Post Memorial Day Weekend Woes? Beat the Burger Blues with a Tangy Watermelon Avocado Salad

It's Tuesday morning and barreling around the corner comes the emotional “hangover” that comes with the acceptance that you are going back to your routine life after a blissful 3-day Memorial Day Weekend…I was dropping my son off at school this morning and as he sat down at the little breakfast nook, he locked his fingers with mine and said, “Best friends, momm-ay.” I felt my eyes well up with tears knowing that our perfect time together of splashing in the pool, playing Bocce ball and making campfire cones was coming to an end (even though we just planned our weekend wilderness getaway to the Pocono Mountains for late June!).

We spent the weekend at my parents’ house, as their community has a luxurious pool, spa and ice cream bar (err…for the kids, right?). Rylan loved sampling all of our ice creams and playing in the fountain at the shallow end of the pool. In the evenings after we grilled our dinner, we took waffle cones and filled them with marshmallows, chocolates, berries and nuts; wrapped them in foil and tossed them on the grill for a few minutes—Campfire Cones! Be forewarned because the undercarriage of the cone is prone to getting charred—but if you keep a watchful eye on them, the combination is ooey gooey amazingness! I especially delighted in the melted dark chocolate with the blackberries.

The relentless May sun began to do quite a number on my delicate and newly homed peach verbenas and royal purple salvia buds. I ended up venturing to the garden market for the fourth time in a week, bright and early on the morning of Memorial Day in search of a leafy banana plant to shade my
parched plants. The fabulous attendant scoffed at the thought of the poor banana plant scorching in the sun, and sent me home with none other than my absolute favorite plant in the world—a tiny Meyer lemon tree. The Meyer lemon is a phenomenon from China, brought back by Frank Nicholas Meyer in the early 1900’s. It bears similarities to both a traditional lemon and a mandarin orange, and is sweeter and less tart than the lemons we find on the rim of our iced tea. They contribute to tangy cocktails and your mama’s lemon bars will pack a punch at the next Memorial Day BBQ if you use Meyer lemons! Stay tuned as my little tree begins to yield fruit, and we will get into all the joys of making Meyer lemon soaps and curds (and perhaps, a very berry Meyer lemon trifle as well)!

Speaking of tantalizing food—my, oh my were there some amazing dishes churned out this Memorial Day Weekend! My favorite epicurean delights were simple grilled basil & lime grilled shrimp kabob,

tangy strawberry and spinach salad with walnuts; and a mixture of diced watermelon, tomato, avocado, cucumber, balsamic vinaigrette and fresh herbs. 

For the Salad:
1 pack of grape tomatoes, in assorted colors, cut in half
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup 3/4-inch-cubed red seedless watermelon chunks
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

For the Dressing:

1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs, in any combination: basil, tarragon, chives, cilantro, lemon thyme
1/4 teaspoon coriander seed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Assemble chopped ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl, mix balsamic, olive oil, coriander seed, and herbs/seasonings and drizzle over the chopped ingredients and gently toss.

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Three-day weekends are a fantastic opportunity to spend rare quality time with your loved ones while enjoying outdoor fun in the sun, but it's also a great time to really, truly feel the gratitude in the depths of our souls toward those who have suffered for us to have those freedoms (and those who continue to sacrifice so that we can maintain our privileges). Carve out time to reflect on where you are in this moment, hopefully with food on your tables and joy in your hearts, and know that you are so very loved--and return that infinite love to others. They say the truest concept of "enlightenment" is to be able to look up at the sky and want nothing more from life than to be where you are; to feel the absence of desire or suffering. Let's all strive to feel a fraction of that calm and content, and project our positivity onto those around us. You are enough.

Parenting on a Budget? How to Make a Magical Space to Call Their Own on a Dime!

There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again. 

~Elizabeth Lawrence

Between the morning rush to get dressed and out the door by 6:30; the chaotic dinners that feel like Hell’s Kitchen with a 2-year old Gordon Ramsey; a million post-it notes around the house reminding you to wash their naptime blanket for school over the weekend, only to forget it on Monday; the doctor’s appointments, the vet appointments, the potty training, the school cupcake baking, the laundry folding, the work traveling, the snack packing, the activity chauffeuring….between all that scheduled craziness that has become our norm, when do we find the time to make those Instagram-worthy memories with your children? You make the time.

Every child should be granted the opportunity to have a carefree childhood filled with magic and wonder. We know this going into our role as parents, and are hit with the gravity of that promise from the minute we hold that innocent being in our arms for the first time. 

Rylan and I live a simplistic lifestyle, in a cozy farm-style townhouse in modest rural suburbia, with our two sweet dogs. The most magical part of Rylan’s week is hearing the familiar lullaby of the ice cream man’s truck chugging around the corner. His eyes light up like Christmas lights and he exclaims, “ICE TWEAM MAN!” over and over. His excitement is infectious, and I can feel my heart fill up with warm enthusiasm as he skips and hops around the yard yelling, “HOORAY!”

One day, we were driving to Rylan’s grandparents’ house and I happened to spot a little dual-sided shelf on the side of the road with a “FREE” sign taped onto it. I pulled the car over and snatched it up, with no idea what I could possibly use it for. When we got home that day, I took it out to the back deck where all my flowers and potting supplies were. Rylan eagerly picked up a garden trowel and a tin can of pansies and put them on the front ledge of the little shelf. A lightbulb went off in my head and I realized that this little shelf would be the perfect potting station for him and his newfound passion for horticulture. He takes such pride in arranging his shovels on the little ledge and watering his flowers now!

Ever since Rylan was a baby, we have nurtured his love for books (my mother is a retired elementary school librarian so that was no surprise). I wanted to make a cozy reading nook for him in his room, away from the chaos of the house—a place of his very own where he could immerse himself in fairytales and lands of dinosaurs. I ordered a kids tipi off of Amazon (can be upwards of $100, but they really can be used for years as your child grows) and slid his old crib mattress in there as a little couch. Rylan loves lounging in his little tipi, playing with toys or pulling out books. It was one of the best investments I ever made for his imagination.


Even though my background is in the Culinary Arts and I am always finding myself in the kitchen cooking, when I was a child I did not know the slightest thing about preparing food. Even my American Girls cookbook could not help my peanut butter cookies fromturning into molten pools on the baking sheet. Rylan is in the stage of his childhood where he is craving the ability to do things independently (with supervision, of course). He finds himself feeling frustrated watching me cook in the kitchen because he wants to be the one stirring the sauce or checking on the cakes. I started brainstorming ways that he would be able to help prepare his dinners without having to cut things or be exposed to direct heat. I tested an idea of using an unplugged crockpot and letting him add his ingredients one by one to make a slow-cooker chili for his grandparents. He had the time of his life plopping in meatballs and using the wooden spoon to stir his concoction! A few weeks later he asked to help me bake cookies. I pulled out our toaster oven (not preheated), and used the little baking tray. I formed the balls of dough and Rylan rolled them in sugar and assembled them on the tray. I took over putting the tray in the toaster oven and setting the temperature, but it was the perfect little size for him to be able to see through the glass without endangering himself near a huge oven.

We as parents are doing the absolute best that we can at any given point in time. It’s so easy to compare ourselves to other parents who can afford the elaborate vacations and houses full of electronics, and that is amazing that they are able to have those luxuries! But for a lot of us, dusting off the old camping tent and swimming in the lake may be the yearly family vacation. My fondest memories in life were made around a campfire, with the stars shining through holes in the sky, listening to the chorus of bugs and birds and running water. (That doesn’t mean that our family vacations to Disney World as a child weren’t the most amazing thing ever!!!!) The trick is not in how much money you spend or what you are doing, but in how you personally can find the magic and wonderment in every little thing. If we keep waiting for huge things to happen to make our lives memorable, we will be waiting forever. The beauty is in those little moments, some that happen every day, some that may be out of the ordinary. I will never stop trying to make Rylan’s life as special as possible.

Inexpensive Summer Ideas for Toddlers:

1. Wood Pallet Garden

2. Outdoor Potting Area

3. Plant flowers in old plastic dump trucks and boats (drill draining hole)

4. Reading Nook (use a tent, tipi or blanket fort, string lights, pillows, etc)

5. Outdoor fort for space under the deck (plant shrubs as a border/fence and fill area with sand, toys, small hammock)

6. Learn to cook using unplugged crockpot/toaster oven (parental supervision)

7. Hang a plastic shoe rack inside a pantry door to organize daily snacks, so toddlers can pick out what they’d like to eat

8. Fill an old picnic basket with plastic foods, blanket and camping plates

9. Go camping in the backyard/deck

10. Write a few different day-trip scenarios on popsicle sticks or glue a picture at one end of each and let toddler choose where they’d like to go on their adventure day!

