July 9, 2014

Nectarine Caprese Salad

I bought myself a flat of nectarines. I’m not sure what I was thinking because Cooper doesn’t want to even try one and my husband does not think to eat a piece of fruit when he’s hungry. So, this means I will be eating nectarines for the next week now. I’ve already learned that I cannot eat one while driving home from work, unless I feel cool with stains all over my clothes and a sticky steering wheel. Ew and Noooo.

And then I saw this recipe in a recent Sunset Magazine issue…It had been sitting on my nightstand taunting me for the past week. The stars aligned and the nectarines arrived and so here we are. This is it.

I’ve made a salad like this before but with watermelon and some slightly different ingredients. But with the nectarines, the texture is a bit different. There’s a sweetness that catches up with you after you’re almost done with a bite. The salt and the white balsamic vinegar add such a beautiful tang. One minute you’re enjoying a tomato and the next a nectarine. It’s all good. If you haven’t added mint and nectarines to your Caprese, you MUST. My husband, the non-fruit eater approved and that’s saying a lot!

recipes

July 7, 2014

Vegan Taco Salad

If I was asked, “If you had to pick one cuisine to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?” my answer would be most likely be Mexican. A lot of people think this decision would consist of nothing but tacos, cheesy quesadillas, nachos and burritos (wouldn’t that be the life??!). But, wait. There’s so much more to that. You totally forgot about taco salads!

When I was in high school, I developed an unhealthy obsession with Chevy’s and I cried the day I found out the nutritional content of my beloved Taco Salad. I mean…the fried flour tortilla shell holding the greasy ground beef covered in melted cheese with a healthy serving of Ranch dressing and extra sour cream should have fooled no one. There were some wilted lettuce shreds and some tomatoes thrown in to justify its salad label. I’d get the dressing on the side, but really… WHO WAS I KIDDING?

In my attempt to lighten up my favorite Taco Salad, I created this little ditty. It’s absolutely perfect for summer (hello fresh corn, red pepper, tomatoes, avocados & radishes!). The salad dressing isn’t a Mexican Ranch that’s loaded with mayo. Nope! It’s a base of creamy avocado mixed with lime and cilantro and it comes together in a breeze with a quick blitz in my Vitamix blender. You’ll find the dressing is the perfect way to marry crisp lettuce, protein packed black beans, juicy tomatoes, green onions, avocado chunks, sweet corn and crunchy tortilla chips. This taco salad is so packed with flavor that I feel 100% confident in my decision to choose Mexican over every other cuisine. It also proves that you can do a dairy-free Mexican salad and not skimp on taste. My summer will be FILLED with these Taco Salads, thank you very much.

my everyday life, Photography

July 6, 2014

My Everyday Life: Week 27

Here’s what this past week looked like:

I love when my Dad greets me from on top of his roof.

July 4, 2014

I love lists, Friday!

Cats! Sitting awkwardly!
So, apparently I’m Creative & Sexy.
What a beautiful patio. I especially love the bar!
I want to go on a trip. STAT.
These photos are like a mental vacation….
I also want to go to Adult Summer Camp. Bucket List. Also. More camps!
How to Roll a Chipotle Burrito.
5 Unspoken Rules of Best Friends (maj!)
My mom will most definitely laugh at these.
This comic made me laugh.
Juxtaposition of Old & New
10 Ways to Appear Smart During a Business Meeting
Is this dude lip syncing? I just don’t know…
Shake your bonbon.
Ice cream CUPCAKES. I mean….
Jessica sealed the deal with AMARETTO WHIPPED CREAM.
My summer could use a pavlova and more cherries!!
I’m currently listening to this while making this list.
The Worst Parts of Being an Adult in the Summer. PRETTY MUCH.
Photos that prove you take your job title way too seriously.
COCKTAIL SNOW CONES!! (totally deserves all caps)

recipes

July 3, 2014

Caprese Bites

It’s simple addition. Basil+ Mozzarella+Tomatoes+ Fancy Toothpicks= Heaven. I actually used string-cheese in these little bites instead of little mozzarella balls because that’s what I had in the fridge. They’ll work in a pinch! Drizzle a little bit of syrupy aged balsamic on top and you have yourself a most wonderful snack/appetizer… aka snacketizer.

recipes

July 2, 2014

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

New recipe! Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

You know how much I love the no-knead pizza dough recipe, right? I’ve been wanting to try it grilled because WHO WANTS TO PUT THEIR OVEN AT 500F in the summer??! Also, I’ve relied too heavily on the make-it on a cookie sheet and get rectangular pizza method. This lady wants a round pizza. Once and for all. But then again, this lady loves the no-knead recipe because it’s such a good set it and forget it situation. This lady thrives on a set it & forget it situation.

About an hour into the dough-making process (it was just sitting covered in the window) I decided to invite new friends over for dinner. WHAT?! Try a new recipe on new friends?! Blasphemous. My point to all of this is to tell you that if I can take pictures while grilling pizza AND entertaining people ON A WEEKNIGHT, then there’s no doubt in my mind that you can pull this off in a snap.

BBQ sauce as a base, chicken, red onions, red pepper, cilantro, PEPPER JACK CHEESE and corn combine for an amazing combination. It makes an amazing summer meal. It also solidifies new friendships….just sayin’!

Inspiration, Outfitting

June 30, 2014

Outfitting: My Favorite Summer Shoes

I take a lot of feet shots with my camera; it’s something I’ve done since I was a teen. Did you ever see Lost in Translation? This scene always makes me laugh (at the 1 minute mark) because I haven’t grown out of that phase… Taking photos of my feet has always been a way for me to capture a certain moment in time. It could be a combination of colors I like, something cool I saw on the sidewalk, or sometimes it’s a way for me to say, I was here/ I stood in this place. Like… I existed here and took a moment to look down and take a picture.

I never really anticipated that I’d get a lot of comments of WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE SHOES??! Where are they from??! Tell me!! It makes me laugh sometimes that complete strangers ask questions like that. Some internet haters think I take photos on purpose to bait foot fetishists. OMG HOW DID YOU KNOW?? Either way, if you’ve ever wondered where my shoes are from….here you go!

These are my favorite summer shoes:

Lucky Women’s Moran-N Sandal

I love the straps on these ones. The wood/cork sole is pretty nice too. They make me tall and they go with just about everything I own. I wear them to work a lot in the summer.

Roxy Women’s Ahoy II Boat Shoe

I bought these a few years ago and LOVE them. I’m not sure you can find the exact ones anymore, but the ones I found are pretty close. I wear them with a navy dress or anytime I’m wearing blue. Maybe one day I’ll be a grown up and rock a Sperry Top-Sider . I dunno….

Sanita Women’s Dawn Platform Sandal

I’ve been wearing these sandals a lot lately. They’re great for traveling because they’re super comfortable and they can come off easily. The sole looks like wood, but it’s actually more like a cushy pillow. I also really love the scalloped edges of the shoe. I think they’re cute and feminine.

Dansko Women’s Sandi Ankle-Strap Sandal

I love the criss cross of these ones. I like to wear them with blue and denim. Whenever I wear something a little more “bohemian,” these are my go-to shoe. I’m thinking they could look cute with a black maxi skirt and a white tank…

Lucky Women’s Lindey Wedge Sandal

RAWR!! Best way to dress up a black dress? LEOPARD WEDGES. These ones are tall…and get me a lot of second glances/compliments. Sometimes it’s nice to have attention and it’s crazy how many women eye them. Ladies love leopard!

I own two pairs of Salt Water Sandals. Red for when I’m feeling sassy.

Black for when I’m wearing black…which is most of the time. Whenever I wear them, I always get a “Oh! I had a pair of those when I was little! Where did you get them??!!” They’re totally nostalgic and super comfy. They mold right to your feet and are great in the water.

I’m thinking of getting another color… but I can’t decide!!!

Lotta From Stockholm Silver Swedish Clog

I wear these to work a lot. My feet don’t mind walking around on wood soles. You get used to them! I like wearing them because it’s always fun to look down and see SILVER. They’re hard to photograph though…

Bass Women’s Margie Sandal

I like to refer to these sandals as my Jesus sandals. I got them up at the Bass outlet in Tahoe with my mom. I’m not sure if they’re cute or not, but they’re actually REALLY comfortable and I love how easy they are to get on & off. Sometimes it’s good to have a flat strappy sandal in your repertoire, ya know? Now if only I could turn water into wine when I’m wearing them…

Vans Classic Slip-On Skate Shoes

We call these Spicolis as in Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I wear these a lot when I’m going grocery shopping/running errands. Who doesn’t love a good slip-on shoe?? Also, if you wear them to a party, be prepared to quote the movie. Fun times. Fun times.

Women’s Toms Classics Cord

I had a hard time finding this exact pair in purple online for you. I think they must have been a seasonal thing? Anyways, I love them. I love a pop of color and since purple is one of my favorites, I had to get these. I find it’s best (for me) to order a size up in Toms. My wide feet thank me.

Converse Chuck Taylors

A classic. I always wear these when I’m riding a bike. I always have a least two pairs in my arsenal. One is a junky pair and the other is for when I’m out and want to look somewhat decent in a pair of jeans. I can’t believe there was a time when I didn’t like the way they looked on my feet.