Food Mashup: Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

Another pizza mashup! (You can read about the first one HERE.) I'm going to start by stating the obvious: pizza is delish...BUT...(Yup…there’s a but.) it’s not the healthiest choice. (I know you love pizza…I do too, but you know it’s true.) So this week I tried to put a fresh & healthy twist on pizza with a Chicken Caesar Salad version. You can still get your carb fix, but a lot of the fat & grease has been cut out. Now, I’m not saying this is the ultimate healthy pizza, but it’s still a slightly better substitute from that greasy (and, yes, drool worthy) slice from your favorite pizza shop.

XO – Courtney

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Sunshine Ahead

The forecast is looking good…and I’m not just referring to the weather (although that’s looking pretty promising too!). So many changes ahead…from moving out of my Raleigh apartment (bittersweet) to moving across the country to checking things of my bucket list (While packing up my apartment, I found a list I made around my birthday in January of 24 things I want to do while 24. I forgot about it, but I realized I was able to check a few things off! Now I’m keeping it in a place where I will constantly see!).

Now, even if you think your plans are set in stone, the future has a way of being pretty unpredictable…much like the weather, but I’m ready to ride out any storm that may come my way because I know the sun won’t be too far away. For now, though, I’m gonna grab my jeweled sunnies because things are looking pretty bright.

XO – Courtney

sunnies [KONPLOTT ­– miranda konstantinidou] // sweater [the limited, old] // 

shorts [forever xxi – similar here] // shoes [target, old]

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[photo credit: zack hardy]

Dinner Simplified: Crockpot Italian Chicken

Seems like I’m on a bit of a Crockpot kick, but it just makes life easy, and I swear you could probably put anything in a Crockpot, and it would turn out delicious.  If you don’t have a Crockpot, you need to buy one immediately cuz you are missing out. Not only does it save you time (throw the ingredients together and let it cook all day…easy enough), but I always have leftovers so my meals for the next few days are good to go. This week I tried a new recipe: Crockpot Italian Chicken. Chicken, Italian Dressing Seasoning, Cream of Chicken Soup, & Cream Cheese.  That’s it. (Recipe Details Below!) The only thing you have to do is make some pasta to eat with it…and maybe a veggie too! Easy as that!

Do you have a favorite Crockpot recipe? I’d love to hear about it!

XO – Courtney

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April Showers

April showers bring May flowers…and wash away all the nasty pollen…and give me an excuse to break out my bubble umbrella.

I know we’re all tired of anything wet falling from the sky, but I’ll take rain over snow, & at this point, I’ll take rain over sunshine if it means no pollen. I’m not even allergic to the stuff, but it just gets EVERYWHERE.

So how do you keep the rain from putting a damper on your spring style? Grab your favorite lightweight sweater & pair it up with some shorts. (I hate wearing pants in the rain & having the hem get completely soaked.) Then slide into a pair of patterned slip-ons. Final touch: a fun umbrella; it will be your best accessory on a rainy day.

XO – Courtney

PS – Updated my digital portfolio recently, so if you haven't, feel free to check it out here!

top [madewell] // shorts [the limited] // shoes [converse] // umbrella [target]

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Fiesta! With a Twist

Double recipe today! This meal is SO incredibly easy you won’t believe it! Today we’re making Chicken Taco Bowls & Sparkling Margaritas, so let’s get this fiesta started!

Throw the chicken in the Crockpot along with salsa & taco seasoning in the morning, and that’s it–chicken is good to go (well…after a day of cooking!). To make the taco bowls, all you need are some soft tortillas & a muffin tin. Then just get together any other toppings you may want. My essentials: cheese, lettuce, & sour cream.

As for the sparking margaritas…you guys are seriously in for a treat! Imagine the delicious flavors of a margarita….then add bubbles. Honestly, this might be my new favorite way to enjoy a margarita! See below for the full details of each recipe!

