Cooking Princess: Green Lemonade

Welcome back everyone!

It looks like my Wedding Dress Challenge series is becoming kinda popular. Thanks! To keep on with the "health" kick, today's recipe is for Green Lemonade.

Oh, don't give me that look, Ariel! It is actually really tasty. I discovered this tasty juice from my last juice cleanse. I got the recipe from Mr. Joe Cross, the star of Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.

His new book just came out in the US but I bought his former title at the Kindle store. Anyone interested in a juice diet/cleanse, I urge you to check out his books and website.

So, Green Lemonade. I don't have a real juicer at home but my NutriBullet does the job pretty well. I just have to strain the pulp out with my flour sifter and voila! Tasty juice and more then my dialy does of vegetables. This is a great way to supplement veggies into your diet without eating endless salads.

Sadly, my photobucket is on the fritz so all my pictures are not available. :( So, check out the ingredients below and have fun making your own juice. Remember to de-seed your apples and cucumbers before juicing or blending!

Green Lemonade
- 1 cucumber
- 1 stalk of celery (or less!)
- 2 green apples, no seeds
- a handful of leafy greens (I like spinach; kale is also good)
- juice of 1 lemon (I use the lemon juice in the plastic lemon and just add until it is tangy.)

Blend (with a small amount of water) or juice all ingredients together. If blending, use a strainer or cheese cloth to filter the juice from the pulp. Blend pulp again and repeat until desired.

Happy juicing and Princess K, out!

 

Fitness Princess: Wedding Dress Challenge Week #2

We're back with Fitness Princess K!

Last week was week one of the Wedding Dress Challenge and, boy, was it hard. Really, I have been hitting the treadmill several times a week over the last few months but I still feel out of shape after this last week.

Here is the video of last week's workout and fit list.
Phew! I get tired just looking at it! I did the workout three times, completed the 1 mile walk/jog (twice) and played Just Dance 3 as my "sneaky exercise." However, I did not get to the yoga part of my fit list!

Much like this penguin, I was going good until the yoga. :( However, I did spend two days out of my weekend lifting and moving stuff from Houston to my home in Louisiana.

My fit test results were as follows:
Combined results from three workouts
-Push ups: 62
-Squats: 90
-Burpees: 28
-Plank: 30 seconds average
-Flexability: I can touch my toes and hold it!

Not too bad. I did my push ups from my knees because I have a lot of difficulty with my shoulders. (Torn rotary cuff on one side and an aggravated nerve on the other. That's what I get for 10+ years of flute playing.)

I have lost 1 pound since last week and am down 1 inch on my hips and waist.

Now, onto this week! Check out the new workout here.
And here is the new nutrition check list for anyone who wants it.

 

Looks like we have added a new feature to extra! "Close the kitchen after dinner." Nice. I actually don't snack much after my dinner but I tend to eat around 8:30-9pm because Jeremy doesn't get home until then most nights. However, since I have reclaimed by slow cooker this past weekend, maybe I can move my dinner time before 8pm and still have warm dinner for Jeremy? 

Leave comments below on your experience with the first week of the WDC.

Princess K, out!

52 Questions: #8

Hello internet persons!

Princess K is back on this lovely Monday and that means it is question time! The last few questions (and my answers) have kinda....well, sucked. But I think today's will prove to be sudo interesting!

Question Number 8: What are the names of your brothers and sisters? Describe one or more things that stand out in your mind about each of your siblings.

See?! I knew this one would be more interesting. 

So, siblings. Yes, I have them...three of them.

My oldest brother is Nick. He is married to Kassi Hebert Dansby and they have a 2 year-old son, Logan. Nick loves Alabama football. Really, seriously, loves it. He is also going to school to get start his nursing degree while still working as a full-time paramedic.

My sister's name is Rachel. She is two years older than I am (the same age as my fiance!) and she has recently had a knee reconstruction surgery. Rachel is also going to be the Maid of Honor at my wedding next year. Rachel is going back to school at some point but since she can't even walk right now, that is going to wait.

Last, there is my little brother, Grayson. He is almost 20 years old but I still remember him as the obnoxious seven year old that we tied up with the vacuum cleaner cord. He is currently a volunteer fire fighter in Houston, Texas. 

Growing up, my siblings and I would get into all kinds of trouble. From climbing on the roof our house to running through the horse pastures playing tag, my siblings have always been great fun. 

Leave a comment about your own siblings below!

Princess K, out!

Reading Princess: P.C. and Kristen Cast's House of Night novel, Hidden.

What a week! I talked about the tragic (or lack thereof) things from my childhood, undertook a new fitness challenge, and made some delicious muffins!

Now it is Thursday and we have a new book review! This time I am starting with a new series of books that I have been reading over the years.

The House of Night series by P.C. & Kristen Cast!

There are currently 11 novels in this series, with the 12th and final book coming out in October. The Casts have also released 4 novellas and the Fledgling Handbook to supplement the series. Boy, they sure have been busy!

A little back story on this series since I am beginning this series of posts towards the end: House of Night takes place in a world where Vampyres are commonplace and humans can be marked to become a fledgling. The series follows Zoey Redbird, a teen in Tulsa, Oklahoma and her adventures into this new world of Vampyres, immortals, and goddesses.

Click on the cover to purchase your own copy of HON Hidden from Amazon.com!

Here is a summary straight from the houseofnightseries.com:

Hidden, the tenth installment of the series, the stakes are higher than ever before.

Neferet’s true nature has been revealed to the Vampyre High Council, so Zoey and the gang might finally get some help in defending themselves and their beloved school against a gathering evil that grows stronger every day. And they’ll need it, because Neferet’s not going down without a fight. Chaos reigns at the House of Night.


As with all of the House of Night books, this novel is rife with pop culture references, humor, and a fight between light and dark alongside the struggles of teenagers. I found all the characters delightful and having grown from one book to another. Without giving too much away, I am worried for one character who may be switching sides! (GASP!) The cliff hanger in this novel is not nearly as sharp as many of the other books but I was still relieved that the next book in the series is already out.

CONS:
The only issues with this book, to me, are that the pop culture references are going to become severely dated within a short span of time and that the "teenager drama" is still a little too prevalent. These people are fighting a timeless, ancient evil but the main character is still worrying about her ex-boyfriend? I suppose it adds an air of humanity and relate-ability to these characters but I believe it tends to overshadow the true story line.

Overall, I found Hidden to be a fun and sassy read. I give it 3.5 out of 5 crowns!

PRINCESS APPROVED!

I will continue to read and review the remainder of the House of Night novels and novellas in the coming weeks. 

Leave your own comment below or suggest a book!

Princess K, out!

Cooking Princess: Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins

Hello all!

Princess K here and I am cooking again! I know it is the middle of August, but I could not resist these delicious Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins from my 400 Calorie Fix Cook Book from Prevention.

I was needing a good, low-cal breakfast that I could prepare ahead of time and take along with very little effort. These muffins turned out perfect! Even Jeremy was snacking on some.

First, I needed to gather my supplies:

Flour, buttermilk, baking powder, eggs (not in picture), strawberry yogurt, vanilla extract, sugar (I used Truvia), ground cinnamon, salt, frozen berries, and butter (not in picture.)

I mixed all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside,

melted  the butter,

and then mixed my eggs, buttermilk, yogurt, and melted butter together.

Next, I needed to put everything together and fold in my frozen berries.

The strawberries were on the large side, so I cut them up a bit before adding them.

Next, I threw this tasty mix into my muffin pan and let them bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes.

These muffins came out perfectly! Since I made them from scratch, I don't have nearly as many preservatives or chemicals in them as the little pouch mixes do.
To keep them fresh and moist, I let my muffins cool for about an hour and then put them in a Tupperware container with a paper towel under and on top of them. This locks in the moisture without making them soggy. I made these muffins on Sunday evening and they are still good on Wednesday afternoon!

Check out the official recipe below and happy cooking!

Princess K, out!

Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins!

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used Truvia instead of real sugar)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strawberry blended yogurt (about two single servings)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I used Vanilla)
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

 Directions

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup (3 1/2" to 4" diameter) muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. COMBINE the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. WHISK together the eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, butter, and almond extract in a medium bowl.
4. FOLD the egg mixture into the flour mixture, until just mixed. Gently fold in the frozen berries.
5. SPOON into the muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strawberry blended yogurt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

Directions

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup (3 1/2" to 4" diameter) muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. COMBINE the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. WHISK together the eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, butter, and almond extract in a medium bowl.
4. FOLD the egg mixture into the flour mixture, until just mixed. Gently fold in the frozen berries.
5. SPOON into the muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Nutritional Facts per serving (this is from following the recipe above with no substitutions; my muffins were about 100 calories each since I substituted Truvia for real sugar)

CALORIES	183.4 CAL
FAT	5.1 G
SATURATED FAT	2.9 G
SODIUM	249.3 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	30.1 G
TOTAL SUGARS	12.8 G
DIETARY FIBER	1 G
PROTEIN	4.3 G

Fitness Princess: The Wedding Dress Challenge

Welcome back to the blog!

I usually post crafting/sewing things on Tuesdays but unfortunately my machine is in the shop.

Sadness (especially since it is a brand new machine!).

So, instead of crafting, today I am going to update about a new fitness challenge I am undertaking.

THE REDBOOK WEDDING DRESS CHALLENGE!

You know, Redbook? The magazine?

Yeah, like that! I have never read Redbook magazine so this fitness challenge came to me via Pinterest. (PIN IT!)

Now, I have been losing weight little-by-little this year. Mostly, I have been watching what I eat and hitting the treadmill during my lunch break. I have also completed two juice fasts, courtesy of Joe Cross of Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. (It's a documentary on Netflix. Be sure to check it out!)

The Wedding Dress Challenge is a twelve week program that consists of three 15-minutes workouts (that change each week), a nutrition guide, and a weekly "Fit List," which is a varying list of fitness tasks to complete that week. The timing of this works well for me because I am actually planning to shop for my wedding dress in 12 weeks! (Crazy!)

I will be completing each workout on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while also continuing my treadmill exercises Monday thru Thursday. I have already been keeping track of my nutrition with my planner and will continue to do so.

If you are interested in reading more about the Wedding Dress Challenge head over to this site.

Week 1 Workout and Fit List: here.
Here is also the Nutrition Planner they provide:

I am not a fan of counting calories since that could make me fall back into my bad practice of "negative body image". My suggestion is to eat more veggies and fruits than you have been (odds are you haven't been eating enough of them!) and to cut out those "bad" carbs (like white bread and rice.) Try to substitute with whole grains.

Make sure to write down or log all your food! If it goes in your mouth, you jot it down. When I started to write down everything I was eating, it made me more accountable to what was going in my body. Too much fast food, not enough real food.  I like to use good, old fashioned pen and paper but there are a number of apps available for your smart phone or tablet (and some are free!)Find what works for you!

I will be updating on Tuesdays every week and also posting my own improvements. (Crafting/Sewing posts will move to Fridays.)

Feel free to post comments on your own fitness challenges or even if you want to undertake the Wedding Dress Challenge yourself!

Princess K, out!

 

52 Questions: #7

Welcome Back!

Last week was a bit of a downer with all the crazy-ness going on. First, Robin Williams dies and then all the madness in Ferguson, MO?! And even more stuff was going down last night (but that is a post for another day.)

Anyway, it's Monday and we all know what that means. 52 Questions Post!

Here we go with number 7!

Question #7: What kind of hardships or tragedies did your family experience while you were growing up?

.....well, so much for that "happy-go-lucky" feeling today, eh?

Ok, so hardships/tragedies....I am really not a good example of the "hard-knock life." I have heard stories of my parents having issues when I was very, very young (think baby-in-arms young) but I do not recall any of them personally.

My parents have dealt with: bankruptcy, employment issues, stalkers (that one story is rather frightening!), family issues, etc.

Gee.....this post just kinda sucks. :(

Leave a comment if you read this!

Princess K, out!