Room Inspiration

My room has a lot of blank wall space (cue Taylor Swift) that I have been trying to figure out how to decorate.  I have pictures, posters and some cute signs up, but couldn't figure out what to hang on the wall behind my bed. I was going through my closet last night (took all the clothes out....only to put all the clothes back in) and was going through my scarfs. 

I have a beautiful scarf that I bought in Barcelona that I never wear because the ends keep fraying and getting caught in jacket zippers. I was looking at it and thinking how much I love the colors and how it was such a big scarf and it hit me! I was the perfect thing to hang behind my bed and make a statement. My bedding is white and gray, as is my accent lamp, and my pillows are turquoise and coral. I was so excited and #impressed by my burst of "creativity". I think all that time looking a Pinterest has finally paid off!

Recipe: Sauteed Shrimp over Lemon Quinoa

January Goal Progress for Nutrition!

I made myself plan out meals for the week in a very real and structured way. I know that I never have time for breakfast and that some days I have to pack a lunch that doesn't need to be refridgerated, so I made sure I planned specific meals for that.

 

I also picked a new recipe to try (thank you Pinterest!) I love seafood, so this shrimp recipe is light and packed with flavor, lots of veggies and yummy quinoa! I used frozen, pre-cooked shrimp instead of uncooked to save on time and roma tomatoes instead of sundried. I added a litttttlllee too much lemon juice (whoops...didn't measure) so it was very lemony, but still delicious!

 

 

The recipe is from The Kitchn

 

Saucy Sautéed Shrimp over Lemon Quinoa

Serves 2 to 4

1 cup golden quinoa ( I just used whatever quinoa I had at home)
Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup full-bodied white wine, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley leaves, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small red onion or 2 large shallots, minced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, finely sliced (I used roma tomatoes!)
1 pound fresh small pink shrimp (I used frozen, pre-cooked shrimp!)
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under running water. In a 2-quart (or larger) saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the drained quinoa and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the salt, the lemon juice (about 3 tablespoons), 1/4 cup white wine, and 1 1/2 cups water.
Bring to a boil, then cover and lower the heat. Simmer for covered for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let stand covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa. Stir in the lemon zest and half of the minced parsley.
While the quinoa is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat in a deep heavy skillet. Add the garlic, red onion or shallot, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic and tomatoes are soft and fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn or get crispy; let it cook slowly in the butter. Turn the heat to medium and add the second tablespoon of butter and the remaining 2/3 cup white wine. Whisk constantly and bring the wine to a simmer. Cook until slightly reduced and shiny. Turn the heat to its lowest setting and keep the sauce warm while you cook the shrimp.
Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. In a separate large skillet or wok, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter over high heat and sear the shrimp quickly until cooked — about 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the pan with the vegetables and sauce and toss with the remaining parsley. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve immediate, topping the lemon quinoa with shrimp and its sauce.

Happy Eats!

PINteresting Projects to try in 2015

There is no doubt that I'm addicted to {Pinterest} and I could (and have) literally pinned things for hours. The problem with Pinterest is that it becomes a pretty board to look at, and I never end up making any of the projects. I've tried a few recipes and use the party planning tips (hot chocolate bar for Christmas Party? check done!), but some of the craft projects need to be tried!

A few to look forward to in 2015:

A simple beginner skirt from Shrimp, Salad, Circus

If I had my way,  I would wear skirts and dresses every day of the year. However, Northeastern winters and a budget make that a bit tricky! I am a novice sewer, so I would love to up my skirt collection with some of my own creations!

DIY Plush Headboard from She Said

I still don't have a headboard for my bed and have been saying I would make one for a while now....I should get on that.

Shutterfly Photobooks

While not technically a Pinterest project, I am WAY behind on my phonebook collections! I still need one from my summer hike through Spain, my graduate school program, not to mention my study abroad semester!

I'll start with those three and see how they go!