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Month : May 2016

Food Prep For A Busy Week | Snacks | Apples

by Deüx Bella

I love having healthy snacks ready to go. If they aren’t ready the urge, nay need, to grab something less than healthy is far greater!

As we mentioned in our Food Prep: 6 Simple Tips post, we mentioned that apples are one of those things that I like to have sliced and in the fridge. I eat them plain or sprinkle them with cinnamon. When I need a little protein boost, I dip them in peanut, almond, or walnut butter.

The fastest, easiest way to slice an apple.
I use an apple slicer to core and cut an entire apple into slices in one stroke-a great, inexpensive gadget that is available in many stores.

view on Amazon:

  • 8-slice apple corer/slicer — These bigger slices hold up better with thicker dips like peanut butter. Works great for no-mess slicing of caramel apples, too!
  • 16-slice apple corer/slicer — These thinner slices and great for easy snacking, lighter dipping, and party platters.

Trouble is, apples (and pears) oxidize and turn brown quickly after they’re sliced and exposed to air. Even though they still taste good, they’re just not very appealing that way. So, I’ve experimented with some ways to keep them from browning, and there are a number of effective methods. Here are eight different methods to choose from, depending on which ingredients you have on hand.

How to keep apple and pear slices from browning. Soak them in one of these solutions for 5 minutes. Citric acid is the key ingredient in most of these, because it helps prevent oxidization (browning).

1. Soak them in a bowl of cold lemon water. This is better than squeezing the lemon juice directly on the fruit, unless you don’t mind the fruit tasting really lemony. Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per 1 cup of water.

2. Soak them in a bowl of cold salt water. Not too much salt, or it affects the taste of the fruit. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water.

3. Soak them in a bowl of Sprite, 7-Up, or a similar lemon-lime, carbonated soda. (Note: Most soft drinks contains artificial ingredients and high-fructose corn syrup, so this isn’t the healthiest option…but it works.)

4. Soak them in a bowl with Fruit-Fresh (or citric acid powder) and cold water. Fruit Fresh is sold in stores with canning supplies. Use 1 teaspoon Fruit Fresh per 1 cup of water. view on Amazon: Fruit Fresh powder

5. Soak them in a bowl of honey water. Use 2 tablespoons of honey per 1 cup of water. This tip is from America’s Test Kitchen; you can watch their video here.

6. Soak them in a bowl of cold water mixed with a crushed chewable Vitamin C tablet. I used 1 crushed tablet per 1 cup of water.

7. Soak them in a bowl of apple cider and lemon juice. This is my favorite because the apple cider enhances the apple flavor while balancing/diluting the lemon juice. Use 1/2 cup apple cider per 1/4 cup lemon juice.

8. Soak them in pineapple juice or a combo of pineapple and lemon juice. I used 1 tablespoon lemon juice per cup of pineapple juice.

9. Soak them in plain carbonated water.

Next up on my wish list is the apple corer, peeler, slicer attachment for my Kitchenaid but there are cheaper options with a suction base that do some great things!

What are your favorite healthy snacks? Do you food prep?

 

XOXO~ M& D

 

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Food Prep For A Healthy, Happy Week

by Deüx Bella

Managing a full time job, travel, home and family, our website, community outreach, church, fitness, and finding time for our hobbies means we are all about productivity around here. One of the biggest pieces of this productivity is food prep and meal planning. This is key for managing a busy schedule, staying in budget and making healthy choices. KEY!

 

Seriously. People make fun of me a little because I could talk about once a month cooking, crockpot and/or freezer meals for days and somehow end up finding a way to bring them up in any conversation. Haha!

Friend: So I was wondering how to do gel liner but I think it will take too much time in the morning

Me: Oh no, it’s super easy and there are so many ways you can use it. Plus the staying power is amazing. It’s very quick once you learn it.

Friend: Well I just don’t have the extra time to learn.

Me: Oh, well if you just meal prep on Sunday it only takes an hour freeing up HOURS during the week that you can use to learn all sorts of new techniques.

Yep. See how I just slipped that in there? Too bad none of the MLMs out there are for meal prepping. 😉 haha!

If the thought of prepping food ahead of time overwhelms you, start small. You can ease into food prep by simply washing and chopping a few fruits and vegetables and hard boiled eggs to snack on. As it becomes more of a habit, try throwing some chicken or steak or both on the grill to eat throughout the week, cooking up a batch of brown rice or quinoa and making a big pot of soup or a casserole.

 

 

In the Make Over Your Evenings course Crystal even brings up food prep! Reaffirming my testimony of it’s greatness. You can read more about the program in our post here. So if you want to learn how to food prep but are feeling overwhelmed, here are 6 simple tips for beginners to help you get started.

Food Prep: 6 Simple Tips

  • Start with a plan.
    • Make a list of everything you want to prep for the week. Use your weekly menu if you have one or decide on basic staples that can be used in a variety of meals (like meat, beans, grains etc).
  • Multi-task.
    • The best way to ensure you get the most out of your allotted food prep time is to make sure you’re doing multiple things at once. You could, theoretically, have something in the crockpot, something in the oven, a couple things on the stove and be chopping vegetables on the counter all at once. This is where your list comes in handy! Think long term and start crockpot and oven items first. Since baking typically takes the longest, I always make sure I have something on-deck, ready to go into the oven when the previous thing comes out. Then I fill in the remaining time by working on the items on the stove, counter, etc.
  • Keep it simple.
    • Most leftovers are only safe in the fridge for 3-4 days, so don’t prep more food than you and your family can finish by Thursday if you’re doing your prep on Sundays. Remember that if you reach Tuesday or Wednesday and realize you have too much food you can always freeze a few things.
  • Double your regular recipes.
    • If you’re making something like soup, burgers or casserole, consider doubling the recipe and putting half in the freezer for later. It won’t be much extra work for you and it’s an easy way to make sure you have food on hand for busy weeks when you don’t have time to food prep.
  • Choose good tools!
    • Crockpots, rice cookers, steamers, high-quality blenders, and pressure cookers are your best friends. Get a few different cheap cutting boards and a really sharp knife or two. Using good tools will make things more efficient and less brain work.
  • Target your trouble times.
    • Think about what time of the day you struggle most with healthy eating. Do you have a tough time eating breakfast but usually do fairly well with dinner? Focus your prep time on making a few breakfast options ahead of time – I make breakfast muffins and sandwiches for my husband every 2-3 weeks and store some of them in Ziploc bags in the fridge and freezer so he can grab one on his way out the door. If you always make time for breakfast but find yourself snacking on crap in the middle of the day focus your prep on healthy snack options. Our go-to snacks include sliced apples with almond butter, quinoa bars, hard boiled eggs and baby bells. Don’t feel like you have to prep for every single meal of the day. Start with your trouble spots and then expand from there as you get more skilled and effective and food prep.

Remember that you don’t always have to prep entire meals. Look at your meal plan and prep some of the common denominators in various meals. Do several of the recipes you’re making this week include chicken? Why not make a rotisserie-style chicken in the crockpot?

When you have cooked quinoa, fish, and chicken in the fridge, along with some pre-washed and chopped fruits and veggies it suddenly becomes very easy to throw together some burrito bowls or make a big yummy salad! You could have dinner on the table in under 10 minutes with very little effort.

Each weekend, I make it a goal to head to the kitchen and do some Saturday or Sunday Food Prep. I am usually able to do an entire month of breakfast and dinner in a little over an hour! I am then able to just do snacks and any extra food prep needed based on our meal plan for that week.

This system has not only helped us stay in our budget, save time AND eat healthy, but because it takes the guess work out and has freed up our schedule, meal time is enjoyable and cooking is fun. My kids LOVE to help with meal prep and it is a fun scheduled family time of the week.

We are so passionate about this because what we eat has such a huge effect on our skin and overall health. So make sure to subscribe! We will be talking about some snack tips, menu ideas, freezer recipes, etc. coming up soon! What are your best tips or what would you love to see us cover in this area?

 

XOXO~ M&D

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Transform Your Wardrobe | Organization

by Deüx Bella

Organization is my love language. Seriously. Every part of it. Am I the only one who gets excited perusing The Container Store? Or Ikea with their small space functionality? Seriously. It’s better than chocolate!

I am not alone in this and because of that, there has been oodles of research going into organization. This research has found that when your environment is cluttered, the chaos restricts your ability to focus. The clutter also limits your brain’s ability to process information. Clutter makes you distracted and unable to process information as well as you do in an uncluttered, organized, and serene environment.

The clutter competes for your attention in the same way your toddler might stand next to you repeating, “mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy …” (anyone else ever been there)? Even though you might be able to focus a little, you’re still aware that a screaming toddler is also vying for your attention. The annoyance also wears down your mental resources and you’re more likely to become frustrated.

 

Organization Science

Back in 2010, the researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute published the results of a study where they used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other physiological measurement tools to map the brain’s responses to organized and disorganized stimuli and to monitor task performance. The conclusions were strong — if you want to focus to the best of your ability and process information as effectively as possible, you need to clear the clutter from your home and work environment. This research shows that you will be less irritable, more productive, distracted less often, and able to process information better with an uncluttered and organized home and office.

If you follow along with us on social media you know we are in the home buying/building season of life here on the blog! Deynece and her husband just closed on their home and we were given our estimated close date for the home we are building! Hooray!

Organization only works if it is functional so new homes make it necessary to re-evaluate your systems. Plus, one of the biggest pieces of advice I can offer after multiple cross country moves, is to prepare by purging what you can. It is certainly obnoxious to spend time, money, and space to move a box of crap. One that as you unpack it realize why did I bring this? We thought this would be the perfect time to re-organize our homes and lives and share the journey with you all.

Where To Begin

In the course Make Over Your Evenings, she urges you to dress for the day you want. This is not a new concept and there is research that suggests there is a strong link between wardrobe and emotional state. Combine this impact with the fact that this is an easy area to take control of so we are going to start with our wardrobe.

What if there were a FOOLPROOF way to declutter and organize your clothes? What if, as an amazing bonus, you were left with a wardrobe filled with only things that you LOVE? There is a way. It’s a new program, the Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life Wardrobe Bundle. It teaches you a simple, extremely effective and long-lasting technique for creating the wardrobe of your dreams.

Transform Your Home, Transform Your Wardrobe

 

With simple daily tasks (that take only 15 minutes ), you’ll totally make over your closet in 21 days or less. Even the busiest person can complete this program and feel awesome when they are done.

If you want to be able to tell at a glance exactly what is in your drawers! If you want to re-discover those hidden gems smashed at the back of your closet!

Don’t wait. Because for today and tomorrow only (May 25th and 26th, 2016), The Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life Wardrobe Bundle is on sale, but only for special people with the coupon code. Special people like our readers 🙂

Just use the code “transform16” at checkout for 20% off your purchase. Closet nirvana awaits! Go find out everything that is included in this amazing program! Click here for all the details!

We can’t wait to get to more organizing! What areas do you love to organize? What areas do you dread to organize? Suggestions for our next organization project?

XOXO~ M&D

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Red, White, & Blue! Perfect Memorial Day & 4th Of July Fashion

by Deüx Bella

**This post contains affiliate links and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links.

Can you believe Memorial Day is a week away? Before we know it, it will be the 4th of July! And MAN are there some cute red, white & blue pieces out there this year! It may seem a little early to worry about 4th of July Fashion but the 4th also happens to be my hubby’s birthday so I have already started party planning. Naturally, along with party planning, I have been looking for clothes to wear for said party. Priorities right? 😉

I was so excited to find out about an awesome sale of up to 40% off at ModCloth!

So after searching all thing Red, White, & Blue I CAN NOT decide what to wear. So I am turning to my online friends to find out what you think I should wear! Please help! 🙂

 

Here are the things I am loving! Anything popping out at you too?

Memorial Day & 4th of July Fashion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So it is definitely “Red, white, & ‘WOOHOO’ — with this Memorial Day sale at ModCloth! Not only does this sale take care of your Memorial Day plans but it also has you covered for 4th of July Fashion!

Up to 40% off ModCloth sale items
Start: Monday 5/23 @ 9am EST
End: Tuesday 5/31 @ 9 am EST http://www.modcloth.com/shop/sale

This is just a round up of items I am loving, check them out and see if there is anything you love and PLEASE let me know what you think would be perfect for 4th of July fashion and birthday party #whattowear! 🙂

XOXO~ M&D

 

P.S. We are beginning pre-sale for our Custom Skin Care Package! You can sign-up to be notified when it launches!

