Easy Vegan Meal Prep

On Sunday this week I decided to do a little meal prep for the work week (yes I'm one of the sad people that actually has to work the week between Christmas and New Years). 

 

I really want to try and incorporate as many plant based foods into my diet as possible.  I used to be better at this, but I've def been slacking recently.  I haven't eaten meat (like chicken, pig, cow, etc) in over 2 years now, however I have had eggs, dairy and fish.  One of my goals for 2016 is to try and transition away from those foods.  SO I want to try and prep some easy stuff so I have it on hand and ready!

The first thing I made was this Chickpea "tuna" salad.  

It contains:  1 large can chickpeas, pickles, red onion, celery, salt, pepper and cilantro, diced/mashed together.

Does this taste like tuna?  No, it tastes like chickpeas LOL.  But it does have all the elements that make you think of tuna salad in a way.  I've had it on both a sandwich and as a salad topper.

Next thing I made was spaghetti squash.

Nothing crazy here - just baked and mixed with tomato sauce!

 

Next was an Asian veggie rice. 

 It contains: Long grain brown rice, asparagus, peppers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, low sodium soy sauce, Sriracha and chives. 

This is yummy! Only complaint is the rice was kind of sticky - almost like oatmeal?  I need to use something like jasmine rice next time I think.

 

And lastly - some potatoes :)

Baked with salt & pepper

 

And voila!



Christmas Season Recap

WELL HELLO FRIENDS!

 

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday!

 

This Christmas was one of the best ever.  I was able to spend so much time with friends and family, which made it extra fun and special.

 

Some fun things I've done the past few weeks are a couple of new traditions.  For the past few years, Kryssi and I have seen the Macy's Christmas Tree lighting in Boston.  It's SUPER festive, with singers, and confetti and (spiked) hot chocolate.  I also attended my families Ladies Only Yankee Swap (perhaps called White Elephant by some??).  Both of these things have turned into something I really look forward to and make the season extra FESTIVE!

 

Christmas Eve my mom has a XL BASH and it was so fun as always.  Just lots of: people, food, drinks.  Cheesy singing and even a visit from SANTA.  Christmas Day I had brunch with my BFFs fam and then Nils' parents for dinner.  Just happy and relaxing times all around!

 

I even loved our TREE this year.  It was a "woodland" theme tree - so all of the ornaments are little woodland creatures (owls, fox, squirrels, raccoons), feathers, antlers, etc.  I loved it!  Def doing it next year, and I'm excited to add things to my collection.  My grandmas also gave me her Nativity set this year which I have been weirdly obsessed with since I was a child (I accidentally decapitated one of the wise men once, but don't worry he's glued back together now).  I put it on the bookshelf right next to my tree :)

 

 

 

AND - not that this is as important - but I totally lucked out on presents this year.  I know everyone says the same thing, but I just have the best bf/family/friends/coworkers etc that are way overly generous!

Some of the goods include sweaters, some Patagonia gear (omg Nils and I are totally gonna be twinsies this summer), lots of makeup goodies, tons of Star Wars merch (I'm a huge fan - I tried to change my name to Ashaliea in my younger years LOL), the cutest sign for my vanity, an Ipad Mini (!!!) and possibly the best karaoke CD that exists (hello girls night!)

 

 

 

Hope everyone else had an amazing Christmas/holiday as well! xoxo

Christmas Gift Ideas!

SO Christmas is just ONE WEEK away!

 

I've been shopping here and there for a few weeks now, but I still  have a few people on my list!  IF you're in the same boat as me, I thought it might be helpful to see what I've got/am getting people. SO here are a few ideas I've done, past and present!

 

For guys - THE HARDEST TO SHOP FOR.

 

I am by NO MEANS an expect when it comes to guy stuff.  HOWEVER I usually can think up a thing or 2.  Here are some ideas I've used for my bf, dad, uncle, boss etc.

 

Electronics - an Ipad, Ipod, GoPro.  These are all usually big winners (although a tad pricey).  BUT if you have the moola, you really can't go wrong with any of these.  IF your guy already has these things, get them some accessories!  A new ipad case, ipod armband for the gym, sporting attachments for the GoPro, etc are all good little add ons.

 

Watches - You could either do a dress watch for work (like a MK), casual wear (like the GShock) or a FitBit (for exercising).  These are all good!

 

Apparel - Warm sweaters always seem to be a hit.  I've had alot of success at: LL Bean, Patagonia, Banana Republic and Express.  These are all nice but still somewhat affordable - especially if there is a sale or a coupon code!  ALSO sports gear is a no brainer.  Jerseys, sweatshirts, snow hats.  If they're into any team at all this is an easy win.

 

Hobby stuff - Golf balls/accessories, Whiskey, Video Games.  Whatever your guy is into, just embrace it for the holidays! Tis the season right?

 

NOW ONTO THE LADIES.

 

Being a girl myself - girls are super easy to shop for!

 

 



Makeup/Bath/Body/Hair - Ulta and Sephora has all kinds of holiday sets!  This year I was really into the Philosophy sets - they were super cute and I think it's a brand anyone would like.  Any kind of contour, lip kits, mascara sets, etc.  ALL WINNERS. 

 

Cute barware is always fun! Target, Homegoods etc has all kinds of super cute stemless wine and champagne glasses that are inexpensive.  Match these with a bottle of champagne and you have a gift that feels special but doesn't break the bank.

 

Homegoods and Hobby Lobby have ALL KINDS of random odds and ends!  Cute jewelry dishes, wall art, notebooks, travel coffee mugs, candle sets etc.  None of these things are super unique - HOWEVER when they are printed with an inspirational quote that is Instagram worthy - they are super cute little gifts!

 

And lastly - prob my favorite thing to give - memberships! Birchbox, Etsy and Glossybox are all cute makeup box services for just $10-15 a month (so a 3 month membership is a fun gift).  Also even practical memberships are good (Fitness Class, Costco, etc).  It sounds random, but trust me your grandma will love hitting Costco every weekend.

 

Hope this gives you some IDEAS! Because remember, the most important thing about the holiday is of course spending time with your friends and family presents. ;)



Cuteness from Too Faced

AS USUAL - Too Faced is just SLAYING the packaging game.

 

Their 2015 Holiday Collection collection has been out, and OMG its literally the cutest thing I think I have EVER seen.

 

I had a 20% Friends & Family coupon, so I got the Melted Kisses & Sweet Cheeks with  the intent I would give as Christmas presents.

 

But then it arrived.

 

 

 

 

And it was pink and tiny and ADORABLE.

 

 

So now these are mine (not sorry friends).

 



 

In all honesty, these are pretty teeny tiny.  BUT they are sorta perfect for throwing in your purse, travel, and trying a bunch of different colors for a good value.

 

If you have a friend/sister/gf in your life you need to shop for - these are perfect gifts!!! The little dollhouse sets are probably my favorite sets I have ever seen.  They have variations at Sephora and Ulta too.  I think every girl who's into makeup etc would LOVE these.

 

Happy shopping!



I'm back!

WELL HELLO THERE.

How have you been?! I've missed you.  So I'm BACK.

 

 

SORRY I've been MIA forervs! I know this is so lame - but I've been so busy that I've totally been neglecting you.  Please forgive me.

 

Since we last chatted, I've been to:

 

New York x2

Chicago x2

Arkansas

Indiana

Western, MA

Foxwoods

Red Sox

Bruins

Patriots

And beyond.

 

Alot right?! Which got me thinking - I totes shoulda posted about it!

 

Coulda woulda shoulda.

 

BUT cheers to moving forward!!

.

My Dry Skin Must Haves!

SO it's finally less humid (yayyy!) which is GREAT for my hair, however can be a tad drying on my skin (especially for me; I have the driest skin everrr!!)

 

In order to keep from becoming a totally flaky mess, here are my current must haves!

 

 

First off; gotta have my oils.  I am currently loving both Tea Tree Oil and Argan & Lavender Oil.  I use the Tea Tree Oil on my hair and dry patches (like my elbows).  I use the Argan & Lavender Oil on my face after I take off my makeup at night.  Both smell GREAT and leave my skin feeling so much better.

 

Next is Mario Badescu Rosewater.  This is my third bottle of this stuff, I honestly don't think I can live without it.  It's sooo cooling, and refreshing, and helps with redness (something I also suffer from #palepeopleproblems).  I use this both at night AND in the AM before I apply my makeup.

 

After I get out of the shower, a good ole body butter is my must have! I've been hooked on Soap & Glory for a while now, but I have others and any body butter will do! I just need it to be super thick and creamy!

 

NOW for my lips, for day to day use I use either Baby Lips or Burts Bees (I have like 5-6 of each so just whatever happens to be in my purse). HOWEVER if they are super chapped, I honestly think this Badger Balm is a complete game changer!  I am not kidding, it cures my chapped lips INSTANTLY.  Like, right before my eyes.  It's almost unbelievable.  I don't think the kind I have is technically for your lips, BUT the ingredients are just: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Beeswax, Caster Oil, Aloe and essential oil from Wintergreen - all organic.  So I feel like for me it's perfectly safe and fine to use for your lips.  And THANK GOD because like the packaging says, "THIS STUFF WORKS."

Edgy Look for Fall

I met up with Kryssi a few days ago, and I decided to try a little bit more of an edgy look!  And edgy totally isn't my thing but I at least had fun with it!

 

I tried to go kindaaa dramatic and did a heavy winged liner (Kat Von D - obvi) and purply lips (I used a combo of LA Girl and Milani).

 

For my outfit, it was so easy and I loved how it came out!

 

I just wore a basic tee from Old Navy, a black and white flannel from TJ Maxx, black skinny Jeans from Target, and black moto boots from Charlotte Russe and voila! I was done.

 

Oh and to balance it all out, I wore a sparkly statement necklace, also from Charlotte Russe! 

 

Grillin'

I love this time of year! It's finally not sooo rediculously hot out, that when you're outside you can truly enjoy it :)

 

Last week, Nils and I decided to do a little grilling to take advantage of the perfect weather!  We went to a farm stand and got:  peppers, onions, zucchini, corn on the cob and steak tips (for Nils).

 

The corn on the cob was seriously the best thing ever! I LOVED it right on the grill :) The zucchini was delish too...note to self - must use grill more!!!



NEW Lippies!

WELL friends!

 

Sorry I have been MIA - I have been SO busy with work lately...

 

...however not too busy to do a little shopping ;)

 

I got 3 new fun LIPPIES from BH Cosmetics last week.  Since I'm on my fall kick, I decided to go with 2 berry/fall like colors, and then a total nude to balance it all out.

 



These dry totally matte, and really do last a long time! I feel like the berry/purple shades basically stained my lips (which not gonna like, I was sorta into).

 

Now OFF to get my pumpkin iced coffee ;)

 

Fall Makeup Look

So I am totally on my FALL kick.  I've even started to change up my makeup routine to make it more fall-friendly, which means lots of warm colors.

 

For my eyes, I am all about the browns, golds and coppers.  I really have be loving my 35W Warm Palette by Morphe.  These are really great quality and only $20!

 

I don't think they name all their colors in these palettes so I marked my faves here:

 

For lips I have been loving the same warm brown/mauvy colors.  A fave as been MAC Del Rio but really any mauvy color will do.  When picking out lip products for fall, just think to yourself, WWKD (What Would Kylie Do)?  She is the queen of these shades and there are a million of them out there.  NYX has some great ones too (colors like Heather, Hope, Tea Rose, etc).!

 

Tis the Season...for Booties!

This has been such a great summer, HOWEVER I am def ready for fall, anyone with me?

 

I love when the weather gets a little cooler and the humidity goes down.  Plus I live in New England where fall is just about the prettiest thing ever.

 

SO in anticipation of the upcoming season I decided to stock up on some BOOTIES!

 

I am usually a riding boot kinda gal, but this fall I am going to try and switch it up a little!

 

I got ALL these booties at Charolette Russe for just $20 each! Yes - $20!  If you sign up for their emails, they do craaazy good deals.  In fact I just placed another order for 40% of everything.  Awesome for trendy pieces you probably won't like a year or two from now anyways.

 

The first pair I got are a grey chunky heel.  They are faux suede and super neutral so I thought these were perfect!

 

 

The next pair I got are brown faux leather flats.  There is a tiny little heel but they are the flattest version I purchased.  These are so not my norm but I think I can rock them.

 

 

And the last pair I got are some black faux suede booties with a chunky heel.  I thought these would be good for work, and I mean you can never go wrong with black.

 

SO - Bring on the FALL because I am ready!!!

 



Lobster Rolls!

The days of summer and down to nada SO this past weekend Kryssi and I decided to hit the beach!

 

Because we were planning on being outside all day, I decided to try ALL cream product makeup look which I have never done before!

 

Here's what I used:

 

 

I told Krys this was my "natural look" and she said this was in no way natural, but whatever, I make my own rules ;)

 

 

It was an absolutely perfect day!!!! After hanging out on the beach for several hours I was burnt to a crisp AND hungry so we decided to get food.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE restaurants over looking the water!

 

 

We got steamers to start and what else, LOBSTER ROLLS! Krys also got a Greyhound and I had something they called a Pineapple Upside Down drink? Yummmmmmm!

 

 

We decided to grab one more drink before we hit the road! I got a blueberry lemonade and Krys got a corona...best way to send the summer :)

 

Chowin Down for the Week

Over the weekend I made a few little things to have on hand! I loved when I made that orzo salad a few weeks ago, because I had something already made to chow down on if I was hungry.  Here's what I made for this week!

 

First was a black bean salad

All I did was add 2 cans of low sodium black beans, 3 husks of corn on the cob, a sprinkle of red onion and parsley, and salt, pepper and olive oil to taste!

 

Next was some guac!

I did 4 avocados, juice from a lime, guac seasoning, a sprinkle of red onion and parsley, and salt, pepper to test. 

 

I added both together and with some tortilla chips, SO GOOD.

 

And last was some pasta!

All I did was take some veggie pasta and mixed it with roasted red pepper pesto and a little garlic powder.

 

I'm totally into doing a few make aheads; it makes the rest of the week so much easier!

Summer in Saratoga!

Last week Nils and I headed to Saratoga Springs to see some horse races!  I friend of mine invited us.  I'm not super into horses or gambling, BUT I loved it! It was such a fun experience and the weather was perfect! 

 

Because I was going to a horse race, I just HAD to get a hat.  I got this one at Kohls on clearance (prob because summer is almost over) so that was a total win.

 

 

Each race only lasted a few minutes but they are SO EXCITING! People go wild!

 

 We totally feasted like kings...our first day we had crab legs, sushi...

 

And LOTS of champs ;)

 

Lots of every drink to be honest...

 

There was a horse named "All About Ashley" which I was so sure would win BIG, but it didn't happen (better luck next time).

 

Prior to each race you could go down and see the horses up close, that was probably the best part for me :)

 

 

 We drove instead of taking a flight, which meant I didn't need to pack light ;) Here's the stash I brought for just 2 days #notsorry

 

Can't wait to go back next year!!!

Yummy Salad! (and highlight on fleek)

A few days ago at a work lunch I seriously got the best salad ever!

It was just a shrimp Caesar salad, which is something I order all the time.  SO I was sort of surprise when this baby arrived at my table!

But OMG guys.  This was SO GOOD.

It was an entire head of romaine lettuce that had be grilled.  Sounds weird but seriously so yummy.  Then there was just a drizzling of dressing, big chunks of parmesan cheese, and 4 grilled shrimp! I loved it!

And then I just needed to take a minute to call out to my Becca/Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop.

I have been wearing this NON STOP.  It's soooo pretty! I am extremely pale and it still works.  AND I tried it on Kryssi over weekend, and she is way darker than me, and it looked amazing on her too.  It's limited edition at Sephora so grab it pronto!



Weekend Delights

Kryssi stopped by for a little wine & Real Housewives of OC (loving Heather this season!!!)

 

I made her a little snacker and I have to l-o-l because although it was redic she admitted it was the best snack ever.  It consisted of:  chips, pickles, pepperoni and cheese.  #keepinitclassy

 

 

Saturday I met Laura and her mom in Boston! We went down to the Seaport area to get a few drinks and apps!

 

 

Loved this dining view!

And this drink ;) It was a grapefruit juice and vodka! 

 Later in the night we got free tix to an OAR concert!  I didn't really know any songs but it was still so fun and a cool vibe.

 Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Weekly OBSESSIONS

I have become so obsessed with coconut greek yogurt!  My friend recommended it to me a while ago but I was kind of meh whatever.  But last week I felt compelled to try it and OMG its literally the best greek yogurt EVER!  I got three for the week and I honestly wish I got more.

 

I did a full review on this, so this is no surprise, BUT I am also SO OBSESSED with my Soleil Tan de Chanel.   It's the perfect color, easy to build, blends like a dream.  I never thought I'd really be into cream bronzers, but this is almost like a dense moose.  It's honestly just perfect.  I can't stop using it.  It is expensive, but worth every penny, especially since I don't know of anything else like it.

 

Lastly is a little summer water aka Rose!  I don't know what it is, but this summer has been all about the rose for me!  It's so light and refreshing.  Plus it's pink so it's just pretty to look at.   I am by no means a wine expert so I honestly just buy whatever is already chilled and has pretty packaging :)