It's Warm Outside- Get Out There!

Ok, folks, there appears to be a bit of a warm up (at least for the New England area). Get out and walk! Stop with the silly excuses for not being able to exercise outside. The melting has created a bit more room to walk (avoid streets not well-shoveled).

Why wait until New Year's Day to start that healthy lifestyle? Take advantage of above-freezing temperatures! Your body and spirit will thank you. I was out for about an hour today and I felt wonderful. I'm planning on taking an even longer walk tomorrow.

If you're feeling even more adventurous, put a bit of a jog into that workout. Try to run by a few light posts. Then walk by a few. Then jog by a few. Interval workouts are great for your body.

Those of you in temperate Cali- you have no excuse for sittin' on your butt all winter. Really, folks. Be proactive. Take out the sneakers again and get moving!

Good clothing deals all the time!

I love looking great and having a fashionable wardrobe just as much as the next girl. However, I refuse to pay the designer price for anything. Thus, one of my favorite things to do is check out consignment shops. I have come up with a list of my favorite ones around MA/southern NH. I encourage you to check out the ones near you, too! They are a fantastic way to get an awesome mix of newer and more retro clothes to stock your closet on a dime. Here are my top 5 favorite places. If you've found others, let me know! I'm picky with these as I refuse to pay too much!

1. Eliza's (Manchester, NH)
-Kate Spade bags for $35
-Donatella Versace full length coat for $50
-Brand new Jessica Simpson flats for $8
-Designer, designer, designer!!!
-Best prices out there!

2. The Closet Exchange (Needham, MA)
-3 stores on a block
-Upscale designer store (priciest)
-Middle of the road store ($15-$25 for most stuff)
-Super-marked down store (I got Express jeans for $11)

3. Modern Millie (Salem, MA)
-Two stores: Salem and Marblehead
-Fantastic retro stuff and designer selections
-Prices range from $3-$50 (for most things)

4. Second Time Around (Newton Highlands, MA)
-Part of a chain (but this is a better one)
-Jam-packed store with clothing to jewelry, etc.
-Prices a bit more than most, but still decent ($20-$70)

5. Chic to Unique (Mansfield, MA)
-Clothing, jewelry, accessories
-Dresses for $15-$50
-Kate Spade, Coach, Vera Bradley bags for $10-$60

As I find more places, I'll be sure to list them and I'm happy to hear from you about places that you've liked that aren't too pricey. Let me know!

Thanks!
Katie

Healthy Switchouts

Howdy folks!

It's that time of the year again... You know? That valiant attempt to get your health back on track commonly known as a New Year's resolution? Countless people make a vow to eat better and exercise in the new year. It's actually easier than you might think to make small changes to improve your pantry selection and subsequently, your entire overall health. Next time you venture to the grocery store, consider these healthy (and tasty!) switchouts. Make this year the year you stick with that resolution.

Photo credit: http://www.delish.com/

1. To satisfy an ice cream craving:
-Turkey Hill No Sugar Added Vanilla or Chocolate (70 calories and great fiber)
-Breyer's CarbSmart Chocolate (90 calories)

2. To satisfy a pudding craving:
-Kozy Shack no sugar added Mint Chocolate (70 calories)
-Kozy Shack no sugar added (60 calories)
-Jello Chocolate Mousse (60 calories)

3. To satisfy a munchies craving:
-Low fat Cinnamon Graham Crackers (120 calories for 3 full crackers)
-Parmesan Goldfish (130 calories per serving)

4. To satisfy a breakfast foods craving:
-Vitamuffins/Vitatops/Vitabrownies (100 calories)
-These are my new favorite find!
-Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles (180 calories for 2 waffles- high sodium though)
-Old Fashioned Quaker Oats with frozen blueberries added in (180 calories)

5. Other suggestions:
-Dannon light and fit yogurt (80 calories)
-Kelloggs Fiber Bars Chocolate Chip (120 calories)

Periodically, I'll post other suggestions. I won't post anything that I haven't tried or eat as part of my regular diet. All of these things are tasty and can be purchased without breaking the bank- keep your eye out for sales! If you have any ideas, let me know! I'm happy to add to my own list. :-)

Happy Resolution-ing!
Katie

Maple Liqueur Chocolate Drops

Martha ain't got nothin' on me. She may have had something when you created the Chocolate Charm Cookie, but it wasn't until I added Maple Liqueur to it that it really became a cookie. So yes, I nod and give credit to Martha for the original, but my recipe is better. :-)

These cookies are a delicious, bite-sized treat that are sure to have you coming back for more!

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-2 cups flour
-2 sticks butter
-2 dashes salt
-3/4 cup sugar
-2 tsp Maple Liqueur (or alcohol of your choice)

Directions:
-Set oven to 325
-Line baking sheets with parchment paper
-In one bowl, add cocoa powder, flour, salt
-In another bowl, melt butter, add in sugar, Maple Liqueur
-Pour wet mixture over dry mixture
-Place combined mixture in an airtight container
-Chill for a couple of hours (I chilled it over night)
-Roll into 1 inch balls
-Place on baking sheets (3-4 dozen per sheet)
-Bake for 20 minutes (rotate once) until tops are tough

Makes about 100 cookies (give or take a few)

Nutrition: 28-33 calories per cookie (depending on size)

These cookies are a ton of fun, but can be time consuming to prepare. The rolling part will take a while unless you have friends to help you (thanks, Wendy!)!

Lemon mustard cucumbers

I'm taking a break from my usual cookie fare to bring you a tasty and zingy side dish. I designed this cucumber recipe myself. It's easy, healthy, and yummy! Cucumbers are a base, but you could also use carrots, celery, or all three! It's also pretty inexpensive and made with stuff you probably already have in your home.



Ingredients:
-2 cucumbers (sliced, not peeled)
-1.5 tsp lemon juice
-1.5 tsp dijon mustard
-1.5 tsp sugar
-1 tsp white wine vinegar
-3 dashes black pepper

Directions:
-Slice cucumber and place in medium-sized bowl
-Add other ingredients
-Toss
-Chill for a few hours

Serves 4-6

Nutrition: 29.5 (4 servings) or 20 (6 servings)

The great thing about this recipe is that you can adapt it to suit whatever you like. Add/delete ingredients as you see fit!

Sugar shortbread cookies (no eggs)

It seems like every time I get together with friends, baking is involved. :-). My friend Rachel and I discovered this recipe a couple of months ago when we were having a cookie craving (thank you thriftyfun.com). These are a delicious sugar cookie with the consistency of a shortbread cookie. The picture shows a big cookie, but I made them again as bite-sized cookies. Both are delicious!

Ingredients:
-2 cups flour
-3/4 cup sugar
-2 sticks butter
-1/8 tsp salt
-2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
-Set oven to 350
-Melt butter
-Mix in sugar, vanilla, salt
-Gradually add in flour
-Put dollops on parchment paper lined baking sheets
-Bake for 20-25 minutes

Makes 3 dozen cookies (4 dozen if small)

Nutrition: 83.6 calories per cookie (62.75 if smaller)

Peanut Crispy Cookies!

Dear Martha Stewart,

Your recipes fill my kitchen with deliciousness. These cookies are an awesome mix of sweet and salty. They are light and crispy, easy to make, and oh so good! My family has already started requesting them. Yes, they will be making an appearance at Christmas.

Love,
Katie


Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick butter (recipe calls for 1/2 stick, but they are thinner this way)
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dry roasted peanuts

Directions:
-Set oven at 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper
-Mix flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl
-Mix butter and brown sugar
-Gradually mix egg and vanilla into sugar/butter mix
-Combine wet and dry mix
-Add peanuts
-Press 1.5 inch balls of mix onto baking sheets (2-3 inches apart)
-Bake for 12 minutes (rotate once)

Makes 3 dozen- or more- I can usually get 4 dozen out of this. Nutrition info is for 4 dozen cookies.

Nutrition: 68 calories per cookie (76.3 if you use more butter)

Originally vegan cupcakes!

I'm always experimenting in the kitchen and from time to time, I try something completely spontaneous. These cupcakes were the result of flipping through Martha Stewart's cupcake book and craving chocolate cakey goodness. I call them semi-vegan because I cheated and used an egg rather than the vinegar. These cupcakes are delicious- dense, sweet and yummy!



Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups cake flour
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 large egg
-1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of oil
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 1/4 cup water

Directions:
-Set oven to 350
-Put cupcake liners in a pan (12)
-In one bowl: combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt
-In another bowl: combine oil, egg, vanilla, water
-Combine wet and dry mixes (it will be runny)
-Fill 12 cupcake cups
-Bake 20 minutes (until knife/toothpick comes out clear)

-Frost (I like pink funfetti frosting)- Optional!
-Dust (with confectioners' sugar; instead of frosting)- Optional!

These cupcakes will win you over for sure. They are addicting and oh so good!

-Serving: 12 cupcakes (160) calories per cupcake- before frosting!)

I'm also convinced that these could be a lot healthier with unsweetened applesauce instead of oil, but I haven't tried it yet. I'll let you know if I do!

Weekend Whirlwind- Montreal

Part of this blog will be dedicated to travel ideas. I'm a big fan of weekend road trips. I am determined to exhaust all of the interesting places within a 6 hour radius. Periodically, I'll post about a trip that I've taken that is complete with itinerary and suggestions for stop-ins. Stop number 1 is Montreal where my roommate from college, Rachel, and I went this summer.




Day 1:
We arrived early on a Saturday morning and got our dose of Canadian coffee from Second Cup (we were trying to be as Canadian as possible) and proceeded to walk around Rue St. Catherine. That street is more or less a tourist mecca. Lots of designer shops mixed with churches and other more traditional things. There is a large, very cultural section of St. Catherine that we found later in the day. It was...how shall we say...interesting (we found a group of people doing a bizarre mix of yoga and interpretive dance as they made their way down the street). :-). We did find a really random game of life-sized chess happening though and that was pretty darn cool!

Determined to see as much of Montreal as possible, we took some detours up side streets and got our fill of treats before lunch. We stopped off at Divine Chocolatier - an absolute must for any traveler to the city - and had some delicious ice cream (chocolat and blueberry cheesecake) and some free chocolates (we were chatting with the owner for a while). We walked past museums and universities on Rue Sherbrooke, but did not stop to take a tour- we spent most of the time walking.

Another "must walk" street is Crescent. That is where the nightlife of the city is. Though, we didn't get to do too much nightlife exploring in this area, it was a pretty neat street with an eclectic mix of restaurants and night spots.

By far, my favorite part of Montreal was the Latin Quarter and Rue St. Denis. The restaurants there were the best and it was the liveliest section of town with lots of color and energy. Some recommendations of places to check out: Juliette & Chocolat and Cafe Creperie (where Rachel and I got strawberry crepes with real whipped cream on top).

Our hotel was actually north of the city (Gouverneur Ile Charron in Longueil). Hotel wasn't great, but we saved money by not staying directly in the city. We went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Tamales, also located just north of the city limits. The food was good (we ordered chicken enchiladas). Oh and being that I was part of this traveling duo, another ice cream stop was necessary- next stop Hartley for some vanilla/chocolate soft serve that was heavenly!

Day 2:
Rachel (note name in a moment) and I desperately wanted to check out Rue Rachel, so we spent most of our day in this section of the city. First stop- breakfast at La Banquise for a ham omelette, toast, homefries, and fresh fruit! Oh my goodness, yum!

From here, we decided to do a walking tour of food and try all sorts of pastry shops, etc. We got chocolat, menthe, and cafe caramel macarons from Marius et Fanny's Chocolatier on Rue St. Denis. We wanted to buy furniture from Zone, Canada's coolest furniture store- IKEA but a bajillion times better! We tried Truffle miel at Suite 88 Chocolatier. We had koulorakia at an amazing Greek pastry shop called Samos on Rue St. Laurent. Continuing onto Rue Mt. Royal, we stopped in and got a strawberry shortcake mini cupcake at Petits Gateux. We got a fresh fruit frozen yogurt at Patio. After walking around for a couple of hours (and several miles later), we ended up back on St. Rachel where we stopped into La Vache Qui Pete for some zezettes- mini pastries.

I do want to note that although we spent a good deal of our time finding eating establishments, this particular section of town is known for its vintage shops, unique stores, and overall trendy vibe. We had a lot of fun up here.

