Long time no blog

Sometimes I lose track of the hours in the day, especially during the end of the year, and get distracted by all the small things on in my life. So here's a little glimpse of what's been going on in my life since I've been gone:

Since I last posted my family and I went to Puerto Rico during the week of Thanksgiving. It was a vacation with highs and lows, and all started with an Airbnb guest home that was not what we expected. To keep things short I’ll say the home wasn't as pictured (though we got what we paid for), the power went out more than once (this is actually normal in Puerto Rico though a lot of the businesses around the guest home had generators), a stray kitty always pooped in the flowerbed so the front porch was always smelly, and the most unfortunate: the shower water was always cold. We learned that the previous guests broke one of the showers and it was constantly dripping which caused all the hot water to be used up. However we did make the most of the house when the power was up and running but once it went out a second time towards the end of the week, we all threw in the towel and booked a hotel for the night. It definitely humbled us all. And made us appreciate our houses, consistent power, air conditioning, and hot showers.

bacalaitos, empanadas, rice, beans and mofongo!

Not to say we didn’t enjoy our vacation. We did! Michael and I got to visit Old San Juan, see my grandparents who live there, eat delicious food, and of course take Lydia to the beach for the first time. She didn’t seem that enthusiastic about the beach but absolutely loved the pool at the hotel.

Once we got home from our vacation, Michael started a new job that’s work from home all the time, and it’s been a huge blessing to have him around the house more. He's rested, we get to have lunch together almost every day, and he likes his boss. He was actually Michael’s boss a couple years ago at his old job, then he moved to a different company and reached out to Michael to see if he’d join his team. I was so happy that he was able to smoothly transition into this new job and that we can spend more time together. Periodically he will need to travel to New York, the first time he had to go there Lydia and I went with him. We stayed at my parent’s house and he commuted to the city from there, it was such a treat to spend time with my family!

Another small thing that's been going on is that we've been putting Lydia to sleep earlier and scheduling her naps. No more co-sleeping in this house! As much as we enjoyed the experience, you get to a point where you just want the bed to yourselves, and have your child in their own crib with a healthier sleep schedule. It's actually exciting because I'm getting that extra alone time during the day with her naps and of course dealing with a less cranky child during the day. A big part of why I haven't been blogging has a lot to do with the fact that I lacked the alone time to sit down and write. Alone time was so sporadic, and now it's more consistent, which means I should be back on here more!

During this transition, Michael has been such a big help and blessing. He has been putting her to bed most nights, praying with her and making her feel comfortable in the crib. It has been growing their bond too. She does fuss after he leaves the room and sometimes he’ll go back in, but she eventually falls asleep. Right now her crib is on our bedroom and when she wakes up in the middle of the night, I try to comfort her by holding her hand or if that doesn't work I'll cuddle with her. I am trying to be better with that though and teach her that she needs to put herself back to sleep.

We plan on moving her into her bedroom once Michael his office space into the basement sometime in the spring. I am hoping she loves her bedroom and won’t feel the need to sleep in ours!

Lastly, we hosted Christmas and it had a lot of fun with Michael's side of the family. I made this pear sangria, yellow rice, empanadas, cheese flan, and pumpkin bread. Michael made his famous wings and everyone brought a delicious little something-something! After we exchanged gifts, Michael shared a message the Lord placed on his heart and prayed before we all ate. We played The Game of Things and laughed up a storm! We are planning on hosting our small group on Thursday for an end of the year get together, and my parent's are visiting this upcoming weekend for New Years which we are also hosting. Lots of hosting but it's been coming with lots of help which has been much appreciated! : ) 

And the bad... I started to trim my bangs and got too carried away by cutting them too short... At this time I'm so thankful for bobby pins, headbands, and of course the fact that it'll grow back. But if that's the worst thing going on in my life, I'll be a-okay. 

Until next time my loves,

Happy Autumn!

Last Autumn when Lydia was 8 months old, now she is 18 months old!!

"Life starts all over again 

when it gets crisp in the fall."

