I’m all about self-love and self-care. I don’t think you can overemphasize the importance of your relationship with yourself- I mean, it lasts your entire life!

That’s why I love finding ways to add a little extra joy into my day. I try to do this in so many ways; taking time to play with my adorable dog, procrastinating on pinterest, or doing a homemade facial mask.

I always try to do plenty of things that make me smile and feel a little more upbeat, especially as the seasons change and things get colder and darker. My latest favorite way to add joy into my day is with Tazo® Tea.

I like to take a moment to enjoy myself during that afternoon slump. You know it- right around 2 or 3 o’clock. My brain and body just start to move a little slower. Tazo tea is the perfect pick me up that helps me avoid the glum that comes in my afternoon slump.

Recently, my husband Lars started a new job working from home some of the time, and it’s been an adjustment for us. Usually I’m home working by myself, but now we are trying to get our routines in check. We both hit our afternoon slump around the same time.

A few times we have let it get to us- I mean the couch is so close and comfortable and there’s so many things recorded on our TV. But enjoying a cup of Tazo tea together helps us enjoy our day a little more without getting off track.

Tea is the perfect pick me up for us. A little sweetness, and sometimes a little caffeine, let’s be honest, make me feel invigorated and ready to get back to being productive. Having a joyful moment sipping on one of Tazo’s delicious blends has made our routine more seamless, and more fun. It takes just the right amount of time to brew and enjoy our tea while talking together, and we always feel more invigorated and joyful after.

Tazo has seriously delicious tea blends. My favorite is Passion®, because I love the sweetness of it, and I am a big fan of herbal teas. Lars loves the Zen blend. The lemongrass and spearmint added to green tea are a fun unexpected flavor that tastes amazing. And I love the classic Awake English Breakfast for when you need a stronger caffeine kick!

Don’t just take my word for it- you should try these blends yourself!

If you want to bring a little more joy into your routine, you can find Tazo tea blends at your local grocery store- or check out Tazo.com to find where you can find Tazo in your area.

The post Finding Joy in the 3 o’clock Slump appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love me some coconut oil. I use it all the time! In food, in skincare recipes, and for my hair as well. There is reason for the hype. But I’ve been sensing a trend lately… a new miracle oil is emerging. Avocado oil!

And it makes sense. Avocados are not only incredibly delicious, but they are packed with nutrients. Like coconut oil, the oil is made from the flesh of the fruit and not the seeds, so it is very nutrient rich. It’s the new oil to look out for, and here are some reasons why:

1. subtle flavor

If you’re going to be cooking with an oil, avocado oil has a much more subtle flavor than coconut oil. It doesn’t overwhelm or change the flavor of your recipes.

2. high smoke point

Have you ever been cooking with oil and noticed it starts emitting lots and lots of smoke? That means the oil has reached its smoke point. Oils with a high smoke point can withstand higher temperatures before they start spewing smoke. Avocado oil has a smoke point of about 500°F whereas coconut oil has a smoke point of about 350°F.

3. doesn’t cause acne

According to lots of people, coconut oil will help get rid of your acne. But that isn’t quite accurate. Coconut oil is highly comedogenic, which means it has a high likelihood of clogging your pores. I learned this the hard way. It has the highest comedogenicity rating possible, a 5.

Avocado oil is much less comedogenic, so it’s suitable to use on your face if you are more acne prone. It has a rating of 2. That being said, comedogenic ratings aren’t perfect, so your skin may react differently. Personally, my skin loves avocado oil.

4. rich in beta-sitosterol

Beta-sitosterol is a plant ester that we have found to be highly beneficial. It is used to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Some even claim that helps prevent cancer, though I’m always more cautious to parrot those claims. It is also said to boost the immune system.

5. liquid at room temperature

I’m probably not the only one who has experienced some frustration with coconut oil’s reactiveness to temperature. It is solid at room temperature, but if it goes slightly above (76°F), it becomes liquid. In the summer my coconut oil changes form frequently, leaving me with difficulty controlling the texture of some of my homemade beauty products. But avocado oil is liquid at room temperature, so it wont change the texture of your products if it gets a little hot in the room.

6. monounsaturated fats

There’s a lot of debate right now about whether or not saturated fats are bad for you. For years we were told to eat less saturated fats because they increase your blood cholesterol level, but some people are now saying that’s inaccurate. It’s always a fun balance trying to figure out what nutrition guidelines to stick to.

