Yum!

What is this chocolatey deliciousness you ask?!? It’s GREEK YOGURT!  I found this simple recipe on pinterest (I love pinterest!!) and I tried it out not expecting it to be too exciting…but it was! At least in my book it was! I have a serious sweet tooth! I LOVE chocolate but don’t want to eat junk food so this recipe seemed like a good alternative! The recipe (here) called for maple syrup, which I didn’t have so I used stevia and that worked just fine. I am about to torture myself start a Paleo diet challenge for the next month with my crossfit class (should be interesting since it cuts out carbs and dairy and those are my 2 favorite things!!!) but there is a Paleo friendly version (recipe here) of this made with coconut milk which I will be trying too!

xoxo

 J

I’m 384! What are you?

I just got back from donating a double session of blood platelets! Doesn’t sound very exciting, but it was! Apparently I have a pretty high platelet count (384 woot woot!) and realized the Armed Services Blood Program could use my platelets more than my blood, so guess who will be donating a double session every month?!?! This girl! If you are military, military spouse or an ID card holder, I urge you to look into blood, plasma and platelet donations. If you are not affiliated with the military, you should still try and donate via the red cross! Help save lives, people! I helped save 2 today! NBD ;)

xoxo

J

What we're lovin' Wednesday

I’m loving my new shower curtain! Honestly, I smile every time I see this adorable thing! The color is gorgeous and the pattern is awesome…I wouldn’t mind having actual curtains like this! I did a bit of Home Goods shopping while I was in the states and grabbed this beauty, an awesome area floor mat, and some great pillows (all of which I will show in another post) and of all those things,  I think I may love this shower curtain the most!

xoxo

     J

I'm loving my super easy and go-to summer meal: the greek salad. I made one on Monday and added some baked chicken and it was as equally delicious as it was easy to make. Like Jenn, I really don't measure out anything, I just go by taste...then add a little extra salt. Here goes:

Preheat over to 350 degrees
I used 3 small chicken breasts and seasoned them with a little s&p, olive oil, and lemon juice
bake for 40 minutes ( I like to make sure the chicken is really done, as I have a fear of food poisioning)

While the chicken is baking I use an old school large wooden bowl as the canvas to my Grecian masterpiece.

I prefer really crisp greens, so I typically use something like Romaine.
2 homegrown tomatoes that are quartered
Athenos crumbled feta (or whatever feta you prefer)
1/4 red onion, finely sliced
1 half cucumber sliced (thin or thick, whatever you prefer)
1 pinch of oregano
s&p

Dressing:

Equal parts olive oil and lemon juice

Enjoy!

XOXO M

Summer Color

(Essie: Tart Deco, Cute As A Button, Bazooka)



I know it’s the middle of July and most people in the US are dealing with unbearable heat waves but I am currently living in what feels like fall weather in Germany! It hasn’t gotten above 70 since 4^th of July and has been generally pretty crappy and rainy! I immediately want to break out my dark OPI nail polishes to go with my mood, but then I realize, it’s mid-July, it’s still summer, snap out of it! The way for me to cancel out this fall type weather (and mood!) is to paint my nails bright and dress is somewhat summer fashion, even though it’s cold! Hope you all are staying cool and rockin the fun bright nail polishes while you still can!

xoxo

J





Quick Fennel and Apple Salad

Hi all! I have a non recipe that would be perfect in the fall, and since it hasn't gotten above 70 in Germany, it feels like fall for me now! I just made this quick and easy fennel and apple salad as I was cleaning out my fridge. I took some thinly sliced fennel, a pink lady apple and some walnuts then topped it with a mixture of a little honey and a splash of apple cider vinegar.  Super light and easy salad! I think it would also be great over baby spinach with some crumbled blue cheese too. Enjoy!

xoxo

  J

What we’re lovin’ Wednesday

I know what you're thinking, 'really Jenn, you love a hairbrush? Really?!?' the answer is yes, yes I do. I’ve never been one to really care about brushes. I usually buy whatever Goody or Conair brush I find at Target or CVS. Within a few months I'm out buying another brush because I'm pretty rough on my hair and my brushes, so the tiny plastic balls on the end of the bristles always disappear and scratch my head. I know you're supposed to be gentle, work from the bottom up with a wide tooth comb blah blah blah. That doesn't work for me. I like to see results. I have naturally wavy hair (my husband calls it 'mermaid hair' sweet, right?) which inevitably gets knotty so when I brush my hair I want the knots out! I don't want to worry about breaking my brush. I found this amazing wood bristle brush from TJMaxx of all places. The brand is Bass Wood Bristle Brush, 100% bamboo. I've got to admit, I love it and I actually look forward to brushing my unruly waves because this brush gives me a little scalp massage AND takes the knots out. Win, win!

xoxo

 J

Last week I was at Target picking up a few normal household items when I decided to peruse the cosmetics section. I ended up leaving Target with a couple of additional items that were definitely not on my shopping list (this seems to always happen to me at Target). What I purchased was a $3 bronzer by E.L.F. and an $8 eyeshadow quad by Sonia Kashuk. Let me just say, I am DELIGHTED with each of these purchases, as they help create an easy and natural looking summer makeup look. As you can tell by the picture, the eyeshadow is shimmery, but it doesn't look tacky. I've worn it on the weekends and at work and it gives off a subtle sheen, which was the look I intended. PLUS, the product was not tested on animals.


