Paleo-friendly Cinnamon Rolls!

There is a God.

I found this recipe on Paleo Cupboard.  I used the dough recipe exactly, and the glaze.  However, I like my cinnamon filling to have a little bit more oomph.  And what surprising ingredient adds oomph to a lot of things paleo?  Pecans.  That's right.  Raw pecan halves.  I put probably a little less than a cups worth of pecans into my Nutribullet and pulverized.  Voila.  Pecan flour.  I added the pecan flour to the honey, cinnamon, and coconut oil.  After tasting it, I couldn't imagine the cinnamon filling without it. 

The downside of a small kitchen is that when you bake, it is HOT.  And it stays hot.  So when I went to "roll" out my dough (I didn't have a rolling pin so I used my hands) it did not stay firm from when it cooled in the fridge.  When it came down to rolling up my last strip, it was definitely sticking to the parchment paper and to my hands.  Paleo mess.  About half of my cinnamon rolls looked more like cinnamon lumps.  But the other half didn't turn out too bad!  I was satisfied.  Especially since it was my first attempt at paleo-friendly cinnamon rolls.

I could definitely use these as a permanent replacement to the store-bought.  Also, this has been my boyfriend's favorite paleo treat, yet!  And when anything healthy is highly approved by the boyfriend, you know it's good.  Another plus: they only take like 15 minutes to bake.  The recipe on Paleo Cupboard says anywhere from 17-21, but I took mine out a little early and they were perfect.

So now you can enjoy a much healthier version of cinnamon rolls!  

Everyone have an awesome weekend.  

Paleo Crock Pot Monkey Bread!

Okay.  I kind of lied.  It's not really monkey bread.  It's more like cinnamon honey buns.  But it looks like monkey bread!!  And still tastes phenomenal.  And I know I say this every time, but I really mean it this time.  This is THE best paleo treat recipe EVER.  Hands down.

Not only is this a super easy recipe, but it literally melts in your mouth.  Like M&M's.  But better.  And it only takes like an hour or an hour and a half in the crock pot.  

What you need:

DOUGH:
1/3 cup of coconut flour
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
5 tbs coconut oil/grass-fed butter
dash of salt
2 tbs honey

The dough recipe is actually from one of my favorite sites: Wellness Mama.  Her recipe calls for 4 eggs, but I only used three so I had more of a dough and not a batter, and I opted for the coconut oil and not the butter.  This made about 7 or 8 balls of dough.

TOPPING:
1 cup of honey
4 tbs grass-fed butter melted
1 tbs of cinnamon

 I mixed all of the dough ingredients together until it reached a good consistency.  Next I formed medium sized balls of dough.  After the balls of dough were formed, I melted the butter, and mixed that with the honey and cinnamon.  I dipped each dough ball into the topping mixture and placed into the crock pot.  If you have a large crock pot, you will want to double the recipe for the dough, but not the topping.  You will have plenty.  If you have a smaller crock pot, the amount of dough should be fine and you can pour the unused topping over the doughballs.

Cook on low for 1-1/2 hours in your crock pot.

This is what they will look like when they are about finished.

This would be great to make for a sweet addition to Sunday brunch, or to just throw together last minute to cure the after dinner sweet tooth like I did :).  I definitely recommend using a spatula to get these suckers out because the outside ones have a tendency to come apart.  Enjoy this recipe!

Have a great weekend!

Keep it sassy.

Paleo-Friendly "Reese" Pie!

Yup.  That just happened.  The most amazing dessert among paleo desserts was just made.  Thanks to Clean Eating With a Dirty Mind our lives are forever changed.  Pretty sure I say that about most every recipe on the blog, but I mean it.  This will blow your mind.  It is pretty easy to make, too!  Time consuming, but easy.  I have no patience.  And if I can do it, you can do it.

I followed their recipe almost exactly, except I omitted the vanilla extract in everything and the lemon juice.  Mainly, because I didn't have vanilla extract or lemon juice.  So, if you have them, use it.  And I am sure this dessert could only get better.  Here is the recipe on their website!  I am sure you will find lots of other yummy goodies on there, too.

The crust alone was phenomenal.  Not exaggerating.  They call it a "faux"reo (fake oreo) crust.  Holy crap.  I had to stop myself from eating it directly from the bowl.  Fat kid status.  I am totally making "faux"reo balls with that recipe at some point, too.  Get excited! 

Instead of sunbutter cups, I made the paleo Reese cups here.  But instead of honey, I used the grade B maple syrup.  One thing I have noticed about paleo baking, is that honey definitely has a stronger flavor that stands out a bit more than maple syrup.  So, if you aren't a huge fan of the honey taste, opt for the maple syrup.  

Have a wonderful weekend, put your game face on, and head to the kitchen.  

Keep it sassy.

Paleo Fudge? Yes, please!

Is it seriously only Tuesday?  Is this week dragging for anyone else?  Well, to cure my "only Tuesday" blues, what is better than guilt-free fudge? Oh, and Rock of Ages.  This is the second time I have watched it this week.  If you haven't seen it, it will change your life.  Tom Cruise is a little out of control.  AKA he is a ball of filth in this movie.  And you might be offended.  But keep watching.  And, for your sake, don't watch this with your parents.  And parents, the same goes for you.  This movie is like Pitch Perfect on steroids and with better music.  WAY better music.  Who doesn't love Don't Stop Believin'?  Oh.  And I am now obsessed with Julianne Hough.  I want to be her.  And I want to live in the 80's in my next life.  Teased bangs and all.  I want it.  You will, too.

Anyways.  

Guilt-free Fudge.  It exists!  I found this recipe on one of my FAVORITE recipe websites.  Detoxinista.  Have you heard of her?  Well, after viewing her recipes, you will be obsessed with her.  And Julianne Hough.  So she has a raw fudge recipe for ONE.  Thank God.  Because when I bake sweet treats, I eat way more than one serving.  You do, too.  It's okay.  I won't tell anyone.  If no one sees you eat it, the calories don't count.  Right?

If only.  

So here is what you need:

-1 T of raw maple almond butter

-1 t of extra virgin coconut oil  I always have this on hand.  Trader Joe's has it SUPER cheap

-1 t of 100% cocoa powder

-a dash of salt

-vanilla (optional)

I make homemade maple almond butter.  Chances are you don't.  So, you should get raw almond butter, and add some 100% maple syrup in there, to taste.  Grade A is runnier.  It reminds me of Cracker Barrel's maple syrup.  Grade B is thicker.  You be the judge.

Mix everything together in a bowl.  If you are patient enough, mold it into a fudge-like square and stick it in the freezer for 5 minutes.  If not, stick the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes and go for it.

That's vegan?!  And paleo?!  Mouth-watering.  I know.  And it takes like two seconds to make.  So when a craving strikes, go make your single serving of fudge.  Or double the recipe if you'd like.  Heck, triple it for all I care.  Oh, and while you enjoy this guilt-free treat watch Rock of Ages.  You can thank me later.

Have an awesome week.  Keep it sassy.

Paleo-friendly Reese Cup!

I am not a huge candy person, but if there is a Reese Cup in front of me, I will eat it.  No. Questions. Asked.  Because who doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate together?  No one.  I am also aware, however, of the junk ingredients in a Reese Cup, which leaves me feeling guilty after I eat one.

Well, you guys, NO MORE GUILT.  This is a Reese Cup do-over.  Paleo-friendly and only four ingredients!!

What you need:

3 T of cocoa powder

1 T of coconut oil

A dollop of raw almond butter

Honey to taste

3-4 cupcake liners

1.  In a small bowl, mix together your cocoa powder and coconut oil.  Add honey little by little until you achieve your preferred level of sweetness.

2.  Pour half of the mixture into your cupcake liners.  Use all 3 or 4.  The ingredients are too heavy for only 1 or 2.  

3.  In a separate bowl, mix your almond butter with some honey.  As stated above, add honey little by little until you achieve your preferred level of sweetness.  

4.  Once mixed, spoon your almond butter mixture on top of the cocoa mixture in your cupcake liner.

5.  Add the remaining cocoa mixture on top of the almond butter mixture.

6.  Place in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.

7.  Enjoy immensely.

WARNING:  This is RICH.  The cocoa powder used is 100% cocoa so it is extremely dark.  Also, since this is made with coconut oil, it will start to melt as soon as your fingers touch it.  If you don't mind the mess, then don't worry about.  

You can play around with this recipe, too.  If you don't want to use 100% cocoa powder, use chocolate chips instead and just melt them with the coconut oil.  If you use chocolate chips, you could get creative and use white chocolate chips for a white chocolate "reese" cup.  But, keep in mind, it may not be paleo-friendly anymore if you are a strict Paleo follower.

This makes one huge Reese cup, so usually I share it with my boyfriend, or the person lucky enough to be next to me.  

