Naturally Lindsay

Let’s Get Started | 12-Weeks to a Happier and Healthier Life

August 31, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 1 Comment

Hello! This post is getting up a lot later than I had planned but we moved last Thursday and life has been a bit chaotic. Today marks the start of my 12 week journey to a healthier and happier life. I’m happy to report that day one was a great start and I am looking forward to the next 12 weeks. Before we get into the goals and some news I have to share I will first show you my day 1 photos.

Okay so most of these are pretty cringe worthy to me but this is me showing you reality. A reality that I am not happy with but I am striving to make healthy changes to get myself back on track. To help me get back on track I am working with health coach and blogger Brittany Mullins aka Eating Bird Food. Fun fact she is also an IIN grad.

But wait aren’t you a health coach? Yes I am a health coach who after two children finding myself in need of a little help and guidance. Yes, health coaches sometimes need a coach of their own. I mean practice what you preach, am I right?

Anyways I signed up for Brittany’s 28 Day Challenge program and I am so excited to see what sort of transformation takes place over the next 28 days. Side note (disclaimer) I am not sponsored to talk about Brittany’s program and I paid for it myself. The program has a meal guide and sample plan, a workout plan, lots of information and tips on how to live a healthy life, a Facebook support group and weekly e-mail support from Brittany.

In addition to the 28 Day Challenge and the guide/goals it sets out I also have three of my own goals for the next two weeks.

(Dietary Goal) Drink half my weight in water everyday. I used to be so good at drinking water and then I don’t know what happened but my goal is to get back at it. Drinking water makes me feel more awake, more alive, more energetic and just happier.
(Physical Goal) Go for a walk everyday – rain or shine. We just moved back into our favorite Portland neighborhood and it is the perfect spot to get out and go for a walk. I want to move my body more everyday and I also want to take the time to go for a walk with my littles so that we can talk, explore and spend quality time together.
(Mental Goal) Spend 15 minutes per day reading a book. I read lots of books to my littles and blogs but I really don’t spend a lot of time reading for pleasure. I have a ‘to read’ list a mile long so now is the time to take a break from TV, the computer, social media and just take a few minutes for myself with a good book.

So that’s it for this week’s post. I’ll be back with progress photos and to tell you how things are going in two weeks. Until then you can follow me on social media where I’ll be giving lots of updates!

What are your three goals for the next two weeks?

Autumn Spiced Vanilla Latte

August 30, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 1 Comment

After a crazy heat wave here in Portland we have finally had a bit of cool and rainy weather. I don’t know about you but cool, rainy weather = coffee in my world. Also moving with a one-year-old and a three-year-old also = coffee (coffee, coffee). So what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than making an Autumn Spiced syrup while your husband makes you an espresso for your homemade latte?
When we lived in Montpelier Vermont we used to go to Birchgrove Bakery (the name may be different now) and they had the best Autumn Spiced latte. I have no idea what was in it but I remember flavors of vanilla and cinnamon so I decided to make my own spiced syrup.

For the Autumn Spiced syrup you will need:

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of ground ginger
dash of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Bring the coconut sugar and water to a boil. Stir in the spices. Turn the heat down a bit and simmer until thick stirring frequently. Do not walk away from this because you don’t want want it to boil over or to burn. Once it coats the back of a spoon (about 3-4 minutes) pour into a heat proof container to cool slightly. To make the latte you will need one to two shots of espresso or you can make a cafe au lait by using your favorite coffee. Heat up the Almond Breeze Unsweetened (the syrup will be sweet enough) Vanilla Almond Coconut Milk and use an electric frother to create a really great foam. Add 1-3 teaspoons of syrup to your espresso/coffee and mix together then slowly add in the steamed milk and top with the delicious foam.

This drink is seriously delicious and while I usually drink my coffee black it will be the perfect treat for the Fall and Winter. I think I might even try it in my roasted dandelion teas as well; I bet it will be fantastic.

What gets you excited about Fall? For me it’s the crisp weather, Gilmore Girls (I re-watched it each Fall) and warm coffee.

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk.

INSPIRED | Life, Home & Lorna Jane Clarkson’s Newest Book Release

August 27, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 3 Comments

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Lorna Jane via FitApproach. All opinions are my own.

Over the past few months the idea of living an inspired life has really become something of importance to me. I am actively seeking out inspiration in all aspects of life from food, to family, to fitness and beyond. Beyond seeking inspiration I also want to be an inspiration to others, but the thing is it all starts with you and often with home.

I’m thrilled to announce we have found a home that just overflowing with inspiration. From the moment we walked through the door we knew that it was just the place for us. This old home with it’s little details that just make you smile and feel warm and welcomed. Oh and the neighborhood – swoon – it’s one of our favorites in Portland and it’s close knit neighborhood vibe is perfect for finding inspiration everywhere you look.

Beyond the house and neighborhood is outfitting our home and I mean honestly when you are looking to live an inspired life what is better than a beautiful coffee table book that fits the style of our home. This incredibly beautiful book titled Inspired from Lorna Jane Clarkson is the perfect addition to our new home. I find myself flipping through it when I am in need of a really great workout or a great post workout smoothie (can we say Salted Caramel Protein Shake?).

Speaking of recipes there are a number of nourishing recipes filled with beautiful photos that have been salivating each time I flip through and I planning on trying out every nice cream (pg 84) recipe starting with the cotton candy flavor.

Some days all I need is a few motivational words to help me feel inspired or simple to help me through the day. Thankfully this book is filled with beautiful and inspiring quotes that fill me up everyday. I know it’s a bit cheesy and I always turned my nose up at quotes but lately I’m finding that there is nothing better than a good inspirational quote especially when I start to feel my mood plummet downwards or the smoke start to come out of my ears.

Simply put this beautiful book is one that I plan to proudly display in our home where I can easily pull it out for inspiration and so that it can be enjoyed by friends and family. Cheers to an inspired life and surrounding yourself with inspiring people, words and ideas.

What/who inspires you? How do you live an inspired life?

2-Ingredient Salted Caramel Almond Bark

August 25, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 7 Comments

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.

My sweet tooth is pretty limited to coconut milk “ice cream” and chocolate. I hate to admit that I have been indulging in both a bit too much lately but c’est le vie. One of my favorite combinations with both coconut milk “ice cream” and chocolate is salted caramel a trend that I will be riding out until the end (and beyond).

Of course when these salted caramel Blue Diamond almonds arrived on my door step my first thought was these would go fantastic with chocolate and guess what? I was right.

For this (non)recipe you will need two things: Blue Diamond Salted Caramel Almonds and dark chocolate chips. Easy as that.

Once you have acquired these two items you will also need a sheet of parchment paper. Measure out about 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips and set aside. Measure out another 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and melt in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in-between until melted. Stir the reserved 1/4 cup of chocolate chips until melted as well; this will help to cool down the chocolate mixture faster. Then stir 2 heaping tablespoons of Blue Diamond Salted Caramel almonds into the mixture and then pour the mixture on to a sheet of parchment paper and smooth out into a thin layer.

Sprinkle the top of the chocolate bark with leftover chocolate chips and almonds. Place in the fridge and cool for at least an hour and store in the fridge.
I tell you this is an easy (not really a) recipe that pairs two delicious things together. Now I’m off to steal another piece or two for an afternoon treat.

What is your favorite flavor/food to combine with chocolate?

12-Weeks to a Happier and Healthier Life

August 24, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 6 Comments

ClassPass Fitness Night Out | THE BAR METHOD

Spring 2015

Let’s get real here for a moment. My workouts have been frankly non-existent for the past 8-weeks. My diet has been less than ideal. My weight is still 40+ pounds higher than my pre-pregnancy weight with Edith. My energy has been low. My mental state has been foggy, impatient and less than happy.

It’s time for a change. A real change.

This week we are moving to a new house in one of our favorite neighborhoods. Life is slowing down and it’s time for me to recommit to myself and my health so I can feel more balanced, more energetic and frankly a happier, calmer and more positive person.

You might be reading this and thinking here we go Lindsay and her challenges, goals, etc that don’t end up going anywhere. Yes I know I am an over committer and I haven’t completed a number of challenges lately and….well look where it’s got me, eh? That’s why this isn’t a challenge it’s simple an accountability check-in.

For the next 12-weeks and possibly longer I plan to do bi-weekly accountability check-in posts to keep me in check and to share my journey back to being a fit, healthy and happier person. Every two weeks I will share a photo of myself, weight +/-, three goals, a check in regarding the previous weeks three goals and a summary of how things are going, changes I am experiencing and ups and downs.

This all being said I’d love for your to join me on this journey to a happier, healthier life. Join me starting August 31st as I do my first check-in. I’ll share where I am starting at and I will also share three goals one dietary, one physical and one mental. You can share your own check-in in the comments, on your own blog or your social media. If there is enough interest generated we could also create a Facebook check-in/accountability group but we can cross that bridge when we get there.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and we’ll check-in next week for my (and your) first accountability check-in.

P.S. I’m joining prAna and Sweat Pink for a super fun, #7daystretch #liveinprana challenge – it starts today (Monday, August 24th) and ends at the end of the week (Sunday, August 30th). Join in on the fun – answering daily prompts (see below) – or if you’d prefer to lurk, you can follow along on FitApproach or through the hashtags: #liveinprana #7daystretch #sweatpink!

#WIAW: A Focus On Local Eats

August 12, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 3 Comments

Is it only Wednesday? This week is dragging but at least the food I’ve been munching on has been tasty. I am on week two of my local foods challenge and so far it’s going really well. I’m at about 47% local due to picking up a few treat items the other night but I have no fear that I’ll be back up to 50%+ next week with my organics box delivery which is almost all locally sourced produce.

Now onto the food!

Breakfast: Love Grown Foods Oatmeal with a local juicy peach, Forage cashew milk, Date Lady syrup and cinnamon.

The internet buzz about Love Grown Foods oatmeal won and I picked up a packaged of their oats this week. The verdict? It was so good! I picked up the Super Oats Nuts & Seeds and it is filled with Gluten-free oats, chia seeds, almonds, quinoa flakes, amaranth flakes, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and flaxseed. I topped it with a local juicy peach from our organics box and a few of my other favorite toppings. It was a simply, filling and delicious breakfast.

Lunch: Loaded Baked Potato Fries with Shiitake Mushroom Bacon

I made Neil and I these loaded baked french fry bowls for lunch on Sunday. All of the produce which included potatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, tomato and shiitake mushrooms were all locally sourced. To make the shiitake bacon I sauteed them with coconut aminos and a little (vegan) bacon salt. I also topped our fries with tahini sauce and za’taar.

Snack Time!

My favorite snack right now is Nu Culture “cheese” (based in The Dalles, OR) on stoned wheat crackers and a seltzer. These cheeses are so good! If you follow me on instagram you might remember the bacon chipotle flavor I tried a few weeks ago. This time we tried the garden herbs and it was also super good. It’s creamy, tangy and just a nice treat.

Dessert (why yes I did skip dinner because it was too ugly to share)

Lastly, it’s all about the coconut ice cream. We were in Sellwood (PDX) yesterday for a doctors appointment and dinner. We came across a new ice cream cart at the Sellwood food cart pod and not only did it have sorbet but they also had coconut “ice cream”. We sampled each flavor and decided to share the coconut and strawberry coconut between the four of us. It was super creamy and flavorful. Edith has declared that she doesn’t want to share again that she needs to have her own of the “white one”. Check it out of you are in Sellwood or honestly head down and make a special trip.

What have you been eating this week? Any fun new food finds or recipes?

Wicked | Portland Broadway

August 10, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 11 Comments

Thursday night I was lucky enough to head downtown to the Keller Auditorium to see Wicked. This is a broadway show that I have had on my bucket list for years and finally I was able to cross it off last week. The show was simply spectacular and I wish that I had time to go see it once more before it leaves Portland (the show is here until 8/23!)

photo credit: Production photos of the national tour of Wicked © Broadway.com

While this show has been on my bucket list I honestly didn’t know much about the actual show beyond the fact that it has to do with the witches from The Wizard of Oz and that everyone I know who has seen it has given it a raving review. Honestly I’m glad I wasn’t familiar with the show because it was wonderful to watch the story unfold for the first time. For those of you who are curious the show tells the back story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. I won’t give anymore away you’ll have to go see it to find out more.

The acting was incredible, the singing beautiful and the set was incredibly impressive. One thing that surprised me about the show was how funny it was. The show flowed perfectly and it had perfect audience cues as to when it was one should laugh or clap. I actually felt like the show just didn’t feel live because it was just so well done. If I wasn’t sitting there watching it myself I would have thought I was watching a movie. Simply amazing.

I am so happy to cross this off my bucket list but I have actually added it again but this time to go as a family once the littles are big enough to sit through a long show. So glad my first Portland Broadway experience was such a positive one and I can’t wait to return for another show.

Don’t worry you can still get tickets to this wonderful show and it is here until August 23, 2015.

Disclaimer: I received two complimentary tickets to this show. I was not required to right a review. As always all opinions are my own and I truly loved this show.

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