That being said, coconut oil is very high in saturated fats. Avocado oil is low in saturated fats, but high in monounsaturated fats where are supposed to be the “healthy” good fats because they don’t raise cholesterol levels. Interpret this however you like- but if you avoid saturated fats, coconut oil isn’t your friend.

7. skin penetration

Coconut oil, while great for your skin and highly moisturizing, leaves your skin feeling quite greasy for a while. Avocado oil is absorbed more quickly by the skin, so you are left with less of a greasy feeling.

8. enhances absorption of other nutrients

A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that consuming avocados and avocado oil helps your body absorb carotenoids. Carotenoids are a nutrient humans can’t produce themselves, so they have to get it from fruit and vegetable sources. So if you eat a little avocado oil at the same time as your carrots and sweet potatoes, you reap more of the benefits of those foods.

9. vitamin E

Avocado oil is high in Vitamin E, which is great for your skin. It is supposed to reduce aging and be highly moisturizing. I frequently add vitamin E oil to my beauty recipes, but the ones that have avocado oil are getting even more!

so what do you think?

Now I’m not saying I’m going to throw coconut oil out of my repertoire, because I do still love it. But avocado oil is quickly making its way up my favorite ingredients list. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go!

get yourself a little avocado oil

The post 9 Reasons Why Avocado Oil is the New Coconut Oil appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Paleo desserts are tricky. Some say you shouldn’t do them at all. But sometimes you do need a treat- especially celebratory occasions! That’s why this recipe is so great- it is a whole food dessert- you are not altering the ingredients to be something they aren’t already. You are just combining them in a tasty (and adorable) way. So you can enjoy this without any feelings of guilt whatsoever. I know I do!

This dessert can also be a fun surprise. If no one knows that it is a watermelon, when you slice it open and see that shocking red people are always surprisingly excited. I speak from experience on this. The other great thing is that it is quick and easy. It takes very little work at all. I love when you get more benefits from your efforts. Less is more, right?

So the next time you have something to celebrate, or just find a really delicious watermelon, treat yourself to this fabulous dessert!

Really you only need two ingredients to make a great watermelon cake:

• a watermelon, and
• full-fat canned coconut milk.

And that’s all you need to make the best paleo dessert ever. Simplicity wins!

I usually add a splash of vanilla extract to spice up the flavor a little, but it isn’t necessary. And paleo purists will say not to have vanilla extract at all. But to each their own.

I’ve made this cake on more than one occasion. Most recently on Easter. Adding the whipped “cream” can be tricky. It doesn’t always listen to what you want. But I think I’ve mastered a technique that works.

The key to successfully frosting your watermelon is the right spatula.

Okay, that’s not the entire technique. But it is important. The next thing that makes the frosting stick is to work from the bottom up. You want to make the frosting thickest on the bottom, and pull up from there. Once you get a rhythm going, you will have no problem at all.

This cake is super amazing, and anyone you make it for will love it. It is perfect for summer and quick and easy to throw together. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you do- send me pictures and I will feature them on the blog!

The post Paleo Watermelon Cake (Only 3 Ingredients, and no sweeteners!) appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Although Lars and I have not really been successful at our second Whole30, I still love making the recipes. This recipe is an amazing Whole30 breakfast because it has everything you need- fats, veggies, and protein. It’s easy to make and it reheats really well. It has been fully approved at two separate brunches by non-paleo eating folks. So let the deliciousness ensue.

I adapted the recipe from Fourteen Forty. I love sweet potatoes, especially at breakfast, and I knew I had to try it as soon as I saw it. The original recipe has lots of cheese in it and less veggies than I would have liked, so I made it paleo-friendly. It was a great success.

You will need two gadgets for this recipe. You could get by without them, but it will be much easier if you do have them. They are a mandolin slicer and an olive oil spray bottle. They are two of my favorite kitchen gadgets and I use them both often, so I personally think they’re worth it.

Sweet potatoes are so lovely looking, aren’t they? Use your mandolin slicer to make your sweet potato crust. The thin slices get laid out in a pie pan and baked. Yum. If you want an extra thick crust you can add more than I did here, you will just have to cook it a little longer.

And here is the quiche ready to go in the oven! My stomach is literally growling while I am writing this post. I should probably go eat something. I just wish I had more of this leftover and I could eat some right now.

Okay- so now on to the real reason you are here. The recipe!

Yum. Sweet potato goodness. Before I found this recipe I considered myself a master of the frittata. This is so similar, but the sweet potato crust really kicks it up a notch. So now I guess I’m a master of the sweet potato crust quiche.

You can use whatever veggies you like. I’ve loved the combo of mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, and spinach. But I think maybe I’ll have to add asparagus into the mix as well next time I try it. This is one of those recipes that you won’t get tired of because you can change it up every time.

Try this recipe out at home and let me know how it goes for you! You don’t even have to tell anyone it’s paleo… they won’t miss the grains and dairy!

The post Paleo Sweet Potato Crust Quiche appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Hi friends!

So, as I’ve already mentioned, Lars and I are doing the Whole30 for the second time. Since I have the benefit of experience this time around, I am making sure to get everything prepped and planned in advance.

Part of that preparation included making this meal planner and grocery list. When I was done with filling in all our meals, I thought that my little spreadsheet was pretty useful, and other people might think so too!

I’ve split the Whole30 into 6 different 5 day segments. I find that easier than going by a regular week, because then you can start and end on any day you want without confusion. Also, it makes sense when you are eating this much fresh food at home to go to the grocery store every 5 days.

So, click on the images of these awesome planners to download the PDF file.

So you can see for the meal planner that there is an option for sides. I find that the meal that I spend the most time cooking and planning is dinner. (Makes sense, right?). In our last Whole30, we ate the previous dinner’s leftovers for lunch most days.

So the way I like to plan our Whole30 dinners is by picking a protein and a side. Some meals don’t need a side, like hearty stews or big salads. The point is to try to get in interesting proteins, veggies, and fats. So that’s why the spreadsheet is set out that way.

If you would rather download an editable excel file, you can download that here.

I have the grocery list set up by store sections. I find that when I include canned or frozen goods in the “vegetables” section I forget to pick them up. I always feel like I’m done with fruits and veggies once I get out of the produce section of the store. Having the canned and miscellaneous categories makes it easier to shop without forgetting items.

Anyways, I hope you find these planning tools as helpful as I do! Good luck!

The post Preparing your Whole30: Free Printables (Fit your whole meal plan on one page!) appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

In October of last year, Lars and I did the Whole30 for the first time.

The Whole30 is a 30-day elimination diet, where you cut out all grains, sugars (yes, that includes alcohol), dairy, and legumes. This basically leaves you with meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and eggs. It may sound difficult, but it is totally worth it.

If you want to do the Whole30, read It Starts With Food. It will tell you all the guidelines for the 30 days and give you all the reasons why they chose the foods they did (and believe me, it isn’t the illogical paleo answer of sticking to what our ancestors ate…). I always am skeptical on food science because there is so much conflicting evidence out there… but a diet that gets rid of processed foods and has you cooking at home is ok by me.

Part of why we did the Whole30 was that I wanted to address my very serious sugar addiction. I ended up doing the Whole30 for 45 days and then cut out all added sugars for 100 days total.

Now that I am not cutting anything out anymore, my sugar addiction is sneaking its way back in. So we figured it’s time to do the Whole30 again! If you’re starting the Whole30 and want some help planning, check out these great free printable Whole30 planners.

After the Whole30, I feel I’ve mastered the frittata

The Whole30, although very similar to a paleo diet, does not allow “replacement” foods or any type of dessert. So you can’t make those tortillas with only paleo ingredients or paleo chocolate mousse. You aren’t even supposed to have fruit after a meal, because it reminds your body of dessert. And we are trying to get rid of that nonsense.

It has a really easy to follow meal guideline. You make sure you have enough servings of protein, fill the rest of the plate with veggies, and make sure to include enough fats. Fruits can be eaten as part of the meal, but you shouldn’t exceed 2 servings of fruit a day.

So sorry for those of you who aren’t interested, but the next few weeks will be Whole30 oriented. I’ll be sharing some free printables, recipes, and whatnot.

My favorite Whole30 lunch- avocado tuna salad!

