Easy Gluten-Free Granola

Breakfast is my love language. Gimme all of the pretty spreads, quiches and pancakes please and thank you. However to keep things easy during the week, my go-to more often than not is yogurt topped with granola, nuts, fruit and a hearty helping of honey. I like to play around with toppings and just landed on a new addition to the rotation - this gluten free granola. I recently dusted off my It’s All Good cookbook and decided to try GP’s recipe for GF granola. As luck would have it, I was missing a key ingredient - quinoa flakes. I honestly didn’t even know this was a thing so I thought I’d improvise based on what I did have in the pantry, and I’m pretty pleased with the result!

Ingredients:

1.5 c quinoa (confession: I thought I would be able to simply food process quinoa into a flour/flake situation, but after much pulsing I gave up and simply used plain ole quinoa.)

Sea Salt

1/4c EVOO

1/4c 100% pure maple syrup

1c raw pumpkin seeds

1/2c goji berries

1/2c chopped pitted dates

1/2c chopped dried prunes

Preheat oven to 400*

Whisk EVOO and syrup and pour over quinoa. Spread into a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle a few cracks of sea salt all over. Cook for 15 minutes, tossing midway until golden brown and smelling toasty. Let cool and combine with dried fruit. Enjoy over yogurt or, if you’re like me, by the handful as a guilt-free snack.

-MC-

Friday Finds - First Day of Summer Edition

Happy Friday and 1st day of Summer! It’s currently pouring here (going on day four AND simultaneously potty training Miss H - omg), but I’m desperately attempting a summer state of mind. Gimme all the fresh veggies (we made this Bo Bun salad last night from Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Easy cookbook - so yum, albeit maybe a bit ambitious for a week night), summery mocktails and beachy reads (recently finished The High Season by Judy Blundell and now scouring zillow for property out East). Here are a few things I’m loving this Friday:

SAVE - Attention mamas, pin, save, screenshot, do whatever you need to do to bookmark this incredible list of things to do with little ones this summer from Sarah Joy.

DESIGN - Here is a list of 2019’s trending paint colors. I’m all about the twist on dark greens right now.

Get - Does anyone else react horribly to mosquito bites? I love this piece from Real Simple that speaks to plants that naturally ward off these warm weather pests.

MAKE - Unsweetened iced tea is one of my favorites. I like to make my sun tea early in the morning and let it brew slowly in the sun until the afternoon. However, I just discovered these amazing quick cold-brew bags from Twinnings, and they are so, so good for that afternoon pick-me-up. Perfectly steeped in five minutes and you’re good to go. Currently sipping on Peach.

READ - At the risk of sounding trite, small changes can have a huge impact. I loved this piece from The Girl Guide on being kinder to the environment. No soap-boxy guilt-trips, just a few great tips on how to green up your routine. Stephanie nailed it! (Total admission, I was glad I was already doing most of these!)

WEAR - I love Quay sunglasses. They offer a huge variety of styles at a price point you wont lose sleep over if you leave at the beach. Check out their quiz to find your ideal pair. PS - why is everything Australian just so much cooler?

Happy Weekend!

-MC-

Get the Latest:

Friday Finds

Who knew there was so much to learn about cutting board maintenance?

It's time to re-evaluate our media diet.  

Giving these jean alternatives some serious consideration.

This cheat sheet on keeping houseplants alive is mandatory reading.

How to sip your way to a flawless complexion.  (Spoiler alert: Lots of water ahead.)

Our new-found favorite day date spot is here.

Happy Weekending!

-MC-

Get the Latest:

Friday Finds: Spring Fling Edition

The first day of spring, it snowed. And although it was really just a dusting, it was as if Mother Nature was saying, "Now wait just a minute..."  Thankfully it seems spring has spring (for real) and not a moment too soon!  Here a few things I'm excited about this season:

- Farmer's Markets - We try to eat as seasonally as possible, and I'm so ready for zucchini, artichokes, fresh herbs, and sweet peas.  Here is a cheat sheet for what produce to pick up this season.  

-Tulips!  Any color, any style, and combination is perfect.  They add instant springiness (real word?) to any room and the more, the merrier!

- Banishing tights (and socks) for good.  Each year, I do this rather stupid thing where once I stop wearing tights, I can't go back.  Instead, I'll opt for fun patterned pants (these wide leg and these paisley print are amazing!) or jeans, flats and slightly chilled ankles.  Does this make total sense?  Not really, but it's a self-inflicted rule that I refuse to break.  My bare ankles take a stance and will the warm weather upon us. 

- Weekend escapes.  We try to get out and explore all year round (two weeks ago we stayed in a 19th century lighthouse!), but doing so in the spring (and the fall) is the best!  Warm enough to venture out of the car to check out hidden spots, but without the summer traffic! 

- My Birthday!!  

- Bike Rides.  Lazy afternoon rides near the beach are my favorite.  How fun are these cruisers in aqua?!

What's on your spring to-do list?

-MC-

Get the Latest:

Friday Finds

I'm dreaming about this delicate, layerable jewelry collection, especially this bracelet!

Reason 1001 why old Hollywood was classier than today - their vacation style. 

For those who love to bake, this is a game-changer.

Why featuring some greenery in the bathroom might be the best idea ever.  

This blush shoe moment has me craving spring!

Happy Friday!

-MC-

Friday Finds

-Ask yourself this - are you in need of a chic-over?  

-I used to think canning was a little Pioneer Woman, and honestly, it is AND it's the best thing ever.  Applesauce was my gateway drug, and now I'm totally on board.  Check out this for canning inspiration.

- Growing up, my family has always been full of morning people.  I'm talking no alarm clock, up with the sun, annoyed that paper hasn't been delivered yet and it's 5:15, morning people.  And in true nature form, I'm gradually waking up earlier and earlier, although I still often depend on my alarm clock.  Check out the routines of these morning motivators to get see how much you could be doing while everyone else is still snoozing.  

- And while productive mornings are incredible, it's also important to go to bed early to get some much needed rest.  Case in point.  

-The East Coast has really been spoiled with our Indian Summer, but alas it is starting to cool down.  If the idea of shortened days gives you the shutters, read this.  You may just be inspired.

Happy weekend!

-MC-

The Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Salad

I love to cook, but let's face it, cooking for one is tough and tricky (and for me, not too inspiring). When Mr. C. travels, you'll more often than not, find me with a simple bowl of cereal.  And while easy, it's hardly nutritious or filling for too long.  However, in effort clean up our menu after a long weekend spent at the lake enjoying every morsel of junk food, I threw together this delicious, super easy salad. True to it's name it features a little bit of everything which keeps the taste-buds guessing, but also allows for easy substitution for whatever is fresh and ready.

Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Salad

(Makes one large, dinner-portion salad)

You'll need: 

- 1 carrot, chopped

- 1/4 of an English cucumber

- A healthy heaping of baby spinach

- 1 leaf of romaine spinach

- 1 handful (approximately 5) cherry tomatoes

- 1 handful sugar snap peas

- 1/2 ripe avocado, diced

- 1 scallion, white and pale green parts only, diced

- 1/4 cup of endive, chopped

- 1/8 tsp sesame seeds

-Half a tin of tuna or salmon (if canned, drained)

- A dash of red pepper flakes

- A drizzle of virgin olive oil 

- Salt and pepper to taste

To Make:

Simply combine all the elements and top with the drizzle of oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Done and done.

This salad is a bit thrown together and that's the beauty of it.  Have radishes, throw them in.  Celery?  Sure.  A bit of onion rather than scallion, that works too.  Completely guilt-free and gorgeous, this salad is the perfect weeknight meal that easily feels like a treat.

-MC-

Friday Finds

Some weeks, the word crazy just doesn't seem to do it justice.  And after a relaxing trip to the Caribbean (more details on that soon), heading back to reality felt especially well, real.  In the midst of playing catch-up on life, these 5 things have caught my eye:

Social Media Formulas - Want more IG likes?  Apparently there is a method to the madness.   Check it out. 

There is a serious sale happening here.   The sample sale in the city was nothing short of mania, but I'm still swooning over this and this.

Summer is all about fresh produce.  Consider this your farmer's market cheat sheet.  Current obsession - fresh plums.

This bag has everything for the warmer months - clean, streamlined design, perfect handles and a touch of monogram.  Perfection.

Newly discovered and totally enamored -  cutest gift idea for every occasion.  

Happy Weekend

-MC-

Get the Latest:

Sips: Iced Latte

Image Source: 

Mornings are my favorite part of the day.  It's calm and quiet, and I get to perch at the counter and leisurely read the paper, check out my favorite blogs and drink my coffee, totally unhurried. It's probably the most relaxing part of the day and, for me, helps start the morning off on the right foot.  

Having coffee prepped and ready to go is key, and, not surprisingly, we've been all about iced lattes.  Espresso (my favorite is Cafe Bustelo) instantly cooled and then later poured over iced and topped with cold milk.  Perfection.  (The key to any iced coffee treat is to avoid pouring the hot liquid over the ice.  No matter what you do, the ice will melt, and it will dilute the flavor.)

While I love iced lattes day to day, they don't really lend themselves to a crowd.  In that case, bring on the Iced Coffee!  This recipe from The Pioneer Woman is easy and makes enough for 24 servings.  Consider your next brunch handled.

-MC-

Get the Latest:

Friday Finds

Image Source: Town & Country via Getty

As is evidence in the lack of recent posts, the last few weeks have been utterly hectic - a cold that finally reared it's ugly head after weeks of vitamin-C-binges, late calls and a rotating (somewhat unpredictable) social calendar  - exhaustion had set in.  But at last, I'm blissfully back to writing, and here are the 5 things that I'm obsessed with this week.  

- Ever since reading about it in the NY Post, I've been utterly captivated, and I am itching to get my hands on a copy of this book.

- My love for picnics is well documented (here) and this article sums up its appeal perfectly!

- Watermelon has already become our desert of choice.  Apparently we're not the only ones.

- While I love to cook, on especially warm evenings, it's nice to have a no-oven-necessary meal.  These wraps look incredible!

- Maybe it was the Vogue cover or maybe the idea of a period film, but this movie looks so sweet.

Happy Weekend!

-MC-

Get the Latest: