I GOT A JUICER!! Partyyy timeeee! I am probably the last person on earth to jump on the juicing bandwagon, but the important thing is I am here now! Juice all day every day! (Can you tell I’m excited?? Haha)

So now. What is juicing and why do you need to do it?

Juicing is essentially a process that removes insoluble fiber from fruits and vegetables. According to Joe Cross (aka the juicing king,) “removing the insoluble fiber allows for increased absorption of specific health promoting phytonutrients including enzymes, while the soluble fiber persists into the juice.”

SCIENCE. So what this means is when you are juicing your favourite fruits and veggies, you are getting highly concentrated vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that you would otherwise have to eat an obscene amount of food to get. And whyyyy you ask, do you need to do this? Well 95% of the vitamins and enzymes your body needs are found in the juice of raw fruits & veggies!

Juicing is also a great way to get in your fruits and veggies, especially if you don’t particularly like eating them raw. (But you should totally be eating fruits and veggies on the regular because they are awesome… just saying.)

So I am a totally juicing noob, but I did my research. Here’s the skinny on how to maximize the benefit of your juicing:

• Drink your juice first thing in the morning. Do it before you have eaten anything, to make sure your stomach is empty. This will increase the amount of nutrients that are absorbed into your body!
• You must drink your juice within 3 days of making it! As soon as it hits the air and begins to oxidize, it loses some of its nutritional value. Some people (the really h-core ones) say to drink it within 24 hours, but realistically the oxidization process is so slow that you will never notice a difference.
• Store your juice in the fridge in a tightly sealed container… keeps it delicious and fresh for longer!
• Do NOT go crazy on juicing the fruit! Juicing only fruits makes a super high calorie drink. My goal is to always juice as many veggies as possible, and hide the taste (ahem..) with as few fruits as possible. That being said, fruity juices are fun treat too sometimes. 🙂

Have I blabbed your ear off enough? Well, I am not done quite yet. Drinking fresh juice also facilitates weight loss (!!!), increases energy levels, strengthens your immunity, and gives you a gorgeous glowing complexion. I WANT ALL THOSE THINGS!! Now, who is with me?!

On my first juicing quest I took my tips from a famous juicing book called “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.” It’s good, you should check it out. The juice I made today is called the “Mean Green Juice.” (<– sooo into that name.)

What’s in it:

• ½ cucumber
• 3 stalks of kale
• 2 pink lady apples
• ½ lemon
• large chunk ginger (I like mine extra gingery so use your judgement!)
• 2 celery stalks

Start by washing all your fruits and veggies well. Get all those nasty pesticides off! Now, core your apples and remove the skin from your lemon. Once you have put your apple core and lemon peel in the garbage, throw all your ingredients into your juicer!! And you have juice!!! 

You can bet your beautiful selves that you will have some custom Skinny Belle juicing recipes coming your way soon! For now, I thought I would share with you the wonders of juicing, and why you need to invest in a juicer. Breville tends to make great juicers, check them out here and here.

Can’t wait to start juicing with you guys!! <3

 x,

Let’s start off by talking about why I love ponchos so much. Think about it… they are basically a socially acceptable version of a blanket that you can wear all day long. I mean come on!! I can wear a blanket and not be publicly shamed? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Needless to say, ponchos for the win.

I got this grey and camel beauty from Lord & Taylor. If you want to see another one of my fave ponchos, check out this post. My gorg speckled sweater that I am wearing underneath is from Oak + Fort. Totally love their look, I find that it fits great with my style. These two pieces together made such a cozy outfit!

Now, here’s a tip for you. If you want to make your legs look longer, try pairing tall black boots with black jeans. It totally elongates the look of your legs and makes those babies look like they go on foreverrrr. Kind of like I do when I start blabbing on about something….. 😛 Kidding!! Kind of…

Anyways, I hope you guys love this casual outfit as much as I do! Have a great Wednesday <3

x,

Having a clean and simple 5-minute makeup look is a total necessity for me. If you are running late for work, school, or just life in general (it happens to the best of us,) this is a great way to look polished and put together in only a few minutes.

Before we dive on into things here, I feel the need to share my “daytime makeup philosophy” with you. LESS. IS. MORE. (<– bold anddd italicized because it is THAT important!) I am all about keeping my makeup as natural and simple as possible during the daytime. That way you can show off your natural beauty, and pretend like you don’t wear makeup at all. (AKA the lies we tell men all the time haha! I still maintain a strong front to my boyfriend that I never wear makeup 😉 )

Makeup is supposed to enhance your natural beauty, not cover it all up. Soooo, to look your most gorgeous during the daytime, be sure your makeup is bringing out your best features and not hiding them!

For my first makeup tutorial I will start with this super simple makeup look that is literally done in less than 5 minutes. This is important for efficiency queens like ourselves, because we obviously have important things to do and people to see! 😉

Here’s the skinny on how to get my 5-minute makeup look:

1) Start by applying a light powder to your whole face. Get it alllll over! Your eyelids and everything.

2) Next, contour your face by adding your bronzer. Go heavier on the bronzer on the frame of your face and just below your cheekbones to get a more defined look. My fave bronzer is Chanel’s “Healthy Glow Sheer.”

3) Eye shadow time! All you do here is take a light matte color, and put it in your inner eye lid and just below the arch of your eyebrow. This will open up your eye and make it look brighter. The Naked Basics palette (featured in the photos above) is my go-to shadow set for the day. As you can see I use the “W.O.S” shade every day haha.

4) Now take a slightly darker color (neutral and matte as well) and carefully blend it in to the crease of your eyelid to make those big beautiful eyes pop! I used “Naked 2” from my Naked Basics palette. 

5) Last step!! (See? I told you this was ridiculously easy) Mascara!!! This is the holy grail of makeup. For me, it is the most important step of all. I could skip all the rest and still be happy with just mascara haha. So apply your mascara evenly right from the base of your lashes all the way up. It is super important to get the mascara right down the base of your lashes, especially if you have light coloured hair. This way you wont have any awkward blonde lashes peeking out at the roots. I have used the same mascara since forever, and it is…. * drum roll * Lancome Hypnose!! It is seriously the best. Just go buy it now, and you won’t regret it… promise!

And you are done!! This look is really simple, and is a super quick fix for anyone who is in a rush. Nobody will know that you spent less than 5 minutes getting ready, and you can get along with ruling the world, like I know you do 😉

Give this quick look a try, and tell me what you think in the comments below!

x,

Fajitas are my go-to dinner choice. If anyone ever asks what we should make for dinner, it takes me less than a second to respond “FAJITAS!!!!!!” They are just so freaking awesome. I don’t know if I will ever get over them. We are in a long-term relationship and have celebrated many happy anniversaries together. 😛

Not only are these fajitas super tasty, but they are a skinny meal as well. You get protein, good fats (a few bad ones but we don’t talk about those 😉 ), and lots of nutrients. I am always so satisfied after eating these, and love the process of making my own fajita. It seems silly, but getting to put together your own little fajita is so much fun.

What’s in it:

• Whole wheat tortillas
• Avocado
• Fresh salsa (tomatos, cilantro, purple onion, salt, pepper)
• Shredded marble cheese (not so skinny, just don’t think about it haha)
• Sour cream (also just pretend this has no calories)
• Chicken breasts
• Cajun spices
• Purple onion
• Peppers (red & yellow)

Alrighty. Let’s do this.

Start by making your salsa. I always like to make my own because it is SO delicious and literally takes 2 minutes. Just chop up the tomatos, cilantro, and purple onion and mix em all together like a happy little family. Yes, a happy little family of salsa. Finish the salsa by squeezing some lime on top, and mixing in a little salt and pepper.

Next, prep your chicken by covering it in extra virgin olive oil, cajun spices, and salt/pepper. Veggie prep time! Slice up those peppers and purple onion and put a little bit of olive oil and salt/pepper on them. Heat up two frying pans, and cook your meat and your veggies separately. Make sure the chicken is cooked well, because raw chicken is just plain nasty. Confession: I am a major stickler for properly cooked chicken. I literally can’t stand it when chicken isn’t done well enough haha. So pleaseee just cook the chicken well and don’t get sick!

Once your veggies and chicken are cooked, you are ready to roll! Slice up the grilled chicken and set out all your other ingredients so you can make your own custom fajitas. If you like this kind of “make-your-own” meal, check out these Fish Tacos as well. 

This recipe is a great meal to make any night of the week, and leftovers are always tasty to have for lunch the next day. 🙂

Give this a go and let me know what you think!

x,

Happy New Years everyone! It is officially 2015, how crazy is that?! Just wanted to say a quick hello, and share these pics we snapped last night before we went out. I am so beyond stoked for 2015, and am confident that it will be even better than 2014! In the words of Walt Disney, “if you can dream it, you can do it.”

Hope you all have a great first day of 2015! Lots of love 🙂

x,

As promised, this post is going to get real. Ohhhh so real. 😛 But actually, I am totally guilty of never looking back and refleting on all the great things that have happened. I have a slighttt tendency (slight might be a bit of an understatement lol) to always be moving forwards without ever taking the time to reflect on the past.

Today, being that New Years Eve is tomorrow and all, I want to take a moment to think about what a great year it has been. 2014 has truly been amazing, and there have been so many significant moments that I never stopped to appreciate. There are lots of great things that have happened this year, but I will keep this short and sweet. 😉

GRAD!! 
To be honest, I wasn’t really that excited about graduation when it first happened. Probably because I actually graduated while I was on exchange and then had a delayed grad ceremony. Either way, thinking about it now, it seems pretty damn cool if you ask me. I now have a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia. Definitely will be doing another degree at some point! MBA perhaps?! 

SKINNY BELLE!!! 
Thissss is by far my favourite thing that has happened this year. Seriously, I cannot even tell you guys how much I love this place. It is such a fun and positive environment, and nothing makes me happier than reading your comments and getting to know you better. So thank you, for allowing me to do this!! I have so much awesome stuff planned for 2015 and I can hardly wait to share. 🙂

STUDY ABROAD!! 
This was also unreal. I am SO happy I was fortunate enough to have this opportunity. The first 4 months of 2014 were spent in Prague, Czech Republic. Here I studied and completed my Bachelor degree. “Studied” is a loose term… 😉 We saw many beautiful places, and met such great people from so many different countries. I was able to extend my trip by spending my summer modelling in Milan, Italy. This was also a highly rewarding experience, and I finally got to see my homeland! (I am actually an Italian citizen, believe it or not!)

Taking this time to reflect on 2014 has showed me how much great fortune I have had this past year. My experiences have been unparalleled, and I have learned so much. I truly believe that you never stop learning, and am looking forward to the things I will experience and learn in this coming year.

I encourage you to take the time and think about your 2014, and all the great experiences you had. Damn it!! I promised myself I wouldn’t get all emotional… but here I am all emotional n’ stuff. Anyways, that’s enough realness for one day haha. 

Let me know in the comments what your favourite memory of 2014 is! I would absolutely love to hear about it. 🙂

x,

New Years is almost here!!! New Years is one of my fave holidays. Why? It is purely an excuse to dress up and spend time with friends, all while enjoying great food and drinks. What’s not to love? It also gives us a great opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed, and what we are looking forward to in the coming year. BUT… I won’t get all real on you guys today. I will crack that can of worms open another day haha. This post is about booze!! I mean… an elegant beverage that you should consume responsibly. 😉

So I came up with this beauty of a drink and am quite positive that it will be making a big appearance on New Years eve. It is great because it is made with mostly water, which will keep you hydrated throughout the night. If you know what I meannn.

What’s in it:

• 4 tsp sugar
• 8 tsp water
• 16 blackberries (not really necessary to have this many, I just like lots)
• 2 oz white rum
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• Sparkling water (I used San Pellegrino)

Start by combining your sugar and water in a small cup. Mix warm water with the sugar is it can fully dissolve. Now, put 3 blackberries in the bottom of two separate glasses. Muddle those bad boys until they are nice and smooshy (<– totally is a word, let me have it haha.) Next you add about 6 ice cubes per drink, and pour half of the sugar & water mixture into each cup. Add 1 oz of white rum to each glass. Throw about 5 more blackberries in each cup. Don’t muddle these ones! They are meant to look pretty. Nowwww fill those cups up with your sparkling water, and add 1 sprig of rosemary to each cup! DONE AND DONE. You killed it. I can just tell. 🙂

I made this drink for Skinny Belle, because I wanted to make sure I shared a New Years drink recipe with you that wont break the bank in calories. You should really avoid drinking your calories whenever possible, because it is wayyy more fun to eat them haha. There is only 2 tsp (30 calories) of refined sugar per drink! Not bad if you ask me.

Give my Skinny Belle Blackberry Rosemary Mojito a try, and let me know what you think!

x,

Hello! So I am still in vacation-mode right now up in Whistler, Canada. It is snowing hard here and looks like a beautiful winter wonderland, I am going to try and go out to take some photos soon for you to share the winter love. I also wanted to share these photos with you that I shot a few days ago in Vancouver. In typical Vancouver fashion, it was raining like crazy the whole time! We managed to find a dry spot to snap a few pics though. 🙂

This is another Free People dress, I seem to be really into their brand lately haha! I love the black and gold look of this, it is so perfect to wear to holiday parties… even maybe on New Years eve! The best part about this dress? How loose and flowy it is. Seriously though. The other night I made the fatal mistake of wearing a tight dress to a holiday party and regretted it all night long. Why? Food. Food = the most amount of discomfort possible in a tight dress. Anyways, I was sad about my clothing choice all night long like a grumpy little toddler or something haha. This dress, would have been a much smarter decision! Which is why it will most likely be making another appearance at some holiday dinners over the next few days.

On the other hand, these shoes? Allllllways a good life choice. They are my Jimmy Choos (aka my pride, joy, and loves of my life 😉 .) Seriously the most comfortable shoes, and they look freaking bomb. I really should wear these more often but it kind of feels like a crime to wear them in the rain. I felt pretty guilty even after just taking photos in the rain of them! “I’m sorry my sweet sweet babies, I will do better I swear” <3 (All totally normal behavior…. 😛 )

Do you guys have a fave holiday dress to wear to dinner parties?! Let me know in the comments below, and if you have a blog feel free to link me to a post with your favourite holiday outfit. I would love to check it out! <3

x,

Today is a happy happy day. I am a bit late to join this bandwagon but I am officially in full-on psycho Christmas mode. My version of the holidays is relaxing on a mountain with the people I love, and taking every opportunity to make things a little more special than normal.

And that is EXACTLY what I am doing. My days are suppppperrrr stressful lately. I can’t EVEN. 😉 Here’s how it goes… Wake up, go skiing, après ski, relax, and repeat. This is pretty much my perfect holiday situation I have going on right now.

Today I varied a bit from my super strict schedule (lol) and made my fave pancakes before I went skiing. This is my classic pancake trick that always impresses whoever I make them for, and nobody needs to know they are not from scratch!

Now… here’s the trick. I make my pancakes skinny by shredding up a ton of apple and adding it in with the pancake mix. This is probably the greatest thing ever for two reasons.

• First, it cuts out half the carbs!! You are officially eating half the amount of pancakes that you were eating before without even knowing it! WOOO! This is reason to celebrate in my world lol.
• Second, the apple makes the pancakes taste so freaking delicious. There have been special requests made for my pancakes to always and forever be made with apple. So, my taste testers have spoken! Apple pancakes for the win. 🙂

To make your own apple pancakes, simply buy your fave pancake mix (and any ingredients it says you need,) and an apple. I like to use a Fuji apple because their flavor is just the best. Shred the apple and add it to your pre-made pancake mix (after following the directions on your mix) and voila! You are done! Be ready to impress your friends with this cozy holiday treat that in no way will break the bank in calories. (Unless you smother it in real maple syrup, which I may or may not have done, but whatevs it’s the holidays haha.)

Hope you are all having a great Sunday! Happy holidays 🙂

x,

Hi everyone! So I took these photos when I was up in Whistler this weekend. The original plan was to shoot this dress out on the end of a dock on this gorgeous frozen lake. Because that’s a normal thing to want… right? I had a vision, JEEZE. So anyways, we get out there and its about -100 degrees Celsius and I am slipping and sliding all over the place in my heels on this stupid frozen dock. I think I slightly resembled a drowning squirrel, at least that’s how I felt lol. This would be the point when I promptly declared that I hated Canada and had no idea why I live in such a cold place. Weird, because I love skiing and that’s in the cold. But apparently I don’t like the cold so much when it is off the mountains haha! Don’t worry, I actually do love Canada lots I was just angry at that the weather was stopping me from getting my perfect shot. 😛

Once I realized it was basically like the North Pole outside, I decided it would be better to shoot this look inside. Not the original style of photo I wanted for you guys today, but I don’t have hypothermia so that’s a plus. (Only a problem Canadian bloggers will understand haha.)

This dress is a new find from Free People. The material is soooo cozy, it’s a great dress for winter. One of my favourite parts of the dress are the cutouts on the arms and waist. They add such a nice shape to the dress, which tends to emphasize them curves. (Yes, them curves. Lol.)

My shoes are from Nine West, and are also so comfy (especially for heels!) I am totally into the pointed toe look these days. There will be quite a few more shoes like this coming your way soon! Check out this post where I also wore these shoes. 

And finally, my beauuuutiful pearls. These bad boys are from Birks. They make me feel like a freaking rockstar. Why? Whooooo knows. Just something about them. Do you ever have that? When something you own just makes you feel outrageously fab for no good reason? It’s kind of the best! Haha 🙂 

Can’t wait to share my upcoming posts with you, lots of fun stuff planned!

x,