Meal Prep #4 - Slow-Cooker Oats ~ Orecchiette with Kale & Roasted Chickpeas ~ Grilled Chicken, Garlic Yellow Squash Rice Pilaf, & Roasted Veggies (recipes included!)

Week Four! This week we have recipes that are both delicious and filling! This one is so easy on the go as well, no having to mix up ramen bowls or fumble with a burrito: just pop it in the microwave at work and you're good to go!

On the menu this week

• Overnight Slow-Cooker Oats with Apples (we can't stop making this one!)
• Orecchiette Pasta with Kale and Roasted Chickpeas (garlic and paprika make this one scrumptious and smoky)
• Marinated & Grilled Chicken, Roasted Veggies, and Garlic Yellow Squash Rice Pilaf (This one is so easy to prepare... and that rice is SO creamy!)

Lunch and dinner, all portioned out!

By the way, this is plenty to feed two people. Let's start with...

Dinner

First off, toss how ever many (we used 8-10) boneless skinless chicken breasts into a big ziplock bag with your favorite marinade. Ben's trick is to just use some Italian dressing, but choose whatever you prefer! Let those babies soak up all that goodness for about an hour.

Meanwhile, get those veggies going! We used essentially the same method as last week, but this week we just used 2 crowns of broccoli and about 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts. After washing and drying, chop the broccoli into crowns and hack those sprouts in half. Smother in (or sprinkle with, if you're healthy like that) olive oil, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a few sheet pans and roast at 425 degrees F for 20-30 mins, stirring halfway through.

Mmmm, love that char!

For the rice, Ben and I used a recipe that we got from Blue Apron. We made 6 times the recipe, however and used yellow squash because our local grocery was out of zucchini.

Here's a link to the full Blue Apron Recipe (<---click to view)

Or, here's a screenshot of the part important to us...

To make it, we ended up using...

2 cups jasmine rice (white basmati will work too)

4 cups of water

9 cloves of garlic (you'll use all of this, rather than half like the recipe link says)

6 yellow squashes

3 limes (you can get more if you want to garnish the final dish with an extra lime wedge)

...So you're going to need a big pot for this...

Basically mince the garlic, medium dice the squash, and then season and cook in olive oil on medium-high until softened and fragrant (1-3 minutes).

Pour in the rice and water, bring to a boil on high and then cover and simmer on low for 12-14 minutes, until water is absorbed (ours took a bit less time than this).

Season to taste, fluff with a fork, and squeeze the juice of all 3 limes into the pilaf.

It's definitely a good idea to get your mis en place game on when you're working with bulk ingredients like this!

After an hour, drain your marinade and grill up those chicken breasts! After letting them cool, slice or dice them to make it an easy meal on the go!

Lunch

I'm so pleased that we got to make this recipe again! It was one of my favorites from Blue Apron a while ago (I swear I'm not being sponsored by them, just love their stuff!).

Here's a link to Blue Apron's rundown (<--- click to view), we ended up using this recipe times five. Which means you need...

30 oz orecchiette pasta

7 1/2 cups of chickpeas

15 cloves of garlic (yep that's right, 15)

5 bunches of kale (might be easier to buy a big pre-cut bag, unless you're feeling rustic like us)

2 1/2 lemons (more if you want to serve with an extra slice)

5 yellow onions (I would say 5 medium or 3 large)

10 Tablespoons of butter

5 Tablespoons of capers (we skipped these)

5 teaspoons of smoked paprika

Grated parmesan to garnish

...again, this is the week of the big pots. I ended up re-using the same stock pot for both boiling the pasta and tossing everything together. If you have a giant pan, go with that; the pot just requires a lot more stirring to get everything coated.

All dishes prepped, ready to stuff those tupperware's!

Lastly...

Breakfast

These Slow-Cooker Oats (<---click to view) from Meal Prep #2 have totally won us over. We use 1/4 of this recipe each day (using a full apple each day as well) in our tiny little slow cooker. It's so nice to wake up to a warm, comforting bowl. We've stopped peeling the apples before we chop them up; it really only effects the texture, which we don't mind. We tried using the star anise one day this week and wouldn't recommend it: it's very overpowering. These oats are warm, creamy, and great for rainy mornings in bed!

Lunch and dinner all lined up!

I hope this is useful! Happy prepping!

A Day of Planning: The Pink Bride Event!

I was so excited to get to go to the Nashville Pink Bride Event this past weekend! It was so fun to get to check out a bunch of local potential vendors in one place! Lots of exciting wedding planning in the works, and this event only helped move things along!

I brought my sweet best friend, Rebecca, with me. One of the vendors actually thought we were engaged! I didn't realize it until after the fact, but Rebecca did but chose not to correct him! Hilarious!

We got to meet in person and ask questions of caterers, photographers, videographers, planners, dress boutiques, hair and makeup consultants, and more! It was so nice to ask them all in one place rather than having to reach out to each vendor individually via email.

Attempting to organize all of the vendors and important info!

It was also just fun to be in a bride-to-be mood! The atmosphere was joyous and inviting. There were free giveaways, discounts, a fashion show, and much more. It was a really fun way to start getting to know the people that will help to make our big day special!

A Lettering Event: Paper and Ink Arts Storefront Grand Opening!

So I just got back from the Paper and Ink Arts storefront grand opening!

This is my number one resource for calligraphy supplies, I had no idea when I first got into lettering that one of the main supply companies in the US was located right here in Nashville!

Nibs on nibs on nibs

The storefront looks so gorgeous! I'm used to tip-toeing through the back supply room, trying not to get in the way. They've done a really incredible job and I'm so excited to stop by on the regular! (I'm sure they will be happy to have me out of their way now!) :D

So many I can barely choose!

I love looking around at all of the envelopes they have posted to find some inspiration! There are some really incredible lettering-artists out there!

I'm well-stocked with new supplies and ready to get practicing!

Also, where can I get one of these oversized oblique holders for my office???

Meal Prep #3: Overnight Blueberry Oats ~ Breakfast Burritos ~ Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions, and Roasted Green Veggies (recipes included!)

Ben decided to join in on the meal prep action this week! It was fun to cook together and get ourselves set up for a healthy, productive week.

On the menu...

• Slow-Cooker Blueberry Oats (toss it in, turn it on, let it brew, go to bed!)
• Breakfast Burritos (for lunch, the coworker smell-envy is very real)
• Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions, with Roasted Green Veggies on the side (SO good, I look forward to these everyday and could probably eat 4 per meal if it wouldn't mess up my meals for the rest of the week!)

Breakfast

First off our oats! I was such a huge fan of last week's breakfast oats, that I decided to find a similar recipe for this week!

I found this Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oat recipe and made a few modifications to make it a bit less sugar-heavy and creamier. Here's my final recipe:

I ended up measuring enough dry ingredients for 10 days and storing them in a large tub. This way, we can shake up the tub and scoop out 3/4 cup each night (to account for oat and sugar volume).

(oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon prepped and ready!)

Lunch

These burritos are super easy and delish! We actually found these on Buzzfeed, video courtesy of Tasty (<-- click for full recipe and demo). If you're tag-teaming with your boo, I recommend having Person #1 take care of the veggie chopping while Person #2 slices and cooks the bacon. While the veggies are in the pan, Person #1 can take care of grating the cheese, slicing the green onions, and cracking the eggs. As Person #2 finishes cooking the sausage and eggs, Person #1 can start prepping dinner ingredients. Then, lay everything out and start stuffing!

Since Ben and I know that we're going to be eating these within the next few days, we decided to leave them in the fridge. If you do this too, there's no need to microwave these babies for more than 2 minutes. Believe it or not, it was Ben's idea to stick 'em in an adorable burrito basket!

Dinner

These Ham and Cheese Sandwiches (<-- click for recipe) are not only adorable, but also absolutely scrumptious!! I seriously crave and look forward to them all day. Since there are 12 sammies in this one, we were able to each eat one for dinner on Sunday and still have enough for every weekday!

We intended to skip the bacon on this one but had a little bit leftover from our breakfast burritos. It really brings some nice crunch to these little guys!

Look at that cross section! Fer yum!

The basic rundown is... cook the onions on med to med-high for about 30 minutes until browned, then toss in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add sauce ingredients and cook down. Layer on bisected buns: ham, cheese (we used Swiss AND Provolone, because we're fancy like that), bacon specks, caramelized onions, then top buns. Spray with oil, loosely cover with foil, and bake at 250 degrees for 25 minutes.

Because these sandwiches are a bit on the small-side, we decided to roast up some green veggies!

Isn't that the healthiest-looking thing you've ever seen?

Here's the method...

Wash and dry...

   - 1 lb Green Beans - trim the ends and cut in half (shorter is more convenient for on-the-go eating)

   - 1 lb + 8 oz Brussels Sprouts - cut in half through the nub

   - 1 large head of broccoli - chop into large florets

Toss 'em all in olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Spread out in one layer on a few foil-lined cookie sheets

Bake at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through

Store your sammies and veggies into individual containers and you're ready for a busy week!

