it’s supposed to be sunny and warm here this week (yeah!), and i think these adorable berets from softspoken would be the perfect going-to-the-park accessory. a nice chill look for this getting warm but not quite spring weather, don’t you think? what’s the weather like in your town? softspoken

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wrap up: {beanie} {beret} {handmade} {hat} {park} {spring} {warm}

Since Spring is just around the corner, it seems right to try out a frozen drink. Building off the Vanilla Bean Latte recipe is the Vanilla Frappuccino – a deliciously frozen blend of coffee, ice, and sweetness. Serves two.

ingredients

2 cups crushed ice

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vanilla syrup

6 oz chilled espresso for a bold flavor, or 1 cup chilled, double-strength coffee

directions

I find it helps to crush the ice in a blender, first. Next, add the milk, vanilla syrup, and coffee. Blend on low speed just until it’s thoroughly mixed. Pour into two glasses, and top off with whipped cream, if you wish!

Want to try different flavors? Instead of milk, use 1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate silk (soy milk). For plain, coffee flavor with sweetness, switch the vanilla syrup for 1/4 cup of granulated sugar.

Ashley has been coffee-crazy since college when her husband bought her an espresso machine for Christmas. Armed with a pot of dark roast, she spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her self-titledEtsy shop.

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {coffee} {drink} {espresso} {indie pretty} {recipe} {spring} {vanilla} {Vanilla Frappuccino}

 

 

 

 

 
sweet, vintage, reminiscent. these are all things that come to mind as i look through catherine nunnally’s photography. as simple as one of her photograph’s may be, it’s amazes me how it can completely envelop me with a sense of being there. i can feel myself shivering in the cold as i look up at the icy chair lift. similarly, i can see myself sitting in the warmth of a green summer day as i spy this little brown bird. i love photography that evokes feeling, and catherine’s work certainly does that.

wrap up: {bird} {catherine nunnally} {nature} {photography} {spring} {winter}

they call them locavores- people who choose to eat seasonal, local produce.  today i’m kicking off a new series about eating local produce, where i’ll share with you a weekly recipe using local yummies!  first you may ask, why eat local? well, there are tons of reasons, the simplest of which is that it just makes sense.  the average mileage of your food, (we’ll call this farm to fork mileage) is 1500 to 3000 miles, and that’s a lot of fossil fuel! when produce has to travel so far, much of it is picked while still unripe then gassed to ‘ripen’ it after transport, or it is processed in factories with preservatives and the like.  scientists are even experimenting with genetic modification to produce less perishable produce.

by purchasing local foods in-season, you eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles, your food dollar goes directly to the farmer, and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. buying seasonal produce also provides an exciting opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes.

the good news is, local produce is usually easy to find and it simply tastes better because it’s fresher!

above is a list of the veggies you’ll find at your spring farmers market. remember that certain crops and harvest dates depend on the climate and your region, so this is just a rough outline (check out this regional seasonality guide for your area).  as you can see, spring is almost over, but i’m going to post a recipe next week anyways and then introduce to you your summer guide! i’ve also made this list in pdf format, so you can print it out and keep with you while your shopping or scouring for recipes.

download the seasonal spring vegetable guide

 
 
recommended reading

read my favorite book and get incredibly inspired to eat locally with animal, vegetable, miracle.

find local, organic and sustainable food in your area with the eat well guide search.

learn about eating more sustainably and find recipes at the sustainable table.

join the eat more local food initiative at eat local, america!

{resources: the sustainable table, cuesa sustainability}

wrap up: {eating local} {locavore} {seasonal vegetables} {spring} {sustainable}