I must say that I am a Bobbi Brown bronzer devotee but I am extremely pleased with this E.L.F. product in that it looks very natural, doesn't make my look like I'm auditioning for Housewives of New Jersey (sorry Jenn), and is inexpensive.


The nail polish was purchased last year at Target and it is still one of my favorites. It's called Peach Daiquiri and is a reddish shade of coral that is flattering on my fair skin. In the past I haven't had much luck with coral polishes that are more on the orange side, because they just look too orange on me.


XOXO,
M

Natural Beauty (makeup edition)



Hi All! Here’s the last post to my “Natural Beauty” series…the Makeup post! Fun! My makeup approach is more of a natural, barely there makeup look. I’m not a fan of matte looks on me so I go more towards products that have some subtle shimmer and leaves a dewy glow. I have freckles which I don’t try and hide and if I get a zit I’m pretty lazy about hiding that too. I don’t like spending tons of time doing my makeup so I’d say for a night out my routine would be 15mins max! I guess I’m sort of a lazy makeup person, but that’s what works for me.

My typical day makeup consists of Tarte’s Amazonian Clay tinted moisturizer if I feel like I need a little coverage (and I mean little because it doesn’t offer much except to even out your skin tone) or I use Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum which also evens out my skin tone. I use a little Bare Minerals Warmth bronzer and either Tarte’s cheek stain or Sula blush, I swipe on some Physician’s Formula mascara and use some EOS chapstick and done! Pretty quick and easy!

Now when I want to get “crazy” with my makeup if I’m going out for dinner or drinks, I do the same as above, swipe on one of Sula’s cream shadows (they are a sheer gorgeous shimmer color that’s build-able) add some Physicians Formula liquid eyeliner and a bright lip stain and done.

I know this makeup routine isn’t for everyone, but its simple and works for the natural look I like. I tend to spend more money on the Tarte products because they work well on my skin and give a finish that I love. The products are pricey but worth it because they last awhile and you don’t need to use a ton at a time. You don’t need to buy high end products or spend a ton of money if you don’t want! I adore Sula products too and they are inexpensive. Their blush is highly pigmented and you only need a little each time. I use their cream eye shadows and love them too! Physicians formula has some great products as well but read their labels I’m not sure if all their stuff is paraben free. Let me know if you have any favorite paraben free brands!

xoxo

     J

Orzo and Zucchini Salad

Hello All! I had to post this recipe I got from my wonderful cousin Nikki! She made this light pasta salad for Father’s Day and I loved it so much I had to get the recipe and share!  I just made this today and was delighted by how easy it was! This salad is great at room temperature or chilled. Enjoy!

Ingredients

-Coarse salt and ground pepper
-1 cup orzo
-1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
-2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
-1 to 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain well. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add zucchini and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

Transfer orzo to a medium bowl; add zucchini mixture, basil, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

 xoxo

     J

Can it get any hotter?

Enough is enough all ready, heat and humidity. As luck would have it, my first summer in Knoxville resulted in record breaking heat last weekend at 105 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday. Our neighborhood looked like a ghost town because everyone was indoors. The neightborhood pool was too hot to go in and the thought of going to an air conditioned movie theater was quickly vetoed because we knew the car would get to about 400 degrees during the 90 minutes we'd leave it in the uncovered parking lot. This left giving the house a thorough cleaning as the best option. Oppression I tell you!!

Now on to the good news, I received a surprise in the mail earlier this week from Mark. It was a couple of items from Lululemon, including this awesome sundress. Yes, it is a tad too long so I'm getting it hemmed. However, it is extrodinarily comfortable and perfect for a day at the lake, pool, or beach. Plus, it would be perfectly acceptable to wear it out to a low key dinner afterwards.

 As if the heat hasn't made me sweat enough, I'm off to the gym to get in a little cardio.

Happy Friday! XOXO, M

What we're lovin' Wednesday

We're loving the red, white, and blue!
Happy 4th of July!!

xoxo,

J & M

My Style Muse

I just love her and, in particular, her style. Look how cute this red little Alexander McQueen number looks on her!! She pairs it with her beige patent heels too. PERFECT! The future Queen of England knows that style far outweighs fashion, and she has a really keen sense of clothing pieces that look flattering on her body type. That is half the battle right there. Oh, Kate. How I love thee.

XOXO,

M

You smell pretty ;)

I’ve got to thank my lovely best friend and blog buddy Michelle for getting me hooked on my favorite perfume! When we lived in DC together she introduced me to what has been and still is my favorite perfume for summer, Emilio Pucci Aqua. This is an amazingly light and fresh summer scent that reminds me of being on a beach in Greece! Pucci has the iconic bright colors for summer so the bottle is gorgeous in its own right, but the scent, oh that wonderful scent! I’m in Germany and it is dreary and rainy most days, but it doesn’t stop me from bringing the sunshine in with this beauty! What’s your favorite summer fragrance?

xoxo

J