Look, there she goes!

So, this fall I had the incredible privilege of being cast as Belle in Zao Theatre's Beauty and the Beast! This was an absolute utter dream come true for me, and it has quickly shot up to the very top of my list of favorite shows I've ever done.

This one was a little different in my "process" though. As I'm sure plenty know, costumes make or break a show for me. They mean as much to me as the actual role. If I love my costumes, I will love the show that much more and vice versa. And Beauty and the Beast is SUCH an iconic show that has been done EVERYWHERE and by EVERYONE...so I knew my costumes had to be good.

Not me

Now, I know our resident costumer is more than capable. But I knew Zao didn't already own these costumes, so they would either have to rent them or build them. After several Google searches, I learned quickly that everything out there available to rent was...well, terrible. (If you want examples, I will show them to you.) Just ill-fitting or completely wrong for Belle, or honestly, half of the gold dresses I saw looked like some kid dressed up in her mother's 80s prom dress. Huge poofy shoulders and just...not flattering or beautiful. Not to mention that you generally can't alter rented costumes. So...either they fit perfectly or they look terrible.

So I asked permission to try my hand at building these three costumes myself. I figured it was July and the show didn't go up until November, so I'd start now and I would know soon enough if what I made was terrible...so I'd have plenty of time for plan B if so.

Belle has three costumes in the show. The first is her blue "town dress", which is basically a white blouse and a blue vest/skirt/dress over top. I've seen many versions of this, some plain, some fancy, some that looked nothing like Belle should look, and some that more mirrored the 2017 movie (which...was ok, but I hated everything.) My favorite version was the new Broadway/tour version.

also not me

It's a beautiful patterned corset vest, over a pretty plain (but feminine) white collared blouse. The skirt is a flowy blue circle skirt with a ruffle, covered with a pretty delicate white apron with lace trim. I love it because it's flattering and feminine, and still pretty easy to move in. But it doesn't look as plain as her dress in the animated movie. It's a little fancier for stage, which I really like. Her shoes are (pretty) flat black mary janes, which is GREAT because heels are stupid and they hurt my feet.

Costume-spiration!

So, first-up thing to make will be Belle's blue corset vest. I figured I'd start with something challenging but still small. (If I can't make this, I DEFINITELY can't make a giant gold ball gown.) Stay tuned for my tutorial!!

I'm back....

For now, at least :) Haven't seen or blogged anything in almost two years. I always seem to do that. Busyness...work...life. Shocking ;)

This week (after months and months of eating/dieting/workingout/notworkingout to various degrees...I decided I would try to start eating really clean. Less of a calorie restriction (though I am still counting calories) and more of just...eat til I''m full and eat only real foods. Calories have been averaging 1400-1600 so really not that bad. Especially when I'm working out too.

I went shopping this week. Bought an abundance of real-food-type items. Apples, Bananas, chicken, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, nuts, cheese, etc etc. The only things I bought packaged were soy milk (but I looked! All real ingredients!), triscuits, and tortillas. I was unable to find ANY tortillas that had only ingredients I could pronounce. But from what I gathered, the only weirdo things in them were "dough-levening" agents...so...eh.

Menus haven't been bad! Been eating breakfast burritos (made from leftover brunch food from church's easter celebration....too much food to go to waste.) They probably have too many calories (eggs, bacon, sausage...) but I am trying to account for them accurately, and they are my one little treat for the day. Real bacon MMMMM....

Other snacking items have been carrot sticks, yogurt, string cheese, apples and almonds...trying to go completely real foods. Even ditched the sugar-free creamer I've been using in my coffee for years, and bought Coffee-Mate's Natural. Tastes a little different, and a few more calories. But bearable.

And trying to work out like a BEAST! I haven't gotten cast in the last three of four shows I've auditioned for, which is mildly depressing, but I guess leaves more time open for spontaneous gym sessions. I've been waking up early this week to go running, on days that I am busy in the evenings. So much more appealing when I have the doggy to keep me company, and it is already light outside! :) Also last night I hit a hip hop cardio class at my gym. Fun time! Me and six older ladies, so I felt pretty capable.

Trying to do more in the evenings too. I spent Tuesday evening at the salon, getting my hair done for the first time in almost a year! So that was a little fun pampering time with a good friend. I also have a couple shows lined up to go see this next week, which gives me some much needed not-sitting-at-home time! Hopefully I will start to be a bit more active so I don't feel like I'm sitting around all the time!

Been looking for somewhere to live too. My lease in my last place ended a couple months ago, and since then I've been looking for a place for just lil old me. Haven't found the right one yet though, so I am crashing at the 'rents for the time being. A little weird, being 26, and used to living on my own, but I am saving tons of money in the meantime, so that is definitely nice. But still looking daily for the right place to call my new home!

Anyway. Lots of new updates! Hoping to keep the real foods/fitness regime up this time! Would love to start getting back into the super healthy mindset. (I've resisted candy for FOUR DAYS NOW!!)

Chef Salad

Chef Salad

These salad "recipes" are fairly straightforward, and pretty easy, but they taste super yummy!


Ingredients:
3-4 cups mixed greens (romaine, spinach, baby greens, spring mix, whatever you want, really :)
2 oz cooked chicken, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, whites only
1/4 c chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1 T chopped red onion
1/2 roma tomato, diced
1 T Parmesan cheese
1 T bacon bits
1 T light ranch dressing


I know everyone knows how to boil an egg...but in case you don't (and always get stuck with either runny yolk, or a gross overdone greenish gray yolk...), here is my cooking method.

--Works for 1 or 2 eggs--Place egg(s) in a small saucepan and cover with water and lid. Turn burner on high and wait for boil. When water reaches a rolling boil, take the lid off and set the timer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, move saucepan off hot burner and COVER. Set timer for 13 minutes. Leave the eggs covered and after timer goes off, rinse off and discard shell. (Note--I have heard that a bit of baking soda will help the shell to come off much easier!!)

Anyway, toss greens with chopped veggies, meat and egg whites, and dressing, and there you have it! (PS. I add the cheese and bacon for flavor - each is only 25 cals, but adds a TON of yummy flavor! You can definitely leave these out if you want though.) A beautiful salad with a mishmash of flavors without the huge bout of calories and fat!!

Nutrition Facts:
Total Calories: 229
Total Fat: 9.3 g
Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
Cholesterol: 38 mg
Sodium: 701 mg
Total Carbs: 11.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
Sugar: 5.5 g
Protein: 25 g

Cajun Chicken & Vegetable Alfredo

Cajun Chicken & Vegetable Alfredo

Do you LOVE fettucine alfredo but hate the excessive amounts of fat and calories it always seems to give you?? Me too!! So I came up with my own recipe that has a MUCH lower calorie count :) Also...I cheat a bit. I use alfredo sauce in a jar.

 But I'm sure it would be just as easy to make yourself, with skim milk and parmesan.

Ignore the frozen broccoli. Usually I use fresh!!!

Ingredients (makes 1 serving):
3 oz cooked chicken (or 3 oz shrimp also works too!)
1/4 cup light alfredo sauce
1/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup broccoli
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 chopped red bell pepper
1/4 chopped yellow bell pepper
1 large mushroom, chopped
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
Black pepper & Italian seasoning to taste
(optional) 1/2 bag zero-calorie shirataki fettuccine noodles
(optional) 1 T parmesan cheese to garnish




Directions:
If uncooked, saute chicken (or shrimp) in skillet with cooking spray and cajun seasoning until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
 Spray skillet and add chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and peppers.


 Once they start to soften, add peppers, mushroom and tomato, and saute until vegetables are cooked. Add your meat and let sizzle with Cajun seasoning until heated through

Today I used shrimp! Mmm. (Do you like my pink spatula?)

Add alfredo sauce; keep stirring until sauce is heated. serve and top with parmesan!












NOTE: Shirataki noodles are an AWESOME substitute for pasta, especially in a dish like this.








I bought mine on Amazon, and yes, they are a bit expensive, but they are ZERO calories and work wonders when you are craving noodles but trying to keep the carbs low. I definitely recommend the angel hair and the fettuccine. The best way I've found to cook them is to rinse them very well out of the package, then boil for 2-3 minutes.

They look rather gross by themselves. Just wait!

Still gross looking, I know. But mix it up and then you'll see!

I chose a clementine orange and vanilla soymilk. All part of a balanced diet!

Drain and pat with a paper towel, and they will better absorb whatever sauces or flavorings you add them to.











Once you mix the noodles in with the sauce, they look MUCH more appealing . Sometimes I even forget they're not real pasta! Serve it up and remember to balance it out!






Nutrition Facts (made with shrimp):
Calories: 236
Total Fat: 7.5 g
Saturated Fat: 3.0 g
Cholesterol: 127 mg
Sodium: 915 mg
Total Carbs: 22.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.6 g
Sugars: 7.3 g
Protein: 24.3 g

For meal made with chicken, just add  45 calories and 5 g of protein!! :) Enjoy!!

Low Carb Jambalaya

Low Carb Jambalaya

Now...I'm a Southern girl at heart. Dad's from Texas, Mom's from Louisiana...so I definitely enjoy and appreciate some New Orleans cuisine. The only problem? Most jambalaya is rice-based, so it is TONS of calories! Yesterday, after looking through tons of recipe and tons of pictures, I decided to make my own!! This one is veggie-based, but it does have some meat in it too!

Ingredients (Makes enough for 2 BIG servings):
3 oz cooked chicken (I used my marinated grilled chicken from my freezer)
1 Andouille sausage link (I used Chef Aidell's Cajun Style Andouille pork sausage - 160 calories!)
1/4 c uncooked brown rice
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 stalk celery
1 jalapeno pepper
1 medium zucchini
2 white mushrooms
1/2 c diced onion
1/4 - 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
paprika
Tony Chachere's creole seasoning


Instructions:
Prepare brown rice as directed on package. While rice is simmering, begin preparing vegetable mixture. Spray skillet (Use a BIG skillet!) with cooking oil and turn to medium-low heat. Chop bell peppers into thin strips (Mine were about 1-2 inches long.) Dice onions, celery, mushrooms,  and jalapeno. Slice zucchini into thin rounds (no bigger than 1/4 in). Add all vegetables and garlic to pan. Saute until soft. While this is cooking, chop up chicken into small pieces, and slice and quarter the sausage. Saute in its own pan until heated through. Add meat to vegetable mixture, and add diced tomatoes (with juice). You can also add a liberal amount of Creole seasoning, and a few dashes of paprika. Saute on medium heat until most of the liquid is gone. By this time the rice will likely be done. Add rice and stir. Mix it up, divide in half and you have a very filling, very delicious dinner!!

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 290
Total Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 54mg
Sodium: 517 mg
Carbohydrates: 32.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.4 g
Sugars: 7.9 g
Protein: 23 g

Oatmeal Add-ins

Oatmeal Add-Ins

Ever gotten bored with eating just plain old mushy boring oatmeal?? Not me!! I have TONS of mix-ins that I use for oatmeal to spice it up and make it delicious!!! Now, you can make all of these on the stove, but I have to bring breakfasts to work, so I package everything in microwaveable containers and just add water and heat!

Apple Pie Oatmeal
1/3 c instant oats
1/4 Granny Smith apple, diced
1 T raisins
dash of cinnamon
splash of vanilla
stevia to taste

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
1/3 c instant oats
1/4 c pumpkin
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
splash of vanilla
1 T raisins

Fruit & Nut Oatmeal
1/3 c instant oats
1/2 T peanut butter (or 1 T PB2)
1 T raisins
1/2 medium banana
dash of cinnamon
splash of vanilla

Chocolate Peanut Crunch Oatmeal
1/3 c instant oats
1/2 T peanut butter (or 1 T PB2)
1 Dove mini chocolate (or 2 T chocolate chips)
splash of vanilla

Very Berry Oatmeal
1/3 c instant oats
1/4 c strawberries
1/4 c blackberries
1/4 c blueberries (or any combination of berries, really)
dash of cinnamon
splash of vanilla

Protein Packed Oatmeal
1/3 c instant oats
1 scoop protein powder (I use vanilla or CAKE BATTER flavor!)
1 T crushed almonds
dash of cinnamon
splash of vanilla

Honestly, any of these can be modified or changed to fit your liking or your diet. These are just some of my favorites! And it makes for a super easy portable breakfast to take to work!

Egg & Potato Scramble

Egg & Potato Scramble

Looking for a hearty breakfast, but can't spare a ton of calories?? I have the answer! This protein-rich, veggie-filled breakfast scramble is bound to keep you full all morning!



Ingredients:
1 whole egg + 2 egg whites
1 small yellow potato, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup turkey sausage (I use Jimmy Dean fully cooked turkey hearty sausage crumbles)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/3 cup chopped bell peppers (I use both red and green)
1 white mushroom, diced
2 T reduced fat shredded cheese
Dash of LA hot sauce




Chop all veggies into fairly small pieces (I like this because then i can have more flavors in my bite :)

Potatoes and onions first so the flavors can...stew :-P

Heat skillet  to medium-low heat; spray with cooking spray.  Add potatoes and onion and saute until soft. Add diced peppers and mushroom, then add sausage. Saute about 5-10 minutes until all ingredients are hot.

Doesn't that look delicious already???

While the veggie mixture is cooking, beat 1 large egg and 2 extra egg whites with a dash (or two!) or Lousiana hot sauce and pepper to taste.

 

Add to vegetable mixture and keep stirring until egg is fully cooked. Add cheese and stir until melted.

All ready to go for work! Note: I do not condone heating
in plastic containers, but I do it anyway :-/

 NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories: 266
Total Fat: 9.4 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 280 mg
Sodium: 677 mg (rather high, I know. You can ix-nay the hot sauce to lessen this.)
Carbohydrates: 24.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g
Sugar: 2.3 g
Protein: 24.6 g