Healthy On-the-Go Grocery Guide:

Dear Margaret,

I hope you are still having a great time on your honeymoon...and you better be tan:) I can't wait to see pics.. I leave tomorrow for Paris so I will definitely share pics/discoveries/vintage finds/etc. when I get back... I'm so excited!

Anyhow..when I was in NYC last week for market, my friend Erin requested I write a blog post recommending a healthy grocery guide for her (a city girl on-the-go), bc she never has time to prepare a meal at home but still wants to be healthy without all the labor.  As we both know, New York is full of temptation on every corner, making it hard to stay on track (I seem to always gain a few pounds no matter how long my visit:).. so its helpful to always be prepared. She uses "Fresh Direct" grocery delivery service, so I went on their website and chose my recommended list of goods that are easy to prepare at home and/or pack with you for the day. I always advise choosing local, what's in season, and organic when possible... especially with dairy and produce. This "grab-and-go" list is a general guideline that applies to anyone anywhere who wants to look and feel good while in a time crunch:)

Enjoy!
xoxo,
Kara

Erin's Grocery List

Fruit:
-Honeycrisp apples (in season now and so delicious, pair well with peanut butter)
-Bananas (great in yogurt)
-Fresh cut fruit like pineapple, mango, melons, etc
-Berries
-Grapes
-BluePrint green juice (any brand of fresh pressed juice is good to have on hand as a great way to get more fruits and veggies)

Veggies:
-Raw bagged veggies like: mini sweet mixed bell peppers, broccoli and cauliflower florets, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, etc. (can throw in any salad, eat them plain or dip in hummus)
-Packaged lettuces 
-Microwave-ready packs for dinner like: asparagus, edamame with sea salt, or brussels sprouts in herb butter
-"Little Dippers" with hummus (pre-cut celery and carrots)

Meat:
-can get a pack of lean grass-fed ground beef or turkey and make easy burger patties or meatballs with chopped onion/garlic/egg/salt and pepper to eat/pack with you all week.. they freeze well too.

Deli:
-Deli Cheese: get your favorite sliced cheese for sandwiches.. I love Muenster. Also organic string cheeses are handy to take with you.
-Deli Meat: all natural, antibiotic and nitrate free turkey, ham, or roast beef for sandwiches, wraps, or just snacking.

Cheese:
-Get a couple of your favorite cheeses for snacking, salads, sandwiches etc. They add calcium and protein to your diet. My favorites are: manchego, goat, feta, and parmesan. You can even just cut off a hunk and take to work with you for a snack with an apple or grapes, etc.

Dairy:
-Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie packs (spread on wraps or dip with veggies)
-Fage 2% Greek Yogurt (add fruit and/or healthy cereal or granola for any meal/snack.. perfect way to get protein)
-Cottage Cheese 2% (Friendship is a good brand with minimal ingredients. You can add chopped fruit, organic jelly, or cherry tomatoes and avocado.. all great options.)
-Free Range Eggs (hard boil them at the beginning of the week and take them with you)
-Whipped cream cheese (on Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast in the morning.. so good)
-Organic half and half for your morning coffee
-Earth Balance Vegan Butter spread (for toast and cooking)

Grocery:
-Bottled waters or get a Brita filter
-Blue Diamond Almond milk (vanilla or original-can drink on own or use with cereal, etc. I love it)
-La Croix sparkling waters (love coconut and grapefruit.. good to pack with lunch)
-Organic coffee (can get instant if you prefer, Mount Hagen makes one)
-Food For Life Ezekiel sprouted grain breads, tortillas, English muffins, etc (keep in freezer).. My favorite is their gluten free Millet Bread
-Triscuits ("cracked black pepper and olive oil" and "dill" are my faves but "original" is good too)
-Kashi Go Lean cereal (has tons of fiber and protein.. will keep you full)
-Tate's Bake Shop gluten-free cookies (only 80 calories and very good)
-Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Squares with Sea Salt (amazing.. I always have in my purse for my sweet tooth fix)
-Pirate's Booty snack packs (gluten-free)
-Glenny's Soy Crisps (love BBQ and Ranch.. 9 grams protein)
-Lundberg Spicy Black Bean Rice Crisps (gluten-free)
-Salsa of choice
-A good olive oil and vinegar for salads/cooking
-All Natural Peanut Butter or Almond Butter ("Peanut Butter & Co" good brand.. "Justin's" makes snack packs)
-Organic jelly (for toast or in cottage cheese)
-Pure organic honey (for yogurt or sweetness in general)
-Brown Rice microwave packs for quick lunches/dinners (just add protein, veggies, and sauce)
-Amy's Lentil Vegetable Soup (add dollop Greek yogurt for more protein)
-Mixed Nuts (favorites: walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios)
-Oatmeal Packs without added sugar (add nuts/nut butter and fruit.. can get hot water almost anywhere you go, so good to take with you)

Frozen:
-Amy's Individual Margherita Pizza (so delicious, I add ham and bell pepper before baking)
-Amy's Tamale Dinner
-Amy's Light and Lean Lasagna
-Kashi 7 Grain Waffles
-Organic chicken breasts or tenders (good to have on hand to throw together a quick dinner.. just defrost and sauté with herbs and olive oil) 

"Heat and Eat Meals":
-Always look at the "heat and eat" meals and their ingredient lists.. a lot of times they are really good and cheaper than ordering in.. and much easier than buying all the ingredients to make the dish yourself!

Emmy's 2012 Beauty Secret for Luscious Lashes:

Dear Margaret,

Last night's 2012 Emmy Awards show was full of glam, as always. The biggest beauty trend I've been noticing is luscious, full lashes. Besides the obvious extensions or falsies that stars are wearing, I came across an amazing, natural eyelash trick (at www.instyle.com). Emily VanCamp's makeup artist Rosie Johnston swears by Talika Heated Eyelash Curler (available at Nordsrom's). "In less than a minute, the soft heated pad of TALIKA Heated Eyelash Curler doubles the curl of your eyelashes, intensifying your look". In addition to that, Sofia Vergara's makeup artist Kayleen McAdams says, “the one item she (Sofia) could never live without is mascara!” McAdams applied three coats of CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Mascara on both the top and bottom lashes to lengthen and add volume. I will definitely be trying both of these products.. who doesn't want longer/fuller looking lashes at an affordable price?!

xoxo,

Kara

Transform Your Arms During Commercial Break:

Dear Margaret,

I hope you are having so much fun in Bora Bora! Can't wait to see pics! I want to share with you my favorite arm workout for when I don't have very much time, or when I'm traveling, or if I've been lazy and want to be productive during "Housewives" commercial breaks:) It's from the Tone it Up Girls, who have amazing figures, and it really produces results fast! I also threw in one of my favorite "Dancer's Legs" workouts you can do anywhere or when you don't feel like going to the gym..maybe you can bust these out on your Honeymoon:).. they have been very helpful for me while I'm in NYC for work with very little free time. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Kara

*Bonus*

NYC Spring 2013 Fashion Week Street Style Picks:

Dear Margaret,

I love the idea of real gold nail polish:) I will have to try that out stat. 

So, as you know, I will be coming to NYC this week for market (so sad/jealous you will be gone on your Honeymoon and I won't see you!). Every time before I come to NYC, I like to look at the current "street style" so I can get a grasp on weather/trends/what to pack/etc.. and lucky for me it was just fashion week there (as you know), so I have a lot of inspiration to chose from:) I saw a lot of leather, lace, embellishments, black & white, leopard, yellow accents, pop colors, collared dresses, etc. Here are my NYC Spring 2013 Fashion Week "street style" picks.. hope you enjoy and Bon Voyage:

xoxo,

Kara

Real Gold Nail Polish....LOVE!

Dear Kara,

Those tan towels sound great. Ironically was at dinner a few nights ago and we were all talking about them. I am going for a spray tan before the honey moon. It is hard to find a good faux tan that doesn't smell and looks real but I found the best place in the city called Sundara- Shout out to them!

So last weekend I was in Woodstock VT for a wedding. Woodstock is beautiful, I highly recommend it. (Tons of outdoor activities, antique shops, Simon Pearce has a restaurant, great food and lots of cheese) The leaves were even starting to turn. The hotel we stayed in, The Woodstock Inn, added on a $10M spa and I had to take advantage. I had a massage and mani. Both were great. I discovered my new favorite brand of nail polish, SPAritual. They have a tighter edit of colors than OPI & Essie but what they do have is spot on. They have a collection called Gold that has real gold flecks in it. I choose Gilded Age on my hands, bought that color and a few others. I learned that the polish is vegan and formaldehyde free; which I found interesting. I didn't realize but most nail polishes have fish scales in them. The other cool thing about them is that the bottle is 50% recycled glass from Italy. The top is also rubber with grooves so it's easier to open then the others. It retails around $10-11.

xoxoxoxoxo
Margaret

 

http://www.sparitual.com/index.php

Their Fall "ROCK" Collection

Tan Like Celebrities Do:

Dear Margaret,

I will definitely search for that Vegan cookie dough.. I love a healthy and quick cookie substitute:)

So..I know you leave for your honeymoon on Sunday for Bora Bora (so exciting) and boy do I have a product for you!:

Last weekend at Elena's bachelorette party, I got to spend some time with the sweetest and most perfectly tanned blonde beauty, Stacy (I always love learning everyone's beauty/diet/fashion tips etc. on those kind of weekends!). Anyways, she let me in on her favorite beauty tip: She swears by TanTowel tanning wipes...she generously gave me one of her wipes to try, and now I do too. (She's like 6'1 and buys the Half Body towels.. so there's no need to get the Full Body towels in my opinion..if you want a deeper tan you could always use two half body towels rather than waist a whole Full Body one..they a big). After doing more research on them, I found that a lot of celebrities and celebrity stylists use tanning wipes too.. they are perfect for travel or when you don't have much time, etc. I found the lowest price on Amazon.com so far, but Stacy said they go on sale on sites like Hautelook.com too. I highly recommend you get some of these before your trip.. the glow is very real looking and there's no streaking or nasty smell! Here's the scoop: 

Preparation:

1. Cleanse and exfoliate your body to make sure all those dead skin cells are off. Make sure you are using a water-based exfoliator vs. an oil-based exfoliator so that the oils are not left behind. You want the formula to grab onto your skin. If you are tanning your face, make sure it’s clean and without makeup.
2. Grab a wet cloth and lay it in front of you so that you can wipe your hands as soon as you are done tanning. 

Application:

1. Grab a self-tanning towelette – each is a pre-measured single application. Technically, Half Body towelettes are for your face and neck or arms and legs and Full Body towelettes are for head-to-toe tanning.. But I was able to use the Half Body for my whole body (except for face because I love my Dr. Dennis Gross Glow Pads!)
2. To apply, simply wipe the tanning towelette in a circular, even motion all over your body. Wash your hands immediately after use.

Post Application:

1. Wait about two minutes after application and get dressed (when skin feels dry). That’s what’s great about these – the formula goes on clear, so you don’t have to worry about tanning stains.
2. Stay Dry!: For the next 4-6 hours while the formula is developing, stay clear from water, lotions or liquids on your skin! This will wash off the self-tanning solution from areas while the rest of your skin continues to tan.
3. Allow 2-4 hours to get maximum color. If you want to go a little darker, apply another TanTowel.
4. Maintain your tan: Tan typically lasts 4-7 days. You may extend the life of your tan by using TanTowel® On The Glow® moisturizer daily or moisture mist (wait at least 10 minutes after application though), and avoiding excessive exfoliation during the week. (I just used my everyday moisturizer which worked fine... but make sure to wait at least 4 hours to apply.)

Other Info:

• The TanTowel does not leave streaks! They contain no stains or dyes so you will not see any immediate color. The only way any discoloration will appear is if you miss a spot (or if you apply to wet skin), so be thorough in your application.
• You can use it on your face. It's recommended using the towel on your face after it is nearly dry of product and you’ve completed the rest of your body.
• The product comes in two shades: light/medium or medium/dark (plus).. I always suggest med/dark:)
• Unlike other self-tanners, the TanTowel doesn’t have a chemical smell.  It has a fresh citrus smell that dissipates within 5 minutes.

xoxo,
Kara

Before and After pic

Tan Towel Plus

Julianne Hough-always golden

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies....

Dear Kara,

I love the white! Did you see Taylor Swifts' white suite and Rihanna's white gown at MTV's VMAS? They rocked it. Anyways...

At one point over the bachelorette weekend we made chocolate chip cookies from ready made cookie dough and I was reminded how amazing freshly baked cookies taste. After looking at the package I was also reminded how they are NOT good for you. But I found a solution!

Eat Pastry gluten and dairy free frozen cookie dough.  I bought it at Whole Foods. The dough comes in an ice-cream like pint and needs to be stored in the freezer. The instructions couldn't be more simple, oven at 350 degrees, one tablespoon per serving made into a little cookie shape, and check back in ten minutes (depending on how gooey you like your cookies). Now warning this is not a cookie dough that tastes good in its dough form so don't try it. Once cooked they are delish! In a blind tasting this cookie wouldn't beat it's fatty friend but it for sure fills the cookie craving.

The base is a garbanzo and brown rice flour blend and the chocolate chips are organic dark chocolate. One cookie is 60 calories, 3 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of sugars.  The brand also makes peanut butter chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin chocolate chip, sugar cookie and snickerdoodle.

XOXOOXOXOX
Margaret

http://www.eatpastry.com/

To buy online:

http://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-cookie-dough-by-eat-pastry-p3553.aspx

Favorite Ways To Wear White After Labor Day:

Dear Margaret,

As you know, my favorite color is white.. which means there's no way I'm giving it up just because of a stupid "no white after labor day" supposed rule:) Who even made that schenanegans up? The only whites I don't agree with going into fall are: white shoes, white sandals, and white light-weight, summery fabrics. With creative styling, it is easy to bring your summer whites into cooler months. Use layering and mixed textures to give your lighter pieces weight..And don’t be afraid to mix in shades of off-white and cream. There are endless options to use white for fall and winter: chose white blazers, skinny jeans, trousers, sweaters, fur, leather, even lace, etc. etc. Here are my favorite ways to wear white "after Labor Day":

xoxo,
Kara

White skinnies dressed down and accessorized 
for Fall with darker shades.

Diaz in all white with neutral accessories. 
Love this classic, year-round look.

White skinnies paired with heavier weights in neutrals.

Gorgeous white on white from Derek Lam. 
Beautiful mix of textures.

Olivia Palermo brilliantly takes summer pieces and 
accessorizes them into perfect transitional fall looks.
 It's all about what you add and how you mix.

Lara Bingle shows how you can take two summer basics
and turn them into a year round "California Chic" look...
just add suede booties and a classic dark handbag.

Molly Sims in the perfect white+black ensemble. Adding
the white blazer completes this polished yet edgy look.

Ways to wear the white blazer... a staple for every season.

Rag+Bone

Blake Lively mixes textures with a lace Dolce dress 
and wool white blazer.. then adds precious booties.
 Obsessed.. love white lace for Fall.

Ashley Olsen throws her amazing "The Row" 
black leather jacket over a simple white slip dress,
creating an effortlessly cool, year-round look.

Kate Moss wears the same blazer in two different ways:
1.) classic over an all black tuxedo look
2.) flirty over a snakeskin dress

AnnaLynne McCord sports all white with neutrals. 

Miranda Kerr looks stunning in high-waisted
white trousers mixed with Fall colors and
a classic black tote.

Nicole Richie wears an awesome Simone white leather
jacket both dressed up and casual.

Sienna Miller clearly masters the white fur jacket look:)

Kate Moss' stunning masterpiece
of tonal creams and mixing of textures.

Bachelorette Weekend...

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/95742979/bachelorette-party-banner-keep-calm-and?ref=sr_gallery_34&ga_search_query=keep+calm+and+drink+on&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all

Dear Kara,

Sounds like you had quite the rowdy bachelorette weekend. I like your detox tips. I for sure have been in a detox mode with fruits and veggies only today.

Tybee was a blast! This was hands down the most well planned/organized bachelorette party I have been too; I learned lots of great ideas for future parties.

For one we stayed in a house which made it super comfortable for everyone and then we had the benefits of a kitchen and lounging areas. We tried to put the expenses on one card and at the end we  split everything. This made it so easy and took out the pains of splitting checks at meals, trying to figure out who pays for what at the grocery store, car rental, liquor store, taxis, etc...

This was honestly organic but we had activities that broke up the long meals, laying out at the beach and going out. We had puzzles going on a table. (Yep we really are elderly :) We rented bikes and rode them around town and on the beach. We did a bar method class (helps that one of the girls is a bar method instructor) and card games. 

The night we stayed in for dinner, the bride cooked for us. That was a fun treat. Post dinner we took a "quiz" about the bride and then quizzed Kim about how well Mitch knew her. His answers were filmed so we all got to watch him answer the questions. I love that game because it is a great way to get to know the partner in a different manner. Then we had a lingerie shower. There were several cute tips on how to use the lingerie that I thought anyone can do to spice things up. One idea was to number boxes and put different lingerie outfits in the box and then let your partner pick which number to wear that evening. Another idea was to make a "cocktail list"/"menu" of the items and let the groom choose what he is in the mood for.

All in all it was a great weekend with lots of laughs and great time spent with old friends.

XOXOXOXOXO
Margaret

 

http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=personalized%20koozies&view_type=gallery&ship_to=ZZ&min=0&max=0&ref=auto4 

Post Labor Day Weekend Detox Remedies:

Dear Margaret,

I hope you had so much fun at Kim's Bachelorette Party in Georgia.. we had a blast at Elena's in San Antonio! With all the Mexican food, drinking, salty drinks and foods in general, lack of exercise (minus dancing:), travel, dehydration, etc. that comes along with Bach parties, I thought I would share with you my weekly kick start plan to get back on track and de-bloat! I look like a swollen little troll after this long weekend:) Here is what I recommend that will have us feeling better by this weekend:

Drink This: 
Annemarie Colbin, a holistic nutritionist mentioned in "Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous" by Esther Blum, swears by this "Lemon Sour Power" drink to cleanse the body of toxins and waste and relieve bloating and gas:
-Juice half of an organic lemon, reserving juice in cup. Slice the rind from the juiced half in quarters and simmer in 1 1/4 cups of boiling water covered, for 10 minutes. Strain the water into the cup with the juice. If juice is too tart, add 1/2 teaspoon honey. Drink hot. (I add honey.. so much tastier:)
*also drink green tea and detox tea as often as possible when you aren't able to make the hot lemon water.. to flush out toxins and get antioxidants.

Eat This:
Parsley is a natural diuretic and truly reduces bloat (It also freshens breath). Here's a Mediterranean Tabouli Salad recipe I found in "Hollywood Diet Secrets" by Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman, so you don't have to eat it plain:
-Salad:
6 bunches of parsley
1 cup of chopped cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
-Dressing:
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
-in food processor, chip the parsley using the S blade. Transfer the parsley into a large mixing bowl, and add the tomatoes, hemp seeds, and onion. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl or food processor.
*Other bloat-reducing foods you should eat: asparagus, dandelion greens, celery, watermelon, watercress, cucumber, and lemon juice.

Take This:
After much traveling and partying etc., I start to feel very run down. I always keep Emergen-C packs in my purse for a quick pick-me-up, to protect my immune system, and to add back vitamins and antioxidants I probably depleted by boozing:) I highly recommend adding these to your routine after a rough weekend or if you start to feel like you are getting sick.

Do This:
-Exercise!:
 Duh. Sweat out those toxins and get your circulation flowing normally again:).. I'm especially fond of cardio in these circumstances.
-Exfoliate:
Slough off dead skin cells and refresh your skin (face and body).. alcohol is drying/dehydrating, so rejuvenate your skin and start fresh. A quick fix is adding sugar to your face wash!
-Moisturize:
Airplanes, travel in general, alcohol consumption, and excess salt can all dry out your skin. I use Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream (which literally feels like medicinal Vaseline, it's so thick and waxy) at night time to bring my face back to life. Warning-it doesn't smell great and is super thick.. I heard it was made to treat burn victims during Vietnam...with that said, it really hydrates! It's also great for lips, cuticles, etc.

*Bonus- If you have the luxury of having a Whole Foods, a fresh juice store in your town, a juicer in your home, etc.. try to drink at least one fresh pressed green juice a day to replenish lost nutrients and make you feel better all around! I personally love this combo: kale, spinach, parsley, cucumber, celery, romaine, apple, lemon, ginger! 

xoxo,
Kara