Living Room/Dining Room Updates

And without further ado, the living room and dining room updates :)  We painted the walls Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan and I absolutely LOVE it!  It is a very light beige with a hint of grey and it contrasts just enough with our new moulding, which I had no idea what a huge affect crown moulding made until we had it done.  It is like putting a photo in a frame.

I love how much lighter and brighter everything feels now, but yetit still feels warm with all of the different textures used throughout the space.  I think my top 3 favorite finds for the living room are the chevron rug from Pottery Barn, the light wooden standing lamp from Target and the ikat chair pillow also from Pottery Barn.  Overall, I think all the patterns and colors came together nicely and I plan to leave it alone for another two years!

Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce!

This was so tasty!!!  I found the recipe off Pinterest and decided to try it and am so glad I did because Prescott and I both loved it.  It is light, creamy, lemony and fresh.  Great new alfredo sauce to add to the recipe book ;)

Light fettucini alfredo Ingredients: 1 pound angel hair pasta, 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese, 

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Boil angel hair pasta according to directions and blend the rest of the ingredients in a blender.  

Season with salt and pepper to taste, if it tastes bland to you, its because you didn't add enough salt and pepper, so add more salt until you get more flavor.  

Once pasta is done cooking lightly drain.  Then pour sauce and pasta back into pot and continue to cook, adding reserved pasta water or I used skim milk to continue to make it creamy as the pasta quickly absorbs the sauce.  Once you get the proper consistency and desired temperature, plate and garnish with fresh cracked pepper and parsley or basil.

Bathroom Reno

After realizing that we had been living in our home for over two years now, we figured it was time to freshen things up a bit, so Prescott and I have slowly but surely been updating each room. So far this is the only one that I feel is 100% done, everything else is close but I don't want to share until they are totally finished!  

So without further ado here is our updated downstairs half bath complete with Benjamin Moore Spanish Olive paint, Swiss Coffee white crown molding and framing of the mirror, updated light fixture, neutral Pottery Barn towels and framed prints we bought on our honeymoon in Paris.  I have really grown to love this little bathroom :)

Delicious Secret Ingredient Cookies!

I guess I am starting a trend here with my secret ingredient recipes, so what is the secret ingredient this time you ask?  

Well, you aren't going to believe it, it's black beans!  I know what you are thinking (exactly what I was thinking when I read the recipe) that sounds horrible and I bet they taste disgusting.  Well, my friends I have proved us both wrong again.  

Not only is spinach tasty in smoothies, apparently black beans are delicious in cookies... Who knew?!?!  Seriously, these are a must try.

Inspired by Eliza's Edibles Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans, rinsed well
• 2 T. milk
• 1.5 T. peanut butter/nut butter of choice
• 2 T. olive oil
• 3 T. whole wheat flour
• ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ c. + 1 T. sugar 
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• ⅓ c. dark chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine black beans, milk, peanut butter, and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth.
3. Add in whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon, and continue processing until combined and mousse-like.
4. Stir in ⅓ c. dark chocolate chips.
5. Spoon 16 dollops evenly spaced dollops of the batter onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with the extra chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Let cool slightly, then put on a baking rack until they are cooled completely.
8. ENJOY!!

Notes

Store in the refrigerator due to the black beans!

Super Green Smoothie!!!

Okay, so I have been totally OBSESSED with this smoothie and have been making it for breakfast everyday straight for the past two weeks.  I had no idea that you could add spinach to a smoothie without adding or subtracting any flavor at all... weird, right?!? 

Well, now you know you can totally add spinach to virtually any smoothie for a nice health boost and it won't affect the taste :)  This smoothie makes you feel good, healthy, full and just plain awesome... definitely worth trying for yourself!

Ingredients you need to place in blender in order of what you should put in first...

Handful of frozen fruit (for BEST results use only frozen pineapple, mango and peach chunks)

Heaping handfull of spinach

1 small to medium sized ripe banana 

Fill blender 1/4 - 1/2 the way full with your orange mango juice

Blend until smooth... if it does not seem to be blending, then you need to add a little more juice until it starts to come together ;)

Chocolate Buttermilk Pie with Whipped Cream

Well, I thought this was a fitting post for Valentine's Day since this pie is perfectly sweet and delicious to share with a loved one, but make sure to cut a big slice because with two forks this baby goes fast... it's that good!  Also, warning: there will be leftovers staring you down every morning so just be calm and know that sometimes pie is acceptable for breakfast ;)

1 unbaked pie shell 

1/2 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/6 cup cocoa powder

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk

heavy whipping cream and sugar

Beat butter, yogurt and sugar until combined.  Add remaining ingredients and beat until combined.

Pour into pie shell and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  

Let cool and whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff, adding a little sugar to taste until it is slightly sweet.  Serve cooled pie with a heavy dollop of whipped cream!

EASY Peanut Butter Cookie FroYo Sandwiches!

These little guys were sooo easy to make and they just so happen to be naturally gluten free, which is cool :)  Definitely worth making, even just for the cookie by itself.

Recipe:

Whip together in mixer 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg and I teaspoon vanilla. 

Bake at 350 degrees 10-20 min. until golden.

Fill two cooled cookies with a scoop of vanilla bean or strawberry (for pb&j) froyo and rim with crushed peanuts. 

DEVOUR!