Hump Day Lesson of the Day: A Simple 15 Minute Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Sure, I love cooking as much as the next girl. But sometimes I’d rather spend an hour catching up with last night’s Bachelorette while organizing my closet for summer clothes than slaving away in the kitchen. When you live in a teeny tiny apartment with no AC, the last thing you want to do is preheat the oven to 400, as you (wo)man five pots at once. No thank you.

But what if you’re hungry? What if you don’t want to order out, but cold cereal and boxed mac ‘n’ cheese just aint cutting it?

Luckily for you (and for me) I’ve simplified the classic Chicken Parmesan recipe so you can be in and out of the kitchen in about 15 minutes tops. This dish is healthy, wholesome, and most importantly: easy as pie. It tastes like the real thing too, so you’ll still get your home-cooked fixing.

Lazy Lady’s Chicken Parm with Brown Rice Penne

*Makes 1 serving

What Ya Need:

-2 to 3 small boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins

-1 TB cornflake or panko crumbs

-1/4 c. of your favorite marinara sauce (I prefer low-sodium, all natural varieties and LOVE Trader Joe’s Recipe #99 Traditional Marinara Sauce)

-1/4 c. … Read More!

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Tuesday Talk: Sick as a Dog But Join Me for a Little Lesson On Patience

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Good morning everyone! I don’t really have much to say today because I am one sick puppy, hence trying to get out as many words as I can before I sneeze all over my pretty little Mac. What can I say? Memorial Day weekend got the best of me. Between hiking up Welch and Dickey Mountain in New Hampshire, shoving my face with clam chowder at the Chowder Fest and sipping on Woodchuck Spring & Summer ciders, I had my fair share of fun and now unfortunately it has ended in a yucky cold.

However, despite all the congestion, I do have one thing on my mind this morning that I’d like to dedicate this post to: PATIENCE. Wikipedia claims patience to be “the level of endurance one’s character can take before negativity.” The key word right there is negativity. It’s something we all would like to avoid; no one likes to be negative after all. However, sometimes our mind takes over and that little thing called negativity gets the best of us, and all that patience fizzles away.

All of us try so hard to be patient in life. We try to be patient in … Read More!

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Quotable Sunday: On Cherishing the Little Things in Life

Good morning everyone! Hope you’re all having a happy Memorial Day weekend thus far. I’ve been having the best of time in New Hampshire with my family and The Boy. We haven’t done anything BIG per se, but it’s the little things in life that really get me.

As you know, I’ve been trying really hard lately to focus on the present, rather than analyzing the past or fretting about the future. When you take the time to live in the present, you can enjoy all the little itty bitty things that make life so beautiful.

This quote really struck a chord with me today ’cause when you think about it those little things really are the important (big) things in life. You know, like holding hands with that someone who gives you butterflies, pouring freshly brewed toasted coconut coffee into your favorite mug, and spending time with your crazy family. Those are the little BIG things worth cherishing.

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Friday Favorites: On Outdoor Patios, Homemade Guacamole, Pumping Iron and More

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Good morning lovely ladies; hope you are all having a glorious Friday. I’m about to take off to New Hampshire for Memorial Day Weekend with my family and The Boy. We’ve got lots of fun events planned for the weekend, including  Chowder Fest, hiking, and lots of margaritas. I’m sure all of you have some exciting plans in store too!

Anyway, today’s Friday and you know what that means; it’s time for Friday Favorites. Here’s what made my top 5 this week:

The Sign: This morning, Ace of Base’s “The Sign” came on my iPod shuffle and I was so loving it. It used to be my driving jam in college and I haven’t heard it in years. It’s seriously one of my favorite, feel-good tunes and I absolutely love belting out the lyrics. Give it a go yourself.

Outdoor Patios: Now that it’s summer, the Boston bars are beginning to open up their roof decks and patios. An iced-cold cocktail on the sunny patio tastes that much better than in a crowded, muggy bar.

Last night, my roommate and I went to the block party at Downtown Crossing, and had a blast. There were … Read More!

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Hump Day Lesson of the Day: What to Do When You are at a Loss On What to Write

I get inquiries from friends and family all of the time, asking how I overcome writer’s block. “Don’t you ever run out of things to write about?” “How do you even think of a topic?” Well, fortunately for me, writer’s block doesn’t seem to affect me (most of the time.) But I’d be lying if I said I always had something to write about. Although it’s true that I do always have something to say (I am a chatter), but that doesn’t mean it’s something you all will find of interest.

Here’s four little steps I take whenever I catch the writer’s block bug. Step away from the pen & paper and simply read on…

1. Step away from the situation: Speaking of stepping away, that so happens to be step 1. If you sit staring at your computer or blank notebook, your creative juices will be extremely limited. What’s so inspiring about a screen saver and dotted blue lines? I don’t know about you, but no way in hell is that going to get me writing.

I usually take a mini field trip with my thoughts. I’ll go to the gym for a bit, hit the road for a … Read More!

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Quotable Sunday: On Manicures and Feeling Good About Yourself

This afternoon my mom said she wanted to treat me to a mani/pedi at the local nail salon. Yes, it was an extremely kind offer. But then again, if you saw my nails you’d probably throw me a $50 and send me to the salon ASAP as well. Yes, they were that bad. I think the last time I got my nails done professionally was Valentine’s Day…over three months ago. Yikes.

Anyway, my nails and toenails are now a beautiful light pink by OPI (sorry, I forget the name) and I couldn’t feel better about myself. It’s amazing what a little color ‘n’ care can do for your appearance…even more so your mood.

Normally I’m all about practicing yoga, hitting the gym, or throwing on a hot LBD to brighten your mood. Don’t get me wrong; all of those are fabulous choices, but every now and then a girl just needs some good, old-fashioned pampering. Obviously you don’t need to drop $100 on your hair and nails to feel good about yourself, but hey, sometimes it can’t hurt. That is if you are doing it for yourself.

So go ahead…pamper away! You deserve it. The utmost important thing to remember, … Read More!

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Friday Favorites: Spelt Pasta, Rain Boots, and Anniversaries

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TGIF! It’s Friday and you know what that means; it’s time for this week’s Friday Favorites. Here’s what made my top three this week:

Spelt Pasta: Usually I shy away from pasta when going out to dinner because of my wheat & gluten sensitivity, but last night at Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, I decided to give the Spelt Pasta with Basil Cream sauce a go. It looked too darn delicious not to try. The waitress explained to me that all of the food at their restaurant is organic, local and fresh, and that spelt tends to be easier to digest than other wheats, and tends to cause less sensitivities in many who are intolerant of wheat. Sure enough, my meal was delicious (the cream sauce was light yet decadent) and I had no tummy problems afterward either. A win-win!

Rain Boots: Since it’s been raining every single day for the past week in Boston, I had to make the best of the situation. So I rocked my rain boots all week long and have to say they have become one of my best friends. My L.L.Bean green argyle wellies are comfy, stylish and there for me in … Read More!

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ZING! Pizza: The Best Darn Gluten Free Pizza There is

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Last night, my parents came to pick me up from Boston. We’re heading down to Baltimore this morning for my sister’s graduation weekend and I couldn’t be more excited! Anyway, they naturally had me pick a good place for dinner. We all agreed we wanted something casual, quick, fun and healthy. So I did what I do best and researched a bunch of restaurants in the area that fit the mold. Once I narrowed it down to three, I let my dad pick because it’s his birthday week. Thankfully he chose my #1 option: ZING! Pizza in Porter Square.

I had only been to ZING! once before for a video shoot while at my old job, so I was super excited to go back and actually taste their pizza. More particularly, their gluten free pizza. But their unique, delicious pizza isn’t the only thing that drew me to this little gem.

It’s the atmosphere and company’s mission that really sold me. Not only do they use fresh, all-natural, mostly organic ingredients, but they are also a super green restaurant, meaning they work hard to recycle, compost and get their ingredients locally whenever they can.

What can I … Read More!

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Hump Day Lesson: How to Make the Perfect Healthy Homemade Salad Dressing

For someone who eats salad on the daily, it’s nice to know making your own dressing is much easier than it seems. Why buy expensive, store-bought varieties (packed with weird, mysterious ingredients) when you can make your own salad dressing that’s just as tasty, if not more? Add this fresh ‘n’ crisp red wine vinaigrette to all your salads throughout the week! Remember: a little bit goes a long way!

Rachel’s Ruby Red Wine Vinaigrette

-3 TB red wine vinegar

-1 clove garlic, crushed

-3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

-1/2 TB each dried oregano, parsley and basil

-splash of red grapefruit juice or cranberry juice for extra flavor & zing (optional)

-salt & pepper to taste

~Mix ingredients together well, until oil is mixed in thoroughly. Add to fresh salads, sliced cucumbers, tomato wedges or even use as a dip for bread!

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