Category Archives: healthy belle

blanche it, belle…a quick tutorial for those summer veggies

04 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by in belle-icious, healthy belle, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

With all of those delicious summer vegetables still in full bloom, a belle needs to know how to get them to the table in a belle-icious snap. Sometimes the simplest preparation is the best, so we thought it might be wise to check up on our (and your) blanching skills.

Blanching (sometimes called par-boiling) is super simple and yields fresh, crisp, beautifully-colored veggies…and, bonus, blanched veggies will keep their color and texture (and belle-iciousness) in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months! So…when October rolls around, you can have a little taste of summer to remind you of the lazy days.

THE EASY DIRECTIONS:

20140826-193222-70342718.jpg

– wash and trim veggies
– fill a bowl with ice and water

20140826-193316-70396324.jpg

– bring a large pot of water to a boil
– add kosher salt until the water is about as salty as the Atlantic…or Pacific

20140826-193333-70413809.jpg

– boil the veggies until they are bright green (1-2 minutes will do)

20140826-193358-70438224.jpg

– using a slotted spoon or tongs, move veggies to the ice bath
(The ice bath stops the cooking and makes them super crisp)
– once cooled completely, drain and pat dry

20140826-193412-70452838.jpg

There you have it, belles…enjoy as a healthy, fresh meal accompaniment or as crudités…now and later!

you’re welcome
a&a

salsa, salsa, salsa…a trio of belle-iciousness…your friday friend-1-1

08 Friday Aug 2014

Posted by in belle-icious, healthy belle, what's ringin' our belle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

It’s no secret…belles are saucy gals. Salsas have long been in our repertoire and are staples in the fridge at any given time.

Of course, the obvious chips and salsa or the mandatory addition to any mexican fare are typical ways to go. But try and use a salsa or two with grilled meats (we’ve always had it with our steaks) or over eggs…with some sliced avocado perhaps. Full of flavor and virtually fat free, salsas are great ways to add a little zing to your meals without adding inches to your waist-line. Olé!!

We’ve picked three favorites:

This blender salsa is restaurant-style and lasts forever in the fridge. It is a great year-round option.

Easy Blender Salsa

From Mountain Mama Cooks

1- 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 10 oz can Rotel
1/2 a small onion chopped roughly
1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
1/2 -1 jalapeño seeded and chopped
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1 good handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Put all of the ingredients in a blender or good food processor and pulse to a fine chop. Adjust seasoning to taste.

20140801-123750-45470550.jpg

Via Pinterest

 

This next salsa comes from a belle-friend, Denise. She is a great cook and of Mexican heritage, so when she offered a lesson to show how she does her salsa, we jumped at the chance and took notes!

Tomatillo Salsa

2 pounds tomatillos husks removed and rinsed
3 jalapeños
4 garlic cloves
1 medium onion
2/3 cup cilantro
1 tsp salt
Juice from 1 lime

Avocado optional

20140806-094621-35181930.jpg

Place tomatillos and jalapeños on baking sheet. (Sometimes we will put half the onion on there too.) Roast @ 400 for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through so as to get an even char.

20140806-094622-35182523.jpg

Peel the garlic, rough chop
Chop onion roughly
Once roasted ingredients are done, peel some tomatillos of the blackened skin, leaving some. Add to food processor .
Peel and deseed peppers and add to processor
Add onion, garlic, any juices from roasting pan, cilantro and salt. Pulse to desired consistency.

This may require two batches depending on the size of your processor…just trying to save you a messy clean-up…just sayin’.

Finally, adjust seasoning and stir in some chopped avocado if desired. Enjoy!

20140806-094623-35183114.jpg

 

Another simple salsa that comes together quickly…

Pico de Gallo

2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
1/2-1 fresh jalapeño seed , finely chopped
Juice of I lime
Salt
Pepper
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro. Finely chopped

After chopping the tomatoes, we salt them. This brings out their flavor and gets the juice going a little bit.

Prepare the rest of your ingredients while the tomatoes “salt”

Combine all ingredients and allow to sit at least a couple of hours…making this in advance helps the flavors marry.

20140806-202559-73559395.jpg

Muy bueno!!

a&a

revisit those resolutions, belles…

30 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by in healthy belle

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

Ok…time for a mid-year check-in. Yes, believe it or not, as of midnight tonight, 2014 will be 6 months down, six months to go. Heavens to Betsy! Remember those resolutions you made back in January? How’s that workin’ out for ya?

20140609-090800.jpg

Now, we must admit…each year, by about January 31 (or before), we usually can’t remember whatever it was that we resolved to do in the heat of the moment as the ball dropped in Times Square just a few short weeks earlier. (Sound familiar? We thought so!). Well, we have discovered yet another “perk” of blogging…we now have a published record of all that we have shared with our fellow belles…including any advice that we might have given about diet and fitness (two MAJOR themes of the typical New Year’s resolutions, duh)

One such post had to do with the Fitbit fitness bands we started wearing at the beginning of the year.

fitbit

We were loving the friendly competition the bands had inspired in us and we were intrigued by the information we were suddenly able to gather about our bodies and fitness routines. And, guess what? We are still going strong! Our goal was to become AWARE…we wanted to know how many steps we got in a typical day, how far we could push ourselves (at the end of a 20,000 + step day, we are dragging!), how efficient our bodies are at burning calories, how restful (or not) our sleep is each night…

For example:
– It takes petite belle about 15 minutes to fall asleep…and once she’s out, she’s out!
– sadly, even on a very active day, we don’t burn as many calories as we thought…we now know that little treats are wonderful…we just can’t go overboard (good to know!)
– we have walked around 2 million steps and covered over 800 miles on foot since January

We now know all of this and more! Armed with all of this information…and being accountable to our Fitbit friends, we are ready to tackle the body changes that seem to come as we age (yes…belles DO age…they just try to do it as gracefully as possible).

So…you still have half of 2014 ahead, belles. It’s not too late to revisit that resolution and accomplish that goal!

20140609-090345.jpg

Go for it, belles!
a&a

 

cool as a cucumber…the summer fruit that beats the heat

19 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by in belle-icious, healthy belle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

The cucumber is one cool fruit…and, yes, we belles did some research on this whole “fruit” label. Although we have lived most of our lives referring to the cucumber as a vegetable, turns out, because it is the part of the plant that forms from the flower (and contains seeds), it fits the definition of a fruit. Who knew blogging could be so educational?!

Regardless of what we call it, the cucumber is one of our favorite and most belle-icious parts of summer! We have been known to enjoy it simply sliced with a touch of salt…or used as a sandwich filling with super-soft bread and a touch of mayo…but we have some other ideas for you belles that are almost as quick and easy with no need to heat up the kitchen! Do we hear summer supper belles ringing?

First, how about a cold, yet savory soup to get the evening started?

20140608-140608.jpg

Cucumber and Buttermilk Soup

– 2 medium cucumbers
– 1 cup buttermilk
– Handful of fresh herbs (we love cilantro, but mint is excellent as well)
– Juice of 1/2 lime
– Salt and pepper

20140614-172505.jpg

We use a VitaMix…so you might need to adjust depending on your appliance of choice. Simply wash and slice cucumbers, wash and slightly chop herbs. Place cucumber and herbs in VitaMix container. Pour buttermilk over top. Squeeze lime, and grind salt & pepper over all. Purée until smooth, chill, garnish with fresh herbs, enjoy! How easy is that?!

 

Next, one of our favorite salads…great with grilled chicken or lamb for dinner…excellent as a fresh, cold, leftover lunch the next day…

20140614-172603.jpg

Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad

2 cucumbers, thinly sliced

20140614-172526.jpg

2 c grape tomatoes, halved (or use your favorite summer-fresh tomato)
1/2 med small red onion

20140614-172540.jpg

4 oz crumbled feta

20140614-172551.jpg
Red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Combine all and drizzle with red wine vinegar…salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy now…and later!

And…how about a breakfast smoothie with cucumber as the base? 
Cucumber Breakfast Juice

20140614-174526.jpg
Simply pulse until smooth a cucumber, a peach, a dollop of Greek yogurt…and perhaps some fresh mint…and you have one cool start to your day!

Another juice option…
Cucumber, Tomato, and Mint

20140614-190342.jpg
Tastes like summer in a glass! Fresh!

Stay cool, belles!
a&a

okey d’okra…a fresh from the garden friday friend-1-1

16 Friday May 2014

Posted by in belle-icious, friday friend 1-1, healthy belle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

As summer approaches, we can’t help but think of fresh veggies and interesting (yet easy…who wants to spend all day in the kitchen!) ways to prepare them. Okra is one of our favorites at the moment.

Now, southern tradition dictates that the okra either be chopped, battered and fried, or stewed into slimy, gooey, over-cooked spears. Both of these options fall short of the main goal in eating your veggies in the first place…a typical southern folly…by taking something quite good-for-you and creating a southern-fried treat or zapping every last nutrient out in the cooking, and cooking, and cooking. (granted…stewed okra, corn and tomatoes is worth every last bite!)

So what’s a belle to do with her okra to get the most out of the nutrients and summer-fresh flavor?? Our quick and easy answer…roast it!

20140504-095941.jpg
Starting with fresh, tender pods, rinse thoroughly and dry.

Next, make length-wise cuts…either right down the middle or, if you want them a bit more “crispy”, slice each spear into 3 or more thin “chips”. Place in a bowl (or ziploc bag) and drizzle with your favorite (best quality you have available) olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Turn them all out onto a cookie sheet, spreading them out, cut-side-down, making sure to get them in a single layer

20140504-100342.jpg

Place in a 400 degree oven, and watch the masterpiece come to life! 15-20 minutes should do it, but you can be the judge. A nice, browned, slightly crisped edge is what we like to see…

20140504-101453.jpg
Be sure to get your share early…these babies will disappear in a snap!
a&a

Word to your mother…gifts that keep on giving…your friday friend-1-1

02 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Beauty belle, belle-icious, fashion forward, friday friend 1-1, healthy belle, what's ringin' our belle

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and finding an appropriate and worthy-enough gift can be quite a trial. To make this undertaking infinitely less taxing we came up with the ultimate gift idea……

Monthly Gift Boxes!!!!!

They come in all price points, a limitless variety to suit any mother’s taste, and best of all, your momma will remember how thoughtful you are each time she gets a special delivery!

So without further ado ….

 

For the mom on the go:

image

“Delivering boxes of fun to the travel-obsessed…and busy people on-the-go”…this might just be the perfect choice for the mom who always has a bag packed, passport in hand!  Examples of items she can expect:  foreign language tools, portable phone chargers, sleep masks, portable sunscreen, and snacks from around the world.  From GoTravelBox.com

20140501-150659.jpg

For the mom who loves to “escape” even when she is forced to unpack that bag and stay home for a while, try escapemonthly.  They will send destination-inspired luxury products to help mom relax, renew, and escape.  So order, and leave her alone already!

 

For the gourmet mom:

20140501-151914.jpg

From Gourmet Spotting, mom can expect to receive 4-6 full-size gourmet products each month.  Bonus…for each box they ship, they donate one meal to charity.  Showing love to mom and those in need…beautiful!

20140501-152525.jpg

Help mom discover brands she will love with personalized boxes from the folks at tastetrunk.com.  You will be sure to find the perfect match for mom with their smart categories…gourmet, sweet, BBQ, and health.

 

For the gourmande mom:

20140501-153223.jpg

The “World Chocolate Club” from mysubscriptionaddiction.com…um, need we say more?!  We hope the junior belles are paying attention to this one, hint, hint!

20140501-153355.jpg

Starting at just $10 per month, the boxes from lovewithfood.com are packed with natural or organic snacks.  And the dears at Love with Food donate a meal to feed a hungry child in the U.S. for every box they ship.  Now that’s love!

20140501-153630.jpg

Choose a box from a variety of categories (New England, Cocktails, Sweets…) or subscribe to the “Small Batch by Season” plan to help mom maintain her “tastemaker” status among her friends.  Go to shop.eatboutique.com.

20140501-154004.jpg

For cocktail recipes, curated by world-class mixologists, and all of the required spirits and mixers delivered right to mom’s door, check out julibox.com.  Maybe mom will invite you over for a taste…cocktails anyone?

 

For the fit mom:

20140501-154429.jpg

The “KLUTCHclub Women” boxes are filled with items sure to delight the fitness-and-health-type mom.  Products range from fitness DVD’s to healthy snacks and beauty products.  Find it at mysubscriptionaddiction

 

For the mom who loves her non-human babies:

20140501-155222.jpg

Help mom spoil her sweetest, most obedient, and adoring “child” with spoiledrottenbox.com.  They have 3, 6, and 12-month plans as well as a pay-as-you-go option with boxes filled with toys, treats and more…and no worries, all treats are manufactured here in the U.S.

20140501-160322.jpg

BarkBox is another excellent choice for mom’s sweet, furry baby.  Every month she will receive four or more products, carefully selected by dog-size…from toys and bones to hygiene products and gadgets…that will be sure to please Fido (and the cardboard box is a bonus!) Oh, and mom will love this…10% of the proceeds are donated to dogs in need.  From barkbox.com.

 

For the fashionista mom:

20140501-160618.jpg

The Style Box from socialbliss.com is perfect for the on-trend mom!  Each box contains a selection of one-size-fits-all fashion accessories, hand-picked by stylists who are “in the know”.

20140501-160857.jpg

The stylists at wantable.com navigate the world of fashion and beauty to bring mom the latest trends.  Select a category (makeup, accessories, or intimates), and wait for the adoration to begin!

20140501-161247.jpg

For fashion-oriented items, another excellent choice is the Coco Rocha Fancy Box from mysubscriptionaddiction. Past boxes have included magazines, jewelry, sunglasses…wow!!

 

For the beauty-pro mom:

20140501-161803.jpg

The “Must Have Box” from popsugar.com will treat mom to hand-selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food…and they are all full-size products from premium brands.  Go for it!

20140501-162131.jpg

And last, but far from least, mom will practically tackle the delivery-man each month (don’t tell dad) to tear into her latest shipment from BirchBox.  Boxes contain high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples, customized just for her.  Make her ever-so-happy…click birch box.com.

Whew!!! As y’all can see, the options are endless, but we think this is a great variety to get you inspired. So treat mom and be her favorite…every month.

a&a

belle de soleil

24 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in friday friend 1-1, healthy belle, what's ringin' our belle

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

With spring around the corner…supposedly…and bathing suit season just a hop, skip and a bunny jump away, it’s time to get our figures ready for exposure . A healthy glow is one of the solutions to a multitude of sins (anyone else have their way with a few chocolate bunny ears?).  Of course, we are all smart enough to know that tanning beds and too much of the real sun will only cause more issues so…

Oooooh belles, y’all are going to be so happy!! We have finally found it…THE self-tanner to beat all self-tanners.

20140416-091638.jpg

St Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan which you can get at Sephora.

Now, we get the medium/dark, and unless you are Casper the Friendly Ghost or transparent, we recommend that you do as well.

This is the creme de la creme for a variety of reasons:

1. It does not turn you orange.
2. It is not offensive to our dainty olfactory senses.
3. It reminds us of the commercial: “Bain de Soleil for that St. Tropez tan.” And who doesn’t want that??? (If you don’t remember that commercial then please don’t say a thing…we are at a sensitive age…)
4. IT DOESNT STREAK!!!! That’s right, no streaking, looking dirty and/or bruised. You can’t overdo, so as long as you don’t miss a spot, it won’t streak.

So soon-to-be-bronzed belles, get yourself some St Tropez and be evermore grateful to us for showing you the way to a sun-kissed glow even a frazzled belle can manage successfully!

We know, we know, y’all are most welcome. That’s how we belles roll.

a&a

a little encouragement for lent…just sayin’

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by in healthy belle, just sayin'

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

20140320-145127.jpg

good luck!
a&a

for the body and mind…your friday friend-1-1

21 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by in healthy belle

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

“Workout” and “exercise” can sometimes sound like dirty words. Granted, a good run alone or a walk with the dogs can be great for clearing your thoughts and boosting the mood, but doesn’t it seem so much more pleasant (and less of a chore) when you have a partner (or a few) to keep you company and share the misery?

We kicked off our new year by wearing our new Fitbit fitness bands to help keep us on track, but we had both already bought into the whole “take care of you” idea. We support each other and other friends on our quest to stay fit by planning activities together and holding each other accountable. On Sundays, we have a group who meets for a power walk and talk session. Honestly, I think we could solve the world’s problems with this group of get-the-job done girls in no time flat!! We also each have a workout (there’s that dirty word again) partner. We both actually go somewhere with a friend and PAY someone to make our muscles ache! Now, we aren’t saying you have to do the same…we just want to encourage all of our sweet belles to pair up and get busy if you aren’t already doing it. You won’t believe how great it feels!! Strong body, check. Clear head, check. Girl time, check check 😉

20140203-190035.jpg

You go, girl!

a&a

a fit(bit) belle is a happy belle

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in healthy belle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

One really cool new find is this sporty piece of bling we recently started wearing. Even though we work out like crazy women and do a pretty smart job of eating well (while enjoying more than an occasional treat), this little jewel is pretty nifty at keeping us on track and even more aware of just how well (or poorly) we are treating ourselves. With a quick set-up and the download of an app, we can now keep track of steps, sleep, distance covered, water intake…all of the little things that add up to success in taking care of these bodies!

image

It inspires a bit of internal and external competition, too! If we happen to notice that we might fall short of one of our goals, we are quick to remedy the situation with a quick walk, some stair running or some jumping jacks. Whatever it takes to stay ahead (and not be outdone by the other belle or, heaven forbid, one of our husbands!). Go get ’em!!

a & a

fitbit

Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband