Call me Miss. Teabags

Hi there! It is hump day and I swear this month is flying by (sorry K but it is!) She doesnt like it when I say that time is flying by, she is so sweet and wants every moment to linger. However my dear, by the end of the month I am going to start freaking out! No, not really but seriously will be getting my butt in gear for the move. I still need to find a home for the washing machine. I hope that someone will buy it from me. If not my friend may take it and allow me to come over and wash clothes. It will work out. It always does :)

I have no reviews today! I am happy about that in a way because it allows me to actually talk to you all. I always want to write about my eats and life but after a review (if it is a good one) I feel like it is too long and well lets face it, no one wants to read a huge post! Today, it is all me! I woke this morning after a night of restless tossing and turning (note to self...make sure no food goes into my belly three hours before bed) and ran outside to start my frozen car. If I eat anything (even celery and pb2) before bed I cant sleep. It is so odd. I guess my stomach just wants to be empty while I sleep. I don't know, but will make sure that I don't eat anything tonight. I need my beauty rest! After running back in I got dressed, slapped some make-up on and went right back out into the cold. I got in the car and off I went. Before I headed out though these went into my mouth. X this by two. I just had to go back. I LOVE raw nuts, you know this already. I am telling you...when you wake no matter how small it is...pop something in yo mouth. I almost always eat something as I am running out he door. Half of a granola bar, nuts (my favorite choice), a little plum or a hand full of whole grain cereal. Anything to get my "furnace" going. This is key people for weight loss. I can remember when I use to wake up and totally skip breakfast. I almost felt sick in the mornings and the thought of food just discussed me. Now that I have made a habit out of just eating a little (healthy of course) it has made a hue difference. I lost 5 pounds but just making this change in the beginning. If there is one thing that I have herd over and over and even rolled my eyes plenty of times when hear it. It is "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." That my friends was not breakfast but was my pre-breakfast until I could get to work and settle in. The time that the pre-breakie goes into my bod is around 7:50. I eat my real breakfast at 10:00. Which is perfect timing. Then I have a snack at 12:00, workout at 12:40 and lunch at 2:00. I am getting ahead of myself though, lets back up! Once at work, warmed up and my brain was working (thanks to my boyfriend Mr.Coffee) I went up to the break room to whip this up. Pita, nanner and PB2. Awesome! I wrapped this up and it held me over for quite sometime. Agave was drizzled on top! I dont want to bore you with the same pictures. If you would like to see then hop on over to this older post. It is the same thing this week. I am sorry guys...If I find something that I like...I can eat it all the time. The whoas of being a single girl. When I had a boyfriend (especially when I was married) I cooked every single night. Amazing food went down at my house. I was of course a little bigger than I am now but hey, the saying goes: "When your plump that means that you are happy." My mom says that anyway. I am not sure if I believe this but she always says "Heather, your too thin!" I am happy with the way that I look and in fact feel like I am the healthiest that I have ever been. My mom just thinks that when I am a little bigger that means that I am eating and drinking because I am celebrating or have someone to eat with. Thanks mom for being so concerned (really she just harasses me about finding "the right one" and having her a grand child. Mom, I hate to break it to you but I doubt either one will be happening in the life time! Kidding, not for a while anyway. The boyfriend thing seems impossible and well, you cant have kids if you are not involved with somebody. Crap, how did I get on this subject???? Moving on!

I want to talk about something else. I have a question for you...Do you seem to be hungrier during the winter months? I know that recently it seems that I am STARVING constantly. I know that it is my body's way of saying "Heather, I am cold, warm me up!" The last 6 years I actually LOST weight in the winter instead of the summer and I think that it was because I had no heat in my house. Yes, you read right. No heat. This year I am super cozy in my home but still find that I am hungry all the time. My question is: Do you need more food/calories in the winter instead of the spring/summer? I set out to find the answer! No worries.

Answer:
Normally, you do not have to consume extra food in the winter. As long you have access to heat, your calorie requirements do not increase; however, if you were constantly exposed to cold temperatures, your body would need additional energy to maintain its internal temperature and stay warm. Which would explain why I lost weight last year and the years before. I haven't lost any weight this winter so this makes sense. I have herd this same concern though through my friends and family and I have a option when your stomach is saying "I'm hungry" when in fact you just may be cold. HOT TEAS!

