I “winterized” my pink pants and polka dots with a neutral textured blazer. Added some accessories and out the door I went! What do you think?

Well, while you’re just standing there waiting for your hair to dry or swiping on blush, why not make the most of that time by getting in a few slimming exercises? Trust me, your booty will thank you later. Here are some easy ones to work in to your get ready routine each day.

Do 20 reps of each exercise, repeat the set as many times as you can while you get ready.

Calf raises – since this movement is somewhat subtle, you can do reps while applying primer, concealer or foundation; hold the last one on each set for 10 seconds, feel that burn!

Lunges – easily done while drying your hair; don’t forget to switch sides!

Standing crunches – perfect to do while brushing your teeth; again, switch sides and really engage those abs!

Squats – can be done while straightening or curling your hair; be sure to keep your knees over your ankles!

Leg kick backs – try them while cooking breakfast or picking out your outfit; switch legs and kick start your metabolism!

Congratulations, you are on the way to a fit figure and a beautiful day!

Where else can you fit in exercises during your busy day? Try doing calf raises or squats while on the phone at work. If you typically sit all day, make sure to get up to walk around and stretch occasionally during the day. Moving around at least once at hour can rejuvenate you and keep you healthy!

*these are merely suggestions and are not meant to be a substitute for a balanced diet and regular exercise. I’m not a certified trainer, just a gal who wants to share some personal tips on staying fit.

My latest obsession, thanks to the boyfe, is the breakfast burrito. The green chili breakfast burrito to be exact. It all started on New Years Day; we spent a few days in the mountains with a friend who introduced us to her neighbor friend, whose Mom made a mean batch of green chili to kick off 2013 right.

Green chilies simmered with pork, tomatoes and spices partnered with soft tortillas, eggs, refried beans and cheese completed the meal, which quickly became the boy’s new favorite. He seriously hasn’t stopped talking about it since that day. Now I’ve had a few breakfast burritos before but I never experimented with them at home; the boyfe typically gets what he wants so I accepted the challenge to become a breakfast burrito/green chili connoisseur. Below is the result of that quest. Well, one of them. I’ve literally made green chili every week this month, each time with a slight variation, and I don’t see any sign of stopping.

I’m not big on refried beans so my recipe doesn’t include them but feel free to add them and modify this recipe as you see fit. Also, use whatever meat you want (in addition to what’s below, I recommend mild Italian sausage). This particular recipe is from when I was making a big batch (15 burritos!) to feed some friends for a long ski weekend so I doubled up on meat here; to make about five burritos you will probably use 3/4 lb of meat, or less for single burritos. Instead of roasting my own green chillies I just bought the ready-to-go chillies in a jar, of which I prefer the hot green chillies but you can use whatever heat suits your taste. Okay, on to the recipe!

Chorizo and Turkey Green Chili Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients
1 lb. chorizo
1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
16 oz green chillies
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
few shakes of parsley
pinch of salt and pepper
tortillas of choice
as much shredded cheese as you want
eggs
Cholula (what doesn’t it taste good on?)

Steps
Cook the meat in a large saucepan with sides.

At the same time, sauté the onion and garlic with the oregano and cumin in a small pan.

Once the meat is browned, drain excess fat from the pan. Return the pan with cooked meat to the stove; once the onion softens and browns, add to the meat. Add green chillies and tomatoes (drain the tomato juice but keep the green chili juice). Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients in the pan and mix well. Allow to come to a boil.

Add the cornstarch and stir well; depending on how thick you want your chili, add more (thicker) or less (thinner). Turn down heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix eggs (I prefer two egg whites to one whole egg but feel free to mix your eggs however you choose) with parsley, salt and pepper. Scramble eggs to your liking.

If preparing your burritos to eat right away, heat your tortillas in a pan with a little bit of cooking spray or microwave them with a paper towel on top to hold in the moisture. Once everything is done and your chili has thickened, break open the tortillas and layer chili over eggs, topped with shredded cheese.

Wrap up your tortilla like a burrito, folding in two sides and pulling over the remaining sides like an envelope.

Serve with a Bloody Mary and Cholula. Enjoy!

Burritos can also be stored in the freezer for quick on-the-go breakfasts but I don’t blame you if you can’t wait :)

Some tips
If freezing, let chili and eggs cool before wrapping in the tortilla; I’ve learned that this minimizes sogginess and is just as easy to wrap up.
Store in aluminum foil and place in the freezer; when ready to eat just toss them in the oven on 375 for about 15-20 minutes while you get ready in the morning. Then grab and go!

I’m actually really excited to challenge myself to be more frugal when filling my closet. To kick things off, I want to share some of my current style rules.

1. Don’t spend on trendy items in the off-season
It’s best to pick up well-made classic pieces and basics that are marked down so you can splurge on a new trendy item next season. Last season’s leftovers might be outdated in style and/or color. You’ll be better off with a go-to classic outfit than something you will only wear once; in the meantime you can save up some extra cash to spend on new trend.

2. On a related note, trends are not always your friend
Unless you can really own a daring look, don’t invest in it. It will just hang in your closet taunting you about the money you could have spent better. On the other hand, I’m also a big fan of making trends your own. Let’s face it, clothes will likely look different on you than on the runway. Empower yourself to change up a trend to make it flatter you and fit your style. Not sure of wearing a new bold color? Pick an accessory like a headband or small clutch and try it out first. If you end up loving it, invest in a larger piece.

3. The rule of three
If you’re on the edge of a new purchase, ask yourself, “what else do I have to wear with this?” Try to pair the new item with at least three pieces you already own before diving in. Can you wear it to work? Dress it up? Make it casual? It helps to visual yourself in a full outfit. While at the store grab a pair of pants or skirt similar to something you already and try it on with a potential new shirt. Also consider accessories and layers that will extend an item’s shelf life.

4. Leggings are not pants
Ever.

5. Dress for yourself
How many times do we ask others, “does this look okay?” Or, “[dangling] earrings or [statement] necklace?” (Side rule: almost never both) While it can be great to listen to advice from others, remember that to really look your best you have to feel your best. Being comfortable in your own skin is what’s most important. Again, don’t follow a trend if it doesn’t suit you; make it your own.

Of course there are times when the rules don’t apply, like when shopping/dressing for a special occasion, when your favorite designer is on amazing, super-super sale (what budget?) or when you’re picking up vintage collection pieces.

Whatever rules you follow – or don’t – just make sure you’re having fun! When that’s the case, everything else tends to fall in place.

xo
B

http://denver.craigslist.org/laf/3180542920.html

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
― Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Strawberry, pineapple, mint, pickle and jalapeno are my ingredients for this journey. Oh, and vodka.

The jalapeno/strawberry and pickle varieties will be great for bloody marys and I plan on using the strawberry/mint and pineapple for summer cocktails. Yum!

I started simple but from doing a bit of research (er, Googling) I found that you don’t have to stop at vodka; people infuse nearly every clear liquor (think gin, tequila) with everything from cucumber and mango to cinnamon and honey. So, go forth and infuse!