Quinoa Broccoli Casserole

If it hasn't become obvious already, let me say it outright:  posts are going to be slow until this wedding business is over, peeps.  There is a lot to do with very little time to do it, and my neuroses and Type A personality are not making things easy.  That being said, the F and I are still dieting.

This diet includes a LOT of quinoa (more than normal) and a lot of broccoli.  Don't be surprised when this theme crops up again in the coming weeks.

For the most part, I followed this recipe, with a few additions/substitutions (I added hot sauce, and used fat free sour cream in place of the mayo, as well as fat free cheese).

The F considered this a fair, healthy alternative to one of his favorite dishes.  It was super filling and relatively guilt-free.  I topped it with some leftover, grilled chicken for lunch the next day, too!

This recipe is rather safe and healthy, while these are . . . not.

Altuzarra via Saks

I mean, really?!  Are real people supposed to wear these?  I love me some crazy shoes, but these are too much.  Too.  Much.  What do you think?  Would you rock them?

Chickpea Sausage Soup

As a lover of garbanzos (both the word AND the bean), I am constantly on the lookout for recipes that employ this tasty (and cheap) ingredient.

I am also very aware of the fact that the best garbanzo is a shelled garbanzo.  Time-consuming?  Yes.  Worth it?  Absolutely.  When blended, the lack of shells makes them much more creamy.

I used this recipe from The New York Time's Diner's Journal with great success.  I also took the time to grill my sausage, which I think added a nice added flavor.

The final result was creamy, flavorful, and filling.  It didn't look a bit like the NYT photo, but I'm going to go ahead and guess that mine was superior.  Obviously.

The subtle complexity of a chickpea and sausage soup calls for, what else, Valentino.

via Neiman Marcus

I love that, from afar, these Rockstud pumps look like classic snakeskin pumps, but up close the studs really shine.  The PVC "collar" doesn't hurt, either.

Skinny Chocolate Chip Scones

It's official:  I'm the worst food blogger ever.  And it's not even because I haven't been blogging (which in and of itself makes me a bad food blogger).

It's because I haven't been cooking.  Not in heels or otherwise.  I haven't really been inspired by any recipes that have crossed my path, and I'm stressed out about a long list of things (like the fact that I'm getting married in 54 days!  Holy shit smokes!).

I saw this recipe for Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones on Skinny Taste a while back, and whipped them up shortly thereafter.  Why I've been waiting to put them on the blog for so long, I'll never know.

What's even harder to know is how these clock in at just under 200 calories!  They don't taste skinny, that's for sure.

Even the F was shocked that these are "light."  He had one for dessert every night after supper (for the few days they lasted).

I probably could have even gotten away with sprinkling less sugar on top (I followed the recipe exactly!), but it made them look so pretty (nearly sparkly, even) that I couldn't resist following the directions to a T.

It looks a little sad on that plate all by itself but don't worry, peeps, it didn't sit there long!  I don't crave sweets often, but when I do this will be a great substitute for something smaller that has more calories!!!

And what more closely resembles a low-cal, chocolate chip scone than an expensive, polka dot pump?

Christian Louboutin via Neiman Marcus

Even the pointed toe references the scone.  I'll take one of each, please.

Quickie Friday: Black Bean Salsa

Sometimes, I just need to be able to throw something together in less than 5 minutes to fulfill a craving.  This dip was created in just such a moment.

I combined a can of Rotel tomatoes (the habanero, because I like the extra heat) with a can of drained and rinsed black beans, three garlic cloves, and lime juice in the food processor.  I pulsed it all together until I liked the consistency, added a little salt and white pepper to taste, and that was it!  Easy peasy - and it looks much more complicated than it is.

As do these . . .

Prabal Gurung for Target

I have loved some of the Target collaborations (and loathed others) and while I haven't had a chance to check this one out in person, these shoes lead me to believe that I would fall on the loving side.