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I’m taking the My Fit Foods challenge!

In light of the one-month countdown to the divas-only 5k Pretty Muddy Run on June 1, I decided it was time to get my diet and fitness under control. You know how it is, though, chickadees — we drone on and on about how we should eat better, but in the end, we just never budge. Because chicken nuggets, fried skrimps and mashed potatoes with rivers of gravy be tasty! But I digress …

About a week ago, I snagged a voucher for a free meal at My Fit Foods, a chain of stores that stocks a wide variety of super-healthy balanced meals and snacks. I’d always thought the stores were only for members or those on meal plans to use, so I was happy to get the chance to stop in. The gamut of different kinds of entrees was amazing, and everything looked really great — how was I supposed to choose just one for lunch?! Finally, I happened upon the Turkey Loaf …

… accompanied by mashed sweet potatoes with nuts and steamed broccoli, this meal seemed hearty and filling. I was gobsmacked by how delicious it was — the turkey was spicy and perfectly seasoned so that I didn’t need to reach for the salt shaker. And I *usually* reach for the salt shaker! The sweet mash was a nice counterpoint to the spicy and had the textural interest of walnuts thrown in. Yum! And, of course, the broccoli provided serious nutrients … plus, I just freakin’ love broccoli! I just had to have more of these My Fit Foods meals — I wanted to conquer their 21-Day Challenge, in fact. So I reached out to the company, and VOILA! Your Diva is presently partaking of the Challenge, living scrumptiously and dining well.

The Challenge consists of five meals a day — breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. The idea is to eat every three hours to keep your metabolism nimble, awake and burning calories — yes! Plus, My Fit Foods sticks to low glycemic-index carbs that have less of a fat-padding effect on your body. And in addition to sticking to the diet, My Fit Foods recommends twice-daily supplements and a morning cranberry liver-detox drink. Oh, and giving up liquor the entire time …

I won’t lie — that’s a tough one, y’all. You know your Diva is all about the dranks … but so far I’ve stayed away beautifully. Nice thing is, you get 3 cheat meals … is it awful that I’ve already sunk one of them on the second day of the Challenge? Don’t judge! And stay tuned for updates on my meals and how I tackle the Challenge. ALSO stay tuned for — wait for it — a My Fit Foods giveaway, so you may try the healthful goodness for yourself!

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Modern Mixologist meeting … and a giveaway!

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from a mixology master, in Dallas to promote a new line of liqueur called Shellback Caribbean Rum. Author of the book “The Modern Mixologist,” Tony Abou-Ganim has made a name for himself crafting clever and thoughtful cocktails reflecting his love of fresh ingredients, including fruit, veggies and herbs.

In Dallas he led a crowd of media guests at the Marc Events venue in the Design District in a hands-on class on mixing fantastic bevs. What fun! Check out our “toolbox”!

Before us was a veritable cornucopia of utensils, knives, glassware, fruit and nifty tools ready for us to use to whip up some sublime drinks. My favorite ingredient had to be the flavored simple syrups, which added the perfect sweet touch to every drink we used them in.

My favorite by far was the Milestone Mojito, full of fresh mint and orange flavor, and starring a little fizz. I might’ve added a tad more simple syrup than required, because that’s just what my palate likes!

Shellback makes two varieties of rum; the clear Silver, which has a remarkably creamy, almost candylike finish (in a pleasing way!), and the Spiced, which is imbued with a hearty caramel flavor. Both are sublime when added to the perfect cocktail, as Tony showed us. And you can learn how to stir some up at home!

Tony was gracious enough to autograph a copy of “The Modern Mixologist” just for one of my Diva readers — is it you? Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. And good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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La Madeleine’s 30th bday … and contest!

Tuesday night, I toasted la Madeleine, the Dallas-bred French country cafe, as it observed its 30th anniversary. (in the pic above is founder Patrick Esquerré, about to pop open a magnum of some very fine Champagne). Francetastic! Congrats and thanks for being my favorite quiche, chicken friande and lemonade spot, like, ever!

And who can forget la Madeleine’s rich, creamy, velvety Tomato Basil soupe? Ooh, la-la, it tastes like Paris in your face! And as part of the local chain’s b-day celebration, it’s giving away a trip to France via a cooking contest. And I’m having a giveaway to help get you started. Oui, oui!

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Win Great Big Texas Home Show tix!

The Great Big Texas Home Show is coming to Cowboys Stadium this weekend, and you can partake in all the fun and festivity!

As you know, your Diva is a part of the grand affair, via the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge, where a DIY project I’ve done is up for a vote. (Pssst! Vote for me!) As such, I’ve snagged two tickets to this weekend’s event, running from March 8-10. Wanna get a chance to learn tips to freshen up your home’s style, meet with decor experts and soak up all manner of practical advice? Head over to Twitter or my contest page to enter!

You can enter as many times as you like starting now until tomorrow, March 7, at 11:59 p.m., when a winner will be selected. His or her tickets will be available at Will Call at the event. Good luck, chickadees!

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Naila Malik party … and a giveaway!

This week, I was invited to breeze through the handsome new Dallas office of Naila Malik M.D., a physician who’s turned her passion for health into a focus on skin- and weight-care products. Amid eating the Mediterranean eats from Fadi’s and sips of wine, I learned about Dr. Malik’s lines: Naila Derm MD takes a non-invasive approach to maintaining or uncovering skin’s youthful glow; Naila Fit MD is a personalized weight-loss program that begins with the client’s health history; and Naila Clear MD‘s aim is the long-term control of acne in teens and adults. What all three lines have in common is Dr. Malik’s individualized service — it’s all about listening to each client and crafting a custom approach to skin or weight care.

Part of Dr. Malik’s acne-fighting line.

I chatted with Dr. Malik at the party, and I really felt her passion for her work and her desire to help men and women achieve their skin and/or weight goals. In addition to the aforementioned products, she and her staff perform common in-office treatments such as microdermabrasion, skin photorejuvenation and chemical peels.

A highlight of the bash was getting to walk off with a swag bag full of more than $200 worth of goodies … and it can all be yours. Yeah!

I’m giving away this trove of terrificness (above) that includes samples of NailaMD products, a free microdermabrasion treatment, a $50 gift card for office services, an Uber car service gift card and much more! To enter this giveaway, simply skip on over to my Twitter page for deets, or enter here. Wait, WHAT? You don’t follow me on Twitter?! Best do so here. I’ll pick a winner on Tuesday and announce it via Twitter — in the spirit of the tweet bird, good luck, chickadees and chickadudes!