Downtown Stroll.

My beau's sister and her friend were in town from Texas and I decided to show them the sites and neighborhoods of Nashville today. Despite the rain, it was a great day for a stroll. Seems like every time we got to where we were going, it'd rain, but would always clear up for us to get to the next spot. Maybe the rounds today -- the Gulch, Downtown, Shelby Walking Bridge, Jackson's in Hillsboro Village for some Cookie Dough Eggrolls (yum!) and then the Farmer's Market for lunch and some fresh produce. Sad to say that in the almost 3 years that I've lived in Nashville, today was the first time I'd stepped foot on the Bridge. And even with the ominous stormy sky rolling in, it was simply beautiful!

What are some of your favorite things to do/see in Downtown Nashville when you have guests?

Juice Wagon!

So I've fallen off the juice wagon a bit and I'm starting to feel it thru out my whole body -- I'm lacking in energy, my mind isn't very clear and focused, my joints hurt after working out and I'm not getting the same restful sleep I was getting when I juiced several times a day. So, I'm getting back on board and might even think about doing another juice fast sometime next week since working out has increased my desire to consume mass amounts of water for the first time in my life :) which is why I didn't survive my last 10 day cleanse I attempted.

I decided to stroll on over to Eat Well Market while I was getting my AC charged across the street. I always drive past the place and see their menu daily on Facebook, but never find a good time to actually stop. So despite the rain, I made a go for it. She hadn't made any juice yet for the day, so she started spouting off a number of different things she could do and I said "go for it" -- I believe this little beauty had carrot, apple, kale, something else leafy that I can't remember, cucumber and I'm not sure what else :) But it was delicious! And the best part was that she came out half way thru and grabbed some kale and a cucumber straight out of the garden! Nothing gets fresher than that. And it was reasonably priced -- plus they do a punch card sort of program where you buy a certain number of juices ahead of time for cheaper! My only call out would be to get it warm next time since you're body digests it better and I'm not a fan of super cold juice, but the kiddo didn't seem to mind it!

They also have fresh produce from the garden that you can buy at a little table they have set up outside. Now don't get me wrong, it's nothing compared to what the Farmer's Market has on Wednesday's, but it's great being able to buy fresh ORGANIC stuff grown right there while you grab a juice or something off their menu! I think they had some various peppers, zucchini, squash and some finger potatoes. Check it out guys and support your local EN businesses!

What's your favorite thing on their ever changing menu?

Hummus Quesadillas.

So I've recently become infatuated with all things hummus. I've been buying every new flavor and brand I can find, been slathering everything I eat with it and can't wait to start experimenting in the kitchen and making my own concoctions. So anytime I go to a restaurant that has anything on the menu that focuses on hummus, I give it a try. And I found a winner the other day! Beyond the Edge in East Nashville has an amazing Hummus Quesadilla -- hummus, tomatoes, black olives, banana peppers, jalapenos, and onions inside a spinach tortilla. PERFECTION! Definitely worth stopping in one day for lunch or dinner and giving it a shot!

What are some vegetarian/vegan menu items that you've tried recently in East Nashville?

Melting Pot.

So the beau and I went to the Melting Pot downtown last night for our 3 year anniversary. I guess this is one of those few times that I'm glad to be a 'flexitarian' because I definitely indulged my carnivore side. We did the 4 course meal and enjoyed a bottle of chardonnay with it. First course we did the Cheddar Cheese fondue -- I unfortunately didn't think to take a picture of any of it until it was gone. Yeah, it was that good :) We dipped bread, veggies and my favorite, chilled granny smith apples. Then came some salads which we picked at a little since we knew what was up ahead. Next, came the meat course which we cooked in just a basic vegetable bullion. We had (middle) sirloin and lobster, (top to right) shrimp, pork, chicken, and beef. I ate more meat then I'd probably had combined in the last month or so, but I also inhaled the veggies and had to get another big bowl of them! Lastly was dessert and by far, my favorite part of fondue. We had milk chocolate with Oreo chunks and a shot of Baileys added in. Tried to take a picture of it, but it didn't look very appetizing haha. We dipped strawberries, Rice Krispie treats, chocolate/graham cracker marshmallows,  brownies, cheesecake, cherries and pound cake. Was truly an amazing meal and a great way to celebrate our anniversary! We'll see how the gym treats me the next couple of days *wink*

What are your favorite places to celebrate special occasions?

Purple Inspiration.

So we made a little road trip this past weekend to my family's house in Alabama -- and since there hasn't been any rain lately, everything was lacking in it's usual colorful luster. Flowers were shriveled up, grass was crunchy and brown, leaves were wilted. So I decided to brighten your day up a little by dedicating today's 'Instagram Inspiration' to the color purple!

@itschincha -- makes beautiful smoothies! This one is a layered
concoction of banana, acai and grapefruit.

@julionmarianosa -- cauliflower cooked with beet root

@kaliborrego -- organic coconut milk, raspberries, strawberries,
plantain, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a twist of lime

@juliansqmimi

@lindsayashton -- blueberries, banana, almond milk + agave

@nature_vs_nurture -- blueberries, banana, camu camu

What color(s) are you munching on today?

Lentil Soup.

So last night was my first attempt at making a healthy meal that didn't take 10 minutes -- ie tacos, wraps, etc.  I decided that since I have lentils a lot when we go out to eat, I'd try to make some at home. I made the soup/stew with 2 cups Thrive Lentils, 3 celery stocks, 8 large carrots (love them!), 1 cup Thrive Chopped Onions, and various amounts of cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, salt/pepper and basil. I also made some roughly 1 cup of Thrive Quinoa that we mixed into our individual bowls to help thicken it out a little. And of course, I topped mine off with a ton of hot sauce :) I wish I'd had some sort of 'sauce' to decorate the top, but I didn't get that creative. Honestly, I wouldn't even know where to start with something like that. I'd say for my first attempt, I didn't do too bad. I didn't realize how long lentils took to get soft -- so definitely give yourself around an hour for prep and cooking time. Thinking of getting some Thrive Carrots and Celery to cut down on the prep time in the future too!

Thrive Chopped Onions, Thrive Lentils and Thrive Quinoa

Tasted way better than how the picture makes it look :)

If you're interested in finding out more information about Thrive products, feel free to email me or check out my website at this link: Shelf Reliance -- click on the 'Shop' tab, then select which website you want to view, then scroll down to the bottom to 'Sign In' and create an account. This will give you the best pricing by sometimes 20%.

What meals have you made with Lentils lately?

Watermelon.

So it seems like everyone right now has a 'crush' on watermelon since it's that time of the year. I've been buying pre-cut ones from Whole Foods lately and making sure that I throw a handful in my juices every morning to help boost my reds for the week. Gives it a little bit of a pulpy taste though but still super yummy and refreshing. I know we've already touched base on the benefit of red fruits/veggies in our diets, but I wanted to highlight a little more on what adding watermelons into your diet can do for your health.

@eathealthyworkhard -- seems to eat a ton of this yummy treat!

• Help with weight loss. This is true because watermelon (along with other melons such as honey dew and cantaloupe) have a higher water content and a lower calorie content. Meaning you fill up quicker, but have WAY less calories then most things that you can eat. To give you an idea, one cup of watermelon is only around 50 calories. 
• Highest source of lycopene then any other fruit or vegetable, also found in tomatoes. I read that unlike other phytonutrients that are usually only tested on animals, lycopene has been used in tons of human studies and found to help reverse and prevent certain cancers, particularly colon cancer. This is huge!!
• Rich in vitamin B so it helps produce energy for your body and boost brain power.
• Studies have shown that those that eat 3 servings or more of fruits a day will greatly reduce their risk of developing Macular Degeneration (vision loss) when they are older. Again, watermelon is an easy fruit to add into your daily regimen since it's low in calorie and a little goes a long way. 
• Improves insulin sensitivity.
• Help with erectile dysfunction.
• High source of potassium which has a wide range of functions including: keeping your acidity levels balanced, lowering your blood pressure and boosting muscle and nerve function. 
• May help reduce the risk of forming kidney stones by regulating your salt intake.  

Additional Sources: WHFoods -- Health Mad -- JuicerSelect -- Organic Facts

Feast your eyes on some yummy pictures that I've found as part of my 'Instagram Inspiration'. ENJOY!

@juliomarianosa

@meganannthrasher -- Love this!

@lindsayashton -- absolutely beautiful! Love all the different melons!

@aniiit

What are some of your favorite summer memories that include watermelon?