call me a curator

I’ve been thinking about this post for a few weeks now, maybe months. My bestie, Emily, gave me the idea when I was talking to her about the purpose of my blog. I confided to her that because I don’t constantly develop recipes or write about nutrition topics, I didn’t know if my site really had a purpose, or at least a well-defined one.

Emily countered and told me that she thought of me as a bit of a ‘curator’ of sorts, finding winning recipes or beauty products to share with others. As soon as she said it, the light bulb in my head went on. A curator! That sounded about right.

The truth is, I’ve always called myself a ‘life blogger.’

Yes, much of the blog is dedicated to food and nutrition. Check out my recent recipes developed for contests here and here. I also write ‘fad’ diet book reviews, like this one for the Whole30, and they can all be found under the Nutrition tab at the top and select ‘Book Reviews.’ I also documented much of my time spent in school to become a dietitian, and you can read those posts by clicking ‘Becoming an RD’ under the Nutrition tab.

But I also like to write about other things, too.

One of my favorite categories is ‘Things I LOVE’ because I love sharing awesome stuff with others. From beauty products to athletic gear, I have an opinion and I’m happy to share it.

And to round it all out, there are loads of posts about traveling, our never-ending house projects and running. The truth is, I just really like to write (or maybe this is my way of talking?) and this is my forum. Kath couldn’t have put it better when she wrote that she blogs about what’s most natural to write about just this morning–how’s that for timing?!

So, as I continue sharing my nutrition knowledge, new discoveries, recipes worth making (and anything else I throw up here), I hope you’ll continue enjoying it!

the Easter there was no sugar

Unfortunately, Easter falls smack-dab in the middle of our ‘No-Added-Sugar’ Challenge. Sorry, guess you’ll have to pass on inhaling all that extra sugar this year (insert sarcastic voice). Seriously, don’t we all regret that (first/second/third…) bag of jelly beans?

(If you’re really that broken up about it, there’s nothing stopping you from stashing a bag to eat May 1. It’s your sugar rush, not mine.)

Back to Easter. Andrew and I have done baskets for each other every year since we got married, and for the last four or five years we’ve spent the holiday with his grandmother in Indiana. I happily fill their baskets and–let’s be real–most of mine. Andrew throws a couple surprises in for me, too. He’s actually a fantastic gift-giver; over the years I’ve gotten floral running tights, stacks of books, a beautiful journal and tons of ‘healthy’ treats like fun granola, energy bars and specialty chocolate.

This year, I wanted to show everyone how easy it is to find no-added-sugar items for everyone’s Easter basket! After a quick trip to Wegmans and TJMaxx, (and grabbing some of our own items from around the house), I put together some ‘themed’ baskets:

For the ATHLETE:

Obviously, this one is near and dear to my heart, and features some of the items that will go into my basket. New running socks, dry shampoo, hemp seeds, Evoke ‘Athlete Fuel’ cereal, Sunbutter (no added sugar version), a KIND fruit bar and a BondiBand sweat band. (You can get 10% off your order at BondiBand with my coupon code ‘healthypineapple.’) To read my post on how AMAZING these sweat bands are, click here.

2. For a WOMAN:

I had grandma in mind when I built this one, although it’s not exactly what she’ll be getting, since she reads the blog! EOS hand lotion, nail file and polish, Bath and Body Works shower gel, Tom’s bar soap, a tea sampler and a lavender shave gel as well as a KIND fruit bar and a lemon Larabar. Since MY grandma isn’t doing a sugar challenge, I got her a couple treats, too, that aren’t shareable so Andrew and I won’t be tempted.

3. For a MAN:

I don’t know about your hubby, but mine LOVES his everything-flavored bagels, so these pretzels were a must-buy when I saw they didn’t have sugar. Also in the basket: an adventure book about the Adirondacks, ‘manly’ hair gel, my favorite Project 7 gum (gotten get that everything-breath fresh!), beard soap and a trail mix.

4. For a CHILD:

I realize this basket is a little anemic and girlie, but bear with me. I grabbed some of my favorite childhood books, colored pencils, KIND fruit bars and a little board book I intend to give my bestie’s daughter when we see them just before Easter. Kids are perhaps the easiest to satisfy, as small stickers, toys and trinkets will fit into plastic eggs. I’m always a huge fan of books as gifts for any occasion, and coloring books are all the rage these days.

Happy Easter-basket filling!

Bondi Bands ROCK!

Remember when I wrote this post about how much I LOVE BondiBands?

Well, it’s always been one of my most-read posts (people must Google ‘best sweatbands’ A LOT), and BondiBand must have noticed!

Before we get too far, let’s make sure we’re pronouncing it right: “Bond-EYE Band.” It’s named after a beach in Australia, apparently, and I’d been saying it wrong for the last five years.

A few months ago, they approached me (and others) about becoming ambassadors for the brand! I was super excited, since I truly love the products and absolutely swear by them. In fact, I don’t think I can even remember a workout in recent history in which I didn’t wear one!

As an ambassador, I have my own coupon code (healthypineapple) others can use for a 10% off discount! Visit their website at www.bondiband.com.

Here I am Saturday morning helping teach Fitness in the Parks wearing my ‘One Tough Cookie’ band.

I must have at least six or so of them, all with cute sayings like, ‘I’d rather be Running,’ or ‘Have a good run,’ or ‘Will Run for Ice Cream.’ (For sure!)

I have mostly the sweat-wicking bands, which are absolutely necessary for hot workouts. I can’t believe how much liquid they absorb–you can wring them out when you’re finished!

Be sure to check them out (and use my coupon code!) if you’re in need of new sweatbands, and let me know what you think!