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.