Grapefruit Salad and Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

I have always loved salad. In part this may be because I was raised with it: in my family, we have a big salad with dinner at least 4-5 times a week. Salads often get the reputation of being a diet food that may not actually taste good, but this is undoubtedly a myth, and the people who say/think these things have likely never had a really good salad! Salads allow you to incorporate many different wonderful, fresh ingredients, and there are endless flavor possibilities. I like to use a spring mix when I make salads, which will typically include things like romaine, arugula, radicchio, baby spinach, etc., which are all much more mild tasting that kale (which can be quite bitter and tough). The dark leafy greens are a great source of fiber, folate, carotenoids, vitamins C and A, calcium, and iron, and combined with additional ingredients is an extremely wholesome and hearty meal.

Getting on to the recipe, this salad is both fresh and hearty while being simple and very easy to prepare. It combines grapefruit, dried cherries, pecans, and a little feta to create a tangy, spicy, and refreshing blend of flavors. Because this salad is on the lighter side, I'm also sharing how I make sweet potato fries which can be a great addition to a salad, adding complex carbs to make it a more filling meal.

The Power of Opposites

In the past couple of years as I have continued to try to develop my style, I have constantly been pulled to a particular look: pairing opposites. Whether it being wearing a sheer, elegant blouse with ripped skinny jeans or having messy, tousled hair with a simple, summer dress, I think pairing opposing pieces is one of the best (and easiest) ways to look smart and chic.

The wonderful thing about pairing opposites is that there are so many different contrasts that you can incorporate, so it's not as if you're always wearing the same thing. 

chic vs. grunge

solid vs. patterned

all black vs. pop of color

Reflecting on the Year: 2015

I was not planning on doing a post about the end of the year, but then was reading Hello-October's (one of my favorite bloggers) Goodbye 2015 post, and was inspired by her positive outlook. She described how she's really been enjoying her adult life, and my initial reaction was 'wow, I'm excited for when that time in my life comes'. I then realized that's a silly thing to think because I have not only had a good year, but should also fully be enjoying my life right now, because life has been very good to me!

In the same style of Hello-October, I want to share some of the highlights of my year with you, as I am a firm believer that being able to reflect on life can be very valuable for both learning and appreciation.

Natural Skincare Routine

If you have read my 'simple ways to look put together' post, you would know I recently have had some trouble with my skin. I have always had relatively normal skin: it's not overly oily or dry, and throughout my 'teen' years I have pretty regularly had spots on my face, but it was never bad acne or that troublesome (just enough for me to become self-conscious about my skin). Then earlier this month I started feeling like my skin was getting worse, until it seemed like it was at an all-time low. My chin was the worst area of my face, but I also had some spots on my forehead; additionally, what made it seem worse was that I was pale from it being winter, and this seemed to emphasize the blotchy redness around the breakouts. I was aggravated by how much I was breaking out, and started feeling like I never wanted anyone to look at me, because I had it in my head that they were staring at my bad skin!

Simple Ways to Look Put Together

Before I get into this post, I first wanted to quickly apologize for being MIA the past couple of weeks. I believe that consistency is important for anything you are trying to accomplish, and I haven’t been doing a good job of that. With that said, I am going to rededicate myself to try to resume a relatively set uploading schedule. Full disclosure, I want to be honest with you: I hadn’t been feeling the best, and am only now starting to feel more like myself. My skin seemed like it has been getting worse with more breakouts of my face, and this previous Monday, I woke up and I felt like it was at an all-time worst. Particularly around my chin and forehead I was really breaking out, and my face looked particularly red and blotchy in general. I have never been one to want to use foundation on a daily basis because to me it would feel as if I was trying to hide my face, and that’s not the way I want to feel about my skin. (for people who do like to use foundation, go for it, this is just my opinion!) That morning I was not looking forward to going to school, and all day I constantly wanted to hide my face, so people wouldn’t see how I was having some problems with my skin. This is a toxic mindset, because instead of enjoying life (particularly at such a happy time of year), I was constantly obsessing over my own appearance! It may seem silly to be so derailed by something as trivial as spots on your face, but it’s something I have always been self-conscious of.

It can be extremely hard to be your best when you aren't feeling your best, so I thought I would put together a couple of my tips for looking and feeling put together. Sometimes you may breakout, or have a bad hair day, or just feel kind of gross; you can’t control that! I think if you are confident in how you look it does reflect how you feel, so embrace the things you can control.

Staying Healthy Throughout Winter

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it is truly the holiday season. The season of giving, and being merry, and spending time with the people you love. It is also the season of eating, whether it be holiday baking, Christmas/Hanuka/New Years parties, or just making nice dinners with friends and family. As wonderful as all of this is, I am a firm believer that it's important to remain active throughout the cold seasons when you most likely would rather stay inside curled up with a blanket than brave the cold and go for a run or head to the gym. But however hard it may be to get motivated to exercise, it is doable and absolutely worth it. Don't wait until until New Years to make a resolution to get back into shape; start now: there's no time like the present!

Exercising will give you more energy and enhance your appreciation for all the holiday treats, since you can indulge without feeling guilty. With that said, I know that it can be hard to remain enthusiastic; it's something I struggle with every year. I have come up with some little ways that have been helping me stay more motivated, so I thought I would share my tips for remaining healthy and active throughout winter.

Autumn Movie List 2015

These past few months, as weather grows increasingly colder, I am constantly wanting to snuggle up under a big blanket with a cup of tea and a good movie. And in fact I have been doing quite a bit of just that! I have tried to continue branching out with what kind of films I watch--rather than always going for typical Hollywood rom-coms--and I have loved a lot of the films I have watched so far, so I wanted to share them with you!

Copenhagen
Trailer here
A couple of weekends ago, my parents were out of town, and one of the nights I was on my own in the evening, so I made a nice dinner and then decided to watch a movie in the living room where we have a big TV and great speakers. This may not sound that unusual, but I normally watch movies on my laptop in my room, so it was exciting for me. I was browsing Netflix for something good, and stumbled upon Copenhagen. The story follows a young American who goes to Denmark with his best friend in search of his grandfather. While there he gets to know a girl who turns out to be quite a bit younger than him, and the film explores the controversial topic of relationships with substantial age differences by pushing the limits, but never crossing the line. Naturally being filmed in Copenhagen, the scenery is stunning, and by the time I had finished I found myself wishing I was on an adventure in Europe!