We've Moved!!

love lola has moved!! so excited to launch my new website today! head over to lovelolablog.com to check it out! see you there! :)

baby it's cold outside

top forever 21, coat h&m (similar), jeans paige, shoes steve madden, scarf target, hat asos

we finally got a little winter weather here in sc. i was hoping for snow, but of course, we just got freezing rain. it did provide an opportunity to stay home, sip hot chocolate with my  man, and snuggle with sage. if only our fireplace was working...

stay warm, everyone!

oven roasted brussels sprouts

the first time i tried brussels sprouts, i think i was in high school. i was just starting to take interest in cooking and eating healthy, so i thought "what could be healthier than brussels sprouts?" i bought them frozen (first wrong move), and then steamed them (second wrong move), and tried them without any seasonings (third wrong move). needless to say, i hated them. fast forward 6 years and i thought i'd try my hand at them again. after buying them fresh, learning how to season them, and cooking them correctly, i was sold! brussels sprouts are quick, easy, and so so tasty. these little guys are now staples in our house. find the simple recipe below :)

oven roasted brussels sprouts

ingredients:

• fresh brussels sprouts
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• salt
• extra virgin olive oil

like i said, this recipe is so simple. i've provided the ingredients as guidelines for you to follow. there is no specific or exact measurement ... honestly, i switch the amounts up every time. i also think that creating something delicious, without specific ingredient amounts, can be really empowering as a cook :). 

preheat oven to 425 F. then, wash the brussels sprouts and cut off the ends. cut them in half. some of the leaves will fall off - you can either cook these with the brussels sprouts or throw them away. next, toss them in olive oil, and coat in garlic powder and onion powder (lots and lots of it). roast in the oven at 425 for 20 minutes, flipping and tossing halfway through. 

remove from oven, and sprinkle some salt on them. serve them as a side, or as the main course with an egg on top.

enjoy!

a sweet little face for your monday

happy monday! hope you had a wonderful valentine's weekend! it was pretty low key for us. i had to work this weekend, and then scofield and i got take out and rented a movie. sometime's those laid back nights are the best nights, especially when you have a little pup to cuddle with. i couldn't have picked a better way to spend our evening.

how was your valentine's day!?

pink + mustard

jeans madewell, top anthropologie (old, similar), scarf h&m (old), boots sam eldeman, purse kate spade

it's the weekend, and i am stoked! i finish my dietetic internship in two weeks and all of the interns are heading to the beach this week to celebrate. although really i should be studying and finishing up some projects :/ what are your plans for this weekend!?

happy friday!

around town || wish boutique

wish boutique is right in the heart of the lovely downtown greenville. i have to use self control when walking by, because i'm always tempted to walk in and buy everything ;). i mean, just look at their jewelry selection! all so lovely. if you're ever in the neighborhood, be sure to check it out!

--

wish boutique
103 n main street
greenville, sc 29601

black and tan

top h&m, sweater zappos, shoes shoemint, jeans paige, hat asos, sunglasses sole society, purse kate spade

how was your weekend!? i spent the majority of mine in columbia for my rd exam review. i had to be there at 8 am on saturday morning, so my alarm was set for 5 to get up and going. apparently sage doubles as an adorable puppy and alarm clock. he had us up at 4 am, and between his barking, whining, and chewing on everything, he didn't go back to bed until 5... right when i was suppose to wake up. so off i went, to prep for the most important exam i've ever taken, with 4 hours of sleep... it's a good thing that little booger is cute ;).

meet sage, the newest member of our family!

if you follow me on instagram, you know we just adopted a little blue pitbull puppy! we are over the moon with excitement and are already so in love with him. we'll have been married three years in may, and we've had the itch to add to our little family for a while now. after dog-sitting petey for a few days, it was confirmed for us that it was time and we were ready to take that next step.

we went back and forth and back and forth over what kind of dog we wanted to adopt. i grew up with labs, and scofield's family has a springer spaniel. i've always loved big dogs and was set on adopting a great dane. i tried and tried to convince scofield, but he just couldn't come to terms with having a dog that would practically be bigger than him. [we are both only 5'5", so i see where he's coming from...]. then, we both started thinking about a dalmatian. i am crazy over their sweet little spots and we have some friends that have the sweetest dalmatian. we've heard they have a tendency to be more ferocious than other dogs and that they are extremely high energy. with our insanely busy schedules during this season of life, we knew we wouldn't be able to give a dalmatian all of the exercise he needed so we decided a dalm wouldn't be a great fit for now.

my sister has two pitbulls, and after spending time with them, we absolutely fell in love with the breed. her dogs damien and petey are two of the sweetest we have ever met. if you sit on the couch, damien will immediately jump up and plop down in your lap, rest his head on your chest, and look up at you with his sweet puppy dog eyes. pitbulls have a stereotype for being dangerous, so we began doing research and discovered the exact opposite! with love, warmth, and good training, they have potential to have some of the sweetest temperaments. we spoke to our vet, and he confirmed our decision.

so, without further ado, our blue baby:

name: sage
birthday: december 14, 2014
age: 7 1/2 weeks
nicknames: bubby, bubby bear, bub, sage' (pronounced sah-hay...with an accent), bear, bunny
favorite things to do: hop like a bunny, leap down stairs, spin in circles, lay by the vent, play under the bed, cuddle up on our dirty laundry (especially scofield's pants)
least favorite things to do: walk on a leash, go in his kennel, be held when he wants to play (just like a little babe)
what we're working on: only biting chew toys and never biting hands, feet, or clothes, going potty outside, eating all of his food (he'd much rather play)
milestones: waking us up in the middle of the night to take him potty instead of going on the floor (such proud parents!)
what we love about our little guy: his sweet little puppy belly, his adorable yawns, his little whines when he wants to be put down but we just cannot stop cuddling him, his bunny hops, his puppy breath, his blue eyes, his courageous spirit (he's already jumping off the couch and walking down steps)

welcome to our family, little sage. we love you!!

coping with the winter blues

oh, the winter. it is notorious for making me feel a bit blue. i need a little sunshine in my life. and as much as i love to snuggle up by the fire, winter has never been my favorite season. i'm more of a fall kind of gal. i'm probably scarred from that time i went out to play in the snow as a child, only to realize my boots had a hole in them when i was a few miles away from home. my toes went completely numb, and well, i don't think i've ever fully recovered from that incident ;). but really, winter can be a tough season for us all, so i've compiled a little list for beating those winter blues!

1 | put on some lipstick - "look good, feel good..." so put on some lipstick and get dressed up. it makes all the difference in the world.

2 | visit your local humane society or animal shelter - or, just adopt a puppy! atleast that's what we did ;). don't worry, it was definitely pre-meditated. above is petey, the little pup we babysat, but i can't wait to introduce our new puppy, sage, here on the blog! seeing a puppy literally releases dopamine in your brain and puts you on a 'puppy high.' i mean, how can you see such a face and not feel just completely, perfectly, and incandescently happy!?

3 | keep fresh flowers in the house - fresh flowers instantly brighten up a surrounding and make it more inviting. having a cozy home can help you relax and stay in a calm state of mind.

4 | exercise - you know that absolutely fantastic feeling you have after a workout [not to be confused with the feelings before a workout...]? all it takes is 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise to really get those endorphins flowing. not to mention, it's a great way to clear your mind and get some alone time.

5 | journal - i can't tell you how many times i have been feeling down or upset, and all it takes is a little journal session to turn it all around. i'm much more prone to internal emotional chaos in the winter, so i've found that keeping up with my journal is key. keeps me sane, you know...

6 | sip a warm drink - if it's gonna be cold outside, at least have a warm drink in your hand :). its your only chance to cozy up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of coffee .. my favorite way to spend the morning.

7 | eat your veggies - when i know i am taking care of myself, i immediately feel better. not to mention, getting in the kitchen and cooking can be so therapeutic.

8 | deep clean - forget spring cleaning ... i'm all about winter cleaning. a cluttered, dirty space can keep you from relaxing and cause feelings of anxiety. if you're going to be stuck inside during the bitter cold months, it's very important to make your space clean and inviting. then, when spring comes around, your deep cleaning has been done and you can spend more time in the lovely weather outdoors!

9 | get out of the house - you can so easily go stir crazy by spending too much time at home. bundle up, and get out there! there's little i enjoy more than grabbing my hubby and going out for brunch or dinner. it doesn't have to be anything fancy, just get out and explore. :)

what are your tips for staying upbeat and positive during the coldest months of the year!?

--

all photos from instagram. follow along, here!

around town || grill marks

my husband's absolute favorite meal is a good ol' burger. part of that is probably because he is deprived of them at home, considering i'm a [partial] vegetarian and all. so you better believe he's had us scouting out the best burger joints in town. grill marks is definitely one of our favorites. i love that they have vegetarian options .... and pimento cheese french fries ;). and scofield loves their endless burger options. if you're ever in greenville, this restaurant is a must-visit.

--

grill marks
209 south main street
greenville, sc 29601

10 healthy recipes to help you reach your new year's goals

1 | vegetarian chili is so perfect this time of year. it's pretty much all i crave when it's cold outside. a warm cup of coffee in the morning, and a warm cup of chili at night. it's packed full of vegetables, giving you loads of fiber to help you stay full all evening long and prevent that late night snacking.

2 | fruit and yogurt bowl is perfect for breakfast. if you want to meet your health goals, then eat breakfast. i cannot say this enough. you're body has basically been "fasting" for 8 hours and needs breakfast to wake up your metabolism and get it going. not to mention, it keeps you from being so hungry throughout the day that you end up opting for unhealthy options.

3 | buttternut squash and brussels sprouts frittata is a family favorite. have eggs? have veggies? then you have a filling, healthy meal right on hand!

4 | baked beet chips are great for satisfying that snack craving. rather than eating potato chips, whip up a batch of these baked beet chips and store them in an airtight container for the week. when you get the afternoon munchies, you have a low calorie, nutrient dense snack at your fingertips!

5 | caprese avocado salad is a great side to pair with grilled fish or chicken at dinner time. it contains vegetables and healthy fats, packing in that nutrition and keeping you full and satisfied.

6 | parmesan and celery cauliflower rice is a great alternative to grains at supper. while i love whole grains and have no problem with them, i especially love vegetables and think we all need more of them. i love to serve this with roasted brussels sprouts, grilled salmon, and a tall glass of wine ;)

7 | gluten free banana bread is my all-time favorite bread recipe. i have to limit how much i make it because i could seriously eat the whole loaf. i love to toast it and have it for breakfast in the morning, or make a peanut butter sandwich out of it in the afternoon. not only is it made from healthy whole grains, but it provides a full serving of fruit and some healthy fats. double whammy, you know.

8 | kale and cauliflower soup is a great way to get more vegetables into your diet. kale honestly isn't my favorite, but i can down loads of it when it's added to this soup.

9 | butternut squash and pomegranate seed salad is a great, light side to any lunch or dinner.

10 | green power smoothie gets you going and fills you with energy in the morning. i think good decisions lead to more good decisions, and there's no better decision than filling your body with fruits and veggies first thing in the morning.

happy cooking, and here's to a healthy 2015!