My impressions from our first Whole30:

• Holy cow I’m spending WHAT on groceries?
  • Actually, it’s less than we usually spend on eating out and takeout…
• Cooking and trying new recipes is fun
• Doing dishes sucks
• I miss goat cheese
• I miss dessert
• We need a bigger kitchen
• It’s ridiculously absurd how quickly Lars loses weight when he stops drinking beer
• I actually like salad dressing when I make it myself
• Healthy food is delicious
• Ok but I’m kind of sick of eggs
• I am sleeping better
• Is that my skin? Because my skin has never looked this good
• My crock pot is my best friend
• I rarely need snacks during the day
• I don’t feel bloated
• I feel GOOD about what I’m eating
• I actually know when I’m hungry
• I’m so glad that I did this

Keep your eyes open for a bunch of free printables that we use to keep ourselves organized during the Whole30!

The post We’re doing the Whole30… again! appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Holiday time! Only one of the best times of year. Now that we’ve made it through co-hosting our first (early) Skarie family christmas, I’m in full fledged christmas spirit mode. And you know what the holidays are great for? Desserts!

Well, luckily, M&M’s® have some pretty adorable (and delicious, obviously) seasonal treats! Can you get any more festive than White Chocolate Peppermint? And I’m a sucker for mini anything, so I love the M&M’s® Mini Baking Bits too!

And if you are anywhere as festive as me- you’ll be equally as excited about holiday edition Glad storage! Food storage is a must during the holidays with all the leftovers and treats, so it might as well be cute, right?

The white chocolate peppermint M&M’s®  and holiday edition Glad storage are only available at Target– so you should head on over and pick them up today! And hurry, because you’ll want them both for this super delicious festive treat.

So- let’s get to the recipe! You know I don’t like to make anything complicated- so you can make this fudge with about 15 minutes of prep time.

That fudge is a beauty isn’t it? It is so perfect for the holidays. I made Lars bring it in to work because I would’ve eaten that whole thing myself if you let me. I’m a sucker for fudge.

I love the M&M’s® White Chocolate Peppermint candies. They are so beautiful. They inspired the flavor for this adorable mint fudge. And if you aren’t convinced it’s beautiful, check out this close up:

Yeah. That’s some good looking fudge.

My favorite part of the fudge is the M&M’s® surprise layer. You can see them above in between the layers. It’s a fun little extra crunch.

And since I made Lars bring the fudge in to work- the Glad packaging was perfect! I was able to fit all the fudge in one Glad holiday edition deep dish. I always love a trip to Target, so if you want an excuse to go, these Target exclusive Glad holiday edition containers are amazing.

And you know what the best part about the Glad holiday packaging is? There are recipes on the back! I tried out the M&M’s® Black & White Peppermint Brownies, and let’s just say they did not disappoint.

I mean, just look at them. Don’t you want to just eat them right off the screen? So, if the fudge didn’t quite satisfy your chocolate peppermint craving, just whip up a batch of these. They are so perfect for the holidays.

There’s plenty of awesome chocolate peppermint recipes to go around! I hope you make this easy fudge at home. And definitely get yourself the Glad storage containers so you can get the recipe for the M&M’s® Black & White Peppermint Brownies.

Happy Holidays! What’s your favorite holiday treat?

supplies used in this post

The post Mint Chocolate M&M’s Fudge appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Lately I’ve been pretty obsessed with my crock pot. It’s just so easy and I have yet to make a bad recipe in it. Well, I was going to make a standard baked pork chops recipe I’ve made before, but on a whim I decided to try cooking them in the crock pot. I had no expectations for the recipe. But, oh man, I should have.

When I pulled these out of the crock pot and sat down to dinner I wondered if they were ready. I barely touched it with my fork and it just fell apart. In the most amazing way. These are so wonderfully tender and moist.

I’m not always a big fan of pork chops because a lot of the time they end up a bit on the dry side. Not a problem with these. With less than 10 minutes of prep you can make the best pork chops you’ve ever tasted.

So, how do you make them you ask?

In order to get the best chops, you have to cook for 7 or 8 hours. I tried making these with only 6 hours and they weren’t the same. The long slow cooking is what makes them so juicy. The smell may be so amazing that you are tempted to eat them early, but resist the temptation! You will be happy you did.

I love that this is such a versatile and allergen friendly recipe. They’re already paleo friendly and gluten free. If you replace the ghee with olive oil, they would be completely dairy free as well.

The apples and onions are a perfect compliment to the pork. They bring out the wonderful flavors and textures. Who needs peanut butter and jelly when you can have pork chops and apples?

I’m a believer that most of the best recipes are simple. And these fit the mark.

So go home and make these flavorful and juice pork chops and let me know how it turns out for you!

The post The World’s Best Pork Chops appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.