our little coffee station

i've always loved the idea of a bar cart. [you can definitely tell by looking at my pinterest board] but given we're renting a pretty small space, there really isn't room for one. with a kitchen that's relatively small as well, we decided to open up some space there and make a little coffee cart in the awkward corner of our dining 'room'. i mean...what else was going to go there? it was just screaming for a coffee cart. 

 ^my husband loves this quote. it's like his motto. when we started hanging out as friends, he was not a coffee drinker. but, to impress me ;) he'd take me to coffee shops and would end up ordering a super sweet latte that completely masked the coffee flavor. hey, he was trying :) but now, he's obsessed. addicted. has to have it every morning [the real stuff]. i've awoken a sleeping dragon...

what i love about our cart's placement is that it is right by our dinner table. it's great for making coffee in the morning, because we'll usually settle at the table or on the couch. it's also perfect for entertaining. while we're sitting and eating dessert or playing card games at the table, we can just reach over for a fresh cup :)

^ i got these little honey jars at a friend's wedding as a favor. number one, cutest favor idea ever. and number two, i can't bring myself to use them. they are just too darn cute.

^ this flamingo mug is one of my favorites. i had this thing for flamingo's in high school and went through a total flamingo phase. flamingo earrings, flamingo necklace, flamingo statues [yes, really]...you get the picture. i don't know...i think i really liked the fact that they were pink. but scofield, the sweet person that he is, found this mug and bought it for me for my birthday on year. the earrings are long gone, but the mug is still around.

as far as types of coffee we like, we are definitely dark roast drinkers. there was a time when i was really into flavored coffee [this was probably during my flamingo phase...] but now i much prefer a rich, dark, bold cup. how do you like your coffee?

homemade pimento cheese

we always have pimento cheese around the holidays as an appetizer, and i guess i was feeling a little nostalgic and decided to whip up some of my own. that, and i had a super intense craving. mexican and pimento cheese....it's all i've wanted lately. weird [disclaimer - not pregnant].

this pimento cheese is also a much healthier version than your average spread. make with greek yogurt for a protein boost, and without all the fat and calories of cream cheese [although i do love some cream cheese]. i took some over to my parents after making it and they ate it up right away. they even commented that it was better than what they typically buy from the store. score...i'm telling you, healthy cooking is the way to go.

healthy homemade pimento cheese

ingredients:

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup pimentos, diced
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, so all of the flavor can settle together. serve with crackers, or vegetables, like celery, carrots, or cucumber. enjoy!

spring fever

technically, it's spring...but the outdoor weather isn't quite on board yet. it's still that in between phase where it can be super cold one day, and be nice and warm the next. i don't know about you, but i'm ready to stop guessing and to start having warm days every day. i can't wait to break out some floral prints and sandals. it's about time!

spring wishlist: 1 - rifle paper co. phone cover | 2 - shoemint heels | 3 - ruche floral print dress | 4 - furniture makeovers book | 5 - modcloth mint drop earrings | 6 - colourblock tee | 7 - warby parker sunglasses

instagram series: friday favorites

lately i'm loving this coffee bean blast ice cream from trader joe's. i've never been a big fan of coffee ice cream (i much prefer the real thing!) but this brand is an exception. it's so creamy, and has the perfect complement of chocolate. seriously...so good!

i've started a new instagram series, #fridayfavorites, where i will be sharing some of my favorite food, beauty, and health products each week. but sure to follow along on instagram, here.

happy friday, friends!

chocolate chip nutella brownies

i've always been a crazy cookie lady...craving them regularly. but lately i've been all about the brownies. i find myself picking up boxes of gluten free brownies at trader joe's, just in case of an emergency. you know, dinner party and i don't have any time to make anything. yeah, right...they don't last that long. it's not unusual for a chocolate emergency to surface before a dinner party one.  

not to mention, brownies are just so easy to bake. no chilling the dough, no sifting the flour or separating out the ingredients... no waiting while batches upon batches of cookies bake because you only have one small cookie sheet to show for. nope...instant gratification. which is good for days when you drive to atlanta twice in one day...

these brownies are rich and delicious. if you're like me and can eat nutella straight from the jar, then these guys are right up your alley. and don't forget quick and easy - bonus points!

chocolate chip nutella brownies

ingredients:

• 1 cup nutella
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a brownie pan with cooking spray. mix the first four ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth. add in the salt, baking powder, flour, and cooca powder. mix again, just until incorporated. batter will be thick. fold in the chocolate chips. pour the batter into a brownie pan, and bake for 28 minutes. remove from oven and let cool. 

the brand market workshop

over the weekend i attended the brand market workshop in atlanta...and what a beautiful workshop it was. every detail was thought out and beautiful...from the floral displays, to the sitting area. juli vaughn is a master when it comes to design. i just want to follow her around all day and learn from everything she does (weird? yes?). but just take a look at these pictures, and you'll understand...

  ^i dream of having a glass collection like this one day. so lovely.

 ^ love my new notebook from rifle paper co. !

i'm so happy that i went. i had the best time getting to know other bloggers and entrepreneurs, and i learned so much from the team - anna, mandy, juli, and haley. i was jotting down everything that was said, as fast as i could, and i left with a notebook full of notes. so if you're thinking about going, don't think twice! it was even worth the 6 hour drive ;)

house hunting

we are on the move, looking for our first home. well, first purchased home. i started looking about three weeks ago, and last week came across the perfect house. we waited a week before we went to see it, and when we finally did i fell in love. it was in our budget, great location, and my ideal style...could this really be true?? scofield told me not to get my heart attached...but it was too late. i was already decorating in my head. so we put in our offer, only to find out there had been multiple offers. on saturday, when we were suppose to hear back, i was in atlanta for the brand market workshop. i told scofield not to call me with any news, because if we didn't get the house i didn't want it to distract me or put a damper on my day...

...and we didn't get the house. so i cried. like a big, fat, baby.

about halfway home from atlanta i stopped to get starbucks...partly because i was exhausted, and partly to self-soothe. coffee in hand i got back on the interstate, heading home. about an hour later i started to see signs for the atlanta express lanes. i thought, "atlanta express lanes in south carolina?...." and then i realized, i had gone the wrong way on the interstate and was back in atlanta! cue, breakdown number two. a two hour drive turned into a four hour drive. and yes, i blame this all on house hunting.

i've decided it's like a girl getting her heart broken by a boy for the first time. it hurts like the dickens...you think he was the one... the best thing you would ever have. but then that other boy comes along. and you think, "wow, i didn't know it could be this great." and you marry him, and you live happily ever after. so i'm trusting an even better house is out there.

i'm waiting on my husband house.
but let's be real...this sucks.

image via: gomez caroline

butternut squash and pomegranate salad

for the longest time butternut squash intimidated me. i finally developed the courage to cook with it and have loved it ever since. it's a staple in our kitchen now. we also eat a lot of sweet potatoes, so it's a nice way to mix it up and still get those vitamin-rich complex carbs. 

i'm still not quite past the intimidation factor with artichokes, though...crazy, right? i'll get there soon enough. i think my next venture will be spaghetti squash. i'm feeling brave in the squash department.

butternut squash and pomegranate salad

ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

heat oven to 425 F. you can either buy pre-cut butternut squash (available at trader joe's - so much easier!) or roast it yourself. if you are going to buy a whole butternut squash, peel the skin with a sharp knife and cut into cubes. in a bowl, throw together the squash, onion, and sunflower seeds. in a separate bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil. mix well. immediately transfer to the squash mixture. prepare a pan by coating it in cooking spray. pour the salad into the pan and roast for 30 minutes. mix and flip half way through. remove from the oven, let cool about 5 minutes, and add the pomegranate seeds. serve immediately. 

this dish goes great alongside fish... especially salmon or tilapia. enjoy!

sweet potato and black bean cakes with creamy avocado dip

these little patties are filled with fiber, so they are super filling. they are also packed full of nutrition...black beans, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, flax seed... so good for you! you can't help but just feel good about yourself when you eat them. seriously. not to mention, my meat eating husband loved them just as much as i did. there were definitely no leftovers for the next day.

rather than serving them with regular guacamole, i made a creamy avocado dip with greek yogurt. i got the idea from trader joe's and decided to try it out myself from scratch. it tasted great on the patties, but would also be just as delicious as a spread on a sandwich or as a dip for chips and vegetables.

sweet potato and black bean cakes with creamy avocado dip

for the cakes:

• 1 tbsp. flax seed
• 1 tbsp. chia seed
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 16-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 sweet potato, steamed
• 1 egg
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

for the avocado dip:

• 1 avocado
• 1 tbsp. plain greek yogurt
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. cumin

first, steam the sweet potato. [the quick method: stick it in the microwave for 8 minutes. the slow method: wrap it in tin foil and bake in the oven at 450 F for about 40 minutes] while the sweet potato is cooking, pour evoo onto a pan and heat it to medium heat. add the celery, onion, and bell pepper. cook until soft, about 10-12 minutes.

 add the flax seed, chia seed, sunflower seeds, oats, and seasonings to a food processor and blend. you want it a little choppy, but well blended. transfer to a bowl. when the sweet potato is ready, scoop the 'meat' into the food processor with the black beans and garlic. once blended, add the vegetables and egg, and blend some more. finally, add the oat mixture and pulse until just combined. using a spoon [or your hands] form into small patties, about 2 in. across [recipe makes about 10 of these]. add another tbsp. of olive oil to the pan on medium heat and cook each patty for about 4 minutes on each side. 

for the avocado dip: mix all the ingredients together until smooth. serve on top of the black bean patties.

dig in!

around here.

^ i finally feel good about our gallery wall - it's finished!

^and this is my favorite part of the gallery wall. i found her thrifting one morning. isn't she lovely? scofield doesn't understand why we would have a woman we don't know on our wall. i always tease him and say "well, i could be related to her..." but really, she's a reminder. a reminder of feminine beauty, in all its curves and glory. she's natural, full, and beautiful. and then, of course, there's part of me that wishes i lived in that era and could wear extravagant gowns and have long, luscious hair like that.

^so many places in the world i'm dying to travel...maybe i'll get to visit them one day.

^my plant has seen better days, but hey, she's hangin in there.

i hope you're having a lovely week!

windy gap youth retreat

over the weekend, i had the privilege of leading a cabin of twelve middle school girls on our church's middle school retreat. [yes, i said twelve. and yes, i said middle school...] scofield spoke during our first session, friday night, and then made a few appearances in the skits throughout the weekend. it was really special to lead together, and to get to watch him in his element. 

^ i mean, this camp is beautiful...i grew up coming here with my family when my dad was on young life staff. i also came here as a camper in middle school and high school. it definitely brought back some nostalgic memories...like the time my husband and i really connected for the first time late high school at summer young life camp.

 ^sure, it was beautiful, sunny, and 60 degrees out...but some crazy kids decided to jump in the still ice-cold lake, go down the water slide, or do the zip lip into the lake. crazy, i tell ya.

^ one of my best friends from college is an intern at the camp, and she was there working the snack bar. eeeeek, it was the best getting to see her and hug her neck!

^ and what is a middle school retreat without playing crazy field games, like this "pass the kid on the mattress game"....

^...and this big group tug-of-war.

^ group picture - me and my cabin of girls! love every single one of them. thanks for a fun weekend, guys! you always keep me entertained!

healthy homemade granola

i've always loved trying new flavors of granola at the grocery store. but what's even better, i've had fun experimenting in the kitchen and making flavor combinations of my own. 

not only is homemade granola so easy to make, but i can control the amount of sugar and additives that go into it. i've slimmed down on the sugar with this recipe by adding just a touch of maple syrup and brown sugar. most of the sweetness comes from the dried fruit.

healthy homemade granola

ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats [not quick oats]
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, raw
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, grade a
• 1/4 cup canola oil 
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried goji berries

preheat the oven to 350 F. line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl. in a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and sugar - maple syrup, vanilla extract, canola oil, and brown sugar. mix to fully incorporate. pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix to fully coat. pour the granola mixture onto the parchment paper and spread out across the cookie sheet. bake in the oven for 24 minutes, until golden brown. flip and stir half-way through the cooking.

remove and let cool. the granola will harden as it cools. once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and fold in all the dried fruit. enjoy!

clothes swapping party

over the weekend some girlfriends of mine hosted a 'girls night out [but really in] ' party. it was so great getting to meet some new faces from our community and getting to know others a little better. we ate, mingled, played some games, and 'shopped.' my favorite was the "get to know you game" where we went around in a circle and gave our name (yada, yada, yada) but then also gave our favorite youtube video. this conversation could have gone on for hours... oh, the fun of youtube. mine was definitely what does the fox say. it makes me laugh every.single.time. and i wouldn't be lying if i said my husband and i listened to it eight times on the way home from dinner last weekend. eight. and then we downloaded it on itunes and listened to it some more...

^check out all those goods. my favorite piece i brought home was a pleated black maxi skirt. i've been looking for one of those! score!

^ char and abby..the lovely hostesses.

 ^ char made soup for dinner, and every one else brought a side item to go along with it. i brought brownies...of course...

 ^ playing a game of heads up. have you tried it!? it's super fun [i mean, ellen degeneres made it up, how could it not be?] and you can download it straight to your phone. it's basically a game of charades, but on steroids. it's the best.

thanks char and abby for such a fun night! can't wait to do it again!