STIR-FRY CRAZY

I’m a pasta obsessed kind of girl. Screw candy, chips, and ice cream. (Although those are good too.) Anything loaded with carbs, like pasta and bread, is unfortunately my absolute weakness. Although pasta is horrible for you, I recently found an alternative that actually tastes great. It’s called Pasta Zero made by the brand Nasoya. It needs to be refrigerated, so you can find it near the vegetables and tofu at your local grocery store. This pasta is only 15 calories, gluten free, and VEGAN. In addition, it has 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, and 0 sugar. This is perfect when you have a pasta craving and don’t want all the extra added crap that comes along with it. These noodles are also great because they only need to cook for about 2-3 minutes. There are lots of recipes out there, but I chose to make a stir-fry dish with the noodles. It was delicious! Below is the recipe I used. Feel free to mix and match items to make it your own!

Ingredients: 

         1 pkg Nasoya® Pasta Zero Shirataki Fettuccine Noodles

         ½ red pepper, chopped

         1 carrot, julienne

         ½ cup broccoli, chopped

         2 mushrooms, sliced

         2 handfuls of peanuts (optional)

         1 tsp canola oil

         1 cup of your favorite low sodium stir fry sauce

Preparation Method: 

Drain and rinse noodles. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the vegetables. Stir often to cook evenly. When the vegetables are almost cooked, add the stir fry sauce, peanuts, and noodles to the pan. Reduce heat to low and stir for 2-3 minutes. Enjoy!

 

(All the veggies cooking.)

 

(The final product with the Nasoya noodles.)

Thrifty Post College Wardrobe

Now that I have graduated college and am on the job hunt, I thought my thrifty post college finds could be useful to many of you. I figured it was finally a good time to reluctantly toss out the trashy party dresses, and find classic pieces I could wear both at work and at home. Finding work place appropriate clothing can be costly. Recently I came across some fabulous items at local thrift stores that were not only in great condition, but absolutely adorable. If you just graduated college, need quality clothes, and are on a budget, I would strongly suggest checking out thrift stores. You never know what treasures you can find! Below are a few items I recently acquired with brand, price, and the store:

 Express Designer Studio Jacket, $10.00, Plato’s Closet

 

Ann Taylor Jacket, $10.00, Good Will

 

 

Express Jacket, $10.00, Plato’s Closet

 

White House Black Market Cardigan, $4.00, Good Will

Lifestyles of the Unemployed and the Penniless

     

(View from Illinois home. (top) View from Florida home. (bottom)).

      When contemplating what my blog post should encompass, I had millions of ideas running through my mind. I decided to catch you up on where I have been the past year. With the song Lifestyles of the rich and the famous by Good Charlotte blaring from my laptop, I decided to name this post Lifestyles of the Unemployed and the Penniless. It describes my current life status impeccably. After a lengthy internship in Florida, I road tripped my way back to Chiberia , A.K.A Chicago. After living on my own for the past five years, I can’t say I was thrilled to be moving back into my parent’s estate. Although my bed is amazeballs, and what I would describe as the feeling of floating on a heavenly cloud, I am twenty-two years old and living at home. Not only am I sadly unemployed, but subsequently money hungry for pure green cash.  As I watch my funds slowly dwindle away, I keep myself busy by doing a variety of free activities. Some of them include:

• Applying for jobs until my eyeballs ache
• Working out like a crazy lady
• Cooking dinner for my family (your welcome) 
• Cleaning like a housemaid
• Pinning on Pinterest to motivate myself to get skinny, crafty, pretty, stylish, travel, decorate, bake, healthy, artsy…..well you get the idea.
• Watching Netflix documentaries to inspire and broaden my mind
• Stalking everyone and anything on all social media sites 
• Snap chatting anything remotely exciting (usually my dog and cat.)

      With that being said, my unemployed existence is beyond boring. With all the energy I have, someone should hire me and put it to good use. After some flattering requests from friends, I thought I could put some of my liveliness into blogging again. Now that you’re caught up with my life in a nutshell, look forward to a post about my most recent fabulous thrift store finds!

Red Hot Valentine’s Day

Feast of Saint Valentine. Hallmark Holliday. National Chocolate Lover’s Day. Singles Awareness Day. Whatever you call it, February 14 is coming up! Whether you are going out with your sweetie, or planning a girl’s night to make an anti-valentine’s day statement, you need to look red hot! Valentine’s Day may be a totally cliché holiday endorsed by the chocolate industry, but I say get down with cupid this Thursday and go all out. Here are a few outfits that will make you stand out this Valentine’s Day. You can shop these looks at http://www.shopakira.com/

 

1. AKIRA Chicago Sheer Chiffon Tank Dress w/ Applique in Coral

2. AKIRA Chicago Contouring Lace and Ponte Tube Dress

3. AKIRA Chicago MINKPINK Derby Doll Dress in Fuchsia

FashionABLE Scarves, A Worthy Cause

My sister is a campus rep for fashionABLE scarves. It’s a non-profit organization that helps women in Africa by providing them safe and sustainable jobs. These adorable scarves come in different patterns and colors, and are hand made by women in Ethiopia. They can also make great gifts , and come with a handwritten thank you note from the women who made it! I have one and wear it all the time! I like it because it is a conversation starter and a unique item most people don’t own.

click the link to see all the ones you can purchase!

http://livefashionable.com/products/

If you decide to buy one, enter the code: amandahoffman at checkout!

The Naughty Enchilada Casserole

I found this recipe on pinterest, and decided to make it because I love spicy food. I have made this dish countless times for family and friends, and it is always a hit! Whether you are making it for dinner, to bring to a party, or as a drunk late night munchie, the naughty enchilada casserole is always amazaballs! The great thing about the naughty enchilada casserole, is that there are so many different ways to make it. The original recipe is vegan; so if you are watching your weight, make sure to follow the recipe. Any of the items can be replaced for the non-vegan choice, or something else you may prefer. For example, if you don’t want to buy non-dairy sour cream, feel free to use regular sour cream. Add as many veggies as you want, sprinkle on a layer of cheese, mix it in with your salad greens, or eat it as a dip, the opportunities are endless! The leftovers taste just as good as the first day. The recipe may seem complicated at first, but I promise it is easy to make. If I can do it you can do it! This recipe is worth the try! 

This is the link to the recipe:

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/12/13/naughty-nice-vegan-enchilada-casserole/

 

From Trash to Treasure

Being a broke college student that loves to shop has opened my eyes to thrift stores. If you are willing to dig around a little, and get down and dirty, the treasures you can find are endless. I recommend you all check out these two places because they are perfect for anyone looking to update their closet on a budget:

1. Village Discount Thrift store. There is a Village Discount store in Elgin, IL that is my go to place to get thrifty. At the front of the store a big sign is displayed with different colored tags that are half off. For example, all pink, green, and blue tags are fifty percent off. There are endless aisles to go through full of “junk,” or “gems” as I like to say. From Calvin Klein suites, to Michael Kors sweaters, to even Sperry Topsider shoes, the possibilities are endless. The great thing about the Village Discount is that the prices are incredibly cheap. When I say cheap I mean no more then $3.00 cheap. When you find something with a half off tag it is even better. 

 

 

 

($1.50 J.Crew Blazer, $1.50 Ann Taylor dress pants. Dont mind the wrinkles on the pants. : ))

2. Plato’s Closet. Many of you probably hear the annoying Plato’s Closet commercials on the radio, but the place is actually legit. You can bring any of your clothes that are not extremely loved, and see how much money you can get in return. From there, you can either walk away with the cash, or shop around and buy something. Plato’s Closet is great when you have items that are not super old, but you know you will not wear again. I tend to bring dresses I wore out a few times to the bar, and trade them in for something new. Beware, I would not suggest buying cheap brands at Plato’s closet. Why spend $5.00 on a Forever 21 top, when you can get a Free People one for the same price? Just a tip, if possible go to a Plato’s Closet in a wealthy area. The clothes at each Plato’s closet are based off the current demographics of the area, and what will sell. Going to a nicer area means expensive brands, and better quality. 

 

(Front and back view of $5.00 Free People top.)

From Sloppy to Chic

Looking put together when you are in a rush can sometimes be difficult, but I have discovered a few simple touches that can make any outfit look great. Most college students go to class wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt as if they just rolled out of bed. (I used to be one of them.) By eliminating the yoga pants and t-shirt, in exchange for a few other items lying around in your closet will instantly make you look better without making you wake up any earlier. People will tell me, “you always look so cute for class, I don’t know how you get ready everyday.” It takes me precisely thirty five minutes to get ready in the morning, no longer then when I wore the yogas. By following these simple steps you will look fabulous on your way to class:

Yoga/t-shirt=SLOPPY!

1. Exchanging the yoga pants for a pair of Jeggings. Jeggings are just as comfortable as yoga pants, but look a million times better.

2. Wear a plain top instead of an old t-shirt. It feels the same and you wont look sloppy.

3. Add a scarf. This instantly adds a little flare to the ensemble.

4. Wear a pair of studs, a simple ring or two, and a bracelet. I have some everyday gold jewelry, and everyday silver jewelry that I switch off on depending on the scarf I chose.

5. Add a pair of flats and nix the gym shoes. (Gym shoes are for the gym.)

Steve Madden Flats: $25 at Marshalls

6. Add your everyday coat and bag.

Calvin Klein Jacket: $30 at Costco, Fossil Bag: $3 at thrift store

6. Voila! Easy beautification!

Calvin Klein Jeggings: $13.00 at Costco, Cashmere Scarf: $16.00 at Stein Mart, Button Down Jean top: $12.00 at Ross

When you look good you feel good, and not only will your professors take you seriously, but you will take yourself seriously.