I usually like to add in a few more ingredients, because let’s be real. If I can turn anything into a superfood extravaganza (or make it chocolate), I sure as heck will.

But if you only have a couple of things handy, you can legit make it with two ingredients.

What might those two ingredients be, you ask?

AVOCADOS +  ALMOND MILK. (Or any kind of milk that you prefer. OR water, if you’re not into milky things.)

And also ice, but does ice REALLY count as an ingredient? No. It’s ice.

Say hello to AVOCADO BREAKFAST PUDDING.

I discovered this little concoction because of someone with a bangin’ bod that has a huge social media presence, 3 children, and a last name that begins with a “K” and ends with an “-ashian.”

Any guesses?

Yep, you got it. Kourtney Kardashian.

But really, has anyone seen her bod lately?! She is SLAAAAYING the hot mama, organic eating, fitness queen game. (Did someone say Gunnar Peterson? My fave trainer ever.)

Anyway, however you may feel about Kourt & her T-Swift controversial fam bam, the girl is a health nut. Like me. And she has an avocado smoothie for breakfast every morning.

When I first saw her sipping her avo smoothie on camera, I was like… Wait. That looks GOOD. And filling & nutrient-rich and replenishing after a workout.

So I went to the store to buy some avocados (of course I already had almond milk on hand — duh-skis), and the rest was history.

I LOOOOOVE this breakfast because it is light and healthy as can be, but also has some “meat” to it, if you will. Avocados are super filling, thanks to their abundance of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, Vitamin K, folate, and more. The healthy fats are great for your skin, hair, nails and brain. And they are protein-rich, so you get a lot of bang for your buck — a.k.a, lots of nutrient-density per calorie. (My main stipulation when it comes to foods that I choose to eat.)

Ways to spruce up your avo pudding!

I also love to make my avocado pudding chocolatey, because I love chocolate more than anything. And sometimes a good breakfast pudding is just made so very much more exciting & delicious by being chocolatey.

There are a few ways to do that. You can either had a tablespoon of cacao powder, or you can add a nice big scoop of chocolate protein powder.

I prefer the latter, because I like my meals to have as much protein content as possible… Especially since this is my go-to post-workout or pre-workout breakfast.

As far as chocolate protein powders… Let’s talk KURA. You may remember them from my choco banana smoothie recipe in December, or because you may have stumbled upon them in CVS, where they are now available nationwide! It’s pretty amazing and thrilling for them (and their supporters, like me) because they are a small, nutrition-focused brand from New Zealand. It’s not every day that a non-huge, non-GMO, healthy brand gets picked up by a huuuuuge chain like CVS. It’s actually a very big win for us health advocates, because the more healthy & natural options that are available in mainstream stores — THE BETTER.

Truth be told, ever since my girl Louise from Kura shared the exciting news with me, I have hit up CVS a LOT more lately, and I have found a lot of other healthy & organic options… Which makes me happy as can be. And it makes my wallet happy, because… You know how those health food stores go.

Let’s also re-hash the things I LOVE about Kura, and then I will share the full recipe with you below, along with a video!

Kura is…

• Non-GMO
• Gluten-free
• Natural ingredients
• No added sugar
• 14g protein (in this case, from grass-fed dairy)
• Full of vitamins & minerals: 26 of them!
• Contains high probiotic levels for digestion!
• THE NICEST PEOPLE WORK FOR THEIR COMPANY. BIG, BIG MUST IN MY BOOK.

RECIPE TIIIIIME //

Chocolate Avocado Breakfast Pudding:

Ingredients:

1 full, ripe avocado

1/2 cup almond milk (or liquid of your choosing)

1 handfull ice

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (I used Kura here, and highly recommend!)

Method:

BLEND.

SEE?! Easy as can be. And so, so delicious.

Also, CHECK OUT KURA at CVS! Big deal. Support those healthy brands at mainstream stores, boos! They also have a store locator in their site to make it easy peasy for you!

YAY. And YUM. Also, thanks so, SO much for all of your fab responses to my post from yesterday asking what you guys would like to see most on my blog. A lot of you said healthy recipes, specifically healthy DESSERT recipes, so I hope you enjoy this one.

Who doesn’t like dessert for breakfast?!

Here’s a particularly exciting photo from one of my NYC adventures if you haven’t seen this on Instagram yet! At Carrie’s CALIA NYFW show!

Okay, I’ll admit. It’s all been really fun. But I sure do love blogging and it makes my heart happy to have chill time in front of the computer & connect with all of you, so I am looking forward to live settling down a little bit in the next months so I can blog it out and bring you guys new recipes, how-to’s, videos, etc.

Oh, speaking of videos… I have a real good one for you guys today. Once that I hope will answer a lot of questions and clear up quite a bit when it comes to that interesting lil’ subject of orthorexia.

Before I came forward on the bloggy about my struggle with orthorexia, I had no idea that the disorder was such a little-known phenomenon. I discovered orthorexia when I was frantically searching the web one night to see if anyone else felt the way that I did when it came to food fears & obsessions with health, dietary label and restriction… And then found the Wikipedia definition of orthorexia that wound up quite swiftly changing my life… a lot.

Now, a year and a half later, a lot has changed. I’ve written a book about my transition from veganism and my orthorexia recovery, Breaking Vegan, that will be out this November. (YEAH!) I also write about eating disorder recovery on the bloggy now and have had the opportunity to connect with people all over the world (you guys!!!) who are also suffering. Hearing your stories and having that support system has helped me greatly, and I feel very lucky to have a platform where I am able to connect and communicate with people who understand.

Because of the amount of questions and confusion that I get about orthorexia on a daily basis (I get it, it can be confusing before you learn about it!), I have put together this handy dandy YouTube video to answer the most commonly asked questions. The video is titled “10 Things You Should Know About Orthorexia,” and I hope it sheds some light on the disorder for you. If you are suffering from orthorexia, or know someone who is, you are not alone. There is help out there, and there is a beautiful light at the end of the tunnel. It’s all about recognizing the problem so you can start to heal from the inside out!

10 Things You Should Know About Orthorexia video!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqQiYSjl2s

The List…

(Compiled by moi, edited by my fab book editor Amanda Waddell & with lots of great input and support from Dr. Steven Bratman, as always)

1. Orthorexia is a serious disorder and indicates an unhealthy obsession with “correct diet.” The term was coined in 1996 by Dr. Steven Bratman and many experts are working on getting it officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

2. The disorder is often brought on or triggered by restrictive dietary theories, as part of a lifestyle almost singularly focused on health.

3. Behaviors to look out for are anything extreme when it comes to diet. “Clean eating,” “pure foods,” “veganism,” “raw foods,” “paleo,” and so on are all perfectly fine (and healthy) lifestyles to follow – it’s only when such things are taken too far that there may be cause for concern. This includes, but is not limited to: severe restriction of calories, fear and anxiety regarding “impure” or “off-limit” foods, and a near-constant focus on diet and health.

4. Orthorexia is not about saying that any one diet ir wrong or right, i’s about the fact that some people take whatever their dietary theory is to unhealthy extremes. We must accept that everyone is different and allow room for that.

5. Orthorexia is occasionally intertwined with elements of other eating disorders, such as anorexia, binge eating, bulimia and more, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. It often stands on its own as well, and can develop over years or even months.

6. It can be as hard for a person with orthorexia to relax about diet as it is for an addict to give up drugs or alcohol. One of the signs that orthorexia has developed is that the dietary theory followed by that person takes on a life of its own; even if a person wants to lighten up and “eat more protein,” for example, they may feel unable to do so.

7. Many people with orthorexia also go to extremes with exercise, not necessarily to lose weight, but in a quest to optimize their health. Athletes may develop orthorexia in a quest for optimum sports performance, only to find that they have become entrapped in a restrictive dietary theory that impairs their performance.

8. The effects of orthorexia can range from person to person. I lost my period, developed several nutritional deficiencies, had bacterial overgrowths, lost my digestive enzymes, and have had to work extremely hard to get back to health again in many ways.

9. Orthorexia can affect anyone. Teenage girls, especially vegans, are particularly susceptible, but the disorder has no one “type” of sufferer. Some naysayers may classify it as a “first world problem,” meaning that it is a problem that only afflicts a certain socio-economic group. But it is important to remember that everyone has their own journey and the struggle can develop into a life threatening disorder which must be taken seriously.

10. There is no ONE DIET that is the healthiest under the sun and don’t let anyone’s “research” trick you into thinking that. Every body is different, and what works for one may not work for another. Orthorexia awareness is not synonymous at ALL with “anti-health,” but with BALANCE. Many people who recover from orthorexia are still passionate about health, and because of what they’ve been through they are able to exercise that passion in a truly healthy and balanced way.

& for the record…

Recovering from orthorexia, although it’s a tough road, is actually a beautiful journey toward self-discovery, growth, personal progress, compassion for others and for yourself, and a true way to get to know your body from the inside out.

For more information on orthorexia and to read my full story, click here to purchase my orthorexia memoir, Breaking Vegan.

I can’t wait to hear what you guys think. Let me know if this video resonated with you, if it answered any pressing questions or confusion you’ve had about orthorexia, or if there are any more Q’s I can answer. Also, i you like it, give it a thumbs up on YouTube & subscribe to my channel! Love making videos for you guys and hope to make more and more! 

( P.S. NYC recap to come. A bit lighter of a topic, haha. Can’t waaaiiitttt! )

Sounds counterintuitive, right?

Why would I want to mess up my life when I could work to make it as perfect as possible: perfect body, perfect career path, perfect relationships, perfect sleep schedule, perfect fitness routine, perfect exterior in hopes that it will all blend to create the most perfect, content & wonderful interior there ever was?

Let me tell you why. Perfection is not fun. It’s attainable, but not maintainable. Once you reach your “goal weight,” “goal job,” “goal ____” [FILL IN THE BLANK, you know what I’m talkin’ bout!] you set a new, higher, more unattainable goal for yourself.

Perfection is an issue. It’s not reality – it’s an escape from reality… A vessel to channel our nervous energy into that inhibits us from living in the moment, cultivating meaningful relationships, being in touch with our creative potential, and being effortlessly happy with who we are.

For many of us, reality is scary. It’s something we run & hide from for fear that what we see in front of us is going to be displeasing. REALITY is the face we see looking back at us in the mirror; reality is the look in your eyes, the curve of your waist, the sentiment behind your smile that tells you how your day really was.

And not all days are perfect. In fact, most days are NOT perfect.

But you know what I’ve learned about perfection?

The happier you are with what you have, who you ARE, and where you are, exactly in this moment, in every moment, the less you’ll care about perfection and the more you’ll care about living in the moment — maintaining the true happiness of being your true self. “Stepping into your light,” as my dear friend Lisa calls it, which really resonates with me.

Once you step into your light, getting messy isn’t about fear of imperfection. It’s about embracing every ounce of imperfection to be perfectly, effortlessly, blissfully you.

#BEYOU

Filming this video was cathartic for me in so many ways. As you can tell in the beginning of my speaking part, it was emotional — I was near tears many times throughout the morning that we filmed, and re-watching it not only brings me to tears but makes the tears stream down my face. Stream.

It makes me bubble up with emotion not only to see how far I’ve come, to re-wire my mind every time I see it to embrace GETTING MESSY versus striving for perfection, to hear my authentic self shining through even if I was afraid, to look back and see how far this journey has taken me…

Not only does it make me cry because of all of the above, but to see my friends taking part in the video with me and allowing themselves to be vulnerable as well — that’s what hits me in the feels with this video.

When we started filming that morning, it was a surprise to everyone involved that we were going to be writing our insecurities on the back of our t-shirts. In fact, I told everyone that part was optional because I was so unsure that they would want to put themselves out there so candidly. (Understandably so!!!)

To my great surprise, after one person stepped forward to write an insecurity… everyone stepped forward. One beautiful soul after the next after the next, and even though it was a new thing for many of us to be so vulnerable, we did it together, and it was a supportive, loving & incredibly magnetic environment to be so open within.

Beyond that — beyond my 9 or so dear friends that took part in #MessUpYourLife with me — I extend this video to all of YOU. I extend the invitation to celebrate your insecurities, the permission to be rawly, openly, PROFOUNDLY open and vulnerable, and to let the emotion flow.

To open up about those insecurities so you can let those bad boys go.

The more we talk about our insecurities, the less and less real they become. So much of what we dwell on about our bodies/minds/lives that makes us unhappy and insecure all exists in our MINDS. Once we get it all out there in the open, it’s hard to believe that such little figments of our imagination can have so much impact.

Try it. I promise, it feels good.

THERAPEUTIC to the 91754938498237th degree!

I would be forever grateful & honored if you watched this video & commented by telling me what your insecurities are — what you want to let go of. I will read every comment (as I always do!) and burst with joy and love for all of your openness and vulnerability.

We are a team, never forget that.

Time to embrace who we ARE and never look back. Here’s to living in the messiness!!! Here’s to living our LIVES.

