The best breakfast smoothie you will ever have… ever.

I am beyond thrilled to announce I have teamed up Vega to bring you our “fall smoothie series!” Vega is one of my all-time favourite companies, and I fan-girl hard for them on the regular. Needless to say it was pretty much a match made in heaven. Their products are 100% plant based, gluten-free, sugar-free, and just overall amazing for you. I can’t say enough great things about the Vega brand, which is why I am so excited to have them here on Skinny Belle. 

Alright friends. So fall smoothies, they are quite possibly even better than a typical summertime smoothie. I like to make my smoothies richer and significantly more substantial in the fall. There is something about the cold weather that just makes me feel like I need that little extra boost of energy from my meals!

The first fall smoothie recipe I would like to bring you today is basically my definition of heaven. Peanut butter, apples, and espresso. What else do you need in life? Really though. This is freakin’ delicious and you need to make it for yourself, like, yesterday.

Ingreds:

• 1/3 cup whole rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 shot espresso (2 is even better!)
• 2 heaping tbsp real peanut butter (<– don’t buy the crap with the added sugar, promise?)
• 1 apple
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 scoop of Vanilla Vega Protein and Greens
• Shredded coconut + hemp hearts for garnish

Put everything in your blender and blend!! This smoothie is a biggin, so have a large glass ready for it. You have been warned. 😝

My PB Apple Breakfast Smoothie is packed with protein (more than 20 grams thanks to Vega!) and has a nice little caffeine kick. Because, if we are being honest here that shit really helps get you through Monday mornings lol. Anyone feel me on that one?

ENJOY!! Let me know what you think in the comments below. 

x,

My thoughts on the scale, and why you should ditch it!

Okay guys, so I really debated writing this one because topics like this tend to be sensitive on the interwebs, if you know what I mean. But I have so many friends who obsess over that stupid little number that the scale, and I really wanted to share a healthier alternative to monitoring your weight. 

In my opinion, scales are the devil. Like, just the worst. They show every single fluctuation in your weight. Eat an apple, gain a pound. There will be no actual relevant changes in your day-to-day weight, and obsessively weighing yourself everyday is just unhealthy. One little number should not define how you feel, and definitely does not define how healthy you are.

Let’s start with reasons why weighing yourself sucks:

Fluctuations

Every single thing you do will make your scale fluctuate. What time of day you weigh yourself, how much water your drank, if you exercised, how much clothing you are wearing, which way the wind is blowing… etc. You get my point. It is not an accurate daily representation of how healthy you are.

Weight does not reflect health

How much you weigh does not indicate how healthy you are. And we want our bodies to be lean, mean, fighting machines. The best way to check how healthy we are is to make sure we are following that Skinny Belle Lifestyle of balance, and eating 80% wholesome healthy food. 

You feel like crap

Yep. When has anyone ever stepped on a scale and said OMG YAY I FEEL GREAT! Nobody. Ever. (Or, they are a liar.) Even if you have reached your “goal weight” you will still feel like it “could be better.” It is so important to feel happy with yourself, and frankly scales are just depressing.

Okay so, if I don’t weigh myself, how do I know what I weigh? I don’t. But I monitor my health and wellbeing based on my fitness level, how my clothes fit, and the food I have been eating. It is a far better way to track your health without getting all stressed out over a stupid little number. After all, health has so much more to it than physical weight. 

This advice is given in the spirit of helping you live your happiest and healthiest life possible. As always, this is just what I have found to work for me! Please see your doctor if you before changing anything about your health or fitness routine to find out what is best for you.

Lots of love <3

x,

A simple recipe to bring out the kid in you 🙂

FISH FINGERS!! Because even though I am a full grown adult, I am secretly still a child on the inside and love to eat things like fish fingers. (Maybe not such a secret anymore lol.) While we are on the subject of being a child, I also happen to love the Disney channel. Yes, internet. I am 24 years old and I regularly watch the Disney channel. It is awesome and I love it. You sure as hell can bet that I ate my fish fingers while watching my fave Disney shows. (<– It’s an exciting life I live, I’m aware.)

Anyways, I digress. Fish fingers. They are fun, low in calories (if you make my recipe that is), baked, and taste DELISH! These are also gluten-free, if you are into that kind of tom foolery.

The ingreds:

• 1 cup gluten-free plain bread crumbs (I just bought mine cuz laziness)
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 5 tsp garlic powder (get at me boys)
• 1 tsp fine ground sea salt
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 4 sole fillets
• olive oil spray
• lemon wedges for serving

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 F.

Step 2: Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 3: Whisk together bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt.

Step 4: Slice up your sole fish into nice big fishy fingers! 😀

Step 5: Coat the fish fingers with your coconut milk then dredge them in the bread crumb mixture, tapping off any excess.

Step 6: Lay the fish fingers on the baking sheet covered in parchement paper.

Step 7: lightly spray both sides of the fishies with the olive oil spray.

Step 8: Bake for 8 minutes then turn the over to broil for 2 minutes.

Serve right away with lemon slices and ketchup! Because, if you say you don’t like ketchup you are simply a liar. 😛

What do you guys think of this recipe? Does it bring out the kid in you as well? (Someone please tell me I’m not alone in my Disney and fish finger ways lol.)

x,

A bit of motivation to get your butt in shape for fall!

Today we are talking about how to not completely let ourselves go in the fall. Lets be real here. I need this post, you need this post, we all freakin’ need this post. It’s that time of year when our overzealous pre-summer fitness goals have long been abandoned, and exchanged for way too much comfort food and Netflix. (<– real talk.)

Ladies, let’s get it together. Just because the temperatures are dropping and it is getting ever rainier, does not give us an excuse to stop all exercise and starting eating like crazy! It is so important to maintain a healthy body and mind year round, and not have an annual “get skinny for the beach” panic attack a month before summer starts. We should feel like we are at our best, always.

Alrighty, so how can we make sure we stay active for fall? Below are my favourite tips!

BUDDY SYSTEM

Get a girlfriend and schedule a gym date together, every week. The buddy system is SO KEY to making sure you go do your workout. It is way harder to say no and ditch someone than it is to quietly tell yourself as you inhale a pie that “it’s okay, you can go workout tomorrow instead….” So, gym buddy. Get one, and stick together like glue!

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Even though I am a bigggg fan of being in the outdoors to get my exercise (hence the photos above lol), there are just too many rainy and gloomy days in the fall for me to realistically expect myself to go for walks and jogs every day. It just ain’t happening. So, pick an indoor activity to do! For example: spinning, yoga, pilates, or even kickboxing! All great ways to stay sheltered from this fall weather & still get your fitness on. And obviously when the sun is shining get outside and enjoy it!

NEW GEAR

Invest in some new workout gear! This is so simple, but ohhh so effective. There is no feeling like rollin’ into the gym like you own the place in your new sneaks. LOL! I am serious. It makes me feel like such a boss. So go out and get yourself a cute new little workout outfit. Who knows, maybe you will catch the eye of the hottie to your left on the treadmill 😉

SET GOALS

I have talked about goal setting before and how it can be a great motivator with your fitness! And this is no exception. Make your workouts a challenge for yourself, and see how much you can accomplish. If you set a goal for yourself and have an actual objective to work towards, you will be so much more motivated!

TREAT YO-SELF

Okay so once you set those goals, and achieve them…. Treat yo-self!!! Buy yourself those shoes you have been wanting for a few months. Cuz babes, you deserve it. Believe me you will feel even more fab when you strut around in those new boots when you know you have earned them!

So guys, those are my favourite tips to stay active in the fall! Just remember it is all about feeling good all year round. You will be happier and healthier for it… promise! 🙂

Okay so now I am going to go practice what I preach… and get my pilates on! What are you guys going to do to stay fit for fall? Comment below, the more inspo the better! <3

Lots of love.

x,

A restaurant review from Vancouver, Canada

UHM HI HELLO HANDMADE PASTA. 

I had the strongest urge to steal that fat stack of dough and take a disgustingly big bite out of it. Why? Who the hell knows. But the dough looked that good. 

Basically what I am trying to say is if you have not been to Ask for Luigi for brunch, go. Like… yesterday. I honestly thought I had died and gone to heaven the entire time I was there. There is nothing like fresh handmade pasta. In fact, mine was even GLUTEN FREE! That’s right my gluten-free friends, you can have it all. And no it didn’t have that weird gluten-freeness to it… it tasted like legit wheat pasta. And it was melt-in-your-mouth good. 

Alright I think you guys get the point, I loved it. And I wanted to share that love with you, because I love you all. 

So what should you order? Well, pretty much everything looked unreal. That being said, both my friend and I got the Tagliatelle alla Carbonara (<–so fancy lol) with a poached egg. One gluten free, and one not. And they were both bomb-diggity. 

Click here to check out the Ask for Luigi website. 

Enjoy this!! I know I did 🙂

x,

Dress: Oak + Fort / Shoes: Browns / Poncho: Small Shop in Switzerland / Glasses: Polette

Guyssssss I can’t get over how much I love this time of year! Would you look at those leaves on the ground? So freakin’ cute! It just makes me think about pumpkin… and pumpkin flavoured things (the curse of October.) In fact, I was en-route to getting a pumpkin pie from Aphrodite’s when we shot these photos. (<– guilty as charged.)

Anyways, it is just chilly enough now to bring out one of my all-time-favourite clothing pieces. The poncho. I have written before about the magical wonder of the poncho. It is essentially a socially acceptable blanket that you can wear in public without being shamed. And even pull off looking fashionable while doing it. You guys know how I like to try and get as close to wearing sweatpants as possible at all times, and this is definitely right up that alley. Also ponchos are very cape-like, which makes me feel like a queen. And, I mean, who doesn’t want to feel like a queen. Amiriteee?

My poncho was purchased in Switzerland, but I have picked out a few similar pieces for you guys to check out:

FREE PEOPLE PONCHO $100

URBAN OUTFITTERS PONCHO $140

ASOS PONCHO $60

Another thing, Polette glasses. You guys need to check out their site! Super affordable (think under $20) and comfy glasses from France. I have posted about Polette glasses before, and am a big fan of the brand. Click here to check out what else they have in store.

What do you guys think of this look? Comment below! <3

x,

Corn chips are legit my favourite food. Ever. That’s right. If I were to die tomorrow, I would want my last meal to be corn chips. Normal? Probably not, but who cares… I love ’em.

Since I have such a major obsession with corn chips, I like to make them myself and try out different flavours on the regular. It takes less than 10 mins and they are always so delicious!

Here are the ingreds:

• 100% corn tortillas
• chilli powder
• fresh ground sea salt
• lime

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350F.

Step 2: Cut up your tortillas into chip-sized triangles, and lay down on a baking sheet. Try not to let any of the chips overlap eachother because they might stick together!

Step 3: Squeeze your lime juice over all your chips, then lightly sprinkle with chilli powder and fresh ground sea salt.

Step 4: Put in the oven and bake for 6 – 8 minutes. Watch them VERY carefully because they go from raw –> burnt super quickly.

Annnnnd enjoy their crunchy deliciousness! Guac is a great dip to serve with these Chilli Lime Chips. Check out my recipe for “guacamole for cheaters” by clicking here. 

x,

HAPPY THURSDAY FRIENDS! Thursday = one more day until Friday, and Friday = WEEKEND! I have a sweet hike planned for this weekend so needless to say I am pretty excited lol. You guys will get all the pics after I conquer that mountain 🙂

Anywho, this outfit was one I put together last night before I went out for dinner. Totally loving earthy tones at this time of year (that sounds oh-so “zen” of me lol.) These colours tend to be very flattering on a wide variety of skin colours, so they are a great pick for anyone. Even if you are pasty, pale, and freckly like myself. I got both my sweater dress and my overcoat from Zara in Vancouver. My shoes, on the other hand, were purchased at Nine West. 

What do you think? Will you be bringing out the earth tones in your fall apparel? Comment below!

x,

Leftovers are my best friend. Really though. They are a lifesaver. It is pretty unrealistic to think that every night of the week and every day for lunch you will make yourself a fresh meal. For those of us who are busy and in a time crunch, having quick solutions for healthy and satisfying meals is key.

What I like to do is make a big batch of brown rice/quinoa/wild rice mix at the beginning of the week, and use it to make a variety of meals throughout the work week. So, meet one of my favourite “leftover” meals, my Nori Fried Rice. Nori Fried Rice is packed with flavour, and is so comforting in this chilly weather. 

So, here are the ingreds:

• 2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 2 cups of brown rice (I used a really yummy Sprouted Rice and Quinoa Blend from TruRoots.)
• Coarse sea salt
• 2 sheets nori seaweed
• 2 – 3 tbsp soy sauce (if we are being real I put more like 4… I like salt haha)
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds
• 8 green onions (scallions), white and light green parts only. Thinly sliced.

Okies dokes. This is super easy, so let’s get started.

Step 1: Get your day-old rice out of the fridge, or cook up some rice & follow the directions on the package.

Step 2: Heat olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat

Step 3: First add the onions then the rice on top and a big pinch of salt and cook 2 -3 minutes (stirring) until all warm and justttttt barely starting to brown.

Step 4: Cut up the nori seaweed into little strips and add it along with the soy sauce and sesame seeds. Stir together and you are done!

Enjoy my Nori Fried Rice as a tasty lunch or dinner any day of the week. 🙂

x,

Ok so I kinda have a thing for hats right now. They have the tendency to make any simple outfit look chic. I am all about clean + classic style in the fall, and adding a hat to these looks really dresses them up a little bit. 

Also… anyone remember my post on hair washing? Hats also realllllly help out with trying to wash your hair as little as possible. (<– you should really read that post, important beauty tip ladies! The less you wash your hair, the better.) That being said, we all know that on the third+ day of not washing your hair (don’t judge me you do it too) things can get a litttttle rough. Hence, the hat. You will look trendy AF and nobody will know that you are hiding a big greasy mess under there. (If there are any men reading this I am totally kidding and girls are dainty and clean at all times…… *ahem*) Anyyyywayssss, wearing a hat is really a win-win situation any way you look at it. The hat I am wearing here was purchased at Holt Renfrew Vancouver. 

Moving along to the rest of this look, my dress is from Oak + Fort and I am also super into long baggy dresses for fall. They are a classic piece that can be worn tons of different ways. Plus Oak + Fort always has the best stuff, I really need to stop going in there it is becoming a problem haha. And my beautiful leather bag is from the new Aritzia line called Auxiliary. 

x,