Living Simplistically

The Christmas holidays are quickly approaching and I like to give out handmade gifts like Oprah, so I need to prep well enough in advance. Initially, I planned to make my homemade Madagascar vanilla, but when I noticed the price of vanilla beans nearly tripled, I figured it would be best to make a more cost effective gift. This is where making soap seemed like a good hobby to revisit. I’ve made soap before and though I am not quite comfortable working with lye just yet, I think I’m getting there. Regardless, a good melt-and-pour recipe is super simple and just as good but comes with less worry.

I found Rosehip Melt & Pour soap recipe on the Soap Queen’s page and fell in love. You can either purchase the products from Amazon, or order them in a nice little kit off of the Soap Queens page from Bramble Berry like I did. The total cost of the kit costs over $65 and has everything you need. You can even remove items if you already have them stocked at home.

When using a melt & pour recipe, you can play around with it as you see fit. It is pretty fool proof. I honestly can’t say that I have ever messed up a batch. Every bar I have ever made has been used until there was no more to use. I hope this helps to encourage you if you are nervous. You can’t mess this up.

Okay, so let’s get into what you will need:

Soap mold - I purchased a silicone mold that makes 8 bars from Amazon. I love them because once the soaps are done you can just pop them out. Most importantly, cleaning them is a breeze.

32 oz of Melt & Pour soap (I broke this up into half so over all this should give you about 16 bars of soap.

4 tsp of Rose Clay

2 tsp of Rosehip Powder

2 Tbsp spoon of Poppy seeds

0.3oz Lavender Essential Oil

0.3oz of Lemongrass Essential Oil

99% Isopropyl Alcohol (I only had 94%)

8oz Spray bottle

Cut your melt & pour soap into cubes and place them in a bowl for later use. 

Get separate bowls for the rose clay and Rosehip powder and dissolve them in a Tbsp of alcohol. I didn’t follow the recipe because the clay got really thick so I kept adding alcohol until it was a good consistency to scoop until the soap.

While the clay and Rosehip powder is dissolving, you can place the soap in a microwave for 30 seconds at a time. You can also use a double boiler if you don’t want to use the microwave which is what I have done.

Once the soap melts, add the clay and the powder and stir thoroughly.

Add in your poppyseed once the clay and rosehip power has been added.

A note of caution: Once you pour your soap into the molds do not move them. If you do too soon, you risk getting folds on the bottom of your soaps which won’t look pretty. I did this and the bottom of my soaps don’t look the best. I resolved this my second time around by placing my molds on a placemat and once poured, I moved the placemat to the location where the soaps will set for the next 24 to 48 hours. Also, you need to work fast because the soap will begin to harden (see bottom right soap). My daughter and I decided to add some lavender buds to some of the soaps to change things up a bit.

Something I didn’t do this time around, which I should have done was sprayed the bottom of my soaps with alcohol to get rid of the bubbles. This makes your soap look more smooth all around. I didn’t see many bubbles and didn’t feel like it, so I didn’t. I mean, seriously...you won’t even see the bubbles after your first use.

Voila! Once the soaps have set, you can pop them out of the molds and you now have a great exfoliant soap! The Rosehip powder is high in vitamin C and brightens the skins while the poppy seeds work as an exfoliant removing the dead skin cells. These soaps have a really good lather and the scent is both heavenly and relaxing!

Enjoy!

Before you roll your eyes and skip by this post, Listen Linda...Listen! Knowing my history of this blog I only share things that 1) I believe in and 2) that actually work. A little tweaking here and there may be necessary, but I think you may thank me after this one. Keep reading.

If you follow me on SnapChat (livsimplistic) and Instagram you know I am passionate about fitness, healthy eating and doing my best to make what I can. If you are not following me on either of those platforms, you should (go NOW, I’ll wait). 

Why do you make things, when you can buy them, you ask? For several reasons, so I will try to quickly explain, but you should know I’m wordy. In today’s world we are exposed to so many chemicals thought to make our lives easier, convenient or clean, when in fact, they do more harm than good. 

Let’s talk about deodorant, regular deodorant from the stores are made with aluminum (thought to increase risk of breast cancer and Alzheimers - I’ll continue researching this), which prevents our bodies from sweating. Our bodies are intelligent machines and everything it is designed to do, has a purpose, such as sneezing and blinking our eyes when something gets close to them. Sweating has a purpose, and the main purpose is to regulate our body temperature (and release pheromones, but that is another post) . Lesson #1. Aluminum, found in deodorant contains different types of aluminum which is thought to overtime cause disease. Lesson #2. Whether the latter is true or not, why not try to eliminate unnecessary exposures if at all possible? I’ll let you look into the effects of aluminum on the body for yourself. Next time you put deodorant on, look at the ingredients and ask yourself why so many? Can you pronounce them? Are they natural? Breast cancer runs in my family and having a recent mammogram which revealed some cysts, I’m doing what I can to reduce as many of my risks as possible. Making my own deodorant, is a simple way to reduce a risk.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I found a SIMPLE recipe that takes not even 5 minutes to make and only requires 4 ingredients. Truly 3, if you want to keep it simple. A while back I made a natural deodorant stick, which was OK but it was a bit too sticky and it didn’t prevent odor for long. This time, I am making a deodorant salve lacking the convenience of a stick, so you will need to apply with your fingers. ”GASP, the thought of touching our own bodies!” Seriously, come on!!

Here is what you will need:

- 6 Tablespoons of Coconut oil

- 1/4 cup of Arrowroot powder - Cornstarch may also be used - 1/4 cup

- 1/4 cup of Baking soda - for those who have skin sensitivities you can try Diatomaceous Earth (DE) check on Amazon or local health food store.

You can also add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil like Tea Tree oil, lavender, lemon, amber, or whatever suits your fancy.

And all you do is mix it and pour it into a jar. That’s it! You can get one of these small glass jars from a craft store or from Amazon. I boiled it to be on the safe side. No need to store in the refrigerator and it keeps a long time.

I added a little Shea butter which wasn’t needed and an oil to scent which may have affected the consistency of the deodorant, but next time I will just use the coconut oil and an essential oil. Over all, I applied it yesterday around 11am and had no sweating, and no odor. I even made encouraged my husband try it and he has had no sweating and no odor. I’m up the next day working on this blog post and still no odor though I am sweating a bit trying to rush to get this posted before an event I have to attend this morning. Even with a little pit sweat, NO ODOR! Try it for yourself and save yourself some money and reduce your risk and exposure to the unnecessary.

If you decide to make this, let me know how it turns out and of course feel free to ask me any questions.

I really enjoy making my own almond milk, but my husband doesn’t think it really saves us much money so I’ve been making it more infrequently. I am however, always looking to test out other non-dairy alternatives to see which one tastes better, keeps well, is easily prepared and doesn’t require a ton of preparation. My eventual plan is to convince my husband of the fact that my homemade version is much better than the boxed version. After watching What the Health about a week ago, I believe he may need less coaxing than I originally thought. My husband is now VEGAN. 11 days in to be exact and he feels great. I’m not quite sure I’m ready to make the complete jump, but it’s kind of neat to see him make his own health decisions. I somehow have been enlisted as his personal vegan chef, but that is another blog post.

The other day a social media “friend” tagged me on a post of oat milk and I was curious. I looked up the recipe which doesn’t require the oats to soak overnight, like the almonds and it truly takes less than 5 minutes to make. 

Here is what you need:

1 cup of oats (you can use steel cut as well but I heard the flavor is a but gummy)

4 cups of filtered water

5 to 6 dates to sweeten or 2 table spoons of maple syrup

Pinch of salt 

Toss everything in the blending, filter, and voila! Oat milk.

Toss your ingredients in the blender.

Use a sieve or your choice of filter out the oats and dates.

I followed up with filtering it through a nut bag.

...and now you have Oat Mylk!

Upon tasting the oat milk you can expect to have that dry “oatie” aftertaste. You will  either be able to tolerate the flavor, or not. It isn’t bad, but to be honest it isn’t good either. I think this milk would be great in baking, or smoothies (I used it in my pancakes and they tasted good), but I don’t think it would taste too good in cereal which is where the great portion of our milk go towards. It is always nice to have a dairy-free milk option in your arsenal, so I will keep playing around with this recipe.

If you decide to make this, please let me know how it turns out for you!

I was not intending on posting this recipe but these were so good I had to, otherwise people on my SnapChat or Instagram would not be happy. I have been wanting to try these for a while and decided over the weekend to purchase a head of cauliflower. You know (if not you will now), I don’t have a ton of time so I like quick and simple recipes especially during the weekdays. 

These are a perfect finger food for parties, so I highly suggest you give these a try.

Here is what you will need:

1 head of cauliflower or more depending on how many people you plan to serve

Liquid ingredients for dredging:

2 eggs (you can also use a vegan egg replacement or the flaxseed egg to make this vegan) I didn’t have this so I used eggs

1 c of non dairy milk (I used almond)

1 tbl spoon of apple cider vinegar

Seasoned flour:

2 c of flour

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tsp of onion powder

1 tbl spoon of smoked paprika

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp pepper

I also added a little Jamaican seasoning for a little extra oomph!

Instructions:

1) Preheat the over to 425 degrees.

2) Cut your cauliflower and place on tray; bake for 30 min

3) Create your non-dairy buttermilk by combining your non-dairy milk with the apple cider vinegar. Let this sit for a couple of minutes to curdle. Add your egg or egg replacement to this mixture and whisk.

4) Once all of your dry ingredients are combined, place your cauliflower wings in the flour mix first, then add to your liquid dredge, then dip AGAIN Into your flour mixture.

5) Place in a fryer. I don’t have one so I used a pot. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. I used olive oil to fry.

6) Place cauliflower on a papertowel lined plate and let the oil soak into the towel for a couple of minutes.

Sauce options:

You can either keep things simply and squirt siracha on the wings, or you can use the Just Mayo brand and add onion powder, garlic powder, dill and parsley to taste for ranch. I made a honey garlic sauce and added sesame seeds on top. I didn’t measure (sorry) but I cut-up 2 cloves of garlic and sautéed in a pan. Add about 2 squirts of honey. Add about 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Add a 2 dashes of mustard powder. Adjust to your taste. Add your “wings” and toss in your sauce and enjoy! Oh. My. Goodness! This was my favorite.

Photo below: Top (honey garlic), right (siracha), left (plain with vegan ranch dressing)

P.S. These are a great way to sneak in veggies for your children. My daughter LOVED these and my picky teen son even raved about these, so these are officially KID APPROVED!

Cauliflower is high in vitamin C, is a good source for vitamin B6, protein, magnesium, potassium, and contains fiber in addition to other wonderful nutrients. This makes it a win-win for all!

I honestly have no good words to describe this experience I just had today. Yesterday, after bootcamp class my friend (aka my fitness accountability partner) ran into a new cycling studio in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. The Gag is, it isn’t your average cycling class! Once I heard the concept I was floored. Let me keep this moving along.

The bonus of this new studio, CYCMODE is that it is owned not only by an African-American, but a FEMALE African-American! Oh yes <insert cheers, fist pumps and head nods>, Tasha is doing her thing! When you enter the studio you are greeted by the front desk. Yesterday was their opening day, so I’m not sure if they will continue having a fresh flower floral arrangement at the desk, but I think this added a special touch.

Okay, okay! So This studio is the love child of Les Mills - Immersive Fitness and the RealRyder bike. Not familiar? Let me try to briefly explain I’m over her typing like crazy fool trying to get all of this out of my head. Les Mills has these fitness programs that project on a screen to make the participate (who is exercising by the way) feel as is if they are in whatever virtual world is up on the screen. You become an active participate. I can’t lie, I felt like I was in Tron: The Cycling Series for a moment, but I digress. The RealRyder bike is a bike that is NOT stationary. Let me repeat. Not stationary. The bike moves on and off of its central axis. These two concepts have been combined, so in the Immersive Fitness videos, when a road comes up that requires you to turn or tilt, you can do all of that on the BIKE! So, what’s the big deal you say? This requires the participant to use more of their core than they would typically use in a regular spinning class. Thus, burning more calories but you knew that, right?  To give you a sense, in a regular spinning class I burn around 150 calories. This is my “tied and true” average. In this class, which I will respectfully not call spinning, I burned 450 calories! Yes, my friends. This is the real deal. There is a sign inside the studio which reads, “Indoor Spinning Just Got Real” and if this isn’t the truth! Okay, okay.

You will be required to fill out a waiver, because safety is important and if you are unable to register for class in advance the option to pay using cash or charge was made available. I do believe they are working with Mind+Body to get their page working so all of this will be done online. I have no idea if you will be able to select bikes online, which many places are doing now, but today we just chose a bike and helped ourselves. Paris instructed the 930AM class today who is very learned and knowledgeable about the studio. She was extremely helpful with getting us set-up on our bikes and was willing to take time out with everyone to make sure they were comfortable on their bikes before the class started. 

The studio is set-up in a stadium-style cycling class and has 30 bikes if I recall. There are black out curtains pulled shut to ensure the studio is full-on blacked out. The studio is also FREEZING, but this shouldn’t deter you. Once you start the class you quickly understand why its so cold because you create some pretty intense heat quickly!!! I was dripping sweat within a couple of minutes. Now, something I was surprised to hear is if you have motion sickness you may not want to take the class, or you may want to sit in the back of the class. At first, I was wondering what I got myself into. Thankfully, I don’t have motion sickness, but I thought, “just how REAL is this ride about to be?”

Let me tell you, I had THE best time. So much so, I asked the owner if I could teach (I am for reals). It was THAT much fun and with my passion for health and inspiring others to get moving, this class does the job. The winding roads, the hills, the drops, the turns, you can be sure to take your cycling experience to a completely different level! AND, and...if you are easily bored like me, it will keep you engaged. I also learned, if you are not about that moving bike life there are “brakes” you can add to keep the bike stable. I will say, when I stood up I truly questioned my ability to NOT do a face plant. Finally, I said screw it and if I go out, I’m going out like a G. I gripped the handle bars so hard the muscle between my thumb and index finger cramped up. But did I fall? No.

The one thing I was a little surprised of is after class, there was no stretch, which is fine. You (and me) will just need to be disciplined enough to not go running out of the studio to whatever plans we have lined up next and stop and stretch ourselves. I know you all didn’t come here to just read, so here are my photos. If you want to get an idea of how the virtual riding experience really looked, check out my Instagram or my SnapChat.

Before I forget...for those of you who like to know the amenities and base your decisions on working out at certain places (like me) depending on said amenities: there is no shower, but there are lockers, towels and filtered water station. All of your basics. However, if you plan to work out before work, make sure you have enough time to run home to take a shower. I’ll let you figure out those logistics but now you know.

What you’ve been waiting for...

Street view

This is right behind the front desk and gives you an idea of how the bike moves.

Electronic Scheduling Pad

Where all the sweating virtual magic happens

Indoor Cycling Just Got Real

A look into the blacked-out studio

Get into these bikes!

Lockers and these are EASY to use. Finally!!!

Those “brakes” I mentioned to you. Let’s call them stabilizers, shall we?

Not the best photo, but this gives you an idea of the world you will enter on the bike. It is the coolest thing I’ve seen. I’m sold! I’ll buy! Yes, to it all!

Me and my workout pa’tna, Briana! We keep each other accountable. Everyone needs an accountability partner. Get one!

This is the owner Tasha. Yes, head turned, body turned. She was demonstrating all you can do on the bike. Go girl!

Front desk view

So, that my friends is my experience. Feel free to email me offline if you have additional questions. Please go and support this new business. I would give it 5 out of 5 drops of sweat. You get an great workout and have fun at the same time? In the words of Charlie Sheen, I call that BIWINNING!

CYCMODE - 1333 S. Wabash Street Go register for a class ASAP. Oh, and a little birdy told me they will be on ClassPass next month so be sure to look for them and add them to your favorites. 

Oh, and let me be sure to add, this studio offers other classes like sprint/strength training so be sure to check out their website for their other offers.

Who wants to join me again? I want to go back!

Last week was my 2nd time making granola, but my 1st time making granola bars. I received a lot of feedback and questions on the recipe so who would I be if I didn’t share?

Here is what you will need:

8 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, approximately 2 cups 1 1/2 ounces raw sunflower seeds, approximately 1/2 cup (used walnuts) 3 ounces sliced almonds, approximately 1 cup 1 1/2 ounces wheat germ, approximately 1/2 cup (didn’t use) 6 ounces honey, approximately 1/2 cup 1 3/4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed 1-ounce unsalted butter, plus extra for pan 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ (or whatever you plan to use) onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 6-7 minutes first. If you plan on adding coconut like I did, pull it out add your coconut and then cook for another 6-7 minutes. Be sure to watch it because you don’t want your coconut to burn. If you don’t use coconut you can bake for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I added almonds and walnuts

While your oats and nuts are baking, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.

After toasting

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit (if you prefer), and stir to combine. 

This is the point where if you are planning on adding flaxseeds or chia seeds add them. I decided to add mini chocolate chips and they melted a bit, but that wasn’t a big deal for me.

Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

After baking...

Wait until the bars fully cools before cutting it. Otherwise you risk it falling apart. By the way this recipe can be veganized by using vegan butter and maple syrup.

These bars are really good and chewy. I like that I added walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds even though they are a little more decadent with mini chocolate chips.

Now that I’m back home and haven’t yet gotten to the point where I can’t sit down, here is another recipe I have to share. I’m not sure but I must have missed my kitchen because I made challah bread and my own granola today. Me and the kitchen have been BFFs all day.

I am a lover of nearly ANY type of bread (except pumpernickel and rye, yuck). Especially the warm kind that has butter smeared all over it. Okay, I’m drooling so let me get on with this post. I have had a craving for challah bread so since I had time today, I decided I would make some. This is a very simple recipe but does require some time. Be patient and know every minute you spend on this bread will be worth it in the end!

I found this recipe from Life’s Simple Measures and tweaked it as I do most recipes.

Here is what you will need:

8 cups of flour

2 packets of yeast

1/2 cups of warm water to proof the yeast

3 Tbl spoons of sugar

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 Tbl spoon of salt (pretty sure I didn’t use this much)

2 eggs

2 and 1/2 cups of water though I only used 2 and ended up having to add flour

Instructions:

1. Trace wax paper and cut it to the size of your tin. I suppose you really don’t have to do this but Life’s Simple Measure’s did so, I did.

2. Add the packets of yeast with the 3 table spoons of sugar and the 1/2 cup of water to proof. Let this sit for 10 minutes. You will see the mixture rise.

I’m using a stand-up mixer and below are the attachments I am using.

3. Use the paddle attachment to mix the dry ingredients.

4. Create a tunnel and pour your proof mixture into the hole slowly. Then add the egg mixture and beat slowly.

5. Add the 2+ cups of water. My mixture was really sticky by the time I made it to 1 + 1/2 cups. I thought I messed it up but I stopped pouring water and added flour. I just used common sense.

6. Switch attachments and use the J hook to knead the dough. Do this for about 6 minutes.

7. Add your dough into an oiled bowl and let it sit covered for an hour.

8. After an hour, punch your dough down. Don’t be surprised by the amount of air you may find.

9. Divide your dough into 3 balls and roll each out into long pieces that measure about 18 inches. I didn’t photograph these.

10. Pinch the 3 at the top and braid the dough. Braiding underhanded seemed to work best for me. Take the head of the dough and begin to roll it around itself laterally  like a cinnamon roll.

11. Pick up your rolled pieces and place them in the pan to rise for 30 minutes.

Before...

After...

12. Take an egg and scramble and brush the bread with the egg mixture to get a nice coat.

13. Place in the oven and back for 20 to 25 minutes (until golden brown) and you will end with this most amazing piece of bread!

A better picture for you. The bread tastes as good as it looks if you are curious! I was so impressed, I made my children come and look at them to appreciate what their mother had done.

Enjoy!

My son attends school in a predominately latino neighborhood and had his first experience eating a churro about 2 years ago. Ever since, he makes mention of them often. I have never had a churro until coming here to Cabo because I never had an interest or desire to have one. However, traveling to Mexico I decided I would accept my son’s request and look for the BEST churros spot we could find.

I Google searched for the best churros in our area and read Yelp reviews had to see what people had to say. Two places in particular popped up that I decided we would ask about at the concierge. When we arrived at the concierge to call our taxi one of the gentleman suggested I scrap my plans and go to Hacienda y Cocina. He said, “By far they have the BEST churros and my mother is there now because of them!” I figured what the heck. To HACIENDA Y COCINA WE GO! First, we had to make reservations which was taken care of quickly.

Our taxi arrived at a gated location with security. We had to confirm we had reservations to dine at the restaurant and they allowed us in. Note: I paid $18 USD down to the restaurant and $20 USD back (I know but it was worth the trip). Keep in mind that hot white bus we took was only $1 per person. We also found another bus (blue) with AC for the same price. Sigh...

The property is immaculate, and beyond beautiful. You walk up to the restaurant and you have the most amazing view of the ocean and the rock formations. The restaurant is located just a little shy north of the marina.

On our way to find some churros.

Pulling up to the security gate...this looks pretty serious.

On the other side of that security gate. This photo doesn’t do the property justice.

Standing in front of the fountain. My son failed to get the entire fountain with the water in the background, but you get the idea.

Man at the restaurant, “Let me take a photo of you three.” I tell him, “It’s going to be dark because the sun isn’t behind you...never mind.”

I suggested we take a photo the other way, and Voila! My son also decides to take the photo in order of height (that was a slight jab to my vertically challenged ego, but whatev). Oh, and if you are wondering why my son is dressed like my father the way he is, it’s because he hates the sun and hates getting a tan. “How is he even my child?”

Can we talk about how pretty this place is? To the left is a pool. Behind me is the ocean and to the right are more amazing views of the ocean.

This was the view behind us at our table.

The moment of truth. 6 churros come in an order with 1 chocolate sauce and 1 caramel sauce. You see 3 were taken before I cold get a good photo. $12 per order or $205 pesos.

Drum roll please!

God bless this warm sweet doughy piece of heaven!!! I have never, but definitely will again if I ever go back to Hacienda y Cocina. OMG. These were so good we placed 2 more orders for a total of 3. I should be ashamed but I am not. I only had a total of 3. We brought back the 3rd order to the suite to share with the other mom and son we traveled with.

It had a light crunch on the outside and a soft warm center on the inside. Exhale. We all decided the caramel sauce was the perfect pairing for the churros. The really nice thing is it wasn’t that sweet. I get an occasional sweet tooth but not so sweet where your teeth hurt. That is how my husband rolls <insert side eye>.

