Friday Favorites 7.27.12

The Olympics are happening. It is today. I hope you're going to tune in. If you're in Chicago, watch NBC like there is no tomorrow. I'm basically planning my entire day around this. No joke. Early morning training then an afternoon run so I can get back just in time to watch the opening ceremony. For this week's roundup I've tried to incorporate all things global, healthy, and fueling. It's the Olympics: aka the athletic United Nations, so countries should be represented in food, no? Athletes need protein-packed meals that replenish all those burned calories. It can't be the Olympics without some mention of athletic gear. Who wouldn't want to work out in something that makes them look phenomenal, after all? Finally, the Olympics is a symbol of good will, peace, actually, it's a symbol of literal world peace by means of athletic congregation. It's only natural that good causes are reflected in this week's favorites.

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Friday Favorites 7.27.12

Photo courtesy of Lottie + Doof

Smoky Eggplant Puree: Kind of like Baba Ghanoush, but dressed up a little. This is international. I'm betting this is also delicious. A sprinkling of pine nuts always elevates a dish to the next level. There are also Urfa chiles used, which is also known as an Isot pepper from Turkey. Wouldn't you want to snack on this on a hot day?

Your Inner Skinny: I'd like to think that everyone has the innate capability to lose weight and keep it off, and Joy Bauer agrees. This book breaks down the roadblocks to weight loss in four main guidelines. This book will outline how you can change your appetite and outlook on dieting.

Family Style Salad: Rather than a one-pot meal or a slow-cooker dinner, try making a giant salad bowl to feed your family (or friends) over lunch or dinner. This salad has herbs and green beans for extra flavor and texture. The mustard dressing is also something you can definitely modify according to your taste. Vegetables, especially raw, don't keep very long so make sure you plan ahead regarding storage.

Survive on 35: This is a campaign for Cooking Matters, a Share Our Strength organization. 10 FitFluential bloggers participated in this challenge, planning and preparing meals for $35 per person per week. Check out one of the winners: Lindsay recaps the challenge in her blog. As a winner $1,000 will be donated to her food pantry of choice. Try this out for yourself and tell me how it goes!

FitFluential Tank: This is #FitGear at its best. It's not only a super-cute tank top for all you FitFluential Ambassadors and Enthusiasts, but it's also sweat-activated gear. Work out hard enough and you can sweat just enough to activate #PROOF on the back. How awesome is that? You can pre-order it now and it ships on August 22.

Olympus Greek Yogurt: Seriously, Faith's Daily Find is so addictive and intriguing. Not that she scoured the depths of the interwebs to find this awesome snack that will give you a protein boost, but hey, I'm not going to shoo away anyone who recommends a good Greek Yogurt brand. And for $2 at Whole Foods? Why not?

Love With Food: Do you like gourmet food? Do you like samples? Do you want to donate to a good cause? If you answered any and all of these with a "Yes" then this subscription is something you should consider. Each month you get a box of gourmet food samples and the company donates a meal to fight hunger.

xo,
k.