Lots of Little Blessings

When life seems to move quickly and our days become overbooked, it's easy to focus on all of the stress and business and lose sight of what's really important. This week marks the end of my second rotation (out of eight), and a mere eight months until I graduate pharmacy school. I've said before that my days are incredibly full and incredibly long, but I'm trying not to succumb to the tunnel-vision mentality. {You know, the one where you just plug along through the days just trying to survive until you reach your ultimate goal.} Here are more than five things that have been maintaining my sanity making me happy over the last couple weeks.

{Muesli bread recipe here}

What is currently making you happy?
xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Invested

One of the challenges I face during the summer is finding a way to consolidate my love of layering with the oppressive southern heat. And since isolating myself in air conditioned spaces and refusing to step foot outside isn't exactly an option, here are some of my current favorites for summer layering.

Clockwise from top left:

Crochet Waistcoat - Topshop

Red Scribble Spot Vest - Topshop

Vest of the Rest - Modcloth

Flak Trench Vest - J. Crew

My Vest Friend - Modcloth

Knitted Crochet Vest - Topshop

Gold Sequin Vest - Topshop

Metallic Sleeveless Jacket - YSL

Happy {summer} layering.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Keeping it Casual

Since my weeks are now full of dress pants, deadlines, white coats and presentations, my weekend outfits have been trending on the casual side. This past weekend I basically lived in this oh-so-soft-and-comfortable jersey dress that worked equally well for daytime errand running and for late afternoon dates.

Heritage 1981 dress, Anthropologie & UO necklaces, F21 bracelet, AE hat, Steve Madden platforms, Essie Eternal Optimist polish

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Muesli Bread

Not too long ago I mentioned that I was on the hunt for new cookbooks with paleo and gluten free recipes. I finally settled on these two and have been devouring each of them for new recipes to share with you. The muesli bread from this book, however, is by far a favorite new addition to my almond flour repertoire. It's gluten-free, sugar-free and chock full of fiber, protein and antioxidants. I like it slightly toasted with a bit of organic butter or goat cheese on top.

Also, feel free to substitute other dried fruits and nuts to suit your individual tastes. I plan on adapting the recipe to make cinnamon raisin bread this fall.


Happy baking.
xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Leisurely

A glimpse into our July fourth weekend in the mountains...

Porch swings, rainstorms and waterfalls, delicious meals, wonderful friends, and a whole lot of fun.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

American Woman

This particular outfit was unintentionally festive, since the combination of red and turquoise is appropriate all year long in my book. Unfortunately, however, I didn't wear this on Independence Day. In fact, I spent the entire day clad in a blue cotton romper with minimal makeup and natural waves. No flat irons or mascara required.

The Loft blouse, H&M trousers & necklace, vintage bracelets, UO belt, Dolce Vita for Target wedges

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Independence Day

{image}

I've been looking forward to this long weekend for quite some time now. I'm taking the time to relax, read a stack of new fashion magazines, go on a waterfall hike, and bake something delicious.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend filled with all the things you love.
More to come next week.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Weekending

Here's a small peek at my past week and weekend. It's been busily uneventful as I've been scraping together my research abstract for this clinical conference, working long days at the hospital, attempting to stretch tightened joints, researching paleo recipes to share with you, and trying not to lose focus on the here and now.

My time is stretched farther than I thought possible, and I find myself desperately seeking the comfort of a book, the companionship of a cup of tea, or the company of sweet friends.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Unplugged

While I recognize that this is a bizarre thing for a part-time blogger to say, lately I've needed a break from the social media scene. I love reading your comments here and catching up with each of your individual blogs, and I'm not going anywhere, but sometimes I need to get away. It's too easy to get caught up in all the glitz and gold and "what-do-I-need-to-buy-to-look-like-her?" and feel more than a bit overwhelmed and under-glamorous. {We've all been there.}

My friend Lesley got it right
{image}

Happy weekend.
xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Summer Relish

There's nothing more relaxing than grilling out on a lazy summer afternoon. Surrounded by friends, burgers and hot dogs on the grill, just chatting while the sun goes down. It's the epitome of a southern summer. This past weekend, husband and I spiced up our chicken hot dogs with a sweet {homemade} summer relish.

one sliced avocado

a small handful of fresh pineapple, chopped

one small green onion, chopped

one tablespoon white wine vinegar

one half table spoon of olive oil

fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste

mix all ingredients together in a bowl & transfer to hot dogs

Happy grilling.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Your New Breakfast: Vegetable Frittata

When choosing to switch to a paleolithic diet, one of the biggest challenges I faced was figuring out what to eat for breakfast. Grab a Luna bar or banana on the way out the door? Guilty as charged. Not exactly the best way to start off one's metabolism. And as much as I love oatmeal, that carbohydrate spike (followed by a huge insulin spike) is definitely not the best thing for your body in the morning. So since I love vegetable omelets, and since you really need protein in the morning to maintain your blood sugar, I've been making vegetable frittatas fairly regularly.

{fresh oregano}

Cut up the veggies of choice and layer in a pyrex that has been greased with coconut oil. You can also add sausage or do half with meat and half without (in my case). Whisk together 8-12 eggs depending on how many servings you want to make. Add a splash of almond milk to the eggs, then pour over the veggies in the dish. The egg mixture doesn't have to completely cover the vegetables, but should cover about 3/4 of the way. You can even sprinkle the top with some raw milk cheddar to make it extra delicious! Bake at 375 for about 17-20 minutes.

I make a large batch on Sunday, and reheat the individual slices in a toaster oven during the week. Healthy, simple, and minimal weekday effort required.

Happy breakfasting.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Flower Garden

Mixing prints is by far one of my favorite ways to spice up an outfit. Whether it's stripes with florals, dots with plaid, or stripes with random prints, the slightly mismatched result is always a gem. Although it often garners strange looks from passers-by, this outfit is one of my summer stand-bys. Besides, it's more fun to twirl in this skirt when it's paired with a floral top than when it's paired with a solid tee. It's simple physics really.

UO blouse & belt, F21 skirt & earrings, Vintage clutch & rings, Steve Madden platforms

Happy mixing.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Memorial Day

Husband and I spent this past Memorial Day weekend in the mountains of North Carolina. We camped at Standing Indian campground and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery, complete with a river, morning fog, and one heck of a mountain-top view. It felt so wonderful to be surrounded by so many trees. Also, the hike to the top of Standing Indian is well worth the effort, as the view is simply breathtaking with mountain tops reaching all the way to the horizon.

One of my favorite things about camping is cooking meals outside, and we took full advantage of our percolator and fire pit to make delicious breakfasts and dinners -- strong coffee accompanied by eggs with zucchini and raw cheddar, chicken tacos with red onions and avocado, even paleo biscuits. It was a bittersweet weekend as it's our last trip until cooler weather, but it definitely left me looking forward to the fall.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Weekending

Although this weekend passed way too quickly, it was one of those glorious ones where you have no agenda, no responsibilities, and nothing on the calendar. Filled with morning runs, homemade brunch, antique stores, homemade {gluten-free} cookies, and a salad from my favorite BBQ restaurant, it was just what I needed after a relatively hectic week.

Happy Monday

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Friday Favorites

perfect color comb:

wide-brim hat & red lips:

messy hair & scarf:

cat eyes:

feminine:

images (and more) here

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos