a full plate.

My company - Healthways gave us the Full Plate Diet book.  Our mission is to create a healthier world, one person at a time - this book is fabulous for our objective.  The question is - Are you eating enough?!  We need about 40 grams of fiber a day!  This book gives great recipes for obtaining this goal.  I promise if you get the fiber you need (and less sugar) you will have much more energy, feel clean, and look amazing.  Justin and I gave our dad's the book for Father's Day.  They continue to use it, b/c they see it working.

Below are some of my favorite recipes:

Go Green Smoothie

RusticTortilla Pizza

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    New Potato Salad

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      • 4 cups diced new potatoes - leave skin on
      • 2 T low fat mayonnaise (or Vegenaise, which I perfer) 
      • 1/4 cup low fat sour cream 
      • 1 teaspoon lime peel zest juice from one lime (about 3-4 T)
      • 1 T dried or fresh thyme
      • 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

      Cook potatoes whole, drain then dice after cooking. Leave the skins on, otherwise you're losing 1/2 the fiber in this recipe. If you let the potatoes cool prior to dicing, the skin will stay on nicely without peeling off.  While the potatoes are cooling, mix together all the other ingredients. Once you have 4 cups of cool diced potatoes, toss everything together and chill.  You may need to alter the spices to your taste buds. As we know spices are expensive, so I don't put all of these in.  I leave out the dill weed. :)  A serving size is 1 cup.  This recipe makes about 4 cups.  169 calories, 4.2 grams of FIBER, and 3.7 grams of protein.  We like to take this for dinner parties or even tailgating. It is always a favorite!

      
      
      

      Cheers to yum-o fiber rich foods!
      
      
      {photo credit: www.fullplatediet.org}

  • 1 whole wheat tortilla
  • 2 tablespoons Ragu Pizza Homemade Sauce or 2 tablespoons refried beans (this will increase fiber)
  • Thinly sliced vegetables (such as onion, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms)

  Preheat oven to 400° F. Place tortilla on baking rack and cook until crisp. Take tortilla out of oven and spread with sauce. Pile on toppings then place pizza on an unsprayed baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are cooked.

  One pizza has 154 calories, 4 grams of fat, 590 mg of sodium, 9 grams of FIBER, and 11.72 grams of protein!  Nice! 

  
  

  
  

• 4 kiwi peeled
• 1 pear sliced
• 1 banana sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves packed
• 1 cup soy, almond, rice, or no-fat milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth and creamy, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Makes a perfect dessert as well.  Serving size is 1 cup.  You get all this yumminess for 163 calories, only 57 mg of sodium, 7 grams of FIBER, and 4.5 grams of protein.  This will definitely put some pep in your step!

the sweetest thing.

new year's resolution #1 - EAT LESS SUGAR
I just ate a big, fat yummy Christmas cookie from Puffy Muffin.  It even was iced with sprinkles.  15 minutes later I feel gross!  It would be one thing if I only ate cookies once a week, but I have to have my daily sugar fix.  I don't drink soft drinks or any caffeine, but I do have my daily "fix".  The amount of sugar American's eat and drink every year has soared nearly 30 percent since 1983 and is likely a major contributor to the soaring rates of overweight and obesity in this country. Although the USDA recommends we get no more than 10 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average American downs about 34 teaspoons -- more than three times as much. Gross!!!  

Below are a few ways I can eat less sugar:
 
1) Instead of a cookie or two a day, I will eat a cookie three times a week.  (See I am sticking with realistic goals, and then will move to one a week.)

2) Read labels!  I will buy bread, ketchup, crackers, tomato sauce, etc. that have no sugar or less than two grams.

3) Did I mention read labels?!  - Not only for sugar, but for fiber and protein. Beware of these words: brown sugar, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup, galactose, glucose, honey, hydrogenated starch, invert sugar maltose, lactose, mannitol, maple syrup, molasses, polyols, raw sugar, sorghum, sucrose, sorbitol, turbinado sugar, and xylitol.

