Health | Girl Meets Life | a lifestyle blog by Gracie Gordon

#LEAN14: cheesy buffalo chicken dip.

12 February, 2014 by Gracie 11 Comments

Something I wanted to make really clear when I introduced LEAN in 2014 is that it’s not a specific plan – it’s open to every dietary preference, level of fitness, walk of life, etc.

So this one…this is for my low-carbers.

When I try to cut back on carbs, it’s really important to make recipes/meals that don’t make me feel at all deprived. That’s why this is recipe is not Paleo/primal – if I’m going to decrease carbs I at least need cheese!

And oh, is there cheese.

recipe from Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

ingredients:

2 cups of shredded chicken (I followed this guide to poach/shred chicken)
8 ounces of regular cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of ranch dressing
1/2 cup hot sauce
6 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese *

* you could use bleu cheese instead if you prefer it, or even 1/2 cheddar 1/2 bleu.

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the cream cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, and cheese. Then add the chicken and combine well. Transfer to a (8 inch) baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes.

If you’re low-carbing it, serve with steamed broccoli, celery, or over a salad. If not, use your favorite chips or crackers for dipping.

…or you could be really classy like me and just eat it straight out of a bowl.

(Once you taste this, you’ll probably do the same.)

Whether I’m watching my carbs or not, I’m personally always a fan of using real, full fats. But if you’re watching your calorie/fat intake, here’s a lower fat version of this recipe.

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Do you ever watch your carb intake? What are your thoughts on eating low carb?

#LEAN14: 5 tips for a perfect smoothie.

11 February, 2014 by Gracie 15 Comments

Over the past couple of months I went from being “eh” about smoothies to drinking at least one every day. To me, smoothies are the best way to get the health benefits of fruits and vegetables while also being, fast, easy, and delicious.

The perfect smoothie, though, requires a few simple techniques that can make all the difference in the world. Here are my 5 tips for a perfect smoothie.

1. if you’re going to use greens, don’t overdo it.

This is the number one mistake I see people do - they assume “the more greens, the better.” While that may be true health-wise, your smoothie is going to taste like crap. If you actually want to enjoy your smoothies and keep up with drinking them, keep the greens to about 1 cup. If you want to cover up the flavor of the greens all together (I always do), add at least 1/2 of a banana to the mix.

2. use a FROZEN banana (and/or berries).

On that same note, I always have at least 1/2 of a frozen banana in my smoothies. Bananas (and berries) add great flavor, but when you use them frozen it makes your smoothie thicker, creamer, and more filling.

3. use almond or coconut milk.

I prefer milk over water as the liquid in my smoothies, but I’ve found that a lighter milk works better to blend everything together without being overbearing. I’m not a fan of skim milk (AKA foggy water), but almond milk and coconut milk are light, creamy, and add great flavor.

4. use a good blender.

For a long time I thought I didn’t like smoothies, but the main reason I wasn’t enjoying them is because I was using a weak smoothie maker. Texture and consistency are KEY when it comes to a tasty smoothie. I’m a huge fan of my NutriBullet and highly recommend it. I’ve also heard great things about VitaMix (although that’s much pricier).

What I love most about the NutriBullet is it doesn’t just blend – it adds air to the smoothie, which makes it creamy and fluffy – almost like a milkshake.

5. keep it simple.

Another reason I didn’t used to love smoothies is because I was overdoing it with the components I added. You’d think that all fruit tastes good when blended together, but that’s not always the case. Now I highlight whatever flavor I’m going for (tropical, banana, berries, dessert-ish), never using more than 2-3 different fruit combinations.

For example, here are my two favorite go-to smoothies:

Simple Morning Energy Smoothie

1 cup spinach or kale
1 frozen banana
handful frozen berries
1 cup almond milk
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
2-3 ice cubes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana “Dessert” Smoothie

1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 cup almond milk
2-3 ice cubes

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How often do you drink smoothies? What’s your go-to smoothie recipe?

#LEAN14: how to not hate vegetables.

24 January, 2014 by Gracie 15 Comments

I must pat myself on the back for doing really well with regularly eating tons of vegetables so far this year. I’m really planning on keeping it as a habit throughout Lean in 2014.

My “secret” to doing so is pretty simple – I’ve learned how to make vegetables taste as good as possible. And I’m not just talking about salads (because – let’s be real – you can make anything good by covering it in salad dressing).

In the past I would just force myself to eat veggies in any form because I knew it was good for me, but that never lasted. So instead of making vegetables just bearable, I’ve realized what a difference it makes to have vegetables taste delicious - something I actually want to eat!

Here are my 5 tips for making vegetables tasty (and not hate eating them).

1. roast them.

Roasting vegetables is hands down my favorite way to cook them. Here’s a great guide to roasting vegetables:

My favorite roasted vegetable is definitely butternut squash with a bit of salt and cinnamon. It gets all caramelized and sweet!

2. add avocado.

I love adding avocado to just about everything. It adds great flavor, a buttery texture, and healthy fats. I actually prefer avocado over salad dressing – if you use a really ripe avocado you can mash it up into a “guacamole dressing” of sorts.

3. add butter.