Before heading back down to Boston, we stopped into Old Montreal and Rue Notre Dame to see the Cathedral. Our hankering for sweets wasn't quite done, so we stopped into Claude Postel for a strawberry and maple chocolate. We then wandered over to Chinatown where we stopped in at Callia for a Wife Cookie which was an acquired taste...

The drive back was only about 5 hours. It was a super quick weekend that we jam-packed with sites and sounds. I hope that you get some ideas for travel from this. I know we had a blast!

Also, check out my Montreal roadtrip fb album for more pics! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=590035267438&set=a.590034588798.2125039.701333#!/album.php?aid=2125039&id=701333

Adieu,
Katie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake!

Continuing with the pumpkin theme, I found this absolutely delicious recipe for a moist pumpkin chocolate chip cake. I have modified it (from allrecipes.com) to be a bit healthier (less oil) but chocolatier (is that a word?). My Mom's birthday is tomorrow so this is part of her birthday gift. Mmm!





Ingredients:
-2 cups sugar
-3/4 cup oil
-1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 can (14-16 oz) pumpkin puree
-4 eggs
-2 cups flour
-3 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 cup (or more) chocolate chips
-cocoa powder (to dust pan)

Directions:
-Set oven to 350
-Spray bundt pan and 2 small loaf pans lightly coat them with cocoa powder
-Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon
-In another bowl, mix sugar, oil, applesauce
-In this same wet ingredient bowl, blend in vanilla and pumpkin
-Again in this same wet ingredient bowl, mix in eggs
-Add dry mixture to the wet mixture
-Add in chocolate chips
-Pour into pans
-Bake for 30 minutes (can take longer...until toothpick comes out clean)

It makes about 14 servings (393 calories per serving)

You can also use different pans for this. I just like bundt cakes. You can also switch out the applesauce for another 1/2 cup of oil, but honestly, I like the taste of this version. I dust the pans with cocoa powder to match the chocolate chips. You can also dust with flour and sub out chocolate chips and put in nuts instead. It's a very versatile (and yummy) recipe!

Update! I tried again, but took the oil out completely and added in 1 cup (total 1.5 cups) unsweetened applesauce. It was just as delicious. I also made it in cupcake form- light and yummy!

New calorie total: 297 calories (14 servings- actually makes far more cupcakes than this though)

Sodium- secret diet killer

Trying to figure out why you can't shed those pounds even though you're exercising and dieting? The answer could very well be that you have too much sodium in your diet.

In an effort to moderate food portions and have a quick meal, many of us (yes, I include myself) resort to eating pre-packaged meals. Take a look at that label. Those Smart Ones and Lean Cuisines are loaded with sodium. That quick meal fix could very well have given you more than a third of your sodium intake for the day.

Sodium traps water and can keep you from shedding pounds. Perhaps more importantly, it's not good on your heart to have that much sodium!

I'm a label reader. It doesn't take too long to check the sodium content of things (especially those meals). Opt for the ones that have 20% of your daily sodium intake or less. It's possible! Trust me, I have a freezer full of Lean Cuisines, etc.

In general, eating dinners out can almost triple your sodium intake. All those foods are prepared with lots of sauces, etc. Just be mindful of your options- Chinese food is a real killer in this category.

Some food for thought. :-)

~Katie

Too busy to exercise?

We all give excuses as to why we can't go to the gym or go for a run. I know this because I have given the same litany of excuses myself whenever I feel under-motivated to workout. Then I realized that I can stay fit and healthy without a serious gym session. Here are some general rules of thumb I have found are helpful in keeping me on track.

Rules of thumb:
-You only really need 20 minutes of 'exercise' a day.
-Exercise can come in a variety of forms.
-Exercise doesn't have to be a burden.

I've also figured out some fun exercises that are fairly easy to incorporate into daily life without too much (if any) adjustment.

Exercise ideas:
-Dance while you cook dinner (Have kids? Make it a friendly music mix- family workout!).
-Walk briskly around the mall/grocery store (a few laps at a decent pace is a solid workout).
-Walk to the post office/coffee shop (Have kids? Take them, too- adventure!).

There are also many ways to fit a bit more exercise into your daily routine without it being an actual workout.

