Recipe Review: Skinny Cosmo

Ta Da!

So this is a follow-up from my skinny bar drinks. I tried the Skinny Cosmo this weekend which is ordered as 'Raspberry vodka with club soda and a splash of Cranberry juice' all for 115 calories

I wasn't sure if the bartender's 'splash' was more than just a splash or if their raspberry vodka was colored because it looked a little darker than the picture I grabbed from Oprah's website.

Oprah's Website: Skinny Cosmo

Bar experiment  Skinny Cosmo

However, very delightful! Had that little bit of a fizz from the club soda. With a squeeze of the lime it tasted very similar to a Como. I will definitely be ordering again!

Can I buy you a drink?

So this post kind of goes hand in hand with the skinny girl product review.

As a single young professional women I find myself enjoying the bar scene. Note: any and all can enjoy the bar scene but I'm merely referencing it this way instead of saying 'I frequent the bars' :)

And as I've already pointed out I like to stay healthy and natural when it comes to my eating/drinking habits. This is where the skinny girl and this blog comes into play. I am looking for a low calorie and 'healthy' beverage to drink. More emphasis on the low-calorie because sometimes these late bar nights turn into pizza at 2am.

So I've already mentioned Skinnygirl and they do have the pre-mixed bottles at some bars but what if they don't? I've googled this several times in my young adult life and haven't found anything until now. I don't want that 6 ingredient drink that only I can make at home. I want that easy/cheap drink that a cute guy can remember enough to order me when he asks "Can I buy you a drink?" and who would have thought... Oprah had the answer! I stumbled upon this link today and wanted to share.

Best Drinkers for Dieters or what I'd like to call Best Drinks for Skinny Girl on the Go! Not really that we are going anywhere but drinks that can be ordered anywhere.

Easy to order low calorie mixed drinks:

My top picks:

1. Dirty Martini -- Best Alternative: Hot pepper-flavored vodka over ice with olives. Now this one sounds very scary to me. I love the IDEA of a dirty martini but have not actually enjoyed them so I'm thinking switching this to a flavored vodka while I still get my olive might be an okay trade. This one will be interesting but definitely worth the try.VERY simple order--lets just see how it tastes--straight liquor has not been my thing since I turned 21. ** Saves 200 calories!!

2. Cosmo -- Best Alternative: Raspberry-infused vodka with club soda and a splash of cranberry. I LOVE a good cosmo and I have tried doing vodka with club soda with a splash of cranberry before -- it did not cut it. I'm hoping this raspberry infused vodka will add just enough flavor without all the calories. Nowadays most bars have some type of infused vodka whether it be cherry, blueberry, or marshmallow so this should be an easy find! ** Saves 100 calories!

3. Beer -- Best Alternative: NOPE not light beer :) A shandy or Michelada -- a WHAT? I've never heard of these either but I'm very excited to try them.
A shady is one part lemon seltzer a squeeze of lemon and two parts beer.
A Michelada is a dash of hot sauce, a dash of Worcestershire, black pepper, a juice of a lime in a glass with ice and then you pour in the beer filling it as you go.
Both of these are great because they allow you to drink those heavier full calorie (more delicious) craft or foreign beers. The first one has less beer and the second one allows you to sip more slowly - pouring as you go and the heat also will automatically slow you down.

Check out the site for low calorie eggnog, margarita, and even wine! I'm proud of Oprah on this one. Can't wait to try the easy to order low calorie bar drinks above and will report back.

Happy drinking!

Recipe: Quick and Easy Chili Potato

So this will be a brief post -- which fits with the theme! Quick, easy, and HEALTHY dinner/lunch recipe. This takes me back to the days of my dorm room when I was limited with a microwave and small fridge to prepare healthy, affordable, easy recipes.

I purchased Amy's Light in Sodium Medium Chili a week or so ago when I saw it listed as one of the 100 Cleanest Packaged Foods I truly believe a good diet and health can be achieved by just eating clean/natural. This list is great for people like me who don't have the time or money to spend eating EVERYTHING straight from god's green earth and this chili was a great light in sodium packaged delight. I enjoy Amy's products so I knew I would like the Chili.

And digging through the pantry I also had a potato, through the fridge some plain non fat Greek yogurt. And that's it!

First I microwaved the potato - some microwaves have a potato button nowadays but here is a link to various ways to 'baked' in the microwave. Microwave 'Baked' Potato

Heated up the chili - put a dollop of Greek yogurt on top and TA DA! Healthy inexpensive easy dinner is served!

Servings: 1 - can be doubled, tripled, etc
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes (depending on potato size)

Ingredients:
-1 Potato
-1 Cup of Amy's Low Sodium Medium Chili
-2 Tablespoons Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt*

1. Scrub potato with warm water. Pierce potato with a knife or a fork
2. Put potato in microwave - select 'Potato' button or cook for 5 minutes. Continue this until the potato can be squeezed and feels soft.
3. Heat up a cup of Amy's Low Sodium Medium Chili
4. Assemble -cut potato lengthwise opening the potato. Pour Chili on top. Dollop with sour cream. ENJOY!

You can also add cheese, chives, hot sauce, whatever condiments you enjoy on a baked potato. Full of protein and fiber! Very filling meal.

*Omit the Yogurt or Replace with Vegan Sour Cream and meal becomes Vegan.

Product Review: Skinnygirl Margarita

So I have to admit that this review should be read knowing that I am a big Bethenny Frankel fan. I think her dry humor is hilarious, her business motivation, her story, all inspiring and interesting. But enough on my love affair with her. Her signature product: The Skinny Girl Margarita - the signature one recipe:

-2 ounces clear premium Tequila
-1/2 lime, juice
-Splash Grand Mariner or Triple Sec

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice - pour into glass. Enjoy!

An amazing delicious, dangerous, and low-calorie margarita! So as you may have heard Bethenny sold this idea and now is bottling the Skinny Girl Margarita along with SEVERAL other wonderful flavors.

The Skinny Girl Margarita is divine! Very light and sweet while it remains low calorie the bottle version is made with agave nectar. It is all the best parts of a margarita the sweetness, the lightness the induces beach memories with a significant amount of lower calories. WARNING: Being so light in calories these drinks will put you on your behind! I've had a couple eventful nights that now being tipsy off of these drinks is called being Skinny Girled....when something has a nick name it means it happens too often :)

Up next was the White Peach Margarita - this one just as low in calories and refreshing tasted a bit stronger than the margarita. I think they are confused with adding the right about of liquor, flavoring, sweetness all remaining low calories. I would give this one a B for it's ability to get you just as relaxed with not that many calories but still revert to the classic margarita for enjoyable sipping.

Finally I have tried the Pina Colada - this one made me just as excited as the margarita as it is my favorite summer time drink but usually just splurged on my birthday as it is a frozen sugary delicious bikini body disaster.  Yummmmmmm this one is equally as refreshing its like the margarita - some alcohol, lightly sweetened then just a touch of coconut. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Skinny Girl also has a line of vodkas and wines that are low calorie that I have yet to try. And what compelled me to write this blog was my excitement for the next Summer drink to try on my list : The Skinny Girl Mojito - oh its going to be a Skinny Girl Summer! Can't wait!

Restaurant Review: Blue Ridge Brewery

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

I've used Kurliblondie as my Instant Messenger ID (should give you an estimate of my age), used for passwords, user names, and I get a lot of comments on it. Mainly because I have stick straight blonde hair it is not curly at all. However, I wanted to explain myself. Several years ago my family and I visited a place called Blue Ridge Brewery and this is where I discovered Kurliblonde Ale.

We are currently serving:

    This German style light body brew features a light body in a spectacular Golden Color hue. Crafted with German Noble Hops, our Kurli Blonde Ale has become a favorite with many guests who order lighter fare for lunch or dinner.

     Colonel Paris Pale Ale is our take on an Englsh Style medium bodied offering. We use strong hop bitters combined with low malt to bring you a brew with 'sweet character'. To round out the smooth process we combine a secret blend of English and American Hops.                        

         Rainbow Trout ESB is a traditional medium bodied pour that includes just a hint of a chocolate thing hidden in there...you find it! Our ESB utilizes English Hops for a sweeter more malty character than a Pale....thus it's dark amber hue.

         Our medium bodied Total Eclipse Stout is a bit fuller than the ESB with a roasted coffee flavor in the back. Johannes accomplishes this by utilizing an exclusive medium high malt combined with a low English and American hops aroma. This variation comes in with an approximate 6.7% ABU.

 Even though I just gravitated towards the Kurliblonde name - I just love the spelling of Kurli with a 'K' an 'i' - my poor children... I also find this to be my favorite beer at Blue Ridge.

Among the excellent beer choices -their food is delicious. An upper scale bar menu they have everything from fire-grilled pizza and BBQ sandwich to shrimp and grits, catfish etouffe to steaks and pasta. But not only that they have few wild game options. Hunter'

s pie comes with buffalo, duck, and rabbit while you can get a tasting with the wild game sampler option to pick from include: Vension, Antelop, Quail, Rabbit, Buffalo, Wild Boar or Duck Breast

And my favorite buffalo burger! Yummmmmmmmmm. Recommended to have at medium rare this burger is juicy, flavorful, and LEAD! Perfect with their crispy delicious homemade fries, homemade ketchup, and homemade mustard this will always be one of my Greenville favorite burger and beers spots -- all made in house!

Product Review: Lays Potato Chips

Morning Chillibeans! I say that because it is unseasonable cold today! Also, because its one of my mother's words and it comes out every now and then :)

Last weekend I visited one of my friends for a weekend visit. On Sunday, we found ourselves bored and driving around her new town. At some point during the weekend I mentioned I wanted to try the new Lays Flavors but have not been able to find them ANYWHERE. If you don't know what the new flavors are it is a contest Lays started last year where they had consumers submit new flavor ideas the finalist would have their favor created and then America would vote. The finalist include Cheesy Garlic Bread, Chicken & Waffles, and Sriracha. As I mentioned I try to eat all natural but trying new foods outweighs that - this is a clear example of this.

My friend insisted she had seen all the flavors at her Wal-mart so we went there and no such luck....but she had another Wal-mart we could try...again no such luck.. and finally at the third Wal-mar (yes she has 3 ... actually 4 Wal-marts within 30 minutes of her apartment) we found TWO of the three flavors: Cheesy Bread and Chicken & Waffles.

We both REALLY wanted to try Sriracha as we thought it was going to be the best flavor but happy we found these flavors. Of course we dug in right away.

*This is us opening them in the car on the way back home

I tried Chicken & Waffles first. What an experience! First you get a fried taste, then a subtle sweetness, and then chicken. It was amazing it was definitely a meal in a chip. I was pretty impressed at their flavor profile and also that I enjoyed it! I've never even had chicken and waffles. I feel like it would put me in a fatty sugary coma but this was a good chip! Next was Cheesy Bread - not bad but exactly what you would assume not a cheetos or cheez-it cheese but a good pizza parlor cheese (Parmesan hints) and then a lovely garlic butter finish. Overall, I must say I enjoyed the Chicken & Waffles better. Still have my eyes out for Sriracha to complete my own Lays challenge and vote!

Have you had the Lays? What do you think? Also don't forget to vote here: Do Us a Flavor Voting ends May 4th!

Have a good day -stay warm Chillibeans!

First Post

Good Afternoon!

I'm going to be sharing my life with you. I have yet to figure out my niche with this blog but I'm in the mood where I don't mind just sharing it all.

A little about myself - I fancy myself a foodie. I love trying new foods, restaurants, and cooking! I've recently dabbled with vegan-ism. This is a shock and disappointment by most of my family and friends. However, I don't let my vegan-ism deter my inner foodie so I still try anything which includes meats, cheeses, etc :) Also, this was not a pro-animal choice or to lose weight it was purely because I enjoy eating all natural the way god intended us to eat with man-made preservatives or additives. More on that later.

I enjoy working out and love trying new workouts as well. I try to get to the gym 3 times a week and my routine consists of cardio and free weight lifting. I also love trying group exercise classes and yoga!

Shopping, movies, walks in the park, college football, basketball, local baseball games, lake, family, and friends are some nouns that describe me.

What I hope to do with this blog is by sharing my stories, experiences, opinions I will teach you something! Whether that is how to make a herb garden, a cheap pad thai, DIY home decorations for a 20-somethings pocket book, or overall bettering yourself.

If there is anything I've learned to this point in my life - ANYTHING can happen