watermelon, mint, and feta salad

an unlikely combination – watermelon, mint, and feta, but the flavors of sweet from the melon and salty from the feta form a nice grouping when balanced with fresh mint. my patio garden is exploding with mint, so this recipe is a nice way to bring your herb garden into your dishes. a little onion and balsamic, and this makes for a fresh summer treat.

watermelon, mint, and feta salad (6 servings)

ingredients:

• 4 cups watermelon, cubed ( ½ inch thick)
• 3 oz Feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

directions:

1. in a medium bowl, place cubed watermelon
2. add feta cheese, chopped mint, and chopped onion
3. drizzle with balsamic vinegar
4. add a dash of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

greta gerwig as frances ha

a few weeks ago, i saw frances ha, and absolutely loved it! the film has led me to a girl crush on greta gerwig (who co-wrote the film and a barnard grad...girl power!) and an obsession to see all of her movies - definitely need to see damsels in distress.

motion pictures are anything but a sustainable economy, but i absolutely love watching movies, especially by myself. if anything, at least i love and support indie films over the latest action movie smash...ah! it is my guilty pleasure.

my walden

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while homes and apartments have titles, so do den. in my new place, my den is called walden. i want to find a daybed/sofa for the space, so that I could, ideally, read for hours on the weekends. and, with the window completely covered in ivy, the little 8' x 8' room is my perfect weekend retreat. then, when discussing this with lisa, thoreau and walden came up, and i thought what a perfect place to spend a majority of my time figuring out how i'm going to simplify my life.

in college, when talking with my friends about the actual book (because that's what smithies do, stay up late discussing classic american literature...), we got in a little comment about the sanity of thoreau, and my friend made the comment that what thoreau really needed was some lady-love, and he didn't account for it in his master plan. if i need some man love in my walden, i can yell down hallway for A.

from an interior design perspective, i have a hefty desk and large horizontal piece of art for that room, but that's it for furniture. Using pinterest to guide me in my thrifting, these are some of my favorites pins.

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rustic

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eclectic with mid century accents

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white and black.

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kind love this one.

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the mix of rustic, b&w, and mid century.

avocado and egg toasts

To honor the daily buzz food of the week, avocado toasts, I wanted to share one of my favorite breakfast recipes. The most exciting thing about this recipe – you could make it in your sleep! If you know how to scramble an egg, add a fresh avocado to your grocery cart because this is going to blow your standard breakfast out of the kitchen. Hello, Saturday morning!

Avocado and Egg Toasts (2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp water
• Dash salt
• Dash pepper
• ½ medium avocado, sliced
• 2 slices whole-grain bread
• 2 tsp butter

Directions:

1. Crack eggs into a small bowl. Add water, and whisk until eggs are light and fluffy.
2. Add a dash of salt and pepper to whisked eggs.
3. Scramble eggs on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, toast bread, and slice avocado. Set aside.
5. Spread 1 tsp of butter on each slice of toast. Divide scrambled eggs between each slice of bread. Layer eggs with sliced avocado. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Baked Eggs with Herbs

My family came to visit me for my 27th birthday. Since making this trip is a rarity for them, I wanted to make a special brunch to welcome them to Milwaukee. There is nothing like the heart of Wisconsin than farm-fresh eggs. Try this simple, heart-healthy recipe and wow your brunch guests with its stress-free direction.

Baked Eggs with Herbs (4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 8 Tbsp fat-free milk, divided
• 4 Tbsp green onions, chopped & divided
• 4 Tbsp parsley, chopped & divided
• Pinch salt
• Pinch pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 4 ramekins.
2. Crack 2 eggs into ramekins. Top each ramekin with 2 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp green onions, 1 Tbsp parsley, salt, and pepper.
3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until eggs are set.
   

Flu-Fighter Cookies

My ‘sister’ in Florida just had a beautiful baby girl, Stella. To celebrate these two lovely ladies and their leading man, I wanted to bake and send her favorite treat – a variation of Flu-Fighter Cookies. Although more of a fall treat, these cookies are amazing. Chockfull of antioxidants and bursting with color, flavor, and lots of texture, these cookies are guilt-free…a great breakfast or afternoon snack – take them anywhere!

Flu-Fighter Cookies (yield: 30 cookies)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of cloves
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup molasses
• ¼ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
• ¾ cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 ¼ cup raisins
• 1 ¼ cup dried blueberries
• 1 ¼ cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Stir in molasses, yogurt, ginger, and lemon zest to butter/sugar mixture. Lightly beat in flour mixture; batter will be sticky (do not overmix).
5. Fold in oats, half of the raisins, blueberries, and almonds.
6. In a small bowl, mix the remaining half of raisins, blueberries, and almonds. Set aside.
7. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto baking sheets. Top each with some of the reserved dried fruit and nut mixture. Chill cookies for 30 minutes, and preheat oven for 375°F.
8. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Tabbouleh and Grilled Chicken

I received a beautiful bunch of Italian parsley from a  local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I think one of the best dishes to experience the sharp taste of parsley in abundance is tabbouleh. The flavor combination of garlic, lemon juice, mint from my herb garden, and fresh vegetables is the perfect summer’s night dinner. Although I placed grilled chicken on top of this dish, it is delicious on its own. Or, try grilled fish or tofu for a vegetarian fail-proof meal.

Tabbouleh & Grilled Chicken (8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 cup Italian dressing
• 1 cup farro (or quinoa or bulgur)
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• ½ small sweet onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• ½ cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag with Italian dressing. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook farro according to package instructions (Typically, in a saucepan, add 1 cup farro to 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes).
3. In a large bowl, add cooked farro, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil. Chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, place marinated chicken on a hot grill. Grill until juices run clear (8-10 minutes on each side).
5. Divide tabbouleh on 8 plates. Slice chicken breasts, and divide evenly among 8 servings. Place on top of tabbouleh.