recipe: healthy meatball sub

probably my favorite decadent treat from a sub shop... tender meatballs and loads of cheese on a soft roll.  hmm, how to make it healthier?  these textured vegetable protein meatballs by "Veggie Patch" were on sale this week so i picked them up to make sandwiches with my leftover bread.  i added tons of veggies to mine and a very small amount of marinara (hello calories!). 




recipe after the jump

etsy: kitschandfancy

kitsch and fancy shop update:

working on making tons of soaps for a couple of large orders.  decided to take some time to work on Etsy again revamping the pics as well as getting some new scents and products in there.  considering splitting my shop into two different shops to keep the plush and beauty items separate.  i want to focus more on party favors and wedding favors and selling in bulk. 

recipe: salmon burger with horsey-caper spread

had to mix up "healthy burger night" by making salmon burgers.  i love horseradish with fish and i love capers with seafood so i figured, make a sauce with both!  sooo super easy, flavorful, and has a good kick.  i used a few tablespoons of lite miracle whip (or veganaise), a couple teaspoons of horseradish (less if you don't want it too spicy), a tablespoon of capers. 

spread caper sauce on both sides of toasted bread--i used leftover hoagies but will use whole wheat sesame seed baguette next time.  top with fresh veggies like romaine, tomatoes, onion and sprouts.

 

served with a light and crunchy salad

 crunchy romaine, baby spinach, red peppers, shredded carrots, red onion, cucumbers and feta tossed with a light italian vinaigrette

leftovers for tomorrow's lunch:  toss salad with grilled salmon for a heartier lunch.

 

recipe: "healthy" philly cheesesteak

as part of our healthy meal plan, i try to incorporate mostly veggies and less of all the other stuff (starches, meats, dairy, etc).  so this healthy philly cheesesteak is mostly green and yellow bell peppers, onions, baby portobellas.  i added a little grilled chicken and some tasty seasonings (garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper).  the secret to a really good cheesesteak is not the cheese or the steak...just make sure you saute the veggies until they are nice and caramelized and soft.  all the delicious natural sweetness will come out of the peppers and onions.  make it lighter by serving it on a toasted wheat baguette (210 calories), one slice of provolone cheese (60 calories), and a couple tablespoons of miracle whip (20-40 calories). 

 

 

recipe: grilled arctic char and sauteed zucchini and squash

this is one of my go-to weekly meals.  so easy, delicious, and healthy!  i pick up frozen fillets from Trader Joes and just make a large portion of a veggie side from my local farmer's market.

just grill fish in a grill pan or non-stick pan with some olive oil cooking spray (no calories!) and season generously with salt, pepper, dried herbs.  finish off with a fresh lemon wedge.  eliminating starches from our evening meals when possible and loading up on extra veggies so we can stuff our faces sans the calories.

Spring redecorating

i've always been a lazy shopper.  such a lazy shopper.  not the type to do any research or care if i'm getting the best deal.  just impulsive and buying the first thing i like and getting it over with. 

i had to get *thrifty* after i left my job at Anthropologie and find ways to scrimp on cash without hindering my lifestyle.  i tried coupon-ing (twice)---it was annoying, i wasn't good at it, and the food was all crap.  i wanted to keep trying new restaurants so i learned about the wonders of Groupon and other half-off sites like it.

you can tell by looking at my closet and apartment that i tend to gravitate to the same things (quirky, colorful) without much thought to where it can go or if i have a use for it.  with our redecorating project i wanted to focus on adding a touch of sophistication but maintaining my style.  i will have to re-"merch" (a retail term, ha!) some of my things and get rid of other things.  i will probably do a lot of re-painting to tone down some of the crazy colors.  lastly i want to add neutral colors to my space as well.  i've never owned a legit bed with a headboard and frame and everything so i had to snatch this one up from overstock when i saw it. 

came home the other day to find that matt had frantically re-arranged everything in all the rooms of the house!  normally, as a control freak, i would freak out--but i actually thought it looked pretty good and i was excited that he was excited to finally jump in and help with decorating and making better use of our space.  got rid of some scary old furniture and making a few purchases...i will post photos of before and after when we're done.  now that i am in the mindset i am ready to re-do everything! 

movie night: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games.  Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her younger sister's place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she's pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

 saw the highly-hyped Hunger Games today after lunch for irene's birthday.  i've read the plot synopsis which sounds like a toned-down version of the Japanese Battle Royale, which is one of my favorite movies.  

irene's birthday cake

mom ordered this lovely cake from a local bakery.  top half vanilla, bottom half chocolate.  irene is the only person in our family that prefers chocolate!

lunch at saigon palace

saigon palace is an old-school Vietnamese restaurant on South Blvd that's been around forever.  my mom loves it and irene was craving good Vietnamese so we went for her birthday.  she says she has yet to find good vietnamese in Durham.  i always order a taro bubble tea if it's available because it's my favorite.  i love anything taro, ever since i was a little kid.  my mom used to make taro spring rolls for me when i was little as long as i would peel and wash the root vegetable for her first.  and also it is a cool light purple color.  *neato*

Vietnamese iced coffee: irene's beverage of choice.  syrupy sweet, but a delicious treat!  we steep coffee by the glass with a french press.  mix with a good bit of condensed sweeten milk and pour over ice.

fresh summer rolls with jicama and chinese sausage.  a light appetizer served with hoisin peanut sauce.  stuffed with fresh mint and basil traditionally.

i had grilled pork chop served with nuoc mam (fish sauce) over broken rice with fresh cucumber, tomatoes, and pickled carrots/daikon.

d.i.y. fringed lantern tutorial

i always feel more crafty in the spring time when i'm ready to start some redecorating so i've been hoarding projects and now just need some time off to work on some!

this Fringed Lantern Tutorial is adorable for a party but would also be fun to hang from the ceiling in the living room for a festive decoration.  i will probably make mine in softer blues, greens and yellows.

pastels done right

blair of Atlantic-Pacific does pastels.  i love love love the seafoam green and peach combo.  so modern!

xo

dinner at el pulgarcito

irene is visiting from Durham for a few days for her birthday.  she was craving El Pulgarcito, a local Salvadorian restaurant tucked into a sketchy shopping center on Central Ave.  sooo tasty and a ridiculously good deal.  mine and matt's meal came out to $22 which is crazy!  we had the beef tacos with plenty of fresh cilantro, onion and fresh lime on a handmade tortilla.  best tacos i've had in a while.

vintage owls & birthdays

this vintage owl was a gift from my friend steffie.  it's the simple things i life that make us happy.  haha*  the weather has been beautiful, albeit a bit chilly the past few days.  it's been so nice to not focus constantly on dieting and calorie-counting and just eating healthy and going on walks.  obviously i will probably have to start exercising for real if i want to drop these few pounds *ick*.  the good news is the weather is nice so it will be easier to drag myself outside for a nice jog or game of ping pong.

a cool day

such a cool day at work today!  woody harrelson and flea came in to eat at Luna's today!  i made them a couple of tasty green juices and a raw banana ice cream.  in my mind...we were on an awesome triple date and nobody else was there.  i asked juli if i could go home and put on some makeup and doll up a little but she said no.  *dangit*

spring: the striped tee

been wanting to order something from Stylemint for a while now because i keep seeing their cute little knits popping up all over the blog-o-sphere.  i got this cute little nautical inspired number today for spring.  the "jackson tee" from stylemint comes in a bright red or softer white with pale blue stripes.  i like the bold red for print mixing or a pop of color under a jacket

here is a fashion love affair wearing the jackson tee paired with florals.  one of my favorite ways to wear stripes: just make sure the florals aren't "too ditsy" or else it can become crazy.  and keep the color scheme close.

blair from atlantic-pacific wearing stylemint 3 different ways.  i love all these stripes!

living notes from nyc has it paired with skinny denim and

a light denim jacket.  such a put-together spring look.

some of my favorite bloggers sporting stylemint.

calivintage in the striped dress.

a beautiful mess in the nautical striped dress from stylemint.

 

a good travel dress.  toss it in your bag and dress it up or down.

a beautiful mess.

cupcakes and cashmere glams it up