Baby, It's Cold Outside

Good morning!

Precisely.

I'm not sure about you, but where I live, it is getting cold. Don't get me wrong, I like the cold more than the excessive heat of summer in Minnesota, but each year it comes as a surprise. It doesn't gradually get cold here...one day it is 60 and you're prancing around without a coat, and the next day, you're donning boots and a scarf. ...Along with 3 shirts since the office is freezing year round but reaches its peak arctic temp during the winter months.

Peach tea in a Christmas mug!

That being said, a lot of tea is consumed during the day in attempt to stay warm.

I swear I drink about 4 cups throughout the day; at least it's better than 4 cups of coffee, right?

Saturday

Yesterday I woke up super early, rushed off to the gym for a sweaty strength + cardio session, and then headed to the grocery store before the rest of the world was awake and crowding the aisles. I love getting my shopping done early in the morning--it is so much less stressful since there are no lines, crying children, or lack of parking spaces. 

When I arrived home, I quickly unloaded and sorted all of the groceries before sitting down to some lunch with Andy. We made sub sandwiches and sometimes those just hit the spot--especially when extra pickles are involved!

I kept my lunch pretty light with my sides being fruit and veggies + hummus since I was headed out mid-afternoon for an appetizer date with my friend, Kara Lynn. I recently saw her at my bachelorette party and the wedding, but we didn't get to talk much so we decided a lunch date would be best. 

She just got married last spring, so chatter about weddings, married life, jobs, and future plans filled the 3 hours that we spent at a restaurant. It was so fun catching up with her since it has been so long! We were neighbors in the dorms during our freshman year of college so we shared a tight bond back in the day!

When I arrived home, Andy convinced me to make tacos and although they didn't sound good to me, as soon as the smells filled the air, I started getting hungry for them. Since I ate half a bowl of tortilla soup and a million chips at the restaurant earlier that afternoon, I wasn't super hungry. My solution? A taco bowl! I used homemade cilantro-lime rice as the base and piled on the toppings. A generous pouring of salsa followed this photo to top things off! 

After we ate, we set up Andy's Christmas tree that he had picked up from his parents' house earlier in the day. We decided to swap my mini tree with his since we have high ceilings downstairs. His taller tree filled the space much better than my fun-sized one. We moved my tree upstairs so we've got Christmas on two floors. Perfect!

Later on in the evening, I was telling Andy that I had heard good things about the game "Words with Friends." We immediately downloaded it from the App store and were instantly hooked! We played against each other for almost two hours--each of us laying on our own respective couches--the love seat for me, and the full-size for him. About an hour into the game, I texted my sister and got her hooked as well. I love that it is a continuous game and you can play whenever you have time throughout the day. 

Off to hit the shower--we're headed to church this morning for the first time in a long stretch! We've been so busy with moving, wedding planning, etc. that we haven't been regular about our attendance. Time to change that! 

Do you know of any other fun phone games that you can play against friends?

I'm looking for some new blogs to add to my Reader--what are some of your favorites?

Do you prefer taco bowls/salads or regular tacos?

Provolone Portabella Burgers & Then Some

Good morning!

I've been slacking in the blogging department do to the wedding date sneaking up on me! We are almost exactly 2 months out from tying the knot!

I just wanted to thank you guys for all of your advice regarding my migraines. Yesterday was definitely better than the last few days and I'm finally starting to get some relief. From your advice, I think I've been able to pinpoint these headaches arising from a lack of sleep and an increase in stress. I'm going to try to take it easy the next few nights before gearing up for another wedding-packed weekend!

This weekend's agenda consists of wedding dress alterations and addressing invitations! I feel like we've been making a ton of progress lately and it is such a relief.

In case you've missed this past weekend's wedding posts, you may catch up below:

• Friday's post featured a Grab Bag of Tangents
• Engagement photos were shared on Saturday
• Registering recap and a bar review popped up on Sunday

Alright, now to fill you in on what's been happening these last few days!

First of all, check out this awesome duct tape that we found at Target this past week! How cute is that?! I used to love Hello Kitty items all through highschool and this definitely brought back some memories!

Lately I've been hooked on lunch wraps consisting of turkey, Laughing Cow cheese wedges (this stuff is amazing! See below for details), sprouts, and veggies! All wrapped up in a whole-grain tortilla...portable and tasty! 

So far I've tried the "Creamy Swiss" cheese and the Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil flavors and I must say, it is hard to choose a winner. The swiss reminds me of a tangy cream cheese, while the tomato basil delivers a punch of flavor. Perfect on a wrap or with some crackers for a snack! They have a garlic and herb one that I've been meaning to try as well. I'll keep you posted!

On Monday, I headed to my desk to drop off my purse before swinging by the break room to fill up my water bottle and place my lunch in the fridge when I noticed this cut-out on my desk. Turns out a coworker saw this in a magazine and cut it out since it says my nickname, "Lola" on it! This little surprise definitely made my morning! 

Monday mornings are always kind of rough...point proven: I topped my Greek yogurt with a squirt of honey from home and when I went to stir it, I realized that there was a plastic wrap on top of the yogurt. Fail! 

Luckily, I remembered that there were some honey sticks in the break room leftover from a project I worked on last year. The packaging of these honey sticks served as inspiration for a similar project for a different brand of honey. I snagged two of them and squeezed them into my yogurt before giving it another stir. Delicious! 

After work, I headed to Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries for the week. These Portabella mushrooms caught my eye and I quickly tossed them into the cart. The whole time I was shopping, I kept dreaming of a portabella mushroom burger with some gooey cheese on top.

And that's exactly what I made when I got home. It definitely hit the spot! 

To make the "burger," I simply sprayed my griddle pan with some non-stick spray and cooked the mushroom on both sides for a few minutes. I then added a slice of provolone cheese and let it cook for a few more minutes, just to melt the cheese. After it was done, I sliced it in half since it was so huge; half went on my toasted whole-wheat bun, while the other half was saved for another day. 

I topped that bad boy with avocado, onion slices, fresh tomato, red pepper, and lettuce. The crisp of the veggies combined with the gooey mushroom and cheese combo was outstanding! I can't wait to eat the other half this week for dinner.

In closing, I am obsessed with this song. I heard it on TV this weekend and have been blasting it ever since! Set Fire to the Rain // Adele = Amazing! Check it out if you're an Adele fan! That being said, off to work I go! Have a super day!

Do you like mushrooms?

Have you had a recent food / cooking fail lately?

What song have you had on repeat this week?

What are your nicknames?

Saturday Shenanigans (A Foodie Post)

Good morning! 

Today it's back to the grind! I'm wrapping up yet another marketing book today so I'm thinking the day should really fly by. After work, Andy's parents are meeting my parents for dinner! This will be the first time that they have met and we thought it would be a good idea for them to meet before the wedding. 

Catching up from the weekend? Here are the things that went down:

• Headed to my parent's a few days early
• I was chauffeured to work for a few days!
• Family get-together at my Aunt's house

Weekend Eats

Rewinding a little bit, let's cover some delicious eats over the course of the weekend at my parent's house, shall we?

Like I've said before, one of my favorite things about my parent's house are the low-key mornings. I loved waking up each day to enjoy breakfast on the deck while blogging and reading the paper. Afterwards, I hit up the gym both days and then started the activities for the day. It was so great to wake up to the sun as opposed to an alarm.

My parents make the best coffee--or maybe it just tastes better because I didn't have to make it...?

Fresh fruit on a muggy morning

My mom had these cute little cherry tomatoes growing in her gorgeous garden! They were so tiny and perfect!

More garden produce

After the gym, I whipped up a quick protein smoothie to tide me over until lunch. Into the blender went:

• Vanilla protein powder
• 1 frozen banana
• Handful of frozen berries
• Coconut milk
• Small handful of spinach

It was so tasty! My mom requested one after seeing mine since it was so humid out even at 9am! After my smoothie fix, I was freezing! Cold smoothie + high AC in the house! I jumped into the shower and got ready for the day before enjoying some lunch with my parents before my cousins arrived.

Turkey, cheese, guac, tomato, spinach, and olive wrap! Plus pickles and jello!

I definitely look more like my dad! 

While we were doing the dishes, my mom and I agreed that we could really go for another iced coffee. I offered to run to Starbucks to pick them up! I took my mom's car to get there and driving it was a breeze since we both drive the exact same vehicle! Like mother, like daughter! 

Shortly after I arrived home with our cold, refreshing drinks, my cousins pulled up to the curb! It was so fun to see them and they looked so cute--all decked out in little sun dresses for our day of flower girl dress fittings! 

After the dress fittings, my mom treated all of us to some ice cream at McDonald's! Mickey-D's cones are one of my favorite treats--no matter what time of year! It definitely hit the spot! 

Upon finishing our cones, we headed over to the shoe store to pick out some shoes to go with their dresses. We all agreed upon these cute little flats for both of them. Comfort was an important factor for us to consider since they are going to be on their feet a lot that day and we were happy to find something that was both cute and comfy! 

After saying goodbye to my cousins, my mom and I plopped down on the couch for a movie and some snacks. The hot day of shopping wore us out! Awhile later, we began to prep dinner and we were both so excited for it--homemade grilled fajitas! Mmm.

My mom mixed up a ton of peppers, onions, and cilantro for my dad to grill up beside the chicken and tortillas. The smell was amazing! 

I relaxed on the deck with some wine and magazines while my dad grilled and my mom mowed the lawn. The breeze was perfect for keeping it comfortable out there! 

The completed meal. All of the flavors combined together tasted amazing. We all agreed that this would be a meal we will be making again sometime soon! 

My fajita! I kind of made it into a taco with the fixings plus lettuce and sour cream, but hey--it was still delicious as can be! 

Off to work I go! Homemade iced coffee in-hand to start the day on a good foot!

What are your favorite taco toppings?

Do you ever blog outside?

Favorite place to get ice cream?

Honey-Lime Tilapia with Cilantro Peach Salsa

Good morning, bloggers!

I was surprised to see how many of you really love brie! Apparently I have been missing out over the years, because that stuff is amazing!

Today I bring you another recipe--this one is perfect for a hot summer evening since it is loaded with fruit to cool you down. The fish was great, but it was this salsa combo that stole the show!

Honey-Lime Tilapia 

Ingredients

• 2 tilapia fillets (chicken breasts may also be used)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 of a lime
• cilantro (optional)

In a small cup or bowl, juice half of your lime before covering it with 1 tablespoon of honey. Stir until well mixed. Next, add in a pinch of freshly chopped cilantro and stir gently.

Heat up your frying pan and cook your tilapia fillets on each side before spooning the honey-lime sauce over the fish. Allow to cook on low for about a minute--just to caramelize the sauce a bit. Transfer the fully-cooked fillets to plates and then top with....

Cilantro Peach Salsa

Ingredients

• 1/3 of an avocado
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/2 of a ripe peach
• cilantro
• 1/2 of a lime
• sea salt

Chop the avocado, tomato, and peach into equal-sized pieces before tossing into a small mixing bowl. Add finely-chopped cilantro to taste. Next, pour the juice from half of a lime on top and sprinkle with sea salt. Give it a gentle stir and then use it to dunk chips into or to top your honey-lime tilapia.

Dinner is served!

Favorite type of fruity salsa?
Do you like fish?
Do you prefer peaches or nectarines?