Fit Wit

Since I’m ultra popular I usually make desserts for the masses (hahaha), but every now and then I get selfish and whip up single-serving treats.
The other night I was looking to clear some leftover pumpkin puree out of my fridge, so I got crafty and came up with this concoction:

Pumpkin Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

Filling:
-2 apples, peeled and thickly sliced
-3 tablespoons Splenda
-½ teaspoon cinnamon
-½ teaspoon cornstarch

Crisp Topping:
-½ tablespoon butter
-1 tablespoon light brown sugar
-1 1/2 tablespoons oats
-1 tablespoon flour
-½ teaspoon cinnamon
-1 tbsp pumpkin puree

Directions:

Crisp Topping:
-Warm a small frying pan over medium heat. Melt butter, then combine and cook remaining ingredients for the crisp topping until it is dark brown, stirring constantly (approximately 3 minutes). Remove from heat.

Filling:
-Combine Splenda, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Add sliced apples, coating them with the dry ingredients.
-Place apples in a microwavable bowl, cover with plastic wrap (folding some back to vent), and microwave for 3 ½ minutes. Remove from microwave, add crisp topping and place back in the microwave for 20 seconds.
-Allow crisp to cool for 2 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy.
-Note: I didn’t have any vanilla ice cream. HUGE disappointment. But, I did have cookies & cream—STILL AWESOME :)

Tonight’s (very successful) dinner experiment: My healthy twist on mac & cheese!

Cheesy Pumpkin Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

-1 large spaghetti squash
-1 ½ tbsp. light butter
-2 tbsp flour
-1 ½ cups skim milk
-1 cup pumpkin puree
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp cinnamon
-2/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Spaghetti Squash Preparation:

-Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare spaghetti squash by poking 5-10 holes through the skin with an extra sharp knife (GREAT way to get aggression out. But don’t be a moron. I’m not responsible for kitchen injuries). Place the squash in a baking pan and place into the oven for 60 minutes. Allow to cool of 10 minutes (or it will burn your skin off when you try to clean it)

-Cut the squash down the middle, lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove all seeds from the center. Grab a fork, and scrape the spaghetti squash strands into a large bowl—This is the coolest vegetable.

Sauce Preparation:

-Melt butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Once butter Is melted, add flour and stir together. Add the milk and whisk until the flour clumps no longer exist. Bring the mixture to a simmer for about 1 minute, until thickened, and then add pumpkin, salt, pepper and cinnamon and stir to combine. Add in the cheese and stir until melted.

-Pour cheese sauce over the spaghetti squash and stir together until fully coated. Sprinkle a bit of shredded cheddar, salt and pepper over each serving and enjoy :)

Directions: 

-In a small bowl, melt peanut butter, agave and 1 tbsp of chocolate chips in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring between increments until fully melted.

-Pour peanut butter, agave & chocolate chip mixture over oats in a second small bowl, stirring until fully combined. Stir in remaining 1-2 Tbsp of chocolate chips and 1/8 tsp of cinnamon & roll into 18-20 bite size balls.

-Roll balls in either shredded coconut or a cinnamon & stevia mixture. Or leave them alone…Whatever you want. They’ll taste AWESOME any way you do it. 

-Let the bites set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before you dig—er, bite—in :)

Recipe time! Sharing an easy side dish with ya: Roasted Pesto Sweet Potato and Onion. Healthy and awesome :) I’m not telling you that you have to try this one but… yes I am.

Roasted Pesto Sweet Potato and Onion

Ingredients:

-1 Large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

-1 Sweet Vidalia onion, sliced

-1 Tbsp and 2 tsp basil pesto

Directions:

1)   Toss sweet potato, onion and pesto in a medium bowl, coating pieces evenly. Add to a nonstick foil-lined baking pan in a single layer.

2)   Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes, remove pan and stir vegetables, then return to oven for another 10 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft and onions are slightly brown. 

How easy was that?! So easy. 