                       -F. Scott Fitzgerald 

For as long as I can remember autumn has always been my favorite season, and I'm pretty proud of being born around this time of year! I love when the weather slowly begins to cool down and the leaves start changing shades of color. The smell of the air is crisp, and cinnamon sugar becomes the signature scent of my home. Everything just feels cozier. I'll be able to start wearing my fall uniform: a chunky sweater or flannel, jeans and boots. I cannot wait til I can wear boots again!! Food seems to taste better this time of year too. Winter squashes are at their peak, and boy do they taste mighty fine roasted, sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and served over kale. I also like pumpkin pie, pumpkin oatmeal, and pumpkin smoothies heavy on the spices.

There's a lot to love about this season. It seems to always inspire people to get together more whether it's to watch football (not me, I'm just there for the food), go to harvest festivals, host seasonal parties, go apple picking, etc. There's really no solid reason not to fellowship with your people when autumn is here! I am most looking forward to starting traditions with my family. I think Lydia will love jumping in freshly raked leaves, going to our towns harvest festival and helping me bake lots of delicious treats in the kitchen.

What are you most looking forward to this autumn? 

6 ways to eat more tahini (if you have a sweet-and-savory tooth!):

 

Tahini's bitterness may be polarizing to some and could require a little getting used to due to it's complex flavor. And though you won't catch me eating tahini by the spoonful, I love using tahini in sweet applications because it is nutty, bitter, and rich and those flavors often help balance treats that are otherwise cloyingly sweet. I consider myself one who has a sweet-and-savory tooth, and I figured it would be fun to share ways to eat tahini that go way beyond hummus and dressings. So this post is for all my like-minded sweet-and-savory toothed friends! (Not sure that's something people really say, but I'm going with it!)

1. If you normally add peanut or almond butter to your oatmeal, try swapping it for a spoonful or two of tahini!

2. On a piece of toast! 3 of my favorite toast combos: 

-tahini with strawberry jam

-tahini with chocolate chips and sea salt

-tahini with banana, a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of ground cinnamon. 

It’s the perfect evening snack when I’m feeling a little hungry and yet wanting something both indulgent and nutritious. 

3.  In chocolate chip cookies or swirled into brownies. Chocolate and tahini just works so seamlessly together, much like peanut butter, but more interesting!

4. Three words: Tahini ice cream! 

5. Stir it into your Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, a bit of honey, ground cardamom and a drop of vanilla extract. It’s one of my favorite afternoon snacks, it's tasty and packed with healthy fat and protein, and fills me up til dinnertime.

6. Last but not least blend it into your next smoothie!

My favorite: 

-1 tablespoon tahini
-1 frozen banana
-1-2 pitted medjool dates
-2 tablespoons raw oats
-touch of cinnamon
-1/2 cup almond milk

Blend until thoroughly combined. Soooo good!

What are your favorite ways to eat tahini? :)

Friday Love! {7.29.2016}

source

one // Have you guys ever tried 2-ingredient pancakes? They've been around for a few years now and I've made them before in the past but completely forgot about them! Fortunately while I was browsing on The Kitchn, I saw that they posted a recipe and gorgeous pictures of them. So I made them this morning....Didn't manage to get a picture because, well, pancakes are not my strong suit and they were not pretty. It doesn't help that they're more delicate than regular pancakes. However, I'm learning that using a cast iron skillet and a fish spatula (which goes above and beyond flipping fish!) are key. As far as taste goes these pancakes remind me so much of french toast only they're lighter and give me energy! 

two // Remember how I mentioned organizing the basement two weeks ago? Well... that never happened. ALTHOUGH, I did manage to organize Michael's closet, the pantry and our small appliance cabinet. All of which were quite unorganized. The basement organizing will come into affect eventually. Again prayers are appreciated : )

three //  Lydia got in her molars!! Also she always eats standing up now and firmly believes that the more utensils at meal time the better. And she has been a little better about eating her food rather than throwing it to Zoe too. Sometimes it's just the little victories that keep me sane! Yay.

four // The most indulgent things we ate this week included homemade curly fries and miso caramel ice cream. The curly fries were reminiscent of potato sticks which I LOVED as a kid. However they weren't as spicy as I'd like them to be, so next time I will bump up the volume on the cayenne and smoked paprika! As far the miso caramel ice cream, I am completely smitten with this flavor and may or may not consider it a new favorite. I found the recipe here and used white miso because it is what I had. The miso provided both a nutty and salty flavor which balances the sweetness of the caramel. It's also extremely creamy and rich, a home run all around!

five // I am looking forward to the weekend. This week has been long, overwhelming and yucky... Hoping for sunshine, productivity and some quiet time.

On that note, I hope you also enjoy your weekend!

Friday Love! {7.15.2016}

one // Michael had off on Monday so the three of us went to Living Treasures Park and got to see beautiful animals. My favorites were the kangaroos, giraffes and of course the goats! It was a more interactive experience than a visit to the zoo because you had the option of feeding most of the animals, and I think Lydia would really appreciate that when she’s older, I know I did! 

two // I made 2 batches of eggless cookie dough ice cream this week, one for us and the rest for our Thursday night small group. Yummy. I love that the recipe uses malted milk powder which I actually had on hand for a chocolate frosting recipe. Do you guys have any other uses for it? I added also bourbon to our batch because it adds a nice flavor ;)

sources & here

three // I’ve been really inspired to redo our downstairs half-bath. I absolutely love the polka accent wall and this adorable mint green pedestal sink in the pictures above. I’m hoping to get started as soon as possible! Pictures to follow ;) 

four // Michael started a new job on Tuesday! We had been praying over the past few months for the Lord to open doors for him and to provide him with a better job opportunity. The company is much smaller and privately owned as opposed to his former job which is what he truly desired. Praise God!

five // I can't believe this picture was taken last year! The other night I was feeling nostalgic and started looking through all my old pictures of Lydia on my phone and it made me realize how much I missed her chubby rolls. Where'd all the chub go? At least it's still in her cheeks :) 

six // This weekend we're planning on cleaning out our basement aka the abyss. I'm a little scared because just going down there has been anxiety inducing for the both of us! Although I am looking forward to removing all the clutter and the relief that will follow. Please pray that we have a productive organizing experience!

Enjoy your weekend!

Blueberry Buttermilk Waffles

I think breakfast on Saturdays is allowed to be more on the indulgent side. Indulgence to me is enjoying homemade blueberry studded buttermilk waffles, piled high with more blueberries, freshly whipped cream, and a nice drizzle of maple syrup! It's the little things, really ;) Waffles are one of my favorite things to eat before beginning a busy Saturday of working around or outside of the house. I think slowing down and indulging in some waffles before chores is good for the soul!

A bit of a side note: I used to be obsessed with diner style buttermilk pancakes but somehow I lost interest, started making my own waffles and converted into a waffle lover. I love that they have these adorable squares that securely hold onto the syrup and are sturdy enough to withstand all my toppings without getting soggy. So yeah, waffles are my carb-y breakfast of choice! 

Anyway-- I usually prepare these waffles on a free afternoon, let them cool down completely and then freeze them to eat on the weekend. There's something so reassuring about knowing breakfast is halfway done and the biggest task when I wake up in the morning is toasting the waffles and making whipped cream. I hope you guys can indulge in these fluffy blueberry buttermilk waffles on a relaxing Saturday morning with friends and family. Enjoy those little things!

Blueberry Buttermilk Waffles (recipe adapated from here)

makes 10 square waffles

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, separated 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Next whisk in egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla bean paste. Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, immersion blender or your own hand and whisk, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold stiff egg whites into batter along with blueberries. Heat waffle maker, spray with cooking spray (if necessary) and prepare waffles according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve warm or cool down completely on cooling racks and freeze in freezer safe bags. To reheat simply toast til warm. Enjoy!

Lemon Pistachio Pesto

Basil is at it's prime right about now, I'm loving it especially in this pesto and excited to share my recipe with you all today! Pesto sings summertime with it's vibrance, nuttiness and bright flavor.  One of my favorite ways to eat this pesto is spread onto freshly rolled out pizza dough, topped with summer vegetables such as beets and zucchini, and sprinkled with cheese. 

It looks a little something like this:

Swooooon!

It also tastes delicious on grilled fish, smeared onto a hunk of bread, in potato salad, or simply tossed onto hot pasta. I could go on...  The lemon brightens the pesto and preserves it's greenness in addition to keeping it fresher longer. Red pepper flakes are optional and plenty of fresh garlic is a must because I enjoy when pesto has a little kick with lots of flavor. We prefer pistachio pesto over the traditional pine nut pesto in my household because once we've tried it, we were hooked and never looked back!

Lemon Pistachio Pesto

• 1 bunch basil, thick stems removed
• 1/3 cup shelled roasted pistachios 
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested 
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• pinch of kosher salt and pepper
• optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

Place all ingredients in the food processor. Pulse a few times. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of bowl and pulse again until combined. I like it on the thicker side, though if you prefer a looser and smoother pesto, add more olive oil and pulse some more. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

What's in our first CSA bag:

This Wednesday we picked up our first CSA of the year! CSA stands for community supported agriculture, farmers share their freshly picked crops with the community, and it's a great opportunity to promote local farmers; a win-win if you ask me! It's our third year subscribing to Brenckles and this year we are picking up the produce once a week from their greenhouse in our town. We absolutely love it because we know where our produce is coming from, eating more seasonally and often get vegetables we can't find at the grocery store! 

Here's what we got in our first bag and here are what I plan on doing with each item:

• Garlic scapes - One of the least common items in our bag! They are those long green thingies on the left hand side of the photo and are the flower bud of the garlic plant. We usually receive them the first couple of weeks, and I remember the first time I saw them I had no idea what to do with them! Fortunately for Google, I learned that they make an excellent base for pesto and can also be used in place of garlic (though they're more mild in taste.) I am thinking of using this batch in chicken stock over the weekend and if I have any leftover maybe I'll chop some up to put into guacamole for Father's Day!
• Kale - Anyone who knows me knows I love kale. I'm a big fan of raw kale salads especially massaged kale. I am really intrigued by this Kale Guacamole recipe. I usually keep things simple with my guacamole but adding kale into the scene is worth trying!
• Spinach - I already made chopped spinach salad with strawberries, fresh shallot balsamic vinaigrette and poppy seeds back to back, and also added some to my smoothie this morning! I love the spinach our CSA gives us. It's so much sweeter and fresher than the stuff I find at the grocery store. My favorite ways to use it is in smoothies because it's one of the more neutral greens, raw in a salad, and it also tastes fabulous sauteed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Strawberries - I am obsessed with these strawberries! They're perfectly sweet and ripe. So far Lydia and I have been eating them as is, in the aforementioned spinach salad, and sliced up for overnight oats. 
• Local honey - I'm a big fan of baking with honey and will probably use it in some future desserts, drizzled in plain yogurt, sometimes on waffles, or in a timeless peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich. Mmmm!
• Mild salsa from the farm's veggies - The salsa is made from the farm's tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers. It is a simple little salsa but definitely not lacking in the flavor department! Chips and salsa here we come... 

I'm looking forward to the upcoming months and using these vegetables to make delicious meals. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend and Father's Day :)

Friday Love!

Just a few things I’ve been loving these days:

one // First things first, this weather is spectacular! Sure there’s been rainy days this week but it has been much warmer lately and am happy that summer is around the corner.

two // This post on respecting your body’s natural size. I found it to be such a positive, spot on and well written piece! I know I have moments where I’m feeling self-conscious with my body, and this post is all about giving yourself a break and to letting go of numbers on the scale. I loved it.

three // FitnessBlender’s FBooty Round 2. I just completed week 1! Much like the first round, this program combines pilates, HIIT, and lower body strength workouts with extra credit for a burnout round. It’s been challenging but so much fun. My goal is to strengthen my lower body and improve my balance and flexibility as well!

four// Adding a shot of espresso to my morning smoothie this week. I’ve been seeing it around the web for a few months now and finally did it! I will be posting a recipe in the near future:)

five // Buttermilk. I know it’s nothing new under the sun but I recently reintroduced some dairy into my diet, and it’s become essential for my fried chicken brine, cake and waffle batters! I've also been using any leftover buttermilk in smoothies and overnight oatmeal. From now on (unless I’m cooking for someone with dairy allergies), I will probably stop making buttermilk substitutes by curdling milk with lemon or vinegar. It just isn't the same!

six // This black "coconut ash" ice cream. I wouldn't say I love it because I haven't tried it but it intrigues me immensely. It's coconut flavored and has activated charcoal in it. Hmmm thoughts? 

seven // Last but certainly not least, my new cacti family. They were a Mother’s day present from Michael:) Phoebe resides in the kitchen while Georgie hangs out in the living room. Aren't they cute?

That's all I got today, have a beautiful long weekend!

