everygirl.

the everygirl blog has remained a staple in my blogroll reads.

everything from cooking to travel to politics to careers.

it's a realistic and informative site with a fun amount of bloggy flair.

i love this most recent post on shopping and eating healthy.

if you are like me and cooking is for one or two people, you know how hard it is to pick up groceries frugally, yet super fresh and always a bummer when you have to toss something or you have to make a trip back early. this little article and recipes were a great snapshot of practicality and wholesome goodness.

(full article here)

anyone still holding on tight to their new years resolutions for healthy eating or working out?

my juicer is still getting is go around about once a week at least and my yoga regiment is steadily improving. not to say that i haven't had my bouts with pizza, nachos and all day lounging... but still. 

happy healthy eating loveys!

mondays.

my affinity for after-hours taco bell may have just been halted.

homemade vegetarian crunch wrap supremes.

woah-is-me.

if a bite of this doesn't get you thru the week, i don't know what will.

(via)

can you say game night din-din with margs?!

happy monday!

summers' last hoorah.

hope you hone in on this last little bit of summer on the long weekend.

i am headed home to celebrate my parents 30th anniversary with an outdoor fresh-picked brunch.

no better way to celebrate, then around a table.

a few summer bash party menu ideas.

roasted corn caesar salad. 

grilled shrimp tacos.

blood orange sangria.

outdoor grilled pizza party.

buttermilk waffles.

mimosa bar.

cheers to watermelon, nights on the porch, and crisp finger foods with friends!

a pickled affair.

houston, it's cucumber season at the palmer farm and no matter how many we give away- they just keep popping up everywhere.

i mean everywhere.

we have made salads and infused drinks and eaten panzanellas and sandwiches but to no avail, 

there are way more than we can handle.

thus, we pickled.

bread-and-butter pickled goodness to be exact.

with onions from the garden too.

 i am officially converted to a pickle lover.

some recipes from here and there. 

really, you should do yourself a favor and make some homemade pickles.

they are so darn good.

round-up.

time for a good ol' foodie round-up from around the blog-o-sphere.

can't wait to make these goodies.

zucchini ribbion haloumi salad.

tomato + corn +zucchini galette.

veggie caprese + olive pesto.

cauliflower alfredo.

blackberry lemon cake.

citrus + herb vodka tonic.

enjoy!

sweetness.

now i'm not one for sweets. i'll take savory over sweet ninety-nine percent of the time but oh-hot-damn,

zucchini brownies are from the gods. 

you have got to try these. you will not be disappointed- so moist and just the right amount of sweetness.

::: zucchini brownie recipe :::

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

2 c. shredded zucchini

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 13"x9" pan. cook for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees fahrenheit. 

enjoy!

summer salads.

headed home at the end of this week for a FEW WEEKS!

obviously excited (i mean, do i ever use capitals?)

looking forward to our overflowing backyard garden.

fruits, veggies, and herbs. 

oh my!

i seriously cannot wait.

do you think it would be overkill to have a themed garden backyard party every night that i am home?

i could switch it up and do some brunches too.

all are welcome.

a few summer salad inspirations that i am planning on making at home.

avocado + tangerine.

citrus salad.

quinoa + green bean.

chopped vegetable + watermelon.

i know you mouth is watering now.
any favorite summer salad recipes that i need to know about?
don't be shy, please share.

cleanse.

in efforts to detoxify (and lets be honest- lose a few pounds) i am cleansing this week in a not-so-big way.

this coming weekend i will be heading down south for my future sister's (my boyfriends, brothers fiancé- sounds really distant but i feel like we are already family) bachelorette party. the thought of laying next to a bunch of super cute, skinny girls makes me cringe but i have been working hard in the gym, getting outdoors, eating my greens, and soaking up the sun to instill some confidence in my physical self. to bolster these measures, i am supercharging my health this week with a daily cleanse, yoga, and good ol' fashion extra healthy eating.

