DIY Blendicano Recipe - Frappuccino for 10 calories!

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The "blendicano" has been all over the fitness blog world. I don't know who figured it out, but everyone seems to be talking about it (don't believe me? check this out). It is apparently on Starbucks' secret menu, and it consists of espresso, ice, and syrup, blended like a frappuccino -- but sooooooo much healthier. Like, 200 times healthier. And that's not even an exaggeration.

I tried it... and twas amazing.



But, I do have one piece of "beef" with this drink. At Starbucks, your flavor/sweetener options are limited: you can get regular, sugar-laden syrup, or you can get "sugar free" aka full-of-cancer-causing-chemicals syrup. <--neither of those sound too good to me.

So, I decided to tackle it on my own using Nunaturals liquid stevia syrup. Here's my take on the famous blendicano:

DIY BLENDICANO RECIPE - STARBUCKS' SECRET MENU

Ingredients:

• 3-4 shots of espresso (or, if you don't have an espresso machine, 1/2 cup of really strong brewed coffee will do)
• 1 cup of ice
• Sweetener to taste (even with the blendicano, people have different preferences - I'm a 2 pump girl, Sierra likes 4. You dig it? So, with this recipe, I go with one full dropper of liquid vanilla stevia).

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend that stuff up! You may need to use a tamper/spatula to keep things moving at first, but keep blending until the texture resembles a frap. **If things are too thick, try adding water about 2 tbsp at a time until you reach the right consistency!**
2. Serve! MMmmm, drink it and tackle the world!

Why did I use Stevia?

• NATURAL. Stevia is made from a plant that is very similar to mint, so it is entirely natural (like sugar). 
• ZERO CALORIES. Unlike sugar, however, it has zero calories and...
• HEALTHIER. ...it also does not put you at risk for the myriad of health issues sugar does. 
• TASTES FREAKING GOOD. Oh yeah. There's that, too.

Liquid Flavors:

Stevia comes in powder (you've probably seen "Truvia" at the stores) and liquid form. When it comes to liquid stevia, Nunaturals have a lot of flavors, which gives you a lot of power to customize your drink. Since I'm not a huge fan of adding things like orange and lemon to my coffee, here are some of the flavors that I think could work (and a link to help you buy them ASAP!).

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Peppermint

Ten Things Fo' FRIDAYYYYYYYYYYYYY

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/// 1. /// I am OBSESSED with the show Orphan Black. I can't stop watching it, even though it scares the shite out of me. True story: two nights ago, I needed advil and literally CRIED in fear until my husband agreed to walk me downstairs and get it with me "to protect me from Helena." I really should not be watching this show but I CANT STOP!

/// 2. /// My Jawbone UP finally bit the dust, and I needed something to count my steps or else I feel like I have no data to track! Finally crossed over to the dark side and am experimenting with a FitBit. Any other suggestions?

/// 3. /// My brother sent me this the other day, coincidentally just as my husband and I were complaining that our muscles HURT. SO. BAD. after lifting the day before. Lawd I must admit I like waking up like this.

/// 4. /// Our coffee maker has been going crazy and leaking all over the counter, so we finally stopped using it and went back to the french press for now. I forgot how amazing french press coffee is. It's like drinking velvet.

/// 5. /// MY SUCCULENT IS HAVING TRIPLETS! I have been experimenting with succulent propagation and recently returned from up north to find little baby triplets growing. I am such a proud mom!

/// 6. /// I need this water bottle. Because hydration.

/// 7. /// My sister visited last weekend and the weather was perfect and the sangria was good and and and and and and and... come back!

/// 8. /// I was up in NoMi (Northern Michigan, quit trying to make fetch happen) earlier this month with my in-laws, and had the most glorious time ever. HOW CAN YOU COMPLAIN WHEN THIS IS YOUR LIFE?   <ALSO... find me on instagram!>

/// 9. /// My one year wedding anniversary is coming up SO SOON. One week. How does time fly so fast?

/// 10. /// I am mentally preparing myself for fall by perusing black leather boots. Follow me on Pinterest, let's over-do it together!

New York Pt 2 - Manhattaning

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Traveling To New York

New York Pt 1 - Brooklyn

New York Pt 2 - Manhattan

New York Pt 3 - Manhattan Birthday

New York Pt 4 - The Final Day

Welcome to this year's edition of "True Life: I Ate Pizza for Breakfast."

After a pretty... uh... festive evening, we seriously needed something carby and greasy for breakfast. Because my fiance's sister lives above a pizza place, it seemed like a great way to do it. We were packing up to leave her Red Hook apartment and head toward our hotel in Midtown Manhattan, so it was our last chance for stuffing our faces at that pizza joint. 

Obviously, we did it.

After we got cleaned up and packed up, we walked to the subway to head into Manhattan. God bless my fiance, who lovingly carried two bags up and over the bridge. You're wonderful.

There were no seats on the subway, so I holed up in a corner and sat on my bag. It was a stiff 30 minute ride, and I tried not to lose my mind or any of my belongings. We emerged intact.

I love Manhattan. Everything is so alive. I suddenly felt so pumped about every little thing that, even on our walk from the subway to the hotel, I had to snap some dorky pictures.

We stayed at The Kimberly, which is a nice spot in Midtown, just off of Park Avenue, with some European flair. After we checked in, I freshened up a bit and then we were off.

We stopped for a mid-day pick-me-up. Double shot tall skinny latte for the win. 

Naturally, another dorky shot. In front of 30 Rock. I'm obsessed with the show, so it felt like the right thing to do.

We walked around for quite a while. Probably a few hours. After a lot of sight seeing and a few unsuccessful shopping adventures, we realized around 3pm that we were pretty starving for lunch. 

We loaded up on Carbs again (ugh, darn you, scotch drinking) and tea. Then, we headed back out into the wilderness (hah) and popped on over to Central Park.

I want to live in this park. I felt so happy just walking around and seeing all of the people and green space. Everything there felt so romantic. Like, take a picture on the bridge? Why not? There is nothing better.

Oh, right, and the freaking bulldog riding a skateboard. This was not just happenstance -- he was doing it for like 30 minutes, and the owner would just start it rolling and the dog would hop on. That's talent.

After spending an hour or so in Central Park, we headed over to Henri Bendel. My fiance's sister had suggested we make a stop there, and I cannot tell you how right she was. If you've never been, just think of it as Disneyland for girlie stuff. Makeup, jewelry, bags, sunglasses, scarves. You name it. I stocked up, and then we headed toward the hotel.

For dinner, we freshened up (read: dry shampoo) and headed to the rooftop lounge at our hotel. It's called Upstairs at The Kimberly and it is really a neat spot. The views are to die for and the lounge itself is quite swanky.

That said, $18 cocktails are somewhat painful, especially when they're not THAT good. I'm spoiled by The Violet Hour in Chicago, so maybe I'm hard to impress. Either way, I ended up switching to Champagne.

One of my good friends from High School lives in New York now, and she showed up to say hi. We had a few drinks at the lounge together, then walked over to Session House for a bit more.

And at midnight? IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY! The bartender made me a delicious cucumber and strawberry vodka drink, and we had a bit of celebrating before heading back to the hotel.

10 Delicious and Healthy Fall Recipes

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Happy Fall! How many times have I said that already? You'd think I was an easily excitable person or something...

For those of you who followed me a year ago, I did a series of posts called The 12 Days of Pumpkin (you know, "On the first day of Pumpkin, my true love gave to me... 12 pumpkin fries, 11 pumpkin truffles, 10 cups of oatmeal, 9 golllldennnn cupppcakesssss!"). Anyway, while I work on some fall recipes for you, I decided to compile the best of fall...

Apples and Pumpkins, mostly. Because who doesn't love that?

