Growing up on the Jersey shore, I would spend my summers on the coast, where my family has what we call "bungalows" on the Navesink River. While I often would get the chance to go for rides on boats and try activities like water skiing and tubing, sports on the open water has quite honestly, always made me kind of nervous...and it still does. The ocean is a mystery, and I don't like not being able to see the bottom. Or the countless numbers of jellyfish that make their way into the Jersey waters in August for that matter! I can remember certain instances from years ago when the ocean scared the hell out of me: On vacation in Thailand, a huge wave crashed towards me while I was swimming, and I got swept under for a few seconds longer than I was comfortable with. One time ... [Read More]
Archives for August 2017
Healthy Blueberry Pistachio Crumb Muffins {dairy free}
Can you guys believe that we're in the last full week of August? I'm starting to get a twinge of excitement for all things autumn - including everything pumpkin, weather that's a bit cooler, and football season getting underway. I have my Fantasy Football draft in a couple weeks, and I just love spending weekend mornings at home watching games. And I miss going on longer hikes with my pup! In the summertime it's too toasty for my furry friend to go on any inland hikes, so I'll be happy to head back to our favorite spots and discover a few new ones in a month or two. BUT I also don't like to get ahead of myself and try to enjoy what's happening now, so I'm enjoying the summer summer summertimeeeee. I've been doing beach yoga, this weekend I'm going paddle boarding, and I've been noshing on ... [Read More]
The Practice I’m Adding to My Pre-Workout Routine {IDEA World Recap #3}
Before and after I exercise, there are some things that I habitually do. For instance, before my workout I usually eat a snack shortly before, fill up my water bottle and grab a towel to have close by during my session, and warm up with a couple of minutes of active stretching. Recently, I've started to add a new habit to my pre-workout routine, thanks to a seminar that I took last month at IDEA World in Vegas. Recently I recapped my time at Blogfest - a healthy living blogger event that happens within IDEA World - and also shared some interesting information about a session I attended about epigenetics. Today's post is my IDEA World 2017 recap #3, and focuses on myofascial release therapy. So just what is myofascial release therapy? It's also called trigger point therapy, so ... [Read More]
My Top 10 Favorite Experiences Traveling In & Around Portland, Oregon
Last week was my birthday.... a BIG birthday. I'm no longer a 20-something, and I'm still getting used to telling people that I'm 30 when I get carded (happens almost every time, and I suppose I should be happy about it now). I commemorated the occasion by going skydiving, chopping off my hair & donating it, and taking a trip up to Portland, Oregon with my hubby. Big birthdays should be met with big celebrations, right? ;-) I had been wanting to see Portland for awhile now, and my birthday seemed like the perfect reason to see Oregon for the first time! Between the exciting plant-based friendly food scene, outdoorsy activities, and wine country, I had a lot I wanted to experience during this getaway.. and just a long weekend to do it! Today I want to share with you my ... [Read More]
Raspberry Chocolate Chip “Nice” Cream with Fresh Berries [vegan + gluten free]
This raspberry chocolate chip "nice" cream requires just a couple of ingredients, and the star players are frozen banana and raspberries. It's a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth for dessert, or to enjoy for breakfast or a snack! Lately I've been pretty obsessed with using my food processor to whip up refreshing fruity goodness - from post-workout protein smoothie bowls in the morning, to mango sorbet for a healthy dessert at night. My latest recipe for Shape is mocha chip banana "nice" cream... ...and today I'm sharing another frozen fruit creation: raspberry chocolate chip "nice" cream with fresh berries. Using frozen banana and raspberries, this recipe only requires a couple of ingredients. It's perfect for breakfast or a snack, and it's also a great way to ... [Read More]
Epigenetics: How Your Diet Can Change Your Genetics {IDEA World ’17 Recap #2}
“Genetics may load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.” - Dr. Pam Peeke As a nutrition nut, health coach, and food lover, I have always been fascinated with research on anything health & wellness related. When I attended Blogfest at the wellness & fitness conference IDEA World a few weeks ago in Vegas, after the Blogfest festivities concluded, I had some time to attend a few IDEA World seminars before flying home. There were so many interesting discussions to choose from, but I absolutely loved the ones I decided to participate in. I want to share my take-aways from one of those presentations with you today. The topic at hand? The science behind epigenetics - how you can change your DNA behaviors. The IDEA World talk was led by Pam Peeke - a physician, ... [Read More]
