back at it.

This week I've really gotten back into my routine of clean, healthy meals and daily workouts (I've really been slacking the past couple of weeks....). In turn, I've also gotten Tony and the kids back into healthy eating :) This week I tried two new recipes - one from a blog I follow and another from Bon Appetit magazine online. The first was inspired by a recipe I found on "Everyday Meg", a blog by the beautiful and creative Meg, with great recipes including what I made, the Grapefruit Avocado Balsamic Salmon Salad. The one thing I changed was, instead of a grapefruit/lemon balsamic dressing, I used a raspberry walnut vinaigrette. This was mainly because I was out of balsamic, but it turns out I think I liked the vinaigrette better! It really brought out the flavor of the toasted walnuts and kept the flavor of grapefruit from overpowering the other ingredients. Below is the recipe, including my own tweaks (and my mom's, we made this salad together), as well as some pictures of our process and the delicious, final result:

 

You'll need:

-3 cups fresh, de-stemmed baby spinach

-1 peeled, pitted and chopped ripe avocado

-1 sliced, red grapefruit

-2 salmon filets

-2 tbsp toasted walnuts

-2 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled

-3 tbsp Newman's Own Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

"Cooking" instructions:

-Broil salmon for 8-10 minutes, flipping each filet halfway through

-Peel and chop avocado, and take out pit, and set aside

-Peel grapefruit and slice (we cut each slice in half to make smaller pieces, and snacked on some along the way....)

-In medium saucepan, toast walnuts on low-medium heat for about 3-4 minutes

-Pour dressing in bowl first, then top with spinach and avocado and mix well

-Add flaked salmon and grapefruit, and again, mix well

-Finally, top with crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts

Pour a nice glass of white wine (Pinot Grigio, perhaps?) and ENJOY!!

 

AND PART TWO OF THIS BLOG POST.....

Last night I made Scrambled Eggs, Avocado and Salmon toasts from Bon Appetit magazine. Here's the original recipe below:

Tweaks I made:

• I had a leftover salmon filet from the salad I had made the night before, so I used flaked salmon instead of thinly-sliced smoked salmon
• I opted out of the creme fraiche
• Three eggs instead of six (loser, table for one!)
• Two slices of Italian bread

I followed the instructions exactly the way the magazine said, and topped the finishing result with crumbled goat cheese (clearly I'm on a salmon and goat cheese kick this week)

No wine this time, just some guava-flavored coconut water and a magazine :)

What new "clean-eating" recipes have you tried lately? I've been feeling very adventurous, and have been cooking up a storm, so I'd love to hear all about them!

Happy Wednesday :)

 

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a wedding weekend in nashville.

One of my very best friends got married last weekend in Nashville, TN and I DO believe it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Low-80s, no humidity, barnyard cocktail hour, twinkle lights and hanging mason jars, a band I'm willing to fly in for my own wedding (whenever that may be...), and a beautiful couple in love.

Kristin has been one of my best friends since we were in eighth grade and were cast in "Annie" together at a local community theater. So naturally I was overjoyed when she asked me to be her bridesmaid!! I love her, I absolutely adore her new hubby, and I couldn't think of anything I'd rather be doing on that date, which seemed sooooo far away at the time, than stand with my best friend on the most memorable day of her life.

I mean, gorgeous.

I wish I could re-capture every single moment of this gorgeous event for all of you, but unfortunately that is just not possible. So here are a crap-ton of photos from my weekend (some stolen, with permission, from my friends) with my bests and my love in one of the coolest cities EVER. Seriously, Nashville....you rock my country music-lovin' world.

a little champagne lunch to get the weekend started off right!

me and the love :)

 

the besties. photo courtesy of Sydney.

 

Bride with her maids!! Photo courtesy of Dina (second from left)

 

Getting ready!!

 

Hemming pants, on your wedding day? Really?

 

Ugh, just stop already.

 

The handsomest.

 

 

These two, my world. Photo courtesy of Sydney (right)

 

again, my girls!! Photo courtesy of Tony.

 

Don't you love how the sun just glows down upon us?? Photo courtesy of Tony.

 

I'm really embracing this whole southern-living, country wedding thing.

 

First dance <3

 

We got married!! Photo courtesy of Neely (second in on the left)

Celebrating on music row!! Photo courtesy of Neely.

Aaaand bridesmaid down.

Yep, stopped at the giant Superman statue on the way home. Holla for Metropolis, IL!!

 

too little to play :( and yes that is still my wedding hair. I wasn't ready to part with it. Photo courtesy of Tony.

 

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a rainy summer day.

We've been so lucky this summer, here in St. Louis. It hasn't been its usual 95-100 degrees each day, with humidity that makes me look like this:

If you can't reference this then I can't help you....

