Living a tasteful life

Monday, June 26, 2017

Life Lately May | Food & Friends

May was a fun month! Here's a little glimpse of some of the things we got into.
When Cinco de Mayo falls on a Friday, there's a natural obligation to celebrate. We kept it simple and enjoyed all the chips, salsa, and cervezas with friends at Mex 1.
Eager to enjoy some time on the water, we had planned to spend a long day on the boat. We were prepped and ready, from the appetizers to the champagne, but the weather wasn't on our side. A cold front came through leaving us with wind and highs just reaching 70, which makes for a chiller day on the water. But that didn't stop us. It ended up being a beautiful afternoon!
You can't beat a Charleston sunset on the water.
One of my best friends came in town for the weekend to celebrate her 30th birthday.
There were cupcakes...
And champagne...
Followed by a relaxing afternoon spent by the pool.
And a delicious dinner at Le Farfalle
The octopus carpaccio is a must!
And the ricotta gnudi is insanely good!
I tried my hand at preparing grilled artichokes for the first time. You can find the full recipe here. They turned out rather nice, if I do say so myself!
My brother and I spend some quality time with my mom on her birthday, inclusive of an afternoon boat ride in the river. 
When your friend comes in town and wants to go on a boat ride but it's too late and it's dark out, you enjoy a glass of wine in the parked boat.
I was so excited I got to try La Morra Pizzeria before they hit the road to Brooklyn!
A group of us rented a house for the weekend at Fripp Island for the Beaufort Charities Golf Tournament. I've decided golf cart life is the way to go!
Fripp Island is such a beautiful area. It's peaceful and quite with water views and an easy way of life. And did I mention the friendly deer?

I finally found time to check out one of James Island's new lunch spots, the Hen and the Goat. Their caprese sandwich was delicious. 
We kicked off Memorial Day Weekend with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, The Obstinate Daughter
The King's Honey is my absolute favorite cocktail from here...complete with bee pollen! As for the food, it deserves it's own dedicated post. :)
The rest of our weekend was spent with the wind blowing through our hair, salt on our skin and sand at our feet.
And another gorgeous sunset...

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Monday, June 19, 2017

Tassel Love

Who doesn't love a good outfit with tassels? Whether it be earrings, a straw bag, a beach cover up or a cute little dress, tassels make an outfit more fun and playful, and I can't get enough of them. A playful pair of tassel earrings paired with a simple dress makes the perfect statement. And why shouldn't your beach cover up be just as fun as your swimsuit? I love finding great cover-ups that can be worn out to a casual dinner after a day at the beach. A cute and comfy tassel top paired with shorts creates an effortless fun look. These are all the fun looks that I envision with some of the tassel pieces below. Click the arrow to the right, to view more of my favorites. 

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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Low Fat White Chicken Enchiladas

I finally found some time to spend in the kitchen last Sunday and I enjoyed every minute of it. Often during the week I'm challenged for time when it comes to cooking. After a long day in the office and time spent at the gym, my desire to be creative in the kitchen is lacking. Last Sunday I had no afternoon plans which gave me the perfect opportunity to whip up one of the recipes I've had on my "to cook" list. I made a healthy version of white chicken enchiladas inspired by a recipe I found on Pinterest. I added a few of my own little tweaks and was very pleased with the results. A delicious dinner that was fairly simple to prepare. I wish I had spent some time taking photos with my nice camera, but instead I only got a few snaps on my iphone for an Insta story. If any of you following along, then you may have already seen the process. Today, I wanted to share this yummy recipe with you. If you happen to make it, be sure to post a picture and tag me, or send me an direct photo on Instagram. I love to see everyone's creations! 
Simply cook a few chicken breasts, shred, add a few spices and seasonings, and stuff the tortilla shells. This is what they look like all rolled up with the chicken mixture and placed in a baking dish. I tried to squeeze in as many as I could.
Prepare the white sauce and pour on top and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Pop them in the oven for a few minutes and you get these pretty golden brown enchiladas. 
Sprinkle a little chopped cilantro on top for extra flavor and serve.
I added a little sriracha on top of mine for some heat. 

Low Fat White Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
3 large boneless skinless chicken breast- cooked and shredded (should be approx. 3 cups)
2 teaspoons cumin, divided
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup salsa, no sugar added
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican Style Cheese, reduced-fat
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth, fat-free
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (5.3-ounce) cup of plain, fat free yogurt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 (6-inch) whole grain flour tortillas
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Sriracha (or hot sauce of choice) for topping


Instructions
1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.     On medium heat add olive oil to a large frying pan and cook chicken breasts completely.
3.     Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred.
4.     Combine shredded chicken breast with, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and salsa. Evenly distribute chicken mixture in the center of the tortillas, roll and place seam side down in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
5.     In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and sprinkle in flour. Cook for 1 minute while whisking continuously, ensuring all clumps are mixed in.
6.     Slowly pour in chicken broth and stir until mixture starts to thicken, about 6 minutes.
7.     Add 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 cup cheese, green chilies, yogurt, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.
8.     Pour white sauce over the enchiladas, top with 1/2 cup cheese and bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is lightly golden.
9.     Sprinkle chopped cilantro over enchiladas and top with your favorite hot sauce.


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