This is absolutely one of my favorite meal-prep weeks so far! So glad Ben and I are tag-teaming and I hope y'all have some success with getting your meals in order! Happy cooking!!

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Quick edit: these portions ended up being a little bit small for us. I would recommend doubling the Ham and Cheese Sandwiches (because they are so. darn. good!) OR doubling the veggies on the side if you feel like being admirably healthy. I'd also recommend adding on a veggie side dish with the burritos: sautéed spinach, more of the roasted veggies, etc. <3

The Venue Hunt: 6 Tips to Help You Find "The One"

What an exciting part of the wedding planning process: choosing the exact when and where you will get married! As Ben and I are getting closer and closer to finding our special space, I thought I'd share a few tips and resources that have been helpful to us on our way!

FIRST, Dream + Research = List

Imagine your big day. Then reimagine it again. And again and again. Scour pinterest and wedding blogs and start compiling ideas. Then look back: are there and consistencies or themes in what you've chosen? Maybe 80% of the ceremony pictures you've collected are outdoors. Maybe all of the wedding cakes you've pinned have floral embellishments. Maybe all of those first dance pictures you've saved are happening in the middle of a spot-lit wood floor in a brick-walled room.

Consider if there are any special places from your history as a couple or as individuals. Maybe your favorite date night restaurant hosts events and receptions. Maybe you had your first kiss after going to the symphony together. Maybe you grew up on a farm and want to incorporate that into your wedding. It's the personal considerations and details that will really make your big day special.

Taking all of these things into account, start looking for specific venues around town online. Find them on wedding blogs and websites, photographers' portfolios, or google searches. Ask around at work for recommendations and recruit your fiancee to do the same. Make a list...

THEN, Make Your List a Spreadsheet

Do as much online research as you can for all of the places you're considering and place all of the information into a table or spreadsheet. This makes it easy to view all of the info and compare side by side.

Consider...

• Capacity
• Availability
• Fee
• Inclusions
• Exclusions
• Pros
• Cons
• Distance

I've uploaded a really basic venue table document to help you begin to organize all your thoughts on each venue. Plug in the information available online and your own opinions of whether or note each location matches your aesthetic.

Download it here!

NEXT, Narrow It Down

Look at your options, your budget, and your thoughts. Highlight and block out in red any venues that are immediately too expensive or not a good fit for your wedding needs. Once you've narrowed it down slightly, determine which remaining places you need to contact to get more information before deciding if you want to schedule a tour.

During this step, I found it helpful to start fresh with a new grid exclusively for my most recent top venue-picks. Keep your original to look back at incase something doesn't pan out, but keep things visually-organized by minimizing what's on the current page you're working with.

NOW, Reach Out

Fill in any missing information by shooting the venue a quick email with your basic questions. Many venues don't have fees listed online, so decide which spaces are your priority and reach out to get the basics down.

Request info packets from your priority venues and save them in your desktop wedding folder. I'd also recommend printing them out to highlight and color code important information. For example:

• Highlight package names and prices in green
• Highlight important information, included items & services, or "pro's" ("100 chairs," "coordinator provided," "350 people capacity") in yellow
• Highlight all restrictions, limitations, or "con's," ("exclusive caterer," "no confetti," "available March-October") in orange

This system makes it really easy to quickly scan through and see what is all provided by each venue.

THEN, Create a Tour Worksheet

Rule out any obvious "no's" and then create and fill out a tour worksheet, leaving ample space to both fill out all of the information and add in questions as you go. Print out your worksheet and look it over. Fill in the information from your emails and packets by hand in a black pen, and plan to bring a different color on your tour day to differentiate between what is written down and what you were told in person. I also recommend highlighting questions that you are not able to answer from the info packets so that it's quick and easy to see what you're missing when you're on the spot during your tour.

Make your own or use the one I've made!

Download it here!

FINALLY, Schedule Your Tour

After all this organizing you'll get to go see the space for yourself, and you'll be prepared for the task! Enjoy seeing the space and envisioning your day with your beau! Take lots of pictures and videos; not only are they useful in making your final decision, but it'll be special to look back on these tours as one of the first steps in your life together.

Happy hunting! Xoxo!

Meal Prep #2: Overnight Oats - Vegetable Ramen Bowl - Italian Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup (recipes included!)

Back to dancing, back to meal prep! These are some of my favorite dishes to make in the cold winter months - all warm, comforting, and filling. Nutrient-rich for hard working ladies (and gents), but absolutely de-lish!

On the menu this week...

• Overnight Slow Cooker Oats (creamy creamy creamy)
• Vegetable Ramen Bowls (just as scrumptious as they are affordable!)
• Italian sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup (a favorite for many years now)

We'll go a little out of order for the sake of convenience and start with...

Lunch

First off, Ramen bowls! I was inspired by a gif on facebook (<-- click to view) but made a few changes to the recipe for my own convenience and preference. You'll need...

Ramen noodles - 1 to 2 packs, depending on how ravenous you are
Ramen seasoning packet  OR  Chicken bullion + salt & pepper
Bell peppers - 3
A red chili pepper  OR  about 1 Tb of sambal oelek (my fav), to taste
Scallions - 5 to 10 to taste
Fresh Ginger - 1 inch or so
Spinach - around 10oz
Cilantro - 1 bunch
Lime - just 1

1. CHOP IT UP! Slice the bell peppers into strips. Mince that chili pepper. Slice (on the bias, if you're classy) the green ends of the green onions (save the white ends for other uses... possibly in the soup). Peel and mince that ginger. Divide the lime into 5 slices.
2. PORTION IT OUT! Divide the bell peppers, chili pepper (or a scoop of sambal oelek), scallions, and ginger into 5 containers... one in an extra-large Tupperware or wide-mouthed jar, and four into smaller Tupperware to store in the fridge.
3. NOODLES, ANYONE? Into the large Tupperware, add in your 2 - 3 packets of ramen noodles and seasoning or bullion.
4. GREEN GOODS! Pack a handful or two of spinach, a fresh handful of cilantro, and a lime wedge in a separate container to keep them so fresh and so green.
5. LUNCH TIME! So you've arrived at lunch time. You have your large noodle / bell pepper / aromatics / seasonings tupperware and your greens tupperware ready to go. Use boiling water from an electric kettle or hot water dispenser and cover the ramen noodles in the large container to soften. Wait 1 - 2 minutes (stirring along the way), drain the water, squeeze in your lime, and mix in your greens! Voila!

I always look forward to lunch time, but ESPECIALLY when I have one of these bowls packed!

Dinner

Italian Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup! Ben found this recipe several years ago on nooga.com and it has been one of our favorites ever since.

Rather than writing this one out again, I'm just going to give you my pdf recipe...

If you're not able to find Italian-seasoned sausage, just toss some dry Italian herbs and red pepper flakes in while browning the sausage. Feel free to use the white ends of scallions in with the onion, as well as any other leftover aromatics you might have stored away in the fridge (leftover celery here!). Don't forget to save those ends of onions and kale stems in a gallon-size freezer bag to make veggie stock later on! I highly recommend preparing your mis en place beforehand.

Breakfast

I bought an adorable 1.5 quart slow cooker on sale and thought that some overnight oats would be perfect for my weekday breakfasts! I divided this Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats recipe (<-- click to view) by three and tossed it into the baby crockpot before I went to sleep! It turned out to be plenty for both Ben and I in the morning! Easy to toss together and then brew on low while you sleep!

I hope this guide is helpful, cost-effective, convenient and delicious! Meal prepping has changed the game for my busy schedule and I'm so glad I've begun doing it regularly!

Happy prepping! <3

2017, You're Looking Mighty Fine

Happy 2017!

New Year's Eve turned out to be a relaxed, yet hilarious affair. I enjoyed a friend's birthday brunch celebration in the morning and then Ben and I went out to eat around 9pm at a schnazzy but relaxed restaurant here in town. Several friends of mine work there, so it was fun to stop in, say "hello," and enjoy some delicious food and wine. We had lobster sliders, filet with lump crab and bernaise, scallops with risotto, banana bread pudding, and a chocolate coffee pot de creme. All of our pictures turned out blurry because we couldn't stop laughing and goofing around, so I'll just leave the sole (posed) non-blurry photo of the night here:

This morning Ben and I had our first wedding planning "meeting." Sounds business-y and official, I know, but I think it's going to be the best format for us to keep our planning organized and concise.

(Lots of hand-holding these days, this one was shockingly unposed)

We made it into an event by going out to brunch and enjoying each other's company before going through venue options, inspiration worksheets, and logistics.

We've got some exciting prospects that we will hopefully work out soon! Can't wait to have the basic when and where in place so we can start working on all of the fun components!

More soon!

..............ok one blurry shot :)