Remember this oldie but goodie? It’s the only thing I can think of as I’m writing this blog post. Being that this is the final installment of “Healthy Chow’s-a-Makin’-Some-New-Friends”, I figured that the song, “One More Time” would be appropriate.  For the past four weeks, I’ve been challenging myself to ‘meeting’ five new bloggers.  And while I’ve introduced myself to many, many have also introduced themselves to me.  It’s been so much fun!  I’ve learned so much from these wonderful people and I’ve even learned some things about myself.  For example, when I step outside of my comfort zone, it’s not so bad.  And when I constantly stay inside the lines, I never give myself the chance to grow.  And where’s the fun in living when you’re stagnant? There isn’t any!

Week 5 of Healthy Chow’s-a-Makin’-Some-New-Friends

• The Clean Eating Mama – This mama is named Tasha and when I saw her comment on my blog, I just had to check her out.  Firstly, she might have the cutest little boy ever!  Tasha lives in the Seattle area with her son, Jordan, her husband, Marc, and their dog, Lilly.  Tasha has a passion for nutrition and living well, and wants to be a good example and pass her knowledge along to her son.  I love how Tasha is starting her son off on the right foot at such an early age.  He’s a lucky little boy!  And check out her tips on getting children to eat healthy – they are simple and make so much sense.  While Tasha eats clean, it doesn’t mean her recipes are boring – take a peek at her Chocolate Banana Bread and Quinoa and Pomegranate Salad.  And if you’d like to add one of your own recipes to Tasha’s recipes page, just let her know and she’d be glad to host it.  Thanks Tasha!  You’re a mama who definitely knows her stuff!

• Vee Chats – Vee is another blogger who introduced herself to me first.  You see, when you reach out, it comes right back to you!  Vee was born in the Czech Republic and spent 2/3 of her life there.  She has also lived in England and NYC.  An avid traveler, Vee has been to places that I’ve only dreamed of – check it out! As you can see, she has a zest for life and loves to learn about different cultures and traditions.  Vee has a cat named Peri, whom she adopted from a rescue center and is passionate about animals and their rights.  As you can already tell, Vee has a big heart.  And, Vee is also quite the tennis player – she played for over three hours the other day.  WOW!  She’s also participating in the “Ten Weeks to Healthy in 2010″ – take a look at her goals; she is serious!  And like me, Vee likes her interesting food combos – chicken baked with banana and cheese. Sounds good to me!

• Vanity & Sanity – Ashley is the owner of this blog and she is a newbie.  But don’t let that make you think she’s shy; I’ve seen Ashley leaving comments all over the blogosphere, as well as on my blog.  Way to jump right in, Ashley!  She’s a bride-to-be and started this blog to document her journey in the gym, the kitchen and the wedding planning process.  BTW, her dress is gorgeous!  Ashley lives with her fiancé (also her best friend) and their new kitten.  While their kitty thinks he’s a baby, Ashley is excited to have her own kids soon (me too!).  Wish her happy birthday as she just celebrated her big day last week.  It looks like Ashley likes to bake as well – check out her butter tart.  Like me, Ashley is a big yoga fanatic, loves Lululemon and one of her goals in 2010 is to practice yoga at least once a week.  Sounds like a great idea to me!  Ashley, I think we have a lot on common.  It’s nice to meet you!

• Leftovers for Lunch – These leftovers belong to Leah.  Another bride-to-be, Leah lives in the Seattle area with her fiancé, Jodus, but lived all over the world as she was a self-proclaimed Air Force brat.  When I was reading Leah’s About page, I noticed two things: she’s like me in that she loves food and anything related to food and she’s a riot.  Just check out her picture!  I really enjoyed reading the meaning behind Leah’s blog name – it makes perfect sense and was quite helpful.  And if you want to see what Leah buys on a regular basis, take a peek at her grocery list.  Great pics!  I applaud Leah with her honesty about her weight loss journey and I admire her positive attitude.  I also admire her affection for the Whole Foods salad bar! Leah, your salads look so much like my salads!  And if you’re looking for a warm and hearty comfort meal, Leah’s recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup looks amazing!

• Healthy Twists – This lovely blog belongs to Hallie.  Hallie is 24 years old and lives in San Diego (lucky duck!) with her boyfriend, Mitch, their puppy, Nina and their fish, Phillip.  Because Hallie likes to put a healthy twist on unhealthy recipes, Mitch suggested this name.  How cool?!  I’m inspired by Hallie’s weight loss and her dedication to fitness and eating well.  She seems like she definitely has her head on straight!  And, her recipes are fantastic!  Check out her healthy recipe for Pad Thai, Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf and Fish Tacos with Black Bean Salsa.  And a big congrats to Hallie as she is the winner of Oikos’ trip to Kripalu! Hallie, if you need tips on Boston or a tour guide, look me up!  BTW, I totally loved Hallie’s post on ‘putting things out into the universe’.  She put it out there and it’s amazing to see what she got back.  Way to go, Hallie!

Phew!  That was a great challenge! And you know what?  It wasn’t really even a challenge since it wasn’t difficult at all once I got comfortable outside of my comfort zone.  After these past few weeks, I’ve learned that people will generally give back what you give to them.  Because I happily introduced myself to so many bloggers and introduced them to you on my blog, they were elated and bloggers started introducing themselves to me.  I know I’m sounding all warm and fuzzy here, but honestly, it’s a great feeling.  In this day and age, it’s easy to get down on ourselves and lose faith in humankind.  I know that I can get discouraged when someone is rude for no reason or I witness senseless cruelty.  However, this doesn’t mean that everyone in this universe is that way.  We just have to take that first step and reach out.  What one risks is so small, in comparison to what one can gain.  That said, I’m glad I started this challenge, that I completed it, that I am ending 2009 with this glorious feeling and starting 2010 with it.  It truly will be a happy new year! Thank you!

Have you made your 2010 resolutions yet?  Is there something you want to do or want to get back to doing?  Do you have any big plans for New Year’s Eve?

Namasté,
Nicole