Eat Happy Mondays - make salads.

Rather than focusing my energy on diets and restricting calories, I try to focus instead on the things I want to eat more of each day, like fresh green salads, lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, vegetarian sources of protein, and healthy fats. My father always made a fresh vinaigrette dressing each time he would make a chopped salad, and I'm so grateful that I got to learn from him. It's an easy way to add some more delicious to your everyday. 

A vinaigrette is basically just an emulsion of of vinegar and oil. The golden ratio is about 1 part vinegar to 2 or 3 parts oil - but always adjusting to taste. Mix it up in a small bowl (best if it has steep sides) using a fork or a small whisk. The taste is going to depend So MUCH on what type of vinegar, and what type of oil you're using. Stay tuned for future posts on vinegars and oils, and how to know what to buy.

I like to start with my vinegar element - whether it's a balsamic, an apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. Gently drizzle in your olive oil, whisking all the while, until your dressing starts to come together. And don't be afraid to adjust your dressing to suit your taste. So, as your mixing the dressing, taste it by dipping in a piece of lettuce so you'll see how well your flavors blend. No licking the fork!

Vinagrette

If you're using a vinegar that's sweet enough, you won't need to add any sweetener. If you're using lemon juice or something else that's a bit tart, you might want to add a bit of honey to sweeten it up. Keep adjusting until you find the blend you like. 

You'll notice that you might want a slightly sweeter dressing if you're using a peppery green like arugula, cress, or mizuna, or maybe something with a bright, citrusy taste if you're using a more bitter green like frisee, raddichio, or kale. Mix it up and try different combinations to find what you like best. (Not sure about different types of greens? This is a great infographic that will help sort things out).  

My favorite part of making fresh dressing when you make a salad is that you can so easily customize it depending on your mood and what ingredients you have on hand. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of vinegar. Add crushed fresh garlic or chopped fresh herbs. Try a tahini or miso-based dressing for a totally different flavor and texture. Whisk in some grainy mustard to help thicken it up and add another dimension of flavor. It's a great way to change it up on a regular basis, even if you're eating from the same salad greens, day after day. 

A quick celeb style note

I can't help but add my voice to the many who LOVED Lupita Nyong'o in Ralph Lauren on the red carpet at the Golden Globes today. Absolutely flawless.

Via her stylist, Micaela Erlanger's Twitter

Ralph Lauren Spring 2014

Have a happy weekend.

Here's some interesting reads for your weekend!

In yoga:

Yogadork.com shares how John Friend (formerly of Anusara, Inc.) is staging his comeback. I truly loved the practice of Anusara, and was disheartened to hear about JF's behavior (sleeping with married students, hiding questionable financial practices, sending goafers for his pot and abusing his power to intimidate anyone who tried to step outside the circle).  I was lucky enough to enjoy the benefits of the practice while I was stationed far, far outside of the JF circle - much like my relationship to Bikram.  

I laughed out loud at this slideshow from mindbodygreen.com but then couldn't figure out if it is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek or if it's serious!! Um, yes, I will always warm up before attempting to take pictures of myself in forearm-stand-scorpion. Thanks.

In feminism:

The Guttmacher Institute put out this summary of their review of laws affecting reproductive health and rights. More state abortion restrictions were enacted in 2011-2013 than in the entire previous decade. Worth the read and very frightening to think how few people notice and care about these shifts - how quietly a lot of this legislation was passed. This reminds me of Margaret Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale, a dystopian future where women's bodies are controlled by the state - except this is really happening. Shudder.

I definitely agree with this Flavorwire article from Michelle Dean about Lena Dunham's nudity in the HBO show Girls. Despite all my own reservations about the show, it is nice to have an in-your-face reminder of the beauty standards that we hold so near and dear, no matter how advanced our understanding of those standards may be.

In food:
Found this great site this week, where you can track what farm your food comes from in real time in your area. Not really a read, but a great tool.

NPR.org points us to Nathanael Johnson's summary of his question-everything series on GMOs, compiled over 6 months in 2013. Disclosure: I read the NPR article, but haven't been through Johnson's series yet. It's clear that the studies are conflicting about whether GMOs are harmful as food - but it is hard to ignore the other elements that are important in decision making about GMOs beyond food safety. Whether they actually make any difference in feeding the hungry. The problem of patents and big-ag corporations and the affects on farmers. Although the safety issues are where the priority may lie in studies, it's important for us to remember that the issue of GMOs goes well beyond our bodies - it goes into our soil quality, our world, and the sustainability of the farming methods that they require. Can you even grow GMOs organically? I'm not too sure about that and I'll probably be spending some time this weekend reading through this entire series to learn more.

Here's a fascinating article from Salon.com about when farming meets big data. The article targets Monsanto specifically, probably for name recognition of big-ag alone, but discusses an interesting trend where companies are developing and banking on analysis and data-driven mechanization of farming. The manipulation of farmers is no new news, and this article paints yet another frightening picture of the possibilities for large-scale control of the food industry.

Happy Friday.

I have a lazy weekend planned, filled with lounging in the California sunshine, catching up on some work, and cooking. I bought a beautiful orange cauliflower at the farmers market yesterday, and I'm debating whether to try something new. 

Generally, I just roast cauliflower, because it gets this sweet, creamy delicious flavor, and it's super simple with just a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. But I'm considering trying something a little different this time. 

From My Darling Lemon Thyme

I'm a huge salad fan, and I like to throw quinoa in at every opportunity, so of course I love this beautiful Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea and Quinoa salad. This is definitely something I can see myself throwing together - delicious, easy, with multiple layers of texture and flavor. 

From My New Roots

I'm fascinated by this idea of a whole roasted tandoori cauliflower - I've got everything but cardamom in my spices. This would definitely be outside of my cooking comfort zone, and I like a good challenge. I think it's good to go outside the lines every once in a while. 

I'm consistently blown away by how much better all the fruits and veggies are than what I had gotten used to in New York. I'm so grateful to be here in California. The fresh and local lifestyle is definitely - so far - the #1 most amazing part of living here :)

Happy ever after.

It's hard to know where to begin when wedding planning! Especially when most of the guides/sites/blogs are about a much bigger event than I'm hoping to have. 

Rob and I got engaged in March (wow, how time flies!). I was super excited (obv) that we were both ready for a deeper commitment.  We had been discussing leaving New York for years, and deliberating where we wanted to spend the next part of our lives. So, in May we officially decided we were going to move to California. We gave ourselves one last summer in New York,and drove across the country in October.

Here's us at the Grand Canyon. It was chilly in the shade.

We agreed to put all wedding planning on hold, since the trip was an investment in itself, and since we're not sure where exactly we will end up living and what kind of space we will have, and what our routines will be like. 

Here's my feet in sunny Santa Fe. It is a beautiful little city.

BUT we can still plan certain things for our special day. Like the cake. Or, as I think we will have instead - donuts. 

I'm inspired by this donut-tier from this real wedding. 

In New York, the only good donuts I ever had were from Krispy Kreme, and the only Krispy Kreme I ever went to closed down. So the only other donut option was Dunkin' Donuts. In California, neighborhoods have small, family owned donut shops, and DD doesn't even exist! 

I never went to DD - I've always more of a Starbuck's girl. I prioritize coffee. (Fact: my first appliance purchase of my life was a Breville espresso machine. Totally worth the investment.) And wouldn't you know it - there are also little, independently owned coffee shops everywhere in California. It's amazing.

Anyway. The donuts at the local shops here are SPECTACULAR. I personally prefer salty to sweet in my indulgences but I still have a soft spot for these freshly-made donuts. 

I'll need a pretty tiered stand, like this wooden one:

Or maybe a more modern style, like these stacked glass stands:

The flowers are a whole different story. That will take some more deliberation. I'm just happy we've planned the first element of our wedding, and that it's something delicious, simple, and totally DIY-able.

My new internship!

So PSYCHED! to announce that I'm the new social media intern for:

queenofthequarterlifecrisis.com

Jamie has such a plethora of knowledge - she's not the beauty/fashion/lifestyle queen for nothing! She interned with CHANEL (!), she's got an amazing blog, and she contributes articles to tons of my favorite sites - not to mention that she is super nice, down-to-earth, and gorgeous. 

I'm so happy to be involved in Jamie's team and really excited to learn from her and grow my experience with digital marketing strategies, social media market research, and LA-based events. 

Sweat happy.

Have you tried Athleta's activewear? I'm a huge fan of their Chaturanga Capri style, and they're offering a ton of fun new prints for spring. I have a few pairs and can definitely vouch for their durability and quality. They're never see through, they wash well*, and they have a great fit. I'm a huge fan of stripes, and I'd love to add these to my wardrobe.

I also absolutely love a good, slouchy, comfy sweatshirt to wear to and from, and this one looks flattering with the strategic seams, long sleeves with thumbholes, and soft fabric.

And nothing makes me happier to workout than a beautifully vibrant, flowing top. I am not a fan of the built-in bra, and it's hard to find cute tops that allow for layering with a real sports bra. This one fits the bill, and comes in spectacular hues. 

I can definitely see myself wearing these! I've had great experiences with all the Athleta store personnel I've worked with; they're welcoming to fitness professionals and everyone else, and offer tons of in-store events and community building opportunities. I recommend giving them a try. 

*Remember, when you're washing workout clothes that have wicking material: DO NOT use fabric softener! It keeps regular clothing soft by leaving residue on the clothes, which will hinder the wicking effect. Also, separate your workout clothes from towels. I've learned the hard way that it does make a difference! You'll prolong the life of your gear and keep it from pilling. It's worth keeping the loads separate.