DIY: Sugar scrub

Who doesn't love a fun DIY project? Such a good way to satisfy our crafty craving and create something awesome. My favorite is when you are planning to attempt a DIY project, and one of the following things happens: 

1) it ends up costing astronomical amounts of money. 

2) the end result looks like what a toddler would have produced. 

3) it ends up being one of the most difficult and frustrating tasks. Ever. 

4) you finish the project, and realize you're never going to use what you made. 

5) all of the above. 

Thankfully, I have limited my DIYing to things that are bound to be successful and inexpensive (if not free). That is why I am so excited about my latest DIY project: Sugar body/hand scrub. 

This scrub was simple, essentially free, and I plan on using it nearly everyday. 

The recipe is simple, and issues things that you should already have in your home: coconut oil, raw cane sugar, brown sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon. 

Use a small mason jar or glass container. Fill the container about 3/4 full with coconut oil. In a microwave, warm the coconut oil enough that it's turning to thin liquid. I then put in about four spoonfuls of each ingredient and then sprinkled in the cinnamon and stirred. It's that simple! 

I use it on my hands when they're dry, and then rinse them and pat dry to help keep the coconut oil on my hands. 

It smells like a dessert and works so well!

The only thing I ran into that poses a problem is that it hardens in colder temperatures. I still just use my finger to dig out how much I want. 

I love this jar I made, and plan on making more. This would be a great little gift for the holidays, or just because. Have fun! 

Eating clean: Super easy stir fry!

I think I have fall food fever. Lately I have wanted to spend every second I have in the kitchen! Thank goodness I like to cook clean and wholesome (I do the best I can) foods. I especially have wanted to try new things and learn basic dishes to make. 

Stir fry is probably one of the easiest things ever. At first I thought about all of the ingredients and was a tad bit overwhelmed. I did more research though, and it is so easy! It's basically random veggies and some meat tossed and fried in a pan! It's seriously so simple, and quick: it took me only minutes to cook and minutes to prepare. I'll even summarize it: chop meat and veggies, heat pan, put in oil, cook meat, then the veggies, then garlic, pour in sauce, you're done. Seriously. 

Here is a more detailed version of the recipe I destroyed :)

1-2 T Olive oil

1 pound chicken

2 pounds veggies:

(Here are some options- I throw in a handful of each option up to the two pound mark.)

Cabbage

Scallions

Broccoli

Carrots

Sprouts

Waterchestnuts

Snap peas

Red pepper

1 T garlic

1/4 c cilantro

*Basic stir fry sauce (read directions and I will explain!)

First, put your wok/pan on the stove over medium high heat. It should be ready by the time you have your meat and veggies ready. 

So you start out just preparing your ingredients. I chopped the chicken into 1/2 cubes. Just do whatever floats your boat. Keep it in its own bowl..it is RAW meat. (You don't have to use meat, but I like it! If you don't want to use meat, skip this step). 

Next I prepared any veggies I was using. Some I bought pre-prepared (shredded cabbage and carrots). Keep the thicker/harder veggies in a separate bowl from the softer veggies. 

Soft veggies:

Hard veggies:

Now that basic stir fry sauce I was talking about, it's simple really. Take 1 cup of a delicious Asian sauce (I used an Asian vinagarette dressing) and 1-2 T tamari or soy sauce. Combine it and set aside. Seriously, so simple. (See ingredients below)

Your pan should be hot and maybe steaming. Pour in the olive oil and swirl it around to thoroughly coat the pan. Get a large plate ready too (just put it next to the stove). 

Note that when I say "cook", that means to kind of toss and stir while it's in the pan. Hence STIR fry. 

NOW, pay attention:

1) cook the meat in the pan enough to brown a little. If it's chicken/beef, make sure it's cooked thoroughly! This usually takes a couple minutes. Just eyeball it and check the meat if you're concerned. 

When it's done, dump it on the plate. 

2) cook the hard veggies for one minute. Dump onto the same plate. 

3) cook the soft veggies for one minute. Dump onto the same plate. 

4) put ALL ingredients back in with the basic stir fry sauce, garlic, and cilantro. Cook for 1-2 minutes. 

5) pour into serving bowl. You're done. 

Serve this with noodles, rice, or even on its own. 

See! This is the perfect for lunch, dinner, and leftovers. Enjoy!

Fitness: Restorative yoga

Yoga is one of my favorite things. It is incredibly nourishing to your mind, body, and soul.  There are so many types of yoga, and the type that is the most relaxing is actually the most difficult for me. 