We have had beautiful, mild days in the high-70s and mid-80s with hardly any humidity and let me tell you, it has put off my yearning for Fall a whole lot more than ever before. I've been outside everyday, staying active and soaking up the rays, and managing to stay energized and eat clean and healthy throughout the day. But today, it's rainy. And that's a WHOLE 'nother story.

I keep looking out the window of my office at the dark blue sky, the blowing trees, the sideways rain, and wondering why I even got out of bed is morning. And then I remembered my boyfriend is my boss and I can't very well roll over and moan and groan about how much I wanna call in sick....ah well, probably the only con to working for/with him so ill consider myself lucky :)

Anywho, had I been able to squeeze in a bonus vacation/sick day, all to myself with nothing to do, what would I have done?? Well, let's explore, shall we??

Here are all of the Pinterest crafts I've been wanting to do but haven't had the time:

To L: gold DIY mugs, Top R: glowing wall art! Bottom L: chain woven bracelets!, Bottom R: stacked, painted tables

Retro MTV Laguna Beach marathon? Uhh, yes.

i heart you, LC.

Maybe a little of this:

 

Probably a lotta this:

And maybe the overwhelming guilt and laziness would cause me to do a little bit of this:

Man, what a glorious day I would have! (Cough, cough) Oh no, I think I'm coming down with something, better stay home tomorrow....

What would all of YOU do on a random, surprise day off?

 

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fourth fun.

Aaaaaaand again, I'm BACK! Sorry for the delay, lots of changes and happenings these past few months. But I'm happy to say that thankfully things have calmed down and I can finally get back to doing one of the things I love....bombarding you all with my photos and pictures under the disguise of "blogging". I really have missed it, and I can't wait to dive back in! That being said I'll get things things started with a few pics from our fun Fourth of July! We spent the day at Rend Lake over in Illinois (beautiful. if you haven't been...go.) swimming, snacking, soaking up the sun, and attempting back flips, cheerleader poses and splash wars all throughout. As I basked (and sun-bathed) in the glory of my freedom, I took a few minutes to thank all of us those who serve and risk their lives daily for that freedom I was enjoying that very moment. I feel so lucky to live in such a great country full of brave men and women who continuously fight so I can do the little things like wear a bikini in public and swim with my family at our leisure. And the big things like vote, work, earn a living, get married and feel safe raising my children here. What a great country, huh? God Bless America!!

ahoy, there!

my loves :)

 

me and the kiddos :)

 

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what the weekend brought.

I love weekends like this one. A lazy Friday, followed by an insanely crazy Saturday day and evening, topped off with another beautifully lazy day on Sunday. Movie night with the manfriend on Friday, nine hour workday on Saturday plus a best friend's bachelorette party Saturday night, and then brunch with the parents and a house all to myself today (minus my baby pugs, of course). And to top it off, in true St. Louis fashion it was in the 50s yesterday and snowing non-stop today. Most people are cursing the weather but I myself will never get sick of the snow and the beautiful blanket of white it leaves on the grass in my backyard. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are enjoying it in whatever way you enjoy most :)

me and the bachelorette!!

 

chick-flick, mags, fire, pugs.

 

snowy backyard.

 

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high five for friday!!

happy friday, friends!!  today i'm linking up with lauren at "From My Grey Desk" for my first "high five for friday" post since i started blogging again.  i always look forward to doing this post because it allows me to really reflect on my week and realize that even the shittiest of weeks (this one has been especially craptastic....) all hold some really wonderful things, as well.  such as:

1.)  delightful, wonderful, unbelievable (i could go on....) surprise from one delightful, wonderful, unbelievable (again, i could go on....) boyfriend!!  WEEKS ago whilst lying in bed watching "Smash" and doing some online shopping (bless him) i introduced Tony to the world of TOPSHOP.  as I browsed, i casually GUSHED over this insane moto jacket that i just had to have but couldn't get myself to purchase.  again, that was weeks ago, one night, for one second, showing him this jacket.  and the beautiful, polka-dotted bag arrived on monday  : )

2.)  i re-registered with Birchbox at the beginning of this month and the beautiful box of dreams arrived yesterday!!  i'm most excited to try the BB cream, as those are all the rage right now and i've become slightly obsessed with skincare in the past year.

 

3.)  i received a driving citation yesterday for crossing over the yellow lines to avoid waiting in traffic....sue me.  to take the edge off, tony and i stopped at Robust Wine Bar and ended up trying a tasty little wine flight called, "Roll out the Red Carpet".  don't mind if i do!!

 



4.)  FINALLY saw "Oz, The Great & Powerful" last night.  i don't care what the reviews said, it rocked my socks!  who wants to go with me again??

 



5.)  surprise green cupcake delivery from my dad today!!  happy st. paddy's from one italian girl to all of you  : )

 

HAPPY FRIDAY!!