Here I go again! After months of constantly eating out and cooking delicious (yet not so healthy meals) for my boyfriend I hopped on the scale last week and realized that it was time to cut back! I just had another birthday yesterday and it reminded me that the older I'm getting, the harder it is to bounce back after vacation or dating related weight gain.

Ever since I moved to LA I've dabbled in the art of clean eating and the more I did it the more I really liked it. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do so being able to create delicious and super healthy meals really excites me. Making meals totally from scratch is a bit more time consuming but it's all worth it and it gives me time to read or write while I'm waiting for things to get done.

I haven't done groceries in ages so it was nice to get a fresh start and not feel like I had tons of food that was going to go bad out of neglect. Before I really dove in to buying tons of food I started off with a 3 day cleanse that I've done with my cousin a few times. I always think that it's a great way to get my body prepared for what's to come and it gives me more time to properly plan my meals. Since I'm working full time and also planning on writing a ton starting this month I have to make sure that my meals are properly planned and prepped every day.

I'm really excited to get things going with this and I will of course document every step of the way. I'm going to try to not only make everything super tasty but also affordable. It's so easy to eat unhealthy because of how cheap it all is but luckily, here in SoCal, fruits and veggies won't break the bank. I'm also going to make use of my organic cilantro and basil that I've been growing as much as possible.

 My friend Jennifer (not to get confused with my cousin/co-writer Jenniffer) is doing 100 days of crafting starting today and suggested I join in on the fun. I've been a bit down lately so I'm taking her up on her offer to have 100 days of finding happiness. Creative cooking makes me happy, as does slimming down, so this is going to a be an interesting month and a nice fresh start to a new year on this planet.

Let the games begin!

Hello,  I'm Jen from Craftic and I'll be writing my very first guest post today!

Since Fall is around the corner, I thought it'd be fun to share what I'm planning on making these next few weeks before it gets chilly.

First up is the Knitted Neck Scarf by Martha Stewart.  It's a light alternative to a cowl and kinda perfect for the cooler months until it gets downright cold and you have to switch to something warmer.  The pattern is pretty easy to follow and this doesn't take much yarn at all.  You could definitely finish this over a weekend and have it ready as a gift in no time!


The next thing I'm planning to make is this super simple cowl.  I made up the pattern as I went for this one.  On size 10 needles, cast on 90 stitches and increase 2 stitches every 2 rows for 10 rows.  I prefer this structure since it's snug around the chin and then spreads out and sits well on the chest.  The pictured cowl is made from 2 yarns - one wool, one alpaca - knit together.  This is without a doubt incredibly cozy and warm.

Now that I'm back from vacation I need to drop the 13lbs I gained eating bagels, pizza and drinking tons of beer almost daily. My eating and workout plan began today with a 3 day liquid cleanse where Organic Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup by Pacific was my only none juice yet liquid meal.

A few months ago I was on a huge clean eating kick and wanted to make the most out of the items in my fridge. I was also working and hitting the gym a lot and didn't want to bother with preparing an involved meal that included lots of cleaning afterwards. Thanks to the wonders of frozen veggies I quickly whipped up this delicious meal that I have my family in NYC obsessing over. I've seriously made this more times than I can count in the short time that I've been here. This is a really easy side dish to make. I personally eat it as a main dish though because sometimes I can't be bothered with preparing and cleaning up after meat.

I'm becoming a massive cauliflower fan. It's such a great base that doesn't taste too horrible when it's a substitution for something carby or meaty and it's super healthy.  In honor of my love of hot sauce and the upcoming Superbowl I made some crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites.

Preparing this took about 15 minutes and eating it took about 20 seconds. Just kidding! I take a sip of water after each bite in order to trick myself into thinking I'm full.

Below is a quick rundown of the preparation process. This was my first attempt and I kind of overdid it with pouring the panko in but I wanted the flavor to stick in the cauliflower for when I poured the buffalo sauce. It was a spicy/crispy treat that is perfect for someone that wants to eat more veggies in a fun way.

First I mixed panko, water, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes and some parsley

my new favorite main ingredient

Then I tossed the florets in the mix and let sit for a bit before laying them out

While the mixture got a chance to set in I sprayed a baking pan with EVOO  then baked the cauliflower at 450 for 15 minutes

Then it was time to get saucy! After getting em all nice and crispy I added a mixture of hot sauce and melted butter then continued to bake.

Voila! 5 minutes in the oven with the buffalo mixture and done! Next time I make this I'll use prettier plates!

I served this with a bit of ranch dressing but I want to find a way to make cut down the fat and sodium by making my own hot sauce AND dipping sauce. I'll have to brainstorm.

Trying to live an unprocessed lifestyle does not make eating quick or easy. Last night I wanted to make my cauliflower pizza again and decided on trying the marinara sauce a bit different with a bit more basil and less time on the stove. I was able to prepare it in just 20 minutes without resorting to the canned tomatoes that almost every recipe I've found online calls for.

For the sauce I basically sautéed onions and garlic and then added diced tomatoes along with some that I mixed in my Magic Bullet with a little bit of water for a base. Then I added some fresh herbs and voila. In just 20 minutes I had a homemade sauce that was free of as much sodium as possible as well as extra chemicals.

sautéed garlic in onions

Chopped my tomatoes in a bowl in order to save their natural juices

All the ingredients ready to go. Fresh basil is key when making marinara sauce

The final product. Once it cooled down I mixed it in my Magic Bullet to make it a bit smoother and easier to spread on the pizza crust

The end result was a fresh sauce that allowed the flavors of all the ingredients to be savored instead of just a bland orange base that most canned sauces contain.  The complete recipe with step by step guides will be available very soon when I announce something exciting that I'm doing with two of my favorite people, my cousins Jenniffer and Doris.

In the meantime stay healthy and away from processed food as much as possible!