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Hi all my beautiful babe friends! Something new this week that I plan to make into a weekly tradition: a roundup of some of my favorite reads! Sit back, relax, and get ready for some great posts :) .

What Do I Expose Myself To? via Julia from Lord Still Loves Me

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SUCH a great read. Julia is one of my favorite bloggers (and I’m meeting her soon- AHH!) and she always writes so raw and from the heart. She isn’t afraid to tackle uncomfortable subjects about recovering from her eating disorder and is just a wonderful human in general! In this post, she talks about the selective exposure theory, that “suggests that we choose certain media messages because they validate our identities” and how detrimental exposing yourself to certain images, blogs, etc can be. I wholeheartedly agree with everything she said.

Pumpkin Spice Oreo Fudge via Gayle from Pumpkin ‘N Spice

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YES. Just yes. Made with minimal ingredients and it just looks so freakin’ delicious 😯 .

Chocolate Avocado Pudding via Megan from Skinny Fitalicious

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I know there may be some skeptics out there, but I can attest to how great avocado blends in with chocolate! This recipe looks mouthwatering and I just want to swim in a pool of it. Is that too much to ask?

One Bowl Vegan Banana Bread via Leigha from The Yooper Girl

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Not sure why I don’t have a slice of this in my mouth right now… I need to post two pictures of this recipe because it looks completely fantabulous 😯 .

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Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies via Amanda from Running with Spoons

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Drooling. Need. With. Coffee. NOW. Amanda does it again <3.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Kale Pesto via Erin from The Almond Eater

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Warm bread that’s stuffed with gooey cheese and delicious pesto? Uh, DUH. Give me 10. Now.

Tips for Recharging Your Workout via Chrissy from Pink Polish and Running Shoes

Great tips and ideas to get out of a working funk!

October Traffic and Income Report via the Pinch of Yum Team

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Love these income reports! They’re always so informative and I definitely something to aspire to. They inspired me to create my own income reports as well (I haven’t updated them in a bit, but keep your eyes out for one coming out for this month!). 

So there ya have it! I’ll see all of ya’ll tomorrow with an extra tasty recipeeeeeee to make your Monday just a wee bit more delicious!

Getting Fit with Sweaty Betty!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Sweaty Betty, but all thoughts are my own. 

I don’t know about all of you, but I’m a HUGE fan of cute and comfy workout clothes. There’s something about putting on a new outfit (even if it’s just for sweatin’ in!) and getting that extra boost of confidence. I’m not too embarrassed to admit that strutting into the gym with a new top (preferably one with cutouts or fun designs) helps get me excited and motivated for my workout. Throw in some fast-paced music into the mix and I’m ready to pound out the miles and squat like never before!

I didn’t always have this mindset. When I was back in highschool, I played club soccer and was used to running around in cotton practice jerseys that would not only keep me scorching hot in the California sun, but would soak up every bit of sweat on me. By the end of practice, I could just feel the grossness of my soggy tee-shirt and wanted nothing more than to jump in the shower as fast as humanly possible. Luckily, I stumbled upon the world of fashionable workout gear that is Sweaty Betty, which offers athletic items that not only look fantastic, but are well-ventilated to keep you from overheating and has sweat-wicking technology that dries off sweat and keeps you from feeling sticky!

Sweaty Betty is a goldmine for active women and has products ranging from yoga pants to girls dancewear. Honestly, there’s something for everyone! Here are a few pieces that have caught my eye and may or may not be sitting in my shopping basket, ready for checkout:

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First off, I’m a sucker for anything that’s light peach in color. I love how flattering and feminine this top is and how it comes with thumbhole cuffs and a 360 reflectivity for nighttime visibility. Since it’s getting dark earlier now with the time change, I’m a huge fan of being able to be seen by passing cars and bikes when I’m out running at night!

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Have I mentioned how much I love cute cut-outs in my workout clothes? Extra breeziness and extra fun to wear!

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Are these not the most comfortable looking pants you’ve ever seen? I’m pretty sure I would never be able to change out of them once I slipped them on!

Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite workout pieces?

 

Buckeye Brownie Cookies

Buckeye Brownie Cookies- these are insanely delicious!

I’m sorry guys. I know this is mean. Flashing pictures of ridiculous cookies like these without much warning just isn’t fair. I actually had to go downstairs to the kitchen to get some food while I was putting this post together since my stomach was going haywire and started to sound like an angry animal. What can I say, cookies bring out the beast in me. BEAST MODE. 

Buckeye Brownie Cookies- these are insanely delicious!

Sometimes I don’t even know where I’m going when I start typing up these posts. At one mine I’m like yeah! Grumbling stomach! I’ll talk about that! Then somehow I find a way to branch between being hungry to cookies my inner animal to come out. Like woah there, Christine. Where are you possibly trying to go with this. Can we just try to pretend my writing is coherent? Purrrttty please? 

