Tag: #ConnecticutBlogger

My Clean Living Life – Part IV

I am a super proud Colon Cancer Survivor(since August of 2011) so eating “clean” is an essential part of my life.   I’m also Lactose Intolerant so I’m ever mindful of making the right food and beverage choices.

Here are just some of the products I find make it easier for me to lead a dairy-free life:

I eat cereal every morning so milk is a major part of my diet.  Before I even realized I was Lactose Intolerant I had already made the switch from whole milk to 2% milk and then finally to 1% milk so switching over to Almond Breeze Almondmilk (Original and Unsweetened) plant based milk suits me just fine.

I love love love cheese so I was super excited when I found out I could still have cheddar cheese, a personal fave, as well as any of the “hard” cheeses as they are easier to digest than the “soft” cheeses and therefore do not upset my stomach.  For cheddar cheese, I prefer the CABOT brand…

When it comes to yogurt there are so many options today but I tend to gravitate towards Yoplait lactose free yogurt as it just tastes better than most of the other dairy-free brands flooding the market.

I used to love to slap a dollop of whipped creme on top of my pie or cake during the holidays.  Instead of using whipped creme, try this simple recipe to make your own dairy -free version:

 

  • Use one can of full-fat coconut milk (Thai Kitchen organic Coconut Milk is a good brand to use)
  • Plus one tablespoon of  local honey for sweetener (optional)

Whisk the two ingredients together for up to 4 minutes and you’re good to go!

 

During the dog days of Summer (which is honestly the only time I think of ice cream) one of my fave dairy-free choices is Breyers Lactose Free Natural Vanilla as it’s simply delicious.

 

 

If you are a salad lover like me, scratch the heavy blue cheese or ranch dressings (or other milk-based dressings) and switch over to the lighter Balsamic Vinaigrette (Wish Bone makes a tasty version…)

Delish salad!

 

And finally,  I’m an avid snacker so I found that Hummus easily takes the place of  creme (“soft”) cheese, it is way better for you plus it tastes good too!  Sabra Classic Hummus (or its many equally delicious varieties) makes a healthy satisfying dip whether you’re snacking on raw veggies, crackers, pretzels, and/or baked chips.  Yummy!

 

So whether you are Lactose intolerant like me or not, Bon Appetit!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

 

F is for Festivals!

Today is Friday, September 22nd, or as my good friend and News 8 Chief Meteorologist Gil Simmons would say,  it is the “Autumnal Equinox.”   Fancy!  And really just another way of saying Fall (smile).   Fall in Connecticut means it’s that time when folks can truly enjoy festivals, fairs, carnivals and outdoor expos.

Speaking of festivals, on Saturday, September 16th I had the distinct pleasure of attending the 10th annual Garlic Festival at Olde Mistick Village in Mystic, CT.

Free admission and free parking so I expected it was going to be crazy busy and I was  so-ooooooo right…

 

 

I must admit I’ve always had a fondness  for Mystic…you see I grew up in Groton, CT (right next door to Mystic) so I spent a lot of time in that town (especially while in high school) visiting friends, eating Mystic Pizza, working after school at the ABC Film Lab, hanging out at “The Village,” as we called Olde Mistick Village back in the day,  walking downtown during the annual Mystic Arts and Crafts Fair, chilling out at the Marina, visiting the Seaport, watching my sister Casandra conduct tours during her kick a– Summer job at the Mystic Aquarium, etc…

So I was looking forward to spending time at The Village once again, albeit now through the eyes of my middle-aged old self (smile).

On that particular Saturday, as luck would have it, the weather was sunny and delightful – – perfect for walking around and enjoying the sights and sounds.

 

 

Folks (couples, singles, families, dogs, and babies) came from all over Connecticut and beyond.

 

 

 

One of the first things I did was head over to the duck pond.  I was not disappointed…

 

 

Sampled the wide varieties of olive oil and artisanal honey at Sticky Situations, which was jam-packed with folk!

 

 

Bought a souvenir gift from Sophia’s Magical Christmas Shop.

 

 

Hung out at Franklin’s General Store for free samples of delish fudge and the experience of a trip back in time…

 

Spent time at Garden Store Specialties to check out the whimsical gifts for the lawn and garden.

 

 

Even made time for lunch with my client Joyce at my new fave, Pink Basil…delish!

 

 

Enjoyed a ‘cold one’ at Jealous Monk, a social hall and beer garden.

 

 

Garlic galore!  You cannot get away from it – which is of course the whole point (smile).

 

 

You don’t even need to like the taste of garlic to attend this annual festival as there is truly something for everyone.   There’s live entertainment, farm fresh goodies, specialty food carts, vendors, crafters, artists and even authors.  And it all takes place at the coolest Village in Connecticut!

 

Enjoy the season!

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL

 

 

LJ: Stronger than before…

I just came back from a week-long vacation in Lewes, Delaware so I haven’t been to the gym in a minute and being the active girl that I am, one of the first places I hit was the Edge Fitness Club in Hamden.

At Edge Fitness Clubs I am a member of Edge Strong which is a “team training” program led by the personal trainers.  Edge Strong consists of 5 different types of hourly workouts guaranteed to get you the results you are looking for:   Foundation, Strength, Burn, Speciality and Exclusive.   I work out religiously Monday through Friday in the Edge Strong “Early Bird” workout classes which begin at either 530am or 6am depending on the week day.   I like working out with a team as it helps to keep me motivated and I also like that the workouts are led by Personal Trainers because these trainers tend to keep you from slacking off or not pushing yourself to your true fitness ability.

As it turns out, it’s Labor Day today and like Memorial Day in Connecticut, which signals the unofficial start of Summer, Labor Day signals the unofficial start of Fall.   By this I mean we still have some days left in the month that will feel like Summer (temperature wise) but the early mornings and late nights will start to get a bit nippy…

 

At the gym, I like to warm up on the machines before class actually begins:

 

 

But after just ONE WEEK OFF FROM THE GYM(!) this is more how I start:

 

 

However, there’s still hope as by week’s end, LJ, as I am known in the gym, gets her groove back:

 

And before you know it, I’m back in gym shape and ready to face the challenges of the day (smile).

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

Count Your Blessings…

I can’t believe it’s August already which means that Summer is almost over, Boo!  To add insult to injury, the changeable weather in Connecticut has me feeling kinda blah…If you too are finding yourself feeling some kinda way and are looking for solutions,  here’s my list of ways to shake it off (smile).

First things first, Count Your Blessings.   I’ve been known to throw a pity party and not invite anyone but myself and that never ends well.   The quickest solution is to start counting my blessings no matter how large or small.  Works like a charm…

 

 

Take a Mental Health Day – sometimes you just need to forget about work and take the day off, strictly for the purpose of resting and relaxing your mind…

 

 

Get organized  – Declutter – Put things back where they belong – sometimes just getting organized takes a load off your mind and makes you feel accomplished (smile).

 

Surround yourself with positive people.   Life is too short to be made miserable by another person(s).  You can truly ‘do bad all by yourself’ as mama used to say (smile).

Listen to music that you absolutely love – the 70s is my Go-To decade so you’ll find me listening to one or more of the following musical genres:  Soul, Rock, Pop, R & B or Disco.  It instantly puts me in a good mood.

 

 

This is not necessarily going to be easy but try turning off the desktop, the laptop, the cell phone, the iPad, etc.,  for even a few half hours  at a time.  You’ll be amazed at how good you feel.

 

 

Read a book by your favorite author or grab a self-help book.  Either one will do the trick.

 

 

Take a power nap – quick, short naps not only rejuvenate you but they improve your mood, alertness and performance.

 

 

Exercise for life – make working out a part of your daily life – not a dreaded thing to do.   Whether you belong to a gym, or work out at home, it’s one of the best ways to stay in shape, be healthy, combat stress, reduce fatigue and improve your sleep.

 

 

Get involved in a sport that you have not played in years.  I used to be able to jump rope for hours at a time as a child so trying it again recently brought back some fond memories.

 

 

Play with pets –  whether they are your own, your friends or your neighbors  – pets can easily bring a smile to your face and make your worries go away.

 

 

And finally, Count Your Blessings, again…if you have a sound mind, good health, family, faith, friends and work, you’re already ahead in the Game of Life.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

My Clean Living Life, Part III

This has got to be one, if not the, hardest times of the year for a striving-to-be-clean girl like me (smile).

 

It doesn’t help that I live in New England where its bitter cold outside  at 5am in the morning when I wake up to go to the gym.

 

 

And, to add insult to injury, good and un-healthy food greets me everywhere I turn, making it harder and harder for me to make  the right food choices…Between office day and night parties, get-togethers with friends, family gatherings, pre-holiday dinners, after-work happy hours and the like, I almost feel like throwing in the towel and biting into that lovely red velvet cupcake!

 

 

And eating clean?!?   What a joke?!?   Not with all of these yummy, unhealthy but delicious snacks surrounding me…

 

 

But then this tiny little nagging voice of reason shakes me, wakes me up and tells me to maintain control because if I keep giving in to food temptation, it’s going to be that much harder come January 2nd…

 

So…I take a deep breath and remind myself of the little things that I have done in the past to counteract the decadence.   Here are just a few tips that I have used successfully:

 

  • Drink lots of water (not only is it filling but it also cleans out toxins)
  • Eat slowly and take small bites
  • At parties, eat out of tiny dinner plates 
  • Try not do two things at once (like eat and talk on the phone) as you will lose track of your portions
  • And finally, drink one large (10 ounces or more) glass of ice water for every alcoholic drink consumed

 

The holidays are truly a whirlwind of fun, good food, good drinks and activity but if you try to keep track of what you eat and drink daily and not give in to every temptation out there you can get through them with minimal damage and celebrate the post New Year in style!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL