Snap pea, Persian cucumber, green tomato salad

When people think green they focus on the leafy vegetables, but we often neglect the other awesome verde veggies. This heat is really getting to me, and the only things I want to eat are light and hydrating. This fresh mix is the perfect solution for lazy dinners.

Serves one:
6 oz. of snap peas (about 1/2 Trader Joe's bag)
1 sliced Persian cucumber sliced
1/2 medium size green tomato sliced
Dill
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Himalayan pink salt

1. Blanch your snap peas for just a minute.
2. Set aside and allow to cool in the cold water.
3. Slice your tomato and cucumber.
4. Mix lemon juice and olive oil.
5. Tear apart the dill and mix it with the vegetables in a bowl.
6. Coat with dressing and the salt.

If John Lennon saw the world through blue lenses

Dress- Pixie Market, sunnies- Le Specs, boots- Sam Edelman

Starving and desperate for my favorite salad from El Rey, when I spotted a sign for Pixie Market in Lower East. Suddenly no longer hungry I barged into the store. My favorite online store had an actual store, and even my growling stomach wasn't going to stop me. So secret's out people now you don't have to fight other online shoppers for small sizes that sell out immediately. Go to the store on Stanton and get some help from the most amazing staff.

Remember the buyer's remorse post, well everything happens for a reason cause I ended up with this amazing Le Specs pair last weekend. Lori at Redeem is always so helpful, and after trying on a few pairs that were more classic I couldn't decide. Then these came off the shelf, and the second they hit the bridge of my nose... game over, I needed them.

And the white ankle brace, fashion statement clearly (tears), but more of a daily reminder of my own painful stupidity.

Greek salmon cakes with yogurt sauce

Left over salmon and long day call for a Greek protein packed dish. Not the prettiest presentation I have the hardest time keeping the cakes together, but if you have a better flip of the wrist hopefully yours will look better than mine. Undoubtedly they'll taste delicious no matter how they look.

Salmon cakes
Serves two: 
1 egg
1 cooked filet of Atlantic salmon
2 baby heirloom tomatoes
1/8 red onion
2 oz. feta cheese
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1/2 diced Persian cucumber
Dill

1. Chop your tomatoes, onion, and cheese.
2. Mix your salmon, egg, tomatoes, onion, and cheese together well so the cake will stick together.
3. Grease a pan and form little cakes with the batter (4-6 cakes).
4. Cook your cakes on high heat flipping to the other side when browned.
5. Once both sides have cooked transfer to a plate.
6. Mix the dill, yogurt, and cucumber to be served with the cakes. Garnish with extra dill.

Upper body layering in Lower East

 Pink camisole- mom's, lace- Free People, skirt- uniqlo, wedges- mom's

The most random wall in Lower East and somehow the perfect contrast to the romantic look of my outfit for the day. Pretending I'm Carrie Bradshaw (when am I not?), and trying to layer my tops with contrasting materials, a little silk and a little lace. Simple touches to make a difference without adding bulk in this hot weather.

Updated Vegetarian Cobb Salad

I have this recent weird obsession with soft boiled eggs. Despite my phobia of mayo these days, I used to love my mom's egg salad. A weird comfort food that is so simple, but I'm convinced hers is the best in the world. Making soft boiled eggs kinda fills that void since I'm so many miles away.

Summer is all about salads so I decided to update the typical Cobb making it vegetarian and keeping it more modern than the traditional version: heirloom tomatoes instead of roma, feta cheese instead of bleu, tempeh instead of bacon, soft boiled instead of hard boiled eggs, spinach kale mix instead of Romaine.

Salad:
Feta cheese
Tempeh
Red onion
Salad mix
Baby heirloom tomatoes
Eggs

Dressing:
Red wine vinegar
Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Lemon juice

1. Prepare your eggs. This is the best tutorial depending on how hard or soft boiled you want them.
2. While you're preparing them cut your red onion, tomatoes vertically, and crumble your feta.
3. Once your eggs are peeled and cut in half, prepare your tempeh.
4. Add the tempeh to a non-stick pan. Break down your tempeh into a crumble. Add a little cayenne pepper or smoked spice to give it more of a smoky flavor. Cook till it's lightly browned.
5. Mix together the different parts to your dressing.
6. Prepare your salad by adding the salad mix and mixing thoroughly with your dressing.
7. Arrange everything else on top and enjoy.

What did you wear to work today?

Running from the office I get a phone call, "come quick there's a lot of Lilly [Pulitzer] happening.. tunics." These are the cautionary words of the only person I can rely on to look anti-prep with me and stand in a clean suit that isn't practically vomiting neon colors. I've gotten used to standing out a bit and that's when you call your friend who will look just as good as you (in the male form) to attend all fashion related events.

I swear I will meet my husband wearing this rag & bone burgundy blazer, or at least the number of complimentary men at the Whole Foods in Logan Circle has given me good evidence to support that conclusion. Toned down with an all white outfit and the most comfortable pumps I own courtesy of Calvin Klein of all people. Ironically when I bought them I was dealing with an injured foot and had my poor mom try on every shoe in Bloomingdales for me (for the record I'm limping around the office today again injured). Since she's the pickiest when it comes to comfortable shoes, I knew these were a winner when she was barely willing to give them up to me.

I'm hoping those tunics were not part of their actual office attire, but I can only help but wonder after my prior post. What did you wear to work today?

When a tan becomes your best accessory

Skirt- Zara, vest worn as shirt- Pins and Needles, shoes- Zara (similar here)

After committing myself to three long beautiful days by the pool I can safely say I've picked up a new fabulous accessory... giving my Persian roots a shout out with my tanned skin. An all white outfit is the perfect contrast to my new glow. Plus these Zara heels have a cool cut that really show off my ankles.

Shot these on the way to a gallery opening and found this perfect brick wall to shoot against around the corner. This look is the perfect transition outfit from early evening to late night, which can only really be perfected with showing the right amount of skin.

Not your traditional cheese plate

Cheese plates are an easy appetizer dish, but usually the starch they're served with takes the spotlight. Allow your cheeses to be the stars of the show with this grilled haloumi and heirloom tomato option or goat cheese stuffed mushrooms. Haloumi is a new cheese I tried after spotting it at Trader Joe's. Something about it keeps it from melting when it's grilled, but the outside becomes crispy and delicious. The mushrooms are based on a portobello mushroom burger minus the bun again letting the cheese shine.

Haloumi, pesto, heirloom tomato stack

1. Grill your pieces of haloumi on high heat on a pan. Once both sides are darkened remove and cut into smaller pieces appropriate for appetizer serving.
2. Add a layer of pesto (refer to my lemon version or basil walnut version).
3. Carefully slice your heirloom tomatoes and add on top with pieces of basil.
4. Stick toothpicks in for easy pick up and eating.

Goat cheese stuffed mushrooms with balsamic red onions

Crumbled goat cheese
Cleaned out portobello mushroom caps
Red onion
Balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic glaze
Hemp seeds (optional)

1. Drizzle olive oil over your mushroom caps and put in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice your red onion and saute with olive oil on high. Add a little balsamic vinaigrette once the onions have softened a bit.
3. When the caps have cooked you'll notice some water has developed in the cap from the mushroom shrinking. Just empty the water before stuffing.
4. Stuff the caps with goat cheese and if you'd like hemp seeds (extra plant protein!).
5. Stick back in the oven and allow the cheese to melt 10 minutes or so.
6. Top with the cheese with onions, and put back in the oven for just a few minutes.
7. Prepare on your plate and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

What does healthy really mean?

I hate dietary labels. I don't want to hear that you're vegetarian, vegan, pesc, paleo, gluten-free, raw, "eating clean", dairy-free, Atkins, juice cleansing, eating before 7 pm, eating a cube of cheese every time you think you're going to pass out (did I cover all of them?). I especially don't want to hear that you're _____, and then watch you down a milkshake or a pizza. There I said it. While I've been guilty of trying many of these types of "diets" (using that word loosely not to mean restricting although that has happened but to describe regimens), I almost hated telling people I was vegan when I used to avoid animal products for fear of being judged as "that person" who can't eat 80% of the things on the menu at a restaurant.

It's all this big excuse that we're "supposed" to be healthy and onto the latest trend in health. We're all so incredibly obsessed with being healthy that we've lost track of what healthy means. In the world of eating disorders we're doing it to hide a bigger problem, you know oh I can't eat that cause I'm _____, but in reality I'm not eating anything, at all. And for many other dietary labelers, instead of really caring about what is good for our bodies, we're too focused on proving a point to everyone else that we're being "healthy." And what does healthy really mean?

2011 everyone was jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon. Suddenly everyone had celiacs and was allergic to wheat, and it was even supported by a scientific study in 2013. Well the same guy that came out with studies about gluten intolerance came out a couple of weeks ago saying his studies were off, and gluten intolerance isn't a thing. I literally started laughing like an idiot reading the article on the metro on the way to work. Laughing for all the people who are eating disgusting gluten-free cookies and bread but thinking it's OK to eat these cookies because they're gluten-free. I'm not saying gluten intolerance is real or fake. I'm not a doctor/scientist/nutritionist. If you really think that eating gluten has been ruining your health, then take that step and eliminate it...completely. But don't ride some see-saw going back and forth being "____" whenever it's convenient.

What is really being healthy is doing what is good for you. You know that feeling when you have a really good meal and just feel full of energy and what you just put in your body is helping it function? THAT is healthy. Healthy is different for every single person. When I transitioned out of being a vegan it was because I felt deplete of energy, my B12 and calcium levels were dangerously low. When I added in more dairy, less soy, and seafood in my diet I just felt better. It worked for me personally. It might not work for you, and if you recognize that amazing! How about we all stop obsessing about what dietary label we are and start focusing on what makes us feel good. No fries and donuts are not the right answer, but go back to the basics. Things we were taught as children: eat your veggies, drink 8 glasses of water a day, go to bed early, stop watching TV and run around outside. And whatever routine you're following that makes you feel better, stop talking about it. I don't want to hear it, and literally no one else does.

Shoulder showing and buyer's remorse

 Top- Kimchi Blue, shorts- vintage, shoes- Converse

My mom is going to kill me if she sees that I didn't throw out these shorts. I know they're ripped beyond an acceptable point and have more holes than a spiderweb, and they're honestly too big on me like legit mom jeans cut off into a shorter length. But I don't think I can ever quite let them go; plus I will never find another pair with a $7 price tag. So even when she tries to throw them in the trash, I always find a way to hide them in my closet again.

A word on buyer's remorse. Last summer I found the most fantastic off the shoulder willowy blouse. It was silk, beautifully made, vintage, and listed at $90. This was before the crazy off the shoulder trend of this summer, but I was so obsessed with it. It would have put any this season For Love and Lemons piece to shame by comparison. I went into the vintage store everyday for a week trying it on, but never quite allowing myself to pay that much for a no name secondhand piece that probably wouldn't get much mileage. I've regretted my decision for a good number of days in the past ten months. A word to my fellow readers, if you love something so much that you're trying it on for a week at the store get over the price tag and buy it. The daily agony isn't worth it.