Frenchie Friday!

Happy Frenchie Friday everyone!  If you haven't already, be sure to follow us over on Instagram @HappyWifeStyle!   You'll find more fun pictures of "Stella" and other fun pictures and quotes.... like fitness motivation, that aren't always posted here!

Here's what Stella's been up to this week on Instagram...

"It's Behind Me...Isn't It!?"

"I'm keeping my eye on you..."

"Peekin' with Pika...."

"Cross-legged girls" - relaxin' with mom.

Have an amazing Frenchie Friday and weekend!!  Hope to see you over on Instagram for some Monday Motivation!!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These Carrot Cake Cupcakes are moist with just the right amount of sweetness.  They have a great consistency that are delicious on their own... but  if you're looking for that extra special treat, add the lemon-coconut frosting.

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES:  Makes 12 cupcakes

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1  1/4 cups grated carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped raisins or chopped pecans (optional)

FROSTING:

• 1/4 cup coconut butter (also known as creamed coconut)
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, softened
• 1 Tablespoon full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

FOR GARNISH:

• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Beat the eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds, or use an electric hand mixer.
3. Add the coconut flour, baking soda, spices, and salt and beat again to combine fully.  Fold in the carrots and, if desired, the raisins or pecans.
4. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving or frosting.
5. For the frosting, combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor or in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth.  If the frosting is too thin, place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then beat again.  Top with the shredded coconut.

A couple of notes on my experience....

I happen to always keep a couple of cans of  coconut milk in the refrigerator, you know, in case I need to make coconut milk whipped cream.... so I used cold, separated coconut milk.  This may have helped my frosting be a thicker consistency.

This is the Creamed Coconut I found...I couldn't find "coconut butter", but found this at Sprouts near the nut butters....I did not melt it before using it.  It didn't say, so I just scooped it out solid.

This is how my cupcakes looked while they were cooling.  I added raisins and pecans... why not?  ;)

Here is how my frosting looked after mixing.  I used my Cuisinart food processor.  It was a good consistency.  The small chunks from the creamed coconut melted and mixed smooth after stirring.  I doubled the frosting recipe.  It frosted all 12 cupcakes with the amount of the ones in the picture, so I was glad I did;)

I topped with small and large bits of coconut.  Enjoy!  My husband LOVED these.

-This recipe is from Danielle Walker's newest cookbook "Against All Grain - Meals Made Simple".

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The last time I made Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, I had some of the filling left over because it was just my husband and I.  I couldn't let that yummy filling go to waste so I decided to stuff some chicken breasts I had...they turned out SO delicious!  They looked like stuffed pita's, but the "pita" was chicken!

From now on, I plan to make both of these dishes in the same week.... it made it so easy to prepare the filling once and get two amazing meals out of it!  (The recipe for the mushrooms stuffs 4-5 portobello's.  I made 3 of them and had enough left over to stuff these 2 large chicken breasts very full...adjust for how many people you're feeding)

Here's how to prepare the filling:  (same filling as the Stuffed Portobello's, minus the mayo)

•  1 16oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I found organic at Sprouts!)
• 2 cans of quartered artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
• course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup roasted and unsalted cashews
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• about 1 Tbsp homemade mayonnaise

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the spinach and artichokes along with a sprinkle of sea salt in a large saucepan and set over medium heat to heat through.
3. Place the cashews in a food processor and grind until they have broken down into a texture similar to a coarse meal. Then add the olive oil, garlic and onion powders, basil, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper and puree until smooth.
4. Add the cashew mixture to the saucepan with the spinach mixture and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and heat briefly to warm through.
5. Slice large chicken breasts lengthwise in half, not cutting all the way through...to create a "pocket".  Mix the mayonnaise into the filling.  Stuff the chicken breasts with the filling.
6. Place the  stuffed chicken breasts in a baking dish.  Drizzle the top with a little olive oil.  Sprinkle with almond flour, this will create a little crunch.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until crust is golden and chicken is done.

This was a delicious meal that my husband loved.  He loves dipping sauce, so I mixed up a little homemade mayo with sriracha to give him a little spicy kick!   These were HUGE stuffed chicken breasts and with all the veggies inside....I served these all on their own!  Enjoy!

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Happy Frenchie Friday!

Happy Frenchie Friday everyone!  We had a beautiful day in Sonoma today wine tasting and shopping....we even stopped into our favorite Dog Bakery and got Stella a new toy... a Flying Pig!

