We’re well past December, I know, but I wanted to show you my Christmas cards for 2011! Another fantastic Etsy find, B is for Brown designed the cards and was just a dream to work with. Ryan and I came up with 10-15 things we did in 2011 and boom- this card was created.
I adore Etsy.
I finally saw Midnight in Paris and was positively giddy-happy for the entire 90 minutes it was on. I now need to buy more shirt dresses (ala Rachel McAdams), book a ticket to Paris, read more Hemingway and drink champagne. Not necessarily in that order.
I was working through a blockage (for real) last week and apparently, my yoga instructors were in my head because their themes all week were letting go of things that no longer serve you. The collateral of meditating on that all well? My apartment. It has been wonderful for us for 18 months, but it is no longer serving us, no longer has components that are going to make us happy going forward. So, we move to River North in 3 weeks. Goodbye lake views, hello city lights!
I have been wearing a lot of scarves lately and have learned to tie them in a way that doesn’t make me look like It is strangling me. Score. (this helped)
I went with my friend/bride-to-be Linda wedding dress shopping and the girl at the appointment next to us would only try on dresses where the skirt looked like birds flew into the tulle and got stuck. Every time she asked for “bigger” and “more detail”, all I heard was “More birds! I want more birds!”.
I have become obsessed with juicing. The idea that I can consume several beets, apples, pounds of spinach, carrots and numerous other veggies all in one cup in one sitting blows my mind. I should probably buy a juicer and then join a CSA to support the habit but for now, I’ll rely on 40 Carrots and Maple Street Market.
I totally burned a guy on the treadmill next to me today…sucker didn’t know what hit him.
This resolution popped into my inbox this am (thanks, Kate Spade) and it got me thinking. I have 3 weeks and 2 days of vacation time this year. I barely used up my 2 weeks last year. Banking on the fact that Job-wise I will actually feel comfortable taking this time this year, I need to get making some plans to assure this is time well spent!
Yoga retreat. Definitely.
Atlanta to see my BFF. Yes.
Napa Valley with Ry? Colorado for some skiing?
Is Europe in the cards???
I should probably take some time and look into all of this…
Tonight, Ryan and I went for a run out to the end of Navy Pier and had one of those “Holy balls, this is seriously what we are looking at right now and we live here???” kind of moments.
Mad Chi Town love.
Happening. In my kitchen. Right now.
Caroline at the G Spot Revolution (where a healthy life is not hard to find) is always posting the most amazing and good-for-you recipes. This morning she posted her Curry and Roasted Potato Soup recipe and I seriously could not stop thinking about it all day. At the end of my run this evening, I headed straight to the grocery store for the ingredients, Caroline’s blog in hand (err, iPhone in hand).
OMG. So, so worth it.
Thick, incredible flavor, hearty yet healthy…the best and definitely most out-of-the-box thing to come out of my kitchen in awhile.
The How-To is below but check out G-Spot Revolution for more great recipes and healthy lifestyle tips.
Ingredients
2-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds potatoes of choice, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped
32 ounces gluten-free vegetable broth/stock
3 Tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
1/2 fresh lime, squeezed
1 teaspoon red chili paste
1 Tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 cup light coconut milk
sea salt and pepper, as desired
NOTES: I used a mix of fingerling and red potatoes, Thai Kitchen Roasted Red Chili Paste, Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste and Taste of Thai Lite Coconut Milk.
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop all potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
In a medium pot, heat remaining 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil, then add onions, garlic and celery, sautéing for about 5 minutes. Slowly add broth. Add tapioca starch and lime juice, stirring thoroughly. Add chili paste and red curry paste, stirring until combined. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer (with lid on pot) for 5-6 minutes.
While soup is simmering, combine coconut milk and 1 cup roasted potatoes in a high speed blender or food processor. Puree and then add mixture to pot. Add remaining roasted potatoes and simmer for additional 10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.
(Curry and Roasted Potato Soup with half a cheddar and apple panini- a fav combo here at casa di ChiTownGirl)
(image via)
Happy 5th Birthday, Bright Pink!!
5 years of countless lives saved through empowering and educating women on their health, all while inspiring them to be bold, brave and bright. I am so honored to be involved with this organization and can’t wait to see what brilliance Bright Pink drums up in 2012 and beyond!
Click here to learn more about the amazing Bright Pink.
