Life Lately

Wedding season with my love, (Washington, Connecticut). Wearing probably my absolute favorite dress to date - splurge on this one you guys, you will not regret it.

Kind of healthy, yet not really, gluten-free cheesecake. I mean, how healthy can cheesecake (made with cream cheese) really get?! I used the real stuff too (organic of course). Recipe here.

Not sure why this hollow back handstand pose is SO DARN HARD for me, but I'm getting there! Practice practice practice.

Finally made it out to Sunday in Brooklyn for Nick's birthday. Incredible menu, full of light, healthy, delicious small plates. Highly recommend  the chicken drumsticks (SO good), and the super unique craft cocktails ("Champagne Problems" specifically, because it has beets, mint, and is so delicious).

I had the opportunity to spend 4th of July at the most incredible house I've probably ever stayed at. I spent the weekend in this pool, getting some much needed vitamin D, and explored the town of Amaganssett (which I'm entirely obsessed with now - so cute!). 

I've been on a huge matcha kick these past few months and have finally gotten to a point where I can make a great one at home. It's become my daily morning routine. I originally purchased Sunfood matcha, but it just wasn't the kind I love in a drink (its the type that would work better with baking). So a couple weeks ago, I finally splurged on some real, true, matcha. Yes, it's pricey, but it's much cheaper than going and buying a $5 latte every day! Stay tuned for a post on how I make my matcha lattes soon!

One more shot of this dress, because it really is that good.

Cutest shop in Amaganssett - I wanted all the baskets! I can't remember the name, but it was on the right hand side as you're just entering town.

I couldn't get enough of this bathroom, which was in the house we rented while in Washington, CT for the wedding. Goals.

Meat sauce is on repeat in our household. Warming, hearty, healthy, and delicious, it's the perfect meal (and we always have leftovers for the next day). Throw it over some zucchini noodles for a lighter dish in the summer! Recipe here.

One of my favorite views of NYC.

Slightly obsessed with all the Beautycounter products I just stocked up on, this mask being one of them. It brightens, firms, lifts, and gives my face this fresh and clean glow in 10 minutes flat. To top it off, it's non-toxic and full of natural ingredients. But then again, I wouldn't let anything else touch my skin, would I?

I've just recently started putting brazil nuts in my smoothies. Did you know that only one a day gives you 100% of your daily intake of selenium?! Pretty cool, and a very easy way to get it in.

Blackberry Cheesecake with Gluten-free Crust

I've been on a sweets kick lately. I feel like all the blog posts I have lined up are for cookies, cakes, sweet treats, etc. I mean, that's not the worst thing in the world though, is it? I guess I'll try to sneak something a little different in there to mix it up though maybe.

Today's recipe is a new one for me. I'm the kind of person that likes to stick to things that involve chocolate, but for some reason, cheesecake was calling my name (that and I had fresh blackberries in my fridge that had to be used up). It's a pretty simple and quick recipe too, and deliciously rich so it'll make enough to last you weeks. I froze half of mine to save for later which worked out nicely.

You can use any fruit you'd like but this recipe does work best with berries - raspberries or blueberries would be a great substitute, and the lemon in this cheesecake gives it the perfect tart kick that cuts the sweetness a bit. I did sneak in a few superfoods, like chia seeds, gelatin, coconut oil, and of course the lemon juice I just mentioned, so you can't feel too guilty snacking on this delicious treat. Recipe below!

Ingredients:

Crust

• 2 cups of old fashioned oats
• 3 tablespoons room temperature coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons almond or cashew milk
• 1 cup pitted medjool dates
• 1/4 cup chia seeds

Filling

• 2 8 oz containers of organic cream cheese
• 6 oz fresh blackberries (or other type of berries)
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons, juiced)
• 1 tbsp gelatin powder

Directions:

1. Line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place the oats in the food process and process until finely chopped up. Add remaining crust ingredients and process until well mixed.
3. Press the crust down into the pan firmly until well packed. It's easiest to use your fingers to make sure it's even across the entire pan.
4. Once the crust is removed from the food processor, add the blackberries and process until pureed.
5. Place the gelatin and lemon juice in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until well dissolved and the mixture is warm (do not let it boil!). 
6. In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese and honey together. I used a hand mixer, which is kind of required, since this mixture is so thick.
7. Add the lemon juice/gelatin mixture to the cream cheese and mix well. Lastly, fold in the pureed blackberries to create a marble like effect.
8. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and place in the fridge to let it firm up. You can also place in the freezer for about an hour to make this happen quicker.

*adapted from EatGoodForLife

As always, you can find most of these ingredients on Thrive Market, which is where I usually order them, since you get such a huge discount. Would love to hear feedback about how this turned out in the comments below! xoxo

Protein Packed Pasta with Pesto Chicken

I'm a big fan of comfort food, especially cheesy, chewy, delicious pasta. I used to live on Kraft mac and cheese as a kid (anyone with me!?), but after reading about the scary stuff they put in their pasta and "cheese sauce", I wouldn't touch that stuff with a 10 foot pole. At this point, I've pretty much cut mac and cheese out of my diet, although I do treat myself sometimes, just with a better version if possible. 

Enter Al Dente pasta (and no this is not a sponsored post, I am just utterly obsessed with this pasta, which you will find out why shortly). This WHOLE time I've been fooled into thinking that rice or quinoa pasta was the way to go if you wanted to make gluten free pasta. Well I was freaking dead wrong! Now, I've tried almost every type of gluten free pasta at this point, from rice, to quinoa, to black bean, to chickpea, to lentil based pastas. The favorite (until now), was Tolerant red lentil pasta. Don't get me wrong, that stuff is also good, but Al Dente just tops everything I've tried, and here's why.

You know how the gluten free pastas usually are a little hard? Or gritty? Or weird flavored? Or slimy and too mushy (if you over cook them even for a second)? The texture of Al Dente is just AMAZING. It's a little bit chewy and not at all grainy, and the flavor is just so good. They also offer a few different flavors, including spinach, garlic parsley, and pure & simple. The pasta takes about 5 minutes max to cook and holds its shape, even for leftovers. No mushiness or random hard pieces here! It is made from white bean and rice flour (surprisingly), which gives it a great amount of protein and fiber. I'll admit, it's not as "pure" as the Tolerant brand, or the Trader Joes black bean pasta that only has one ingredient, but if you want to treat yourself to some yummy comfort food that you won't feel guilty about, I'd recommend this brand.

I decided to go with the spinach noodles this time around, but I did just order the 3-pack off Amazon to try other flavors next time. I topped mine with some homemade pesto (recipe coming soon!), grilled chicken, and a tiny bit of organic mozzarella cheese. DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Al Dente pasta
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2-3/4 cup pesto (you can buy, or I made mine homemade - recipe coming soon!)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the bag.
2. Grease a pan with some type of animal fat (I use Epic), butter or olive oil. I prefer the fat because it makes the chicken more tasty and crispier.
3. Rinse off the chicken breasts and pound them a bit with a tenderizer to make them more tender. Season with spices, salt and pepper, and place in a pan over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until center is cooked through.
4. Once the pasta is finished, drain and rinse with cold water. Add the pesto and mozzarella cheese and mix thoroughly. Dice up the cooked chicken breast and add to the pasta. 
5. Enjoy!

I'd also recommend ordering your pasta off Thrive, although they don't carry my Al Dente brand. Everything on their site is 30-40% off, so you if you're feeling experimental, you can grab the Tolerant pasta, black bean pasta, chickpea pasta and more at a major discount! And if you sign up today, you receive 25% off your first order and free shipping. It's SO worth it, trust me. xo

I'd also recommend ordering your pasta off Thrive, although they don't carry my Al Dente brand. Everything on their site is 30-40% off, so you if you're feeling experimental, you can grab the Tolerant pasta, black bean pasta, chickpea pasta and more at a major discount! If you sign up today, you'll receive 25% off and free shipping! Sign up here.