Basic changes:
-Park farther away from places.
-Take the stairs.
-Walk to ask someone a question in the office- don't call!
-Walk around your work during lunch once a week.
-Keep your phone away from you so you have to stand up and walk to get it.

You'd be surprised at how these little things can help. I haven't been to a gym in months and I'm still doing just fine. :-)

~Katie

Pumpkin and Ricotta stuffed shells

I really, really like pumpkin (in case you couldn't tell). After searching around for a way to put pasta and pumpkin together, I finally devised my own stuffed shells recipe.









Ingredients:
-Large pasta shells (I like Barilla)
-1/2 cup ricotta cheese (I use the skim milk kind)
-1/2-1 cup of pumpkin puree (best if you make it yourself, but can is ok)
-1/4-1/2 cup tomato sauce (I use Ragu no sugar added)

Directions:
-Set oven to 350
-Boil 10 pasta shells according to package
-While shells are boiling:
-Combine cheese and pumpkin
-After draining water from boiled shells, fill them with pumpkin/cheese mixture
-Place shells in pyrex/corningware dish
-Mix remaining pumpkin/cheese mixture with pasta sauce and pour over shells
-Bake for 30 minutes (or until it's bubbly)

Makes 2 servings.

Calories per serving: 350 (if you max out on the above-mentioned ingredients)

The above amounts have ranges because you need to fiddle with it until you get what you want for flavor. You can also add in spinach, garlic, other veggies spices to liven up the recipe without adding too many calories.

Holiday Pumpkin Spice Cookies

'Tis the season to make yummy foods with pumpkin in them. I happen to be a huge fan of pumpkin. I found this recipe online (credit to sparkrecipes.com) and modified it for my own use.









Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Salt
1 Cup Pumpkin (I used my own pureed pumpkin once...sooo good)
1/2 Cup Applesauce (unsweetened- cinnamon works, too, but it's not as healthy)
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Mix together sugar, applesauce, and vanilla
-Stir in pumpkin.
-In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice
-Stir dry mixture into wet mixture and mix well
-Dollop spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet (I generally get 2 dozen out of this)
-Bake for 22-25 minutes
-I tend to like them crispier on the outside and soft on the inside.

Calories per cookie: 77

Healthy Pizza

Pizza is a favorite for many people (myself included). However, I can't really bring myself to excuse greasy order-out pizza. I figured out a super healthy (and yummy!) pizza recipe that you can make in the comfort of your own home!





Pita pizzas!
-1 Joseph's pita (60 calories)
-1/4 cup Ragu no sugar added pasta sauce (50 calories)
-1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese (80 calories)

Total calories: 190 per pizza

Directions:
-Preheat oven at 400 (place rack a couple from the top)
-Toast each side of the pita (you don't want it too soft)
-Put on sauce and cheese
-Cook until cheese is melted

You can substitute other pitas, sauces, and cheeses. I think these taste good and they passed the brother test. :-)

Holidays destroying your waistline?

I don't claim to be any sort of expert in the health field. However, I do know from experience how frustrating the holiday season can be for anyone trying to remain healthy.

Here are some things I have come to realize about the holidays. These are unchangeable facts that we must learn to deal with:
-We will be tempted to eat bad food.
-We will have less time/desire to exercise.
-We will have days of overeating.
-We will gain some weight.

Phew. I'm glad I got those out there. Now how do I fix them? Rather than take a defeatest point of view, I'll take the positive track. After a day off the bandwagon, jump right back on. It doesn't matter how bad you were on your off day, the quickest way to start fixing it is to start being healthy again.

Here's my diet fixer for after holiday festivities:
-Put more fresh fruits/veggies back into your diet.
-Get some exercise (yes, a walk counts).
-Stop beating yourself up.

Give yourself a couple of weeks of leeway before you step back on the scale. It'll take your body a little while to readjust itself and it does you no good to induce self-loathing in the meantime. Instead, be proud that you are taking the initiative to work off those holiday pounds!

~Katie

Why am I here?

Hello world,

I'm Katie, explorer extraordinaire. I was inspired by several family members and friends to start a blog about my experiences, studies, travels, etc. I figured I'd use this as a place to share advice, thoughts, and random factoids with all of you. My goal is to post something useful/interesting/both every day or every other day. Let me know if you have any requests!

Until next time,
Katie