Butter seems to have gotten a really bad rep, but I’m a huge fan of it. First of all, just a little bit of butter goes a LONG way and can add incredible flavor to vegetables. Secondly, I fall in the camp that believes saturated fat is not bad for you. Not to mention that fat helps your body absorb nutrients, and you want to get the most out of those veggies, right?

4. “pizza-fied.”

One of my favorite ways to enjoy vegetables is to PIZZAFY them. Simply add:

* marinara sauce
* Italian seasoning
* parmesan cheese

This works especially well with steamed greens, roasted broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spaghetti squash. Obviously this is no replacement for real pizza, but it’s still delicious!

5. in soup.

Most soups already have vegetables in them, but I like to take it up a notch by adding my favorite greens (spinach or kale) in the mix. I actually prefer chunky over thin/watery soup, so extra vegetables help bulk it up while adding nutrients at the same time.

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What’s your favorite way to eat vegetables?

a productive monday.

20 January, 2014 by Gracie 19 Comments

The other day I was chatting it up with Monica about blogging and picking her brain about what she likes/dislikes about blogs these days. She and I actually met inadvertently through GML, so I always like to hear her thoughts and advice.

One of the things Monica said she misses about blogs in general is the old school “day in the life” posts. I’ve definitely gotten away from them, mostly because I think who even cares? or that I should produce more “professional” content. But what Monica said really did make sense, especially considering I get a ton of email questions about what my daily routine looks like.

So, you asked…I’ll answer! I’m going to start giving more peeks into at what my daily routine(s) look like, which can really vary day by day.

So to follow up a lovely Saturday, here’s my productive Monday.

Mondays aren’t thee most exciting days for me, as they’re typically focused on getting a lot of work done and preparing for the week ahead. As always, I spend the first 45-60 minutes of my day reading, journaling, and praying.

Sometimes I’ll have time before work to go to the gym, but today I finished up some Speakable necklaces instead.

(For the new Valentine’s Collection, launching tomorrow!)

For breakfast I had a quick (and not photo-worthy) bowl of oatmeal with fruit before starting my “official” work day.

From 9-5 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays I work remotely for my dad’s real estate appraisal company doing office administration, client/appraiser relations, and some accounting.

On those days I’m usually in sweats or workout clothes. Today that looked like…trying to convince spring to come a few months early 😉

While I’m working I usually watch my favorite talk shows and catch up on blogging/social media here and there. Around lunch time I usually take a break to run errands or go to the gym, but today I spent about 30 minutes photographing the new Speakable collection.

Fineeee, I’ll give you a sneak peek!

(Be sure to check the Speakable website and Instagram tomorrow for the full collection!)

For lunch I made a salad of things I had leftover in the fridge, and it turned out to be delicious!

In a bowl combine 1 cup chickpeas, 1 cup chopped kale, 1 large ripe avocado (mashed), and salt & pepper to taste. The result is so tasty and really filling. Definitely a new favorite (and simple) meal of mine.

Throughout the day I also snack on roasted almonds, on a fancy paper towel.

I ended up finishing work 10 minutes early today so I could run to a jewelry supply store before it closed. That’s right – I’ve swapped shopping for clothes with shopping for…anti-tarnish lacquer.

When I got home I spent a few hours editing the new Speakable photos, and writing this post. I also made a dentist appointment, scheduled movers, and cleaned out my five email inboxes.

Finally, it was time to relax. I treated myself to Blossom Du Jour for dinner, then I kept things as girlie as possible by painting my nails and watching The Bachelor.

(I went with the 2nd and 4th ones – Nude topped with Gold Star)

At least this pic isn’t awkward at all…

And for a very #LEAN14 dessert, I took a lazy girl’s approach to PB Banana Bites. The coconut butter hiding under there is what takes this from a snack to a (quite rich) dessert.

So there you have it! My typical productive Monday.

What does your usual Monday routine look like? Anyone else have spring fever already?

noteworthy.

15 August, 2013 by Gracie 18 Comments

It’s Thursdayyyy. I like that. A lot.

This week has been a bit of a busy one so far, but a great one nonetheless. Here are some noteworthy moments I captured in the midst of the busy-ness.

I made Chocolate Toffee Bark for the first time for a little get-together on Tuesday. It had always been a favorite treat of mine, but I never made it myself. Who knew it was SO easy to make?! Just four ingredients.

Definitely a new go-to recipe.

The bark was definitely a hit, but not as much of a stunner as the incredible rooftop view as the sun set. New York City moment, right there…

That same day I also made a batch of Double Chocolate Chip Heath Bar Cookies as part of a gift for a certain someone. I used a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but added milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and Heath Bar pieces. They turned out great!

And since I’m all about balance over here at GML, I also made it a point to hit the gym every morning (can you tell by my barely open eyes? haha).

I think this whole exercise thing is finally turning into a habit - as is some better eating choices - like this healthy and filling noteworthy breakfast from Fuel.

(Just because I’m eating better, it doesn’t mean I’ve forgone my beloved Seamless ;))

And this Zing Bar I grabbed from Whole Foods. It’s very LARABAR-esque but with more protein. Loved it.

Definitely noteworthy this week has been the weather. We had some rain here and there, but yesterday in particular was a b-e-a-u-t. It made it the perfect day to run a ton of (mostly wedding-related) errands. From Tribeca, to Union Square, to Times Square, and everywhere in between…