SWEET NOTHINGS

I'm not really one to get all mushy on Valentine's Day. In fact, I think R and I have only ever celebrated the holiday once (out of 4) and it was spent making a home-cooked meal of roasted chicken and asparagus, curled up on the couch watching a movie.

Don't get me wrong, I like a nice meal out but you can do that any day. And I don't like red roses. Yellow tulips are more my thing.

In case you're looking for something sweet to give someone special this Valentine's Day, though (whether your spouse, your best friend, mom...):

(here are some of my favourites)

Make your own scratch tickets with your own special rewards!

Tell him/her all of the reasons you love them in a miniature book.

Fill heart-shaped boxes with your Valentine's favourite sweets!

Gift these 'Good Together' stacking cups listed on Wanelo.

Add some V-Day flare to already-made tea bags, or buy loose
leaf and fashion your own tea bags with a needle and thread.

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make extra sweet brownies.

What kind of sweet ideas for Valentine's gift-giving do you have in mind?

images via design sponge, paper vine, salt water wishes, and wanelo 

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Snacks. What do you like to nibble on when you've got a grumbly in your tumbly? Okay, if snacking is more of an issue for you (maybe you snack too much, especially on top of your regular meals), then don't listen to what I'm about to say. I think snacking is important. True, not every body is built the same and some will require small snacks in between meals, while others may not. But, it has been advised for several years now that having a small, nutritious snack in between meals can help with weight loss. It's good for maintaining a healthy blood sugar level and warding off overeating at your next meal. For me, it's just a given. When I'm on a regular schedule, exercising regularly and getting adequate rest, my body wants to also eat on a regular schedule. I suppose because I'm burning more calories (with physical activity in addition to everyday tasks) and my metabolism is increased, I also want to eat more. Well, okay, not necessarily more food. But more frequently, for sure.

In addition to planning my meals every week (try it: every Sunday, sit down and map out your meals for the week--you'll save money and if you're buying nutritious foods, maybe see a difference in your health), I also plan my snacks as much as I can. When R and I buy groceries, I make sure there's nutritious foods on hand that we'll be able to snack on during the week, and here are my favourites:

edamame
cheese and fruit
fruit, yogurt, and honey parfait
steamed soy milk
banana or apple and raw almonds or pistachios
Ryvita with cheese or peanut/almond butter
fruit smoothie with yogurt/milk

I also enjoy (okay, love) air-popped popcorn with a bit of coconut oil and salt, and kale chips. 

What are your favourite snacks to keep you energized throughout the day?

images via simple bites, foodess, simply recipes, squawkfox, and pinterest   

INSTA-TRAVEL

1/ up in the air 2/ The Pier Restaurant 3/ sandy toes! 4/ R and I 5/ airport food, cobb salad

Here are a few snapshots from R and I's trip to the beautiful St. Lucia--these are from my iPhone, more (actual) photos to come later this week.

Happy Monday, all you beautiful people!

WEEKEND SALUTE

It's crazy what a week away on a beach can do to you. Sigh. I wish I was still on vacation.

This week at Tomfoolery & Bright:

the updated kimono for a breezy addition to your spring wardrobe
an easy recipe for Vegan & Gluten-Free Banana Bread
art and crafts room inspiration
are you addicted to sugar?
and a love for smoking slippers (with cute prints and textures galore!)

This weekend shall be full of writing (the first chapter of my thesis is due Monday), getting outside before it snows again (!), and celebrating Superbowl Sunday...alone? Okay, I'm not one to really get into the Superbowl to begin with, but if R and I were hosting a party at our place, I'd totally make the adorable football cupcakes pictured above. Yum!

What are your plans for the weekend?

images via think fit, more of me to love, cute food for kids, and pinterest

WE LOVE

Loafers. Or as I like to call them, smoking slippers. Especially the ones from Anthropologie--talk about cute.

I already have a pair of leopard print loafers that I absolutely adore, but a pair in glitter or brights wouldn't be a bad idea, too!

Putting my pennies in a jar for a pair of these bad boys starting...now.

