Patiently Waiting

So often, as humans, we make all of these plans for our lives that we think should happen at certain times and as our impatience grows with things not happening on OUR time, we begin to question God and his intentions in our life. But why?

Who said that we are in control of our lives? Where is it written that things will go exactly how we planned them? It's important for us to remember that while God may not always produce something in our lives when we want Him to, he will always be there on time... HIS TIME. 

It is up to us to develop stronger faith in Him by trusting His plan for our lives. Personally, I have been working on doing a better job at understanding that if something doesn't happen at the moment that I want it to, it's because it is not for me at that time. God knows me better than me and God had plans for my life way before my existence on this Earth. 

Practice being okay with waiting. Adopt patience. Understand that if you were given something you wanted right at the second you wanted it, you might not truly be molded and ready for it. Prepare yourself for what is to come. Most of all, build your faith and TRUST IN GOD. 

He will not fail you :) 

xo, Ashley 

Oodles of Zoodles: Zucchini Pesto Pasta

Overnight, I developed a new obsession. Christmas came early in my house since my mom gifted me a ton of kitchen gadgets and tools that she had sent to my place - (thanks, Mom!) I'm eager to use them all, including my new Kitchen Aid Mixer which I'll be putting to MAJOR use after the New Year. As I'm traveling for the holidays, I didn't want to bake a huge cake or make any meals that I wouldn't be able to consume before I leave tomorrow. I also wanted to eat a pretty light, as I know I'll be wolfing down all types of crazy holiday food as soon as I touch back down in DC.

One of my favorite gifts was the Kycen Spiral Slicer that I've read tons about and couldn't wait to give a try. I love zucchini and typically saute it or roast it in the oven. But preparing it fresh using the spiral slicer allows it to keep its full nutrition and health benefits - which include being low in carbs, great for your heart and full of fiber. I also love the surprising crunch that regular pasta doesn't provide. I topped my "zoodles" off with a fresh made pesto sauce and some cherry tomatoes and ate as much as I wanted and didn't feel one ounce of guilt :D 

This is the perfect dish to be served as a main dish or side and can be topped off with your favorite protein or seafood! ENJOY!

Pesto Zucchini Zoodles

For the pasta:

3-4 medium sized zucchinis

1 cup cherry or baby heirloom tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the pesto sauce:
1 cup fresh basil, removed from stems
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil (or a light oil of your choice)
sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a food processor (or blender, works just as fine), pulse the basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper together until blended well. Set aside. Spiralize the zucchini into a large bowl. Cut into smaller strands if they get to be too long. Toss in pesto and tomatoes and top with pepper, salt and additional parmesan cheese to taste. Also great as a dish warmed up before consuming!

*this can be a vegan and raw recipe by removing the cheese

The Holidays Are For Baking

With the holidays here, I can't get enough of baking. There is just something about the warmth of a hot pie, fresh out of the oven that warms my soul, and my tummy. I cooked up an apple pie for ‘Friendsgiving’ and it was instantly demolished. So, I was inspired to bake another last week just for fun. There is just something beautiful about the variation of each apple that goes into the dish. And for me, baking provides a therapeutic feeling that just puts me in a happy place as I tend to each element, working towards creating the perfect pie. The right type of pie is a great dish that everyone will love and eat up instantly – and who doesn't love the friend that brings dessert? (don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!) 

Feel free to amend the recipe to your sweet tooth level.

A is for Apple Pie Recipe

Nothing in the House Pie Crust 

6 apples, thinly sliced (I use a mix of Fuji, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp and leave the skin on, although feel free to peel yours if you wish)

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon powered sugar

1/2 cup of organic sugar

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

1 freshly squeezed lemon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Prepare your crust, as recipe calls for. Chill dough for 1 hour. Sprinkle flour on the bottom of your pie dish. Once chilled, roll out half of the dough into a 9-inch, greased and floured pie pan. Cut edges off that hang over your dish. (Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust is perfect substitution if you don't want to make your own dough) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Chop up your apples in a large bowl with a top. Toss in all other ingredients and shake together until well mixed. Let sit overnight in fridge, if you have time. Spoon the apple mixture into pie pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Apply top layer of crust, pinching edges to close. Add a few slits in middle for steam. Cover edges with foil so they do not burn. Remove foil after 30 min so that edges can bake. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until brown and flaky. Top with vanilla ice cream and ENJOY!

Celebrating the Harvest: A Dinner Soiree

I absolutely love to plan, host and COOK. Whether it be a dinner, a party or just a gathering... Who doesn't love any excuse to get friends together over food, drinks and laughter? One thing I've found is that having a theme to center the event around makes it more fun and easier to plan when deciding on the food selection and decor. 

Summer in LA is always so busy with everyone traveling, so when fall hit, I had the perfect excuse to gather the girlfriends for an intimate dinner. I went with the theme: "Celebrating the Harvest" and focused on changing seasons, planting seeds and reaping harvests. I wanted to toast and celebrate goals we were working on and our newest accomplishments and that is just what we did. I provided a spread of food and asked everyone to bring their favorite bottle of wine. We ate, drank and toasted well into the night, enjoying every moment of each others company. 

See the setup I captured below and learn the perfect tips to planning your next dinner party!

1. Invitations

A pretty invitation is the perfect way to set the tone for your event. I'm a fan of Paperless Post, which has customized, themed invitations for any and everything. It let's you manage the invite, send out following messages and keep track of the guest list. For a sit-down dinner, I'd recommend sending the invitation out about 3-4 weeks in advance and having your guests RSVP no later than 1 week prior to the event. This way, your guests have a chance to clear their calendar and you can plan out your setting and meal accordingly. I also asked guests to respond with any allergy or food restrictions when RSVPing so that I could plan the meal accordingly. Keep in mind, to keep the dinner intimate and cozy, a guest list of 8-10 is ideal.

2. Decor

Decor sets the tone for the perfect event. Since I was planning a dinner with a fall theme, I chose deep, rich colors like red, violet and marigold. Fresh flowers always set a warm and inviting setting, so I picked up a couple of bouquets at Trader Joe's while grocery shopping. Another great idea is floating candles. Remember to keep whatever centerpiece you choose low enough so that guests can chat over it across the table. I decided to have floor seating for the dinner and found some amazing throw pillows at Target and my local thrift stores. Since my space is a bit small, I utilized my coffee table accented with a table runner, which worked perfectly for the amount of guests I had. I used a tall glass table for the appetizers as guests arrived and centered smaller side tables within arms distance of the dinner table for side dishes to be easily passed around between guests.

3. Preparation

I generally like to prep as much a I can way in advance in order to avoid any last minute issues. I research and plan the menu as soon as I have a pretty solid guest list. I had a girlfriend of mine that's really into music create an amazing playlist of old-school jams. I'm a huge fan of Soundcloud and Spotify for creating the perfect unique playlist. After the menu is planned, it's helpful to write out all of the ingredients and other items you will need for the event, so that you can determine which stores you will need to shop at. I recommend shopping for as much as you can at least 2 days ahead of time, in case there is something you cannot locate at one store. Purchase the fresh items the day before or morning of. Prep as much as you can the evening before the event, like starting to decorate, marinating your meat and cutting up any veggies. This will help you from having to do everything and over extending yourself on the actual day-of so that you can enjoy the event!

4. The Meal

The most important part! My menu consisted of a baked orange, maple chicken breast and pan seared halibut fish so that there was something for everyone. Keep in mind that some of your friends may be vegans, vegetarians or just not eat a certain type of meat, so give options as well as a variety of veggie dishes. I also tend to shy away from any complicated recipes to avoid not being able to find the ingredients or mess-ups on the day of. Going with the fall-theme, I decided to make the side dishes full of root veggies and prepared a chili-lime butternut and beet kale salad, twice-baked sweet potato souffle and parmesan crusted asparagus. I find some of the best recipes on Pinterest and Food Gawker and make them my own. 

5. Be in the Moment

The best part of planning and hosting an event is the memories that come from it. You get to be in the mix of the entire experience. Be sure to actually BE THERE. Get your friends to capture pictures from their POV but don't allow anyone to be on their phone #gramming and #snapping the entire night. I say, if you're going to host an event, be a great host. Go all out to make your guests feel comfortable and welcome. Answer any questions they may have, and cater to them. You want it to be an experience for everyone to remember. By prepping for your event and being a good planner, you will get to enjoy yourself and get the most time spent with your guests. Also, learn from your event. If you messed up on something the first time, or saw room for improvement, make a #notetoself and incorporate it the second go around. Most of all... ENJOY EVERY SECOND! 

What type of events have you planned lately? Tips? Theme suggestions? Dish it below.

Next up in hosting, Ladies Holiday Brunch <3

cheers, Ashley