because i got a great deal at a local juicery, i will be supplementing some bought fresh pressed juices with my homemade smoothies and meals. green juice is the staple of the detox then meals are filled in with alkaline, dark green veggies, raw fruits, and wholesome fibers. hoping that this reenergizes me and 

helps me feel more comfortable when it comes to bikini time.

green juice ingredients:

1 cucumber

3 celery stalks

3 kale leaves

1 apple

1/3 c. parsley sprigs

1/2 lemon

feed all ingredients into a juicer and remove solids or blend all ingredients but substitute fresh pressed apple juice for the apple and add coconut water. 

link up love:
secrets to a successful cleanse.
healthy green smoothie.
detox smoothies.
cleansing tips. 

happy cleansing!

(ps i'll let you know how i feel in the coming week!)

monthly foodie.

my mouth is watering.

i want to make all of these things SO BAD.

check out my pinterest 'food and drink' page to link to all of the recipes.

enjoy!

foodie.

springtime foodie inspiration.

crisp, fresh, and delicious.

(via)

ideal lunch salad.

grown-up grilled cheese.

sesame soba noodles.

blood orange margarita.

shredded brussel sprout crostini.

blood orange and bourbon cocktail.

sweet potato and black bean tacos.

lemon poppyseed tart.

heirloom apply salad.

wanting to try these bad boys in the near future.

enjoy!

juiced.

it's my new thing, 

along with every other 'new year, new you, wanna be hip, 20 something female' in america.

but it love it and even without a fancy vitamix (ah someday!) 

i have been making the most delicious smoothies and juices.

try these. they are super yummy.

citrus + pomegranate juice.

coconut vanilla limeade.

lean green smoothie.

i also love...

kale + blueberry + pineapple + almond milk.

mango + coconut water + pineapple + pomegranate seeds.

mmm, refreshing!

bread me, please.

i'm a super sucker for homemade bread.

actually, to be completely honest- one of my favorite babysitting families makes homemade bread all the time and it's one of the main reasons i love babysitting for them (also i love the children a ton).

fruit and veggie based breads are the best.

all warm and soft with butter, jam, or a slice of cheddar cheese.

yum.

i have tried a few of these and LOVE them and the others are on my radar for the coming weeks.

lemon rosemary loaf.

black pepper parmesan beer bread.

lemon poppyseed zucchini bread.

whole wheat cinnamon applesauce bread.

you're mouth is watering, huh?

i knew it.

enjoy!

diy: winter grain salads

a recent obsession of mine is israeli couscous + arugula.

after an outing with a sweet friends to a little communal table restaurant where we ordered a grain salad with these two little ingredients, i became obsessed.

i've been making little variations of the salad like no other.

recipe:

1. make a batch of israeli couscous as
directed on the box and let cool

2. pick-up some arugula
(i prefer the wild, little version from tj's)

3. choose from the following combination
and add accordingly

israeli couscous and arugula...

cubed butternut squash + harissa + crumbled goat cheese + toasted pinenuts.

cucumber + heirloom tomato + feta + olive oil + lemon juice.

dried cranberries + slivered almonds + balsamic vinegar + shaved parmesan.

pecans + sundried tomatoes + crumbled goat cheese + olive oil.

mint + tart dried cherries + walnuts + orange juice.

a few hearty winter grain salad ideas.

enjoy!
(photo)

foodie inspiration.

you know that i'm a huge inspiration junky and you are well aware that food is a large part of my life.

i love cooking, i love eating, and i love hosting foodie get togethers.

this week i decided to stick to some foodie inspiration for you sweet readers out there. 

easy chicken pot pie.
roasted brussel sprouts + cranberries + barley.
pasta + asparagus + mushrooms + lemon alfredo.
vegetable spring rolls.

hope you enjoy this as much as i do.

any great recipes that you have, that i need?

happy cooking!

diy: butternut squash soup

a quick recipe for butternut squash soup that is sure to delight.

this recipe is from my mom and it's delicious.

made it this past weekend to bring to a 'fall themed pot-luck' with nursing girlfriends

it was a hit- mmm yum.

(via pinterest)

ingredients:

1 yellow onion

1 large butternut squash

1 box vegetable broth

1/4 cup olive oil + butter

3 chopped garlic cloves

1teaspoon thyme

(cream, parmesan, and croutons- optional, but great adds)

salt and pepper to taste

directions:

1. microwave the squash for 5-7 minutes

2. peel squash and cut in half

3. microwave squash again for 3-5 minutes or until soft

4. sautee onion, garlic, butter, olive oil, and thyme until onions are clear and slightly browned

5. remove the seeds and cube butternut squash 

6. add squash and vegetable broth to sautéed onions

7. cook on low heat for 40 minutes

8. blend soup or add a dash of cream if desired

9. serve with parmesan and homemade croutons for the best bowl of soup ever

enjoy!

happy autumn!

summer saturday.

although i am not able to ring in this summer weekend much

(due to that gigantic lovely nursing homework and studying list that is looking at me right now), 

some other fun bloggers sure are inspiring my summer tastebuds.

when i get a free moment, you know what i'll be making now...

 garlic + broccoli rabe pasta

 walnut bread + fruit jam + brie breakfast

 agave margs

 grapefruit + mint bellini 

(i think i might go for peach + mint?)

 roasted red pepper + goat cheese crostini

 homemade drumsticks

meyer lemon + ricotta cookies

yum, right?

hope you get to enjoys your summer weekend!

have a drink, eat outside, and soak up the sun for me too!

okiedokie.

artichiokie.

hands down, favorite veggie.

love them, do you?

here's my favorite simple way to eat them.

(dinner last night + some other goodies)

just...

trim artichokes and steam upside-down in a double boiler for 40 minutes.

dip in your favorite sauce and enjoy.

fave dips...

melted butter + lemon pepper + finely chopped garlic.

sour cream + lemon juice + dill + s and p.

balsamic vinegar + olive oil.

red wine vinegar + olive oil + dijon mustard + s and p + honey + garlic.

dad just planted about 10 more artichoke plants.

oh yea baby.

the cheese plate.

the perfect cheese plate.

such a blog worthy subject. i could give up a lot of things in life, but cheese will never be one of them.

i have a huge obsession with wine and cheese, fruit and cheese, grains and cheese,
veggies and cheese, you get the point.

having a good amount of time at home, lots of studying, and time to make great food have lead me to whip up some great little cheese plates whenever possible.

little of this, some of that, and a few blocks of cheese.

a cup of jo

sprouted kitchen

cupcakes and cashmere

a few of my favorite combos.

apple + aged cheddar.

dried apricots + gruyere

pecans + honey goat

avocado + herbed formage blanc

fig jam + brie

roasted red peppers + burrata

carmelized onion + stilton

i love cheese so much that i think my birthday dinner should be a gigantic cheese and wine party.

yep, thats gonna happen.

oh my gosh. im hungry now. 

enjoy!

link list.

super random, but here are a few blogs that i enjoy with my morning coffee. until i become slightly interesting again (after the move and school starts), here's a few for your enjoyment.

cupcakes and cashmere

the daybook
sincerely kinsey

kendi everyday

heart of light

sf girl by bay

decor8

oh the lovely things

a cozy kitchen

camille styles

a cup of joe

rockstar diaries

armelle

a diary of lovely

more on packing, the move to sf, and grad school soon- hooray!!!

whoops.

so maybe i was supposed to be studying and i got a little side-tracked and found some christmas inspiration. but can you blame me? its frank sinatra, dean martin, and bing crosby's fault.

left-to-right and top-then-bottom

1. dyi advent calendar

2. herbal homemade fire starters

3. perfect christmas sugar cookies

4. rosemary wreath

5. cranberry scones

6. kitchen rosemary trees

7. homemade marshmallows 

8. diy craft tape stocking and tree cards

9. diy glittered decorative stars

10. salted caramels and perfect packaging 

(all found on my pinterest)

happy decorating/crafting/baking/holidaying!