Holiday treats!

Need a last minute gift? Or maybe you want to bring a snack to a party? Here it is! This is so simple, delicious and can be customized to suit exactly what you like!!

I used:
Dark chocolate (I used 70% chips)
Pistachios
Dried cranberries
Flaked Sea salt
White chocolate
Walnut crumbs

If these toppings don't appeal to you, change it up to suit your taste.

This is the easiest treat ever! From start to finish it takes about 20-30 minutes.

To start, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water. It gets so smooth and perfect this was. In the microwave the chocolate can get a bit crisp on the edges.

Once it is fully melted and smooth, pour onto a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Smooth the chocolate across the sheet.
You can smooth it out so it's very thin, or keep it thicker. It's your choice, but it will take longer to re-harden the thicker it is.

Sprinkle your toppings on. As much or as little as you'd like. Don't leave out the salt. It brings out the sweetness so the chocolate isn't overly bitter. 

Once you have it how you like, put it in the fridge or freezer until it's good and solid. 

Success!

Now all that's left is to break it up and give it to the people you love! 

Happy new year everyone!
xoxo

Workout

I'm hoping in the new year I can allow myself more time for more workouts. I have never been a gym person, so I have to find classes that I will actually enjoy and that have a teacher to keep me going.

That being said, I've made myself a list of classes or activities I want to try in 2014. 

Here it is : (and no, this isn't a stupid New Years resolution to be a better me. December is just to expensive as it is.)

I am really looking forward to starting the kickboxing class I did a trial for last month. It was an amazing workout, reasonably priced and self defence lessons all in one. 

30 minute hit kickboxing circuit 

http://www.30minutehit.com

Considering it was my life goal as a child to be a ballerina, how could I not want to try this?? The workout is based around a ballet barre and works the body in a way that dance, yoga and Pilates combined would. Low impact but effective. 

Barre body studio - ballet workouts

http://barrebodystudio.com

I would like to start running again, but that may wait until summer.. If I could run outside all year I would but I'd break my ankles on all the stupid winter ice. And let me just say, there are few things I hate more than falling on ice. 

I also do yoga all year round. Chad and I do a hatha class once a week near where we live and have been for a few years now. I think I might branch out and try some other kinds of yoga now. I would especially love to try aerial yoga...

Or aerial arts in general. Silks perhaps??

http://www.fireflytheatre.com

Continuing on, some other things, less for exercise and more for fun and getting out, I would love to do archery and rock climbing. 

Then let's put all these things together and I will be a super ass kicking machine.. Maybe I'll become a super hero or something.... 

Yes, I do love Arrow. I mean.. How could you not????

xoxo

My toast is French.

Sometimes, for no real reason at all, It's nice to have something special for breakfast. French toast is where it's at today. With the day off, Chad sleeping in and me being (obviously) hungry, it's just perfect.

I used to make French toast with just egg. Bread dipped in egg, into the pan, syrup, done.
This time I put a little more into it.

For 2-3 slices of bread you need:
2 eggs
A glug of milk
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract

Mix, mix, mix
Give the bread a good soak in the mix and then send it off to a hot buttered pan.
It's all done when the bread has a nice brown crisp.

I topped my toast with Pure maple syrup and fruit. Blueberries, mango, strawberry and peaches. Nice and simple, but so delicious.
Whipped cream also makes a good topping but I don't keep that on hand.

And let's just be real, this isn't paleo at all. Sometimes you've just gotta live a little.

xoxo

1 year

Well, it's hard to believe for me, but 1 year ago today I was getting off a ferry that sailed across the sea from my Greece to Italy.  My last glimpse of beautiful Greece and huge anticipation for everything to come. Rome would soon be mine! 

When we did finally make it into Rome on the train and find a hostel, that was when the travel adventure really begin. That adventure stretched out for two of the best months of my life. Thinking back on them, some of those experiences don't even seem real. 

I went underground in the coliseum??

I stood in the shadow of the acropolis?

I visited Versailles, Eiffel and Arc de Triomphe.. Not to mention Disneyland Paris! 

We chased the stories of Jack the Ripper through London. 

Belgian waffles in Belgium and Swiss chocolate in Switzerland?! Yum. 

Followed the story line of The Sound of Music movie through Austria and learned about the real story. 

Plumped up on sausage and mulled wine at Christmas markets in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Belgium and France. 

Of course we did and saw so much more, but it would take me ages to relive it all right here for you. Go back to the very beginning of my blog and you can read all about it! 

Every bit of this trip, the whole 5 months, not just the last 2 have changed things for me so much. I have such a thirst for the world. I want to see it all, bury my toes in the sands, swim in the seas, climb the hills. Visit the temples, ruins, monasteries, cities, villages.. I want to meet the people, hear their languages and taste their food. I want it all. 

Can we go now??

xoxo

The season is here!

And just like that, a tree grew up in my living room!

I was shopping at Target the day before black Friday and they had some great deals already on so I picked up a Christmas tree and some lights for the condo. Chad wasn't up for putting it up that night when I got home but I convinced him to do it the next day! We also ended up going back to Target to get another string of lights, some garland and a few ornaments.

I just love our little tree! It took a minute for it to grow on me, but now I think it's just darling. It's a bit skinny and the branches aren't super strong though so we couldn't put to much on it. 

To add to the seasonal feelings we also got a massive dump of snow and some seriously ridiculous cold weather. Like -30 ish and feeling like -45 with windchills. Gross. 

To add to my festive feelings, I've been working on my stockings. One each for my nieces and one for my oldest brother. And you can have one too!! I have an etsy shop for them!!

xoxo