Unique Cheese Boards

Its almost the weekend and you know what that means...time for a dinner party! Which means its time to start planning food displays of course! Okay, so you may not be Martha Stewart, but adding small details can make you seem like you are.
I love a unique cheese board. It can be quite a conversation piece! No, seriously. Most people eat with their eyes first. Food just looks so much more delicious when presented in an interesting way, and this is one way that requires very little skill or effort. So go ahead, get a fun cheese board, relax, and just be your charming self!

 

My husband and I bought this Maple burl cheese board on Church Street from Vermont Butcher Block & Board Company last summer when we lived in Burlington. Each piece is completely unique. I love it so much!

I found this reclaimed slate cheese board on Etsy. Totally goes with the chalkboard style right now!

These boards are made of olive wood from West Elm. Olive wood has always intrigued me, it just looks so smooth and has beautiful natural grain. 

This Farm Friends Marble cheese board is just for fun. I mean, I love pigs (and cows). Who doesn't?!

 

I found an Etsy shop that has maple burls similar to mine. So elegant. 

What do you like to have at your dinner parties? Something that is a conversation piece? Something simple that allows the food to stand on its own? Just lots of wine? Tell me about your last dinner party or one that you're planning now! Have a great weekend!

xo kristen genevieve

Independence Day Feast!

Some people look forward to fireworks every year. Personally, I love creating the holiday feast! Since we don't have a grill at our apartment, we decided to get creative with red, white & blue. We also wanted it to be tasty of course, so I thought, why not go Mexican & Italian for Independence Day?!

 

Guacamole made with ripe avocados, organic tomatoes, sauteed garlic, juice from half of a small lime, salt, pepper, and a bit of chili powder & cayenne to taste. We also tried to keep in the spirit of the fourth of July with blue & white chips!

Bruschetta made with toasted baguette slices topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano, organic grape tomatoes & garlic sauteed in olive oil, and julienned organic basil. Sooo good!!

Strawberry-Blueberry Shortcake with homemade whipped cream. I picked up the shortcakes at Trader Joe's so this dessert took about 5 minutes to put together! 

What sorts of food did you eat this Independence Day? I'm dying to find more recipe & craft ideas for the future! What other traditions do you love on the Fourth? I hope you all had a great holiday!!

xo kristen genevieve

Breakfast Of Champions

Today's breakfast is so healthy, its inspiring me already to get exercising today! Not to mention how simply delicious it is. YUM!

Just Watermelon, hashtagnofilter.

Grape Medley from Trader Joe's. I don't think I had ever tried black grapes until I bought these, and now they are my favorite! They're just more flavorful overall.

The best thing about this breakfast: these fruits are not only loaded with vitamins, but they are filled with water, so this breakfast keeps you hydrated & feeling fuller, longer. So go get some! Enjoy! :)

xo kristen genevieve

Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life

Even though it was a rainy day here in Vermont, I have promised myself that I will make no excuses to avoid being healthy! Over the past 10 months, I had gained 20lbs. Three months ago, I decided I needed to make a change to feel better about myself, and today I stand just 2lbs short of losing all the weight I had gained. I wasn't happy that I let myself go, but losing nearly 20lbs has inspired me to be healthier than I ever was before.

There is no special sauce to losing weight. Eating well (not too much, mostly plants) and exercising consistently have been the keys to my weight loss success.
Some people love sweets, but personally, I love cheese. If I want to indulge with some cheese, I choose mozzarella or feta (lower fat) rather than brie. I don't eat myself sick, but I don't fret about a few calories here or there. Moreover, I have chosen to eat more healthy overall, including adding a daily homemade smoothie to my routine.
When it comes to exercising, consistency has been so crucial for me. If I take more than one day off, I feel much more sluggish, heavy, and weak, which makes me less motivated to work hard that day. This isn't the case for everyone, but I still believe that consistency is key. If I miss a day, I don't stress, but I don't let myself make more excuses the next day. 

Each day is a new day, and today is the first day of the rest of your life! 

Today's workout was some light running in the sprinkling rain with some squats, push ups and abs. Today's lunch was my usual smoothie plus a simple spinach salad. 

Two cups water, juice from half a lemon, between 1-2 cups spinach, 2 bananas, organic frozen mango & organic frozen blueberries. Yum!

  Spinach with olive oil, fresh ground pepper, cayenne (because everything I eat must have some spice) & topped with a few sesame sticks to add a little bit of crunch and salt (not too much!).

xo kristen genevieve