As I sit here typing this, knowing that I have a full day of work ahead of me, I feel really good knowing I took a bit of time this weekend to make tonight’s dinner! I always say I’m going to prepare food for the week over the weekend, but we all know how that goes — right? Things come up! Like wanting to watch a movie on Sunday night instead of spending an hour in the kitchen… (hello, Road Trip! – ha, I hadn’t seen that movie in forever!) Well, last night I was able to accomplish both! And I feel amazing knowing that all I have to do for dinner is open the fridge. So what’s on the menu, you ask?
Shrimp summer salad.
You’ll need:
- 2 lemons
- 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1/2 to 1 cup fresh dill – to taste (chopped)
- 1/2 to 1 cup fresh parsley – to taste (chopped)
- 1 cucumber (chopped)
- 1 red onion (chopped)
- 1 package of cherry tomatoes
- 10-15 stalks asparagus
- 3/4 lb feta cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 3/4 lb orzo (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread shrimp in an even layer over a cooking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes. (DO NOT overcook)
Spread asparagus on a separate baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven for 5-8 minutes.
Let shrimp and asparagus cool to room temperature.
In the meantime, combine cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, dill, parsley and feta. Add the juice of two lemons. Toss well. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss well. Once cooled, add shrimp and asparagus (chop asparagus spears into thirds).
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve at room temperature.
This dish will keep for several days in the refrigerator, so enjoy it chilled as a refreshing summer salad.
If you’d like to bulk up the dish a bit, add orzo. Cook the orzo, according to the directions on the box. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. Combine with shrimp and vegetable mixture.
Shrimp summer salad (bird's eye view)
Shrimp summer salad
This is one of my favorite summer dishes. It’s so easy, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen! It would be a great dish to bring to a Fourth of July cookout. Since it’s served at room temperature, it’s very low maintenance. Enjoy!
I enjoyed cooking this dish next to a bouquet of flowers I bought for myself this weekend. They brighten up my kitchen and make me smile — I feel so domestic! (better fix that ASAP! 
)
Pretty flowers
Beauty is simplicity
What is your favorite summer dish? Do you prepare your meals for the week over the weekend, or take it day-by-day?
BUSY afternoon over here, but I wanted to share some fantastic information I came across.
Most of you know about my bread addiction. I don’t hide it. There is no way in heck I would EVER be able to go on a low carb diet — EVER! However, I do always look for the most wholesome breads, with natural and nutritious ingredients.
One of my favorites is the Seeduction bread from Whole Foods. This stuff is AMAZING! I love dipping it in olive oil for a perfect dinner side-dish, or spreading it with PB and banana for a tasty snack!
Whole Foods Seeduction Bread
After doing a bit of research online, I stumbled upon a recipe that claims to recreate the same deliciousness! This was just too exciting not to share. I’ll definitely be trying this
Seeduction Bread recipe (click orange link!) at home.
Have you tried the Seeduction bread?
What’s your favorite type of bread? Rye? Wheat? Pumpernickel? SHARE!
Also — be sure to check out
my latest Examiner post (click orange link!) to see my favorite way to get in omega-3s!
Happy Friday!
I received a fashion question, which I wanted to address before getting into this week’s eye candy!
A reader wanted some advice on how to wear tights. Ask, and you shall receive, people!
Forget the days of drab, nude pantyhose, ladies. First of all, you are not 80. Second of all, there are so many more FLATTERING and stylish patterns and colors to choose from! Unless you feel that you need to wear them in the workplace (we don’t want you feeling under-dressed- literally!), leave them at home.
Now, let’s start with the basic black tights. The easiest to wear, black tights are instantly slimming and provide a fantastic backdrop for colorful shoes and accessories. Look for black patterned tights, too — these are bound to put personality into any outfit.
Feeling a bit more adventurous? Why not add some bright tights to your wardrobe? But first — repeat after me: simple, simple, simple!! As I stress simplicity here, I am referring to patterns, not necessarily color. You can absolutely pair lavender tights with a chartreuse dress, as long as they are solid colors and your don’t go overboard on the accessories. Tights make a statement on their own, adding too much ‘stuff’ will make you look like a bag lady.
Stand up straight and smile! Let me see some confidence! You are after all, wearing lime green tights. Try pairing them with a pair of cowboy boots and a casual dress. Looking for a bold, chic outfit? Pair your little black dress with bold tights and your favorite black high-heeled shoes for a sexy night out on the town.
Okay, time to hear the DON’Ts
1.) White tights – NO. NO, NO! Unless you are three years old and gearing up for Easter Sunday, you should never, EVER wear white tights.
2.) Don’t wear two different colors on each leg. Unless you are wearing a Halloween costume, let’s leave that fashion sin for Punky Brewster.
3.) Don’t pair tights with too casual of an outfit. Would your outfit look good with flip flops? Then don’t put on a pair of tights.
If you’d like some visual aides, I found two fantastic how-to guides, complete with photos!
How to Wear Patterned, Sexy Stockings & Tights
Confused on if you can wear opened toed shoes or whether your shoes should match the color of your tights? Read Hot Hosiery: How to Wear Tights
In a recent article from USA Today titled, Terrific Tights, the topic of tights was addressed. “In [a bad economy], we always see a surge in hosiery,” says Nicki Gondell, principal at Trend House, a fashion forecaster. “Maybe you can’t afford the ‘It’ bag, but you can have beautiful hose, usually under $25.”
I couldn’t agree more.
I hope you found this information helpful! As always, please continue to email me with any questions — food, fashion, fitness, personal relationships, etc — I’m happy to help!
My favorite outfit this wekk, was one that incorporated one of my favorite dresses. It’s a pretty short dress, and is very flowey (read: prone to blow upwards!). I didn’t think it would be appropriate to wear to work, so I paried it with a pair of dark denium jeans for Casual Friday. I love this dress because it was one of the first DESIGNER dresses I bought with my own money. I bought it on a trip to Chicago at Barney’s. This was when I first fell in love with Marc Jacobs
- Marc Jacobs dress
Smile!
Back of dress
I think I need a bit of color, no?!
The shoe
Dress detail (see that precious heart?!)
- Dress: Marc Jacobs
- Jeans: Elie Tahari
- Shoes: Can’t remember!
Elina
Elina
Top: Kenneth Cole
Sweater: BCBG Maxazria
Pants: Express
Shoes: Stuart Weizman
Necklace: from a local boutique
How adorable does Elina look?! I love the pop of color from the green cardigan and the shoes just make the outfit scream ‘summer!’ The pants also hit her in all the right areas — perfect summer work pant we have here!
Emily
Welcome, Emily! Emily is wearing a purple dress from Neiman Marcus Outlet ($24) and a beaded necklace she stole from her sister (FREE!). This dress is STUNNING! Wowzers, Emily, you are smokin’! I love the fit, the color, everything!
Emily is also wearing a pair of adorable shoes from Payless.
Emily's sandals (Image credit: www.payless.com)
Sherry
Welcome back, Sherry! This dress is ADORABLE! I love the hem, so unexpected and fun! The colors in the dress make it so functional! You can pair it with just about anything for a fantastic look! Mosey on over to Sherry’s blog to see the other looks she created with this dress — take cue, ladies (and men!)! This lady is a true fashionista
And the winner is….
Here are your random numbers:
2
Timestamp: 2009-06-26 13:47:23 UTC
EMILY! Congrats, girl! Email me your mailing address and I’ll send out your prize. Hope more of you out there join in on the fun next week!
What is your favorite piece of clothing you are wearing today?