from last week

1. breakfast - greek yogurt with granola
2. his favorite spot in the house
3. afternoon lounging
4. kale chips in the making
5. lunch - quinoa, feta, asparagus, kale chips
6. left-over wings = messy husband
7. sweet baby calvin. (he's growing too fast)

breakfast

I cannot stop eating these two things for breakfast (not at the same time..eww)

breakfast number 1: greek yogurt, walnuts, sprinkle of chocolate chips (okay, those aren't the healthiest but it doesn't hurt.) My sister turned me on to this yogurt combo and its to die for.

breakfast number 2: toast, sunflower seed butter, banana.
sunflower seed butter is one of my favorite things in the world right now.. i eat it daily and go through a jar a month. its like peanut butter but way better somehow.

p.s.

i finally did something i've been dying to do forever. more pictures soon..

daily

i like..


getting the sweetest packages in the mail from my dear friend. thats french macaron soap! its too cute, how am i supposed to use it??


a yummy breakfast. toast with coconut oil, oj, and greek yogurt with raspberries.


cupcake happy hour. and playing bingo for cupcakes.


the yummiest cinnamon ice cream. and an amazing read


taking engagement photos. or any photos for that matter..

November has been good.. great even. I'm looking forward to sunday, not so much because its my birthday but its the day we put up our CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. we don't buy into this "you've got to wait until after thanksgiving" hype.. Where did that come from anyway?? that logic bugs me.

but anyway, i have some things to share soon (ie: when i get around to it) like caramel apples, some exciting news for josh and i (not a baby), what i've been "working" on, and a pretty personal post i've been debating to share.

and pssst.. if you haven't downloaded josh's bands latest album, you should go do it. its amazing and free.

fall(ish) recipe: breakfast quinoa parfait

i saw this recipe the other day. and knew i had to try some version of it. here's what i came up with.

i cooked red quinoa with apple juice instead of water.
cooked down one chopped nectarine, 1 tablespoon agave, cinnamon and nutmeg.
and layered them in a small glass with greek yogurt.

it. was. amazing.

i want to add pumpkin puree next time.. make it even more fall.

Breakfast and winner!

Before I get to the winner I wanted to show you my favorite breakfast smoothie.

Strawberries, frozen banana, frozen blueberries, frozen peaches and a few dollops of plain yogurt.

Yum! It's filling but not heavy and it helps me start the day with something cool. Which is exactly what I need in these awful summer months. (I have mixed feelings about summertime. I love the long days, but I am not cut out for the heat/humidity here. Let's just say I am SOO ready for my trip to the northwest)



And the winner of the chocomize gift card is Sheena!! Her blog just so happens to be one of my favorites. She's a photographer and a mama, and also just ran in a ragnar relay race so I think she deserves a few good chocolate bars. (I swear she was chosen randomly via random.org. My husband even counted and recounted the comments to make sure! ha)
Sheena, let us know what you get.

As for the rest of us, chocomize is still offering 10% off. Just enter coupon code 'vanilla&lace' when you check out. Thank you all for entering!! I loved reading everyone's crazy customized chocolate ideas.


P.s. I got this very large shirt/dress?/nightgown? for $1 at the thrift store the other day. This is what it looks like now, but i'm hoping to bring it down to my size and shorten it sometime next week. I'll post the "after" as soon as I do.

best blueberry muffins EVER

I made these last weekend and my husband ate seven in one day. Yes, seven. They are crazy good. The cinnamon-sugar streusal topping sets them over the edge.

Blueberry muffins
MAKES 12
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar (i used evaporated cane juice)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg (i used one egg replacer)
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the streusal topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup earth balance (or butter), cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg (or replacer mixture) and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup earth balance, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking. (You may not use all the topping)
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

English Scones with devonshire cream

Teas were a huge part of my childhood. There were fancy birthday teas, the annual ladie's christmas tea at church, and every so often mom and the girls (I have 2 sisters) would go to the Pomeroy House tea room to have afternoon tea. It is one of my most beloved memories about childhood and I cherish every cucumber sandwich, scone and drop of tea. So of course, when I planned our trip to Washington scones with devonshire cream and lemon curd and jam were top priority. Right up there with shopping at H&M.

These scones and devonshire cream are about as close as you can get to the ones in England, without being there. I prefer to break them apart bite by bite with my fingers and layer on the jam or lemon curd, and top with a generous dollop of devonshire cream. Or you can always slice it like you would a roll and spread the jam and cream as pictured.



Either way, you will be biting into heaven on earth. The scones are soft, buttery pillows and when layered with jam and cream they become divine. And ohhh, devonshire cream. It makes them. I'm telling ya, you are missing out on something great if you don't eat it all together.




English Scones
Makes 16

4 cups Flour
3 tablespoons Sugar
4 teaspooons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Half and half
1 1/2 sticks of butter - chilled
1 large egg yolk (save white for brushing)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in butter, until combined and resembles a course meal. (the butter lumps should not be pea sized)
Add egg yolk to half and half. Stir half and half mixture into dry ingredients. Knead slightly in the bowl to combine. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a round, slightly dome shape about 1 inch thick. Cut the round into 8 wedges. Brush tops with egg white. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, tops will be golden brown.


Devonshire cream

1 cup Whipping cream
2 tablespoons Powdered sugar
1/2 cup Sour cream

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Stir in powdered sugar and sour cream.