We met "Axel", this awesome bulldog who comes to work with his owner at this amazing furniture store in Sonoma.  He plays with this BUCKET and gets it stuck on his head.  He was so HILARIOUS.

They even sell these T-Shirts and little statues of Axel!...he was so cute.  He's SO dense and compact!  Stella's only 18 pounds and this guy was 80 pounds!!

If you ever find yourself on Highway 121 in Sonoma, stop off at "Sonoma Cornerstone"...they have great food, small tasting rooms and an AMAZING garden!  Plus, it's directly across the street from Gloria Ferrer Winery...one of our favorite stops;)  This was me today enjoying the gardens....this was a beautiful lily pond.

They had really cool artsy installations in the gardens...like this one full of cactus.  It had nets above that looked like clouds with crystals hanging down that looked like rain...

Hope you are enjoying your Frenchie Friday as much as we did!  I'm going to go give Stella her new "pig"!  :)

-Thanks to Natashia, my friend who sent me this "Happy Friday" picture this morning from 'Dogington Post' - it was perfect for my Frenchie Friday post today!  It looks just like "Stella"!

The Paleo Lifestyle - stop worrying about what other people think...

When you embrace the Paleo Lifestyle, there is one question you will get time and time again... "What can/can't you eat!?"  Don't let that discourage you.

This quote above made me laugh because you will encounter people who don't understand "Paleo".  They may roll their eyes and say, "Oh, you're one of those."  

Think of Paleo as a LIFESTYLE.  Don't think of Paleo as a DIET.  Think of what you GET TO ENJOY.  Don't think of what you are DEPRIVED OF.  

What I've found since embracing the Paleo Lifestyle is that most of my favorite foods that I thought I'd never get to enjoy again... can be made in a healthy, paleo-friendly way!  What's more, is they taste just as good, if not better AND they make me FEEL better after eating them.

Still confused yourself on the Paleo Lifestyle?  That's okay...check out these posts:  "Paleo 101"  &  "The Paleo Pantry List"

I wanted to address a problem that I've heard some of you may be dealing with... You'd like to give Paleo a try, but don't feel supported by others.

Sometimes other people in your life can make it difficult for you to try something new.  I know it can be very difficult to try something new without feeling supported, especially by family.  Maybe they don't want to join you.  Maybe they make fun or hassle you.  That's just them expressing that they aren't ready for it.  They may fear you're going to try to make them do it too!   Don't let this discourage you.

Here's my advice...if you're not feeling supported:

Do it anyway.  Do it by yourself, for yourself.  It will take more strength on your part because you'll most likely be around food that you are trying to stay away from.

Do it for 30 days, to start.  30 days isn't as overwhelming as a lifetime.  Even if you know you want to make a lifestyle change, tell family and friends that it's something you're doing for 30 days, as a discipline.  Tell your family why you want to try this.  Here's more on how 30 Day Disciplines work.  Or don't tell them at all!  ;)

When I first tried Paleo, I committed to 2 weeks only!  I told only my husband I was trying something for 2 weeks... he could do it, or not,  I was doing it anyway.  He said he might...but guess what?  He eats what I serve him, and it was GOOD FOOD that he loved.  We also started feeling so much better and energized... so he was an easy convert;)

Start slow and prepare meals for your family that are easy swaps.  You don't have to even mention the word "Paleo".  For example, most families eat meat and veggies for dinner, they just eat other non-paleo-friendly items along with it.  If your family still eats bread and grains with dinner, for now, so be it!  Just eliminate it for yourself.  By doing this, you're not cooking two entirely different meals, you're making one...with some extras for the rest of the family.  Again, YOU have to be strong!  You also have to COOK and plan ahead.

All it takes is a decision...

1. Decide - make a choice to try eating this way for ____days.
2. What is your "why" - why do you want to try this?
3. Plan - what are you going to do to make this happen for YOU?
4. Do it! - Don't give up.  Don't let others influence you.

Remember, the only person you can change or control is YOU.  No one else.  If your family members aren't ready to make a change, that's okay!  Don't get angry.  Just focus on your progress.  Focus on how you are feeling eating this way.  If you try to force others to do something they aren't ready to do, you won't get good results;)  When it gets hard, remember your "why" (#2).

By just focusing on yourself and the positive change you've made in your life, it will show.  Others will start asking you about it.  If they ask, great.  If not, there's really no need to talk about it.  Others who are interested will come to you.  They just may want to try what's making you look and feel better too!!

If you like the Paleo Lifestyle, continue!  OWN it.  It shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks.  The only person stopping you...is you.