My Method of Meal Planning and What We Ate Last Week

I thought it would a fun post to share how I plan out my dinners for the week. Menu planning is essential in our family because I don't like the feeling of not knowing what's for dinner and I feel more at ease when I have everything decided for the week; that way when I go grocery shopping I avoid buying unnecessary ingredients and not wasting food is such a rewarding feeling! However, if I'm being honest I don't always have a clear idea what to cook on the weekends, those days are either leftover central or something really simple like a grilled cheese or BLT sandwiches or if my in-laws are free we use it as an opportunity to go on a date!

So here's how my planning usually goes.

• On a Saturday I’ll take out a notepad and pen, write down: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Sometimes we eat leftovers in between days, so I usually cook 3-4 dinners a week. Leftovers are wonderful and should not be underestimated because as much as I love to cook, life gets busy!!

•  I seek some inspiration. If I’m having a hard time choosing meals for the week I’ll pick up an issue of Bon Appetit, Every day with Rachael Ray, or Real Simple and check out their recipes. Or I’ll just go onto Pinterest or The Kitchn blog. Sometimes I don’t even use the recipe’s I find but get inspired by the ingredients and flavor profiles.

• I use meal templates. A meal template is like a formula for a meal. For example: fish or chicken + grain or starchy vegetable + roasted vegetable, homemade pizza + salad, tofu/beans stir fry + grains, etc. I like cooking at least one meatless meal a week to save a little money and because sometimes I need a break from eating meat. I like to use meal templates because they help me stay focused, adapt a well-balanced meal and at the same time be changed based on what we're in the mood for. 

• and sometimes I’ll ask Michael if he has any requests! :)

• We typically go grocery shopping on a Sunday afternoon. Most of the time it’s just Whole Foods, sometimes we go to Costco and Whole Foods! My husband is such a trooper and helps keep Lydia entertained while I do my thang. I don’t know where I would be without him;)

• On Sunday evening I schedule the meals for each day of the week and because I’m a silly girl who thinks I own a café I write down the first dinner on our chalkboard wall. 

And that’s it! Hope I can inspire you by sharing what we ate last week based off of my own little method:

Monday:

Turkey Meatloaf with Batata Fries and Roasted Asparagus

Tuesday and Wednesday:

Pork Chops with Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and Tostones

Thursday: 

Black Bean Burgers with Smoked Gouda Cheese and Sauteed Baby Broccoli with Spinach

Friday:

Grilled Coconut Lime Honey Shrimp, Mango Salsa, Coconut Rice and Blackberry Margaritas to drink. (A rare Friday that I cooked)

I was feeling ambitious last weekend and actually cooked Saturday evening too, the thing is I didn't photograph any of it. My bad it was a late dinner!! We had roasted Korean glazed chicken wings, leftover coconut rice and mango salsa. And on Sunday we ate leftover wings, only I had to make more rice so I made ginger brown rice and huge kale salad. Deeelish!

How do you plan your meals for the week?

Lydia Renee's First Birthday Party!

Just a small collection of photos from Lydia's first birthday party. While I didn't quite capture every detail on my camera (I somehow forgot to photograph lunch and another banner, whoops!), I am glad I have these pictures to look back on! I'm super grateful for all the help my family handed to bring this party to life and also keeping me sane. Michael helped with the decorations, the cake bunting banner, and made that beautiful flower garland! I made slow roasted pulled pork. I had it cooking throughout the night and before we went to bed, I made Michael pray that it would cook thoroughly before the guests arrived! Thankfully it was perfect, and there was more than enough food to go around.

Mom made chicken empanadas, bacalao salad, a big pot of yellow rice, and salad. She also made those darling brown paper goody bags filled with double chocolate macadamia cookies, sesame cookies and my chocolate dipped coco's. Mom W. made adorable bunny deviled eggs that were also incredibly delicious! I put out some homemade chex mix, a cheeseboard with crackers, some of mom W's jalapeno jelly (so good!) and my brother-in-law's girlfriend made a tasty enchilada dip. For dessert, I had baked yellow layered cake with  chocolate sour cream frosting and vegan dirt cake served with dye-free gummy worms, and of course cafe con leche. Leftovers for days!

The birthday girl slept a little during her party and was initially confused/cranky from the large crowd of people but she eventually adapted, and was enjoying herself! I can't believe she is already one years old. The first 12 months have been such a fun ride and we look forward to new adventures with our daughter, and many more birthdays!