Roasted Chickpeas aka The Best Snack EVER

Okay so I just want to start off by saying my Dad and I were making and snacking on roasted chickpeas before they were the trendy cool snack they are today. Since he is from Pakistan he is already a chickpea fan and he passed that love of chickpeas on to me from like birth. So I've been eating chickpea basically since I could chew. Roasted chickpeas are a great, healthy snack that provide a good amount of protein and fiber to help keep you full. They are a fantastic substitute for chips and you can basically flavor them however you want! The options are endless. 

My personal favourite is just plain old roasted chickpeas with salt, pepper, and grapeseed oil. All you do is take a can of chickpeas rinse them and then toss a few tablespoons of your oil of choice on them. Then add your spices and put them on a pan to roast. Cook them for about and 1 hr on 375 or until brown and crunchy. You can store them in little snack packs for about a week in your pantry. So instead of grabbing a bag of chips grab a bag of these little babies! 

Biore 1 Minute Self-Heating Charcoal Face Mask Review

I was at the drugstore the other day when I saw these Biore Charcoal masks. Honestly the self heating and charcoal are what drew me in because I heard charcoal is really good in helping draw out gunk from your pores and the self heating just sounded really nice during these cold winter months. They cost around $7 dollars I believe and you get 4 packets. I took some pictures of my first time using a packet that I'll share with you guys. Please excuse my makeupless face!

The excitements is real guys. 

And it's on. It was very easy to apply and I loved the self heating. It also smells amazing!

Washing it off. When you rinse it off it heats up again which feels really great!

And it's off. My face felt super clean and refreshed. I will definitely be taking these on my trip to Europe to give my face a little pick me up whenever I need one. 

When in Rome

Definitely one of my favorite cities that I saw in Europe was Rome. I absolutely LOVED it there and didn't have enough time there at all. When we drove through Rome we were on our way to a different city and unfortunately could only spend I day there. It was short and sweet but still amazing in every way. Seeing the colosseum was just mind-boggling and roaming the ancient Roman cobblestone streets was priceless. You could practically feel the history in every nook and cranny of the ancient city. I would definitely go back again and recommend everyone go at least once if they can. Here are some pictures from my trip.  

Here is the view driving towards Rome

Rome here we come!

First stop,Colosseum!! 

Colosseum up close, about to go in. 

Finally Inside!

It's huge guys!

After we left the colosseum to find the Trevi Fountain we stumbled upon some ruins. 

"Rome-ing" the streets(get it?) ;)

Finally found the Fountain!! I threw in 4 pennies! 

Circled back around the Colosseum on our way to our hotel. 

Sick Day Essentials

Today I woke up with an awful cold and it couldn't have come at a worse time either. I'm in the middle of packing for our trip to Texas and then Pakistan and Europe but since I'm not getting anything done today I thought why not share my sick day essentials with you guys. So let's get into it!

 Green tea is one of my sick day staples. It's full of antioxidants and the warmth is so soothing on your throat. 

I don't take multi vitamins on the daily but if I feel like I might be coming down with a cold or like today, if I wake up with one I will start taking it in the morning until I'm feeling better. This one is one of my favorites because it also helps your skin and gives you a nice glow, which is nice when you're sick and look like death. 

SMOOTHIES are definitely must sick day must have! I literally cannot stress how much they help me and how good they are when you're sick. They deliver so much nutrients and antioxidants which I feel like is exactly what you need when fighting off a cold. I have the recipe for my Power Smoothie on my blog if you want to check out what I put in mine! 

Okay so this essential sounds a little gross but I swear it helps, eating raw garlic. Now don't freak out, it's definitely not the BEST tasting thing ever for sure but it's bearable and I swear by it. I've done a lot of research and many people say that eating raw garlic helps soften their colds significantly and also eases symptoms. If just chewing on a raw clove is too much for you, you can try a trick my mom uses she takes 8-9 cloves, 6-7 cherry tomatoes, half a red onion and then blends them together in a food processor. Then add a little salt and pepper and it's almost like salsa just REALLY garlicky.

My last essential is Lemon Water. It helps wash down the garlic and will help you heal faster. You need to drink a lot of fluids when you're sick and lemon water is my go-to. I have a hard time drinking plain water when I'm sick so lemon water became my staple because the light lemon flavor helps me get it down. 

Well that's all my sick day essentials, let me know what yours are down below. I'd love to know what helps you guys through your colds! 

Come Dine with Me

Okay so this is probably one of the MOST requested posts that I've ever been asked to write. I'm not sure why people want to know what I eat all day but hey you guys asked so I'm giving it to you. Let's get into it then. So I started keeping a food journal about a week ago just to see exactly what I was eating so here is what I usually eat on a given day. 

For breakfast I noticed that I rotate between these different meals. Either a huge smoothie, two fried eggs and a mango, or a PB&J and chocolate milk. These are like my breakfast staples. 

For lunch I usually had some either chicken breast with salad or a whole bunch of raw veggies like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc. and half a chicken breast with some hummus for the veggies. Sometimes I will just have whatever my moms cooking if I don't want to make my own lunch. That includes homemade burgers, veggie pasta, and sometimes different Pakistani meals.

For dinner I rotate around with either a GIANT smoothie(so I get enough calories) if I had a big lunch, an egg white omelette loaded with veggies and some kind of fruit on the side, or a few slices of chicken breast with vegetables and hummus(again) 

Now for snacks I usually had about 2, 1 in between breakfast and lunch and 1 between lunch and dinner. My snack options are usually half a cup of cottage cheese with fruit and honey, an apple with some almonds(sometimes it's different fruit depending on what I have), and raw veggies with hummus.

Drink wise I usually have either unsweetened tea, lemon water, or plain water. Water is basically my go to especially with a little lemon squeezed in there. I don't drink coke very often if I do it's usually only on a holiday. Once in a while I treat myself to a Starbucks Frapp but not very often. 

This is just kind of an example of the main staples I eat in my diet. Basically I try to eat very whole, organic foods it that doesn't mean I don't treat myself because I do. During the week I kept this food journal I treated myself to a slice of chocolate cheesecake, and also on a different day some cookies. It's all about balance and making sure you don't go overboard with the treats. I aim to eat about 1500-1600 calories a day sometimes more depending on my activity and workouts for that day. If I am doing a big workout one day I will usually up my calories to help my body repair but if I'm say going on a trip and will just be sitting in the car all day I drop the number of calories down a bit. Now I NEVER go below 1200 calories because that isn't enough for anyone and will send your body into starvation mode. You guys can adjust the calories you need based on all your factors like activity level,height and all that. I hope this post kind of helps give you a glimpse into my food world and what I eat. Let me know how you liked it below! 

Stop the Body Shaming.

This post is something I've been wanting to write for quite awhile actually. It's something that I've experienced personally and I know others have as well. It seems that no matter how skinny or curvy you are that you will never escape the hurtful comments and body shaming. I used to be really overweight and I can honestly say that I never got as many hurtful comments as I have being slim. I'm  Naturally petite at my height of 5'2, my extra weight just hid my small frame. 

When I lost the extra weight I looked like a different person and I was very proud of myself, I loved my new body honestly. We live away from most of my family so they hadn't seen me lose the weight all they remembered was that I left being overweight and then came back for the holidays basically a new person. Most of my relatives were completely shocked and I thought they would be just as proud as I was but that didn't end up being the case. Everyone In my family is overweight so before I lost weight I seemed like one of them, fitting in completely but after I lost weight it's like they thought I was some kind of outsider or freak that didn't seem normal. 

 I started getting called Skinny Minny, Boney, Anorexic, and even ugly. Even some old friends would tell me I looked like a stick. I remember one time quite recently where my cousin and aunt actually told me that I had ruined my body, become horribly ugly, and that no guys would want me now. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. These people were my family and even they couldn't help but make hurtful body shaming comments. Why couldn't they just be as proud of myself as I was? I tried to just let them roll off my back but after awhile I started to wonder if maybe they were right, was I really "gross" looking? Had I ruined my body? Then I realized that listening to all this crap was just completely stupid. I hadn't ruined my body at all, I had just improved it.

 I became healthy because carrying all that extra weight on my little frame WAS not healthy. My family doctor had even told me that I was at a perfectly healthy weight so their comments about being sickly or having an eating disorder were definitely not true. I don't even think that people realize how hurtful their comments about being slim can be. They are just as hurtful as calling curvy girls fat. Body shaming of every body type, size, and shape needs to stop. 

EVERY girl is beautiful, it doesn't matter if you're a size 0 or 18, we are all gorgeous, wonderful, smart, funny women who are so much more than just what size jeans they fit into. Instead of tearing each other down with hurtful comments we should be lifting each other up in praise of how amazing we all are. 

Trend Alert!

Now that Paris Fashion Week has officially come to a finish I wanted to share one of the biggest trends I noticed while watching all the shows and street fashion. Long to mid-lengh skirts! They were literally everywhere in every kind of pattern,design, and fabric. They were styled dressy and casual. I really loved this lentgh of skirts I was seeing because it's a length you don't see very often and it really made the wearer stand out. I gathered some pictures of my favorite looks using this hot trend for you guys to check out. Let me know what you guys think about this new trend, would you wear it? 

#TransformationTuesday

When I look at my #transformationtuesday I feel so accomplished. I mean I worked my butt off and I can't complain about the results at all. A lot of people would look at the picture on the left and be completely disgusted by that girl, I used to feel that way too but not anymore. I don't hate or despise her at all, far from it actually.  The girl on the left is just as amazing as the skinnier girl on the right. She was just as funny, smart, and beautiful. Loosing weight is definitely gratifying and makes you feel better about your appearance but being skinnier isn't all that matters in life. Now being healthier is definitely important. The girl on the left was not as healthy as the girl on the right. She hardly ever exercised or ate any whole food. She was filling her body with artificial foods and unhealthy chemicals.  The girl on the right however lives off whole, clean foods. She enjoys fruits and vegetables and loves to run. She fuels her body with the best fuel am treats it so much better.  So when I look at these two pictures the biggest transformation I see isn't in appearance, or weight, it is in the way I transformed my lifestyle. I transformed my unhealthy eating habits and inactive lifestyle and that's the best #transformationtuesday you can have.  

90 Calorie Lemon Bars

These Lemon Bars are a speciality of mine, my whole family loves them especially my Dad. He actually requests that I make them for him all the time. They are such a refreshing little dessert and are a good break from chocolate. This recipe makes 25 mini bars that are exactly 90 calories a piece. Here's what you'll need,

Ingredients-

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine *softened*

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel(if desired, I think it really kicks up the lemon flavor so I recommend it)

2 tablespoons lemon juice *fresh squeezed works best*

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs 

Extra powdered sugar to sprinkle on top of the bars when finished

Directions-

Preheat the oven to 350

Mix flour,butter,and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Once mixed press into square pan 8 by 8 by 2 or 9 by 9 by 2. Building up 1/2 inch sides. 

Bake crust for 20 mins then remove from oven. 

Beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on high speed for about 3 mins or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust. 

Bake 25-30 mins or until no indentation when touched lighty in center. Cool in pan then dust with powdered sugar. Cut into 5 rows by 5 rows. 

  

I hope you guys enjoy this recipes as much as my family. 

I Think I Have a Problem...

Okay so I was strolling through my Instagram and it dawned on me, I'm ADDICTED/OBSESSED with Mexican food!!! I'm not kidding, at least half my lunches and dinners are Mexican food. Tostadas, tacos, taco salads, you name it and I've eaten it people. I literally put jalapeños on everything and I might as well drink salsa. I'm pretty sure I must have some Mexican blood down my family line somewhere. It probably has to do with the fact that I've been raised In Texas  for most of my life, hello Tex-Mex. I don't know if this has anything to do with it but my mom has told me that she ate an abnormal amount of Mexican food when she was pregnant with me so basically I've been eating it since before birth. I thought I'd share some of my favorite Mexican themed meals with you guys. Let me know what your food obsessions are! 

Taco Salad!

Tostadas!

More Taco Salad! 

Baked Oatmeal!

Guys I have discovered my absolute favourite breakfast of all time. BAKED OATMEAL!! I finally got around to whipping up a batch and its official I'm hooked. It is literally the best thing on earth. Here is the recipe so you guys can jump on board my new obsession.

Ingredients-  

2 eggs

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of cinnamon 

1 1/2 tsp salt 

1 1/4 cups of milk

1/4 cup of butter(melted, I used salted but I don't think it matters) 

3 cups of rolled oats 

**I added walnuts and chocolate chips to mine but you can literally add whatever you would like before baking and afterwards**

Directions- preheat your oven to 350 and butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish for later. 

In a large bowl mix together the eggs then add in the brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt, wisk together until no lumps remain. Stir in the melted butter and milk and then add the oats. Now you bake it for 30-40 mins until it has set(you can also store it In the fridge overnight and bake the next day if desired)

After you remove it from the oven you can serve it warm and add whatever toppings you like. Berries,honey,milk,cream,maple syrup,chocolate chips, nuts, you name it, it's entirely up to you. I hope you guys enjoy this recipe, let know below how you liked it!

This is how mine turned out, unfortunately I couldn't get the pic before my Fam had already started digging in.

Red Queen(aka My New Obsession)

Hey guys!! So I am officially in love with a new trilogy, Red Queen. It is so amazing. I just finished the Selection Series and was looking for a new one to help cure my book hangover and I think I've found it. This is honestly such a unique, fantastic debut. I couldn't put it down and even got my mom hooked. Here is a fantastic description of the debut novel in the trilogy, 

""Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with red and those with silver. Mare and her family are lowly Reds, destined to serve the Silver Elite whose supernatural abilities make them nearly gods. Mare steals what she can to help her family survive, but when her best friend is conscripted into the army, she gambles everything to win his freedom. A twist of fate leads her to the royal palace itself where, in front of the king and all his nobles, she discovers a superhuman ability she didn’t know she had.

Except . . . her blood is Red.

To hide this impossibility, the king forces her into the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks her new position to aid the Scarlet Guard—the leaders of a budding Red rebellion. Her actions put into motion a deadly and violent dance, pitting prince against prince and Mare against her own heart.""

 The characters in my opinion could have used a tiny bit more description because I had a hard time picturing Mare, Cal, and Maven but other than that it was completely captivating and I couldn't stop until I was done. I loved their personalities and they were all very easy to relate to especially Mare, she is a great female protagonist. The plot to was well written and will keep you intrigued until the very end. The twist in the book will literally blow your mind. I'm definitely team Cal becaus he is so sweet and you can see how much he clearly cares for Mare.

The author,Victoria Aveyard I think did a brilliant job with her debut novel. It was everything you need in a good book. Plus, she is a New England Patriots fan so hello who couldn't love her? She is definitely my new favorite author and this is definitely my new favourite trilogy. I highly, highly recommended this novel for anyone looking for a new obsession.