I'm writing this about the Paleo Lifestyle because like I said, I know some of you are struggling with how hard it is to try Paleo with other members of the family who aren't on board.  I hope this helps you.  With how much it's changed my life and health, I encourage you to try it too.  With that said, this goes for anything in your life.  Don't let others stop you from improving yourself and your health.  You deserve it!

Do what's RIGHT, not what's EASY.

Our Staycation...

For those of you with a few days off this summer but desire to stay home...why not plan a Staycation?  A great time doesn't have to require a pricey airline ticket and hotel stay...it just requires a little thinking outside the box, some planning, and the desire for a fun adventure!

A staycation is a period in which a couple, individual or family stays home and participates in leisure activities within driving distance, sleeping in their own beds at night.

This Labor Day weekend my husband and I decided to have a "staycation" and really enjoy these few days at home.  We wanted to have tons of fun, doing things close by, with a mindset we would have if we were on vacation.

Sometimes when you are at home for a long weekend, it can be easy to fall into the same routines...and before you know it, it's over.  That's why I haven't done a blog post until today...I was on staycation!

The weather couldn't have been better for our staycation.  We drove to the coast, twice.  We hiked.  We ate sushi.  We swam.  We had a TV show marathon.  We went to a cute small festival and walked around the booths and listened to music.  Most of all...we had FUN.  We went to our favorite oyster place...The Marshall Store in Tomales Bay.  Best oysters, hands down.  The BBQ one's are the best one's they make.  It's a little hole- in-the-wall right on the highway in Tomales Bay.  They have great clam chowder too.  The tables are outside, on a tiny stretch right between the highway and the water.  It's one of our favorite places.

We also were very active this weekend which felt great.  We hiked, worked out, and took up a new fun hobby!  We were at Dick's, our local sporting good store getting my husband some new shoes when we remembered we'd been talking about playing tennis.  We took a look at the racquets, each of us picked one out, got some balls and we were set!  We didn't spend too much on racquets since we weren't sure how this was going to go...since neither of us had played in over 20 years!

We went down to the high school and gave it a go!  It was SO much fun!  We didn't get serious, just hit the ball without keeping score.  We both liked it enough that we are so excited to go again!  It's always so wonderful to find something outdoors that's active that we can enjoy together.  Like I said, we'd been talking about it for a while now....but hadn't done anything about it!  Don't put it off!  Go do something fun!  Go do something new!

Plan your down-time for your staycation!  We also relaxed on our staycation...guilt-free!  Instead of just clicking through the channels, we decided to binge watch a show on Netflix we'd always wanted to see.  When we found ourselves worn out from the activities of the day, we got SO into Breaking Bad!  Neither of us had seen it, but had always wanted to...we are now hooked.   Maybe there's a show or movies you've been wanting to catch up on!  Have a marathon...watch them together!

Here are some ideas for your next staycation:

1. Unplug - get your nose out of your phone and computer and enjoy your family!
2. Get into a VACATION MINDSET!  Be carefree!
3. Go camping - in your own backyard!
4. Don't cook, get takeout from a great restaurant or have someone cook for you
5. If you are able...Hire a maid service for a day while you're out playing "tourist" and come home to a clean house!
6. Get active - go outside and hike, bike....play tennis!  :)
7. Take a drive nearby - stop somewhere you've always wanted to stop, enjoy and be spontaneous!
8. Look up festivals or shows nearby
9. Have a movie or TV show marathon
10. Act like a tourist - chances are there is something in your area that you’ve never experienced.  When we live somewhere for so long, we kind of forget about the places that draw others into our region.
11. Do nothing - Take one day to just lay in bed (or in your backyard, couch, or anywhere else) and do as close to nothing as possible. Chat a bit about nothing serious, read a book together, or just lay in the sun for the afternoon. Sometimes doing nothing is the best part of the staycation.
12. DON'T talk about work or anything too serious, DON'T do laundry or clean (too much), DON'T check emails, DON'T drink too much, & DON'T argue!

The next weekend you and your family find yourself at home....plan a staycation and think of things that are close by to enjoy, that you don't normally do!  Think of things you would do if you had never visited your area before!  Act like a tourist and have fun with it!  See a show, look for festivals, stay active, eat good food....most importantly, have a "vacation mindset".  You'll feel refreshed and it will be great for your relationship!  The best part is, you don't have to travel far or fight any crowds....and you get to sleep in your own bed;)  I'm already looking forward to our next staycation!!