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A Day in the Life – January 2016

It’s been five months since my last Day in The Life post so I thought it’d be fun to change things up today and share a glimpse into my Tuesday. If you want to peek behind the curtain more often, follow me (healthyhappier) on Snapchat!

5:35 AM: My alarm wakes me up from a very deep sleep. I know that today isn’t a day for pushing the snooze button since I have a class reserved on ClassPass for 6:30 AM.

5:40 AM: Wash my face to wake up and quickly change into workout clothes and grab my purse, coat and gloves. I packed my bag the night before since I have to shower and go directly to a work event after my workout.

5:45 AM: Make coffee using our new Nespresso maker and nibble on half a Nola Bar while skimming through work emails.
 Nola Bar
5:55 AM: Walk to the F subway station which is conveniently just a few doors away from our apartment. As the cold weather returns to New York, I’m more and more thankful for our proximity to the subway.

6:15 AM Spend the 20 minute subway ride reading the New York Times. I make sure to download the latest articles before I go into the subway.

6:30 AM Push myself through what feels like the hardest 45 minutes of my week. Jess’ High 45 class at Mile High Run Club never seems to get easier even though this is my third week going. Today’s workout includes hill work at inclines of 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 followed by sprints. Considering that the 43:48 includes the warm-up and cool-down, I’m thrilled with the distance I covered.

Mile High Run Club

7:45 AM Leave Mile High after a quick shower and refresh. I even had the chance to say hi to Theodora as she prepared for her 7:30 AM class.

8:30 AM Arrive at The Modern for L2 Think Tank’s event, The Death of Pure Play retailers. The event was interesting and having the opportunity to attend it with my entire team was a pleasure.

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11:00 AM Dash through the door, run upstairs and spend the next two hours on client meetings.

1: 00 PM Since our fridge and cabinets are depressingly bare, I opt for a green smoothie. I throw a frozen banana, kale, protein powder, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon and berries in the blender then top with a bit of crunch.

3:30 PM Take a quick break in between meetings to head to Trader Joe’s for a few groceries, including dinner ingredients.

4:00 PM Spend the next two hours working on a project and catching up on the days emails.

6:00 PM Discuss the details for an upcoming blog partnership with one of my favorite PR firms while snacking on my version of trail mix: pretzels, almonds, and dried cranberries.

7:30 PM Finally shut the computer and head downstairs to catch up with Bo while he cooks dinner. Dinner tonight is marinated pork tenderloin, roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts. It was our first time buying Trader Joe’s pork tenderloin. It was better than we expected though I think we’ll buy the plain one next time versus the pre-marinated.

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8:00 PM Eat dinner while watching Master of None.

8:45 PM Design wedding shower invitations for Meg and Russell’s shower that we’re hosting in March.

9:00 PM   Type this post.

9:20 PM  Wash my face, brush my teeth, apply moisturizer, change into pajamas and curl up in bed with a new book.

10:00 PM Double check my alarm is set for 6:05 since I’m meeting Zoe and Ashley for an Exhale Yoga class tomorrow morning before work.

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Super Fruit Smoothie Recipe

As you guys know, even though the weather is finally cooling down, I am still loving smoothies. Most days I whip up a bowl-sized smoothie for breakfast or a smaller, lighter sized smoothie to sip as an afternoon snack.

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I spend a few minutes each day, staring into the pantry and refrigerator, before choosing the flavor profile for that day’s smoothie. Sometimes they are inspired by backed goods, like my favorite peach cobbler smoothie, while other days the goal is to recreate the Dairy Queen Blizzard of my childhood while still including good for you ingredients.

Therefore, when the gang at Superberries asked me to test on their nutritionally packed, aroniaberries, I couldn’t say no. How much fun would it be to spend some time in the kitchen, getting to know a new ingredient, while experimenting with different flavor combinations? The frozen aroniaberries I received were perfect to include in this smoothie recipe as well as my morning oatmeal this morning.

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I won’t lie, I immediately intended on packing this smoothie with all the wholesome goodness you so many people are craving this time of year. This smoothie includes a new to me berry, the aroniaberry. Aroniaberries provide the most balanced protection against the five most common free radicals which can lead to illness. In addition, this antioxidant rich fruit can help with exercise recovery which is especially important for those of us working out multiple times per week! This dark purple fruit is rich in polyphenols, which neutralize free radicals and minimize the aging process while boosting our immune system!

After seeing the vibrant color of these berries, I was inspired to make a smoothie that would taste like a berry muffin and be vibrant in color. Waking up to a bright, cheery smoothie is the perfect way to start any day, right?


 Super Fruit Smoothie

Super Fruit Smoothie

1 frozen banana

¼ cup frozen aroniaberries

½ cup Almond Milk (I prefer Califia unsweetened almond milk)

1 chopped, pitted date

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 serving vanilla protein powder

1 teaspoon chia seeds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional:

A sprinkle of your favorite granola such as Purely Elizabeth or ½ a crushed Nola Bar

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Instructions

1. In a high powered blender or food processor of your choice, blend together all ingredients placing frozen fruit and protein powder closest to the blade.

2. Blend until you it appears to be thick enough to eat with a spoon. If you’d rather sip the smoothie, then blend for a bit longer or add more liquid.

3. Pour smoothie into bowl or glass and top with optional crunch.

Want to create your own Aroniaberry smoothie or try the super fruit for yourself? Superberries are offering 25% off 6 Packs of Superberries Products as part of a New Year’s special. (Aroniaberry+ Daily Wellness Shots not included) Use the code BERRIES25in through January 25th.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Superberries. The opinions and text are all mine.

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ashleyd /

Scenes from the Weekend – January 10th

You will quickly see that this weekend consisted primarily of working out and eating homemade carbohydrates like this delicious, made from scratch margarita pizza.  Life is all about balance right? 

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Our friends knew the perfect way to warm us up on a cold night was a bowl of French Onion soup. Too bad the soup took hours to make but just minutes to enjoy.

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My first Soul Survivor ride was nothing short of perfect. The 60-minute class left me sweaty, inspired and wanting to book a seat in another survivor class next weekend!

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Make this sticky toffee pudding for dessert immediately and thank us later. We brought it to two separate dinner parties this weekend and it was a hit at both! Delicious, indulgent and easy to make!

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After all the delicious carbs we enjoyed this weekend, it’s a wonder I was able to fit in the bridesmaids dress I tried on yesterday! I can’t believe Meg and Russell’s big day is just four months away!

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This morning’s avocado toast was perfect, especially when served with a steaming cup of coffee.

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I spent an hour in the kitchen tonight, experimenting with smoothie recipes and working on my photography skills. It was such a fun way to spend a rainy, Sunday evening.

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Now it’s time to say goodnight to the fun and get ready for a busy, workout filled week. We’re sticking with our goals of no wine until Friday, clean food and daily workouts! Have a wonderful night!

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