Friday Finisher 11/29/13

Happy Black Friday! How was your Thanksgiving? I hope you got to spend time with family, relax, and enjoy some wonderful food. I got in my workout early in the morning, like 7:30, which was awesome and I was so energized! Now that I have school I don't have time to get in my real workouts until later in the day, so I had forgotten just how great it feels to start your day with a nice HIIT session!

My mom, brother, and I went over to my grandparents around 1:15ish. My aunt and uncle got to the house around 2:30ish and we ate around 3:15ish, haha! I was starving by the time we ate since I had only had breakfast so far! We had tons of food on the table. Starting with salads and butternut squash soup. Then the main foods including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes (normal baked ones and also ones with marshmallows), green bean casserole, corn, broccoli and cauliflower, rolls, cranberry sauces, gravy, mashed potatoes. I ate the salad, my vegan stuffed mushrooms, my stuffing, and the plain veggies. It was all delicious! For dessert there was banana bread, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and my crustless pumpkin pie, which was horrible! But the only reason it came out bad was because I made it on Sunday and froze it until yesterday. Do not freeze this pie. It held all the water once it defrosted and was like a sponge. I was so upset because I know how amazing it is and was looking forward to having it. It still tasted semi-okay and the almond butter I put on it fixed it more 😛 But this just gives me an excuse to make it again in the next few days 😉

So are you'll shopping today? Have you already gone out? I see a few sales online that I might hit up. A.K.A. Old Navy and Express. I have never gone actual Black Friday shopping. I have always wanted to though. I think it would be fun to just be up and out at 3:00am in the stores, haha! I wake-up so early anyway, but hey maybe next year 😉

SS Posts from the week:

Monday: Power Monday #21 Food Allergy Safety During the Holidays

Tuesday: The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Stuffing

Wednesday: The Healthiest Pumpkin Pie Around

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Blog Posts I loved this week:

+ The ABCs of Blogging

Only bloggers understand 😉

+ Tips and Tricks for Food Photography

A great round-up of links to help you get the best shot!

+ 6 Food Safety Tips for Leftover Season

Food safety was one of the first things I became passionate about when I really started cooking. These are so important! You will find me freaking out when the power goes out in my house. I will cry and yell until my dad hooks the refrigerator up to the generator!

+ How to Stop Feeding Your Eating Disorder, and Start Feeding Your Recovery

This beautiful post made my week! A must read. I just found Heather's blog about a week or two ago and everything she posts is wonderful, true, and uplifting!

+ 10 Things I Wish I'd Known About Health When I was a 20-Somthing Supermodel

Great insights!

+ Hey, Not All Real Women Have Curves

All women are real women. Size does not define your gender percentage...that's just stupid.

+ Forget all the Blogging Rules

Readers comes back to those of us who are authentic. It does not matter if you have spelling mistakes, don't host giveaways, promote brands, or have the latest and greatest features. Being yourself, your true voice, is what makes a blog great. No rules, just you!

+ 5 Ways to be In Your Life

Thoughtfulness, grace, life in the moment!

+ Why I'm Thankful I Became a Mother

I am not a mom (obviously), but Giselle put together a lovely post, a must read 🙂

+ Ungrateful: How to Shift Your Mindset

We are naturally ungrateful (and when we say we are grateful, do we really mean it?), but we can change that!

+ Back When I Ate the "HLB" Way: Blogger Responsibility and Disordered Eating

Not all "HLBs" are live or die fact. Most of us are just everyday people. You should not follow to a T what other bloggers eat just because your think that is what healthy is. It may not be and it may not be right for you.

+ Want To Get Stronger? Leave Your Gym Ego at the Door

You don't have to show off by doing badass moves. The simplest exercises can be the most beneficial. Proper form, safety, and focus is all you need.

+ Can You Be Healthy In Recovery?

We all deserve to be healthy no matter what our past looked like. If you want a salad one day, that should not provoke others to start railing on you and that should be eating a greasy steak instead. Recovery is supposed to be about regaining our health...so shouldn't we be able to be healthy with out the looks and whispers?

+ All About Yoga Inversions

I am still not comfortable doing or even attempting headstands. They hurt my head to much, so I think I am doing them wrong. However I love forearm and handstands! But there are so many inversions and so many variations, everyone can try something!

+ FDA Update Regarding GF Labeling in Restaurants

Not only will food companies be held to the new standards, but now restaurants will as well!

+ 16 Food Rules You Don't Need To Follow

Listen to you body. That should be the only "food rule" you live by.

Favorite Pins:

(Follow me on Pinterest – RebeccaGF666)

55 Calorie Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes. Gluten-Free Vegan greatness right there

Carrot Grapefruit and Mango Smoothie. Sunshine in a glass 🙂

DIY Burlap Wreath. So rustic! Potential DIY Christmas gift?

Cozy Banana Bread Pancakes. A perfect morning wake-up!

Pumpkin Gnocchi. Another lovely recipe form the beautiful Michelle! I wish I could meet this girl and have a cooking date, haha! But Ireland...it's not exactly across the street 😛

A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:

+ 172 days (rough days but still trying) of being (eyebrow and eyelash) trich free!

+ I am grateful I was able to see some of my family yesterday and spend some time with them.

+ I appreciate the food, shelter, love, and family that I have in my life.

+ Lovin' this 5 day weekend!

So tell me:

+ How was your T-Day?

+ Strike any awesome Black Friday deals?

+ Have any T-Day flops, fails, or successes to share?