Healthy Happy and Free

Hey, Friday, nice to see you again!  You know what that means - time for a Friday Finds roundup!  Paleo Puffs Paleo Puffs - These puffed snacks are a new product from the Lesser Evil brand. I was so intrigued by these snacks that I splurged and bought a bag of the No Cheese Cheesiness flavor. The texture was slightly different than an ordinary cheese puff but I really liked them! They are made from Cassava, Coconut, and Sweet Potato so they are allergy friendly!  Misfit Ray - I actually won a giveaway for a Misfit Ray fitness tracker! I was so excited! The setup was super easy and I love that it tracks my sleep. It has options to remind you to move, to alert you to phone calls, and it's waterproof! The only downside I've seen is that the batteries are not recharging so they will need to be replaced. I love the sleek design! I've tried other fitness trackers but this is my favorite so far! Clio Snacks - These bars are described as greek yogur...

I think it's safe to say most everyone reaches for a quick, convenient snack from time to time. It's almost unavoidable in many people's busy lives. But what if we could have a convenient snack bar that is made with real foods? DNX (Daily Nutrition) bars were created by CEO, John Rooney, after embarking on a health and fitness journey. He soon realized that bars and convenient snack options often had a long list of unidentifiable ingredients. He sought to make a nutritious, satisfying, and delicious bar. DNX bars are made with grass fed beef, bison, and free range chicken along with organic fruits and veggies for a wholesome, protein packed, and nutritious bar. They come in a wide variety of flavors: Peri Peri Style Chicken, Mexican Style Beef, Grass Fed Beef Sweet Potato Pecan, Grass Fed Beef Dark Cacao Cherry Coconut, Grass Fed Beef Fennel Sweet Potato, and Grass Fed Bison Jamaican Style. Peri Peri Chicken I first tried the Peri Peri Style Chicken bar. I thoug...

It's small. It's dark.  It shows you the worst reflection of yourself.  The dreaded, the feared, the fitting room.  Okay, I may have been a bit dramatic but it's true the fitting room can be almost nightmarish at times. Who chooses their lighting? Seriously, I can see every mustache hair in there lol! So how can you enjoy the fun of shopping without dreading the fitting room? Don't shop while bloated. Now I'm not saying you have to be your leanest ever but if you're facing temporary gastrointestinal distress, now is probably not the best time to shop.  Remember numbers mean nothing! If you normally wear a 6, but this 6 is too tight, don't get upset! Brands have even admitted that they having clothing produced by different manufacturer's within the same brand, therefore resulting in inconsistent sizing . Numbers. mean. nothing.  Change your language. Don't allow yourself to use words like "fat", "ugly",...

June 21 marks the first official day of summer! It's finally here! Summer 2k18 is going to be the best yet, right? Right. Set your intentions Be grateful  Be kind Live in the moment! (aka put down the phone!) Soak up the sun Love your sweat! I will definitely be breaking a sweat, but that's okay! I have learned to love my sweat. I work hard and play hard - no shame in that. However, the sun and sweat can be hard on your skin (breakouts, eek). I have been loving Fre Skincare's 123 Skincare set for skin that sweats. My skin feels awesome and I've been getting minimal breakouts despite sweating basically every day.  In honor of Fre day, I'll tell you a little more about their skincare line. 1. Protect Me is an ultralight moisturizer with SPF 30. It shields your skin from the damaging effects of sweat and environmental conditions. It is hypoallergenic and non-comodogenic so it won't clog your pores! 2. Purify Me is a hydrating facial cleanse...

The idea of vegan cheese kinda weirds me out. #sorrynotsorry However, I love to experiment and try new things. I saw a product online that was a vegan nacho cheese style dip and it intrigued me! After looking at the ingredients, I took to the interwebs. I found a recipe that I slightly adapted and I was blown away! I used it to top some homemade Air Fryer french fries and added some Buy Ranch Direct bacon on top! To. Die. For. Is there a punishment for putting bacon on vegan cheese? Oops lol! Ingredients: 1 cup peeled and cubed white potato  1 carrot, peeled and chopped 2 tbsp green chiles  1 tsp garlic salt 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1 tbsp coconut avocado oil blend  1/4 cup almond milk  1/4 tsp cayenne pepper pinch of crushed red pepper Directions: Bring water to a boil. Add in potato and carrot and reduce heat. Cook until tender.  Drain and cool slightly.  Puree the potato and carrot in a high powered blen...

Raw raw raw aw aw. Go raw ooh la la. (Anyone get the Lady Gaga reference? Oops, couldn't help myself!) What does Go Raw mean? Why should I "go raw"? Go Raw is a company that makes nutritious snacks from "real food", "junk free food"! This means their products are: organic plant based superfoods non-GMO gluten free dairy free vegan soy free nut free So this extensive list of accolades means that most anyone can enjoy them despite dietary preference, illness or allergy. Another bonus is that sprouted nuts can be more easily digested and the nutrients are more easily absorbed. Winning! But how do these junk free snacks measure in a taste test? I first tried the Go Raw! Chocolate. Obviously I reached for the chocolate first. The chocolate squares are individually wrapped and made with only two ingredients: organic cacao and agave nectar! They're only 32 calories per square. The texture was super soft and melt-in-your mouth wit...

If the gut is the second brain, it's about time we take care of our gut health!  No wonder, then, "probiotic" continues to be a buzz term in the health and wellness community! Here's my favorite way to get probiotics in - in fact I look forward to them! Blueberry Lifeway Kefir on a Bagel Lifeway - This a brand with a mission; a mission to make probiotic, nutricious foods, improve the health of their customers and have fun along the way! I'm on board with that! They make kefir, skyr, and now a probiotic elixir! How fun! My favorite is the blueberry kefir cup! They blueberries are so fresh and delicious tasting - they perfectly balance the tartness of the kefir. Lifeway products contain 15-20 billion CFU of live and active kefir cultures per cup! How's that for a probiotic punch? They are sold at my local grocery store - find out where they are sold near you:  http://lifewaykefir.com/where-to-buy/   Farm and Oven Bakery Bites - Yes, these guys...

Did you know June is National Fruit and Vegetable month? It seems like there is a national food day, week, or month every day, week and month but that doesn't mean I'm not celebrating! Any day is a good day to celebrate. So, I'm fully on board with trying to increase my fresh fruit and vegetable intake and I think many people would agree. I think it's a lot easier to get in fresh fruit. It's grab and go, sweet and refreshing - perfect for the summer heat that's finally here. Vegetables on the other hand... Some people turn up their nose at the thought of eating vegetables. Six servings in one day? Why, that's just unfathomable. Right? Wrong! 1. Vegetables can be delicious - it sometimes takes a little more elbow grease in the way of preparation compared to fruit, but they really can be tasty! 2. Sneak the things in! When you're lacking, sneak them in! 3. Make veggies fun! Cece's Veggie Noodle Company makes fun, prepped veggie noodl...

Where does the time go? Seriously? It's June already?! That means a few things: it's hot, the daylight lasts longer, and the China Grove Main Street Challenge 5k!  This is a 5k, flat, there and back course that is conveniently in my town! My mom and I love to do this race because the entry fee is very reasonable, the post-run food is amazing (pizza, doughnuts, watermelon, and more!), and the prizes are great too!  Photo by Aaron Cress from facebook.com/chinagrove5k I was dealing with stress fracture earlier in the year, then I went to Europe for a month while still rehabbing and I was back two weeks before the race. I was a little nervous! I don't know why my mom and I always get pre-race jitters even for these little 5K races. Anyone else? I also started a personal challenge to cut out energy drinks so I brought a caffeinated water (???) and it had a really weird aftertaste so I didn't drink it. Note to self: stick to coffee.  It started raining ...