food

baking & boots

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

A few weekends ago, I committed to attending the REI Garage Sale with my boyfriend.  This event allows you to purchase slightly (or aggressively) used apparel and equipment at a faction of the cost.  We got a late ticket time, so it was slim pickings by noon.  I was on the hunt for hiking boots and a puffy down coat.  My puffy coat dreams will have to wait, but I did manage to find a pair of Lowa hiking boots for $100!  Colin told me that was steal for that brand, especially since they didn’t even appear to be used at all.  I swallowed the vomit that spending $100 on hiking boots brought on* and made the purchase.

I also found a pair of Smart Wool long johns for $5.  SCORE.

Took these bad boys for a spin around Sloan Lake this morning.

boots

I am one step closer to not dropping loads of dough on hiking and camping equipment.

#coloradolife

I also spent the weekend cooking and baking up a storm.  I have a giant bag of Made in Nature dried figs that I purchased from Costco.  They stopped carrying the dried mango (WHY??!  WHYYYYYY!?!), so I thought these would cut it.

Although delicious, they are not, in any way shape or form, the same as dried mangos.

NOTHING is as delicious as these dried mangos.

Except tacos.  Always tacos.

I knew I needed to make something with my JUMBO bag of dried figs, so I present to you…

APPLE FIG CRUMBLE

(gluten and dairy free if you wanna be)

crumble

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • Grease a 9×9 pan with Kerrygold butter (or coconut oil)
  • In a blender/food processor mix
    • 1 cup gluten free oats
    • 1/4 cup raw almonds
    • 1/4 cup pecans
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar (mine was rock hard so I blended it)
    • 2 tablespoons cinammon
  • Mix your oat puree with 1/4 cup chopped up cold Kerrygold butter (or dairy free) to create your crumble.  I used my hands**, but you could also just add this to your blender/food processor.
  • Set aside and cube
    • 3 Fugi apples
    • 1 cup Made in Nature dried figs
  • Mix in 9×9 pan with cinnamon to taste***
  • Add oat crumble to the top of your fruit and cinnamon mix.
  • Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until crumble is browned just the way you like it.

ENJOY!

crumble close up

*DISCLAIMER:  I have since learned that these boots retail for almost $250.  This makes me feel much better about life.

**DISCLAIMER:  Don’t be gross. Please wash your hands.

***DISCLAIMER:  I accidentally dumped about 1/4 cup of cinnamon into the pan.  I do not recommend you do this, as it is all you will taste in this recipe.

my love affair with sweet potatoes

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

Do you have one of those foods that you could eat endless supplies of?  Mine is tacos.  And pizza.  But for performance foods AND tastiness, my body has a love affair with sweet potatoes.  My friends tease me for it, and I seriously question how I haven’t taken on the shade of an Oompa Loompa .

oompa loompa

For my weekly meal prep, I regularly roast up broccoli, sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts.  It’s easy and OH SO delicious.  Roast any vegetable and I’m totally okay with it.  During the month of February (and slightly into March), I completed the Whole 30.  Meal prepping went to a whole new level when you have to look for added sugars, no legumes, no dairy, etc.  I like to think that I eat relatively clean anyway, but I had to get creative!

One of my favorite go-to meals was SO easy and my boyfriend (who did NOT complete the Whole 30 with me) LOVED it.

Crockpot Meat Sauce

  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce (Whole 30 compliant..I LOVED Raos Homemade)
  • 1 box of mushrooms chopped
  • 1 lb ground meat of choice
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
  • handful of fresh basil chopped

sauce

Seriously just throw that shit in the crockpot on low for 6 hours and you’re in heaven.  I would usually pour it over spaghetti squash, but I was recently reunited with my spiralizer and tried sweet potato noodles!!  Oh my gosh.  GAME CHANGER.

I present to you

Swoodles

swoodles

  • Peel two sweet potatoes
  • Spiralize the shit out of said sweet potatoes
  • Sautee over medium heat with olive oil and garlic powder for 7-10 minutes

 

ENJOY!

