Pack it Up

Yesterday I was asked what I normally pack in my picnic basket. What may seem like an odd question is surprisingly not after living at the beach for a few years.

What's better than a picnic, really? A simple little joy, I admit to being the first to throw the option on the table during a gorgeous weekend. Throwing our favorite, fast eats in the basket and filling the cooler with refreshing treats is an instinct for a long, lazy day in the sun and something we became quite good at, quite quickly. For the perfect picnic, forget the fuss. I like options that don't require extensive serving or even the use of forks (don't tell my mom). Finger-foods and scoop-able dips are the easiest options when the sand or grass is your seat—but don't forget your blanket to keep both at bay.

• This skinny poolside dip is A. Easy B. Delicious C. So simple to make, but everyone will think you spent tons of time on it. "Oh this ole recipe..."Don't forget your crackers for dipping.
• In addition to a cooler of beer, a portable pre-made pitcher of these strawberry mimosas are a simple drink that friends will have you pouring heavy.
• More of a vodka girl? Vodka + lemonade frozen in plastic bags makes for a portable, adult Capri Sun!
• Take one grape tomato, slice in half and scoop out the inside. Insert one fresh mozzarella ball. Spear them, and spin in basil flakes. Voila- these adorable caprese pops perfect for packing.
• For another simple snack, grab a few pears at the grocery store. Slice them, then spread a delicious goat cheese (my favorite!) along the thicker side. Sprinkle with cranberries for this delicious, savory snack.
• What would a picnic be without chicken salad? That's right, nothing. Which is why this recipe is worthy whipping up for any picnic. And while it's made with greek yogurt, it doesn't compromise the taste or your bikini body after lunch. Spread with crackers or celery to make it plate-free.
• And any picnic would be incomplete without my favorite part—the cheese plate. Make sure you're arranging the perfect one here. 

What did I forget? I'm hoping to pack one of these up next week and pay my tribute to these sunny skies!
Daily gratitude: Being wrong and humbled by Grace.
xoxo

{Photo source}

Tuesday Treats: A Smathering of Interesting

Tuesday has f-l-o-w-n by. After a quick morning workout, a lovely encounter with a sympathetic cop, and an afternoon spent trying on and shooting suits at Ophelia, I realized I hadn't had my morning coffee—at 4 p.m.. But since I already had my Tuesday Treats all geared up to share with you of things I've find oh so Pinteresting, let's just go ahead and proceed, shall we?

• I've been on quite the foodie kick lately. Which would explain why the top of my recently pinned page are this breakfast grilled cheese, this adorable spaghetti dinner prep housewarming gift, and this drool-worthy Mexican grilled corn, lightened up. Too bad I'm still learning to cook...
• When brushing on the powder this morning, I noticed just how bad the ole brushes need a good cleaning. Luckily, I found this tutorial on a simple and inexpensive way to clean your brushes. Hello, my Tuesday night plans. I'm cool, I know.
• Since I'm constantly updating my space (as I've mentioned, compulsive self-improvement junkie here), I was delighted to find this super simple tutorial on how to decorate a small space. It seems the carriage house may soon be getting a few improvements. 
• Ever heard of Gimp? Me either, until I was introduced to the Photoshop-like copycat program. I talked to a few others who have tried using the free program to see if they'd like to invest in Photoshop (precisely what I intend to do), so I decided to give it a go and download. So far, so good (especially with beginner tutorial such as this and this). Stay tuned for an update to the ole blog.
• It being bikini season and all, I added these foods to this week's grocery list to see if they do make any difference for a flatter stomach. Stay tuned with an update on any results (fingers crossed!!). And to additionally rev up that metabolism, I've found that many of these foods do work. 
• This wouldn't be an Ainsley list without one single article of clothing, so all I have to say is—where was this coat this Fall? Could I wear it as a bathing suit cover up? Ok, maybe not...

