Millet and Lentil Veggie Burgers

So I am falling into a trend that when Chris leaves for work I get really into cooking. When he is home, I get too distracted to want to make anything fun. It should be the other way around and hopefully next time he is back I will get creative juices flowing!

Today I made homemade veggie burgers using:

-Millet
-Orange and Green Lentils
(prepare these in advance until tender, as you would quinoa or rice)
-Chopped Green Onion
-Chopped Basil
-Tofu
-Black Beans
-Chopped Carrots
-Chopped Mushrooms

I always estimate amounts based on what vegetables I like more, feel free to add or remove any vegetables depending on your own taste!

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, siracha, and garlic powder to taste.

Then place all ingredients in a blender until it is blended together (doesn't have to be finely blended).

Form into burger patties and bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then lightly brown sides using a frying pan. Add what you usually would to your burger and enjoy. This burger has a mixture of vegetables, carbs, and protein...the perfect combination :)

Homemade Shampoo Week 5 Update

Five weeks ago I started making my own Shampoo and Conditioner. I can finally say that my hair is over the adjustment period and I LOVE using it. I made a slight adjustment and created a new shampoo with baking soda, cornstarch, water, and castile soap. Baking soda is a cleaner and cornstarch absorbs oil. Eventually, I want to just use baking soda and water with a little cornstarch but I am gradually getting there. I left the conditioner the same and I have found that I only need to wash my hair every 2-3 days which is much better for the health of your hair. I truly believe that shampoos are harsh on our hair and use so many ingredients that we don't need. When I used regular shampoo, I had to wash my hair every day and even some nights after washing my hair in the morning it still felt like I could wash it again. My hair grew so slow using regular shampoo and it currently is growing at a much faster rate then it has ever before. It feel soft and healthy and I am so happy that I made the switch. I know I am saving so much money through this method and feel like my hair is cleaner and much easier to work with.

Another thing I have been doing differently is not combing my hair right after I get out of the shower. It is probably obvious to most people not to do that but I had a bad habit of always combing immediately when I got out. I shed soooo much hair! It was not the best thing to be doing. I now wait for it to air dry halfway and then brush from the roots to the top. This way, I am not tearing out my hair and losing a ton of it from the way I so aggressively try to brush. Just another quick suggestion :)

Overall I recommend to everyone to try making their own shampoo. Perhaps in the summer it will be easier because the adjustment period won't be embarrassing when you have to go to classes. I have learned that applying cornstarch to your hair with a makeup brush is more effective then applying baby powder to keep it looking fresh the next day. Hope to hear success stories for other people out there.

Eye Makeup Remover plus more

So I finally caught the Pinterest bug..a little behind but I am really enjoying it. I found a recipe for homemade eye makeup remover that I have yet to try but all it required was Baby Oil, Tear Free Baby Shampoo, and Water. Sounds easy enough to me! And much cheaper in the long run. I will post updates once I get around to making it, I am still trying to use up the one that I currently have.

On the subject of Baby Oil, I have been using it as a moisturizer for my body. It only contains two ingredients, smells amazing and keeps your skin soft and hydrated. Not to mention it is under $3 for 15 oz. I am really enjoying it and feel good about putting less chemicals on my skin. Baby oil can also be used to shave your legs and keep skin hydrated. Definitely need to try that one too.

I also read the other day that applying Petroleum jelly to your eyelashes will help them grow. Petroleum jelly is supposed to nourish them and keep them hydrated therefore making them grow faster. I also love Petroleum jelly as a lip moisturizer so it has multiple uses :)

The last trick I am using is Argan Oil on the roots of my hair after a shower. I am only doing this 1-2 times/week because it creates a lot moisture and a little goes a long way. Argan oil keeps your hair soft, nourished, and hydrated. If you are trying to grow your hair out or just want healthy hair in general, it is important to keep the roots healthy and strong. Argan oil is also wonderful for your skin but I am really enjoying the Grapeseed oil moisturizer so I haven't yet used it on mine.

More updates to come later!

Homemade Almond Milk

For any Almond Milk lovers out there, I have the process in which we used to make our own Almond milk.

You will need:

1 Bag of Raw Almonds
Cinnamon
Water

This was honestly so easy and very few resources were needed.

We first started by soaking our almonds for about 3 hours in order for them to expand and hold in more of their milk and liquid.

After your almonds are soaked, you blend them in a food processor or blender. Rule of thumb is about 1 cup almonds to 4 cups water. You may have to blend in shifts if you want to blend the entire bag which I would recommend so that you get more almond milk. Feel free to add a dash of cinnamon or any other sources of sweetness you prefer.

After blending your almonds, you will need to strain the milk from the almond pulp. We used a strainer, however; a cheese cloth would also suffice. 

Once your milk is strained, it should come out creamy and smooth.

Store in containers and enjoy :)

Cardio infused Pilates workout

It was hard for me to talk during this workout because I was out of breath! It will get your heart pumping and blood flowing. While you keep your lungs at work there is also full body toning. Check it out, and let me know what you think!

All around abs

I have another ab video for you! I think this one is a little bit more challenging than the last one. What do you think?

Losing your love handles

I hear a lot of girls complain about their love handles and muffin tops and now you don't have to! These are some of the best exercises for toning up that area. Hope you guys enjoy it!

No weights or push up arm workout.

Here is a quick arm series that's going to tone up your arms! It really focuses on hitting the tiny muscle groups in your arms. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Your Ideal Weight

Getting ready for a big occasion is always a lot of fun. I love getting dressed up and feeling my best for a fun event. Whether it be a concert, wedding, banquet, or anything that is meaningful I think the preparation is always exciting. If you are anything like me, you want to be wearing something that you feel your best in and that you wouldn't normally wear to casual events. I have found that over the years, I love to get dressed up and find new clothes to wear (it is dangerous living by all of these great shopping centers in Atlanta).

Being at "that age" I am at, friends are starting to get married, I will be getting married, and there are more events to look forward to. I have heard about many girls who are standing up in weddings or having a wedding of their own who are drastically trying to lose weight way too close to their big day and I can't help but think that it has to be easier then that to look and feel your best on such an important day.

Do you have a day you are looking forward to down the line? Or a vacation you want to get fit for? Give yourself plenty of time to do so and instead of just focusing on being fit for that day or week, focus on being fit in general. Once you make the decision to make a healthy lifestyle a priority, you will find that you will always look and feel your best. When you gradually get yourself to where you want to be, you will surpass the hungry headaches, the fatigue, and the yo yo effect of gaining everything back you worked so hard to lose.

When girls who are appear healthy say they need to lose tons of weight for their wedding, I feel sad because I think they are beautiful the way they are and obviously their fiances's thought so too. You don't have to change your entire appearance for one day, be true to who you are and feel confident in the body you have.

Can you believe some brides use a feeding tube to lose weight? :(

I also am a believer that your body has an ideal weight. Your body will regulate itself to that weight and it is the weight that you feel your strongest at. I know for me, if I am training and then lose even a pound from all the running, I feel horrible and much more fatigued. My body alerts me instantly and making a minor change to my intake gets me back to feeling balanced and energized.

So my advice is eat a clean diet so that your body finds where it needs to be, so that your mind functions more efficiently, and so that you are confident and energized. Maybe you are actually under your ideal weight and not eating nutritional foods because you feel like you don't have enough time in your day to do so? Maybe you are at your ideal weight and feel sluggish because you overcompensate with caffeine and packaged meals that aren't necessarily fattening but don't provide adequate energy to you? I believe that if you take a step back and:

1. Ask yourself how is my energy?

2. Ask yourself what foods could I get more of?

3. Ask yourself what foods are not really providing me any benefit in my diet?

These are three small baby steps that can start you on the right track. Once you ask yourself these 3 things, a lot of progress can be made. But I encourage you to start small and never jump into anything related to your health cold turkey.

Prioritize your health and energy :)

10 minute tushie toner

Alright guys, here's a 10 minute video that focuses on toning the tush. Again, please excuse my awkwardness...I get camera shy.

Time crunch ab workout

I know it's hard to workout when you're on a time limit, especially when you have a busy day. Here is a short ab workout that you can do when your time is short. Enjoy! If you have any workout suggestions comment and let us know.

Homemade Shampoo Update-Week 3

Week 3 roots (finally almost normal- I would not have posted roots at week 1!)

Week 3

Week 1 (notice the bobby pin, necessary at that point)

It has been 3 weeks since I have stopped using store bought shampoo and made the switch to using my own homemade one. Weeks 1 and 2 were a test of if this was worth sticking out. I felt like my hair was growing faster and was soft, but it just felt like when you put too much conditioner and your hair is oily/clean all day. I would make jokes that it always looked like I just got out of the shower, even though my hair smelled great and I knew was healthy, I still wasn't sure if I wanted to proceed. In order to combat the adjustment period, I wore my hair up a lot, wore side braids, and bobby pins to keep it looking okay.

Here at week 3, I have definitely seen a change. I won't lie and say that my hair has 100% gotten through the adjustment; however, I think that at week 4 it will definitely be where I want it to be. I can tell that it has grown a lot faster then usual. My hair generally is slow growing and feels like it never will change lengths. I have also noticed that my roots feel a lot less oily then they did in the first two weeks. I find it weird that when I wake up in the morning, my hair actually feels great compared to the night before. After sticking out this process, I would definitely now recommend that you give it a try. Whether you want longer hair, healthier hair, or just want to save some money, I think that this is the route to go.

There are many other homemade shampoo recipes online and this was one in particular that I thought seemed easy enough. I am sure the other ones work great too, I have seen one that is just baking soda and water. Maybe I will eventually make that switch, but I enjoy the scented essential oils in my shampoo and the smell of the Castile soap. I find it interesting that the Apple Cider Vinegar rinse does not leave my hair smelling like vinegar at all after I use it. I think the tea that I added to it as well as the Rosemary really helped with that.