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microwaved sweet potatoes

1.30.2015

Lunches are tough for me. I don't love your standard "lunch food". As a kid, I basically only ate PB&J (or honey). I really didn't like turkey or any deli sandwiches. These days I'll eat a salad for lunch but I can really only handle that one day per week. Soup is great in the fall/winter because it tastes better day after day and reheats great. But in a pinch, I usually end up with some sort of bar and call it a day. 

BUT! I recently discovered that you can microwave sweet potatoes and stuff them with all kinds of yummy stuff for a super easy lunch that can prepared right in my office! This is the perfect lunch for me because it's healthy, quick, versatile, and easy. You can top it with anything you have in the fridge. 




Microwaved Sweet Potatoes
  1. Wash and dry your potato. Leave the skin on. Place in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the potato over and go for another 3-4 minutes depending on how big your potato is. It should be soft to the touch.
  2. Split lengthwise and fluff the inside. 
I topped this one with butter, salt, almond butter, and pumpkin seeds. I would also be delish with coconut butter and curry powder. Or some spinach and shredded chicken. Really anything! 

Turn this....

...into this!!
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book review // the husband's secret

1.28.2015


I always love reading books that everyone is talking about - I like to be in the know. It feels like a secret club between me and all the people who've read a particular book. This has been a wildly talked about book and I really enjoyed it.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty is a great read. It's quick, witty, and has lots of twists and turns. The story was shocking and left me asking C "um do you have any secrets?". I also just finished another one of her books, Big Little Lies which was also really great. 

If you're looking for a quick read that will keep you entertained, definitely pick this up! 

This was the last book I read in 2014! My goal is to read 15 books in 2015...already 1 down! Follow along here if you're an avid reader too.
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monday musings.

1.26.2015

the current scene // edited with waterlogue

>> We're finally getting some snow up here with a full fledged blizzard headed our way tonight/tomorrow. Yes, snow is messy and annoying but hey, it's supposed to snow in winter!!

>> Due to said storm (Juno) my flights to Dallas for a conference we're subsequently cancelled for today meaning I'm missing out on queso and margs with dear friends in Dallas. However, now I get to be home for C's birthday! Things would be so much easier if we could apparate...

>> I feel like we need to talk more about this storm. The news says it may be the worst blizzard in history. Because I thought I was going to be out of town, we didn't really stock up on a ton of food etc. Now all I'm craving is chicken soup and it will be impossible for me to make it. Does Peapod still deliver?

>> I made these little cookie dough bites to snack on yesterday and they are so delicious and healthy. I bet you have all the ingredients right now in your pantry.

>> This incredibly boring day was made infinitely better by the arrival of an early birthday present, this bad boy. That's right people, I'm finally joining the Fitbit craze...only took 2 years. Wanna be friends? It's already almost 6pm and I've done 500 steps. So yea, this storm is the real thing.

>> Now that I've adopted C's iPad, I can't wait to get my hands on a library card so I can download ebooks from the local library. So 1996.

>> Target was having a clearance on my fave sports bras so I stocked up and finally tossed the ones that have never fit right. $10 bars for the win!

>> I have a bone to pick with Old Navy. I ran in there the other day to get some jeans. Nothing special, just needed a standard pair that didn't break the bank. I ended up finding 2 pairs on the clearance rack (for like $8 each) and then bought another full price pair ($30). Upon trying them on at home (always a good idea), I was shocked to find out that they all fit...especially because they were all three different sizes (a double 0, regular 0, and a 4). I ended up keeping the two clearance pairs and returning the other. I love a good deal as much as the next girl but I'm still sort of amazed how off the sizing is. So bizarre!
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best buy of 2014

1.21.2015

I'm really excited about being a part of this new linkup series being hosted by The Well. This month's prompt: What did you purchase in the past year that became invaluable to you? Something that makes you think "how did I live without this?!?"

It's a little bit crazy how long I've been thinking about this question...at least a week. I realized that there are only a handful of things that I just can't live without, many of the being things that were gifted to me or have some sort of sentimental value. Every time I thought of a new item I'd realize how silly it seemed that this pair of shoes was "invaluable". Serious consideration finally led me to the lamp you see below. In fact, once I'd settled on the lamp, it seemed like such an obvious choice!


It make seem a little nuts to consider this lamp to be invaluable but to me it really is. I found this lamp at a local antique mall when we were looking for a bar cart. There had been this empty space in our apartment where we needed a floor lamp but everything I'd seen online look so...strange. The only light in our living room was coming from a glaring overhead light in the ceiling. I was amazed that the lamp still worked and thought it was so charming, especially since it's made from an old wooden camera tripod. However, since purchasing a lamp wasn't originally in the plans for the day, we purchased the bar cart and promptly left. 

Several weeks later, I started noticing tripod lamps EVERYWHERE (isn't it so weird how this happens...like you never notice a particular type of car until you're considering buying that make/model???). Anyway, said lamps were stunning but also came with a hefty price tag, upwards of $400-$600. Seeing as how that's not in the non-profit/grad school budget, I brought up the lamp from the antique store. 

Figuring it had already been scooped up, we were amazed to find it still in it's place many weeks later at the store. A few negotiations later and this bad boy was ours for a whopping $100. (Shade was $20 from Target). I love this lamp now and I love that it has a story to it. It's such a fun piece that we'll have for years to come. We even subbed it in as our tree this year! 


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monday musings.

1.19.2015

take me back to california!!

>> Woohoo! Three day weekend! I needed it badly after only having about 6 hours of a weekend last week. We made sure to have lots of downtime in between running a few errands. 

>> Saw American Soldier this weekend. So incredibly sad. Makes you really think about your life. Chris Kyle used to work in C's building and he'd see him on the elevator some days. I remember when it all happened and it was all over the headlines in Dallas. Such a terrible thing. 

>> Really loving this cookbook - made the Roasted Squash bowls and they were SO good. Definitely adding those to the rotation. 

>> Sunday was really gross, raining all day. We spent the afternoon with friends posted up in front of the fire watching football. I made these brownies again and they were a hit as usual. 

>> I also made a new pinterest board to capture all the recipes I've pinned that I've actually made. Not only will this help me keep track but you can also comment on the pin if you're curious about tips! 

>> We packed up a big box for Salvation Army this weekend. Feels good to part with the clutter. I've made it a point to tackle a drawer/shelf each week so that I can really edit the things we no longer need. I'm also trying my hardest to be more thoughtful with incoming purchases. 

>> Have you ever tested the temp on your slow cooker? I'm worried mine might be a little off because I feel like some of these recipes are turning out a little wonky. I also didn't know that taking off the lid drops the temp 15 degrees and could add 20 minutes of cooking time. So for all I know, it could be user error. 

>> Made Jessica's amazing granola for breakfasts this week. I, of course, had to try it this afternoon JUST to make sure it was ok. 

>> There was a sub at my yoga class today and the class was totally weird. Nothing was really flowing and my head was somewhere else. Also rap? Please no rap at yoga. I'm also REALLY annoyed with myself for letting the last few classes on my card expire. I'm usually SO good about that. 

>> What are your favorite iPad apps?

>> You NEED this email from the Skimm in your inbox each morning. Provides a quick overview of current events in a way that easy to digest. Hurry up and subscribe here!

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