ricotta pancakes

Now here's a yummy breakfast! Not the healthiest, but sometimes you have to splurge. I have to admit, I didn't separate the eggs and fluff the egg whites--partially because I'm lazy when it comes to that, and partially because I was in a hurry making these before work this morning (they still turned out delicious).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup flour (I used organic whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 T organic sugar
• 3/4 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 3 eggs, divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a bowl mix the dry ingredients, in another the wet ones. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Combine ingredients from both bowls and whisk in a small amount of the egg whites. Blend it gently and add the rest. 

Cook on a griddle, and serve with fresh fruit. 

Bon appetite! 

Recipe from What Should I Eat For Breakfast?

apple dijon bison burger

Here is another delicious healthy recipe from the Caveman that is super easy to make. I made it for dinner last night, and used bison instead of regular ground beef. 

Bon appetite! 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb grass-fed beef
• 1/2 cup shredded apple
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg

1. Place all the above ingredients except the egg in a bowl and mix well

2. Form 3 burgers, and grill

3. Fry an egg to place on each burger, and serve (I usually serve my burgers on lettuce)

zucchini & beef burgers

I'm always trying to find ways to eat more veggies and incorporate them into more of my meals. If you're like me (or more likely to have kids like me), and don't care for zucchini this is a great way to sneak in some veggies.

• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 lb organic grass fed ground beef
• Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
• Mix in a bowl, and make patties
• Grill in a pan (bbq might be a little hard as they don't hold together tightly)

I added grilled onions and avocado, and served on a bed of lettuce

Bon appetite!

diy coffee scrub

The caffeine in coffee grounds is supposedly a cellulite fighting agent. So this morning I decided to recycle some of my grounds and make a body scrub. If you don't mind the smell of coffee filling your bathroom, give this a try (warning: it's messy)!

• Grounds from a full pot of coffee
• A few tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
• A few tablespoons of organic white sugar (the organic is not as refined as regular white sugar so it makes for a better scrub ingredient)
• Mix together in a container 
• Scrub away!

I have no clue if this actually works as an anti-cellulite scrub, but it makes your skin nice and smooth after regardless. 

If you don't want the mess (or don't trust my recipe), this is a great alternative from Amber's Organics: Organic Dark Chocolate with Coffee Anti-Cellulite Body Scrub 

never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don't want to press your luck

zucchini & bacon breakfast casserole

Last night, I made this super quick, easy, yummy, and healthy breakfast casserole. I baked it then divided into individual tupperware to be able to easily heat up for breakfasts the next couple of mornings. If you want it baked fresh in the morning, I'm sure it would be fine to make the night before and refrigerate it to save time. Either way, it's delicious. Plus you can pretty much add anything you have around the house, and you won't mess up the recipe.

Bon Appetite!

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups cooked meat (I just used 6 slices of organic nitrate free bacon)
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1 onion, diced
• garlic to taste
• 8 eggs
• 2 tablespoons basil

I added a serrano chili to give it a little kick

Process:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Saute your onions and garlic (and serrano chili if you add it) until your onions start to caramelize
3. In your mixing bowl, combine eggs, cooked meat, shredded zucchini, and basil
4. Once mixed, add your sauteed onions and garlic and mix well
5. Grease your 9x13" baking dish
6. Pour mixture into your baking dish and place in preheated oven for 30 min or until cooked through
7. Top with salsa or more bacon, or serve as is! 

Recipe from Civilized Caveman Cooking

small spaces

How do you stay organized and sane in a small space while still keeping your place trendy and "you"?

Throw everything away! Ok maybe not everything, but go through your piles, closets, and drawers and get rid of anything you haven't used in the past year (including clothes and shoes. Yes, I said shoes!). Remember, toiletries do expire so don't forget to clean out those bathroom cupboards. 

OFFICE

Real Simple magazine has great tips on organizing:

1. Mail

2. Home Office

3. More Home Office

BEDROOM & CLOSET

And some closet tips from Real Simple magazine:

12 Secrets of the Closet Pros

LIVING ROOM (& DINING ROOM)

We all have those open book shelves, and who ever knows hot to arrange things on them? 

Real Simple, once again to the rescue with tips on how to keep your book shelves clutter free! 

KITCHEN

(Yes, it's more than just putting the dishes away...somewhere)

Some Real Simple kitchen organization tips

BATHROOM

And the final tip from Real Simple: 

The Medicine Cabinet Makeover

not much else matters

how do you work it out?

Anyone who knows me, knows I have workout A.D.D...big time. I get hooked on a gym or into one fitness craze for a month or two, then find something new I love. I'm not much of a gym rat--I'd rather be outside running, surfing, or biking. But I do love workout classes and specialty gyms.

One of my favorites was the month I bought at a spin studio in Studio City called Lotus Kitty Yoga & Power Cycling. Another amazing workout is Krav Maga, which I did for a couple of months at one of their worldwide gyms in Sherman Oaks. The warm up alone was killer, and the workouts toned my arms and core and built up my upper body strength more than anything had in a very long time.

I know everyone is really into CrossFit right now. I've done it a few times, and have a number of obsessed friends who do it. I think there are a lot of great principles to it and some excellent workouts, but I don't think it is for everyone (just like any workout regime). I just bought an unlimited month at Focus Self-Defense and Fitness in Culver City. I like that they offer a range of classes including Krav Maga, CrossFit, Self Defense, & Cardio. I personally think offering more than just one type of workout keeps people interested, plus is great for your body.

The key to sticking with a workout is finding something you enjoy doing--otherwise you just won't continue to go. In my case, it's not that I don't enjoy almost all workouts, it's that I like them all and want to try everything! Find your passion, and I guarantee you'll stick with it and see results.

A great way to be able to try out different workouts and see what works for you is through Groupon and LivingSocial. You save a bunch of money, and it allows you to test the studios and teachers before fully committing to any kind of membership or contract.

sarah lee photography

life

live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air

ralph waldo emerson

Photo: Matt Allen Photography