my favorite breakfast bowl

once upon a time i had yogurt, granola, and fruit every single morning for breakfast. after literally years of this, i started to get tired of it [naturally] and began switching it up. but every now and then, i like to go back to my roots and enjoy my favorite yogurt bowl again.

to make this yourself, simply take 1/3 cup of this granola recipe and top with 1/2 cup yogurt. i love non-fat organic vanilla yogurt, but any flavor you love will do. then top with fresh berries and a sprinkle of flaxseed.
enjoy!

some links for your weekend | 02

image via treasures and travels

// i'm sure you've seen taylor swift's new shake it off video. and if you haven't, you absolutely should ... right now. it's so adorable

// this under armor commercial featuring misty copeland. when every one told her she couldn't be a ballerina, she became one anyway. love her story and this inspiring video.

// have you heard meghan trainor's song, all about that bass? i'm obsessed with it. it's on repeat...all.day.long. i am super passionate about positive body image and i love that that is exactly what she is promoting. plus the video is super cute and colorful.

hope you have a fantastic weekend!

around town || ice cream station

scofield and i (and let's be honest, mostly my father-in-law) have made some great progress on our kitchen, so after a particularly long day we decided to treat ourselves to some ice cream. we recently discovered the most adorable little ice cream spot right outside of greenville and finally got to try it out. it has a total 50's vibe ... tiny little downtown, park your car, grab some ice cream, sit on a bench. and they were playing 50's tunes. it was kind of like we went back in time for a moment.

they only serve chocolate or vanilla soft serve ice cream, but you can add any toppings and flavors you want. i got the cake batter with cookies and cream, and oh my goodness, it was a beautiful explosion of flavor in my mouth. we'll definitely be back for more. 

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ice cream station

125 s. main street

simpsonville, sc 29681

favorite tv shows

growing up i was never a big tv watcher [unlike my sisters]. i guess i was more of a book reader. then, in college, i felt like i was too busy to watch tv. or maybe i was too uptight. i could never unwind enough to sit down and really watch a show. then, i graduated, got married, and we had cable... it was like a whole new world opened up for me. now, i have multiple favorite shows i look forward to watching every week. most people are excited about football season starting up this fall...forget football, i'm just excited about season premieres.

1 // the mindy project - this show has to be the funniest show i've ever watched, by far. i fell in love with mindy kaling on the office, and now she hits it out of the ball park with every single episode on the mindy project. plus, she always finds herself in awkward, embarrassing situations, which i feel i can relate to, so it makes me feel better about myself.

2 // new girl - new girl comes on fox right before the mindy project. i love that its a show that scofield and i can enjoy together. three of the main characters are guys, so there is definitely more humor he can relate to. plus, who doesn't love zooey deschanel!?

3 // grey's anatomy - it's embarrassing how quickly i soured through ten seasons of this show on netflix. although, it did keep me fresh on my medical terminology for my nutrition internship. so, that makes watching it kind of like studying...right!?

4 // the office - of course this one made the list ... it's such a classic. it took me a while to get into it, but once i did, i was hooked! scofield and i have watched certain episodes over and over .. it seriously never gets old. plus, jim and pam. i mean...

5 // house of cards - this show is a netflix original series. season one and two are out, and i'm on the edge of my seat waiting for season 3! just about every episode left me with my jaw wide open. you seriously never know what to expect, which is so unlike most shows out these days. it is definitely more of a risque show, though, and there are inappropriate scenes that you may want to move past, fyi.

what are you favorite shows to watch? i'd love to know and try them out, too!
hope your week is going well!

Greenville Not Wedding Giveaway!!

a lot of my friends have been getting married recently, and it has, of course, caused me to reminisce about my own wedding. what a special time that was! while i was planning my wedding three years ago now [wow!] i found so much inspiration and helpful referrals to local vendors through the notwedding. if you haven't heard, the notwedding is a big, fat, fake wedding. it's a fun, alternative to a bridal show with the goal of supporting small businesses, inspiring brides and grooms, and encouraging solid marriages. so awesome, right!? since then, they have expanded to many other cities and are finally coming to greenville this september!

i am so excited to partner with the notwedding today to bring you a giveaway for a pair of tickets to their greenville event on september 9 at the certus loft at the peace center. the doors open at 6:30 pm and the show begins at 7:00 pm. if you are a bride, or know someone that is, this is a fantastic event to gather inspiration and to even find your dream vendors for your big day.

to enter, simply use the rafflecopter below. i can't wait for the event ... hope to see you there!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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pictures from the not wedding birmingham, taken by koli nichols photography and morgan trinker photography

around town || greenfield's bagels bakery

some may say greenfield's bagels isn't much of a looker, but, even if that were true, their bagels absolutely make up for it. doesn't it always seem to go that way? the little hole in the wall restaurants that you would never think to go to end up being the best food in town. that's greenfield's. they're all like, "we know, our food is so good that we don't even have to try to look cute." it's true - the people come anyway.

when we moved to greenville i was so sad to leave behind our beloved bagel shop. so, we were super excited when we found out about greenfield's. our weekend bagel dates can continue. hooray!

do you have a favorite 'hole in the wall' spot? greenfield's is definitely mine - right up there with barnwood grill. i'd love to hear yours!

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greenfield's bagel bakery
101 verdae boulevard
greenville, sc 29607

homemade chips: 5 ways

when you're cooking dinner and i'm hungry, or in a hurry and just need to grab a snack, isn't it always easier to just reach for the chips, cookies, or crackers - basically whatever is in the pantry. i've found it's really easy for me to fall into this habit, so i like to keep healthy options around that are easy access. prepare these chips ahead of time and snack on them throughout the week. your body will thank you.

1 // spicy sweet potato chips

2 // apple chips

3 // kale chips 

4 // cinnamon sugar plantain chips

5 // beet chips

these chips make it way too easy to get your 5 servings of vegetables in a day ;)
enjoy!

chocolate avocado mousse with pistachio macadamia nut topping

chocolate avocado mousse with pistachio macadamia nut topping...i bet you can't say that fast five times ;)

apparently i have been on a major mousse kick lately. but hey, i don't hate it. and neither does my husband ;). i remember the first time i discovered that you could use avocados for mousse. i was completely baffled. it was too good to be true! but nope, it's true...so very true. this mousse does have a bit of an avocado taste, but i think it compliments the chocolate flavor nicely. serve this up for your guests, and they will be so impressed with your decadent dessert. and if you choose to leave off the whipped topping, you've got yourself an easy, delicious, vegan dish.

chocolate avocado mousse with pistachio macadamia nut topping

serves: 4

ingredients:

• 2 hass avocados, medium sized and very ripe [should be soft to the touch]
• 4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp. local, raw honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

for the topping:

• 1/3 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 1/3 cup raw pistachios
• 2 tbsp. grade a maple syrup

first, prepare the topping. add the nuts to the food processor and pulse a few times. you want the nutty texture, so don't over blend. in a bowl, mix the nuts with the maple syrup until they are all fully covered. place on parchment paper and bake at 350 F for 8 minutes, being careful not to burn. remove from oven to cool.

for the mousse, add all the ingredients for the mousse into a food processor. blend until smooth and creamy. transfer to the refrigerator to cool before serving, at least one hour. top with whipped cream [homemade or store bough - your preference!] and nut topping. 

i think it's pretty obvious i have a major sweet tooth. i love this recipe because it makes me feel a little less guilty about indulging, knowing that i am getting some added nutrition. enjoy!

5 blogs you should be following

with so many blogs out there, it can be hard to decide which ones to read. because let's be real, there's just not enough time in the day to read them all! and while there are so many blogs i've fallen in love with, here are just a few at the top of my list. 

1 // ellalogy - each and every one of ellie's pictures are inspiring, beautiful, and perfectly styled. i love the way she stays true to her self and her own voice in blogging. she shares topics from beauty, to well being, to style.

2 //  yellow paper dress - kelle is clever, funny, and so adorable. i love to follow along as she shares bits and tips of her healthy lifestyle, and i'm sure you will too. plus, she's a pre-k teacher. i mean, what's not to love!?

3 // unfancy - this blog is for all the style mavens out there. i adore caroline's minimalistic approach to style and her take on health. i have been so inspired to be content with my closet and to get creative with what i have.

4 // we seek joy - every time i read one of n'tima's posts, i think to myself 'welp, she's done it again.' just read her posts titled when love feels heavy or babies ruin bodies and you'll see what i mean. man, does she have a way with words. she is so raw and honest ... a true breath of fresh air.

5 // the simple life - if you're into travel, you'll be into this blog. sara makes you want to get out and explore. watch out, because before you know it you'll be planning a trip of your own!

i'd love to know, what are your favorite blogs!?

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**all photography is from/belongs to the authors of each blog. visit their pages to see more!

popcorn chocolate chip cookies

i love popcorn. for movies or for afternoon hunger pains ... it's my snack of choice. i like it plain, microwaved, sugared, seasoned ... i really feel like you can't go wrong with it. not to mention, it's a whole grain which is super important to include in your diet. and for all you gluten free folks ... you guessed it, it's gluten free too! so, if you're gearing up for a party or planning a movie night, these popcorn chocolate chip cookies are perfect. it's a fun twist on the traditional chocolate chip cookie, and the popcorn adds a little crunch. so delicious, and so fun.

popcorn chocolate chip cookies

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped popcorn

preheat oven to 350 F. combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. in a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. add the vanilla extract. pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until fully combined. fold in the chocolate chips and popcorn. [i suggest using popcorn popped on the stove, versus microwave. it adds a little more texture and flavor.] using a cookie scoop [or spoon] scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. cook for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool before moving. 

weekend snapshots

this weekend was just one of those weekends. you know, the good ones. we went to the market on saturday morning, had lunch with friends, then came home and relaxed and took a nap before getting started on some house work. the weather was unusually cool and crisp, tempting us with fall, and i was reminded, once again, just how much i love this city.

 ^ there are so many great things at the market.. why do we not come here more often!?

 ^ we tried out sully's steamers for late breakfast / lunch and it was so good. i got the french toast bagel with egg and cheese. kind of a weird combination, but so delicious.

 ^ oh, and mirror selfie because i cut all my hair off! kinda still getting use to it, but also kinda loving it! also, this is the only mirror in our house right now...

hope you had a great weekend!