How to Drink More Water During Colder Months

I am a cold person. Always cold, always bringing a jacket, always asking people to turn the air off or roll the windows up in a car. I drive my car with the seat heaters on the second October hits. I love the cold weather, but I have to to face it with preparation otherwise I ain't digging it. 

Cold water is about the last thing I want to sip on when it's 40 degrees out. Although, it is equally important to stay hydrated in the winter as it is the hot summer months. Cold air dries out our skin and can dehydrate you. I read even if you aren't sweating water vapor can escape through your breath, leaving you dehydrated. Drinking water is great for your kidneys, maintaining your appetite, and flu and cold prevention. I've found a couple ways to help me stomach the H2O when the weather gets as cold as my ice water. 

1. You've probably read it before, but hot lemon water is such a good way to start your day. Not only is it detoxifying and great for your skin, it's the perfect warm drink to pull you out of bed on a cold morning. I go through 1- 2 lemons a week and just cut them into 1/8s and store them in a container in my fridge. Each morning, I wake up squeeze a lemon into a mug, add water and microwave it for 2 minutes. I frequently will do it throughout the day when I'm shivering over my computer and can't stomach a glass of cold water.

2. Seasonal flavored water. I love adding fruit or mint to my water in the summer. I often keep a big pitcher in my fridge and refill it through the week. Right now I'm doing the same but changing up my usual lemon, and cucumber to a combo of orange and cloves. I cup the oranges up in wedges, dot the slices with whole cloves and throw a few extra in as well. I love how my cup of water has this vague holiday taste to it! Makes it much easier to sip down when it gets me in the holiday spirit!

Drinking herbal teas is another way to stay hydrated when plain water just won't cut it! Any tips on how you stay hydrated in the winter? Please share so we can all #takeasip together!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Feels like a second ago when we had a new bites post! Well...cause we did. Getting off schedule with coming home from New York, last week's post went up on Thursday, but here we are again, back on Monday as usual! The end of my week ending with a lot of learning. Learning came in all different ways. Learning about places in my city I hadn't been before, learning to really soak in those super happy moments, learning a new skill, and learning new techniques to add to my cooking repertoire. 

-B-lined for Starbucks the morning #redcups came out! Current order--> almond milk decaf latte or jade citrus mint tea (the best). 
-Golden milk on serious repeat. Let me know if you want my recipe!
-This sweet potato bowl needs to get in your life --> sweet tater, yogurt of choice (I used blueberry), generous blob of almond butter and granola crumbled on top!
-TJs Burrata, Prosciutto, Arugula flatbread with thin sliced apples and maldon salt sprinkled over the top, do it!
-Thunder is back!
-Post 2AM Whataburger...
-So our power went out, again. I took lunch outside to sit fireside by our chiminea, instead of cooping up by a collection of candles. 
-Saturday night was frozen avocado margs, my favorite chips in the city and fireside (round 2) with great friends and great conversation. It was one of those super happy moments I mentioned above.
-Cured salmon avocado toast brunch style at The Drake. 
-My mom's sweetest friend is teaching me to knit and know I think everyone is getting a scarf for Christmas.
-Learned so many new and educating tips about how to cook with really great and healthy ingredients at the #pkcookingclass! Follow @provisionkitchen to stay aware on more classes to come.
-Seriously the funnest night learning, cooking and eating a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving meal at the #pkcookingclass! Those scalloped sweet potatoes though...

Annie

Bites of My Life

I'm confused. Today is Thursday, but it feels like Tuesday to me. With being in two different time zones over the past week and daylight savings time happening, my internal clock is off.

Over the weekend my family flew up to New York to see oldest sis run the New York Marathon! It was an incredible weekend celebrating her run, eating delicious food, catching up with friends, the whole fam and exploring new parts of the city. We got home in time for all the election drama, but with a three day week for me, I'm still working on adjusting. 

