Gray + Green as nuetrals…

Leave a reply

And for the record… Gray? Grey? I can’t seem to figure it out. I could Google it (ok, I have many times, and I still forget :)). In any case…we all know what I mean 🙂

If I could say what my favorite color (or non color) is, it would be a 4 way tie between gray, sage green, black, and white! Ok…and ivory too, because I can’t play favorites very well. All in all. My favorite color is…neutral. Not sure what that says about me?

Anywho…I have been wanting to check out the East Portal Viewpoint for the longest time, and finally just went there! At first…it won’t seem like much, but just wait…just wait 🙂And here we go again with Seattle’s kooky weather. I kid you not, it was overcast and COLD when we left the house. And then….sunny. Amen for layers 🙂My new favorite picture of me and Maya! Her. Us. Sunflare. 🙂 Oh, and the bonus of shooting with a tripod? You get a bunch of the same image!!!! What mom can relate? You want to put them down…and they are having no part in it. How cool is this wall and tunnel?? There’s all this art inside the tunnel, which is super cool. Maya kept yelling inside the tunnel to hear her echo haha. When people would come out the other side, they were like “Yup, we could here her from the start of the tunnel!” 🙂 Making shadow animals 🙂Funny thing? I took a bunch of images here, because I didn’t know the tunnel was even there! I could have done an entire blog post of these images, but I like the other ones better. Just know. SO many cool places to take pictures here, and we only went to two! We will be going back!Because…someone doesn’t want to share! How gorgeous is this view?! You can actually walk down on to the I 90 bridge. We didn’t this time, but I want to do it next time!View of Bellevue across the water…On me…

Sweater- Design History (old, similar here)

Top- Helmut Lang (thrifted for $2.50!!! similar here)

Jeans- GoldSign “Mayhem” (old, similar here and here)

Booties- Tracy Reese “Gina” (thrifted, similar here)

Shoes- Vans (thrifted)

On Maya…

Dress- Hanna Andersson “Oh Happy Day Dress” (thrifted, but similar here)

Leggings- Tucker and Tate (thrifted)

Shoes- Converse (thrifted, but similar here)

Keeping it Real…

OMG, hahaha. BOTH of our faces!! She was leaning waaaaay far back and it scared the crap out of me. Of course she thought it was hilarious!! The things you get with a self timer and tripod 🙂

Because…if I’d had a smiley face on, this would have been really cute! Alas…I did not. :}

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Chunky Knits + Leather Leggings…from day to night!

1 Reply

I’m going to try as much as I can to do more day to night posts. Mainly for me, because I can never think of something to wear when I do get a night out! You may think…leather leggings for “day”…with a 4 year old?? Yup! So practical and totally comfy!!

I’ll start with the few “night” pics that I took right before I walked to pick Maya up from preschool. Changed my top into a flowing tank, and put on some Converse-good to go! Then…the sun came out, so the sweater came off. Yeah, this is what happens now when I throw her! She flings her legs out, and then lands like this haha. Kind of scary though, getting her down. Her face kills me haha. And…she’s OFF! I can’t handle how sweet she is sometimes… And then…my mom happened to drive by! If this isn’t the face of excitement, I don’t know what is 🙂 If you look close in her eyes, you can see me and my mom! Yeah…I had the camera on the tripod in the street to get this shot. Only took a few 🙂 You will totally be seeing more of these pig tails! She requested them, and I cannot believe I haven’t done them sooner-SO CUTE!!!On me…

Sweater- Vince (Nordstrom Rack, sold out, similar here and here)

Top- Zara (night) and Maj (day)

Leather Leggings- Vince “Skinny Crop Leather Leggings” (eBay, similar here and here)

Boots (Night)- Circa Joan & David (thrifted, similar here)

Shoes (day) Converse (thrifted, similar here)

On Maya…

Dress- Mini Boden (thrifted, but similar here)

Boots- Maggie & Zoe (similar here)

Keeping it Real…

She’s not always in the mood to play 😉

And…once again, I danced right out of the shot haha.

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Stuffed Mushrooms

Leave a reply

It’s mushroom season! White or Crimini Mushrooms work great for this recipe. This is a great paleo snack. Make them with or without cheese!

Ingredients

6 oz white or crimini mushrooms
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell peppers, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
3 tsps. fresh Italian parsley, minced (or 2 tsp dried parsley)
Salt/pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Directions

Oven to 350*
Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth and remove stems
Finely chop just the stems
Place cleaned mushrooms, caps down on baking sheet and set aside
Heat butter and saute onion for 4-5 minutes or until golden
Add sausage to skillet and cook until browned
Add celery, red bell pepper, and finely chopped mushroom stems and cook for another 5-7 minutes
Add oregano and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes
Place meat mixture in food processor with egg and parsley and pulse until mixture is finely chopped
Spoon meat mixture into each mushroom cap, top with cheese (optional and bake for ~20-30 minutes until mushrooms are tender and filling is starting to brown
Enjoy! 🙂

Chalkboard Pumpkin Signs

2 Replies

I love just about anything chalkboard. And…I love just about anything pumpkin! So, what two better things to combine??! 🙂

What you draw on them is totally up to you, AND…you can change it later!What you need

Pumpkins (any size or color!)
Chalkboard Paint (can be found at any hardware store)
Paint Brushes (I used the foam kind, so I could just throw it away afterwards) Maya used little paint brushes we’ve gotten in water color kits)
Chalk Pen (got mine on Amazon)Having a cute little helper is nice too 🙂 The best part is you can wipe these off and do a new face after a few days! Wouldn’t these be fun for place cards at a wedding or party? Guests could take them home as favors too! Enjoy!

Eggplant Mini Pizzas

4 Replies

These delicious mini pizzas are made with a base of eggplant and topped with sauce, veggies, cheese and fresh basil. I added some fresh pesto as well and these were delicious! 🙂 Gluten free and grain free and almost paleo (omit cheese for paleo) these are a great alternative to traditional pizza! 🙂

Ingredients

1 globe eggplant, about 8 ounces and 9-10 inches long and sliced into 3/4″ slices
Salt for sprinkling on eggplant slices to draw water out
1-2 T olive oil, for brushing eggplant before roasting

Toppings

1 can (14.5 oz) Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning or a combination of basil, oregano and thyme
1-2 mushrooms, finely diced
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup finely grated low-fat mozzarella blend
Fresh Basil Pesto – 1 tsp for each slice of eggplant (optional)
10 large basil leaves, cut in chiffonade strips (optional)

Instructions

Cut off both ends of the eggplant; then cut it into 3/4 inch thick slices (trying to make them the same thickness)
Put the eggplant pieces on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Let the eggplant sit with the salt on it for about 30 minutes to draw out the liquid. (After the eggplant sits for 15 minutes, turn on the oven to 375F/190C.)
After 30 minutes, wipe the eggplant dry with a knife or paper towels (this also removes most of the salt.) Spray a roasting sheet with olive oil or non-stick spray, lay eggplant slices on, brush the tops of the eggplant with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried Italian seasoning. Roast the eggplant about 20-25 minutes.
Remove eggplant from the oven and turn oven setting to broil.
Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the top of each eggplant slice, sprinkle with chopped veggies, cheese and some of the fresh basil.
Put pizzas under the broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Serve hot, with a dollop of fresh basil pesto and some more fresh basil if using.

Inspired by, modified and simplified from the original – thanks KalynsKitchen!

Pumpkin Patch!

1 Reply

Tis the season for all things pumpkin!! We went to the Trinity Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch and totally lucked out. When we got there, there were only a handful of people, and when we left…it was packed!

So, my mom snapped a few of me while there was nobody around 🙂

No idea what I was even laughing about! But….go big or go home 🙂 “Throw me so HIGH up into the sky, Mama!!” Well…I might not throw her as high as I used to, but look at that leg extension!!! Counting pumpkins… And….dancing 🙂 With Meme 🙂 On me…

Top- Free People “Flutter By”

Jeans- DL1961 Emma in “Riker”

Boots- Frye 12″ Harness

On Maya…

Dress- Sergent Major (thrifted)

Boots-Nordstrom (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

Someone was pouting because she wanted to go on the bouncy houses after about 30 seconds of pumpkins. Thankfully she bounced back after I said she could dance instead 🙂

(all pictures of me and me with Maya taken by my mom. :))

Coated Moto Skinny Pants…day to night.

4 Replies

I knew I was going out later this night, but really didn’t want to have to think about a separate outfit. So…I picked something that I could dress down for preschool drop off, work, pick up, and then play…then easily transition into a Mama’s night out!

Coated denim is one of my favorite things to wear in the fall/winter. Super fun and easy to clean-WIN! And it can easily be dressed up or down. Denim jackets are my favorite “make just about anything easy and casual” item of clothing.

I love the fun little slit in this tee. And the moto detailing on these pants!! It was hard to capture it on camera, but both by the pockets and at the bottom of the pants are super cool stitching. Then…had a little fun in photoshop with this one 🙂 It’s amazing what a difference a change in shoes can make!Add a leather jacket, and you’re ready to go out!I took these pictures on a bike trail that is right next to a pretty busy street. Yeah…I got a lot of looks. One biker even offered to stop and take some pics for me haha. No…I don’t feel like a complete nerd at all with my tripod and self timer-ugh ;}

And seriously, the weather in Seattle is so wonky. I took the shot above and the one below less than a minute apart. It went from totally overcast to SUNNY.After I picked Maya up from school, we walked over to my parents house. It was my mom’s birthday, so we wanted to bring her some treats (a few Pumpkin Balls that I posted on Wednesday!)My dad took these next two 🙂 On me…

Jacket- Levi’s (thrifted, similar here) Leather- Doma” (similar here)

Top- Free People “Madness” Striped Muscle Tank (Nordstrom Rack)

Jeans- DL1961 River in Atlanta (similar here)

Shoes and Boots- Vans (thrifted) Kimchi Blue (thrifted, similar here)

On Maya…

Dress- Hanna Andersson Velour Twirl Dress (thrifted, but similar here)

Leggings- Hanna Andersson (thrifted, but similar here)

Boots- Kamik Stomp Rain Boots (thrifted, but similar here)

Keeping it Real…

I don’t always make it back in time before the self timer goes off haha.

And….she was done with the picture taking 🙂

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except the flying one with me and Maya and ones of Maya :))

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Cheese

Leave a reply

Root veggies are in season with an abundance to select from already. You can use sweet potatoes, yams or garnet yams for this recipe. You are dairy free? No problem. Bake them the same way as described below and omit cheese. They are super delicious either way! 🙂

Ingredients

4 small sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
3 oz Fontina cheese, grated (3/4 cup) – I could not find this in my local grocery store and used Comte cheese instead.. you can’t really go wrong with any cheese though, so use your favorite cheese or just Parmesan works great!
1 1/2 oz. Parmesan, grated (1/3 cup)

Directions

Heat oven to 425*
Rub potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper
Bake, cut side down, on a baking sheet or glass pan until golden brown and tender, ~20 minutes (fork inserts very easily)
Turn over to broil
Combine cheeses and sprinkle on potatoes cut-side up
Broil until cheese is melted and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes
Serve warm

Pumkin Protein Balls with Coconut // Paleo

1 Reply

Tis the season, no? I’ve been seeing Pumpkin Balls pop up here and there, and I decided to try my own.

I will say that these fall into the category of totally yummy, but…healthy 😉 I want to make the distinction, because I do love myself a decadent dessert!! This is not that. However, Maya chowed them down, and I love that I can make her things that she things are a total treat that are still healthy!

They are nut free, gluten free, and dairy free. So, once again…safe to take to preschool or daycare! Ingredients (Makes 12)

1/2 cup coconut flour
2 cups Organic Pumpkin Puree (got mine at Trader Joe’s)
2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Sunflower Butter (can use any nut butter if you aren’t worried about allergies)
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin spice
2 Tablespoons each of coconut sugar and unsweetened coconut to roll the balls in (optional, but I liked the little added sweetness and texture :))

What to do

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl, using a high powered mixer or Cuisinart.
Scoop out 1 Tablespoon amounts of the dough, and roll in your palm to form a ball.
Roll it around in the coconut sugar and coconut and set in the refridgerator to cool for at least an hour. You can eat them right away, but they are much better once they’ve firmed up!

And, because sharing is caring… We brought a few over to my parents house. Maya was a little excited 🙂

ENJOY!

Eggs and Bacon Tart

Leave a reply

No gluten, no grains, no dairy.. just a pure protein power breakfast tart. Served with some sautéed veggies and fresh fruit and you’ll have a great meal!

Ingredients

1 lb organic bacon
1 cup thinly diced scallions, leaks or onion
8 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chives for garnish

Directions

Oven to 350*
Cook bacon in skillet until browned, ~5 minutes
Remove and cool and then mince or finely chop
Pour off and discard fat from skillet
Return bacon with onions or scallions and saute for a few minutes
Beat eggs, pepper and salt
Put bacon/onion mixture in a round glass pan (8″ or 9″ works well) and pour egg mixture on it
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm
Let cool a bit and garnish with fresh chives

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: