Shrimp Salad

I've been trying to eat more salads. It's not just because I'm watching my weight for the wedding, but because it's getting warmer outside. The warmer months mean sunshine, higher hemlines and tons of fresh produce. Why not embrace that and eat a salad every day?

Sauteed Vegetable and Shrimp Salad 

Chopped garlic

Sliced asparagus

Sliced onion

Sliced red bell pepper

Deveined and peel shrimp

Arugula

Romance lettuce

Black beans

Fried egg

Grape tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

In a nonstick pan, sautee garlic, asparagus, onion and bell pepper until warm but still crunchy. Meanwhile, in a large dish or bowl, add arugula, lettuce and cooked black beans. When veggies are done cooking, add them on top of the greens and beans. In the same pan, sautee shrimp with salt and pepper. Add to salad. Finally, in the same nonstick pan, crack an egg and cook until white is cooked, but yolk is still runny.  Top salad with egg and dig in. Season with salt and pepper. 

Break the yolk and mix all ingredients together. The runny yolk will cover the salad and create a rich dressing to coat the vegetables. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Wedding Planning: Prioritizing and Budgeting

If there's one thing that I learned from Bryan, it's that life is short, indulge a little. I used to be pretty tight-fisted when it came to money. When my friends wanted to go out to dinner, I used to make a salad at home, so I wouldn't pay for a side salad with my entree. I used to refuse invitations to concerts and parties because I didn't want to spend money on a ticket. I used to go "shopping" for hours and talk myself out of buying anything.

Now, I'm more willing to spend money for the sake of the moment. A few years ago I would never buy a bottle of wine to eat with a homemade meal, or go out for coffee or lunch. Oh how things have changed. This "live in the moment" mentality is scarily being embraced in wedding planning.

I'm not gonna lie, I initially didn't want a wedding. I thought it would be less stress and less money to elope or go to the courthouse. After some convincing, Bryan and I agreed to have a more traditional wedding celebration. So now that we're already going to be spending money on the wedding, I decided to sit down and really think about what I want and budget accordingly.

To me, the most important parts of the wedding were the food and the photos. Secondly, the attire and venue. Bryan's priorities were the venue and the music. Once you figure out what you want, everything else kinda falls into place.

Now just a couple months til the wedding, we have almost everything of importance. Oh and did I mention I haven't had a heartattack yet? A few meltdowns due to budgeting. Planning a wedding near a major city is ridiculously expensive. But it will all be worth it to marry my best friend. At least that's what I keep telling my credit card.


-Akemi-chan

Wedding Planning: Saying Yes to the Dress

I was extremely nervous about finding a dress. Just like most other girls, I have a complex about my body. But instead of my thighs and my butt, it's my height. So my number one desire when it came to finding the dress was it had to make me look tall, or at least normal height. Heels can only do so much. 

I looked over thousands of online pictures of bridal gowns that mostly resembled cupcakes and comforters, and they all left me feeling hopeless. In addition to feeling like I wouldn't find the dress, I felt a little alone.

I had this picture in my head of those TV shows and movies where the young woman goes to the bridal shop with her best friend and her mom. They try on dresses, give their opinions and sometimes someone has to get put in their place. But in the end the young woman walks out in address that suits her perfectly. The sales person, put on a veil, the mom and best friend cry and they all leave with smiles on their faces. 

My mother obviously lives in Hawaii and my best friend lives in San Francisco. There would be no such tears at my dress shopping. I was honestly worried that I would be in David's Bridal by myself trying on affordable  yet unspectacular dresses. 

Then in December 2013, Bryan surprised me with an appointment at the local bridal salon, Michelle's Bridal. In addition to making a champagne appointment with bubbly and appetizers, he invited some of my friends that live in town and our friend from St Louis. I'm a lucky girl... and spoiled.

Here's a few pictures from our appointment. Don't worry, there are no spoilers.

"Welcome Carly <3"

Our noms

The judging panel

Bubbles and chocolate

Don't worry, not my dress

Me and my girls. Even in heels I'm shorter than everyone

I had a fun time playing dress up and having some bubbly with the girls. Plus, I was lucky enough to find a dress that suited me. I couldn't have asked for more.

Then Bryan surprised me with a little party back at the house. Many of our friends were there with us to sip bubbly cocktails and eat pizza while we laugh and have a good time. Thank you so much to Bryan for surprising me and setting everything up so I could have a wonderful dress shopping experience. He really went all out.

Grapefruit mimosa

Bubbles

Now it's Summer and I have to get my dress altered for my short legs. But I'm so happy I found the dress and my girls made it that much more special.


-Akemi-chan

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Waffles

I've been a little obsessed with sweets lately. Milkshakes, cookies, cupcakes, doughnuts, it's beginning to be a problem. Fortunately, I can still have some sweet stuff in the morning, but in reasonable doses. 