11. Find a local festival (Harry Potter festival, Fairy Festival, etc.) and go to your local thrift store and you and your toddler put together an awesome costume to help their imagination come to life!

12. Let your toddler pretend to be a photographer and learn to capture all those magical moments by giving them an old camera

Tired of the Living in a Fog? Reset Your Body and Mind with Whole30 Challenge

Take a minute to answer these simple questions:

Do you need to drink 3+ cups of coffee a day to stay alert?
Do you constantly fall victim to the after-lunch fog?
Do you feel sluggish or lack energy more often than you care to?
Do you suffer from digestive issues (heartburn, acid reflux, feeling hungry or full all the time)?
Do you have skin problems for no reason (acne, random rashes, hives, dry skin)?
Do you feel sugar or carb withdrawals?
Does your diet revolve around sugar, carbs and dairy?

Around the holidays, I was horrified to stumble upon pictures of myself at a company holiday party and couldn’t believe how round I had become in the year past. It was so discouraging to see that my overconsumption of Christmas cookies and seasonal beer had caused me to look like a lump of rising sourdough, expanding slowly day by day. I feverishly embarked on a carb-free diet which consisted of nutrient-lacking protein shakes and cheese. I was so deflated 2 months later to realize that those empty calories were not making the weight melt off.

In late April, I overheard a coworker talking about a month long challenge that she was mid-way through, called the Whole30. She described it as a body reset, eliminating grain, dairy and sugar and sticking to the basics of meat, fruits and most veggies. Her complexion was glowing and she seemed so alert, and she was only halfway through the challenge! I was immediately intrigued because I love a challenge and a month did not seem like an overwhelming amount of time to take a step in the right direction toward improving my health and wellness.

I fully recommend reading up on the Whole30 program before starting it, as there are a good amount of restrictions that you absolutely cannot get around. For me, I cut out all condiments but increased the seasonings and fresh herbs used. I use only coconut oil to cook with, and coconut and almond flour to coat meats only. I opt not to eat any nuts and limit sweet potato consumption (for those who have higher carbohydrate needs, sweet potatoes will be your best friend). I drink my coffee black with a splash of coconut milk but I do not use any sweetener of any kind. I have completely cut out snacking in between meals and put the most emphasis on a filling breakfast (usually 2 hardboiled eggs, a banana and black coffee). For the first 10 days, I did not get inventive with recipes because I wanted my body to FEEL the changes I was making, instead of replacing bad food with a healthier alternative. I wanted to rely on the primitive aspect of eating plain (mostly raw) vegetables, and taking whole pieces of fruit for a meal. On day 11, I started experimenting with different flavors, seasonings and preparation methods. Everything that was being churned out of my kitchen was zesty and vivid in color.

I started making video blogs (vlogs) to chronicle my experiences for friends who had a desire to try the challenge. I made one for Days 1-10 and Days 11-20 (I am currently on Day 23 and will record my final one on May 31). It was super encouraging to see the way my face had slimmed down from the first vlog to the second. I even had a dewier complexion and my eyes were brighter. I was initially going to wait until I was completely done with the challenge to publish a blog post about the Whole30, but I am being approached by many people about the challenge and I feel compelled to share my story to inspire those of you wishing to make a life change and feel phenomenal!

I recommend briefing yourself on how you will feel on a day-to-day basis on the Whole30. It really does help explain why some days will seem darker than others, and some days you will feel on top of the world. My best advice for starting—DO NOT treat yourself to a binge-day before starting. Anything you put in your body before the Whole30 WILL BE DETOXED out of you and it will make you feel like crap-ola. If you have a day of cramming donuts in your mouth while watching Netflix, you will have a sugar come-down for the first few days of the Whole30. A sugar come-down pretty much consists of migraines, tiredness, mood swings and intense cravings. JUST SAY NO. This isn’t a diet, it’s a change of life where you will now be aware what you are putting in your body and how it affects your entire system. Also, if on Day 14, you are having a hankering for that baby shower cake in the break room…know that it will completely throw you off track in the worst way…and they DO say you will have to start completely over from Day One. I have literally had a spoon of buttercream icing ripped out of my hand by a conscientious objector. On that note, TELL EVERYONE YOU SEE. You know how vegans tell everyone they’re practicing veganism? Probably because they need their friends to help them stick to their dietary change or they would lock themselves in the utility closet at work with a handful of Slim Jims and pork rinds in a moment of meat-induced weakness. So tell your biggest cheerleaders that you are embarking on this challenge and let them encourage you. The positive reinforcement is one of the best parts of the Whole30 because people will see your willpower and your dedication. It’s not easy. Certainly not for foodies like me—when I say icing was forcefully removed from my iron grip, that is no exaggeration. There will also be a point in time when you will dream about sugar-laden delectables. This is normal—this is your body mourning the loss of a certain way of life while your mind embraces the new routine. STAY ON TRACK!

If you need inspiration and encouragement, feel free to watch my vlogs whenever you need to! They cover how I felt day to day, how you will feel if you happen to get a cold during the challenge, and how reinforce how amazing you are for taking this day by day for yourself and your health!

I will also be periodically posting paleo and whole30 approved recipes to inspire you throughout your journey! 

Turmeric Rubbed Chicken with a Mango Avocado Salsa

Ingredients: For the Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tbs turmeric
1 tbs red pepper chili flakes
1/2 tsps red cayenne pepper
1 tbs chopped basil
1/2 tsps coarse salt
2 limes
1 clove minced garlic

Combine tumeric, chili flakes, cayenne and salt in a bowl and coat chicken evenly, rubbing in the spices. In a pan on medium heat, heat 1 tbs Sesame Oil (or coconut oil) and garlic. Sautee chicken evenly on both sides until golden brown, and baste with lime juice when they are done.

Ingredients for the Salsa:

2 ripe mangoes
2 ripe avocados
1 red onion
10 grape tomatoes (optional)
1 tbs chopped cilantro
1 clove minced garlic
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime

Dice all ingredients and combine in bowl. Serve cold or warmed overtop chicken.

BUTT-KICKIN RESOURCES:

The WHOLE Whole30

What to Expect Day by Day

Recipes/Meal Plans

Business Insider Article about What the Whole30 is Like

My personal experience with the Whole30:

Days 1-10 Vlog

Days 11-20 Vlog

Bring the Childhood Magic Back into Weekend Mornings

My favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning is to wake up with the sunrise and take my toddler to the neighborhood diner in his pajamas. I live for the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting into the booths, and the way the intricately iced cakes rotate in the carousel as little ones crowd around it, noses pressed against the glass. As I sit cuddled up with my son next to me, I watch all the different stories unfold around me—young kids voraciously feasting before a big soccer game; loving grandparents treating their grandkids to a special meal; single parents who have their little ones for their custodial weekend; shy young couples on their first breakfast date together getting to know each other over French toast; college students sleepily refueling after an all-too-familiar all-nighter.

The best part about Saturday mornings at the diner is the squeal of excitement escaping my son when his Mickey Mouse pancake is put in front of him. Seeing the elation in his eyes sparked the idea that I could create that glimmer of magic in our own home every Saturday morning with breakfast food that depicted his favorite stories and characters. For the past couple of months, every weekend morning when my baby starts to stir, his sandy-colored hair disheveled from his adventures in dreamland, I ask him what he wants for breakfast. Without fail, he exclaims emphatically with his eyes still closed…”Pancakes!”

Thus my affinity for whimsical pancake art was born! I love using cuts of fresh, colorful fruit; multicolored chocolate chips; and a questionably steady hand while pouring the batter into funky shapes in the hot, buttered pan. The hard part is not dreaming up concepts, but keeping sticky little fingers from grabbing a strawberry nose in the process!

If you want a great way to bond with your kids, treat your significant other to a piece of culinary art, or just reliving your own favorite childhood wonders, see what you can come up with this Saturday morning.

Sultry Summer Recipe for Turning a Day at the Farmer's Market into a Sizzling Date Night

Social Experiment:

Walk into a crowded room- be it a break room at work, an OBGYN’s office, a salty biker bar, whatever you please…and discreetly utter the words…”Farmer’s Market.” I guarantee about 95% of the occupants of that room will squeal and say, “Oh I just LOOOOVE farmer’s markets!!!” This is because farmer’s markets are a veritable Mecca of local delights, farm fresh produce and an exquisitely opportune time for people watching. And almost every town across the US of A boasts some sort of farmers bazaar. 

Lancaster County is home to the country’s oldest functioning farmer’s market, appropriately named Central Market. As soon as you push open the magnificent side doors, your senses are awoken by the convolution of heavenly aromas: gooey sticky buns dripping with molten cinnamon butter; flowery cardamom dusted delectables from the Middle East stand, the musky perfume of freshly smoked meats and cheeses, the fragrant potpourri of hundreds of colorful flowers transported in pretty papered bouquets up and down every aisle. Wafting in and out of your eardrums are muddled Pennsylvania Dutch exclamations and the sublime sound of the choir singing from the rafters. 

My dream date night would be embarking on a “Market Mystery Basket Challenge.” Once you’ve entered Market, split up and one person visits a spice stand, a produce stand and a cheese stand, and the other selects the meat and additional accompaniments. Remember, you will not be basing any of your purchases off of a pre-planned recipe! Together at home, you can create culinary ingenuity using the random ingredients that you picked up from Market. It would be a brilliant way to fuse teamwork with imagination while supporting local flavor. 

Not feeling inventive? Here's an easy example anyone can do at home!

Protein:
Orange roughy
Vegetable:
Purple Cauliflower
Accompaniments:
Apricot Marmalade
Dijon Mustard
Tarragon
Lemons
Almonds

Apricot and Dijon Glazed Orange Roughy with Roasted Purple Cauliflower Almondine

In a hot pan, melt 2 tbs butter, 2 tsps Dijon mustard and ¼ jar of apricot marmalade. Add in 3 tbs freshly chopped tarragon. Pour over baked orange roughy filets (or marinate them before you cook them). Salt and pepper to taste.

Cut cauliflower into bite sized florets. Toss in a bowl of paprika (or Old Bay), salt and pepper, then squeeze lemon over florets. Place in oven heated at 375 degrees until florets turn golden brown. While cauliflower is roasting, melt 2 tbs of butter in a pan, then add a clove of minced garlic. Sautee slivered almonds in the pan and remaining lemon juice. Pour mixture over roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with fingerling potatoes tossed in olive oil, fresh chunks of garlic and rosemary.

End your evening with a light vanilla panna cotta with mango mousse and a crisp glass of Chenon Blanc under the stars and that, my friends, is a recipe for bliss.

A Minute Out of Monday

In my quest to see the fireworks despite a seemingly never-ending mental fog, it dawned on me that the sparks in life originate from millions of tiny, serendipitous moments all working together to keep the blood pumping through my veins in perfect rhythm; to imprint the soft crinkles in the corners of my eyes from a lifetime of smiles; to feel that rush of warmth every time my child sets his eyes upon me; the prickling of my skin with delighted relief when I hear a song that describes the emotions that my own words have fallen short in conveying. The minutes fall like tiny, fragile snowflakes, each so intricately different but awe-inspiring as they dance in the air, suspended in time long enough to achieve a snapshot to archive in my memory bank. If I try to tangibly touch them, they completely dissipate in my eager palm so all I can do is admire their fleeting beauty with the mindfulness that they could be the last of the season, forcing me to just be in every moment…

My mind works in a way that it is physically and mentally draining for me to make small talk of any kind—I’d rather delve into the nitty-gritty; be granted the exposure to secrets that are kept only by the solace of the silent stars. So when it was suggested to me that I need to start a blog in the shallow attempt to occupy my mind from…well, my own mind…I initially felt panic about the expected hashtag overuse and mindless posts hyper-focused on the agonizing process of dying my hair the perfect shade of Pantone’s color eggplant in what I can only describe as my 30-year identity resuscitation. Maybe this blog doesn’t have to solely conform to weight loss journeys, #fashiongoals or homages to perfect parenting. Maybe this blog can also highlight those [little serendipitous] moments that often go unnoticed as we work in overdrive to beautify our own lives, only to neglect the organic splendor that exists effortlessly within each moment in time. I’m sure you will find over-embellished pictures of avocado toast, outfits-on-fleek days and a veritable shrine to my son strewn amongst my written thoughts…but maybe a glimpse into my little bubble will inspire you to share the beauty in your world with me.

"When your world moves too fast

and you lost yourself in the chaos,

introduce yourself

to each color of the sunset.

Reaquaint yourself with the earth 

beneath your feet.

Thank the air that surrounds you

with every breath you take.

Find yourself in the appreciation of life."