Restorative yoga is a practice that to me, is easy on your body but tough on your mind.  It is practiced by holding relaxing/healing poses for a period of time (minutes) and focusing on your breath. 

I love many things about restorative yoga. It is the one time I feel like I can truly let my body relax, and the tension and stress can melt away. I can hold poses that benefit and heal my body where I feel I need it: shoulders and neck, back, hips and groin, or just opening up the whole body.  While you hold the poses, you're focusing on your breath and melting into the shape you're in. It is a sort of meditation for your mind AND body, and allows your body the time to heal. 

The thing I struggle with most about restorative yoga is letting go. Not so much letting go of my body, but letting go in my mind. I have an extremely hard time not letting my mind wander and work constantly (This in turn makes falling asleep a huge task every night, and naps are basically impossible). This makes meditating and focusing so much work, but shows that I need restorative yoga. It not only is letting my body the time to relax and heal, but let's me discipline my mind and focus on letting go and slowing things down. The more I can let my mind go, the more benefits I will receive from restorative yoga. 

Another thing that I really appreciate about restorative yoga is the affect it has on my muscles. I am a fitness junky- I love working out, building muscle, and cardio activities. Restorative yoga helps those muscles that I destroy in a sense, to heal and be taken care of. The stretch that occurs, as well as just letting go of the muscles, is highly beneficial!

I try to practice restorative yoga with my mom a few times a week in the evening. Even our furry friend likes to join :) 

We love the YogaGlo website, which is full of yoga options and plenty of restorative classes to utilize. There isn't much better before bed than a warm candle-lit room and melting into your mat! I highly suggest trying restorative- I promise you won't regret it. 

Fitness: Kayaking

I love my cardio exercise! There is nothing quite like pushing to beat my running/cycling times, finding a great trail to run, the feeling at the end of exhaustion from pushing. But when it's summertime and the 90+ degree weather hits, the last thing I want to do is go running or cycling! It's just too much to push myself in the heat and humidity, all I want to do is be in the water. Since I don't love swimming in the river, I took up the best alternative: kayaking. 


 

Not only is kayaking great for cardio, but it's also a strength-building exercise for many parts of your body. 

Arms- this seems pretty obvious. Your arms are there mostly to hold onto the paddle, not so much for power. Still, they are worked in moving and holding onto the paddle. 

Shoulders- again, these are not the primary muscles worked, but they provide support between your arms and the main source of power!

Core!!- THIS is the hot zone! Your core is the main area worked when you're kayaking. It is your power source and stabilizer. This includes your abs, hips, and back. *After my first kayaking trip, my abs and hips were burning like crazy!

Legs- It's crazy to think that your legs are worked so much from kayaking. They are used with the good to help turn, stabilize, and brace the kayak. Don't be surprised when they're sore the first couple times you go. 

If you've ever wanted to try kayaking for any reason, do it! It's great exercise for many parts of your body, it's relaxing, and it's almost always beautiful scenery.

The only downfall is the cost. I bought an inexpensive kayak and paddle for $329. That just means I have to go as often as possible (cost per use)! If you want to find a new cardio/core exercise, I highly recommend kayaking. 

Eating clean: Rice and beans!

People sometimes think eating clean is too expensive/time consuming/complicated/difficult/etc. I am happy to say that they are wrong!! Eating clean is so easy!! It's all about keeping two things in mind: simple and wholesome. Give yourself simple proteins, carbohydrates, and your fruits and veggies.

People often say that it's hard to find "filling meals" when trying to eat clean. Here is a great protein-good carb filled dish that is SO easy to do: the good ole rice and beans.

All it is- brown rice, black beans, mango, cilantro, and sea salt. 

Boil 2 cups of water. Stir in 1 cup of brown rice and 1 tsp of sea salt and bring back to a simmer. Then turn down the burner to low, and cover for 30-40 minutes. During the last 10-15 minutes of cooking the rice, warm a 16 oz can of organic black beans in a separate pot. Slice up 1 peeled mango into little cubes, and chop about 3/4 cup of cilantro (more or less to your taste). When the rice is done, remove it from the burner, add the mango and cilantro, and let it sit with the rice for 5 minutes. Then stir in the black beans.

There is is, simple and easy! You can enjoy this warm or cold. It's perfect to make a big batch and have it for lunch/dinner throughout the week. Remember these are good carbs and lots of protein in this dish. Those carbs with give your muscles sustainable energy and the protein will help feed your muscles to help them repair and grow! 

Remember to never be afraid to try new things and eat clean!