What I learned from an Australian woman (and others) in Nicaragua

I'm starting to think of people I meet as characters from a movie or novel. Everyone with their own special quirks or appearance. Everyone saying some line or doing some action to drive the plot that is my life forward. I realize this sounds self-centered. It is. But it also makes meeting new people incredibly more interesting. Last Thursday, August 11 around 7 pm, during my first evening here in Nicaragua, I met a new character named Aly. She was a Australian woman with big, tanned arms and thin, dark blonde hair. She talked with confidence and a charming accent. She intimidated me with her various adventure stories and legs so full of bug bites, she might as well be covered in splotchy red freckles. Insecure and wondering what in the world I was doing here in this strange, ugly city all alone, Aly made me feel weak and ridiculous. Just by her presence alone, I could tell she was strong. And there I was on my first night in Managua, never feeling weaker. 

Aly told me about spending weeks sleeping in hammocks in the Nicaraguan jungle, waking up with mysterious insects crawling up her neck, and riding for hour on public buses so over-crowded with passengers that she could hardly breathe. Aly's stories first shocked, but later inspired me. She was a woman ready for an adventure. "How can I be more like that?" I asked myself. How can I be a character worth meeting? Worth remembering? I started my week in Managua feeling out of my league. The streets are dirty, the homes are small, amenities are sparse if not entirely unavailable, and despite my best efforts to learn Spanish, even the language is foreign. I never admitted once on my trip but now that it’s over, I'll admit it...I was scared. However, the incredible example of Aly the Adventurer, inspired me to woman up. Past my insecurities and fragilities was a good experience waiting for me to enjoy! 

My days in Nicaragua mostly included accompanying my friend (and my only original contact there) in her ministry, during which she would conduct bible studies with locals that came from the coast. I was able to meet several new people that sacrificed their comfortable lives back in the States to pursue a life in full time ministry. Renouncing modern amenities for a life of mosquito spray and uncomfortable sleeping mattresses suddenly sounded oddly appealing. If these young people are doing it, why can’t I? Seeing the examples of people my own age making sacrifices for something greater for themselves, and seemingly loving every minute of it, made me reflect on what is truly important in life. 

I entered Nicaragua feeling lonely, intimidated, and frankly, disgusted. I left feeling refreshed, loved, and eager to plan my trip back. 

I’m learning that every day is another page of our own individual autobiographies. Every moment, every thought, every day holds opportunities to create an interesting story. Perhaps even a best-seller. 

What I learned from an Australian woman (and others) in Nicaragua

I'm starting to think of people I meet as characters from a movie or novel. Everyone with their own special quirks or appearance. Everyone saying some line or doing some action to drive the plot that is my life forward. I realize this sounds self-centered. It is. But it also makes meeting new people incredibly more interesting. Last Thursday, August 11 around 7 pm, during my first evening here in Nicaragua, I met a new character named Aly. She was a Australian woman with big, tanned arms and thin, dark blonde hair. She talked with confidence and a charming accent. She intimidated me with her various adventure stories and legs so full of bug bites, she might as well be covered in splotchy red freckles. Insecure and wondering what in the world I was doing here in this strange, ugly city all alone, Aly made me feel weak and ridiculous. Just by her presence alone, I could tell she was strong. And there I was on my first night in Managua, never feeling weaker. 

Aly told me about spending weeks sleeping in hammocks in the Nicaraguan jungle, waking up with mysterious insects crawling up her neck, and riding for hour on public buses so over-crowded with passengers that she could hardly breathe. Aly's stories first shocked, but later inspired me. She was a woman ready for an adventure. "How can I be more like that?" I asked myself. How can I be a character worth meeting? Worth remembering? I started my week in Managua feeling out of my league. The streets are dirty, the homes are small, amenities are sparse if not entirely unavailable, and despite my best efforts to learn Spanish, even the language is foreign. I never admitted once on my trip but now that it’s over, I'll admit it...I was scared. However, the incredible example of Aly the Adventurer, inspired me to woman up. Past my insecurities and fragilities was a good experience waiting for me to enjoy! 

My days in Nicaragua mostly included accompanying my friend (and my only original contact there) in her ministry, during which she would conduct bible studies with locals that came from the coast. I was able to meet several new people that sacrificed their comfortable lives back in the States to pursue a life in full time ministry. Renouncing modern amenities for a life of mosquito spray and uncomfortable sleeping mattresses suddenly sounded oddly appealing. If these young people are doing it, why can’t I? Seeing the examples of people my own age making sacrifices for something greater for themselves, and seemingly loving every minute of it, made me reflect on what is truly important in life. 

I entered Nicaragua feeling lonely, intimidated, and frankly, disgusted. I left feeling refreshed, loved, and eager to plan my trip back. 

I’m learning that every day is another page of our own individual autobiographies. Every moment, every thought, every day holds opportunities to create an interesting story. Perhaps even a best-seller. 

Summer 2016

What an amazing summer this has been! It all started with the marriage of my beautiful cousin and her one true love. This was the event that set the rest all into motion. Just days after the ceremony, I was whisked away to a small Mexican island off the shore of Cancun. The island is called Isla Mujeres and there I met an abundance of spiritual brothers and sisters that, with their happiness and zeal for God and for life, changed my perspective on my own life. I would like to thank the Pate family (again) for including me on that trip. Ah! What an experience! My 10 days in Isla Mujeres ended too quickly as from there I traveled back to the States to meet my mom and stepfather in Dallas and watch my stepbrother graduate from his university. Congrats G!! Only hours later, we left for Maui, which filled my heart with nostalgic memories of my childhood. For 10 years, I had spent every winter in Maui, and finally, as a young adult, there I was again. After my invigorating experience in Mexico, my excited outlook on the future meshed inspiringly with the nostalgic beach setting. That trip, too, came to a quick end... Only to return home to boring Ol' Oklahoma for four days and pack for my next adventure--ITALY! I had never been so emotional leaving the country before. Suddenly, the hard realization that I would be on my own in this venture made me even doubt my decision to go. I cried! But this was my DREAM! Ever since my first trip to Europe as a little girl, I knew in my heart I would return on my own one day and live as a local. The opportunity to study my favorite subject, Art History, in my favorite country, Italia, was literally a dream come true. The four weeks I spent there went by too fast. I was sad to leave, but my next destination proved to be worth the departure. I arrived in Arnhem, Netherlands one rainy summer day, sad and depressed from leaving my dreamland of Florence. My mood quickly changed to optimistic when I began making friends with locals and spending time with the lovely Holwerda family (thank you Lauren for everything! You are amazing!). I left Europe for good on July 4th, just in time for our 2016 Regional Convention which was so beautiful and touching! The following Friday, I met up with my beautiful cousin Jayden and tagged along with her family road-trip to Sante Fe, New Mexico. We made some new friends from the local congregation who made us laugh and forced us out of our comfort zone while hiking Tent Rocks. In Riudoso, New Mexico, we were reminded of the healing powers of nature and how sometimes, getting lost out in the mountains during a rainstorm can actually be a lot of fun. I returned home, refusing to unpack, and prepared for my next trip: St. Petersburg, Florida. There I spent time with my lovely father and his wife and their two naked cats. I also learned a little Bosnian and Bulgarian and how make it very clear to your High Tea waiter that you do not belong at High Tea. Leaving Florida was harder than I expected. I found myself uncharacteristically missing home... Stability... My own bed and my dog, even. This was a weird feeling for me. I remember a get together at my home in May, just after coming home from Maui, and saying these words to some friends: "I could easily move to another country. I don't have any attachments that would keep me from leaving." As I boarded my flight to Nicaragua just yesterday, I began to realize how wrong I truly was with that statement. I miss my home! My family! My friends! My mom and her cooking! Thinking of my loved ones made my heart swell with sentiment and actually made me regret taking this next adventure. I highly recommend NOT thinking these things when boarding a flight to a third-world country. It just makes adapting to the lack of modern luxuries (hot water, comfortable bed, air-conditioning, language barriers) that much harder! I am writing this on the second day of my week here in Nicaragua and thankfully my attitude is already shifting back to the initial excitement I felt while booking the trip. Like every trip I find myself on, I'm so happy I am here and so ready for the adventure. So, here's to more experiences ahead! And to always exploring! Ciao (:

Tropical Stay-cation in a Glass

Hello friends!! Long time no read! It's been a few months since my last blog entry... Okay, half a year. Despite the time gap and the absence of my digital, health-conscious, advice-giving presence, I am back, with every intention of continuing the original spirit of this Blonde Smoothie campaign. I write this as I walk my dog up our neighborhood street. My mid June day has been filled with sunshine and its hugging heat. Summers in Oklahoma sure do take it out of ya. By five o'clock in the afternoon, I'm exhausted and hungry, craving a refreshing pick-me-up to help me get through what's left of the day. 

I've recently been exposed to the cosmetic and healthy living brand Arbonne. Arbonne is an organic, vegan friendly, gluten-free, harmful chemical-free Sweedish born, Californian raised company that promotes beauty through health. Last week I was invited to a party where we tried on moisturizer and blush, drank smoothies and green tea, and pondered the significance of toxins in our diets. (It got very deep.) One of the several items I purchased at this party was the Arbonne protein powder in vanilla. The shipment just came in yesterday, and to celebrate its arrival and to quench my summer cravings, I threw together a green smoothie -- Arbonne style. 

Tropical Vanilla Protien Smoothie

Ingredients

-1 cup almond milk

-6 handfuls Super Greens

-1/2 cup broccoli 

-1 frozen banana

-large handful of frozen pineapple

-large handful of frozen strawberries 

-two scoops of Arbonne Protien powder in Vanilla 

As usual, I start only with the milk and greens, blending them alone to pulverize the most amount of greens possible, thickening the almond milk base for the rest of the smoothie. I then added the rest of the ingredients into my VitaMix and blended until smooth. Serves two. 

The pineapple taste takes you straight to California coast. Or the Gulf of Mexico. Or Hawaii. The taste reminds you a beach. Whatever destination floats your boat. Let your mind relax as you sip this smoothie. I've realized this is the Arbonne way. This is the California way. A way to relax, appreciate, and love. It's a vacation in a glass. Enjoy (:

A Winter Remedy: The Green Chocolate Smoothie

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”– Henry Ford

I start today's blog post with this cool quote by Henry Ford as an ode to the lugubrious state of affairs that currently surround my life. As of late, the wind against me has seemed far too strong to take off.

Though I don't tend to view myself as an airplane or any distant relative of such a contraption for that matter, I like the idea. Airplanes, as taken for granted as they are nowadays, magnificently overcome the most powerful force on Earth- gravity. They are the product of painstaking design, engineering, and craftsmanship. They are, with out a doubt, the product of thoughtful and intelligent artists. Aircraft are, in their simplest definition, important. 

So maybe being compared to an airplane isn't half bad. As far as obscure compliments go (remember when William/Ulrich adorably compared Jocelyn to the Bible?) a likeness to the airplane is beautifully understandable. 

Though taking the quote completely out of context, Mr. Ford seemed to want to convey that we must all remember the possibility of finding the good out of the bad, or the warmth out of the cold. 

I don't really know what this all has to do with smoothies, but it has to do with me, and I guess it relates because I made this smoothie. I call it Green Chocolate. 

In the winter, (I'm starting to remember why I decided on the melancholy introductory paragraph) my happiness dims like the short living sun. I cling to warmth by the fireplace and snuggle with those I love for compensation of the great flames of the forgotten summer sky. Smoothies--a cold, refreshing, energizing drink--are the epitome of what summer stands for, which is maybe why I engage in such a love affair with them. It seems in the gray and windy season of Winter, there is not much room for my favorite fuel. 

I wondered, how can this change?

The answer? It's simple: chocolate and mugs. 

Green Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients:

- 7 oz (approx) spinach/kale/swiss chard

- 1/2 - 3/4 cup almond milk 

- small handful of frozen cherries

- 1 banana

- 1 packet Amazing Meal Cafe Mocha blend

As always, blend these ingredients together in your VitaMix. Serves 1. 

I want to talk about mugs. Mugs have a psychological effect on my eating habits that force me to slow down on my drinking. Parrallel to the high-stress, always-on-the-go lifestyle I can never seem to escape, my eating habits have quickened pace as well. When dining with friends, I often find myself the first to finish my meal, and the nagging feeling of not enjoying the dinning experience to the full. A mug, for me, tells me it is time to relax, as I feel when I'm happily sipping my morning coffee or night-time hot tea. 

A mug means you are in your happy place.

I decided the best way to enjoy this smoothie to pour my drink into a mug, sit by the fire, and enjoy every sip. I topped my drink with organic hemp seed and relaxed in the warmth of the red before me. I felt the summer inside myself smiling, thankful that I had found joy in the season of sad. 

Despite the heavy winds, I know we can take off. Maybe we aren't even airplanes, who delay their flights in stormy weather, we are birds, who endure even in a storm. I hope that my readers (all three of you) realize their "happy place" and the essential props accompanying such contentment. For me, all that is needed is some chocolate, a mug, a blanket of warmth surrounding me. 

xx

Chocolate, a mug, and a blanket of warmth surrounding me (:

Smoothie Post: Cookies and Cream!

I got sick. As much as I tried avoiding doorknobs, shaking hands with others, densely populated areas, and human contact in general, I. Got. Sick. 

Sigh. 

My last few days have been spent almost entirely snuggled into my covers, moving as little as humanly possible, and marathoning Netflix television shows. Unfortunately, I got the kind of sick that makes you whiney and lazy, but I didn't get the kind of sick that makes you lose your appetite and makes you really skinny. So here I am, feeling really sick and also feeling really fat due to my complete lack of physical activity. 

To compete with my new sedimentary lifestyle, I have developed a revolutionary new smoothie that tastes like just the comfort you need during a sad and pathetic Day of Sickness. 

Introducing: COOKIES AND CREAM SMOOTHIE. It really tastes like cookies and cream. It felt like drinking a hug. And who doesn't want a hug when they're sick??

Cookies n' Cream Smoothie 

Ok I am going to give you the simple recipe for this, but in exchange, I want you to make this smoothie and drink it. I know you guys just like to read my posts but don't actually make these smoothies, but I promise you that it really tastes delicious. This is the perfect transitional smoothie to get you into the healthier swing of things. 

Still making excuses not to make it? To help you decide, I've provided below a list of indicators that you need to make and drink this smoothie. If after reading, you feel you do not identify with any of these traits, I will fairly allow you to move on with your life. But just know--I honestly feel sorry for you, for you have lost out on so much. And you will most probably die alone, if you don't count you 37 cats.

Try this smoothie if you:

-Want to get more greens in your diet

-Need a meal, but are in a time crunch

-You are a vegetarian having trouble incorporating protein in your diet

-Craving a healthy dessert alternative

-Like cookies and cream

-Are an awesome, super-cool, person that looks really good in the color black 

If you experience one or more of the things above, congratulations! You qualify to drink this amazingly awesome Cookies and Cream smoothie!

Ingredients:

-1/2-1 cup almond milk 

-1 banana

-frozen berries (I used cherries in the photos below, but blueberries or strawberries also work)

-as much spinach (or kale, mixed greens, etc) as you can fit (seriously, stuff those bad boys in there)

-2 scoops of Cookies n' Cream Herbalife Formula

I meant it when I said, "stuff as much spinach as you can in that bad boy!"

This batch yielded about 40 oz. If you replace one meal a day for one cup, or 8 ounces, of a green smoothie, this amount will last you around five days. It took me less than 10 minutes to prepare and serve this smoothie. Aside from the amazing health benefits (which I will get to later), think of all the time that would be saved by cooking this up at the beginning of your week!

Read about replacing your meals with smoothies and how to portion them here.

As far as the health benefits go, this smoothie is the living definition of "nutritious and delicious".

Because there are so many benefits, and I am an incredibly lazy human being, below I have provided links proving the substance of these ingredients.

Read about how almond milk compares to cow's milk here.

Read a nutritional overview of banana's here.

Read about the connection between eating strawberries and blueberries and good heart health here.

Read about the importance of incorporating greens in your diet here.

Read the nutritional information of the Herbalife formula here.

\

Though I'm iffy about this Herbalife formula, this brand of almond milk is totally GREAT. Completely GMO FREE!!

I hope I have convinced you to give this smoothie a shot. While I believe this is totally delicious, I recommend using this formula seldom, and more as a transitional aid into more natural recipes, than as a long term meal replacement. I say this because, while it does contain factors such as high protein and a variety of great vitamins, the Cookies n' Cream formula is NOT organic.

Still, it is a great alternative to chowing down on this. (;

So, if you are in need of a treat, I urge you to try this super tasty, super delicious smoothie. It might just make you so happy that you end up having a super awesome day!

Thanks for reading and happy eating!!

The Best Midnight Snack You Will Ever Eat

So here I am this Saturday night wasting away my worries in Netflix and snotty tissues (I'm sick right now- I don't just keep messy tissues around), when I realized the perfect thing to compliment this marathon of The Carrie Daires would be a delicious spoonful of raw peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough. 

The moment quickly passed when I remembered the ridiculous rule I have set to keep sweets away from the fridge in fear of uncontrollably binging on them while late-night marathoning of The Carrie Daires. Creatively enough though, i conjured up a delisciously healthy alternative that won't keep me too long from the TV. So, here is my totally wholesome alternative for a late-night super-sweet-peanut-butter-chocolate craving. 

Ingredients (only 3!!)

-freshly ground peanut butter

-local honey 

-semi-sweet vegan chocolate chip cookies

 

Mix all the ingredients together. When I was making my mix, I only had  about 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and maybe two tablespoons of chocolate chips. I poured the CCs in the peanut butter but there wasn't enough peanut butter. So out of desperation, I added a spoonful of almond butter to the mix (yeah, things got super wild tonight). Oddly enough, the mix tasted pretty good!! It was a perfect combination of chunky and smooth, plus the whole chocolately and savory bit. 

Moral of the story: it is 2:24 in the morning right now and my writing capabilities are quickly crumbling. I must bid adieu!! Plus I don't want to be distracted because Carrie is about to tell Sebastian how she never really got over his kissing Maggie and... omg I need a life. 

Xx

-Molly