With so many out there you have an endless variety. I have a HUGE amount of teas in my house. I will admit that Karen is so much better at this than I am. I do find myself opening the fridge at night and she is being so good and making her staple, detox tea. Girl has it goin on! When I think that I need something to eat...I try drink. If you want something sweet, go with a chocolate tea or sugar cookie sleigh ride (which I still cant find). If you want something comforting go for a lavender or sleepy time tea. To energize, green or lemon zinger. To sooth, ginger tea. The list can go on and on. The great thing about teas are you can drink as much as you want! It would go towards your water intake for the day AND has no calories, that is if you don't add sugar and milk. Even if you did add a little something you would still be better off than a snack. Go for the tea next time and just see what happens. I bet that you would be surprised!

Ok folks, it's that time. I am getting sleepy and need to get my bootay movin. See you tomorrow! We are that much closer to the end of the week. Yippee!

-Heather

What a nutty day.

Good Morning my blog readers! I am so glad that you could join me this morning! My header is a little cheesy for my post today but that is how I roll.

Yesterday, I got a package and I knew just what it was! It was my nuts from The Superior Nut Company. With a name like that I just had to try it out right away. I was excited to see that two of my favorites were included and one other product that I was curious about. First here a some information about the company!

All About Superior Nut Company:
If you love nuts, truly love nuts, from Chocolate Covered Almonds to Honey Roasted Peanuts to Colossal California Pistachios, you’re in the right place. Superior Nut Company is the best place on the web to find high quality, premium nuts, dried fruit, nut butters, and gourmet gift baskets for all occasions. Doing what we love since 1929, we still roast our specialty products the old fashioned way, in small batches at our plant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Decadent treats are our business. It’s easy to indulge but difficult to decide between delicious Giant Whole Cashews, Superior Mixed Nuts, Australian Glazed Apricots, or Pecan Caramel Chocolate Turtles. Try them all. Don’t forget our Peanut Butter Ice Cream Topping. It’s the perfect addition to sundaes or smoothies.
Superior Nut Company offers a wide variety of beautiful Nut Gift Tins, Nut Gift Boxes, Nut Gift Towers and Nut Gift Baskets – a delicious treat that’s good for all occasions. If you need to say thank you or congratulations then the best nut gift baskets, corporate gift baskets or gourmet gift baskets are only a click or phone call away. Want more heart smart choices? No worries. We have an abundance of healthy options, including organic nuts, and delightful dried fruit with low or no sugar added. Indulge in Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds. They’re packed full of antioxidants, fiber, essential fatty acids. Don’t miss our Dried Mango's (with Less Sugar Added), Dried Turkish Apricots, Premium Australian Ginger Slices, or dried Goji Berries.

Peanut Butter Topping:
Smooth consistency

Melt-in-your-mouth quality

Excellent blending properties

Flows like hot fudge, but requires no heating

Adheres to ice cream or soft serve beautifully

Tastes terrific with hot fudge or chocolate, nuts, marshmallow, crunches, bananas and other fruits. I didn't try this out because I don't eat high fructose corn syrup but I did pass this along to a friend and he had it on top of his ice cream. He said "Mmmm, it is the perfect consistency for drizzling on ice cream!" He gave it a 9 out of a 10.

The products that I tore into as soon as I got the box was of course....My favorite. Unsalted Whole Cashews and Raw Almonds.

I decided that I would make a trail mix out of the two so that it would last me a while.

This is what the packaging looks like. I didn't get the pistachios but did get the almonds and cashews. Here is my trail mix!

Simple. Unsalted cashews, raw almonds and dried apricots. Yum! I LOVED the almonds as I like my nuts to be unsalted and raw. The cashews I have to see where the biggest I have ever seen. Hicham was nice enough to send me unsalted nuts. I was thankful for that. The package for the cashews said that it may have peanut oil or cottonseed oil. I could defiantly tell that oil was present. I couldn't tell which kind though. There was no nutritional information on any of the products but I could easily look it up. If you are looking for bulk items or just some really nice gift baskets please go to their site! This is a link to their store.

www.superiornutstore.com

They have a huge selection. I must admit...I am super picky (most of you know) and I have tried a ton of nuts and nut butters. This company definately a 7 out of a 10! They do have great customer service and I got the package pretty quick. Thanks superior nuts! You guys were so great to send me samples. I really do appreciate it.

Today is a package schedule and actually...I wrote out my schedule for the month and I am busy every single day this MONTH. What happened to no life? I have been kidding with myself about being no social and pretty much staying in the house during the evenings. Well, that is no longer happening! I am pleased to say, I am officially booked! I have been looking for a part-time job to get some extra cash for my new move. I realized that I needed to buy items for the house that I got rid of when I moved into a roommate situation. Things like cleaning products, bathroom rugs and shower curtains, curtains for the house, mop, broom and a million other things to make it a real home. Those things add up and I figured it up to be about 300 dollars just to get stocked with the supplies that I will need. I put up a add for some personal training/nutrition help for a lucky person that was in need. I was happy because I offered my services for a VERY reasonable price and I got a reply! I met last night with my first client of the new year and I loved her. She is the same age as me and so sweet. She was nervous at first but I think that I allowed her to get her fears out there and realize that this journey will not be taken alone. She doesn't know this yet but she just hired the most motivational person in Athens! I am going to keep her eye on the prize and cant wait to see the results that she gets from my help. This is just for a month but I want her to hire me for next month so I am going to do my best to get her on track and STAY on track. This is going to be a tough one but I love a challenge.

I know that most of you if not all of you that read my blog are health savvy and eat healthy but I am stumped. My client doesn't eat vegetables.

What could I recommend for her to sneak some veggies in there? She is the pickiest client so far and I want her to have a well balanced diet. The reason why I am asking you all is because I know that some of you have children and she even told me "If a 5 year old like it, I like it." Meaning her diet includes chicken fingers, pizza, mac and cheese, french fries and SODAS! How can I get her to eat some veggies instead. I asked her to go with sweet potato's but that way out. Yogurt, but that was out. Even String cheese or almonds. All out. Veggies that she will eat are collards and green beans but cooked the "southern way". Aka: fat, fattening and fat. So I will have to think long and hard about this. Just wondering if there was anything that you could help me out with! I would really appreciate it if you have any tips on how you get your kids or yourself to get in some vitamins.

This morning I settled into work and had a normal breakie that I am loving. Ezekiel wrap with pb2 and half a banana. I went from English muffins to pita and now I am trying out the wraps. All of them are great. I think that the English muffins are the most filling though. They are also higher calorie ;)

Ok beauties! I gotta run. Work needs to be done this evening. I shall see you tomorrow!

-Heather

living tree community love

This morning it was bitterly cold! I had a really hard time getting out of bed and I have to say, it wasn't easy. During the winter months it is so hard to stick with the schedule that you have in the warmer months. I can remember during the Spring and Summer months that I would get up a hour before I had to wake to go for a nice neighborhood walk. I couldn't imagine doing that now. I keep telling myself though....three more months...three more months...I am NOT a lover of cold weather. I am a spring/summer girl. Always will be.

What I do love though is the colder weather foods! I love to wake up and know that a bowl of hot oats or a nice warm omelet. When the alarm went off this morning, I didn't want to get out of bed. In fact, I laid there for a few minutes and actually had to get myself a little pep talk to get me going. This was in mind.

1/2 cup of organic oats, unsweetened almond milk, stevia pack and ALMOND (aka freedom butter). I got a wonderful package in the mail from the Living Tree Community! Raw organic almond butter, Tahini and mango, coconut persimmon butter was included! They began making almond butter over 25 years ago. At first their almond butter was roasted, but that has become a small part of what they do. Nowadays, their energy goes into making alive almond butter. They have developed, over the years, a proprietary process. They make it slowly, over several days. They slice, they do not grind. Furthermore, they make it frequently, in small batches so it's fresh and alive.
Freedom Butter is created in Berkeley, a wellspring of the human spirit. It has a rich tradition of Americans who dared to stand up and speak their truth. That's why we call it Freedom Butter. I was so happy to put it in my oats and I must say....It was THE BEST almond butter I have ever put into my mouth. Seriously, oh so good!

The other products that I was able to try over the weekend was the Mango, coconut, persimmon butter. Three of my all time favorite things in one spread. I just could not wait to use this product and I ate it several times over the weekend. It was almost like a chutney of sorts. Thick and really sweet but not in a bad way. They combined organic mango, persimmon, pineapple and coconut to bring you a creation filled with the wonder of existence. The mango, pineapple and coconut convey the exuberance of the tropics, and the persimmon – the glow of California’s wondrous fertile Central Valley. They have also added raw cacao, sesame, sundried raisins, agave nectar, organic carob and a dash of Royal Himalayan pink crystal salt. It was amazing! I am hooked!

Organic Raw Living Tree Tahini:

They do not grind,rather we slice the sesame seeds,let them rest overnight and then slice again. They invite you to savor the flavor and ponder the texture. Mix tahini with our Living Tree Alive Organic Honey and you have halvah, a Middle Eastern delight!
Made from mechanically hulled sesame seeds of outstanding quality.Find out more about the nutritional benefits of tahini here.

I LOVE Tahini dressing and I have put it on MANY things. It is the easiest dressing to make and so so good. All you do is add two table spoons of Tahini and squeeze lemon juice (1/2 a lemon) over and add water. The lemon juice and tahini has a reaction to each other and it makes a super THICK consistency. Ass water and mix (I use a fork) to get it as thick or thin as you like. I add some fresh herbs (like basil of cilantro, salt and pepper) and you have yourself the best dressing for just about anything. I LOVED it so much! Seriously, the best I have ever tried.

Salad greens, sprouted lentils roasted veggies and a tiny bit of blended egg plant. Put some homemade tahini sauce in the mix and you have yourself a perfect lunch or dinner!

Their way:

At Living Tree Community we believe that vibrant good health is a combination of many subtle elements including alive food, fasting, vigorous exercise, restful sleep, organic gardening, fulfilling creative activity and loving relationships based on appreciation and respect.

Please go to their website and check them out. They have so much to offer that I cant even list all the alive amazing foods. They have chocolates, nut butters, seed butters and much much more.

http://www.livingtreecommunity.com

You will not be sorry. I think that you could basically pick anything from this site and be happy. They have wonderful customer service, ship fast and have high quality foods. I am a living tree customer now and may always have to have that persimmon and almond butter handy. I am so thankful that Jesse sent me these products. I give them a 10!

I hope that you had a great weekend (I know that I did.) I will have some really great posts this week so get ready! See you all tomorrow! I have got to go and read all the blogs that I have missed over the last few weeks. With the busy holiday season I have missed what you all have been doing!

Ciao!

-Heather

A Vitalicious Friday It Is

It didn't snow and so I am here at work! I don't mind. It is FRIDAY and that it self puts a smile on my face! Something else that puts a smile on my face is the package that I received yesterday. I knew exactly what it was when I say it. How could I not!

When I drove up I could see the logo and I didn't even know that it was coming! I contacted the company a while a go and forgot all about it. I am sure that it takes some time to get back to people seeing they are a booming business. I was delighted when I opened the box.

I read that it was a sampler kit and was amazed at the variety that they offer! I have my sweet tooth satisfied for a LONG time! Well, maybe.

In the box:

Super Sampler Pack (100 Calorie Brownies & Muffin Tops)Assortment of 100 calorie natural muffin tops and brownies:

4 Low Fat Deep & Velvety VitaBrownies

4 Low Fat Chocolate Mint VitaTops

2 Low Fat Banana Nut VitaTops

2 Low Fat Double Chocolate Dream VitaTops

2 Low Fat Deep Chocolate VitaTops

2 Low Fat Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip VitaTops

2 Low Fat Golden Corn VitaTops

2 Low Fat CranBran VitaTops

2 Low Fat AppleBerry VitaTops

2 Low Fat MultiBran VitaTops

2 Low Fat BlueBran VitaTops .

WOW! I was so very excited to see the assortments that I got. I have never tried a Vitamuffin and have been hearing about them forever. I decided that I would try the Deep Chocolate muffin top. I LOVE chocolate and the darker the better. This baby looked so good so right then and there. I tore it open!

One of the things that I have been seeing in the blogging world is peanut butter smeared on top. I opened the jar and got BOTH of my fixes for the day. My two favorite things in the world. PB and chocolate.

This was DIVINE (sorry for all the caps in this post but I REALLY want to make sure that you get just how good these are ;)

I had to look at the back of the wrapper because honestly, I didn't believe that it was only 100 cals. Take a look!

