Oh, Sweets...

I love sweets. I don't think I'll ever be able to exclude them from my diet :) I believe that a person can eat anything they want as long as it's with moderation  and with some exercise included. Life is too short to live on restrictions!

Having said that, sometimes it is hard for me to limit the intake of sweets, and I can always come up with silly excuses to defend myself on that matter.

Let's review the past 5 months...

December: "Oh it's Christmas season... everyone indulges in hot beverages, panettone, casseroles, etc."

January: "It's officially Winter, I need some creamy lattes to keep me warm and happy :)..." and what better thing to have with that than a cookie or a brownie.

February: "It's still cold... and it's Valentines month, let's keep the sweets coming." "Let's go to Whole Foods!"

March: Birthdays and more birthdays this month! Perfect excuse to buy cakes and other pastries!

April: "Spring is here; it's so nice outside that we should go have some gelato!" "It's still a little chilly at night sometimes, coffee anyone?" 

Summer is around the corner, I can already taste those gelatos, bubble teas, cupcakes, and what not...

sources 1, 2, 3

Christmas (and Panettone) Lover

I don't want to sound too repetitive, but I am one of those people who's favorite holiday is also Christmas. I don't care about crowded places or congested roads... I love Christmas season, I like singing the songs, I smile when I hear the first Christmas song on the radio (which hasn't happened yet), I adore Santa, I love how colorful everything becomes, etc. But there is one particular thing I am completely obsessed with...

PANETTONE !!!!! 

It surprises me when people don't know what this is; I guess it's because here in the US it is not too much of a tradition. The other day I was desperately looking for one. The guy at CVS looked at me a little confused, until I said "a bread... a sweet bread they make for Christmas." Luckily Walgreens had some :) And hey, they have Panettone in several other stores... so I am sure many of you know what I'm talking about. Here is a Wikipedia definition for those of you who right now are thinking "what on earth is that?": Panettone is a typical bread of Milan, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year around Italy, and one of the symbols of the city. 


Anyway, continuing with the post... let me introduce you to the most delicious Panettone in the world: Panetón Donofrio

Guys, I am not exaggerating, please believe me. Also, I swear it has nothing to do with the fact that Donofrio is from Peru :D Seriously... it's the best panettone. Even the box is amazing. I just found out that they sell it at a store here in Austin and I have decided that, since life has given us that opportunity, we need to buy at least 5 before the end of the year :)

 Look at that delicious thing...

The other day, a friend wrote me a text message while I was driving. It was an invitation for hot chocolate and Panetón Donofrio. I had no other choice than saying: yes!!!!!!! Do you know what it feels like to have a piece of Donofrio after more than a year? (maybe even two; last Christmas we had another brand I think). It's... ahhhh... wonderful. Anyway, just after a few minutes the Panetón looked like this:

(the head is gone)

There is a reason why my friend gave me the nickname "panettone's nightmare." If you have an international market near home, I recommend you go buy that this Christmas :)


image 1

It's National Chocolate Day!

I just realized something dear readers! It's National Chocolate Day! No it's not an invention of hungry-Marcela because she loves sweets, it's actually true :)  Isn't it cute there is a day for that? [apparently there are a few others throughout the year}. That means only one thing: you can give yourself permission to indulge in a little bit of chocolate today! And I am going to give you a few more reasons why you should enjoy it:

- Dark chocolate has been known to lower high blood pressure, reduce the risk of clogged arteries and blood clots, and prevent heart disease and other ailments. Remember: The higher the cocoa content, the more disease-fighting flavonoids.

- Cocoa is packed with antioxidants, which, in addition to being great for your heart, also happen to be terrific for your skin. 

- There's a scientific reason why chocolate makes you feel better when you're grumpy. The fat, sugar, and tryptophan work together to raise serotonin and endorphin levels in your brain, which makes you feel happy.

(for those sweet ladies with whom cupid or boyfriend is not behaving too well)

- Note: Dark chocolate is less processed, helping it to retain some of these antioxidant properties. In addition, when making an effort to lose weight through diet the allowance of chocolate can curb cravings giving you the motivation you need to stick to your plan. 

So for those of you who don't want to indulge too much, you can choose dark chocolate and make sure it is at least 60 percent, and also don't forget to check the ingredients label for sweeteners and additives.

So what are you going to have today? a chocolate smoothie? a brownie? a chocolate chip cookie? a piece of bread with nutella? I had some chocolate mousse after lunch, but I promise I didn't sin too much :) it was only like 3 tea spoons. Go have some, and sweeten up your day a little bit!

source 1 - HungryGirl
source 2 - Livestrong
image 1, image 2, image 3

Good {Sweet} Morning!

It's Friday! I'm so glad, I bet you are too. How is your morning going? I hope it's awesome and that the rest of your day remains that way. I wanted to share two delicious-looking recipes I came across while reading Hungry Girl Newsletter, which, by the way, has awesome tips on how to eat the things you like in a smart way, what to avoid in different restaurants, what the best choice between two similar products is... and more. So anyway! since I absolutely love everything that has sugar on it (almost everything at least), I plan to sweeten up my breakfast by making these yummy meals very soon--and you should do the same [the link has the complete procedures]: 

HG's Breakfast Rice Pudding


PER SERVING (1 cup): 290 calories, 4g fat, 244mg sodium, 55g carbs, 4g fiber, 9g sugars, 12g protein -- POINTS® value 5*
This is like the lovechild of oatmeal and rice pudding. It's hearty, cinnamon-packed, and super-delicious!

Crazy-Good Carrot-Cake Pancakes PER SERVING (entire recipe): 290 calories, 1.5g fat, 510mg sodium, 54g carbs, 8g fiber, 15g sugars, 16g protein -- POINTS® value 5* Two large and fluffy pancakes and a sweet cream cheese glaze... YUMMMM! And don't be daunted by the number of ingredients. This extra-special breakfast is 100% worth it!

Don't they look appetizing? Check the blog later today for Fabulous Friday!

Cupcakes, Coffee, and Love,

Marcela

Ice Cream & Urban Landscape

Every week, a friend and I go to Whole Foods after work and have gelato. Yesterday I took my camera with me and decided to take a picture of the roof terrace we sit at. It's nice to just relax for a few minutes right after work and before driving home. Traffic is actually better if I head home a bit later. Perfect excuse!

Since I've been in Austin, the skyline has changed. New buildings continue to emerge, and it's nice to notice those changes as I indulge in the creaminess of my pistachio/ mint with chocolate chips ice cream. :)

My Favorite Meal

I wanted to post this earlier; but I had to catch up with some things at the office. It doesn't matter, you have [or should have] breakfast everyday so maybe you'll remember this next time:

Breakfast is my favorite meal! Even though I love real food and desserts, breakfast is just special. It's the first thing we give our stomachs in the day;  we can enjoy it without thinking too much about issues that may bother us at lunch or even dinner. It's the start of a new day, and we should think about that and be grateful. 

Having said that, let me remind you that you should always have breakfast. Don't skip it! Many people skip it for different reasons; some just don't have time because they go to work very early (that's my case but my boss lets me have breakfast at the office- thankfully!), others are just not that hungry in the morning, and others simply do it on purpose because they're following some type of diet. But think about why you need it:

-  You have slept for probably more than 6 hours. Your body is running on empty, your energy levels are low; in other words, you need some "fuel"! 

-   Breakfast will not only give you more energy, but will also help you think and concentrate better on your tasks.   

-  Keep in mind that breakfast should be nutritious; don't have just a donut and a sugary drink because that will make you hungry later. Have some whole grains, fruit, milk... something varied that will digest evenly.

-  Keep in mind also that skipping breakfast does not mean losing weight. Your body will probably get used to not receiving food; it will assume: "this person will only eat two/three times today, I have to store more energy, store more fat, in order to support her/his activities." You will end up storing more on your other meals. On the contrary, breakfast evens things out a little bit, and it may even reduce your hunger at lunch time.

Sometimes my breakfast is very simple: a cup of coffee w/milk and two toasts, one with jelly and one with butter. Other times it's a bit healthier, with oatmeal included. Regardless of what I eat, I love to have it everyday! Give it a try if you're a person that skips it; start by having something small and work your way up. I bet you will enjoy it!

Article: Why is Breakfast so important?
Original photo here Editing done by me :)

Fruitylicious!

Doesn't it feel good when we eat something we like and we know that is healthy for us at the same time? For some reason, I have the impression that a lot of people only feel that way when eating vegetables. Well you should include fruits too! Yes, fruits have sugar but it's natural sugar. You may be surprised by how much fruit intake is recommended to you when you read your food pyramid (http://www.mypyramid.gov/). In my case, my recommendation is 2 cups. What I like to do sometimes is to type: benefits of [whatever fruit I'm eating] on google and feel great while eating my fruit. Try it :P

Today I ate a mandarin orange, and I will eat grapes later. Here is what I found on them:

In addition to providing half of your daily vitamin C needs, mandarins are also loaded with hesperidin, a citrus antioxidant famous for its bioavailability -- or good absorption into the blood stream.

Not only are grapes a good source of vitamins A and C, but you’ll also find vitamin B6 and folate in these fruits of the vine. And that’s not all. Minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and selenium, as well as trace amounts of copper, manganese, and zinc are also present in grapes. You’ll also get some fiber and protein from grapes. Additionaly, grapes have an abundant amount of flavonoids... very powerful antioxidants.

Now how awesome it would be if pastries and other desserts had the same effect :P

sources: article 1

article 2

image source

Extra whip cream please!- What this blog is about

Who hasn't been to Starbucks at least once, right? During school years, I would get coffee from Starbucks several times a week, and there was something that would always make me smile and stare at the floor: While waiting in line, I'd listen to the people in front of me order. At least 3 out of 5 would say something like: "I’ll have a tall, nonfat, sugar-free, no whip, decaf Cinnamon Dolce Latte." Then I would think to myself: wow these people really do what they can to stay healthy and consume the least amount of sugar they can... maybe I should learn from them [note: I LOVE sweets]. So, as the line got shorter and shorter, I would continue to analyze their orders. Finally my turn came, and with a big smile due to my excitement I'd say: "Hi! Can I have a tall hazelnut latte with whip cream?" "add a marble pound cake to that." :) (... sugar? what sugar?)

I could not resist... I could not go against what my organism asked me for. I try not to constraint my cravings too much... and hey, I am not in bad shape; I do exercise and what not.

Basically, with this story, I want you to remember that it is important to enjoy things like that once in a while. Of course you need to be careful with sugar consumption, and dairy products, and caffeine. Just don't go against your cravings all the time; it's good to give your body what it's asking for. You CAN eat what you want, just not ALL you want :)

Having said that... this blog is about enjoying life, being happy with what you have, appreciating family & friends, feeling healthy yet not deprived of the things you love, following your instincts, loving yourself, and much more! One thing to remember is that life is short! I am no pessimistic at all, but I always try to keep in mind that each day in one's life is basically a gift; there are no guarantees about the future. If you have a certain craving, go have that today! If you feel like doing something specific, why wait? Tell me about it if you want :) Enjoy!