HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!!!!

For some reason your birthday sneaks up on me every year. It’s like Christmas is barely over and then BAM it’s time to celebrate your birth. I do have to admit that I’m rather grateful to be celebrating your birth today, since you my favorite person. You are my everything and I hope that this year is what you want it to be and more.
Cheers to you! I can’t wait to celebrate with you tonight (and tomorrow too).
XOXOXX.

Chickpea Fritters

I'm always on the hunt for my next FAVORITE recipe, my next food obsession. You know what I'm talking about, the kind of recipe that you make 3-4 times the first week because it's just that good. I've made these fritters about ten times since discovering the recipe on Pinterest. They are truly tasty and satisfying. The best part is that Ryan loves them just as much as I do. See, win-win. He's happy, I'm happy, we're all happy.

I adopted the below recipe from here:

What you need: 

- 1c chickpea flour
- 1/2ts salt & pepper
- 1ts cumin
- 1ts rosemary
- 1ts cayenne pepper
- 3/4c hot water
- 1c baby kale
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 3/4c of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/8ts baking soda
- olive oil for frying

What you do: 

Mix flour, salt, pepper, cumin, rosemary and cayenne pepper together in medium bowl.

Slowly mix warm water into flour mixture, stop when it looks like pancake batter. Put batter into fridge to rehydrate 30 minutes.

In the meantime, get your other ingredients ready. Then add everything else to your batter bowl. I have to warn you, the batter isn't going to look pretty. In fact, it's going to look pretty gross, but don't get discouraged. They taste wonderful.

See, kind of gross looking.

Heat up pan with oil and start frying your fritters. I like to use my 1/4 measuring cup to ensure that the fritters are the same size (which means they'll cook for the same amount of time).

Cook each fritter for 2-3 minutes per side or until they are golden brown. 

I top mine with tzatziki sauce which is a winner combo if I do say so myself.

Enjoy.

13 Days Free

For the last thirteen days, I've had no "real" responsibilities and it has been wonderful. I've managed to do a lot in the last fortnight, I've visited tons of friends & family, went to see The Rockettes, went to my first blow dry bar, went to hot yoga, holiday parties, shopped and cuddled my fur babies for hours on end. It was the exact vacation that I needed. With work being so crazy, being able to escape for a little bit was a perfect gift.

drinks in Binghamton

Who knew getting your hair blown out could be so wonderful?!

Radio City

Rockefeller Center

Secret Santa Dinner

One of my favorite store, Terrain

Welcome 2013, Goodbye 2012

Today marks the start of a new year. And the end of another. 2012 was eventful, to say the least. Here are some of the things I'm proud of:

• Traveling, I did a crap-ton in 2012. I drove cross country, went to Chicago twice, went snowboarding in Vermont, went to Disney World, and went to San Francisco (for the 1st time!).

• Welcoming Lucas, my friend Karen's son, to the world. He was born last January! I love extending my friend-family circle.

• Doing the Warrior Dash, I always under-estimate my physical capabilities and was super proud of myself for doing the race at all. It was so much fun that I know I'll do it again. 

• Keeping up with this BLOG. I've had a few other failed blogs and feel like this hobby has finally clicked. YEY!

• Visiting Alcatraz! It's been on my "to visit" list for years, and it was extra exciting to be able to cross that off.

• Feeling more confident as a Project Manager. I've had more and more work responsibilities thrown onto my shoulders these past 6 months, and at times I was so overwhelmed that I didn't know what to do, BUT I do feel that my confidence in myself has sky-rocketed.  

2013 should be interesting too, I'm turning 30! and have a bunch of other life goals in the works. Someone please give me the energy to complete all of my "to-do's".

XO.