Rocksbox: Gems for Rent

     A little while ago I got a chance to work with an awesome company out of San Francisco called Rocksbox. Basically they let to rent out 3 pieces of designer jewelry at a time for a flat monthly rate. It gets delivered to your door in this adorable little box and you have some fab pieces to wear for as long as you want! And since you're hearing about it from me you can try a month for FREE by using the code beckapalterxoxo.

     Wanna know more?
      When you sign up you fill out a personal style quiz so you can let them know if you have strict jewelry preferences, or a specific event coming up or anything like that.  Then you can browse their giant collection of gorgeous gems to see if there's any specific pieces you're dying to have.  You can even connect them with your instagram so so you just comment #wishlist on a photo and it pops right into your list! Once you've done all that you get assigned a personal stylist so that you are sure to get the personal experience you deserve and get gems that are perfectly suited to you.

    You may be saying: I don't wear fancy jewelry, how can they match my style, blah blah blah.
    Here's the thing.  We all deserve a treat, and wouldn't it be awesome if that was treat was free, and came wrapped up in an adorable bow and you got to show it off for a whole month!? I don't wear fancy jewelry either, and I loved rocking these simple gorgeous pieces.  I've got quite an eclectic style and they still work with my wardrobe, and since I'm not making a huge monetary investment, I'm not worried about them matching with every outfit. 

Hexagons are my favorite shape :]

     And if you end up loving a piece, you can keep it.  They even give you 10$ a month in Shine Cash to put towards any piece (which are already on an insider's discount). 

Basically it's a no lose situation. But if you've got any questions, ask me, or check out their page.  And try them for free by using code: beckapalterxoxo

Banana Bread

     It has happened to all of us.  You bought a few too many bananas, and now they're brown and you don't want to eat them. Well you're in luck! Here's my low FODMAP banana bread recipe!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 c mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter room temp
1/8 c yogurt (I used lactose free, vanilla or plain)
2 eggs
1 1/2 c oat flour (make by putting oats in a food processer, or buying super expensive oat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine dry ingredients minus sugar: oat flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon. Mix Well

3.Combine wet ingredients and sugar: banana, vanilla, brown sugar, butter, yogurt, eggs. Mix Well

4.Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well.

5.Fold in extras: nuts, chocolate, etc.
6.Pour into bread pan that had been sprayed as needed.

7.Cook for roughly 1 hour at 350. Remove when you can put a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean.
8.Enjoy!

Morro Bay

The view across the bay to Morro Rock

      This past week I finally got some free time to head up the coast to Morro Bay. I don't think I'd been there since I was a wee tot.  Here's some highlights from the trip!

     We camped at Morro Bay State Park, which was lovely. Personally I recommend trying to get a campsite on the upper loop, as we did for our second night. The campsites there are in a stand of eucalyptus, rather than out in an open field, so it feels more private.

     We spent our first day setting up and wandering around the marina.  We made our way up to Cayoucos to the Brown Butter Cookie Company.  These guys have amazing cookies!! I really regret not taking a picture inside, because you can see the cookies being baked right in front of you.  They even had 3 gluten free options!

     We made a delicious camp dinner (especially considering this was our first camping trip on our own) and a little campfire and that's about it.

Steak, Salad and Gluten Free Mac & Cheese. Keeping it low FODMAP on the road.

     The next morning we work up to mourning doves and got a jump start on our day with some breakfast burritos!
     Then we threw everything in the car and moved to our second campsite. Surprise, booking a campsite in the summer is difficult, so we're lucky we got  2 consecutive nights, even if it wasn't at the same site.

 

The second day was pretty packed.

     We grabbed kayaks and went across the bay to run around to the sand dunes that I had been dying to play on since the moment we'd arrived. Apparently there was a beached whale somewhere that was attracting a lot of harbor seals and other wildlife, but I've been down wind of a beached whale once before and it's not something I'd like to repeat.

     After a quick paddle back with the tide helping us along, we made lunch and set out for Montano de Oro State Park.   It's only about 10 minutes away from Morro Bay and well work the drive.  The scenery changes vastly when you get out the the area that faces the ocean. 

The little hook coming off Mondano de Oro is surrounding Spooner Cove

    We ended up at Spooner Cove, with is stunning. It's covered in perfectly smoothed beach stones (sorry southern California pals, this is not a sandy beach). And when we were there were heaps of beached Velella Velella.  They're basically like jelly fish that use a sail on the top of their body to skim across the waves, but if the winds change, they can get blow onto the beaches in hundreds.  The perfect treat for a bio nerd.

A dead Velella Velella

   But outside than biological oddities, it is still a great place.

A natural rock "pier" that you can walk out on, as long as the tide is low enough for you to get back.

The signature hole in the rock and my wonderful camping buddy.

     The second night we were relieved from our duties as camp cooks by the SLO Farmer's Market.  If there is a way to arrange your trip so you're there on a Thursday, you have to do it.  The market is 5 big blocks long, with musical performers at every intersection.  There's barbeque, fresh veggies, and most importantly, all sorts of sweet treats.

     But none so sweet as a view down their famous bubble gum alley! I remember putting my gum on this wall when I first came here at 5 years old, and I was probably just as excited this time! We left our mark on SLO in the shape of a lucky green mint clover.

We packed up or happy little camp the next morning and headed out to our next adventure.

Stacks on Stacks of Yum, thanks to Trader Joes!

I ate 3 of these plates, so watch out!

  New treat for you guys! Trader Joes has just come out with a gluten free waffle and pancake mix, and it's actually low FODMAP! It doesn't contain any soy, which apparently is remarkable, because almost all gluten free products do. Personally I'm usually not a fan of store bought gluten free products.  By the time you've mixed together 15 different flours and powders, it doesn't taste anything like the real thing.  TJs stick to a few basic ingredients and the results are great.

   And yes, I realized that I could go to the store and buy potato flower, rice flower, oat flower, almond flower, tapioca starch and mix them all together in a specific ratio, but do I really want to do that? No. (Plus tapioca starch is like 12$ for an ounce, are you kidding me?)

All you need

    Basically, they're super delicious, although a bit cakey.  I added a 1/2c water, instead of 1/4c, as suggested to make them more like "crepes", but I think you could even do 3/4.

 Add the wet ingredients, and mix in the pancake mix. And scoop them out!

Golden Goodness

   This is what the exact amount listed on the box makes, so if you've got a couple gluten free lovers, I suggest making a few servings.

Top with any lovely summer fruit or nut butters or maple syrup or powdered sugar and gobble them up! Well actually, you may want to savor them because they're pretty good.

Nice job TJs!

Pad Thai Party

There are so many Pad Thai recipes out there, but I haven't quite found one I like, so I took the best parts of each and made my own.  And I have to say, I'm pretty proud. Also, yes, it is low FODMAP, and I've been playing around with a vegetarian/ vegan version, so that'll be all the way at the bottom.

Pad Thai Ingredients:
7 oz Pad Thai Rice Noodles
8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 small Zucchini julienne
1 large Carrot julienne
1 Tbs Ginger, minced
2 Tbs garlic infused olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil

Sauce Ingredients:
2 Tbs Peanut Butter
1 Tbs Soy Sauce (gluten free if needed)
1 Tbs red Thai curry paste (often contains some garlic & onion find a recipe for a homemade version with none here)
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
A few drops of Fish Sauce (trust me, a little goes a long way)

Toppings:
Mung Bean Sprouts
Cilantro
Chopped Peanuts
Lime
Green Onion

Hint: Get as all as of the ingredients prepared  before you turn on the stove.  Most of the time spent on this recipe is in prep, and you don't want to overcook this, or you will end up with a mushy rice ball.

1. Heat oil in skillet.  Add Chicken.
2.  Cook noodles as the box instructs.  Remove them when they are a bit undercooked.  Run under cold water and drain.
3. Add veggies, garlic olive oil and ginger to the pan with chicken. Cook until veggies are "al dente", basically when the zucchini starts to turn neon green.
   
   My sister got me this great little tool for slicing up veggies nice and thin! (find yours here, or at any cooking store)
   
   
4. In a small bowl combine sesame oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, red curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. Mix well.
5. Add noodles and sauce to pan with chicken and veggies.  Turn off heat and Mix quickly. DON'T OVER COOK THE NOODLES! (sorry, but rice noodles are super gross when they get cooked too long)
6. Scoop into a bowl and garnish as you please.

Vegetarian/ Vegan hints:
Take out the chicken and double the veggies.  Don't add the fish sauce to the sauce. It's still super delicious.

Reheating:
Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a pan, toss in your leftovers.  Remove and garnish.  Don't use the microwave, unless you're determined to find out how gross overcooked rice noodles are.


Enjoy!!

Hither Hill Bags

 Hey ladies and gents! Welcome to my first "Trendy Tuesday"!
I'm gonna tell you about an awesome brand coming out of Montauk , NY' Hither Hill. I luckily won one of their giveaways a while ago, so I got to try out a few of their products and I have been so pleased!
PS- This is Scout the Dingo. I'm sure she'll pop up in more of my posts because she hates to be left out of anything.

The first is their travel bag, which I think occasionally listed in their "men's" sections, but I travel too so whatever.  This little bag is perfect. It fits everything I need, but it isn't too big.  A lot of overnight bags have tons of pockets and compartments, but personally I already have my makeup and jewelery in their own little bags, but I'd like to just keep it all together. This bag is great for that.  In the past months I've had it, I've taken it across the country a few times, camping, weekend trips up the coast, and if shows no sign of wear.  It's even pretty easy to get any toothpaste spittle off!
The sleek, classic design makes it an easy choice for yourself, or as a gift. Their items last, so even if style changes you'll still love this.

 

The other gem I got was this great tote. Personally I'm somebody that likes to bring basically my entire house with me to the beach, so I appreciate a bag that can handle that. Even with packing this bag to the brim with a beach mat, towel, water bottle, tons of sunblock, a book, hat and snacks, it shows no wear.  I love that I can change the height of the straps. Because we've all those bags that are all up in our armpits, or somehow hitting our knees. It's got a nice snap so all your stuff doesn't fall out and a zipper pocket so you don't have to rummage through your entire bag just to find your keys (detail shots below). But my favorite thing? It's super easy to get sand out. There are no extra large seams hiding it away until you put it down in your house or when it tips over in your closet. Basically, it's the perfect summer bag.

 So what makes them special? Well, like most small companies, the people who work at Hither Hill are passionate about what they do.  These products are designed to do exactly what you want them to do, they're designed to look good, and mostly, they're designed to last. And they're made in America. This means that designers can work hand in hand with manufacturers to make sure that you get the best possible result.You won't be buying another Hither Hill product because it broke, you'll be buying one because you loved your last one so much that you want another or you want someone else to experience it.   So if you've ever wanted a super sweet bag, go check them out!

"It's still Spring" Rolls

      One of the hardest parts of the low FODMAP diet is cutting out gluten.  In America, most of our staples involve wheat, so as a result I started looking to Asian and Latin American influenced foods, as they tend to have less wheat.
   Here is one of my favorite meals to make.  The prep work is a bit more than most, but that's part of the importance.  According to my dietician, a large amount of the digestive juices that your body requires are created in the 30 minutes prior to eating.  Your body only knows to create these juices when you spend that time anticipating food (planning, dicing, cooking, etc.).  So realizing you're hungry and automatically grabbing a burger may work at some times, but it can cause a shock to your system.

   So here is an outline of one of my favorite meals, feel free to add your own suggestions below!

 Spring Roll Ingredients:

• Rice Paper Wraps
• 3 oz Rice Noodles
• 1 Cucumber
• 2 Carrots
• 1 Avocado (limit if you are sensitive)
• 1 Jicama (probably a small one, but left overs are always good)
• 1 Tbs Cilantro
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 Tbs Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tbs Soy Sauce (or soja sauce for gluten free)
• Drizzle of Sesame Oil

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 1Tbs Rice Vinegar
• 1 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 tsp finely chopped Peanuts
• 1 tsp chopped Cilantro

 Instructions:

1. Chop Everything, except the carrots: you're going to want things in thin strips so it'll fit nicely in your roll
2. Slice the carrots into thin strips, I use a vegetable peeler, but a tool that will jullienne them may be better.
3. Combine the carrots, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and cilantro on a bowl and mix.
4. Cook rice noodles as the instructions say. When finished rinse them with cold water (to stop then from cooking) and drizzle with sesame oil.

 

5.  Assemble all your ingredients and get ready to roll!

6.  Fill a wide flat bowl with warm water.

7.  Dip the rice paper into the water. you want it to be flexible, but not so flexible that it loses the pattern on it.  This may take some practice.

8.  Lay the paper on a flat dry plate and choose your ingredients.

9. Lay the ingredients in a flat line leaving room on the edges (pictured below).

10. Fold in the edges and roll up. Then keep going! 

 Dipping Sauce:
Combine all ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
In the past I've also added lime juice or ginger and they all turned out yummy.

Enjoy!

I will explain more about the low FODMAP diet in the future, but for now, keep exploring, keep enjoying, keep those bellies happy!

Your friendly neighborhood Food, Health, Style Blogger

     For a while people have been asking me to create a blog but I never got started because I couldn't decide how to narrow down a topic to write about.  But then I realized, I don't have to.  I've never tied myself to a stereotype, and because of that I have a lot of diverse interests. 

     A bit about me: I'm originally from the San Francisco Bay Area.  I graduated with my BA in Psychology with an emphasis in Neuroscience in 2013 from an awesome little university in Tacoma.  And I now live in San Diego.  I work part time at a large children's hospital, volunteer with a cat rescue, model and wander around with my camera. Through modeling I have met some amazing artists and gotten to explore some great places in and around San Diego.  "The Industry" is not always the most welcoming place, but if you search a bit and are choosey about who you work with, you can find some real gems.

     Over the last 5 years I have done a bunch of medical tests to try to figure out why I have had tummy trouble my whole life, and eventually got diagnosed with a functional intestinal disorder (basically things don't work quite the way they should but we don't know why).  So as a result I also spend quite a bit of time coming up with creative food that doesn't hurt my stomach, but still tastes good.

     So here you go, what this blog will be about:

• Shopping small.  I love connecting with people that truly believe in the product they create, and one of the best ways to do this is by shopping small.
• How to make your digestive track healthy.  Whether it's a yummy recipe or other ways to keep yourself balanced, I'm all about it. I have yet to find a place where young women talk openly about their digestive difficulties and I would like to give us a voice.
• Exploring.  Every corner of this world is incredible, I'll share the places I find, what I do, and other things I love.

     I'm not going to tell you how to "get a bikini bod" or  "trends from the latest magazines", but I will share a bit of my world with you.  If you have any questions you'd like me to address in a post, or want to collaborate with me, feel free to contact me!


Well, here goes nothing.