snowpocalypse 2014

Over the last 2 weeks the south has seen snow quantities of historic proportions. It's been unreal. For the most part, the snow has been truly beautiful but Wednesday's snowpocalypse was a little stressful. Lots of snow fell very quickly leading to metropolitan gridlock and extremely long commutes, leaving some stranded and cell towers maxed out. Fortunately, everyone I know eventually made it home safely!

On a lighter note, I've learned a thing or two during the snow of 2014.

1. Snow days really are more fun when you have good company.

2. Invest in a sled, even if it means storing it in your attic for three years before putting it to good use.

3. Stocking up on food and the essentials at the last minute is really worth it, even if doing so leads to chaos and glares.

4. Invest in a well insulated pair of snow boots. Two layers of socks and breathable tennis shoes just don't do it.

5. Shelter and heat are both things for which we should all be grateful.

6. While technology has made it easier to check in on loved ones, it's important to charge these electricity dependent devices.

7. Always prepare a hot dish, like chili, before a big snow so you'll have something to enjoy after building a snowman.

8. Make the most of the daylight hours, just in case the power goes out. Wake up early. Go to bed early.

9. If possible, attempt a mini-adventure outside everyday to avoid cabin fever.

10. Communities are really powerful in a crisis. Bonds are formed as a result of helping each other. What a sweet reminder of the power of love, during the week of Valentine's Day.

I've enjoyed the snow and quiet-filled days but I'm looking forward to spring. I'm even tempted to start spring cleaning early, in hopes of prompting its arrival.

arugula salad

Earlier I shared my goal of eating more fruits and veggies regularly. I'm also trying to dine in more and dine out less. While this is a challenging proposition, following through with this goal has multiple benefits. Dining at home more means having the opportunity to try out new recipes and know exactly what is going into my food and consequently, my body. The conscious decision to eat more real foods is becoming easier, not only because I feel more energetic, but it's also refreshing to try new recipes. I mean it.

A second benefit is that I spend less money by preparing meals at home, instead of going out to eat. Now, this doesn't mean that I quit eating out all together. However, I try to pack a lunch and eat dinner at home during the week, unless I'm having one of those days. You know what kind of day I’m talking about!  Those days when you crave comfort food and the couch, and indulge in a chicken pot pie.

In my opinion, it's totally OK to have a bad day or to veer off course a little but it's important to make good choices most of the time, so that I can make exceptions when it's really necessary. Like when Friday finally rolls around and I'm ready to celebrate the start of the weekend with my favorite pizza (and arugula salad), I can enjoy it without guilt.

I know that I'm only a few weeks into this effort but so far one unexpected outcome is that Ben and I enjoy eating out even more now. Since we only eat out a couple of times a week, we choose our outings more thoughtfully and in some ways, these outings feel more special.

Lately I've had a thing for this arugula salad from one of our favorite eateries so I attempted to recreate it at home. It's pretty simple with just arugula, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds and a light vinaigrette dressing. Since I'm not sure which vinaigrette they use, I decided to try out this lemon vinaigrette recipe via epicurious. I liked it pretty well but I'm totally up for trying other recipes, if you have any recommendations.

Do you have a dine out favorite that you've tried to recreate at home?

5 foods to crave

First of all, Happy 2014!

I had grand intentions to start the year with lots of energy and even, a blog post. Unfortunately, I caught a cold and have been trying to fight it as best I can. The most difficult part of being sick, besides the obvious, is having to rest. It's so hard to simply be still. The new year rolled around and I was all ready to tackle my goals and make moves but it didn't happen the way I planned. Fortunately, I was able to rest and spend time reflecting on what I want to make happen this year.

A new year means a fresh start. I know I'm not alone in aiming to make my health a priority and in general, make healthier decisions. Crazily, my body seems to know exactly what I need and I have actually been craving nutritious foods regularly. Pretty awesome, right? Here are five foods I've been digging lately and of which, I can't seem to get enough.

1 | (everything) citrus

Citrus fruits have been my main squeeze all winter, including grapefruit, oranges, and my most recent discovery, satsumas. Until a month ago, I had never tried a satsuma. I passed by them many times in the grocery and wondered how these silly sounding fruits could possibly taste that much better than a clementine. After all, the only difference I noticed was that satsumas still have leaves attached and clementines don't. It turns out, satsumas are a variety of the mandarin orange and they are exceptionally scrumptious. We have purchased bags of them, week after week. In case you haven't had a chance to try this seasonal fruit, keep your eyes peeled for this juicy, Vitamin C fix next November.

2 | green tea + honey

Initially, I started drinking tea with honey to help heal my sore throat and the more I drank, the more I wanted to drink. For Christmas, we received a fresh jar of honey from my uncle, who makes it himself. Well, with help from the bees, of course.

As you probably know, green tea is loaded with antioxidants and has many other health benefits as well.

3 | pomegranates

I tried my first pomegranate a couple of weeks ago. They were on sale and I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to try something new. Clueless about how exactly to eat a pomegranate, I decided to slice it in half and began to dig in with a fork. Quickly, I realized that pomegranate seeds stain pretty badly and that eating it with a fork may not be the most fruitful approach. Who knew there was a correct way to open a pomegranate? Not me. After watching a couple of YouTube videos, I attempted a new approach with the second pomegranate and was able to get the seeds out much more easily.

Not only are pomegranates beautiful, but they are also super rich in antioxidants and contain a significant portion of your daily Vitamin C and K values.

4 | brussel sprouts

Before you turn up your nose quite yet, have you tried brussel sprouts recently? I can't get enough of them. Lately I've been baking or sauteing our sprouts with sunflower oil and finishing them off with a little salt, pepper and a pinch of parmesan. When grilling season rolls around, I want to try out this recipe.

Their fibrous composition helps lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. They also offer Vitamins A, C and K and antioxidants too. Honestly, the health benefits of this nutrient-dense food are pretty impressive. Check it out.

5 | kale

Kale is the new craze. It's everywhere. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Kale Yeah", haven't you? Jokes aside, this superfood has been incredibly popular in our house lately. We saute it, put it in smoothies and even serve it raw in salads. Soon I'll share one of my favorite kale salad recipes, in the event that you're feeling bold enough to try it. And if you're already a kale aficionado, then this recipe will be right up your alley.

Kale is great for people like me who only get their calcium intake through cheese and lattes. In addition to the usual vitamin offerings, Kale contains phytonutrients that help combat inflammation and it is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Cheers to craving foods that make us feel good!

What new foods have you tried recently?

homemade chili

With the post-holiday blues in full swing, we can't seem to get enough homemade chili lately. In fact, this time I even doubled the recipe and we are still enjoying this savory batch days later. Typically I find it challenging to follow recipes. I prefer to season to taste and add ingredients as I go. I rarely follow the exact same steps as the time before. However, this recipe is tried and true in our household. Over the years, I have added more garlic and spicy kick but for the most part, I am still using the original recipe. In case you're interested in prepping a batch for a lazy new years day, I am sharing it here.

ingredients 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 sweet onion 2 jalapeno peppers 1 bunch of garlic (enough for 5-8 cloves) olive oil

1 large can of crushed tomatoes (I use the 365 brand with basil) 1 can of diced tomatoes (again, I use the 365 brand but any brand will work) 1 can of black beans 1 can of kidney beans

3/4 lb of ground meat (I used ground bison because it's so lean but any lean meat should work)

1 bunch of scallions 1-2 cups of shredded cheese

chili powder ground basil ground oregano cayenne pepper ground black pepper crushed red pepper

steps

1. Combine the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and beans (drained and rinsed) into a large pot. Add minced garlic to taste. Typically I add 4-6 minced cloves to the mixture, since we're garlic fanatics.

2. Dice red pepper, green pepper and sweet onion. Slice both jalapenos, including the seeds.

3. Sauté peppers, onion and one minced garlic clove in pan with olive oil.

4. Once veggies are slightly tender, add them to pot mixture.

5. Combine ground meat (bison), 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp of basil, 1 tsp of oregano and olive oil in pan and cook until brown.

6. Drain excess grease and add meat to the pot of chili.

7. Add 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper to pot. Now add black pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper to taste.

8. Bring pot of chili to a slight boil. Mix chili well and then reduce pot to a simmer.

9. Slice scallions.

10. Serve warm in your favorite bowl topped with shredded cheese and fresh scallions.

notes

• Keep in mind that the spicy ingredients will taste spicier the day after. Remember, you can always add more spice. Although I can't handle it, some even add sriracha sauce to this chili recipe.
• As with most savory dishes, the flavor is better the day after it's cooked.

Enjoy!

holiday gift wrapping

Luckily all of the wrapping goodies arrived in time to wrap our Christmas gifts. Just in case you missed the gift wrapping inspiration post, you can take a peek here. I had so much fun experimenting with different wrapping techniques and I am excited to share my favorites with you.

I even learned how to make pom-poms with this incredibly, intuitive video. You can too. It's actually pretty simple. For mine, I used thick yarn from the container store but you can use regular yarn as well.

What do you enjoy most about wrapping gifts?