A Paleo Thanksgiving

Holidays can be tough when you and your extended family have different ideas about food. Having  been through multiple holiday seasons being paleo, I think that we have a good balance figured out, so I thought I'd share it with you. Note that this is what works for us and that things are a little different on the years that we are hosting. Honestly it's easier to stay paleo when we do host, but here are my tips for a healthy, paleo Thanksgiving.

1 - Bring your own dishes

When we are going to another family member's home, this is sides and a small dessert. Bonus points if you get to bring the turkey! We take two side dishes that we like and are also crowd pleasers and if we want it, some cranberry relish. 

Here are some of my favorites:

Maple sage roasted butternut squash 

Brussels sprouts with bacon (I add dried cranberries)

Paleo green bean casserole

Cranberry orange relish (so much better than canned cranberry sauce!)

Paleo dinner rolls

Paleo pumpkin pie

Skillet apple pie from this book - a favorite!

I also make a grain-free stuffing to take to my mom's. This recipe is pretty killer as well.

And if you're interested, my favorite turkey recipe and cranberry butter.

It is definitely more work to make a few of your own sides or rolls, but we leave our extras at home and eat them over the weekend! You can find some of my favorite paleo holiday recipes here.

2 - Plan ahead

We go in knowing that our meat is going to be cooked in less than ideal ingredients and isn't going to be the best quality. This is just a concession that we make. We don't partake in the Honeybaked ham/turkey since they are laden with sugar and additives, but will definitely eat an oven-roasted variety. If we are going somewhere that we know there won't be anything we would eat, we eat at home beforehand and have a cup of coffee or cider at the gathering.

We also talk about what, if any, things we want to eat that are not paleo, and limit ourselves to one thing.

3 - Take a walk

It feels so wonderful to get outside and move around, especially after a day of indulging, sitting and chatting with family and watching football. Even if you don't feel like it and even if it's just for a ten minutes, go outside and take a walk. You will feel so much better!

Happy Thanksgiving week! Wishing you a wonderful week and a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

xoxo

Blueberry Avocado Smoothie + Ginger

I don't typically jump on the smoothie bandwagon, but sometimes I just don't have time for a full-on meal. So it's nice to be able to throw something together than can be consumed with one hand while driving and still provide all the nutrient-dense foods my body needs. I do have to say though, that I definitely don't recommend smoothies for breakfast, as that is pretty much a mainline of sugar to your liver first thing in the morning. And also make sure not to overdo it! Only put as much in the blender as you could eat comfortably on its own.

Blueberry Avocado Smoothie:

2/3 frozen banana

small handful frozen organic blueberries OR 1/2 a pear

1-2 scoops Young Living Pure Protein Complete

handful fresh organic spinach

1/2 an avocado

1 drop ginger essential oil (optional)

almond milk to desired consistency

This is also delicious with a drop of ginger essential oil and a drop of tangerine essential oil!

xoxo

For information on how to get your own oils and Young Living products at a 24% discount, click here.

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Right Now...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." -Marianne Williamson

{via}

Life, Lately

Since coming home from Wyoming, life has been moving at warp speed with little to no breathing room. I feel like it's been a whirlwind of working, managing a household, taking care of a babe, and (not enough) sleep. On a happy note, today is my Thursday since I have a long weekend coming up, and I just. cannot. wait! I have so many recipes and DIYs I want to share with you, and I'm itching to start some holiday decorating and make some paleo peppermint hot chocolate. Yes, you read that right, but let me just repeat... paleo peppermint hot chocolate. 

Here's a little peek into our trip to Wyoming and the last week of craziness. 

{my happy little reindeer! this kid is so awesome, you guys.}

 {my boss brought us bags of apples from the north Georgia apple orchard - score!}

{I could hike all day in the beautiful Wind River Range.}

 {We had the best burgers & sandwiches on gluten-free buns in Jackson.}

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

The Anatomy of a Wall Collage

I love a good collage. Mixing prints, textures and colors is a general theme around our home. And  whether small or large, a good wall collage adds personality and depth to any room. Here are some of my tips for achieving your perfect mix. 

1. Make it personal

Use items from your life - your wedding, your adventures, meaningful quotes -- something from your favorite novel, a line or two of poetry or even an entire poem, or song lyrics -- perhaps the song you danced to at your wedding, or the one your mother used to sing to you as a child.

2. Find a common theme

Make one element of the collage cohesive  -- perhaps a color story {I went with neutral colors in my living room collage}, using the same frame for each piece, a wall of only poetry or song lyrics, pictures from your honeymoon or a favorite trip. Find something that ties a common thread between all pieces.

3. Plan it out

I like to lay the collage on the floor to get the perfect arrangement, then cut out shapes from paper that match each piece. Lightly tape each piece of paper to the wall and tweak the placement as needed. It may seem like extra work, but I guarantee you it is far easier than rearranging things after you've already made holes in the wall. I especially suggest this if you are trying to hang multiple things in one straight line.

4. Don't be afraid to switch it up

Changing out pieces in the collage helps keep things fresh, especially during the holiday season. I like to add silver Christmas balls to the antlers in our living room or string garland across the frames to make them more festive. Also, if you find another piece of art that you love, find a way to incorporate it into your collage.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Hello from Wyoming!

Life has been so crazy lately that when given the chance to visit family out west, husband and I gratefully accepted. We are spending a long weekend exploring Wyoming and Utah, hiking through the wilderness, eating gelato in bed and catching up on some sleep.

Fun things next week when we get back!

xo