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BE Collection | Empowering Fashion

by Deüx Bella

 

While I was pregnant with my baby toddler (yikes, where did the time go) I read ALL the baby books. I am a researcher by nature so it was my “project” for 10 months. One well-known and probably well-meaning book urged the mom-to-be to find a quiet place each day and sit and dream about your babies future for 15 minutes or so. Think about all your hopes and dreams for this child’s future, where they will go in life, what they will accomplish, what they will be like, what they will like to do, what they will be when they grow up.

As well-meaning as this exercise probably was meant, I had a BIG problem with it. I think that is exactly the thinking that leads to a lot of heartache raising children. Because it isn’t your hopes and dreams that are important with this new life- it is THEIR hopes and dreams. THEIR life to live.

That being said, it caused a lot of introspection on my part. What ARE the hopes I have? The hopes I have for my children’s future are based on the unconditional love that I feel. Do I hope they are smart? Sure, but if they aren’t, that’s okay too. Do I hope they are active? Sure, we are an active family, but if they aren’t? That’s okay. Do I hope they are funny? Or ambitious? Or hard working? Or love to learn? Yes! But as I really thought about it, I quickly eliminated some typical hopes and dreams. I hope they find something they love to do, but they don’t need to pursue post grad school like their parents.

Most importantly I hope they are happy and Cinderella’s mother had the ticket when she said “have courage and be kind”. That little phrase sums up the hopes and dreams I have for my children, the rest they can fill in the blanks.

This little phrase from Cinderella reminds me of the words on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta. They were based on a work of writing originally published by Kent Keith.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

“Have courage and be kind”… When that movie came out, the whole thing really resonated with me. Sure I loved the magic and the ball gowns but it had so much more.

“Have courage and be kind”… These words seem to be the essence of what we love about Cinderella. Despite the way she is treated, she loves anyway. Despite the attempts by her stepmother and stepsisters to ruin her joy, she continues to find joy anyway. Her best is never good enough, but she gives it anyway.

This is a story about having the courage to overcome obstacles while still maintaining a true sense of self, innocence, and goodness within, without letting the darkness build walls within the heart. I believe what has stood the test of time in the story of Cinderella, and why it continues to attract audiences, is the idea that kindness conquers meanness and good wins out over evil. And, to go even deeper, maybe what speaks to the hearts of attendees is that there is an invitation waiting for all of us: inviting us to be authentically who we are called to be— beautiful examples of heroism, love, and kindness.

Cinderella teaches us to have courage and be kind. We shouldn’t do those things for the purpose of having people notice us, but rather because those are the things that make our humanity beautiful. Those are the things that draw people into goodness. At the end of the movie, we learn that the greatest risk is “to be seen as we truly are,” and Cinderella asks the handsome prince who has gone door to door in search for her, “Will you take me as I am?”

These words inspire me so much that I created some wall art to hang at my makeup table, which we posted about here. I hung it next to my mirror because more importantly than the makeup I put on my face, is carrying that message in my heart.

 

You can download your free printable below! We hope it inspires you to “Have Courage & Be Kind”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our friends at Cents Of Style have a beautiful “BE Series” and today it is HALF OFF!!! w/code BEYOU this includes FREE shipping!

Deynece wore her “Be Brave” shirt to the Abolitionist premiere, because that embodies the work they are doing!

 

Fashion Friday Story - Be Series Collection for 50% Off + FREE SHIPPING w/code BEYOU.

 

These pieces are so easy to wear and when you wear them you not only wear it for yourself, but you never know who will be watching and that message may speak to them.

 

 

Fashion Friday Story - Be Series Collection for 50% Off + FREE SHIPPING w/code BEYOU

So BE Inspired! Like Cinderella, we too can impact generations to come as we let the world be drawn into goodness through our courage and kindness. Doing so may cause us pain, we aren’t guaranteed the prince, and no one may even notice our generous actions, but like the poem written on Mother Teresa’s wall said, “In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

We may never get back what we give in goodness, but let us have courage and be kind—anyway!

What words inspire you? We would love to hear! Have a beautiful and inspired weekend!

XOXO~ M&D

 

 

 

 

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