Health + Recipes: A Simple and Clean Holiday Cranberry Sauce

I can't believe Thanksgiving is only a week away! It's so easy to fall into the holiday trap of eating tons of fat, sugar, and 

processed foods...but it always leaves me feeling sluggish, tired, and irritable.. not to mention bloated:) Whenever I can, I 

try to eat the cleanest version of holiday foods...which really isn't hard to do with all of the healthy cooking websites out 

there and plethora of clean ingredients available at nearly every supermarket...it just take a little more effort (good things 

come to those who wait:). So, I wanted to share with you my favorite Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce recipe that I found on 

www.thegraciouspantry.com. We made this last Thanksgiving and it's amazing how great real ingredients and simple 

recipes can really taste (no added sugars, GMO's, chemicals, etc.) Plus, its super easy and saves well.. this will be 

a holiday staple for me for years to come. Enjoy!

xoxo,
Kara

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce

(Makes approx. 1-1/4 cups)

Ingredients 

- 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries (approx. 3 1/4 cups)

- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

- 1 cinnamon stick

- zest of one large orange4yh543j

- 1 cup distilled water

Directions

- Put everything in a pot, and turn your stove on.

- Cook over a medium-high heat for about 30-45 minutes. When most of the liquid is cooked out, turn your stove down to a simmer. The longer you let this simmer, the thicker the sauce will get. Just don’t let ALL the liquid cook out or it will burn. Stir more frequently near the end.

- Allow to cool before eating, or else will burn your tongue :)

- Serve for you and all your family and friends to enjoy!

Home + Fashion: Sunlight Over Me

Open Up

Nothing could be more refreshing in a home than letting the sunlight in and the soft wind breathe clean air through the room. Nowadays it seems our houses and apartments lack the most essential part to having a breathable home; windows. 

Ceiling-t0-floor paneled windows is a dream come true for those who love to let the sunrays in. We happen to be one of them ;)

We've gathered a dreamy collection of windows that all create a space perfect for self-centering and relaxation. Get inspired!

Enjoy :)

Stylist Top Fall Picks with Courtney

Fall is here and we couldnt be more excited for the season's new fashion trends. PL stylist, Courtney, shares her favorite fall picks from designers like Celine, Valentino, Joie and more! All items are available to you at our stores now! Just give us a call :) 858-792-0882

Celine Burgundy Micro Luggage Tote

Joie white tank Blouse: $128

Citizens of  Humanity black Coated Denim:  $237

Rebecca Taylor embellished Tweed Jacket: $495

Valentino "Rockstud" ankle strap pump: $ 1,075

Home: Clean and Green

Green seems to automatically give a feeling of life, growth and serenity. The fresh feeling of the hue is great to incorporate within your home decor. Add the color to your home with houseplants, wall decor, a throw blanket or even the color of a wall! 

Add a little bit of earth's most prominent natural color to your sanctuary! It's bound to bring a breath of life into your environment :)

Health + Recipes: Banana Chai Smoothie

Simple recipes with less ingredients are not only fun and easy, but healthier for your body! This simple smoothie recipe from Free People is delicious and nutritious. Make this at home as part of your breakfast or for a mid-day snack!

Cinnamon is known to help lower blood sugar for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It can also lower LDL cholesterol levels. Chai on the other hand is a great digestive aid! And of course bananas are packed with potassium and fiber ;)

Enjoy the taste and the health benefits!

Makes 1 smoothie

1 banana
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp chai spice (add more or less, depending on your taste!)
1 cup ice cubes

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.  Top with a little bit of nutmeg or cinnamon!

Deep Thoughts: Your Well Being

Change Your Life Page by Page

There's nothing more fulfilling than a great self help book that can change your life in just one chapter. It's amazing how another mind's insight can open a doorway to a new world of living in a better way. It's never too late to change the direction of your mindset and take control of your inner happiness. 

Try these books and take the time to sit in a quiet place to read and get centered. 

It's more than worth it! 

Fashion Inspo: 3 Fall Looks

Thank goodness for fashion bloggers! It's like a never ending story of daily outfit and styling inspiration to feed from and experiment with. 

We've selected 3 of our favorite fall fashion looks from fashion bloggers Trop Rouge, Atlantic-Pacific and Wendy's Look Book. 

Get inspired by these looks for casual day-time, work or an evening occasion! 

Enjoy :)

Day-time Casual

Work or Evening

Work

Beauty: Make Time for Beauty

Us women may have the excuse of being too busy to do our at-home beauty duties. However, its now or never to start taking care of ourselves and restore both our health and our youth. Apply these simple beauty tips to your lifestyle in order to keep your natural beauty alive and healthy! Make time for it. It will surely pay off ;)

Use as less heat, dye and any other damaging chemicals as possible! It may be hard to stay away from the flat iron, but try to lay off the frying heat at least 2 or 3 days during the week to give your hair a break. Once a week, try an at-home hot oil treatment with cocnut oil. Simply bring 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to a boil. Let it cool until warm and apply to your hair. Next, wrap your hair in saran wrap and let it sit for 45 min to an hour. This will soak your hair in hydrating bliss, leaving your hair silky smooth and a little healthier. 

Moisturize with the right moisturizers! Focus more on using moisture in its most natural form, like oils. Rather than applying a moisturizer with a million ingredients and chemicals, keep it simple by applying natural oils that can be used for not only your skin, but your hair as well! (i.e. coconut oil) 

Mask your skin! Clay masks and at-home DIY avocado/cucumber/honey or lavendar mixtures are great to do once or twice a week to revive your skin's health. Make it a part of your routine. Throw on a mask in the morning then make your coffee, breakfast or any other morning duties necessary. Just because you have a mask on doesn't mean you can't multitask while detoxing your skin ;)

Sprits your way to flawlessness. Our faucets at home, more often than not, provide very hard water that is drying and can leave your skin dehydrated after rinsing.  Rose water is more kind to your skin when cleansing and rinsing. It will leave your skin more hydrated and smooth. Especially for those with sensitive skin. 

Take your vitamins! Taking care of yourself on the inside reflects your health and beauty on the outside. Vitamin E can hydrate the skin and speed up melanocyte production! This leaves your skin glowing, fresh and radiant. And of course, it leaves the rest of your body fueled with essential vitamin e nutrients :)

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