Ok, now I know why they are called Vitamuffins. Just look at all the vitamins that are in just one muffin. Another thing that I liked about this product is that it is 100 calories for ONE serving. I can not tell you how many times I buy something, glance at the cals and buy it (if it suits me). I have make the mistake many times to neglect seeing that there are 2 or three servings in the package and feel like I just got jipped. This company however knows what they are doing. What you open is what you get! I was smiling by the time that I was finished.

When I opened and tried one out it was about 5:00. When 9:00 rolled around, I wanted a evening snack. Back to the freezer I went. I didn't need any more chocolate. I wanted to try a different one. The blueberry muffin top was a great choice! I doubt that there will be one that I don't love. In fact I think that these will be in my life from now on. I looked on-line to see where they sold such gems and found that they have them at almost all the grocery stores in my area. When this box is finished (I fear in no time at all) I will be replacing it!

I couldn't of course eat all of them however I will be telling you about the other flavors as I try them. I can already tell you, I am going to LOVE them all. I gave one of the mint chocolate chip to a co worker to get some outside feedback. I work with a lot of people and intend to share so that I can get some comments from others as well!

Deliciously Convenient- Only 100 Calories Each!
No time for your vitamin-fortified cereal this morning? Tired of chewing yet another granola bar, but still want your vitamins, minerals and 5-6g fiber with very little fat?
VitaTop™ 100 calorie muffin tops have all of the healthy benefits of our delicious VitaMuffin™ - now even more convenient to carry and eat on-the-run. The VitaTop™, a "one-hand" satisfying snack food with the portability of an energy or granola bar, is easy to eat anywhere, anytime. At your desk or on the road, these handy muffin tops fit conveniently into a purse, briefcase, work out bag, backpack and lunchbox.

Please, if you are looking for a low calorie snack that is packed with vitamins go to their website.

www.vitalicious.com

You wont be sorry that you did.

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and I will be seeing you with news and reviews on Monday!

-Heather

Rice cake snow day?!?

Living in the South doesn't really give you any hope for a white Christmas or even a flurry in the winter. Today however the forecast says snow. I wonder if it will really happen...Last year in March we had 4 inches. It was the oddest thing. Almost this time last year I was living in a OLD house with no heat and no air. I lived in my bed with the electric blanket on high. It was so depressing. I was a mess I must admit. I would sleep in my clothes because of how cold it was (so cold that they would wet). This morning I woke in my pj's and warm as can be. I have to say. This year, is very different than the last. The funny thing is, it is all going to change again soon. This time last year I was unaware of a snow storm that would be happening which would cause a tree to fall on my house and literally force me out of my home. I was stuck there and more than likely would still be in that icy house. It amazes me sometime how things happen, and always for a reason. I hope that it does snow. I would love a day off of work :) I seriously doubt that would happen. Last year in four inches of snow walked almost 2 miles because we were open and they said that we had to come in. This year if I am not able to start my car or get out of my drive way....I am staying put! It is just not worth it (I got to go home after only being here a few hours, I could have stayed at home and not froze my butt off trying to get there.

This morning is still clear. Cold but clear. I will keep you updated. It is so funny here in Georgia. If we get a tiny bit of bad weather, people freak out! I mean, schools are closed, streets have flashing lights and people drive like crazy. I prefer to just stay put.

This morning I couldnt stay put, I had to get to work and fast! I hate it when I am running late. This morning was just that. We have a new clock in system (I wont go into it completely) but it is causing me to get to work earlier and I am in a rush to get here and signed on. This morning was no different. It was cold and I was sleeeeeepy. I got here and I was glad to be warm and at my desk on time :)

What goes with a cold morning and the need to get up and going? Why, the hottest cup of coffee I could find! I have been using non dairy creamer and it is making my cup of joe REALLY good. Stevia to sweeten of course! Along side this lovely cup was this ensamble.

Ezekiel pita with banana and pb2. I usually eat a Rudis Bakery english muffin however the Co Op was out so I went with something similar. The pita is only 100 calories! This whole breakfast was only 214 calories and had a great balance of protein and carbs. It didnt fill me up as much as the english muffin but I know that a snack is coming in another 2 hours or so, so I can deal. I did the melted banana trick. Thanks Katie! She may not be the one to come up with this trick but she is the one I learned it from.

After a few hours of hard work my tum was grumbling. This is a perfect snack before or after the gym. Today Shelly and I are going to be bad asses (sorry for the language but it is true) and go for our hour long walk. I am so looking forward to this because if the weather gets bad I may not be able to to go for a walk or make it to the gym later. So I need to get in what I can.

Something that is still blowing my mind is that I am going to be teaching my FIRST workshop!!! As you know, my mom has been very ill with heart related issues and I have been really pushing her to change her life and get healthy. On a recent trip to Warner Robins (my home town) I was appalled. While driving into the city I noticed several things. No side walks, no recycling bins in the neighborhoods and nothing free in the news paper for people to attend (like yoga, cooking classes ext.) I am doing a two hour workshop that will include a hour of teaching the power of positive thinking, visualization and willpower tactics. Followed by a hour of intermediate yoga and meditation. This is going to rock! I only have 13 days to get it together though. It should be a sinch. This is totally what I live by and have been a life couch to several. I may be doing this once a month of it goes over well. I am know that it will ;)

This seriously is a dream come true. I am going to have the workshop for free and donations will be welcome but will be donated to the cancer society. I am sooooo very excited.This is something that will help my mom and others in the town. I still cant believe that a place with over 200,000 people living there, nothing healthy is offered.

It seems that this year is completely going in the right direction. After the last two years....I am SO ready!

After my walk I ate a boca burger salad (bad blogger, no picture). That was my work day eats and I am scurrying home to go on another walk and then to practice yoga for my class. I am going to pretty much have the last bit of my "food for the week" and plan on another huge bowl of butternut squash soup. I love a warm bowl of soup in the winter.

A new snack that I have been indulging in is this:

X by 2.

I know what you are thinking...Indulging??? In a rice cake? Well I guess I wouldn't say that it is a high calories, bad for you snack but to me...the taste is amazing and I feel like I am indulging! I bought brown rice agave sweetened Carmel rice cakes and I have to say...I am hooked! What a great crunchy snack. I didn't realize how versatile a rice cake could be. YOU can top them with anything (depending on the flavor you buy.) Some of the things that I do with them are:

Rice Cake with mango salsa.

Cake with PB and sliced nanner.

Sausage, onion and marinara with cheese (pizza cake).

Rice cake with tofu, spinach, tomato and lentils. (FILLING)

and the good ol Pb and jelly rice cake!

Never knew a rice cake could be so many things huh? Well, now you know. I just wanted to post some fun new low cal options. Especially when you need a snack and you dont want to over do it.

I hope that your day goes speedy! I know that mine has! See you tomorrow. I am eagerly awaiting my package from the living tree company and I can not tell you how excited I am to see what goodies I will be getting. I will have a review up as soon as I get it!

See you tomorrow!

-Heather

Aurorae Yoga Mat

Product Description:
Ultra thick 1/4" mat for impact absorption
Durable and long lasting material
Focal point icon to help concentration
Colors that define your inner self
Extra long 72" comfort for all size users
The Aurorae yoga mat’s unique focal point icon helps you focus on your poses as well as maximize the calming and stress relief Yoga encourages.
The Aurorae yoga mat is available in great illuminating colors that define your inner self, bringing out the natural aura within you. Let this yoga mat be your island of peace and tranquility as you take time out of your busy day enjoying your yoga practice.
The 1/4" thickness provides enough cushion and comfort to protect your knees and joints. This newly designed eco-friendly material molds your hands and feet to the mat with immediate recovery giving you the foundation needed for your practice. This yoga mat has been SGS Approved – the world’s largest testing, inspection and verification company for certification.
Aurorae yoga is one of the most durable and easy to care for yoga mats with incredible value. Please make sure you follow the yoga tip care instructions on the mat for best results with your Aurorae yoga mat.

YOGI TIPS
• Wash your Aurorae mat in the washing machine with quality detergent using hot water settings.
• The constant spinning of your washing machine, combined with hot water and detergent, will break your mat in quickly and make it less slippery. Repeat this process if necessary.
• Hang dry outside if possible. DO NOT PUT IN DRYER.
• If you do not have access or prefer not to put your mat in the washing machine, wipe your mat down with a damp cloth and a tablespoon of dish washing liquid. Rinse off and hang dry outside if possible. DO NOT PUT IN DRYER. Repeat process if necessary. Along with use this will help break in your mat.
• Mix fresh lemon with water in a spray bottle. You can use this to naturally clean your mat while also giving it a fresh natural scent. You can keep this in your yoga bag.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before class to reduce any natural oils in your hands.
• Do not use creams or oils on your hands or feet before your practice. Keep dry.
• Always keep a cotton towel* (available by Aurorae) near you to wipe away any perspiration.
• If necessary use an Aurorae Yoga Rosin Bag* to absorb any perspiration and increase gripping power.
• To completely prevent slipping while sweating you may want to try a yoga towel or hand and feet yoga grips. These are only used for extreme sweating conditions i.e. Hot Yoga, Ashtanga and Bikram.
• The tips above should help you break in your mat quickly as well as keep your mat clean/fresh and prevent slipping as much as possible.I hope these suggestions are helpful. We at Aurorae are here to help and educate you with your yoga.

www.auroraeyoga.com

* Products available on Amazon.com January 2010.

The very first thing that I noticed about this mat is how thick it was! It was SUPER nice and I have to say, this one is going to last me a while. I can go through a mat pretty darn quickly. I also LOVED the color. Thanks Dennis for thinking that I would be a Violet person....You were right. He was super sweet and sent my mat right on over. This company has quick shipping and the customer service was awesome. That is something that I always pay attention to. It is not easy asking for samples to review, some people are almost rude about it but I have to say, Dennis was polite and responded VERY quickly to me. Thanks Dennis!

If you are in the market for a mat that has great cushion, beautiful colors, amazing materials and will last this is the place to go. PLEASE check out the site. The music in the background even soothes you as you shop! So cute! I give Aurorae a 10! Great in every way. Valentines Day is coming up and a new yoga mat I know would be a great gift. The gift of health is always a thoughtful one. If you want your boyfriend to join you more with your yoga practice or your girlfriend to continue hers or you are a guy that just so happens to be awesome and practices yoga this is a great mat. Heck, I don't just use my mat for yoga. I lay it down whenever I am doing exercises on the floor. This mat was especially good when doing sit-ups. My back bone sometimes can make me feel uncomfortable when laying on the floor and the cushion is so nice!

All in all, a great product and Company! I hope that you will go and see for yourself! Thanks so much!

Namaste!

-Heather

Chocolate above and beyond!

Customized chocolate bars from Chocomize! The company offered to send me some chocolate to review with the giveaway, but I couldn’t decide what combinations to get… everything looked so good! I narrowed it down to a few options, and told them to surprise me. I received two yummy bars.

This is how you customize your own bar! You choose your type of chocolate (dark, milk or white) and then your ingredients (more than you can imagine and then herbs and spices, candy and even decorations! It was too much fun.

Here is one of their "favorites".

This bar is one of their favorites called Romance bar. There are gold flakes, crystallized rose petals, butterfly, and strawberries on dark choc base. How perfect would this bar be for Valentines? This is a great gift idea! It is a gorgeous looking bar.

I made THREE bars! I felt kind bad about making three but they said that I could make more than one and the site was so much fun I just couldn't stop!

My three bars were:

1: Dark chocolate, organic cashews, gogi berries, cinnamon and 23 Karat Gold flakes (yes, you just read right.)

2:Dark chocolate, pine nuts, dried basil, hot curry powder and dried mint.

3:Dark chocolate, dried lemon peel, sea salt, walnuts and violet petals.

I must say...All three rocked my socks off! I had to sample them all and each one was EXACTLY what I ordered and MORE. They were unique and so pretty!

More than likely already know but I eat dark chocolate EVERY SINGLE DAY. Maybe only a piece after lunch or dinner but I always have a amazing bar on hand. Because of the kindness of Chocomize I am going to have a supply for a while. I LOVED this company and if you love chocolate as much as I do you will go right over to their site and make your own bar. I loved that they had the nutritional info for me and was so surprised that it was pretty good calorie wise even though I had a lot of fancy ingredients. Here is the link to their site!

www.chocomize.com

I totally give them two thumbs up! Here are some other pictures of other bars that people have make. Just look how gorgeous!

This one has banana chips, mango, coconut, pineapple slices and cantaloupe! It is called the "Tropical Island Bar". This one looks amazing!

This one features, pecans, butter toasted pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts!

This one includes: gummi bears, sour patch kids, chocolate candy, pop rocks and nerds. How fun is this one!

With so many choices how could you just make one? Make your friend, boy friend, girl friend, mom or one just for you! They will be wowed at the packaging and the TASTE! This chocolate bar AND company goes above and beyond the regular bar that you would get at the grocery store. Valentine's is just around the corner!!! See you tomorrow for yet another wonderful review!

Oh and by the way, Chocomize was sweet enough to give my readers a discount.

If you type foodnfeelings into the coupon section of the checkout, they will receive 10% off your order. So get to ordering!

choa!

-Heather

NEWEST 18 Rabbits Flavor!

18Rabbits has a new Flavor!

Belle Bananas Fosters! I was so excited to get this flavor and boy was it good! Let me tell you a bit about how they started as a company before I dig in!


How did it all start?
It all started down a gravel road in Farmers Branch, Texas in the kitchen of Two Lost Valley Lane. I liked to play outside with my four brothers and sisters and our rabbit, Blackjack, while Mom watched from the kitchen where she made her special granola.On days Mom made granola, the aroma of oats, coconut, honey and nuts wafted through the house and out the windows, and we’d all leave off playing and head inside. One day we ran off and forgot Blackjack, leaving him to a rabbit rendezvous. Soon he had a family of 18, and our yard was hopping with more rabbits than we knew what to do with!I created my own recipe for 18 Rabbits granola because I like for people to feel good—the kind of good that comes from enjoying the most delicious, most nutritious food. Like the way your favorite childhood memory gives you a spring in your step, wherever it comes to you—even as you head down a busy city street far away from where you grew up. Eat some and see where it takes you.-Alison Bailey Vercruysse, Founder

I loved reading this. These bars come from a real vision! Bright and early I grabbed the bar and a cup of the darkest coffee I could find. A sumptuous granola bar, Belle Banana Fosters enhances the mood, but not the belly. Reach for this bar to satisfy that sweet tooth or craving for fruit after a savory meal, on a long airplane ride or during a road trip.I gotta be honest here for a minute....These bars would be good just about anywhere any time. I LOVED this bar. I loved the chunks of nuts, fruit and granola in it, I loved the sweetness but not overly sweetness of the bar, I love the bright packaging and the name. Something else that I noticed and LOVED was that it comes from my favorite place on Earth. San Francisco!!! I bit into this bar with my coffee this morning and it was perfect!
I love 18Rabbits.

Product Mission: To share the value and health of pure food. Our passion is to remind our customers of the joy that handmade food and a sense of community brings to life.Company Mission: We believe in a holistic and transparent approach to business where profiting positively impacts all of our stakeholders including our employees, the community, the environment and our customers.Social Mission: To continue supporting local farmers and artisans in the Bay Area while spreading the values of sustainable agriculture throughout the world. We also cultivate foods that are inherent to global cultures and have been grown through tradition and ancient wisdom.
18Rabbits sells more than just these bars they sell Granola (which I want to try more than anything) too. Go to their site and check it out for yourself. You wont be sorry that you did.

http://www.18rabbits.com/

I took Belle Bananas Fosters bar and put some peanut butter on top and had my FAVORITE combo! Banana & Pb is the best! This bar already has walnuts in it and I have to say....I think that this is the best one that they have to offer! Unless that is, they come out with a blueberry one ;)

So there you have it! My review for the Newest bar from 18Rabbits! I hope that you all are easing into this Monday morning after a New Years holiday! It has been a long weekend for me and I have to say, it was tough to get up this morning! Have a wonderful day!

-Heather

New Beginings.

This is only going to be up for a tiny bit today so that my mom can see my new place!
This is the bed room.
Kitchen
Kitchen
Bathroom
Bathroom Shower
This is what you see when you walk in!
The livingroom from the kitchen.
Kitchen again.
The DREADED stairs that I have to move my things up...
So here you all go! This is my new place and I cant wait! I wont be moving in until the 2nd week of Febuary though.... I will see you on the 4th of January!
-Heather