P.S. This is healthy.  Coconut oil has so many benefits.  It is a NATURAL form of saturated fat so it is GOOD for you.  It's not industry made saturated fat in the crap food you see on supermarket shelves.  People have been known to take one tablespoon a day to keep the weight off!  Cocoa powder has antioxidants and is a mild anti-depressant!  That explains why some days I go from monster to angel the second I eat chocolate.  Raw almond butter is a healthy fat, as well. 

Everyone have an awesome weekend!  

So eat up.  And keep it sassy.

Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee!

It's Wednesday a.k.a. Humpday a.k.a. TGI Almost Friday, which means you need a little pick-me-up to help you through the rest of the week.  We are going to share with you our recipe for Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee free of crap oils and artificial unpronounceable words.

This recipe is dairy-free, soy-free, vegan, and DELICIOUS.  With this coffee, it will be easy to make the transition from the "cream"er you think you can't live without.  I know.  I've been there.  Coffee-mate Coconut Creme was my comfort in a cup.  But, to tell you the truth, most of the creamer we buy from the store doesn't even contain cream.  What the heck?  That doesn't make sense at all, does it?

What you need:

Coffee.  I'm going to be honest.  My one cup of coffee usually contains two cups.  8 ounces just does not cut it for me.  Happy me = 16 oz. of coffee.  At least.  And I don't think it's just me. :)
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk.  I put about 3-4 tablespoons into my coffee.
Pure Vanilla Extract.  I added two capfuls.  You should start with one so you can add more if you want more of a distinct vanilla flavor.
Cinnamon.  Start by adding 1/2 tablespoon at a time.  If that is not enough, you can always add more but you can't take away.  I start with 1 tablespoon but I have a cinnamon obsession.
Stevia.  Start with 1/2 a packet.  Too much could make your drink almost bitter.  You don't want that.  If you want it a little sweeter, add more.  You could probably substitute with honey, but it may overpower the flavor of the cinnamon and vanilla.

If your almond milk has been in the refrigerator you will probably need to warm your drink up a bit.  Try about 15 seconds in the microwave.

Enjoy your coffee!  Your body will thank you for switching :)

Happy Hump Day.  

Keep it sassy.

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The Extreme Clean Strawberry Jam!

Have you ever checked the ingredients on the back of your favorite jelly/jam jar?  These are the typical ingredients in one of the leading brands of strawberry jelly: Strawberries, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, pectin, citric acid.

Um, can you say ew?! Next time you take a bite of that jelly, imagine it going straight to your ass. Because it is. Your body is going to convert all of that gross, processed sugar into bad fat. And we don't like bad fat.

Luckily, I came across this fool-proof recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Eating Bird Food.  I am a HUGE advocate of "The less ingredients, the better it is for you."  This jam only has FOUR ingredients and corn syrup is NOT one of them!

What you need:

2 cups of fresh, organic strawberries. If you don't get organic, wash them, wash them, wash them! Did I say wash them? If you missed our "Clean Fifteen, Dirty Dozen" post, strawberries are one of the dirty dozens aka one of the fruits that are sprayed with pesticides. Did you know that the farmers/workers who spray fruits and vegetables with pesticides wear face masks because the pesticides they are spraying are toxic and potentially deadly if inhaled? Yet, we eat them. That makes perfect no sense. Rant over. I apologize.

2 tablespoons of chia seeds. I got mine from Trader Joe's because they are only five bucks. If you buy them elsewhere you will be paying at least $9.00 or $10.00. Chia seeds can help lower your blood pressure and they also help to flush fat out of your body. They have a ton of fiber too, so they make you full faster!

2 tablespoons of water.
Sweetener. I used one packet of stevia. Feel free to use a tablespoon of honey, maple syrup (the real kind, or raw, cane sugar. Don't use that artificial crap. Just don't do it.

Cut the leafy part off of the strawberries, and either mash them with a fork or put it in a blender. I am lazy; therefore, I blend.

Transfer the blended strawberries into a mason jar, or container of choice. Add your chia seeds, your water, and your sweetener, then give it a good shake.

Pop it in the fridge for 45-60 minutes and voila! You now have the simplest form of CLEAN, healthy strawberry jam you can make! This recipe is so easy, you can make this with any of your favorite fruits: peaches, blueberries, raspberries, etc...

BONUS: One tablespoon of this jam is only 7 CALORIES! That's right. Seven. Calories. The leading brand of strawberry preserves has 50 calories per tablespoon.

This will go great spread on toast or a rice cake, or even mixed into some plain greek yogurt! I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I did.

Stay clean. And keep it sassy.

45 Calorie Cinnamon Bun Smoothie

Does anyone else ever crave cinnamon rolls on a regular basis?  I always crave them because I never eat them. You know why I never eat them? Because when I want a cinnamon roll, I want the good kind.  Not the kind you buy from Kroger, but the kind you get from Cinnabon.  And one cinnamon roll from Cinnabon has 880 calories, 36 grams of fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 127 grams of carbs, and 59 grams of sugar.  Holy crap.

THAT folks is why I never eat cinnamon rolls.

Lucky for you, today I have cured our cinnamon roll craving.  The Cinnamon Bun Smoothie is vegan with only 45 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 carbs, and ZERO grams of sugar.  Best of all, it doesn't taste like cardboard!!  Yay!!

What you need:

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
5-6 ice cubes
3 tsp of ground cinnamon
2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
1 packet of stevia
Blender

Put all ingredients into your blender and mix! SO easy. I had to throw my Cinnamon Roll Quest Bar in the picture too. Surprise, surprise: it is my favorite flavor in the All Natural Line. :)

Aside from being good for your waistline, this smoothie also has other health benefits. Cinnamon is SO, I repeat, SO good for you. Here is how:

1. Helps control blood sugar.
2. Antioxidant. Cinnamon is one of the top seven antioxidants in the world.
3. Reduce weight. Cinnamon may help reduce hunger pains and sugar cravings. YES PLEASE.
4. Prevent colds, sore throats, and coughs. Some people claim that at the first sign of a cold, drinking Cinnamon Tea may prevent the cold because of its antibacterial properties.

So next time you are craving an 880 calorie cinnamon bun, you have a 45 calorie alternative. And don't forget to thank yourself for two things: 1)not clogging your arteries and 2) not feeding yourself shit.

Until next time, keep it sassy.

Move over, Starbucks!

Hi. My name is Erinn and I am addicted to Starbucks.
Phew. That felt good to get out.
Unfortunately, on my side of town, there are NO STARBUCKS. Wait...what? Yes, you read that right. None. I have to drive 10-15 minutes out of my way to get my hands on it. I know, I know. First world problems. Well, if you haven't noticed, the weather here lately has been HOT. Like, have to start your car 10 minutes before you get in and blast the AC so you don't walk around with sweat stains, hot.

I could drink Starbucks every day. Especially on a hot day. An Iced Non-Fat Chai Tea Latte or Frappuccino? YES please.

I got home from lunch with the girls the other day, and Starbucks sounded phenomenal. But, I was NOT about to go back out into that heat, again. So, I decided to attempt to make my own CLEAN version of a Mocha Frappuccino.

BEST. IDEA. EVER.
I mean, this was even boyfriend approved. That says a lot.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Honey and ice not pictured.
Coconut Milk. I used Native Forest's Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk. Full fat, not light, for texture purposes. But the light will probably work just as well because it is still much more creamy than milk (and better for you).  The organic was surprisingly less expensive than the regular!  So get organic!  No excuses :) 
Blender. I used a NutriBullet, but I think a regular blender should work fine. You may need to add more liquid if it has trouble breaking down the ice.
100% Unsweetend Cacao Powder. I used Hershey's brand. I believe Kroger has the off-brand, though. Make sure you get unsweetened so you can keep the recipe clean.
Honey.  Stevia will work, also.
Pure Vanilla Extract. The actual vanilla bean would be preferred, but the extract will work. Because who keeps vanilla bean around? No one.
Chilled coffee. The coffee for frappuccinos needs to be brewed stronger than your usual pot, otherwise you won't be able to taste the coffee when everything is blended together. So if you are brewing two cups, use 3-4 tablespoons of coffee instead of two. We use an espresso roast, which is already stronger than the regular, so for my two cups of water I used 3 1/2 tablespoons of coffee. MAKE SURE COFFEE IS CHILLED otherwise it will melt your ice and you will not have a frappuccino.  You will have a crappuccino.
Ice.


For two servings:

Brew two cups of coffee (3 1/2 tablespoons of espresso roast or 4 tablespoons of regular).
Chill in freezer for about 15-20 minutes, or until coffee is no longer warm.
Once coffee is chilled, pour into blender.
Add 1/4 cup of Coconut Milk, 3-4 tablespoons of honey, 3-4 tablespoons of the cacao powder, about a half of a cap full of vanilla extract, and two-three good handfuls of ice.

Now BLEND.

After I blended all of the above ingredients together, I added a little more honey and cacao powder because I have an atrocious sweet tooth. But make sure you start with less because you can always add ingredients, but never take away. Sweeten/chocolify to taste.

If you want to get really fancy, swirl some real whipped cream on top. And there you have it. A wonderful, CLEAN Mocha Frappuccino that tastes JUST like Starbucks. Yes, that was a bold statement, but it's true. And I think it is even better! Chocolate chips aren't clean, but don't they look good?


A known fact in the south: EVERYTHING tastes better in a mason jar ;)
YUM, YUM, YUM!

Boomer even got lucky enough to get his own puppy latte! (Real whipped cream)
Now, you can actually enjoy your Monday since you've had your coffee. Go share this with someone special! If you want to make this for one, just cut the recipe in half.   Keep cool, caffeinated, and, above all else, keep it sassy.

The Magical Wand

Hey loves! I cannot believe that it's been weeks since our last post! SO SORRY! Please forgive us! I wish I could tell you where we have been, but my life has been so chaotic that I rarely even know what day it is anymore. It's a beautiful mess and I adore it :)

Speaking of messes, does anyone else find sneezing after you've just applied two flawless coats of mascara to be one of life's cruelest jokes? I can always feel it coming, but there's just nothing that can be done to prevent it. I feel so helpless! Or how about when you're trying to get as close to the lash line as possible and end up hitting your eyelid with the wand? Grrr. For these reasons, I loathe the application of mascara and thus, always save it until the very end.

The funny thing is, as much as I dread and complain about applying it, I would never go anywhere without it. Nope. Will not do it. My eyelashes are much too blonde and short for that. I had already applied my make-up when I decided that mascara would be the topic of my discussion today, otherwise I would have taken a 'before' and 'after' picture to show you just how true that statement is! I did take a picture of 'before' (top pic) and 'after' (bottom pic) I removed my eyeliner so you could see the roots of my lashes a little more. Warning: I am not a fan of selfies and do not take them, so please refrain from making fun!

L'Oreal Telescopic mascara is seriously magical. I. Am. Obsessed. It effortlessly adds length and even some volume to my lashes in just one coat. However, my eyes are greedy and want to be the center of attention, so I like to apply a second coat to get a really rich, bold color. I would advise against doing a third coat unless ya like clumps!

I have dabbled around with several different mascaras (both drugstore and department store), and have yet to find one compareable. I find myself finishing maybe half a tube before I come crawling back to Telescopic with my head hung low, ashamed that I betrayed it and thought that I could find better. I have been on-and-off with Telescopic for around six, maybe seven, years now. I can proudly say that for the last 9 months I have been fully committed!

Now this mascara has several versions and I have tried them all. My personal favorite is the "carbon black" (pictured). It gives me the most dramatic results. Normally, I aim to avoid drama but when it comes to mascara, I just can't get enough! Honestly, I could not tell much of a difference between the "clean definition" and "original" versions. I liked both of them a whole lot! I really wasn't that impressed with the "shocking extensions", but I wouldn't go as far as to say I was disappointed either. There is a new False Lash Telescopic that I've yet to try, but I've heard good reviews and have every intention of buying it once my current wand runs out of it's magicalness!

You can find this mascara anywhere that sells L'Oreal. It runs about $7-10 depending on where you purchase it. Walmart typically has the best price... real shocker there, right? Ha!

Do you feel the need to go out and buy it now? You should! You will not regret it.

Keep it bold and keep it sassy!

Pack Your Snacks!

Hey guys! The season of vacations and bathing suits have arrived. You know what THAT means?Lots of eating right and exercising! Until...The road trip. Sigh.
We do so well preparing for our vacation and getting our bodies beach/poolside ready. But when you have several hours of car time ahead of you, how can you maintain your figure with McDonald's, Dairy Queen's, Wendy's, and the seemingly thousands of Cracker Barrel's staring you down?
We have your solution.
Pack your snacks!
Here are a few tips and tricks on how to pack smart for your road trips so you don't ruin all of your hard work:

Homemade Trail Mix! Nuts and seeds are your friends. They keep you satisfied from just a handful! Now, homemade is preferred so you don't get all that extra junk (crappy oils, added sugar, salt, and other unpronounceable ingredients) that is in store-bought/pre-made mix.

Typically, I purchase a few different bags of raw nuts and seeds, but I was short on time. I had to dig, but at Trader Joe's I found a pre-made Raw Fancy Nut mix, that includes almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, peanuts, and Brazil nuts. It has no oils or additional ingredients.

If you want to add a few chocolate chips, go for it. I would only add about 1 tablespoon per 1/2 cup of your nut mix. Score.


Popcorn! I found Orville Redenbacher's Natural Buttery Salt and Cracked Pepper flavor. HOLY COW this stuff is AMAZING! I know it isn't considered "clean", but let's be honest. Who actually enjoys plain popcorn? I sure don't. This is a decent snack that is sure not to expand your waistline on your trip.

All you have to do is pop a few bags before you leave and then put them in baggies or an airtight container. If you want to get really creative, mix the popcorn with your trail mix. Mmmmm.

Left bag is popcorn only. Right bag is popcorn mixed with trail mix.
Fresh Fruit, Celery, & PB!

Apples and bananas are a very travel friendly fruit. But how do you travel with celery and keep it fresh? Slice some up, put them in an airtight container or a baggy with a bit of water (to keep that crunch), and throw them in a small cooler. Bring a jar of Natural Unsalted Crunchy Peanut Butter along, too!


You can dip your apples, bananas, and celery in it to satisfy your hunger! If you are worried about the calories that come along with real peanut butter, bring along a jar of ready-made PB2.

Empty about half, maybe a little less, of the bottle (saving what you empty) and add some water until it forms the consistency of your choice. Start off with smaller amounts of water though, rather than a large amount. It is easier to add water than take water away.

Oh, and we know PB can get messy. So don't forget to pack napkins :)

Protein Bars! These guys are a quick, easy way to satisfy your hunger. I prefer Quest bars because they are low in carbs and great ingredient-wise. PB&J is my favorite :)

Peanut Butter not pictured.
Other healthy options for cooler:
Organic string cheese
Boiled eggs
Carrots & PB
Tuna
Lunch Meat
Leftovers

We hope this helps you on your next road trip! It takes just a little bit of time, but planning ahead and preparing your snacks will definitely keep you from ruining all of your hard work.

Happy vacation season!Keep it sassy.

Guilt Free Pineapples 'N Cream

Hot weather always makes us crave something cold, so we thought we would share one of our favorite, healthy smoothie recipes with you: Pineapples 'N Cream. This is seriously a super easy recipe that tastes like a cross between a creamsicle and pineapple. YUM
What you need:

Blender
Frozen Pineapple
Vanilla Coconut Milk
Splash of water

We used a Nutribullet to blend our ingredients together, but a blender will definitely do the trick. We filled the Nutribullet cup with Trader Joe's Frozen Pineapple Tidbits about 3/4 full, then added about 1/2 cup of coconut milk.


We like to use coconut milk because it has a thicker consistency than almond milk, but you are more than welcome to substitute. We can't guarantee the "cream" taste, though.


Now, blend!


If you need to add a little more coconut milk because the mixture is too thick to blend, please do. We added just a splash of water to get ours to the consistency we were looking for, without the extra calories. Now, pour in your favorite container and enjoy!


This is a guilt free treat guaranteed to cool you off from the {almost} summer heat.
If you are feeling extra sassy, add a splash of vodka for a little oomph. ;)
Enjoy!

Your New Favorite Salad!

I don't know about you guys, but for me to eat a salad, ranch dressing used to be a requirement. No. Questions. Asked. And not just any ranch dressing, but the ranch dressing from restaurants. Particularly Cheddars, Buckheads, and Texas Roadhouse. NOM.
Well, a couple of months ago I started to feel really guilty about eating ranch. I was really focusing on eating clean and the kind you buy at the store has SO much JUNK in it. I began to check the ingredients of vinegar-based dressings to see if they were possible to make at home. Guess what? It is possible!  
The three basic ingredients for a dressing are an oil, an acid, and a liquid sweetener, all preferably organic. For the oil, olive is your best bet. If you are already shaking your head because it is too fattening and you don't want the extra calories, you stop. Right now! It is full of healthy fat.
DON'T BE AFRAID OF FAT. We need fat to lose fat.
But we need GOOD fat. I give you permission to be afraid of the fat from cupcakes and crappy oils (canola, soybean, peanut, etc...)Read more here about why many vegetable oils should be avoided.
If you are a vinegar-based dressing lover, I just want to tell you now not to get your hopes up. This dressing recipe does not contain vinegar. It is really hard for me to enjoy my salad if it is too tart, which is why I decided to choose a different type of acid-base for my dressing: organic lemon juice.
It is so refreshing and not too tart. For my liquid sweetener, I like to use honey. You could use agave syrup, or maple syrup (the good-for-you kind, not Aunt Jemima's Butter Lite).
Now follow this recipe:

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 T Organic Lemon Juice
1 T Honey

Mix together with a fork. Taste test. If it is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice. If it is too thin, add a bit more honey or EVOO. Voila! You have a fantastic DIY salad dressing. Coming from a girl who has been ranch-only her entire life, you know this dressing is good.


If you don't like lemon juice or honey, here is a list of substitutions:

For honey: agave syrup, maple syrup
For lemon juice: lime juice, apple cider vinegar (ACV), dilluted orange juice

I do want to tell you to ALWAYS CHECK YOUR INGREDIENTS. The lemon and lime juice you can buy that come in plastic lemon/limes are a bit more tart and artificial than if you purchase organic. I like the Santa Cruz Organic Pure Lemon Juice. Bragg's ACV is probably one of the best you can get, and don't get the crap orange juice with artificial sweeteners.
It is just one tablespoon people! You can sacrifice a couple of calories for the real stuff. I promise you won't shrivel up and die. Or gain two pounds.
See how easy this is? I haven't purchased pre-made dressing since I made this dressing for the first time. You know what you are putting into your body and you are saving money! Also, you won't ever experience that terrible moment where you over-pour your dressing again.
This dressing goes great on top of my favorite salad: baby spinach, a little bit of arugula, and trail mix with unsweetened fruit, nuts, and seeds. This recipe was inspired by one of my favorites, The Wholesome Chef!

Enjoy this recipe, guys! In the meantime, eat more salads. And keep it sassy.

It's Back!

FACT: I am a hardcore 90's child.
Growing up, I spent the majority of my time at my Nana's house. I was a filthy, filthy little girl so when I would visit she made me shower more often than not. I loved showering at her house because she had the BEST shampoo and conditioner: Herbal Essences.
Welllll, if you haven't noticed, it's BACK! I believe I was at Walmart when I spotted it. Stopping in my tracks and yelling, "OH MY GOD!" made my boyfriend assume something serious had happened.
Something serious DID happen!

The shampoo and conditioner of my childhood had returned to me. Not only are my nostrils happy once again, but my hair loves me so much right now. Below is a picture of my hair after I used the Herbal Essences Smooth shampoo and the Shine conditioner.
It really is magic! All I did was blow dry it. No product, no curling iron, no straightener. Nothin!
These babies are seriously flying off the shelves. I dare you to not smell your hair all day after you use it. It is impossible. Do I hear keys jingling? Are you on your way to the store right now? Are you about to make one of the best purchases of your life?! YES, YES, YES!
See what I did there? ;)
Happy Monday, y'all! Keep it sassy.

What's In The Bag?

Alright, so we have decided to dedicate our Saturday posts to one of our beloved activities: shopping. It's the very first post about it and I've already encountered a problem: I went shopping today and only purchased one thing (GASP)! Although I very much adore my new sunglasses, I do not feel confident that I could write an entire post about them that would captivate everyone's interest. SO, rather than doing a "What's In My Shopping Bag(s)", I'm going to do a "What's In My Beach Bag!"
I found my beach bag at H&M about three weeks ago. I just had to have it(nevermind the fact that I have three others). So, I'm happy it is making the blog!

Pretty cute, eh? So do ya wanna know what's typically in my cute beach/pool bag? Well of course you do! If you didn't, you would not be reading this right now, right?

Sunglasses: Target

Beach Towel: Walmart

Bikini: Victoria Secret

Tanning Oil: see below

(Beer not pictured)

I'm not going to lie, I got mildly anxious when deciding which bikini to picture because I have far too many. I just went with the newest one. For those of you who don't know, I'm an unstable Victoria Secret swimsuit addict. I do believe I just took the first step to recovery right there :)
I wish I had someone to model how cute the bottoms of that bikini are, but Adriana Lima was busy today and I'm not going to subject myself to that kind of ridicule. I promise you they are adorable though!  I feel like these type of bottoms make almost every butt look good. My addiction to sweets and french fries have given me quite the little bubble myself, and I'm pleased with how they look on me!
Both the top and bottom are on sale at Victoria's Secret right now.  Click here to check it out!
I also wish I had a before and after picture of how well the Maui Island Secret Browning Formula works. I'm not kidding. It doesn't matter if I'm only laying out for 5 minutes on each side. I get a little tanline when I use this stuff. I will NEVER, ever, ever, ever, everrr use another tanning oil.
You can get it for $12 off here and Ulta carries a similar lotion here. I'm not 100% sure if they carry their oil, though. Side note: you will find that other than wine and dessert, I'm pretty much never 100% sure about most things in life.
If you decide to go out and buy any of these things, I hope you love them as much as I do! And if you want help sculpting a sexy body for your new bikini, be sure to check out our post from yesterday here!
Enjoy your weekend! Keep is sassy.

Fit & Fabulous!

Hey everyone! If you are anything like us, you have been repeating "TGIF" to yourself since you woke up this morning. Why not once more?
TGIF!!!!
You guys, summer is just around the corner. Bikini season is almost HERE! We work so hard and eat so well during the week, but when the weekend gets here we are all like "ICE CREAM!!!" or "WINE!!!!"
Because it's the weekend doesn't mean you should completely forego all of your hard work eating right and being active during the week. So, we are going to give you all a few of our favorite motivating songs and an easy workout to get your weekend started off right! Oh, and a picture of weights and a really cute bathing suit.

Feeling more motivated already, aren't you??
Okay. Typically my workouts begin with a quick mile, Boomer alongside. When we get back, I immediately turn on my music.  The following four songs are what I do my first four exercises to, in this order:
1. Justin Timberlake-Rock Your Body 2. Guns 'N Roses-Paradise City 3. Michael Jackson-Don't Stop Til You Get Enough 4. Taylor Swift-22
Next, I grab my 5 pounders and start pumping. For the first song I do Dumbbell Romanian Dead Lifts (RDL) which are great for strengthening your hamstrings and glutes. See here for tutorial (exercise five). And, you know that gross cellulite we get right underneath our booty? RDL's have made mine practically disappear. .
There is a God!!!
I find myself doing them to the beat of the music, but when I notice my form is being compromised because I am trying to keep up, I slow the pace down a bit. NEVER COMPROMISE FORM. Capiche?
Song number 2 is for bicep curls.  See here for tutorial and other exercises.
Here comes the really fun part. For song number 3, you are going to be squatting. If it is too easy, add a 5 lb weight! It is almost summer, which means crunch time. You will thank yourself when you put on your bikini for the first time!  See here for tutorial.
Song number 4 you will be doing shoulder presses that lower into tricep extensions!  See here for shoulder press tutorial and here for overhead tricep extension tutorial.
Alright. Next you are going to be doing 25 reps of the following exercises, 3 times, unless marked otherwise. You will need a stability ball.
Stability ball crunches Leg raises Stability ball ab reachers 15 side plank dips per side Stability ball "bench" presses
FYI, the squat exercise burns more calories than any other body weight exercise because it works large muscle groups as well as multiple muscle groups. Each time we go to the bathroom, we do 20 squats. True story. Judge us if you want, but our butts will soon be asses. Hallelujah.
We aren't professionals, but if you are unsure how to do any of the exercises listed above feel free to contact us, or check out Bodybuilding.com here for more tutorials.  They have a great website that offers tons of different exercises for all ages.  And, seriously, if your body is telling you to stop, listen to it!
Cheers to looking Fit & Fabulous this summer!
Happy Friday everybody! Keep it sassy and sculpt a sexy assy ;)

Snack Attack!

PB&J Makeover!
Alright. So I typically kick myself if I eat at night, but, around 8:00 last night I had a craving (per usual). A peanut better and jelly sandwich sounded SO GOOD but I don't buy bread, so I had to get creative. What did I have in my pantry that could cure this hankering for a good ol' PB&J? Then it hit me. I have rice cakes!!! Problem solved.
To avoid heavy calories so late at night, I decided to opt for my PB2 powder. If you are unfamiliar with PB2, it is literally powdered peanuts. To make it into a paste, you add 1 tbs. of water. And, wait for it...it is only 90 calories per 2 tablespoons! A peanut butter lovers dream! But it gets even better. If you aren't quite sold yet, it comes in chocolate. Sold now? Thought so.

I use Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Cakes, plain. I am really picky about my packaged food. I like to know what every ingredient is, I like to be able to pronounce each ingredient, and I like to know where it comes from. If you are going to purchase rice cakes, buy these. You know why? Because they aren't full of crap ingredients and artificial, processed nonsense. Soapbox off. So I mixed two tablespoons of my PB2 powder with one tablespoon of water, slapped it on the rice cake, and spread one tablespoon of organic strawberry jelly on top.
Jelly not pictured.

Seriously, guys. Heaven. AND my craving was cured while saving around 260 calories. You're welcome. Keep it sassy.