Clean & Easy Recipe: Roasted Vegetables

Anytime I've been on Pinterest lately it's all about Whole30, clean eating, or Paleo. I love 'eating clean' but I also love Pizza Rolls. So, I balance both. Eating clean on the weekdays and on the weekends splurging on my food choices.

In the winter, one of my favorite things to make are roasted vegetables. It's easy, fast cleanup, and delicious.

The vegetables that I used... 

Red potatoes, onion, white mushrooms and red bell pepper 

Good mix of hearty and healthy

The dressing couldn't be any easier and more than likely things you already have in your pantry. 

Hopefully you aren't almost out of balsamic vinegar like I am. 

Step 1. Cut up your red potatoes. 

For roasted veggies, you better be prepared to chop. 

Next, rinse off your mushrooms and throw them into your 13x9 pan with the cut up potatoes.

Chop up your onion, and toss that in as well. 

I use a whole onion, but if you wanted less you could use half. 

That's the best part about this recipe, you just throw in whatever you like. 

Now, you also cut up the red bell pepper and throw that in as well, but I was having cutting/photography issues and didn't capture that moment. (Apologies) 

Now for the 'dressing' 

Couldn't be simpler.

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar 

1 teaspoon of thyme 

1 teaspoon of rosemary 

Mix it all up and ... 

Toss it around in your veggies

Put your oven on 400 degrees and roast those veggies away.

Now, you'll notice that I haven't added the tomatoes yet, that's because I like to add

those at the end about 5-7 minutes before they vegetables are done. I still like them whole, and if you leave them in too long they seem to get mushy to me. 

Oh my goodness... 

After about 35 minutes with the vegetables and another 7 minutes after you add the cherry

tomatoes, you will be good to go. 

I should just apologize now for how hard it is to not pick at the food, especially the mushrooms. 

Enjoy! 

Roasted Vegetables Recipe 

Ingredients: 

• 6-9 medium sized red potatoes 
• 1 carton of whole white mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup - 1 cup of cherry tomatoes 
• 1/2 - 1 chopped onion  (preference) 

"Dressing":

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of thyme 
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut up the red potatoes, red bell pepper, and onion and add to a 13x9 inch baking pan 
3. Add mushrooms to the pan
4. Mix ingredients for the 'dressing' and pour over vegetables and toss vegetables to evenly coat
5. Place 13x9 pan into oven for about 35-40 minutes, then add cherry tomatoes 
6. After the tomatoes are heated through remove roasted vegetables
7. Let cool and enjoy! 

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Garage Sale Shopping on Facebook

So... I have a new hobby/addiction that's taking up all of my time and money. If you've read this blog in the past, I don't know, month, then you know that I recently bought a house. Buying a house is expensive. Furnishing a house feels even more expensive. That's why I'm going bougie on a budget here lately and shopping on my new favorite site. Facebook. 

I don't know about other cities, but here in Little Rock we have a BUNCH of different 'garage sale' type of groups. And let's just say that I've spent plenty of money on the site lately. 

But I'm spending money to save money. 

For instance: 

I JUST got this dresser this week for $40! It's in great shape. I'll paint it this spring and add new hardware, but it's PERFECT for the 'closet room.' 

Also, the white thing with the clothes? That was $5. I need it for the washer/dryer area of the house to hang clothes to dry, but right now I'm really liking it in the closet room to hang jackets/clothes for the next day. 

I'll do a post about the closet room soon, but I also got these two black bookcases to showcase shoes for $30! 

Since I bought bookcases for my shoes, of course, I needed to buy booties. These are Jeffrey Campbell booties made of calf hair that a girl had never worn. 

How much? $45! 

Now, this cute little lamp was only $10! The base of the lamp matches two lamps I already own. 

These two BIG lamps were $25! I will find different shades at some point but these lamps are big and nice and there's no way I could find them for $25 anywhere else. 

Now, on to my favorite and best find... 

A Fox Fur Jacket. 

This gray/white fox fur jacket is perfect and I love it. She was the priciest item I've purchased at $300 but she's a steal of a deal. 

I'm really loving being bougie on a budget here lately. Does your town/city have these sort of Facebook groups? 

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Living Room Paint Update

Over the holiday break, I was able to paint the office as well as the living room. Now it's time to show a little progress! It's not 'there' yet but it's getting somewhere! 

If you remember, I was having a really hard time deciding paint color for the living room. Then after a late night Pinterest binge I decided to go with my gut and I'm so glad I did because I am LOVING the color! 

