Happy Monday! What’s in store for your week? I’m attempting to squeeze forty hours of work into three days before skipping off to the Outer Banks, North Carolina. I’ve never been there before so I’m SUPER excited to explore the coast yet equally pumped to sit back, sun it up, and finish my book. While I’m wasting away in front of my monitor editing, designing and emailing, you should probably mix up one or all of these delicious popsicle recipes that we’ve featured in the past.
After all of our desserts and drinks in the lemon category, are you ready to try something savory? This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is the perfect savory use of lemon. The citrus takes a pasta dish that could feel heavy when mixed with two cheeses and lightens it up, perfect for a summer dinner on the deck.
As you’ll see, this dish is also crazy easy to make. After an early morning flight back to Colorado yesterday, our family is still in recovery mode and trying to get back into a routine. It’s weeks like these when I like to cut myself a break and keep dinner simple while still actually cooking because I find that even simple dinners are key to helping us regain a routine.
Today we want to show you how to make pineapple flowers, which are a beautiful and edible garnish that looks fantastic on desserts and happen to be the perfect touch when celebrating your fourth anniversary!
Can you believe that those are made from pineapples? Neither could I the first time I saw them! Someone called them pineapple flowers, and I just assumed that they were the actual flowers that grew on pineapple plants. Nope. But back to why these are perfect for your fourth anniversary ~ the traditional fourth anniversary gift is fruit or flowers! You could order an edible arrangement, but why not make a flower from a fruit? Read on to find out how.
Now that we’ve moved to a higher altitude, I think about sunscreen year-round, but particularly in the summer when we are spending more time outside and wearing shorts and t-shirts. Additionally, I’ve started to have an internal debate about my use of sunscreen, because while I use it every day to protect my skin from aging, I’m starting to think that a little bit of tanning is Ok and even good for my health by naturally increasing my Vitamin D levels. Do you know about the negative health concerns associated with Vitamin D deficiency?
The other concern I have while using sunscreen are the chemicals found in many over-the-counter products, especially since I’m still nursing little Luc. The problem is that a number of the chemicals in certain sunscreens can enter your bloodstream and some act as or disrupt the natural hormones in our body. The Environmental Working Group provides a detailed overview of both the chemicals and minerals used in sunscreens and the toxicity concerns associated with each. So, what’s a person to do? Read on to find out a little bit more about sunscreens and my current solution…
This past weekend we pulled together a last minute brunch at our place, and one of the things we served was this blueberry lemon buckle. Now that we’re fully settled in the new house, we want to do a lot of entertaining, especially during the summer months when we can have everyone out on the deck and the kids playing in the kiddie pool. To make entertaining actually happen, and to keep it stress-free, it’s nice to have a few reliable recipes, like this buckle, that you can make ahead. Don’t know what a buckle is? Read on to find out!
In my vocabulary, buckles are fruit-filled coffee cakes. You’ll commonly see buckles that call for blueberries as the fruit, but I was introduced to the buckle in Rustic Fruit Desserts, where my mind was blown by the variety of buckle options (rhubarb, apple, blueberry, and cranberry!). You really can have a buckle for each season. So far I’ve made the apple, cranberry, and blueberry varieties, but we recently discovered a rhubarb plant growing in our yard (no joke), so that will be next!
Oh my skincare routine has changed throughout the years, and I only wish that I was as gentle on my skin in high school as I am now. Back then I thought my skin was too oily and would never have dreamed of actually applying oil to my face to moisturize and nourish it, instead, I would be drawn to any cleanser that promised to dry out my face. In reality, I’m guessing that all of those harsh, drying products likely irritated my skin, stripped it of its natural oils, and caused it to over produce oil in order to try to hydrate my face and reverse the damage I was doing. Jump ahead ten years, and I slowly came around to the amazingly beneficial characteristics of plant oils for the skin. Jump ahead another couple of years, and I’m now adding some essential oils to my basic routine.
I like to shy away from the camera when it comes to our posts, but if any post calls for a headshot, it’s this one! So I’m putting my face in focus for this post, and hopefully it will stand as a record that I can refer back to when looking at how my skin responds to a few years of essential oil use. I should also mention that I really believe that healthy skin starts from the inside. So while I’ve found these skin oil potions to be effective, I also make it a point to drink plenty of water and eat a well-balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables.
Lemon bars! Leeeemon Bars!! These are not for the sugar-free, but they’re oh so tasty. I love the tangy flavor and the soft texture of these lemon bars made with fresh lemon juice. Lemon bars are my new go-to party treat because a tiny square can go a long way. I actually halved this recipe because it’s waaaay too much for two people and even a lot for a family of four.
Ingredients
Instructions
Whaddya say? Lemon bars for dessert this weekend?!
We decided to end our season of nuts with the fanciest and fussiest of all nutty desserts, the macaron. We’re talking French macarons here, the kind made with egg whites and ground almonds, not the double-o macaroons made with coconut. But a funny thing about this food post : we don’t include a recipe! As the title suggests, we’re sharing our baking notes about this fickle treat, because while they may cause us to get flustered while baking, we’re not going to stop trying to perfect our technique any time soon!
I have to admit, I don’t remember where I had my first macaron, but what I do remember is the perfectly light and delicious almond flavor and the cookie’s combination of crunchy exterior and soft and chewy interior. Something I’ve been trying to recreate ever since.
During a hectic week (like this one), I prepare a few cold salads to satisfy my lunch and snack cravings. I’m not very good at taking breaks once I get into the groove of photo editing. Instead of starving, rely on a few quick and nutritious salads made ahead of time, like this Red Cabbage and Apple Salad with Tahini-Ginger Dressing.
Our friend Nicole sent me home with a big batch of red cabbage and apple salad a couple months ago. I knew I had to share it on Seasoned after I devoured the entire container in less than six hours. The Tahini-Ginger Dressing is SO tasty that I drank a bit of it. Yup. Right from the jar. It’s that good.
Hey there! A few friends are visiting this weekend and I found myself looking up old favorites in the archives of Live Seasoned. I thought I’d share my picks with you 🙂
Best snack EVER. Today we made a vegan version with coconut oil, nutritional yeast (instead of parmesan) and garlic.
Lemonade all the way. This lemongrass tea is exceptional too!
We love making these honey and brie crackers as a party snack.
Remember this meal? I grill up those pork skewers all the time.
Quick pickles and spinach dip are my new summer party staples.
I picked up a mixed six pack of Carolina beers and a sixer of Saranac Prism White Ale tonight.
I’ll probably make an adapted batch of these scones tomorrow for my gluten-free, vegan friend.
Oooo and some of these creamy avocado popsicles or maybe these toasted coconut ones.
Hope you all have a relaxing weekend! I’m out!
