Friday Organo Roundup

Happy Labor Day Weekend organopeeps!!  I'm checking out for the next three days. How about you?  Here's our weekly organo(ish) roundup!! 

Let's talk eggs for a hot second.  I've eaten eggs for breakfast almost every morning for the last decade.  They happen to be my other creepy obsession, second to bacon.  But the incredible edible egg is NOT created equal.  Jon raises chickens so I've been feasting on freshly laid, free-range eggs lately, and I must say they are amazeballs.  So, are they really THAT much better, and better for you?  Here's a few little facts:

• Studies show that eggs from pasture-fed-free-range hens contain one-third the cholesterol and one-fourth the saturated fat of "conventional" (AKA caged) eggs.
• They have more vitamin A, E, and omega-3 fatty acids.
• They have access to a more natural diet rather than simply chomping on chicken feed.  This benefit translates to healthier chickens, and more nutritious eggs.

I'm sold.  I recommend buying from a local farmers market but if you don't have access to one, my favorite brand is Organic Valley Cage-Free Eggs.

Lauren posted last week that she lost three pounds from cutting out a few hidden calorie bombs (frapps, a whole avocado everyday...etc).  I was inspired!!  I have my own vices too.  Lady likes her happy hours!  Also, I have a bad habit of eating late at night at work.  This is never good, as we only have pre-packaged snack foods.  So, for the last week or so I've cut out the booze, ate a larger but healthier dinner so I wouldn't be hungry at work, and fit in a little unintentional exercise (taking the stairs, walking on breaks).  The scale tells me I've lost two pounds.  I'll take it!  I can't make any promises this weekend.  I see a vodka and red bull in my near future.


We had the opportunity to guest post this week for the lovely ladies at I Don't Go To The Gym!  Check out our ridic summer smoothie recipe on their site here.  Ummm...this smoothie is seriously cray cray!  Hop on over and creep on their blog for a minute.  Seriously, these girls are hot and know how to work it in the kitchen. 

This is totally not organo but how cute is this cake?  I called the wonderful peeps at Piece of Cake in the Short North (downtown Columbus for all my locals) and asked them to make me a fishing-themed cake.  This is what I got.  Say whatttt?!?!?!  I was so impressed!  The bottom layer was vanilla bean with strawberry filling and the top was chocolate.  So. Effing. Good. 

           

That's it for now!  I'm headed up to the lake for the weekend.  What are your holiday weekend plans???


Cheers!

Banana Ice Cream and Cookies

So, I know a girl who needs to start a blog. 

 

The fact I don't get to read stuff like this every day is just not right. 

 

My friend Jennifer a) offered to write a guest post and b) freakin brought it. This post is hilarious, legit informative, and appeals to moms and banana lovers alike. Let's meet the woman behind the post:

Jennifer is my friend from OU. We were proud members of Phi Gamma Nu business fraternity, and were meathead corporate mavens in the making. Check her out now...holy hot family alert!

Without further adieu, I give you Jennifer's blogging debut, brilliantly entitled "The Top Two Most Fun Things I’ve Done With A Banana—And That’s Saying Something."

Getting to Know the OB Chicks: Leigh

Hey ya'll!  We've been seeing these little lists pop up in the blogsphere and thought it was a cute idea for you guys to get to know us better!  So, here's 25 little facts about myself!


1. I'm OBSESSED with country music.  Like, to creepy levels.  I saw my favorite guy, Brantley Gilbert, in Texas, West Virginia, Charlotte, and Ohio (three times) in the last year. 
2. I've worked in a bar for the better part of the last decade.  I really should get paid more for being a therapist, relationship counselor, life coach, and shoulder to cry on.  It is amazing what strangers will tell you!  But hey, it makes my job interesting.
3. I get all my meat, vegetables, and eggs delivered to me from a farm out in Johnstown, Ohio.  They are seriously amazeballs.  I've toured the farm, seen how they treat the animals, and met the farmers.  I will never buy from the grocery store again.
4. I was visiting Boston on the day of the bombings.  Events like that put your whole life in perspective.
5. I am a proud Ohio State University alumni.  Go Bucks!
6. I've had the same two best friends forever.  One I met in 1st grade and the other in 7th.  
7. I'm also obsessed with cowboy boots.  I have 5 pairs.  I would have more, but do you know how much they cost?!  A whole freakin' paycheck!  Geesh.
8. I've jumped out of a plane. 
9. My parents bought me a car when I was 15.  I still drive it....12 years later.   Man, if that car could talk. 
10. Someday I will live in the country and have animals.
11. I wholeheartedly believe in the teachings of The Secret.  Saying that it changed my relationships, my outlook, and my life really is an understatement.
12. I once cut my hair off after too much tequila.  Oops.
13. I moved to Los Angeles after college and lived off of Hollywood Blvd.
14. In the last year(ish) I have traveled to Texas, California, New York, North Carolina (a million times), South Carolina, Tennessee, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and West Virginia.  Traveling feeds the soul.  Do it as much and as often as you can.
15. There's this really sweet guy who takes me on drives in the country, feeds me all sorts of bad food, and beats me at corn hole and pool every time.  Someday J, I'll kick your butt!
16. I am a die hard skincare advocate.  I have a huge phobia of tanning beds and sunburns.  I did some major damage in my teens and have spent my twenties trying to make up for it.
17. I am a Taco Bell addict.  So much so that I staged my own intervention, and have not had it since December 31st, 2012.  I now make my own organo version at home.
18. I am trying to learn to play the guitar.
19. My Norman Rockwell life consists of an old farmhouse, a hot rugged hubby, five boys, and an F-150.  Funny, coming from a girl who grew up in the 'burbs.
20. I LOVE shooting guns.  I prefer handguns, but I'm getting more comfortable with shotguns and rifles.
21. I love love.  I have parents who have been married for 36 years and I've seen what a successful and loving marriage looks like.  If my marriage is half as good as theirs, I will come out with the W.
22. I dyed my hair blonde and got fake nails at 13 and never turned back.
23. Someday I will not work for "the man", but rather for myself.
24. Before I go to bed at night, I think of 10 things that I am grateful for.
25. I believe that what we eat affects our entire life.  I think chemicals are whackballs I avoid them like the plague.

Don't mess with a girl and her gun.






EEEEEKKK!!!!



Cheering on my Buckeyes in New Orleans!






Trying to act like I know what I'm doing...






Rockin the cowboy boots





There you have it, friends.  A few little quirky things about me.  Stay tuned for some facts about Lauren which are sure to entertain!


Cheers.



 

Friday Organo Roundup

Happy Friday friends! Time for 5(ish) random Organothings you might be interested in!

Food Babe's post on Trader Joe's rocked my world. I mean...Shawn and I have been saying for ages that TJ's is not an Organoshop. A lot of people have misconceptions that everything from Trader Joe's is organic, when only a small fraction of it is. Apurrently they are a bit shadester about their claim that their branded products are GMO-free.

I might even have to retract my suggestion about Trader Joes's Joe's O's. Sigh.



Dang.

Exciting news alert...my flabby arse lost a few lbs! That's right, I've lost a whopping three pounds, but Mommy is excited about it. I did it by making just a couple simple switches. First, I ditched lattes. Yes, I drank a latte on the daily. It's my "me" moment. But it's also approx. 150 cals, and just not great for you (even if I did switch from cow juice to organic soymilk). You are crazypants if you think I'm giving up caffeine though...so I broke up with Starbucks, bought a $19.99 Mr. Coffee and started drinking strong black coffee in the mornings. Bonus: I'm saving $20+ a week at the 'Bucks. 


I'm just not that into you.

Tactic #2: Cut back on avocados. I KNOW. They are mad healthy. Organopeeps, do not give these up. However, I ate at least 1/2 avocado every morning. I usually macked on another half at some point during the day. I adore them, but it was too much of a good thing. I think 1/2 avocado 1/2 days of the week is a good place to land.




Holy...what the balls is THIS?!
via

I am trying out a new foundation. I didn't pull the trigger on my Vine.com cosmetic order, but I did find myself at Target, clutching a paraben-free foundation: Botanics Colour Adjusting Foundation. It's not bad. It's a little thick and not as "glide-y" as some other foundations, but the end result is the same. My wrackne is suitably concealed, and I am happy knowing that my mug is sans parabens all day.

Preview alert: Leigh made a dankalicious summer smoothie that we'll be telling you all about next week. Seriously...I want to take this to the face!!

Do you know about amber teething necklaces? This could be a whole post in itself, but I got one for Dylan this week at The Baby Grocery Store, where an incredibly helpful employee gave me the full rundown. Basically, they don't chew on these, but rather wear them right around the base of their necks. The skin absorbs succinic acid in the amber, which is natural pain reliever. The lighter the amber, the stronger the effect...so you know I got my babe this lemonade color. Girlfriend's gums were raw and sharp...and creepily bright red. And guess what. On Wednesday, she cut her first tooth!

Lastly, a rando cute picture of Dylan, playing fetch with our dog, Bacon. One of her last pictures ever as a true gummy bear.

Victory is mine!

What's in the plans for the weekend, my darlings? Shawn and I are busy planning her first birthday party and doing house projects. How about you?

Hot Bod: No Gym Necessary

Here at Organoblondes, we are two crazy busy chicks!  I generally clock around 60 hours a week between two jobs, while Lauren has a full-time career, a hubby, and a darling little babe to chase after.  Needless to say, I've become that girl who says she doesn't have time to work out.  Currently, I am only going to the gym on Saturdays and Sundays, and that's only if the night before didn't kill me.  Surprisingly, my weight hasn't changed much except my weird 8-pound weight gain in a week while on vacation (a few days of detox does wonders).  And let me brag a little bit here about my smokin' sister.  She had a sweet little baby less than a year ago and looks hot as balls!!  I'm pretty sure she is at or below her pre-pregnancy weight.  Say what?!?!

Here's the deal.  I'm not willing to give up my favorite foods, because frankly, will power is boring, and life is short.  But there are simple changes that anyone can make so that you can keep (or get) a hot bod without depriving yourself of the good stuff.  We've also linked up with the lovely ladies of I Don't Go To The Gym who have great tips on looking amazeballs without slaving away on the stupid elliptical.  Check them out!

I've put together a list of simple things that Lauren and I like to incorporate into our day to keep the lbs. away!

1. THE 80/20 RULE IS KEY.  Your bod is a result of 80% what you eat and 20% what you do in the gym.  Let me give you a little analogy.  A large Big Mac combo meal (what I used to order) has 1330 calories.  A chick my weight burns about 300 calories per hour walking.  I would have to walk for 4.5 hours to burn that off!  What the eff!?  You can slam a small cheeseburger, a side salad, and a bottled water for under five hundo.  I'll take the latter.  If you pound some bacon at breakfast, down some greens at dinner.  It's all about moderation, friends.  
2. DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES.  In a perfect world, my liquids would consist of vodka red bulll, wine, and sprite.  However, last time I checked, beer guts and rotten teeth were not in style.  The average American drinks 45 gallons of soda a year.  That's 39 pounds of sugar!  That's like, the size of a small child!  I only drink water, tea, and coffee throughout the day.  When it comes to booze I try to stick to low-cal options like vodka and soda water (or on the rocks with a splash of lime juice) or my typical vodka with sugar free red bull (I know, I know, it's chem filled, but that's my 20%).  I'll never give up my wine, but I stick to one or two glasses.  Our other sister Mindi sips on tequila straight up and alternates with water.  What a rock star! 
3. COOK AT HOME.  During the week I make breakfast and a ton of java at home, pack my lunch and snacks for the day, and prepare a healthy meal for dinner.  You'll not only have a few extra bones in your pocket at the end of the week, but you can control your portions, and know exactly what's in your food.  If you want to relax a little on the weekends and eat out, go for it.  Just take half home for leftovers!                
4. UTILIZE UNINTENTIONAL EXERCISE.  I work on the 5th floor, so I take the stairs.  I take a 15-minute walk around the building twice a day on my breaks (yep, I'm that girl with the dress clothes and tennis shoes).  I park in the back of the parking lot.  I walk wherever I can, whether it's the grocery, the pharmacy, or the bar.  Lauren takes nightly walks with the hubs and Dyl.  She also did throughout her whole pregnancy. 
5. KEEP A FOOD AND EXERCISE JOURNAL.  I've been doing this for a long time.  I started doing this because I was suffering from severe stomach pain and wanted to track what foods were causing it.  Holding yourself accountable is important.  Having to document that you pounded 12 beers and consumed an entire pizza is not fun.
6. FIND A WORKOUT THAT YOU ENJOY.  I happen to love hiking and walking.  When I lived in Hollywood I would hike everyday.  Back in Ohio, I take long walks as much as I can.  Find something you like and it won't feel like a chore for you.  Any and all activity is good activity.  
7. STICK TO THE PERIMETER OF THE GROCERY STORE.  90% of what you need is on the perimeter of the grocery.  You've got produce, dairy, and meats.  Keep processed foods to an absolute minimum.  Generally the only things I buy in the center isles are oats, coffee, tea, and a few condiments.
8. SLEEP.  I cannot stress this enough as this is the one thing I struggle with the most.  Sleep is key to a well functioning metabolism.  Lack of sleep really effs with your bod.  Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and low libido (eeeeekkk!!).  It also ages your skin, so all the SPF in the world won't do you any good.  Muscles also recover at night, so if you are one who hits the weights often, sleep is crucial.  Lastly, sleep deprivation is associated with depression and lack of motivation.  In other words, you will definitely not be acting like a boss man at work!  Yikes.
9. DON'T OBSESS ABOUT CALORIES.  I used to count calories like a mad man.  That 'ish is way too time consuming.  Eat clean most of the time, eat until you are comfortably full, make good choices.  If one day you have ice cream for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and chinese for dinner, don't obsess.  Get back on track the next day.  You'll be fine! 
10. FOOD IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED.  Have you ever heard of the expression "eat well and travel often"?  Over the past few years, Lauren and I have had the pleasure of traveling to some pretty amazing places.  Lauren has sipped wine in Napa Valley and dined on seafood in San Francisco, while I've enjoyed shrimp and grits in Charleston and lunched on authentic barbecue in Texas.  Food is a huge part of our lives.  Enjoy those times when you can try something new.  Experiment with exotic foods whenever you can.  These times can sometimes be few and far between, so relish in them.  Get back to your routine when you get home.                   




Hiking in the Hollywood Hills

 

You can still catch me on the weekends feeding my red bull addiction, or on any given Tuesday night for that matter.  Life is meant to be fun, filled with good food, strong drinks, and great company.  If you don't think you can have these things and still have a bangin' bod, you've got another thing coming!

I'm truly convinced it is possible to "have your cake and eat it too".  Just not the whole cake. Gotcha? 


Cheers ya'll.

Newman's Own Organics

I'm here to declare my love for Newman's Own Organics. No, this is not a sponsored post - but it just occurred to me today how many of their products we use...and we find virtually each one to be the best in it's product category.

Maybe seeing anything Newman's is some Pavlovian response to the fact I grew up on Newman's Own salad dressing (didn't we all?), and the fact that my mom had/has an epic lifelong crush on Paul Newman.

Dang. He is pretty hot. Get after it Mom.

So Newman's Own Organics division was founded in 1993 by Nell Newman, Paul's Daughter, and became it's own company in 2001. I'm not joking when I say EVERY product I've tried is fabulous. I have found nearly all of these products at my local Harris Teeter, but you can find them by searching the interwebs as well.

Cloth Diapering

Despite being an Organomama, I never really considered cloth diapering for Dylan. I am not sure why. I think I was overwhelmed by figuring out how it worked, or scared to touch poo or something. Because I never touch poo on Dylan’s disposables…right?! Well I finally got the full lowdown from two of my beautiful friends, Joanna and Brandy, and I have to say I am sold! We spent a fabulous morning together, watching our babies roll around in a pile, and talking all about the (strangely fascinating) world of cloth diapering!

I think I’ll just let them do the talking. But first, a brief introduction: Joanna and Stella (5 months), and Brandy and Raleigh (7 months)!





Here goes. I warn you, it’s a LOT of info. I couldn’t bear to cut down all the great deets they provided. I figure if you’ve decided to read on, you care about this crap. (literally)  

Blue Corn Bison Nachos

Things got a little sexual in the kitchen this week Organopeeps!  Sorry J, you've been replaced by a pound of red meat.  Ummmmmm.......

I'm a meat and potatoes kind of chick.  Staples in the OB household growing up consisted of tacos, burgers, fried chicken, stroganoff, meatballs, and spaghetti with meat sauce.  Every Sunday morning our wonderful parents woke up and spent an hour cooking endless amounts of bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes for the pack of girls who had spent the night before at our house.  Needless to say, meat is my first true love.  I'm sorry vegetarians, but I just can't imagine a life without a rare filet.   



Just saying...





I must confess that I have another creepy obsession: Taco Bell.  I have an unhealthy love for Nachos Bel Grande.  So much so that I staged my own TB intervention and have not had it since December 31st, 2012.  The goal is to stay away from my beloved NBG for one year.  So far I'm eight months in and going strong.  So, I've been making my own version at home.  While wandering aimlessly throughout the grocery store this week I came across some organo bison and a light bulb went off.  Bison effing Nachos!!! Um, I'm getting a little hot and bothered just thinking about it.  This is such an easy recipe, made with mostly organo ingredients and amped up with some sweet bison meat.  And as always, it's bozo-proof.  We can't all be Giada!      

Here are the ingredients:

1 pound of bison

1 packet of taco mix (mine unfortunately was not organic, but they do make them)

A dash of cayenne pepper (that 'ish is good for your metabo, you know)

1 can of organic black beans

1 packet of organic cheese (taco variety, if possible)

Salsa (whatever amount and variety you like)

1 organic avocado

1 packet of organic blue corn tortilla chips

1 change of underwear (just a warning...you'll need it after eating this 'ish)

As always, our recipes are really hard, so try to follow along:

Brown bison meat. Drain.

Heat black beans in a separate pan.

Add cayenne and taco seasoning to meat.

Put chips on plate.

Dump amazeballs bison meat on chips.

Top with cheese, beans, salsa, hot sauce and avocado slices.

Slam food.

Yah, that's it.

There you have it peeps.  This will be ready to eat in twenty minutes flat.  And heck, why not make an organic margarita to make this an all around meaty, boozy meal?

And here are just a few tidbits about bison, If I haven't already convinced you to eat this lovely meat.

• Bison are handled as little as possible.  They spend their lives on grass, with very little time in a feed lot. 
• They are not subjected to drugs, chemicals, or hormones.
• Bison is the leanest red meat around, with only 2.42 grams of fat per 3.5 oz. serving.
• It has the highest iron and B-12 content of all red meat.

Now go and get your eat on ya'll!!

Cheers!

 

Friday Organo Roundup

We're trying something new here at Organoblondes. I mean, it's not a new idea, per se...we totes stole it from every other blog. This is the first of our Friday Organo Roundups, where we'll highlight 5(ish) exciting nuggets we've done or seen during the week. Let's give this a whirl!

I finally tried making a batch of breakfast egg muffins...and I have to say they were quite successful. I made a crapload of them, froze some, and ate them all week (usually with avo and salsa). No particular recipe to reference here. Just grease a muffin pan - I used coconut oil - and drop in some chopped veggies and ham. Bacon would be delicious too. Duh. Pour in some beaten eggs and bake 20-25 mins. 2 muffins with avo and salsa made a pretty perfect breakfast, and saved me 15+ minutes in the morning making scrambled eggs.



This picture actually doesn't do it justice.

Let me shout this one from the rooftops: I FOUND A NATURAL DEODORANT THAT WORKS!!! After reading this Food Babe post about the whack and frankly dangerous ingredients in deodorant, I immediately bought some Tom's aluminum-free deod at Whole Foods. Only problem is...it didn't work at all. Like...I smelled worse. My husband called me out on it, and a self pit-check confirmed I smelled like a dumpster dweller. I also tried Jason's, and same result. So I basically went back to Dove (eek) on the days I worked in the office, and used nothing or Tom's the days I worked at home. Sorry Shawn.

I finally bit the bullet and ordered Primal Pit Paste....I'm astounded by how well it works! I stay fresh all day! I bought the jar of lavender scent. It's a little weird to massage your pits every morning, but I decided to go glass jar instead of the plastic stick-form they offer. It's a bit pricey but 100% worth it.

Have you ever been to vine.com? Is this a thing, and I've been living under a rock?! It's Organo heaven on the internet. Literally everything you need from groceries to home products to beauty products, baby products...and all products have to meet their standards for natural and eco-friendly living. I'm about to overhaul my makeup drawer on this site ASAP, for starters. Did I mention that it has EVERYTHING?

Speaking of great products, I finally found a natural hair conditioner I like. I use The Honest Company Shampoo + Body Wash as my shampoo (and face wash with Clarisonic), but I hate to say the Honest conditioner is not great. I found this brand at Harris Teeter: Gud by Burts Bee's. No parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals or animal testing. And my strands feel awesome!

Lastly, let me share a little preview with you of a post I'm giddy to be working on. I interviewed two beautiful mamas - who happen to be dear friends - on cloth diapering. We had a blast getting the whole scoop and taking photos. Shawndaddy was sold- he wants to CD like now. This post is going to be so great - I can say that because the info they provided is seriously interesting, but the dish is lighthearted and fun.

These new mamas are just glowing.

Outtake: Our three babes are besties.

Enjoy your weekend Organofriends! If you see any cool nuggets next week, drop us a line and we may feature it next Friday!

*Note: all product reviews are unsponsored. We're not fameballs status yet - peeps aren't paying for our opinions. I'm not saying I couldn't be bought....I totally could.