-#barre3halloween.
-I'm a sucker for Starbucks specialty cups. Last week they distributed these green cups, but today red cups are LIVE! Don't worry, I already got mine this morning!
-Easy, creamy, healthy, delicious butternut squash soup with savory granola. A must make recipe for this fall. 
-Flavor of the month = turmeric. Picked up this golden milk drink for sipping when I'm not making a homemade turmeric latte at home!
-The power went out one evening in our neighborhood last week. I was quickly reminded how dependent on electricity I am. No TV, no wifi, no oven, microwave, no netflix. It was harddddd.
-Went to Target for a work errand and walked out with a crock-pot. Why Target why????
-A few months late, but I can check off "take a coffee/latte class" off my Spring TDL. Disclosure none of these latte pours were done by me, it is as hard as it looks. 
-From ages 8 to about 14 I was highly obsessed with Hello Kitty. I had Hello Kitty calendars, water bottles, earrings, t-shirts, blankets, iPod covers, it was a lot. My heart skipped a beat when this filter showed up on snapchat last week.
-Barre 3 OKC turned 6 last Friday and I loved getting to join in the celebrations with a DJ led class  taught under strung twinkle lights. 
-Arrived in New York on Saturday and got straight to eating. We assisted in Claire's "carb loading" with copious amounts of truffle cheese and pomodoro bucatini. 
-Long waits altered our breakfast plans, but for the better I think. We ended up at a little French Algerian cafe with the best avocado toast and a massive curbside view to the marathon runners going by.
-Team Slarrrrrrr! Sis finished the marathon in 3:53:46. Blasted so fast!
-Creamy overnight oats, blueberries, cashew cream and granola. If only my local Whole Foods had a breakfast parfait bar like the Brooklyn Whole Foods did. So obsessed we went twice. 
-Ended our trip with some bubbly and an incredible dinner at Bobby Flay's, Gato. 
-If you go to NYC you must make an appointment at Paintbox. It's becoming a sister tradition, to fancify our nails when together in the city!

Annie

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

I'd say I'm a soup person, but I've kind of taken it to the next level recently. Soup for dinner, soup for lunch, soup out to eat, making soup, buying soup, pinning soup recipes, give me ALL THE SOUP! Sausage Tortellini soup-duh, I just tried Trader Joe's veggie chili-highly recommend, and today I give you this butternut squash soup. 

I've made butternut squash soup before and I highly recommend the recipe. I called it velvet soup in my post, because it was just that. But this new recipe is the easiest darn thing to make and has about 4 main ingredients in it. It's also Whole30, vegan and dairy free for those who take note of those things. 

The most important part of the recipe in my opinion is the fresh rosemary. There are so few ingredients, I urge you to spring for the fresh rosemary. I roast the squash with it and garnish the finish product too. It give it serous flavor. Keep reading to get the recipe for this gem of a soup.

Pour yourself a bowl and top it with a hefty sprinkle of savory granola. The best accoutrement!! 

Butternut Squash Soup
yields about 4 cups, adapted from Emily Eats Real Food

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
2-2½ cups unsweetened almond milk
*½ cup coconut cream (the thick stuff from the top of the coconut milk can-do not shake!)
fresh rosemary, chopped
salt & pepper
olive oil
Savory Granola, optional

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 450ºF. *Refrigerate your coconut cream while your prep the squash. Peel your butternut squash and slice in half. Place on a roasting sheet. Generously drizzle with olive oil, season with lots of salt, pepper and chopped rosemary. Roast for 1 hour. 

Let the squash cool until you can handle it. Scoop out the seeds if you haven't already then cube into big chunks. Carefully add the cooked squash, almond milk and coconut cream to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. 

Into a large soup pot add the blended mixture and heat over medium heat. If you have an immersion blender you can skip the previous step and add the squash and creams straight to the pot and blend over the heat. Salt and pepper to taste, don't be shy!

Serve with chopped rosemary, a drizzle of olive oil and a garnish of savory granola!

*Grocery stores sell "coconut cream," DON'T buy that. Buy regular coconut milk. Do not shake the can of coconut milk. Open with a can opener and scoop out the thick cream from the top. Discard the rest. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

Happy halloween! Are your tricking and treating yourself? I sure did over the past week. Delicious bites, new recipes, handfuls of candy, matcha lattes, loads of junk food and all the proper halloween snacks were indulged in over the past few days. I do believe the holiday season of eating is here!

Last week was quick and fun and this week is shaping up to be the same, but I'm wishing it away with the anticipation of our family trip to see Claire this weekend. We have an itinerary set and I have a list of to-dos, but please send any NYC musts my way!

-BOOM! Easiest butternut squash soup coming this week!
-Ombre pumpkin sugar cookies to get in the spirit!
-I found another matcha to add to my list! Take my word and go try the one at Okay Yeah! 
-The yummiest modern mexican joint opens it's doors tomorrow! I was lucky to sneak a bite early.
-Happiest wedding day for my dear Lexy! 
-Try it --> savory oatmeal seasoned with s&p, turmeric and a poached egg.
-My cookie loving instincts helped channeled my halloween costume this year.
-Got to go behind the mic & be featured on the local food podcast, OKC Over Easy! Listen to my episode on Soundcloud or iTunes.
-Love celebrating this mom on her birthday and everyday!

Annie

P.S. Don't miss last week's recipes including Gingersnap Cookie Pizza and Savory Granola!