t up on all things Aruban, that means “Welcome to Aruba!” in the local creole language  known as Papiamento. The historical origins of Papiamento are still not 100% known, but their roots have been traced back to Portuguese, Spanish, and various African languages. All I know is, I can say “Mi por a hanja un glas di biña?” (can I have a glass of wine?) and that’s all that matters…right??

 

Right ;)

 

Have you ever been to Aruba? Well, if you haven’t been to this happy little island yet…GO RIGHT NOW.  Seriously. Get on a plane and fly away. Just beware…you will never, EVER, want to come back.

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I mean, COME ON….really?  This is real life. And some people actually get to live here. I know. It’s crazy.

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Crazy lucky.

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See, I’ve never been on an island or vacationed anywhere remotely tropical (aside from Florida back in the day) so there’s a chance I mayyy be overreacting a bit– but I’m pretty sure that if there are places BETTER than Aruba, I’m sending in my application to be a tiki bar girl NOW and I’m never coming back.

 

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Just 17 miles off the Venezuelan coast, Aruba is one of four constituent countries that form the kingdom of the Netherlands– meaning Aruba’s primary nationality is actually Dutch (Dutch is widely spoken on the island due to this tie). So aside from the sun, sand, and serene beaches, Aruba is also known for having some pretty diverse food.  Since the climate and land in Aruba are both pretty dry, the island isn’t able to support much farm land–therefore, most goods (including food) are imported. Aruba does have a booming fish industry however (shocker, I know being an island and all), and they’re able to raise livestock for export and for food.

 

Sooo… what did that mean for little old vegan me?

 

Well, I didn’t know much about Venezuelan, Dutch, or island food, but something told me that the combination of the three wasn’t exactly screaming “vegan-friendly!” Just check out these examples of traditional Aruban dishes below:

 

Appetizers include “sanger yena” (“Aruban sausage”) and “scabechi” (“marinated fish”).

Soups include “giambo” (“Aruban style okra bouillabaisse”–fish-based) and “sopi mondongo” (“tripe soup”).

Main courses include “keri keri” (“grated stewed fish”) and “keshi yena” (“filled cheese shell”).

Side dishes include “pan bati” (“Aruban pancake”) and “funchi” (“Aruban polenta” or “cornmeal mush” often made with chicken stock).

Snacks include “bolita di keshi” (“cheese balls”).

 

Oy. Not exactly my cup of tea. But I wasn’t about to let a little thing like food get in the way of an amazing vacation or fun, fancy dinners! Plus, I always find a way to figure it out  no matter where I go. (It’s pretty much like a vegan superpower :) ). This time would be no different. And who knows! Maybe I’d be pleasantly surprised– I mean, look at how great Italy turned out.

 

Of course, in the end, everything did work out quite perfectly (as predicted).  My boyfriend and I stayed at the Marriott Surf Club timeshare, which meant our room amenities conveniently included a small kitchen. So as soon as we were all settled into our temporary home, we went straight to the grocery store down the road and loaded up on fruits, veggies, hummus, edamame, rice cakes/crackers, peanut butter, jelly, pita bread and healthy snacks. We made breakfast and lunch at the resort everyday and then in the evening we would head out to explore the island and find a tasty restaurant for dinner. There was free wi-fi in the hotel lobby so occasionally we’d try to search for popular restaurants online before venturing out for the night, but most of the time we just ended up winging it and stumbled upon bars and restaurants as we walked by the high-rise hotels or explored the bustling Aruba strip.

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On our very first night, we were still feeling a bit tired after the flight, so we decided to stay close to the resort for dinner. As we walked towards the water hoping to find something in a neighboring hotel, we happened upon a beautiful restaurant (Hadicurari Restaurant) with tables right in the sand on the beach just steps away from the ocean.

 

Perfect.

 

The hostess gave us the best seat in the house– a cozy, romantic table much further from the other customers and the bustling (but super fun!) Moomba bar. I ordered a nice cold glass of chardonnay and salad with a side of guacamole and yellow rice to put on top of my salad. The boyfriend got a tall glass of beer with ribs and fries (opposites attract after all :)).

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Here’s a not-so-great picture of Moomba Bar –located right next door to the restaurant. We spent a lot of time here throughout the week :) . I wanted to show you the cool setup anyway. My apologies for the yucky quality…

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On our second night we decided to do something a little more fun and exciting, so we headed to the Westin Resort (located about a mile down the beach from our hotel) and went to a hibachi restaurant called Blossoms. My boyfriend and I absolutely love, love, LOVE hibachi, so I was excited to try it out and get a good hearty meal in me. The staff at the restaurant were fantastic and extremely accommodating when I told them that I was vegan. The chef made sure to prepare my meal first, and he cooked up my veggies and rice separate from everyone else’s. He also used a little bit of oil to cook my dish instead of oil and butter. The chef was very friendly and outgoing and had all sorts of typical hibachi tricks up his sleeve, but he had to tone it down a bit when the little girl across from us got scared of his onion volcano and cried through the rest of dinner– poor thing!

 

(Side note: Not sure if this is typical of most hibachi restaurants–none that I’ve been to at least– but LOTS of butter went into the regular fried rice at this place…so much in fact that one of the male diners at our grill told our chef “Please, No more butter!”).

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Please forgive me for not taking a photo of my food, but you see…my meal was so delicious that the moment the plate was put o the table in front of me… I couldn’t wait another second before scarfing it down. I did, however, manage to take a photo of our chef in action and another of our tasty mai tais before we tossed those babies back as well :) .

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On our third night (per my boyfriend’s request) we went to–are you ready for it?–a Brazilian steakhouse called Texas de Brazil. Now, I had no idea what a Brazilian steakhouse was before experiencing it myself, so for those of you who also aren’t familiar with this style of an establishment… let me clue you in. These types of steakhouses are called “churrascarias” and the meat is cooked “churrasco style” –which roughly translates to “barbecue” in Portuguese. Passadores, or waiters who serve the meat, come to your table with knives and large speared skewers displaying various kinds of meat such as beef, pork, filet mignon, lamb, chicken, duck, ham, sausage, fish, or any other sort of local cut of meat (the boyfriend might as well have died and gone straight to heaven. You should have seen his face).

 

Thankfully, my thoughtful, meat-eating guy knew not to bring me near such a place without checking to see if they served any vegan-friendly options first. He assured me that they had an amazing salad bar and low and behold…there was! Now, when I tell you this was quite possibly one of the BEST salad bars I’ve ever seen, I mean it– I couldn’t put enough food on my plate! I wanted to taste a little bit of everything, so I settled on a sample of marinated veggies, meaty mushrooms, tabouli, olives, rice, beets and pasta salad over a bed of arugula with some homemade dressings on the side.

 

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Now, if you’ve been following my blog for a while, most of you know I love a nice bottle of wine or a fancy cocktail when the occasion is right, but I do try to limit my drinking for overall health and wellness reasons (after all, I got plenty of that out of my system while in college ;) ). Sure we casually sipped drinks on the beach during out first couple of days on the island, however, I was ready to let loose a little bit. It was vacation after all! And I think that qualifies as a special occasion, don’t you? ;)

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Let’s just say I quickly realized that I am SO not in college anymore :( . I’m actually slightly embarrassed to admit, that our fourth night was a bit of a blur– and it all started right here at a pier bar with a little sign that read “Happy Hour from 4:00-6:00!” …

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You see, beach bars are tricky little things. Every hour is essentially happy hour, because every bar runs a different drink special at a different time! You could go from bar to bar starting at 10:00 AM and you’d easily find a different happy hour special at a different bar straight through to midnight (not that I suggest anyone try this). And with a view like THAT why would you ever want to leave? As you can imagine, after not having a single adult beverage for close to three whole months happy hour qualified as a little bit of a dangerous activity for me– especially when the drinks are two for $8.00…(oops!)

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After a few (too many) delicious drinks, we headed over to an incredible restaurant called  Amuse Bistro which was located right along the main boulevard in Aruba by all the shops, vendors, and other restaurants. I had the bright terrible idea to order a bottle of wine (really Ashley?) and for my main course I ordered the “Chilled Smoked Vegetable Salad”– a variety of smoked veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onions) tossed with lettuce and herbed vinaigrette. The salad was amazing (or so I was told) and the presentation was lovely. My boyfriend ordered a “fish of the day” special that he quickly proclaimed was “the best meal of the entire vacation.” I think we have to go back to Aruba just so we can relive this night again…(sans the happy hour this time ;) ).

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On our fifth day, we ventured into town to do some shopping after hitting the beach and found an adorable gelato shop. Nostalgic from Italy, I took a peek inside on the off chance that there’d be soy gelato like the kind I found in Rome. And wouldn’t you know…there was! I chose the hazelnut flavor (keeping with my Italian tradition) and my boyfriend settled on a Nutella flavor.

We took our gelato down to the beach just as the sun was setting…

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Watching the sunset in Aruba is like watching a movie– it’s the evening’s feature presentation. Everyone stops what they’re doing, congregates to the beach, sits down in the sand, and turns their eyes to the sky for 20 beautiful, peaceful minutes. I think this is what I miss most about the island–it reminds me how truly amazing Mother Nature is. Who needs all that technology and TV that clutters our lives when real beauty like this exists in the world?

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After watching the gorgeous sunset, we walked back over to the main strip in time for our reservation at an Italian restaurant called Gianni’s . We had heard nothing but wonderful things about the restaurant from other vacationers, but we must have caught it on a bad night because neither of us were impressed with our meals and the service was pretty terrible. I didn’t even take a picture of my dinner that night–and honestly, now I can’t even remember what I got. We did enjoy the steamed artichoke I ordered as an appetizer however (Nooo wine/drinks with this meal…after the happy hour festivities the evening before, we needed a break ;)).

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The next day, we vowed to pick a better place for dinner, so after our daily routine of tanning on the beach, lounging in the hotel’s serenity pool, and relaxing in the lazy river (please, don’t hate me!), we headed out to watch the sunset and find a prime dinner location.

I had a hankering for sangria and I really wanted to eat at a restaurant on the beach so we were on a mission to find a place that fulfilled both requirements. That’s when we walked by the Hyatt and spotted this beach-view restaurant (The Palms) surrounded by tiki torches, palm trees, and a stylish-looking bar crowd. As we lingered outside and checked out the menu two couples leaving the restaurant came up to us and raved about how absolutely fantastic the restaurant was.

 

Sangria was also on special for happy hour….

BINGO.

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I swear to you, this was the BEST SANGRIA OF MY LIFE. Life changing. Seriously. It puts all other sangria to shame. Oh, and it turns out the food was pretty incredible too :) .

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I ordered a yummy tomato-basil wrap spread with an herbed hummus and filled with roasted peppers, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, and radiccio. My boyfriend ordered a small plate of nachos for an appetizer and fish tacos for his main course– both of which he said tasted fantastic. I ordered a couple glasses of sangria (obviously ;) ) and the boyfriend ordered Amstel Bright– his favorite beer of the trip.

 

After dinner, we walked the beach and happened to pass a couple of beach weddings that evening. We were even lucky enough to catch an impromptu performance by a group of local dancers at one of the ceremonies!

