Avocado Toast

Toast is back in a big way! Lately, everyone is putting together avocado and eggs. I first thought this was an odd combo until I tried it on a burger. I was forever changed. I have not had it on pizza yet, but that will be next!

No longer the poor man's breakfast, this toast is elegant, full of yummy toppings and fulfilling and very versatile. If there is something you do not like, you can switch it out for something else. 

Avocado Toast

1. 1 slice of bread (your brand and type works fine)
2. 1 ripe avocado
3. 1 egg over easy
4. 1 slice mozzarella
5. Baby tomato's halved
6. Olives halved
7. 1 Tbsp mayo
8. 1 tsp ketchup or hot sauce

Toast your bread and cut open the avocado. Spoon out the inside and smash with a fork in a bowl until smooth. Layer on the avocado using a knife onto the bread. Next, put the egg on top and sliced mozzarella. Warm in the microwave for 20 seconds so cheese melts. Add baby tomato's and olives. 

Next, take mayo and ketchup ( or hot sauce) and mix in a small bowl. Gently lay the mixture on top using a knife for an added kick.

Enjoy!

Friday's Fix

20 Ways to Say Thanks!


Thank you gifts and tokens of appreciation do not have to cost much at all. After all, is the thought that counts. But for times when you want to go a little farther and actually purchase something small for someone, it is nice to have some things on hand or easy options for a quick gift idea. If I see anything cute on sale or at a deep discount, I sometimes buy it in advance to have on hand for such an occasion and last minute gift giving.

Here are my top 20 Thank You gifts that are easy and roughly under $20. 

1. Wine, champagne or beer
2. Photo in a frame
3. Gift cards to a favorite store, gas, nail salon, movies etc.
4. Stationary (Thank you cards would be perfect, no?)
5. Cocktail napkins with funky patterns or cute sayings
6. Designer pen 
7. Coffee or tea & inspirational/cute mug
8. Chocolates or candy
9. Journal 
10. Photo album empty for the person to fill with memories
11. Homemade coupons they can use etc. "1 night free babysitting" "1 free lunch date".
12. Magazine subscription to a favorite magazine
13. Flowers or a plant
14. Homemade Thank You card or store bought (This still works:)
15. Public display of gratitude! Mentioning a co-worker in front of peers or a family member in front of other family making a point of how much you appreciate them. Completely free!
16. Paperweight
17. Calendar
18. Gourmet popcorn or food item
19. Candle
20. Soup mix in a cute soup bowl

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. - Dalai Lama

Got another idea to add? Let's hear it! 

Beaching It at Ocean Beach Park

School started today. The end of summer frolicking on the beach, taking day trips to area attractions, camp, outings with grandma and vacation away. But not before one last adventure.

Photo credit Charged

Ocean Beach Park in New London is a hidden gem. Of all the Connecticut shoreline beaches, this one has all of them topped. With its white, sugar soft sand and picturesque lighthouses and ferries crossing the waters, it is quintessential Connecticut. 

Photo credit Charged

Photo credit Charged

Let's not mention fun! Bring your wallet! This park boosts water slides, kiddie amusements, large playground, a spray park, arcade, Olympic size pool, a gym, mini golf, creamery and a food stand. You can spend the whole day and never get into your beach chair. So.... on that point, be prepared to not be in it if you are with the kids. :)

The price to get in is $18 during the week and $22 during the weekend,  but completely worth it. Especially if you are going with friends in one car. Additional fees for activities. There are restrooms on the premises as well as family friendly amenities like lockers. During the summer they hold Monday night cruise nights and outdoor concerts on the boardwalk so plan to stay for the music and classic cars!

This is always on our list each summer for at least a visit or two. We load the car with chairs, beach toys, umbrellas and a blanket and stay the whole day. 

Park closes on Labor Day. You still have time! Check it out.

Ocean Beach Park New London, CT

Grain and Gluten Free Banana Pancakes

I love pancakes. Indeed! Every weekend pancakes are made in our home. It is the only time we really have time to make and eat them. 

After recently running out of our favorite gluten free mix, I decided to look online for a homemade version. What I found was a ton of recipes to my surprise. Almost makes me wonder why buying the store bought is even necessary, but it is a lot faster and easier with the store bought stuff. I had time to make them homemade over the weekend, so I did just that! And I will say, they came out pretty tasty.

I found a great recipe on Goop.com and improvised a bit. I nixed the lemon and almond extract and exchanged the almond milk for coconut milk as that is what we normally have in the house. I also added half a banana and pumpkin pie spice for flavor. 

Photo credit Charged

Grain and Gluten Free Coconut Flour Pancakes

• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (You can also use allspice or cinnamon)
• 1/2 banana
• 1 Tbsp cup honey
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• Pinch of salt

Photo credit Charged

Photo credit Charged

Whisk baking powder, flour and salt. Add pumpkin pie spice.  In a medium bowl, whisk honey, vanilla, coconut oil and whisk in each egg one at a time. Then add smashed banana and coconut milk.

Gently add dry mixture to wet mixture. Mix but do not over mix. 

Use a few drops of coconut oil to grease skillet and drop pancake batter into even cakes. Watch carefully. These will not bubble up as much as traditional pancakes. Once you see them cooking halfway through, flip. Yields 6 pancakes.

Add strawberries, blueberries or just plain old syrup.

What's your favorite breakfast food?

Friday's Fix!

Making Deposits!

How do you spend time with your girlfriends? I am talking about females spending time with their female friends. Life is so busy and we are always on the go. Girlfriends are our support system, glue, tissue holder, advice coach, love therapist and so many more things. It is an important social niche to have in order to feel loved, supported and cheered on!

Photo credit Clipart panda

Some of my favorite activities with my friends are simple. Enjoying a glass of wine together or dinner. Meeting out my friend with our significant others. Shopping together. It never has to be ultra planned or something that is overly done. It just has to happen. Relationships, especially friendships are like banks. You have to make deposits in order to see them grow. You also can take out withdrawals. But as long as deposits are being made your friendship will be rich. 

Here are some other girlfriend worthy activities

• Wine or beer tasting. 
• Going to a new restaurant off the beaten path
• Hiking
• Relaxing at the beach
• Taking your kids to the park so you can enjoy girl time
• Enjoying a good movie together
• Manicures and pedicures. Everyone needs to be pampered right?
• Exercising. Running, biking or walking together is good for the body and the soul
• Going to a concert 
• Taking a new class. (art, exercise, etc)
• Having a potluck at someones house and everyone brings a dish
• Going into the city to explore for the day
• Enjoying a cup of coffee at your favorite shop

Think it might be hard to keep up with your deposits? Mark your calendar. Think about a day of the week or month that you can dedicate to friendship and meeting with your friends. You can also have each friend come up with the idea of what you will do that month so it changes all the time. 

Another way to be sure you are getting in the girl time is to write down specific dates to meet. Birthdays are a perfect time to celebrate and be with friends. Mark it down to create accountability.

We are all busy. But if you get too busy to make deposits your friendships will be empty soon. 

How do you make your friendship deposits?

Fear Not!

Fear. It can define you, destroy you, take you over and knock you down. 

It is a natural feeling we all get at times weather you are fearful of snakes, of a work situation, taking a chance or fear of making a mistake. It is our mind telling us no. Telling us that we are not able to do something when in fact we can. We let the stories play out in our mind that we are weak, not enough and often too afraid. 

Most people who know me know that I have deep fear of flying. It started many years ago when I had an emergency landing in a 6 seated plane. The landing gear would not come fully down so we had to land on two wheels instead of three. Although the pilot was very skilled to have gotten us down safely and none of us were hurt, the feeling of fear and being out of control was something that never left flying for me. Recently when trying to fly home from Miami to Connecticut I got off the plane after the pilot told us there was a mechanical issue and they are getting clearance to fly and fix it later. No joke! I spent 8 hours in Miami waiting for another flight. 

I continued to fly. Going to Seattle three times, Jamaica, Mexico, Minnesota, Texas and then my biggest flight was to Italy. 7 months after 9/11. Yes I got on. I knew I had to keep flying. I love to travel and it is the only way to get most places.  I often cannot eat before a flight at all and need headphones with music to distract me. And yes, I need a little something from the doctor as well so I do not vomit from the fear and anxiety. Ah yes.. it still rears it's ugly head. 

But I forge on and continue to take chances. I have too much more to see, more to experience and more to discover. Fear can make you powerless and consuming. It can stop you dead in your tracks unable to move. I never wanted it to stop me from getting where I wanted to go physically or personally in my life. 

Fear is not all doom and gloom. We need it! I am just fine being scared to jump off a building, scared of snakes, of terrorism and other such things. It allows us to live our lives a healthy way too. But when it gets in the way of your daily life is when you must look at fear as being a product of your stories and thoughts. Some people use fear in their relationships, at work with their children. The idea of being intimidating is creating fear in another person. This is not the fear I speak about when we talk about it also being healthy. These are toxic people taking toxic measures. 

I still have bouts of fear about certain situations and people, but am working constantly on the stories I tell myself surrounding the circumstances and talking myself out of fear. 

So think about what your fears are. How can you use them to push yourself out of them? How can you overcome your fears to enhance the quality of your life?

Mind over matter? What are your thoughts? Let's hear it!

"Leap and the net will appear"- John Burroughs

Cirque du Eloize iD

I had the unique opportunity to be invited to Foxwoods Resort Casino along with many of my fellow Connecticut bloggers to meet the cast of Cirque du Eloize who is performing at the Fox Theater through the end of the month. 

CT Bloggers

Getting juggling lessons

Cirque du Eloize iD show is a mix of circus and hip hop street dance. But it is much more. The show included juggling, acrobatics, break dancing, gymnastics and 13 performers contribute to the 15  multi-disciplines the show included from around the world. The scene is set in a typical urban city with a variety of characters finding their unique identities and contribute thier individuality. It is upbeat, thrilling and beautiful all at once. There was also eye popping video projections that were multidimensional and made the stage look different during each performance. 

               

Nervous? 

We were welcomed to the theatre to meet several of the cast members and had a sneak peak at how they do some of their performances.  We had a hands on chance to learn basic juggling, trampoline moves and got a full tour of the behind the scenes of the stage show. I was surprised at how small the stage was. It completely came to life when we saw the show and I had a huge appreciation for the cast and their talent to manipulate themselves around the stage and scenery so well. The cast members were warm and very patient with teaching us the tricks of their performances.

Jugggling!

We were then able to explore the casino for awhile. With the new Tanger Outlet shops that just opened, I knew where I wanted to head first! It boast several stores like Michael Kors, Gap, Coach and Under Armour to name a few. After the shopping it was time to replenish with some drinks and food. We were treated to an awesome dinner at the Red Lantern which offers unique asian flare in a contemportary upscale setting. This is just one of several menu items we tried. Dragon Roll! 

After dinner it was onto the show. And what a show it was. Take a peek! 




This was also a family friendly show which was great. Tons of families and children were there along with couples and young adults. Something for everyone! Catch this show before it ends at the end of August. You won't be disappointed! 

Friday's Fix!

Friday's Fix is all about Coconut everything!

 The most healthy substitute for oil, dairy products and cooking in the past 10 years. I use it exclusively when I cook eggs or veggies in a pan instead of butter or butter substitutes. I also love Coconut ice cream. For those who cannot eat dairy, what a great substitution. And their are many flavors to choose from. I use coconut milk in my smoothies instead of milk and gives a sweet touch to it as well. 

Photo credit Charged

I have also heard of using coconut oil for beauty! Slathering it in the hair provides a crazy condition and you will smell like coconut. How yummy is that? Other uses are as body cream, lip balm and a mixing with sugar for a body scrub. 










Here are 10 interesting facts about Coconut as created by Top FoodFacts.com http://topfoodfacts.com/10-interesting-facts-about-coconuts/

Photo credit Tip Top Lifestyle.com

1. The origin of the coconut has been lost to history. Coconuts are a prehistoric plant that scientists believe came from the South Pacific around what is now New Guinea.

2. The sailors aboard Vasco de Gama’s ships gave the coconut its name.  They called it “Coco”, named after a grimacing face or hobgoblin. When the “coco” came to England, the suffix of nut was added and that’s how the name came about.

3. Coconut oils contain median chain triglycerides which are easy to digest.  The oil is source of energy and has an accelerating effect on the metabolism.

4. Coconut oils also contain four growth hormones, that help the development of many organisms. Coconut water is considered the “father of modern tissue culture science”.

5. Coconut Water Can Be Used as a Substitute for Blood Plasma !!!

6. They grow from sandy soils and an abundant amount of sun and rain. Often they are found near the ocean and sustainable to the excessive salt in the air.

7. Coconut trees belong to the plant family known as Arecaceae and are the only species of the genus Cocos. They can grow up to 30 meters high.

8. Coconuts are the seeds of the coconut palm tree and considered a type of nut. The “meat” of the coconut is high in protein; whereas the milk is refreshing, light and low in sugar.

9. Aside from their culinary purposes, they are also used for cosmetic purposes and as a mosquito repellent (burning the husk).

10. Most plants have tap roots. However, the coconut tree has a fibrous root system. The tree gains the nutrition from thin branching roots growing from the stem.

How do you use coconut in your daily life?

Easy 3 Bean Salad

This recipe is my go-to picnic recipe, work pot luck party take along and simple summer dish. AND it cost's less than $5 to make and 3 minutes to put together with many things you already have in your pantry.

Photo credit Charged

Easy 3 Bean Salad

• 1 can red beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 bunch of green onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil

Drain and rinse all three cans of beans. Put into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I do not have an amount listed because every ones taste is different. Use less or more to your liking. Same with the pepper and salt. Mix well and serve cold.

Variations:

Use Italian dressing (or make your own) and add instead of olive oil and balsamic or use a creamy ranch.

Photo credit Charged

Switch up the beans. Don't like garbanzo? Any other bean will do. 

Add cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs for more punch.

Happy Eating!

Monkeying Around at GoApe!

When I was invited to visit GoApe at A.W Stanley Park in New Britain, CT I was very excited. First, I love to be adventurous. Secondly, I love to try new things, especially outdoors. Bring it!

GoApe is a multi-award winning and original forest adventure set high up in the canopy. We enjoyed two to three hours in the trees taking on zip lines, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and a variety of obstacles and crossings. Kids must be 10 or older to climb and be accompanied by an adult. 

Photo credit Charged. 

Photo credit Charged

                       

Photo credit Charged

 I brought along by best friends daughter Courtney who just turned 14 years old. Perfect activity to celebrate! When I booked, I was told to arrive a few minutes early to sign a waiver and get our harnesses fitted. By the way, you book right online so do not have to worry about paying when you arrive. When we arrived we were greeted by very helpful and energetic staff that is all about fun. Well, and safety of course! But fun for sure! Once we were signed up, we were escorted through the woods to the first course. Along our walk we could see the zip lines that went across the pond and knew we were in for a day of fun!

Once we got to the first course, our guide Andy showed us the safety harnesses and how to properly put them on. He went into detail about each clip on our harness and how important it is to always be attached to the trees. We practiced putting our clips on the cables which wrapped around the trees and one by one taking them off and clipping them onto our pulley which is the equipment that makes you go on the cable and keeps you in the air if you fall.

Photo credit Charged

Photo credit Charged

Once we got the hang of it, we did our first ride on a zip line. I believe it might have been 20 feet from the ground. More of just a nice practice line. We were instructed on how to land safety. Not as easy as it looks especially when you twist and end up going backward which was my experience several times! Once we completed the first course, we were invited to move onto the 2nd course independently. Staff toured the area below us constantly making sure we were clipped properly and encouraging us on!  We climbed up a rope ladder and latched on and off the trees and cables through the trees. It was a bit scary at first as you are high up, but I quickly realized that each course gets higher and a bit more challenging. After the 2nd course, we were comfortable with our harness and maneuvering in the trees safely. This picture below was our toughest challenge with rings we had to fit our feet in, in order to get across to the next tree. Ah!!!! Courtney did it like a champ!

