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Saturday, January 21, 2012

healthy girl habits.

so i'm sure many of you have made some sort of new year's resolution that has to do with weight loss, health, and/or exercise. i know that i, myself, have made some changes in order to stay on track, especially with all this running around and rehearsing. it's easy for me to justify a half a pint of ben and jerry's here and a greasy bag of fries there because i'm "exercising" all day, but the truth is that those things add up to much more fat and calories than i'm actually burning. sooooo, i've written down some easy ways to surround myself with healthy habits. here there are :)

1. always carry water with you. you're more likely to stay hydrated, especially with non-sugary drinks like juice or soda, when you've got your water at your side and, preferably, in a re-usable water bottle. i find myself taking sips even when i'm just bored or in the car! staying hydrated also means keeping your metabolism going! and that's important.


2. stock up on fresh produce. if you surround yourself with healthy foods and avoid buying things like cookies, crackers, chips, or even cereal (if you're like me and tend to eat the whole box at once...) you won't have a choice but eat healthfully! it's hard to always buy produce when you're on a budget, but if you look at your local grocery store's weekly ad you can always find some good deals. i only buy the fruits and veggies that are on sale...unless it's bananas because i'm obsessed.


3. for dessert, try to have something a little more nutritional than a piece of cake. my family and i like to stick some greek yogurt in the freezer for about 30 minutes to give it a chill and make it taste like frozen yogurt. my favorites are the flavored fage and chobani kind. they also have a ton of protein! add a few chocolate chips or fresh berries for something extra :)


4. if you're a snacker, like me, and always need to have something while you're watching tv, try frozen grapes. give fresh grapes a good wash and dry before you place them in the freezer. they'll stay for days. eat as many as you'd like, but the best part is that you'll probably start to get sick of them and feel full after a few. the good news is that there's absolutely nothing unhealthy about it!


5. if you're in the car a lot, like most los angelinos, or just on the go like many new yorkers, keep a healthy snack in your bag. my favorites are the cliff zbars. sure they're for kids, but they're ridiculously yummy (yummier than regular cliff bars!) and about half the size. if you know you've got a little treat in your bag, you're less likely to stop during the day for a chocolate bar or that extra starbucks frappaccino.


other healthy habits include:
taking the stairs
going for walks when you can
having at least one salad a day
drinking green tea
and getting sleep!

hope you're all having a good weekend so far!

xo jordan

Sunday, January 15, 2012

1.15.12

read this:

weekend meditation: the quiet joy of cooking

2012_01_15-persimmontree.jpg
i apologize for being m.i.a. but rehearsal has taken over my life!! i'll be back soon, hope you've all been peachy :)

xo jordan

Thursday, January 5, 2012

salted candied bacon fudge.

for christmas this year, i wanted to make most of the gifts i gave to people. for my brother, i wanted to try something new - something trendy, kind of out there but easy to make, and hopefully delicious. i went with a recipe i'd seen on thekitchn a few months back and according to the bro, it was a winner!


salted candied bacon fudge
adapted from thekitchn.com and eaglebrand.com

**you'll want to start cooking the bacon about 10 minutes before you start making the fudge

for the bacon:
1 package center cut bacon
3/4 cup light brown sugar
kosher salt to taste

line a cookie sheet (with sides) with parchment paper. place bacon on cookie sheet making sure not to overlap any edges. sprinkle and rub each piece of bacon with about 1 tablespoon of brown sugar each and place cooking sheet in cold oven. set temperature to 350 degrees fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. do not let burn! place cooking sheet on a wire rack to cool and sprinkle salt over bacon.

for the fudge:
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (14oz.)
dash of salt
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

melt chocolate chips in microwave with condensed milk and salt in 30 second increments, stirring each time. stir in vanilla once completely melted.

layer about half the chocolate in the bottom of a pan. place bacon on top, pressing down into chocolate before it cools completely. layer the rest of the chocolate on top of the bacon pieces and add more on top, if desired. cover and freeze for about 1 hour. cut into desired shape (squares, rectangles, christmas trees...) and enjoy!


xo jordan