Jillian Michaels 7-Day Detox Water

One day I was feeling heavy from some bad eating and exercise habits, and I wanted to try a detox or cleanse to refresh. I had never previously done a detox or a cleanse, so I took to some internet research to find a quick, simple plan. After discovering that trends such as juice cleanses are terrible for you and starve your body of necessary nutrients, I found a 7-day detox water formula promoted by trainer Jillian Michaels.

This drink is made of natural ingredients, encourages you to consume your minimum required daily intake of water, tastes decent and can help you lose up to five pounds of excess water bloat. It's not a diet or weight management answer, but rather makes you feel lighter, flatter and less bloated for the short-term.

Ingredients:

• 60 oz. distilled water
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 1 TBS sugar-free cranberry juice (Not diet or "no sugar added." I used Just Cranberry brand.)
• 1 dandelion root tea bag (I substituted this for Yogi Detox tea, which has dandelion in it.)

Preparation:

Combine these ingredients together and let sit for a couple hours or over night. Drink the full drink throughout the day. Repeat this for seven days.

If you're wanting to drop some quick water weight, I highly recommend this natural detox water. To see what Jillian Michaels has to say about it, watch this short video clip.

Beach Vacation Packing List

I’m officially back from the beach, and that means back to blogging!

Every time I go on vacation, I start with, or create mid-way through packing, an actual list of items to pack - a thorough "do not forget" reminder of all of the things that are often so easy to forget. This was precisely what I did for our Grand Cayman vacation, a week before I even began packing, so that I could add to it throughout the week. Rather than tossing the list after wrapping vacation, I decided to share it with you all (and myself) for future reference.

{BEACH VACATION PACKING LIST}

Clothing and Accessories
Flip flops/shoes
Swimsuits
Swimsuit cover-up
Light jacket/cardigan
Clothes
Undergarments
Pajamas
Sunglasses
Crossover purse and/or clutch
Jewelry

Bathroom Items
Medicine
Makeup
Standard toiletries
Blow dryer
Straightener
Brush
Shower stuff

*Anything specific you use to get ready

Beach-Specific Items
Water camera
Beach towels
Floats
Beach bag
Beach mat
Snorkel gear
Hat
Sunscreen
Aloe

Electronics
Phone + charger

iPad + charger

iPod dock + charger
Digital camera + charger
Video camera + charger

Plane Items
Passport
Flight information
Headphones
Snacks
Book

Misc.
Cash

Koozies

Water Bottle

First Aid Kit

Laundry bag(s)

Backpack bag

Games/activities

Note: I made this for an international beach vacation where we stayed in an equipped condo. If you're traveling locally (driving or flying), staying in a hotel or unequipped condo, or not traveling to the beach, not all of this will apply. I also didn't pack for my husband or any children, so that would be an entirely new dimension.

If you're one to frantically pack or easily become frazzled, I think this beach packing list will be a solid starting point, especially when it comes to the "little things." Try keeping the list in your mobile phone notes or a checklist app, like Paperless, so it's easy to keep track of and update. I'm sure I will develop this list over time - and so will you - but for our Grand Cayman trip specifically, this packing list had us covered.

Can you think of an important item that I missed? Leave a comment, and I'll add it to the list if it applies. I updated it the best I could for now.

Life Lately

Oh goodness, these past few weeks have been absolutely wacko - too much going on at work and too much going on outside of work - hence the reason I'm blogging in my bed at midnight from my iPhone (forgive any errors). I had (have) some fresh posts in the pipeline for the blog, including my 7-day detox water, a not-so-out-of-the-ordinary impulse Ross shopping trip, and my first visit to Canton, but I just couldn't quite get to them before vacation (yehaw, only one more day)! Soooo, instead, here's my life lately.

Suprise 50th birthday party for my aunt Anna. New bridal shower invitation for Kitsy Co. Petty Theft (Tom Petty cover band) concert at the Dallas Arboretum... which happened to be moved indoors due to 40 degree, rainy weather. An amazing, delicious night at Chicken Scratch. Our spiffy new pool that was too cold to sit in. Finally planted my herbs. New ice cream birthday invitation. Bark in the Park at Texas Rangers Ballpark... sadly again 40 and rainy (ugh). Pizza biscuits and peanut butter m&ms bars for our Purtis State Park camping trip. Cinco de Mayo at my moms... in the bluebonnets. Mini fruit pizza cups as a celebratory going away dessert for a co-worker (Erin, tear)... not to mention the not shown jewelry brunch, crawfish boil, work lunches and events, bicycle shopping, landscape shopping, new swimming hobby, etc.

So yes, lots happening, and quite a bit more than what I captured on Instagram! One more city proposal, a Lone Star Park party and a dress fitting away from vacation.

Did I mention only one day till we leave for the Cayman Islands?!?! Much. Needed. Vacation. So ready and will have tons to share when I get back! XOXO

PYRC #43: Cranberry, Avocado and Almond Salad with Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Last week I shared our baked buffalo chicken rolls, and today I'm sharing the second half of our meal - cranberry, avocado and almond salad with sweet white balsamic vinaigrette. Two awesome recipes in one night - I was one lucky girl (or maybe Jeff was one lucky husband).


  

CANDIED SPICED ALMONDS: This recipe actually calls for candied spiced almonds, but since it was a separate recipe in itself, I got lazy and skipped it. However, I'm certain that added component would enhance the reviews. Also, beware, the recipe is for a large serving of almonds, not just for the amount you need in your salad.

SERVING SIZE: This recipe is composed of three stand-alone recipes (dressing, salad, almonds), which produces large quantities of each, as just mentioned. I didn't realize until mid-way into the dressing recipe that it was for a FULL bottle of dressing. If you're not interested in making full portions, reduce the measurements.

WHITE BALSAMIC VINEGAR: If you have regular balsamic vinegar on hand or cannot find white balsamic vinegar, using regular balsamic should be an equal substitute. I googled the difference between the two, and taste-wise, the flavors are very similar. Actually, I read that when people opt for white balsamic, it's typically for aesthetic purposes. Next time, I'd probably just stick with standard balsamic (since I normally have it stocked in my pantry), but this time I actually purchased the called-for white balsamic (very unlike me).

DRESSING: Due to the amount of added sugar (probably could have used a little less), this dressing will be pretty thick. Make sure you shake, shake, shake it if it has been resting (and be cautious of thickening if refrigerating).

THE VERDICT: This was a great salad. The ingredients were familiar (I totally want to add goat cheese and red onion), but the dressing was new for me and really complimented the salad perfectly. I was very happy to make something new and defer from my typical oil and vinegar creations. Jeff thought the dressing was more along the lines of store-bought dressing and prefers my standard oil and vinegar salads. I actually agree with Jeff when it comes to day-to-day salads, but this recipe specifically would be such a hit at a large gathering. Next family holiday, here I come!

THE RECIPE: Here's the recipe from Honest Cooking.