XO – Courtney

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When California Dreamin' Becomes a Reality (Part 2)

My little escape to my “soon-to-be-reality” was a flood of emotions. Exciting, inspiring, new, and surprisingly comfortable. Example: I was terrified at the thought of driving around LA (not to mention in a rental car). Like…moving? Apartment searching? Meh…not too scary…but the thought of driving? But as soon as I pulled out on the first road I was like, “Okay…not so bad.” And Zack will tell you, I fit right in. Yea, 6 lanes sounds insane, but I swear it was really fine! And maybe everyone was just in a great mood those three days, but all the drivers were pretty friendly.

I think that’s just California though. Even though the city is huge and nonstop, everyone always seemed so relaxed. How could you not be though? The weather is almost always amazing, there are palm trees and beaches and mountains. It’s got it all. I mean, it was in the 60’s last week, and people were in winter coats. If that’s cold, sign me up!

So this is me, feeling relaxed and at home in California. Like I said here, kimonos and cut-offs are my jam (even better when you add a little fringe and acid wash to the mix). And I’m loving the new sandals by TOMS. You know my obsession with chambray, so how could I resist a chambray shoe!?

XO – Courtney

fringe top [h&m] // floral top [h&m – similar here] // shorts [forever XXI] // 

sandals [TOMS] // bag [the limited] // sunnies [rayban clubmasters] // 

necklace [the limited – old, loving this one] // bracelets [assorted]

 andddd I had to throw in one of the both of us! 

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[photo credit: zack hardy]

When California Dreamin' Becomes a Reality (Part 1)

What a whirlwind of a trip to the west coast. It was a jam packed 3 days of non-stop exploring & fun…oh…and apartment searching. Yup, I’m planning a cross-country move in the next few months. Although the main goal of this trip was to get better acquainted with the LA area, we did manage to squeeze in a little fun!

And since my Monday blogs are always about FOOD, I’m gonna talk about just that. Zack & I hit up a ton of local restaurants, & had some of the most delicious meals, so let's just dive right in, shall we? Oh, and be sure to click on each restaurant’s name which is linked to their website if you want to check out their full menus!

DAY 1:

First up: IN-N-OUT Burger. (ok, so not exactly “local” but pretty much just west coast). After waking up at 4am & taking 2 planes to get to LA, this greasy fast food joint was exactly what we were craving. Plus, since we’re planning to move, we had to make sure it was a good substitute for Cookout. It passed our taste test. We just got a double cheeseburger & some fries but there is a secret menu that we will have to try next time.

Then there was Birds. Nomity nom nom. I had an enormous Crispy Chicken Caesar Wrap with a side of Mac & Cheese (which was deliciously ooey & gooey) AND a Watermelon Margarita. Zack had the biggest Chicken Pot Pie I have ever seen.

DAY 2:

Ok. Wood fired pizza is the best & Pitfire Pizza was on point. Zack & I shared a pepperoni pizza for lunch, but I’m thinking the Greens, Egg & Ham Pizza sounds interesting (bonus points for a creative name!). Oh…& did I mention the Blood Orange Lemonade. Nuff said.

After watching the Clippers (in the Staples Center) at our first NBA game, we headed for a late night meal at Burbank Bar & Grille. No pics from here because we were starving & taking a photo was the last thing on our mind. Recommendations: Stacked Chicken Nachos, BBG Mac & Cheese, & the Crispy Chicken Salad. MMM MMM GOOD!

DAY 3:

On our last day we headed over towards Santa Monica & ended up eating both lunch & dinner on the pier. Great weather, great view, & great atmosphere. Lunch was at Rusty’s Surf Ranch. We both ordered the Fish & Chips, some onion strings, & some Grown Up Lemonade.

After soaking in the view, riding the Ferris Wheel, & dipping our toes in the Pacific Ocean, we watched the sunset at Mariasol. I’m always in the mood for Mexican, & what a perfect way to end our trip. Peach Margarita, chips & salsa, & the Enchiladas Santa Monica (stuffed with chicken, shrimp, & mushrooms).

Well, bit of a longer post, but I hope you’re feeling inspired to try a new restaurant! Whether you’re staying local or going out of town, it’s always fun to try new places. Who knows…it just might become your new favorite! Here’s a tip: search restaurants on the Google Maps App & click “Local Favorites.” We used this a few times and weren’t disappointed!

Let me know what new place you decide to try next! I’m always looking for my next meal out!

XO – Courtney

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