Around Here :: January 2015

January is probably my least favorite month of the year. It just seems to drag. It's particularly grey and dreary and spring is still so far away. I have to keep myself busy and on the move this time of year. This month flew by...it was a busy one!! Here are 9 of my favorite things that happened in January... 

1 - A major case of nesting has arrived. Trying to get organized around the house!

2 - 29 week baby bump & my favorite GYPSY THREADS BLAZER

3 - My favorite pregnancy craving these days is a tuna melt accompanied by chips and sweet pickles. (ew...I know)

4 - Made a last minute weekend trip back home to SLC to see my family.

5 - Airport style.

6 - Me & dad wore the same shoes to church. 

7 - Packing GYPSY THREADS orders like crazy!! Gotta get the shoppe cleared out ASAP! 

(( Everything in the shoppe 40% - 75% off, and going FAST!! ))

8 - Sometimes you just gotta have a donut. 

9 - Layered legs with GYPSY THREADS SOCKS and LOTTA FROM STOCKHOLM BOOTS 

Super Dooper Easy Rice Pudding

 Sometimes you just really need a little dessert after dinner...but you didn't make one. (ok- I always want dessert) We seem to make a lot of rice in our house. It's pretty much a staple in our kitchen. I also always seem to make too much. There's always leftovers. 

Now when there's an ample supply of leftover cooked rice, I throw it in a pot with some milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and it makes the yummiest, easiest rice pudding. You can eat it warm or chill it in the refrigerator, and the best part is you probably already have all the ingredients you need. 

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 CUPS LEFT OVER RICE

3 CUPS MILK (whole milk will taste the creamiest)

3/4 CUP SUGAR

PINCH OF SALT

1 TSP. VANILLA EXTRACT

1/2 TSP. CINNAMON (OPTIONAL)

DASH OF NUTMEG (OPTIONAL)

RAISONS/FRUIT (FOR TOPPING) 

WHAT YOU DO:

Combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the vanilla (and raisins if you want them - or you can top the pudding with raisons instead). Cook until just about all the milk is absorbed (20-30 minutes).

Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, if using. 

Divide rice pudding into individual serving dishes. Chill for a few hours, or serve warm. 

Top with raisins, fruit, whip cream etc..

Makes 4 - 6 servings

ENJOY!

XOXO BRITTANY

Sweet Potato Hash

Whether or not you are into "clean eating" or "whole 30" eating...this is an easy, delicious, and healthy meal. It's great autumn breakfast meal - or even dinner. It's become one of my go-to quickie dinners. 

You can make this with sweet potatoes or yams, I usually prefer a nice dark orange sweet potato, but this time around I used a lighter sweet potato. (If you are feeling the need to google the difference between yams and sweet potatoes right now, let me save you a step...click HERE)

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 LARGE SWEET POTATO

1/2 LARGE ONION

1 TEASPOON MINCED GARLIC

OLIVE OIL OR COCONUT OIL

4 EGGS

SALT & PEPPER

FRESH OR DRIED PARSLEY

WHAT YOU DO:

-Dice ONION

-Swirl OLIVE OIL around in a skillet or cast iron pan, and heat to medium high. Add ONION to the pan and add the GARLIC and a sprinkle with SALT and PEPPER.

-While the ONION is cooking, chop the SWEET POTATO into similar sized cubes. Then add the SWEET POTATO cubes to the pan. 

-Toss POTATOES and ONIONS around with the OIL, GARLIC, SALT & PEPPER. Add more OIL if it's looking dry. (Keep a sizzle going) Add PARSLEY. Cook on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes till potatoes are browned and soft to the touch of a fork.

-Once POTATOES are browned and softened, even them out in a flat layer (with out squishing them) around the pan. 

-Take EGGS and crack them right onto the top of the POTATOES. (space them out evenly, and if a yolk breaks, it's no problem) 

-Cover the pan and let sit for about 5 minutes. 

Depending on your personal preference for eggs, you can leave the eggs as runny or make them as solid as you like. I personally like them to be "over-medium" You can lightly shake the pan and watch the tops of the eggs. The more they jiggle and look "liquidy" the more runny they are. 

(I like to wait till they don't jiggle much.)

Once the eggs are at the consistency you desire, uncover and remove from heat. With a spatula, scoop out the hash and plate it with a nice side, like fresh pear or apple slices. 

I like to add a little extra salt, pepper, and when I have them in my kitchen, fresh avocado slices. It's a delicious way to top this clean and healthy 

SWEET POTATO HASH!

ENJOY!

Odds & Ends // September

September is such a charming month in Seattle. Them temperatures are pleasant and it's the last of the sunny days for a while. Leaves aren't quite changing yet...but soon. It's lovely.

SURISE IN THE CITY

BOUGHT THE FIRST PUMPKIN OF THE SEASON! (MANY MORE TO COME)

LITTLE WALKS AROUND THE BLOCK (WEARING THIS)

VISITING THE LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

SUNSETS ON THE SOUND

IT'S OFFICIALLY PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP TIME IN OUR HOUSE!

ENJOYING THE LAST DAYS OF WARM SAND

Green Tea Berry Spritzer

This is a simple, refreshing iced tea spritzer. It can be made with any kind of green tea, and any fruit or berries. There are no added sugars, it's all natural, and is "WHOLE 30 APPROVED."

I made this one with some strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries that were getting pretty soft in my fridge. 

First, brew your hot green tea, and let it steep for quite a while. You want it to be pretty strong. While the tea is steeping, take a handful of mixed berries in a bowl and mash them up with a fork. If you are fancy, you can use a mortar and pestle. -I am not fancy. At lease not in the kitchen. 

Spoon the mashed fruit into a mason jar. Poor the hot green tea over the fruit, cover with lid, and then refrigerate it for one - two hours. (The natural sugars and flavors from the fruit will diffuse into the hot tea giving the tea sweetness without any added sugars)

When the tea is cold, poor half of the tea into a glass over ice. Then add cold natural sparking water. Stir the ice, tea and sparkling water with a straw, and enjoy! 

SIP SIP SIP!

Avocado Deviled Eggs

OK, I feel like this is something you will either really love or really hate. Deviled eggs are not for everyone...but this has become a personal favorite of mine! I am in the middle of my first "Whole 30" challenge, and while this recipe is "Whole 30 approved," it's tasty enough that if you like eggs and avocados, you will like it, even if you are not eating whole.

It's incredibly easy, and a nice twist on plane jane mayo deviled eggs. Plus, the added benefit of eating "whole."

WHAT YOU NEED:

3-4 hard boiled eggs

1/2 ripe avocado

olive oil 

2 teaspoons diced onion

2 teaspoons diced dill pickle 

(if eating whole, make sure the pickles you use are approved)

sea salt & pepper (to taste)

fresh chopped dill (just a little to top eggs with)

WHAT YOU DO:

Remove egg shells from hard boiled eggs and slice vertically in 1/2. With a spoon, gently scoop cooked yolks out of the whites in to a small bowl. set cooked egg whites aside. Scoop the ripe avocado into the bowl with the egg yolks. Drizzle the avocado and yolks with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Mash and blend together with a fork. (add olive oil to make the mixture as smooth as you like) Then add in the onion and pickle. Mix until blended evenly and to your desired consistency. With a spoon, carefully fill egg whites with the yolk/avocado mixture. Top with freshly chopped dill and cracked black pepper. 

This is a nice protein packed snack that you can feel good about eating and enjoy it too!

XOXO

Brittany

Lemon Chicken & Rice Soup

you know those lazy nights when you don't feel like cooking...so you pick up a rotisserie chicken from the market, serve it up with some rice and veggies and call it good? (aka: every night of my life)

well, we know these nights all too well, but we are a small group and we never seem to finish the meal. while this makes a tasty and healthy meal, sometimes it's a bit boring to have it 2 nights in a row, so i came up a nice leftover over chicken & rice soup.  the lemons make it taste fresh and it's a nice soup for springy weather.

WHAT YOU NEED...
-LEFT OVER CHOPPED CHICKEN (ABOUT 2 CUPS)
-LEFT OVER BROWN OR WHITE RICE (ABOUT 1 CUP)
-LEFT OVER/PRE COOKED VEGGIES (ASPARAGUS AND CARROTS WORK NICELY)
- 1 LEMON ZESTED AND JUICED
- 1 LEMON THINLY SLICED
-SALT & PEPPER
-6 CUPS OF CHICKEN STOCK
-3 CHALETS (ONE DICED, 2 CHOPPED IN LARGE CHUNKS)
-1/2 TEASPOON ITALIAN SEASONING
-OLIVE OIL
-FRESH DILL (OPTIONAL, BUT YUMMY)

WHAT YOU DO...
-heat some olive oil in a soup pot (just a swirl around the pan is enough) and then add the diced onions (chalets) and add some salt and pepper (a few shakes of both) and let the chalets cook and sizzle. stir and shake them around a bit, then add the lemon slices. let the onions and lemons caramelize.
-when the onions are transparent and the lemons are soft, add the water, chicken stock, lemon juice and lemon zest, and the italian seasoning and big chunks of chalets. bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
-add the rice, veggies, and chicken. let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often.
-add a few stems of fresh chopped dill and serve.
add salt and pepper to taste.
ENJOY!