Once upon a time I was a food blogger.

And once upon a time I entered a contest hosted by Whole Foods. To enter, all you had to do was create a video. So I asked forced my youngest sister, Caroline, who was still in high school at the time to film it for me. It actually took us forever to film it because every time we’d start shoooting, she’d burst out laughing. I mean, I can’t blame her, I do look like a total goof in the video. Eventually, I gave her the ‘let’s get serious look’ and we got it done.

Unfortunately, I did not win the grand prize which was a food tour in Europe, but the sandwich that I made for the video still brings back some amazing travel memories.

If you watched the video, you’ll know that the sandwich was inspired by the very first trip Rob and I ever took together as a couple. We went to San Francisco for a long weekend and ate lunch at a spot called The Grove. We were recently in SF and wanted to go back, but noticed the sandwich was no longer on the menu — sigh.

Anyway, I was thinking about that sandwich and realized that all the ingredients would make a pretty bomb salad, so I made it and guys! It’s so delicious. If you’ve never had chimichurri, you’re going to be obsessed. It’s garlicky, a touch spicy and has so much flavor.

Since the ingredients in this were minimal and simple, I wanted to elevate their flavors as much as possible so I pickled the red onions (I promise it’s not hard) and roasted the tomatoes in a hot pan instead of leaving them raw. It’s filling salad and perfect for an entrée — even Rob, who’s always hungry, was full after dinner!

If you wanted to do the tomatoes and steak on the grill, you totally could! I imagine it will add a nice smokey flavor, so if you try it out let me know!

BTW, homemade pasta on Tuesday? why not, and a day in Sonoma.

One of my all time favorite things to eat in the summer is a good, crisp and fresh salad. Unlike winter, I don’t crave soups and stews (my other go-to food group) when it’s hot outside and nothing really hits the spot like a crunchy, cool salad.

Since I work from home, salads also make for quick, easy and healthy lunches so lately I’ve been preparing the ingredients early in the week and eating them throughout the week. It makes my days so much easier and lunch time less stressful. Half the time I’m rummaging through the pantry trying to figure out something to eat — usually that ends in me making pasta which isn’t exactly ideal for a beach body.

You might have noticed that there’s a No.1 in front of the post title and that’s because I’m starting a little series on salads! Expect more healthy and delicious combinations throughout the next few months.

Rob and I make a point to eat healthy when we’re at home and as best as we can when we’re out, in fact, one of my old blogs was called Cookin’ Skinny and was completely dedicated to healthy recipes. Now that summer is in full swing, I’ve been cooking a lot more and making some really tasty creations that I wanted to share with you guys!

I think we can all agree that eating a little healthier never hurt anyone, so hopefully you guys enjoy this series and get inspired to make some healthy meals of your own!

This salad is one that I make pretty often so I figured it’d be a good one to start with! I love adding quinoa to salads for the extra protein and avocado for the creaminess! This vinaigrette is one of my favorites too and is a great one to make and keep stored in the refrigerator because it’s mild and tastes delicious on almost any salad!

BTW, this heirloom tomato salad and 6 yoga poses for strong abs.

ON ME: DRESS: Palm Shirtdress, c/o | SHOES: Marie Sandal | NAILS: Clambake | NECKLACES: Ann Revere Essential Layering Necklace, Mini Gold Bar Necklace & Matchstick Pendant Necklace, c/o
IN THE KITCHEN: Ceramic Egg Carton | BOOS Cutting Board | Pasta Maker | Pasta Bowls | Small Cutting Board

Years ago when I was in culinary school, I got really into home-making a lot of different foods. I tried my hand at making dill pickles, fresh raviolis, salted caramels, BBQ sauce and even homemade mozzarella. For a while I was pretty set on being a cheesemaker, but that dream was short-lived — especially when I realized that I’m a wee bit lactose-intolerant.

Despite my failed attempts at becoming a cheesemaker, I still do love the process of making something from scratch. I don’t do it very often, but every time I do, I remember exactly why I love cooking so much.

It can be so therapeutic.

Well, if you have the time! But when you do, there’s something so soothing and peaceful about being in the kitchen alone and working with your hands. It’s a bit like meditation for me, but with an tastier end-result!

A few weeks ago I had finished work early and got a strange urge to make homemade pasta. If you’ve ever made it, you know it’s time-consuming, but it’s also really fun! So I pulled out my pasta maker and all the ingredients and got to work. You can find the full recipe below.

After the pasta was complete and my sauce was simmering, I poured a glass of rosé and waited for Rob to get home.

So peaceful!

Have you ever made homemade pasta? Do you find cooking to be therapeutic or does it feel like a chore?

BTW, how to make blueberry goat cheese ice cream and the dream kitchen debate — which kitchen would you pick?

It’s always the beginning of June when I’m pleasantly reminded why I continue to suffer through the long, freezing, snowy winters and mild seasonal depression. It’s in June that I remember it was all worth it.

Summer has arrived.

I always joke that if Chicago summers lasted year round, the city would be overpopulated because, yes, summers here are simply that magical. One thing I love about Chicagoans is that they really take advantage of summer too. We make sure to eat and drink on patios, go to the pool, ride bikes to the beach, enjoy concerts in the park and entertain outdoors.

I love entertaining too, but find that in winter I don’t do it very often. It always feels like so much more work, probably because I have to trudge through the snow to go to the grocery store, but summer makes it easy and any night can easily be turned into a fun get together with friends.

These past few weekends we’ve been lucky enough to get some beautiful weather and it’s prompted some last minute get togethers. A few weeks back a brunch turned into a full day of activities and we ended up hosting friends for the rest of the afternoon. I made these yummy cocktails.

I’ve never been much of a mixologist, but I do like a good fruity and crisp cocktail when it’s warm. I’ve always loved IZZE® sparkling fruit juices, but did you know they make for really good cocktail mixers? I muddled some fresh berries and mint and then poured in IZZE® Sparkling Blackberry and sparkling wine. They were even better than I expected. The fresh berries complemented the juice perfectly and the mint added a bit of freshness.

I’m so thankful that summer is finally here and look forward to doing more entertaining in the next few months. Next on my list is a grilled pizza party!

*This post was sponsored by IZZE® through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select, as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Fox & She up and running!

Who else has been totally soaking up this warm weather? We’ve been spending any chance we can get outdoors. One thing I’ve loved about our new apartment (okay not that new, we’ve been here over a year), is that we have a balcony. It’s nothing to write home about, in fact it’s probably about 20 square feet, but it’s ours and it’s outside!

Just a few weeks back we spent one of the most perfect nights out there thanks to Drizly (be sure to use KAHLUACHI for Free Delivery)! They delivered all the ingredients we needed for cocktails so we could just relax.

Thankfully it stays light so much later now that we’ve been using it as the perfect excuse to have dinner and drinks out there. I whipped up a batch of these simple Lavender Mind Erasers made with Kahlua®, vodka, club soda and lavender bitters. The lavender bitters and dried lavender add such bright, floral notes to the drink, making it perfect for summer!

All of the ingredients for this recipe can be bundled together and ordered on Drizly! I love how simple and easy this drink to make — it’s the perfect reminder that simple is sometimes better! My tip for making these? Pour the layers in gently so they don’t mix and then sip through a straw so you can taste all the flavors individually!

What’s your favorite way to spend a lazy night on the patio and what’s your go to easy cocktail?

P.S. When your order includes Kahlua, you’ll get free delivery when you use code KAHLUACHI. Just download the Drizly app, order your ingredients and start whipping up your own easy cocktails tonight!

*This post was sponsored by Kahlua®, as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Fox & She possible!