raspberry and chocolate summer sorbet

summer is coming to a close, so before the transition, i wanted to share a little dessert we've been enjoying over here. it's not quite ice cream...it's more like a sorbet. it's low in the dairy department (for those with dairy intolerances), high in fruit content, and you don't need an ice cream maker. just your blender, food processor, or magic bullet.

raspberry and chocolate summer sorbet

serves 2

ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen raspberries (or mixed berries)
• 1/4-1/2 cup vanilla soymilk
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 4 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 cup light whipped cream
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Start by "pureeing" the berries. Throw them into your food processor or magic bullet and blend until you get a smooth consistency. This may take some stopping and scraping down the sides with a spoon along the way. Add the soymilk and continue to blend. If you are having trouble getting the raspberries blended, the soymilk will help. Next, add the vanilla extract, honey, and cocoa powder. Finish by adding the whipped cream. Transfer to little dessert dishes and top with chocolate chips. enjoy!

Happy Friday!

the end of the week is finally here, and i don't know about you, but Scofield and I are just excited to get to spend time together. weekends when i'm not working, we like to celebrate the end of the week with walks through downtown or on our local trails. it's a great time to talk and catch up. but more than that, it's a great opportunity to really listen. no distractions of a tv in a restaurant or of the dishes that need to be done in the kitchen. the best part? between the birds and the sunset, it always appears that nature is celebrating too. and then, to refresh us after our walk, a drink of deer park® brand nature’s blends™ fruit flavored beverages tops it all off.

how do you celebrate the end of the week? share your story on deer park's facebook page here.

happy friday friends!

*this post is sponsored by deer park® brand nature’s blends™ fruit flavored beverages, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

more from montreat

here are some more pictures from our weekend in the mountains. we had the great pleasure of staying with family in their lovely mountain home. there is a little "suite" on the bottom level where scofield and i stayed. cute is an understatement. between the wood and windows, it's a rustic paradise. i appreciate this little cabin more and more every time we visit.

       ^^clearly i have a thing for chairs?... i couldn't stop taking pictures of them...

scofield grew up coming here (montreat) so it has a special place in his heart. with a handful of visits already under our belt, it's finding a very special place in my heart as well. 

a saturday hike

i've been itching to hike for quite some time, and on saturday we finally got to! we were in the mountains of montreat for a wedding, so saturday morning was the perfect opportunity to hit the trails. not to mention the weather--oh.my.goodness. it was perfect. as you can see, i opted for pants over shorts, and even needed a jacket for a bit. at the top of the mountain, it felt like a glorious fall day. the sun was warm, but the breeze and outdoor temperature was cool and crisp. i could have stayed up there forever. but of course a shower and a 4:00 wedding was calling our name.

we're already planning our next hiking trip. can't wait!

#NatureCelebrates with Deer Park® Brand Nature’s Blends™ Fruit Flavored Beverages

i've partnered with deer park® natural spring water to share how i celebrate naturally, and how nature celebrates right along with me. as fridays are a natural day of celebration after a long work week,  deer park® brand nature’s blends™ fruit flavored beverages is inviting you to share your personal stories of celebration on their facebook page every friday.

this friday, it's raining over here in south carolina. it might seem dreary, but really it suits. it's been a looong week, and i think nature is crying tears of joy right along with me. "the weekend is here! we made it!" i plan on celebrating getting through this week with some rest, all weekend long. we are heading to the mountains for a wedding, so i'm hoping for some good sleep and a quiet saturday afternoon in the extra fresh mountain air.

happy friday friends!

*This post is sponsored by Deer Park® Brand Nature’s Blends™ Fruit Flavored Beverages, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting my sponsors!

h&m 50 states of fashion contest: final call

outfit details: dress h&m c/o; belt h&m c/o; shoes similar

today is the last day to enter the h&m 50 states of fashion contest. "why should i enter?" you ask. well let me remind you... a lucky winner from each of the five regions [we are the southeast] will win a $250 gift card to h&m, and a grand prize winner will win a $1000 shopping spree and a trip to new york fashion week. so join me, as south carolina's ambassador, on this last day of the contest! and don't forget to vote for your favorite outfits at hm50statesoffashion.com.

#HMShopOnlineSC

see my other two h&m posts here and here.

we're halfway through the week--happy wednesday!

saturday market

i've been itching to go to the downtown market all.summer.long. and now that we are at the end of summer, we finally made it! this summer has been a whirlwind to say the least [a wonderful one, of course], so we haven't found ourselves with a lot of free saturdays. with an open slate over the weekend, we slept in until 9 [since when did 9:00 become sleeping in!?], geared up, and headed out to the market. the weather was bizarrely chilly, but it worked perfectly [in my opinion] because i got to enjoy my cup of coffee without sweat dripping down my brow. it was a bit of a tease, though. i got home and thought about making pumpkin muffins. then, i quickly came to my senses and thought "no no no no no." not yet. we will soak up these last days of summer for all its worth.

we hope you had a lovely weekend!

around here.

as far as decor goes, our home is still a work in progress (i feel like it always will be), but i am happy with how far its come. we snuggle up and settle down in our love seat (and just about the only seat) in the living room and feel right at home. scofield got to display some of his favorite books, and favorite action hero movies, on our new bookshelf, so he is a happy camper. i'm not too much of a brisinger or fantastic four fan, but it's all about compromise, eh? and really, i'm just happy we have a bookshelf.

hope your weekend is lovely! happy friday!

parmesan and celery cauliflower rice

if you're like me, you are always trying to find ways to incorporate more vegetables into your diet. at times, this goal can take bizarre twists...like beets in your cake or avocados in your brownies. but these dishes always taste delicious and leave me feeling satisfied and healthy...like this cauliflower rice i made for a dinner meeting. sure i love rice, but sometimes i'm looking for something that is not so starchy, but is still filling. with dishes like this, it's a piece of cake to get your 3-4 servings of vegetables a day.

parmesan and celery cauliflower rice

ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• dash of celery salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

first, add the garlic and diced onion to 1 tbsp. olive oil on medium high heat. next, rinse the cauliflower, remove the stems and chop small enough that it can fit into your food processor. Using the food processor, chop it until it has a rice texture. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the garlic and onions and transfer the cauliflower to the pan. using a spatula, mix the cauliflower around as it cooks and softens, about 10 minutes. as it is cooking, add the chopped celery and another tablespoon of olive oil. to finish it off, season with the garlic powder, onion powder, s&p, and celery salt. finally, stir in the parmesan cheese to give it an extra kick. 

easy, right!? i especially love how the celery adds a crunch to the soft cauliflower. serve it alongside grilled salmon, and you've got yourself a quick and easy dinner. enjoy!

falling forward

i know i'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here, considering it is still very much summer. but stores start coming out with their fall line and i just get absolute boot fever. what can i say...fall is one of my favorite seasons. and that's pretty much because of the clothes. well, that and the apple cider. 

the best part of august is that you get to start looking forward to fall, while still incorporating summer patterns and lengths..

1-h&m plaid shirt // 2-sole society smythe sunglasses // 3-h&m pumps // 4-ruche printed pants // 5-urban outfitters fall hat // 6-sole society shorts // 7-ruche floral print dress // 8- forever 21 black wedges // 9-target brown booties // 

you can also find me today over on reva's blog, daughter zion designs. check it out and show her some love.

H&M 50 states of fashion contest: outfit II

this sweater is by far my favorite item in my closet right now. i've always been a sucker for chunky, cozy sweaters, and this one is no exception. 

it's one of those sweaters that you feel super cute in SO you want to wear it out to dinner [helloooo adorable fringe]... AND when you come home you decide want to keep it on when you change into your sweats, because it's that comfortable. THEN exhausted, you crawl into bed with the sweater still on. at that point, let's face it...you're probably going to continue wearing it through the morning as you drink your coffee and read your book. it's not coming off..

this is a perfect outfit for those seasonal transitions. soon, evenings will get chillier, so the sweater is spot on. but, you still keep the look, and feel, of summer with the floral patterns and wedges.

in case you missed it, you can find my first outfit post here, along with more information on the contest.

hope you are having as much fun as i am with the h&m 50 states of fashion contest. there's only two weeks left, so get to instagrammin'! 

don't forget to vote for your favorite outfits here, and to check out h&m's online shop at: hm.com/us

_____________

outfit details:

sweater: h&m c/o; pants: similar; wedges: shoemint; glasses: urban outfitters

as of late.

cupcakes balanced by brussels sprouts // running balanced by yoga // dinner dates balanced by movie dates.

life is good.

around town || e-city java

over the weekend scofield and i house/dog sat for his parents. on saturday we got up and headed to our favorite coffee shop in our hometown. ya know...just the place we spent hours upon hours talking and hanging out in high school when scofield was trying to date me ;). it's only full of a huge bulk of our earliest memories together.

i want to take home all of their furniture. the mix-matched vintage couch and chairs are a dream.

thanks for all of the great memories, e-city. and, of course, all of the great coffee!