Archive for September, 2014

Panzanella Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

Inspired by the last batch of heirloom tomatoes pulled from our garden, I made this riff on panzanella last weekend for lunch. Traditional panzanella is a Tuscan salad of bread and tomatoes that’s popular in the summer. I used mixed greens as the base of mine and less bread, plus some other secret ingredients to pack in tons of flavor–kidney beans, roasted peppers, Gorgonzola, and a super fresh lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It’s not too late to whip up this vibrant salad yourself to take advantage of the last of the season’s tomatoes…get to it!

Panzanella Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

Half of a fresh, crusty sourdough baguette
2-4 heirloom tomatoes, depending on their size, chopped
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 small jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Mixed greens
Lemon olive oil or lemon juice
1 small clove of garlic, minced
White wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Chop the sourdough baguette into bite-sized pieces or cubes. If your baguette is soft (no crunchy outer layer), consider toasting or grilling the bread first. Prepare all the salad ingredients in separate bowls–chopped tomatoes, rinsed beans, sliced onion, chopped peppers, crumbled cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon olive oil or lemon juice, minced garlic, and white wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium mixing bowl, add enough mixed greens for two people, then drizzle with the lemon-garlic vinaigrette. Toss to coat leaves with dressing. Add the bread cubes, tomatoes, and beans to the salad greens, tossing again to coat everything (add more dressing if desired). Divide the dressed greens, tomatoes, beans, and bread into two bowls, then top with the onion, roasted peppers, and Gorgonzola.

Packing for Maine

Rounding up our late-summer trip to Maine (hotel, photos, guide) with a little peek at what I took with me…Maine lends itself well to classic, casual East Coast prep. I packed a lot of stripes, plus some staples–a pair of jeans and white shorts, white sneakers, a denim jacket. I also took a few things for comfort x fun, since it was still warm, like this yellow floral button down and sage linen romper. I wore my Panama hat a lot, and interchanged between the sneakers and espadrille flats. I threw in a striped dress and white sandals for dinnertime. All packed up easily for five days into a trusty Lo & Sons Catalina weekender–this khaki color is one of their newer options.

Of course, I packed a few extra things not pictured–a white button down, a second striped tee, and white and gray tees. Basic things that could be mixed around. You really don’t need much for Maine–it’s a pretty casual place. For a fall trip, I’d stick with a similar plan and color palette but add a few sweaters and swap the espadrilles for a pair of ankle boots.

Travel Guide: Maine

Maine surpassed our expectations and left us wanting to return, visions of “summering” in the area dancing through our heads. You could easily spend weeks exploring the charming coastal towns between Portland and Bar Harbor, or you could rent a cottage and enjoy a quieter pace of life. And an abundance of fresh lobster and blueberries will make any foodie swoon. But if you only have a few days to visit—we had five—here’s a quick guide of my absolute must dos:

IN THREE WORDS: Rugged seaside escape

WHERE TO STAY: Asticou Inn in Bar Harbor and Mercury Inn in Portland

WHERE TO EAT: Salt & Honey in Kennebunkport for breakfast, Five Islands Lobster Co. in Georgetown for lobster rolls with an off-the-beaten-track view, Red’s Eats in Wiscasset for the biggest and the best lobster rolls, Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard for the best whole lobster, Salt Water Farm in Rockport for an inspired Sunday brunch, Side Street Café in Bar Harbor for lunch (get the lobster Cobb salad), CJ’s Big Dipper in Bar Harbor for blueberry ice cream or soft serve, Havana/Parrilla in Bar Harbor for Cuban-inspired food, Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland for the freshest and most creative oysters, Fore Street in Portland for farm-to-table fine dining, Duckfat for crispy Belgian fries with tasty aioli

WHAT TO DO: Visit the famous Portland Light lighthouse. Rent a car and drive up the coast, stopping for lobster rolls along the way. Spend some time in Acadia National Park, exploring Sand Beach, hiking trails, and heading to the top of Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. Take the Lulu Lobster Boat tour—Captain John is an entertaining and ridiculously knowledgeable fisherman, who will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about lobster fishing. The view of the harbor from the sea is not to be missed.

WHERE TO SHOP: L.L. Bean flagship in Freeport, K. Colette for home goods in Portland, Portland Dry Goods and Portland Trading Co. (both also in Portland) for casually hip clothing and accessories

HOW TO GET AROUND: By car

WHAT TO BRING HOME: Blueberry syrup, L.L. Bean tote bag

WHAT TO PACK: Striped tees, shorts, jeans, boat shoes. Think casual, classic east coast style.

WHEN TO GO: Late July or early August—a great time weather-wise and not too crowded. Try the fall for the changing foliage.

Blueberry, Peach & Kale Grain Salad

My perfect Saturday morning looks a lot like this—stretching out my body and mind at 8 a.m. yoga, a trip to the farmers’ market to stock up on seasonal produce and local favorites, and then preparing a fresh and simple salad for lunch inspired by ingredients from the market. This past Saturday was no exception to this routine, though I did skip yoga. I shared a quick snap of the blueberry, peach, kale and grain salad I whipped together for lunch over on Instagram, so I thought today I’d share the super easy, non-recipe recipe for it with you today!

Blueberry, Peach & Kale Grain Salad

1 cup of farro or wheat berries, cooked according to package instructions
One bunch of kale, washed, destemmed, torn into pieces
1 cup of blueberries
1 large peach, diced
½ cup of roasted almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup of SarVecchio (the best Parmesan!), grated
Balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a small bowl, make the dressing: Whisk together a small amount (about 1/4 cup total) of balsamic vinegar and olive oil to your taste preference (we prefer more vinegar to oil). Season with salt and pepper. Add torn kale leaves and farro to a large salad bowl and distribute the balsamic vinaigrette evenly, using hands to coat the leaves and grains well. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the blueberries, peaches, almonds, and cheese on top. Toss everything together just before serving and enjoy.

Coastal Maine

It had been years since I took my first trip to Maine with my family. I remembered seeing lighthouses and a beautiful rocky coastline, eating blueberry syrup on pancakes at our B&B, and donning a bib to eat fresh lobster. Unfortunately, that was about it. Going back to Maine had been on my U.S. bucket list for a while, and I’m so glad we made it there last month for our last trip before baby. We flew into Portland, where we met up with dear friends to start our five-day adventure. On the first day, we briefly headed south to the famous town of Kennebunkport for breakfast and a stroll around town, swung over to Cape Elizabeth to check out Portland Head Light, then slowly began a road trip up the coastline. We stopped in small towns along the way – every one was picture perfect – and made two special stops specifically for the best of the best in lobster rolls (they did not disappoint). We continued on until we reached Mount Desert Island, then checked into the historic Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor for a few days. The next days were filled with leisurely visits to Bar Harbor to dine, exploring Acadia National Park’s trails, beaches, views and even getting up to its highest peak for 5:20 a.m. sunrise, learning straight from a seasoned fisherman all about lobster on a harbor tour, and of course, eating copious amounts of lobster and blueberry everything.

We wrapped up our road trip by heading back along the coast, stopping in Rockport for a farm-to-table brunch at the lovely Salt Water Farm (I’m already plotting a return to attend their cooking school), checked out the Maine lobster festival in Rockland and the massive L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, and then landed back in Portland for some fun shopping and delicious dining.

I’ll let the photos in the slideshow above do the rest of the talking – Maine’s coast is breathtakingly beautiful and its towns are downright charming to say the least. And I’ll share my packing list and a guide with specific must-dos with you next week!

Summer Dress

Today marks the 30-day countdown to baby’s arrival, which is hard to believe! We’re checking off to-do lists, stocking up on baby essentials, and putting final touches on the nursery in full force. I’ve absolutely loved being pregnant and am honestly sad to have this phase end, though I know we’re about to experience a whole new level of joy and love when our daughter makes her appearance in a few short weeks. While I’m definitely going to miss the bump and feeling her movements, it’s also exciting to realize that my wardrobe options will open up again. I’ve managed to make it through pregnancy only buying one pair of maternity jeans and some new bras, and it’s worked but has been a trade off for limited options.

Now I know my pre-pregnancy bod won’t magically reappear this fall, so for some extra motivation to get back in tip-top shape, I’ll be hanging this effortlessly chic See By Chloé dress in my closet (a total summer steal at half price, though unfortunately it looks like I snagged the very last one). I love the playful geometric pattern and backless design—it’ll be perfect for sunny days and al fresco dinning. Can’t wait to wear it next summer!

By the way, Matchesfashion.com wins for prettiest packaging of any online order I’ve ever received in the mail. I’m tempted to order again just to get another marbleized box! If you haven’t checked out the site, there are some treasures in their “style steals” section and now’s the perfect time to buy a little something fun on major sale–to wear now or save for later. A few other dresses I love: this DVF cream dress, this oxford stripe dress, this embroidered shift dress, and this navy lace dress.