Seeing Green

I do not know what it is about these teal slacks but I always seem to reach for a top with a peter pan collar when I wear them (as seen here -maybe its a green pants Peter Pan thought association thing!?) This lace top is structured but whimsical and airy, keeping both you and the outfit cool. Running errands I opted for a teal bandeau underneath, this could easily be swapped out for a white full coverage camisole to make the look work appropriate (Hello sunny casual Fridays!) 

The teal color of these slacks adds a POP of color to any ensemble 

 White shades even in the shade 

Sweet detailing: I love the three dainty buttons on the front

Button up detailing on the back provides such a girly vibe! 

Thank you for reading! 

Carpe Dinner: Spicy Cauliflower Mash

Mashed potatoes are one of my ultimate comfort foods. When I was little I was the 'designated masher' in my family's kitchen. While regular mashed potatoes are wonderful, I wanted to share this healthy alternative I have been making lately. Cauliflower is a great substitution in this dish; it is an anti-inflammatory, high in vitamins K, B6, and C, and is a great source of fiber, among other benefits. On top of being healthy, it is also delicious! For those who do not like spicy I have included a cheesy garlic cauliflower mash variation -- it is very easy to make both at the same time.

Spicy Cauliflower Mash 

Spicy Cauliflower Mash 

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower
2 tsp Olive oil (or butter which ever you prefer)
1 tsp Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Salt ( to taste)
1/2 cup water
Sriracha (to taste)

**Cheesy Garlic Cauliflower Mash 
Ingredients:
(Same as above)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Green onion to garnish
Remove crushed red pepper

Method

1.) Chop or tear cauliflower into 1-inch pieces (to make the job easier on your food processor later). I like to leave a fair amount of the stems on because of the fiber. However, if you are really going for the mashed potato consistency you will have better luck removing most of the stem and working primarily with the floret.
2.) Dice garlic
3.) Bring water to boil in a pot on stove top
4.) Place all of the cauliflower into pot, cover and let steam for 8 minutes
5.) Once steamed drain water and place cauliflower into food processor (if you do not have a food processor do not worry, the first few times I made this I did it the old fashioned way with a manual potato masher - you may want to leave the cauliflower steaming for a couple of extra minutes to really soften it up for this)  You may need to do this in a couple of batches depending on the size of your food processor

6.) Add chopped garlic, olive oil (or butter) and crushed red pepper (if you are making the cheesy garlic cauliflower add half of the cheese at this time)
7.) Blend and pulse until the consistency is that of mashed potatoes
8.) Place into serving dish, add remainder of cheese (if applicable), garnish, and enjoy!

If you have one spicy eater and one cheesy eater it is so easy to make both batches at the same time, just be sure to make the cheesy batch in the food processor first!

Cheesy Garlic Cauliflower Mash 

Best of both worlds 

White Stripes

 Los Angeles is beautiful and I love exploring from two wheels.  

Thanks for reading! 

Spaghetti Squash

Certain foods are just magic. I have come to the conclusion that spaghetti squash is one of those foods. My boyfriend is obsessed with pasta of all sorts, I like to try to eat on the lighter side especially in the warmer months so last summer we gave spaghetti squash a try. It is now in our weekly rotation of meals, it is so delicious and although it may seem intimidating it is very simple to make (not to mention easy on the wallet!). Below is a very simple recipe, you can dress up your meal as much or as little as you would like, on special occasions I love making this recipe with a bolognese sauce ! 

(Please don't mind our oh so wise salt & pepper shakers peeking in from the back) 

Simple Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 Spaghetti Squash 

2 tablespoons Olive Oil ( or butter whichever you prefer) 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Pasta sauce ( I love Newman's Own Marinara)

Grated parmesan 

Crushed red pepper ( optional- I love spice !)

Meathod:

1. Preheat oven to 400 

2. Cut Squash in half long ways (or 'hot dog style' -Am I the only '90's kid left who still thinks 'hot dog' vs. 'hamburger' style while cutting?)

3. Coat the inside of the squash with olive oil or butter 

4. Bake with the inside or opening of the squash facing down in dish for 45 minutes 

5. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes 

6. ( The best part) Take a fork and simply scrap the contents of the squash out it naturally comes out in a 'spaghetti' shape 

7. Dress up your 'spaghetti' with sauce, seasonings, cheese and enjoy ! 

** Unless you have a very sharp knife it can be very difficult to cut the squash in half uncooked. You can cook the squash whole and then cut it but to do this you need to stab/poke holes all around the squash before baking otherwise you run the risk of a squash explosion ! The first time I made spaghetti squash I used this method, to cook it whole it took about an hour and 15 minutes to cook through. I prefer halving ahead of time but use which ever method you feel more comfortable with, it's your kitchen after all !