Spicy chicken skewers and saffron quinoa

First things first, happy Friday mother lovers! Second, I really should stop doing these recipe and food posts in the morning because looking at the pictures just makes me hungry and lunch is so. far. away. 

Before you get all judgmental on me. Yes, I know quinoa is kind of a controversial topic when it comes to the paleo diet. However, if you eat bananas and sweet potatoes, then you probably shouldn't be snubbing your nose at quinoa. Here are some random people's opinions on the matter (here, here, and here) in case you care, which I'm 99 percent sure you don't. 

Lake house adventures

Look at that lovely cabin in the woods. That is where BryGuy and I spent a few days on a family vacation of sorts. 

My parents recently decided to purchase a boat, a beautiful 10-seat pontoon boat a.k.a The Party Boat (Can we say mid-life crisis?) Well, they've been dying to get that boat on the open seas, so they rented this lovely house on Lake Sacandaga in the Adirondacks, and invited a bunch of family and friends to come up and hang with them. Obviously, we never pass up an opportunity to get away for an extended weekend excursion so we said, "hells yeah!" The three days we were there consisted of a lot of boating, drinking, eating, game playing and laughing. It was glorious! 

My week in photos 6/17 - 6/25

Follow me on Instagram to see these in real time. 

1. I picked up some Spanish saffron from Williams-Sonoma last week. It's a little pricey at $18 per tiny little jar, however, there are a lot of saffron threads in there and you only need a pinch to pack a lot of flavor into a dish. I decided to make some saffron quinoa to go with the Mediterranean kabobs we were cooking up on the grill and it was so delicious. I'll try to post a step-by-step recipe soon.

Quit slackin' and make it happen!

I saw this while perusing the interwebs today, and it spoke to me. 

I, like so many people I know, am guilty of complaining about a situation instead of doing something to change it.

What's in my bag?

Let's play a little game called, "What's in my bag?"

Clearly, I'm hurting for blogging material here, because honestly, who gives a crap? Maybe someone does. So here, I will willingly spill the contents of my purse and share them with you. 

My week in photos 6/10 - 6/16

Follow me on Instagram to see these in real time. 

1. I recently purchased a pair of Superga sneakers, these canvas shoes are comfortable and so freaking adorable. I plan to wear them with everything! I'm also thinking about getting them in another fun color too! 

Summer salads for a picnic, party or day at the beach

I love a good summer salad -- chicken salad, pasta salad, potato salad, shrimp salad, broccoli salad, fruit salad -- you name it, I like it. Mostly because, when it's really hot outside, I just can't comprehend eating something warm. Summer salads are just the best, and when you're heading to the beach, a tailgate or someone's house they are really no fuss. Just pull your salad out of the fridge or cooler, grab a fork and dig in! 

Here are some of my favorites that I served at a recent barbecue. 

Pasta Salad with Arugula, Feta, and Red Onion

For this pasta salad, I pretty much follow the Martha Stewart recipe, but I swap out the goat cheese for feta. Also, you must make this with gemelli pasta, it's simply the best. 

Asian style chicken lettuce wraps

Who loves meat wrapped in lettuce? This girl! 

Unfortunately, the ones you order at the restaurants tend to be loaded with calories and sodium, which is no bueno. PF Changs lettuce wraps? 630 calories. Cheesecake factory? 1,536 calories. WHAAAT?!?! That's my entire caloric intake for the day! 

So, what's a girl to do when she's craving some lettuce wraps but doesn't want to sacrifice her waistline? Make them at home! 

My Lack of a Life in Photos

Lately, I've been boycotting Instagram. Well not really boycotting, I just haven't been taking a lot of photos in general. I'm finding it so hard to come up with original photographic material! It seems like everyone now has a camera phone at their finger tips and they are ready to take a picture of their meal, the skyline, the sunset, their toes on the beach, a fancy alcoholic beverage, and a fresh manicure at a moment's notice (don't worry, I'm not making fun of you, I'm guilty of taking all these photos too!)

Check out this college humor video, it's sooooo true. (Even though the song is superbly annoying)

But seriously, in the past two weeks I've only posted one picture. 

That's the hubbers, looking angry in the pool. What's his deal? It's a beautiful day outside and he's in an empty pool!? He just doesn't like when I take his picture, hence the mean mug. 

I do want to get back into taking more photos, but I think it's good to take a little break. 

This past weekend, we took a trip to D.C. because our gym qualified to send a team to the Mid Atlantic Crossfit Regionals (Quick side note, our team was amazing. I saw how much hard work and dedication each of them put into preparing, and it was so inspiring to see them out on the floor busting their butts.) I brought my camera with all intentions of documenting the weekend, but I was just too caught up in the moment and enjoying time with friends that I didn't snap any pics. 

Sometimes I think that's a good thing. Instead of seeing everything through a camera lens or through the screen of your smart phone, just put it down and actually enjoy the moment. The memory will be far more fulfilling than the photo. Agree? 

Update: If you're looking for someone to follow on Instagram that won't have the same photos as everyone else, check this guy out: http://instagram.com/happymundane Somehow he makes photos of ordinary things look really interesting. 

Rise of the backless and braless

It's no secret, open back tops and dresses are a thing right now. However, for those of us that are a little more endowed in the chestal region these pose a serious challenge. If you wear a bra with them, the entire back of your bra is exposed and it really takes away from the sexiness of the shirt in the first place. If you don't wear a bra, you're feeling a little "free" and unsupported. Plus, passersby may gawk at your magnificent boobs top. 

Posted by Skopje Casual on Tumblr

I know they have these weird stick-on bras but I highly doubt they offer any real support and if they have tape that wraps around the sides, it might show (and that's not cute either). 

So what's a girl to do? 

I've done both. Braless is definitely more comfortable and shows of the shirt's true potential, and it's really freeing to go out without straps and wires constricting your torso. This past weekend however, I wore a bra under one backless shirt because I knew I would be moving around a lot and didn't want to give anyone a free show.