Summer Spin on Zucchini Pasta

I have officially been Inspiralized.

My new kitchen gadget, the Paderno Spiral Slicer is the best thing that’s happened since my HealthMaster blender. My julienne peeler was doing the trick up until now, even though it was quite time consuming. But with just one use of the spiralizer and I can honestly say it’s life changing. It is so easy to spiral all the veg that I love, giving me tons of new ideas on how to reinvent meals.

I wanted to keep today’s dish simple and utilize some fresh local summer vegetables. Less is more when it comes to enjoying the flavours of fresh produce. This lemon pesto zucchini pasta is very simple and takes less than 20 minutes to pull it all together. The corn adds a nice sweetness, while the kalamata olives offer a natural saltiness. This natural way of adding minimal salt works well because added salt can cause your zucchini to turn to mush. Hope you enjoy the dish.

Lemon Pesto Zucchini Pasta with Corn & Kalamata Olives

4 zucchini (spiralized)
2 cobbs of corn (corn removed from cobb)
2 lemons, juice and a pinch of zest
1 tbsp homemade pesto (basil, red pepper flakes, olive oil, garlic)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
topped with goat cheese and fresh basil

In a large pot, boil corn for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add your pesto until heated. Once heated, add the zucchini noodles and toss for 3-5 minutes or until al dente. Once Zucchini is cooked, toss with lemon juice.

Using tongs, to let excess moisture drip away, transfer zucchini into a bowl. Cut away the corn from the cobb and add to the zucchini pasta. Top with pitted kalamata olives, lemon zest, fresh basil and a sprinkle of goat cheese. Best served warm, but also great as a cold salad.

Makes 4 servings.

Be Inspiralized. xx

The Beauty of Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil has a bit of a craze surrounding it lately, with hundreds of different uses. I was skeptical at first, but once I tried a few of the many claims; not only does it have a permanent spot in my pantry, but now it also has a permanent spot in my medicine cabinet. Coconut Oil is naturally antibacterial and antifungal, ultimately moisturizing and smells delicious. Here are my top uses:

To Moisturize-softens and hydrates dry skin (my saving grace in the dry winter)
To Exfoliate- mixed with sugar, salt, and honey, this mixture exfoliates and hydrates, leaving the skin silky smooth (great for face and body)
As a Cuticle Oil- moisturizes and softens cuticles (perfect for when your hands need a little TLC)
To Treat Acne-antibacterial components gently fight against acne (ah-mazing!)
As a Lip Balm- hydrates and protects (best used before bed)
To Remove Makeup- effortlessly removes (key for mascara, be careful to not get it in your eye)
As a Hair Serum- smoothes and tames (a little goes a long way)
As a Hair Mask/Conditioner-great for added shine and silky texture
As a Shaving Oil- makes for a smooth shave, moisturizes and protects against razor burn

What are your go to tricks? Coconut

xx!

Black Beauty

What does your morning routine look like?

I am a rise and shine, early bird catches the worm type morning person. It is my time in the day where I can really take some time for me, while the rest of the world sleeps. I try to fit in a sweat session whether it be running or yoga + some added reflection time, to read or write. When it comes to breakfast, I either want the full out weekend brunch or a quick and easy nutrient rich smoothie. 6 of 7 days, is typically the latter to give myself more time before heading off to work. I am usually mixing my go to greens to ensure I am getting all my necessary vitamins first thing, but lately I have been switching things up to keep it interesting. I see my morning smoothie as the extra kicker to starting the day off right. I will be sure to share my favourite go to recipes along the way, so you too can start your day off right. 🙂

Here’s one that I regularly make when I am looking for something a bit sweeter, yields 4 servings.

1.5 cups frozen blueberries (I prefer frozen blueberries for the consistency, but fresh work too!)
2 raw beets
3 cups kale
1 apple
2 cups water (or until desired consistency)

Black Beauty

Happy Morning Friends! xx

A New Take on the Caprese Salad

One of my greatest pleasures of the summer is tomatoes and basil freshly picked from the garden. Combining these two basic ingredients, plus some fresh buffalo mozzarella and high quality olive oil, you have yourself the traditional Caprese salad. The simplicity of it’s nature and the quality of the ingredients makes for a perfect summer dish. Giving you bursts of flavour that are far from basic.

Recently, I was inspired by a feature in Bon Appetit Magazine, which showcased 5 twists on the Caprese Salad. I tested them out and tried a few twists of my own and here they are:

Heirloom Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, Basil; finished with a drizzle of olive oil & a dash of S&P

Grilled Eggplant, Fior’ di Latte, Chives; finished with a drizzle of olive oil & balsamic reduction

Grilled Red Peppers, Fior’ di Latte, Basil; finished with a drizzle of olive oil

Raw Beets, Ricotta, Lemon Zest, Dill; finished with a drizzle of olive oil & sprinkle of salt

Peach, Ricotta, Basil; finished with a drizzle of olive oil & balsamic reduction

Buon Appetito! xx

Going Nude

Wearing nude may come off as basic and boring, but it is anything but. Nude is simple, easy, classy, chic, sexy, definitely not boring! Nude coloured accessories pair well with any ensemble and work for both daytime and evening looks. I like to think of it as my go to alternative to black. Nude accessories are staples to have in ones wardrobe and are an easy fix, when you run into styling problems. They go with everything and look oh so chic.

Nude shoes are my favourite go to option as they are a no brainer when it comes to pulling together an outfit. They can be the statement piece, see Valentino Rockstud Patent T-strap or they can complement a statement outfit just perfectly like Christian Louboutins “So Kate”. Nude has become such a staple that Christian Louboutin made a collection showcasing different shades of nude to match your skin tone, he even went as far as developing an app to discover the right shade for you. Louboutin says that nude shoes are like magic, “The shoes are there to give the woman an extra lift, not to take attention away from the legs and what she is wearing. They disappear like magic and become a fluid extension of her legs, as in a sketch, elongating the silhouette.”

Some of my favourite nude picks are shown here: