A weekends worth of recipes

Here are some recipes from this past weekend that were easy(a must!), healthy (yes, please!) and most importantly delicious(non-negotiable!).

Saturday AM Protein Shake

Handful of Frozen Strawberries
Handful of Frozen Blueberries
1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein
VitaCoco Coconut Water(Fill Empty Space in Magic Bullet Container)

Blend and enjoy!

We also made Egg and cheese omlets (egg whites for me) with what we call breakfast salad (sprouts, avocado, and a pinch of salt!) – super yum!

His & Hers B-Fast

We whipped up this healthy dinner too, and experimented with a “Healthy Tartar Sauce” recipe from this food blog I like! I must say….the Tartar Sauce was a show stopper! Even the next day when we devoured the leftovers for lunch!

Main Attraction
- Fresh Tilapia (egged, then breaded in whole wheat bread crumbs and lightly
slow fried in extra virgin olive oil).

Before

After

Scrumptious Sides
- Side of steamed quinoa
- Homemade “healthy” Tartar Sauce
- Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts (first time experimental recipe)

I decided to share this recipe since it was a complete experiment and a worthy one at that!

Brussels sprouts washed, halved and steamed until soft. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine equal parts organic honey and balsamic vinegar, throw in a few fresh cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let mixture simmer until it becomes a reduction consistency. *Feel free to adjust honey to vinegar ratio to your taste buds.

In your pan, sauté steamed Brussels Sprouts in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste (this will create a browned crisper texture to the outside of the sprouts). When sprouts get golden brown color, add the “Hon&Bal” reduction to your pan and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes until flavor infuses into sprouts and caramelizes a bit. Drain extra liquid and serve.

Bon appetite!

What are your favorite lazy weekend (healthy) recipes? Leave a comment below.

Oh! And one more pic before you go…

I think she likes her bag…don’t you think??

my exciting new addition!

I am so excited to share with you the newest addition to my family!

I am the proud new mama of a beautiful baby girl…pup! Yesterday I adopted my angel and I am already experiencing more love (and a different kind) than I have ever experienced before.

World, meet Harlow …

Harlow, meet the world.

Harlow is a 14 week old lab mix, her mama is a beautiful black lab sweetheart (pic below). Harlow made the trip to Sweet Adoptables in Connecticut all the way from Georgia with her brother Oliver (who was also recently adopted into a loving home).

She has a super sweet and cuddly demeanor (she will definitely fit in around here!) and has been adjusting to her new home and lots of new toys. We took her on a big shopping trip right away and everyone in the store stopped to comment on her sweet nature and petite frame.

Harlow has never been crate trained before but you can tell she is looking for a space to call her own. Her first night in the crate went well, given she is adjusting to a new family(even though I’m convinced I was meant to be her mama since Day 1!) , surroundings and Brooklyn city noises. And it’s not easy, I remember needing some time to adjust to the city buzzing when I moved, even in the quieter neighborhood that I live in. But just like the rest of us, I’m confident she’ll adjust to her new home, just fine.

So far one of my favorite things is how all she wants is a good snuggle. She has already found her favorite and coziest spots around my apartment! We still have to get used to “house breaking” her…so if anyone has an amazing or magical tip or book recommendation, do not hesitate to share in a comment below, ALL ARE WELCOME!

What is your new puppy experience? What is something you wish you knew? Or something that was a miracle worker that you’d like to share? Leave me a comment, as a first time mama is appreciate all the help I can get right now!

*Love at first site*

some quotes i’m “pinterested” in this week

Source: littlereasonstosmile.tumblr.com via DeAnna Lynn on Pinterest

Source: feelgoodtribe.com via DeAnna Lynn on Pinterest

Source: notsalmon.com via DeAnna Lynn on Pinterest

Source: homelifesimplified.com.au via DeAnna Lynn on Pinterest

healthy black bean soup recipe

As a semi-vegetarian (I occasionally love me some Salmon and Tilapia – Yum!), I am always looking for ways to pack some protein into my meals. After spending the last two weeks in Dallas, Texas and then Los Angeles, California, I was surrounded by some great Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican food. Back in New York, I was inspired by those delicious cultural flavors and decided to take a stab and experiment with a low calorie, protein packed, Black Bean Soup and create a recipe.

The result was so delicious and versatile it had us all going back for seconds! And the toppings added awesome flavor, texture, and could easily be switched out for any of your favorite creamy or crunchy additions. I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch!

RECIPE

The Goods:
1 medium Vidalia onion (diced)
2 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of chili powder
4 cups vegetarian broth (organic)
1 29 oz can of black bean
1 29 oz can of pink beans
1 can of organic whole corn
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Toppings:
Shredded Cheese (your choice)
Avocado (Diced)
Light Sour Cream
Crushed Tortilla Chips

The Tools:
Large soup pot
Spatula
Immersion Blender

How-To:
Heat olive oil in the large soup pot, sauté Vidalia onions and garlic 5 – 7 minutes until fragrant and cooked through. Add sea salt and chili powder, mix thoroughly. Drain and wash black beans (set aside ½ cup), and add to the pot of onions/garlic. Drain and wash pink beans, add to pot. Mix beans with onions/garlic/spices. Add vegetable broth, bring mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Take pot off heat, and use immersion blender to blend thoroughly, until mixture is smooth. Return to low heat. Add drained and washed organic corn, as well as the rest of the whole black beans that were set aside. Add sea salt and fresh pepper to taste.

In a single serving bowl, top with shredded cheese, diced avocado, and a dollop of light sour cream. For crunch add crushed whole wheat saltines or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

(Makes 6 – 8 servings)

Let me know how you like it? What else would you add as a topping? Do you have another variety of Black Bean Soup?? Would love to try it! Leave a comment below.

how letting go allowed me to embrace uncertainty

Ever since returning from my holiday vacation in the Bahamas, life in NY has been a bit of a whirlwind. As I sat down to prep some goals for “Create Your Great Life” and “The Empowerment Circle” this year, something inside me said “D, be still for a moment and take a step back.” Last year was all about growth for me, and leaps and bounds mentally, emotionally and physically in my life and business. As 2011 came to a close, and 2012 kicked off with a bang, I decided to listen to my inner guide (as Gabby Bernstein would say) and connect with myself.

My intuition is freaky (and awesome) that way. It sensed that the universe wanted me to slow down and clear some space in my life for something that was about to take form.

A few weeks ago I learned that my Yia Yia (that’s Greek for grandma!) was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. This was a quick and shocking diagnosis and I don’t think I was prepared for it. Yia Yia and I are very close (I lived in her house for 2 years post-college and to date she was one of the best “roommates” I’ve ever had. My family even teases that I’m Yia Yia because of the traits that I embody like her, things I’m proud of like her even-keeled nature, ability to care for others and capable and strong persona.) None the less, this news was a shock. A few months ago, my healthy and vibrant 78 year old grandmother was fine, and now stage 4 cancer? Its been a lot to grasp.

I’m sharing this so publicly because this has been an interesting time for me and I’ve learned a lot. It feels like a lot of things in my life had some advance warning of this, and knew I would need time and space in my life to gather the strength to face the unknowns ahead with Yia Yia. It’s also forcing me to slow down, prioritize and let some “control” over life, go…in order to really be present in the moments to come.

Last week I went down to Texas to see Yia Yia in the hospital. A native New Yorker, she spends the winters in Dallas with family, her grandkids and great grandkids and was there when she was hospitalized and eventually diagnosed. Although I was scared to see Yia Yia in the hospital, it was an amazing few days.

The universe had my back, and took care of everything in my life (work, bills, clients) and there was this glorious space that was present that I haven’t had in a long time. I met my brother and sister down in Dallas, and we were greeted by my cousins, their wives and adorable babies. Their love, and support, coupled with that Southern Hospitality made for an amazing weekend and allowed us to be present with Yia Yia, each other and take in all of the moments without having to think, or stress, or plan, or worry. It was all taken care of. And it was magnificent.

We’ll know more about Yia Yia’s prognosis in the coming weeks, and for now we are praying for ease of mind, and strength in her soul. And I appreciate all of the kinds words, thoughts and prayers I have received from all of you, all around the world.

A planner and control-feign by nature, the biggest lesson for me this week was to “let go.” Letting go, allowing the universe to work its magic, and leaning on others for support created the perfect environment for finding peace and harmony during this uncertain time. Had I not let go, the truly beautiful moments of family, love, laughter, togetherness and strength may have been missed.

Asking for help and love and support is not always easy in life, though necessary in life.

I learned this weekend just how important it is to ask for what we need in life. I experience the magic first-hand and what I received was a beautiful moment in time. I realize that we can’t always find answers to why things like this happen in life, so unexpected. But, what I know for sure, is that had Yia Yia not been sick, we all would not have come together (from New York, Delaware, California and Dallas) to have that experience. And, in a way, this weekend gave me more strength, hope and optimism for what’s to come, and I believe it gave that to Yia Yia too.

Here is a picture of Yia Yia from October (and my dad) in Brooklyn at my apartment from brunch:

Here is a picture from this weekend, of my sister and I and Yia Yia’s great grandkids!

And, here is one of James, Lexie and I on our last day in Dallas:


Do you have a similar experience? What did you do that helped? Share your comments below!