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On our very last day of vacation on the island, we decided to give a different Italian restaurant a try since the last one we went to wasn’t so great. We saw a promising place called Azzurro overlooking the beach at the Playa Linda Hotel just few days before so we decided to give it a shot. I really wanted to have dinner somewhere that had a nice view of the sunset, but without reservations I wasn’t sure if we’d get in. Luckily a table for two opened up just as the sun was going down…

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Aside from the gorgeous sunset and the delicious food, the best part of the night was listening to the amazing violinist who played throughout dinner. It was a perfect way to end our trip! I kept my meal pretty simple — I ordered a plate of grilled veggies and a filling bowl pasta fagioli (not pictured because I couldn’t get a decent photo and didn’t want to annoy my fellow diners with 1,000 flashes from my camera). My boyfriend ordered chicken parmesan and pasta.

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This trip was everything I could have asked for and more–And it was even better because I could easily adhere to my vegan diet along the way. I’m thinking I should make this a thing…the whole traveling around the world and documenting my vegan eats along the way. Seems like a pretty great gig to me!

 

Thoughts? ;)

 

Anyways, for the time being I think I’ll go plan my next dream vacation thank you very much. But for now, I’ll leave you with a few more of my favorite photos…

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Mi Stima Aruba! (I love Aruba :) )

 

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Fabulously Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

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Sources:

Brazilian Steakhouse

Food In Aruba

Cuisine in Aruba

About Aruba

 


A Vacation, a Tragedy, & Lessons Learned

Photo Credit: Photobucket.com

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“Seeds of faith are always within us;

sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth.” — Susan Taylor

 

(Once I was finished with this post, It took me a few days to decide to publish what I wrote–namely because I never intended something this personal to be seen by anyone’s eyes but my own– and it’s not the typical kind of post I put up on my blog. But finally, after giving it some more thought, I had a change of heart. You see, I know I’m not the only one who feels like they have a new appreciation of life after going through a tragic event. I hope you are able to find comfort in my words or perhaps you can even relate. Most importantly I hope this inspires you to do something to create your own peace. You don’t ever need to suffer alone.)

 

A person shouldn’t need a tropical vacation, a tragic death, or a catastrophic event to put their life into perspective–but that’s exactly what happened to many Bostonians and Americans this past week. The Boston Marathon Bombings took place just two weeks ago, and in the moments after those two explosions tore through the Boylston Street crowds, most of us felt the same flash of fear we experienced on that fateful September day back in 2001. It’s a fear we can recall far too well, and here we were feeling it all over again. In an instant, we knew our lives would never be the same.

 

I heard about the horrific news thousands of feet in the air on a flight headed back to Boston after spending a week-long vacation with my boyfriend in Aruba. We’d never been anywhere tropical before, so this romantic trip was quite the treat. After seven solid days of worrying about nothing but what time to get to the beach and which bar to go to for happy hour… our minds and bodies were thrilled to be rid of everyday worries and work-related stress.

 

For the first time in a very long time I felt relaxed.

I felt like I could breathe.

I felt I felt like I could see.

It was pure paradise.

 

As I sat there on the plane basking in happiness, recalling how how free and happy I felt lounging on the beach under the sun, and remembering how friendly, free, and happy everyone else seemed to be while on the island,  I made a promise to myself: I vowed to smile more, stress less, and choose happiness over anger whenever I could. I wasn’t going to let the little things get the best of me anymore. Finally it was clear to me–

 

Choose happiness and happiness will follow you.

After all, life is too short to be anything but happy.

 

Little did I know that while I was dozing in and out of sleep, terror was unfolding below me. I heard about the tragedy when the woman seated next to me on the plane gave me a nudge and told me there had been a bombing at the Boston Marathon finish line. I immediately started to panic about my friends, family, and co-workers who were running the marathon or planned to head to the finish line and cheer on the runners. Slowly, whispers turned to chatter and that chatter became louder and louder and more and more worried as everyone on the plane flipped off their movies and flipped on the news. Everyone just wanted to get back to Boston as soon as possible, but our plane was unable to land due to emergency  flight restrictions. We hovered above Providence for what seemed like forever until we got the okay to head to Logan.

 

The airport was crazy. People were understandably confused and on edge. We soon discovered that the MBTA had just shut down and everyone would need to wait in line to take taxis home. Luckily, we were able to share a cab with a student headed the same direction as us. I feverishly texted and called my friends and family the whole ride home. Thankfully, all were accounted for–but all was not okay. America had been attacked. My gut told me this was just the beginning.

 

It’s a strange feeling going from the highest of a high to the lowest of a low in such a short period of time, but as soon as I started to understand the magnitude of the bombings…I couldn’t even remember the beauty of Aruba or remember how I at peace I felt when I was there. In an instant, three people were dead and dozens more were injured and all I could think about was what an awful world we lived in lived in.

 

It felt like a bad dream, and it didn’t stop there. Boston and its surrounding towns went into lockdown last Friday after the bombing suspects murdered an MIT police officer in cold blood, hijacked a car, engaged in intense firefight and car chase with the police, (resulting in the death of one of the suspects) before staging an all out manhunt after the surviving suspect fled from his stolen vehicle on foot and hid in the neighborhoods of Watertown before being caught almost 24 (grueling) hours later. I didn’t know what else to do with myself in the days of nonstop television coverage that followed after last week’s events, but as soon as the investigations, car chases, shootouts, and lockdowns came to an end and the chaos momentarily subsided (and as soon as I could peel myself away from the TV for the first time in days), I knew I had to numb my mind with something that made me feel alive. After all, I’m lucky to be alive. We’re ALL so lucky to be alive.

 

And so I did the only thing I could do.

