Birdalamode

An Apple A Day Keeps The Pounds Away

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applesaucesubstuteforbutter,oil,and sugar

black feathered tunic (romwe.com)

Apples are pretty amazing. They keep the dr. away, and are also natures toothbrush. But did you know they can also be used as oil, butter and sugar substitutes  in baking?

Today’s post is all about how you can make your cake, and eat it too.

It is very easy. For example, if you are using a boxed cake recipe all you would do is use the same amount of applesauce as it calls for oil.

If you are doing a recipe from scratch you can substitute the same amount of applesauce for the oil and ditch adding any sugar to the recipe.

If you are using apple sauce in your brownies or cookies from experience I recommend doing half and half. Half oil or butter and half applesauce. But for baking cakes, completely substitute.

Here is my favorite desert to make at home.

It’s called Apple Cake

  • Cake

  • 1⁄2cup  unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup  sugar
  • **Instead of adding sugar and butter, just add 1/2 cup of butter**
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1⁄4teaspoon  salt
  • 1 teaspoon  cinnamon
  • 1⁄2teaspoon  nutmeg
  • 1 cup  flour
  • 2 granny smith apples, peeled, chopped fine
  • 1⁄2cup chopped pecans

  • Caramel sauce

  • 1⁄2cup  unsalted butter
  • 1 cup minus 1 tbl. brown sugar
  • **I use the butter and sugar for the sauce, I’ve never tried subbing it for the sauce**
  • 1⁄2teaspoon  salt
  • 1 teaspoon  vanilla
  • 1⁄2cup whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine applesauce and egg
  2. Add rest of dry ingredients and beat til mixed
  3. Fold in apples and pecans. Pour into greased and floured large round, deep cake pan
  4. Bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes
  5. Meanwhile, make caramel sauce
  6. Caramel sauce: melt butter, brown sugar and salt in pan over low-med heat
  7. stir for 2-3 minutes
  8. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and cream
  9. Drizzle lots of caramel sauce over cake
  10. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top for added YUM!
  11. Enjoy- à la mode!

*If you have any questions let me know

Best Of Victoria Secret Spring/Summer 2016

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Nothing says summer like fun new suits, both swim and sweat from Victoria Secret. I no longer get the Victoria Secret magazine, I am more sensitive to what comes into my home having little kids, this is my own personal preference.  But I do love to check out and purchase Victoria Secrets lounge and swim virtually here and there. Today I am sharing what is on my summer wish list.

And The Weekend Continues

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bomber jacket (shein.com) / black and white striped pant (shein.com)  / nikes (nordstrom)

And the weekend continues. So excited that today I get to hang out with the family and my husband because it’s President’s Day! Today’s agenda, join a gym. Now that Briton is over the age of 6 months and he is RSV free, time to go to a gym with a day care so that I can get my workout on!

I love these workout pants, I have been living in them. There are skulls on the end of the drawstrings, which are not my speed, but I took them off and retied the ends shortly after this shoot. Pair these with Nikes or Adidas, wear working out or lounging around. Like I said they are pants you can live in.

Photos taken by the talented J.Petite and my BFF check out her adorable blog (here)

#NOFOMO With Target Swim

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meshswimsuitswimsuitattargettargetswimsuitsswim targettargettarget-swimtargetswimswim2016#targetstyle

This post is sponsored by Target, inspired by summer 

My goal this swim season is to embrace every moment of sun that I possibly can. I love swimming, and so do my kids. I don’t want to be insecure of what I look like in a swimsuit so that I miss out on experiences with my children.

I love my body, is that okay to say. I know I have been blessed, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have insecurities like everyone else.

It has taken me 27 years to appreciate, like and accept that I have curly hair – like really curly wild hair – and just recently I have started to like it.

I have major scoliosis (I have an “S” in my spine), and one of my breastplates is significantly more forward then the other, causing me to be lopsided. I got an augmentation to correct it, but, lucky for me, I only am also only able to nurse on one side. Causing yet again unevenness.

I am not going to stop nursing my baby because of how I look: I was pregnant for 9 months – a little lopsidedness is nothing after that 🙂

But what I am going to do is love myself and have fun with my children. I will avoid all the lame excuses and just shop for my body type. I love the prices and styles at Target. I also do my grocery shopping there so it makes it very convenient for me. Don’t visit Target frequently? No problem! Target has free shipping and free returns so you can try on as many swimsuits as you would like and return what doesn’t work.

How to pick the perfect suit. I personally choose swimwear that flatters my body and reduces attention to the chest, that is my problem area. I don’t like to outline them or wear too revealing of suits. My favorite style is bandeau one pieces. I try not to stere too far away from them. If your problem area is your stomach, I recommend wearing a one piece. If your problem area are your thighs or bottom I recommend a tankini paired with a  short or a skirt. If you need additional help with this please email me or comment below.

