Whole30 Week One

I cannot tell a lie. Today was probably the hardest day for me so far in terms of craving foods I can’t have. I am on Day 8. Fridays usually mean some adult beverages, some not so healthy food choices and mental relaxation. On my drive home from work I had a mental meltdown about what in the ever loving eff I was going to make for dinner that would TASTE GOOD. I slowly talked myself down and decided on my go-to Martha Stewart Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Instead of all purpose flour I subbed in coconut flower and instead of potatoes with sharp white cheddar (sigh) I swapped in a sweet potato and cauliflower mash. It’s in the oven now so fingers crossed. The link for the recipe is below.

http://www.marthastewart.com/319350/cheddar-topped-shepherds-pie

I really didn’t feel much of the flu symptoms they warn you might feel during the first few days. I did have a major headache Day 6 but I think that may have more to do with caffeine withdrawal. I’m finding I have much more energy in the morning without my usual Venti coffee I sip on throughout the day. I’m drinking tea instead when I get to work and then water or my new found love, La Croix. Even my husband has become a huge fan of this sparkling nectar of the Gods. So far our favorites  are coconut, grapefruit and lemon. But, I digress. The headache had me down for the count Wednesday night. It was a little alarming that the small amount of coffee I milk all day long would have that much of an effect on me. But, I haven’t felt the need to slash anyone’s throat or to kill all the things, so that’s quite promising!

Breakfast every day has been the same thing, scrambled eggs, half an avocado and my favorite new breakfast item EVER, monkey salad (sliced banana, coconut flakes, cashews and coconut milk.) I literally cannot wait to eat that every morning. Lunch has been salads of spinach, mushrooms, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and chicken with olive oil and red wine or balsamic vinegar from our building cafe.

Below is dinner each night. I think I did pretty well. I tried to stick to my meal plan but a couple of nights I did waver because I just wasn’t feeling what I had planned for.

Saturday: Portobello turkey burgers with guac, salsa and homemade sweet potato fries

Sunday: Homemade Bolognese (that I must confess is Teresa Guidice’s recipe….DO NOT JUDGE ME!) and zucchini noodles

Monday: Whole30 Chicken Cacciatore (We were under a tornado and severe storm warning so I spaced on taking a pic. I was just focusing on the special weather reporting and trying to figure out the best possible place to not die in our second floor flat.)

Tuesday: Whole30 Coconut Curry Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Wednesday: Grass Fed Bison rib eye with sautéed Brussels sprouts

Thursday: Fajita salad with guac and salsa

I did breakdown and take some pictures on day 7 to see if there is any noticable weight loss yet. It may be my wishful thinking but I think I can see a difference in my stomach area as well as my face. I did have an employee tell me my clothes look baggy but I think she was probably looking for brownie points (game well played girl.) The hardest part is that I am beyond impatient and want to see results yesterday. I can’t help it, I’m Type A. I want to wake up with a new body. Unfortunately, it’s a marathon and not a sprint (oh lawd did I really just type that? I can’t with myself.)

I’m looking forward to this week ahead and being halfway done! After tonight’s mini meltdown the food craving has subsided. Sunday will be a little rough because I have to turn down a Bridal shower MIMOSA BAR PEOPLE!!!!!!! But I shall carry some cans of La Croix in my purse ala Sonja Morgan and all will be well. Oh and before I forget, SUPER excited I have a Twitter friend who is doing the challenge as well. It’s nice to have Ginger to bounce things off of and check in for support.

Ok well my oven is smoking from some bubbling Shepherd’s Pie so I’m off before we need to call the FD.

Later Taters!!!!!

The Whole What????

Well people, it’s that time of year. It’s getting warm, tomorrow is the first day of summer and well, my chubby ass needs to get back into shape. The weather coupled with it being sailing season (FINALLY!!!!) motivated me go back to Paleo the past two weeks. I’ve definitely noticed a difference but I knew I still needed a jump start to really break some habits (hello nightly wine) and detox my body from all of the additives and crap I’d been putting in it (some knowing and many unknowingly.)

I had heard of the Whole30 when my cousin posted some articles on Facebook about a year or so ago but I never really looked into it because my people are from Wisconsin and our blood is made of beer and cheese. But, thanks to the social media app that has never failed me, Twitter, I saw a friend was doing the Whole30 and was really enjoying his experience. (Shout out Jamie!) The book “The Whole30: The 30 Day Guide to TOTAL HEALTH and FOOD FREEDOM” was $18 thanks to my Amazon Prime account, so I hit the purchase now button and two days later, the book was waiting for me on my doorstep! Link below!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Whole30-30-Day-Health-Freedom/dp/0544609719

I’m very familiar with the Paleo “Diet” so the basic concept of The Whole30 is not one that was foreign to me. Yes, I can eat pasta and bread like no one’s business, but it’s not something that I crave.  Nor do I really crave sweets or chocolate. I knew right off the bat, the hardest thing was going to be the absence of dairy and alcohol. For those of you not familiar with the Whole30, here’s the breakdown. For 30 days you do not consume Dairy, Alcohol, Sugar and sweeteners (other than natural fruit juice) grains and legumes (beans and soy products.) Your diet consists of meat, fish, veggies fruit, nuts and healthy fats. The concept is to take away all foods that are known to create unhealthy cravings and habits, disrupt your metabolism, digestive tract and immune system. After the 30 days is a “reintroduction period” where you slowly re-instroduce these foods and closely monitor how you feel and how your body reacts to them. Above all, the best thing about the 30 days is that they forbid you to weigh yourself. You are to focus on “non-scale” victories and really examine how much better you feel and the changes your body is making both physically and internally.

I dove into the book, started taking notes, and was quickly surprised at the things that I DIDN’T know about the diet. The number one thing is that you don’t realize how many crazy additives are put into the foods you think are good for you. For instance this morning I went to grab a can of pineapple for part of our breakfast and lo and behold, I didn’t even notice when I bought it that it was pineapple in SYRUP.  You know, because pineapple isn’t delicious enough on it’s own, we need to add sugar water to it!  Other foods I thought to be healthy to consume (Quinoa and Hummus) are out!  While Quinoa is a “super food” it’s still a grain and can be an irritant to your digestive system. Hummus is typically made of garbanzo beans so, NO HUMMUS FOR YOU! Grabbing a quick can of diced tomatoes, check the label to make sure that they haven’t added in some extra sugar just because.

I think the number one thing I was shocked to see was not on the list was BACON!  The Paleo diet is all about bacon, bacon, more bacon and then some pork belly jam over bacon topped with chocolate covered bacon. But, go look at the package of bacon in your fridge. 99% of you will see that there is either sugar or maple syrup or some sort of sweetener added to that deliciousness and that means it is not Whole30 approved. My Sunday brunch staple is no more. Larabars are another Paleo treat and some are Whole30 approved, you just have to read the labels. Even things like pastured eggs. Pastured and pasteurized are not the same thing. I started buying cage free eggs because I saw Food Inc and OMG! But, even then, if the chickens are “cage free” it doesn’t necessarily mean they will ever see the light of day. I’d rather pay a bit more for pastured chickens that were allowed to spend their days frolicking around, conversing with the other chickens then some sitting on top of their dead loved ones. But, I digress.

Day One was pretty easy peasy. I will admit, choosing a Friday to start was maybe not the best idea I had in the world considering NO ALCOHOL AND FRIDAY NIGHT (Have I mentioned the Fourth of July is smack in the middle of my first 30 days?!) But, I picked up some La Croix (Whole30 approved!) and reached into my Republic of Tea stash and made it through just fine. Breakfast was a Larabar and a handful of roasted almonds and a cup of Republic of Tea “Get Clean.”  Lunch was a spinach salad with loads of veggies and chicken breast with olive oil and red wine vinegar (Whole30 approved!) Afternoon snack was some more almonds. Dinner was an on the fly thing. I picked up some filet mignon steaks along with a head of cauliflower and supplies to make my own clarified butter. I pan seared the steaks and served those with roasted cauliflower steaks topped with a grape tomato and olive relish.

Today is Day Two and I started off with iced coffee and coconut milk, crispy fried eggs over a sweet potato hash and half of an avocado. I have our weekly meal plan all set along with recipes to prep for the week. I think my husband is little terrified with how die hard I have become in a matter of days, but seeing the testimonials of Whole30 participants and their scale and non-scale victories is keeping me extremely motivated. The first line I read in the book completely resonated with me “It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black Is. Not. Hard.” I CAN do this!  I am EXCITED to do this.

I’m keeping my meal plans documented so if anyone ever decides they want some tips or hints, let me know. In fact, I’ve had so many people comment on my meal planning that I may just write up a weekly plan with recipes and a grocery list and anyone that wants in, I will email it out. I’ve been meal planning for years now and it is honestly one of my favorite things in the world to do. But anyhow, I’m excited for the next 29 days and beyond. I think, no. I know, this is the jump start I needed. I may have started this lifestyle change at a weird time of year, but Fall and Winter apparel is cuter anyway 🙂

Until Next Time!

Abby

Auld Lang Syne

Resolution; the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc, the act of resolving something.

Well hello there old friends, it’s been awhile. I hope this post finds you in good spirits, having enjoyed a peace and joy filled holiday season. Tomorrow is New Years Eve and I, as I’m sure most of you as well, have been listing in my head all of my “resolutions” I have planned for 2015. It’s funny though, that word resolution. Above I posted the first definition that came up when I Googled the word. “The act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc.” To me, that seems like an odd word to use to describe your plans for self improvement in the New Year. I’m a pretty passive person and I avoid conflict like the plague. I don’t have very many problems, other than what to watch when Bravo is airing re-runs, so the word “resolution” doesn’t really sit well with my plans for 2015.

Intention; a thing intended; an aim or plan

My wise mother has said for years that she makes New Years “Intentions” and that’s what I will be doing. Planning and setting attainable goals for self improvement in the new year. This previous year I achieved a lot of really awesome goals. In about a week and a half I will be smoke free for a year. It’s an unbelievable feeling and one I honestly never thought I would feel. I can breath easily, have a normal sense of smell and most importantly, the high blood pressure I had for years is now non-existent. In 2014 I was also able to pay off all of my debt which is such a freeing feeling. I received another professional promotion last year and grew my floral design business. All in all, 2014 was pretty damn amazing and I’m so blessed with all that I have.

With all that being said, I have even bigger plans for 2015. My first intention is to blog! I love and have a passion for writing and I regret not doing more of it last year. Even if it’s one person reading this, I love being able to express my thoughts via this little page. In addition to writing a blog I’d like to follow suit to what my friend Lindsay’s intention is for the new year and stay in touch with friends and family the old fashioned way. What is better than picking up the mail and finding a card or letter handwritten to you? I think that’s one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season, receiving Christmas cards with a little note from a loved one, so why not continue that throughout the year?

Last Fall I learned to crochet and while I love making them, I’m pretty sure my family has had their fill of scarves. I’m lucky to work for an amazing healthcare system and I will be now working on crocheting baby blankets to swaddle our tiniest patients that spend time after birth in the NICU. I will also be making blankets for our Still Birth perinatal program, so that parents can share a few moments with their child wrapped in a blanket made with love. They can then take that blanket home to remember the precious moments they were able to have holding their child. This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart and I am so thrilled to be able to give comfort to families going through such a difficult time.

Next on the list is the obvious organizational intention. I will be cleaning out closets and donating heaps of clothing to the Goodwill. The new motto is if we haven’t worn it in the past year, it’s being donated. Lord knows I don’t need to be sporting low rise jeans around town any time, ever. I bought a cute little day planner to keep in my purse and hopefully organize my meetings, consultations and small lists of things to do. I am old school and love a day planner to write in and house old post-it notes and grocery lists. It’s fun to look back on old planners and see what you were doing in years past. With the organization I would also like to grow my business even more. Floral design is my passion and little by little I’d like to build the business to where it will eventually allow me to design full time.

Last but not least, I intend to be the best person I can be on a daily basis. Life can be hard sometimes and the daily stressers and small issues can oftentimes get us down. I need to keep in the front of my mind how absolutely fortunate I am in my life and what amazing family and friends I have. Nothing is more important than that. Prayer and meditation will be a huge stress reliever for me in the new year and who knows, I may start attending some yoga classes! I am totally intimidated by it but I have heard it is life changing (remind me I said that when muscles I didn’t know I have hurt.)

My friends I hope the New Year brings you all health, happiness, joy and peace. Remember to be kind to yourselves and see all of the beauty that is in you. You are loved and you matter in this world.
xoxo

Recipe: Marcella and Abby’s Potato Skins

I am writing this while in the midst of a food coma, so if this post is rambling, I apologize. However, once you make these potato skins, you will understand honey!!!! The back story on this recipe is really quite simple. Two best friends and their love for cheesy spuds.
I have the good fortune of my best friend being married to my cousin, so we naturally spend a ton of time together. Back many moons ago, we used to frequent a bar in the Chicago suburbs, Penny Road Pub. They had mediocre bands, crap tap beer and horrendous bathrooms, BUT, they had KILLER potato skins. Marcie and I literally would die and go to heaven when we ate these little pieces of wonder. For both of us, Penny Road potato skins are a comfort food and wonderful memory of our friendship.
Two weeks ago, the women of our family had a wine tasting at Lynfred Winery in Roselle (check them out!) and then a family BBQ afterwards. Marcie, being the bad ass chick that she is, opted out of the typical potato salad side fare and went for the big guns, homemade potato skins. They were To. Die. For. We are Irish and from Wisconsin, so cheesy potatoes are our THANG!!!!! I knew I had to make them again.
Today at the grocery store they had NY strip steaks on sale (on of my favorite cuts of meat) and being that it is date night for the hubs and I, I thought the strip steaks and potato skins would be a fun riff on a steakhouse meal. These are suuuuuupppper easy to make and would be great for tailgating, a mini meal for the week or any kind of get together you can think of. You can definitely make these ahead of time and then re-heat as needed.
I used four normal Idaho potatoes (scrubbed clean of course.) I halved them, laid them on a cookie sheet and drizzled a teeeennny tiny amount of olive oil and added some salt, just enough to add some flavor. I put the spuds in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Make sure you halve them as equally as possible to allow for even cooking.
Once they are fork tender, remove them from the oven and let them cool. Seriously, let them cool or you will hate your life when it comes time to scooping out the middle. Burned fingers are not a cute look. Trust. But back to scooping. Which is the next step! Scoop out the middle of those babies to make a little boat to carry the cheesy goodness that is to follow! Don’t throw out the scoopage though! Save that and you can use it for breakfast hash browns or homemade potato pancakes! I used leftover Mexican blend low fat shredded cheese from last night’s fajitas. So add in whatever cheese you please to the hallowed out portion of the spud. I switched my oven to the broiler setting and put them in until the cheese melted and started turning golden. Once melted, I removed them from the oven and allowed them to cool just a slight bit.
I topped them off with sliced scallions (green onion) and crumbled bacon that I cooked earlier. I recommend cooking a few extra pieces just in case some wind up in your mouth, because, bacon. A spoonful of sour cream later and these babies were good to go!!!!
I seriously hope you love these as much as Marcie and I do. If fact, make these the next time you have a girlfriend over for some cocktails. They are the perfect compliment to friendship, girl talk and some libations 🙂

Enjoy!!!! Xoxo

Graduation Caps and Dreams

Our niece graduated from the 8th grade today. First of all, this makes me feel ancient. I used to change her diapers when my husband and I first started dating many many moons ago. Secondly, when did she become this young woman who has crushes on boys and wears makeup? It’s like her youth swiped mine along with it and ran for the border!!! It seems like just yesterday she was this shy little blue eyed five year old who had to have her back rubbed until she fell asleep. But, I digress.
As I sat and looked at our niece/this strange new young woman at dinner tonight, I was so overwhelmed with excitement for her and the next four years of her life. Now I’m not going to lie, high school was not the easiest time for me, not in the least. I was awkward, a theatre geek and I never felt like I truly fit in. I don’t think I’ve honestly overcome those feelings until my late twenties. But before me sits a girl who is so confident in herself. She has the world at her fingertips.
I can only wish for her the happiest, most exciting and most meaningful four high school years. I am so proud of the young woman she has become and I can’t wait to see her develop and grow as a unique personality even more. With hard work and determination she can and will go far and set herself up to attend a great college and further her education.
So here I sit feeling ancient at 31 and I reflect on how excited I was to start high school. Those last days of school, being the big kid on campus. Enjoying the dog days of summer before entering this intense new world and becoming the low man on the totem pole. Those long summer nights of town festivals, the county fair and all night sleepovers with your closest friends. We would sit and talk for HOURS about future boyfriends and school dances and being friends forever.
We never understood at that age why our parents, aunt and uncles or family friends would almost frantically plead with us to enjoy school, to savor those moments and cherish every second we had before the real work began. I mean let’s just get real, when you are in the midst of teenage angst and drama, the future seems LIGHT YEARS away and only the present matters. But as soon as you hit the work force and adulthood you get it. That summer before high school was the crux of being a young adult without any responsibility.
So tonight I was that adult. I lectured our girlie to enjoy every moment this summer and she will. She will enjoy days at the beach, afternoons on the sailboat, nights at One Direction concerts and hanging out with family and friends. She will shop for a new high school wardrobe. She will swim competitively and always have a little smell of chlorine in her white blonde hair. She will have the best summer of her life, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for her.

Petals: Kristina and Josh 5-10-2014

Last weekend I had the honor of providing the flowers for Kristina and Josh’s wedding day. I have known the groom since grade school, and it is always extra special for me to work with old friends. Kristina and Josh are such a lovely couple and I am so happy for them! The weather leading up was a bit iffy, but Saturday was a gorgeous and sunny Spring day, literally perfect wedding weather.

When I first met with Josh and Kristina last year, Kristina already had a very clear idea about the look and flowers she wanted. Kristina loves hydrangea and peonies and wanted a very “tight” look. Wedding florals are trending towards a looser look, very garden themed, but Kristina wanted to stay traditional with her look. The bridesmaids wore blush colored strapless gown and the groom and groomsmen wore gray suits, so Kristina chose to stay with a soft color palette of white, blush pink and soft gray.

I met with Kristina and Josh again at the beginning of the year at their reception venue, and at that time Kristina decided she wanted to have a fun floral theme for the escort card table. I had the idea of making “beds” of hydrangea and laying the escort cards on top of the hydrangea blooms. Kristina loved the idea and we calculated that the installation would be about four feet to accommodate all the escort cards. At that meeting, we also changed up the centerpiece ideas from our original meeting after seeing the size of the tables.

In the end Kristina chose a bridal bouquet of white hydrangea, white and blush peonies, blush and white roses and stephanotis with dusty miller accents. The bridesmaids carried bouquets of white hydrangea and white and blush peonies with dusty miller accents. Another feature was a hand sewn garland for the flower girl’s wheelchair that was tied as a swag on the handles. Originally we assumed that we would be able to get peonies from locally grown farms, but because of the extended cold weather here in Chicago, the peonies were flown in from Holland!

Josh and Kristina were married at St. Michael’s Catholic Church and because the church is so stunning, we kept the pew arrangements simple, chiffon and satin ribbon held a cluster of white and blush roses with dusty miller. The reception was held at Hotel Baker, a privately owned hotel and restaurant literally right on the Fox River. The cocktail hour was held in a side room that looked out on the river as well as the Rose Garden courtyard adjoining that room. Cocktail hour flowers were simple bowls with floating blush and white rose blooms.

The reception was held in the main ballroom of the hotel and the set up is very unique. The room is in the shape of a horseshoe, with a dance floor that lights up! The head table was on the middle of the dance floor for dinner and then removed for the party to dance the night away.  The remaining guest tables surround the head table on the outside of the horseshoe as well as a second level overlooking the main floor. Because the tables were all six tops, we chose low bowls filled with hydrangea and peonies and cylinder vases of white dendrobium orchids. There were two tables on the main floor with the head table, and their arrangements were talk spheres of white hydrangea, white and blush peonies as well as white and blush roses and white stock.

The room looked simply stunning and I was so thrilled when I heard from Kristina and Josh the next day that the flowers were everything they wanted and more. I am so glad the happy couple had such a lovely start to their life of happiness.

 

Cinco De Mayo Fajita Quesadillas

It’s Cinco De Mayo and if there is one thing I love, it’s delicious Mexican food and trust me, my husband loves it even more. We both have super busy schedules between work and my business, so week night dinners need to be easy, fast and of course, delicious. I originally came up with this recipe on a whim because I had all the elements in my pantry and some skirt steak I needed to use. The awesome part about this recipe is that you can totally make it your own based on what you have. Change up the meats and veggies, or go vegetarian for Meatless Monday!

Now when I made this I used skirt steak. Skirt steak is seriously the most underrated cut of meat and if you ask many a chef they will tell you that skirt steak is the most flavorful cut. That being said, I’m going to give you a tip, always purchase skirt steak that is cut and trimmed.. This is why. Skirt steak is naturally very fatty and there is a membrane on it that needs to be removed (sorry, I know membrane doesn’t sound very appetizing but I PROMISE you it is!). You can purchase skirt steak uncut and untrimmed but unless you are a skilled butcher, one of two things will happen. You will either hack the meat to death and wind up with what is comparable to your dog’s rawhide OR, you won’t remove all the fat and you will end up with a layer of meat underneath a layer of fat. So, save the extra fifty cents a pound and get that baby cut, trimmed and ready to go.

Now on to the veggies. Last night I had a red pepper, an onion and some avocado that was perfectly ripe. My husband also purchased two GINORMOUS containers of salsa at Costco and I always have sour cream in the fridge. I picked up some tortillas and pepper jack cheese on my way home and we were in business. Slice your veggies relatively thin because we want to get them cooked through with a nice smoky flavor fairly quickly. Heat your pan with olive oil and get it sizzling, medium high to high. Toss in your veggies and let those puppies cook. Make sure you turn them just often enough so they don’t burn through, but a char on the outside will add great flavor. I like to sprinkle my veggies with cumin while they are sautéing.

In the meantime, I season my skirt steak on both sides with cumin, chili powder and paprika to really bring a smoky flavor to the quesadillas. Don’t go super aggressive with the spices though because you still want to let the natural flavors of the steak shine through. If you grill the meat this summer, you really won’t even need a ton of spices because the smoke from the grill will give you that yummy smokey flavor we want. Once the veggies are done and set aside to cool, I add the steak right to the veggie pan. Depending on the thickness of the skirt steak, it will literally take 3-4 minutes a side at most.

Once the meat is done and has rested for a few, you need to slice it. See how uniformly the meat’s grain is, almost like stripes? SLICE THE OPPOSITE WAY! You always want to cut against the grain because it leaves the meat super super tender. I have made the mistake a few times of slicing with the grain and you really do get a tough piece of meat.

Ok, now time to assemble! I like to put a teeny tiny layer of butter on the tortillas so they get nice and crispy on the outside. You can also use olive oil or cooking spray (as long as it’s all natural!). There shouldn’t be a lot of oil left in the veggie/meat pan, but if there is just wipe it out with a papertowel. I like to assemble it with a bottom layer of cheese, meat and veggies, more cheese and the top tortilla. Again, this will cook quickly as you are just melting the cheese and reheating the meat and veggies. Once it’s ready, flip it over, cook the other side and transfer to a plate. I slice it up with my pizza slicer and served it with a side of salsa, avocado and sour cream.

Here are some other ideas for fillers or toppings: sautéed mushrooms, jalapeños, pablanos, black beans, refried beans, corn, cilantro.

And of course you should feel free to serve it alongside a delicious margarita. Our Aldi currently has the individual frozen margaritas packs on sale for $1.89 each! I hope you enjoy and create an awesome quesadilla you and your whole family will love!

Book Review: “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes

There are two things I need to tell you about this book.  Number one; read this book with a box of tissues close by.  When you finish your initial reaction will be that you hate me for recommending this book to you.  In fact you will probably curse me and message me as soon as you are done telling me I suck and why did I tell you to read this?!?!?!  Shortly, if not immediately afterwards you will feel the same way I do which brings us to…. Number two; this is without a doubt the best book I have ever read.  Period.  Done.  The. Best.  The. End.  And this is why.  Jojo Moyes is such an artist with words and you at some point in the book, you will become completely emotionally invested in the story and you don’t even realize it.  Jojo Moyes can write a book y’all!!!!

“Me Before You” centers around Louisa, who is an everyday girl.  She is the type of girl you pass on the street frequently, in fact you probably interact with her, yet she is completely unremarkable and you would never be able to recognize her.  She lives a normal yet boring life, she has a family, boyfriend and just lost her job.  Like any young woman who is suddenly let go from a job she loved and felt secure in, Louisa feels, well, a little lost.  While searching want ads and working with job placement agencies she stumbles upon a position as a caretake for Will, who has become handicapped after an accident.

Prior to his accident Will could have been the next “Bachelor.”  He was successful, adventurous, handsome, a “catch and not throw back” type of man.  But with every accident, and especially one that takes away the ability to walk, Will is dealing with the aftermath and grief of losing his freedom.  Frankly, he is grumpy, mean and his past care takers haven’t lasted very long.  For lack of a better work, Will is kind of a dick.

Enter Louisa, who frankly, has no experience in the field of medicine and care taking but she quickly becomes emotionally invested in Will and his well being  Their diabolical relationship quickly endears you to each of them and that my friends, is why Moyes is such a damn genius.  This is the sort of story that is perfect for the movies and you will not be able to put this book down.  I have quite a few friends who I have recommended this book to and each can attest that you will be up at 2am, right alongside Louisa and Will as she tries with all her heart to show Will why life is so precious and worth living for.

“Me Before You” is captivating, endearing, heart breaking and again, the best book I have ever read.  If there is one book that I will urge anyone to read, it is this.  After you read “Me Before You” you will google and purchase every single book that Moyes has written because you will not be able to get enough of her spellbinding storytelling.  Oh and I will be sitting here, waiting for your messages because after you read this book you will NEED to talk to someone about it.  Go buy this book. Now!!!!

 

Fan Girl

“And on Thursday night, Julie Andrews and Idina Menzel!!!” ***AAAANNNNNDDDD……my heart stopped beating…….Julie Andrews.  THE DAME JULIE ANDREWS, will be on Watch What Happens Live this upcoming Thursday!!!!!!
Ok, major confession. I am a theatre geek. I have loved musical theatre from basically before I can remember.   In a world where sitcoms and reality television rule the roost, my parents raised me in an atmosphere that was rich with culture, whether it be food, literature, music or theatre. My earliest memory is going to Wheaton Pharmacy with my father and being able to pick out a VHS rental movie for the weekend. Much to my dad’s chagrin, I inevitably chose one of my two favorite movies. “The Sound of Music” or “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
But here is the thing.   From day one, I WORSHIPPED Julie Andrews. I literally wished her to be my real mother. When my mom told me to settle down or clean my room, I would put on my Swiss girl dress (an old Halloween costume) pack my suitcase (bright orange luggage courtesy of my parents) and declare that I was going off to find my real mother. My real mother being Julie Andrews.
I can’t describe or explain why I was so captivated by her, I just always have been. To me, Julie Andrews represents my favorite childhood memories. A pure and sweet soul who brought such joy into my life as well as an appreciation for drama and theatre.  Eventually, she provided a wonderful inspiration as I sang for the public during middle and high school.  (Watch out bitches, I may pop up with a karaoke appearance from time to time!)  For YEARS, I did not know that the woman that was Maria Von Trapp and the woman that was Mary Poppins were the same person.  When my mom finally told me, I was FLOORED (I was five. Settle the hell down.)
So ANYWAY,  fast forward to my early twenties (oh how I miss you!).  Julie and her daughter wrote a new children’s book and she would be promoting it via a local book store (go visit Anderson’s Book Shop in Naperville.  They are amazing and always have author appearances.)   Being that it is DAME JULIE ANDREWS, you had to purchase tickets and the reading was held at a local high school. My “birth mother” (what up Mary?!?!) was able to procure tickets and we were in! I was going to see The. Julie. Andrews. SPEAK.  IN THE FLESH!!!!!
So Dame Julie was speaking at the local high school and it is MASSIVE. I was meeting my mom after work and I wasn’t sure at all where to go.  Did I mention it is a HUGE high school?  Listen honey, my ass was not about to haul around the five mile campus.   That being said, I pulled my car into the visitor’s parking lot and marched into the main office.  And then, my heart stopped.
*** Side Bar*** I have met a lot of famous people. A. Lot. I could give two shits who you are.  Ty from those home improvement shows, a bat eating rocker or the most famous talk show host ever. I don’t care. You wipe your ass and put on your pants just like I do. You are just as human as I am…..except….well, read on……..
So I walk into the main entrance and the secretary’s chair is turned all the way around, the back facing me but, whatever.  I just needed directions.
“Hi! I’m just wondering how I get to the auditorium?  Do I need to drive around the back?” And slowly, like slooooowwwww motion, the chair turned around. And sitting there, in all her beauty, her class, her Dameness, her PERFECTION, was Julie Andrews. In the flesh. The most perfect nanny in all the land.  Maria.Von. Trapp.  THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF JULIE ANDREWS BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!
And I stood there, mouth open, drooling (probably, though not for sure) staring at the woman I have idealized my entire life. Did I shriek? Did I jump up and down? Did I grab her and hug her and tell her how much I love her?!?!?! Nope. I stood there for what seemed like a lifetime, my mouth ajar, turned on my heel, and walked out.  I WALKED OUT!  I sat there like a mini gold attraction, said nothing and walked out!
To this day it makes me sick.  I literally want to cry thinking about it. What would I give to have five minutes to talk to her? To let her know that she helped to shape me into the person I am today! That because of her I developed an imagination! I started singing because of her! But then again, I’m sure she hears it all the time and I would probably lose my words again.  Julie Andrews has been and always will be, the ONLY celebrity I will every fan girl over.  I honestly am tearing up thinking about it now.  She is just perfection and I love everything about her.  (Plus she had to deal with Hathaway for a couple of movies…….)
So this Thursday, while Andy Cohen sits there and interviews my hero, the one woman I will ALWAYS fan girl over, I will picture that moment, over and over, when I saw Julie Andrews in the flesh. And you know what?! That’s good enough for me.

Sunday Dinner: Beef Bourguignon

Ahhhhh Beef Bourguignon, the quintessential Julia Child recipe and the one she used to launch her cooking show “The French Chef.” Now I know what you are thinking, “Uh hey weirdo, a blogger already did this.” Yes I know!!! Trust me, I am not out to try and recreate “Julie and Julia.” That ship has sailed and also, I look nothing like Amy Adams.

Beef Bourguignon is a classic French dish that is also known as beef Burgundy, which is named after the region it originated from in France.  Now Julia’s classic dish involves a lot of cooking time and on a Sunday, I don’t have time to stay at home for that long with the oven on.  It’s was beautiful out for a hot minute and I have to cram pack in lots of errands on the weekend due to my schedule.  So, I’m going to let you in on my secret go-to for recipes.

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the wonder that is Martha Stewart.  Now before I lose you, hear me out.  I know people have mixed opinions about her but the girl can cook y’all.  Literally google Martha Stewart and any piece of produce and you will find an amazing dish to make.   Awhile back she had a fantastic monthly magazine called “Everyday Food.” It was great because it took classic dishes and fresh ingredients and brought them to the home cook. They even had a tear out grocery list for you. It was AMAZING and I loved pouring over it every month. Sadly, they decided to discontinue publication but all of their recipes are still available online at MarthaStewart.com.  This recipe of Beef Bourguignon is about half the cooking time as Julia’s recipe but with the same flavor impact.

So with that, I gift you with the recipe I used for Beef Bourguignon. Here is the link http://www.marthastewart.com/341762/beef-bourguignon

Now I did not have fresh pearl onions so I used frozen.  ALWAYS USE FROZEN as a substitute. Frozen vegetables are flash frozen hours after they are picked so they are the next best option aside from fresh. For the love of Baby Jesus DO NOT USE CANNED VEGGIES!!! They have been sitting around for God knows how long and will taste like a Funion that has been watered down and then dried out.  Do not forsake Julie with that crap!  Now I will warn you, you may think you are burning the ever living heck out of your dutch oven.  Have no fear.  You want that darkened goodness that is on the bottom.  It will lift off with the wine and create a huge flavor profile.

I served this over buttered noodles because, carbs. It was literally so delicious smelling I forgot to take a final picture for you all. As far as meat goes, if you have to buy a whole roast, make sure you have a sharp knife to butcher the meat with. If you hack it up, it will be tough and the whole point of this deliciousness is a meat that will melt in your mouth. When in doubt, ask your friendly butcher to cut it up for you.

Below are pictures of the cooking process. Again, this was beyond yummy and my husband has been in a meat coma ever since. Enjoy!!!! Xoxo