Foodie Fridays: Coconut Chia Pudding

I just had to post one more chia seed pudding recipe before the end of summer, since they are so simple to make and perfect for hot weather.  My version of the Coconut Chia Pudding recipe from The Almond Eater website calls for sweetened shredded coconut instead of the unsweetened type, which means that you can eliminate the maple syrup called for in the original recipe.  If you are feeling ambitious you could make the caramelized banana slices from the original recipe as well, but a lazy cook like myself would simply add uncooked slices or eliminate the banana entirely.  I did the latter, but did go to the trouble of toasting some of the coconut shreds as a topping.

I recommend this pudding as a dessert as there is no protein source.  You could, however, always stir in a nut butter and call it breakfast if you like.  The long, hot month of August stretches before us at the moment, so cool and refreshing recipes like this one will come in handy in the weeks to come.  Enjoy!

Coconut Chia Pudding

1 can (about 14 oz.) coconut milk (I used low-fat)
4 T. chia seeds
6 T. sweetened shredded coconut

Combine the coconut milk, chia seeds, and 4 T. shredded coconut in a bowl.  Allow to sit for a few minutes until slightly thickened.  Divide the mixture between two drinking glasses and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to thicken completely.

Place the remaining 2 T. shredded coconut in a dry skillet.  Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the coconut begins to turn light brown and has a nutty aroma.  This will not take long - DO NOT overcook or the coconut will burn!

Top each serving of pudding with 1 T. of the toasted coconut and serve.  Serves 2.
               

This 'n That Thursdays: Sensible Lifestyle Changes to Achieve a Healthy Weight

From Harvard Health Publishing

Like most people, I am always looking for tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle.  And like most people, I prefer these tips to be simple and easy to understand and follow.  The infographic from The Every Girl shown below provides some straightforward ideas, mostly about diet, that would not be difficult to incorporate into my daily routine (although 80 ounces of water a day might be pushing it for me - that's a lot of water!).  I follow some of these rules already, but I do need to keep reminding myself to consume a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, as I have a tendency to eat the same favorite few all of the time.  Is it time for you to start tweaking your healthy lifestyle rules as well?

                

Wish List Wednesdays: Adrill 5 Tier Lighthouse Display Unit

Did you know that today is National Lighthouse Day?  Even though I am not especially fond of the coast, I love lighthouses for some reason, and the Adrill 5 Tier Lighthouse Display Unit ($189.99) from Birch Lane would be a lovely as well as practical way to add a touch of lighthouse whimsy to any home.  I am especially taken with the top level, which looks like a lighthouse beacon and is designed to hold a pillar candle so that it can light up!  While I am not sure this unit would fit in with the style of our New Mexico house, if I owned a beach home I would definitely include it as part of the décor!

               

Weekend Wardrobe: Colorfully Eclectic Basic 4x4 Wardrobe for Summer

From Daily Herald

A while ago I found this image of Naperville, Illinois, resident Carolyn Finzer, a civic-minded citizen with a passion for art who, among other projects, created a lovely wildflower garden for her local post office.  I was charmed by this woman's colorful and eclectic style, and decided to use her vibrantly summery gardening outfit of plaid shirt and lavender overalls as an inspiration for a wardrobe post.  I chose my color palette from that vibrantly checked shirt she is wearing:

Old Navy Plaid Gauze Shirt in Large Check Plaid (no longer available)

The lavender Dickies overalls are also no longer available, but I did find similar overalls available overseas for an absolutely outrageous price:

From Dickies Taiwan

Even though both of these items are no longer readily available, I am including them anyway because they are the starting point for this wardrobe!  Also, from the hats sported in the image above as well as the one below, it appears that our inspiration model loves butterflies in addition to flowers, so butterflies and flowers will also be featured:

From Patch

And now, without further ado, let's get started creating this colorfully eclectic summer wardrobe, starting with the first set of four, which includes the overalls and plaid shirt:

Clockwise from top left: J. Crew Women's Linen V-Neck Pocket T-Shirt in Canary Yellow; Derek Rose Women's Leisure T-Shirt in Lilac; Old Navy Plaid Gauze Shirt in Large Check Plaid; Dickies Women's Bib Overalls in Lavender.

The second set of four is built around a pair of chambray crop pants I described in a recent post:

Clockwise from top left: Title Nine Women's Iota Training Short Sleeve Tee in Peach Serbet; Title Nine Women's Double Time Short Sleeve V-Neck Tee in Citron; Madewell Whisper Cotton V-Neck Pocket Tee in Blue Seascape; Chico's Secret Stretch Straight Leg Crops in Chambray.

