Bags Are Packed....

Well, I'm off again on another adventure! Lately all I've been doing is unpacking and repacking my suitcase. A life lately recap will be coming soon to catch you up on what I've been up. Today I'm jet setting for a business/pleasure trip for a few days. I'll be back in the blog world next week, but in the meantime, follow along on Instagram and Snapchat (mryanflowers).  Have a great week!

Avocado Chicken Salad

Coming off of a long holiday weekend, I thought it might be nice to share a light and healthy recipe to get you through the week.I'm a big fan of chicken salad, whether it's in between two slices of bread, served on crackers, or topped on a bed of lettuce. Unfortunately most chicken salad isn't exactly figure friendly, but the recipe I have for you today is. Ditch the mayo for greek yogurt and add avocado for extra creaminess. The best part about this recipe, is you really can't screw it up. You can add as little or as much of each ingredient to suit your preference. I have been making a big bowl of it for lunches, which lasts me through the work week.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ cup Greek Yogurt

2 avocados

½ cup diced red onion

Chopped Cilantro

1 tablespoon of lime juice

Garlic Powder to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1.       Remove skin from the chicken, pulling is part from the bones and shredding.

2.       In a large bowl add chicken, greek yogurt, diced onions, avocado, cilantro, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

3.       Mix ingredients well finishing off with lime juice.

*Adjust ingredients measurements to your preference. 

Recipe adapted from Whole & Heavenly Oven

News Feed Friday

I need to add this concoction to the summer cocktail list I posted last week. 

However, I'm not sure how I feel about this combo.

Vacation on the brain? Here's a list of places you should take a look at. 

Speaking of traveling, skip the fast food lines and opt for these road trip snacks instead. 

Or, I suppose you could take the opposite route and give these a try. 

Healthy popsicles...sounds like summer perfection to me. 

#TRUTH

Just ordered these three dresses. Patiently awaiting their arrival and I hope they fit!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. I will be spending my time in town with family and friends. 

Follow along on Instagram and Snapchat @mryaflowers.

Oh, and one more thing...a big congrats to my little college for taking home a big win yesterday!

Red, White and Blue | Recipes for the 4th

Traditional hamburgers and hot dogs are always a safe bet at 4th of July cookouts. Then there are the sides, which I get most excited about. I typically stick with bringing one of those or some sort of dessert, and leave the grilling to someone else. I usually spend way too much time on Pinterest searching for the perfect dish to make. I then find several that make me drool and have a difficult time deciding. I like my food to not only taste good but also look pretty as well, especially when it comes to festive holidays. Often times I end up choosing the well styled foods that look the prettiest in the photos. So, if you're looking for the perfect red, white and blue recipes that are beautiful enough to serve during this holiday weekend, I've got you covered. I can't promise that some of these might not turn out to be Pinterest fails, but they all look pretty darn good to me. 

Red, White and Blueberry Popsicles

Angel Food Cake with Berries

Red, White and Blue Deviled Eggs

Red, White and Blue Poke Cake

Patriotic Oreo Pops

Watermelon Feta Blueberry Salad

Fresh Berries Cookie Pizza

Red, White and Blueberry Scones

Red Velvet 4th of July Cupcakes

Sparkling Red White and Blue Sangria

Mara Hoffman | Sale

All the colorful Mara Hoffman pieces I've seen floating around Instagram lately has had me doing a little online browsing myself. I haven't caved in and purchased anything yet, but there are quite a few things that I would love to add to my closet. Here are a few pieces of her's that are on sale and various retailers.  

8 Summer Cocktails

In honor of the official first day of summer taking place this week, I thought it would be a great time to share a few drink recipes to keep you cool on those long, hot summer days. Here are a few favorites that I've rounded up.  What are some of your favorite drink recipes?

Rose Slushy

Sweet Tea Sangria with Peaches

Peach Basil Moscow Mule

Raspberry Limoncello Proscecco 

Pineapple Blackberry Mojitos

Strawberry Basil Lime Coolers 

Red Wine Berry Spritzer 

Tropical Moscato Wine Slushie

Travel | What to Pack for a Comfortable Trip

Well, hello there! Remember me? I've been a little absent in the blog world lately due to life's busy schedule. I'm looking forward to getting back into my regular blogging routine. Although, I do think time off isn't always a bad thing. It's nice to step back and give my thoughts a break so that the creative juices can start flowing again. 

I just returned from a work trip in Vegas which pretty much drained every ounce of energy I had. It was a great trip, but six days in Sin City is more than enough. Not to mention the travel aspect of it all. Traveling takes so much energy alone, especially when it involves a time change. If I'm spending a lengthy amount of time in an airport and on a plane, I want to make sure I'm comfortable. I thought this would be a good opportunity to share some travel items that will help get you deal with those sometimes unpleasant hours and varying temperatures both on the plane and in the airport. I've put together a comfy travel list including everything from pants and tops, to accessories and shoes.