Bites of My Life

January - I was fairly optimistic of you at the beginning of the week. A fresh new start, a new week, a new year, the whole shebang. Then I realized you stunk. I'm going to be pessimistic for a second. January is cold and gray. It effects our moods. Everyone is depressed coming off the holidays and a whole bunch of other things just make it not so great. I had one of those real world-I have no money-I want to do more with my life-stress pimples are all over my face-kind of break downs this week. 

The thing I've realized after, said number of these kind of meltdowns, is that I can feel them coming, and I know everything is going to be 100% fine if I just get it out of my system.

So January you suck, sorry you do. But now that I got it out of my system, we are turning you around. I'm trying really hard to kick my stress out the door and focus on what I want, what I need and how I'm going to make it happen. Friday was said "breakdown," then Saturday I woke up to a blanket of snow, so there ya go, things are already looking up!

-Monday got turned around real quick with an unexpected half day at work and my favorite falafel salad.
-The Bachelor is back and boy am I ready.
-Made this Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera last week and I'm still noshing on it.
-A warm and toasty lunch during these freezing cold days.
-Week 1 down of the Barre3 challenge with my Barre3 buddy.
-India came to Oklahoma for the night with this tikka masala, recipe this week!
-Breakfast doubled as a snow day celebration and a cure from the night before.
-Still chocolate chip cookie testing, still haven't found "the one." 
-The Golden Globes and a barre3 challenge approved meal.

Annie

Tuck It In

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The hair tuck, have you heard of it, have you tried it? I am so all over this trend. The hair tuck takes no products, no blow dryers and really no effort to achieve. All you need is a turtleneck or coat. It's kind of my dream. My mane of hair somehow grew like a weed overnight, so this is the perfect way to tame it. All you gotta do is tuck it in.  

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I'll be over here all tucked in if you need me!

Annie

Barre3 Challenge

image via @barre3

This year I am striving to challenge myself more. Challenge myself in the kitchen, challenge myself at work and challenge myself in everyday life. Working out is a part of my everyday life. It's something I do almost everyday and honestly really enjoy. I didn't always like to work out until I discovered Barre3. Barre3 changed the way I look at working out. I crave it instead of dread it. Barre3 is often described as a combination of ballet, pilates and yoga. It is built on the three pillars of exercise, connection and nourishment.

Yesterday marked the first day of the Barre3 January challenge. In efforts to challenge myself more in 2016, I jumped on the bandwagon. The challenge is to commit to four in-studio classes, one 10-minute online workout and try out a new Barre3 recipe each week for the whole month of January.

Challenge accepted! My sister/instructor/barre3 buddy and I are living out the challenge by cooking our Barre3 recipes together each week. Up first is b3's Chicken Tikka Masala! Stay tuned.

We would all be lying if we didn't tell ourselves we were going to eat better and work out more in 2016. The foundation of a healthy lifestyle is what you feed yourself. Since this is a food blog I have rounded up a list of my most nourishing and b3 approved recipes! You can find more on the Barre3 website if you are a member and by purchasing the app. 

Perfect Green Smoothie 
Almond Butter Balls
Overnight Oats 
Strawberry Fig & AB Smoothie 
Nicoise Salad

 Homemade Almond Butter  
 Nutri Bowl
Cauliflower Crust Pizza 
 Zucchini Fries
Stuffed Acorn Squash

Quinoa Taco Salad
Acorn Squash w/ Quinoa Salad
Foil-Packet Tilapia
Lemony Shrimp Spaghetti Squash
Quinoa Fried Rice

Anyone other Barre3ers out there doing the challenge? Never heard of Barre3? I challenge you to read into and try it out. The mind body connection is something you don't get anywhere else. If you are in the Oklahoma City area, grab me and we can take a class together!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Well hello twenty sixteen! I hate to see 2015 go, but 2016 was easily welcomed. Last year went out just perfectly and the new year has already come in strong. With some unexpected time off from work last week, the ultimate bestie reunion, a wedding for two sweet friends, good bites and great sips, a few goodbyes and a couple hellos, it's time to get this new year cranking. 

I love the new and fresh mindset a new year brings.  My hopes in 2016 are for new opportunities, new attitudes, new challenges, new sights to see, new relationships to form and as always new recipes to try. Here's to the year of new!

-A festive yet detoxing cranberry smoothie after a week of holiday indulgences. Working on perfecting the recipe before I post it. 
-Still thinking about these popovers and planning when I'm going to make them again. 
-The most eclectic Christmas leftovers/clean out the fridge lunch.  
-Whole Foods never seizes to amaze me. Their cioppino is restaurant good. 
-Not sure if it was the 5 hour energy I took or if it was the excitement of seeing my british bestie again, but my heart was beating out of my chest. 
-You didn't come to Fort Worth unless you went to Joe T's. 
-The gift that keeps on giving arrived last week. Kathleen gifted me with a 3 box subscription to Try the World. It's basically Birchbox for international food. You can expect multiple posts about this little blue box.
-#ReadytoRock the new year. 
-Kate the great is shipping out today for a semester at sea. One last squeeze before she sets sea. 
-Resolving to get out and do more instead of letting fun opportunities pass. This meant a Saturday local brewery tour. Not pictured - all of our samples... 
-Nothing beats breakfast in bed.
-Perfect end to the week with church and lunch with dad.

Annie

See You Next Year

Looking back, 2015 was full of numerous ends and beginnings, changes and challenges. Learning how to budget, how to live on my own, how create a work/life balance, how to invest in things I want to do and suck it up to do things I don't won't to. 

Similar to the end of year review I'm doing at work, here are a few bites to review the peaks of the past year.

To start off the new year , I skied into 2015.

#KatsBrooklynBach followed soon after with a sister weekend in NYC!

Pretended we weren't just a bunch of city girls at the Fort Worth rodeo. 

Did the vegas thing, so I can now check that off my life to-do list. 

Sweet Take A Bite turned 2!

Celebrated one of many #gokrenger pre-wedding festivities.

The last hooplah with my Kappa girls before we parted ways.

Turned my tassel for the last time.

Turned 22.

Moved into my first big girl house-celebrated with homemade guac and mexican beer. 

Sis got hitched.

Obsessed with my growing family. 

Mom, dad and I hit the west coast for a few days in Newport Beach.

Fall made it's return and so did football season. 

Tucked a few skills under my belt like sushi making and flower arranging.

Only trouble when we were all reunited. 

Take A Bite got a facelift.

Hosted my first friendsgiving. 

Christmas came and went, and now it's time to shut the door on 2015. You were swell fifteen.

Annie