Tequila, Lime & Green Onion Coleslaw

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This is SUPER delicious, SUPER easy and SUPER healthy...

I had never been a big fan of coleslaw until I had it at a restaurant in downtown Petaluma when I first moved here….where they made it fresh.  I didn't know it could be SO good!  This recipe reminded me of that, only better!  It's light and tangy…creamy and crunchy…a great "summer" side salad!

Ingredients:

• 1/2  cup mayonnaise
• 4  green onions, thinly sliced
• 3  tablespoons lime juice
• 1-2  tablespoons tequila (depending on how much you like the flavor)
• 1   2-pound green cabbage
• Sea salt to taste
• Fresh cracked pepper to taste
• Smoked paprika to taste (optional)
• Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, green onions, lime juice, tequila and seasonings.  Taste and adjust seasonings, remembering this salad should be seasoned relatively assertively because when the cabbage is added the flavor will dilute.
2. Remove any ugly or damaged outer leaves from the cabbage.  Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise.  Cut out the fibrous core.  Place the cabbage cut side down and slice it into very thin strips.
3. Add the cabbage to the mayonnaise mixture.  Toss to combine.
4. Refrigerate and let marinade at least 30 minutes before serving.

This might be dating myself, but I feel like a game of PacMan all of a sudden! :)

Even if you're not a fan of coleslaw…I encourage you to give this one a try, you just might change your mind! :)

This recipe was based on a recipe from "Primal Palate" but I "tweaked" a couple of things and improved upon it;)

Fashion - How to make the "High End, Low End mix" work

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I do the "high end, low end mix" a lot.  It's  amazing how just one high end item can make the whole outfit look higher end.  It's one of my favorite tricks.  This dress above is from Target...very inexpensive.  The boots are Frye...not so inexpensive.  Together, they make a cute, unique outfit.

Wondering how to make the high end, low end mix work for you?  When it comes to style, I like to look simple, timeless, classy...and "high end".  High end does not mean that you have to break the bank and wear everything designer.  I actually think that look is "trying to hard".  It's too obvious....when you have labels everywhere.  That's when the clothes start to wear you instead of you wearing the clothes.  It's about investing in the RIGHT things and saving on others.  With that said, a label here and there, placed strategically, can go a long way.  You just don't want to overdo it.

Some examples of things I invest in:  The "staples" that I'll wear a ton in many different ways that are high quality that will last for years.  Jeans (some women don't put jeans in this category...for me, it's a must), shoes, boots (I've had those Frye boots in the above pic almost 10 years and they'll probably last my lifetime), leather jackets, classic jewelry, handbags and undergarments.  I always consider the "Cost per wear" on these items.  Low quality shoes just aren't worth it to me anymore because I don't end up wearing them because they hurt my feet!  There's always exceptions, of course.  If I only could put one thing in this category it would be jeans, for sure.  I practically live in jeans, so I definitely go for quality.  These days, you can get great designer pieces without paying the designer price!  My favorite stores are the Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet and TJ Maxx.  Amazing deals.  Between these two stores, I never have to pay full price for the designers I love.

Some examples of things I save on:  T-Shirts, tank tops, sweaters, statement or costume jewelry, dresses, and "trends".  Whenever I go to Target I head straight for the clothing and look for the tank tops.  My favorite ribbed tank top, I think they call it the "long and lean tank", is from Target and it's less than $10.  I have them in white, black and gray and I wear them out so it's good to have a few.  The thing is, they NEVER have the basic colors in stock.  So when I see them, I buy them.

I don't see a need to pay a whole lot for tops in general, I think that's a great area to save money on.  If you put on a $10 shirt from Target or $20 blouse from H&M or Forever 21 with a high end pair of designer jeans that fit perfectly, people will think your whole outfit is high end.  Or maybe you find a really cute dress at at Target too!  Wear it with a nice shoe or bootie or a nice handbag and your look appears totally high end.  Like I said, a few labels are okay, but keep people guessing!  By putting outfits together this way, you'll look more unique too.  When buying lower end, there are certain things to look out for that can scream "cheap".  Things like buttons on a shirt or jacket, hardware on a belt, poor fit or certain fabrics can give it away.  If you love everything else, you could always change out buttons if you're crafty...so get creative.

