Brusha Brusha Brusha

Have you ever heard of Dry Brushing??  Basically, you take one of those stiff bristle brushes that are usually used in the shower and brush your skin in long sweeping movements from ankle to neck.  It's right about now that you may be thinking, "Why…why…would I ever do that?!?!"  Well, not only does this practice detoxify the lymphatic system and promote circulation, but it also improves cellulite and make your skin smooth and lovely.  Ah, now you're listening.  For a more detailed description of Dry Brushing and it's benefits, check out this article on The Well Daily or the instructional video above.  In a perfect world Dry Brushing would be one of those things I do everyday (along with this, this and this).  However, as my mom always says, "life and fruit aren't perfect." ;)

-♥ J :)

P.S. In case you were wondering about the title of this post...

Tone it Up! on the Beach

Happy first day of summer!!  I would love to celebrate this most glorious of seasons by heading to the beach for a workout followed by a swim and a few of these.  However, that plan might be totally slightly unrealistic for a Wednesday afternoon.  At least with this COWABUNGA! Total Body Toning workout from the Tone it Up! girls I can pretend I'm at the beach.

The girls perform this workout on surfboards, but my living room floor will have to do for today.  Only ten minutes long, this is a great video when you are pressed for time.  You can also repeat it three times for a full body workout.  Sadly, a follow up swim and cocktails are not included. (sigh)

-♥ J

P.S. If on the off chance you are headed surf side this afternoon (lucky you!), here is a printable version of the workout for you to take with you.  

P.P.S. For more fun (and free) Tone it Up! workouts, check out their YouTube channel.

French Kids Eat Everything

photos via A Cup of Jo

Have you heard of the new book French Kids Eat Everything??  Apparently, it is one Canadian mother's exploration into the "food rules" she and her family encountered while living in France for a year.  After reading Joanna's post about it on Monday, it occurred to me that these "rules" for children would make fantastic guidelines for adults as well (especially numbers 2, 5, 7 and 9…)  What do you think??  Would you train your kids to eat like the French??  Do we think it is weird that I don't have any kids, but still want to by this book??  I suppose it is no weirder than me buying Tracy Anderson's Post Pregnancy workout…having never been pregnant.

-♥ J

P.S. For French stuff on A Cup of Jo click HERE and HERE.

Re: Oil Pulling

This morning I got this email from my friend (and hilarious stand-up comic) Shelley:

Hey Jen!

Was wondering if you've heard of this.  I was researching things for my inflamed throat and after seeing a forum about how coconut oil works, I saw this video!  Hope you're well.  

xx

Shell

Good question, Shelley!!  I first heard about oil pulling from this post on The Wellness Warrior.  Since then, I've  been curious about it but never tried it.  Seeing as I'm trying to switch myself back into detox mode, I think now might be a good time to give it a whirl.  I'll let you know how it goes!

-♥ J :)

P.S.  Enjoy laughing??  Check out Shelley's YouTube channel.  For show dates and other musings, follow her on Twitter.

The Weight of the Nation

Has anyone seen The Weight of a Nation, HBO's four part documentary exploring America's obesity epidemic???  Things have been a little hectic lately, so I haven't had a chance to watch it yet.  Even if you don't have HBO you can watch all four episodes right HERE on HBO's website.  How cool is that??

-♥ J :)

P.S. Thomas Jefferson liked vegetables.

My mom sent me this picture...

Thanks, Mom!!!  Have a great weekend, Veggies!!!

-♥ J :)

P.S.  A little weekend reading…

• Do you have too much stuff??
• Kick sugar to the curb.
• Good tips for keeping work simple.
• Appearance or accomplishments??
• An interesting take on that Time cover.
• How Alexandra stopped being sick and tired.
• I love Aaron Sorkin.
• How to live well.

Farmageddon Trailer

Yeah, THIS MOVIE is going on my must watch list.

-♥ J :)

Tracy Anderson Webisodes

I'm a little late to this party (each of these videos has well over 100,000 views…), but how great are these Tracy Anderson Webisodes?? If you do all three videos at one time, you get a terrific 25 minute workout.  I've always said, Tracy Anderson is the only workout where I've actually seen the shape of my body change.  These videos are a great way to try it out for yourself.  If you stick with it, you'll be hooked!  Then you, too, will be gobbling up every DVD she puts out.  I currently have…um…nine Tracy DVD's and still want to order her new Mini Trampoline Workout and her upcoming workout series for Pregnancy.  It should be noted that I don't own a mini trampoline…and am not pregnant.  Hmmm…maybe I am a tad obsessed.

-♥ J

P.S.  You can start your very own Tracy obsession right HERE.

Smooth Move

This morning Sid sent me this text:

"I just made the best smoothie of all time-but I think it may not have been so healthy.  Ice, vanilla soy milk, peanut butter, Hershey's syrup, banana and a shot of espresso. Mmmmm."

Sid was correct…not so healthy.  In general, a good rule of thumb is: if you are adding Hershey's Syrup to it, you have strayed from "healthy" territory.  This smoothie did come very close, though.  Here are a few simple tweaks that will turn Sid's glorified milk shake into more than just a sweet treat.

NO: soy milk and peanut butter
YES: almond milk and almond butter

Both soy and peanuts can be mucus forming and irritating to the digestive track.  Also, in their non-organic forms, they can be genetically modified and full of pesticides.  I prefer to use almond milk and almond butter in my smoothies.  In addition to being easier on my system, I think that they both taste ten times better (especially when you make your own almond milk using this recipe).

NO: Hershey's Syrup
YES: Choc-a-lot Vega Shake and Go Smoothie

This smoothie powder is my new favorite thing.  Just mix two tablespoons of the powder to 8oz. of water and you have a vegan, gluten-free smoothie with 11 grams of protein.  You don't even need a blender!  It's pretty tasty with just water but, if you do have a blender and some time, it is also amazing with ingredients like frozen blueberries, bananas or mangoes.  The smoothie I made this morning (recipe below) tasted like chocolate cake batter.  No joke.

NO: espresso
YES: maca powder

You know I have nothing to say about eliminating coffee (I'm gulping down a cup as I write this), but lately, as an afternoon pick me up, I've been adding a bit of raw maca powder to my smoothies.  Not only does it have a delicious earthy-nutty flavor, but supposedly it nourishes the endocrine system while increasing stamina and combating fatigue.  Maca powder gives me a boost of energy, without any added caffeine.  A word of caution: maca can affect your hormones so, if you have any concerns, check with a health care professional before introducing it into your diet.

-♥ J :)

Chocolate Cake Batter Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold almond milk
• 2 heaping tablespoons Choc-a-lot Vega Shake and Go Smoothie
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1/2 tablespoon raw maca powder

Directions:

1. Using a blender, blend ingredients together.
2. Drink and enjoy!

Travelin' Veg Part 2: Tips for the Healthy Jet-setter

Traveling doesn't have to be synonymous with eating poorly.  While it's true that some vacations are one big debaucherous, hootenanny where you stuff yourself to the gills with good laughs, good times and every sensory pleasure your mortal body can handle…sometimes you are just passing through Cleveland on business.  Here are some travel tips for those times when you are out of your element and would like to return from vacation no worse for the wear.

1. Pack provisions.  If you saw me packing for an upcoming trip you would be struck by two things: One, my shrewd ability to pack for a ten day vacation with only one carry-on suitcase.  And two, the excessive amount of snacks that I shove into my backpack.  As you witnessed this display you might think to yourself, "Aww...how sweet.  That girl is clearly traveling to a remote island where footwear is of little importance and starving children are going to need 50 Lara Bars and a vat of hummus."  I pack food for travel as if I am leaving Earth and I'm not sure if our martian hosts know that I don't eat dairy.  This bizarre policy has worked out in my favor many a time: canceled flights, extended layovers, sleepless nights on a red-eye.  Packing this way also makes me quite popular with my travel companions.  I always bring enough to share.  Some of my favorite travel snacks are:

• Wild Garden Hummus Dip To Go
• Pure Bars and/or Lara Bars
• trail mix
• almond butter and honey on sprouted grain bread
• gluten free crackers
• olives
• cucumbers and celery sticks
• bananas
• apples slices
• individual packets of Justin's Nut Butter

2. Start the day off green.  Since fresh green juice is not yet pouring from fountains across the country the way soda is, I always travel with Green Vibrance Organic Greens and Freeze Dried Grass Juice.  It comes in convenient single serving packets that only need to be mixed with 8 ounces of water.  No blender.  No juicer.  Just water, a glass, a stick to stir it with and you are good to go. Sure it tastes like lawn in a glass, but chugging it first thing in the morning makes me feel as if I've done my due diligence.  Whatever else the day may bring, I can at least feel good about giving it the old college try.  And speaking of the college try…