#TBBTribe

Thanks hugely to Enjet Media for bringing this video to life. I am forever grateful for your support, love & killer vid skills. You guys are everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNNG7Vd4Nw&feature=youtu.be

P.S. If you want to hear me talk more about my journey, check out my podcast interview on the fabulous Daily Groove Summit. Honored to be a part of this project with so many health & wellness rockstars.

P.S.S. If you want to hear me talk ALL about my journey, the link to preorder my book, out November 15th, is here. Email me once you have preordered and I will add you to the #TBBTribe email list… With tips & tricks for staying balanced & HAPPY and healthy in your every day life. Basically, more of this bloggy, straight to your inbox. Boom shaka laka!!!

P.S. x 3: Please SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel if you like what you see. The more subscribers I have, the more videos I can create because it will be more legit for me to do so… ya feel? XOXOX love you peeps to the moon and beyond a mill times over.

I’ll be honest, I just Googled when the first day of Spring 2015 actually was because I kinda had no idea. It was March 20th, in case you were wondering. And if you type “First day of…” into Google, a million and one Springtime things pop up so I guess I’m not the only curious one.

And now that we are a couple weeks into Spring (because I tooottalllly knew that all along, hehe) it’s time to get our Springtime looks on!

I’ve partnered with my ladies at BeGlammed to bring a series of Beauty Tutorial videos to The Balanced Blonde TV! I am extra excited about these videos, because I for one have never been huge into doing my own makeup. You can ask my friends, family and certainly anyone who has ever lived with me– I wear minimal makeup in my everyday life. The running joke in college was, “Put on your nonexistent mascara and clear lipgloss Jordan so we can go out,” because that was about as far as I would go, even on special occasions.

But now that my life & job includes lots of fun events, TV appearances, photo shoots & YouTube vids, I have had to step up my makeup game. And seriously THANK GOD for BeGlammed on-demand beauty services. I started working with them a few months ago for different TV appearances, and it was basically love at first sight between me and my BeGlammed makeup artist Brittany. A) we are both from Sacramento living in LA, B) she is ridiculously talented, C) our schedules always seem to totally fit with each other’s and D) she has her OWN YouTube channel which means we never run out of things to talk about and fun collab ideas.

If you follow me on Snapchat (at username Jojoyounger) you know that I post selfies with Britt, um, all the time. Because she is doing my makeup, um, all the time. Because it’s a mutual love affair. Say hiiii, Britt!

SO what better way to collaborate than to bring you guys a series of fun beauty tutorials with my girl Britt + her stellar BeGlammed team?!

I la-la-love working with them, because they are killer female powerhouse businesswomen with an amazing mission to make beauty accessible & convenient to anyone and everyone– all you need is a smart phone to order your stylist! Boo ya.

And when we shoot together we eat lots of macaroons… #happiness

Annndd we drink lots of champagne & coffee…

Annnddd we take lots of selfies (or wait is that just me?)

Without further ado, here is our Springtime Look Beauty Tutorial video! The lipgloss color is called LOLLIPOP and I am obsessed with everything about it.

If you like the video, give it a thumbs up & subscribe to the channel so we can keep bringing you more fun stuff! & let us know if you have any suggestions. I want to try them all!

Sending lots & lots of loooove!

XX, Jordan AND the killer BeGlammed crew

Totally kidding– you should all be relaxing the weekend away. I will be working, but it’s all fun work, so I am beyond good with it! Tonight I am hosting a Happy Hour at Orange Theory Fitness to celebrate the International Day of Happiness with some of my very favorite people.

We are going to work out, do a candlelight yoga sesh, have a happiness talk lead by my nutritionist love Kelly, have some fun TBV Apparel sales, drink some yummy healthy cocktails (think VEEV vodka + Bon Affair wine spritzers… With Suja, obviously) & be blast our faaav happiness music!

Tomorrow I am headed to an awesome Create + Cultivate summit for creatives, entrepreneurs & business leaders in the beauty, design, fashion and wellness space. I am beyond excited to learn & meet some of other incredible entrepreneurs behind the event who have inspired me for years!

Sunday I have a lot of catch up work to do since this week was so fun & interactive, and I will definitely also be making some time to relax and hang with my babes & BFFs. That’s what Sundays are for, right? Even for us uber busy psychos like myself.

But before I get ahead of myself, it’s still Friday, and I have a yummy healthy cocktail recipe for you to have fun with this weekend! Watch the video below for the super simple & yummy recipe!

PLUS we are doing a giveaway! Watch the YouTube video, subscribe to the channel & comment telling us why you’d like to try this cocktail, and we will pick three winners to win a case of Suja Juice + VEEV Vodka, mason jars & bracelets!

I have big goals for my YouTube channel… I will share soon, but if you are extra interested shoot me an email and I will gush to you. :)))

As always, huge thanks to Enjet Media (a.k.a the dream team) for producing!

What is everyone up to this weekend?! Are you into healthy cocktails or do you like a little sugar sugar in your drinks?

Hello, hello my beautiful loves! I can’t tell you how good it feels to sit down & write a post this morning. It is now Thursday morning annddd I haven’t even been on my computer since Monday! For someone who normally spends a heck of a lot of time on the computer writing, emailing, social media-ing and editing writing/photos… that is one long ass time.

BUT the computer break hasn’t been for nothin’ — I have been doing some super fun stuff around here! On Tuesday morning I was on Larry King Now where I sat on a panel on orthorexia with two esteemed doctors & Larry himself. When I say that Larry is a MASTER at what he does… that is a huge, huge understatement. He has been in this business for well over 60 years (he’s 81!) and his familiarity with being on camera, reading the teleprompter, intrinsically knowing what questions to ask and how to engage his guests BLEW. MY. MIND. As an aspiring TV host of some sort, he seriously is a new idol of mine.

So that was freaking awesome & I will put the link to the show up the moment I have it! It will air in a couple of weeks.

Yesterday was extremely fun as well. I spent the day filming YouTube videos with BeGlammed – an on-demand beauty service where you can request hairstylists and makeup artists through an app on your iPhone! I adore working with the BeGlammed gals, and I even have a go-to makeup artist named Brittany who is also a Sactown girl in LA like me. We had a blast filming & can’t wait to share the beauty tutorials on our YouTube channels! And I spent the NIGHT having dinner with my BFFs and capturing it for the book.

I also still need to write & tell you all about my amazing experience at The Natural Products EXPO WEST a.k.a my version of Disneyland a.k.a Coachella Weekend Zero (right Brandin & Hayden?)

But first… What you’re here for:

Cashew Butter Green Dream Magic.

Also known as the most delicious, decadent, vanilla, CAKE-FLAVORED dreamy green superfood nut butter.

I’m serious about this. (If you want to skip right to the video, you officially have my permission to do so HERE.)

Sophie & I wanted to bring you guys something extra delicious & healthy for St. Paddy’s Day, since we know the holiday itself can be a bit of a beer & fried food fest. This is something yummy AND nutrient dense you can bring to a St. Paddy’s party, to work so you don’t get pinched, or to feed your kiddo’s while celebrating.

Also, filming this video with Sophie made me think of two things:

A) I want to film all videos with Sophie because I think we make a power team and she brings out the best in me and our love shines through on camera. And it’s fun to watch two people at once I think!

B) Filming makes me extremely happy & I want to do it as much as possible.

C) Making magic with your best friends can’t exactly be topped by ANYTHING.

^ See how much fun we were having?!?!?! Or at least me… LOL.

And without further ado, HERE is the video:

+ we are doing a fun GREEN DREAM super food powder giveaway for those who subscribe to the channel & comment telling us why they like the video!

Also, use the discount code “GreenHoliday” for 10% off Green Dream this weekend.

Last but not least, the recipe written out since I know that’s easier sometimes:

2 cups soaked cashews (soak for 1+ hour)

2 big pinches coconut flakes

1 heaped tablespoon coconut oil

2 tablespoons honey

few pinches Himalayan sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

BLEND & enjoy!

Happy St. Paddy’s Day my lova loves!! What’s everyone doing this weekend? I am running a Shamrock’n Half Marathon! Eeek!

Top: Vince || Leggings: Zella || Lipstick: Cate McNabb ‘Vamp’ || Kiss Wall Art || Champagne: Bon Affair

One of the number one questions I get asked via the bloggy is my stance on makeup. Do I use all-natural, paraben-free, cruelty-free, easy on the skin makeup? If so… HOW do I find the right shades that still come in beautiful hues & are long lasting? Also– do I even WEAR makeup, you ask, (?!?) since in most photos it appears that I don’t.

If you know me, you know that I don’t wear a whole lot of makeup in my everyday life. I go all out for TV appearances, photo shoots and extra special events, but on the daily the most makeup I will possibly wear is a bit of natural foundation, some lipstick/lipgloss and MAAAYBBBEE some mascara. And I say maybe because mascara gets freakishly stuck on my lashes and ends up under my eyes more often than not. (Which is why the right all-natural makeup remover is so important to me– my favorite of which is featured in the video!)

The main takeaway here is… B A L A N C E ! I love to get dolled up on special occasions & I definitely have my brands that I stick to. In the video I mention my favorite lip wear, foundation, mascara (that smells like BLACK TEA! Yummm), makeup remover, deodorant (the best ever. You will fall in love) & sunscreen.

Without further ado, here we are. And if you haven’t yet subscribed to my YouTube channel, I would be eternally grateful if you hit the little ‘Subscribe’ button under the banner on the homepage. I have lots & lots of fun videos to come– including a super personal “Mess Up Your Life” video that we filmed on the beach this weekend.

Video is produced by Enjet Media, a.k.a some of my absolute favorite people out there. Here we are having a blast this last weekend during filming at Tastemade:

Thoughts on the video?! What are your feelings about all-natural cosmetics? Do you wear a lot of makeup, or a lil bit (or none)? Love hearing this kind of stuff. Xox 

I teamed up with Plum Organics for their Plum Vida Refresh Yourself campaign to bring you that video along with an awesome giveaway, and today I am here to update ya on how my “Refresh Yourself” personal challenge has been going & to give you one more chance to enter the giveaway. I will be choosing five winners at the end of the week!

To enter, simply comment on the YouTube video telling me how you like to refresh yourself in your life!

How has my personal Refresh Yourself challenge been going?! To be honest, it’s been awesome… BUT I have had to remind myself the importance of staying refreshed over and over again. That’s how life is. It’s an ebb and flow of doing what you need to do for yourself, getting busy & forgetting for a bit, and reasserting to yourself how important it is to put yourself first.

My three new tips for staying refreshed after prioritizing it this month (on top of the “me time,” yoga and meditation I suggested earlier this month!):

1. Treat Yourself! You are your own best friend, and you should treat yourself that way. I have been treating myself to things I love quite a bit this month– from late night yoga classes to big, swirly cups of chocolate frozen yogurt to my lovely stay-cation in Newport. I find that when I take care of myself and put my health and happiness first, then I am refreshed to do my best work and be present in every aspect of life– mainly, with the people I love!

2. Be Active: Listening to your body is huge, but pushing yourself to be ACTIVE is absolutely pertinent in feeling your best. Sometimes you have to check in, ask yourself if you are being consistent with your workouts, and/or figure out whether you really love the type of workout you’re doing or not. And vary it up! For years I was SUCH a yogi that I avoided doing a lot of other types of workouts, but lately I have been sooo addicted to HIIT at Orange Theory and training for my half marathon. Being super active has helped me stay grounded this month & in tune with my body, and sometimes it’s my only work break in the day so you’d better believe I enjoy every second of it!

3. Try NEW Things: You can’t stay on top of your Refresh Yourself game if you are stuck in a rut doing the same things you always do. Try new things, challenge yourself, and believe in yourself that you will be able to carry those things out and totally kill it. Instilling that inner trust with yourself is huuuuge.

Lastly… If you’re looking for a way to treat yourself this week or weekend, check out my Chocolate Blueberry Jar of Yumminess video!

Ok, who vows to have a REFRESHING weekend?! I want to hear all about it — and don’t forget to comment on the YouTube vid for the giveawayyyy! And use the hashtags #plumvida & plumvidarefresh to keep that conversation goin’!

Ever since the very beginning of my blogging days with my OG Rainbow JOY recipe, my “Jars of Yumminess” have been a frequent recipe request around these parts. And for good reason (in my humble opinion) — they are bright, colorful, delicious & packed full of fiber, protein and antioxidant fruity goodness.

I also thought it would be a great recipe video to share with you guys because even though the JOY recipes are quite simple, achieving the photo-worthy aesthetic quality and presentation of a true Jar of Yumminess is something I get asked about a lot.

Not only are JOYs fun to bring to events, share with friends and eat for breakfast throughout the week, I think they are also really fun to make. In the video I explain the layering effect, how to combine nutrient-dense superfoods like cacao powder (I use Philosophie superfoods, as you’ll see in the video!), how to layer the fruit so that it keeps the next layer in tact, and of coooourse my own little tips & tricks for how to add as much chocolate as humanly possible. (Duh!!)

And just to get you extra pumped up about Jars of Yumminess and all they have to offer, here is a walk down memory lane from some of my all-time favorite JOYs (and some of my very first!) on the bloggy…

Now, without further ado, let’s get this video WATCHED ! And, if you haven’t yet, subscribe to my YouTube channel so I can keep making fun videos for you guys! And please, please tell me your suggestions so I can bring you lots more fun recipes & other videos that you want to see!

Also, huuuuge thanks as always to Enjet Media for producing such a fantastic final product. I continue to be amazed by your endless talent. Go team!!

Another behind the scenes shot…

Thoughts on the video?! Thoughts on Jars of Yumminess? Thoughts in chocolate IN YOUR OATS? I want to hear it all! Xox 

Sounds cray, right? Maybe a little bit. Luckily that’s the way I like it. PS, here I am getting all glammed out for yesterday’s ABC News interview.

So! As a blogger, no two days are ever the same. I discussed that in my “10 Reasons Why I Don’t Have a 9-5” blog post last week, and right now my ever-changing schedule has more realness than ever in my life. I assume that people think the more glamorous days where I get to get all dolled up for videos, TV appearances and photo shoots are my favorite, and in a way they are (they’re so much fun!)… but in another way I absolutely love my “me days” where I get to stay in my pajamas from morning to night and work on the book and the blog in my bed.

The truth is, the reason I got into this business in the first place is because I love to write. I love to be on my own schedule, I love to have flexibility to workout, socialize and be a weirdo as I please, and if that means working late into the night then so be it. I dig that ish.

On Sunday I stayed in bed (during the day) for a total of about TEN hours. I was emailing up a storm (lots of incredible responses from you guys about the 9-5 post… and I want to / WILL get back to each and every one of you), gaining video inspiration for my YouTube, zenning out to candles and nursing a gnarly migraine that I’m assuming was born out of utter exhaustion. Oh, and keep in mind that Sunday was a holiday & 99.9% of my friends were brunching and day drinking– so the fact that I was in bed all day is extra surprising. (Not because I love to drink — I don’t — but because I rarely miss out on an opportunity to spend time with the people I love.)

^ Last Friday’s book cover photo shoot location. P R I M E // take me back.

If you know me, you are aware that I am NOT the type to stay in bed all day. I am not even the type to sit on the couch for 15 minutes. The fact that I was able to lounge in bed, stay in my comfy oversized pinstripe boxers & 10-year-old Alaska fleece (if you know me, you especially know I am fully obsessed with this outfit and throw it on as often as humanly possible) was pretty awesome for me & made me especially grateful for the opportunity to relax.

To give you a glimpse into my last 5 days: Friday was a day-long photo shoot with my amazing photogs Tynan & Austin Daniels where we shot allll over Malibu to snap the perfect photo for the cover of my upcoming memoir Breaking Vegan. SO FUN, thrilling, whirlwind, all of the above. Hair, makeup, airbrush tan, etc. were all along for the ride.

Weekend was working on the book and the blog and several freelance pieces ANNND trying to catch up with friends and hang out, Sunday was emails upon emails (my bed day), Monday was a TBV Apparel photo shoot in Malibu for our NEW TEE & our collaboration with Satya Jewelry that I cannot waaaiitt to release. Tuesday was hair & makeup again for an ABC News interview about orthorexia (heck yeah), and Wednesday was the same for a CBS News interview. Tomorrow I will head downtown for collaboration meetings and this weekend I am off to Newport to meet with my publishing company for the weekend. I also workout like a fiend in the early morning time.

So… needless to say, my relaxation days are golden to me. And by relaxation, I mean time to actually work on the book and write for the blog. Sitting down to even have a chance to respond to my Facebook messages this morning before the ABC interview and after my hair & makeup was absolutely wonderful. I have probably consumed 10 or more mugs of tea today because I am so enjoying hanging out and writing in my pajamas– the perks of having my interviewers come to my apartment! 

^ Beauty Natasia Lutes modeling our TBV Apparel Monday! Austin killin’ it in the background. Ty with the cam– and being extra patient as I stand in his space snapping SnapChat photos…

So, pretty much, why I’m writing this post is not to say OMG MY LIFE IS SO BUSY I LIKE TO RELAX WHEN I CAN– no, not at all. Not. At. All. It’s to remind myself and to remind us all that our quiet time is precious. We should soak it in and enjoy every bit of it. Use your alone time to do things you love, get ahead on important things you’ve been meaning to do, or to try something new and bring a dream to life.

Or, heck, use it to REST!! If you don’t, you might end up crashing like I did on Sunday and hanging out with a solid migraine / exhaustion sesh until you’re back on track.

Which do you prefer — the crazy days or the quiet days? I truly adore both for different reasons, but the quiet days do have an incredibly special quality to them. 

( PS … have you seen our 10 Minute Workout Video on YouTube yet?!?! If not, check that ish out. )

I’ve teamed up with Plum Organics for their Plum Vida Refresh Yourself campaign this month and I couldn’t be happier to share the ways that I refresh myself with all of you on the bloggy today, AND, (so exciting!!!!), The Balanced Blonde TV is now live today with my Plum Vida Refresh Yourself video as the debut!

Check out the vid, show it some love, soak in some Refresh Yourself inspiration, and comment on the video telling us how you refresh YOUR life every day. I will read all of the comments, and I will choose five lucky winners to receive their own Plum Vida kits. Only because I love you all so much… duh.

Plum Organics is a stellar company that I can 100% stand behind. Do you recognize the name from their super popular organic baby & kids food brand? This is their first product for adults – yay! Plum Organics is Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project verified (two staples for me), and with Plum Vida their aim is to refresh snacking and help health-seeking consumers like me & you find new ways to enjoy grab & go nutrition throughout the day.

Their yummy new on-the-go pouches come in three flavors and are sold exclusively at Target. Talk about easy to work into your life. The three flavors are: Pear Kale Spinach Celery (yum), Cherry Berry Beet Ginger and Pineapple Carrot Mint. Can you guess which one is my fav? Yeah, you know me. I’m all about the greens. I love the combo of the veggies with the pear!

Plus, the pouches are a great source of fiber… which I am always desperate for. 3 grams in one lil’ pouch!

How do I refresh myself every day? Let me tell you…

1. Yoga: You all know what a yoga junkie I am, but I am taking my yoga to a new level this month, and hopefully for all of 2015. I have always been into yoga mainly for the physical aspect, even though the spiritual and philosophical aspects have always been important to me as well. Since I am training for a half marathon right now and have been working my butt off at Orange Theory, I am less in need of yoga for physical exercise and more in need of yoga for restorative poses and spiritual release. This special, refreshing one-on-one time with myself is KEY to feeling refreshed. Especially when I am getting my butt kicked in killer workouts nearly every day, I NEED to take that time to stretch, breathe and zen out.

2. Me Time: Speaking of zenning out… giving myself a little bit of alone time every day is so incredibly important. I’m incredibly social and incredibly busy with work and dedicated to exercise, so the combo of the three can be a bit mentally taxing if I’m not careful. I love carving out a few minutes at the beginning, middle and end of each day to check in with myself, meditate and light some candles. Some of my besttttt alone time happens when I have the time to take a bubble bath, soak my muscles, blast my favorite music and RELAX. I absolutely love it.

 3. Healthy, Balanced Diet: Of course this is key in feeling refreshed. Healthy food is a must in my life. When I’m not eating well, my entire being feels off. My digestion is poor, my brain gets foggy, I have less energy and I don’t sleep as well. Not worth it. My body is sensitive, and I need to be very attuned to that and treat it with as much care as possible. My balanced diet includes switching it up every day.

 To check out the Refresh Yourself Green Smoothie that is one of my total go-to recipes for maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, watch the Refresh Yourself video on my YouTube channel. Tell us your thoughts! Don’t forget about the super fun giveaway.

I’m extra excited about this Refresh challenge because in the midst of writing my book, training for the half-marathon, producing new content for TBV Apparel and the app, maintaining the blog every day, planning TBB events and finishing my health coaching program, I don’t always make a ton of time to stay refreshed. It will be a challenge for me to stay on top of it and you know I LOVE a challenge.

I will update you all with my refresh journey with a second “Refresh Yourself” post in the next couple of weeks, so in the meantime I want you to join me in the Refresh movement and hashtag #PlumVidaRefresh on your social media photos. Tag me too, so I can see! Let’s inspire each other.

Go to www.plumvida.com for more information on their fab new product! Leave your thoughts below about TBB TV… I am so excited I could do a totally dorky happy dance! And trust me, I already have a few times today. (Happy dances are refreshing too.)

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by the lovely Plum Vida, which is why we get to do five fun GIVEAWAYS! Get on it!