Lifestyle Archives - Page 7 of 9

Hump Day Treat: In Honor Of My Birthday On FRIDAY!!!

October 19, 2016

It’s Wednesday so you know what that means? Time for another Hump Day Treat recipe to share with all of you. My 27th birthday is this Friday, October 21st (CRAZY!!) so I wanted to share with you one of my favorite guilty pleasure recipes in honor of my birthday. One of my favorite things to make in college was something called puppy chow. NowI know what you all are thinking it sounds like dog food, but it’s honestly amazing and super easy to make. So When I when I stumbled upon this recipe for cupcake puppy chow from getinmybelly.com I knew I had to share it with you all. I personally like to keep my puppy chow in the freezer until I am ready to serve it, but that is entirely up to your personal preference. Here is what you need:

Ingredients:

4.5 cups rice chex cereal (I normally use a full box)
¼ cup salted butter
3 tbsp heavy cream
10 oz white chocolate candy melts or pure white chocolate
1 tsp almond emulsion or extract
1 tsp butter emulsion or extract
1 and ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Pour cereal into a large mixing bowl
In a medium sized sauce pan on a low heat melt the butter, cream and white chocolate. Stir constantly until all of the white chocolate is melted
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the almond extract and butter extract
Pour the warm white chocolate over cereal and stir well. I have in the past made the mistake thinking I could use my hands but then burned them so be careful
about 3-4 minutes later no longer than that gently mix in the sprinkles.The last thing you want is for the sprinkles not to adhere to the chocolate but also lose their color
In a large ziplock bag put some powdered sugar in it then pour half the cereal in the large bag or container. Personally I split the cereal with powdered sugar into two bags and then also pour extra powdered sugar on top.
Close the bag and shake until the cereal is coated with the powdered sugar
Place in the freezer until cold
Take out of the freezer and enjoy!!

Hope you guys love this recipe as much as I do. For a full video of it head to Getinmybelly to watch it!

Fitness Tuesday: The Right Leggings For You

October 18, 2016

Its Fitness Tuesday here on Just Jodi Style and I wanted to share with you all my new go to work out legging. In the past I have always loved leggings for working out, but as we all know leggings don’t always stay put where they should be. Also while working out a lot of the times I feel like they lose their shape to the point where I am constantly pulling up my leggings in the middle of my work out classes. Well say no more to this problem because I have found the answer. The answer is high waisted leggings! These amazing leggings from Lululemon are not only high waisted, but they keep their shape through every wear. One of the many complaints I have seen in the past from other shoppers at Lululemon is that the leggings tend to billow by the middle part and also tend to get white little balls of fuzz all over them after so many washes. These leggings are the full – on luxtreme and I can guarantee you that the problems that you may have faced before with previous leggings from Lululemon are a thing of the past. I have had these pairs of leggings for over 6 months now and they still look like brand new every time I wear them. If you are not into the high waisted legging, but want to make sure that your leggings stay in perfect condition then the way to go is full – on luxtreme. Next time you go to a Lululemon store ask a sales associate for any legging style in full – on luxtreme. I promise you that you will not regret it. It has truly changed my workouts in the sense that I am not constantly fussing with my leggings while I am at the gym and I know that after every wash they will look exactly the same as the day I bought them. Check out their website now for all of their amazing options. Happy Shopping <3

Hump Day Treat: In Honor of Yom Kippur

October 12, 2016

Noodle Kugel

Happy Wednesday everyone! Fun Fact for everyone on this date in 2002 was my bat mitzvah! Crazy that it has been 14 years since that day and this year it falls on Yom Kippur. For all those who celebrate this holiday like me today is the day we fast, but at the end of the day we have a big meal. For today’s hump day treat I wanted to share with you one of my favorite recipes that my mom passed down to me which is my grandmother’s noodle kugel recipe. Now everyone has their own take on doing noodle kugel, but I personally don’t like it with cottage cheese or anything else in it. I also love it when the top of the noodles are a little crispy from cooking in the oven.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

4 TBLS of Sugar

1/4 TSP Salt

1/2 TSP Cinnamon

1 cup grated apples

1/2 cup of raisins

4 cups of cooked and drained noodles (Mueller’s Wide Egg Noodles)

5 TBLS Melted Butter

Baking dish (Preferably a pyrex glass one that you would use to make brownies)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Cook the egg noodles and drain them. After draining the noodles leave them aside in a mixing bowl
Beat eggs, sugar,, salt and cinnamon together
Stir in the apples and then the raisins
Then take the mix and pour it over the noodles and mix it all together
Take your baking dish and coat it with butter so it doesn’t stick
Pour the mix into the pyrex
Personally I love to add on the top some more cinnamon and a pinch of cinnamon sugar in order to cover the entire top (some of my friends like to add corn flakes for some crunch)
Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until brown

Hope everyone who celebrates had an easy fast!

(image taken from google)

Fitness Tuesday: Yoga

October 11, 2016

In high school, I was required to take 2 credits worth of physical education and unlike other schools, if you played a sport that counted towards your credit, and on top of that we had options for PE that were at the time trend setting. One of the classes that was offered at my high school was yoga. Yes, yoga! Ever since then I have enjoyed taken the occasional Yoga class when I really need time to relax and stretch out my muscles. I have scoliosis and wore a back brace for 5 years and my doctor said that yoga was a great form of exercise to help with back problems. If you have never done yoga before make sure you tell the studio where you are going that it is your first time. This is very important because there are different levels of yoga. Also you do not want to go to a studio that only offers hot yoga. Hot yoga is very intense and that is not something you want to do for your first class. I learned this from friends experiences. Even though I did gymnastics the majority of my life and I am pretty flexible, the first time I did yoga I still had a difficult time doing some of the poses. Do not be embarrassed or anything because I still do to this day have difficulty doing some of the poses that they have shown me in class. Most studios provide their own mats for yoga, but ask when you call the studio before going. If you are looking to purchase a yoga mat I got a great one for myself at Target and I even use it in my apartment when I am just doing some ab work outs on my floor so that I have a softer surface to lay on. Here are some great ones on Target’s website. If you don’t have to bring your own mat I suggest you bring a hand towel. Unlike a lot of the exercise studios some don’t provide towels for you and if you are like me you do sweat in these classes so it’s nice to have your own clean towel. Hope you all now go and try your first yoga class because it is amazing and super relaxing.

How to pack light with everything you want this Holiday Weekend

October 6, 2016

With Columbus day weekend coming up a lot of people are trying to get away before the craziness of the holidays sets in. In the past, I have been told by my circle of friends that no matter what if they forget something, whether it be at work or on a trip, I probably have it in my bag. Fun Fact:I used to be an over packer for all of my vacations. However, recently for the past couple of years I have learned to simply bring a carry on onto the plane and I don’t even check a bag when I am going away for a week! How do I do this you might ask? Well there are a few things that I do when I pack. For example when I was going away to Dallas for my good friends wedding weekend I laid out all of the clothes that I needed for each event ( total of 3 outfits + accessories) and then I pulled out what I would need to fill in the gaps between those 3 events. When packing, try and see if you can re-wear items. Like Kate Middleton does often, you need to be able to recycle your items, especially on the same trip. Whether that be wearing the same jeans twice and just bringing different tops, it truly does make a difference when packing! Here is a checklist that I always have when packing for a long weekend:

Bras ( normally one nude color and if you need one black)
Socks
Underwear
Pajamas
Contacts
Make up / makeup brushes
Hair brush
Toothbrush / toothpaste / floss
Chargers (phone/ tablet / ipad etc.) and headphones

Once you have these basic necessities down then you can go into the nitty gritty of your outfit. The style of how I pack depends on which items I actually need to pack. For example when I went to Dallas, I rolled all of my clothes in my suitcase including my dress for the wedding! Then when I arrived in Dallas took the dress immediately out and steamed it in the bathroom the next morning. There is also the classic trick of putting your socks and underwear inside your shoes to not only keep its shape, but to save space in your bag. In the past I have also used the spacebags travel bags when I am trying to really fit a lot more clothes in my carry on bag. Basically, unless I am going away for more than 10 days I refuse to check a bag. I hope this helps you all out when you are packing for this holiday weekend.

Hump Day Treat: Sugar Cookie Fries

October 5, 2016

Its Wednesday which means it’s time for another Hump Day Treat from #ChefJodi. Anyone that knows me knows that I love cookies and I am always looking for a new take on a cookie recipe. I found these delicious sugar cookie fries from delish.com while searching on facebook and they are exactly what I was looking for. They are such a cute and unique spin, in terms of presentation, of the traditional sugar cookie way.

Side note: If you are looking for french fry boxes you can find them in any cooking store or even online like these ones that I found on Amazon. Just to add a little something to your presentation. Hope you guys enjoy this new and fun take on the classic sugar cookie!

French Fry Box Via Amazon

Ingredients:

2 Sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Funfetti frosting, for serving
Strawberry jam, for serving
Nutella, for serving

(If you have other dipping choice options you like, the more the merrier!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until evenly incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low until just combined.
Divide dough into 2 balls and flatten into discs. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Roll out dough into a large, thin rectangle. Using a pizza cutter (or sharp knife) cut dough crosswise into 3/4″-1″ thick strips. Cut the strips in half lengthwise and trim the edges to create straight sides. Sprinkle with sugar and transfer cookie cutouts to baking sheets. Let chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cookies are starting to turn golden around the edges. Let cool completely.
Serve with desired dipping sauces.

ENJOY!

Full Recipe from Delish

images taken from google

Fitness Tuesday – Fitness at your desk

October 4, 2016

Now, I know I am fortunate enough that I can sit on my couch and be able to write my blog posts, but I know what it feels like to have to sit at a desk all day feeling like you aren’t getting your workout in for the day. I have seen all the different ideas from the standing desk with the treadmills attached, to sitting on the big bouncy balls, but sometimes you don’t have the space for those things. This got my brother and I thinking about our mom. We wanted to get something one year for her to use in her office, that was small enough that it wouldn’t take up so much room for her. This under desk foot pedal from amazon is a great alternative to all of these big bulky items. It allows you to still have a little work out while you are sitting at your desk. Since my brother and I got this for my mom, I have seen and heard of so many other people that have gotten this for themselves to have at work. Especially with winter approaching, we may not have the energy to trek to the gym with it being so cold out, but this gives you no excuse. This is a great alternative to not working out at all and keeping your blood flow moving. It may not be the same as attending a 45 minute workout class, but it will keep you energized throughout your entire day at work. Check out Amazon for some great options for under the desk pedals. There are a few that are pretty pricey, but just look at the reviews and see what others are saying about them before buying. I hope you all are loving the fitness tuesday posts and that they have inspired you to hit the gym!

(image is from Amazon)

Amazon Options

L’Shanah Tova! Happy Jewish New Year!

October 2, 2016

Every year the Jewish holidays land on different days because they go by the lunar calendar which always screws me up. In honor of Rosh Hashanah, which is the Jewish New Year, I am posting an extra special recipe this week for the holiday. In order to insure we have a sweet new year, we eat apples dipped in honey along with other sweet foods. Thanks to Martha Stewart, I am addicted to the apple and honey challah bread and I know you all will be to.

Ingredients:

4 ounces (1 stick) of unsalted butter; also have some extra for the bowl, pan and plastic

3 1/2 cups unbleached flour; you will need extra for your countertop

3/4 cup warm water (100 degrees)

2/3 cup honey

2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 tart green apples, preferably Granny Smith, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 3/4 cups)

DIRECTIONS

Butter a large bowl, and melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; let cool. Combine 2 tablespoons melted butter, the flour, water, 1/3 cup honey, the eggs and yolks, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.
Transfer dough to buttered bowl, and brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place until dough almost doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat into an 8 1/2-by-14-inch rectangle. Top with apples; knead to incorporate. Return to bowl. Brush with remaining tablespoon melted butter; cover. Let rise again in a warm place until dough almost doubles in volume, about 1 hour more.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Roll dough into a rope (about 24 inches) on a floured surface. Coil into a circle, and transfer to pan. Butter plastic wrap, and cover dough. Let rise again until dough almost doubles in volume, about 45 minutes more.
Heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts. Brush dough with half the honey-butter. Bake until golden brown and firm, about 35 minutes.
Brush challah with the remaining honey-butter. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn out loaf from pan, and let cool.

If you aren’t interested in cooking for the holiday and want a sweet treat you should head over to treat house and get some of these adorable rice crispy treats. Treat House

Images taken from marthastewart.com and treathouse.com

30 Day Ab Challenge Thanks To Lauren Conrad

October 1, 2016

Happy October Everyone! I can’t believe it’s finally October – my birthday month! Every month I have decided to set myself a new goal for the month and this month is no different. I found this 30 day ab challenge while searching through facebook on Lauren Conrad’s website.I said to myself this seems like fun and maybe some of my friends would like to do it with me. I had originally wanted to start it last month, but my friend Ashley said let’s start it October 1st and we can call it HBH aka Hot by Halloween :-). Of course I think all my friends are stunning already, but that’s what she wants to call it. When doing these at-home workouts it always seems like there is a distraction to what you are doing. My suggestion is if you are a member of a gym then do these at the end of your normal workout. If you don’t go to a gym then do them either right when you wake up in the morning or right before you go to bed. I personally have grown into a morning workout person. I love starting my day off with a work out because most people at the end of a work day are too tired and just want to go home to snuggle up on the couch. That’s what I do with my sweet puppy Stella every single night. She is the best snuggler. I encourage you to push yourself this month to do something that will make you not only healthier but less stressed and more relaxed.

Lauren Conrad 30 day ab challenge

Hump Day Treat: Eggplant Pizza

September 28, 2016

Its Wednesday so it’s time for some hump day treats! One of my favorite things to get at an Italian restaurant is eggplant parm. I have honestly never had a bad eggplant parm from anywhere I have been to in my entire life, but I was always curious was there another way I could get the same taste of eggplant parm without having to coat it in breading? The answer is YES! There is another option and it is called Eggplant Pizza. Who would of that this was possible? Once again thanks to Tasty on Buzzfeed they have given me the perfect recipe to create this. Here is also a video of it being made which is sometimes helpful to see someone do it themselves. Eggplant Pizza

Ingredients:

1 jar of classic tomato sauce

1 large globe eggplant

Salt

Olive Oil

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180˚C.
2. Slice the eggplant into ½-inch pieces. If you want to make them a little thicker or thinner totally up to your personal preference.
3. Salt the slices and leave them to “sweat” for 20 minutes then wipe them off. Use a paper towel to wipe them off rather than a kitchen towel.
4. Slather each slice with olive oil. You can do this with also a cooking brush if you don’t want to get your hands all greasy.
5. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. In a medium bowl, combine all pizza sauce ingredients and stir until its all mixed together.
7. Remove eggplant slices from the oven and pour about 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture onto each slice.
8. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar on each slice.
9. Put the slices back in the oven for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese.
10. Allow to cool before serving. Last thing you want to do is burn the roof of your mouth. OUCH!

Hope you all Enjoy!

(image taken from buzzfeed)