the weekend has arrived! let the festivities begin. a dear friend from my San Francisco days is stopping by this weekend with a friend which means the house gets a thorough once over. fresh flowers, clean linens, and stocking the fridge are priorities. healthy snacks too. it’s important to have the right choices on hand, so we don’t make the wrong choice. quality counts, whether it’s our clothes or what we eat. so i whipped up a batch of healthy homemade granola to have on hand for breakfast or a snack. it’s a keeper! and i love to start my day with a cup of coffee. café americano is my favorite! so that’s what’s on deck this week for fridays with oscar. come join us. oscar’s buddy pax stopped by this week, so there was lots of romping and tussling. it was hard to wrangle oscar for his weekly gig! never a dull moment at the djalali house.
July is winding down, ladies! it’s been a lovely month with fireworks, barbecues, baseball games, and of course, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale when i zipped to Atlanta with my DIL for a fun day of shopping. august looks promising as i head to Tybee for a long relaxing weekend before celebrating not one, not two, but four birthdays! stay tuned.
wearing so many neutrals the past few weeks, it was time to unleash my preppy side. i’m always a sucker for whimsical chinos, and this opens in a new windowparrot print from opens in a new windowTalbots (limited sizes, similar opens in a new windowhere and opens in a new windowhere) was the perfect place to start. a opens in a new windowknit shell from opens in a new windowFrances Valentine is perfect to wear solo like today or layer underneath sweaters and blazers on our horizon. love the vibrant shade of blue! opens in a new windowbeaded hoop earrings and opens in a new windowstacked bangles pick up the color palette from the chinos and sweater. the opens in a new windowreversible belt reinforces the casual, chic, preppy vibe. and i always say every woman needs a pair of red shoes (old, similar opens in a new window here and opens in a new windowhere) in her closet. they’re just dang fun to wear!
i always start my day with a cup of coffee. sometimes two. one of my favorites is café americano. legend has it that during WWII, American G.I.’s stationed in Italy wasn’t fond of Italian espresso. it was too strong for their taste. the remedy was to add hot water to their shot of espresso. voila! café americano was born. the drink is always served black, but i add oat milk to mine for a milder flavor.
healthy homemade granola
it’s important to stock up on healthy snacks, especially when guests arrive. sometimes our body just needs an energy boost before the next meal. reaching for the right foods is an essential part of healthy eating. when i have time, i love to make healthy homemade granola packed with nuts and seeds. grab a handful for a snack or sprinkle it over yogurt (i use coconut yogurt from Trader Joe’s that is dairy-free). it’s sure to be a hit and can be stored in an airtight container for two weeks.
Healthy Homemade Granola
- 1 cup slivered raw almonds
- 1 cup roasted salted peanuts
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 1 cup raw pumpkins
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup flaxseed
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup Swerve brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Coarsely chop the almonds, peanuts, pecans, and pumpkin seeds, and place in a large bowl. Add the coconut, flaxseed, chia seeds, and cinnamon to the bowl with the nuts and mix together using a rubber spatula.
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Heat the coconut oil in the microwave until completely melted but not hot, 30 to 60 seconds. Whisk in the sweetener, vanilla, and egg until it is well mixed and has a pastelike texture.
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Pour the wet ingredients over the nuts and seeds and mix with a rubber spatula until everything is coated.
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Dump out the granola onto the prepared baking sheet and firmly press down with the back of the spatula until there is an even layer covering the entire baking sheet, about ½ inch thick.
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Bake for 18 minutes, until golden brown. Take out of the oven and let cool completely in the. pan. Gently break into small pieces. Store in an airtight container for two weeks.
Café Americano
- 1-2 shots of espresso
- 8-10 ounces hot water
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Add two ounces of espresso into espresso glass.
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Pour hot water into a cup from espresso machine.
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Pour espresso over the top of hot water. Enjoy!
I cheat and brew my espresso in my Nespresso machine. Then I add hot water and oat milk.
opens in a new windowchinos (limited sizes, similar opens in a new windowhere and opens in a new windowhere) | opens in a new windowknit shell | opens in a new window belt | shoes (old, similar opens in a new window here and opens in a new windowhere) | opens in a new windowearrings | opens in a new window bracelets
oscar, pax, and i wish you a lovely weekend!
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