Recipes are below, listed in order of the images here. Go buy a can of Pumpkin and a crate of apples. Go crazy. Go hog wild. Whatever they're saying these days.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

Spicy Pumpkin Fries

Healthy Apple Pie in a Cup

Pumpkin and Walnut Oatmeal

Wasabi and BBQ Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles

Whiskey Apple Cider

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Healthy Upside Down Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pancakes

Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe (Save 200 Calories Per Drink!)

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Around 8:52 (approximately), I get the urge. The Starbucks urge. And so I make the trek downstairs for my delicious latte. Now that it's fall, I hear the same thing over and over again: "Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte!"

And I cringe. I cringe, I tell you! Because I know the truth! The truth that just one Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte has 310 calories in it and 50 carbohydrates! It's bordering on putting you into a coma. That, my friends, is why you're tired all fall.

Let's take a look at Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte vs my DIY Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte... Here is the comparison. Roll your mouse over the image to find out the winner (as though you need help!).

(Img Credit for Starbucks Drink)

Quite a big difference, isn't it? By taking 5 minutes to make your drink before leaving the house, you're going from 310 calories and ~49 carbs to 110 calories and ~15 carbs. This will leave you happier, healthier, and more full of energy. Oh, and you might notice your waistline shrinking. Side effect of healthy eating. :) So are you convinced? Good. Here's the recipe.

It's set for one serving, but keep in mind that you can make a large batch and refrigerate it for a week. Similarly, for those of you who are coffee drinkers instead of espresso drinkers, feel free to make a large batch and use in place of milk or coffee creamer! Healthier and delicious!

Skinny Tiramisu (139 Calories Per Slice)

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Tiramisu that tastes so gourmet, you won't believe how it's made. It's rich and creamy, with just the right edge of coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate. Will keep in the fridge for days, so it's perfect to make ahead! And at only 139 calories per slice, it's pretty hard to pass up...

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 Be kind and pin!

On Friday, I asked my Facebook fans what dessert they'd like a skinny version of. There were a few answers... Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Tiramisu... and I promise, I'll take a crack at all of those recipes. 

First on my list was Tiramisu. For no reason other than that it sounded insanely appetizing when you guys suggested it! And my recipe ended up ringing in at just shy of 140 calories per slice -- sounds like heaven to me!

But really. Bf couldn't believe how gourmet it tastes, for something made with a combination of Nilla Wafers, Greek Yogurt, and Whipped Topping (among other things). It tastes incredibly gourmet, like you're ordering it at a tried and true Italian restaurant.

Not to mention how easy it is. I made two large tupperware bins of it so that we could eat it for days or bring it to work to share. With such good ingredients, I might even have some for breakfast...

Skinny Tiramisu

Calories Per Serving: 139

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

• 14 Oz Greek Yogurt, Plain (I used Chobani Plain 0%)
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 4 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tsp Shaved Chocolate
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 2 tbsp Dark Rum (Optional)
• 45-50 Nilla Wafers Reduced Fat (My pan fit 3 layers of 16 just perfectly, so I used 48)
• 6-8 oz Light Whipped Topping (Depends on how thick you want your whipped layers to be)

Directions:

1. Mix together greek yogurt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tsp shaved chocolate. Freeze for an hour. Remove from freezer and stir before using in recipe.
2. Brew appx 1 cup of strong coffee. Add 1 tbsp dark rum and stir well, then freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and stir before using in recipe.
3. In a tupperware or pan (I used a 9x9 tupperware), begin layering. First, dip Nilla wafers into the coffee/rum mixture and place into the pan, side by site, laying flat. Spoon a few drops of coffee/rum over the Nilla wafers, if desired.
4. Next, spoon in one layer of whipped cream. Be careful to spread the whipped cream (to cover all of the wafers) without disturbing the Nilla wafers too much. On top of the whipped cream, add a thin layer of chocolate shavings.
5. Add another layer of coffee/rum-dipped Nilla wafers, then spoon a few drops of coffee/rum over, if desired.
6. Spoon in one layer of greek yogurt mixture (you'll probably use about 2/3 of it here). Spread the mixture over the wafers the same way you did with the whipped cream. On top, add a thin layer of chocolate shavings.
7. Next, add another layer of coffee/rum-dipped Nilla wafers, then spoon a few drops of coffee/rum over, if desired.
8. Next, drop in a few spoons full of the greek yogurt mixture and a few spoon fulls of whipped cream, dispersing fairly evenly. Spread over the Nilla wafers, mixing as you do so. Don't try too hard to mix it perfectly - it should look a bit swirled.
9. Finally, add another thin layer of chocolate shavings.
10. Freeze for one hour, then refrigerate until serving!

Let's talk about snacks, baby!

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Snack Check!

You know what? I like to snack and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I typically snack twice during the day - once between breakfast and lunch, and once after lunch before I leave the office. If you count each time I eat as a "meal," I eat at least 5 (and often 6) meals a day.

Sometimes, at around 10:30, I want myself a lil bit of this...

And then at 2:30, a little bit of this...

When the feeling hits, #whatsagirltado? Starve herself and daydream about delicious cream cheese pancakes and chopped up Andes Mints? Sounds like misery, doesn't it? I know, you'd rather be doing this...

Or this...

Newsflash: Snacking is allowed! The question is, what are you snacking on? My gym bootcamp instructor, Katie, always explains multiple versions of a given exercise move and then tells us to choose which one is best for us. As we begin the circuit, she says "Make some good choices!" That's what snacking is all about, right? Make some good choices. Here were my choices for this week!

Blooming Teaposy Tea: Beverages count as snacks, too. That 300 calorie frappaccino? Or even a 150 calorie latte? Yes, they're calories, so yes, they count. Lately, instead of hitting up Starbucks, I've been running off of tea. See that thing in the top left? No, it's not a sea urchin. It's teaposy blooming tea, and  I can re-steep it between 5-10 times. At zero calories, it's my current beverage of choice.

Honey BBQ Smart Fries: I saw these at T.J. Maxx (they get me every time!) and grabbed them for $1.99. I have to be honest, they're sort of like small styrafoam worms with a tiny bit of seasoning on them. They're decent at first, but after a while start getting old. It was worth a try, and I really don't mind something that leaves my self control intact!

Salad: Yes, those are mango chunks in my salad. And strawberries, blueberries, almond slices, feta cheese, yellow onion, and spinach. With Asian Ginger dressing for 35 calories per tablespoon. Salad as a snack is wonderful because, if you put enough fruit in it and top it off with cheese and nuts, it's actually filling and meets most of your body's nutritional needs. 

Oranges: Totally my favorite snack right now. I have a few sitting on my desk at this very moment. They're low calorie, but totally refreshing and I swear to you they wake me up!

Cart check! 

What'd you buy this week? Don't forget to Instagram or Tweet your cart with the hashtag #inmycart! Here are my last two trips:

LEFT: 2 bags Spinach, 1 carton Strawberries, 1 carton Cherries, 3 boxes Zone Bars, 4 Oranges
RIGHT: 2 bags Spinach, 1 carton Strawberries, 1 carton Blueberries, 4 boxes Zone Bars, 1 Orange, 1 Smart Water

Homemade Coffee Syrup with Truvia (Zero Calories!)

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I love coffee. I'm pretty sure my brain doesn't turn on until cup 2. There's also a Starbucks in my building... which is a blessing... and a curse. When I found myself ordering a skinny mocha latte, I often felt disappointed afterwards because it meant I'd just consumed about 115 calories (and it honestly made me just too full if I drank it right after lunch, when I really "need" it). Those liquid calories will sneak up on ya, folks. And if a tall (smallest size) skinny (their lower calorie version) latte is at least 100 calories, I shudder to imagine what their larger, non-"skinny" drinks ring in at.

Then, I discovered this little combination! I'll grab an iced, unsweetened cup of black coffee from Starbucks (or make it with the lunchroom Keurig) and squirt in a bit of my very own homemade coffee syrup (which I put in a travel size shampoo container from Walgreen's). Ahh. Refreshment. Deliciousness. Love.

Other skinny recipes: Skinny Egg McMuffins, 25 Calorie 3-ingredient Chips, Skinny Spinach and Asparagus Dip, Grilled Eggplant Nachos, Skinny Fries

Homemade Vanilla Coffee Syrup

Calories: ZERO
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Notes: This recipe is made with Truvia, a zero-calorie natural sweetener. If you're not worried about calories, feel free to substitute regular granulated sugar for this recipe. Splenda works too, but I generally choose to avoid it because I prefer not to ingest something so highly chemical in nature, whenever possible.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Truvia (or other Stevia product. Sugar and Splenda will both work as well, but the nutritional values will be different).
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Bring water and Truvia to a boil on the stove.
2. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in Vanilla Extract, then remove from heat and spoon or pour into containers (such as a travel-size shampoo container from Walgreen's). Refrigerate between uses.

St. Patty's Bomb

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With St. Patrick's day around the corner, the Irish are getting excited and the non-Irish are getting their fake Irish attributes ready. Green beer will flow from fountains and, I suspect, many Irish Car Bombs will be had.

But what if you find yourself at home? Perhaps you're a grown up and have decided not to kill your liver with a bar crawl. Perhaps you're avoiding the thousands of calories a bar crawl entails (commendable choice, my friends). Or perhaps you just got home from a bar crawl because your drunk friend couldn't pull herself together (hey, it happens)...

Either way, you might find yourself at home, perhaps unexpectedly, with neither green beer nor proper Irish Car Bomb fixings. What's an Irish girl to do?

Here's a news flash: technically, an Irish Car Bomb requires Guinness, Jameson, and Bailey's... but you can be a stingy (or lazy) host, if necessary, and make an Irish car bomb's cheaper sister... A St. Patty's Bomb :)

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What You Need:

• 1 Glass Guinness
• 1/2 shot Starbucks Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua will also work, or make your own)
• 1/2 shot Whiskey (or Scotch, if you insist on degrading the Irish by way of the Scots!)

What To Do:

1. Pour Guinness into a pint glass
2. In a shot glass, combine liqueur and whiskey. 
3. Right before drinking, drop shot glass into the pint glass.
4. CHUG! Okay, I guess you don't HAVE to chug... but you do need to consume this beverage rather quickly, as coffee liqueur may curdle. 

P.S. The creepy looking guy on the right is my dad, dressed up. And yes, this photo is from Halloween. See the Pumpkin?

DIY Decor | Leather Coasters

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After overhauling my bedroom headboard using a thick leather-esque fabric, we had a whoolleeeelotta leftovers. It ended up in bow bracelets and cuff bracelets (and leather coasters, oh my!)...

Then, one fateful night, I stayed up for far too long making a camera bag for my mom. Somehow, that small exposure to a sewing machine gave me confidence in my sewing abilities, leading me to stay up even longer to make Justin these leather coasters for his apartment.

These are pretty easy. Of all things craft-and-food related, I am especially unskilled when it comes to sewing (something about fine motor skills and patience... not a good combination for this gal). And so, my friends, as they say in Kindergarten... If I can do it, you can do it! (They do say that... right?)

I started by deciding how large to make the coasters. I decided to go with 3.5in by 3.5in. Larger coasters would work but I wouldn't go much smaller than that.

The lines in this fabric made cutting fairly simple, but make sure that all your pieces are the same size. Don't get too overwhelmed by this detail, though -- you can always trim them after sewing.

I was worried that the two pieces would slip-and-slide while I sewed them together so I decided to start with a bit of super glue. I gave them a healthy dose of glue in the middle and then dotted a bit on the outside. Be careful not to go too overboard with superglue on the outside edges or you may end up trying to sew through super-dried-and-hard-glue.

Once the glue dried, I went around all 4 corners with white thread.

And the finished product was quite pretty..

Am I totally crazy or are these actually fairly manly? I'm sensing a fabulous man-gift movement right here. Valentine's Day? Birthday? Christmas?

Psst! If you're digging these coasters, you might also dig these Scrabble Coasters. Check them out! :)