Butterflies are featured on the skirt and one of the tops for the third set of four:

Clockwise from top left: Madewell Butterfly Embroidered Eyelet Setlist T-Shirt in Tungsten Glow; Title Nine Women's Double Time Shirt Sleeve V-Neck Tee in Electric Orchid; Title Nine Women's Vibe Tank Top in Wellington Blue; Ultrachic Butterfly Maxi Skirt in Multicolour.

A blouse in a bold floral print plus a pair of sunny yellow shorts help round out the last set of four:

Clockwise from top left: Boden The Silk Shirt in Heritage Blue Painted Daisy; Title Nine Women's Henerala Short Sleeve Tee in Aegean Sea; Title Nine Women's Vibe Tank Top in Dark Periwinkle; Des Petits Hauts Women's High-Waisted Linen Shorts in Yellow.

Here is the colorfully eclectic basic summer 4x4 wardrobe in its entirety, with lots of summery bright colors but not a single somber neutral hue to be seen:

Clearly you would have to be a particularly bold and unconventional sort of woman to carry off a wardrobe as unique and eye-catching as this one, but I do think my inspiration model exemplifies this sort of personality to perfection!

From Daily Herald

Could you wear a wardrobe that includes no neutral colors at all?  Summer is probably the easiest month to carry off this sort of color palette, but much as I love bright colors I am not sure even I would be able to completely eliminate neutral hues.  Hopefully, if I have the time before leaving for New Mexico, I will post the accessories for this wardrobe next weekend - otherwise the accessories post will turn up some time in the near future!
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Emerald Downs T-Rex Race

Just a little something to brighten your day - the annual T-Rex Race at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington!  While I am not sure how you tell individuals apart unless you can see their official numbers, just the sight of those ungainly heads bobbling about as the costumed contestants attempt to complete the course was enough to have me laughing through the whole race.  And in case you missed it, Regular Unleaded was victorious, beating out Rex Girlfriend by a tail.  I'm looking forward to watching next year's fun-filled contest!

                

Current Events: U.S. History According to Trump

The rain made him do it!
(from Hollywood Life)

"Our Army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over airports, it did everything it had to do... "And at Fort McHenry, under the rocket's red glare, had nothing but victory.  When dawn came, the star-spangled banner waved defiant."

Okay, I know I declared I would no longer post comments about our feckless leader, but after his Independence Day speech how could I resist?  That little snippet above about our Revolutionary War from the president's speech had me laughing so hard I did not even notice the evening fireworks in our town on the Fourth of July.  Of all the possibilities I was expecting from Trump's teleprompter talk, the day's best comic relief was not even on the list!

Of course there was much bafflement about the supposed 18th century American airports, and many people were quick to point out that the paraphrased "The Star-Spangled Banner" was written about events during the War of 1812 and not the Revolutionary War.  I suppose our Army had to man the air, whatever that means, as the Air Force did not even exist at the time (and neither did planes!), but why in the world would we ram our own ramparts?

And Trump's cherry on top of his delightfully nonsensical statement?  Our president blamed the rain, which knocked out the teleprompter and forced him to rely on his excellent memory to continue his speech. Which means that the gaffe-filled remarks were all completely of his own making!  I think Trump missed his true calling as a stand-up comedian - who else could possibly come up with such an onslaught of hilariously erroneous historical commentary so effortlessly?  Thanks for the laughs, Mr. President - you put on a truly mind-boggling and surreal spectacle of a show as only you can do, for all the world to watch!

Nobody hugs the nation's flag better than our feckless leader!

             

Foodie Fridays: Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothie

Summer is my least favorite season, but it is the best time for a smoothie, which makes the perfect cool and light breakfast or dessert.  My favorite version is a peanut butter-banana smoothie.  It is extremely easy to make, tastes delicious, and is relatively healthy as well.  I will never be able to get on board with the idea of a green smoothie (the thought of combining raw fruits and leafy greens in a beverage does not appeal to me), but a fruit and nut butter blend is a great way to combine some of my favorite flavors into an enjoyable beverage that is nutritious enough for a meal but decadent enough for a dessert.  Smoothies for breakfast is one of the few things I actually like about summer!

Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothie

2 T. peanut butter
1 small banana (or 1/2 large banana)
1 C. vanilla yogurt
1/4 C. milk (I used almond milk)
4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whirl until smooth.  Pour into a tall glass to serve.  Serves 1.

Note: For interesting variations, try substituting almond butter for the peanut butter, and/or coconut yogurt for the vanilla yogurt.