WIAW: Warmin’ Up!

Hello from beautiful Nebraska, where it has magically transformed from winter to spring in less than 24 hours. Having lived on the East Coast for so long, I forgot about this temperamental midwest weather. But, when the high temp is 64 degrees, I have no reason to complain! Granted, it’s supposed to snow tomorrow, but let’s just live in the present, shall we?

This weeks “What I Ate Wednesday” WIAW kicks off with the first of two breakfasts. I was up very early for a job interview, and since I didn’t want my stomach grumbling mid-interview, I dug into a bowl of Dark Chocolate Cheerios, with almond milk and a little bit of fruit.

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Have you tried these Dark Chocolate Cheerios yet? If not, you are certainly missing out. I think the only Cheerio flavor ever created that I didn’t like was Banana Nut, and that’s because generally, banana-flavored things taste artificial to me. However, these Dark Chocolate Cheerios are definitely making it to the top of my list, right after Frosted Cheerios.

The interview went well, and it was actually in a very cool part of Omaha. This bad blogger forgot to take pictures after the interview because I was doing what I always do post-date/post-interview: over-analyzing everything I said/didn’t say, what he said/didn’t say, etc. Ahh, I love being a woman! Continue Reading →

5 Sometimes Healthy Things to Do After a Breakup

I was really pleased with the response to my breakup post, so I decided that, although it is a bit frightening to “put myself out there” and discuss my personal life, I’m going to do it every once in a while.

As that famous quote from somewhere I can’t remember says, “If you’re not scared, you’re probably not doing it right.”

I’ve mentioned a few times that I can’t believe just how quickly I began to feel better and more like myself once I arrived in Omaha post-breakup. It took about a week, but one day I realized that I’m actually very content right now. There are a few things up in the air, including my job and where I plan to live in Omaha (thanks for the temporary home mom and dad), which make me feel uneasy and unsettled at times. However, I genuinely feel good about myself and the decisions that I’ve made since arriving home.

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Realistically, the worse days probably aren’t behind me yet. I’m sure they’ll be some rough days every now and then. But, in the meantime, I’m just going to try to enjoy the ride!

Let’s be honest: breakups suck. But, they happen all the time. Every day. All day. In fact, there’s probably about a million people breaking up right now as you read this post. Yet, knowing that “you’re not alone” really doesn’t help ease the pain does it? Your pain feels uniquely horrible and you cannot possibly imagine anyone feeling as bad as you do.

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I get it. I’ve been there. 

So, for any of you that are going through a painful breakup right now, I wanted to provide a few things that helped me through the bumpy times.  Continue Reading →

Cookie Dough Oreo V-Day Truffles + Kickboxing Bootcamp Workout + a Romcom Must-See List

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

As someone who has spent many Valentine’s Days both single and in relationships, I’ve never really understood the bitterness towards this holiday. Sure, it’s a Hallmark holiday, but if you’re in relationship, it’s another opportunity to remind that special someone why you love them and if you’re single, it’s the perfect excuse to bake some sinful sweets and show some of the important people in your life how amazing they are. 

And let me tell you, after the “great breakup of 2014,” I have a long list of people to thank for their love, support and of course, patience. You see, I’m one of those people who constantly seeks advice from her friends and family. I listen earnestly, taking in every single word and vowing to take their wise advice. Yet somehow, I always end up doing the opposite. Thus, I owe a lot of “thank yous” to these patient people!

Anyway, lots to cover today and such little time to capture your attention. If you’re scrambling to bake something last-minute today, then I have just the recipe for you…and you don’t even have to bake. All you need to do is grab some of those new Cookie Dough Oreos, some cream cheese and melting chocolate and magically, you will have a rich, decadent and chocolatey truffle.

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Personally, I always indulge a little extra on every major holiday. Therefore, I make the gym a priority on those days as well. Today’s workout is inspired by a class I took at the gym last week. The class combined simple boxing moves with intense bootcamp exercises, and I was a hot, sweaty mess by the end. Hopefully, this workout will do the same for you.

And finally, if you are single on Valentine’s Day, you may just want to stay in with some friends, eat those delicious oreo truffles and watch a nice, cozy romcom. I’ve put together a list of my top 10 romantic comedies that never fail to make me cry like a little baby but also remind me that the whole “happily ever after” deal does exist. 

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Continue Reading →

WIAW: Back in the Game

First things first: Thank you so very much for all of your kind words yesterday! Many people claim that they just write for themselves, but frankly, I do not! I feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment whenever I read a comment that somebody has truly related or benefited from my ramblings. 

Now, if you’re joining me for the traditional “What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW), then might I suggest that, upon finishing this post, you  hop on over to my breakup post. My eats are interesting and all, but trust me, this post is way more of a page turner…or should I say “page scroller.”

For those of you new to the blog after finding my breakup post, let me quickly clarify WIAW. It’s a sort of “party” for the healthy living bloggers world. We all write about our daily eats and then post them to this blog in what is called a “link-up.” Then, throughout the day we all check out each other’s wacky food choices and comment on them. Believe it or not, it’s actually very interesting!


Alright, now that the intro is out of the way, let’s hop into breakfast. I was up very early to take a YOGA class. Yes, yoga – new year, new me, or whatever. Every year I try to make myself a yogi, and I usually give up after about 2 classes. But, given all the changes in my life, I figured, no time like the present.

It was a bit early for breakfast, but I forced myself to down a Chobani with fruit to avoid being that awkward girl who sucks at yoga and also has her stomach growling the entire class.

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Continue Reading →

So, ya Just Broke Up: Write About It

(Note to Email subscribers: There are many animated GIFs in this post, which may not translate to email. Please click on the post link for the full effect – trust me, it’s worth it.)

Confession: I wrote the beginning of my ground-breaking, mind-blowing breakup post way back in November. I flew back to my hometown, Omaha, and a couple weeks at home lent me the clarity I needed to finally recognize that we brought out the worst in each other, this relationship was “toxic”, two good people does not a good relationship make, etc… 

Then, he asked me to try again, and, although I knew better, I went back to give it another shot anyway.

F*** Sh*** D***

Merely 2 months later, my breakup post was still in-tact, but my dignity certainly wasn’t. Whereas, I had intelligently taken distance before the first breakup, this real and final breakup was brutal.

I suppose this last time around, he finished off the breakup. I knew it was for the best (and had never really adjusted to being back with him), but that didn’t make it easier. In just about 30 days, I had transformed from a self-assured, empowered and independent woman to a weak and pathetic little girl.

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My head was fuzzy, and it was impossible to clarify my feelings during those early days. I thought long and hard about the best way to share this breakup with my small, but loyal following. Although I don’t shy away from sharing the imperfections in my life on this little blog, I’ve always tried to avoid delving into too many personal details. I want my blog to be a little “escape” from your monotonous boring workday, where you can laugh at my many kitchen nightmares, relate to my latest Sometimes Healthy slip-up and maybe grab a useful workout or two.

So, a deep venture into my personal life is unchartered territory. That said, come on ladies, how many of us have been through one of those “wish we could erase it from our mind” excruciatingly painful breakups? I knew many of you could commiserate, so I thought, “F*** it, I’m just going to write about it!” Ultimately, I decided the nitty-gritty details were just too sad and pathetic, and it would be much more fun to share the experience through an interactive GIF timeline.

So grab a box of chocolates, some ice cream or a bag of carrots (if you’re trying to be Sometimes Healthy), get cozy by the fire and relax. This story could take awhile, but hey, there’s no better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than reading a breakup story from yours truly.

The following events DID actually happen. It just wasn’t quite as funny to be the person experiencing them.

Continue Reading →

Honey Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding + The Magic 100’s Workout

Hope everyone has made it through the cold week without, well, catching a cold!

Is it weird that I spend 90% of my day in a big fluffy hat, scarf and mittens (even when I’m in the house)?

A couple weeks ago, in WIAW, I shared my experience trying a Chia Pod, an on-the-go freshly packaged chia pudding from Australia. I was instantly hooked on the texture, but the lack of flavor left me yearning for more.

So what does an unsatisfied Sometimes Healthy Girl do after a less-than-stellar chia pudding experience? Well, she grabs the chia seed by the horns of course! Once I realized how easy it was to make my own chia seed pudding, I set out to make a pudding that packed a flavor punch.

The result was a creamy pudding swimming with chia seeds, vanilla and a hint of honey. When topped with some fruit and chocolate chips and paired with my typical extra large coffee from DD, it was just the fuel I needed to help power me through a very challenging circuit workout!

But, first the recipe for this oh-so-easy Honey Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding!

Honey Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding
Yields 4
The superfood to conquer all superfoods stars in this simple breakfast dish that can be thrown together in a pinch. SImply whisk with some key ingredients and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, like magic, you'll have a creamy, nutritious and tasty breakfast!
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Millk
  2. 1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt
  3. 1/4 cup chia seeds
  4. 3 tbsp honey
  5. 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  6. 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
  1. In medium bowl, whisk all ingredients gently, until well-incorporated.
  2. Let stand for 30 minutes, and then transfer to mason jar. Seal, shake and place in the refrigerator overnight (or 4-5 hours if you don't want to wait!)
  3. The next day, serve in mason jars, or spoon into bowls, topping with berries or dark chocolate chips.
The Sometimes Healthy Living Blog https://www.sometimeshealthylivingblog.com/
Can you believe how thick and delicious this superfood pudding looks?

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When I first set out to make this pudding, I was totally confused. “I don’t get it,” I thought. “How does the pudding become thick without gelatin or xanthan gum??” Wellll, it’s because the magical little seeds absorb liquid overnight, until the texture and thickness is the exact consistency of pudding. Continue Reading →

WIAW: Let’s Keep this Brief

Hello from a snowy, snowy New York.

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I must apologize, but I’m on the clock here (the parking meter clock) so this “What I Ate Wednesday” post shall be brief. Seriously, dry your tears.


Early morning breakfast before prepping for an exciting job interview:

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Pre-interview coffee with sprinkled munchkins for good luck…please admire the hot lipstick marks.

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Mid-day vitamin squeeze to fend off this cold that I am certainly getting… (PS – I put my Emergen-C in hot water…helps soothe the throat AND keep me warm).

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Brilliant Whole Foods salad concoction…I couldn’t even tell you what is in there if I tried, but it all tasted delicious meshed together.

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 One of many snacks throughout the day. This Red Pepper Goat Cheese dip was also purchased at Whole Foods, and you should definitely try it. It will certainly change your life.

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Blue Apron Moroccan Beef Dish with Couscous. Oh.my.lord. The flavor in this dish was OFF THE CHARTS. City friends, Blue Apron is a must.

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Desperately seeking warmth with about 5 million of these hot chocolates all day. The marshmallows on top are also from Whole Foods – toasted coconut. Ridiculously delicious.

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Dug into this stash to quench my sweet tooth craving before bed.

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NOW PLEASE, SHARE WITH ME:

What are you doing to keep warm during this cold, coooooold front? 

 

 

 

 

Sometime Healthy Kitchen Disasters + Countdown to Love Workout

Welcome to a very special edition of Sometimes Healthy Kitchen Disasters.

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I’m your host, Jamie, and I generally fail more often in the kitchen than I succeed. But after each epic failure, I garner inspiration from one of my childhood heroes, Michael Jordan. 

As Mike once said:

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Well, Mike, I think I’ve lost plenty of “games” in the kitchen at this point. So, as long as I’m abiding by your formula, eventually I shall achieve greatness, right?

Last night, despite being without an oven for one more week, I was excited to show everyone how I could make a delicious meal using only the crockpot and microwave. The brilliant plan was to re-make a crockpot meatloaf recipe and share it with the blog after taking some fabulous pictures. I also planned to make some corn bread and steamed spinach in the microwave. Continue Reading →

WIAW: From Juicing to Cupcakes

It’s Wednesday, and I’ve got some very sweet NYC treats to share with you.

Yesterday, I started my day admiring the view of central park, while noshing on some nutritious oatmeal, and ended it with the most classic cupcake in all of NYC back upstate. Let’s jump right into “What I Ate Wednesday,” (WIAW) because my New Year’s resolution is to keep posts under 500 words…let’s see how long that lasts.


Thanks to Jen at Peas and Crayons for hosting. If any of you non healthy-living bloggers are curious what this “party” is all about, you should really hop on over to Jen’s website. If you think my eats are unique, you are in for a treat.

As I mentioned, breakfast was enjoyed with a view, as I basked in the sunlight and quiet NYC morning. Despite the fact that NYC is constantly buzzing, when I’m in this hotel room, I feel completely at peace. 

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The oatmeal was topped with rich milk and fresh berries. It was just the fuel I needed for a quick workout before leaving NYC. Continue Reading →

A Baby Shower in NYC

Good morning from the top of the world!

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Otherwise known as a hotel in NYC. I’ve been in NYC for a few days to celebrate a very happy occasion for our family….

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The first grandchild for the family! (Well, our side of the family. My brother’s wife has a sweet little 2-year-old niece.)

The baby shower was a blast, and I couldn’t have had a better time catching up with family, eating delicious italian food and cooing at all of the adorable baby gifts. I’m so excited for my brother and sister-in-law!

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Fun Fact: 5 of the people attending the baby shower were also pregnant, so we kept joking that there was something in the water.

A couple of things I really enjoyed at the shower included a “decorate your own baby block” station and bringing our own favorite childhood books to start the baby’s library. When we got there, we were all given a name plate to insert into the book, so the baby will always no who the book is from. Of course, I also went ahead and wrote a little poem for Baby H. Can you guess what book I brought?

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This is my favorite book of all time! And even though I know the baby will probably receive it countless times in his/her life (graduation, first job, etc.) I’m excited to be the first! Such simple words, but such an important lesson!

All-in-all, it was such a refreshingly joyous day. As the quote above states, “A new baby is like the beginning of all things – wonder. hope. a dream of possibilities.”

I cannot wait to become an Auntie for the first time! I will most likely be the Aunt that stuffs her niece/nephew full of cookies and candy and then hands him/her off full of sugar and energy :-). Shhh…don’t tell anyone.

YOUR TURN:

Any auntie tips for me?

Favorite childhood book(s)? I used to LOVE everything Dr. Seuss and Bernstein Bears