I wrote…

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Photo Credit: npr.org

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As I sit down at my computer and open up new, blank, blog post– ready to let the floodgates open after enduring one of the straight up scariest weeks of my life, I’m overcome with feelings of anger and frustration followed by a strange sense of self-awareness and peace. I hesitate to call these feelings an epiphany of sorts, because I can’t help but feel like that sounds WAY too preachy and dramatic– but perhaps it is a small miracle when you’re suddenly able to grasp onto new life meaning and see the soft, glow of hope and light through the heavy darkness. I suddenly saw my life through a different lens. But before I jump right into what changed, allow me to give you some background about me before all of this…

 

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” –Walter Hagen

 

Those who know me best would most likely describe me as strong, friendly, committed, and dependable–but they would also probably label me as high-strung, hardworking, slightly obsessive, with perfectionist tendencies– aka “Type A” to the max. Don’t get me wrong, none of these traits are necessarily a bad thing. In fact, this “Type A” personality trait has been one of my greatest assets and has helped me to achieve many things in my 26 years– but at the same time, it’s also been my biggest curse.

 

My strong will and disciplined nature have helped me to study for exams, write 40-page papers, graduate Summa Cum Laude, exercise every single day, and start a blog…but it’s also been the reason why I don’t sleep in (ever), why I feel waves of panic when I can’t workout, why I’ve missed endless get-togethers and happy hours with friends (and probably missed making a few new best friends in the process), and why I pushed my body closer and closer to death as I struggled with anorexia.While fighting every day to be the very best version of yourself isn’t necessarily always a bad thing, when you take this addiction to success to an extreme level–to the point where it begins to take over the quality of your life–that’s when it’s time to change the routine.

 

Why?

Because the top is never going to be good enough.

That’s the harsh truth.

 

There will always be one more step to take, one more pound to lose, one more mile to run, one more “A” to achieve, one more hour to work… it will never, ever end. You’ll end up working your behind off to find happiness… but you’ll find that most of the time this cycle will ultimately leave you feeling isolated and alone. To be honest, it’s pretty damn lonely worrying about “perfecting” yourself all the time, and quite frankly it also sounds pretty damn vain as I type these words on the screen in front of me– embarrassing even. And yet, time and time again when I start to feel that internal stress and pressure building and the unhappiness sinking in…I’ve begged myself the same question: “What for?” My answer? “Because I HAVE to.” I’ve never allowed myself to know anything otherwise. I’ve been doing this for years.

 

I’ve been telling myself I’ll be able to do  a.) b.)  c.) or d.) when I’m a.) thinner, b.) richer c.) prettier and d.) more successful (etc… etc… etc…) and I’m sure many of you reading this can relate. Excuse my being blunt, but that’s pretty damn messed up, isn’t it? Not to mention extremely unhealthy. If you feel the same sentiments as me, you know exactly what I mean. The sad reality is, we’ll never be any of these things.  We’ll never achieve “perfection.” That’s because nothing will ever be quite good enough in our eyes.

 

I wasn’t always like this, however. I went though a period during my recovery from an eating disorder when I slowly began to come to terms with the harsh truth that I was living my life all wrong– and it was a pretty startling realization at that. I mean, I was one of the lucky people who struggled with an eating disorder, went in and out of hospitals and treatment centers for months on end, and still managed to come out on the other side in one piece. Sure my family and doctors helped put me on the path I needed to get there, but that hardworking little fighter inside of me also had a hell of a lot to do with it. Just when my doctors, and closed friends, and loved ones started to doubt me, give up on me, and throw in the towel…that’s exactly when I started to recover for good. I guess you could say my “type A” personality came through for the better at this point in my life.

 

The healthier I became, the more I began to realize the extent of my illness. that’s when the real scary truth began to set in–I was so close to death and didn’t even know it. Heck…I didn’t even care! And yet some way, some how I had been given a second chance– had to mean something, right? From that moment on I promised to live my life to the fullest, live it with passion and inspire others. And or a few years I did just that–I transferred schools and cut myself some slack. I allowed myself to have fun with my friends, do what made me happy, and forget about being perfect all the time. Miss a workout to go out with friends? Sure! Go out for dinner with girlfriends instead of study for 2 more hours? Okay! Take a nap and relax because I want to? Why not! I also made it my mission to make others happy, stay positive, and avoid all things (and people!) that were negative or would bring me down — after all, negative energy is draining.

 

Those were easily the BEST years of my life spent with the very best people. I can honestly say I was truly happy during this time… and it showed! I glowed :) . I also met my best friends and my boyfriend during these couple of years. After some time however, things changed. Over the years I slowly lost that spunky little firecracker inside of me again. My senior year in college became a year of stress and worry as I tried to figure out what my next move in the real world would be. Instead of going to my real friends, working and working out (once again) became my tactic of choice to help deal with the stress and uncertainty of the unknown. While other seniors were partying it up and living their last year of no responsiblity to the fullest, I was putting myself in the sidelines and becoming increasingly unhappy and falling back into old habits. After graduation, I immediately got a full-time job and fell into the same old pattern…

 

Work. Work. Work.

Workout. Workout. Workout.

 

I became so obsessed with wanting to be successful and get ahead (whether it be career-wise or image-wise) that it didn’t take long before I (once again) started avoiding all the fun things that used to make me happy. Sure, your mid-twenties aren’t supposed to be exactly like college…but they certainly aren’t supposed to be boring! Here I was living in the greatest city on Earth (I know, I’m biased) with my incredible boyfriend, right down the street from two of my best friends, working at an amazing, fun, young company and yet I still wasn’t satisfied. Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, and over two years later I’m wondering where the time went.

