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!

our week with a puppy

you might have seen on instagram, here, that we've been babysitting a sweet little pup. we had to give him back earlier this week, and we are so heartbroken! we were immediately attached and fell so in love with his puppy snuggles, puppy breath, and puppy tummy. we were seriously considering how to fake his death so we could keep him forever. my first federal offense [kiiiiiidding...].

anywho, for now we are missing our new little buddy, and searching for a sweet puppy child of our own. wish us luck!

because wine is made from grapes, and grapes are fruit, and fruit is good for you.

one thing's for sure, i love a good glass of wine. so today i am so excited to share with you a fun, winter-inspired wine and cheese pairing with la marca prosecco. recently la marca prosecco sent over a sample of their sparkling wine, and i had so much fun trying it and pairing it with some of my favorite, yet simple, appetizers. once all of the holiday hustle and bustle is over, january can feel cold and dreary, and i find myself just hanging on until spring. we decorate and celebrate the holidays, so i thought, why can't we let winter inspire us and continue to celebrate past the holidays. afterall, i believe there is something to celebrate every day. plus, give me some wine and cheese, and nothing can get me down ;).

i love this sparkling wine on it's own, or you can easily add more flavor to it and spruce it up. i paired mine with some fresh berries and a sprig of rosemary, giving it a fruity, yet earthy, flavor. so delicious :).

happy weekend, friends, and cheers to focusing on our blessings and celebrating everyday!

cozy in fur

vest: target | top: madewell, old (similar) | jeans: nordstrom | boots: shoemint, old (similar) | purse: kate spade

around town || the green room

scofield and i are crazy over brunch. i am most definitely not a morning person, so i love sleeping in on the weekends, taking my time in the morning, and slowly strolling to brunch. i mean, who wakes up in time for breakfast, anyway? ;) we've visited the green room in downtown greenville a couple of times, and have loved it each time. their menu is out of this world, as you can see from what we ordered down below. the restaurant also has the most lovely little vibe and atmosphere going on, and in my opinion, the service was some of the best we've had. the green room is definitely at the top of our list for favorite brunch spots.

it was a gloomy, rainy day, but the view was still lovely. i loved just gazing out the window and sipping on my coffee. 

 i ordered the french toast and scofield ordered some crazy burger with an egg and bacon on it, along with the parmesan truffle fries. although, he didn't really get a chance to eat his fries ... whoops :/. so.good.

thanks for a lovely afternoon, green room! you made our gloomy day so much brighter :)

--

the green room

116 north main street

greenville, sc 29601

morning mocha smoothie

this smoothie could probably feed two, but i always gobble it up on my own. it's full of protein, natural carbohydrates, and has no added sugar [unless you decide to add a little honey]. i love the way the natural sugars from the banana combine with the cocoa powder making it a sweet, tasty treat. the tart of the greek yogurt and the coffee give it a nice little kick. it's a great way to start the day and will keeping you going, full force, until lunch time.

morning mocha smoothie

ingredients:

• 2 bananas, frozen
• 3/4 cup strong coffee, chilled
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. honey, optional
• splash of vanilla extract

combine all the ingredients in a blender. blend until smooth. serve immedately.

enjoy!

around here

 ^ simple breakfasts at home. sometimes cereal just hits the spot...

 ^ we've been watching my sister's puppy, and OMG ... let's just stop and take a moment. he is so so stinkin' cute. i've been melting all over the place. and using up all of the space on my phone with pictures of him...

 ^ making some progress on our living room. we scored this mid century coffee table at a local thrift store for a major steal. still giddy over it! also, i am in love with this black and white striped pillow from zazzle. i had never ordered from zazzle before, so i wasn't sure what to expect. but after getting it in the mail, i couldn't be more pleased. the pillow is so beautiful, soft, and top quality. be sure to check out their website for more fun home accessories, here.

 ^ and i got my hair colored for the first time last week. eek! (well, except for the time in 6th grade that i thought it would be a good idea to go blonde. i don't wanna talk about it...) nika, my wonderful hair stylist, and i decided to go for a subtle ombre look. 'new year, new you' right!?

teal + burgundy

hat: ruche, old (similar) | sweater: banana republic, old (similar) | jeans: paige | boots: sam eldeman | purse: kate spade 

i use to be crazy over teal. as a preteen, i even had teal rubberbands for my braces. ha! i've since calmed down a bit and lean more towards neutrals, like black and white. but i do love a good teal sweater every now and then. this one has been in my wardrobe forever, but i still love it just as much as the day i bought it. it's cozy and warm, but not too heavy. and it reminds me of my teal roots ;).

around town || coffee and crema

over the holidays, scofield and i bundled up and spent an afternoon in downtown greenville. one thing we love is a good cup of coffee, so as we were walking the streets we thought we would try coffee and crema. it's a little "walk-thru" [ instead of "drive-thru", get it? ;) ] window in the middle of downtown that i've always spotted, but have never stopped by. i'm so glad we did because my latte was so creamy and delicious. it was the perfect addition to our little afternoon date.

how do you like your coffee!?

--

coffee and crema
2 north main street
greenville, sc 29601

nutella espresso chocolate chip cookies

i think it's pretty clear that i love to bake with nutella. not only is it delicious, but i swear it has magical powers. every time i bake with it, my cookies come out of the oven perfectly. and trust me, that is a big deal for me ;). as much i love to cook and bake, cookies have a mind of their own. baking cookies can be such a finnicky, scientific process, but nutella seems to bypass all the laws of nature and give me perfectly round, cracked, soft cookies every time. no kidding. why don't you see for yourself...

nutella espresso chocolate chip cookies

ingredients:

• 1 cup nutella
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 350 F. combine the first four ingredients in a bowl [ nutella, egg, vanilla extract, and brown sugar ] with a hand mixer on low speed. when fully blended, add the flour, espress powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. using the mixer, blend together. next, fold in the chocolate chips. prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the baking sheet. bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. remove, let cool, and enjoy!

reading list

one of the main things on my christmas list this year were books. i was so excited to have my wish fulfilled, as one of my new years resolutions is to read more. these books have been on my list for a while, so i can't wait to dive into all of them.

bossypants by tina fey -  i've heard this book is hilarious and a must read. i'm always up for a book that gives me a good laugh!

wheat belly by william davis - with a profession in nutrition, i'm really interested to read this book and hear davis's perspective on wheat.

plate to pixel by helene dujardin - i've been ancy to do more research on food photography and get some more practice in. the internet has a lot of resources, but there's just something about having all the information you need to know in a book, in one place.

the honest life by jessica alba - i always start off the new year by establishing some health goals and kicking my nutrition regimen into high gear with more exercise and healthy eating. (i'm always ready for it after a month of holiday goodies). i thought this would be the perfect time to add this book to my list.

a beautiful mess happy handmade home - i've already spent a lot of time browsing this book and i am in love. there are so many fun, cute ideas for decorating your home. and considering we are still fresh, new, homeowners, i'm storing away so many ideas! can't wait to start some projects.

what's on your reading list!?

happy new year!

we said goodbye to 2014 last night alongside a few friends, laughs, and good food. i find the beginning of the year so exciting. there is a whole year at my fingertips and i love to think of all the possibilities it might hold.

rather than resolutions, i love to make of a list of my goals and plans for the coming year. this year i will finish my internship and become a registered dietitian, we will celebrate three years of marriage, we are planning on adopting a puppy, and i hope to make major progress on our house projects. more than anything, i hope to grow as a person. spending more time with my journal and bible, exercising and reading more, being present with the loved ones around me, and letting go of the negative things in my life.

not to mention, i have big plans for this little blog and can't wait for them to come to fruition. happy new year's friends! welcome, 2015!

simple

jacket: h&m, old (similar) | top: similar | jeans: madewell | shoes: converse | purse: kate spade | sunnies: sole society

sometime's it's really nice to lose all the excess and get down to simplicity. whether in our storage or in my closet, it feels so good to clear out all the junk or things i no longer wear. it's often refreshing to apply this concept when getting dressed in the morning, too. simple style can really speak for itself...at least that is something i have been learning lately.

hope you all are having a happy new year!