veggie stew

A hearty stew perfect for winter. All the fresh vegetables and broth give you a boost of nutrients and the lentils are chock full of iron & protein, so you can fight off those winter-time colds. I like to mash the potatoes and put a ladle full of the stew on top, so the mashed potatoes soak up all the yumminess and add a contrast of textures.

 Other ideas to add are mushrooms, spinach, kale, green beans, peas or barley.

Mixed Fresh Vegetables- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots- 12 oz.
Lentils- 1 cup
Red Skin Potatoes- 6 small-medium, cubed (can sub. cabbage, kale or bok choy)
Vegetable Broth- 2 1/2 cups 
Onion- 1, minced
Garlic- 3 cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste
Thyme- to taste

Bring pot of water to boil for potatoes.

Saute onion in olive oil about 5 minutes while you mince garlic. Add garlic and saute 3-4 minutes more until tender. Add vegetable broth, lentils, all other vegetables & seasonings. Simmer 20-25 minutes until lentils and are tender.  Remove thyme sprigs.

Boil potatoes 20 minutes until tender. Drain & mash with a little butter, garlic salt, salt & pepper.

Place a scoop of mashed potatoes on a plate or bowl and spoon a ladle-full of stew on top.

seasonal sweaters

This is the time of year I like to make sure I'm stocked up on cozy sweaters- they become my easy go-to's for work and family parties. They're cute and give you a reason to look forward to cold days. Here are some of my favorite holiday sweaters this season:

Urban Outfitters Silence and Noise Zig Zag Sweater

Urban Outfitters- Urban Renewal Cropped Sweater

 Need Supply Co.- Smoky Marled Sweater

Urban Outfitters- Urban Renewal Vintage Women's Fair Isle Sweater

Express- Cocoon Sweater Coat

H&M Chunky Knit Sweater with Braided Collar - $9.95 regular price!

[cute winter sweaters, knit sweaters, holiday sweaters]

jazzed up jack o lanterns

Every year I want to do a cool, creative jackolantern, but I always end up doing the stupid triangle eyes, triangle nose and several triangle teeth... because I'm artistically challenged. But not this year my friends, because I discovered halloween pumpkin stencil templates. You can print them free online. You just tape them to your pumpkin and cut out the design! Easy! I bought a big, fat wide pumpkin and planned on doing a creepy Cheshire cat smile, so the Evil Smile template below is perfect! 

Click the link for the pattern & directions:

Marilyn Monroe

Evil Smile

Ghost

Fall Leaf Cluster

Spooky Owl

Howling Ghost

Cat

Trick or Eat

Check out Pumpkin Glow for more templates!




[pumpkin carving templates]

meatless chilli

My mom used to serve us chilli with macaroni, so until I got older I didn't know regular chilli was just meat & beans. I prefer my chilli with the noodles because it's more filling and pasta also has a good amount of protein. If you're looking for another option for vegetarian chilli without using Boca Burger crumbles, you can try my 3-Bean Sloppy Joes, and just cut down on the brown sugar.

Boca Burger Crumbles- 1 12 oz. bag

Elbow Macaroni- 8 oz.

Diced Tomatoes- 1 can

Kidney Beans- 1 15 oz. can

Brown Sugar- 1 tbsp

Relish/Chopped Pickle- 1 tbsp.

Onion- 1 minced

Garlic- 2-3 cloves, minced

Cayenne Pepper- to taste

Chilli Powder- to taste

Salt & Pepper- to taste

Bring salted water to boil. Cook noodles according to box. Drain & set aside.

Saute onion 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and cook 4 more minutes until tender. Add Boca Burger Crumbles and saute until heated through- about 5-6 minutes.

Stir in diced tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring often.


Add cooked noodles and mix. Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

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how to do a ballerina bun

Even though my hair is super long, when I try to twist it up into a ballerina bun it turns out to be a tiny, pathetic ball on top of my head. Then I heard about CONAIR'S Bun Makers (thanks Jessica!) and I've been hiding my bad hair days in big, chic buns ever since. You can find these bunmakers at places like Sally Beauty Supply or other beauty chains or pharmacies for just a few dollars. But if you're desperate, you can cut both ends off a sock and roll it into a donut (use a color that matches your hair). They're the perfect way to give your bun that extra oomph and help it to hold shape.

Here's how to make a perfect big ballerina bun. 

Flip hair over and pull into a high ponytail, secure tightly with hair tie. Pull any pieces by your ears that you want down.

1.

Place ConAir hair bun donut around the base of your ponytail, and pull the rest of your hair through (you now have a pony tail with a big, ugly scrunchie).

2

Spread hair around bun so donut is all covered.

3.

Once donut is all covered on all sides, put a tight hair tie around, creating a bun. 

4.

If you have shorter hair, you're done! If you have long hair like me, gather together the leftover pieces that hang and twist them. Then wrap the twisted hair around the base of the bun  as many times as needed and pin with several bobby pins. Spray frizzies down with hair spray.

Here I did a lower bun with a poof in front for a wedding.

Another option: For a fancier look, wrap your extra ends over the top of the bun to cover the hole on top. Looks like a professional updo.

[tags: easy ballerina bun, easy hairstyles for wedding guests, whitney port ballerina bun, kourtney kardashian ballerina bun, how to make a big ballerina bun, how to make a perfect ballerina bun]

pumpkin spice latte

So this year I've actually been a lot better at keeping my Starbucks addiction at bay. The secret has been making my own Pumpkin Spice Lattes at home. Truth be told, I was to lazy to make the run to Starbucks one day and wondered what would happen if I sprinkled some pumpkin spice seasoning into my coffee grounds. Voilá, it worked! I had yummy pumpkin coffee at home and saved $4 and about 200+ calories. Then I found the delish recipe below for pumpkin spice lattes just like Starbucks. 


So when you're short on time or ingredients, I recommend the coffee and when you have a few minutes on a Sunday afternoon, or when your friend stops by to discuss the legitimacy of Kim & Kris's relationship, whip up some lattes! 

Image from gimmesomeoven.com

Easy Pumpkin Spice Coffee
To make your own pumpkin spice coffee- simply sprinkle about 3 shakes of pumpkin spice into coffee grounds (about 1/2 tsp. per cup). Mix the spices around in the grounds so it is well-blended. Brew coffee as usual. 


Pumpkin Spice Latte

Serves 1-2

You'll Need:
2 cups vanilla soy milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (your choice)
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1-2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-2 shots espresso ( or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine.)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice. Blend 15 seconds in blender or whisk well until foamy. 

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso or coffee on top.

Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top. Enjoy!

[how to make a pumpkin spice latte at home, pumpkin spice latte recipe, starbucks pumpkin spice latte, how to make pumpkin spice coffee]

black bean + goat cheese dip

This is a perfect party appetizer. With it's complex savory flavors, your guests will never know it's good for them!

Recipe from Oprah's Magazine, O

Black Beans- 2 cans, drained & rinsed
Goat Cheese- 1 log 11 oz.
Vegetable Broth- 1 cup
Jalepeno Peppers- minced
Fresh Cilantro
Scallions- 1/2 cup, chopped
Garlic- 2 cloves
Onion- 1 cup
Cumin

Saute garlic and onion. Stir in cans of black beans and mash lightly with masher. Add cumin. Stir in vegetable broth and rest of beans. Simmer until very thick, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Let cool.

In 1.5 quart casserole dish, layer half of bean mixture- then cheese- then cilantro/scallion/pepper mix. Then rest of beans and more pepper/cheese mix.

Bake 30 minutes on 375.  Serve with tortilla chips.

get the look for less - emerald

This fall is all about jewel tones, with emerald being one of my favorites. I love the gorgous emerald maxi skirts we saw on the runway, and here's how to get the look for less.



Jill Sanders Runway

Michael Kors Runway



Pair this flowy maxi shirt with a crispy white tee or something more interesting, like the tiered top below. Either way, keep your top neutral for a clean, comfortable look.

J. Crew Perfect Fit Tee, $22.50

Top Shop Cotton Tier Tee, $66

                                                      

Top Shop Maxi Skirt, $80

sweet & smokey 3 bean sloppy joes/chili

I'm going tailgating this weekend and I don't want anyone to think a vegetarian can't hang in in the world of smoked meats and football, so I'm making this delish meatless three bean chili- but I put it on a bun so it's like a sloppy joe. You can serve either way, just cut down on the brown sugar for regular chili. It has that smokey, sweet sauce I love about sloppy joes, and I added jalapeños for a kick.

Makes 12 sandwiches

You'll Need:
Black Beans- 1 can, 15 oz.
Butter Beans- 1 can, 15 oz. 
Kidney Beans- 1 large can, 40.5 oz.
Diced Tomateos- 1 28 oz. can
Onion- 1, minced
Garlic- 4-5 cloves, minced

Seasonings
Brown Sugar- 1 cup (can cut down on if you want more like chili & less like sloppy joe)
Relish- 4 tbsp.
Liquid Smoke- 2 tbsp.
Chilli Powder- 2 tsp.
Dijon Mustard- 2 1/2 tbsp.
Oregano- to taste
Salt & Pepper- to taste
Optional: Hot Sauce or diced Jalepeño Peppers



Drain and rinse beans. Saute onion until tender, add garlic until tender. Add Boca Burger Crumbles if using- cook Boca about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and all seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes- stir in beans. Simmer 10 more minutes. Serve on toasted buns or in a breadbowl if desired. 


[meatless sloppy joes, meatless chilli, vegetarian chilli, vegetarian tailgating recipes, 3 bean chilli, vegetarian sloppy joes, vegetarian football game recipes, vegetarian party recipes, chilli with boca burger, chilli sandwiches]

sweet potato casserole

Sweet potatoes with marshmallows is one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. You can mash the sweet potatoes, but I prefer them cut into disks. Plus, your aunt will make mashed potatoes, so do it this way, I'm telling ya. The pecans add a nice crunchy topping, but they're optional.

6 Sweet Potatoes- DO NOT USE CANNED (BLUCK)
Mini Marshmallows- 1 bag
Butter- 5 tbsp.
Brown Sugar- 2/3 cup
Cinnamon- 1 tsp.
Nutmeg- 1/2 tsp.
Salt & Pepper- to taste
Roasted/Carmelized Pecans- optional


Boil or bake sweet potatoes until tender and fork cuts through easily. Cool and remove skin. Preheat oven to 350. 


Cut sweet potatoes into disks. Place disks into sprayed 9 x 13 casserole dish.


Toss sweet potatoes with butter and all spices. Mix so the casserole is evenly covered. Top with pecans if using. 

 Bake 20 minutes at 350. Then add marshmallows sprinkle a little more cinnamon.


Bake or broil a few minutes until marshmallows begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or they will burn!


[sweet potato casserole, vegetarian thanksgiving, sweet potatoes with marshmallows]

creamy pumpkin dip

It's fluffy fall heaven in a dish. With the delicious flavors of cream cheese and pumpkin pie spice, it's a great dip for a halloween party...and the Scooby Graham Cracker Bones go perfect for tailgating for the Brown's game. Serve with ginger snaps or cinnamon graham crackers and sliced apples.

A lot of other similar recipes call for 16 oz. of Cool Whip, but I think that it overpowers all the other flavors and makes it too bland- so I really recommend the cream cheese instead and a much smaller amount of whip cream.

You'll Need:

Pure Pumpkin- 29 oz. can (Not pumpkin pie puree)

Cream Cheese- 8 oz.
Cool Whip- 4 oz. (half of 1 tub)

Pack of Instant Vanilla Pudding- 5 oz. (not cooked, just packet)

Pumpkin Pie Spice- 2 tsp. 
Cinnamon- 1 tsp.

Cloves- optional to taste

With a hand blender, mix pumpkin puree, cream cheese, pudding mix, pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon until blended.

Then fold in cool whip.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Spoon into small carved out pumpkin for a creative fall serving option.

Here I served with Scooby Cinnamon Graham Crackers & apples

[fall appetizers, halloween party recipes, easy fall appetizers, easy fall party appetizers, fluffy pumpkin dip with cream cheese, pumpkin dip in pumpkin, pumpkin pie dip]