Goodbye 2014!

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It is almost time to say goodbye to 2014 and start a fresh new year! My favorite part of a new year is that everything is fresh.  The things of the past get to remain in the past and we get to start a new clean slate! With that being said, many people make resolutions for the new year, however I am not a believer in that.  Why should you promise yourself to do something that most of us know we are going to forget halfway through the year?  Instead, I like to make goals for myself and hope to reach them by the end of the year. When you set goals you are envisioning a certain result, therefore it may be easier to reach rather than making a promise to yourself.  You can not break a goal, you just would not reach it in the time frame you gave yourself.  You can, however, break your new year resolution, which many of us do on a year to year basis. 

When you make your goals for 2015, think about some things in your life from 2014 that you want to improve, whether it is eating a little healthier on a weekly basis, running or exercising more often, or cooking more meals for yourself.  After you figure it out, set a time frame that you would like to do these things in, and make sure to make them realistic for yourself.  If you are a person who likes to eat out most of the week, but would like to start cooking more at home, set a goal of cooking for yourself two times a week and see where you go from there.  When setting them in a realistic time frame, you won’t end up disappointing yourself, or feeling as if you can not succeed because you were trying to do it all at once.

Some of my goals for the upcoming new year are~

– Getting back into an exercise routine once Baby B is here

– Trying to cook more of a variety than I do these days

– Once Baby B can eat solids, I want to try to make most of his food, but I will be prepared if I can not always do it and I will be ok with giving him other pre-made foods.

– As I am embarking motherhood, I would like to try to just go with the flow and realize I can not plan everything because those plans will change

– Enjoy everyday, because you never know what can happen.

Whether or not you chose to list goals for the new year, or just go into it the same way you are ending 2014, the choice is yours!  Just remember to stay safe and healthy!  Wishing all of you a very happy and healthy 2015!!!

 

Twice Baked Cauliflower

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I LOVE cauliflower.  Roasting it, steaming it, whatever it is, I love it!  But I was getting a little bored with the way I make it on a regular basis, so I decided to try something different this week, and it worked to my advantage!  With the weather drastically dropping I really wanted something warm and savory and that’s when I decided to make twice-baked cauliflower.  We have all heard of twice-baked potatoes, so I thought it would be a good experiment since cauliflower can often replace recipes you use potatoes for…And it worked to my advantage! Easy to make, limited ingredients, and DELISH!  This will be made again!

Cauliflower isn’t just a tasty fall vegetable, it is a good source of fiber and vitamin C- which we could all use right now so we don’t get sick.  It is a great source of fiber, and great for the heart!  Cauliflower has also been known to help the brain boost the memory– which is something I need these days because I sure do have a bad case of baby brain!

 

Ingredients-

1 head cauliflower cut into pieces

1 chive chopped

1 clove of garlic minced

1/2 cup greek yogurt- plain

1 tablespoon organic Earth Balance buttery spread, or whatever organic butter of your choice

1 cup organic cheddar cheese

Directions-

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Roast cauliflower on baking sheet until tender- about 10 minutes, but check after 7.

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Once tender, process in food processor until rice like.

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 Add yogurt, butter, chive, and garlic and process until smooth.  Mix in cheese with a spoon. Scoop out cauliflower mixture into four 6-7 inch ramekins.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet (easier to handle) and bake for 15 minutes.  Broil for an addition 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Take out and enjoy!

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Eating foods that benefit different parts of the body will benefit you in the long run.  The more “good foods” we eat now, the healthier our future self will be!

Remember to always eat for your body!!