defining someday

Summer Tomato, Hummus and Olive Tapanade Crostini (Vegan, Sugar Free)

Danielle — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:08:13 +0000

This little number is good at attracting a crowd of supporters at a party. It is quick to make and the ingredients are all fresh and healthy. It has an unusual combination of hummus and tapenade, for which you can find the recipes here and here (respectively). Ingredients

2 baguettes
1/2 cup cherry red tomatoes
1/2 cup yellow grape tomatoes
Hummus
Olive Tapenade

Directions Slice the bagettues into 1 inch discs and spread into an even layer on a baking sheet . . .

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If…

Danielle — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:21:27 +0000

Here is a poem that is well-loved in our house. IF…..

IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; If you can think – and not . . .

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10 Great Skills You Can Teach Yourself

Danielle — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:52:40 +0000

If you have ever wished you could cook, paint, play an instrument, or have better nunchuck skills, then I have the perfect article for you.

LifeHacker has done it again, created a megawatt post with an impressive amount of references for the Top 10 Highly Desired Skills You Can Teach Yourself.

10. Repair Almost Anything

9. Learn to Paint or Illustrate

8. Defend Yourself 7. Improve Your Design Skills

6. Learn a New Subject

5. Build and Hack Hardware

Head on over to LifeHacker to . . .

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Whole Wheat Low-Fat Banana Bread (Vegan)

Danielle — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:21:38 +0000

Here is a banana bread recipe I like because it uses very little sugar, it is low fat, and of course, it is vegan. I adapted this from the Veganomicon cookbook.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 large or 3 small very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp molasses
1/2 cup chocolate chips . . .

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Weights vs. Cardio for Burning Fat

Danielle — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:20:16 +0000

Love the Livestrong site for exercise info and routines. This article sets the record straight – weight lifting is better for burning fat than cardio.

…your body adapts to any stress placed on it. Over time, the work required to, say, run a 5K will decrease as your fitness improves. Diminishing returns kicks in…

With weights, on the other hand, you can stave off this effect by varying your exercises to keep your body guessing. You can change things up by adding resistance, decreasing rest . . .

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Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Danielle — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:09:20 +0000

I found this simple recipe for making your own hand sanitizer. It looks easy and uses everyday ingredients.

Ingredients

1/3 cup of aloe Vera gel
2/3 cup of 99% rubbing alcohol
8-10 drops of essential oil (such as vanilla, lavender, grapefruit, peppermint, etc.)
One small mixing bowl and spoon
Recycled liquid soap bottle
Funnel

Directions

Measure all ingredients into a bowl and stir. Use a funnel to transfer the mixture into a recycled soap bottle.

Olive Tapenade

Danielle — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:01:44 +0000

Olive tapenade classes up almost any foodie event by bringing appetizers and hors d’ouevres up a notch. But anyone can go into a delicatessan and overpay for a tiny jar of the olive gold. Making it yourself raises eyebrows, and it is way easier than you would think.

Ingredients

1 can pitted black kalamata olives
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper . . .

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Committing to a Routine

Danielle — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:19:02 +0000

LiveStrong has some simple good advice over here on how to commit to a routine. What do you think, does this work for you?

1. Set Reasonable Goals

2. Chart Your Progress

3. Schedule Set Times for Exercise

4. Don’t Over Do It

Simple enough, right? For me it’s the charting of progress that seems to keep me committed, because I just can’t bear to skip a line on my tracking document.

Review: The Best Headphones for Running

Danielle — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:56:31 +0000

If you’re a runner you probably have two items of workout gear that take a serious beating: your running shoes, and your headphones. Headphones need to be almost weightless, withstand a good deal of sweat, and stay put to keep you motivated.

Gizmodo has done a great review of some of the top headphones for running (or any aerobic workout really).

Here’s the method:

In order to be considered, the products had to be earbuds, not headphones. Sure, you can get better audio fidelity with larger, over-the-ear phones, but they’re . . .

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Vegetable Frittata for Brunch

Danielle — Sun, 13 May 2012 09:48:10 +0000

When we host a brunch party, Frank’s amazing whole wheat waffles are usually the focal point. At our latest one, I made this vegetable frittata with what I had on hand (good way to use up all the vegetables in the fridge) and it turned out to be a great hit.

Ingredients

1 small onion
1 small head broccoli
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 each red, yellow, green pepper
1/2 large aubergine/eggplant
10 large eggs
1 cup . . .

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