Hellooooo Friday! And what a beautiful start to the day. As you guys probably already know, I loveeeee breakfast. I mean, it usually involves really yummy food that you get to eat right when you wake up! All great things.

So the other day I shared my Skinny Belle Shopping List: Breakfast Edition with you guys. As promised, I will be going through the list and further explaining why you need the things on it. One of the items on that list was greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is such a staple in my diet, I wanted to make a post dedicated to it. 

First things first. Do not buy sweetened yogurt. It is full of crappy refined sugar, and is frankly just a waste of calories. You can get your sugar from beautiful natural sources like the papaya pictured above. 🙂 In terms of what kind of yogurt you get, I really like Liberte. It is so smooth, creamy, and delicious it shouldn’t even be legal. Really, it is that good haha. I get the 0% fat-free flavour, which I linked above for you.

Okie dokes, so here is the best part of eating 0% sugar free greek yogurt. PROTEIN. ALL OF IT. There is 18 grams (YES 18 GRAMS!!!) of protein in 3/4 of a cup of greek yogurt. Yessssss that is the stuff I like! Protein is so key to feeling full and satisfied after a meal. And frankly with regular yogurt (has only 6 – 8 grams of protein per CUP) I just never feel full. So yes, needless to say I am all about the greek yogurt. It tastes better, has a better texture, and has more than double the protein of regular yogurt. What a thing of beauty.

So now you know!! Will you guys be switching to greek yogurt too?? Or, are you awesome and already buy it?!

x,

FLOWER POWERRRRR!!! How EPIC are these sunnies?! I am all 70’s vibes these days eh? Totally loving it though haha. I actually picked up these beauties at PacSun when I was in the states a while ago. These were bought in addition to the 84989584082740 other super hippie things I bought. Okay I didn’t actually buy 84989584082740 items of clothing at PacSun, but that was about my level of excitement in the store haha. Sometimes things get real stale here in Canada clothing wise. Our options are quite a bit more limited than our American friends, but I mean hey… we are right across the boarder! Sharing is caring.

My shirt is from a company called Madewell, and it is the first thing I have bought from them but I am totally in love with their brand. It has super beachy boathouse vibes that are great for summer. Plus I have been on the hunt for a casual white shirt like this for a while so double winning that I found one.

Alright so my shorts. If I am being honest here I am nottttt a huge fan of jean shorts. I mean who the hell are they flattering on? They are just so bleh. I wore them with this outfit because I like how they look with this oversized top, but you won’t find me wearing them too often on here. Just not my style I guess, which is weird considering I pretty much live in ripped jeans the rest of my life lol. Anywho, these are from Brandy Melville (I think I got them in Austria!)

What do you guys think of this outfit? Are you feeling the 70’s vibes as much as I am? Comment below 🙂

x,

What a beautiful day!! This weekend some friends and I hiked up to Garibaldi Lake near Whistler, BC. It was a phenomenal hike and such a great way to spend a Sunday. The hike was 5 hrs total (about 18 km) and definitely hit my list of “most beautiful places” I have ever seen. There really is no comparison to being way up in the mountains at a gorgeous lake! The air is fresher, the trees are greener, and we were all literally squealing with happiness when we got to the top haha. If you guys can’t already tell, I like to spend my free time either skiing down mountains or climbing up them. 🙂

Hiking is a great way to stay fit, because you can do it with friends! Doing something as a group is such a good motivator to get outside. Literally on the morning we were going to do this hike I was in bed all like “uhgggg it’s cloudy, should I even go up?” But I was en-route to meet friends so I had to move my ass out of bed and get going! Group motivation, works every time. Or peer pressure… lol that works too.

Hiking is a relatively (I say relatively cuz the way down can be rough) low-impact activity which is super beneficial for those of you who have bad knees/hips like I do. And the scenery makes the trip SO worth it. I mean come on!! Would you look at that view?! Gahhhhh I can’t even you guys. Full on white-girl “can’t even.” Lol. Okay that’s enough out of me for one day.

Get outside and get moving!! Summer is here!

x,

Waddup friends. Okay so I have been so sick these past few days. AKA not a happy camper. Usually I am a pretty tough cookie when it comes to this stuff, but this was a badddd one. So while I was bed ridden and drinking copious amounts of my Hot Lemon & Ginger Tea (try it, it works like a charm because I am en-route to recovery!) I thought I would share my latest nail colour with ya’ll.

I am aware that this is not world (or life) changing stuff in any way, but frankly it kinda made my day. When I do my nails I usually (ehem… always) get boring neutral colours. They are easy, and they match with everything. Think black, cream, bland pink, and dark colours. The other day when I got my nails done, I thought screw it. I wanna go full on Barbie here. AND I LOVE IT. You guys. Why haven’t I done this sooner?! I just feel this stupid sense of happiness every time I look at my ridiculously pink nails. Does that make me a giant fruit? Do I care? Not really no. Needless to say, I am feeling the bright coloured nails these days. Maybe next time I will go crazy and get a bright blue or green….. Wild things people. Wild things are happening in my world. 😛

What are your go-to nail colours? Do you usually go with neutral dark and light colours like me? Or, are you into this bright and fun business that I have obviously just discovered? I wanna know! Tell me in the comments below 😀

x,

Matching sets. I am all about them these days. And how cute is this Billabong set?! Such a good look for a nice warm summer day. And speaking of summer… I feel like it’s finally here! It is like Vancouver has been born again. People are out doing things and the city is buzzing with that summer excitement. I mean I love winter (because skiing, duh) but summer in Vancouver is a thing of beauty. It is basically impossible to not fall in love with the city at this time of year. And right now, I am head over heels. All I need now is a tan. LOL jk that is never going to happen in my lifetime (without the help of a handy-dandy spray tan hehe 😉 .)

Mmk so for a while here I was morally opposed to wearing Converse, but now for some reason I am totally into them again. Not sure what encouraged this change of heart… but let’s roll with it! Lately I am loving a nice white pair of chucks worn with a cute skirt or dress. I think the contrast between a girly outfit and some good sneakers is just enough to keep people on their toes. You know? And comfort… Let’s be real here. Converse are comfortable and comfort is king. 

What do you guys think of my sunnies?! They are gorgeous, no? I ordered them from this awesome French online glasses shop called Polette. A large part of the reason I like their products so much is the high quality and low price. I am a major deal hunter, so the fact that I can get these beauty sunnies for so cheap makes me a happy happy girl! Check out their instagram for the latest and greatest. 

In other news, I have started to think about what I am going to put on my summer bucket list! I find if I write things down it is the best way to make sure I actually do them. Right now the list mostly involves traveling and road trips, but it will start to grow quickly! Once it is done I will share it with you guys, so we can get some inspo from each-others summer fun ideas 🙂 Deal? Deal.

Love you long time. <3

x,

Okay so this definitely not a recipe, but it is one of my favourite easy dinner “hacks.” If we are being honest here, it can be really tough to cook a nice meal for yourself after a long day of work. So on those days when I am exhausted and don’t have the energy to cook something nice for myself, this is one of my go-to solutions. 

Amy’s Organic Chili (spicy flavour, obviously) is my favourite vegetarian canned chili. It is low in calories, and has about 15g of protein per cup. Protein is so so so important (<— expect a post soon) and I always make sure I am getting lots of it in every meal I eat. Amy’s Organic Chili also just tastes amazing. Such great comfort food.

Now, here is my Skinny Belle twist. I always love to take something really simple and dress it up a little bit. Here are the things I like to add to my canned chilli:

• 0% unsweetened greek yogurt
• 5 drops tabasco sauce
• Avocado
• Cilantro (not featured in the pics but it is killer)
• Fresh lime juice
• Skinny Belle Lime + Sea Salt Chips

What I do with this chili is when I am heating it, I had a drop or 5 (maybe more, depends on how spicy I am feeling 😉 ) of tabasco sauce into the pot. This adds a nice extra bit of heat to the already flavourful chili. 

To dress it up even more (and add more protein!!) I then add a big generous scoop of 0% unsweetened greek yogurt on top. The greek yogurt is basically like sour cream except it is actually good for you. Win-win if you ask me. On top of the greek yogurt goes the avocado slices. Now squeeze your lime slice on top of everything! Be generous with the lime, it tastes great. Garnish the whole thing with some salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro leaves! Oh and don’t forget about your homemade tortilla chips, get those ready and dig in my friends. 😀

You hungry yet? I know I am. But then again, I am always hungry so what else is new haha. 

What do you guys think of this easy dinner hack? Will you be making this anytime soon? Comment below!

x,

I am so happy about the fact that overalls are back. They are so freaking cute. Look at them!! I look like some sort of weird child who has grown much larger than they actually should. Needless to say, I am totally loving this 90’s throwback.

Another reason I am into the overalls lately? Wellllll they are kinda country and I am more than kinda into that. Every once and a while I have a tendency to want to go into the bush and get a little hick. Yup, I said it. A little hick. (Don’t judge me, it happens to the best of us.) See some prime examples here and here. Anyways… girl likes to get country and these definitely fill that need.

Okie that is just about enough random rambling from me today. Want to get a pair of overalls like these? Hit up Hollister to get your own pair. 🙂 Hope all of you guys in Canada are having a fun long weekend!! The weather is killer 😀

x,

It is so easy to eat clean and healthy if you buy just a few staple food items. This is why I wanted to share my list of staple breakfast items I always keep in my fridge! When you buy foods like these, you will be able to make nutritious and delicious breakfasts. Many of which I feature here on Skinny Belle! 

Okay, here is the skinny on some staple breakfast items to keep in your fridge:

• 0% greek yogurt
• All-Bran original cereal
• Frozen mixed berries
• Chia seeds
• Unsweetened almond milk
• Whole rolled oatmeal
• Lemons

The above items are things I alwayyyyys keep in my fridge! So necessary. I will be sharing lots of breakfast recipes with you, that will usually (like 99% of the time haha) include one of the above items! So get shopping my friends… your mornings will be that much brighter if you eat a nutritious breakfast. Want to know why? Check out my post on the Top 5 Benefits of Eating Breakfast! Its a good one 🙂

Also, now that you have your grocery list in hand… take a look at these breakfasts that all have one of the above ingredients featured in them. I will go into further detail on the benefits of some of the grocery items above in another post! (Chia seeds, greek yogurt, etc… so stay tuned.)

Recipes to make with my Skinny Belle Breakfast Shopping List:

• Coconut Overnight Oats
• Pumpkin Pie Granola
• Skinny Belle Granola
• Coconut Pear Breakfast Cake

If you haven’t tried the above recipes, definitely do! They are yummy ones 🙂

Hope you liked this Skinny Belle Shopping List, it will make a big difference to your morning breakfast! I will be posting lots more breakfast recipes over the next while, so you guys can get even more ideas of how you can use these awesome ingredients.

Let me know what you think of this shopping list in the comments below! What would you add to it?!

x,

How fun is this look?! If you can’t already tell I was having way too much fun prancing around in this (yes, prancing.) I stopped in at Hollister one day, and found this there! Totally not something I would ever expect to buy at Hollister, but I was stoked either way. 

The real superstar of this outfit? My gorgeous bracelet! I got this golden beauty from my friends at Lizzy James. The beautiful gold is so perfect for the summer season, you can bet that I will be wearing this bracelet alllll summer long. 

And here is the best news you guys… you can WIN the same bracelet I am wearing in this shoot!! That’s right 😀 girl is hooking one lucky winner up! All you have to do is enter below by liking the Skinny Belle Facebook page and the Lizzy James page!! This bracelet is a beauty so get on it! **This contest is only for the US and Canada** 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

x,

Mmmmm so creamy, delicious, and satisfying. I am really not a fan of cows milk, it tends to give me a stomach ache and frankly the whole concept just grosses me out. Almond milk is my favourite substitute for regular milk, and in my humble opinion it tastes wayyyyy better. It is also much healthier for you, so win-win! I have happily made the full transition from drinking cows milk to either almond milk or coconut milk. My body feels better, and so does my heart knowing that no poor cow had some awful nipple clamp thingy on it for hours. 🙁

On a happier note…. No almonds were harmed in the making of this drink!! Haha. This icy drink here is one I love to make in the evening before bed. It totally satisfies me and makes me want to cozy up and read a book (or watch a tv show if I am being totally honest… Kardashians anyone?!) What I do is a fill a mason jar (or just any jar with a tight lid that isn’t so hipster) with ice and unsweetened almond milk. Then, I add some cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little bit of allspice. Put the lid on the jar and shake it about! The flavours from the spices mix perfectly with the nutty almond milk, and make an oh-so-yummy evening treat. 

If it is your first time buying almond milk, I would recommend buying Almond Fresh. It is my favourite brand by far! Their unsweetened flavour has just 35 calories per cup. WINNING. <– That makes me so happy haha! A guilt free treat can be the best kind of treat sometimes. After all, I am all about treating yo-self. 😉

Enjoy this little trick of mine!! It is just the best on those nice spring evenings.

x,