Daily gratitude: an early morning workout this morning to make me appreciate a strong, working body.
xoxo

Old Whiskey Soul

Since spring is quite literally right on the horizon, I've been dabbling with some new cocktails to welcome in the bright season in a festive way. Suddenly, I've found myself with a resurfaced affinity for whiskey.

(Ok, not so much looking like this.)

There is something nostalgic about whiskey to me. It conjures images of the dark, smoky blues clubs I love so much, of SEC football games, or spring days with a mint julep—it doesn't get much more southern than that. Which is what has brought me back to whiskey in the first place—hailing from a cocktailing family, all this Florida sunshine has me longing for a big front porch rocking chair and mint julep in hand. In looking for some interesting alternatives to the most classic whiskey cocktails, which are really the only ones I've ever preferred, I stumbled across a few spring-like ones I'm dying to get my mint muddle out for and try, like this Honey-Mint Whiskey Cocktail, Whiskey Plum, or The Whiskey Smash. Or, if you're happier with your whiskey and water (my top choice), then you can always add a little extra to your next batch of cupcakes. And when the day has been enough and all else fails...

Here's to spring drinking.

xoxo

Tuesday Treats: Fall Faves

Since yesterday I was making the big comeback to the blog (good thing I'm never dramatic), I didn't particularly get to say the smaller things that are on my mind.
Or, mainly, how smitten I am with this new season we have on our hands.

Fall and I didn't have the best relationship before moving to the beach. Sure, SEC football (Hotty Toddy) and the inevitable back-to-school reunion with friends rank rather high on my list. But I've never meshed well with chilly temps, sweaters, and an early sunset. Until I moved here, and the skies are the bluest blue, the temperatures are warm enough for sweaters with some denim shorts, and if you've never seen an October sunset light the Gulf of Mexico on fire, then you, my friend, should book your visit to see me now.

Nonetheless, I've been getting the warm fuzzies for Fall these days (though I'll always be a Summer girl), and when on my evening walk with a friend today I compared the smell of a grassy lawn to a football field, I knew it whole-heartedly—Fall is here.
And my Pinterest boards agree. A few Fall-ish Tuesday Treats that I've been eyeing as of late:

I'm a sucker for pumpkin baked goods, so of course I'll be making this pumpkin cake—baked with greek yogurt for a super skinny indulgence. This website has a whole treasure chest of recipes for you healthy pumpkin sweet lovers out there.

This outfit. I adore this outfit. The cape, the bags, the quaint little gloves with the oversized glasses—I need it in my wardrobe pronto to welcome in Fall in the perfect fashion.

And speaking of Fall fashion, this looks like the perfect weekend uniform to me. I'm on the hunt for that hat.

I'm all about a festive gathering, and I can't think of anything more festively fun than a pumpkin cooler (though scooping out the goopy inside= not so much).

I'll admit, this post was increasingly hard to write without brainstorming all my Halloween ideas. My tied-for-third favorite holiday (Christmas, New Year's Eve, Fourth of July/Halloween), I love a good excuse to dress up and decorate, so you can imagine my infatuation. Stay tuned for all my Halloween over thinking and over planning—it's good stuff.
xoxo

{Photo creds: 1, 2, 3, link to 4, 5, 6}

Tuesday Treats: Skinny Eats

Ever the Pinterest addict, I often turn to my boards to brighten up my weekly grocery list. On a mission to eat cleaner and leaner, I've pinned many the healthy treat—some which turned out oh-so-bad, but many that were as delicious as the "real" thing. My favorites from this past week:

Skinny Funfetti Cupcakes: Taking me straight back to my college days and our funfetti cravings—sprinkles and colors and frosting, oh my!
110 calories

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies: A favorite childhood cookie, these are perfect, easy, and the mix is freezable to pull at for a snack in a moment's notice.
80 calories

Chocolate Muffins (made with greek yogurt and applesauce): Hello, new breakfast treat.
58 calories

Hmm... I'm noticing a chocolate trend here. Now for real food that doesn't involve sugar (or in this case, a sugar substitute):

Skinny baked mac-and-cheese: Just trust me—make it.

Butternut squash "mashed potatoes": I doubted until I tried, but yes, these do actually taste like delicious mashed potatoes—with no carbs lingering in the body afterwards.

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas: Think bagel bites, people. Skinny, healthy bagel bites.
66 calories

Secret sidenote: my favorite site for healthy/clean/skinny/protein-packed/gluten-free/whatever type of meal plan you are looking is Dashing Dish. This girl has got. it. going. on. There, you'll find essentially anything you're looking to incorporate into your daily diet.
Bon appetite! 

Happy {Friday the 13th} Weekend

Friday the 13th—eek! I'm not actually a very superstitious person, but I do believe in signs. Which is why when I didn't spill my coffee on the counter while pouring it this morning, I knew it was going to be a very good day and start to my weekend.

Photo

On the agenda: a dinner date with the girls tonight, an early Saturday morning visit to my Pure Barre studio, some quality time on the beach with my current read, and our traditional Sunday brunch. The best part? My best friend Haley is scooting through town on her way home from Orlando to spend the night with moi, and there are some much needed heart-to-hearts to be had while on the beach, drinking wine, and whipping up delicious treats. I hope you have great things in store for your weekend, but until then, a few Friday Finds to help it:

• Parlez-vous francais? Then you need this adorable french belt for only $7.46.
• Skinny dinners you didn't know were skinny. Sounds like a great way to trick the beau on your next date night.
• I'm going to try my own facial scrub from these DIY at home spa treatments this weekend.
• I absolutely adore this elegant yet sexy peplum top for a steal. I can think of 134683 ways I could wear it.
• Have you checked out my new Currently Obsessed page (there's also a new page at the top for it here on the blog)? Now, when I'm online stalking pretty pieces for budget-friendly prices, gifts for friends, or to-die-for designers, I have one place to gather them all together. The best part? You can browse my page too, and if you see something you like, it links you directly to the site. Check it out here. Shop away, friends!

Happy weekend dears!
xo

Easy-As-Pie 4th of July

Something about our nation's birthday brings out a kid in me—one that wants hot dogs on the grill, sweet snacks with fresh fruit, and a red solo cup in hand (given the contents of that cup have changed over the years). Minimal makeup necessary, just a cute suit and some sunscreen until the sun sets and the fireworks light up the sky. For me this year, it will be toes in the sand, the smell of sunscreen mixing with the scent of the grill, watching fireworks to the tunes of a live band until everyone is up dancing in the moonlight (cue my favorite song)—no hosting, table-settings, or head counts required. Yes, I'm having a no frills Fourth of July this year and I couldn't be more excited.

Two things to consider when you're attending the party and not throwing it. What to bring and what to wear? A good guest always brings a contribution to the party and you'll want to make sure your attire is on point for the festivities, as well. Whether by land, lake, or sea, easy options paired perfectly together ensure that you are perfectly put together. Three pairings for my three favorite ways to celebrate America's birthday:

1. The Beach Club Celebration: Watermelon cut out in the shape of stars then frozen are so festive and fun that no one will consider how simple your beach snack was to prepare. Paired with the easiest on the fly outfit of all—a cute, comfy suit in your nation's favorite colors—there's practically no prep time necessary.

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2. The Family BBQ: Red, white, and blue all over—patriotically dipped and sprinkled pretzels will be a hit with your grandmother, aunt, and cousin's toddler alike. Paired with a classic American ensemble—red and white strips with Wayfarers—you'll be the picture of stylish patriotic perfection with Kennedy appeal.

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3. The Lake House Getaway: The only thing better than sparklers on the dock might be these sweet stuffed strawberries paired with casual cut-offs and a pretty chiffon top—perfect for when the sun goes down and the cool lake air takes over.

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All images via here.

On the Menu: Caprese Snack

Last night, I wrapped a photo shoot early and came home looking for a snack after a long day in front (unfortunately not behind, where I'm really much more comfortable, but this is another story for another day) of the camera. Since my dinner plans weren't until eight, waiting wasn't an option. After remembering the fresh mozzarella and baby grape tomatoes I had stocked in the fridge, I  pulled out the super-simple recipe I wrote about here to whip up a caprese snack.

