Wow. That is all I can say about this past weekend.
Friday night was actually the ideal spring evening. Enjoying the backyard with my husband and my favorite little girl (and maybe a glass of wine or two).
Enjoying the Slide.Everyday I’m Shovelin’
If my Nike FuelBand is any indication, we were BUSY on Saturday!
Fuel Goal: 3,750 = Destroyed
I have been using the Fuel Band for about two weeks now to track activity and I LOVE IT! I want to meet my goal everyday, even if that means doing jumping jacks and running around my living room before bed in order to do so!
Anyway, Saturday I destroyed by goal because I never sat down. Started win Spin class at the Y (Cycle Circuit, so we also did stairs, suicides and lots of jumping jacks), did grocery shopping, packed up E and went to a Bowl for Kids’ Sake event, cleaned my house and cooked some yummies to eat while we watched the Wichita State game (insert sad face here, Proud of you Shox!).
We had a few friends over for the game, including Baby Halstyn (though when Elena says it, it sounds like Baby Awesome, too funny).
Swinging during halftimeHanging with “Baby Awesome”
By the time Sunday rolled around I was ready to relax. We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast of coffee (for the adults) and doughnuts all around.
E’s Favorite: Doughnuts!
After I had another Bowl for Kids’ Sake event Sunday afternoon I came home and decided to make my own version of Bun Ga Nuong (a Vietnamese dish with chicken and vermicelli noodles). I was craving Saigon but wanted to make a healthier version at home.
YUM.
Check back Wednesday for the recipe. I think it turned out well
(Side Note: My husband has requested “normal food” for my next blog recipe so I am taking suggestions).
After we filled our bellies we enjoyed some family time on the couch.
Finally it seems that Spring might really be here. We had snow flakes the size of potato chips yesterday but the sun is shining today and it has me thinking about Spring again. Last week I posted about Spring Colors and this week I’m ready to use them on some great projects I have seen all over Pinterest and some of my favorite blogs!
I have never been one of those “decorate for every holiday” people, mainly because my husband would go insane, but I do like to change out at least a few items around the house seasonally.
Now the question is, where do I start? What fun projects do you have lined up around your house this Spring?
Check out the links below for instructions for all of these DIY projects!
Like I mentioned in Wednesday’s post, I am ecstatic for SPRING! The weather, the clothes, the fresh veggies, March Madness, all of it! And nothing gets me more in the spirit of Spring than all of the fresh colors out in the stores.
Back in Fall of 2012 Pantone released their Top 10 Colors for Spring 2013.
LOVE! Not only are these great colors for fashion, but for your home or special event or party too! Target, my go-to for a quick fix of inexpensive, but cute fashion or household items has certainly gotten the memo. I go to Target at least once a week and have been LOVING their colors this year.
So now that we’ve established how fabulous these colors are, why don’t we have a look at some fabulous combinations of these colors?
Brandi Girl is my go to for all things COLOR (she is a genius!) and she put together the combos below.
What is your favorite color combination? I was planning a “Red, White & Two” theme for my daughter’s birthday in June but just might have to throw in some Nectarine to make it pop!
The Jayhawks play tonight so it is all Poppy and Monaco Blue for this chick today!
I could not be more thrilled for spring! There is something about cold, gloomy weather (commonly associated with winter) that really gets me in a funk!
Sometimes I can get on Pinterest and pretend it is Spring and start planning my garden, wardrobe, party menus etc. but it just doesn’t do the trick quite as well as the real thing!
So happy first day of Spring everyone, I hope you are as excited as I am (despite the high pollen count and my faucet-like runny nose)!
I am looking forward to some future guest posts from my mother (Kim is a gardening guru among her many talents) and she can get us all ready for spring and summer planting that will look pretty and provide bountiful harvests all summer and fall! But in the meantime, with snow (GASP) in the forecast for Wichita this weekend, I decided on soup for my recipe of the week.
But this is not just any soup, this is super easy Chicken Pho! If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed my obsession with Chicken Pho and taking pictures of the steaming bowl I order at least once a week at Saigon. Amazing.
But lately I have wanted to make a slightly healthier version at home (and one that I can ensure is MSG and therefore Gluten Free) so my sister-in-law (Holler, Jenny) can enjoy it too.
After a trip to the regular grocery store AND the Asian Market (who let me in AFTER they closed so I could shop after I went to the gym) I had my ingredients. With the Salmonella scares associated with sprouts these days I couldn’t find ANY at regular grocery stores but scored a GIANT bag at Asian Market for less than $2. I needed to hit them up for Thai Basil anyway but I will be doing more shopping there in the future, for sure.
SO you know the drill, first I assembled all of the ingredients.
I call this “easy” because I don’t make my own broth. The broth probably the best part of Pho with the anise and lemongrass, it smells AMAZING. However, as the name of my blog states, my life is hectic and I don’t usually have time to make my own broth, so I am sharing this recipe for others who also don’t have time to make broth!
They did not have Chicken Pho broth (though I know Pacific carries it and you can find who sells it locally in your area on their website) so I went with Vegetarian. It is made with Mushroom broth and other spices and only has 25 calories per cup!
I poured the broth in a pot and put it on the stove to warm while I baked the chicken. I quickly seasoned the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and put it in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes until it was cooked to temperature (165 degrees). Then I chopped it up and set it aside.
While the chicken was baking I also cooked my rice noodles for about 4 minutes then rinsed with cold water and set aside. I used Annie Chuns Brown Rice Noodles because in my mind brown rice is healthier than white rice here.
Next I chopped my green onions and cilantro and added them to the simmering broth then chopped the Thai Basil and Limes for garnish.
Please notice the Siracha in the background. It is a must!
After all of the prep is done this soup is really just about assembly. My husband asked if he could blame me if “the soup sucks” and I told him I wasn’t really cooking, I just assembled fresh ingredients and some store bought broth so there wasn’t much “cooking” going on.
All mixed up!
For assembly I added my noodles to the bowl and added some chicken. Then I poured the broth over and added my garnish (Thai Basil, Mung Bean Sprouts, some fresh squeezed lime juice and Siracha) and that’s it. Ready to it.
For my first batch ever I thought it was great! I do think I would prefer the chicken broth (just needed something extra) but not bad at all for when I am craving some Pho (which is always) but don’t want to go to a restaurant.
The full recipe is below. Enjoy! Make a batch while it is still cool and enjoy your first day of Spring!
Best,
Easy Chicken Pho
Ingredients:
4 cups Pacific Pho Broth
4 oz Annie Chun Brown Rice Noodles (1/2 a package) cooked according to package directions
2 cups cooked & diced or shredded
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, minced
Garnishes:
Thai Basil, chopped
mung bean sprouts
limes, cut into wedges
Siracha Chili Sauce
Directions:
In a large stock pot, bring broth to a boil. Add cilantro and green onions to the pot when you are almost ready to serve. In the meantime cook rice noodles to package instructions and set aside. Prepare your chicken at this time as well.
Prepare your garnishes. Arrange Thai Basil, bean sprouts and limes on a plate for easy access (and pretty presentation)
Divide the rice noodles evenly among bowls. Top the noodles with about 1/2 cup shredded chicken.
Ladle the hot broth over the top. Serve and enjoy and top with your favorite garnishes.
Spring is in the air and there is something about the sunshine and warmer weather that makes me crave SALAD. I need my greens people!
I decided for my Friday Favorites this week I would compile a list of my Top 10 favorite spring and summer salads (Only 9 pictures line up more evenly than 10, so you’re getting 9 today folks).
Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato and Feta Salad from Coastal Living: This pretty salad pops with color and flavor and is perfect for spring and summertime meals. In the summer you can get it all right out of your garden. You can use any combo of fresh herbs; I personally dig a mixture of mint, basil and chives.
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese from Coastal Living: This simple salad combines grilled onions, squash, zucchini and bell peppers with tangy goat cheese and a simple dressing for a lot of flavor and color without a lot of work. Grilling vegetables is one of my favorite things to do in the summer and this is a great way to dress them up.
Pan-Roasted Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Feta from Williams-Sonoma: This delicious salad combines sweet corn and juicy tomatoes, tossed with fresh herbs, dressed simply with lime juice and topped off with salty feta cheese. This is my go-to salad in the summer to take to parties and barbecues. The best part, you can easily substitute thawed frozen corn and make it in the winter for a summery treat.
Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts from Cooking Light: This salad combines peppery arugula with the sweet, juicy pairs and a bit of crunch from the walnuts. I have had a similar salad at a local restaurant (Bocconcini) but they add gorgonzola cheese and it is to die for.
Pea Salad with Radishes and Feta Cheese from Bon Appetit: This crunchy salad combines two of springs best ingredients: crunchy radishes and sweet peas. The cumin in the dressing adds a smoky taste that pairs really well.
Beet, Rhubarb and Orange Salad from Bon Appetit: This recipe may seem a bit complicated but it is totally worth it. I LOVE beets and they pair perfectly with the sweet oranges and salty feta cheese. If you really want to impress at a party, arranging this colorful salad on a platter will do the trick.
Poached Salmon Nicoise from Sunset: I have always adored the Larkspur’s (local Wichita restaurant where this lady waited tables one summer) twist on the traditional Tuna Nicoise so I started making my own at home. The combination of new potatoes, buttery salmon, olives and green beans makes for a satisfying and delicious meal.
Spring Salad with Strawberries and Balsamic Vinaigrette from La Bella Vita: This salad reminded me of my favorite salad at Caffe Moderne so I was instantly inspired to replicate it to the best of my ability. This recipe comes close though I personally omit the hard-boiled egg and add basil to my dressing instead of the Worcestershire.
Shaved Asparagus Salad from Chow: My first job was at an Asparagus Farm and Market (if you’re ever in Lawrence, be sure to check out Pendleton’s Country Market, they won’t disappoint). This simple salad combines the very best fresh spring vegetable, asparagus, with salty parmesan cheese and a fresh pop from lemon juice and parsley. Yum.
Those are my favorites, folks. Have a great weekend, and I hope you’re enjoying great weather like we are this week in Kansas!
sweet caroline. 