My daughter tried a tamarind drink since they didn’t have horchata. This was muy delicioso.

I loved the hut feel of this restaurant.

Once again we were approached for a photo and instead of explaining the lighting, I agreed. I tried to lighten it up but, uh, yea...

Having enough, we head on out back to call a taxi to our resort.

If you ever travel to Cabo, promise me you will check out Hacienda y Cocina for their churros. We assume the food is good there as well, but I wouldn’t know. LOL!

We came and we conquered EL CHURRO!

A few days after we arrived in Cabo, we decided to venture down to the marina to take a tour around the coast. We were able to get a close-up on the Arco de Cabos, several of the beaches and to see some of the colorful fish living in the waters.

Staying true to our explorative ways, we took a bus in to town to the marina. It was definitely an experience since we weren’t certain we were going the right way. 

The Marina house 380 slips and is considered one of the top sport-fishing destinations surrounded by luxury hotels, restaurants and properties.

We made it to the marina and decided to take the water taxi which will run you about $15 for a 45 minute ride. This is a little over 250 pesos. The tour takes you around the tip of Cabo which is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. They had names for other bodies of water that were on other sides of the rocks but I can’t remember the names and the reasons for the change in the name. 

One of the places the boat tour took us was to Pelican rock because, well...there are lots of pelicans hanging out there.

The fish off of the beach were beautiful. Some where gray with yellow while others were a bright blue with orange. We were giving tortillas to feed them.

The rock formations by El Arco de Cabo San Lucas were so grand and picturesque they appeared as if they could’t be real.

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas. We were able to see this from the balcony of our suite.

We passed Sea Lions sun bathing on the rock. We were told several hang out in this area and very intelligent and friendly. They seemed to enjoy the boats coming close to them and snapping photos of them.

The waters were so choppy and the boat rocked so hard it was a wonder I was able to get some good photos. In all of my life of riding on boats and cruises I have never gotten seasick. I have rock solid stomach and never get sick, but I was the main one asking if anyone on the boat gets seasick. I think karma wanted me to “sit down and stay humble.”

Some people got off of the water taxi and headed to the beach to snorkel, hang out or kayak. Ironically enough, there is a beach called Lover’s Beach. On the opposite side of that beach is Divorce Beach. I’d rather not visit the latter.

Sabor Original = Original Flavor. I don’t drink soda but I always find it fascinating to see familiar brands oversees. I was told the taste is a little different but it tastes much better.

After our stomach churning boat ride, which I am happy to report I left with no issues, we went to lunch at a restaurant on the marina. The entrance to the restaurant welcomed us with angel wings, perfect for a photo opp. I had my daughter take a photo because her middle name is angel after all (named by my son).

Walking through the marina...touching stuff! The other wall had water falling from it, this one was dried up. Oh and by the way, that isn’t ash on her legs that is sunscreen that she slathered on herself. SMH.

Meeting point, but of what? We couldn’t figure it out. Apparently this sign is recognized as some sort of civil agreement to maintain the history or integrity of said meeting points? I have no idea...I tried looking it up but my brain doesn’t want to read Spanish anymore.

Because you just don’t find cacti (the plural of cactus) lying around the streets of Chicago. Why not?

After a very hot afternoon in the sun, we decided to return back to the resort. That white bus on the right-hand side is the bus we rode down and had no AC. Oh, joy!

Our afternoon at the Marina was really nice but because you will be walking outside to peruse shops and restaurants, make sure you have plenty of water and I suggest you go down earlier in the day to avoid the heat at the peak of the day. We were sweating so badly it looked like we took a swim. The food was good too. 

Side note: be sure you know the cost of the water taxis/tour boats beforehand because they will try to overcharge you. I always try to wheel n deal with them to get the best price.

A friend of mine asked if my children and I would like to join her and her son to a trip to Cabo. The hotel had already been taken care of and all we had to do was take care of our flight and food. It was a no-brainer. Sign me up!

My children and I have been to Cozumel during one of our family cruises and my husband and I have been to Puerta Vallarta, which isn’t far from Cabo but this was my first time traveling to Cabo and the view is gorgeous nearly everywhere you go. If you are like me, you might not have had a clue where Cabo is located, so let me help you. You know the tail that comes off of the west side of Mexico? That very tip is where Cabo San Lucas is located. You are surrounded by nothing but ocean and gorgeous views.

We stayed at the Welks Resort, Sirena Del Mar and were told we have one of the best rooms onsite with the best view. I have to admit, the view is jaw droppingly gorgeous. Below is the view I was greeted with every morning.

I’ll share photos of the resort so you can get the lay of the land.

My children swimming in one of the three pools on the site.

Allejandro, one of the resort members who teaches bootcamp, aqua-robics, and helps with the snorkeling. He is a lot of fun, as you can see.

The hotel has a rock garden they maintain and the greeting changes every few days.

The hotel has a small garden where they pull their herbs and produce from for their restaurant. I love the idea because you know what you are eating is fresh. From garden to table.

The beach of the resort was literally below our balcony so I could use my mom stalker lens and capture photos like these from the comfort of my room. Perfect!

My children love exploring so they were digging for rocks, looking for fish and found a friend who’d outgrown his shell traveling along the sands looking for a new home.

Just for the record, coming out here I wanting to do ONE thing...nothing. We did somethings, but I was focused on not moving around so much. Sadly, it took me about 5 days to not feel like I should be something. I read and sat on our balcony and laid at the pool. I also may or may not have had a drink or two as well...

I also made sure to work on my tan and lived in my bikinis and kimono for at least 4 days out of the 7 days we were in Cabo. Seriously, what is the purpose of clothing while you are here?

Some of you have already mentioned your desire to travel to Cabo to me and I HIGHLY recommend it. My one issue, I wanted to be around more of the locals and go where THEY eat and and hangout. Cabo is a very touristy area so I didn’t get to have that specific experience. When my husband and I travel, we like to be far away from the tourist areas and like to dive into the culture of the places we visit. This gives you the true experience and heart of a place and you get to meet some amazing people and eat great food along the way.

Stay tuned for more...

I am currently writing this post from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with my children accompanied by my friend her and her son. If you follow me on Instagram you know I'm pretty obsessed consistent with preparing my meals at home and doing all I can to make our meals from scratch. To be honest, this saves us money (this may have to be another post) from always purchasing meals out, AND I know exactly what is in the food I’m eating. Is anyone else as concerned? Restaurants and companies add so many unnecessary preservatives in our food, it’s scary. Food SHOULD have an expiration date and not sit pretty on a shelf for weeks at a time <hops off of soap box>.

It didn’t dawn on me to post about what I did to prepare for this trip, until I posted to my Instagram. What I eat is a HUGE part of my life because it lays the foundation for my overall health, which I have made my top priority. Often times, I can be overly complicated with what I eat so I prefer to not involve others and stress them out. My poor husband will come home with food and I tell him I’m no longer eating that specific food (even though I ate it last month).  My kids often ask me, “So, Mom what are you NOT eating this week?” I digress, but you get the point.

When I decided to take this trip with my friend and her son and she suggested we sit down to plan out our meals, I was sheepishly excited (is that possible?) but scared at the same time because we eat so differently.

Now that I have already made this post longer than it needs to be, below are some tips I found to be helpful on how I have been able to eat healthfully while traveling. I am no travel expert, no food expert, I’m just sharing what I’m doing on this trip.

1. Stay in a property with a full kitchen or kitchenette. We lucked out at this resort and have a full size kitchen that includes everything you need to cook (pots, pans, plates, bowls, glasses, spatula, blender, toaster, etc), we just had to supply the food. I’ll post pics later.

2.  Call the resort or hotel in advance to see if there are any grocery stores in the area. Walmart is less than 10 minutes from where we are staying so groceries were picked up there and brought over in a taxi.

3. Plan your menu out in advance. We talked about how many meals we would like to cook vs eating out, decided on what would be cooked for each day, and created a menu around those items. I love to cook so I have been enjoying this.

4. Purchase as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. Many countries do not use the amount of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides we use on our foods. Don’t be discouraged by how their fresh produce may look. Our food is engineered to look pretty so American consumers will buy. You will however taste the difference in fresh produce outside of the US.

5. Buy grain in bags or bulk. The boxed versions will have preservatives and other non essential chemicals. A bag of rice is a bag of rice no matter where you go. This is the same for pasta and it is also simple to make.

6. Forgo the sodas and juice and just drink water. Unless you are in Mexico. Then make sure you are drinking bottled water. Add a lemon or lime too. You can’t go wrong with drinking too much water.

7. Frozen fruits and vegetables are your friends. Remember, frozen foods are frozen at the peak of their ripeness and still contain vital nutrients, so don’t discount the use of them. They are also easy to store!

8. Feel free to grill. There is a grill here at our resort, so there have been a few nights I decided to grill shrimp or turkey hot dogs for the kids. Just make sure you don’t char your food because, well, THAT isn’t healthy for you. Research for yourself.

9. Be flexible. My friend did all of the shopping because she arrived before we made it into town. She picked up some yogurt and said she thought I could use the yogurt to make a smoothie. I told her, “I don’t eat yogurt.” ...see what I mean about being complicated? I decided to just let my issue with dairy and yogurt go and to use the doggone thing to make a smoothie. I did. I survived. It was good! Next.

10. Enjoy yourself. Eating out a couple of times isn’t going to kill you. After all, you are on vacation so enjoy yourself and don’t feel guilty one moment. If you elect to plan every healthy meal and decide not to eat out, that is your business. If you decide to take a day or two to eat out, that is also your business. Just enjoy traveling, learning about different cultures and take in each moment. I’m still trying to figure out this relaxing thing but I think I’ll have it down by the time we need to leave.

11. Don’t be afraid to ask help if you want to read labels. For the most part, labels are constructed similarly as they are in the states so you can figure things out if you like reading labels. Otherwise, just ask!

Living Simplistically,

I know I have been MIA lately. So much has been going on with me and life in general and I have had little time to sit down and share. If you following me on Instagram and SnapChat (IG: livingsimplistically/SC: livsimplistic) you would know I post all of my workouts as well as what I have ben cooking.

More recently I have gotten a couple of questions offline about intermittent fasting. What it does for me, why I do it, and what my concerns are so I figured I should answer through this post here.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is NOT a diet, it is a lifestyle. In basic terms, it is a tool you can use that only changes WHEN you eat and the block of time in which you eat, or "feed." You are not reducing the amount of food you eat and you are not changing the quality of food you eat. IF does not give you a pass to eat whatever you want. Just an FYI :-)

The last several months I have changed how I workout. Running seemed to no longer work at keeping me in the shape I want and I hit a plateau, so I decided to switch things up to get better results. I began focusing on more muscle confusion-type exercises and weight training, so I felt a bootcamp and HIIT (high intensity interval training) would be a great place to start. I also box on occasion and go to Lagree Fitness using the beloved yet torturous Megaformer. Let me be sure I am clear, I am not looking to get shredded. I am simply looking tone what I have and decrease the amount of fat in my body.

I began researching and came across IF. Starting out, I decided to try the 14/10 fasting method which has me fasting from 8PM to 10AM, and then eating from 10AM to 8PM. During my 10-hour feeding window, I am squeezing in my 3 meals (this is the hardest for me). Fasting gives your body a break to digest your food. Every time you eat, your body utilizes energy to digest the food. Also, when you eat your typical breakfast, lunch and dinner spread throughout the day your insulin levels are going up and down, which in turn affect how your body uses and stores fat. It takes about 3 to 5 hours for your body to digest and absorb the food into the body. It also takes approximately 8 to 12 hours for your body to get into a fasted state (fat burning mode). So, think about the typical day a person eats at 8AM, 12PM and then eating at 6PM. Your body doesn't spend a lot of time in its fasting state where it is able to maximize it's fat burning abilities. There is more scientific data to support this, so I suggest you take time to research for yourself.

When I workout in the morning at 5AM, I workout fasted (meaning I don't eat..yes) so when I workout, my body burns fat, since carbohydrates, the body's preferred source of energy isn't available when you workout fasted.

P.S. Some people use BCA's prior to working out while fasting, but I haven't done this yet because I am not a huge advocate of supplements and I like to keep things simple :-).

Benefits of IF 1. Reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in the body 2. Helps balance blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity (promotes fat adaption) Your body burns fat as fuel while maintaining lean muscle 3. Provides mental clarity - this takes time 4. Boosts human growth hormone production - also thought of as the anti-aging hormone 5. Improves joint function by reducing arthritis (hence the inflammation reduction)

One major thing I noticed immediately, was the lack of bloating I would always have in my stomach. No matter how many crunches, or ab exercises I did, my stomach would be bloated. This is also the reason why I have greatly decreased my alcohol consumption since wine tends to make me bloated. Now, doing IF, regardless of how much I eat, my stomach stays flat and tight and I'm seeing more definition everywhere which is something I have NEVER felt before. I am also seeing more muscle definition in my arms, shoulders and back. This might be TMI, but when I have my cycle I don't have the bloating, nor the tenderness in my breasts.

There are several ways you can IF and there isn't one method that is better, though the longer you fast the more your body will benefit. However, you need to see what will work best for you. Also, because I am hungry ALL of the time, I felt the 14/10 method would be best for me to begin, but as of now I have decided to shift to 16/8 to increase my results. By the way, your sleep time is included in your fasting time.

5 ways to IF Simple fast - Fast for 12 hours ex. stop eating at 7PM, begin eating at 7AM Cycle fast - 16 hour fast (3x's per week) takes 5 to 7 days to get acclimated Strong fast - 18 to 21 hours for a fast (not recommended for women) Warrior fast - eat 3-5 hour feeding window 1 day fast - drink water, black coffee and/or teas for one day (24 hours). Some people drink bullet proof coffee (I don't recommend this, just my personal opinion)

I like intermittent fasting because it is simple, you can do it while traveling, you can flex your fasting/eating schedule around your lifestyle, and if you have a splurge day, it's okay because, you will still benefit from fasting. Again, IF does not mean you can eat whatever you like, you are just changing when you eat and when you do not eat.

Note:  I am not a physician or an expert, so If you have any health issues (diabetes, high blood pressure), please speak to your physician before starting IF. I would also not recommend this for those who are on medication. Women, keep in mind that you need to maintain your caloric intake so your body does not think it's in starvation mode, which can impact your hormones.

Q & A below - feel free to email me should you have more questions at [email protected]

1. How often do you IF? 7 days per week. Some people who IF take the weekends off, I do not. 2. Have you noticed any changes in your menstrual cycle? No, because I still eat my daily caloric intake. 3. How long have you been doing IF? About 8 weeks now. 4. Are you hungry? Of course, but the hunger during your fasting is when your body is burning your fat reserves and your body is getting a break. 5. Are there days when you break your fast early? Yes, there have been times when l will flex my feeding schedule or I'm SO hungry so I will eat a early. No biggie. 6. Are you tired? Not at all. Once your body gets use to IF, your energy levels will be higher. 7. You don't feel faint working out and not eating? No, I think it may be more mental than anything. However, you know your body best so if you need to eat before your workout PLEASE do so. 8. Can I chew gum while intermittent fasting? Absolutely. Gum is really low in calories so feel free to chew away. The idea is to have no calories during your IF period but there are no concrete rules. 9. Do you feel any negative changes in your strength or endurance while you IF? No, I haven't. I actually ran a 10 mile race fasted and felt perfectly fine without eating beforehand or during the race. This was new for me! 10. I don't like coffee. Is there something else I can drink? Yes, you can drink water (you should be anyway), green tea, black teas or anything low calorie. 11. How many calories do you eat in a day? I have no idea. I don't count. I workout hard, IF and just monitor how my clothes fit. 12. Do you eat junk food? Believe it or not, sometimes I do have a craving but I will just make it myself so I can monitor/control what is in the food and the quality of ingredients that go into what I am eating.

Of course I had to post photos so you can see some of the changes. If anything my body is getting tighter and you can see more of the definition.

Articles on IF http://squishablebaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IF-fasting-in-mice-studies-Mattson.pdf http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/112/20/3115.long

Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwCRjwDs1Ek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3gWtHqApw

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

I cannot begin to tell you have busy I have been, which is why I missed posting on my 5th month update and have been a little MIA. To my defense, there wasn’t much of a change between months 5 and 6 so technically I did you all a favor, LOL! You can thank me later. 

I CANNOT believe I hit the 6th month mark! Wow, time has both flown and dragged at the same dam* time. I feel like the changes to my hair have slowed down. The budding is pretty even throughout at this point. My hair is fully locked to the ends, which is insane! I remember having pieces I thought would come a part at any moment. I believe what is happening now is my hair allowing itself to be shaped/molded into locs. My hair grows at a pretty fast rate, but I haven’t seen much length because I keep looking for it the process of the hair budding, locking and growing doesn’t allow you to see a ton of growth. Once I’m out of this stage, I have no doubt I will see growth. Patience, patience, patience!

Hair regimine?  I don’t really have one. I’ll mist my hair with rose water and oil whenever I think about it. At night, I tie my hair up with a scarf and TRY to do the same when I work out. I do sleep in a silk/satin scarf and pillowcase. I wake-up, shake and go.

How frequently I get my hair retwisted?  4 to 5 weeks. This last time I managed to stretch it out to 5 weeks with a retwist myself. It just doesn’t come out the same but it gave me an extra week.

When did your hair begin to bud? Loc? I’d say my hair started budding around month 2. Keep in mind everyone’s hair is different. My hair is considered a “manageable” texture but it loves to tangle so I knew this process wouldn’t take long. My hair started loc’ing by month 3, but the ends were still twisted. As you can see, it is fully locked now all the way down to the ends.

Have my locs impacted my workouts? Not at all, on the contrary I feel like I have more freedom. I haven’t yet been swimming out of fear that would mess my locs up. I decided to wait a little bit before hitting the pool, probably around the year 1 mark. However, after I workout I simply put my head under the hand drier (4 times) to make sure my scalp is dry and go about my business. NO, my scalp does not smell. I too was shocked! That’s all I do. :-)

Where do you go to get your hair retwisted? I see a loctician named Darryl in Chicago. Email me at [email protected] and I’ll send you his information. He is the business! He is meticulous with hair so he is really good and thorough and in just the 2 times I’ve seen him for a retwist, I’ve seen a HUGE difference in my hair. He has magic hands, FR-FR.

Do you have any regrets? Absolutely not. The further I go in this journey, I grow to love my locs even more. This is probably one of my best decisions I’ve made. I love seeing the changes my hair is going through. This process has tested my patience but I've gotten over it (for the most part).

Here are some photos of how my hair has changed. It’s so interesting to see how thin my double strand twists started compared to how thick my hair is now. I’ll point out the obvious in my photos: 1) I apparently have a thing for gray shirts 2) I have no idea what to do with my hands in my photos, hence the posed hand/arm...LOL!

<End of week two loc’d>

<1st retwist at month at 4 weeks>

<Month 2>

<Month 2 1/2 - my first retwist myself on dry hair>

<3 months>

<4 months>

<5 months after retwist with Darryl>

<6 months after retwist>

<Today, April 28th> Now, I was holding my hair down in this photo because it would have been all over the place. Truly. Honestly.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!

P.S. - if I had to guess, I would say I am entering the “teenage stage” of locking my hair because I never know what they will do. 

Okay, I will admit...when I first saw this recipe and saw what it was made of, I only wanted to make it out of pure curiosity. I didn’t even know what I would use this fluff for, but I thought to share it for those who could find a use for it. I was told this fluff (sans the sugar) can also be used for recipes that require whipped egg whites like a merengue. I wonder if I can cook it like egg whites??? Hmmmm...I digress.

This fluff is made with two ingredients:

- The water from 1 can of chickpeas without salt

- Your choice of sweetener (1/2 c sugar or 1/3 c honey/agave nectar) I used sugar to keep it vegan

I added vanilla extract and a pinch of tartar to help stabilize the fluff, but both are optional.

If you use a hand mixer, you will be mixing a good 10-15 minutes. I used my Kitchen-Aid mixer and it took less than 5 minutes.

Blend it. It doesn’t look like it will do anything but be patient.

Houston, I think we have FLUFF! VEGAN FLUFF!

I was surprised by how thick and creamy this ended up becoming.

This could go on top of cakes, brownies, cupcakes, used for a dip. I don’t know, think about what you would use fluff for.

Cool, huh?! Go forth and use your fluff! Don’t forget to share with me how you used it.

Oh, there is ONE caveat. My daughter said it does taste a little like chickpeas but it isn’t too overpowering.

My 4th month loc update was technically on February 26th but I have been so busy, I hadn’t had time to sit down to blog about my process. I did however, post my progression photos on Instagram.

Not so many changes occurred in my hair until recently. Several of my two-stranded twists started locking, but still looked like two-stranded twists. Just a week ago, I decided I would change locticians. Several members in my chapter have locs so asked around and got a referral to a new person named Darryl. I admit, I was nervous but it was time. The woman who was my previous loctician was nice, but her work wasn’t clean and I wasn’t understanding her process of managing my hair. For instance, she didn’t palm roll or shape my locs?! Starting with Darryl, I was nervous but I am sure it was mostly because I knew I would hear not-so good news...which I did. 

After he washed my locs he rinsed my hair with an warm herbal rinse which gave me every bit of my life back! He began separating my locs and some he had to actually pop. During this process he looked at my parts and told me if my hair wasn’t locked, he would have started my hair over (seriously?). So, in order to straighten the parts in my hair, he had to go between each loc and pull the hairs from one loc to another to make it straight. This was the most painful process I experienced, but I trusted him and he assured me I would NEVER have to go through this again if I let him correct the problem. After he corrected all of my parts, he had to trim my ends and I agreed begrungingly. After I left his chair, I had no doubt I made the best decision! When I first touched my hair, I thought he put waaaaay too much product in my hair but he told me it was to help because my hair was so dry. Nearly a week later my hair feels moisturized and soft.

My hair is finally looking like locs...my hair still has some ways to go along with some budding and filing in at the ends, but my hair is taking shape. 

You can see my double stranded twist patterns are disappearing :-)

The back of my hair. This is the first time I’ve seen the back of my hair!

I’m 4 months in and I love the simplicity of this journey. I will be honest, the shrinkage has been a challenge for me. I went from just above bra strap length to the length you see above, but this process is teaching me to get over myself. I cannot wait to see the growth, which Darryl also assured me would happen now that I have the proper TLC for my hair. Finally, my hair is looking like it should look and I am happy about it!