Silkology: Mango Lassi

I love to entertain especially in the summer, however having a new baby doesn’t really allow me time to plan (or have) a dinner party but one can always dream. One of my dream summer dinner parties is to have an Bollywood themed party where I would serve up tasty Indian dishes while playing Bollywood themed music and we would all be sipping a mango lassi. Who wouldn’t love a creamy, refreshing (and dairy-free) mango lassi to go with their nicely spiced Indian meal?

How can you reinvent your favorite summertime gathering? Here are some great recipes using Silk over on their Silkology FB page.

Mango Lassi Recipe
3/4 cup Silk Original or Vanilla soymilk or almondmilk
1/2 cup diced ripe mango (about 1/2 mango)
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp honey (could sub agave or coconut nectar)
1/2 cup ice cubes
Mint leaves for garnish

In a blender, combine all ingredients until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Serve in a tall glass garnished with mint.

Feeling a little naughty? Add 1oz of bourbon to your mango lassi to make a tasty adults only version of this recipe.

Silk inspired me to think outside of the bowl with their new Silkology-inspired drink recipes. Tell me something new you want to try this summer when entertaining to win a Silkology prize package.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Crazy Sexy Cleanse: Day 1

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Well we are finishing up Day 1 of the Crazy Sexy Cleanse and so far things are going well. Neil struggled a little this morning without his normal coffee ritual and to be honest I could have used a cup myself but instead with both had a mug of Infuse Your Mood Tea, a lemon water with cayenne and a big green juice (makes one quart: one bunch dino kale, half bunch curly kale, one gala apple and half a mini melon.)

As part of the cleanse and my goal of getting back to my fitness Edie and I got out for a 30 minute walk this morning.  I pushed her in the BOB which added a little something extra to the walk- sheesh it is so much tougher to walk when you have to push around a stroller, a baby and a car seat!

After our walk and nursing session I was feeling hungry so I decided to have a few slices of millet bread with avocado, a sprinkle of sea salt and nutritional yeast.

Lunch consisted of leftover quinoa salad (quinoa, cherry tomatoes, parsley, green onions, cucumber and a homemade dijon-balsamic vinaigrette), a big glob of lemon dill hummus and leftover roasted veggies.  It was tasty but not too photogenic so I decided to nix the photo.

For an afternoon snack I had a fig COCOMOJOE bar which was absolutely delicious and I am quickly becoming addicted to all of the flavors!

Dinner was the highlight of the day- I made two recipes from Crazy Sexy Diet, the teriyaki tofu and the hemp cabbage salad.  I knew that the tofu would be good but I was skeptical about the salad and to my surprise it was actually really good and the perfect pairing with the tofu.

One day down 20 more to go!

Today on Naturally Family I talk about my first official day as a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom.

Crazy Sexy Diet: 21-Day Cleanse

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On August 9th Edie will be one month old and that means I’ll be one month postpartum.  Over the past month I have tired to continue to eat a healthy balanced diet but have found myself indulging in cookies and lots of glutenous foods.  I have been feeling tired out (which is partially because we have a newborn) and a little sluggish and I know that part of that is because I have been eating too much gluten and not enough raw veggies. So,  starting this Monday Neil and I are challenging ourselves to the Crazy Sexy Diet 21-Day Cleanse

“Carr lays out the fundamentals of her Crazy Sexy Diet: a low-fat, low-glycemic, vegetarian program that emphasizes balancing the pH of the body with lush whole foods, nourishing organic green drinks, and scrumptious smoothies.*”

In addition to following a low-gylcemic vegan diet filled with lots of raw meals, green juices and green smoothies Carr includes checklists, affirmations, tips and recipes to keep you on track. There are two levels of the plan 80/20 (80% alkaline foods to 20% acidic foods) or 60/40 depending on what you are looking to do. I really want to work at getting myself back to my pre-pregnancy shape so I plan to follow the 80/20 plan and Neil will be going for more of a 70/30.  I say 70/30 because he will not be giving up coffee for the cleanse as he is training for a half marathon right now and after over a year of trying to figure out what works well with his digestive system for morning runs he finally figured it out what works for him and would rather not try anything new (oh what does he do? He chugs back a glass of water and drinking a small black coffee an hour before running).

The reason I chose this cleanse is because it does not require you to follow a strict meal plan but rather a guide of what foods are alkalizing versus acidic and you are given a sample meal plan as well as a variety of recipes.  This cleanse works perfectly for a breastfeeding mama like myself. I also chose this cleanse because it embodies what I teach my clients that being healthy isn’t just about what you eat but about physically activity, spirituality and the whole self.

Goals:

  • Follow the 21 day plan as best I can- I know that at the end of the cleanse we are going camping so I might follow more of a 60/40 plan that weekend.
  • Try and create new recipes that are gluten free, soy free and high raw.
  • Have more green vegetable juices and smoothies.
  • See how my body digests without gluten- I know I have a minor intolerance but I am wondering if all the gluten (and beans- which I also plan to reduce) are what might be bothering Edie’s stomach and causing her to be so gassy.
  • Get myself back on track, back to a diet filled with whole grains, veggies and green juices.
  • I also hope to lose a little weight, increase my energy and improve my digestion.

My Plans:

I plan to start this cleanse on Monday and go for 21-days.  I will be documenting my eats, thoughts and reactions to the cleanse and post every few days (I’d like to say daily but with a baby who knows if that’s possible). I also plan on using this cleanse as an opportunity for Neil and I to do something together that doesn’t involve parenting.  I’d like for us to read over the affirmations and goals (that are part of the cleanse) each morning before he heads to work.

*(source)

Have you participated in the Crazy Sexy Diet 21-Day Cleanse? If yes, what did you think of it? If no, is it something you’re interested in trying?

Postpartum Update: 3 Weeks

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We are on our way to the four week and one month marks this coming week! I can’t believe how quickly time is passing! As a family we are still trying to figure things out but each day are learning.  We have been so lucky that Neil was able to take one week of paternity leave, one week of vacation and work from home the past two weeks; it has really helped the transition.  I am a little nervous for next week to come and be all by myself with Edie all day long but I know we’ll make it work.

Closest thing to a postpartum photo as we are going to get this week *exhausted*

How I Am Healing: I will be glad when this no longer has to be part of my postpartum update! I am doing really well though definitely feeling like I am making good progress. I am still a bit sore if I have been on my feet too much but it takes more to feel this way so I’d say that’s progress.

Activity: I have been much more active this past week going for longer walks – Edie and I did 2.5 miles the other day with her in the Boba for the first 1.5. I also have been doing a lot of plank, leg lifts and ab workouts this week. I am hoping to increase my walking distance/time and start doing some yoga at home this coming week.

Weight: No change. I did something I shouldn’t have too- I went through all the clothes I boxed up that didn’t fit me when I was pregnant.  Not to my surprise 98% of the items still don’t fit.  The frustrating part though is 90% of my maternity clothes are either winter or don’t fit and 95% of my non-maternity clothes don’t fit (I have a few pieces I didn’t box up that do fit).  I then went shopping to pick up a few summer items and well I ended up leaving the mall in tears. Now I know things are not going to change overnight but after a long day with Edie and being hot and over tired I really would have cried about anything.  Good news though I did go home and order a few new items online, unfortunately most of them are maternity but at least they will work for awhile and who doesn’t appreciate a pair of elastic waisted pants.

Breastfeeding: My favorite nursing bra–>Leading Lady Lace-Cup Wirefree Nursing Bra

Of all the nursing bras that I have this one fits the best, is the most comfortable and I absolutely love the lace on it.  This bra makes nursing bras looks sexy, which I think is important to remember- nursing bras don’t have to be ugly and frumpy!

 

 

If you haven’t stop over to our family blog, Naturally Family, then head over now and Meet The Family.  This week we have been Neil did a review of The Birthing Partner and we featured a number of posts in honor of World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month–> FFF:Breastfeeding Fashion, Let’s Talk Nursing Bras and about our Breastfeeding Class & What I Have Learned So Far.
 
We have also been featuring a photo of the day for our 365 days of photo project that you can check out here.
Interested in sponsoring on Naturally Family? Check out the details here.
You can also check us out on  Facebook and Twitter.

For more information about finding just the right nursing bra fit, breastfeeding tips & advice from Leading Lady’s lactation consultant, a downloadable breastfeeding handbook and our nursing blog, visit LeadingLady.com. 

Disclaimer: LeadingLady.com provided me with their product at no cost. I was under no obligation to review them if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway

 

Get Your Good Going With Blue Diamond Almonds

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Get Your Good Going

Since becoming a mom what gets my good going has changed a little bit since before Edie what got my good going were leisurely evenings out with Neil enjoying  great beers and wonderful food, spontaneous getaways, even overnight hikes, and training for races.   Now what gets my good going is:

spending time reading or basically doing anything with Edie

sharing evenings with my husband while (when) Edie (decides to) sleep

getting out for family walks

babywearing 

finding time to get in the kitchen and cook

preparing to get back to running and train for a 5k this fall

The mantra behind “Get Your Good Going” and Blue Diamond Almond’s latest sweepstakes on Facebook is:

We came together as a co-op. A co-op for good. Because when you start something good, it only gets better. Good is in every Blue Diamond Almond we grow. In every snack can and Breeze carton we sell. From Whole Natural to Smokehouse to Wasabi and Soy. From Original to Vanilla to Chocolate. It’s a catalyst. It’s contagious. It branches out into every aspect of our lives. Good is conquering a roller coaster, hanging ten with your nine-year old, hiking half-dome with your fiancée, singing your lungs out and whacking a piñata. Good is a wonderful feeling. A magical feeling. An inspirational feeling. And once it gets going, there’s no stopping what you can do. So grab a can or carton of good and Get Your Good Going.

Right now I get my good going by getting to know my new baby girl, finding time to be active and to do things that I love, spending time with my husband, and setting goals (like running my first postpartum 5k).

So now it’s your turn how do you get your good going?
Share below in the comments and then head over and share a photo for the theme of the week on the Blue Diamond Almonds Facebook page for a chance to win a prize pack, oh and get yourself a coupon just for participating!

*This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. All opinions are my own.