3. Two out of three ain't bad.  Mark Bittman lost 35 pounds eating vegan until dinner.  This is a great technique for vacationing (and life for that matter).  Just make two out of your three meals healthy, whole food and vegan.  Have fruit for breakfast; salad for lunch.  Come dinner time, you are free to indulge in the local delicacy of your choosing.  Whether it's your Mom's homemade lasagna that she only makes once a year or the chocolate souffle at the restaurant you've been dying to try, being selective with your indulgences makes them all the more special.  

4. Exercise.  Nerd alert…I LOVE exercising on vacation!!  Even if the hotel gym is a broom closet with a treadmill in it, that's where you'll find me happily, jogging away.  To me there is nothing better than pushing yourself to sweaty exhaustion…right before you suck down margaritas and do absolutely nothing.  Even if your vacation doesn't allow a ton of time for working out, you can always start the day with what I call "a quick hundred": 25 jumping jacks, 25 sit-ups, 25 push-ups and 25 squats.  Doing some exercise first thing in the morning will give you the energy you need for the rest of the day.  I mean, those margaritas aren't going to drink themselves...

-♥ J :)

P.S. Five ideas for a plane picnic.
P.P.S.  The argument for traveling light.

Travelin' Veg Part 1: Why you should CareHere

We were in the Houston airport for what felt like an eternity.  Our connecting flight to Nashville was delayed…again…and the healthy provisions* I had packed for the trip were running low. We wandered over to a restaurant near our gate.  "They have salad," I offered weakly.  Even I couldn't make a case for the tiny, depressed salad imprisoned in the refrigerator case.  Even the salad couldn't make a case for the salad.  It just lay there broken and defeated as if to say, "Yeah, I know.  Just keep moving.  The Doritos are on your left."  "Screw it.  I'm getting pizza," John announced.

So John got pizza…and then proceeded to choke on it for 45 minutes.  He swallowed a piece wrong and, because who knows how long it takes for the manufactured, science experiment ingredients to break down into something digestible (THIS VIDEO suggests never), John wandered the airport coughing like a TB victim for nearly and hour.  He never finished the pizza.  I remember thinking, "There has got to be a better way."

Turns out there is!!  When we were flying home from Nashville, we stumbled upon a new addition to the Nashville airport.  It's a tiny little wellness center called CareHere BNA.  I might have walked right past it except that I have hawk eyes when it comes to healthy snacks.  I whipped back around and shouted, "Hey!  Did that say hummus?!?"

The 1,100-square-foot facility offers basic medical care as well as fun snacks, beauty products and over the counter medications.  As I raced around clearing out their shelves, a voice in the back of my head cautioned,"Uh, hey Big Spender.  Why don't you ease up?  You are in an airport.  This stuff is going to be ridiculously overpriced."  But it wasn't!  It was regular "Whole Foods prices" over priced!  Which is to say, just the amount of overpriced I am used to paying.  I left the store very happy and very hydrated. Check out some of the bounty I picked up:

There is talk of CareHere BNA going nationwide, so keep your fingers crossed on that one.  Meanwhile, this is just one more great reason to visit Nashville.

-♥ J :)

*Healthy provisions you can pack from home and more travel tips in Part 2.

Get juiced with Kris Carr

It should be noted that I love Kris Carr.  I think she is a sparkly beacon of goodness and light and I would pretty much buy anything she sells.  If she came out with a line of snow tires I would hesitate for a minute (since I live in southern California) but ultimately would probably wind up having to explain to my husband why there are four ginormous tires sitting in our living room.  So, you can imagine my delight last week when (instead of snow tires) Kris came out with an 80 page e-book dedicated entirely to the art of making smoothies and juice.  Does this girl know the way to my heart or what??  Not only does the book have over 60 different recipes, but Kris also walks you through all the info you would ever need when looking to incorporate juicing into your life.  From fasting to picking out the right juicer to the difference between juicing and blending, this e-book leaves no veg un-juiced…metaphorically and literally.  Three cheers, Kris Carr!!  I raise my glass of Green Goddess Smoothie to you!!

-♥ J :)

Green Goddess Smoothie
by Kris Carr
Makes 16 oz.

• 1 avocado*
• 1 - 2 pieces of low-glycemic fruit: green apple, pear, berries and cantaloupe
• 1 cucumber
• A fistful of kale or romaine or spinach
• Coconut water (or purified water)
• Stevia to taste, and or a sprinkle of cinnamon or some cacao (optional)

* Use coconut meat or raw almond butter or nut milk in place of avocado.
Prep and wash all produce. Blend and serve.

P.S. Get your own copy of Kris's book by clicking on the heart to the above.
P.P.S.  Remember when we were going to do this detox?? Well, that didn't happen, but I'm beginning to feel that urge again, Veggies.  I see Spring peeking it's head around the corner and it is whispering: "deee-tooxx."  Stay tuned.

Slimware Portion Control Plates

Remember my New Year's resolution to eat more civilized portions of food?? Well, these Slimware portion control plates just might do the trick.  Usually portion control plates, with their cartoon food pictures and food dividers, look like something a toddler would use.  These plates are so pretty and stealth you could serve them at a swanky dinner party and no one would be the wiser.  The plates are divided into three sections: vegetables, protein and carbs.  

You just place the amount of food over the corresponding section and you have perfectly portioned meal without any measuring or guess work.  Keep in mind if you are following food combining rules and want to eat a flesh protein, you should eliminate the carb section and replace it with vegetables.  To find out more about Slimware and their other products (like pre-measured bowls and fun Count Me Healthy Jewelry) click HERE.

-♥ J

P.S. More portion control tips HERE.

Salad Sundays: Super Salad Bowl

Ok, one more time for the cheap seats…kale salad!!!  I served this at my Super Bowl party this past Sunday and it was a big hit.  Almost as big a hit as the cocktails…but more on that later.  First the salad:

Massaged Kale Salad
Original recipe (found HERE) courtesy of Aarti Sequeira.
Serves: 4

Ingredients
 • 1 bunch kale (black kale is especially good) stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced
 • 1 lemon, juiced
 • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
 • Kosher salt
 • 2 teaspoons agave
 • 1 cup dried cranberries
 • Small handful sunflower seeds

Directions
1. In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt.  Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.

2. In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the agave.  Stream in the 1/4 cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.

3. Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the cranberries and sunflower seeds.  Toss and serve.

I've converted several kale haters to kale enthusiasts with this salad.  When I made it for my friend Gary, he heckled it the whole time he was eating it…and then again when he went back for seconds.  "I hate you kale!!" he bellowed.  "Well, I mean usually…I hate you.  Now I kinda hate that I'm liking you."

As for the rest of the party, Baked Potato Bowl 2012 went off without a hitch.  Here are pictures of some of the appetizers.  
For the vegans…

And the non-vegans…

I wish I had a better picture for you of the Baked Potato Bar, but I got so excited that I started gobbling…ahem….I mean serving...before I could snap one.  So here is the ravaged aftermath that I tried to make look presentable:

Almost everything at the party was vegan, but you wouldn't have known it if I didn't mention it (over and over again).  Amelia even said, "This is fun.  It feels like you're eating food that is bad for you, but really you're not."  As for the cocktails…don't have a picture of those either (I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to why).  This was the drink of the day:

Blueberry Lemon Champagne

• Fill the bottom of a champagne glass with frozen blueberries.
• Then add 1/2 a glass of champagne and 1/2 a glass of lemon italian soda.

When we ran out of champagne we switched to:

Cran-rasp-straw-berry Wine

• Fill bottom of wine glass with frozen raspberries and strawberries.
• Then add1/2 glass white wine and 1/2 a glass of cranberry italian soda.

-♥ J :)

P.S. Baked potatoes take an hour to cook, so the timing for a party can be tricky.  I put the appetizers and salad out first and put the potatoes in the oven 15 minutes before the guests were set to arrive.  By the time everyone had settled in with a cocktail (or two..), the potatoes were ready to be served.

Pink Ribbons, Inc. Trailer

For more info on Pink Ribbons, Inc. and its upcoming US release dates click HERE.
-♥ J :)

Are you ready for some snacking????

photo via Hass Avocados

Jen! I wanted to see if you would be posting any HHB Superbowl appetizer ideas. I am having some people over and am tired of the same old recipes, but also want to serve some healthy stuff since starting my new nutrition program two weeks ago.  Let me know, and if not I will have to brainstorm a little harder.  

Take care, 

Rachel

I like watching football, but for me the Super Bowl is really just an excuse to get everyone together for some hard core snacking.  I suspect I am not alone in that sentiment.  Super Bowl snacks usually are synonymous with fatty, gut clogging fare, but this does not have to be the case.  In my heart of hearts, I truly believe that delicious and healthy are not mutually exclusive.  I will continue to shout that sentiment to anyone who will listen until I finally go off to that great big salad bar in the sky.  In honor of healthy snacks far and wide, here is what I will be serving at this year's Super Bowl Fete:

Crudites
When I told the cater for my wedding that I wanted to have crudites she said, "But nobody really eats that."  Au contraire, my caterer friend.  People will eat crudites but as with all things, presentation is key.  You can't put out some wilted, sad, crushed spirit crudites.  Find the most beautiful, colorful, vibrant veggies you can get your hands on and then arrange them on a gorgeous platter (like this one).  Make your veggies the centerpiece of the snack table.  Surround them with olives, crusty whole grain baguette, mustard, delicious vegan dip, hummus and guacamole.  Then, in much smaller bowls, put out some vegetable chips, organic tortilla chips and nuts.  If you are feeling like a fancy pants you could even add some grilled vegetables to the mix.  Then people can use the baguette to make their own mini veggie sandwiches.  By making veggies the star of the show, you will be surprised how quickly they get gobbled up.  If you build it, they will eat.

Kale Salad
Yep.  I'm am going to keep posting this salad until you love it as much as I do.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: this salad is great for parties because it doesn't wilt under its dressing.  In fact, it gets more delicious the longer it marinates.  Spoiler alert: this salad might even be a contender for this week's Salad Sundays.





Baked Potato Bar
I got this great idea from the blog where great ideas go to play…Cup of Jo.  A baked potato bar is when you bake a bunch of potatoes ahead of time and then put out all the fixins'.   The genius thing about this is, since everyone gets to choose their own toppings, it caters to all different types of eaters.  You can have vegan and non-vegan toppings happily coexisting together in peace and harmony (without having to make a butt load of different appetizers).  My baked potato bar is going to have vegan butter, Daiya "cheese", sauteed spinach, vegetarian chili, chives, guacamole and salsa.  I might even throw some sweet potatoes into the mix because I'm wacky like that.

Vegan Cookies and Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream

One of my favorite party desserts is Make Your Own Ice Cream Sandwiches.  (Are you noticing the "make your own" theme in this post??  "Make your own" is fun and it keeps you from having to slave in the kitchen while everyone else is hanging out.)  I put out a plate of vegan cookies (like Trader Joe's Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies) and a big bowl of vanilla coconut ice cream with plenty of spoons.  Not only are ice cream sandwiches a fun, "feel like a kid again" dessert, but you pretty much have your bases covered in terms of guest preferences.  If someone doesn't like chocolate or cookies, you could just throw some ice cream in a fancy bowl with frozen blueberries and…voila!  You have a whole new dessert.

-♥ J :)

P.S. You can find the recipe for the Field of Guacamole pictured above HERE.
P.P.S.  Look at THESE adorable "burger" cookies.  Hmmm…I wonder if I could make them vegan...

Salad Sundays: The Monday Edition

My "I only have 10 minutes to cook" Salad
Ingredients:

• frozen artichoke hearts
• tomatoes
• garbanzo beans
• Rawmesan vegan cheese
• mixed greens

Directions:

1. Heat artichokes and 1/4 cup of water in a large skillet (like this one).  Cover with lid. While artichokes are cooking chop tomatoes.
2. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans. Set aside.
3. When artichokes are almost cooked (about 5 minutes), drain excess water from the pan.  Then toss tomatoes and garbanzo beans into skillet along with spices of your choice.  I like lemon pepper and garlic with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
4. Lower heat to medium and allow to simmer.
5. Toss mixed greens with dijon vinaigrette dressing (like this one).
6. Spoon artichoke mixture** on top of dressed greens and sprinkle with Rawmesan vegan cheese.
7. Eat and enjoy!!

-♥ J :)

**Artichoke mixture is also delicious served over brown rice.

The Cold Front

Yesterday, I was felt a cold coming on, so I decided to make my go to "kick-that-cold-back-where-it-came-from" home remedy.  I made it up last year when my Mom felt like she was getting sick.  She drank it as soon as she started to feel run down and BAM!  Cold was sent a packin'.  

• 2 cups organic low sodium* vegetable stock
• chopped garlic cloves (to taste)**
• cayenne pepper (to taste)
• juice of 1 lemon

In a small saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil.  Drink and enjoy!

-♥ J :)

*It is very important that the vegetable broth be "low sodium."  I forgot to tell Erin that when I gave her the recipe and she woke up with puffy, salty eyes.

**I usually use 3-4 cloves of garlic and as much cayenne as my stomach can stand (about 1/4 teaspoon).  Be warned...this is not a breath friendly recipe.  Consume only around your closest friends and definitely not before a hot date.  I usually drink it and go right to sleep.

P.S. Do you have any favorite home remedies??  Hop on over to the Happy Healthy Belly Facebook page to share them!!

Salad Sundays

A couple of weeks ago, while enjoying a three hour layover in the Cleveland airport, I ate one of the saddest salads...ever.  It was so sad that it practically looked up at me and said, "Yeah.  I'm your salad.  I'm sorry."  As I picked at the wilted, depressed lettuce, I had the thought, "If this is what people think salad is, no wonder no one wants to eat it!!"  So in the hopes of rebranding salad and giving it a fresh, sexy allure, I am starting a new feature on the blog called Salad Sundays.  Every Sunday I will highlight a snazzy, happy salad in the hopes that it will inspire you to bring a little salad love and joy into your week.

This week's salad is brought to you courtesy of one of my favorite LA restaurants: Tender Greens.  It is the Tuna Nicoise salad with NO TUNA, NO EGG, sub GRILLED VEGGIES.  (They don't even get mad at you when you order it that way.  Love them Tender Greeners!!)  If you want to recreate this yumminess in your own kitchen, you will need:

• mixed greens
• tomatoes
• capers
• olives
• assorted grilled veggies of your choice (Tender Greens salad pictured above has green beans, brussels sprouts, yams, parsnips and cauliflower.  They change the veggies according to what is in season. )
• roasted fingerling potatoes (recipe HERE)
• sherry vinaigrette (recipe HERE)

Toss all the ingredients together and enjoy!!!  Happy Salad-ing!!!

-♥ J :)

P.S.  Haven't forgotten about our Crazy Sexy Diet.  Today is Day 1 of "Wean Week."  I'll explain more tomorrow.

I feel the need…the need for greens.

Over white wine and vegan dip at Amelia's Wednesday night, Grasie mentioned that she was halfway through Kris Carr's 21-Day Adventure Cleanse: Crazy, Sexy Diet.  "Wow, so you gave up coffee, too??" I marveled.  Grasie said it wasn't that bad.  "When I get up, first I'll have hot water with lemon...maybe with a dash of cayenne."  Hot water and lemon.  I've always wanted to be the type of person who wakes up with hot water and lemon.  It seems so serene and civilized.  That type of person wouldn't stumble out of bed in ill-fitting pajamas, unable to muster so much as a "good morning" without half a cup of coffee in their system. That type of person probably does this:

"And then I'll have Yerba Mate," Grasie continued.  "Maybe I could do that.  Maybe I could do Yerba Mate," I rationalized.  "But you already said that you are not giving up coffee this year," Amelia shouted from the kitchen. "You already wrote it on the blog."  Amelia also reminded me that I had promised to eat smaller portions as I reached for seconds of the delicious, crack-like dip she had made.**  Apparently, Amelia is a very comprehensive reader.

"Do you have any interest in doing the Kris Carr cleanse with me?" I asked John when I got home.   "And what would that entail exactly?"  "Basically no coffee, alcohol, meat, dairy, gluten or sugar for 21 days.  And we'd have to meditate everyday for, like, 15 to 20 minutes…among other things.  And in the morning we drink hot water with lemon."  John just stared at me.  "Well, we could just do our best," I prodded.  "It will be fun!!"  John didn't look like he thought it would be fun.  

But it will be fun!!!  Come on, Veggies!!!  We can start on Monday!!  Anyone up for a little cleansing???  Anyone???

-♥ J :)

**The dip Amelia made was the Cheesy, Oozy Guacamole Bean Dip from Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet.  Since I was too busy inhaling it to remember to take a picture for you, here is a video of Alicia herself whipping up a batch.