Tunisian Pesto

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A delicious pesto made with cilantro, parsley, almonds and olive oil. Excellent with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks or grilled shrimp.

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh cilantro
1 cup packed fresh parsley
1/4 c almonds
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1/2 olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Combine cilantro, parsley, almonds, garlic and salt in food processor and blend
Add oil in a stream while the above is blending until smooth

Note: This freezes very well if you have leftovers – fill airtight container and add some more olive oil on top

Deer Tacos

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Adam brought back some deer last hunting season – and had some of it ground up with hamburger fat (deer is VERY lean) to make burgers or tacos. It’s a little gamey so the seasoning in this recipe helps.. but talk about grass fed, all natural and paleo!

Ingredients

1 lb ground meat (deer, beef, buffalo)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsps ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adds heat)
8 corn tortillas
1 chopped tomato
1 cup lettuce, finely chopped
1 cup cheese, shredded (Mexican blend works well)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut in wedges

Directions

Heat oil and add onion and buffalo
Cook for a few minutes, then add garlic, and continue to cook – stirring to crumble
Add seasoning and stir well to combine
Warm tortillas and assemble by spooning meat mixture and layering the veggies, cheese and sour cream
Serve with lime wedges and cilantro as garnish

Crop Tops + Vintage Levi’s 501

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I had so many pairs of Levi’s both in high school (pegged and rolled!!), and then in college (cut offs, still have them/wearing them 20 years later…) They are classic. Funny that when the low rise trend first came out, I thought I’d NEVER wear Levi’s again unless it was to work to do house projects (sadly most of my old cut offs have paint on them now :() On me…

Top- Free People (ThredUp, similar here)

Jeans- Levi’s (thrifted)

Sandals- Mystique (old)

On Maya…

Top/Dress- M&S (thrifted)

Bloomerss- Peek (thrifted)

Boots- (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

I’m in my peek season with work, which is great, but exhausting-both physically and mentally. I’ve been feeling a tad overwhelmed. This blog has been such a fun creative outlet for me to do, but the posts might be a little shorter for the next 5 months or not have links to clothing (does anyone even care??). I did a little revaluation of life over the weekend, and reminded myself what’s important. Spending quality time with my family. That will always come first…

Happy Monday!

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

Leather + Silk in the summer? Yes…day to night!

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I have had these leather shorts since last year?? I’ve wanted to wear them, but just couldn’t bring myself to find the occasion. I mean…leather shorts?? When? Where? I see other people wearing them, and I LOVE them every single time I see them! When I bought them, I kidded myself that they could be worn anywhere! But…I rarely wear shorts. Unless they are cut offs… So, they’ve been sitting in my closet.

And then…WhoWhatWear put out another Summer style challenge. I did all 30 days last time, but I’m not sure I’ll have the time to do them all this time. One of the days though, was Day 13 try wearing a leather and silk combination… They showed a leather jacket with a silk dress, but I already did that here. Seemed the perfect time to work in my shorts I’ve been dying to wear! And, really, it seemed the perfect day to night post too!

Starting with the night, because these heels weren’t going to be worn for long on our walk haha. I always see other people wearing heels with shorts, and I think it looks amazing. I always feel self conscious… Probably because I’m 6 feet tall when I wear them! Ps-can you spot Maya? 🙂The nice thing about these is the platform. Makes them actually pretty comfy, and not that high. And then into what is more comfy 🙂

On me…

Top-BCBGMaxAzria (old, similar here)

Jeans- Blank NYC (old, similar here)

Shoes- Did a day to night, so…

Day- Steve Madden “Genevva Ankle Cuff Thong” (sold out, similar here)

Night- Ash (eBay, similar here)

On Maya…

Dress- Vintage (thrifted)

Boots- No Brand that I can see (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

When we try and take pictures on our nightly walk, a lot of it looks like this…Maya running off while the Huz tries to take a few pics of me. Me running after her and bringing her back closer to us. I’ll be honest, I almost threw in the towel a few times, and started to get frustrated with a lot of things that happened last night. Mainly, it’s my need to be in control of everything. That’s one of the biggest reasons I like taking pictures myself with the self timer and tripod. I may not always get the shots I want to get, but at least I can control it. I usually feed Maya while I take 5 minutes to grab 5-10 pics of myself. I get 5+ of us, and then we are done. The entire process takes me about 15 minutes, but we are limited on where I can take the tripod…

This morning, I had to remind myself of a blog post that I read from another fellow mommy blogger, Joey and the Owl. In it, she talks about her husband giving her this advice…”Amy, people have families, jobs and lives, they aren’t sitting around all day and thinking about your blog. You’re not that important”. haha, so true. I have to keep reminding myself that the main reason I’m doing this is to have a creative outlet for myself to ENJOY. To get pics of me with Maya that make me smile, that I will treasure for always. THAT IS IT. Yes, I want others to enjoy what I post and possibly get inspired, but I cannot get stressed over a silly blog. I cannot let it get in the way/take away from my already overpacked life. My family is way more important.

In any case. Thank you for reading 🙂

Blog BCBGMaxAzria Silk Top Blank NYC Leather Suede Shorts Steve Madden Ash Sandals-23

(all pictures of me and me with Maya taken by the Huz :))

Mango Avocado Salsa

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Just a warning. I will be posting a few recipes using this/variations of this. It is THAT good!! I made this big bowl thinking we’d have leftovers (it was just me, the Huz, and Maya). Well…we polished off the entire bowl haha 🙂 Ingredients

2 Mangos cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
1 1/2 medium avocados
20 Cherry tomatoes diced
1/4 cup Walla Walla sweet onions diced
Juice from 1/2 a lime
5 leaves of fresh Basil diced
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Cut everything up and toss in a bowl!
Or….if you are short on time, toss everything into a Cuisinart and pulse a few times.
Serve over fish, chicken, or as a dip with chips or pitas!

Frozen Raspberry Cashew Cream Cake

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It reached 90 degrees last week and the forecast is for 80+ all week. Yay!!!! This is when Seattle seems the most gorgeous place to live – snow capped mountains in the east and west, lake Washington on one side, the sound (ocean) on the other, green and lush and blue sky covering it all. Anyway, who wants to bake or cook when it’s 90 degrees out? Not me! We’re a little helpless here when it gets above 90 as most houses do not have A/C. Need a cool dessert? This is a no bake, super easy, frosty treat! Oh, and paleo(ish)! 🙂

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drained Add to list
2 cups raw walnuts Add to list
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut Add to list
1/4 tsp salt Add to list
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water at least 4 hours or overnight, and drained Add to list
1/4 cup melted coconut oil Add to list
1/4 cup maple syrup Add to list
2 Tbsp lemon juice Add to list
1 tsp vanilla extract Add to list
1/2 tsp lemon zest Add to list
Water, as needed Add to list
1 cup fresh raspberries, plus additional for garnish

Directions

Place dates, walnuts, coconut and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is fairly fine and uniform. When a small amount of the mixture is pinched between the fingers and sticks together, it is ready to form the crust. Press the crust mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform or pie pan, making sure the edges are well packed. Rinse the food processor well.
Place cashews, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest in the food processor. Blend until very smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help with the blending process.
Pour about 2/3 of the cashew mixture on top of the crust and smooth the surface. Add raspberries to the remaining filling and blend until smooth. Pour the raspberry mixture on top of the first layer.
Freeze cake until firm, 2 to 4 hours. Allow to warm up for 30 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve.

Thanks PCC

Easy Swing Tank + Cut offs = Summer Uniform

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While I like to experiment, and have fun trying new things to wear…chances are, most days I’m wearing a swing tank and cut offs. Now that I’ve gone scissor crazy on a few pairs for Maya, she will too! Of course on the days I can talk her out of wearing a “Princess Dress” aka…all dresses 🙂

It’s also been pretty hot here. I am going to try and not complain, but there’s a reason I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life. I like the cooler temperatures. I actually like the rain! And…can we talk about the chore of slathering up in sunscreen?? I really can’t wait for someone to invent a pill or drink that provides all over sunscreen!! All that said, I LOOOOVE warm nights, and taking walks after dinner!! The Huz has been home the last few nights, so we were lucky enough to have him come with us and snap our pics vs the usual tripod and self timer!

Me watching Maya roll down our neighbors hill… 🙂

Can I just say how much I love swing tops? They hide things you don’t want to show (I wore this through out my pregnancy and after!), yet they drape well and are flattering on almost every body type!And…there she goes again! 🙂 Love that I caught her mid air!!“RRRROAR!!!” Trying to scare Daddy 🙂Hahaha. Love this one!The whole purpose of this walk was to go retrieve Goffrey2. He had been dropped on our morning walk. I kept trying to pick him up, but Maya insisted that he stay there and sleep. Then, was asking where he was all day…On me…

Top- Splendid (old, similar here)

Jeans- Citizens of Humanity (old DIY cut offs, similar here)

Shoes- Birkenstocks (thrifted, similar here)

On Maya…

Top- (thrifted, but similar here)

Jeans- Levi’s (thrifted, and DIY cut off, but similar here)

Shoes- Old Navy (thrifted, but similar here)

(all pictures of me and me with Maya taken by the Huz :))

Rhubarb Clafouti

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Tart rhubarb pairs so well with this sweet custardy Clafouti. What’s Clafouti? It’s a baked French dessert of fruit (traditionally black cherries) covered in batter and baked! In other words, yummy not-quite-cake, not-quite-pudding goodness. It would be delicious with fresh peaches or cherries, but given that it’s rhubarb season.. well enough said! I added some raspberries as well and it turned out great!

Ingredients

1.5 c. chopped rhubarb
1/2 c. raspberries or strawberries
4 Tbsps agave syrup (less if you are using another type of fruit, as rhubarb is so tart.. it needs a little extra sweetener)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Put all ingredients except for rhubarb in blender and process for 1-2 minutes until frothy
Put chopped rhubarb (and optionally berries) in baking dish and cover with batter
Bake at 375* for ~45 minutes or until golden and fork comes out clean
Serve with cinnamon, a splash of heavy cream or ice cream (the French dish is served with a dusting of powdered sugar as well :-))

Denver Chocolate Sheet Cake

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This was probably the most requested dessert of my childhood (ok, behind my request for cherry chip cake with cherry icing every year for my birthday haha :)), and it is hands down the most requested dessert in my family now. It is in no way healthy or paleo, but it is worth every caloric bite! I don’t even like chocolate (I know, right?!), but this cake is so ooey goey and almost fudgelike, that I’ve honestly never met someone who didn’t love it! How’s that for an endorsement? The ONLY downside to it, is that it doesn’t “look” that pretty… The frosting is almost liquid like when you pour it on, but then it solidifies (hence it being easiest as a sheet cake). As I was wishing that it looked better, I had the idea to refridgerate half the frosting, do it as a layer cake, and then drizzle the other half over. I seriously, wanted to remake another one as soon as I thought about it!! But…need a little break before I can handle all the temptation again 🙂 I’ll “edit to add” when I try it the other way! Little helper 🙂 Ingredients

Cake

2 1/3 Cup Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Water
4 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs Beaten

Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter
6 Tablespoons Buttermilk
1 pound powder sugar
4 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Directions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix flour, sugar, and baking soda in a bowl.
Bring butter, water, and Cocoa to boil in a saucepan, and then pour over dry ingredients.
Mix thoroughly.
Add Buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and beat well.
Pour into 9×13 inch pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until center is not sticky to the touch.

Frosting

When cake is done or almost done heat butter, cocoa, and buttermilk to a boil (I use the same pan that I used for the cake-win!)
Remove from the heat and mix in vanilla and sugar (you can add walnuts, but I’m not a big fan :))
Frosting will be very runny, but pour over the cake before it cools. The frosting will harden to a soft fudgelike consistency, and it traps in moisture of the cake! Takes a few hours to harden, so keep in mind when you are baking. I usually make it the morning of, or you can make it the day before. It stays so moist, that it’s just as good the next day!

Great with Ice cream, or all by itself.

ENJOY!

Once again…thrifting for the win! :)

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I honestly didn’t even plan on making this an all thrifted outfit for both me and Maya, but chances are…that’s going to happen more often than not 🙂 I’m sure it’s pretty obvious by now that I’m not really a dress person. In my mind, I feel way more comfortable in jeans and a tee, but whenever I actually wear a dress…I love it! The Huz loved this dress the minute I tried it on for him. It’s totally fitted (hence the Huz loving it!), so I threw on a denim shirt to make me feel a little less self conscious. The material is ridiculously soft and comfortable, and I love how the Converse make it more casual. Perfect for our night time walk around the neighborhood…

Total outfit= less than $15 🙂 Meet the new Goffrey. The old Goffrey broke in half. He’s still on our front porch, but she only takes him on the occasional walk now 🙂 So, Maya asked to “Fly, up in the air?”, which she often does. Bad thing is that she now kicks her feet out and often times clocks me in the face… :{ “UP IN THE AIR!!” That’ll show her 😉 On me…

Top- Gap (thrifted, similar here)

Dress- Saint Grace (thrifted, similar here)

Shoes- Converse (thrifted)

On Maya…

Dress- Gap (thrifted)

Boots- Petite Navire (thrifted)

Keeping it real…

Not much to keep real. It was really nice to have a long weekend with the Huz home, and I didn’t have any shoots!! I had done two newborn shoots during the week, so it was really nice to just relax and spend time with the family 🙂

(all pictures of me and me with Maya taken by the Huz :))

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