Sprigs Earbags: A Family Review and Giveaway!

Have you ever heard of Sprigs Earbags? Yes, Earbags. Don’t be alarmed. I’m not talking about hanging bags from your ears. I’m talking about bandless earmuffs that keep ears toasty and stay in place well enough to use during runs, hikes, or any outdoor activity in cold weather. For a better idea of what I’m talking about, check out this informative (albeit slightly cheesy) demo:

Sprigs is a customer-centric company that only sells products people have requested and have a need for. Once they establish the need for a product, if it doesn’t exist, they create it. You can read up on the backstory of the Earbags’ creation here. Sprigs was kind enough to offer me not only my own set of Earbags to review, but a set for my mom to try out too!

I feel like this family review is appropriately timed in light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday this Thursday! And I am thankful for my wonderful mother every single day, not just around Thanksgiving. She has always been a steady part of my life. As I have gotten older, we have only gotten closer. Well, maybe not when I was an angsty teen. So sue me! Anyway, I’m glad that I was able to include her in my Earbags trial because she works out outdoors way more frequently than me. Her number one love is running, something I have never been able to get really into. My mom also hates living in cold New England, and has the same problem I do – we are ALWAYS COLD. So a product that would stay in place and keep her ears warm during her run peaked her interest.

I’m a fan of the nifty bag they come in!

I picked out the pink fleece Earbags for my mom because she is a lover of all things pink, and I thought the fleece was perfect for keeping her ears at their warmest during long runs! Even the Earbags without fleece on the outside though are lined on the inside with Thinsulate. My mom embarked on her first Earbags run on a chilly weekend morning. About an hour or so after she left, I received the following text:

I nearly died. This blogger has trained her mother well. I did not even request this immediate post-run selfie/opinion. She just sent it! So cute. And she really did love the Earbags, and has continued to wear them on her runs! They stayed in place perfectly and kept her ears cold even through long 8 or 9 milers.

Better selfie view – good job Mom! She said this was one of several attempts…

Don’t they really look like earmuffs?! Just bandless! I tried mine out this past weekend during a special hike in Mystic, CT (more details to come on that this week…) with Maria. She thought they were earmuffs when she first saw me in them!

Smilin’ post-hike!

I went for a cute cable knit pair – black, so that they’d match everything! They’re pretty adorable.

One thumb up for each Earbag!

They also come in animal prints, mesh, and snowflake print. There’s even a pair designed specifically for use with headphones!

Promo Code

I definitely recommend Earbags for any runners out there, or even just those who spend a lot of time outdoors and don’t want to worry about having to constantly adjust their ear-warming method of choice. Sprigs is offering Cait Plus Ate readers a promo code to use if you are interested in ordering your own pair! Use the code CaitPlusAte20 up until 12/17/12 at 11:59PM EST. It will save you 10% off orders up to $29.99 and or 20% off $30 or more!

Giveaway

Or maybe you’ll be the lucky one Cait Plus Ate reader to win my GIVEAWAY for a pair of Earbags! Sprigs wants to share the Earbags love with a reader too, and you have until this Wednesday at 11:59PM EST to enter. Continental US only please! Here’s how to participate – be sure to leave a separate comment for each method of entry or additional entries don’t count!

  1. Head to the Sprigs Earbags page and tell me which pair you’d want most!
  2. Follow @SpriGsville on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  3. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Tweet “I entered to win @SpriGsville Earbags from @CaitPlusAte! http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1H5 #fitfluential #fitgear” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder.

Good luck to all who enter! And be sure to let me know if you use the promo code CaitPlusAte20 to purchase your own pair of Earbags! Although I received these Earbags free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fashion Friday: Friendspiration!

I appreciate all the interest in my SOYJOY giveaway! I have randomly chosen two lucky winners out of the 152 entries received. And they are…

…Jentry and Amy! Thanks for entering ladies and I will be contacting you for shipping information!

Now let’s do this – it’s Fashion Friday! I get lots of fashion inspiration from friends, both “real-life” and blend. You may call it copying, I call it flattery 😉 of course not every friend’s style is one I try to emulate. What works for one lovely lady may not work for this girl. But what I love about fashion is that it’s so on-display, always available for viewing, just begging to be emulated. And it’s even more fun to rock a statement piece seen on a friend first – after all, models ALWAYS look good in that stuff. But to see a girlfriend wear something risky and pull it off gives me more confidence that I can do the same!

So on today’s Fashion Friday, I want to show you a few looks that were definitely friendspired.

Braid: courtesy of Heather

Tee: VS Pink

Shorts: Nordstrom Rack

Sandals: Birkenstocks

I wore this outfit while hanging out with Heather during one of her visits. If you know Heather at all, you know she’s all about the boho braids. So naturally while we were getting ready to take on our day, I asked her to give me one! I’m pretty inept at braiding my own hair, so it’s a treat when I’ve got someone around to do so for me. I love the braided look. Thanks Heather!

Tee: VS Pink

Shorts: Urban Outfitters

Watch: Michael Kors

Ring: Forever 21

Shoes: PacSun Outlet

I wore the outfit above to judge the CT Farm to Shaker cocktail competition and was quite nervous to do so. I purchased the UO shorts on sale in Baltimore  and had no idea whether or not I could pull them off. However, I was inspired to buy them and try out the look in the first place in part thanks to my fashionable blend Jess. I adore following her #ootd on Instagram (she’s a must-follow for fellow fashionistas) and she rocks daring looks like this all the time!

Source

I also was with my sister Hannah when I bought the shorts, and she is usually more fashion-forward than me, and gave them her stamp of approval. I’ve seen her rock a similar high-wait shorts-tucked-in look and that also gave me courage to go for it!

My mom, and Hannah in her shorts!

Finally, you may recognize this last outfit from my recent Millwright’s Tavern review. But you ALSO may recognize it from my recap of my weekend in Tennessee…except I wasn’t the one wearing it! Nope, that honor goes to my twino/blend Meg, who was rocking the dress in honor of the Vols.

I miss her 🙁

I joked to my Vols-obsessed father that I totally needed the dress to wear in honor of UT. And what do you know – he agreed, and got one for both my sister and I! We may be just a bit spoiled.

Dress: Vineyard Vines (on sale right now!)

Sandals: Francesca’s

And there you have it – fashion friendspiration for Fashion Friday. Because imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! And now I’m off to plan what I’m wearing the rest of the weekend…including tomorrow for a VERY special girl’s day/night at Mohegan Sun with my blend Maria!

What kind of person do you draw most of your fashion inspiration from – celebs/models or people you know?

What’s your opinion on modeling looks after those you see on friends or family members? How about when someone models their look after one of yours?

Which of this week’s three outfits is your favorite?

Rooftop120 With Cupcake Kelly’s!

Remember to enter my SOYJOY giveaway – two winners will be chosen after tomorrow night’s entry deadline!

There must be something about me and bringing blends to Rooftop 120, huh? Or maybe there’s just something about me going to Rooftop 120. Yeah, I think that’s more like it. Well whatever the “something” is, I decided to show the magic of one of my favorite CT restaurants to my blend Kelly and her hubby, a fellow Manhattan-lover. They’ve been staying nearby while waiting for their new house to be ready, and Kelly and I wanted to take advantage and have plenty of hang-out time during her “homeless month”.

Nick, Kelly, and I!

When Kelly and Nick arrived I was already at Rooftop 120 with my parents (obviously, when am I not hanging out with them?) enjoying a cocktail that my favorite bartender ever, Andres, had crafted for me. The ‘rents had decided to go out for a drink before a church fundraiser.

The family that drinks together – stays together?!

As soon as I arrived, Andres shared with me a cocktail he had been dreaming up that had my name on it – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, muddled orange, and a splash of ginger beer, served up. Yum! I was on board immediately and even my whiskey-averse mom thought it was nice and smooth.

Once Kelly and Nick arrived, they selected their adult beverages – very wisely, I might add. Nick took my suggestion and ordered one of Andres’s wonderful Maker’s Mark Manhattans (on the rocks), while Kelly opted for one of the fall cocktail specials, the Smashed Pumpkin: Fulton’s Harvest Pumpkin Pie Liqueur, Captain Morgan, and cinnamon.

It tasted even better than it looks!

Kelly and Nick had a Groupon to use (alas, I had used mined already the week prior) so of course we ordered dinner too! Both of the evening’s specials sounded absolutely AMAZING to Kelly and I, so we ordered both and split them so we wouldn’t have to make any heart-wrenching decisions. One of the many reasons why blend dining works well!

Seasoned cod special atop warm chickpea puree and sauteed spinach.

Surf & Turf: jumbo shrimp and filet! Source

Kelly and I were beyond wow-ed by the above two dishes as well as beyond bummed when they were gone! Nick ordered the Kobe burger and fries which I didn’t get a photo of, but trust me, it looked fantastic.

Cheers!

Nick decided on Junior’s cheesecake for dessert, and was kind enough to let me steal several bites. Though I don’t eat it often, cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts EVER. After each freshman year calculus exam, I used to get a huge slice with Oreo crumbs on top from the cafe I worked at in college. Because the studying I did for those things was hell and I certainly deserved it.

Had to go Greek!

But I was craving more savory, not sweet, so Kelly and I split the above appetizer – baked lamb meatballs with onion jam and yogurt sauce. Plus BREAD! Kelly and I love all things Greek and so a Greek-inspired dish seemed perfect for us. But next time we are going to go all out because I have officially invited myself over to her in-laws’ house for an authentic Greek meal…hope you don’t mind, Kelly and Nick!

Skinnygirl Cucumber and St. Germaine.

I ordered (and was unable to finish) the above second cocktail – still craving savory, so I went with a cucumber martini with a salted rim. Kelly tried it and was a fan too of how refreshing it was! Great job again Andres!

It’s good to know a guy who can make a good drink!

Kelly got a second drink too, which she had seen previously on Andres’s Instagram (where he uploads photos of his lovely concoctions) and was intrigued by – a Sparkler! Many flavors are available and whichever one you want comes in a puree and is mixed with Prosecco. Love the presentation!

Sparkler with Prosecco!

Kelly and Nick headed home and I stuck around a bit longer to chat with Andres as well as some friends I ran into from the gym. Always a bit strange to see each other outside of workout clothes for the first time! And of course before we parted ways Kelly and I made another dinner date…for this Friday!

Thankful for my blend!

Which of the drinks and/or food we tried looks best to you?

Have you ever had a blend meetup? How about a blend-and-her-hubby meetup?

Do you have any special connections with any employee at a restaurant where you are a regular?

SOYJOY Bar Review and Giveaway!

I’m so humbled by the compliments you guys left on my review post about the Millwright’s Tavern in Simsbury, CT! I seriously can’t stop recommending this restaurant to anyone in the area. I’m glad that the passion I feel about dining out comes through so strongly to my readers in my reviews. Knowing that means the world to me!

I’ve got another review and giveaway today for a product I was lucky enough to sample! And of course I enjoyed it, because those are the only giveaways you guys are going to see on here!

Soy selfie! (Alliteration all the timeeeee).

I tasted my first SOYJOY bar after the Healthy Living Summit, where I received the Mango Coconut flavor in my swag bag. I am picky with my bars, but this one stuck out to me because it didn’t taste too sickly sweet and the soy provided me a #plantPOWER protein punch that kept me well-fueled and satisfied for a workout.

My mom has already gotten lots of use out of this bag!

SOYJOY offered to send me samples of their two newest flavors, Dark Chocolate Cherry and Cranberry, for review (along with that sweet bag). Once again, I was impressed by the nutrition stats and lack of that fake-sugar taste so common in other bars. This time I used my bars in after-dinner snacks!

Crumbled Cranberry SOYJOY bar mixed into a chocolate Jello pudding cup!

The soy used in these bars is non-GMO and the fruit flavoring comes from real, whole fruit. The bars are vegetarian (unfortunately not vegan) and gluten-free too! I could go on about the health benefits of soy, but I’ve already done that on this blog. 🙂

A total #jadorelavie moment – Dark Chocolate Cherry SOYJOY bar crumbled into the Jello chocolate pudding again, with a book and candle on the side!

Out of the two new flavors, Dark Chocolate Cherry is totally my favorite. but I’m not too surprised about that. I still really liked the Cranberry and appreciate that I received one chocolate bar to review and one more like a “blondie”, because my mood certainly changes and I never know what I’m going to want! I also gave a couple bars to my fellow health foodie friend Alexis, who eats gluten-free. She was a fan!

Giveaway:

Now it’s your turn to try SOYJOY bars! Two lucky Cait Plus Ate readers will receive their own set of samples. Continental US only – giveaway will be open until this Thursday 11/15 at 11:59PM EST.

There are several ways to enter (leave a comment for each or additional entries won’t count!):

  1. Check out the SOYJOY flavors on their website and comment here telling me which you’d want to try most (mandatory).
  2. Follow @SOYJOYUS on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  3. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Tweet “I entered to win @SOYJOYUS bars from @CaitPlusAte! http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1F9 #plantPOWER #fitfluential #EAT” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winners and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winners will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder.

Good luck to all who enter! I received these SOYJOY bars complimentary to review. All opinions are my own.

Millwright’s Tavern: Cozy, Cocktails, Comfort Food

Thanks so much to all who entered my Clever Girls Collective giveaway for a Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit! I received 225 entries – WOW – and loved hearing what your fave dishes are to eat at Thanksgiving. The lucky winner is…

…Laura! Thank you for entering and I will be contacting you for shipping info so that you can get your prize!

You may recall my restaurant review post on Millwright’s, Simsbury’s (and one of Connecticut’s) newest restaurant. During my first visit, the establishment’s lower-key portion, the Tavern, had not yet opened and was actually still under construction. When it opened earlier this fall, I kept trying to make time to visit, but never had time in my busy schedule to stop in and have the Millwright’s Tavern dining experience. Finally the time came this past Friday night, with my foodie friend Kat (she is the one I, and my readers, can thank for fun blog posts like local giveaways and my review of Blo) of the Hartford Advocate.

How cute is she in her hat?!

I fell in love the moment I descended the stairs into the Millwright’s Tavern, which consists of wooden tables, stone walls, a fireplace with adjacent seating, and a bar with a speakeasy-feel. I adore dining at restaurant bars so that I can watch cocktails being made and observe the staff at work; thankfully Kat had the same line of thinking and already had a seat staked out for us!

The Aviation and Carrot Terrine.

I went with the head bartender Chris’s favorite drink on the creative cocktail menu, the Aviation (gin, creme de violette, citrus, and a beloved brandied cherry). The head chef and restaurant founder, Tyler Anderson (he won Chopped!), also was kind enough to send out the above Carrot Terrine! It was incredibly interesting and delicious.

View while sitting at the bar – isn’t the stone so perfect for a cozy fall or winter night?

The Aviation was incredible, as I knew it would be. Chris really knows his drinks (I met him and tried his take on the Hemingway during my first visit) and I love the unique floral test of creme de violette. I also am such a sucker for a brandied cherry. Or two. Or fifty.

Sweetbreads

Millwright’s continued to spoil us and sent out a couple more complimentary tastes. I got my first taste of sweetbreads during my last visit and was more than happy to try the above lightly fried version – flash-fried in fact! What are sweetbreads you ask? That’s the culinary name for thymus or pancreas of, in this case, veal. The aroma of this dish practically had me salivating before my first bite – is there anything more drool-inducing than the smell of fried food?

Tuna!!!

If it weren’t for the Carrot Terrine, I’d definitely be calling the above Tuna Belly with Shisho and Asian Pear the most unique dish of the evening. I think pear goes so well with Asian seafood and wish that more restaurants served that pairing! The only bad thing about this dish was that it was so small and therefore gone in the blink of an eye, or the chew of a mouth.

Spinach/Kale/Chard Gruyere Dip topped with Garlic Crumbs, served with Country Bread.

Oh, obviously Kat and I ordered a bunch of small plates to make up our own mini Tavern menu tour. Would you expect anything else? It’s all about trying as many tastes as possible. Always. You folks were certainly freaking out when I Instagrammed the above above-average play on your average spinach & artichoke dip, but I cannot blame you. The country bread was so toasty it was like thick crackers and the garlic crumbs on top of that decadent cheese? HEAVEN. They didn’t skimp on the greens either!

Poutine a la Grecque

Many of Chef Tyler Anderson’s dishes have a Mediterannean influence, like the above Greek take on poutine with feta, olive crumbs, local tomatoes, and yogurt sauce! I’m a potato and Greek food freak so each bite of this dish had me moaning in a foodgasm. You know the feeling. I can’t recommend this dish enough to anyone who visits the Millwright’s Tavern.

Lamb Meatballs

We continued the Greek-style dining with the above lamb meatballs with polenta, tomato sauce, and fennel slaw. So amazing! I adore lamb more and more each time I eat it, which has been more and more often (makes sense). The red sauce was so very rich and flavorful. I wasn’t surprised that Millwright’s did a great job on this dish since the lamb I had last time I was there is still a dish I consider to be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

Duck Potato Skins. You heard me.

I was (obviously) menu stalking earlier in the day before I arrived at Millwright’s, and the moment I saw the above dish on the menu, I knew I HAD TO HAVE IT. Duck confit potato skins with sriracha creme and pickles…my only wish is that there had been less cheese so I could’ve tasted more of that fabulous fatty duck. Still, the potato addict in me was smiling.

FOOD PARTY!

We feasted, we Instagrammed, we laughed, and we most certainly did NOT cry. We also got to hang out with the wonderful maitre d’ and sommelier, Brent Bushong II, and the Director of Operations, AJ Aurrichio. Brent is incredible at what he does – he makes every Millwright’s patron feel special.

Millwright’s Old Fashioned – I knew I had to try this one.

I was unfortunately unable to finish my second cocktail, Millwright’s take on the Old Fashioned (bourbon, demerera, flamed orange peel). But the portion I did finish was so wonderful and smooth! In fact, next time I visit the Tavern (and there WILL be a next time), I plan to order it again so that I can enjoy a full glass. However, I think next time I may order it up – what do you guys think? I’m not an ice fan!

CHEESE PLATE. NOM.

Kat and I saw the above cheese plate from the regular menu (also available in the Tavern) get served to a fellow bar-diner and we both stopped our conversation and literally watched it go by. Probably was a hilarious image. We vowed to order it as our dessert, and even though we were both very full after our small plates, we threw caution to the wind and ordered the glorious plate of local cheeses, apple compote, HOMEMADE rye crackers, bread, and candied almonds. I am a cheese plate fiend. This guy was fabulous! The apples were so very fresh – I don’t really like apples that much but when so high quality like this compote, I am all over it. The crackers? I cannot believe they make their own! I would buy boxes of them! Kat and I could not finish all of our food so she took the rest home to her lucky husband.

I’m already dying to bring my parents to the Tavern so that we can feast on both the Tavern and Dinner Menus. Oh, and cocktails for my dad and I! Thank you to Tyler, AJ, Brent, Chris, and everyone else who made our evening at Millwright’s Tavern the perfect Friday night kickoff to our weekend!

Which of the menu items that I sampled would you most like to have tried?

Have you ever been to a restaurant with a speakeasy-feel to it?

Fashion Friday Misses Warm Weather

I hope you guys caught my talented foodie/chef friend Devan’s guest post recipes yesterday! And don’t forget today is the last day to enter my Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit giveaway!

Wait…Winter Storm Athena? Who are you and why were you here when we are not yet in the single-digit dates of November? I hate winter, I hate cold, and I swear this is my last winter in New England. That is my goal – please hold me to it. Yell at me if next November, I am saying the same thing.

This meal was just what the doctor ordered when I got home from driving in the blizzard on Wednesday night – swordfish, veggie pizza, roasted Brussels, and cheap red wine.

I’m not going to complain any longer though, because I was lucky enough to come home safely last night to a warm home, while so many are still without power and facing devastation from Superstorm Sandy (or as Christy called her – I LOLed at this – SuperBitch Sandy).

We only lost power at my house for an hour during Sandy, but when it happened my dad and brother were certainly prepared.

Instead of complaining, let’s cheer up with some nostalgia. I realized I had a bunch of fashion photos I hadn’t shared yet of myself in outfits I wore back in August and September when the weather was warmer. So let’s forget about the recent hurricane/blizzard and celebrate lovely warmth!

Before a pool day back in August!

Top: Urban Outfitters

Bathing Suit Top: H&M

Shorts: Hollister

Sandals: Francesca’s

Watch: Fossil

Before a Boston booze cruise in August!

Top: Urban Outfitters

Shorts: Hollister

Watch: Fossil

Shoes: PacSun

Beachin it Labor Day weekend!

Sunglasses: Forever 21

Cover-Up: H&M

Bathing Suit Top: FCUK

Shorts: Hollister (clearly a standard huh?)

Before a Labor Day Weekend dinner in New Haven!

Dress: Sister’s (I believe it’s Forever 21)

Bracelets, Shoes: Francesca’s

Have a good weekend folks and hopefully Monday I’ll be able to provide a tummy update. You may have been able to tell already but other than a few waves of nausea that have passed fairly quickly, I have been doing a lot better still! And am continuing to not bother trying to determine “what” has made me feel better, just enjoy.

Which look is your favorite?

What’s your favorite outfit to wear when the weather is warm?

Do you prefer warm or cold weather fashion?

Devours by Devan Victoria – Recipe Guest Post!

One of my friends from college, Devan, is a fellow foodie with a flair for cooking. She is an incredible chef and recipe creator. I am so excited to have this fabulous girl guest blogging for me today! Without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to Diva Dev and her wonderful eats.

Me with bunny ears and Devan hanging out at the bar during college – my state here is questionable.

I have a confession, I’m obsessed with food: knee deep, head over heels, so very in love with the smell, taste, texture and “mmm” sensations of the countless meals placed on plates before me. But I’m not obsessed with just any food. Yes, lover of all things chocolate, cheese and a tapas fiend  nonetheless, I am excited about the food I create. My creative juices go crazy in the kitchen. Kitchen wiz kid on an appetite high. Unleash my brain overloaded with ideas and eager hands in a stocked kitchen with a full fridge, plentiful pantry and succulent spices galore and watch out for magic. Today, on a sunny lazy Sunday, the magic came out to play.

I DARE YOU TO MAKE THIS, but only if you aren’t embarrassed to experience a food-gasm. A food-gasm is a great thing, but I’m sure you knew that. I bet you’ve experienced a lot of them. Who isn’t ashamed of bulging eyes and the OHMYGODDD that tries to escape your mouth full of the food that just consumed every feeling in your body? It’s a magical thing that comes from magical food and magical tastes. This dish is vibrant, a full on dining experience and an original recipe I want to share with you.

With fall in full swing, farmers markets exploding with fresh produce and seasonal flavors taking over menus, I got inspired. Seasonal ingredientsare the best ingredients to get. Not only are they in season, but they’re DELICIOUS! FRESH! IN SEASON! USE THEM! Cabbage, root vegetables, cranberries, kiwi, pears, broccoli! Fall fruits and vegetables are just waiting at the grocery stores and farmers markets for you to snatch them up and make something sexy with them ;).

Cranberry Gremolata Pork Chops

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 pound boneless pork chops
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

  1. Combine fresh cranberries, rosemary, orange juice/zest, and honey in a small mixing bowl and stir to make the Gremolata. Set aside.
  2. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat a skillet with butter and olive oil on medium heat. Add pork chops.
  4. Cook pork chops 4 minutes each side or until cooked through (note: a little pink is safe for pork!).
  5. Remove from heat. Top pork chops with heaping spoonful of Gremolata and serve!

Dressed-Up Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of bacon ( maple or smoked)
  • 1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic, diced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground sage
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 small head purple cabbage, shredded
  • 2 cups Brussels sprouts, sliced/shredded
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cook bacon in a skillet. Drain and let cool before crumbling.
  2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add butter, olive oil, garlic, sage and onions. Stir and cook 3 minutes.
  3. Add cabbage and Brussels sprouts to pan. Stir together and let wilt 5 minutes.
  4. Add butter and mix in 1 minute.
  5. Add balsamic, red wine vinegar, and dash of salt and pepper. Mix. Continue cooking 2 minutes.
  6. Season to taste, remove from heat and serve with crumbled bacon on top.

Thank you so much to the talented Devan for dreaming up these inspired fall dishes! I know some of you (myself included) have snow outside your window right now, but winter is not yet here and fall dishes must be taken advantage of and enjoyed for as long as possible! If you make either/both of Devan’s recipes, be sure to share them with me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in an email!

Which of the two recipes do you think you’d enjoy most?

What’s your favorite fall meal?

What else do you think the cranberry Gremolata would be good on?

Country Crock Broccoli Casserole and Giveaway!

Thank you to Country Crock for sponsoring this post. Visit and tell us your favorite Thanksgiving veggie for extra entries into this giveaway. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective.


My grandma sent my mom a recipe for a broccoli cheddar casserole side almost ten years ago, and as soon as fall hits, this warm, comforting dish starts appearing in our kitchen. It’s even man-approved – my dad LOVES it and usually requests that it make an appearance on Thanksgiving. The perfect delicious, healthy side dish!

I was invited, as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, to make a healthy Thanksgiving side dish using Country Crock as a substitute for butter. I’m already a big fan of their products, so the answer was a resounding, “YES!” Especially since it meant getting to eat this cheesy broccoli goodness several nights in a row (it makes great leftovers, as you can probably imagine). Country Crock has NO harmful trans fats (other types of fats are good for you in moderation, but let’s face it, trans fats are just a no-no!) and even this raw veggie lover can’t lie…veggies taste darn good with Country Crock added in!

I selected my classic favorite – Original – but they even have a Pumpkin flavor!

Cheesy Broccoli Goodness Casserole 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Country Crock Original
  • 2 packages of frozen chopped broccoli
  • 1 medium chopped onion
  • 1 cup of cooked brown rice
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 a soup can of skim milk
  • 1 cup of reduced fat cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup of chopped mushrooms

Directions:

  1. Cook broccoli and drain.
  2. Cook brown rice (I used a boxed minute-cook version).
  3. Saute chopped onion and mushrooms in Country Crock on stovetop.
  4. Combine broccoli, onion, mushrooms, rice, coup, and milk with salt/pepper to taste.
  5. Pour into a casserole dish and top with cheese.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Could that be any easier? That’s why casseroles make excellent side dishes. You could even make this a meal by adding a protein like grilled chicken!

Sauteed mushrooms…they weren’t in my grandma’s original recipe but made an EXCELLENT addition and added that #plantPOWER!

For more ideas for healthy Thanksgiving side dishes that can be made with Country Crock, check out their Chronicle in the Kitchen!

The crispy cheesy top is the BEST part.

Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit Giveaway

One lucky Cait Plus Ate reader (continental US only, sorry!) will win a Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit with the following:

The giveaway will run until this Friday (11/9) at 11:59PM EST and the winner will be announced early next week. To enter, you can do the following (and leave a comment for each or additional entries don’t count):

  1. Comment here and tell me your favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving. (mandatory)
  2. Visit the Crock Country Chronicle and comment on an article. Comment with the link to the article.
  3. Follow @CountryCrock on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  5. Tweet “I entered to win a @CountryCrock Thanksgiving kit from @CaitPlusAte! #HolidayVeggies http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1DP” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder. Good luck to all who enter!

Thank you to Country Crock for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

My First Naturopathic Physician Visit

I’m so excited about all of the entries I received in the giveaway for two Anchor Bay Entertainment cardio dance workout DVDs! The winner is…

Kristy of Kristy’s Health Revolution!

Thank you to all who entered! I will be contacting Kristy to arrange delivery of her prize!

On Friday I promised you guys an update on the on-and-off nausea I’ve been experiencing for the past month, so I’m here to give you that today. Mostly, I want to focus on my first ever visit to a naturopathic physician. After finding out that the abdominal ultrasound I had done last Saturday morning showed no issues, I visited my regular doctor Thursday morning. She stated that she really think this is a stomach virus I caught that my body is taking a long time to shake, and told me that no doctor would order an endoscopy on me (the next step in testing) until at least a couple more weeks had passed with me having symptoms, especially since I have been “functioning” and it is considered a “procedure”. Yes, I’m functioning, but I have also been very physically and mentally uncomfortable!

Luckily I had my naturopathic physician appointment later that afternoon, so I left the doctor still feeling like I had options I was pursuing. I started out by giving the doctor (also the clinic director) my background, both my recent nausea issues and my mental/physical medical history. She was not very happy about the fact that my doctors had put me on Omeprazole (an antacid), nor did she approve of any other medications and probiotics I have been taking. It was a bit off-putting – she never told me to go off what my doctors had put me on, which I appreciated, but also made me feel like it’s possible that what I’m already taking has been hurting me. I still took it all with a grain of salt, though. I know that her way of approaching medicine is completely different from the traditional approach, which looks primarily for something functionally wrong.

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Next, she had me lie down on her massage table (holy crap it was comfy!) and she felt all over my abdomen. Not just feeling – pushing! Really trying to get a handle on where exactly everything was. She pushed on an area up toward my chest, and it was hard for her to do so. She said that the reason for that was because my stomach was actually higher up than it should be – usually brought on by an acute incident, like straining to lift something. But sometimes, it can happen over time due to high anxiety – more likely in my case. Whatever the cause, she had me take a DEEP breath in and then breathe out very slowly. As I did so, she actually pushed REALLY hard down on that area toward my chest I mentioned before, to push my stomach back down where it “should” be. After this was complete, I took a deep breath in. I actually felt like my lungs had more room to expand! Perhaps it’s all or partially in my head. I acknowledge that. And she did not say that it was going to cure me. Quite the opposite – she said it probably wasn’t even the sole cause of my nausea, but a contributing factor, and that her “fix” also did not usually stay in place after just one session. Still, I felt pretty strange afterward – in a good way! Something definitely felt different.

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I also left her office with a “prescription” for three things – a digestive enzyme, a probiotic (one of the few on the market she likes), and an herbal remedy called Pulsatilla (which is available at Whole Foods). It’s pretty fascinating that she picked Pulsatilla out for me, because as she described the kind of people it’s meant for, I kept nodding my head and saying, “Yup, that’s me.” She cited inner mental battles, too much rigidity, and love of white foods (gimme dem carbs). Pulsatilla comes from a flower found in meadows. The flower itself however is toxic when ingested in its pure flower form. There also isn’t much medical evidence about its efficacy – or even the safe levels of the dried form that are OK to take.

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I am fine with taking digestive enzymes and a probiotic…many people take these without harm. However, I’m nervous about taking the Pulsatilla after reading up more about it online. I’m sure nothing that could really hurt me would be sold at Whole Foods, and I’m trying to keep an open mind, but I don’t really feel comfortable taking it (it comes in the form of a bead that is placed under the tongue). Therefore even though I purchased it, I’ve decided to hold off. And there’s another reason for that too.

Dare I say the last several days I’ve felt…completely normal? I don’t want to jinx myself. And on Friday, I still had a “nervous” stomach that felt nauseous in the morning and made some weird noises anytime I ate. But Saturday and Sunday, I felt fine. No weird noises, no nausea. Nothing that even made me feel like it might “come on” if I drank coffee or ate fibrous food.

Welcome back, my beautiful salad!

I am not saying that I feel better because of what the naturopathic physician did when she “moved” my stomach back to its rightful place. It could very well be the Omeprazole finally taking effect. Or maybe this is a virus that finally has gotten its ugly self out of my body, once and for all. Or maybe five minutes from hitting “Publish” on this post, I’ll feel nauseous again.

Black coffee – enjoyed while doing HW!

Frankly, I do not care. I had a really good weekend and I felt well. I’m going to keep taking the Omeprazole and also go see the naturopathic physician in a couple of weeks for a follow-up, and explain my hesitation about the Pulsatilla. If I don’t feel nauseous again, that’s awesome. If I do, I’ll keep trying to figure out what’s wrong. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go be thankful for feeling well. 🙂

Have you ever visited a naturopathic physician?

Have you ever decided not to take medical advice, be it from a traditional or alternative doctor?

Fashion Friday: Halloween!

Remember, you have until this Sunday at 11:59PM EST to enter my giveaway for two cardio dance workout DVDs from Anchor Bay Entertainment: Fitness!

How could I not make this week’s Fashion Friday a Halloween version?! I know it’s November now and Halloween has already flown out of your mind (on a broom I assume) but let me bring it back for ya for just a moment. Perhaps this post will inspire you to go buy some cheap candy?!

Lucky ladybug!

Ladybug Accessories: Wal-Mart

Tee: Old Navy

Pants: Urban Outfitters

Watch: Fossil

Ring/Bracelet: Forever 21

I actually bought the above costume (accessories) last year, but Halloween was cancelled due to Winter Storm Alfred. Despite the fact that I felt nauseous this Halloween morning as I donned my wings, I still tried to stay positive and enjoy a chance to dress up at work. I have always dressed up for Halloween – I even went trick of treating up until my senior year of high school.

Senior year costume – Abe Lincoln. Don’t. Ask.

I have also done the whole slutty college Halloween thing. Hey, gotta embrace each stage of life.

Another costume made of “accessories”.

My boyfriend (at the time) and I as Hef and a Playboy bunny. Yep.

Of course at work I kept it quite conservative. And partook in our little Halloween “parade” and costume contest!

Doin’ my ladybug dance.

So I definitely had the lamest costume of my co-workers who participated. I mean, check out that guy in the mask behind me in the pic above! But I hammed it up to the best of my abilities, which included attempted moon-walking and plenty of “wing” flapping.

I think this was when I was trying to moonwalk!

Thanks to my co-worker Brenda for taking pics for me!

I not-so-anxiously awaited the announcement of the winners of awards for scariest, most original, and funniest costumes. I did not win anything, but my friend Steve won Funniest Costume for his LMFAO Party Rock Anthem robot costume!

He made that robot head! I think we are wearing the same pants?

My co-worker Mike makes a really elaborate costume each year, and this year was no exception. Behold…The Protector?!

Doesn’t look like he’s doing much protecting!

After the parade/contest ended, a Halloween cake was served. And the participants took a photo outside – it’s a tradition at my company and this was my first year being a party of it!

Pretty cake!

Spreadin’ my wings – I felt like I was doing Warrior III!

So there you have it – my Halloween Fashion Friday! Not much time to blog at all today so I’m off, but hope to have more for you guys Monday on my GI stuff because I had both an abdominal ultrasound and a visit to a naturopath, and I need to share what I found/learned!

Did you dress up for Halloween this year? If not, what was the last costume you wore?

Did your place of work do anything to celebrate Halloween?

Meet Caitlin

I’m a 28 year old full-time working girl living in Boston (previously lived in Connecticut). I’m passionate about food/drink, restaurants, self-love, fitness, and the ever-present search for balance. I write about that journey on this blog – I hope you enjoy!

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Design Credit

My header was originally designed by Mai Le and later tweaked by Chris Roggi to match this theme, which he helped me customize. He also moved me over to self-hosting! Both can be contacted through their sites for design & development work!

Disclaimer

I am not an RD and do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in nutrition or fitness. This blog is a way to write about my life. Any views I express are mine alone, based on what works for me, and should never be taken as medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan. In addition, this blog and its content are in no way affiliated with Kate Gosselin, “Kate Plus 8”, TLC, or any related affiliates.

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