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Monday, November 13, 2017

Protein Donuts




Hello everyone! 

After purchasing some protein pancake mix awhile ago, I decided to try and make some homemade protein donuts.  I've been experimenting with different ingredients for a few months and I finally feel like I nailed down the perfect recipe! 







First of all, let me just say that protein pancake mix should be a staple in your pantry!  I use it all the time for pancakes, donuts, protein banana bread, and more!  I love that the mix is so versatile! I typically use Flapjacked mix but any protein pancake mix should work.  


The recipe I'm sharing today is super easy and makes around 6 donuts.  You might want to double up on the recipe because you'll for sure want more!  







You'll need a donut pan.  You can find them just about anywhere.  This one on Amazon is 7.99 for a two pack.  





Prep Time: 5 Minutes 


Cook Time: 10-15 minutes 






Donut Ingredients:
1 cup of protein pancake mix
1/4 cup of stevia
1 tbsp of baking powder
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 egg
2 tbsp of coconut oil
1/2 cup of coconut milk or milk of choice
1 tsp of of vanilla


Baking Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix everything together. Spray pan with coconut oil baking spray.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. I always set the timer for 10 minutes and then add time if needed. Donuts should be fluffy and slightly browned at the top.

Frosting Ingredients:

Protein powder 
Water

Frosting instructions:  Mix vanilla or chocolate protein powder, and a very small amount of water together. I usually use around 2 scoops of protein powder just because I like to cover the donuts in a decent amount of frosting. Make sure you mix in very SMALL amounts of water until it gets  pretty sticky.  You don't want the frosting to melt off and you want the sprinkles to stick.  Frost donuts then add sprinkles.


You can also mix stevia/truvia together with cinnamon and just dust the top of the donuts for a simple donut.  


I hope you enjoy this recipe! 


Tag me in your posts if you decide to try them out @RealAshleyMora 


Xoxo, 

Ash 

























Friday, June 2, 2017

Fashion Friday with Val Stefani

Happy Friday! 

Welcome to my #FashionFriday blog with Val Stefani.  Today I'm giving all the details on this gorgeous dress I picked out for Miss USA!  We were in Las Vegas for a total of 10 days and during that time, we had various events, rehearsals, dinners, and photoshoots! 

Not gonna lie, I was extremely picky when it came to my Miss USA wardrobe.  I wanted my personal style to shine through everything I wore.  When you're competing with the most gorgeous women in the country, the last thing you want to do is blend in.  When I was picking my wardrobe for Miss USA, I wanted pieces that were: 
  • Figure flattering
  • Comfortable for long events and long days
  • Chic, timeless, effortlessly beautiful 
  • Representation of my personal style


I fell in love with this Val Stefani gown immediately because of the halter style top, slight mermaid-cut skirt, and the gorgeous bead work.  I loved that this dress was simple, timeless, and classic.  Dresses that flatter my figure and accentuate my curves are hard to come by, but this dress fit me like a glove.



I felt like the cut of the dress, the color, beading, and neckline were very elongating! I'm short, especially in the pageant world so any piece of clothing that makes me look long and tall gets 5 stars in my book.  This gown was no exception! 




One thing that I particularly love about Val Stefani is their unique design.  A lot of pageant and prom dresses look alike or have similar styles, but I appreciate the fact that Val Stefani offers styles that will set you apart.  

This dress comes in Navy and Magenta.  Not shown in the photos is the trendy t-back.  You can click HERE for more photos.  I'm wearing a size 0.   

If you want to see more of the Val Stefani collection, Click HERE.  


I hope you enjoyed this #FashionFriday 

Check back next week for more exciting styles! 

xoxo 
Ashley 




Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Miss USA Snapchat Takeover Recap

Hey Everyone!

I hope your week is off to a great start!  I can’t believe that in just 12 days I leave for Miss USA.  It’s kind of funny, at times it feels so surreal and at other times it hits me that this is actually happening!  My Miss USA Snapchat Takeover day was one of those days where all I could think about was the fact that I’m really representing New Mexico at Miss USA! 

On my Snapchat takeover day, I ran around the city of Albuquerque for over 17 hours trying to film as much as I possibly could.  It was important to me that everyone watching on this worldwide platform got a glimpse of New Mexico.  I also wanted everyone to get to know me a little bit more.  Some of you have been following my journey for quite some time, however there are a lot of people out there who only know me at Miss New Mexico USA!   I had so much I wanted to share that 24 hours didn’t seem like enough time, but I made certain to take advantage of every minute!

I know there are a lot of people out there who don’t have Snapchat, so I thought it would be fun to do a little recap of my day!

I woke up at 4am.  I start off having technical difficulties signing into the official Miss USA snapchat account which was a little scary knowing that I had to be ready for the first activity at 6:00am.  Thankfully, I was able to get everything taken care of before my day officially started.  Shout out to the girls who helped me out! (You know who you are… wink wink! #SlaySquad)

After I was signed into the account and ready to go, I introduced everyone to my cat, Bella!  I got ready for the first activity and then made my glass of hot lemon water with cayenne pepper! 