4) Bake my own sweets using apple sauce, stevia, or agave nectar for a substitute.
  
5) Try my very best to avoid processed foods.
  
6) Don't skip breakfast - I will try eating steel cut oats with agave nectar.

7) Exercise - A walk for 20 to 30 minutes a day helps lower the level of glucose in the bloodstream.


If you simply reduce the amount of sugar you consume you will protect your entire immune system, which in turn will protect you from developing a wide variety of chronic diseases. 

garth. nashville. amazing.

Last night I was blessed to be invited to see one of the nine sold out shows - Garth playing in Nashville for the first time since 1998!   What a way to literally get Nashville back on its feet after the flood in May. The crowd stood the entire concert - a memory I will never forget.  It is pretty amazing to go to a concert and to be able to sing every word to every song. The River, The Dance, Rodeo, Papa Loved Mama, Shameless, The Thunder Rolls, Calling Baton Rouge, and the list goes on.  We even got to see a surprise performance by Trisha Yearwood - She's in Love with the Boy. This was all to raise over $5 million dollars for flood relief efforts.  What a way to boost Nashville's economy at Christmas!

{photo credit: www.tennessean.com}

Merry Christmas!  Thank you Garth and Lindsay for an amazing memory that was so Nashville!  

my zoku fix.

Justin and I received a late wedding gift card to Williams & Sonoma. To Green Hills Mall we went to buy ourselves a wedding/Christmas gift.  Justin found the Zoku!  We tested it out last night making strawberry/kiwi pops.  The great thing about this gadget is it only takes 7-9 minutes to freeze your ingredients.  The fun part is you can choose what ever you want to put in your pop.  I am looking forward to trying a green tea/mint pop. Adding Naked juice along with your fruit creates a yummy option. We like the Zoku so much, we decided to give it to others in the family for Christmas gifts. Kids and adults will love it! Buy one today at Williams & Sonoma - Zoku

Go Zokuing! 

{photo credit: www.williamsandsonoma.com}

sweet cheeks.

If you know me at all, you know I LOVE sweets!  My colleague brought us some yummy treats from Sweet Cheeks Cookie Co. - We each got different Christmas designs - such a delight to receive on a cold, rainy day.  These delicious cookies have a bit of almond flavoring that make them extra special.

Call or email Maggie at 615.397.0579 or maggiejackson@bellsouth.net to place an order.

Enjoy!

oh christmas lights. those christmas lights.

Justin and I went to the Opryland Hotel Tuesday night to see the Christmas lights. Growing up in Nashville, he has been almost every year; I on the other hand had never been. I was like a little kid. Asking all these questions and taking in the beauty of the lights and greenery. I even got a Christie's Cookie with a mound of icing and sprinkles on it!

{photo credit:  www.gaylordopryland.com}

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 

list this.

For the Robertson family Christmas (Justin's Moms family) we are challenged to make our gifts.  Last year I made a cross out of crown molding. This year my project is a little easier.  All it took was an old frame and some elegant paper.  You can use paper or fabric for this look.  Pick your frame (I suggest an 8x10 - it gives you more room to write) then just insert the paper or fabric into the frame. Volia - you have a dry erase board to put at your desk or in the kitchen.  We use it to jot down items we need throughout the week.  Detergent, ziplock baggies, a little love note, Bible verse, whatever it may be. This serves as a great reminder.

{photo credit: www.realsimple.com}


Happy Crafting!

it's a wrap.

Some ideas I have this year for wrapping gifts to save some trees.

Use old newspapers for a fun yet classy look - the key is picking out your ribbon.  You can pick out ribbon that represents the recipients' personality.














Another option is using 100% Recycled Bags - I always find the best options at Nashville Wraps. They not only have the bags and tissue paper - they also have a fabulous collection of ribbon!

{photo credit: www.realsimple.com and www.nashvillewraps.com}

Happy Wrapping!

let it snow.

It started snowing this morning when Justin and I woke up and it is still coming down!  Yay for it feeling like Christmas. They say we will get about 2-3 inches. I love how the snow glistens and creates such art work across all it touches.  Since it is dark outside  - it really does look like glitter is being sprinkled across the sky.

ummm.

This cold weather makes me want to cuddle up on the sofa with a blanket and hot chocolate.  Last night I used our Keurig to make a cup of dark chocolate hot cocoa.  To top it off - I put a "peep" Christmas tree on top instead of marshmallows.  If any of you know me, I have a love for peeps.  I have to hold myself to one a day.

classic.

My mom and I went shopping yesterday.  Brooks Brothers wasn't a planned trip, but I realized after shopping in the store what great quality clothing they offer.  A 2011 goal is for Justin and I to save our money and take small trips to BB to build our wardrobe.  They offer pieces that are timeless and will never go out of style.

Men and women love the non-iron dress shirts. 

Below are some elegant Christmas gifts for someone special.

{photo credit:  www.brooksbrothers.com}

dim boots.

At Trader Joe's today I saw a gal wearing the cutest boots - it reminded of the Steve Madden boots I wanted over a year ago.  I wasn't willing to cough up $199 for them.  When my friend, Lauren, came over she had the boots as well, except hers were purchased at Target!  That's right...and now they are on sale for $26.24.  I went to Target and ordered a gray pair.  What a great Christmas gift to myself :)  The best part is the colored zipper on the back.  If you are willing to pay the $199, there are some very cool boots with colored zippers at Steve Madden 

 Target : Mossimo "Kaden" Tall Buckle Boots : $26.24

 Steve Madden : "Roady" Tall Boot : $199.00

{photo credits:  www.target.com and www.stevemadden.com}

feliz navidad.

Justin and I bought our perfect and first Christmas tree at Costco Tuesday night.  They had them for $29.99!  We also bought garland for the mantle and a wreath for the front door.  I just love the smell!

For decorating the tree we used ornaments my grandmother gave us. She used them each year and actually made them with her mother's costume jewelry.  They are so special. Justin put the white lights on and added some sparkles with sticks we bought at Michael's

Next it was time to decorate the table.  I used a cone shaped piece of wood with nails in it.  Again, something my grandmother used for years and handed down to me.  It was simple - just a bag of apples from Trader Joe's and clippings from the tree. So natural and seasonal.

My favorites...the banister and the mantle.  Justin and I used real garland to wrap around the banister.  I always wanted to use real greenery, but have never had the chance until this year.  I wrapped the garland and made the bows, but Justin wrapped the ribbon (from Michael's) around the garland. Oh what a sweet hubbs.

Our faux fireplace - ha!  We will just say mantle...we do have a mantle, but that is a mirror since we don't have an actual fireplace. I used real greenery and placed cinnamon pine cones for a nice 'organic' touch.  Candles at one end and Nutcrackers at the other, give the mantle balance.  The velvet stockings and star stocking hangers I actually found at Khol's.  They were all on sale for 50% off!

I look forward to the next 22 days that we get to enjoy our Christmas home.

Merry Christmas!

tay tay and jay jay.

(PEOPLE) Baristas, be on the lookout: Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift may soon be ordering maple lattes at your shop.

Tuesday they stopped into the Frothy Monkey in 12th South, their second trip to the shop -- they were there on Sunday, also.

"Apparently Jake likes a cappuccino with maple syrup," says a source who saw him order the drink. "Frothy has the real deal in the maple syrup department."

On Monday, the pair sampled cups of Joe at another Nashville shop called Crema.
On Saturday, the pair ducked into Fido, a coffeehouse and café near Vanderbilt University and Music Row.

See full article at PEOPLE.com {photo credit: www.people.com}

I would recommned Tay Tay and Jake try The Good Cup at 2181 Hillsboro Rd next, and there is always Dose off of West End.

Enjoy your java!

simply having a wonderful christmas time.

Tomorrow Justin and I are getting our first Christmas tree to decorate together! I am so excited! Today I started gathering ideas for how I want to decorate our condo with nature. I love using fruit and real greenery to make our home feel warm and christmas-y.



A five-second centerpiece : Mix clementines or oranges and peppermint balls in a single glass compote or vase. You can even through in cinnamon sticks or cloves for a nice winter scent.
















A staircase always looks lovely with a garland of greenery : Easier than looping it around and around: Lay evergreen on top of the banister, fasten in place with floral wire, and wrap with extra-wide ribbon. I find the best ribbon at Michael's.

{photo credit:  www.realsimple.com}

Happy Decorating!

give thanks.

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
-1 Chronicles 16:34

Thank you, Lord, for all you have done, are doing and will do. Please cover us in your love this holiday season and may our times of celebration be peaceful and fruitful for our hearts and your kingdom. Amen.

Today I am so thankful for mine and Justin's first Thanksgiving as a family. This morning he ran the Boulevard Bolt on beautiful Belle Meade Blvd. I made pumpkin bars. Depending how they taste tonight for dinner, I will post the recipe. ;)
I am looking forward to heading to the Moses house for all kinds of yummy southern food.

Tomorrow we are waking up early for a road trip to Anniston. We will make it time to watch the Auburn/Alabama game with the fam. Then it will be time for more eating, napping, and movie watching. Oh I just love this time a year and am so blessed to be able to share it with our amazing families.



I get these "daily verses" emailed to me - you can sign up too at www.dailyverse.com, or a great Christmas gift is giving this book to someone special.

{photo credit:  www.dailyverse.com}

Give thanks!

oh just joss.

Sunday night Lauren and I went to see Morning Glory. Sweet romantic comedy that we both could relate to - the adventures of creating yourself and trying to make a name for yourself in your career. Rachel McAdams and Patrick Wilson were adorable!! Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford were classics as always.

What I most enjoyed was the music in the movie.

Joss Stone had two songs I am loving : Free Me and Incredible

Born in England in 1987, she made her TV debut at the age of 14, singing a Donna Summer song on a BBC talent show, although it was a few years before she made her mark.

Introducing Joss Stone, Soul Sessions, and Mind Body and Soul are all great albums for a holiday road trip home.


{photo credit: www.jossstone.com}

Happy Listening!

puffy.

Today I am having lunch with my college roommate that I haven't seen since we graduated from Auburn in 2003.

She is visiting Brentwood for the Thanksgiving holidays. Of course I recommended my favorite lunch spot - Puffy Muffin.

Located at 229 Franklin Road and 91 Seaboard Lane - Brentwood, TN

I can't wait to have the Poppyseed Chicken over warm rice. They always have fabulous desserts, so I just might have to get a turkey cut out sugar cookie!

{photo credit: www.puffymuffin.com}

holland house : east nashville : good eats

Tonight a few friends and I are headed to Holland House.

We are looking forward to the homemade icecubes - seriously, i love these cubes, they are huge, meaning they take longer to melt, making your specialty drink less watered down.

I most enjoy the laid back, but yet sophisicated atmosphere, creative cocktails, and delicious apps and desserts. It is the little touches that make Holland House special.

Located at 935 W. Eastland Ave.

CHEERS to a wonderful weekend and good girlfriends!

yummy soup

Well it is finally getting cold in the South... Therefore, I was in the mood for some "yummy soup". I call it "Yummy Soup", but it is really 7 can soup. So easy and so good. All you need are 7 cans of:

Kidney Beans
Rotel
Whole Kernal Corn
Diced Tomatoes
Chili with beans
Chili without beans
Veg-All

Pour into pot, no need to drain, just mix all together and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for a bit. Enjoy!

Of course it is always better the next day, once all the ingrediants have had a chance to sit together : Delicious with some corn bread.

hold please.

Something to hold your ideas
Albums : Now that Justin and I are all settled in our condo, we want to start painting! We plan to start in January, so I have started gathering ideas. To stay organized I use old binders and photo albums as my "Interior Ideas" - Stash fabric swatches, paint chips, pictures from Traditional Home and Real Simple in the album so you can make sure that wall art matches perfectly before you make a special trip to Z-Gallerie.




Something to hold your papers
Shoe Boxes : Save your shoe boxes to use to store small items- don't waste your money on small crates at Target and TJ Maxx when you can make shoe boxes look fabulous with your own creativity. Cover the shoe boxes with old wall paper, fabrics, magazine pages, etc. I love this look mixed with an old rugged piece painted in white.

{photo credit: www.realsimple.com}

SAVE - Debt is not an option.

Being newly married brings a new perspective to saving. Joining accounts is quite an adjustment.

A coworker let me borrow the Dave Ramsey CD’s to listen to on the way to work. It motivated me to start saving NOW. The question is how.

Below are some key goals that are an inspiration to taking it one step at a time.

1) Kill Debt. Simply calculating how much you spend each month on your debts will illustrate that eliminating debt is the fastest way to free up money. Once the money is freed from debt payment, it can easily be re-purposed to savings.

2) Set savings goals . ie: emergency fund, retirement, new sofa, etc. Figure out how much you’ll have to save per week, per month, or per paycheck to attain each of your savings goals.

3) Establish a time-frame. Set a particular date for accomplishing shorter-term goals, and make sure the goal is attainable within that time period. 5

4) Make a budget. Once you’ve managed to balance your earnings with your savings goals and spending, write down a budget so you’ll know each month or each paycheck how much you can spend on any given thing or category of things.

5) Stop using credit cards. If you don’t have the money, you shouldn’t buy it. It is much rewarding when you save and are able to pay cash, instead of stressing about a credit card payment.

6) Open an interest-bearing savings account. It’s a lot easier to keep track of your savings if you have them separate from your spending money.12

7) Pay yourself first. Savings should be your priority, so don’t just say that you’ll save whatever is left over at the end of the month. Deposit savings into an account (or your piggy-bank) as soon as you get paid.

Once you get this you can start creating an Emergency fund – it is the key to living. The rain will come, trust me. Think of how it will feel to have the money saved when the car trouble comes or a layoff.

Enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Get creative with making things, reading, listening to your vinyl’s. Get together to discuss philosophy or pray; game night, puzzles or make crazy quilt pillows; play instruments. You can have a lot of fun on a small budget. You can create and keep genuine friendships – remember we are here to serve, not to be served. The more you save, the more you can give!

oh capri.

I am obsessed with these Capri candles from Antrho. Justin even loves how they make our home smell so refreshing, and they also make great gifts!

The containers crafted from recycled glass add something special to every room.
With 100 hour burn time and paraffin-soy wax blend,for $28 you can't go wrong.



They come in two scents I adore. Currently, I have the Aloha. It captures the scents of freshly picked orchids, jasmine and gardenia, entwined with white blossoms. Volcano is the classic smell that Anthro is known for with tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, and limes, redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens!

Go home and light one up with a glass of wine...ahhh, the weekend in deed!

{photo credit: www.anthropologie.com}

new chapter.

It has been almost two years since I updated my blog! My friend, Meg, inspired me! In the past two years I met an amazing man - now my husband, moved to Nashville, changed jobs, and we just bought a condo that we are making our home. I feel so blessed!

{photo credit: www.sarahbgilliamphotography.blogspot.com}

an apple a day.

Thankful today is Friday...inspriration for the day...Apple Cider...can't wait to cuddle up on the sofa with a quilt to enjoy!



Ingredients
6 cups apple cider
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves 6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Directions
Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.

Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string.

Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.

Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.

Remove the cider from the heat. Discard spice bundle. Pour into your favorite big mug, adding a fresh cinnamon stick and enjoy!

Of course I have to give the nutritional info...

1 cup of cider equals: 163 calories 0.1g of fat