All you need:

• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 ounce sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Drizzled balsamic vinegar to taste

First, I chopped the tomatoes into fourths. You could do halves, but I like a smaller bite.

Next up—mozzarella.

Then I pulled some basil from the fresh basil plant that sits on my windowsill...

and chopped and added to the mix.

A balsamic drizzle finishes it off, paired with a good tossing.

Then spoon one cup of the mixture onto a plate—voila! A super scrumptious snack for around 141 calories and lots of nutrition to boot.

Note: I doubled the recipe so I could have another serving for today's lunch—throw this medley on top of lettuce with some grilled chicken breast and you have a different meal!
Original recipe found here.

The Foodie Diaries

Yesterday, a momentous occasion happened.
I sat down with a few cookbooks, and made a grocery list.

This was a turning point in my adult life. You see, one of my old college roommates and I (hey Ann Clark) used to make fun of ourselves and the fact that we ate like junior high girls. Frozen pizzas. Easy Mac. Lean Cuisines. Turkey sandwhiches. I fueled myself on these easy-as-pie quick fixes throughout my entire college experience or, should I say, when I wasn't eating the majority of my meals at the Chi Omega house. Sadly, I didn't grow out of this habit, but regressed, turning to meal bars or fruit that fit easily into my on-the-go post-grad schedule. The act of preparing a meal was reserved for get-togethers with friends, complete with appetizers and wine, and I rarely used my measuring cups unless I was preparing to bake a treat for friends or co-workers.
But, not anymore.
One of my goals for my 25th year (you'll hear a lot about these in the next few weeks, as I've kickstarted changing a few aspects of my routine) is to put thought, time, and effort into changing my meal plan to not only be low-calorie, but actually nutritious and fuel for my body—Lean Cuisines not included.
Pinterest had a lot to offer me, of course. A few I stockpiled ingredients for at the grocery:
Grilled avocado:

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas (this site is my fave):

Oven "fried" pickles (the Mississippi girl in me rejoices):

Baked tomatoes (this link also has tons of under 200-calories yummy options):

Everything-but-the-kitchen sink salads (multiple combos here):

Then my stockpile of cookbooks proved useful (Mom has liked to "encourage" me getting in the kitchen the past few years for Christmas/birthday/any gift-giving holiday. Thanks Mom!).  A few of my favorites thus far:

• Hungry Girl: quick, easy, low-calorie options to all your favorite foods—that will leave you stuffed. I love how it's divided into what you'd like to eat: soups, salads, "fast food fakes", sweets, and even a chapter on "man food."
• The Best of Cooking Light: more complex recipes that take more time and preparation, but the outcome is fantastic. I'll use this the next time we have multiple dinner guests—they'll never know the meal is low-cal.
• Skinny Meals: a nice mix of easy and impressive, there are quick meals and ones that take more effort, suitable for even the pickiest palate. No hard-to-find ingredients or unusual pairings found here.

Moral of the story: don't be surprised if I get super excited about upcoming foodie accomplishments and start featuring a few recipes here on the ole blog. If you have a few favorite sites, or a favorite cookbook, I'd love to here your recommendations—newbies love advice!

Superbowl XLVI (I googled that)

(Warning: this post is written with lots of sarcasm)
Let's make one thing real clear: I don't care about the Superbowl.
I am from the South. There is one type of football I care anything about. And that is the SEC. I do not care about the NFL. I do not even know who is playing against the Giants in the Superbowl. And the only reason I know the Giants are even in the Superbowl is because Eli Manning plays for the Giants, and he went to my beloved Ole Miss (and I love him).

Still wearing that red and blue, baby.

Now that that's all cleared up, I can go straight to what I've been preparing for today.
Superbowl Sunday.
Clearly, this could be confusing to you, since I don't care about the NFL. But I do care about parties. And entertaining. And lots of yummy dips and treats that have more calories than I'll consume in a normal week. But hey, it's the Superbowl y'all- carpe diem.
So, moving on. I'm currently trying to decide between these recipes to contribute to the infamous Superbowl Sunday party. Before deciding, there are three factors one should consider when choosing a Superbowl dish. They are:

1. Don't take something that has to be heated up to often. The men (who are actually watching the game) will complain quickly and often when it gets cold, and you'll be stuck making endless trips to the microwave or oven to re-heat the dish, (which is most likely a dip).
2. Don't take something too girly. Take something guys will like. Sure, I super want to make these adorable football-shaped and decorated chocolate cookies. But chances are, approximately one third of the guys there will actually pick one up and eat them. Alas, all your hard work done with no appreciation. Other things that will not be eaten or appreciated are foods that are deemed "healthy". Watch out.  
3. Lastly, this is probably the most important rule of Superbowl food prepartion. Do not, I repeat, DO. NOT. Bring anything that utensils must be used to eat. Utensils should be used with a utensil dish for a reason, right? But guys will use their hands. As if that isn't disgusting enough, throw in all the "excitement" of what's happening in the game, and you have one big 'ole mess.

So, all things considered, here are my top picks for dishes to bring to Superbowl Sunday parties, all tried-and-true tested on guys and that have passed all three of the above tests. You are welcome, in advance.

Loaded baked potato dip- serve with fries optional. Yep.

Pizza dip- be careful of the re-heat rule #1 on this one, but I just love it so.

Buffalo chicken bites- these are secretly healthy-ish, but keep that to yourself at the risk of not passing Test #2.

Mozzarella and prosciutto skewers-

Puppy chow- (which takes me straight back to my days in the Chi O house)

Mushroom and bacon dip-

Cookie dough dip- this is an incredible crowd hit. Service with animal or graham crackers.

No sort of party is complete without salsa and guacamole as well, in my opinion. It sort of pains me to not have any festive presentation able to peak through in this sort of party situation. Which is why I might sneak in a pepperoni pizza.... made like a football, naturally (It's pizza, they'll eat it).

What to choose, what to choose....

xoxo

Pumpkin Persuasion

I talk a lot about being Summer's girl (June baby all the way, of course). But let me tell you a little secret:
Don't tell Summer, but October at the beach may just be selling me a little on Fall.
The air is crisp but not exactly cold. The sky is the bluest of blue. And don't even get me started on how the sunset has moved to where it's directly over the water.  Gorgeous. You really should get down here.
But really, I've always been a fan of October. For two main reasons, really.
1. Deeply rooted in years of ballet performances and a childhood spent with a really active imagination, I love nothing more than a good costume. Enter, Halloween parties. But that's another post for another day.
2. Pumpkin.  I. Love. Pumpkin. Which brings me to today's post.
I love the smell. I love the color. I love the spicy and sweet taste it boasts. I especially love the little pumpkins that come in candy corn bags. Which, actually, may be a third addition to my "Why I Love October" list if we're getting down to business. Ok, so:
3. Candy Corn.
But back to pumpkin. Are you a fan? Because I'm about to sell you on loving pumpkin. Just look:
A chevron-carved pumpkin for your porch. Or your party. Or your centerpiece. How much cuter does the traditional pumpkin carving get? This may be going on my weekend's to-do list.

With all the leftover pumpkin from the activity above, how about a sweet pumpkin pie shake? (Perk: This recipe is from Cooking Light. Did you hear that? Light!)

Not a sweets person (weird)? Well are you a breakfast person? In that case, how about some pumpkin spice pancakes? Luckily, I'm a breakfast and a sweets person, so I get both.

Still not persuaded? Man, you're a stubborn one. Alright, let's try some pumpkin in our wardrobe. A classic blazer, perhaps?

For a more subtle pumpkin addition, this Victoria Beckham tote is a nice accent for the office.

Or, a pumpkin Hermes scarf for an even subtler pumpkin touch.

Give it a little try, lovelies.. Let a little pumpkin spice up your October. You won't be sorry.
xoxo