Around 6:00 am, I hit the road and headed towards our launch location for my very first hot air balloon ride!   I was so thankful to Christine, Jessica, and the Hearts a Fire Balloon crew who so graciously offered to take me up in a hot air balloon for New Mexico’s  snapchat takeover day! 
The Balloon Fiesta is my all-time favorite event in Albuquerque! Being able to showcase our beautiful city from 3,500+ ft in the air was incredible.  We flew over the Rio Grande at sunrise and the entire morning was just perfect.  The weather was great, it was a gorgeous day, and everything was off to a wonderful start!




After our balloon ride, I had just enough time to swing by our Thursday morning office meeting at Coldwell Banker Legacy.  I was able to introduce everyone watching to my place of work, show them my office, and tell them how it really is working with mom!




Once I was done showing everyone around my work, I drove downtown and taped an interview with my most favorite radio host, Kiki Garcia with 93.3 KOB FM!   We had so much fun... like always!



This year, the 66th Miss USA will be crowned… so I thought it was appropriate to take a photo by the historic Route 66 sign!



After we were done with all the morning activities, I was STARVING!  We stopped at my favorite lunch spot in Albuquerque, Flying Star Café!   I ordered a salad and a breakfast burrito with “Christmas” because let’s be honest… I wouldn’t be doing New Mexico justice if I didn’t highlight a BB with both Red AND Green chile!!!



Once we were done with lunch, I came back to the house and shared a lot  about my blog, why I started it, what I talk about my blog, and why I titled it Sparkling from the Inside Out.  I also talked about writing daily gratitudes and affirmations.  This was probably the most special part of the day as I received so many heartfelt messages! There’s no better feeling than knowing you’ve inspired someone in some way!

While I was at home, I shared a few photos of my family and my best friend, Kristen!  My parents will be celebrating their 30th anniversary this August!



And here is a picture of Kristen and I! We met at kindergarten orientation.  This is a picture of us
at our kindergarten graduation and our high school graduation!


I took sometime to talk about Special Spaces and what the organizations means to me! I shared a couple of stories from my favorite room makeovers! 



Of course, I couldn't leave out the fact that I've been competing for the title of Miss New Mexico USA for 8+ years!  I shared about my journey and my road to Miss USA.  Thankfully, I was able to share the moment all of my dreams came true! My crowning moment! In case you haven't seen it, click play below! 






I also share that on top of working in real estate, finishing up my degree, and being Miss New Mexico USA, I also teach Spin, Barre, and Yoga!  I showed everyone a few videos from my classes and then headed to the park to do some yoga!



Around dinner time, I met up with my family at my favorite Mexican food restaurant, Zacatecas!  I’m slightly obsessed with tacos and I hadn’t had any in awhile so this was a treat for me!



We finished dinner with just enough time to grab a picture in front of the Breaking Bad house, then ran up to the foothills to take a quick picture of the sunset!




I had a few things on my list that I didn’t get to but since it was late in the evening, I decided to come home and show everyone how to make fresh juice with a juicer.  We did a little juicing 101 seminar which was so much fun for me. 




I finished the night up with sharing a few of my favorite books, writing out thank you cards to everyone who helped with the entire day, and answering a few questions!


My Snapchat takeover was probably one of the most memorable and fun days of my life!  It’s days like this where I am just so beyond thankful for this experience!

I hope you enjoyed my recap of my Miss USA Snapchat takeover day!   Be sure and tune into FOX on May 14th for the big show… Miss USA that is!!!!

Xoxo 

Ashley Mora

#TeamNewMexico 




Thursday, April 6, 2017

Becoming Miss USA


For as long as I can remember, all I ever wanted to be was Miss USA. In fact, Miss USA is even listed as my dream job in the year book from my senior year of high school!  I feel so incredibly fortunate that every single day I have the opportunity to pursue my wildest dream. 

As I prepare for the biggest event of my life, I feel an overwhelming sense of purpose. With each passing day, I work as hard as I can to give myself the absolute best shot at Miss USA.  More than ever before, I believe in my purpose.  I believe that with a gentle and genuine heart, hard work, humility, integrity, a vision, and inspiration, you can achieve anything you want in this world.  I also believe that those are qualities of a leader- which is exactly the kind of woman Miss USA is.  

Today marks 24 days until I leave for Miss USA!  I wanted to share a few of my personal daily reminders.  I go over these 7 mantras every day.  They inspire me and fuel my purpose.  Maybe they will do the same for you!  

Dream it
It all begins in the heart and mind. 

Believe it
Although at times your dream can seem out of reach, you must believe that with determination, the help of others, and hard work……. it can be done.

See it
One of my favorite quotes is, “Your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, and your actions become your character.”  The mind is a powerful.  I believe you have to envision your future self accomplishing your goals in order for them to happen.  You have to “see” it.  

Plan it
You have to sit down and create a game plan.  How will you achieve your dream?  Set small goals. Every decision made is important.  Your short term tasks, multiplied by time, equal long term success. Turn your dream into a goal and do what you need to do to accomplish it.  

Work it
Successful people are the harder workers.  Plain and simple.  There are no short cuts when it comes to achieving a grand dream.  

Enjoy it
There is beauty in the journey.  When you get where you want to go, you’ll look back and smile at what it took to get you there.  This is something I try and remind myself of everyday.  I feel like a sponge, trying to soak up everything I can because I know time is going to fly!   


Im excited to share my official Miss USA headshot with you all!  Im so humbled by the fact that I get to represent my beautiful home state at Miss USA.  New Mexico has such a huge piece of my heart and I’m beyond grateful to share this experience with you all! 



xoxo, 
Ashley 

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

My Morning Skincare Routine



Hello everyone!

I wanted to share my latest skincare routine with you all because a. I'm obsessed with these products b. I love sharing tips that I believe will benefit others  c. who doesn't want amazing skin?!

Since skin is the largest organ in our body, taking care of it should be at the very top of our priority list!  I have to admit I used to put skincare at the bottom of my health routine.  My focus for living a healthy lifestyle was always centered around other areas, but lately I’ve been paying a lot of attention to my skin in an attempt to take better care of it.  I mean, who doesn’t want effortlessly glowing skin?!  With Miss USA coming up, I’m trying to be proactive and get my skin in tiptop shape… ready for the long days and non-stop makeup!

After using the same products for years, I decided to take a leap of faith and try a completely new routine.  A new cleanser, new lotion, and new products that I’ve never invested in before.  The results?  My skin is LOVING it!  My face has never felt more soft, looked more bright, or been as smooth!

The most important thing for me when looking for new products to use, were the ingredients.  I try to use as many all natural products as possible.  I also have combination skin and get pretty oily in the t-zone.  Thankfully, I found a brand that was both all natural and right for my skin.  And that brand would be AVEDA!  For the first time in forever, my skin feels FRESH!  

What I love most about these products is that they feel so light and airy on my skin.  I can layer all of the products I’m using without feeling like I just caked a bunch of stuff on my face.  Another thing I’ve been loving about these products is how they’re making my skin look.  I can tell such a HUGE difference already.  Previously, even on my “no makeup” days I would still wear powder.  With these new Aveda products, I can go completely makeup free! In fact, today I was out running errands with no makeup on, and this woman stopped me and asked what foundation I use!  My face is clear, looks bright and firm, and it’s glowing naturally!

So what products am I using?  My current morning skincare regimen as of right now includes:

Botanical Kinetics Creme Cleanser
Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion
Tulasāra calm Serum
Daily Light Guard SPF 30

 If you're interested in where to purchase any of these products, click HERE

Botanical Kinetics Creme Cleanser
In the a.m. and p.m., smooth over damp face and throat, rinse with warm water and pat dry.


Improve the comfort level of daily facial cleansing with a rich creme that removes surface dirt and impurities. Extra-mild on skin with plant-derived oils.
• gently dissolves makeup and impurities
• leaves skin feeling soft, supple and comfortable
• for normal to dry skin
• dermatologist-tested

Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion
Press into skin after cleansing a.m. and p.m.


Instantly pump up your hydration levels for plump, dewy skin.
• spiked with nutrient-rich algae
• instantly boosts skin's moisture
• prepares skin for your next layer, serum or moisturizer
• lightweight liquid texture
• dermatologist-tested
• non-acnegenic
• for all skin types
• 99% naturally derived*

Tulasāra™ calm concentrate
Apply a.m. and p.m. before moisturizing.


• instantly calms and hydrates to help restore skin's natural balance. Gives skin an immediate cooling sensation.
• diminishes the look of redness over time
• helps strengthen and restore skin's natural protective barrier to improve skin's resilience
• contains more than one-hundred thousand red raspberry plant stem cells known for their restorative powers
• dermatologist-tested
• non-acnegenic
• for all skin types

Daily light guard™ defense fluid broad spectrum spf 30
The final step in your morning skin care ritual.


• non-chemical 100% mineral-derived sunscreen technology: advanced coating technology makes zinc oxide and titanium dioxide glide on sheer and smooth as they provide UVA/UVB protection
• with plant-derived pollution defense: kukui seed oil helps strengthen skin's natural environmental barrier, while an anti-oxidant blend with ginger extracts helps defend against free radical damage
• dermatologist-tested
• non-acnegenic
• for all skin types

• 74% naturally derived*


Believe me when I say that I am so passionate about these Aveda products!  The ingredients, the smell, the benefits, the results!  You can pick up these products for yourself, at any Mark Pardo Salon in Albuquerque!


I hope you enjoyed this blog!  I'll be sharing my my nighttime skincare routine soon, so stay tuned! 

Xoxo, 
Ashley 



Psssst.....  

I get all of my beauty services done at Mark Pardo in Albuquerque! I absolutely LOVE MP! I've been getting my hair colored there for over 7 years!  They took me from brunette to blonde so effortlessly... I trust them with my life!  I truly believe in the brand and wouldn't be sharing unless I was extremely passionate about the products and services!  If you're in the Albuquerque area, check them out!