Expect plenty of posts from me in the coming weeks. It’s getting close to finals time, so I’ll be getting all of my stress and aggression out in the kitchen and the gym. You’re welcome ;)

healthysexyhappy:

Living spaces and schedules can get pretty cramped in college. But that doesn’t make squeezing a couple exercises between beds — or classes! — impossible. Just under three hours per week of moderate-intensity exercise (the challenge level of a brisk walk) can help reduce heart disease, some cancers, and improve mental health and cognitive function. So in addition to power-walking to those lectures, here are eight moves you can do right in your dorm room.

1. High Knees
Targets: Quads, glutes, calves, shins (anterior tibialis), hip flexors, ups that heart rate
How to: This could piss off your downstairs neighbor even more. But go ahead, we understand putting cardio before others’ quietude. Run in place, bringing the knees above hip level. Pro tip: Keep your hands in front of you at hip level, palms down, and try and slap ’em with your knees to get the most out of this one. Or, pump your arms like a sprinter, elbows at 90 degree angles, and pump those arms fast. (Your legs will ALWAYS go as fast as your arms go!) Land on the balls of your feet (not your heels) for 10-second bursts, working up to 30-second sprints. Aim for 3-5 sets with 20 seconds of rest in between.

2. Butt Kicks
Targets: Hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves, shins (tibialis), aaand heart rate
How to: Ready to kick things up a notch? Keep running in place, but this time kick your heels to your butt with each stride. Go as fast as you can for 3-5 rounds of 20-30 second bursts, 20 seconds of rest between each.

3. Jump Squats
Targets: Quads, glutes, calves, shins (anterior tibialis)
How to: Granted, if you’re on the top floor, you may piss someone off. But this is a wonderful way to get back at your downstairs neighbor for pumping the bass during finals week. To start: Stand with your feet hip-width, toes forward. Sit back into a squat then drive your whole body up through your heels, shifting your weight onto the balls of your feet as you lift off. Be sure to land on the balls of your feet and immediately bend the knees into a full squat. Aim for three sets of 10-15 reps.Pro tip: If you can do these in front of a mirror, make sure your knees aren’t wobbling side to side while you squat or land.

4. T Push-Ups
Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core, lats, adductors, abductors
How to: Cramming for an exam? Hit the floor between chapters to help you think.Place the hands slightly wider than the shoulders and lower yourself down, tucking your elbows to your sides. Keep your chin from jutting forward (your chest should graze the floor first — not your head, hips, or anything else). (Pro tip: draw your shoulder blades in and down the back to protect your rotator cuffs.) As you push up (keep that back straight!), shift your weight to your right side, lift

5. Mountain Climbers
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads
How to: Remember high knees from exercise #1? This is the same, but face down in the push-up position. Start by hiking your left knee towards the chest. Then quickly get that leg back and pop your right knee up to the chest. Go as fast as you can for 3-5 sets of 30-second bursts. Pro tip: As tempting as it may be, don’t bounce your booty into the air — keep as close to a straight arm plank as possible. And if that isn’t hard enough, make sure you only ever have one foot on the ground at a time (so that “high” leg isn’t tapping down and bouncing).

6. Down-Dog to Up-Dog
Targets: Shoulders, arms, shoulders, back, shoulders, and core
How to: Now don’t get too comfy on the floor. Move into downward facing dog — hands pushing into the floor, torso straight, butt in the air, balls of the feet on the ground, heels driving down. Shift your weight forward so you’re in a push-up position. Lower down, place your knees on the floor, then shift to the tops of your feet as you push through to upward facing dog, arching your spine. Tilt the pelvis forward to protect the back. Inhale, exhale. On the next inhalation, lift the hips up and back to where you began. Repeat 5-10 times through, at your own pace.

7. Leg Lifts
Targets: Hip flexors, abdominals, obliques
How to: Lie down on the floor. Press your lower back against the ground. Put your hands under your butt or beside your hips. From here, lift your legs straight up to a 90 degree angle, then lower back down until they hover just above the floor without touching. Aim for three sets of 10 to 15 reps.Modification:Assume the same position and motion, but carry it all out with bent knees, toes tapping the floor on each rep. Feeling discomfort in the low back? With a stable core, try alternating legs instead.

8. Supermans
Targets: Low back, lats, shoulders
How to: No cape? No problem. Simply roll onto the belly, and reach your arms above your head, keeping the legs straight. Lift your right arm and left leg at the same time, squeeze your glutes and low back muscles, then lower each and lift your left arm and right leg. That’s one. Shoot for three sets of 10- 15 reps. Option: fight crime simultaneously.

Dude, you totally just rocked your room. And probably weirded the heck out of your roommate. But you got that full-body workout in, so kudos to you. Now hop in the shower and get that butt to class!

This article has been read and approved by Greatist Experts Aaron Lautman and Zack Murphy.

Slacking on my posts lately! SO, I’m pulling out all the stops right now with 2 recipes & a full-body cardio circuit. 

I’m getting bored with my workouts again, so I’m trying to shake things up: Less mind-numbing cardio, more interval work, more heavy bagging (because I want my arms to look like Ciara’s. No but really. Her arms are unreal), and more weights. I wrote this circuit up this AM to perform pre-lift. 20 minute sweatfest.

50 seconds of work & 10 seconds of rest. Performed all 10 exercises twice through:

1. 2 Jump Switch Lunges & 2 Squat Jumps
2. 4 Plank Shoulder Taps & 4 Crab Toe Touches
3. Alternating Lunge & Med Ball Twist
4. 4 Standing Side Crunch (w/ med ball) & 4 plank jacks
5. 4 Tuck Abs, 4 Ski Abs & 8 Mountain Climbers
6. Bicycle Crunches
7. Scissor Leg Raises & Reach Through
8. Side Plank Knee Crunch (5 on each side, alternating)
9. Pilates Inner Thigh Scissors
10. Get Up & Tuck Jump

Of course, my baby sister showed up RIGHT after I finished. I know she would have joined in if she’d come a little earlier, too! Right Ali?! 
Probably not, since she also refused to tag along for some squat/deadlift/leg press/calf raise action :(

Whatever, I forgive her for refusing to work out with me because she has cool shoes. We kill it at the gym with the brightest sneakers. 

Alright, enough with the gym talk—moving on to my second home: The Kitchen. 

I always try to cook with ingredients that are in-season, which is one reason why I love fall so much—squash and apples are the best :)

I’ve shared recipes for spaghetti squash and acorn squash in the past, but now it’s time to introduce a new kind of squash. One that can be eaten with the skin still on (WOOHOO EASY PREP!). I give you, delicata squash:

Delicata Squash Rings:

Ingredients:
-1 small delicate squash
-Olive oil
-Salt & Pepper

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line one baking sheet with aluminum foil.
-Cut the squash into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick rings. Then, remove seeds from each ring using a knife or spoon. 
-Place the rounds on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Turn the rings to coat both sides. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
-Bake for 10 minutes, flip rings with a fork and then bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the rings are golden and tender when pierced. 
-Remove from oven and serve.

Well, that was easy!

And now, for an apple recipe. Not quite as guilt-free as the squash, but it’s delicious AND I did lighten it up a little by using low fat cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese and stevia instead of sugar…The little things. 

Apple Cheesecake: 

Apple Filling:

Ingredients:
-4 medium Cortland apples (because they’re in season)
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-3 Tbsp Stevia
-1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
-Core, peel and thinly slice apples. Add slices to a large zip lock bag along with cinnamon, stevia, cornstarch and vanilla extract. Shake bag to coat apple slices.
-Lay slices out in 9” x 13” baking dish and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.

Cheesecake Filling:

Ingredients:-6 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
-2 large egg whites
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-3 Tbsp stevia
-1/2 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
-Whisk ingredients together in medium mixing bowl until smooth. This may take several minutes. (Use an electric hand mixer if you own one—I’d use one myself but I just really like getting an arm workout while I bake).
-Spread filling in pre-made graham cracker piecrust, layer apple slices on top, and bake at 350 F for 40 minutes. 
-Chill before serving.

SO GOOD!

…Okay, that’s quite enough for today. Time to stop procrastinating and do some actual homework :( Darn it, school! 

Here’s an official apology for my month-long blogging hiatus: I’m sorry.

I truly am disappointed in my inability to keep up with blog posts, though. Work and school have gotten the best of me! I’ve been living a life of little rest, extra stress, and minimal social contact lately, but it’s been well worth it. It’s been an exciting time and I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to do lots of shooting, traveling and modeling over the past few weeks. 

BUT now I’m on break (for a few days, anyway) so I’m taking the time to post a few recipes :) These are two that people asked about on Instagram & Facebook soooo here you go!

Cinnamon Chai Oatmeal w/ Bananas and Raisins:

 

Ingredients:
-1 chai tea bag
-1/2 cup water
-1/2 cup skim milk
-1/2 cup quick oats
-1 tbsp raisins
-Cinnamon
-Stevia

Directions:
-Steep 1 chai tea bag in ½ cup boiling hot water for 3 minutes.
-Combine tea with ½ cup skim milk, ½ cup quick oats, 1 tbsp raisins and a pinch of cinnamon & stevia in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 1½ minutes.
-Top with sliced banana and more cinnamon & enjoy :)

Apple & cranberry stuffed acorn squash & chicken:
 

Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
-1 acorn squash
-1 fuji apple, diced
-1 tbsp dried cranberries
-Cinnamon & Stevia

Directions:
-Cut squash in half and remove seeds with a spoon. Place both halved cut-side-down in a 9x11 in. baking pan along with ¼ inch of water and cooking in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. 
-Remove pan, flip squash halves over and fill with diced apple and cranberries. Sprinkle squash with cinnamon and stevia, then place the pan back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
-2 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
-Olive oil spray
-Salt
-Pepper
-Cinnamon
-Cumin

Directions:
-Grease a small baking pan with olive oil spray. Add chicken breasts to the pan and top with a dry mixture of salt, pepper, cinnamon and cumin (go easy on the cumin!).
-Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until juices run clear and no pink remains in the breast.
-Note: I added my chicken to the oven as I was pulling the acorn squash out to fill it with the apple mixture so it finished cooking at the same time as the squash!

And just because I love sharing food porn with others, here are a few other things that I’ve whipped up recently:

Oats, tomatoes & eggs in pepper rings for breakfast. PB banana toast, nectarines & Greek yogurt with trail mix for lunch. Chicken, spaghetti squash & roasted eggplant for dinner:

 Zucchini, onion, pepper, carrot, & sweet corn stir fry:

And then there’s the celebratory Dysart’s peanut butter ice cream pie that I had with my sister the other day, because we all need to splurge every once in a while and when I do it, I do it big.

And finally, (because this post isn’t long enough already) here’s a thank-you to all of the amazing photographers & businesspeople I’ve worked with over the past few weeks! I feel extremely fortunate to be doing work that I love with companies and photographers that I believe in!

Brandon Pullen: 

CW Raw Photography:
 

Kittyhawk Studio:
 


Karl Ault:



Samantha Blanchard:


Pageantry Magazine (and Mr. Carl Dunn)—I’m so happy that I was able to take part in this year’s Pageantry & PromTime Fashion Showcase! Photos will appear in the spring edition of Pageantry Magazine. Here’s a picture of the models relaxing by the pool before our wrap party:

And finally Terani Couture—I’ve had the opportunity to work with Terani several times over the past few months, modeling at their Atlanta, New York and Chicago shows. It’s been a pleasure to work with such an incredible group of salespeople and model hundreds of gorgeous Terani Couture dresses. I truly love my job and I look forward to the chance to work with the company in the future!

New York Coterie. View from Hotel 71 in Chicago. Terani Couture National Bridal Week showroom!

Okay. I’m done! Time for me to get some rest. I’ll try to be less of a fail and post some more recipes & workouts soon :)