 

Then came that tropical vacation, followed by the terrorist attacks on Boston. And that’s when the lights finally came back on. I realized I was doing it to myself all over again–going through the motions, missing out on everything happening around me, being too hard on myself…not to mention too hard on others. Was I depressed? No. But I wasn’t exactly happy either. And what’s the point of going through this amazing thing called life if you aren’t happy? Sometimes it takes a change or a wake-up call, or yes, a beautiful vacation or even a horrible tragedy to put things back into perspective and help you to realize life is beautiful– life is precious. We’re all people. We’re all in this horribly mixed up and confusing world together. We might as well get along, love ourselves and love each other while we can, because you never know when your time will be up– and shouldn’t the time we have be time well spent? Chances are most of you reading my post know this already. Life is short, so let’s make the best of it.

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Photo Credit: Photobucket.com

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Smile more. Love each other. Be kind. Open your heart. Be positive. Have faith. Breathe. That’s exactly what I intend to do…and this time for good.  I challenge you to do the same– I promise you won’t regret it :) . For now, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes…

 

Be content with what you have,
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.
– Lao Tzu

 

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With love &  gratitude,

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Ashley Michelle

 

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My First NatureBox + a Coupon Code!

 

 

I love trying new things.

 

Especially when those things happen to be healthy and wholesome yet addictively tasty snacks!

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(Please Note: I am endorsing NatureBox and writing this review 100% on my own--I am not receiving any sort of compensation from the company).

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Put me in a Whole Foods on a Sunday afternoon and you’re in trouble. I’ll walk down every aisle deciphering every label, reading every nutrition fact and inspecting every list of ingredients until my head wants to explode (in a good way). Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the moment I heard about a monthly snack service called NatureBox, my interest level piqued big time. I mean…the latest guilt-free, nutritionist-approved, minimally processed, and super delicious treats conveniently delivered straight to my door for just $19.95 a month?

 

Hello.

How could I say no to THAT?

 

NatureBox’s mission is simple: Discover a healthier you with foods you can trust. And they want to help you accomplish this without  drastically changing your eating habits– that means snacking is allowed! (Can I get an amen to that??). NatureBox chooses to focus on snacks because they believe that snacking is the easiest habit to change. Considering the average American consumes roughly 25% of their daily calories from snacking alone, this seems like a pretty great place to start…don’t you think? And since NatureBox doesn’t like wasting calories on the bad stuff– they make sure every item in their box meets nutritionist standards. Just in case you’re not 100% convinced yet, when you sign up for NatureBox you’re also making a difference. NatureBox is partnered with Feeding America, meaning the company donates one meal for every NatureBox sold to help feed the over 14 million children in America who go hungry.

 

Finally.

Snacks you can feel good about eating :)

 

You can also feel good about the price. When you sign up for NatureBox for only $19.95 a month, you’ll get five full-sized, surprise snacks delivered straight to your door once a month– and shipping is always free! Not satisfied with your NatureBox? No problem. They’ll gladly give you a refund (though I highly doubt you’ll have this issue). You can also pause or cancel your membership anytime. The only downside to this surprise snack system? There’s no way to ensure all the snacks are 100% vegan– although many of them end up being so. Since it isn’t solely a vegan service (although rumor has it NatureBox may start to offer boxes based on dietary needs/restrictions) it’s a good idea to find a roommate or friend you can share with if you happen to get a box with a few non-vegan snacks thrown in ;) .

 

Now, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE a good deal (and surprises!), so you can imagine my delight when I discovered a coupon for NatureBox on DailyCandy last week (in addition to DailyCandy, NatureBox has also been featured on Rachel Ray and in Shape Magazine). For just $25, I was able to snag a three-month trial subscription to NatureBox. I figured this was a perfect way to test out the program–and if I’m satisfied after three months, I’ll officially sign-up to keep the deliveries coming.

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The verdict?

Let’s just say my first NatureBox did not disappoint.

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My first box came with five fabbbb-ulous snacks– Sunshine chips, Honey Mesquite Almonds, Roasted Kettle Corn, Granny Smith Apples, and Toasted Cheddar Sticks (I could not eat these because of the cheese, but my boyfriend gladly did! Strict vegans also should not eat the almonds or roasted corn due to the honey). Let’s break it down snack by snack, shall we?

 

Inside my NatureBox:

 

Sunshine Chips:

 

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BEWARE: These crunchy chips and sticks made of sweet yellow potato, squash, taro, carrot, green beans, and sweet purple potato are highly addictive. Not too salty, slightly sweet, and delightfully reminiscent of the true veggies themselves, this snack is a guilt-free way to satisfy your 3:00PM salty/crunchy cravings. I found it hard to stop at just one–and at only 4 grams of fat (none of which is saturated) and 130 calories per serving…it’s okay to go back for that second handful ;) . My favorite chips in the mix? The beet slices and the taro sticks!

 

Honey Mesquite Almonds (not for strict vegans due to the honey):

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Tired of plain old raw almonds? Then these smoked almonds are just the thing you need to kick your afternoon snack up a notch. The almond’s smoky taste is robust enough without being too overpowering (thanks to a touch of honey which sweetens these guys up a bit), and they taste just as good on their own as they do tossed on top of a salad. This snack reminds me of summer barbeques, warm weather, and campfires :) . Make your own trail-mix-to-go by tossing these almonds together with some golden raisins, dark chocolate chips, and your choice of cereal for an easy snack you can take along with you no matter where you go.

 

Roasted Kettle Corn (not for strict vegans due to honey):

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This snack is quite possibly the most addictive of them all. The ingredient list may be short and simple–Non-GMO whole kernel corn, sugar, sunflower oil, honey and salt– but the flavor is HUGE. Think kettle corn popcorn minus the whole “popped” part. This snack is extra crunchy and will easily satisfy those late night salty/sweet cravings. My boyfriend and I found ourselves noshing on a small bowl of these kernels instead of our usual air-popped popcorn during movie night last weekend. Feeling crazy? Sprinkle some kernels on top of a bowl of vegan vanilla, banana, or coconut  ice cream. Yum!

