Have you seen my pants?

Ever have those days when you all of a sudden realize you've left behind something very important?

Well that was me on this day:

I had (in my very humble opinion) a super cute outfit planned out...one of my favorite scarves with a shirt I stole from my hubby, shoes to match the scarf and of course, jeans.

I went and worked out that morning and got all showered only to discover...I had left my jeans at home. 

Outfit Mayday.

So I decided, rather than driving home to get the darn things...I'd just wear my workout pants instead.  Gross, but resourceful.  10 points to Gryffindor!

Shirt: AE (hubby's), scarf: H&M Italy,
belt: off O-Mi-O dress (Italy),
classy workout pants: Express,
shoes: Old Navy

Thanks to Lica of From L to C for taking the outfit photos for me.  I owe you...something.  Just not jeans because I clearly seem to be in need of them.

Sunburn and Wrinkles and Cancer...Oh, My!

So...a history of melanoma runs in my family.  It practially gallops.  This means while I love being out in the sunshine (and love looking tan), I can't really afford to get my vitamin D through rays unless I want surgery or worse in my future.  Thus in recent years, I've switched from natural tanning freak to SPF police-woman.  (Scary, I know.) 

With summer (at least theoretically for us PNWers) upon us, I am psyched to be setting up my SPF soapbox.  Here's a few products I highly recommend:

I tend to hate sunscreen (most have a yucky smell and slimy feel that scarred me as a child...I've never quite recovered), so I always make sure my moisturizer contains SPF.  I like this one by Neutrogena. 

And this year, I was delighted to find a sunscreen that I actually look forward to wearing!  Hawaiian Tropic Shimmer Effect has a golden sheen/sparkle to it, and smells AMAZING.  You can use this in place of your regular body lotion. 

(Bring it along when you go out...the trick to great suncare is not the level of SPF so much as the frequency at which it's reapplied throughout your time in the sun.  Apply every few hours...more if you are sweating or swimming.)

I like the Physician's Formula bronzer with SPF because it looks much more natural than most bronzers. 



 No SPF in the CoverGirl mascara, but it is my favorite...plus I find this picture hugely entertaining.

More fave products in the weeks to come.  Happy cancer-free summer!

Rain-Dance Rain Boots

I have a pair of adorable rain boots a friend gave me for my birthday years ago. 

They have a secret talent.

They are magic.

Here's how the magic works:  The forecast says rain.  I pout.  I comfort myself by remember I have cute rain boots to wear.  I wear the rain boots to work.  The sun comes out and it doesn't rain all day.

Tada!

Blazer: Target; cami: Express;
skirt: Express; magic rain boots: Target

Breakfast - Best Meal of the Day

I am anti-diet, and I'm especially anti- any form of living that encourages skipping or skimping on breakfast. 

Ideally, breakfast should be eaten within 30 minutes of waking, and it should include some serious protein. 

If you skip breakfast, your body begins to think in starvation mode, meaning that it will store food coming in later on in the day as fat, since it expects it will be starving again soon and will need fat to survive.

If you eat breakfast but it's, say, just fruit, you are setting yourself up for failure.  Your body burns carbs (fruit) much faster than protein.  If you don't get enough protein at breakfast, you will be ravenous later on in the day and will be tempted to overeat at lunch and dinner, and grab any snack lying in your path (including doughnuts or cheetos).

So, here's to breakfast - your body's favorite meal:

• 4 eggs scrambled with canola oil, a few pieces of ham, and black pepper
• 2 pieces of 100% whole wheat toast (keep in mind that "multi-grain" and "100% whole grain" are not interchangeable...)
• Pure maple cream from Vermont (if you are splurging, make it something seriously good...diet-y substitutes are an utter waste of calories)
• Glass of V-8 fusion (100% veggie/fruit juice
• Cute tray (Crate & Barrel)

(Serves 2)

May Madness

Food is a huge part of my life...shocking, right?

Jared made these ricotta crepe-things
with lingon-berry sauce.  Wow.



Eating dinner on our patio for the first time!!!




Pasta and kale...healthy and tasty!

Theatre kinda creeps in a lot, too.



He brought me flowers!  (And doughnut holds for the kids)

Taryn from Have Kitchen, Will Feed

Bowing...it took like 20 minutes to organize this...lol.

Jared got me organic flowers.  Love it!

Jared flowers

Flowers from "my kids"



Smarty-Pants Leftovers

Do you hate wasting food?  Are you the type who doesn't want to save leftovers because they are boring...so then you clean your plate even when you know you're full?  Well, here's the solution for you:

(I wish I could say, "...get Ruth Sherwood's new bestseller: 100 Easy Ways to Lose a Man," but that is beyond the scope of this blog.)

We almost always wind up with leftovers since there are only two of us...and generally recipes serve 4-6 at minimum.  Here's something fun you can do with lots of different dishes...make the leftovers into a savory breakfast!

Yummy burgers become yummy omlettes!

Happy Eating...today is my Friday, but I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday (and beg you not to hate me)!

Mushroom Haters of the World Unite!

My dear friend Taryn recently posted a mushroom rave preceding her Julia Child recipe.  Sorry to admit it, Tar, but I am one of the mushroom haters against whom you rail.  (Can we still be friends?)

My story is this: as a kid, I loved fruit but hated almost all vegetables (except carrots and cauliflower and artichokes).  My parents (understandably) did not want me to be malnourished, so the rule was, we had to eat all vegetables present...except we could leave out our least favorite.  My choice?  Slimy gross cooked mushrooms.

These days, I am eating (and loving) a huge range of vegetables...never imagined my life would reach this point!  So I decided to give mushrooms another go.  Jared made me this awesome curry with pasta and mushrooms and chicken...and I have to admit, the mushrooms weren't half bad.


To feel jealous that I have someone to cook for me, look at the pictures below and imagine me doing nothing but the dishes afterwards.  To skip feeling jealous and just make this yourself, scroll past the photos to the recipe.



Mushroom Haters’ Curry

·         2 chicken breasts

·         Olive oil

·         Mushrooms

·         White wine

·         Pasta

·         Peanut butter

·         Curry powder

·         Red pepper flakes

·         Sesame seeds

1.       Chop mushrooms

2.       Combine olive oil, peanut butter, curry powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.  Base the amount of each on your preference for texture and spice

3.       Add in sesame seeds for fun

4.       Cook pasta and cook chicken – but not together (you’re on your own for this one, kids)

5.       Drink glass of white wine while waiting (hey, this is an important part of the recipe!)

6.       Saute the mushrooms with some olive oil

7.       Pour the sauce on the mushrooms

8.       Chop up cooked chicken

9.       Combine pasta, chicken, sauce and mushrooms

10.   Shout hooray and eat up