Photo credit Charged

At the 5th course, the last obstacle is a 900 foot zip line ride. Thrilling!

Photo credit Charged

Once our feet were back on the ground, we were greeted by staff once again and presented with completion certificates. Each staff member was truly concerned with making sure we had a great time and were extremely helpful.  

What a great day to be playing in the trees!

Photo credit Charged

If you are looking for some adventure, check out GoApe at http://goape.com/ . They have several locations across the U.S.  

Special thanks to GoApe for an adventurous summer day in the trees!

Friday's Fix

I love a good manicure! I use my hands a lot as I am meeting people and shaking hands everyday and it seems the only thing that can keep them from breaking and looking ragged, so I get them regularly.

My favorite polish is O.P.I. They have the most vibrant colors and oddly enough the ones that are more subdued is what I normally go for. I have short nails so those colors look better and are not too wild for the office. :) And c'mon, those names! "Gimme a Lido Kiss", and "The Berry Thought of You". So fun!

Photo credit Charged. OPI nail lacquer

Here shown is "Taupe-less Beach". I would describe it as a mix of grey and beige hues. They also have inspired themed polish colors like Fifty Shades of Grey, Coca Cola and Hawaii. If you go on their site, you can try on the polish with their interactive tool called Try It On. You choose your nail length, skin tone and color you would like and they put up an up close image of the polish with details. Genius! Especially if have ever gotten painted, stepped outside in natural light and was like "oh dear"! (Yeah, that moment). 

Photo credit Charged

They also have something called Infinite Shine. It is a longer lasting, durable color that stands up to wear more than a traditional color (10 days!). Many salons have it but you might have to ask. It might cost you a few bucks more on top of the price of a regular manicure, but worth it. Still cheaper and less time consuming than shellac. It also drys by natural light. No dryers! Try it out next time you are at your favorite nail salon. 

Back to School on a Budget

It is already almost that time!

The stores are stocking up for back to school shopping and kids are still trying to hold onto summer a bit longer.  I never ever stress about school shopping. I guess I am a bit lax when it comes to preparation for school. Mostly, because you really never know what they need until they come home from school that first day with a list. But I like to have a few things bought and on hand for his first day. This year I feel super prepared. 

I found a surprising place for some really great deals. It all starts with the dollar store.  You never know you need anything until you walk in the door. I found notebooks, erasers, pencil pockets, lined paper, highlighters and I put together a nice plastic bin of things just for his teacher including some hand sanitizer pumps, reward coupons for students, tissues, sharpies and sticky notes. Teachers more cases than none have to buy teacher and classroom supplies on their own, so I love being able to provide things as basic as tissues and cleaner so they can have a clean classroom for our kids. I also love to provide tubs of sanitizer wipes so desks can be cleaned properly when needed. The store even had a small teacher classroom section with awards, borders for classrooms, die cuts for announcements and stickers. 

Photo credit Charged

Photo credit Charged

I was shocked I left paying under $12 for all of what you see. It does not take much to excite this mom!  I would have been sure to spend at least double going to a higher end store for these items. I am sure there will be some items I have to go to those stores for, but what a steal for basic items for the desk and back pack. 

Another steal I found was the backpack at Sear's for $19 on sale and it came with the insulated lunch sack. Seriously people? Awesome. We all know that lunch sack only makes it one year from spills, rips and well... smelling funky. This is not a store I normally even go in so was a nice surprise and good find.

Photo credit Charged

Sometimes you have to venture off to uncharted territories to explore and find what you need. Check out these links for bargains. Happy shopping. 

http://www.fivebelow.com/back2school_8.10

http://ads.dollartree.com/current_ad/html5/app.php?RelId=6.4.6.5

http://www.sears.com/en_us/dap/back-to-school.html

Where are your go-to places for back to school shopping?

Need to cool off?

Refreshing and healthy! Creamy Strawberry Kiwi Popsicles made with Karo® Syrup by food blog The First Year #OMGyum #KaroSyrup http://bit.ly/StrawberryKiwiPopsicles

Being Conscious and Deliberate

In a world filled with a lot of distractions and lots of things we believe we "need", how can we learn to cut out all the distraction to live on our own terms? How much do we really need in our life? How much of the media is influencing us and putting pressure on us to always want more? How does this affect our kids and our family life? How much busyness do we need to have to feel worthy and how best can we care for ourselves in this busy world. 

Some questions to ponder. I am no therapist or counselor. I practice learning, failing and take the experiences that have taught me over and over what I need and how to listen to my inner self. And it takes practice, practice, practice and deliberate practice. And I screw up plenty!  But I love to share what works and does not work for me. Everyone should make up their own decisions on what that is for them. 

If you feel that you are consumed by external distraction and always wanting more, take a deep hard look and listen to exactly what it is you want more of.  Is it family time? A vacation with friends you have never took? Time to visit your favorite book store? I find that many times it is never really what it seems. Sometimes we have to investigate our real needs, desires and evaluate how we live our lives and hit the pause button.  For instance, all I really want sometimes is to lie still with a book and read. But, I get caught up in "I really need to go to the gym".. I have not gone in 3 days or "I really need stop and drop off the library books before they close". Do I? The gym will be there tomorrow when I am more focused and ready and it would best serve me to relax and go tomorrow and the books can be dropped off at anytime through the drop off box. It does me no justice to stress out trying to fit in what I think I need to do, with what my mind really needs at that moment. Many times it is yearning to be nurtured and not distracted by stuff. For me this means slowing down and calming down with intention. It beats having everything on my "to do" list completed and be completely unsatisfied and falling apart at the seams. 

I also practice conscious parenting. Yes! Conscious and deliberate. Not letting the "stuff" get in the way of how I want to parent. Not going through the motions, keeping up with crazy schedules, allowing technology to run my child over or putting my child aside for my own agenda. I put my phone down (better yet shut it off) get on their level, give lots of hugs and ask lots of good questions. Deliberate parenting, not perfect parenting. :)

As parents and particularly mothers, we often come last. It is our job to take care of everyone and hopefully at some point in the day, there will be a few minutes of "me time". Me time often takes shape of making lunches the next day, paying bills and folding laundry. Wow. "me time" is awesome! (Insert sarcasm). You get my point. My cup is empty as I sometimes say.

We must fill the cup! Take time for yourself, your thoughts, what your body and mind need. It is OK to say no to family, your partner or even your kids to take some time to yourself. This does not mean the ones you love get ignored or needs not met. It just means you take a break, time of respite to reflect on your own needs. Many times  I will find myself coming back renewed and re-energized. And when you take the time to be with family on a conscious level, they will also feel that renewed energy. 

How do you practice being conscious and deliberate in your own life?

Simple Pesto

There is nothing more fragrant than fresh herbs being cooked in the kitchen. I was lucky to have stumbled across family members that grew too much basil in their garden in the past few days. (Ever heard of such a problem?!) :)

Photo credit Charged

 
I went home with a large zip lock bag chock full of huge, fresh basil leaves. I already knew at least 3 dishes I could make with it, but I knew pesto was first in line!












     Simple Pesto

Photo credit Charged

• 2 tbsp pinoli or pine nuts 
• 2 cups basil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded Parmesan. (This is not the time to buy the prepackaged shredded:)

Using a bullet type juicer or mini food processor, put in all the ingredients but hold off on the oil. Drizzle the oil in a bit at a time while pulsing, then stopping to add more. The consistency should be fine and the residual pesto should be able to be able to stick on the spoon after dropping on your dish.

You will be surprised how quickly two cups of basil makes about a 1/2 cup of pesto. This is why this receipe is perfect for having a too much basil problem. But really... not a problem anymore!

Photo credit Charged

My house smelled heavenly after making this and I have a ton left over. This can be frozen and used year round. You can freeze in ice trays and cover in a large ziplock bag to keep from freezer burn or freeze right in bags for your next dinner in minutes.

What is your favorite dish to make with fresh herbs?