Where I've been....

Remember my New Years goals?

Well, 2014 decided to bring my a whole new life and looking back on them the only one I have left to cross off is 'Blog More'. It think it start with my move, then a new job, struggling with "abandoning" what I thought was a dream, and I guess its only appropriate that the last time I took a long 'break' from the blog was when I got caught up in the whirl wind of a relationship and I'm sad to say that this break has been, partially, due the end of said relationship. In addition my 2 closest girlfriends out here (1 quite suddenly) decided to get themselves new lives on the other side of the country. The last few months I've been soaking up every moment, traveling, remodeling, wrapping my head around new job and life challenges. I truly feel like I have a blank slate, a new energy and so much new focus on what I want.

I hope to update you on my realizations, my new aspirations, my adventures and {finally} my fully decorated San Francisco bedroom....5 years in the making!

Spring Break!!

I could not be more excited to escape the rain in the Bay to the sunshine of Palm Springs this weekend! The BF and I are headed down south for a mini-spring break. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well!

This is what I'm packing:

Sail to Sable Libby Dress

J.Crew Beach Hat

Monogrammed Boat and Tote

Kate Spade Sunnies

A Pool Read

Jacks, of course

Ella Lou Turkish Beach Towel in Peony

Lilly Pulitzer Keene Bikini

Moving on {up?}!

I've officially crossed 1 thing off my 2014 to-do list. I've finally found a new apartment!!! In December, 2 weeks before Christmas, one of my roommates & the master lease holder, informed us she was moving out after 6 years in the house. If you don't follow real estate San Francisco housing prices have gone from ridiculous to preposterous in the last 6 or so years. Our landlord let us know that with the new lease, rent will go up about $500/person/month. That ain't gonna work for this lady.

To be honest I was more than a little nervous about finding a new place. Our land lord was nice enough to give us 6 months before the hike, but in general it was going to be tough to find a place that wasn't far away, didn't have 5 other roommates and was up to my aesthetic expectations within my price range. I had casually been perusing craigslist for listings that were up to my high standards, and I found an adorable 2 bedroom in the Noe Valley neighborhood with a lovely roommate from North Carolina and a kitty named Finn. It's a little farther out than I'd like to be; I've been living closer to town in Russian Hill. But it still has a cute shopping street near by and is closer to the AMAHZING restaurants in the Mission. The BF is happy too, as parking should be a breeze.

I've got a lot going on this month: mini-vacay, finalizing Junior League event details, moving, and the actual Junior League event, but I'm so happy to have this weight off my shoulders....and can't wait to start re-decorating!!

What the Heck is Coconut Flour?

If you remember about a month ago I started the Whole Living 'Cleanse'. It basically focused on eating a lot of, easily digestible fresh fruits and veggies and thats about it. No dairy. No carbs. Nothing processed.

After spending a day in the kitchen preparing my meals for the week, it was fairly easy to maintain and very filling! I felt great, still had energy, was full and felt a whole lot 'cleaner' than I had been.  My cleanse week was immediately followed by the Denver Girls Weekend which, although I gave it my best shot, wasn't exactly cleanse approved.

The 'cleanse' was great, but is very limited in food choices and recipes. After some chatting with friends and further internet investigation I've decided to give Paleo a whole hearted shot. Being dairy free really helped my digestive system, and avoiding carbs is always a good thing right?
I ordered Practically Paleo on a recommendation, but to get a head start I went to the website for the book and found a recipe for a great, paleo friendly, grab and go breakfast. Breakfast is the hardest for me, because I don't want to get up 15 minutes earlier to make a smoothie or an omelet. I want to sleep that extra 15 :) These Apple Streusal Muffins looked like a delicious and convenient option.

ingredients:

• 3 large green apples, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (approximately 2 cups) – peeled if you like
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil (to make it dairy-free), melted
• 9 eggs
• 3 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

preparation:

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• Preheat oven to 350F.

• In a medium skillet, sautée the apples, water,  1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and butter or coconut oil until the apples are the consistency of chunky applesauce or apple pie filling. Allow the mixture to cool before combining with the egg mixture.

• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the eggs,coconut milk, coconut flour, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Add the cooled apples, reserving 1/4 cup for a garnish.
                                           
• Spoon egg and apple mixture into parchment cup lined muffin tins—1/4 cup each. Gently spoon about one teaspoon of the remaining apple mixture onto the top of each muffin.
• Bake for 40 minutes.

                                             

Whole Living

I spent the wonderful Christmas holiday back in the midwest for a week! It was beautiful, but freezing white Christmas. The only real complaints I had were a gross, flaky, dry face and no appropriate product to help  and all the heavy cream/egg/sugar/carb based foods that were consumed. I even spent 2 days sick on the couch from richness, and probably dairy overload.  In an effort to get back on track I did some investigating and  have decided to try the 2013 version of the Whole Living Action Plan to Kick off the year.

A few years ago I found the 2011(?) version on Pinterest.  Back then it required a juicer and I wasn't about to go out an buy one. It also had new recipes every day for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. A single, working gal on a budget just cannot swing that much shopping and cooking. I tried doing it with smoothies and rotating recipes, but it was still expensive and time consuming.

They've updated and cut down their meal plans and really focused on making them user friendly/make-ahead-able. Per their website:

How This Cleanse Works
1. Go Step By StepWe built this plan around a simple base diet of lentils, fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds; these (plus oils and seasonings) are the only ingredients allowed for the first week. The subsequent weeks introduce variety, including fish and gluten-free grains in Week 2 and eggs in Week 3.  

2. Devise a StrategyWe realize that making all of the plan’s recipes is no easy feat. So we’ve streamlined things this year with weekly meal-by-meal plans. To ease prep, some recipes have a make-ahead component, and most recipes make big batches, so you’ll always have a selection of leftovers in the fridge. 

3. Make It Your OwnWhile there are 45 recipes in the cleanse, you can certainly improvise meals; simply follow the ingredient guidelines for each week. You can also carry over your favorite dishes as you enter a new week. Do keep in mind that while you should keep portions modest, counting calories is not part of the program. “This is not a calorie-restricted diet,” Blum says. “This is about food choices.” 

 I took a trip to Whole Foods (in an effort to go completely 'clean') and only spent $45 on everything for the first week! I couldn't believe it. I'm starting today so I'll keep you updated on how it's going and how I'm feeling a long the way.

This year I will....

.....travel more

.....worry less

.....budget better

.....find a new apartment

.....blog more

.....start a 5-year plan

.....own it!