New Year, New You

As much as I pray, wish, beg, or think that I can be fit without working out it's never going to happen. I workout four days a week, sometimes five and I am finally starting to feel confident with my body. For those of you that are going to use your New Year's resolution to get fit, do it. And I don't mean do it half-assed for two months and stop, I mean make a schedule, find classes that you like and stick to it. Get your butt out the door and go to the gym.

I have to take fitness classes or I won't have a good workout. I like someone telling me what to do and working out with other people. That may not be for you. You may like being on your own schedule, but if you haven't tried at least one fitness class just try it once. BodyPump is a great class for learning how to lift and any stepping class is a great cardio workout. Each gym offers something different so call or go online and find out what yours offers.

Sometimes I don't post the healthiest of recipes on this blog, but for the most part I try to. The philosophy behind Eat. Live. Splurge. remains the same, it's okay to indulge a bit every now and then as long as you lead a healthy lifestyle to the best of your ability.

Psst... The New Year may be a good time to try out this 3-day juice cleanse.

Lime Pear Cocktail

While cooking Christmas Eve dinner, my cousin made us these delicious cocktails that were super easy to make and I almost had a few too many. The recipe is simple and you don't need to be a fancy bartender to make one. There's still time to celebrate this weekend before all the holiday spirit is gone and don't forget New Year's Eve! Try this drink for your next gathering and you'll totally love it.

Ingredients

2 oz pear juice

2 oz ginger ale

1.5 oz Jack Daniels Whiskey

Lime slice

Christmas 2013

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Judging by the Valentine's Day cards already on display at Target, Christmas is over. We still have New Year's people! Let's savor the holidays a little longer. I'm still going to eat Christmas cookies until they're all gone.

I had such a fun time celebrating Christmas this year. J and I went to Philly last weekend for a holiday party with friends and we also got to see the decorations all over the city. We celebrated Christmas together on Sunday because we were apart for Christmas so we went to see the train display at the local fire station which was so great, as usual. One of the gifts J gave me was this amazing succulent display he made and I'm obsessed with it. Now the test is to not kill them. On Christmas Eve, my family and I celebrated at my aunt's house in DC and then Christmas day was spent at my house where I (as usual) did all the cooking. My parents even got me a pink KitchenAid stand mixer and I'm so excited to share tons of new recipes with you all!

How did you spend the holidays? Share with me!

Asparagus & Gruyere Tart

Need an easy appetizer for the holidays? This is it. With buttery dough and cheese you can't go wrong. Gruyere cheese can definitely be a bit expensive so some good alternatives are Jarlsberg and Fontina. The holidays to me are all about celebrating family and friends and eating good food. Soon I'll share how I've been celebrating the holidays! 

Want to make a dessert for the holidays instead of an appetizer? Try these White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. J and I have been eating them nonstop. Oops.

Ingredients
Frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 cups Gruyere cheese

1 pound asparagus spears

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. 
2. Flour your work space. Roll the thawed puff pastry into a 16 by 10 inch rectangle. 
3. Place the pastry on a baking sheet and with a fork pierce the dough all over, but leave a 1 inch border. Bake for 15 minutes until golden. 
4. Sprinkle pastry with cheese and place the asparagus in a single layer on top. Brush with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Bake for 25 minutes until the asparagus is tender. Serve immediately.

Quinoa Stuffed Red Pepper

I know we've all been doing a lot of indulging lately and this weekend will probably be no different. Don't forget to make good choices! It's definitely hard this time of year, but we do not have to compromise health for the holidays. This recipe is delicious and packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. It's really easy to make and I've raved about quinoa here before. If you really don't like quinoa or it's too expensive, brown rice would also work really well in this dish.

Side note: Make sure you're keeping up with your work outs! Don't put it off until the new year. You'll feel better and be able to splurge a little more on Christmas.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup sweet corn

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup Mexican blend cheese (or whatever shredded cheese you have on hand)

1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Salt

Pepper

3 large red bell peppers, seeded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion, and chili powder, salt and pepper.
3. Fill each red bell pepper with the mixture. 
4. Place peppers in a cupcake tin so that they don't fall over (I'm a genius!). 
5. Bake until the peppers are tender about 25 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Today is my office holiday party! Last night I made this amazing cookies that are far better than I expected them to be. I went for a different cookie recipe this year (generally I stick to Peppermint Chocolate Sandwich cookies that are also to die for) and I'm happy I did. These are almost like a sugar cookie, but the peppermint flavor reminds me even more of the holidays. Christmas is right around the corner and these are perfect cookies to bake for any holiday festivities.

You can find the recipe here. I adapted it by using Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips instead of the candy canes and M&Ms and they came out so delicious with the same peppermint flavor!

Last Minute Gifts

This is the Target edition. If you're looking for something last minute for under $20 you can find some great gifts at Target. In addition to the gifts below, you can find low priced jewelry, candles, and other small home decor items that are perfect for hostess gifts or white elephant gift exchanges.

Find these gifts online:

1. Double Old-Fashioned Tumbler Cheers - $5
2. Beaded Infinity Scarf - $20
3. Frames & Display Boxes
4. Beaded Coffee Mug Set of 4 - $14
5. Wood "JOY" Candle Holder Set - $12
6. Noel Sequin Oblong Pillow - $20

Stove Top Applesauce

Considering that I got my wisdom teeth out on Friday - this post is appropriate. I made a big batch of homemade applesauce to help get me through the "wisdom teeth diet." At this point I'm pretty sick of soft foods and I can't wait until I can eat real food again. Sigh. Getting my wisdom teeth out is really hindering my Christmas shopping abilities and indulging before the holidays. I'm going to have to get creative with my Christmas treats.

Ingredients
3 lbs apples (I used Gala)
1/2 cup apple juice
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, for 25 minutes. 
2. Let cool a bit, add to a blender and puree until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Sparkling Cranberry Punch

Whether you're finished with finals or just want a drink this weekend you have to try this punch! It is so delicious and it's only 80 calories per drink. Done. Get rid of your leftover cranberries as a garnish for this drink.

Ingredients
1/2 can Diet Sparkling Cranberry
2 oz Crystal Light Pink Lemonade (made from powder)
1.5 oz Bacardi Rum
Fresh cranberries

Honey Butter Popcorn

Around finals I'm always craving whatever snack I can get my hands on. Popcorn is one of my go to snacks because it's a whole grain and easy to eat while studying. I had some leftover Cranberry Honey Butter from Thanksgiving (it lasts for forever) and thought, "Hey! I can make my own version of sweet and salty kettle corn." Yum. It takes about 3 minutes to transform plain popcorn into the perfect study snack. If you want to get fancy you can make your own popcorn, but it's totally fine to use the kind that comes in a bag.

Ingredients

1 plain popcorn bag

2 tablespoons Cranberry Honey Butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Pop a bag of popcorn according to directions. Dump into a large bowl. 
2. Melt butter in a microwave safe dish for 30 seconds or until melted and drizzle over the popcorn. 
3. Add sea salt and toss to combine. Enjoy!

Winter Moisturizer

'Tis the season for dry skin. Fortunately, I love my moisturizer and I rarely have any issues with dryness. It is so important to take care of your skin and have a favorite moisturizer. Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer is my go to. Every day after I shower I put this on and I don't have to worry about my face feeling dry. At night I use Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser to cleanse and then I put a dab of moisturizer on again before I go to bed. Once a week I like to use a peel for good measure. I use the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive that I discovered from Birchbox. The peel is quick and I can always find time to do it at some point in the week. If you don't have a skin routine then you need to get to it and make yourself one. Don't regret it later!

Hot Chocolate Mix

Making homemade hot chocolate mix is so much better than store bought. You can make is so much more decadent and you can make a big batch to keep all winter. This mix is one of my favorites. Add some chocolate chips, extra marshmallows, peppermint, or even a little Bailey's to change it up throughout the season.

Ingredients
3 cups powdered milk
1 cup powdered coffee creamer
1 cup Nestle Nesquick powdered chocolate milk mix
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 box instant chocolate pudding mix
Marshmallows

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except for the marshmallows) together with a whisk. Store the mixture in an airtight container. 
2. To make hot chocolate use 1/3 cup of mix with 1 cup of water.

DIY: Santa Ornament

This weekend I was invited to an ornament exchange event. It got me thinking about what kinds of cute and easy homemade ornaments I could make. This adorable Santa ornament is the perfect addition to any Christmas tree. I haven't decorated yet (oops), but hopefully this weekend I'll get a chance to in between studying. I really like the "ribbon" I used for this ornament that I found at Michael's. It's not actually ribbon, but it reminds me of Santa's beard. If you have kids around they can help you stuff the ornaments once they've been painted. I seriously love the holidays. Check back for more little homemade gifts!

What you need:

1. Clear glass ornament
2. Red paper crinkle or beads
3. Festive ribbon
4. Black paint
5. Yellow or gold paint
6. Black glitter

Instructions

Remove the top silver part of the ornament. Paint a gold buckle in the center of the ornament, let dry. Paint a black stripe all the way around the ornament connecting at the buckle, let dry. Paint another layer of black paint over the stripe and add black glitter before the paint drys. Warning: black glitter gets everywhere. Once dry stuff the ornament with red paper, add the top back on, and tie a ribbon to the top.

Tip: To let the paint dry without it getting everywhere place the ornament upside down. It should stand on its own because the silver top is off!

Sweet Potato Casserole

My grandmother liked to call this recipe Mallow-Whipt Sweet Potatoes, but I always just refer to it as a Sweet Potato Casserole. Some people prefer not to have marshmallows with their sweet potatoes except in my family we have to have them. Thanksgiving may be over, but this is still a delicious sweet potato dish and Christmas dinner is right around the corner! You can use fresh sweet potatoes for this dish if you would prefer - about 6 medium size, cut up, cooked, and mashed. Sorry for the awful picture... I was a little occupied cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Anyways, this dish is sweet with a touch of cinnamon so it's perfect for the winter season.

Ingredients
2 17 oz cans sweet potatoes, drained, mashed
2 cups marshmallows
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together sweet potatoes, 1 cup marshmallows, margarine, orange juice, and cinnamon. 
3. Spoon into one quart casserole dish. Bake 20 minutes. 
4. Sprinkle with remaining marshmallows and broil until lightly browned about 1 minutes. Be careful not to burn the marshmallows!

Thanksgiving Break

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! J and I had a great time in Pennsylvania on Wednesday night and the first half of Thanksgiving. Then we made the trip back to Maryland to enjoy another Thanksgiving dinner. Yum. Friday was filled with shopping and checking things off my Christmas gift list. On Saturday, J and I made the spontaneous decision to go see Brett Eldredge at the 9:30 Club in DC and it was one of the best decisions ever. He was amazing live! The Railers also played and we met them after the show. Thanksgiving break was so much fun and obviously I have so much catching up to do now. Oops.