decaf morning pick-me-up

Since I'm currently off the caffeine, I had to find a morning drink to start my day as I get to work. I suppose I could get decaf coffee, but I'm not addicted to the flavor as much as the caffeine fix, and I like smoothies for breakfast, but it really is so nice though to start your day with a hot drink.

Lately I've been making myself a steamed frothy vanilla almond milk. Obsessed!!! I just pour a cup into a small sauce pan over medium heat while stirring so it doesn't scald, and use my immersion blender to froth it up. It's the perfect start to my morning, and I don't even miss the caffeine. Well, I'm telling myself that anyway.

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Ooooh, and this week, I got to enjoy my steamed milk with fresh biscotti my mom brought back from Monaco. WIN!

it is wedding season and all

I have quite a few friends tying the knot in the next couple months, this if for you!

Vera Wang’s Top Ten To Dos for the I Do:
From WWD

1. “Feeling comfortable in your appearance is incredibly important. If you feel comfortable with the way you look, you will radiate the most confidence.”

2. “Determine what kind of wedding you are having. The volume, silhouette, proportions, amount of adornment, tailoring and other elements of the dress should have a lot to do with not only where you have your wedding, but what time of day it is being held and what the temperature is. [The dress is] not only about how it looks on your body.”

3. “It’s really important to see the whole look — the dress, the headpiece, the size of the bouquet and the shoes. I would even go so far as to include the makeup. A lot of girls put a tremendous amount of effort into the dress, but they don’t give a lot of thought to the headpiece, tiara, barrettes or other accessories. Very often they are an afterthought.”

4. “Go easy on the bouquet. Bouquets that are too large or too loud will detract from the dress.”

5. “Hem lengths are very key. You have to make sure you don’t see the shoes. The dress should definitely be floating above in the front. If it is too long in front, it’s treacherous. In order to make a wedding a success, the bride should not have to lift the dress. Someone tripped in my most recent show. It can be a particularly long walk down the aisle.”

6. “Makeup is another thing to think about. I’m not crazy about strong red lipstick with a white dress. If you never wear blue eyeshadow or purple eyeshadow or glitter, why wear it on your wedding day? You want to avoid any makeup that makes you look disguised or that makes you no longer look like yourself. That is huge. It should be the same with the hair. Sometimes stylists can get too elaborate with hair styles and colors. Wearing [hair] accessories and [bobby] pins are very much about editing.”

7. “I have to say I prefer a shoe on the quieter side whether it is a fashion shoe (though it doesn’t have to be) or something with a bit of a wedding feeling. I like a shoe with a tapered toe box. I’m not someone who is into a full-on Swarovski-covered glittery shoe. I don’t think you want that much attention. A little kitten heel is nice if you are marrying someone shorter than you, or a platform if you are marrying someone taller.”

8. “It is just as important to have black-and-white photography done as it is to have color. Black and white is chic and timeless.”

9. “Step into your dress whether it is large or narrow. There are things no one can compensate for. I once had a bride get red lipstick on the front of her dress when she pulled it on over her head. Keep anyone with colorful drinks, beverages or makeup away from you.”

10. “Savor the moment. There’s a tendency when people get married to rush down the aisle as soon as the ceremony has ended. I’m not sure if it’s relief or what. But you have to remember the guests spend most of the time looking at your back during the service. So much work goes into planning. Take your time when walking back down the aisle. Let them see the dress.

Happy Tuesday!

Off to morning spin. Here's a thought for the day from my favorite

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the detox

A few weeks ago I decided it was time for a system cleanse/detox. It just seemed like I had been having way too many girls nights out and other events during the week nights, i.e. too much wine, appetizers, and restaurant foods, and I was feeling unhealthy and unproductive. So, no more caffeine, alcohol, artificial substances, and limited to no sugar and empty calorie foods. I'm drinking tons and tons of water (with added fresh squeezed lemon juice), some almond milk, and orange juice...no coffee, coke, crystal light (or other artificial sugar drinks), caffeinated teas, alcohol, or sugary juices. I'm eating mostly vegetables and legumes, and whole grains (which admittedly is not much different than my diet before) and keeping heavy meats and white foods/starches at a very minimum.

AND....it feels AMAZING! Sometimes your body just needs a good cleanse, and when your system is clean and detoxified, you start to feel great, look great, and have more energy. I highly recommend a little system detox to kick off the summer for a fresh and healthy you.

Missing Roma

Ever since our trip to Rome, we have been obsessed with fresh buffalo mozzarella (mozzarella di bufala). I was so bummed that we weren't able to bring back suitcases full of the fresh mozzarella because it was so fresh and cheap there. Here, a big ball of mozzarella can cost on average $5-10, and in Rome, it was only $1.50 in the supermarkets!!! I'm still sad just thinking about it. Stupid customs.

We've been using plenty of fresh mozzarella ever since our trip on pizzas, in chicken and eggplant parmesan, and on sandwiches, but our favorite thing to do lately has been to make a simple tomato and mozzarella caprese salad for an appetizer or light lunch. The tomatoes have been so red, plump and juicy these last few weeks, so I took that as a sign that we need some more mozzarella in our lives and indulged in a little cheesy italian delight.

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I cut 1/4 slices of tomato and layer with 1/4 inch slices of mozzarella, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, top with plenty of fresh basil, and drizzle with olive oil. Divine!

Banana Pudding

Nothing says comfort food like banana pudding, and this recipe is the best I have ever tasted. I've tweaked it over the last few years to get the right consistency and flavor. The sour cream makes a big difference in the flavor and creaminess, and I highly recommend using an immersion blender to stir it over the heat. It keeps the bottom from burning and makes it extra smooth and clump-free.

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For a big batch of 8-10 servings
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 ripe bananas
box vanilla wafers
8 oz coolwhip

In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, flour and salt.
Whisk egg yolks and add to a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Gradually stir in the milk and sour cream, while stirring to prevent the eggs from cooking.

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Alternate stirring in the milk with the sugar mixture, whisking until completely smooth.

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While constantly stirring, allow to come to a simmer, then turn the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until the pudding thickens.

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Be sure to keep stirring the whole time so the pudding does not stick to the bottom and burn.

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If it is too thick or too thin, adjust with a touch of milk or flour. When it's thickened to the desired consistency, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

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Assembling the pudding! Layer in the vanilla wafers and bananas, sliced 1/4 inch thick.

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I go easy on the wafers and heavy on the bananas.

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Then add in half of the pudding on top of the bananas, spreading into an even layer. Do another layer of wafers and bananas and then the last half of the pudding. Spread some coolwhip on top, and then, if you can possibly bear it, wait a day, or at least quite a few hours to dig in.

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It tastes so much better when the pudding soaks into the wafers and all the flavors blend together.

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Black Bean & Corn Appetizer

This is definitely one of my favorite snacks to make because it is so healthy, light and refreshing. I am constantly asked to bring this salsa/dip whenever we have some sort of get together, and there's never a bite left. It is so simple and quick to make - you can literally whip it up in 10 minutes before you head out the door, so it's a great snack to have up your sleeve for a last minute gathering.

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What you need
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can corn
1 avocado
1-2 tomatoes chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
1 small or 1/2 large green pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tsp cumin
salt (optional)

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I usually grab a large glass bowl and start layering the ingredients, starting with the black beans, corn and avocado. Then I sprinkle in half of the cumin and cilantro, and add a little salt. The trick to getting the layer effect is to kind of thickly spread each layer around the edges and keep the middle very thin so you can see each layer from the outside.

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Then I go ahead and layer the tomatoes, green pepper, onion, and the rest of the cumin and cilantro. Then add in the lime juice.

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I usually leave the layers until it is ready to serve and then I stir it all up, so you get the pretty visual effect of the layered bright colors.

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Who doesn't love fresh crisp light vegetables?

C&M

they're the cutest snugglers I've ever seen

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A Must Read

A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I have had this book on my to-read-list for over a year, and I just never did get to it. Finally, I have time to read again and this is the first book I got my hands on.

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It is phenomenal. I smiled and wiped away tears, and learned the history of a culture that I truly knew not much about. All I can say is, Wow. What people can endure amazes me.

The story follows the lives of two Afghani women, Mariam and Laila, as they move from children to adults in a country it seems cannot escape the perils of war. The book spans 30 years, beginning with the Soviet invasion and ending with the overthrow of the Taliban. I enjoyed learning about the political turmoil and constant power struggles in Afghanistan, and it broke my heart to realize how horribly women are treated in this culture, and so many like it. This book changed me and it was a story I'll never forget of love, friendship, and the will to survive. I can't believe it took me so long to finally dive into this wonderful treasure.