Happy Friday!

images via anthropologie

POTATOES, NOT PROZAC

While away on vacation, I caught up on some reading for my thesis research. One of the several pieces of literature I'm reviewing for my work is Katherine DesMaisons's Potatoes, Not Prozac (1999). In her text, DesMaisons addresses the issue of sugar addicition. She claims that in the same way users can become addicted to drugs or alcohol, they, too, can become addicted to sugar. DesMaisons argues that 'sugar sensitivity' is based on the individual's biochemistry and offers ways in which the 'user' can combat their addiction to the substance found (almost) everywhere--in all the foods we, Westerners, consume--sugar.

What I like about DesMaisons book and her approach to discussing the topic is that she's honest about her own trials and tribulations (I think she has to as an academic). What's important is that she doesn't sugarcoat (pun intended) anything, and I really appreciate that. In the first few pages of her text, DesMaisons asks the reader several questions about their lifestyle, their diet, their energy level, their stress level, etc. etc. all with the intention of resolving any problems that may be keeping the reader from achieving a happy, healthy, energetic lifestyle.

Now, I consider myself a relatively healthy person. In fact, a number of my closest friends and family members will tell you that I'm one of the healthiest people they know. Due to health concerns (I was diagnosed with lupus ten years ago), I have had to make some changes over the years. The biggest change I had to make was to my diet, by cutting refined flours and sugars--basically anything processed. The more natural the food (the closer it is to its raw, natural state, the better). Today, this is just a regular bit of dietary advice floating around the world of nutrition. Despite that, however, I would argue that the majority of individuals continue to consume a dangerously high amount of processed and refined foods (most of the time without even knowing it). That said, I don't want to talk about eating refined foods versus eating foods that are not refined--I could spend several weeks discussing the topic. Yeah okay, consider this an aside.

But, back to DesMaisons. As someone who prides herself on eating healthy (with more studies pointing to wheat/gluten as one of the key culprits in inflammation, I've slowly been transitioning to a gluten-free diet, and am now looking into the paleo diet, which is recommended for individuals who suffer from auto-immune disorders such as lupus or any other inflammatory diseases), getting enough rest, leading a balanced lifestyle of work and pleasure (or at least trying to), even I could agree with many of DesMaisons negative points of address. These points include: tired for no reason, irritable, overwhelmed, stressed out, and lack of energy. If I'm so 'healthy', why do I get tired for no reason? Before getting irritable (at which time I know I've waited too long to eat and my blood sugar is too low), how can I maintain a healthy blood sugar level?

It's all about balance. And DesMaisons explains it all in her book. She says that you're sugar sensitive if you have an unstable blood sugar, low serotonin, and low beta-endorphin. The answer to recovering from sugar sensitivity is to achieve a balance with all three. And even though I do certain things and eat a certain way to achieve what I think is 'healthy', I'm still feeling tired at times. I do get irritable or overwhelmed. And I do have a lack of energy more often than I'd like to. And if you're in the same boat, maybe you should give DesMaisons's book a read. She offers a 7-Step Recovery Plan (bits and pieces of which I've taken and made my own) to help achieve the necessary balance and a healthy, happier, more energetic you.

And I'll tell you now, if you've ever craved sugar--not just the sweet stuff, but bread, pasta, and rice, too--according to DesMaisons, you're probably sugar sensitive. And that sugar you're craving is probably bogging you down on a day-to-day basis. DesMaisons can help.

Find this book and DesMaisons's other texts, The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program and Your Last Diet on Amazon.

image via google

ART SPACE

Yes, one day I'll be one of those women with a room dedicated to all things do-it-yourself. Arts and crafts room, anyone?

In the meantime, here's a little bit of inspiration:

Inspired & Organized I love this variation on the usual inspiration board:
string with clothes pins for all your favourite bits and pieces; and what a
great way to organize cardstrock--with labelled boxes full of rubber stamps,
pens, markers, glitter, and other odds and ends, I see a card-making station!

Easy Storage for Small Spaces Even in the tightest of spaces a girl can
have an arts and crafts room: use old jars to store craft materials and
hang metal rods on the wall (see Ikea) to help clear clutter from your
 workspace. 

Fun & Multi-Purpose Keep it real (for you and any little ones who might
want to dabble in some artwork) with storage that's easily accessible for
all ages--or at least the things you want them to be able to access; line
a wall with pegboard for maximum storage.

(Sigh, one day...)

images via we heart it, good housekeeping, and houzz