What Is In My Bag? Girl on the Go Edition!

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Some stereotypes are rooted in truth. The widely spread perception that it's impossible to go into a Target and only buy one thing is definitely one of those, at least for me!

Target always seems to have everything I need, not to mention a whole host of things that I didn't realize I needed it until I saw them posed alluringly on the perfectly organized shelves of my favorite one-stop shop...

But let's focus on the things that we actually need today, shall we? I always think 'what's in my bag' posts are a lot of fun, because there's so much variation in what different women choose to keep in their handbags. A handbag's contents can say a lot about a person's day-to-day life!

Since many of the essentials in my bag are available at Target, here is what is in my bag during this summer of travel and adventure (I'm in Germany at the moment, after having spent a wonderful June in Boston)!

First, an explanation - if you're a long-time reader, you know that I am not a big fan of purple. The bag itself isn't mine, but one that I borrowed from my mom! I only packed one bag to take with me for the summer when I left NYC and I was getting quite bored of it by the time I joined my mom in Germany. She was nice enough to let me use hers to mix things up a bit!

That also explains the glasses - those are also a leftover of hers. But the rest is intentional! In no particular order, here's the breakdown:

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5 Times It's Okay to Take A Cab

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As a city girl - it still feels unreal to call myself that, even though I've lived in NYC for a year and Boston for three - I have plenty of experience with all sorts of transportation that does not involve a personal vehicle.

I'm entirely okay with that. The world (or, more specifically, car accident statistics) doesn't need me on the roads.

Still, when you don't rely on your own car for transportation, you face a lot of trade-offs.

Buses are slow.

The subway doesn't always have a direct route to where I need to go. It also tends to make me motion sick.

You can't walk or bike everywhere.

Cabs are expensive.

So when is it acceptable to go for the cab or - horror of all horrors - Uber on surge pricing? Here are five times when it's totally okay to skip the public choice and hire a taxi or a car!

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3 Healthy Lunch Hacks & The Best Frozen Veggie Burger

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Lunch is great.

Why is lunch great? Because it's food! Food fuels us with the energy we need to be AWESOME and change the world! It can also be yummy.

But, great as lunch is as a much-needed food break in the middle of the day, figuring out how to optimize lunch for nutrition and flavor can be tricky.

After all, you need enough energy and nutrition to replenish your stores for the second half of your work day, but you also usually don't have access to a full kitchen to prepare your food in - much less the hour or more that you may ordinarily need to both cook and enjoy a healthy meal.

So how do you squeeze every last bit of energy, nutrition, and flavor possible out of a thirty to forty-five minute lunch break? Read on for some handy tips!

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Princess Games- Official Book Trailer

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My next middle grade novel, The Princess Games, is coming out on July 27 and is already available on Amazon for pre-order!



Check out the official book trailer, below! Ages 9-12+.

King Winkle and Queen Periwinkle have a problem. They need a princess, and they need her fast. With the upcoming peace-keeping marriage between Prince Linus of Branninia and the princess of the fair Kingdom of Hoggenbottom, it's a bit risky to admit they don't have a princess.

Instead, they decide to host The Princess Games. Soon enough, the fairest maidens of the land are gathered in front of the castle, fairy-godmothers in tow! With a goofy king, an obsessive compulsive advisor, and a fairy godmother whose spells do whatever they want, these games are about to get interesting.

Even if Emma and her clumsy Fairy Louise can manage to do well in the competition, she'll have to get past the expert spells of Fairy Faye and the beauty of Laralyn, who is intent on pleasing her ambitious mother at any cost.

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Recipe: Baklava Salmon

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Need something healthy and delicious to serve your guests (or just yourself) for dinner? Salmon is full of heart-healthy fats and muscle-building, energy-level sustaining protein! 

There are many great ways to serve salmon, from grilled to baked to smoked and so on, but here's a new, fresh way to enjoy it! Baklava salmon takes less than 30 minutes to make and is mostly savory, but slightly sweet, making it a fun switch-up from your usual ways of serving salmon.

I served it with oven-roasted Greek potatoes (recipe to come soon!) and avocado with freshly squeeezed lemon juice and salt and pepper sprinkled on top.

Without further ado, here is the recipe!

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Luxe Lashes: No Extensions Required

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My neighbor's son has the thickest, most decadent lashes ever.

And he's a nine year old boy. A BOY. How is that fair?

While the fortunate child is completely indifferent to his lashes, most style-loving girls and women aren't.

Eyelashes, as the frame for your eyes (which are, in turn, a focal facial feature) are one of the areas where makeup can make the biggest positive difference in your appearance.

Me with falsies

Full, dark lashes make your eyes pop!

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Nutritious Dessert: Tiramisu the Healthy Way!

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I participated in an Event and Blogger Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Dannon. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All views and opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of Dannon.

Bikinis and beaches. Barbecues and brats. For many of us, summer is associated with a lot of great sensory experiences. But one thing that we tend not to associate with summer is dairy! 

But with cows producing more bone-strengthening milk in the summer months than the rest of the year and the average American already only consuming 52% of the recommended 3-4 servings of dairy daily, we shouldn't neglect it just because the sun is out! That's how June as National Dairy Month came about.

Many of us, myself included, purposely avoid much dairy because of the associated digestive upset from lactose intolerance. 

Yogurt, however, contains live active cultures that help produce lactase in our bodies to digest the lactose in the yogurt. So even if you're like me and just a slice of stomach makes your stomach roll, you might find that yogurt doesn't bother you at all! 

If you're really worried, rich for protein-rich Greek yogurt. The same straining process that makes it so good for us removes some of the yogurt's lactose, making it a lower lactose option than regular yogurt.

Dannon's *Limited Edition* Light & Fit Greek Tiramisu

But here's the best part - with Dannon Light & Fit greek yogurt dessert flavors, your daily Greek yogurt can serve not only as a nutritious snack, but also a creamy, indulgent dessert that's low in sugar, free of fat, and perfect for a sweet treat that you can feel good about eating!

A nutritionist from Dannon and a nutritionist from Stop & Shop hosted me for an educational morning in a suburban Massachusetts Stop & Shop store, to celebrate the launch of *limited edition* Dannon Light & Fit Greek Tiramisu. 

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Paying for College: Options if Scholarships Aren't Enough

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It's crazy how much our world has changed in just a few generations. My parents were both first generation college graduates, but when it came time for me and my sister to think about colleges, we thought more about which college than whether to go to college.

Positions that used to be filled by high school grads, like secretary, nurse, personal assistant, etc., are now being filled almost exclusively by college graduates. As more and more people go to college, it becomes more and more necessary for a lot of careers!

Unfortunately, one thing that isn't becoming more accessible about college is cost. School is expensive, so much that over 50% of students say cost impacted their college choice!

Fortunately, there are options for those of us who don't have a college fund from our parents. Scholarships are great if you can get them, as are loans. But even if you can't finance your education with 'free money' you don't have to give up. There are actually some really decent loan options out there!

Let's take a look at a headache-free way for even a personal finance newbie to pay for a college education!

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The Secret of the Traveling Peanut Butter

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It's hardly a secret anymore. Peanut butter is great and so is powdered peanut butter. I like to keep both in my kitchen!

Here are some of the benefits of powdered peanut butter (the first particularly applies in the summer or anytime a peanut butter lover travels to a place with an uncertain peanut butter supply, like Germany):

* TSA-friendly for your carry-on, since it's not a liquid or a crea
* High in plantbased protein
* High in fiber
* Lower in fat
* Can be used to replace part of the flour in baking for more peanut-y treats
* Perfect for smoothies

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Recipe Roundup: My Picnic To-Try List!

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I love trying new recipes and I love cooking for people.

Being in a different city this month means that I have a fresh group of guinea pigs taste testers to try recipes on...

...so I have so many recipe ideas for recipes to create, as well as a pinterest backlog of other food bloggers' recipes to try!

Here are some awesome picnic-friendly recipes from the blogosphere that I can't wait to try making this month!

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Summer Style Essentials: The Weekend Getaway Shortlist

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Summer is here!

I know, I know, you know. It's not news anymore. But summer just requires that sort of enthusiastic announcement of its presence.

One of my favorite things to do in summer is to travel. Beach trips are especially great in summer, because the heat can be so stifling that there's nothing quite like a nice long soak in the ocean to cool you off.

Summer travel is all about fun and spontaneity, though, so you don't want to be bogged down with loads of luggage - that's especially bothersome if you're just taking a quick daytrip or weekend getaway. Skip overpacking and stick to the style essentials!

To get you started, here's a list of five of my summer style essentials for any destination.

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Summer Giveaway - Plant-based, Protein-Packed Snacking with MacroBar!

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It's summertime! The sun is out and spirits are high - so the MacroBar team and I are celebrating by giving you one more reason to smile!

A SUMMER GIVEAWAY!!

But first, what are MacroBars?

MacroBars are 100% vegan, USDA-certified organic, certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and mostly raw snack bars from a family-run natural foods company with roots in organic farming.

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Peanut Butter Everything!

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National Peanut Butter Cookie Day is coming up - it's June 12!

I'm a huge peanut butter fan, so I will happily celebrate any and all peanut-related food holidays. I know how I will celebrate National Peanut Butter Cookie Day - by baking Halfway to Heaven Peanut Butter Cookies!



If you aren't a big fan of peanut butter cookies, these still might change your mind - they're like even better Fluffernutters or Girl Scout Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies! If you're convinced that peanut butter cookies aren't for you, however, don't worry.

You can celebrate with these Vegan Peanut Butter Cups.

They're delicious, easy to make, and full of good-for-you nutrients and healthy fats.

Do you know what else peanut butter is yummy in? Smoothies.

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