You guys daaaa best <3. 

Buckeye Brownie Cookies- these are insanely delicious!

I’m going to go out and say it right now. These cookies aren’t healthy. They are loaded down with sugar and chocolate and oodles of gooey peanut butter and everything else that’s good in life. RAINBOWS. UNICORNS. ZAC EFRON. It’s packed with the things that are good for your soul. They’re what your dessert dreams are made of and are completely over-the-top with a super fudgy and thick brownie-esq cookie, a beautiful pat of fluffy peanut butter frosting, and a drizzle of extra chocolate because why the heck not. Might as well go overboard, right? 

Buckeye Brownie Cookies- these are insanely delicious! Like a peanut butter cup cookie!

Overboard it is. I took half of these cookies over to Kyle’s family when we went back home for the weekend and they luurrrveeed them. His dad’s reaction was “these are stupid” *cue heart dropping sadness*… “stupid GOOD!” and his mom exclaimed “OMG, KYLE” as she took a bite into one. Not bad reactions if ya ask me! 

Buckeye Brownie Cookies- these are insanely delicious!

 

Pics From the Weekend

Hi friends! I don’t have too many words for you guys today. I’m pretty exhausted after a busy weekend (two new recipes shot, a Christmas photo shoot for a family, studying, 8 hours of driving, etc), so this is going to be a picture-saturated weekend recap!

Thursday was our four year anniversary, so Kyle and I headed up to “our place” up in the mountains. The restaurant is called Cold Spring Tavern and we’ve been going there for our anniversaries and Valentine’s Day for the last three years :) . We exchanged gifts and Kyle completely blew me away with the Marc Jacobs bag he got me! It’s a light brown leather with gold accents and I. Am. Obsessed. With. It. <3. I ended up getting him a custom engraved wallet, so we had a good laugh about our coordinating gifts. 

Also… new hair! Ahhhhhhhhh!

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image-43 image-47Studying for an English midterm on Monday and a genetics midterm on Thursday. Merhg. 

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Recipes! Drooling over these Brownie Buckeye Cookies 😯 . They are insane and will be on the blog sometime this week!

image-41Andddd I’m signing off. Hope you all had a great weekend!

 

 

 

Healthy Warm Cinnamon Apple Mess

210 calorie Healthy Warm Cinnamon Apple Mess- the perfect protein-packed breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Warm (pseudo) baked apples that are cooked in brown sugar until perfectly tender and bursting with cinnamon flavor? Gimme. Even better? Add in a secret ingredient that makes all the difference and takes this healthy breakfast/snack/dessert over the top! 

I have been a huge lover of this secret ingredient ever since I was little. I grew up eating it with yogurt and granola (something I got from my mom) and in the BEST lasagna ever, which is a recipe from my tiny asian Obachan. Funny how a little Japanese woman can make lasagna better than any Italian restaurant, right? 

What is this magical and perhaps underrated ingredient? Cottage cheese!

210 calorie Healthy Warm Cinnamon Apple Mess- the perfect protein-packed breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Lucky for me, it turns out that cottage cheese just happens to be a great healthy addition to my diet! With 13g of protein for only 90 calories (for 2% fat cottage cheese) Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese contains none of the additives and preservatives found in other leading brands, and is a smart snack on its own or as a healthy substitution in a recipe! Daisy Brand is a 4th generation, family owned dairy business, focused on making high quality, limited ingredient dairy products. The company is one of the leading brands for cotage cheese, and trust me, it makes a difference. I’ve gone through times where I’ve tried to get by with other brands, but they just don’t compare to the creamy and fresh texture that Daisy provides. 

210 calorie Healthy Warm Cinnamon Apple Mess- the perfect protein-packed breakfast, snack, or dessert!

To help show how versatile cottage cheese is, I created this super quick and easy recipe that will not only satisfy your sweet tooth (sweet and salty flavors=HEAVEN), but will be a great addition to your healthy recipe collection! Oftentimes I’m in a big rush in the morning as I run around the house trying to get ready for my classes, but this breakfast, snack, or dessert comes together by simply microwaving cinnamon, brown sugar, and some freshly cut apples to spiced and tender perfection, then adding some cottage cheese to the mix to give it a great salty kick and protein boost.

Since I don’t always have time to snack during my busy day, I depend on a breakfast that will keep me full and energized! Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese does the trick perfectly!

Want more healthy, delicious, and easy recipe? Here’s a goldmine of great options! 

Disclosure: While this recipe is sponsored by Daisy Brand, all opinions are, of course, my own and this recipe is an Apple of My Eye original created to show the versatility of Daisy cottage cheese.