Happy Wednesday, friends! I cannot believe we are already halfway through the week. No complaints here 😉 By now, I’m sure everyone is aware that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Early Access started last week. And since public access begins this Friday, I wanted to share with you a few of my wish list items that I picked up over the weekend. There were some items I was unable to find in store so I will be ordering a few things online. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite #NSale finds…
As I mentioned, there were a few things I couldn’t find in store that are currently in my shopping bag online! Click through the widget below to take a peek:
Happy Tuesday! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the things I dread most about the weekends is figuring out what I will make for the next week’s lunch. I know, it sounds kind of silly, but it’s always a big to-do in our house. Usually, I make my lunch for the work week during the weekend so that it is ready to go and there is little to no thinking when it comes to grabbing lunch each weekday morning. But, after eating the same thing for 5 consecutive days, I sometimes get bored, so I’m always trying to think of new lunch ideas that are not only filling, but also healthy.
**I actually ate this lunch for three work weeks straight because I loved it so much! I did eventually OD on pesto {haha!} but I will probably be back to it next week. It’s SO delicious!**
You could easily buy store-bought pesto if you are looking for an even quicker, make ahead lunch, but since I was down at my parent’s house and my mom has an abundance of basil growing in her garden, I decided to use some of it! Making your own pesto is SO much healthier than store-bought and it’s not too difficult and only requires a few ingredients.
Quinoa is a great lunchtime staple because it keeps you full all afternoon! This exact recipe yielded five days of lunch for me, so it’s a perfect recipe to make over the weekend and have ready to go come Monday. Just one suggestion: if you are making this to last over the course of a few days, I would recommend cleaning the tomatoes and placing them in a separate bag and adding the tomatoes and mozzarella each morning before heading to work. The tomatoes and cheese could get a little soggy if you mix it all together and let it sit for a few days.
print recipe
Quinoa Caprese Salad
by July-19-2016
A healthy and filling lunch idea that’s packable!
Ingredients
1 pint tomatoes, halved
8 ounces mozzarella pearls
1 cup dried quinoa
2 cups fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil (or just until paste forms)
Instructions
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. To make the pesto: in a food processor, add the basil, pine nuts, garlic clove, salt and pepper; blend until incorporated. With the food processor running, begin to add the olive oil, just until a paste forms. Transfer the pesto to a clean bowl and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Once the quinoa has cooled, transfer to a large bowl and add the tomatoes and mozzarella pearls. Add the pesto and stir until completely combined. Serve and enjoy.
Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I went to Nordstrom to check out and see in person some of my favorite pieces from the Anniversary Sale! I found so many great fall pieces, I’ll be sharing a few of my favorite purchases later this week! But now, on to today’s comfy, casual and cool outfit…
If you follow along on Instagram {rach.mccarthy}, this dress might look a little familiar. I actually wore it as part of the Fourth of July festivities a few weekends ago, but paired it with red accessories instead. I truly can’t get enough of it! I have been wearing it non-stop, and with it’s simple black and white colors, it’s so fun to mix and match with different colors and accessories. I have worn it from casual Friday at work to the weekend, it’s just SO comfortable.
I bought these blush lace-up flats back in the spring and I’m still wearing them! I actually bought them in THIS neutral suede color over the weekend while I was at the #NSale. As for sizing: I went with my normal size {9.5} in the blush and I will say that as I have worn them, they have started to stretch out. They didn’t have the new suede version in a 9.5 at my Nordstrom, so I tried on the 9 and it surprisingly fit perfectly?! Not sure how to explain this sizing issue, but I figure if the 9 was fitting brand new, it will probably stretch a bit just like the 9.5 did!
One more #NSale note! My go-to {I pretty much wear them every.single.day} earrings that I am wearing here are also included in the sale! It’s a great everyday earring and you can’t beat the price!
Thanks so much for dropping by and have a great start to the week!
It’s finally here! Early Access for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale begins today and I don’t think I could be anymore excited! For me, there is nothing better than fall weather and clothes. And seeing all these fabulous fall pieces has me looking forward to all the cool temperatures and layers in our future!
I’ve broken the sale down by category so it’s easier to browse and shop! You can shop Early Access with your Nordstrom credit or debit card now through July 21st. Public Access starts on July 22nd and goes through August 7th. After August 7th, all the prices go up, so be sure to snag these deals while you can!
Happy Wednesday, friends! There are many things I love about being a blogger, but one of the things I love most is discovering and connecting with brands and being able to share their message with all of you. And what a special message Headbands of Hope has to share.
Headbands of Hope offers the most chic and gorgeous headbands from infants to kids to adults, like this beautiful beaded one I am wearing! But now, for the best part: for every headband purchased, one is donated to a child with cancer. I always love a company that gives back and Headbands of Hope does it in such an amazing way! Founded in April of 2012, Headbands of Hope has donated headbands to every children’s hospital in the United States. That is truly incredible.
And although this stunning headband is the highlight of today’s post, I had to share with you a little about this dress. Summer and white dresses just go together, right? And despite the fact that I realize I’m in desperate need of sun {haha!} I couldn’t resist purchasing this little white lace number, especially because it’s on sale! The lace and scallop detailing on the sleeves and hem are just the icing on the cake for this summery dress. Also, the shift style is cool and comfortable in all this heat. As for sizing, I would say the dress runs a little large, I went down one size.
As you may have noticed, I’m switching things up a little this week because with Early Access for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale beginning tomorrow, I wanted to be sure to share my picks with you on the day the sale goes live! Here are a few reminders about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale:
What is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale {#NSale}?
It’s one of the biggest sales of the year! For a limited time, Nordstrom offers brand new fall styles at super discounted prices. It’s the perfect time to start preparing your closets for fall!
During the week, my breakfast situation is pretty predictable: double protein English muffins {literally, the best thing ever} or instant oatmeal. Both are quick and keep me relatively full until lunchtime. Although I do love my instant oatmeal, and it’s quick cook time, it’s not the same as real oatmeal.
Overnight oats are taking the breakfast world by storm, and I was so curious as to how they would turn out, I decided to experiment with some flavors and give it a try for myself! For these three versions, I started with the same two ingredients and customized each mason jar from there. The only one I decided to complete in the morning was the one that contained fresh berries — I wasn’t sure how soggy berries would be in the morning 😉
Overnight Oats: 3 Ways
{what you will need for each of the 3 recipes}
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup almond milk
{Carrot Cake Oatmeal}
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons pecans
1 tablespoon maple syrup
In a mason jar or other bowl, mix the old fashioned oats with the almond milk. Add the cinnamon, pecans and shredded carrots, mix to combine. Place the lid on the jar securely and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, top with the maple syrup. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
{Berry Oatmeal}
1/4 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
In a mason jar or other bowl, mix the old fashioned oats with the almond milk. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Place the lid on the jar securely and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, top with strawberries and blueberries. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
{Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal}
1/2 banana, sliced
2-3 tablespoons peanut butter, divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
In a mason jar or other bowl, mix the old fashioned oats with the almond milk. Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract; mix to combine. Alternate between layers of peanut butter and the sliced bananas {I did two layers of each}. Place the lid on the jar securely and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, drizzle with honey. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
….
While all three were good, I of course loved the peanut butter banana version {I never say no to peanut butter!}. This is definitely a great breakfast idea if you are looking for a make ahead recipe and/or if you are always on the go. There are so many different combinations you can try too, so it’s easy to customize these for your entire family. A couple ideas: if you are a chocolate person, add chocolate chips to the peanut butter banana combination for a “chunky monkey” style oatmeal. Or for something more traditional, try raisins, dates and pecans!
Have you tried overnight oats? What are your favorite oatmeal combinations? I would love to hear in the comments section below.
Hi friends, and Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Another day, another sundress for me! I know I’ve said it before, but I live in dresses during the summer. It has been so hot here the past week, it’s the best way to stay cool in these hot July temperatures.
When I first saw this dress on Rent the Runway, I fell in love. Not only is this dress the ideal cut for me {I’m a sucker for a good a-line!} but I just couldn’t get over the criss cross neckline! I love this unique detail and with this porcelain pattern, it was the perfect excuse to pair it with these fun blue tassel accessories: the clutch and earrings!
Just a friendly reminder, there is still time to enter the $1225 Nordstrom Gift Card Giveaway just in time for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that starts this Thursday! You can see the original post HERE or enter below!
Thanks for dropping by and have a great start to the week!
Happy Friday Eve, friends! If you caught yesterday’s post, the idea of making this week’s Wednesday Wishes all about bright colors came after shooting this look over the holiday weekend. Here in Virginia, it was rainy and cold Sunday and Monday — can you believe it was actually warmer on Christmas Day than on the Fourth of July here?! — but thankfully the rain stopped for a little Sunday evening to enjoy the fireworks.
Happy Friday Eve, friends! If you caught yesterday’s post, the idea of making this week’s Wednesday Wishes all about bright colors came after shooting this look over the holiday weekend. Here in Virginia, it was rainy and cold Sunday and Monday — can you believe it was actually warmer on Christmas Day than on the Fourth of July here?! — but thankfully the rain stopped for a little Sunday evening to enjoy the fireworks.
So, a little “behind the scenes” for this post: unfortunately, these pictures were taken between and before the clearing I mentioned above, so it was pretty wet and REALLY humid. I felt like my hair was growing by the second! Although, there was one good thing about the rain: it made the grass super green and really made this cute stripe dress pop!
Speaking of this cute dress, could it be any more perfect for Fourth of July weekend?! I’m a sucker for stripes and this was the perfect holiday to rock them! There were a few things about this dress that I fell in love with when I first saw it on Rent the Runway’s website: the stripes {of course!}, cap sleeves, A-line silhouette and last, but certainly not least, the bow in the back! You know, I can never resist a bow 😉 Given the holiday festivities, my red sandals and red bag were a must — I know, I’ve been wearing them a TON lately, but now that the Fourth is in the books, my red accessories will be more sporadic for the rest of the summer! But, new accessory alert! These red flower drop earrings were an easy choice for this higher neckline. Also available in teal and pink, they are currently on sale!!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! No big plans for us, just looking forward to a weekend at home and accomplishing some house work and errands. Big decision this weekend though…do we renew our Sam’s Club membership or switch to Costco?! We’ve been pretty happy with Sam’s but my parents are Costco members and I feel like they have different and better things than what we find at Sam’s! Do you guys have a preference between Sam’s and Costco? I would LOVE to know!!
Serious #adultproblems over here haha!
Thanks for dropping by and see you back here on Monday!
Happy Wednesday! I know I’ve said it before, but aren’t these three day weekends great?! I can’t believe we are already halfway to the weekend! After some rain and cooler temperatures the last few days, summer is in full force this week and it has me thinking all about bright colors! Personally, I love bright colors all year round, but especially in the warmer months. Whether it’s accessories or actual clothing, these are a few of my current favorite ways to brighten up your summertime look.
For me, I like to incorporate bright accessories into most outfits and have actually had my eye on some of these pieces for a few weeks now. It’s the season of sandals and I just can’t get enough of these colorful lace-up sandals. Perfect with shorts, skirts and dresses, this would be a great way to add some color to your look. And, since there is no denying my love for statement jewelry, I just love these bright neon statement earrings, and how fun is the statement necklace {also available in hot pink!}. And speaking of hot pink, now that the Fourth of July is over, I like to switch back to pink polish and I think I found the new perfect color! It’s definitely a must-have for any pink lover!
And now, for something exciting! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale begins next week and we want to make sure you are ready for it! Enter below up to 101 times for a chance to win a $1225 gift card to Nordstrom just in time for the big sale! Complete 1 entry or 101 entries, but the more times you enter the better chance at winning you will have! Good luck!
*Giveaway ends on 7/13 and the winner will be announced on 7/14 (the first day of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale). Must be 16+ years old to enter. International entrants welcome. Please keep in mind that you cannot complete more than 101 entries and that we can tell if the same person uses multiple emails to enter. ALL ENTRIES WILL BE VERIFIED, so make sure to click ‘FOLLOW’ or ‘LIKE’ to complete each entry.
Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! After some not so healthy eating over the holiday, I know I’m ready to get back into my healthy food routine. And what better way to start than with this healthy twist on a weeknight pasta dish.
