{yummy} i bought an eggplant- now what?

whenever i head to my local trader joe's, i am always looking for different fruits and veggies to expand my culinary cuisine. one veggie i am always on the lookout for is eggplant. but here's the thing- every time i see eggplants, they have bruises and marks on it. now, per my martha stewart-esque knowledge, i know that eggplants should not have either of these. ever.

bad eggplant.

so when i stumbled upon the most absolutely perfect batch of eggplants, i almost did a happy dance in the veggie section of trader joe's. knowing the personality of the employees there, they would have joined in with me. therefore, i obstained, picked up 2 perfect specimens, and continued my shopping. but what shall i do with these vegetables? this was my conundrum. i know, i know. what a problem to have!

good eggplant.

i typically head to various online resources for recipes like pinterest or food network. however, i have an extensive collection of actual cookbooks! yes, long ago, people wrote their recipes in books and they were purchased for money. who knew.

i scoured some of my favorite recipe books and settled on my signed giada de laurentiis cookbook. if i could be any chef, it would be giada. pretty sure it's mainly because i want to be her. she seems to get to eat all the bad-for-you italian food and stay thin. she cooks and bakes with this zen aura that i don't even reach while attempting yoga. she lives on the beach. her husband works for anthropologie. i just want to be her. ha. and, in the few times i have met her, she's real. the last time i had the pleasure of conversing with her, she looked at my mom and i and said, 'omg, mother and daughter?! you remind me of my mom and i! i love it!' seriously- no celebrity bravado in that tiny body of hers. here's probably one of my worst pictures, but proof that i did meet her. so there. ;-)

the recipe i settled on seemed simple enough and i had all the ingredients on hand. so here we go.

penne with eggplant puree

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, whole
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional*)
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves (optional*)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

*i'm labeling these as optional because i didn't have them, omitted them, and the dish turned out just fine.

preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. 

spread the vegetables out in an even layer and roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.

boil a large pot of water, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. drain pasta, but reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor (i put them in my blender), add the extra-virgin olive oil, and puree the vegetables.

transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the parmesan. combine and add pasta water until you reach desired consistency of the sauce.

wahlah! a delish dish that's healthy, easy, and with all natural ingredients. enjoy!

xoxo Lauren

{style} transitional done right

the outlets. they can be a hit or miss. crazy packed or completely empty. expensive or cheap. you never know what you're going to get. but they do make for fun shopping trips!

the other day mama riner and i decided to get a headstart on our christmas shopping. i know, i know- this was a big headstart. but we happened to hit the jackpot a a bunch of our favorite stores - j.crew and gap to be specific.

one item that wasn't a christmas gift but by far my favorite purchase was a navy and green striped three-quarter sleeve shift dress. so comfy, so stylish, and so preppy. my kind of outfit. here it is before we break it down.

the key to any outfit, no matter the style, is to accessorize appropriately. so to my walk-in i went! the weather here in northern virginia tends to change frequently, so my first addition was my go-to j.crew navy blazer. since i was going to be running errands that day, i opted for my nine west riding boots and some knee-high socks.

and of course- the outfit would not be complete without some jewelry from stella & dot! i wore my favorite green serenity stone drop earrings, the signature clover necklace, and the chimera bangle with my ribbon watch. love love love.

the great thing about the outfit is i was able to wear it to my friend stacey's birthday party a few days earlier at a local vineyard, quattro goomba's. since it wasn't quite as chilly, i opted against the blazer and instead wore navy tights with my high heel brown nine west boots. and i know i can wear it this spring with some ballet flats. completely transitional.

see, here's the thing. whenever i purchase something i think about how often i will end up wearing it and if it can be worn multiple ways. i also take into consideration if it's more of a classic piece or somewhat fashion-forward. all of these questions help me to determine whether or not the piece is worth the financial investment.

the best thing about this dress- it was $25. gotta love the outlets.

xoxo Lauren

{yummy} spaghetti with creamy butternut squash sauce

one of my go-to websites for recipes is skinnytaste. it's no secret that i'm a weight watchers fan. the main issue i tend to notice with fellow weight watchers is that they load up on processed foods. what's the point of loosing weight if you're eating crap in the process?!

skinnytaste has a huge following of people that are looking for simple, easy, and healthy recipes that are based on natural ingredients. i have yet to make anything that hasn't been good and hasn't gotten the seal of approval from the men in my life. i am a huge fan to say the least, so expect to see many posts linking back to this website. might as well bookmark it for yourself in the meantime.

my yummy homemade dinner.

when i saw the following recipe on pinterest and realized it was from skinnytaste, i knew it was my next must-make. pasta + butternut squash = get in my tummy now. i did make a few adjustments solely based on the ingredients i had on hand, but it turned out great. proof that good food is going to be good no matter what. so here goes nothing...

spaghetti with creamy butternut squash sauce

• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 8 oz spaghetti of your choice (i used Trader Joe's high fiber)
• 1 (1 cup) onion (white part only)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh shaved parmesan cheese (i used grated parmesan)
• 4 sage leaves, sliced thin
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

bring a pot of water to a boil and add the butternut squash. cook until soft. remove squash from the pot with a slotted spoon and place in a blender. blend until smooth.

pre-blend.

post-blend.

next add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook as directed on the package. once cooked, place pasta in a colander to drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

in case you didn't know what boiling pasta looks like.

in a deep pan, melt the butter and saute the onion/garlic for about 5-6 minutes.

saute, baby.

add in the pureed butternut squash and season with salt/pepper to taste. add in however much of the previously reserved pasta water that you'd like depending on how thin or thick you want your sauce. stir in parmesan, sage, and pasta. 

finished sauce.

now eat and enjoy. yum.

xoxo Lauren

{bevvies} beer punch

it's football season, and while my team (go 'skins!) is doing less than stellar this year even with RGIII on our side, it's still tailgate time. that means good food, good drinks, and good fun with good friends.

brody and i cheering on the redskins!

back in the day, when yours truly was an admissions rep for GMU, i had the pleasure of traveling all over virginia. we spent months on the road attending college fairs and visiting high schools. now when you're on the road for such a long time, it's just natural to become good friends with the other people traveling along with you. little did i know, but one of them turned out to be my best friend meghan! we bonded quickly over our love for having a good time no matter what the circumstances. that fall season we were even deemed 'the fun group' of the VACRAO tour. this seems to happen to me a lot- i don't know why. ;-)

2005 fun group. those were the good times.

well after the travel season ended, we decided to have one last hoorah and attend a college football game in north carolina. it was here that we were introduced to beer punch.

tailgate time circa 2005.

we all know i am not a beer drinker by any means, but for the first time, i couldn't get enough of it! so here's the super simple and super delicious recipe care of lynette at the it girl project- perfect for your 'skins tailgating adventures!

beer punch

picture c/o lynette at the it girl project.

6 pack of light beer

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate (pink or regular)
vodka

fill your container with ice, pour in beer, add lemonade concentrate and stir. fill the empty lemonade can with vodka and mix. drink to your hearts content.

xoxo Lauren

{friday fun} welcome home!

we all have people in our lives that are considering moving, are in the process of moving, or have recently moved. it's just a reality of life that people are always on the go. but what happens when you are faced with coming up with some sort of housewarming gift and you don't want to just give the typical gift card or bottle of wine? head to pinterest, of course!

vinny, barrett, meghan, matt, and myself at the annual hsc-rmc tailgate.

two of my good friends, barrett and vinny, recently purchased their first home down the street from my house. to say i am excited to have them within 5 minutes from my home is an understatement. i wanted to celebrate their excitement and give them a gift that truly captured their personalities. so when i saw the following pin, i knew it was perfect:

heidi's version at lightlycrunchy.com

thanks to heidi at lightly crunchy, it was an awesome gift compilation for the foodies in your life. below is my version with items from our local trader joe's:

i included 2 loaves of bread (one cranberry walnut and one alpine gruyere), candle sticks, a himalayan pink salt grinder, honey apple butter, garlic olive oil, and cocobon red wine- all from trader joe's. instead of a basket, i knew that an insulated bag would get great use! barrett and vinny loved the gift, so mission: success.

the best part is the card that i attached to the bag, listing the purpose behind each of the items i've included:

'bread so you'll never go hungry. candles so you'll always have light through the darkest times. honey so you'll always enjoy the sweetness of life. olive oil so you will be blessed with health and well-being. salt so there will always be flavor and spice in your life. wine so you will always have joy and never go thirsty.'

here's another option for those beer drinkers in your life: lime tree and coronas.

and now for the funny. here is a great housewarming someecards.com invite i found. enjoy!

xoxo Lauren

{beauty} the miracles of argan oil

once upon a time, there was a local girl that was looking for beauty products that not only accomplished what she desired but that were also good for her, her body, and her environment. after searching far and wide, she came across a product line that harnessed the power of argan oil. this oil, a mystical treatment, can be used for numerous purposes. it was the ingredient she had been searching for and they lived happily ever after.

the beautiful josie maran.

ha. but all in all seriousness, when i decided to rid my bathroom of any sulfates, parabens, etc., i was also looking for a makeup line that was free of the same ingredients. josie maran cosmetics came to the rescue! in doing my research, i came to the conclusion that she was interested in the same idea i was: natural and eco-friendly beauty products that didn't compromise quality and results.

products in the josie maran cosmetics line contain argan oil and are as luxurious as other high-end products i have used in the past. the one difference is that these aren't harmful to my body! here is an overview of the products i use on a daily basis:

{1} josie maran matchmaker serum foundation

{2} josie maran argan magic marker liquid eyeliner

{3} josie maran GOGO instant natural volume argan mascara

{4} josie maran argan oil

{5} josie maran argan concealer

{6} josie maran argan pressed powder

{7} josie maran beautiful eyes eyeshadow

{8} josie maran argan color stick

the awesomely amazing thing is that josie is a wife and mother as well - which means that there are many products that the men and children in your life can also use! one of my friend's husbands suffered from extremely dry skin to the point that he was applying facial lotion up to 6 times a day. once he switched to the pure argan oil, he applied it once in the morning and was good to go. truly a miracle.

there are all sorts of videos on youtube.com that josie has uploaded to show you just how easy her cosmetics are to apply. there are even some really cool all-natural recipes to check out as well. here's an interview with josie with the chalkboard that gives you more of a background on josie and her line.

so get to your local sephora, shop online at sephora.com or josiemarancosmetics.com, or check out QVC for all of josie's products and current specials. you won't be disappointed. instead, you'll be healthy and happy.

xoxo Lauren

{style} vote- stella & dot for all!

voting day! for americans today, it's our chance to exercise the right that so many have fought for and continue to fight for. it may be freezing outside, but while you're waiting in line, it doesn't hurt to look good at the same time- and maybe show off your party as well. ;-)

i recently blogged about the most awesome time i had partying it up with my friend and fellow blogger, madeline, at her stella & dot party. seriously- it was awesome. although my bank account may not think so.

the beauty of stella & dot is that anyone with any style can find something they love. whether you're classic or fashion forward, they have tons of options for everyone. i held my first (of what i assume to be many) stella & dot party last summer and had an absolute blast. it doesn't hurt that the stylist is a longtime friend of mine that knows how to help everyone have a great time. christine, you rock the stella & dot casbah!

christine, her hubby matt, and their puppy harley
at their recent wedding.

like i said, i pretty much wear a piece every day. so i thought i'd share some of my favorites today. as they said on 'how to loose a guy in 10 days,' think of jewelry as frosting for your outfit.

{ 1 } capri chandelier earrings $49 

{ 2 } signature clover necklace $69

{ 3 } luxor link bracelet $89

{ 4 } chimera bangle $59

{ 5 } snake orb pendant necklace $79

{ 6 } serenity stone drops $49

the nice thing about stella & dot parties is that there is no presentation, no awkward show & tell, and no pressure. it's just your friends drinking, eating, chatting, and trying on jewelry. and you can earn free jewelry!!! so contact your local stella & dot rep to schedule a party! i'm sure everyone can find a holiday gift for yourself or someone in your life.

in all seriousness though, please go vote. no matter which candidate or stance you choose, feel grateful that you can vote.

xoxo Lauren

{diy} upholstery 101.

one thing i find dealing with small rooms or multi-purpose spaces is that the furniture isn't scaled to size or function. when you have a small space, you need items that can work no matter what your need is. a coffee table that also functions as an ottoman. a garden seat that also functions as a side table. this way, you pare down in pieces of furniture but still have all the options of a larger space.

when i moved into my 2-bedroom condo last year, i knew i needed to keep the configuration simple yet still needed to accomplish the aesthetic i was aiming for. think pottery barn meets williams-sonoma home meets restoration hardware meets ballard designs but on a home goods budget. thank goodness i had pinterest and was able to create my own virtual design board- some with the actual items and others are look-alikes.

{1} actual sofa i purchased from hamilton sofa gallery on sale for $499
{2} similar to 2 RL lamps but in brass i got on sale at home goods $79 each
{3} similar ottoman i got on sale for craiglist for $75
{4} 2 ballard designs chairs i got on sale for $299 each
{5} green ballard designs garden seat i got on sale for $90
{6} 2 side tables i got from overstock.com for $59 each

even though i have 2 side chairs and a sofa, i knew i still needed more seating for when i have people over. i fell in love with stools from ballard designs and found inspiration for my diy project- pair o' stools.

my mom had these 2 antique stools from my yaya's house that were in horrible shape and weren't being used. with my addiction to pinterest came my new perspective on all things that might just need a little TLC. so i saw potential and took them off her hands. one stool had a lovely 70s print and the other had a faux suede - totally went with my decor. not. so here's the finished product:

so while i don't have the before pics of any specific steps to re-upholster the stools, i can give you a few helpful tips when it comes to re-upholstering anything. keep in mind each upholstery project will be different due to the construction of the piece of furniture, but here are some things to keep in mind:

- think outside of the box for fabric. there are plenty of places online or in-person to find what you're looking for, whether it's on etsy.com, amazon.com, joann fabrics, or a local retailer. but when i couldn't find anything i wanted in the price range i needed, i sought out an unlikely source: target's curtain section. yes, my stools were reupholstered for a total cost of $14 for 1 curtain panel. i am a genius.

- be gentle taking off the original fabric. this is your pattern for cutting your new fabric to size. and always, always, always cut an extra inch at the minimum. you can fold it under before you staple it into place and alleviate the headache of sewing anything.

- keep whatever materials you can from the original construction. i managed to salvage the nailhead trim and foam that was on there from my yaya's which again saved me a boatload of money. that stuff is not cheap.

- invest in or borrow the right tools. i luckily inherited a staple gun from my great aunt and uncle's big move, so that was a huge help in securing the fabric to the frame. but removing the nailhead trim and the staples from the original fabric was a hassle until i came across a tack remover at my local joann's. it was a lifesaver for only $6.

- don't be too hard on yourself if it isn't perfect. this isn't your full time job. you aren't a professional decorator (as much as you'd like to be one). your name isn't martha stewart. so why do you expect the project to come out as such? this was a hard one for me to learn- and i still am. but your friends and family will be so impressed at your accomplishment, they will not notice the flaws that you've had time to pick up on. so enjoy it and feel proud!

there are tons of sites online to help with different levels of difficulty with upholstery projects, but one image that was extremely helpful was the following. use it as a guide and get going!

xoxo Lauren

{bevvies} sarasota lemonade

yesterday i had an awesome time. i know- shocking, right? but seriously, any event where i can shop, drink, eat, and chat it up with friends is a good time no matter which way you cut it. so when my friend / former colleague / fellow blogger, madeline, sent out invites for a stella & dot party i was like- 'umm, duh, i'm in.'

stella & dot is an ah-may-zing jewelry line that i am seriously addicted to. pretty sure i wear a stella & dot piece every time i walk out the door. i'll be covering some of my faves and newfound purchases later this week, so stay tuned!

madeline actually went to her first stella & dot soiree this past summer at my condo. i called it cupcakes and cocktails, where i served, well, cupcakes and cocktails. like usual, in preparation for this event, i scoured pinterest for easy recipes and concotions to eat/drink. i came to the conclusion that nothing is easier in the cupcake department than box mixes (talkin' to you, lemon poppyseed and red velvet). however, i did come across a deliciously boozy bevvie, sarasota lemonade. easy, cheap, and yummy, everyone enjoyed the mixture and immediately re-pinned it while standing in my living room. it's that good.

picture c/o pamperedjes.blogspot.com!

sarasota lemonade

 

2 bottles Moscato
1 pink lemonade concentrate
Sprite to taste (more = less boozy, less = more boozy)
Fresh raspberries

 

i poured all of the ingredients into my williams-sonoma punch bowl and stirred.

then drank. and drank. and drank. yum.

 

special thanks to jes at the pampered jes for coming up with this drink. or finding it. either way, it's awesome! enjoy!

 

xoxo Lauren



{friday fun} starbucks secret menu.

it's friday, so why not have a little fun? with that begins my weekly friday post very cleverly titled, {friday fun}. oh yeah, i'm real witty. with a useful tip (this is a blog by me afterall), will come a funny vid, pic, link, list, or whatever gives me the giggles. hopefully, you'll giggle too.

yesterday was november 1st, so here in the riner household that meant that pumpkin spice latte was no longer alone on the starbucks menu. eggnog latte, gingerbread latte, and others joined in...it's a holiday drink partay! did you know, though, there's a whole menu of drinks you can order or customize to your pleasure. another pinterest find!

try one this weekend and let me know how it tastes! in the meantime, enjoy this hilarious starbucks video from the ellen show.

xoxo Lauren

{beauty} fall face mask.

i try not to make new year's resolutions. i think of them more as lifestyle changes to better myself throughout the year. so back in late january i attended an at-home party for beauty products. you know, the kind of party where everyone sits around someone's living room and tries all sorts of products out. now there wasn't a specific product that really stood out for me, but something the hostess said. she explained that the european union has banned over 10,000 ingredients from products that are applied or ingested...while the good 'ol USA hasn't banned anywhere close to the number and that many of those ingredients are readily found in our daily products! everything from hand soap to toothpaste to makeup! this was unbelievable to me.

so began my task of finding more natural products to limit my exposure to chemicals that are harmful to myself and those around me. i came across so many websites and apps to help me in my task of ridding my home bathroom and kitchen of these products. but at the same time, i also found recipes to make products on my own with basic ingredients i already had around my home. funny how they were right under my nose.

one of my fave recipes is basically a fall face mask. super simple ingredients to help you exfoliate and tame skin ailments. **as with any product you apply, please test this out on yourself before fully applying to make sure there is no reaction**

fall face mask

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

mix the ingredients and apply generously to face. leave on for 30 minutes and then wash away.

 

i got bored during hurricane sandy. ha.

the recipe can last you a good week, especially if you apply 3 times a week like i do. and it doesn't smell too bad either. ;-)

xoxo Lauren