{Movie Time Snack} Baked Avocado Fries

{Flour, Panko, & 2 large eggs}

{Ripe avacados, sliced in wedges} 

 

I love avocados & always try to incorporate them into my cooking whenever I can. I came across this recipe for baked avocado fries, & I've tried it two times since. The first time I coated the avocado wedges with too much flour & panko, which required a longer baking time.  I think the prolonged baking time rendered the avocado fries a bitter taste.   This time around, I baked it a little less & got much tastier fries.  However, there is still a slight bitterness to it.  Any advice on cooking/baking avocado to avoid this problem? Thank you for sharing.

Have a great weekend everyone. :)

{Bedazzled} Flower Madness

{Vintage silk sequin sweater: Niteline by Della Roufogali}

 

{Heels:  BCBGgirls}

I went shopping for vintage clothes with my mom a few weeks ago.  I spotted this vintage sequin Niteline sweater hanging in the corner through the glass window of the store.  I ran in & purchased it without even trying it on.  My mom thought it is a bit too old for me.  They often say moms know best but this is one of the  rare occasions I think I can prove my mom to be wrong.  It is a little over-the-top but it is such a unique piece. The silky material is just perfect for spring.  What do you think? :)

Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

DIY Flowers

 

Aggregation of tiny bubbles on the red orchids
makes them look like corals

It's cold & raining today so I decided to go get some flowers to brighten up the day.  I chose red orchids because they give off the warm & tropical vibe. I submerged  two intertwined red orchid branches into water in a glass cylinder vase, anchoring them with crystal balls (alternatively, these can be used).  Illumination is created by using submersible LED lights.  It really elevated everyone's mood at our dinner table tonight. :)

{Improvised Lunch} Grilled Chicken

I found some pears and left over vegetables from earlier this week in the fridge, so I decided to make use of these before they perish.  I blended one pear, some dried raisins, one shallot, two cloves of garlic, one teaspoonful of sherry together.  The mixture was then salted to taste & used to marinate the chicken breasts for about 2 hours.   The chicken can  be grilled or stir fried & served with vegetables.  I will definitely try this again. ;)

Have a nice weekend!

Out Of Character

{Sweater: Ralph Lauren} 

{Shoes: Enzo Angiolini} 

{Skirt: Lafayette 148} 

It's really uncharacteristic of me to go for clothing items with mean animals on them.  However, for some strange reasons, this sweater with the golden embroidered snake  had such an appeal to me that I could not leave the store without it.  The silk & cashmere combination makes it so soft that I just want to sleep in it.  I paired it with a floral skirt to soften the look.  What is one clothing piece that is so not you but you cannot resist the purchase?

Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

{Movie Time Snack} Salsa & Chips

 

Simple & quick snack: 3 chilies, 3 jalapenos, 1 can of whole tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, & green onion all blended together & salted to taste.  I decided to replace the traditional tortilla chips for a healthier baked whole grain chips from Fresh & Easy.  Do you know any other healthy options for chips?

Have a good weekend! 

Asymmetry

{Sweater: Improvd}

{Shorts: Lily White, Watch: Fossil}

{Bag: Oryany, Shoes: Vaneli}

We always strive for "perfection" in our looks, but sometimes the physical traits that are deemed imperfect make us unique.  My girlfriend has just recently recovered from an episode of Bell's Palsy-a neurological disorder causing facial paralysis that left her with a slightly crooked smile, which can go unnoticed by others.  She's very self conscious about it but I think she looks pretty regardless.  I have 4 division lines on my left pinkie finger that make me look as if I had one extra joint there.  Some might find it weird but I think it looks interesting ;).  Let's embrace our imperfect traits because they really are our trademarks.  If this sweater's hemline was to be symmetrical, I would not have gone crazy about it ;).  What is your imperfect physical trait that you've grown to love over time?

The Gray Between Black And White

{Sweater: Alberto Makali}

 I've been dying to try the squid ink pasta by Mario Batali since I saw it on the Food Network.  Finally I got to check it out this weekend at Osteria Mozza in LA, and I was not disappointed.  I ordered grilled octopus for appetizer thinking that it might ease my taste buds in for the more "exotic" taste of squid ink :).   I was wearing one of my favorite sweaters which is perfect for a chilly night out.  

Wishing everyone a great week ahead.  :)

{Lunch} Meatball Spaghetti

 

I have an insatiable appetite for pasta.  As much as I try to have a well balanced diet which includes foods from different food groups, I oftentimes fall back to my old habit of eating just pasta for the whole week.  My sister was nice enough to make me meatball spaghetti to pack for work this week.  She followed this recipe with some minor adjustments.  She ground the beef herself, added a piece of mozzarella cheese in the middle of the meatballs, and roasted them instead of frying.   She also used all the fresh herbs intstead of dried ones.  Needless to say, I've been enjoying every bite of it.  What is one type of food that you have absolutely no self control over?

Casual

{Shirt: Mimi Chica} 

{Sweater: Takeout} 

{Watch: Coach} 

{My best accessory--He's 3 years old}

{Flats: Report}

After driving around the whole day to finish all my errands, it's quite nice to have some time left to take a long leisure walk with my little guy when the sun is still out.  I have the hardest time ever saying no to that little cute face even when he attempted (twice!) to chew away the flowers on my shoes.  I think he found it amusing that they moved as I walked. :)

Hope everyone is having a great week so far.

{Breakfast} Hash Brown Vegetable Quiche

      1.{Line muffin molds with shredded fresh potatoes & bake

the crust until brown (~15-20min)}

2.{Sauteed eggplants, asparagus, & spinach.  Then dice
the mixture & add to muffin molds}

3.{Add roasted mushrooms & orange/red bell peppers.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top}

4. {Pour beaten egg mixture to the molds}

5. {Bake at of 400 F for about 15 min}

6. {Refrigerate for later use. Microwave for ~25 sec when ready to eat}.

Since it has been cold this week, I decided to ditch my cereal & milk for these home-made quiches for breakfast.  I followed this recipe with a few lot of alterations: using fresh shredded potatoes instead of frozen hash brown, omitting hams, using less eggs & increasing the vegetable varieties.  I like the natural sweetness that bell peppers add to enhance the overall flavor.  I call this breakfast my daily multivitamins.

Hope everyone is having a great week & embracing healthy eating!