So ask yourself, what has held you back from not wanting to swim and has gotten in the way and lead you to miss out on summer activities and soaking up the sun with friends and family?

I would love to help all of you love yourself and have the best memorial summer yet. I am going to encourage you to take the #NOFOMO pledge with me get a suit that flatters you and share a pic with me using the #NOFOMO on instagram.



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Find your style @TargetStyle

 

My Diet Rebuttal

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littleme

As my last January post, I just want to clarify the psychology behind my diet and answer all your questions you have brought up to me.

If you have to “nuke” it, you shouldn’t consume it *microwave

In a perfect world my kids wouldn’t need a microwave or a tv 🙂 I started getting really into not giving my children processed foods, hot dogs, popcorn, deli meat, macaroni ect. since recently having a loved one pass away from pancreatic cancer

The whiter the bread, the sooner your dead *wheat bread only

Wheat bread is good fiber and helps stay regular

I don’t salt their food I don’t butter their food *once on your lips, forever on your hips

I am a believer of healthy fat, my kids love avocados and we do eat butter when it’s in a recipe or salt in a recipe. I just don’t butter unnecessarily or salt more than needed 

We don’t make dessert – but we do go out for treats a lot

If you want a treat in our house we have to go out and get it. Which does happen, but we do not bake or buy cookies, chips ect b/c I don’t want myself or family grazing on them as snacks  -out of sight out of mind 

I do stock up on lots of raspberries, goldfish, applesauce, grapes, cheese and peppers 

I never make them finish their plates *rather have it go to waste then end up on our waist

We make our kids listen to their bodies instead of forcing them to eat more than they can handle. 

What’s up with the no organic? Not that you have to buy everything organic, but there are the “dirty dozen” that are better to buy organically.

I am not familiar with the “dirty dozen” but I don’t believe everything has to be organic i.e. I think a carrot is a carrot organic or not. I have become more about readability on labels than looking for the word organic on packaging. 

Now if Slim-Fast could clean up some of their ingredients we’d be good to go.

Why do you care that your 4 year old son has a six pack?

I have never encouraged him to have one. I was just blown away that he didn’t just have abs, but he had all 6 packs in tact. I am not taking credit. I however do believe in providing your kids with healthy food options, that’s where I will take credit.

I can’t believe you make your kids drink their calories.

I do not make my kids “drink themselves skinny” but I don’t feed them anything that I wouldn’t eat myself. I make 90% of their food. I workout not on their time, but my own. 

You starve your daughter and you brag about it.

This is obsurd! Yes she didn’t double her 6 lb birthweight by the age of one. I only brought that up because Briton more than doubled his 7.5 lb birthweight at 6 weeks.

In my defense before her year appointment I had just stopped nursing her, which did cause her to loose weight. We found out she was both tongue and lip tied and she is proportionate. Yes I felt awful about this and l have never encouraged her to be small. Her nickname is “Littles” because she is. She is growing and gaining at her own pace and we just love her the way she is. She is my little “Holly(Polly) -Pocket”

I am not anorexic nor am I encouraging it.

I actually love my lifestyle and my diet. It works. I have tried EVERYTHING and this is what works for me. I love that I am eating all day long, I am able to enjoy big dinners with my family eat desserts and be at my most comfortable weight. 

I actually don’t talk about my weight or about diets because I am comfortable in my own skin. Which I believe is healthy for children to see.

Effective Tips & Tricks For The Treadmill : Combining Weight Training With Cardio

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how to run on the treadmill

I have no choice other than to use my time very wisely when it comes to working out. I combine weight training and cardio all together. Below I am sharing all my tricks in how to get the results I want in 30 mins.

Here are my 6 tricks to effectively run on the treadmill : Combining Weight Training with Cardio

    1. Cover the screen. First off the only way I run on the treadmill is by covering the screen. I always put a piece of paper or use a jacket to put over it.
    2. Play with the buttons. Mix it up if you start getting bored don’t get afraid to switch it up.
    3. Increase your incline. Nothing shapes my legs and hits the targeted areas like changing my incline. If you are running intervals or warming up I suggest starting at an incline or “resting/walking” on a dramatic incline.
    4. Never run at just a ‘0’. My flat run always starts at 1. You will notice a huge increase in calories burned by doing this alone.
    5. Super Set Sprints. I love doing sprints. I will run five mins on a 7 or 8 and then do five mins at a 4 or 5 at an aggressive incline. I do that 3-4 times and I feel the workout all over my body. And I know you will too.
    6. When I am at home I usually run with hand gloves, this shapes my arms without ever having to lift a single weight.

I have never seen results like I have when I combine all these tricks in one. I know you will see results too 🙂

 

 

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