Life + More

February Garden Recap

February 28, 2019

Recapping everything I’ve done to plan our first garden for the warmer months this February!

It’s happening. It’s happening. It’s REALLY happening. I, Allie, am planting a garden this year.

Well, that is, if I convince my husband to build me a raised garden bed amidst the construction of our garage. Hopefully putting this our on the interweb will kind of guilt trip him into it. (I kid, I kid).

No but really, it’s happening. Last summer was tough. We were about 5 months into a waiting game with the sale of our current home, living in a second story apartment that literally had no sun exposure or room to be outside, at all.

I basically got myself through thinking about planting a garden one day, in my very own backyard with the hot sun on my back. So, I started to do a little research.

Turns out – planting a garden is NO JOKE, folks. It like, takes planning? Who’da thunk.

But really though, through my research, I learned that if you plan to have a garden, especially if you plan on starting your own seeds, you have to start planning in the winter. I’ve had a ton of fun so far, and I’m going to share each month my progress, the steps I’ve taken, thoughts, and resources I’m using.

Disclaimer – I have no idea what I’m doing here, and this is all a learning process. I may not even be able to grow one sprout, but I’m going to have fun trying!

Goal setting

Like with all great things – goals are important. They help you understand they why behind doing something! Here are mine:

Rely less on the grocery store/ be more self sufficient. I’d love the majority of our diet to come from wild game + home grown produce.
Save some smackers.
Reduce our carbon footprint
Get dirty 🙂 – I’m a farm girl at heart & I really think this will contribute to my quality of life

Started my compost pile + hoarding eggshells

All of the research I was doing came back to one thing – quality soil is key & compost can be a great addition to a garden to enrich soil. I also love the idea of less food waste. I’m also saving all of my eggshells to start my seeds in them. Free & nutrient dense.

I simply started mine in a big tub with a lid that I got for $4. I drilled ventilation holes in the top and drainage holes in the bottom and I’m filling it with 1 part green matter (plant based kitchen scraps, grass clippings) to 1 part brown matter (leaves, existing organic soil from pots, cardboard, paper). I’m only using plant based items like peels and veggie + fruit ends & cores, no animal products. It works faster + reduces small.

Here are some resources I found helpful:

Planned out my garden

Okay so as a total beginner, I was a bit tripped up reading all of the seed packets and I felt a little daunted knowing when to start my different seeds since I decidded that seemed more cost effective than buying plants from a nursery. I wanted to keep everything really simple, so I made myself pick 5 things to start with, and I made sure to pick out items that harvested at different-ish times so I could ease into things.

You might think I’m a little nutty or hardcore, but I’ve been using a garden planner – it’s called Grow Veg. I did end up spending the $30 yearly fee, but I love that it tells me when to start my seeds, when to plan, how many I can fit in my 4’x8′ raised bed & when I can expect to start harvesting. I’ll be back to tell you if I think it’s worth it.

Ordered seeds

Once I narrowed down the size of my raised garden bed (4’x8′), and picked out my 5 things to grow (lettuce, basil, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) it was time to order seeds. Here are a few good resources on picking out seeds:

And here’s what I ordered! I decided to go with High Mowing Seeds.

Aerostar Lettuce
Cucumbers (thinner skin, like English cucumbers)
Jalapeno Peppers
Bell Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes
Basil

I hope this is helpful to all of you hopeful green thumbs out there! Stay tuned next month! xx – A

Wedding Registry Must Haves

January 10, 2019

Kitchen and entertaining tools that every home cook should have on hand, especially if you don’t want to clutter your kitchen with gadgets!

Alright folks, as promised! Here are some of my most used items in my kitchen from day to day! I’m not a big gadget gal, but we entertain a lot so it’s important to me to have the right tools that are efficient and go well with our casual but classic style of entertaining.

Pretty, neutral, nesting mixing bowls – Pottery Barn – $69

Our kitchen knife set by Wusthof. Absolutely adore – WS – $399.99 – we also added this 7″ Santoku knife and it’s a dream – WS – $79.75

Classic white cake stand – Pottery Barn – $44

The best cookie sheets – WS – $54 for 2 and I use these Quarter Sheets weekly – WS – $36 for 2

My favorite Emile Henry baking set, I have it in white – WS – $184

The updated model of my Food Processor. I use mine constantly – WS – $249.95

Cookie scoop – WS – $12. I use this for everything from cookies to meatballs.

Literally obsessed with our Dutch Oven – Milo – $95

Every home cook needs a reliable Instant Read Digital Thermometer – WS – $39.95

The mother of all Kitchenaid Mixers. If you bake a lot, and frequently make double batches, you’re going to want to go with something from the pro line. I was hesitant, too but SO glad I did – WS – $799

Silpat liners for baking sheets – WS – $26.95

I adore my Copper Roasting Pan – WS – $159.99. Great for chickens, smaller turkey, roasts, and it’s gorgeous.

This is an updated version of my Calphalon Pot and Pan set. Mine set is 6 years old and looks brand new – WS – $529

I keep this Cherry Cutting Board on my island at all times. I put cheese on it when we have guests, and use it for quickly cutting fruits and veggies during the day – WS – $149.95 for the large

I underestimated how much I would use these Steak Knives. They’re understated, beautiful and super sharp – WS – $99 for 6

We use out Microplane Rasp Grater constantly – WS – $14.95

We’re obsessed with our Waffle Maker. It NEVER sticks – WS – $129.95

We’re in love with our Decanter – WS – $49.95

And we chose the Estate Collection from Williams Sonoma for our stemware. Delicate + classic – Cabernet ($149 for 8) , Sauvignon Blanc ($49 for 2), Champagne ($49 for 2)

The Gift Guide for the Outdoorsy Guy

December 7, 2018

The ultimate gift guide for the outdoorsy guy who would rather spend all of his time outside or in the gym. These things are all built to last.

You asked for it, I delivered! Here are picks by J, my dad, and my brother! They all have one or multiple of these items so you know they’re durable + great for those who love to spend time outside. My brother and J are both over 6’2″, so all of the clothing items work great for longer dudes. Happy shopping!

This leather/money clip (it’s actually real leather!) is awesome – $29.99 – a great price, J, my dad, and brother all have it.

J practically lives in these Under Armour Joggers – $59.99

J’s watch by Citizen – $562.50.

We both love Darn Tough socks – $21 -, my brother introduced us to them for our long hikes! No blisters. Here’s another great, basic pair.

All my guys (J, my broski, Matt & my dad) have this Carhartt Sweatshirt – $99.99 . It’s nicer than your standard, it’s weatherproof and crazy warm. (J & Matt have a large tall, my dad has a medium – he’s 5’11”)

We LOVE this Garmin GPS – $349.99. J uses it for hunting and we use it all the time for hiking when we don’t have service. It could literally save your booty!

The Banana Republic slim fit shirts work great for J – on sale for $36. He sizes up and goes for a long length – he’s 6’4″, broad build.

Zeiss Binoculars for the win – $449.99!

This oNX Public/Private Land Topo Map app displays land ownership for the hunter – $119.99. Make sure you get the appropriate one for your state.

Okay, it’s spendy, but dudes go crazy for Traeger grills. That’s a fact. This is the one we have – $999.95.

and if you’re going for it, we love Adler wood pellets – $18.95.

*post contains affiliate links. if you choose to purchase through one of these, I make a small commission, but your price remains the same.

The Ultimate Gift Guide For Her

November 29, 2018

The Ultimate Gift Guide For Her. These are the things you need to add to your list or to put on the list for your favorite modern gal who loves to feel cozy, chic, and remembered this Holiday.

Alright, so if you’re anything like me, you have no idea what you want this year. OR, you have no idea what to get the gal who has everything. Or seemingly everything “wink wink”. Everything you see here – I have it or it’s on my list. There’s everything from basics, to hostess gifts to big spenders. I hope you find something you love. And really, I hope you find the joy that’s so much more important than any gift under the tree.

