A Polished Palate

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Rain Check

All of this wet weather we've had over the past few days has made me realize that I need to step up my rain gear game. I'm almost embarrassed to say that I live in Charleston and don't own a pair of rain boots. They are definitely on my list of things to purchase sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I'm sharing a few pieces to help weather the storm, and look cute while doing it.

Weekend Recap: Staying Afloat in Charleston

There are several adjectives that can be used to describe this past weekend, but dry isn't one of them. We have felt nervous, shocked, concerned and helpless, given there is nothing that could be done, other than wait it out. We weren't hit with the hurricane, but the amount of rainfall South Carolina received was record breaking. The part of Charleston that we live in was hit pretty hard with flooding, specifically in our neighborhood, which is in a low lying area.

It began raining on Friday but nothing too serious. On Saturday we received a lot more water. There is a small channel of water behind our home, which slowly began to rise. By Saturday afternoon, we had a good amount of water creeping up into our yard.

Saturday afternoon

Those views were nothing compared to what we woke up to on Sunday morning.

It rained throughout the night on Saturday evening, we lost power and were continuously getting up every few hours to shine a flashlight in the backyard, checking out the situation. Sunday morning, I awoke to the echoing sounds of neighbors checking on each other from their front porches where they were stranded.

Not long after, the neighborhood kids came out to take advantage of the body of water that covered the street in front of our homes. Paddle boards, kayak's, canoes, paddle boats, you name it, the neighborhood emerged to scope out the scenes.

We are so thankful that water didn't enter our home and that everyone is okay. Sending thoughts and prayers to those out there that have been tragically affect by this weather.

News Feed Friday

I love this watercolor by the talented Rebecca Hinson, a local artist here in Charleston. It gets me excited for oyster roast season in the lowcoutry!

I'm drooling over this.

Hosting a Halloween party this year? If so, check out these festive concoctions.

Because you can't welcome the month of October without at least one pumpkin recipe!

I'm obsessed with all of these beautiful white kitchens...every single one of them.

Is your name on this list?

I'm currently eyeing this swing dress in olive, this cashmere poncho, this clutch, and these booties.

How pretty is this eyeshadow and this lipstick?!

On another note, the countdown until our vacation is official on!!
Happy Friday!

Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Bloglovin'.

Smart Snacking

Although most of my social media posts and many of my blog posts feature food that may be unhealthy, that isn't my way of life 24/7. What I have yet to share in any of my posts is the fact that during the week I strive to maintain a clean diet and then, I reward myself on the weekends. This is not to say that I don't ever have a few slip ups during the week. I take my lunch most every day, rarely going out for the sake saving myself from making unhealthy choices.

Twice a day, at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, I find myself reaching for a snack to hold me over before lunch and also a little something to get me through my evening workout. For the most part, I try to go for something healthy. Let’s be real, eating unhealthy food before the gym makes for a tough workout. I tend to fall into routines where I will eat the same thing for a month or two, get tired of it and move on to something else. For that reason, I enjoy discovering new snacks and quick recipes that are convenient to take to work.

Below are a few of my current go-to snacks, for the moment anyway. What are some of your favorite things to nibble on in between meals?

Breakstone's Lowfat Cottage Cheese is a great snack before the gym. It's not too heavy, but is filling enough to give provide the necessary energy to get through a workout. Sometimes I mix it with fresh sliced peaches for added flavor and sweetness.

Okay, I have a serious confession about these Zesty Ranch Garden Veggie Straws, I think I became a bit obsessed for a little while there. I had to stop buying them, because let's just say I was eating way more than the suggested serving size. However, a serving size is 38 straws, which is actually a good bit. I had no self control. So far I've found the best deal on these at Walmart. You can get a 16 oz bag for just $4.98.

I don't think I will ever get tired of eating hummus. I enjoy the flavored hummus, specifically the Sabra Sun Dried Tomato. I either dip pretzels in it or cucumbers, depending on the amount of carbs I'm willing to consume.

If you haven't noticed from my list by now, I crave crunchy things. These Simply 7 BBQ Quinoa Chipssatisfy that craving, plus there are 8 grams of protein in one serving.

These Emerald Chocolate Cocoa Roast Almonds are so good! They come in the perfect snack size pouch, and are only 100 calories. There is a perfect hint of sweet from the dark chocolate, there are just enough in the bag to nibble on for a mid-morning snack and they are great to just throw in your purse when you're on the go.

Broccoli Salad with Apples

A few weekends ago my husband and I joined his family for a casual cookout. I was put on salad duty and my first thought was, "how can I make this not boring." A salad just seemed so unexciting, but maybe that's because I eat them everyday for lunch. I decided I wanted to make a Fall inspired salad, and apples were the first thing that came to my mind. I found a few ideas on Pinterest, but this broccoli and apple salad caught my attention. Not only did it look pretty and colorful, it also sounded delicious. It was a nice change from the typical lettuce in bowl.

I was originally asked to make dessert and since I already had a plan for that, I decided to make both. My dessert of choice was a caramel apple dip which I shared with you last week.

Today I wanted to share this quick and easy recipe that left me feeling excited about bringing a salad to the party. It's sweet, crunchy and semi-healthy. And by healthy, I mean at least you're getting a dose of vegetables.

Recipe via The Recipe Critic

Broccoli Salad with Apples

Ingredients

2 or 3 gala apples (chopped)

3 heads of fresh broccoli (florets only)

½ cup of shredded carrots

1/3 cup of red onion (diced)

½ cup of pecans (chopped)

½ cup of dried cranberries

½ cup of mayonnaise

½ cup of non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse and drain the broccoli.

2. Once the excess water has drained, slice the broccoli stems off, leaving the florets only. Slice the larger pieces of florets in half. I prefer them to be in smaller bite size pieces.

3. In a large serving bowl, add the broccoli florets, shredded carrots, diced red onion, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries.

4. For the dressing: In a separate small bowl, mix together the mayo, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

5. Pour the dressing over the top of the broccoli salad and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Designer Handbag Sale

I love a good designer handbag. I mean, what woman doesn't? A nice bag is not only a confidence booster, but it can also take an outfit to a whole other level. Being realistic, there are some bags out there I will probably always lust over and may never actually own, however there are others that are a possibility, especially if there is a sale involved.

Today I'm sharing some beautiful, drool-worthy designer handbags that are all on sale. Given that everyone's idea of a "sale" differs, I've chosen a variety of bags at different price points. Let's just say that I would gladly welcome any of these beauties a place on my shoulder.

First up, a few bags from Saint Laurent that I may never obtain any time soon, but hey... a girl can dream.

Fall Friday

Now that it's officially Fall, I feel compelled to share a story and explain why I love this time of year so much. There's a sense of comfort and excitement that overcomes me when the weather starts to cool down and the leaves begin to change color. Certain times of the year cause me reflect on memorable moments and just give me an overall good feeling. Do you know what I mean?

Almost three years ago, on Friday, October 19th, to be exact, I was sitting at my desk working away, when my boss sent out an email to our team with the subject "Fall Friday." She graciously told our team that we could shut down our computers at 3 pm and go enjoy the day. An extra two hours, I'll take it! Whit (who at the time was just my boyfriend) and I were planning on spending the weekend with my parents and enjoying a nice dinner in Beaufort with them that evening.

Anxious to get on the road, I packed up my suitcase and was ready to head out the door. As we were about to leave, Whit suggested that I change out of the gym clothes I was wearing so I didn't waste any time getting ready once we got to my parent's house. After a little back and forth discussion about this, I decided to go ahead and change and get ready for the evening before we left the house. Although workout pants seemed more appealing for the 1.5 hour car ride, but hey, choose your battles, right?

After stopping at a gas station for a little snack, Whit decided to change out of his t-shirt into a button down he was planning to wear to dinner that evening. He said it was because he had been sweating and wanted to go ahead and change. Strange, but okay.

Back on the road, we were coming up on the most beautiful plantation, one that I've always been infatuated with, called Bonny Hall. Located off River Road in Beaufort County, this stunning plantation has been around since the 1700s. As we approached the plantation, Whit began to slow down. He asked if I wanted to stop and quickly tour the grounds while we were in the area. I immediately questioned how this would be possible, given that it's not open to the public. Whit said he had met the manager a few weeks ago and he said he would be more than happy for us to stop by sometime and take a tour. So, I got out of the truck hesitantly, took Whit's hand, and trusted that this story was accurate and that we weren't going to get arrested for trespassing.

We walked around to the front of the house, admiring the grounds and taking it all in. As we made our way to the back, there was a massive, beautiful old oak tree with a tree house built into it. Whit's first reaction was obviously to climb to the top and take a look around. So, up the ladder we went, only to discover that the view was even better. As we stood at the top of the tree, Whit began to continuously clear his throat, something he is known to do when he is nervous. After taking in the view for a few minutes, he casually pointed out a rope that was dangling from the side of the tree, which he then proceeded to pull up to the top so we could see what was tied to the end. At the end of the rope was an old basket covered in moss. At this point I was a bit confused about everything that was going on, including what in the world we were doing in the top of this tree. He slowly opened up the basket, and inside was a beautiful diamond ring. The next thing I knew, he was down on one knee asking me to spend forever with him. I was in complete shock and stood there trying to grasp what had just happened. Everything became one big exciting blur. Luckily, just above our heads, sitting on a large branch and covered in camo, was a photographer who captured it all on video. I had always told Whit that it was important to me to have the moment captured and I'm so glad we did. We spent a few hours on the property taking photos and enjoying champagne. And you all should know by now that I said yes.

And that is exactly why I get that warm, fuzzy feeling inside when the season changes. Side note, I later discovered that my boss was in on this surprise the whole time, hence the reason we were able to leave early.

Below are some photos from that special day.