 

Dried Granny Smith Apple Rings:

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NatureBox has the right idea–why mess with a good thing? And that’s exactly why Granny Smith apples are the only ingredient in this snack. At 100 calories and zero grams of fat for 10 rings, this is just the treat you’ll need when your sweet tooth strikes. So put down the leftover Easter jellybeans people! Who needs candy when you can chew on sweet and tangy dried apple rings? No one. These treats are simply perfect.

 

Toasted Cheddar Sesame Sticks (not vegan):

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Take one look at the ingredients on the back of a bag of Cheetos and then take a look at the list of ingredients on the bag of Toasted Cheddar Sticks. NatureBox’s cheddar snacks are made of things like unbleached wheat flour, soybean oil, ground bulgur wheat, sesame seeds, cheddar cheese, salt, and buttermilk while Cheetos are made of all kinds of stuff like corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, frolic acid, vegetable oil  (or corn or sunflower oil), whey, salt, cultured milk, salt, enzymes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, maltodextrin, disodium phosphate, sour cream (cultured Cream, non-fat milk), artificial flavors, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, artificial colors (including yellow 6), and citric acid. So. Which snack would YOU rather eat? That’s what I thought :) . While I didn’t get to taste-test these cheddar sticks, my boyfriend did. He said they were pretty good, but he still prefers plain, non-flavored sesame sticks to these cheesy ones.

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And juuuust when you didn’t think it could get any better…

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It does.

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For a limited time, use the coupon code SNACKHEALTHY and save $10 on your first NatureBox!

 

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So what are you waiting for?! 

Sign up for NatureBox NOW.

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After all…

Variety is the spice of life :)

 

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Healthfully Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

 

 

 

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(Please Note: I am endorsing NatureBox and writing this review 100% on my own–I am not receiving any sort of compensation from the company).


Wake-up with Pre-Workout Chia Shots!

Photo Credit: discovergoodnutrition.com

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Wake up with determination.

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Go to bed with satisfaction.

 

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I’ve always been a morning person. I was that girl who signed up for those dreaded 8:00 am classes in college and gladly took an internship which required me to get up at 4:30 am everyday during the summer and senior year (I worked for a morning show at a TV station and I LOVED every second of it).

 

Yes, Some may call me crazy.

But I prefer to call it dedicated :) .

 

Fast forward a few years later and I’m still exactly the same. I’m very particular about what time I get up in the morning and I even set my alarm on the weekend (I consider sleeping past 7:00 am late– for me at least!). I’m suppose this is because I’m super particular about how I like my day to pan out–i.e. I’d rather tackle my errands and responsibilities as early as possible so that I have more time to relax (and blog!) later in the day as opposed to rushing around trying to get things done before bedtime. It probably doesn’t surprise you, then, that I was also the girl who finished her papers/projects days before they were due. No all-nighters in the library for me! I know. SUCH a dork.

 

I find that the same level of particularity can be applied to workout schedules–people tend to be either morning workout warriors or late night sweat sesh gurus. Some people like to hit the gym after dark to work off the stress of the day while I love to get in a hardcore workout first thing in the morning (shocker, I know) because I believe it sets a healthy tone for the rest of my day.

 

The problem with this?

Breakfast.

 

During the week, I get up at 5:00 am and I’m at the gym by the time it opens at 5:30. The last thing I want to do that early in the morning is eat, but halfway through my morning spin class… I’m always absolutely starving. Ironically, however, breakfast is my absolute favorite meal.  I find nothing more relaxing than waking up on a weekend, making a hot cup of tea, catching up on the news and preparing a healthy breakfast before I hit the gym. I’ve also noticed that when I eat a nice substantial meal… that’s when I get in my very best workouts. Still, during the week, it’s been difficult for me to make this happen.

 

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that people and breakfast are weird. For example, my boyfriend could be running 30 minutes late to work but he’ll still find a way to sit down to eat a bagel with cream cheese and leisurely drink two cups of coffee every. single. morning. Me on the other hand? I’ll spend the extra time doing my make-up, whipping up lunch, or ironing an outfit while I scarf down a handful trail mix and make a run for the bus. I also have a friend who prefers to eat an entire dinner and then go for a nice long run. The mere idea of running on a full stomach nauseates me, but it works for her. The real trick is finding what works (and feels) best for you. I clearly needed to find something that worked for me and my early morning workout routine, so that’s when I started brainstorming….

 

What can I eat first thing in the morning that’s easy on the stomach yet provides enough energy to power me through a workout?

 

Enter Chia Shots :)

 

 

 

Now, if you’re a frequent reader of my blog you know exactly how I feel about the powerful little guys known as chia seeds (you can read all about them plus get a pretty delicious recipe in my post here). To make a long story short, they’re amazing! Don’t believe me? Just check out all of these fabulous health benefits they have to offer below:

 

  • They deliver the max amount of nutrients with the least amount of calories.
  • Chia seeds have 2x the protein of any seed or grain.
  • They have 3x as much iron as spinach.
  • Chia seeds increase stamina and energy over long periods of time (they are becoming a favorite among marathon runners!)
  • They can aid in weight loss (chia seeds absorb up to 7x its weight, and expand to curb appetite/make you feel full).
  • They are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, also known as ALA.
  • Chia seeds can reduce overall cholesterol and increase good cholesterol (HDL)
  • They are heart-healthy in that they have one of the most concentrated sources of Omega-3 than in any other food (even salmon).
  • They also contain high amounts of Omega-6 (both Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids cannot be made internally and must be obtained through diet).
  • They contain the essential minerals such as sodiumphosphoruspotassium (2x as much as bananas), manganese, and calcium (5x more than in milk!).
  • They are FULL of antioxidants (3x as much as blueberries!).
  • Chia seeds have 11 grams of dietary fiber in one ounce (the soluble fiber improves digestion and helps to reduce glycemic spikes)
  • They do not need to be ground like flax seeds in order to reap their benefits.
  • Chia seeds have a long shelf life and do not spoil as quickly as other seeds (like flax-seed).
  • They soothe heartburn and calm the digestive system due to the gel-like substance they form when mixed with a liquid (this is especially helpful for people with IBS).
  • Chia can relieve itchy skin (in oil form)
  • They can help to balance blood sugar/prevent glucose spikes

 

Sounds like the perfect powerhouse food to me!

 

 

Now, I will be honest– chia seeds can take a little getting used to. When soaked in liquid, they expand up to 7x their weight and develop a gel-like coating. The consistency reminds me of tapioca pudding (I grew up eating tapioca and rice pudding, so it has never bothered me that much). Don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways to reap the benefits of chia seeds if you don’t love the texture in a pudding form (blended into a smoothie, sprinkled over a salad, mixed into my Weekend Workout Oatmeal–don’t worry, recipe to come!), but I urge you to give the soaked version a try– when you discover how great you feel after eating them you won’t be turning back :) . PLUS, the best part of all is that you can mix this recipe up the night before, toss it in the fridge, and voilà! It’s ready for you in the morning before you head to the gym.

 

Now you can have a quick and tasty-pre-workout snack that will power you through your gym sesh!

 

Pre-Workout Chia Shots

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk (add more or less milk depending upon how thick you want the consistency of the chia shots– i.e. do you want to drink it or eat it with a spoon like a pudding)
  • Slightly under 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or almond extract)
  • 1/2 packet of stevia
  • Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (to taste)
  • Optional: Add in some powdered peanut butter or cocoa powder (to taste), raisins, a spoonful of granola, a few chocolate chips, a drizzle of 100% maple syrup, or a some slices of banana.

 

Directions:

  • Measure out chia seeds in a small glass, mug or bowl.
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  • Pour almond milk over the chia seeds.
  • Add stevia, your extract of choice, and any other fun surprises you might like. Mix well.
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  • Chill in the fridge overnight (just give the chia pudding a good stir before you eat it in the morning) or wait 10 minutes and mix well if you want to eat it right away.
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  • For an actual “chia shot,” pour chia pudding mixture into shot glasses and shoot em’ back! (Actual shot glasses are totally optional– feel free to use a spoon if you’d like :) ).
  • Follow these chia shots with a small, healthy breakfast post-gym and you’ve set the groundwork for a nice, healthy day!
  • Note: Of course these shots can be eaten any time of the day for a healthy snack or even for some protein-rich post-workout fuel. And if you’re looking for a more substantial snack, breakfast, or a healthy dessert– simply double up the recipe for a bigger bowl of Chia Power Pudding.
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So eat up early birds!

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And never go hungry during a workout again. 

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Cheers to that! ;)

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Healthfully Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

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Healthy Hangover Cures

Photo Credit: tumblr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

 

Let’s face it– no one can be a health-nut 100% of the time. And when St. Patrick’s Day falls on a weekend, there’s no denying it’s going to be tough to be good and not give in. So go on. Be safe. Have fun. Join in the celebrations. But be ready to face the consequences…

 

After a weekend of Irish bar hopping, dancing, singing and plenty of indulging in green beer (while you’re at it check out this list of vegan-friendly beers) your body is going to need some serious damage control. And as much as you’d like to stuff your face with greasy fries and a burrito at 9:00 AM the morning after the fun festivities…allow me to be that little conscious on your shoulder telling you “STOP!!! DON’T DO IT!”

 

Sorry… (not sorry).

You’ll thank me later.

Promise.

 

So, instead of eating unhealthy foods, wasting the entire day away in bed, and pretty much hating yourself for doing so afterwards… grab a tall glass of water and allow me to share some of my healthy hangover tips that will help to get you back on your feet and feeling better in no time :) .

 

Have a Healthy Hangover:

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Photo Credit: busanhaps.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  1. Take your vitamins:

    Alcohol causes inflammation. Inflammation causes health problems (including hangovers).  Omega-3 fatty acids combat inflammation. So, the easy thing to do? Pop a couple of omega-3s to reduce inflammation. An added bonus? They’ll help with those questionable puffy, red eyes of yours as well. Another vitamin that helps with hangover symptoms is vitamin B. Vitamin B (which plays a key role in the functioning of the brain and nervous system) is known to speed up the metabolism of alcohol, so it’s a good idea to take a vitamin B complex before you go out and first thing in the morning when you wake up.

     

  2. Sip peppermint tea:

    Start your morning off with peppermint tea. Peppermint leaves have a soothing aroma and some pretty great therapeutic powers. When made into a tea, they settle the stomach and help with indigestion– two major hangover culprits. Peppermint also helps to cleanse and detoxify the liver, and by cleansing and detoxifying the liver you’ll able to speed up the hangover recovery process. Since the liver is in charge of filtering alcohol and other toxins from your body, it’s probably a good idea to give the poor guy a break (after all those green beers, it’s the least you can do). Lastly, peppermint tea contains antioxidants– while antioxidants may not help with your nausea, they do help to get your skin looking great–and chances are your skin could use a little boost after all that dehydrating alcohol anyways. So, drink up!

     

  3. Have a green smoothie:

    I know the idea of getting all the ingredients together to make a green smoothie is about as appealing as a shot of tequila right about now…but trust me on this one. You’ll feel 100x better after drinking this healthy concoction.  After a night out, your poor body is already working hard enough to process all that poisonous alcohol filtering through your liver– so the last thing you should do is make it work even harder by filling up your belly with greasy, fatty junk food that takes extra time to break down (Please don’t cry. I know that’s what you really want, but it will do you no good). The better option? A healthy smoothie. My Green Superstar Smoothie is crammed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and hydrating nutrients that will help you to kiss your hangover goodbye. Detoxifying ingredients like lemon juice, parsley, and cilantro will have you feeling refreshed and revived in no time, the banana will level out your potassium levels, the pear and apple will give your system a healthy dose of vitamin C to stimulate the liver (and potentially fend off any germs you may have picked up the night before), the spinach is also full of hangover fighting vitamin C as well as sulfur and folic acid, and the water will rehydrate your very dehydrated body.

     

  4. Order miso soup:

    After a night out on the town, chances are you’re dehydrated and devoid of the proper sodium, water, and nutrients your body needs due to the diuretic effects of alcohol. Miso soup, the popular soup you can order in Japanese restaurants,  is chock full of beneficial enzymes, nutrients and bacteria that can help to undo some of the damage you did the night before. Miso soup is also fermented and the healthy bacteria created through the fermentation process can help settle an uneasy stomach.

     

  5. Drink kombucha tea:

    Once again the Japanese have it right. Kombucha tea is that fancy bottled tea you can find at Whole Foods with weird stuff floating at the bottom. That weird “stuff” is actually a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, and when it’s fermented, the healthy bacteria created actually helps to settle a queasy stomach. It sounds a lot yuckier than it really is, and the slightly alcohol-y  taste may take a little getting used to (there are trace amounts of alcohol in the tea as a result of the fermentation), but this tea contains probiotics which are great for your gut, especially after it’s been stripped down and abused by booze from the night before. I like GT’s Kombucha Tea best.

     

  6. Brew a cup of green tea:

    Instead of making the trek to Dunkin Donuts or immediately reaching for that pot of coffee to get your caffeine fix, brew up a nice warm cup of green tea instead. Green tea is chock full of antioxidants that can help to fight free-radicals (which are released by alcohol) and the caffeine in green tea can help to ease your headache.  Another trick that may ease your hangover? Drink a cup of green tea when you get home from a night out and about and let those anti-oxidants do their restorative work while you sleep.

     

  7. Sweat it out with exercise:

    Okay people. I know you are probably rolling your eyes at me right about now, but hear me out. Exercise gets the blood circulating, and the sweat going which helps to eliminate waste and all of those nasty toxins produced by the alcohol that makes you feel so gosh darn awful in the first place. Plus, exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you feel happy. And let’s be serious–when you’re hungover, you need all the happy feelings you can get. (I also know I don’t need to remind you that alcohol isn’t exactly figure-friendly…so it’s a good idea to get moving in order to balance out those unhealthy calories).

     

  8. Crack open a coconut water:

    When you’re hungover, don’t reach for the Gatorade (have you read about the scary ingredient in the popular drink that’s also found in flame retardants?). Coconut water is nature’s sports drink. It’s low-calorie, fat-free, cholesterol-free and has far less sugar than other juices or recovery drinks. It’s also full of vitamins, minerals and those all-important electrolytes that the human body needs to function properly. Electrolyte imbalance (too much or too little) can cause the muscles in your body–including your heart–to malfunction. When this happens illness can occur. Thankfully, coconut water has five of the same electrolytes also found in human blood. Potassium, one of the most important electrolytes, regulates the body’s water level so you don’t retain too much water or dehydrate. Potassium also conducts electrical impulses for heart contractions, nerve conduction, and skeletal muscle movement. Just one serving of coconut water contains 250 mg of potassium (the recommended daily allowance is 2,000 mg). Need more proof that this stuff is amazing? Fun Fact: 100% coconut water has been used  intravenously when conventional hydration fluids were not available. Talk about healthy!

     

  9. Chew on some crystallized ginger:

    Ginger has been used to treat nausea, morning sickness, and inflammation for years, but its strong flavor may not be pleasant to everyone. If you like the taste of ginger tea, drink a cup first thing in the morning to settle your uneasy stomach. I’m not a huge fan of ginger tea myself, but crystallized ginger (which is sugar-cured ginger root) is a much more palatable way to enjoy the benefits of this potent spice, especially first thing in the morning. This is a much better alternative to drinking ginger ale, which often has caramel color and high fructose corn syrup– unhealthy ingredients that won’t help your overall health or ease your hangover one bit. You can find crystallized ginger in health food stores or the natural section of most supermarkets.

     

  10. Jump in a hot shower/bath:

    Peel yourself off the couch or roll out of bed and get into a steamy hot shower or a nice relaxing bath. Not only is it soothing for your feet, your head, and your belly, but maybe (just mayyybe) you’ll be motivated to get out of the house at some point during the day if you wash off the scent of booze from the night before. An added bonus? The steam will open up your pores, get your skin breathing, and increase circulation so you can get that healthy, pre-hangover glow back.

     

  11. Take a nap:

    PHEW! Aren’t you happy to see this fun activity on the list? Consider this one a gift. After you’ve worked out, eaten well, and taken a shower…GET YOUR REST! I’m giving you permission to nap and watch all the trashy TV you want (preferably anything on Lifetime, TLC, Bravo, The Food Network, or E!). Enjoy :) .

     

     

    Rest up, relax, and feel better soon everybody!

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    Photo Credit: Pinterest


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Healthfully Yours,

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Ashley Michelle

 

 

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Sources: 

Potassium Levels in Coconut Water 

Time Magazine: Coconut water is nature’s hangover relief

CNN: Hangover remedies

Wholesome Hangover Helpers

Livestrong: Crystallized Ginger

Glamour Magazine: Hangover cures

Hangover Cures You’ll Need for the Holidays

Bon Appetit: Healthy Smoothies

VegNews: Vegan Beer