Paleo Coffee aka: sexy smackers

~ taytertalks

I remember the first time I made myself a coffee drink that I could actually stomach.  I was a freshman in college and I made the sickliest mocha.  I was a barista, which was ironic, because I didn’t drink coffee.  There was, seriously, so much chocolate in this drink.  Then my love affair with coffee began.  I didn’t drink it every morning, I didn’t need the caffeine to feel alert.  I certainly never made coffee at home.  As time passed, and my career as a barista continued, I slowly weaned off the flavorings.  First it was to a vanilla latte, then it was a white chocolate mocha.  At one point, I discovered that adding white chocolate powder to an americano was a game changer.  Then one day I went cold turkey and started drinking my coffee black.  Okay, so it wasn’t cold turkey and I was actually forced to drink it that way because I ran out of creamer.

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I’ve always said that my favorite meal to go out for is breakfast.  There is something really special about starting your day sipping java with someone.  A chance to catch up.  A chance to cuddle up on the couch and connect.  So many conversations over so many caffeinated drinks.  I always order coffee when I go out for breakfast and until recently, that was the only time I enjoyed a steaming cup o’ joe.  Colin drinks coffee every morning, so it was an adjustment when he starting grinding the beans for me too.  But I went with it, always black, except the few times that I would add some almond milk to cool it down.  I became a creature of habit and before I knew it, I was having a cup almost every morning.

I had heard of paleo coffee over the last few years, but never done much research.  I’d tried paleo in the past, without any guidance, and just following the advice “just eat meat and fats”.  Needless to say, it was not a successful attempt and I was a bit turned off when I wasn’t seeing or feeling the results I had hoped for.  When I joined Crossfit Train last year, I just kept hearing the coach talk about her meals, and watching her move, how strong she was, and the fact that she had just pushed a baby out of her only three (3) months prior that I REALLY wanted to know more.  I’m obsessed with self-improvement books, so I bought every cookbook I saw, I read every article I got my hands on and I started following every paleo icon on Instagram.  She kept talking about the Whole 30 and how we should do it as a group, so I did what any normal person would do.  I went to Target, bought the book, read it cover to cover, followed every Whole 30 Instagram account and signed up for their newsletter.  We started the Whole 30 on February 1st.

I figured this would be the best time to try paleo coffee.  There are so many variations and recipes.  My first attempt was blending coconut oil and cinnamon.  It was delicious until the end of the morning and the end of my cup.  A weird slime had come together in my cup and it was a terrible moment when I attempted to swallow this paleo slime.  I swapped out the cinnamon for ghee on my next attempt, since it’s Whole 30 approved.  I blended one teaspoon of coconut oil and one teaspoon of ghee with one cup of coffee.  It was delicious and also gave my lips a sexy sheen!  BONUS!  I still make this version on occasion, but my go to is a tablespoon of coconut oil on a spoon.  Put the spoon in my coffee cup.  Pour coffee over the cup, stir and enjoy!  It’s not nearly as frothy as when I blend it, but it saves me time in the morning.  I’m debating purchasing a frother this weekend.  Even though I have omitted the cinnamon, mixing the two reminds me of my grandmother’s cinnamon toast.  It’s been magical.

SPT-13563-1

I’m really looking forward to trying other variations of paleo coffee after my Whole 30.  Like this Metabolic Paleo Coffee they serve at Honor Society in Denver, CO.

METABOLIC PALEO COFFEE

Coffee, Organic Coconut Oil, Grass Fed Clarified Butter, Molasses, Vanilla, Maple, Maca Root  $4.25

What’s your favorite paleo coffee recipe?

 

AMAZON WARRIOR PRINCESS

~ taytertalks ~ 3 Comments

Due to a Facebook tag of some mutual friends, I saw an ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend on a trip together.  This was a relationship that ended badly.  Like, SO bad.  I’m pretty sure (I know actually) that he hates me and pretty much wishes he had never met me.  We were together off and on for almost three years.  I hurt him and I burned some serious bridges with people while we were together.  Friends were lost.  People were hurt.  Choices were made.  But you know what?  At one point, I loved him.  We were friends.  It was fun and beautiful.  Our time was a time full of so many moments.

The ugly and the beautiful.

I had a lot of dreams when we were together.  Dreams I never pursued.  Dreams I never believed I could do.  Dreams that terrified me.  I was stuck.

I’m not proud of a lot of the choices I made during those three years.  “When you love someone, you don’t hurt them or make them feel awful.”  I remember him telling me that once.  Now, I know your mind is racing with ideas of what happened, so let me say that I never cheated on him.  But I never let him fully love me, and that can be the same thing if not worse.  Truth be told, I never loved myself enough to be strong.  I wish I would have loved myself sooner because then I could have let him go.  I held on so tightly to what we once had that I suffocated the life out of our relationship.  It needed to end.  But it was hard.  It was messy.  It was ugly and beautiful due to its necessity.

Okay, you’re probably like, what the fuck is the point of this story?!  Why are you bringing up a relationship that was SO terrible and ended almost two years ago and what does this have to do with anything!?

So, I have wanted to be in the fitness industry for so many years.  I remember my friend Chris Daly telling me once (okay, a THOUSAND times) that I was an AMAZON WARRIOR PRINCESS and I just needed to realize it for myself.  He is who really planted the seed of endless possibilities and strength inside this strong body of mine.  But I never believed that I was capable.  I was afraid.

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Fitness is hard.  Your body is quick to point out your weaknesses and you have to push yourself past the place of fear, and truly believe that you are capable.  It’s a mental game.  I’ve had gym memberships, trained and prepped for fitness competitions, placed in fitness competitions, participated in Zumba and bootcamps.  I’ve had personal trainers and done YouTube workouts.  Oh, and yoga (my nemisis)…and most recenly I found Crossfit.  I LOVE FITNESS.  I love what it teaches me every single day.  It has made me strong and it’s a part of me that I lost in that relationship.  I stopped loving and choosing myself first.

I am choosing to be unstoppable.

During every workout, I am challenged every day to face my fears.  Look my demons in the face and say NO!  My imperfections and weaknesses remind me of what I used to be.  But you know what?  I’m not that girl anymore.  I’m not afraid.  I’m strong. It’s taken me 7 years to get to this place and it is a never ending battle that I refuse to lose.

I AM CAPABLE.

I have accepted an internship at Crossfit Train.  I start in two weeks.

HELL YES.

 

So it begins…again

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

Back in 2012 (if my memory hasn’t failed me), my boyfriend at the time set up a blog for me.  He knew that I wanted a platform to share my journey of self discovery with the world.  I thought it was so cute that he had “heard” me through all of our talks about my life goals, but I never touched the thing.  Not once.

I grew up dreaming about being famous, being heard.

baby tay walking on a ledge

It was as if that was the only thing that would bring significance to my life.  FAME.  It sounds so dirty when you think of it that way.  Significance.  I was certain, at the wise age of 10 years old, that if I just met Devin Sawa or Jonathan Taylor Thomas that they would fall in love with me and I would be set for life.  Looking back, I’m now less surprised as this point that I switched majors in college and studied Theatre Arts.  Always chasing significance and attention.

*Only child alert*

On the Verge

My point of all this is that this blog is not for seeking or attention or significance.  Maybe that’s why it’s taken me all these years to get started (and I’m still figuring out what that’s going to look like). It’s for sharing stories of triumph and failure.  It’s about growth, challenges and discovery.  It’s about goals, love, life, food and family.  It’s about friendship and being there for one another.

I am significant.  We all are.  This is about recognizing all the moments.

#TALYYOURMOMENTS

This is your time.

 

 

.Defeat.

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

It happened.

The feeling.

DEFEAT.

Last night I stayed after work for a Happy Hour meet and greet event.  I had come off of a long 24 hours of traveling and dealing with the loss of someone dear.  I had three glasses of wine and was feeling great.  I mean, wine always makes me feel great.  Until the next morning when my head is pounding.

I got home around 8:30 pm and realized I was starving.  So I did what any normal person who is kinda drunk and dealing with food and body image issues would do.  I ate the rest of the ice cream in the fridge and ordered a pizza.  Okay, okay…I also ordered the parmesan bread bites.

As I sat on my couch, dipping my slices into the garlic butter included in my order, I started to think and be aware of how my body was feeling.   Sure, that pizza was AMAZING.  But I began to feel the grease on my face and fingers, the folds of my stomach over my comfy pants.  I began to realize how sad and weak and alone I felt in that moment but that each bite was filling me with a temporary sense of purpose and comfort.  But then the slice was gone and I was on to the next.

It wasn’t until I spilled the container of garlic butter on one of my throw pillows that I realized I was lost.  I was sad.  I was unhappy.  I had lost my purpose and was no longer celebrating my moments.  I had not had any victories.  I had not set and crushed any goals.  I also realized that my stomach hurt and I had a huge piece of pineapple stuck in my teeth.  It’s cool.  I was eating alone.

I woke up late this morning and I looked at my phone to realize I had 10 minutes to get up and get my ass to my workout.  I made a mini goal to make it because I had made a mini goal to get 4 workouts in this week.  I was 10 minutes late and had to do 40 burpees, but I made it.

I also reached out to a few friends to find support with my recent bout of depression after being assaulted.  But that’s a whole other post.

#goalsbeingcrushed

I stepped on the scale this morning and weighed 153 pounds.

It’s just a number.

It’s.  Just.  A.  Number.

Breakup Survival Mode

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

How to Survive a Broken Heart

Ten not-so easy steps to help you through the rough spots.

Facebook Official Relationship Failure 101

1.Go through the motions

No, seriously.  You probably smell.  My mom always used to tell me to take a shower when I was sick, but it always seemed like way too much effort.  Well, 32 years of listening to her and now it’s my turn to give the same advice.  YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT.  Get up in the morning.  Take a shower.  Brush that mane.  Heck, brush your teeth since you’re on a roll!  Tell yourself that you deserve to take care of yourself.  I’m serious.  Say it out loud to yourself in the mirror.  Every morning will get a little easier and you won’t have to force it.  If you don’t have a routine, now is a good time to create one.    

2.Limit Social Media

Breakups just aren’t what they used to be.  With Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc…you can’t escape the constant temptations to check up on your ex.  I mean, we all do it.  Did he change his relationship status yet?  Am I still in his profile photo?  Did he untag all of our photos?  Who cares.  He decided to leave you.  You deserve to be with someone who would be with you NO MATTER WHAT.  And as much as you think it will help, defriending them isn’t always the cure.  Unfortunately for this post…I’m still figuring out what is.  

3.Join a gym

Taking care of your body is important.  If you don’t want to or can’t join a gym, get active and get the endorphin juice pumping!  

Summer is approaching and let’s be serious…you want a hot body for many reasons.  But right now, #1 being that you want to look like a SUPER FOX in case you run into your ex.  But remember, he shouldn’t solely miss you because of your hot body, just sayin…

4.Phone a friend

You know you’re obsessively checking the phone every time you get an alert.  You know that you’re hoping that it’s him every single time.  You know you want to call him.  You know you want to text him.  

Wellllllllll…you actually want him to do those things…#details.  

Do yourself a favor and designate a couple people to be your INSTEAD PERSON; because sometimes, all you’ll need to say is, “I’m calling you instead of (insert name of person who doesn’t realize what they are missing here).”  If they are a good friend, they will say and do all the right things.  Even if that’s telling you that it’s time to get over it and move on.

5.CRY

Feeling those terrible, ugly feelings is necessary.  It’s not what you want to hear and you will always look for a distraction, but it’s all part of the process.  Go all sorts of Kim Kardashian…cry like no one is watching.

6.LAUGH

Listen to a comedy station on Pandora.  Go see an improv comedy show.  Call your funniest friend.  Life will go on and the world will keep on spinning.  There are so many amazing and beautiful moments in this world to celebrate.  Just because you’re heartbroken, doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve a good belly laugh.  Don’t they say that laughter is the best medicine?  

Well, I happen to think it’s true.

7.Do better

With every relationship, hopefully you have learned something.  Whether it’s what you want in a partner,  how to love and be loved or something you will never settle for again…LEARN FROM THE RELATIONSHIP.  Do better.  Be better.  You should never settle for anything less than you want and deserve.  And that bar should be pretty darn high.  Remember?  You’re worth the effort.

8.Some days are better than others

Time to buy stock in yoga pants.  Sometimes putting pants on is way too much effort.  You’re going to rock your glasses, a high bun, yoga pants and his old t-shirt.  That’s okay.  It’s okay to fall apart.  

Just remember to always go back to step one.

9.Read

“It’s Called a Breakup Because it’s Broken“.

You can thank me later.

10.Let go

The only person you have control over is yourself.  So although letting go seems impossible, it’s necessary.  It doesn’t mean you don’t love him anymore…it just means you love yourself more.  The best revenge is allowing yourself to live your life EXACTLY the way you want it to be.

caramel sauce and life advice

~ taytertalks ~ 3 Comments

Yesterday, I made a visit to Albertson’s to find some MUCH NEEDED Walden Farms sauces.  I found myself sitting in the car after packing up my groceries to head home.  The kindest man had packed up my groceries inside.  He was special needs, and had the biggest smile.  “Have a nice day”, he beamed.  Such a simple phrase, but I knew he genuinely meant it.  As I sat there, I noticed he had come outside and was gathering carts in the parking lot.  He was so happy.  So eager.  So kind.  He said hello to everyone who passed by. It’s so easy to forget to be happy, or to be kind.  Watching him made my day so much brighter.

When I got home, I scrolled through my Instagram account.  I mean, let’s be serious…we all do this daily.  Photos can certainly tell a story.  I have lived a lot of life.  So many captured moments.  Great friends.  Amazing family.  Love & Heartbreak.  Birthdays.  Achievements.  Failure.

I have made memories, made mistakes and here I am.

This moment.

This is the only place I can be.

PRESENT.

THANKFUL.

Let’s not be jaded by the damage we have done.  Let’s not hold on to the hurt others have caused us or the pain we have caused others.  Let’s move forward.  Pick ourselves up and be better.

And also, go get yourself some Walden Farms.  Their caramel syrup is DELICIOUS!

You will be a better person for it.

(I’m not sponsored for this but SERIOUSLY, I became a better person after consuming their caramel.)

molten chocolate cake and OTHER life events

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

As I was driving home from the gym tonight, I couldn’t get this image out of my mind.  It’s from last year, at an event my work did at Suzie’s Farm in San Diego.  I felt amazing that day.  I wish everyone could feel amazing on most days.  But the good comes with the bad.  That’s just the way things go.

I had a chance to go home to Seattle last weekend.  It was way too short of a trip, and as usual, I didn’t get to see everyone I wanted to see.  I don’t even think I told a lot of people I was coming home.  But…I did get to see my Mom, and it being her birthday weekend and all, she was pretty much the ONLY person I really cared about spending time with.  We had a bit of a scare though, and she ended up in the hospital.

It really puts life into perspective when you think you might lose someone you love so much.  Thankfully, she’s okay and is recovering just fine.  She’s a fighter like that.  And of course her only concern, the entire time and even now, was how her health was affecting me.  She’s so cute.  Always taking care of others and putting their needs above her own. I love her.

She’s definitely a big supporter in my fitness journey.  We have certainly had our struggles, but she is my mother and I don’t ever want to take that for granted.  I’m lucky and I am appreciating her more and more every day.  I would call her my #numberonefan, but my Bestie has already claimed that title.  Let’s call her my #numbermomfan…I think that covers it. Funny story actually…I learned that my mom trained for a show back when I was younger, but 1.  I don’t really remember it and 2.  I probably don’t remember it because she never ended up competing because she broke her tailbone.  How does that even happen??  I’ll have to ask her.   I don’t know why I haven’t already.

I’ve been a bit of a stress case the last week because of my trip.  I missed some workouts, wasn’t following my macros like I should have, and I was traveling which always leads to…water bloat.  Honestly I know it doesn’t really matter because I had the best time, and my mother’s health is way more important and she and I shared the most AMAZING Molten Chocolate Cake from Ponti Seafood and Grill while in Fremont.

I mean… It.  Was.  Life.  Changing.

@pontigrill

Anway…I’m back to Denver and back on track.  And my mom is happy and healthy.

Today was a solo posing class.  A needed a makeup day since I missed the group class on Sunday due to travel.  I have to say, I am part of an amazing training crew.  My trainer, Kasey, is a sarcastic hard ass and will call me out in a heartbeat.  I love her.  My posing and nutrition coach, Alysha, is a wealth of knowledge and I think she would give me her left arm if it would help me reach my goals.

Team Fit Chick is basically, 100%, real life, incredible.

When you find people who believe in you, celebrate who you are, support you and push you forward…NEVER LET THEM GO!  It’s such a blessing to be surrounded with such motivating people.  Plus, they make me see that I’m not crazy for always believing that I was meant for something greater.  For believing that my hopes and dreams aren’t unrealistic or insane.

But you gotta work hard!!  You have to show up!  That’s half the battle!

Love others, love yourself, be kind.

Let’s do this.