Low carb snacks (many Paleo) that can be easily picked up at your local health food store or supermarket...

I am currently on a low carb diet (Ketogenic/ Modified Atkins Diet/ Low Glycemic/ Attempting to be Paleo sort of minus cheese too), but I always have a hankering for yummy snacks and not enough time to always prepare homemade snacks. Thankfully, there are more and more companies producing foods that are low in sugar and carbohydrates. I put together a few of my favorite easy, on-the-go low carb snacks.

Some supermarkets carry some of these snacks (Whole Foods, Fairway, etc), but if you don't see them at your local supermarket, google your area for health food shops. They may carry lesser known brands like some of these. If that fails, order on Amazon! I have ordered Flackers and Flax Snax on Amazon several times.

1. Flackers by Doctor in the Kitchen - You will never miss eating wheat-based crackers again. These are made from flax seeds, which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. I could list all the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, but that would probably require its own blog post. These would qualify for the Paleo diet too given they only contain flax seeds, apple cider vinegar, spices and vegetable protein. I have to admit these are my favorite of the new crop of flax crackers that has sprouted up at supermarkets around the country.

2. Macaroons by Emmy's Organics - I have a sweet tooth so the hardest part of going on a low carb diet was giving up all my sugary treats. These are so delicious that I will continue to eat them even if I give up the diet. Everyone loves them. The only thing I'm confused about is how they can be so good with only 1 net carb per macaroon (3 come in a packet). These are also Paleo, Gluten Free, and Vegan!

3. Pizza Flax Snax by Go Raw - These are quite tasty snacks. The plain Flax Snax by Go Raw only have 2 net carbs. I try to eat those more since I'm trying to stay below 20 net carbs per day. However, the pizza impressively do actually taste like pizza if you need a fix for your pizza craving! These are Paleo, Gluten Free, and Vegan!

4. Babybel - These classic cheese snacks are 0 carbs and easy to take with you where ever you go.

5. Almonds - Of course, almonds and many other types of nuts are great for anyone on a low carb diet. However, portion control is particularly important with nuts since they are generally sold in large containers. There are two net carbs in a quarter cup of almonds.

6. The Crisp Made Entirely of Cheese - I think this is self-explantory. Absolutely delicious!

7. Coconut Paleo Bread by Julian Bakery - Julian Bakery may be the holy grail of low carb food. I just discovered it recently and am so happy that I can incorporate bread into my life again! Check out their website to see where their products are sold (they have a locator) and if there are none near you, you can order online! The Paleo Bread is great especially because I do try to get most of my food from natural products (hard with a low carb diet!) and the only ingredients in this bread are coconut flour, egg whites, psyllium and water!

8. Raw Crackers by Brad's - Only get the crackers!! The chips are NOT low carb but come in the same packaging so be careful! These are Paleo, Gluten Free, and Vegan.

9. Siggi's - Yogurt in general has a much larger carb content than you would expect. Siggi's is great and has the lowest carb count I've seen on the market. It's great for breakfast with a touch of Stevia. 

How to Roast Brussel Sprouts

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, diced
2 small carrots, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, but keep the juices. Spread the tomatoes onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil.
3. Cook for about 15 minutes. Be careful to check frequently so they don't burn. 
4. At the same time, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. 
5. Add the roasted tomatoes, sautéed vegetables, saved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter to a large pot. Simmer about 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Add the basil and puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth. Check for carrots and celery that might not have been pureed. 

7. Enjoy!

Lace-up Sandals for the Summer!!

Adding lace-up sandals or heels to any summer outfit is a great way to instantly make your outfit more current. There are tons of fun styles that have come out recently and I expect that more will be coming out throughout the summer. See the links below to a few of the great lace-up sandals and heels I've seen so far this season!

1. Aldo 'Keola' Heels - $90

2. Brian Atwood 'Tie Me Up' Heels - $447.50 SALE

3. Gentle Souls 'Break my Heart' Sandals - $184.50

4. Pour le Victorie 'Natassja' Heels - $270

5. Nine West 'Kenie' Heels - $119

6. Zara 'Multi-colored Lace-Up' Heels - $129

7. Duccio Venturi 'Laced-front Suede' Sandals - $196 SALE

8. Zara 'Lace-Up' Heels - $129

Gold plated Summer Sandals

  

Gold plating on heels and sandals is a trend this summer. The Giuseppe Zanotti pair in the center are amazing, but are the only pair that is expensive. The rest are reasonably priced. 

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Neon Accents: Fun for your summer!

I love adding a little pop of color to an outfit especially during the summer! Check out these fun items to add a little brightness to your summer wardrobe.

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New ideas for framing!

There are tons of things to frame besides prints, paintings and photographs. Check out a few alternatives above for other ideas! I love the idea of having several vintage magazine covers from the same era framed next to each other (like this). I also love several Hermes or Gucci scarves framed next to each other (like this). Vintage maps and pressed flowers or leaves are also great items to frame.

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Another idea to add to the list -- Framed wallpaper!! It can look beautiful. Check out this stunning dining room on Houzz. And I swear it is just really high end wallpaper. 

Scents with a memory...

I love choosing perfumes whose main scent I associate with a great memory or experience. Plus, I tend to think that the closer perfume smells to the actual flower it is derived from the better. Blends sometimes reduce the scent of all of the fragrances within them. These perfumes offer some great natural scents. 

Lavender -  Lavender reminds me of summer in the Northeast. Fresh and dried lavender has the most wonderful scent - who wouldn't want a perfume with a lavender base??

Gardenia - Again it is a great natural scent and serves as the main scent in this Chanel perfume.

Magnolia - When magnolia trees are in full bloom in the spring, you can smell them yards away.

Plumeria - On my most recent trip to Hawaii, I smelled Plumeria, which is the flower used in leis. I immediately wanted a perfume based in its scent.

Jasmine - I have always loved the smell of jasmine and I particularly like its addition in my green tea, which gives my tea a great scent and additional flavor in the morning.

Cinnamon - Cinnamon is practically synonymous with Christmas and Thanksgiving. If it reminds you of the holidays, why not dust some on here and there?

Monogramming Fun!

Monogramming is a great way to add a little personality to some of your favorite items. I have monogrammed versions of most the items above. Check out these items below:

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Cute Earrings for Work!

Many work places are fairly conservative such as mine, where I don't feel comfortable wearing hoops or dangling earrings. Often its hard to find cute, work appropriate studs to wear daily at work so I thought I would put together a list of some cute earrings.

The classic - Pearl studs are easy. They match with everything and they are perfect for work. I would never recommend buying fake pearls, because cultured freshwater pearls aren't too expensive unless they are very large. A 6-7mm diameter is a good sized freshwater pearl earring. You can also look for the pearl grade with "A" meaning the worst shape and "AAA" meaning the pearl has a nice, round shape. If you want higher caliber pearls, look for deep sea pearls. Overstock has a ton of varieties of cultured pearls at reasonable prices.

Preppy & cute - Kate Spade often has great stud earrings. These are just an example of some studs with a little bit of flair.

Glitzy - These have a great vintage feel, but with a price tag of $15, you certainly don't have to wait to buy them.

A pinch of color - JCrew Factory sells a ton of good quality jewelry at amazing prices. I just got similar studs recently and love them.

Conservative - More great Kate Spade studs.

A girl's best friend - Classic diamond studs are a needed component of any wardrobe. They are perfect for work or a night out. I personally have been buying cubic zirconia studs so that I don't have to worry about losing them. Generally, I think if you buy CZ with a classic, plain backing they look just like real diamond studs. I'll get some real ones hopefully at some point!

A little sparkle - These are fun and glitzy without being too much for work!

Midas  touch - Another gold, conservative pair that will match with nearly every outfit you'd need for work!

Making the Perfect Omelet - Quick, Easy Instructions for a French Style Omelet

Chop about a quarter of a red onion into long, thin slices for two omelets (halve if you only want to make one). Then chop two cloves of garlic (finely chopped).

Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until lightly browned. Remove them from the pan.

Crack two eggs and mix together. Add in half the onions and garlic, mix, and then return to the pan. You should see the edges begin to cook slightly. When you see it cooking slightly, its time to add the cheese.

 

Sprinkle cheese (I love goat cheese with this omelet!) along the center of the omelet. 

When you can see it cooking through the egg, use a rubber spatula to flip one side of the omelet over the cheese. If that side looks done, flip the other side over as well.

If its runny at all, you can leave it in the pan. But to remove, just slide it off, pushing with the rubber spatula if needed onto the plate.

  

All done. Enjoy your delicious breakfast!