Poor Man's Tiramisu

This tiramisu imitator is for the creative girl who runs to the store for all the swanky tiramisu ingredients, then arrives back at the house and realizes she doesn't know how to use the coffee maker and needs to wait until her husband gets home, but wants a piece of that tiramisu perfection right now. Or for impatient types. Or busy types. We all fit in those categories!

1. Steep an earl grey tea bag.

2. Dip two ladyfingers or marguerite cookies in the tea and arrange on a plate. Cookies should be soft.

3. Place a dollop of mascarpone onto the cookies, and sprinkle with cinnamon or chocolate shavings.

Easy! And, while not as incredible as the tiramisu I'm going to make later--the real kind--it works for a quick fix!

The Case of the Ugly Cupcakes

Last week, our niece Claire was born, and I thought I’d bake cupcakes for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law to enjoy while they were hospital-bound.

I found all these recipes for “perfect” cupcakes and “perfect” frosting. I drew within the lines for the most part, except that I used whole wheat flower (non-negotiable in my kitchen), and added some almond extract (because it makes everything one hundred times more delicious).

But the cupcakes turned out slightly spilled over the little cupcake cups, and some of them looked done and some of them didn’t, and the frosting…well, let’s just say it was supposed to look like a fluffed-up pastel pink dream of a cloud, and it looked like—pinkish water? Thank heavens I had sprinkles. Or, as they are called in their fancy bottle, “pink jimmies.”

They tasted yummy. But they were a little embarrassingly ugly. And part of the whole “treat” experience is that the treat is pretty.

So, I’m begging you for your healthed-up cupcake recipes. And yes, I KNOW cupcakes aren’t healthy in any form, but I mean whole wheat flower, less sugar or a natural sugar replacement, oil-less, etc. Anyone?

For the record, here’s a tip from my BFF Caitlin, who makes gorgeous cakes. When using a boxed cake, which I undoubtedly should have done in this case, omit the eggs and oil, and add a can of 7Up (it can be diet). The cake turns out perfect, minus lots of calories…so you can have two instead of one!

Lindsey.

Just a few current beauty obsessions...

My name is Lindsey, and I am a beauty product junkie.

For real. One of my yearly goals was to use up the products I own before buying anything new. Meaning that icky Vanilla Apricot from Bath & Body Works that I bought because I couldn’t resist a sale, is now being utilized by yours truly, whether I like it or not. Nothing like teaching yourself a lesson!

Anyway, this week, here are some of my favorites. Yes, they change weekly, and occasionally more often. Don’t judge.

-Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Balm. A pregnant MUST. It’s the perfect texture post-shower, and I do believe it prevented a lot of stretch marks from Reese (because, holy hell, things could’ve been a lot worse considering I gained a whopping 43 pounds).

-Victoria’s Secret So Sexy Instant Detangler. My hair is usually a tangled, teased mess. I kind of prefer it messy. But there are times I have to brush through the snarls, and this makes it possible, plus smells…sexy.

-(almost hidden) Dior DiorBronze Face Tanner. It’s expensive, and smells like a rich lady, and actually works without clogging my pores. I love it! But I use it wisely, as I am not, myself, a rich lady.

-Burt’s Bees lip balm. There is not a person on this earth who doesn’t use it, right? I slather it on before bed and under my lipstick/gloss in the morning. No chapped lips all winter! (Then again, did we even have a winter this year in Michigan? Not that I’m complaining.)

-Benefit It’s Potent! Eye cream. This brand is seriously the bee’s knees. The retro-glam packaging has made me melt since I was a mere 17. And this eye cream is totally not greasy, and not nearly as pricey as others I’ve tried.

-The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Everyday Summer Lotion. A slight tan in a bottle. I’m guilty of using self-tanners, but hey—I’m okay with the wrinkle-free route. This one smells kind of grapey, and isn’t terribly dramatic. There are others I love, too, and I will post them at some point.

-The Body Shop Camomile Eye Makeup Remover. Where’s the “h” in chamomile? I don’t know, and I don’t care, because this stuff is the ONLY eye makeup remover that works swifty and doesn’t leave smudges and is totally hydrating and doesn’t irritate my contacts. Heavenly!

-The Body Shop Moroccan Rose Body Milk. The scent. is. amazing. It’s way less greasy and thick than lotion, and perfect for summer when you’d rather not sweat it off. 

"The Charge" GIVEAWAY!