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Waffles

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Pancakes

2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/4 cups almond milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking spray

Sliced bananas (optional)

Maple syrup (optional)

In a large bowl mix peanut butter, sugar, eggs, almond milk, vegetable oil and salt. Whisk in flour and baking soda. Scoop batter into waffle iron and cook until desired texture. I like my crunchy, so I left it on for a little longer. Top with bananas and maple syrup. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Lake of the Woods

Lake of the Woods is a Forrest preserve just a few miles outside of Champaign-Urbana. It was a gorgeous day for a little stroll and a beautiful place for it. I'm not going to spoil the moment with an excess of words, so just take in the sunlight and enjoy the day.

Happy Summer!

-Akemi-chan

Watermelon Juice

Watermelon is one of the few foods I associate with Summer. It's easy to see why, but I instantly go back to sitting in my Grandma's backyard or sitting at the beach in a bikini. Chomping away at some juicy watermelon. I wasn't much of a seed-spitter, the seeds just slowed me down. Now, there's the beauty of seedless watermelon, and I will take full advantage of that.

Watermelon Juice

3 cups of cubed seedless watermelon
1 tbsp honey or simple syrup
1 tbsp mint, and more for garnish (optional)
1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. You can add more or less simple syrup or honey depending on the sweetness of the melon. Garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy!

This has been my go-to snack/dessert/ breakfast smoothie for the past couple of days. It's incredibly refreshing, just sweet enough and so easy. I just cut the watermelon ahead of time and store in it the fridge. Them it's ready to go when I am. Don't even get me started on adding some booze. It's going to be a great Summer. 

-Akemi-chan

PINspiration Spa Day

I'm not one to pay for services. That sounded weird. What I meant to say was, I prefer being resourceful. If I can take the DIY route, I feel better than paying someone to beautify me. Whether it's mani-pedis, tanning or facials, I like the at home stuff better than the salon. I believe that is why God gave us Pinterest. 

Bryan's sisters and I spent some girl time together. You know, dinner, body scrubs, facial masks, and chick flicks, the usual. 

Lemon Sugar Scrub

2 cups of sugar

Zest of one lemon

Juice of half of one lemon

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Oatmeal Cinnamon Mask

1 cup water

1/2 cup oatmeal

2 drops of lemon juice

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp honey

It's edible, but I don't reccomend it

I highly encourage you to take a little pampering time for yourself, at less than half the spa price. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Muffin Tin Cinnamon Rolls

I can't stop baking. I don't know what has come over me, but I've. Had quite the sweet tooth lately. It's beginning to be a problem. Late at night I think about doughnuts and pies and ice cream when I should be thinking about going to bed. You would probably catch me at 1 am by the light of the freezer, spoon in hand, if we actually kept ice cream in our house. Dangerous. 

I decided to give in and bake something. Nothing beats a baked good in a time of need. And this is a time of need.

Yeast-free Cinnamon Rolls

Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tbsp cane syrup or molasses

3 tbsp cinnamon

4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tbsp granulated sugar

3 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup almond milk

1 large egg, beaten

Icing:

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp almond milk

Make sure to have a clean flat surface, a rolling pin and lots of space. 

Preheat oven for 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add room temperature butter and mix with hands until the butter is evenly distributed into the dry mix. Add almond milk and beaten egg. Mix until dough comes together into a ball. Use the wrapper from the butter to grease the muffin tin. In a medium bowl, mix filling ingredients.

When dough and filling are ready, dust flat surface with flour. Place dough onto surface and roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Use flour on top and bottom of dough. Do not be stingy, the dough will stick if you don't put enough. When rectangle is ready, spread the filling into the middle, leaving a 1/2 inch border of dough on the outside. Roll dough into a log and cut dough into 12 (or more) equal pieces.

Place individual rolls into muffin tin and bake in oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, assemble icing by whisking icing ingredients together. When rolls are done, top with icing.

Everyone I know loves cinnamon rolls. So these twelve barely made it past day two. Dessert, breakfast or afternoon snack. They're perfect and already portioned. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Quick Chicken Salad

It's Summer, which means sunshine, picnics, grilling and light and refreshing foods. I've been soaking up every ounce of sunlight that I can muster. Shorts, tanks, sunglasses and sandals have been my off-duty uniform and I wouldn't have it any other way. These days I take any excuse to go for an afternoon walk and an ice-cold drink on the porch. It's Summer and I'm loving it.

I've been trying to eat lighter. It's not just a wedding diet, but a seasonal thing as well. I don't want to eat heavy filling foods that prevent me from taking my afternoon stroll. I want something that is crisp and refreshing and leaving me feel energized and ready for the rest of the day. Tea helps too, ice of course.

One afternoon, Bryan and I decided to have lunch in the backyard with the puppydog. Although I consider this to be a hodgepodge of ingredients I happen to have in the fridge, it still did the job.



Quick Chicken Salad

1 large chicken breast, grilled and cubed

3 cups of fresh spinach, washed

1 carrot, sliced diagonally

2 strips of bacon, chopped

1 Fuji Apple, cubed

1 single serving sized plain Greek yogurt 

1 lemon

2 tsp chives

1 tsp chopped garlic

Salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, chives and garlic. If the dressing is too thick, add more lemon juice. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and toss in yogurt dressing. Simple and easy, just like Summer.

Perfect with a glass of lemonade or iced tea, this salad was the perfect way to stay cool inside and outside. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan