audrey michelle’s colourful DIY cleanse – DAY #2

17 Jul

alright.  here we are.  my roommate and his friend are drinking a nice cold hefeweizen in the room downstairs, and i’m sitting here next to my homemade soda water.  *ahem*  and i’m okay with that… actually, i really am. as much as i love my brewskies, i realize that the ones i like to enjoy would and do keep me pretty much couch-bound for the remainder of the evening. mmmm, la fin du monde

it’s odd how my energy levels have shifted.  i’m definitely having a harder time in the morning “waking up” and i tend to get my energy after around 2 p.m., where i’d normally be tired.  it’s interesting.  i kind of like it.  especially since i work at night, or will be again once my vacation is over.

okay, so here’s how day 2 went : Continue reading

{the foto} the little ant that could…

17 Jul

so, i’m doing my morning yoga yesterday and it’s a lovely morning… the sun is hot as per usual here in colorado even at 9 a.m. i was resting in corpse pose, breathing in the quiet morning air, when i suddenly heard this scraping sound along the concrete. i had my two furry four-legged children out with me, but they were accounted for.  so, i lift up my head to see what is the noise, and that’s when i connect with mister adam the ant. — as he’s dragging a seemingly no-longer-living “rollie pollie” across the small walk in my backyard. just like this :

i was a little confused, having just learned in that moment that perhaps ants are not vegetarians… hmm, curious. Continue reading

audrey michelle’s colourful DIY cleanse – DAY #1

16 Jul

welp, so far so good.  18 hours into my cleanse and i actually feel pretty decent… sleepy, but decent.

here are the colourful things i came home with today :

a few organic produce items for the cleanse :

– cabbage

– peppers

– celery

– carrots

– peaches

– avocados

– strawberries

– sunchokes

– english peas

– black plums

– kiwi

and the list goes on…

i had no anticipations of feeling lousy, as i do typically eat this kind of food anyway.  the real key for me was avoiding the coffee, alcohol, and that occasional entire bag of late july dude ranch tortilla chips.  oh man, those sound good right now… Continue reading

audrey michelle’s 5-day colourful DIY cleanse

15 Jul

greetings, you awesome readers, you.

{i’ll be using this a lot next week}

so – i’ve decided to do a juice and raw veggie cleanse for the first time in my life.  i eat very well – 80% vegetables in my diet.  but i binge on my occasional “healthy junk food” as i call it.  and really, it’s not about anything other than i think i need to do it.  my body is telling me to.  this also goes along with an “intuitive eating lifestyle” i always talk about.  i know it’s time to do this.  for me, it’s not just a cleanse.  it’s a chance to hit the “reset” button.  to start over, kind of.  i’ve been living in colorado for a year now, and it was a really rough adjustment after leaving new york city… and i’d kind of like to say, “forget all that hardship, let’s start over”  so, i’m hoping a cleanse of the body will also cleanse the mind and my emotions, and allow me to let go and move on 🙂

i have always admired people who can do fasts like the master cleanse or even just juice or liquids alone. however, i have come to learn that i am not one of those people. i need to chew occasionally!

so, i made up my own cleanse.  mostly a fruit and veggie cleanse void of any meat, dairy, wheat, gluten, soy, oil, sugars {other than naturally occuring}, or processed ingredients.  just raw fruit and veggies in several forms.  and a TON of liquid flushing!  i’ve also decided against any grains or nuts, nutmilks, or anything solid, really – other than veggies and what’s in the protein powder i am using… so, it WILL be colourful!

i’m also adding in a minimal exercise routine – as to not overexert myself.  but also, to keep the body moving and the blood flowing. — isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?! 😉

and – the saddest part : no coffee, no alcohol — womp womp. Continue reading

pre-cleanse “last meal” comfort food

15 Jul

haha – okay, i’m actually not going to eat this today, but i did a couple weekends ago.  and i have a feeling after my upcoming 5-day juice and veggie cleanse, i’m going to want a big ol’ bowl of this!

biscuits and gravy.  — a southern classic.

many people do not know this about me – but i was born in south carolina. i usually like to say “i’m from all over” because i didn’t live there past my second birthday, but i guess it was long enough to learn to like collard greens and biscuits and gravy, hehe. actually – growing up, my grandma used to do a lot of southern cooking, which is where i learned how to prepare my carrots the way i do. i seldom eat biscuits and gravy anymore, but occasionally it’s just good comfort food. Continue reading

{palate pleasing padron peppers}

13 Jul

that was fun.

and as we all know, i love to try new things. so, i saw these little pretty peppers hanging out in the produce section one day and i immediately snagged them up, got on my phone and googled how to make them!

Continue reading

zucchini pizza strips

11 Jul

food can be fun.

i love it when i see a recipe or look at a vegetable a different way and say, “what if i tried it like this…”  because typically, i’m a creature of habit.  when i find something that works for me, i stick with it.  i often don’t sway.  in fact, i had been using the same ranch dressing for like, 7 years.  annies organic cowgirl ranch.  i love the stuff.  but then one day a co-worker suggested this other brand {with less fat, made from yogurt, and still so tasty} and now THAT is my new favourite – haha.  i guess my point is, sometimes i get tunnel vision. but this blog has helped me to rethink ways of preparing food.  i always chop my veggies into 1-2 inch pieces, and steam them or saute them.  sometimes i’ll roast them all together.  but never did it occur to me to cut zucchini into strips and serve it like a pizza slice!!  what! Continue reading

{the foto} i made it here – i can make it anywhere.

10 Jul

you really changed me, new york! Continue reading

{the foto} mama C

10 Jul

a fun maternity shoot.  actresses work the camera best! 🙂

Image Continue reading

testing – 1, 2, 3

10 Jul

made some changes to the blog — hoping this works.  testing now

 

this is my first official “foto” blog –

 

with mama crystal.

roomie’s salmon birthday dinner

10 Jul

my roommate celebrated a birthday last month, and i’m just getting around to blogging about the meal – d’oh!

naturally the best gift i can give anyone is food – so i cooked for him. 🙂

nothing says “summer” like corn on the cob, eh?!  ANNNNDD, it’s salmon season.  the first runs started coming in early june.  whenever i think of making a special meal, i always think of salmon.  i can’t cook a steak to save my life, and i’m a snob when it comes to eating out.  so, i splurged on the $24.99/lb. salmon and conserved with the sides 😉 {these two filets ran me about $17 — but in new york, i probably would’ve paid only about $11, boy do i miss living by the ocean!} Continue reading

cherryfest! {and a big thank you!}

9 Jul

it’s cherry season!!!!!

it’s the best time to buy cherries right now – they are at their in-season peak and the price is right!  if i may – another push to get you to buy organic. cherries are on the dirty dozen list {as is most things you eat the skin with}, so it’s best to buy them organic if you can.  don’t be scared, when you buy items in season at their peak, you pay less, the taste and quality are better, and you are voting with your dollars!  OG cherries are typically 9-10 dollars a pound when bought in march or april when they start trickling in.  but if you buy them now, you’re going to pay a lot less – somewhere between 3-5 dollars a pound — and yes, for organic!  and if you can grab some from a farmers market, even better!!! or if you have a CSA buy-in, you may notice them arriving with your monthly shipment. yum – and you can totally freeze them. or make jams or syrups for your sodastream maker… Continue reading

one last holiday tradition

6 Jul

so, it was kind of weird having 4th of july on a wednesday, no?  granted, i’m on a glorious 3-week long {2.5 weeks left} staycation, so it didn’t much matter to me this year.  though, i will say this is probably the first holiday i’ve had off from work in probably a decade.  working retail hours doesn’t typically allow me to get time off during any fun holiday.

but i feel like it’s weird because it’s like, when did you celebrate? or are you celebrating this weekend?  are people still busting out festivities?!  i sure am – i plan on grilling some vidalia onions and corn on the cob tonight!

but since i’m taking some time off, i’ve been doing my best to really relax, submerse myself in some social activities, and just kick back- cuz it’s summah-time {summer summer summer time… summertime} 😉 Continue reading

apparently, i can bake

5 Jul

this is not exactly up my typical healthy recipe alley – but if you’re going to go for it, GO FOR IT!

it’s a special occasion, splurge a little!  that whole mentality goes along with my “intuitive eating” lifestyle.  granted, i seldom even buy white flour-based anything, let alone white sugar cookies – but i made these to share.  i had one at home to make sure they didn’t suck, and one at the party… and that was all i needed… for now 🙂

Continue reading

{homemade edition} PICKLES!

4 Jul

happy 4th of july!!

i’ve decided to start making a lot more stuff on my own.  it’s only fitting.

and i love love love me some pickles! so when i saw kirby cucumbers {AKA pickling cucumbers} at whole foods last week, i had to snag some up.  i have always wanted to try to make my own pickles, and so this was perfect timing. Continue reading

buffalo chicken wraps w/ a twist {and is it football season yet?!}

2 Jul

these were such a hit!!  and i got the recipe from these super cute sisters over at deuxchicago.  such a simple idea, but i so appreciate alison and laura for sharing the recipe and for “healthing” it up a little 😉 

and, being a huge football fan – i’m so eager to replace my normal monday night game crave – chicken wings – with these tasty new treats.  i don’t really eat meat all that much anyway and chicken is okay in my book when i do.  but i don’t really like the wings because there is hardly any meat and you just end up eating fried oil and i don’t know… this is just so much better!  i begin with a roasted chicken that i pick up from whole foods market on their wednesday chicken sale (7 bucks!) Continue reading

{featured produce of the week : organic purple carrots}

1 Jul

locally grown here – they don’t call us colourful colorado for nothin’

although my favourite colour, tender, and still yummy when eaten raw, i prefer purple carrots steamed with a smidgen of maple syrup.  actually, what i do is –

chop them up into roughly 1/2 inch pieces. add enough water to cover the carrots to the pan and boil {covered} on medium high heat until the carrots begin to soak up the water. i don’t even add any butter or oil, because these things are so good without it.  add in more water {or veggie stock for extra flavour} if necessary, but basically you want the carrots to almost glaze, and then add in a tiny bit of good quality maple syrup toward the end.

they are so yummy cooked this way.  i would like to try to peel them thinly and use them almost like a pasta – or perhaps i’ll run them through the food processor, but i do think i need to buy an attachment for that…

and — purple carrots *kind of* resemble fireworks, eh?!  😉 Continue reading

easy “cheesy” {vegan} kale chips

28 Jun

these always disappear fast!

have you ever tried nutritional yeast?  i actually kind of love it.  a lot.  many of my vegan friends would tell me about it and i never really tried it on anything until someone suggested i put it on popcorn.  which, as you know, is totally what i do now! nutritional yeast is a great cheese substitute, as it has a creamy flavour that is almost nutty or buttery.  i find it to be amazing on kale chips. you can usually find it in the baking isle or in bulk, at most health food stores including whole foods market. Continue reading

batch cooking – roasted veggies

27 Jun

have you heard the term “batch-cooking”?  well, i hadn’t really heard of it, but i mean it makes sense – especially in today’s world.  i am a single gal with no kids or hubby, no one to really take care of but myself. though, i do have a lovely roommate with a big appetite and two sweet kitties with insatiable bellies. my point is, i am fully aware that i have more time than most to spend on preparing meals and fun dishes and blogs, etc.  many people do not have the time to really spend in the kitchen… for me, it’s like not only a kitchen – it’s my music hall, my therapist’s office, my sanctuary, and my dance club.  i love to cook so much that it does so much for me – on a personal and spiritual level, as cheesy as that may sound… 🙂

plus, my whole philosophy is “time is money.”  so i may have to spend a little time to cook all this stuff, which is “money,” as time is valuable.  but i also save time and money by having my meals prepared in advance.  i don’t spend money on my lunch break, and i save time on my lunch break.  plus, the meals i make are healthy and not loaded with junk – and eating the latter could actually cost me more money and time down the road…. make sense?!  – eating well is an investment in your health!

Continue reading

product endorsement #3 – whirley pop

26 Jun

whirley pop.

do you remember this?  i actually don’t.  but apparently it’s old school cool and marvelously classic.  i’ve loved having it and we now make more popcorn in the house than anything, i swear. low fat, low carb, whole grain, and if you buy it in bulk you save tons and it’s a snack with variety that everyone will love!

the whirley pop itself is so easy to use. you can make your popcorn with any good quality high heat oil and it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to pop a large bowl to share.  fun for kids, too — just make sure they are always supervised!

my roomie and i love to drizzle a little coconut oil over ours and then smother it with tons of nutritional yeast.  it makes for an almost cheesy flavour.  it’s SO GOOD!  i know you’ll love it too – so try it! and go get a whirley pop!  20 bucks is a good investment for a 25-year warranty, right?!

one more thing i want to add — sort of a shameless plug here — please consider always and only buying organic NON-GMO corn.  if you aren’t sure why, please read one of my rants about GMOs… and do your own research, then decide for yourself.

thank you always, for reading 🙂