MM

She always prefers the driver’s seat.

— Kate Spade

Salad? Yes please!

It started several weeks ago, and I have no idea why.  I simply woke up one Monday morning and decided that I was going on what has become known as my ‘salad diet’.  Before you roll your eyes and think “Ugh, another post about dieting”, keep reading.  Because when I say salad, I don’t mean plain lettuce or mixed greens, I mean something more exciting.  Something of your own creation.  Something with fruit.  And veggies. And protein.  Maybe some pine nuts or sliced almonds.  I didn’t start the ‘diet’ in an effort to lose weight, I started it as a way to ensure that I consume fruits and vegetables in a fun and creative way.  As I established my plan for eating lots of greens, I discovered several key things:

1. Always add protein.  Fish, chicken, a hard-boiled egg…something that helps fill you up.  Buy a rotisserie chicken and you’ll have protein for several meals!

2. Build up a pep squad; having a group of cheerleaders isn’t just for sporting events.  As coworkers noticed that I was eating a lot of salad, it actually inspired them to do the same.  Now there is a group of us, and we help hold one another accountable.  That in itself is priceless.

3. Pay attention to fresh foods that are on sale at your local supermarket.  There’s usually something different every few days, which helps you vary what you add to each salad.

4. I’ll be honest.  After several weeks of eating salads, I was beginning to falter.  Nevertheless, I ran to the store to pick up a fresh batch of greens, and when I got to the register, the cashier (she is now my favorite cashier) pointed out that they were buy get one free. Boom. Right then and there I realized that I was meant to keep it up. So pay attention to the small things that will help you stick to your healthy eating.

5. And finally, don’t become obsessed, because it’s no fun for you or for those around you.  I stick to salads Monday through Friday only, and eat whatever I want on the weekend (stick to a proper serving size, mind you).

So go for it.  Eat some salad.  Throw on some blueberries and chicken. Enjoy the fact that it’s summer and it’s easy to buy fresh, local produce.

And trust me.  Your waistline will thank you.

 

~ C

MM / Monday Morning quote!

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.

— Emily Post

Weekend Life / Saturday homemade granola

Saturday.  Today was one of the first Saturdays I can remember in a long time where I had the whole day to myself.  So of course, the weather was sunny and beautiful rather than grey and pouring rain as it’s been for the past couple of weeks.  I so wished I had a brunch or picnic to go to!  Or even a barbecue at the park; anything that would have required me to be outside and social!  I considered going out for a run, but given that I had gone to the salon earlier in the day for a fantastic cut and blowout, I felt it would have been a shame to ruin it so soon.  Mind you, I only get my hair cut about 2 or 3 times a year, so when I do, I tend to relish the blowout for as long as I can!

With no other plans for the day, I settled into my apartment with a cozy cup of coffee and my laptop.  With Fork & Flair newly born, and having recently introduced C to the wonders of Pinterest, we had plenty to talk about on Skype!  At some point in our conversation, I was reminded of wanting to try my hand at homemade granola.  Not that it’s difficult for me to buy natural and delicious granolas at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods; I wanted to see if I could make it and simultaneously use up some of the steel cut oats I’ve been hoarding in my cupboards for ages — from when I used to eat oatmeal every morning without getting bored.

Naturally, C sent over her ‘go-to’ granola recipe via email, pronto.  Given that I wanted to incorporate steel cut oats, which is not a usual ingredient in most granolas, I had to improvise.  Thankfully the beauty of granola is that it’s fairly forgiving, especially of the non-essential ingredients such as dried fruits and nuts, seeds, and flavor spices that one decides to dump into the mix.  I also used apple butter instead of a vegetable or coconut oil because I had a half-used jar of apple butter sitting in my refrigerator and I read on a few other recipes I found online that apple sauce sometimes can do the trick of providing moisture to homemade granolas in the place of oils.  Apple butter….close enough to apple sauce, right?

Nesting doll measuring cups

1st Attempt at Homemade Granola

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup sliced raw almonds
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup apple butter 
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg

I mixed all the ingredients together starting with the dry, then added the fruits and nuts, and finished with the honey, apple butter, and spices.  I cranked my oven up to 300*F, lined 2 baking sheets with the mixture, and baked for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.

The end result proved…..unique.  It was on the crunchy and loose side, which I am OK with since I tend to eat granola mixed in yogurt or kefir (a.k.a. drinkable yogurt) anyways.  For those who prefer a sweeter, more clustered granola, I would suggest using only rolled oats, leaving out the hard seeds like chia and flax, and adding in the dried fruit after baking.  Dried fruits and nuts are completely optional, of course, along with the spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  It all depends on preference.  But, I would suggest opting in on the oil (a couple of tablespoons), unless you like a looser granola too.

 

~ J

Homemade granola with yogurt

Warm and toasty out of the oven

 

First Post / ABOUT

What is Fork and Flair?

Fork and Flair is the result of a friendship that began over six years ago in Shanghai, China. And as we like to view it, it was destiny. How could two people who have an affinity for bubble tea, extraordinary street shopping bargains, and photo shoots not form a close bond?

Despite the hundreds of miles that separated us from the moment we moved out of our apartment in Shanghai, we made sure that countless letters arrived on one another’s doorstep with incredible regularity. Said letters contained everything from the mundane (“I bought a new toothpaste, and I love it”), to more personal matters about our lives, relationships, and emotional ups and downs.

Over the years, we’ve purchased hundreds of stamps and stationary sets, because, as it turns out, we have a lot to tell each other.

We’ve had some fun and learned some lessons along the way in the realms of fashion, food, home décor, and travel, so why not share our thoughts? This blog contains the musings of two 20-somethings, and whether or not you take something away from it, always remember the following:

Smile.

Be brave.
Be curious.
Be playful.
Be strong.

Save old snapshots.
Call your grandmother.
Primp at leisure and always wear lipstick.
Life is a party. Dress like it.
Be so happy that when others look at you, they become happy too.
Believe that you’re beautiful, because you are.

 

~ J & C