Health and Wellness Tips

Red Rose & Honey1 Comment

Hi friends! Today I am talking about health, wellness and a few ways I am incorporating both into my lifestyle again. I have put off getting back on the fitness wagon for way too long. Before getting married, I had a lot of self-discipline when it came to making time for fitness. I never thought there would be a time when fitness was not a part of my regular routine, but a wedding, full home renovation, a puppy and a few years later, here I am. In this post, I am sharing what I plan to focus on to get back into the swing of things.

Please keep in mind, I am not a fitness or health professional. This blog post should not be used in place of professional fitness or medical advice. Always consult with your doctor.

Annual Physical Exam: This is something I can already check-off my list. It had been ages since I had a physical and basic blood work, so I decided it was time. I found a great doctor’s office in my area and a new general physician. I am happy to report all checks out a-okay and now I feel even better having a doctor’s office I really like nearby. Sometimes getting yourself to schedule a doctor appointment, but once it’s done and over with, it is well worth the time and effort.

Drink More Water: Unoriginal, right? Unfortunately, this is something I have struggled with for as long as I can remember. A few things that I have incorporated into my day to help bump-up my water intake are 1) a great water bottle (like this one); 2) drink water when I wake-up and before bed and; 3) drink a glass of water before a second cup of coffee or wine in the evening. For me, the water bottle I have makes all of the difference. I realized I am pretty particular about the opening or spout/straw. This water bottle (click here) has been my favorite. It’s a manageable size, the top unscrews and I love the hourly reminder lines. The only downside is that since it is made of glass, it’s not that practical to carry with me while running errands because its a bit heavy.

Vitamins: I first discovered Olly vitamins and supplements about 2.5 years ago. What drew me to Olly was that the ingredients are limited and simple. My favorite and continually re-purchased vitamins are Flawless Complexion, Active Immunity, Immunity Sleep and the ProbioticPrebiotic. Although I am not sure if gummy vitamins are the best option, I find that I always remember to take these.

Flawless Complexion was one of the first Olly products I tried. It does not contain biotin, which I believe causes my skin to breakout. Along with a good skincare routine, I feel that these vitamins help keep breakouts at bay.

Active Immunity and Immunity Sleep: I started taking these vitamins (not at the same time) last fall after battling a bad cold. I spend a lot of time in the city and on public transportation, so I need my immune system to be strong. I feel like these have definitely given me a needed boost.

Probiotic Preboitic: After our trip to Italy last year, my stomach was all out of sorts. I know digestive changes are common when traveling, but I was not feeling myself at all and could not seem to shake it. These vitamins helped me get back on track.

Men’s Multi: My husband has been taking these for at least a year and has been happy with them. These vitamins are now part of his morning routine.

Walking: At the start of the COVID quarantine I decided to pull the trigger and get a Fitbit. I was on the fence for a while mostly because I did not love the look of it. It seemed bulky and I also didn’t see myself wearing it to work. Once the quarantine went into effect, I figured there was no better time to try it out. I went with rose gold and pink Versa 2 because I though it was pretty and would matched some of rose gold bracelets I wear. When I first put it on, I felt like it was gigantic {and it kind of is}, but after a few days I got use to it. The rubber band is comfortable and I like that I can eventually switch it out for other colors/styles. The Fitbit vibrates every hour to remind me to get moving. Another feature I have liked is the battery life. Mine has lasted a few days at a time. It also changes quickly. My Fitbit has definitely made me more aware of how little I was walking. I can’t wait for warmer weather to keep my steps up! My dog loves going for walks; so much so that we have to spell out w-a-l-k when we’re not actually taking him for one. My new Fitbit is definitely going to benefit Henry too!

SPF: I have been a pretty avid SPF user since high school, but I can’t say I am consistent all year-round. I have been trying to make a better effort to apply SPF daily to my face, under my makeup. Years ago a dermatologist recommended Elta MD SPF. It’s light-weight and a good option for break-out prone skin. During the recent Sephora sale, I purchased a translucent powder SPF that can be applied over makeup. There are a few different brands, but I went with a SuperGoop! product that is labeled “Clean at Sephora.”I think this will be handy to keep in my bag or at my desk {when normal work-life resumes}.

Healthy Snacks: Over the last few months I have found myself reaching for granola bars and other pre-packaged snacks often. I recently made a conscious effort to choose fruits and veggies instead. In my area, I think Costco is the best place to buy fruit. The price and quality are the best, so I have been stocking up on blackberries and raspberries – my favs!

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The Best Gluten Free Meatloaf

Red Rose & HoneyLeave a comment

Hi friends! Welcome back to the blog. I am writing this post as we close out our first week of COVID-19 home quarantine. It has been crazy to see how quickly the news and information has changed over the last month, and then even more drastically over the last week. We are trying to do our part by staying home as much as possible. Looking on the bright side of things, I am happy to be spending extra time at home because I am a homebody. Being home also means that I get to spend more time with our dog, going for daily family walks and having much more time to cook.

If you follow me on Instagram (@redroseandhoney), you may have noticed that I have been more active on Stories. I am hoping to spread some cheer, share some home organization tips and encourage everyone to get into the kitchen a bit more. You can shop some of my favorite organizational items on my Amazon page (click here) and also on LiketoKnow.it (click here).

Now to the good stuff – the best meatloaf ever! This week my husband suggested meatloaf for dinner. We haven’t had it in ages, so I thought it was a good idea. I realize that meatloaf is a meal that makes a lot of people say, “ugh, meatloaf!?” BUT, I think that may be because they’ve never had a good meatloaf – like this one. When I set out to make this for dinner, I intended to add carrots to the mixture, but quickly realized we were out. In efforts to not waste fresh ingredients, I decided to add sauteed spinach. Although it may seem a bit odd, I think it made this meatloaf absolutely delicious.

The Best Gluten Free Meatloaf

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tbsp evoo
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 4 oz fresh baby spinach, rough chop
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 c (rounded/heaping cup) gluten free Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/4 c (rounded/heaping cup) grated pecorino romano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • A few dashes of worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2-4 pieces of bacon

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees (F)
  2. Satuee the onions in evoo on med/low until they are soft (3-5 mins) then add garlic (1-2 mins).
  3. Toss in fresh spinach and cook until spinach wilts down then turn off heat.
  4. In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, bread crumb, cheese, seasonings and worcestershire then Add the spinach, garlic and onions. Be careful not to over mix/turn – this can make the beef tough.
  5. Form beef into a loaf shape, top with ketchup and bacon strips.
  6. Transfer meatloaf to a baking try of your choice (see notes below) and bake for about 40 minutes. Cook time may vary based on your oven, so it’s a good idea to use a meat thermometer.
  7. To finish and crisp up the bacon, turn the oven to low-broil for no more than 3 minutes (keep an eye on it).
Note: I like to cover a baking sheet in aluminum foil then place a baking cooling rack on top. Spray the rack well and place your meatloaf in the center. This helps the meatloaf cook evenly, the outside will stay crisp and it prevents sogginess.

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Gluten Free Tarragon Chicken Salad

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Disclaimer: I am participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. All opinions/recommendations are my own.

Hi friends! Welcome back to the blog. For today’s post I am excited to share an easy recipe and new product find with you all! If you follow me over on Instagram, you know that I have love-hate relationship with my slow cooker. After many attempted recipes, I think I finally found the best use for this common kitchen appliance – pulled chicken! It’s a great base for a variety of seasonings and marinades. Now that I have figured that out, the slow cooker is my go-to for work week lunch meal prep. I have been making pulled chicken every Sunday for months.

The trick to making chicken in the slow cooker is to let the chicken and seasonings be the star of the show. No need for extra ingredients or tons of liquid. That being said, other than when I used the slow cooker for chili, I rarely use it for a complete meal. To round out my lunch, I will also make rice and roasted veggies or a salad. I like to pack my lunch in Pyrex containers (linking my exact set here).

For this recipe, I stuck with the basic ingredients for the chicken because I wanted a neutral flavored base for the chicken salad. I have been following Primal Kitchen for a while and finally decided to try their classic Avocado Oil Mayo. I am not a huge fan of mayo, but I actually think this one has a very mild taste. According to their website, they pride themselves on offering products, “that contain no dairy, gluten, grain, refined sugar or soy” (source: Primal Kitchen). A huge plus for a gluten-free gal like me! You’ll also notice that their products are paleo and whole 30 friendly. I am definitely going to be trying more products from Primal Kitchen.

To prep 4-5 lunches for myself I will use about 1.5lbs of boneless/skinless chicken breast. If I am also making lunch for my husband then I will double this recipe.

Gluten Free Tarragon Chicken Salad

  • Servings: 4-5
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print
The inspiration for this recipe is a chicken salad that was sold at Starbucks during my non-gluten-free days. My mom and I have been recreating our own version for years. Enjoy!

Ingredients

    For the chicken:
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1/4 c unsalted chicken brother (water works fine too)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp onion power
    • For the chicken salad
  • 1/2 c mayo
  • 1/2 c chopped celery
  • 1/4 c dried cranberries
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon
  • s/p to taste

Directions

  1. In your slow cooker, combine chicken with liquid and dry seasonings and cook for 4 hours on high.
  2. Once chicken is done, carefully transfer chicken to a clean bowl and discard extra liquid.
  3. Use two forks to shred chicken.
  4. Add mayo, dried cranberries, celery, tarragon and s/p (if needed). Mix together throughly.

If you would like me to share more easy pulled chicken recipes, let me know in the comments below or send me a message on Instagram!

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