It's the Little Things in Life

Today was a little crazy for me: I woke up early and didn’t stop moving from 8a.m. until 3p.m. and let me tell you, I was exhausted. However, rather than dwell on how many things I have to cross off my To Do List and how I think my legs might snap from a combo of running around like a madwoman &  pilates, I decided to focus on the little things in my day today that made me smile.

I went to Trader Joe’s in Foggy Bottom and for those who follow this blog, you’ll already know that I have a not-so-secret huge crush on Trader Joe’s. Well, our relationship is now on the next level. While being checked out at the register, I chit chatted with the cashier and said I’m a student in D.C. He asked me what I wanted to do after college & I responded, “Make money & have fun!” Laughing, he gave me a roll of stickers. I may be a senior in college but my inner first grader was elated over these stickers. Very patriotic & so typical D.C.!

American Flag Stickers!!

 After a week of monsoon-like rain, today was positively beautiful weather! I opted to walk the 15 minutes to my apartment rather than catch a shuttle and I’m glad I did. I walked by freshly mown grass and there really is no greater smell on a warm day than that. What’re the little things in life that make you smile?

Monogram Monday: Dinner Platters

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a relaxing weekend and were able to pray for the families & remember the heroes of 9/11.

It’s back to the grind of the school/work week but it wouldn’t be Monday without a monogram! I’ve recently succumbed to Etsy and there’s really no going back now. This weekend, I found a store on Etsy called Simply Stella after they were featured in this month’s issue of Southern Living as part of their Tailgating Essentials article.

They have platters ideal for parties and, of course, tailgating.

Simply Stella has platters for sports teams,like this one for LSU:

And they also have beautiful monogrammed designs, too!

Which platter is your favorite? They’re all gorgeous & reasonably priced!

Thirsty Thursday: Lemon Drop

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 oz. vodka
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar syrup
• Lemon twist for garnish

Preparation:

• Pour the vodka, lemon juice & sugar syrup into a shaker with ice cubes.
• Shake well.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a lemon twist.

Lemon Drop Cocktail

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Thanks to Kerry (AKA @premedprepster), there’s a new recipe to try out. I’m trying to use my current groceries up before I go grocery shopping again so I haven’t tested it out yet but it sounds delicious and worth a blog post!
Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
• 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
• 2-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 3 and it was quite garlicky, but if you are not a big fan of garlic use 1 clove)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• ~1/4 cup Fresh Basil, (probably optional)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta (I used 3oz of spelt and 3 oz of Kamut spaghetti)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
If you make this recipe, please let me know how it goes!

Healthy Lunch on the Go

I haven't had a meal plan since sophomore year and sometimes, I must admit, I wish I had one. However, I re-discovered Tupperware and haven't looked back since. I went to Trader Joe's (surprise, surprise) this morning & bought the ingredients to make one of my favorite lunches/dinners. All the ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe's.

• Chimichurri rice with vegetables
• Grilled chicken (pre-cooked)
• Frozen broccoli florets
• Frozen asparagus spears 
• Tomatoes 

Start by boiling the broccoli & asparagus in a pot. While the vegetables boil, saute the tomatoes & you can use the same pan to heat up the pre-cooked grilled chicken. The chimichurri rice is frozen so you just need to pop it in the microwave as instructed. Once all the ingredients are cooked, cover the bottom of the Tupperware with chimichurri rice and then pile on the grilled chicken, tomatoes, broccoli & asparagus.
I love this recipe because it's delicious & I can take it with me. I'm definitely a girl on the go so this meal works out really well for me: I get my protein as well as my veggies in. What're your favorite recipes when you're on the move?

Monogram Monday: Gameday Girls' Pearls

Happy Monogram Monday, everyone! Well, college football season is almost upon us so I decided to highlight The Gameday Girls! Their items include headbands, necklaces and bracelets but they are known for their pearls.

Oh yes, the Gameday Girls have combined two of my favorite things: monograms and pearls! GENIUS!

Monogram Pearls=LOVE

Sorority Letters Also Available

Of course, my personal favorites are the Florida Gators pearls:

Let's Go Gators!

Their pearls are $12 each and if you purchase more than $30 worth of their adorable jewelry, you get a koozie! Pearls and monograms and koozies: three of my favorite things in one deal, this girl is sold. I’ll be ordering mine soon and I’ll report back!

Monogram Monday: Gameday Girls' Pearls

Happy Monogram Monday, everyone! Well, college football season is almost upon us so I decided to highlight The Gameday Girls! Their items include headbands, necklaces and bracelets but they are known for their pearls.
Oh yes, the Gameday Girls have combined two of my favorite things: monograms and pearls! GENIUS!

Monogram Pearls=LOVE

Sorority Letters Also Available

Of course, my personal favorites are the Florida Gators pearls:

Let's Go Gators!

Their pearls are $12 each and if you purchase more than $30 worth of their adorable jewelry, you get a koozie! Pearls and monograms and koozies: three of my favorite things in one deal, this girl is sold. I'll be ordering mine soon and I'll report back!

Koozies!