Handbags are a great investment as far as I'm concerned.  I don't buy a lot of them often, because when I do buy one, I use it for years.  I have one special Prada handbag that I got on my last trip to New York...it makes me feel like I could wear a trash bag and look high end!  That's just a joke, but it makes any outfit look better:)

Don't be afraid to buy some "investment pieces", just consider the "cost per wear" and make sure it's in your BUDGET!!  And like I said before, shop Marshalls, TJ Maxx, outlet stores and high end consignment shops...only on occasion will I buy designer items at full price.  TJ Maxx has a section now called "Runway" that carries top designers.  One of my very favorite brands is Vince.  I have SO much Vince in my wardrobe and there is only one pair of pants that I bought at the Vince store in Soho last year.  Other than that, I've gotten everything else at the outlets and TJ Maxx.  I also love Gilt.com that offer new sales daily...amazing deals!  TJ Maxx has an online store too, so if you can't find your size or don't have a store near you...that's a great option.  They carry great handbags too :)

I recently saw a beautiful hat that I fell in love with.  It was very expensive...for a hat.  I admit, I tried to justify it for a moment.  BUT, I remembered my "cost per wear" rule and knew I wouldn't wear it enough to justify the cost.  Done...I put it back.

Here's an example of a go-to kind of outfit for me.  The skinny "boyfriend" jean and v-neck gray sweater are very basic staples that many probably have something like in their closets already….during the day I might wear it with my white converse tennis shoes for running errands, but then… pair it with a great patent nude heel (my favorite) that elongates the legs and all of a sudden it's "dressed up".  Add a colorful high-end handbag, a statement gold cuff... and this "jeans and t-shirt" look gets a higher-end look and feel and I'm ready for a "mini-date" with my husband for drinks and appetizers out on the town!

Banana "Ice Cream" with Sweet-and-Salty Roasted Almonds

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BANANA (OR BERRY) "ICE CREAM" WITH SWEET & SALTY ALMONDS - DELICIOUS!!

Are you HOT?  But trying to be healthy and not take the family out to ice cream?  This recipe has all the rich texture of ice cream with none of the dairy or sugar!!  That, along with the crunchy topping it just might help you tolerate the heat this summer!  If you're not a fan of bananas…see the "Berry Version" below at the end of this post!

• 4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted almonds (I use raw almonds)
• 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons good quality maple syrup, divided
• A pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Freeze the banana slices in a single layer on a tray or plate lined with parchment or wax paper.  Once they freeze, use them immediately and put them in a zip-top plastic bag or airtight container for up to a month.  This is from the recipe but here's my tip, it's easier…just peel the bananas and freeze them in halves.  When you use them, just slice them with a sharp knife;)

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the almonds with 2 teaspoons of the maple syrup and the salt.  Set aside.

Combine the frozen banana slices, the almond milk, the remaining 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and the vanilla in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is the texture of soft-serve ice cream, scraping down the sides as necessary.  Don't worry if the mixture isn't totally smooth at first - once the bananas start to break down and defrost in the food processor, the "ice cream" will start to take shape quickly.

Spoon the banana "ice cream" into bowls into bowls immediately and sprinkle each serving with a bit of the almond mixture.

Makes about 1 pint.  Hope this helps cool you off!!  It was 95 degrees here today and is going to be hotter tomorrow!  Enjoy!

This recipe is from the "It's All Good" cookbook by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen.

BERRY VERSION...

I was looking forward to making this tonight after writing this post because it's delicious...I always keep frozen bananas in my freezer!  I was disappointed to see that I only had 2 frozen bananas!  So I wasn't going to give up…I eyeballed the "equivalent of the other two bananas" I was missing and used frozen berries in place of them.  I used about 1/4 blueberries and 3/4 raspberries and still used the frozen bananas I had.  It was AMAZING!!!

Tuscan Kale Salad

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A little over a year ago I went to Portland for a reunion with my high school girlfriends.  I hadn't seen a couple of them in many years and it was such a great time that since then, we have continued the tradition.  Our friend who was generous enough to host all of us at her house cooked an delicious meal!  She made gourmet homemade pizzas and kale salad.  (She is the "foodie" in our group and has since opened a neighborhood pub called Tabor Tavern in Portland with her husband...I have yet to get back up there to visit, but I've heard it's amazing and can't wait to eat there!)  I had never really known what to do with kale, even though it was becoming all the rage… It was so delicious that I had to ask her for the recipe.  The recipe is a True Food Kitchen restaurant exclusive which is Dr. Weil's restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona.  It's a traditional Tuscan salad made from strips of Italian black kale, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, grated sheep's cheese, and bread crumbs.  It's bright and refreshing and the combined flavors are wonderful.

Dr. Weil uses food as medicine.  He says… "Kale is among the most nutrient-dense commonly eaten vegetables.  One cup provides 1,327 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, 192 percent of DV for vitamin A, and 88 percent for vitamin C."

It's SO delicious as is obviously, but since I'm now living a Paleo lifestyle…. I make a few "tweaks" that I'll mention below.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 cups kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black (A.K.A. Lacinato, "dinosaur", cavolo nero) midribs removed.

This kind of kale looks like this….

Remove the midribs, by sliding it off with your hands or cutting out with a knife…wash and dry the leaves.

Take several leaves at a time, roll them up tightly and slice with a sharp knife widthwise to create thin strips…imagine how you would "chiffonade" basil, same idea...

• juice of 1 lemon
• 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese made from sheep's milk (Rosselino variety if you can find it)  I have only found this at Whole Foods.  -or other flavorful grating cheese such as Asiago or Parmesan. These work great too but I've noticed these are saltier so adjust salt when you use these. (optional...sheep dairy is still dairy...so not Whole30 approved;)
• 1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread.  (For Paleo, I've been substituting almond meal, still gives it great texture)

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes.
2. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well.  I toss it with my hands (yes, I wash them first), I know that might be weird for some of you, but I just love the feel of the kale strips between my fingers as I toss it.  If you try it you just might love it too :)
3. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again.
4. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes.  Add bread crumbs (or almond meal;), toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

This recipe serves 4-6.  It has over 41 grams of fiber!

This kale salad is delicious alongside anything you make but last night I added chicken right to it and made a meal out of it!  Kale doesn't wilt once the dressing is on either…so it keeps in the fridge for later…if there's any left!

My "sidekick" while I'm cooking…. :)  Ever get that feeling someone's watching you?  I look over and this is what I see, made me laugh...

Shop Smarter…How to figure out "Cost Per Wear"

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If fashion is your passion...like it is for me, you probably already know this.  BUT, I know there are some shoppers out there that are going about it all wrong and therefore I'm here to give you some very valuable info!  Once I learned about "Cost per wear", it changed the way I shop forever.

Many people simply focus on the price of an item.  Maybe they think it's absolutely nuts to spend a certain amount on a great pair of jeans, for example.  The price tag isn't the only thing you need to consider... the true price has more to do with how often you'll wear it.

So, how do you figure out "cost per wear"?  It's simple math... Think about this...How often would you wear that item in a typical month?  Multiply that number by 12, (by 6 if it's seasonal like a heavy jacket).  Multiply that by the number of years you expect to be able to wear the item (this is where quality comes into play).  Divide the price by this number.  This equals your "cost per wear".  It's okay to ballpark it, it'll still give an idea if it's a good investment.  Remember, a bargain is only a bargain if you're actually going to wear it!

Let me give you an example.  See that picture of boots in this post?  Those are my absolute favorite boots.  Boots are probably my biggest weakness... I covet killer boots...Frye, Hunter, Stuart Weitzman, Rag and Bone, OH MY!  None of them were cheap, but I considered "cost per wear" when I bought all of them.  Some I haven't had very long, others I've worn for years.  Let's take the ones second from the left.  These are my Frye "Campus" boots that sell for $328.  Sounds expensive when you just consider the price alone.  Let's look at it a different way.  First of all, they are "timeless".  Lauren Hutton had these boots back in the seventies, so I'm not too worried about them going out of style and they still sell them today.  I've worn them for 7 years, even in the rain, so the quality is definitely there.  They are seasonal, so I have to factor that in.  So let's do the math...

Price:  $328.  I'll guess, in the wintertime, I wear these at least 8 times per month (I probably wear them more because they're even great with dresses, but let's go low).  We'll call them seasonal, so 8(wears per month) x 6 (months) equals 48 wears per year.  I've worn them for 7 years so far...so 48 x 7 equals 336 wears to date.  Now, I'm not stopping here, because I plan to wear these boots for many years to come...lets go low again and say another 5 years (they'll actually probably last a lifetime).  So lets go back and take 48(wears per year) x 12 (years) which equals 576 (total wears).  Divide price ($328) by total wears (576).... this equals the "cost per wear":  57 cents per wear.  Hmmm.  That sounds like a good investment piece to me.

Let's take another example.  Let's take a "trendy" item.  For this purpose, we'll say that sweatshirts with rhinestones on them are all the rage!!  You'd like to add one to your closet.  You find one that actually looks gorgeous and is very high quality.  The price tag says $500.  It's a trendy item, so it's memorable when worn, so you could only wear it once a month.  Assuming that embellished sweatshirts may not be the most "timeless" of items, let's say you could wear it for a year before it's considered "OUT" (as Heidi Klum would say in her cute German accent).  Your calculation would look like this...

1 (wear per month) x 6 (month - seasonal item) x 1 (year it will be "IN" fashion) = 6 wears.

$500(price) / 6 (wears) = $83 per wear.... Ouch!  Leave that one on the rack unless you have money to burn.

Ok, so I bet you're thinking "When did math become a part of shopping??"  Well, if this just sounds like too much to think about while you're fighting the crowds at Century 21 in Manhattan looking for that perfect bargain....I have great news for you...

There's an APP for THAT!!  iPhone has an app called "Cost Per Wear".... and it's FREE!!  Yes, I have this app.  This is one of the tools I use.  I always consider these things:  "Cost per wear"... Is it a "staple" or a "trend"... Is it quality that will last for years...?

Consider more than JUST low price the next time you are shopping, look for VALUE, and hopefully this will make you a "smarter" shopper!  :)

Egg Cups

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Yesterday we were invited over to one of our favorite couple's house for kind of a "non-Mothers Day"… her and I don't have children of our own, so we decided it was a good excuse to all spend the day together for some great food and great company!  She served a beautiful brunch with egg cups that I just have to share with all of you because it was a real hit!  The presentation took "eggs" to a whole new level because it was just so darn pretty!

Here's what she said she did...

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a "large size" muffin tin.  Line the bottoms with a nice quality slice of ham to form a "cup".  Next, layer a slice of sweet potato/yam (she had pre-cooked these to make it super easy), then a slice of goat cheese brie, next sprinkle some dried shallots and green onions, next crack 2 eggs into it, add another slice of goat cheese and top it all off with some bacon crumbles (she had pre-made these also).  Depending on how you like the eggs, runny or hard, will depend on your cook time…so you might need to experiment a little depending on your oven.  She recommended as a guideline, about 15 mins for runny yolks, and 25 mins for hard yolks.  I like mine runny :)

She served the egg cups with Paleo-friendly Banana Bread and fresh berries!  This was very tasty, fancy, and would be great for guests or a Sunday brunch.  I will definitely be making these in the near future!  Our husbands had seconds :)  Have fun with it…you can't really mess this up, add or subtract any ingredients you want!  Enjoy!