Category — Shape Up

I’ve come to a disturbing realization: I drink way too much coffee.  I blame the office environment (because surely it can’t be me.)  Working in an office, you start to develop this Pavlovian reaction to the smell of coffee.  So much so that even when a pot of fresh coffee isn’t brewing, your mind plays tricks on you, it’s 3:00pm and you’re exhausted, and you could swear you smell coffee.  So you make a pot.  And have your third cup of the day.  Or when you’re out shopping, you make at least two visits to the mall’s Starbucks counter.  (In shopping’s defense, shopping can get really tiresome.)

So I’m trying to kick the habit.  Or at the very least, curb the addiction.  I’m at a quiet roar right now with a lame-o one cup of coffee in the morning.  And I still cheat, because who am I kidding, three glasses of iced tea at lunch packs plenty of caffeine.  But I’m trying to limit that too.  I swear I’m suffering in the office most of all.  The pots of coffee keep on getting brewed, and some days, I still go for cup number two.  All suggestions are welcome.  I love tea – but most of the teas I love are packed with caffeine (green and black tea).  And the idea of chamomile tea puts me to sleep just thinking of it (also, it reminds me of a spa, and since I’m generally nowhere near a spa, I’ll spare myself the wishful thinking).  I’m trying a box of decaf earl gray right now, but it’s not quite doing the trick.  I like Starbucks’ passionfruit tea – so good – and caffeine free – but I’m spoiled and only like it on ice (the green straw is not half bad either … I’m a straw slut), so that’s not always going to work.  Any thoughts or tips for kicking the caffeine habit (or tricking myself into thinking I’ve gotten my “fix”)?

Original Image via Cheetah is the New Black

I have been on the hunt for a recipe that I could seamlessly sneak greek yogurt into.  I should start by saying that I haven’t always been the biggest fan of greek yogurt, much less any yogurt really.  Still, I knew greek yogurt was packed with protein (or rather, a whole lot more than I normally eat), and I wanted to try it … by sneaking it into baked goods … duh.  I stumbled across Christin’s recipe for apple sour cream muffins, and I immediately thought of this little greek yogurt conversion chart I had seen on Pinterest, and I thought, “sour cream” … “greek yogurt” … “lightbulb!”  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m sure apple sour cream muffins are rich and delicious, but I just had to get that greek yogurt in.  I had to.  (You know when you get fixated on an ingredient and you just need to make something with it?  Last week it was brussels sprouts … I roasted my first ever brussels sprouts, and FYI: SO good.  So yeah, this week was greek yogurt.)

I should warn you that they’re not the prettiest of muffins, and though they taste healthy-ish, they’re subtly sweet (thanks to the honey), and the dough tastes like actual moist cake dough (unlike a lot of baked goods that attempt to change out more calorie-heavy ingredients for things like apple sauce, diet soda, and yogurt and wind up tasting … well, like imposter cake made with apple sauce).  I sprinkled a bit of coarse sugar on top of the second batch before baking because I knew hubby would pout over the “subtle sweetness”, but I was not giving up on my idea of a healthy-ish muffin. By the way, these are perfect for a quick breakfast on the go and hold up surprisingly well in the refrigerator for several days.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg (the recipe called for a 1/2 tablespoon, but I cut it back a bit)
¼cup peanut vegetable oil
1 ¼ cup greek yogurt (or you can use sour cream for a richer muffin)
¼ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 or 4 small apples – peeled and diced into cubes

Directions:

In one bowl, mix together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In another bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs, honey, and greek yogurt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and then fold in the chopped apples.  Don’t over-mix, just be sure to coat everything pretty evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

My grandmother has always had the softest skin and she moisturizes religiously. So for as long as I can remember, I’ve covered myself in lotion day and night. My husband jokes that I always smell like the beach and flowers – blame the SPF … and not a bad combination, I might add.

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Last week I posted a resolution check-in, all about living a healthier life.  My goal this year is to get in shape, eat healthier, take better care of myself, and most importantly, to keep it simple.  Though I love taking exercises classes, talking endlessly about diets and cleanses and the latest in health solutions, the truth is, it all can feel really overwhelming.  Water, vitamins, sleep, cooking with fresh ingredients, long walks, yoga – that’s my plan for a healthier new year.  And I want to know how you stay healthy?  What tips and tricks do you stick by to stay on the healthy track?  Do you cook every meal? Do you exercise daily?  Do you take your vitamins?

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Nature Made via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Nature Made.