Clothing/Accessories

The most BEAUTIFUL and understated turquoise Kendra Scott Earrings – $65 – I have several sizes of Kendra’s and these are a happy medium.
I LOVE this bag. – $174.99 – J got it monogrammed for me last year and it STILL looks brand new! All-purpose leather tote.
Fuzziest funnel-neck pullover – $49.99 on sale – J got this for me as an early present (because I thought the package was for me to him, but hey!). This comes in tall sizes, which I have! (I’m 5’9″)
Cute, athletic tech gloves – $45 – functional, kinda cute and mega warm.
My favorite slippers in the world. – $100 – J got these for my for my birthday in June and they’re worth every penny.
THE JEANS – $187.75 – attention all long-legged gals with a bit of a bootayyy. I’ve worn these for 5+ years (and I still have them, that’s how long they last). True to size, I don’t need a longer length and I’m about 5’9″.
Fuzziest socks on the planet. – $15 – Nuff said.
Thread and Supply Wubby Fleece – $78 – hot on my list. I mean leggings & boots in the airport. Game on.
BP Black Leather Bootie – $89.95 -I love suede as much as the next gal but GOSH has it been rainy lately. I love these because they won’t be totally ruined by the rain, they have a classic heel AND I mean…they cute.

For the Home

The prettiest wine glasses – $49.95 – delicate, understated & perfect.
Our favorite wood serving bowls – $15.77 – we have the medium and large
This tray – $49.50 – is perfect for serving or for the coffee table
The BEST antler napkin rings – $17 – I mean…
Our favorite candle – $28
These floor pillows are ON this gals list – $49.99 – can I get an amen?

Treasures

The perfect cuff – $325 – this guy has been on my wrist for over 6 years now
And the ring to top it all off – $675 – because pearls are a classic. This is a timeless classic I’ll always treasure.

Beauty + Self Care

The best book I’ve read all year -$22.99 – girl, you need this.
My clean beauty pick for blush/highlighter/eyeshadow – $21.49
And for bronzer – $21.49 – you glow, girl.
My notebook -$21.46 – the perfect gratitude journal (pssst, it’s pretty and gold.)
THE BLANKET -$119 – because everyone needs a cuddly blanket for self-care

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through one of them, your price is the same, but I receive a small commission!

Lucky Number 7 – Our 7 Month Marriage Update

November 15, 2018

Lucky Number 7 – Our 7 Month Marriage Update on life & love.

You may wonder why I’m posting an update at our 7-month mark. It’s because we forgot our 6-month anniversary. Plain and simple. Yikes, man.

The other day J texted me and was like “5 months this week!!!”. And I was like “huh?”. He said, “oh, wait 6 months!!”. Then my lightbulb clicked on and I realized – “oh! you mean we’ve been married for 7 months!!”. I promise, we’re getting it together, really.

But quite honestly, the past 7 months have been incredible. This season in life has been kind of a roller coaster, especially for me, but our marriage – man, that feels really good right now.

I’m posting this because I want to reach those of you who are embarking on an adventure with a new spouse. I don’t really FEEL like I have the authority to post about marriage (I mean, I’ve only been doing it for 7 months) but I’ll tell you that ours is something I’m proud of. It’s something that we’ve both invested in and shown up for every day for the last 212.917 days (that’s how many days Google says are in 7 months).

Someone told me recently that J and I look like we’re having a lot of fun, and you know what – it’s because we are gosh darnit! Sometimes, it’s easier to talk about struggles than come out and say what IS working for you. And right now, what we’re doing seems to be really working for our marriage. Instead of stealing the show, I’m going to let my hubby steer the rest of this.

I sent him a message the other day saying I wanted to post about what married life looks like. I asked him to think on his lunch break and get back to me. Y’ALL HE DROPPED SOME GOOD ISH! So below, you’ll find some sage advice from J with little translations + follow ups from me, they’ll be in italics.

Words from J & A:

J: Wrote this of as if I was writing an article, hopefully, it makes sense:

(A: who’s the blogger now?)

J: Take as much time as needed and work on completing tasks with your significant other (husband/wife). Starting new projects (such as a home renovation) allows you to be independent but the thought of knowing that you can count on another human (my favorite human) to help you out the rest of your life and complete things together or achieve a goal is an amazing feeling.

A: what I think he’s getting at here is that getting married means somebody has your back. So, do things together. Big things. Something I think we both struggle with is being very independent to a fault. We’ve worked to be teammates and it feels good to have someone you love in your corner.

J: Make time for one another, go on random dates, try not to be selfish, allow your significant other to take a risk (even if there is money involved – like your classes). TRUST is and will always be key.

A: phew OK Dr. Phil!!! Dopping some serious stuff here. If you’re anything like us, your first year of marriage could be a really full one. You may need to say no to people (even family) to carve out time for each other, or make time on weeknights to do something just the two of you. I know when we go out to dinner, the world melts away after about 15 minutes.

Ahhh and the risk-taking. Jared encouraged me to spend a large amount of money (to us) on business coaching the month we settled on a house. Yeah…crazy right? But him believing in me that much has fueled such a fire in me. With his support, I have been able to radically shift my business and I hope to be able to contribute to our family in an even bigger way. To touch on trust, I think he knew he could count on me to hold up my end of the bargain. He knew I wouldn’t make a decision that would really hurt us and he knows I’ll work hard to hold up my end of a deal + my portion of contributions.

J: I must also say that it’s never good to continue an argument over a long period of time. Either work things out or agree to disagree and move on. As much as you are most likely very similar to your spouse, you are also different and you won’t always agree on things. Right?!

A: riiiiight 🙂 can you tell which one of us is the more level-headed one? No, but really this is true. I don’t know many people who LIKE to be in arguments, so figure out how to get through them in a timely manner. Do you need to walk out of the room for 10 minutes or go for a run? Or, sit down and calmly talk it out right away? Figure what works!

Before we wrap up – here’s my favorite piece of advice: Please & Thank You are the magic words.

I know it sounds weird, but sometimes the last people we’re polite to are our significant others. We know they’ll take our crap and still love us. BUT, I notice when I ask J for things nicely, he’s more than willing to do them, and when I positively reinforce behavior that I like he’s more likely to do it again. He brings flowers – I tell him 10,000 times how much it means. Wanna bet he does it again?

Also, get a dog. 🙂

If Happiness Was Easy, Everyone Would Be Doing It.

November 8, 2018

Happiness may be simple, but sometimes it isn’t easy. Here are some things that I do, that everyone can do, to add joy to our lives when we’re in a funk.

I’ve always been a happy person. At a young age, I remember my mom bought me my first perfume, Happy Heart by Clinique, because the name reminded her of me. As a teen, I remember people would ask me what was wrong with me – “why are you so happy all of the time” they’d say. Making people feel good, valued and special is what I do. 90% of the time when you see me in public, I’ll smile. I’ll try to brighten your day. It’s just how I am.

However, over the last few years being “happy” has gotten harder to do. I’ve given a little bit too much of myself to my business, to people who don’t fill my cup up, to events, to travel – I really could go on. I started taking life too seriously. I got used to pushing through the hard times and now that the dust has settled, I’m often at a loss for what to do. It’s a shame because my life is really beautiful right now and sometimes I can feel it slipping by me like a ghost.

But here’s the thing – I’m not really willing to accept that. I’m not willing to accept mediocracy or a glass half empty mindset. I’m not willing to be ungrateful and I’m certainly not willing to keep living in fear. There are exceptions to this, if you’re living with mental illness (please seek help if so!) this may not be right for you, but if you’re like me, we have to do something to cultivate joy. We simply can’t sit passively by and let it all slip out of reach.

I’ve been running away from writing this post because I don’t really have all of this figured out yet. I haven’t reached that divine place of accepting every gift with joy and radiating at an enlightened frequency. But, I’m trying, I’m moving the needle forward, so, from one stressed out, overworked gal with a packed calendar to another, here’s what I’ve been doing to get my life back. Here’s how I’m finding joy:

1. Get Help

#1 get some help. I really don’t care who it is, as long as they have your best interest in mind. I have a business coach. Or coaches. Their names are Nicole and Dan and they are the most BA married couple and they work with solo entrepreneurs like myself. This summer I decided to increase my amount of coaching and to be quite frank, a lot of my calls with them are more like therapy. So, get you a coach that encourages, meditation, gratitude, prayer or thankfulness, and/or get some professional help. There’s nothing wrong with admitting you need it. If this is the push you need to make the investment, here it is. I say so.

2. Take a Time Out.

Easier said than done, I know. Y’all, we live in the age of the hustle. We’ve been told our entire lives that hard work pays off. Couple that with this era of technology where your email pings nonstop, Instagram is a click away and group texts are running rampant like wildfire – is burnout really a surprise? Take it from the girl that worked on her own honeymoon – I get it, turning off is nearly impossible.

But we really need to. Wedge your phone in the couch so you can’t see it, take out a book, stare at the wall, go for a walk, a drive, binge on TV, go out to dinner with your SO. Do SOMETHING to help you do nothing.

3. Eat Something.

I find that stressed out people normally fall into 2 camps – non-eaters, or the everything eaters. I tend to be a combo – I won’t take time to feed myself and when it comes time to sit down at the end of the day, I’m too drained to cook so we order pizza or go out and it’s refined carbs + wine & no vegetables. The other day I actually ate 4 Reeses for dinner. What in the…?

Y’all I KNOW BETTER. I know how good food can affect the brain – I’m a food blogger that focuses on healthy food. There’s nothing wrong with pizza, refined carbs, and wine, but if I haven’t been eating leafy greens, healthy fats and complex carbs to keep me fueled…like hello, yes I’m assisting in self-destruction. So, here’s what I’m telling you to do. Cross one thing off your to-do list and make time to make yourself some fuel. Need easy ideas: try the chicken thighs, my taco soup, this apple baked oatmeal ,or this sweet potato and bison hash.

4. Get Moving + Stretching

It’s easy to cast aside a gym date or a walk with yourself. And sometimes, overworking our bodies can do more harm than good. But, once you’ve had a good ole rest, dust yourself off, put on your cutest leggings (you know, the ones that make you look like a Lulu model), your favorite sports bra and get out there, sister. For me, high-intensity workouts at least 3-5 times a week and yoga is what I need. I’m a really athletic, high energy person, so that may not be your truth, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But, figure out what works for you. Put a treadmill in your basement, get a dog walker once a twice a week so you can get to your barre class, and don’t forget to stretch. When we’re stressed, we have a tendency to clench up like a ball. Our shoulders practically attach to our ears, our butts and hips are probably tighter than a brand new hair tie – but, just a simple 5-minute stretch or yoga practice can make all of the difference.

Here are some yoga workouts and stretches I love!!

Yin yoga release (25 mins)

Relaxing yoga (12 minutes)

Sore back release (8 minutes – great for tension)

Yoga workout blast (20 minutes – sweat + stretch)

Easy 10 min morning yoga (10 mins – duh)

5. Call a Friend.

Feeling like this can be isolating. AND, even if you’re extroverted, you may just need to be alone for a while. But reach out to someone. You don’t have to have coffee today, maybe next week. Get something fun on the calendar. Maybe it’s a date night with your spouse. Or actually texting that really nice girl you met at yoga. Or having brunch with your best friend or a skype date with someone you don’t see so often.

I know it’s hard when you feel like you’re down. Don’t feel like you have to be 100% to make a connection. It will help I promise.

6. Practice Gratitude.

Alright, sister friend, let’s get one thing straight – things may not be the best right now, but God (or the universe, etc. if that’s your jam) will certainly not put anything on your plate that you cannot handle. One way, arguably the most important way, we can get out of a funk is by truly practicing gratitude for what is right in front of us. I guarantee you, that you have something you can be grateful for right there, staring you in the face.

Write it down, pray about it, say it out loud. And then sit there and think about a few other things. I keep a gratitude journal I try to write in every morning. It helps, it truly does. The more we invite in the positive things, it’s my hope that they’ll continue to come into our lives.

P.S. Here are some resources I’ve been loving to help encourage that joy mindset:

Book – Girl Wash Your Face, by Rachel Hollis my beautiful friend and yogi Brenda with Yoga B Yoga lent this to me
Devotional – Savor – by Shauna Niequist
Podcast – Rise – by Rachel Hollis
Podcast – The Chasing Joy Podcast – by Georgie Morley
Podcast – The Healthy Maven – Davida Lederle
Video – On Changing Your Frequency – recommended by Nicole Culver
Video – You Are Enough – recommended by Nicole Culver

Love to you all!!! xoxx – A

Nutty Paleo Pumpkin Tart

October 23, 2018

This Nutty Paleo Pumpkin Tart combines pumpkin, spices, natural coconut sugar, and coconut milk to make the most flavorful pumpkin tart for the holidays.

The time has come for me to share this healthier, paleo pumpkin tart. I HAVE ARRIVED, friends.

I’ve been waiting to share this for some time now. If you’re on my email list, then this may look really familiar to you. Sometimes, I treat my fave people and send them recipes early so you should sign up if you haven’t.

I’ve been all about the pumpkin lately, you know this. I mean just this year I’ve thrown down this pumpkin chai latte, this maple bourbon pumpkin pie, and this paleo pumpkin bread. Oh and you have to try my dairy-free pumpkin cupcakes from last year, just sayin’

Anywho – this tart – super easy to make. To make the crust, jut mix together the crust ingredients and press it into a tart pan. No rolling pin needed.

See?

The filling – super simple. You’ll quickly mix it together and bake until the tart is just set.

Perfect every time!

Nutty Paleo Pumpkin Tart

Author: Miss AK
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Description

This Nutty Paleo Pumpkin Tart combines pumpkin, spices, natural coconut sugar and coconut milk to make the most flavorful pumpkin tart for the holidays.

Scale

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup cashew butter – or almond (I used homemade, so make sure to use a natural version)
2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
1 room temperature egg, whisked
1 pinch sea salt

For the filling:

1 15oz. can pumpkin puree
1 cup full fat coconut milk
3/4 cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, cashew butter, coconut oil, egg, and salt for the crust.
Mix well until it clumps into a ball.
Remove from the bowl and press it into a 9-inch tart pan.
Pop the pan with the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
Whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, coconut sugar, eggs, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Remove the tart pan from the fridge and pour in the filling. If you have a little excess filling, that’s OK. Save it to make a mini tart or pie or discard.
Place the tart in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the filling is set but still jiggly in the middle.
Allow it to cool on a wire rack fully before refrigerating. Cool and serve!

Golden Raisin Glazed Skillet Chicken with Brussels Sprouts

October 16, 2018

Juicy golden raisin glazed skillet chicken thighs pair perfectly with Brussels sprouts for an easy dinner that is crazy impressive. You won’t believe the caramelized flavor on that chicken.

This is my new favorite dinner. Honestly.

I served it a few weeks ago the first time my family came to hang at our new house. It’s easy enough to absolutely throw together on a weeknight but it’s really quite impressive. People may give you the ‘ole hairy eyeball when you tell them you’re mashing up golden raisins and capers but trust me. Honestly, have I ever lead you astray where chicken thighs are concerned (read: no – these easy chicken thighs have been the most popular on my site for at least a year! They’re that good.)?

Anywho back to the golden raisin and caper glaze. It’s to die for. It’s perfectly sweet and briny and it gets this crazy great caramelization on it when you cook everything together. The only thing I’ll ask of you, make sure you follow the directions and get a nice crust on that chicken before finishing it in the glaze in the oven. Makes all the difference.

Come on, look at that sauceeee you guys!! Try this and show me – tag me on Instagram and use #missallieskitchen