Spring 2013: Baroque

Black and white dress//Necklace//Baroque jeans//Floral baroque dress//Clutch//Bracelet//Shoes//Sunglasses

Art history is always more fun when studied through the lens of fashion. Fall 2012 called for an introduction to baroque, and baroque styles were seen on the S/S 2013 runways as well. The art movement of the late 1500's to 1700's was marked by ornate details and gilded, decorated motifs. When worn, the resulting masterpieces render each day a grand exhibition.

While I didn't get my hands on any baroque inspired pieces this Fall, I did purchase a dress from Asos (on sale!) a few weeks ago that I am excited to wear come Spring.

The Inspiration

Chanel Spring 2013 

Photo credit: Vogue

Meadham Kirchhoff Spring/Summer 2013 Show

Photo Credit: Vogue

Meadham Kirchhoff Spring/Summer 2013 Show

Photo Credit: Vogue

Vera Wang Spring/Summer 2013

Photo Credit: Vogue

Wedge Sneakers

I bought these wedge sneakers from Target last week for $35, and I am in love. When the Isabel Marant sneakers first came out, I thought they were the ugliest pair of shoes since birkenstocks. Well, they've grown on me. And for $35, I don't feel guilty for buying such a trendy pair of shoes. You can buy them here.

I haven't worn them yet, but the below photos have lent some inspiration.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Gisele Bundchen

Olivia Palermo

What do you think of wedge sneakers? Did you hate them at first like me? Have you always loved them? Or do you still hate them?

Butternut Squash Eats & A Workout

Happy New Year, lovelies! I'm kicking the year off right with a couple recipes and a workout to share. 

One of my all time favorite dishes is butternut squash gnocchi. There's only one problem: I don't eat refined flour or wheat (at least on a regular basis). I set out to try alternative ingredients to make my own, and I'm so glad I did, because this version is just as good!

You can see the recipe here. Instead of sweet potatoes, I used butternut squash. For the sauce, I used about 10 sprigs of fresh sage sauteed with some balsamic vinegar and coconut butter. 

This is a very quick, easy and healthy dinner. I sauteed some butternut squash with sliced onions, sage, vinegar, and coconut oil and served it with Trader Joes' chicken apple chardonnay sausage. 

In keeping with the healthy eating theme, I thought I'd share a workout I did yesterday. My workout schedule is usually the same, but I do a variety of different exercises and try to increase the weight I lift on a regular basis. This year, I am working on getting my triceps and back to "show" more without flexing. 

Christmas Eve Outfit

Forever 21 sweater//Rachel Roy skirt//Charlotte Russe Necklace//Forever 21 link bracelet//Cartier bracelet//Target booties

This is what happens when you apply self-tanner right before getting dressed for an event...it (obviously) won't go into full effect for a couple of hours. Oh well...next time!

Hope you're enjoying a fabulous holiday week!

Happy Holidays!

Nordstrom Tomato Soup & Coconut Crusted Fish

My go-to, fairly easy soup recipe has been on heavy rotation this Fall! I found this recipe for Nordstrom's Tomato Basil soup awhile back and absolutely love it. 

The recipe can be found here. I do make a few changes when I make this soup. 1. I do not use any heavy cream. 2. I use a shit load of crushed garlic...usually about 8 cloves per batch. I love that this recipe uses carrots, so it's packed with veggies. After it's ready, I top the soup with a few basil leaves =) 

Coconut crusted cod over a bed of spinach, topped with homemade dijon vinaigrette

Sometimes I run out of ideas for clean dinner ideas, as I'm not the kind who enjoys eating plain meats with plain veggies. I love experimenting with different spices and (healthy) sauces. I came up with this recipe on my own, and I'm impressed by how well it turned out! 

It's pretty easy to prepare. Here's what you'll need:

-White fish (I used cod fillets)

-Spinach

-Shredded coconut

-Almond Flour (I use this in place of flour)

-Cumin

-Curry Powder

-Cayenne Pepper

-1 egg

-Dijon or Hot mustard (with no sugar--finding one with only a few ingredients is tricky!)

-Balsamic vinegar

-Olive oil

First, whisk an egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix about 1/2 a cup of coconut flour with about 1/8 cup of almond flour, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, cumin, and curry powder. Dip the fillets (I made two) in the egg, then drench in the coconut mixture. Place in a baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes @ 375 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk together 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, a teeny tiny bit of olive oil, and 1/2 a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Once the fish is done, place it on top of a bed of spinach. Top with the Dijon vinaigrette. 

Enjoy!

Szechuan Shrimp & Grilled Eggplant

 

First off, please forgive the iphone quality photo. 

Chinese food is one of my favorite cuisines, so I'm always looking for new (clean) Chinese recipes that don't use a bunch of oil. I came up with this szechuan shrimp recipe on my own, and it was a hit! I used a pound of shrimp, sauteed it with some garlic and szechuan peppers (those spicy, mouth numbing peppers), then added 1.5 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of garlic chili sauce, red peppers, and ginger and continued to sautee for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, I broiled some eggplant marinated in low sodium soy sauce, pepper, garlic and a tiny bit of sesame oil for about 15 minutes.

This was a super easy dinner to make, my favorite kind!