Very Velvet

Hello Monday!

If you know me then you know I have always loved Monday’s. Last week, I talked about how fresh starts invigorate me. Well I feel that way about a new week and a new Dior word.

When velvet came back “in” honestly I wasn’t certain I was here for that trend. Maybe I thought too hard about it but I’m glad I came around to fully embracing this luxe fabric. And clearly Dior was a pretty big fan. Now, you aren’t seeing things trimmed in velvet per say, it’s larger garments in today’s fashion. One thing he was right about though, was the jewel tones. Yes please! I also have a velvet green two piece outfit that I’m in love with. I’m also touching on “old rules”. Like no velvet after March 1st and no white pants after Labor Day. Well, I happen to agree with those. I know that isn’t “trendy” but you won’t see me wearing white pants until Memorial Day. The way I see it, those rules were created by The Greats and I’m sticking with it.

So again, Happy Monday! Look at it as a fresh start instead of dreading it. Or maybe just make your coffee a little stronger? Either way, I hope you all have a great day!

Smart Sips

For my first Martini Moment of 2019 instead of a drink recipe I though it would be great to start the year out with some ways to keep your drinks smart and low cal. Typically I try to save my wine and those calories for the weekend. One of the reasons I started drinking martinis in the first place was a low calorie content. So today I’m sharing 5 tips to drink a little smarter.

1. This might be the most important one: never use those sugary drink mixes! Juice lemons, limes, or grapefruits as they are much, much lower in calories.  

2. Pick a “going out” drink. I never drink wine when out because I’m not paying $10 for one glass when that’s more than the bottle they have (I’m talking bars and such not nice restaurants). So I always order a Vodka Soda with lime. Not much sugar and not $10. 

3.  Stock your house with drink fixins’ that you know are low cal. La Croix is a good option or I also use flavored Perrier. I’ll mix that with vodka and splash with Pomagranet juice. 

4.  Drink lighter colored liqueurs. Think vodka, gin, or white tequila. Your body can process these easier. 

5. Know the exact calorie count. For example, 2 ounces of gin or vodka has 130 calories in it. If you’re splashing a little La Croix in there that’s nothing. If you wanted to sweeten up a drink 1 tsp of sugar is only 16 calories. 

So let’s get this weekend started! Now we can all sip a little smarter and have some guilt free cocktails!

Simply Fancy

We had one heck of a holiday season! Ending it with hosting parties for New Years Eve AND New Years Day. To say the least it feels so good to be noshing on a delicious salad! 

Two things I know for sure: I love stack recipes, and I love to simplify “fancy”.

Something I always remember about being in France is if you look around they usually aren’t rushing to eat. I think there is something to be said about making your lunch and getting to sit and enjoy it. When I was talking to this lovely French woman about food she said “It’s about so much more than just eating.” We talked about how good it feels to make a beautiful dish and I always think about that.

Today, I’m talking about my current favorite kitchen tool! With this nifty little stacking aid, you can create all kinds of beautiful dishes that are easy and fancy. This salad that I made would only look hard to do to your dinner guests.

Find it here! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E6XRYQE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fast Tip:

If you’re making salad, it’s better to chop all of your ingrediencies on the smaller side and mix in your dressing before pressing so that you have a binding agent.

I felt like this was a good reminder that even though making this dish was very fast, it’s still so good for the soul to slow down and just enjoy.

Happy Stacking!