First, the winner of the Giveaway!

#1 – Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty! – Congrats! CSN will contact you soon with your promotional code!

So, I had my last Physical Therapy appointment yesterday. Here’s the deal: basically I have to start all over again, very very slowly. I am allowed to [...]]]> Happy Friday to you!

First, the winner of the Giveaway!

#1 – Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty! – Congrats! CSN will contact you soon with your promotional code!

So, I had my last Physical Therapy appointment yesterday. Here’s the deal: basically I have to start all over again, very very slowly. I am allowed to run 2-3 times a week for only 1 mile. And I must foam-roll before and after my run. As well as stretch and ice after each run. Once I can do 1 mile comfortably and not feel pain after, then I can move onto 2 miles… and so on and so forth. I hope the pain goes away!!!

Union Square Cafe 

As you may know, my parents are in town. We went to Union Square Cafe for dinner.

I attempted to do a bit of a Fashion Friday shoot beforehand. Not sure how well that turned out. Ha.
 
I don’t think the lighting was good enough to really see my outfit properly.

In any case I wore:
Navy Dress: Barneys NYC
Sweater: Aqua
Belt: Don’t remember!

I love the shoes I wore. I got them at a second-hand store in Boston!  
 

Alright, enough of that… onto the food!

USC is a very well known restaurant in NYC (it’s not actually a cafe!). It’s definitely not “hip and cool”… it’s more classic. It’s not casual by any means, but it’s not super fancy either. It’s a good place to go with your parents

My mom and I each started with the bibb lettuce salad
  

My dad started with the hamachi tartar appetizer. I stole a bite. It was AH-MAZING! Melted in your mouth.

For our main course my mom and I split grilled halibut and gnocchi. Both were great.

My dad had the lamb, which looked wonderful. He said it was delicious.

And the three of us split the flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel for dessert.

If there’s one thing I know about my family, it’s that we never pass on dessert!
 

P.S have you checked out Fit Chick in the City’s awesome playlist compiled by readers? (I contributed #1!). Love all the songs on there!

What song always makes you happy when you listen to it?

For me, it’s Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles. (And the one on the playlist above!).

The folks at CSN Stores contacted me and offered one lucky reader the opportunity to treat themselves at one of their 200+ stores! They carry pretty much everything you could [...]]]> Hey hey! It’s been awhile since I did a giveaway, but thought it was about time for another one! Hopefully it will perk up your Monday!

The folks at CSN Stores contacted me and offered one lucky reader the opportunity to treat themselves at one of their 200+ stores! They carry pretty much everything you could ever want; cookware, kitchen gadgets, exercise equipment, dining tables, tv stands… you name it, they probably have it!

The giveaway is…CSN is treating one reader to a $20 gift certificate towards any product at any of their stores. Also (not all) but lots of their products are free to ship!

Here’s how to enter:

Leave me a comment telling me the last thing you bought!

For Extra entries:

1 entry – Tweet about this giveaway (@justflourishing)

2nd entry –  Blog about/link back to the the giveaway on your own blog.

3rd entry – If you don’t have a blog (or even if you do) you can get an extra entry by “liking” Just Flourishing on Facebook

The giveaway ends Friday May 7th!!! Good Luck

[this giveaway is open to US and Canadian readers]

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I have to make this quick as I have a busy day planned with the BF.

I am prepping a special dinner for him tonight (Boeuf Bourguignon) which he requested immediately after we watched Julie and Julia We’re also having some drunken whole wheat spaghetti and veggies on the side [...]]]>  

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I have to make this quick as I have a busy day planned with the BF.

I am prepping a special dinner for him tonight (Boeuf Bourguignon) which he requested immediately after we watched Julie and Julia We’re also having some drunken whole wheat spaghetti and veggies on the side (so I have something to munch )

Then we have a date at the gym (awwww) and then we’re off to see The New York City Ballet’s Swan Lake! So so soooooo excited!

And then, finally, a romantic dinner/dessert at home.

Before I announce the winner of my GIVEAWAY. I want to share with you a simple dessert for my final day of 5 Days of Chocolate. It’s an oldie but a goodie, and sometimes it’s so simple/predictable, people forget how delicious (and romantic) it can be! 

Chocolate covered fruit. A classic. Just make ahead and serve when ready.

Chocolate Covered Fruit

What You’ll Need

• 6 ounces chopped semisweet (or regular or bittersweet, depending on your taste) high quality chocolate
• 3 ounces chopped white chocolate (optional)
• Fruit: e.g. Whole strawberries (preferably) with stems, sliced bananas, orange slices, or dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs)

Directions:

Wash and dry fruit well. Heat the dark and white chocolates in separate double-boilers, or heat-proof bowls over saucepans filled with a couple inches of water, over medium heat. Bring water to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Stir chocolates until smooth. Take bowls off heat before chocolate is fully melted and continue stirring off heat (so chocolate doesn’t burn)

Line a baking sheet with parchment/wax paper. Dip the fruit into the dark chocolate and remove, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set gently on the parchment paper. Repeat with rest of fruit.
You can then dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over some of the the dipped fruit. (You can also dip some of the fruit in the white chocolate first and then drizzle with the dark chocolate)

Set fruit aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Then, feed to a loved one.

And now for the winner of the How Now Brown Cacao chocolate body cream….

#4 – Heather from Heather’s Dish!!!!

Congrats Heather! Please email me your mailing address and your Valentine’s Gift will be on its way!

HAVE A LOVELY VALENTINE’S DAY!

I write a “Healthy Living” blog and therefore try to practice what I preach by “living healthfully”.

When I started becoming interested in healthier, organic and just plain old good for you things, I only made an effort with food. It took me a while and lots of research/reading to realize that [...]]]>  

I write a “Healthy Living” blog and therefore try to practice what I preach by “living healthfully”.

When I started becoming interested in healthier, organic and just plain old good for you things, I only made an effort with food.
It took me a while and lots of research/reading to realize that what you put ON your body is just as important as what you put IN your body.

A quote from Crazy Sexy Life on beauty product research…

…Many of the products, from body spray to shampoo, contain parabens, a chemical that acts like estrogen in the body. In all, the 18 body-care products used… contain roughly 200 synthetic chemicals that [they] are putting on their bodies each day before breakfast. This daily dose includes dozens of chemicals linked to cancer, skin problems, allergies and hormone disruption, according to an analysis of a typical suite of these products on the Skin Deep database.

The Skin Deep database that they mention is The Environmental Working Group‘s searchable database of toxic ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products. It is kind of crazy how many toxic ingredients we slather all over our bodies, faces and heads without even a second thought. Check out the products you use and you will be astounded.

Well, with all this in mind, I have a very special treat for you. Remember when I wrote about my love for How Now Brown Cacao body dessert?

Well, just in time for Valentine’s Day YOU are getting a chance to win some!!!

How Now Brown Cacao is made by Simply Divine Botanicals, a company devoted to “handcrafted, chemical free skin care”. It is “a yummy, skin softening body dessert made with raw cacao and nourishing oils”. Its ingredients are minimal and wonderful and include Organic Raw Cacao Butter, Organic Virgin Coconut Cream and Organic Avocado Oil.

And as I wrote before: It is RICH and CHOCOLATEY and you can pretty much eat it! It’s super moisturizing and I wear it as “perfume” because it smells so HEAVENLY!

Want to know how you can win a jar of this delectable treat?

**Leave me a comment below telling me your favorite chocolate-y dessert**

For extra entries you can tweet about the giveaway or blog about the giveaway (let me know in the comments)

I will announce the winner the morning of Valentine’s Day!

(open to US and Canadian Residents)

The winners of the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride and Sugar Plum Spice tea giveaway ARE….

Maggie

AND

Stephanie

CONGRATS!!!!! Winners, please email me at justflourishing@gmail.com with your full name and mailing address to receive your teas!!!

See you all from Florida!

Tis the season for giveaways it seems.

To keep with my theme of giving, I’ve decided to host a little giveaway of my own. And luckily for you, this one is REALLLLY good!

It’s been floating around the blogsphere lately but many people are unable to find it themselves. 

What is it [...]]]>

Tis the season for giveaways it seems.

To keep with my theme of giving, I’ve decided to host a little giveaway of my own.
And luckily for you, this one is REALLLLY good!

It’s been floating around the blogsphere lately but many people are unable to find it themselves. 

What is it you ask?

Why, it’s SUGAR COOKIE SLEIGH RIDE Tea, of course!

And now it’s your chance get your hands on your very own box! 
There will be TWO winners who will each receive a box of this delightful treat! 

And not only that, each one is being accompanied by a box of Sugar Plum Spice tea as well!

To Enter: Leave a comment about your favourite holiday treat and I will randomly pick TWO winners tomorrow night!

Do you realllly want to win? You can get EXTRA ENTRIES by:

• Tweeting about the giveaway
• Blogging about the giveaway
• Following me on google reader
• Adding Just Flourishing to your Blogroll

Just leave me a comment letting me know that you did the above and I will put you in for more entries! (If you already follow me or have me on your blogroll just leave me a comment letting me know!)

GOOD LUCK!

[open to US and Canadian residents]