Recipe: Pear, beet and goat cheese wedge salad with raspberry vinaigrette

New recipes are so fun for me, mostly the kind I make up on the spot when I'm hungry haha. I used to be intimidated to make my own dressings but now I love it! This wedge salad is super easy, low-cal and yummy. Hope you like it!

Ingredients for Salad:

A crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce

Half a pear, sliced into thin sections

Canned sliced beets, drained

Goat cheese, crumbled or any kind (this is kalamata olive goat cheese from TJ's)

(This would also be great with candied walnuts, mmm)

Garnish wedge of lettuce with all ingredients. 

Then move on to dressing (you can chill it meanwhile, if you'd like)

Ingredients for Dressing:

(I don't really measure out the ingredients, because it depends how many portions I'm making but I'll give a base idea for a single portion. I also make it according to taste so add more of whatever you like)

About 1/4 C. Olive oil

2-3 Tbls. Balsamic

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 Tbls. Raspberry preserves

A couple fresh raspberries, crushed, if you have them

Whisk together well. 

I always taste-test it before I pour it over the salad and make any adjustments if needed. 

DIY: Moss & Mini Succulent Terrarium

Hello!

I'm bringing you guys some DIY fun today. Terrariums are easy to assemble and take care of and look cute in your home. I got together with my dear friend Heather to make our terrariums and we had a blast. 

Here's the how-to!

 

Moving Day

Great news, we're moving!! This weekend my husband and I will be moving into a new place of our own. Therefore, my brain is buzzing with color palettes, textures, DIY projects, and design ideas! 

The kitchen has my full attention, I love to cook and over all spend a lot of time in there. Our new one has plenty of room which I'm excited about. I want the feel to be eclectic, warm and inviting with traditional Mexican inspiration. In our old place I had a lot of red, black and white all over, including the kitchen. It became too predictable and boring. Three years later my style has changed I want to sale some of the stuff I no longer like and replace it with new more exciting pieces. See this post for the color palette I'm going with!

I'm excited to post about the process so bear with me the next couple months :) 

Recipe: Coconut milk, Brown sugar & Almond Pancakes

Well, hello! Seriously these are THE best pancakes I've thought up in a while. And I love to make pancakes. You can add bananas, flax seed meal, pumpkin puree, or other ingredients to this base to make it even more delicious. I make them dairy-free but they don't have to be. Okay, so with out further delay, here's the recipe! 

Coconut Milk, Brown Sugar & Almond Pancake Recipe

1 C. Pancake Mix (go here for a list of dairy-free pancake mixes)

3/4 C. Coconut milk (you can also use almond or soy milk)

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil (you can also use coconut oil or olive oil)

2 Tbsp Packed brown sugar

1 Egg

1 Tsp (or 5 Shakes of ground cinnamon, depends on how much you like)

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1/8 Tsp Almond Extract

(Extra ingredients- if making banana pancakes, mash 1 banana in a separate bowl,  add into mixture)

Directions:

1. Add all dry ingredients, then wet. 

2. Whisk, but don't over mix. 

3. Use a 1/4 C. measuring cup (1/3 C. for large pancakes- the bigger the better) as a scoop to pour pancakes on a buttered (use a butter alternative for dairy-free option) griddle.

( I usually put four small separate pats of butter on the griddle, then pour the batter over each.)

4. Cook until they begin to bubble then flip. 

Enjoy!

Color Palette: Teal & Gold

Clockwise from top right: Interior Design via The Paris Apartment | Gold Clutch via Fashion Vibe | Earrings via Juicy Couture | Fashion Via Glitter Guide | Vintage Glasses via Oh Darlin Vintage | Manicure via Let Them Have Polish | Washi Tape via Modcloth | Interior Design via New Ravenna.

Hi everyone! I wanted to share my latest inspiration board with you. Gold is the trend right now, in the home, in your wardrobe and even on nails. And pairing gold with teal really makes it pop. Hope you enjoy it, have a great week!

Color Palette: Yellow, red, & grey

{via Angela Hardison}

This picture caught my eye with it's simple use of primary colors merging so well. I made this color palette with that soft sage green from the vase but I coud've just as easily swapped it for that kelly green from the book. I love them both! I don't usually love yellow and red together but this is proof that if done right, those colors together can really brighten a room. I really like how the soft grey and dark navy blue provide the right contrast. Also, I don't know why I didn't collect those ikat bowls from Anthro.

Eclectic Kitchen Inspiration

I love an eclectic kitchen. A mix of collectibles, knick-knacks and your favorite kitchen gadgets make an inviting atmosphere. Here are some ways you can make you kitchen more home-y, welcoming, and a little piece of self-expression.

Presentation: Put all your dishes, bottles, spices, and servingware on display!

World-Traveler: Collect pieces from different cultures to give your kitchen a fusion of flavor, color, and textures.  

 All that Glitters: Gold flatware is in this year! It adds sparkle to any kitchen and is a nice change from the daily silverware. 

It'll make you feel extra fancy during your morning cereal. 

Spring is in the Air: Florals are delicate, colorful and textural. They can be an instant pick me up for any kitchen space, big or small.  

Mix & Match: Patterns, prints, colors and textures look great all mixed together. How ever light or heavy the eclectic feel, is up to you.

Have fun with it and try to capture that happy feeling you get when you cook for others in the kitchen. 

Defining Decor: Lucite office chairs

{via made by girl}

 {via bellamumma}

{via Canvas home store}

What have you Pinned lately?

{For credits please go here}

Apparently I've been loving a lot of neutrals; everything from interior design to food in washes of greys, creams, blush, and champagne have popped up on my pinboard. I love white in the kitchen and bedroom. An lately I can't stop buying clothes in grey. What color palette are you loving lately?

Color Palette: Sweet Pastels

Via The Sweetest Occasion

I'm insanely drawn to sweet pastel palettes like this one! I usually make my own but I had to pass along this one I found via Pinterest from The Sweetest Occasion. It reminds me of the upcoming Spring and all the pretty things it brings with it as well as all the things I'm hoping for. Things I hope will blossom into lovely events, great changes and fond memories. It's such a refreshing mix of colors isn't it? What do you most anticipate about Spring?