Here are a few before photos... 

So when we first moved in this wall was a terrible tan. It also had a pretty ugly security system monitor right when you walked in. After removing it (because we went with a different system) we patched up the hole it left with a wall patch kit from a home improvement store. 

Here's a look at the house (clearly with Christmas decorations) 

As you can tell there is no overhead light so I have to be creative and move around lamps for the time being. 

Here are all the paint colors that we were deciding on. We ended up picking Sherwin Williams Repose Gray. 

After just one coat we were beginning to tell a MAJOR difference! 

We painted two coats just to make sure we covered all of the ugly tan. I also fund some light silvery/whiteish curtains from Home Goods. Right now I'm light on the art and photos on the wall but all in good time. 

I LOVE the Sherwin Williams Repose Gray. It's a lovely gray but it doesn't feel cold which I was really afraid of when we were painting it. It keeps the room feeling very open and much brighter than the tan. 

I still need: 

- Better lighting (COMING SOON!) 

- Art 

- Console Table 

- Corner Chairs 

- New Pillows 

- Other things I haven't even thought about 

But, I'm happy for now! 

House Blog Updates: 

- A House Tour

- Office Paint Update 

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StitchFix December Review

Welp. After I said I was done with StitchFix they pulled me back in again ... and I'll admit, I was wrong about their service BECAUSE I LOVED THIS FIX. For $20, I consider it fashion roulette and this time I won.

So, this is my public apology to StitchFix for doubting it's styling abilities.

Also, this is my public apology for the TERRIBLE lighting in this new house. It's going to get fixed soon with canned lights but until then, I have to just deal with it.

Now on to the clothes!

Madison & Lola Twila Faux Shearling Jacket 

StitchFix sent me the SOFTEST, most ADORABLE jacket. Did I buy it? No, but because it was pricey. 

FYI - I found this (I'm pretty sure EXACT) jacket at Sam's Club for $20! 

Fate Kobe Ribbed Pullover

Pink sweaters are my favorite and this one was no exception, I loved this sweater!

RD Style Elly Knit Dress

Ok, ok. This was a cute dress/tunic? Grey is just not for me though because it completely washes me out. 

Kut From The Kloth Brianna Skinny Pant

These black pants I LOVED! They were a bit big so I requested a smaller size. 

41Hawthorn Woodling Faux Leather Detail Blouse

This was a navy top with a cute faux leather detail that was cute, but not stop, drop and buy. 

Everything was priced between $44 - $100. As usual, whatever you buy you receive the $20 credit, and if you buy all five items then you receive 25% off your entire order. 

Overall I was REALLY happy and impressed with this fix! I take back my words of saying that I was forever done. 

For $20, it's still so much fun to receive a box of clothes, especially when you can usually buy all five items for under $250! 

If you've never signed up and wanted to try it, please consider using my referral link. 

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Weekend in Dallas

Happy Monday! This past weekend Rich and I went to Dallas for a quick weekend trip before he starts back to law school and before I have to get back to working full-time in the office. (The holidays spoil me...)

Dallas is only 4-5 hours from Little Rock so it's a pretty quick weekend trip. It's also a really, really easy drive. So we had planned on leaving Friday at lunch, and we did. However, you make plans and God laughs? We woke up Friday morning to a backyard full of snow. Since it didn't stick to the roads we were safe to drive, and by we I mean Rich because it started snowing on us while driving and I have ZERO idea on how to drive in any condition besides sunny, happy weather.

Once we got to Dallas and went to the hotel, we relaxed a bit. Over five hours in the car under stressful conditions with snow, re-routes, traffic and tiredness we just took a little time to relax. As soon as I realized how close we were to a Trader Joe's I got a BOLT of energy and couldn't get out of the hotel quickly enough. After buying two cases of wine, a ton of marinara sauce and some cookie butter I felt I had done enough damage. $200 worth of damage to be exact but who is counting... 

After my Trader Joe's personal spending challenge event, we found this restaurant called, "Kenny's Italian Kitchen." It had great reviews, was close by, but I was skeptical because it was in a strip mall.  

It. was. delicious. 

And I'm sorry for judging a book by its strip mall cover because the inside of this restaurant was cozy, charming and I would go back in a heartbeat. 

After dinner we went back to the hotel to relax so we could do a lot of things on Saturday and boy, did we... 

We got up and headed downtown to eat brunch at a restaurant called, 'The Rustic.' 

It was also ... delicious. 

The Rustic in Dallas, TX, has a brunch menu called, "Jam and Toast" because you get all of this food and then there is a band playing. 

Bloody Mary ... Bloody Mary ... BLOODY MARY. 

Also, delicious bloody mary. 

After brunch, we headed to Dealey Plaza where Kennedy was shot. Rich had never been there before so we parked and walked around the area. We didn't take the 6th Floor Tour, but I did make a Penny out of Kennedy's head with one of those machines you turn until it flattens and imprints it. 

Next on the list was the Perrot Science Museum! 

I had always wanted to go and Rich didn't complain even though I could tell it was not his thing. That's part of relationships, though ... give and take. 

They had around 9-11 exhibits and my favorite was the one about gems and crystals because I like pretty things. 

And the one about dinosaurs because I think they are strange. 

After we did those two things it was on to the next ... Top Golf. 

Here's what I will say about Top Golf: 

1. I did not suck... surprisingly. 
2. Rich did very well... not surprisingly because he's an actual golfer. 
3. It was a lot of fun. 
4. I would do it again. 
5. I am not going to become a golfer. 

After a full day of fun, it was back to the hotel to change for dinner. Because we liked Kenny's Italian Kitchen we decided to try Kenny's Steakhouse. I'll give it to Kenny that he really knows what he is doing. 

We slept in a bit on Sunday and ate at In-and-Out Burger before heading back to Little Rock. 

How about I use my favorite word again to describe the weekend ... delicious! 

What did you do this weekend? 

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Home Office Makeover Update

It's been a rough week ... not that work is rough, or life is rough, but geez, I am missing my daily nap after two weeks from being out on holiday break. 

Now that I am getting back into the swing of things at work, it's time to finish the home office. You would think on my time off AT HOME I'd work on finish putting together the home office but ... no. On my time off I actually didn't do anything productive at the new house. 

OK - time for the fun decorating stuff! 

For reference, here was the office BEFORE I started to do anything... As in, here is the office when we moved into the house.

The previous owners had used this split-pea color green room as their baby room. 

Woof. 

I couldn't take this color because it wasn't 1) pretty or 2) dramatic. 

So... insert the paint debate that I mentioned about here. After A LOT of staring at walls and researching paint colors, I went with Sherwin Williams Georgian Bay and lightened it 25%.  

The result... 

A BEAUTIFUL blue! I also painted the built-in shelves a much brighter and cleaner white. The previous color looked very yellow against the blue before I had painted it. 

Now, this might look productive, but I haven't pulled in any of the other furniture, decided how I want to position the desk or hung anything on the walls. 

Because I am stuck with another decision. 

Curtains.

Currently, I am in the great-white-curtain-debate. 

I did a very scientific survey on Snapchat where most people have said the off-white curtains with the texture as opposed to the very bright white curtains with shine. I haven't really made up my mind yet, but what do you think? 

Off white? ... Shiny white? 

Help me decide so I can get this room finished!

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Starting Off To A SPARKLING 2017

Happy Tuesday morning 

AKA: The day I go back to the real world after a long holiday break. 

As I'm getting ready for work and doing my usual routine of watching Good Morning America, checking email in bed and mentally prepping myself for wearing real pants today, I thought I'd do a quick recap post of the weekend. 

BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. 

After a fun Christmas, we came back to Little Rock from my parent's house where I had one productive day then immediately got sick. Thinking it was a sinus infection I thought I could self-medicate but when I woke up Thursday morning and my entire body hurt, the first thing I did was call the doctor to get some meds. After sleeping Wednesday, Thursday, and half of Friday, I was well rested up for NYE night. 

The year is looking so bright Rich just can't wait to look forward to it. 

Anyone else's boyfriend like to 'make the photo funny' when you JUST WANT A CUTE PIC?

We went to a dive bar for NYE and it was the literal best. There was no judgment about what to wear or anything. It was so laid back and chill that it's probably one of my favorite NYE nights out. 

My friend Maggie and I planned out NYE out together with all of our separate friends to make one big super-friend group.

The candles were sparkles!

New Year's Day we slept it, had some fast food and then got ready for our New Year's Friend Dinner. Everyone brought something for New Year's good luck ... pork loin, black-eyed peas, long noodles and I made a chocolate cake. After we all ate we played Cards Against Humanity. 

It was a GREAT start to the new year. (Although I didn't, or haven't made any resolutions yet ... did anyone else??)

Wish me luck heading back into the real world today .... my pants are too tight and there's no afternoon nap planned.   

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