Giveaway Alert!
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Because so many people have expressed interest in Brendon Burchard's latest book, "The Charge," I have decided to give a copy away! Recall my Yearly Challenge List post? That's when I first mentioned this phenomenal read.

I admit, I live for self-help, psych, spiritual and personal development books. I feel like this ONE book encompasses everything I've learned about creating a fulfilling, productive, exciting life--and the best part for us hands-on people is that Brendon provides reflective exercises at the end of each chapter, so you can immediately apply each of the charges to your own situation.

I have already put many of his principles into action and can feel myself changing my thoughts, and in turn changing my actions. I've always used and sworn by a to-do list, but Brendon takes that strategy to the next level! I am a working wife and mom, and have always felt I am supposed to be doing something WAY BIGGER. Within the next year, I hope to be will be doing all of those big things, and living a lush little life, the way I am meant to--the way ALL of us are meant to. I feel I can only be a great example to my kids if I am doing something I love, and making a difference somehow. This book has already helped me to change my programming, and to see that I have complete control over the outcome of my life.

I'm serious-I am so thrilled by this little book and can't wait for everyone else to get their hands on it. I have two copies and am more than happy to give the second to someone who really believes they can change their own life for the better, and can not only achieve more, but can live at the highest level of happiness and purpose.

Here's how to win this FREE book:

1. Subscribe to this blog, at left.


2. Leave a comment beneath this post with THREE big life goals you will set for yourself to achieve within the next 12 months.

I will choose a winner at random next week, and will mail you a FREE copy of "The Charge"!

You know you want it! :)

lindsey.

UPDATE: Casey, you will get your book in the mail this Friday! Let me know how you like it. And Holland, this is seriously a must-read; you'll love it :)

Pregnancy Weeks 16-18

Holy headache. I planned to post something crafty today, but I am experiencing one heck of a lingering headache annnnd forgot to pick up my Fioricet Friday when my script ran out. I swear this time that medicine is the only thing keeping me alive. With Reese, I did physical therapy/mechanical traction/chiropractic. It helped, but took months and money-money-money. Today reminds me of all the agony I endured a year ago. Well worth it in the end, as everyone says, but DANG! when you're in the middle of  it, the race seems endless. Thank God Reese was an angel today, and super-sleepy. I think she's going through a growth spurt.

What's bugging me right now is that I wanted to do a tough workout/work on revising my novel/bind a journal/write in my other journal/post a tutorial. And Reese went to bed early, giving me the perfect opportunity to do all of these things, in breezy 80 degree perfection nonetheless. But instead, I feel incredibly barfy and just need (not want, NEED) to lie down.

So, here are some belly pics. No weird cravings. No real discomfort, aside from my usually-taken-care-of headaches. No notable fatigue. I've been doing HIIT workouts with slight modifications, and strength training with heavy-ish weights (though not as heavy as I would normally do), and of course walking with the stroller along the same six streets. Baby's heartbeat is on the low end of normal and "boyish," according to the doctor. And altogether I've gained about 7 pounds (with Reese I'd gained about 15 by now--eek).

Something I'm interested in: other moms' thoughts on the occasional glass of wine/glass of beer during pregnancy. In both pregnancies, I sometimes have had a glass of red wine with dinner, and personally, I am totally comfortable with it. Here is an interesting study:

http://news.discovery.com/human/alcohol-drinking-pregnant-women.html

I recall a couple of years ago seeing a pregnant woman that I knew out enjoying one glass of white wine with her dinner, and I was shocked. I'd always thought it was totally off-limits. Well, the woman is a nurse, and upon talking with her and other moms, and doing my own research, I've come to the conclusion that one drink is fine, and something that I enjoy every once in a while so that I don't feel totally insane and deprived for 40 weeks. Of course, my belief is that it's the choice of the woman whether she feels it's okay for her body or not. And obviously, binge drinking while pregnant is ridiculous. 

Although I indulge in a bit of vino at home, I do feel apprehensive ordering a glass in a restaurant when I'm visibly pregnant. I need to get over this. In my first pregnancy, I listened to all the judgey people with views on not only alcohol, but exercising while pregnant (I did, and will continue to), being a vegetarian while pregnant (I am so conscious of my health and my protein intake, and am happy to say I am just FINE and Reese is thriving--and eats meat), and especially BREAST FEEDING (I tried to, and Reese and I both had many problems, so we stopped. She did fine on Enfamil. I also made most of her baby food, and am very conscious about giving her organic, hormone-free foods whenever possible. I've seen many women preach the nonnegotiable benefits of breast milk, then give their child strictly cheap jarred baby food, then eventually fast food on a regular basis once the child can eat solids. Hello.) This pregnancy I am more confident in my ability to make my own decisions as a parent, and will be telling the hospital staff to keep the nazi lactation consultants outta my $1000/night room. (No, not all lactation consultants are nazis, but the ones who barged in and harped on us last June certainly were skilled at making my lack of milk production feel like a personal flaw.) 

Anyway, I'm getting off my soap box to get my cold compress out of the freezer. 

Thoughts?

lindsey.

easy winter squash flax fettuccine

I swear I crave this even when I'm not pregnant. These are some of my favorite kitchen staples, and mixed together they are insanely good. Instead of Parmesan, I've used blue cheese or Gorgonzola--yum! Oh, and a pinch of coarse sea salt really brings out the buttery flavor of the squash. The best part is everything takes about 5 minutes to cook, so this is my go-to healthy dinner when I'm rushed. (Yes, it would be healthier without the cheese, but we all know my stand on that one!)

Yearly Challenge List

It's been a hot minute since I've blogged, but man oh man--time is flying. With Reese's first birthday party (which doubled as my mom's surprise 50th), and various other crazy things, I have had very little time to even wash my hair. Anyway, I've been reading Brendon Burchard's The Charge and getting uber-excited about life (most of the time, anyway). If you need something to pump you up, get your engines charged, and inspire you to be kind, productive, and just generally better, this book is IT. This is one of the exercises Brendon suggests, and I had fun with it because I have a perpetual case of what I call List Lust (although now Reese is crying from her crib, and I guess my night of reflection is suddenly severed. Teething! Ugh!)

I hope that posting this will hold me to it, since I'm the queen of letting life get in the way.

Here's my list:

A YEAR Of CHALLENGES 

June: Learn to sew. (Take a sewing class. Get a sewing machine. Learn to hand-stitch. Practice with journals and crafts. Blog about new projects. )

July: Finish revising my rough draft. (Be DONE. Love it how it is. Be open to suggestion. Pray. Find an editor/editors to work their magic on it. DO NOT allow fear of rejection to hold you back from believing in the power of this little story.)

August: Learn about small business. (Read books. Make appointments. Read message boards. Follow through. LEARN. Knowledge is confidence. Make lists of questions and ask the right people. Continue making things. Create a vision board.)

September: Make things. (Scout for vintage fabric. Learn new techniques. Blog about it. Make those journals. Sell those journals! Start out small, and get into a groove. Little changes now equal big changes later. Be creative. Network. Ask.)

October: Write short stories. (Really focus. Continue crafting, but carve out time—before baby’s arrival!—to really get some good writing in. My favorite month! Be prolific. Write in an orchard. Be alone. Reflect. Use those journals!)

November: Be a mom (again). (Maternity leave. Enjoy it. Take pictures. Exercise. Eat well. Love. Spend family time. Meditate (I’ll need it!). Make & sell journals. Write & send stories to lit mags.)

December: Find an agent. (Focus extra time—aside from family & workouts & crafting & day to day miscellany—on actively pursuing publication. Send, send, beg. And enjoy the holidays.)

January: Focus on health. (Get a bangin’ body back. Train HARD. Eat like an athlete. Pick up a new workout. Take a class. Teach my daughter about exercise & nutrition. Be an example. Make new habits and lifestyle changes. Blog about it.)

February: Carve out time for reflection. (I’m turning 28! Do everything I love: exercise, write, craft, spend time with people I adore. Focus on abundance. Write down what I’ve learned and what I’m grateful for. Take photos. Read Buddhist books. Smile more.)

March: Make special time for special people. (Plan something lovely for each person who means so much to me: a phone call, a date, a trip, a card.)

April: Read. (Studying to be a good writer means reading good books. Pick 2 novels, and habitually read short stories and poems. Get inspired. Be a student.)

May: Tie up loose ends. (If I haven’t spoken to someone in a while, I will call them. If I haven’t done enough with my book, I’ll do it NOW. If I haven’t published enough stories or poems, I’ll send more. If I haven’t created a business to my fullest ability, I’ll focus my efforts on it. And I’ll make my new Challenge list, and get even better next time around.)