Beating the Summer Beer Belly

“Summer time fine” rings through our ears from Memorial Day till the end of Labor Day. An excessive amount of bikinis, crop tops, dresses, and tastefully short skirts are essential. The only problem is, summer also brings days filled with happy hours and BBQ’s. This combo is not usually friendly to your hot physique. Some of the calories in our favorite cocktails are out of this world. Lucky for you, we made a cheat sheet of drinks that will make sure you don’t back track all of your hard work in the gym.

Margarita= 254 Calories

Besides beer, margaritas are without a doubt the hardest drink to give up this summer. Frozen margaritas may seem like the perfect way to cool off, until you are four deep and have racked up 1,016 calories. Most of which is PURE sugar.

Pina Colada= 242 Calories

If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain…..good song and all but if you want to rock that two piece, you’ll have put away the personal ad.

Daiquiri= 229 Calories

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if there is an umbrella in your drink, you might as well chase it with a chocolate bar.

Sangria= 175 Calories

A combination of red wine, fruit juice, and fresh fruit equals traditional Sangria. The added sugar in Sangria is what accounts for the calorie boost.

Mojito= 169 Calories

The fresh mint used in the Mojito has its own advantages. Mint is used to ease headaches and can help fight off the common cold. Could be a hangover cure in the making, if you don’t mind a few extra calories.

Beer = 145 Calories

If you are two beers and done, 145 calories each isn’t that bad. If you plan on more than that it can really add up.

 

Red Wine= 125 Calories White Wine= 121 Calories

Light Beer= 110 calories

We would recommend refraining from beer this summer, but if you must enjoy a cold one, make it a light one

2 Shots

• Vodka= 96 Calories (Fair Quinoa Vodka)
• Gin= 96 Calories (TANQUERAY NO.10)
• Rum= 97 Calories (Spirit Of Texas Rum)
• Tequila= 104 Calories (Jose Cuervo)
• Scotch= 105 Calories (Balcones Scotch)
• Whiskey= 105 Calories (Silver Star Whiskey)

Vodka Soda= 96 calories

When you are out and about Vodka Soda is your friend. While you might get the occasional “are you drinking water” it will be worth it!

CB TIP: Choose a vodka soda over a vodka tonic any day. Tonic, unlike club soda contains 130 calories per 12 ounces. PASS!

Champagne= 96 calories *CB Summer Favorite*

You can buy a bottle for fewer than twenty dollars at your local liquor store and not have to carry around the extra “weight.” The downside to drinking a lot of champagne is the hangover.

P.S- Prosecco (102 Calories) is often disguised as champagne but is more fattening because of the added sugar.

Happy summer drinking! Be safe and always remember, don’t text and drink 😉

 

 

 

Be healthy & never be #hangry again.

It may be the season of leggings & sweaters but that is no excuse to hibernate like a bear this winter. Satisfy those cravings with healthy snacks so you can still werkk it on winter vacation 😉

1.Prosciutto Wrapped Asparugus… a quick and easy recipe to whip up a delicious and healthy side dish.

2. Mini Wrap

Top an 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla with:

2 slices or turkey bacon

½ sliced apple

2 to 3 slices cheddar cheese.

Roll up and microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until cheese is melted.

3.Cold Pizza…..Nope, not the takeout kind!

Toast 1 slice of whole-grain bread

Top it with: 2 tbsp. ricotta, 1 large basil leaf, 2 tomato slices, a drizzle of olive oil, and an optional turkey sausage as pepperoni.

4.Nut Butter Boat  Spread the love on a few celery sticks with 1 tablespoon of any nut butter (almond, cashew, walnut) topped with a few whole almonds and/or raisins. If you’re not a fan of celery, try scooping out the middle of an apple and filling it with whichever nut butter you prefer.

5. Jolly Time-Light Popcorn…This popcorn is a light and guilt-free snack, as long as it isn’t covered in butter and salt but……you can add some Franks red hot sauce.

****Not too much or it will get soggy!

6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bites  Let’s talk ripe apples and creamy peanut butter with a sprinkle of granola and a drizzle of dark chocolate or Nutella. Perfect for smart fall snacking!!

7.Mini Hummus & Avocado Quesadilla Each quesadilla is only 66 calories and rich with healthy fats, which means that you can dig in without guilt.

8.Scuffins Our two favorite G’s, guiltless & gluten free.

9.Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Banana Bites  These bites are delicious and simple; simple to make and simple to eat.

10.Grapes & Grahams Take one graham cracker and split it into two squares. Spread each square with a light layer of cream cheese. Then sprinkle eight halved grapes over the top. It sounds strange, but it’s so delicious!

11. Quinoa & Corn 2/3 cup quinoa mixed with 1/3 cup of corn….175 calories that will keep you full and happy.

12. Eggs in the Clouds Whip, whip, whip it good! Float on a cloud of egg deliciousness!

13. Oysters…. Are an aphrodisiac and contain vitamin b, which helps keep you in a better mood! A helpful tip to remember, only eat Oysters in the months that have the letter “R” in it, or else they are not in season. If you add a little horseradish & lemon it will have you wishing it was JanuaRy, FebRuary, MaRch, ApRil…

14.Kale Chips 93 calories per serving of crispy healthiness.

***VERY oven sensitive….don’t miss the timer!

15.Pumpkin Seeds….toast and add to a fresh salad, or even a smoothie as a natural source of amino acid which converts to good hormones!

16.Chickpea Salad with Hummus dressing

1 cup of chickpeas

Squeeze half a lemon

1 teaspoon of cut up jalapeños

1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar

Hummus as the salad dressing

 

FYI Jalapenos speed up your metabolism.

17.The TAT (Turkey Avocado Tortilla) Use a low sodium tortilla with turkey, avocado, and salsa. Then wrap it up. It is as self-explanatory as it sounds.

18. Pomegranate Quinoa Tabbouleh 

19. Zucchini Parmesan Crisps  A healthy, crunchy, crispy and addicting snack!

20. Organic Brown Eggs rich in choline which is a nutrient that your brain uses to regulate emotions. The yolks are also full of carotenoids, which studies have linked to an increase in optimism.

15 CB Fall Musts

The season of pumpkin spice lattes, leggings, and Ugg boots is upon us (we all have a pair let’s be honest.) We are all a little guilty of falling into the cliché fall trends so, at Crush Brands we are stepping up our Fall 2014.

1. We all can’t be Kim Kardashian with a glam squad on hand 24/7. However we can take a contour tutorial from Ulta and fake our way to being Kim K…no pun intended 😉 Contouring will change the way you look at makeup. It makes your face look slimmer with all the right curves.
2. We got it bad. The Ur Experience tour. A chance to see Usher shirtless, we are there! 
3. As Sam Horowitz would say on Sam Says….It’s time to be fashion savvy. Spend the money on a fabulous leather jacket because it can turn almost any outfit from geek to chic. Not to mention LEATHER IS HOTT.
4. Spin around on rides till you are sick, eat enough greasy food for an army, grab a caramel apple, and listen to some killer Texas tunes at the Texas State Fair September 26^th-October 19^th. Oh and check out the kind of creepy yet awesome BIG TEX.
5. Ditch the Nikes and try out your Adidas swag.
6. A one night stand turned into a awkward morning….to a snowed in hot mess. Two Night Stand looks like a funny one out on September 26^th.
7. Forget the little black dress, this fall it is all about the sizzle! Coming in red HOT!
8. Get your tickets and thank us later.
9. Tight jeans and cowboy hats. The kings of country are on tour this fall & it’s sure to be filled with lots of shakin & beer.
10. On the more serious side, there is a lot of bad in the world & a lot of good. The book 13 Hours: The inside account of what really happened in Benghazi portrays both sides. After reading you will see what a horrible call was made by our government and the heroes that went against orders and saved all of the lives they could.
11. Fancy drinks & good eats. Proof+Pantry is a MUST stop on the Dallas food scene this fall!
12. For those of us with tattoo commitment issues Flash Tattoos are the way to go. All the flare without the commitment. 
13. Sit back & relax with a Dermal Infusion from Enlighten Md. Pores no more…this is the only procedure that exfoliates and infuses skin-specific dermaceuticals simultaneously.
14. Make everyone green with envy in Military Khaki. Talk about taking command of a room 😉
15. Give your body a little CPR this fall with Cold Press Raw. They have the cleanse hook up for beginners to the most experienced juicers. CPR used to only be available in Miami, but now you can order online! If your are going to juice do it right! 

Crush Brands Dallas must dos of Summer 2k14

Alright, this ones for our Dallas people! Whether you are in Dallas for the summer or your a seasoned Dallas veteran, we have found everything from concerts to the best brunch places to cure a hangover from a badass night out on the town. So, without further ado ladies and gentlemen, your Crush Brands Dallas must dos of Summer 2014: 

We shall start off with some scrumptious restaurants: 

• BACKYARD AT THE SOCIAL HOUSE in Uptown: if you’ve lived in Dallas for awhile you have heard of the social house…but you might not know about the backyard an “adult outdoor playground” yup it’s as fun as it sounds….There’s giant jenga, beer pong, cornhole, twister, and new for summer is the Jelly Bean Beer on tap..sounds pretty sweet huh?

• THE TRUCK YARD in Greenville: There are patios which make up shaded outdoor perfection that is a pretty sweet Truck Yard (tons of food trucks). There’s also an indoor bar with 24 taps (including four draft cocktails), and even a treehouse bar! Live music on the weekend and food wise they have pizza to sliders to cheesesteaks. All in all its a great laid back atmosphere, perfect for summer shenanigans. 

• PECAN LODGE in Deep Ellum: Arguably the best brisket in Dallas Proper, they recently moved from the Farmers Market into a bigger location at Pryor and Main because the lines were reminding people of Six Flags. If you love BBQ and a southern good time you need to go here period. 
• LIBARY BAR in Uptown: “Jay Gatsby himself couldn’t resist a night at this library, and even he’d need to make a reservation if he he wanted a table.” With a statement like that by Dallas Luxury who wouldn’t want to hit the stacks in this bar 😉 #Fancy #Sheik #Young&Beautiful

Moving on from food…. to of course, some cool concerts and other adventures….

• Grab your passport….just kidding…head down to Meadows Museum for a night of spanish culture. Browse Picassos, then move to Sangria for snacks, tappas, and cocktails. Then end the night at the Wild Detectives where you might as well be in madrid. This indie lounge is the perfect spot to end your “stay-cation” #WorldCup #TeamSpain
• If your like us, and love a good 90s throwback, your gonna need to check out Granada Theaters Mockbusters starting on June 21st. The summer series will kick off with Space Jam and it will be like a big sleepover with friends, plus a bonus feature, live on the big screen you can share all your humorously weird thoughts on Twitter and Facebook. So charge up your phones and be sure to come with your best witty comments. #90sBaby
• Flavors of Dallas June 25th at the Hyatt Regency: The price tag for this first-time-in-Dallas event is steep but it benefits the American Liver Foundation… (write off), and you’ll get to be cooked for by dozens of top Dallas chefs who’re preparing you a five-course meal — table side — paired with plenty of wine. Give to charity and feast on some of the best food made in Dallas. #FlavorsOfDallas #AmericanLiverFoundation

• Taste of Dallas at the fair park…July 11th…..you will catch us stuffing our faces with food from 75 different restaurants and singing Ice Ice Baby since Vanilla Ice is performing…. well see ya there (insert fist pump here) #TasteOfDallas 

• The queen is coming to Dallas….Queen B and JAY Z that is…hopefully they will avoid the elevators in At&T stadium and make it to their concert July 22nd…..belt it out from the nose bleeds who cares …guaranteed night that wont disappoint. #RunTour

If your looking for something simpler to stumble into or get some step in to your pedometer:

• Local Motion Yoga is giving free yoga classes every saturday morning in June at Sammons Park. So grab your yoga mat and get it twisty.
• If your looking to kick it up a notch you can try Piyo (when pilates and yoga get together) on the wet deck at the W hotel. Saturdays at 9am all through the summer the class is free. So get downwards dog. 
• The Buzz Bike …skip the gym and burn those cals while boozing…two hours of bike riding while literally pedaling the bar with you and your pals. You should also know the pedaling is optional….

 

 

Next we have experiences prince charming himself couldn’t dream up….

• Doesn’t get any more romantic than Epic Helicopters….we are talking The Notebook kind of romance here people….imagine getting picked up on a rooftop in Uptown and transported by uhhhh HELICOPTER to dinner at the Gaylord and then back to Uptown for drinks and desert…now talk about being swept away….prices starting at $1,500 for personal rooftop to backyard pickups, plus multiple other routes for helicopter rides ranging from $450 and up. For this option you get a 20 min ride…and just saying we left a voicemail for them and have yet to hear back so plan ahead, looks like it could be a memorable night. We would die!!!

• Chocolate Cheese & Bubbles….now that we have you hooked…Scardello’s Artisan Cheese is going to be just as good as the name describes. For $35 a person you can grab a group of friends or a hot date and go through over 150 handcrafted wines and cheeses…oh and truffles, on truffles, and it does get better when the bottle of Champagne pops.

Dallas, its no secret we love our BRUNCH. We need to meet up with our besties and talk about the awesome night we just had and maybe the one or two bad decisions we made (no judgements here.) Gossip + food is an indispensable part of the brunch phenomena. Otherwise that booze before noon might cause problems. Anyways fellow brunch lovers you have to hit these spots this summer: 

• CHICKEN SCRATCH in Oak Cliff: This is the place for those of you who really need some good soul food after a great night. Their biscuits piled high with everything you can imagine (eggs, bacon,chicken,) you name it. You can sit outside and enjoy a brunch full of juicy gossip, equally as good as the food. 
• KOZY 2 DAY previously known as Kozy Kitchen in Uptown: I mean to put it simply…they have a breakfast called the hangover and they are the original gluten free restaurant in Dallas, need we say more?
• THE RUSTIC in Uptown: Outdoor music, mason jars, picnic tables all under the big Texas sky. A place with live music that can make anyone feel at home. Plus having Pat Green as a partial owner gives them a leg up on their talent booking. Get ready to jam. 

• MUTTS CANINE CANTINA in Uptown: Grab your pooch and head here because it’s a restaurant, a dog park, and a beer garden. Now that is problem solving at its best, you deserve a drink.
• Heres a few others we love and you need to stop by before noon 😉 HG Supply, Dream Cafe, Zaguan, Smoke at the Belmont, La Duni, Le Bilboquet (order the shashuka) 

 

We all use uber….duh….however there are a few other options:

• Driven DFW: Make a reservation via the app or website for a professional driver to come to your home and drive your own car. Avg. about $35 an hour. 
• Lyft: An app similar to Uber that a driver can show up in anything from a Prius to a mac daddy escalade. Avg. about $20. 
• My Private Driver: Solving the “should I leave my car here over night problem” also avoiding a very expensive DUI charge. A driver will come to you and drive you and your car home.  Avg. cost $35.
• Uber: If you live in Dallas and haven’t downloaded the Uber app you might be living under a rock. We mention these other drivers but we have not yet successfully used them, so for now Uber remains our favorite and lets be real cabs are for the birds.
  • P.S- be sure to follow them on twitter @Uber for special offers like this amazing valentines day special, skywriting: 

 

Cheers to the best Dallas summer yet!

 

 

 

Shoppable Windows: The Future for the Ultimate Shopping Experience

Imagine if there was a way to take away shopping hassles such as long lines, searching for products, and cart traffic jams.  What sounds like a dream is actually a current reality.  A new trend popping up in big US cities, this may be the future for the ultimate shopper experience.  Whether it be shopping for groceries or looking for the perfect outfit, shoppable windows are here to stay with many benefits for shoppers and businesses.  Check out the perks of being a virtual window shopper.

1. What Businesses are Actually Offering

The sole purpose of a shoppable window is to bridge the gap between brick and mortar stores and online shopping, creating the best of both worlds.  The appearance of shoppable windows vary from store to store, ranging from kiosks to lit up billboards.  Through these virtual stores, the consumer is able to experience online shopping in a 3D setting at their convenience, ridding the shopper of any frustrating ordeals typical to in-store shopping.  With this new technology, shoppers are offered a better and more convenient environment to make purchases.

2. Hands Free Shopping in a Timely Manner

One major difference for shoppable windows is how the consumer receives the product.  Unlike a vending machine where you pay for it and get it right then and there, products are ordered then home delivered later in the day.   The benefit of home delivery is that it takes away the arduous chore of lugging around a full cart of groceries from store to home in a timely manner.  Depending on store policy, it’s even possible to receive merchandise within hours after purchase.  Take the Kate Spade shoppable window launched by ebay which has their products “shipped to the customer within an hour by courier” (http://techcrunch.com).  The combination of hands free shopping and timely delivery bridges the issues of waiting days for online store deliveries and the stress of carrying heavy products from in-store purchases.  It’s the perfect solution for consumers who want their products right away and wish to shop weightlessly.

3. For Those of Us Who Don’t Have Any Time

Shoppable windows have been creeping up in subways and city store fronts with reason.  The idea is to catch the already busy consumer during the rare free time that they do have, and what better time to catch them than when they missed the subway and have to wait twenty more minutes for the next one?  Take what online grocery company Peapod did with the Philadelphia transit system:  Peapod created a virtual storefront that consists “of photographs of grocery items plastered onto advertising boards on station platforms. Each of the product photos has an associated QR (Quick Response) code that can be scanned with a smartphone or tablet,” you just have to have the app (The Sydney Morning Herald).  Shoppable windows are perfect for the busy consumer because with their rarely allotted downtime, they can shop quickly and efficiently without being weighed down by purchased goods, going on their way once the next subway car rolls around.

4. Shopping After Hours

What happens if a consumer is in the mood or need for some late night shopping?  Luckily shoppable windows run by themselves and can be accessed 24/7.  So even when shops are closed, like the Kate Spade store, consumers have access to purchasing the product and are able to get it sooner than they would if purchased online.  By using virtual storefronts, businesses are also able to offer more products, like 3D catalogs, and save on costs for space in stores and hiring workers.  This combination benefits both buyers and sellers because it means more products to chose from for consumers, and more products to sell for businesses.  Sounds like a win-win doesn’t it?

5. How to Bridge the Shopping Gap Even Further

Shoppable windows are an innovative trend that betters the shopping experience, but there are a few concerns for the consumer, especially in the fashion department.  Trying on clothes and finding the right fit has always been a digital shopper setback, but what if it doesn’t have to be.  Bloomingdales in New York uses a size machine, the Me-Ality, which finds the perfect fit so the consumer no longer has to try on clothes.  Though shoppable windows are just in its infancy, imagine a world where your webcam could virtually fit you in the comfort of your home, and best of all, the items arrive that day.  Let’s just say our bank accounts would be dwindling.  😉