january to december 2014

is anyone else in a post-christmas daze? from the cooking to the eating to church to the laughing to the running around, christmas was a bit of a blur, but i couldn't have asked for it any other way. santa came by and was very good to me, he really outdoes himself year after year. i have eaten more than i needed to, but i guess that is part of the holidays. reigning myself back in is proving to be a challenge, but i know with a little discipline and routine, i will be back on track (especially with the help of my new Misfit fitness tracker - obsessed)!

with the christmas season coming to an end, another year comes to an end. 2014 has many things: a happy, sad, challenging and rewarding. i feel that i kept up with my resolutions from last january fairly well: i am now at a much healthier weight and still eat healthy, i have made myself more social (which i am still working on), i read more, i traveled as much as i could, i relaxed a little (still working on that too) and i have worked towards my future. i know many have noticed a change in me, and i have as well. i am still on cloud nine since my summer in nashville, and am the happiest i think i have ever been. i look better than i did a year and a half ago as well, though i will always struggle with my diet and body image, but that is something i am able to admit to. i have found friends that i know i will keep forever, through all the post-graduation unknown that will soon ensue. i have a strong relationship with my family that i am thankful for.

instead of posting a "claire's year" on Facebook as many others have done, i chose to share some of my favorite moments from 2014 below. they are some of my favorite memories from this year, with my favorite people (and in some fabulous clothes!).

SPRING BREAK CRUISE WITH MY MOM 

MEETING THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR HOUSEHOLD, STELLA

ATTENDING THE WEDDING OF MY SORORITY SISTER THIS SUMMER 

THE LOVELY LEONA CLOTHES

MY HAPPY PLACE ON 12 SOUTH

TWO OF THE BEST ROOMMATES FROM SUMMER

SUMMER ADVENTURES AND TRADITIONS

QUICK TRIP TO CHARLESTON

NASHVILLE BECOMING HOME 

FOOTBALL WEEKENDS WITH FRIENDS

MY BEST GIRLS

CHRISTMAS EVE

so what is ahead for 2015? my last semester at UT (given all things go as planned), a weekend in asheville, a part-time job to finance my shopping problem, barre3 and workouts, a girls trip with my mom and grandmother to florida for spring break, graduation, hawaii, maybe a trip to new york, and fingers crossed, a job. i'm looking forward to what 2015 has in store, i think it may just the year of the claire with red hair. 

xoxo,

clp

merry christmas eve

the past few days have been full: full of cooking, cleaning, working out and last minute shopping to get ready for christmas. but most importantly, they have been full of family, friends, giving, smiles and laughter. i am writing this while sitting at my kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee from our "12 days of Christmas" mugs and thinking about how thankful i am and about how much i love the holiday season. yes, i'm not going to lie, i love the santa aspect of christmas, but i also love the holidays for so much more. i am lucky enough to be in a warm home, filled with holiday cheer in every room and more treats than any one person could ever eat. i think about those who aren't as blessed as i am and it makes me truly cherish this time with my family and friends. with that said, i am wishing all my readers a very merry christmas and hope that it is one to remember. really soak it in, every moment, and take a mental picture to remember for years to come. remember why we celebrate this time of year. from my home to yours, merry christmas! 

xoxo,

clp

venison, zucchini and ricotta meatballs recipe

phillip got his first deer of the season over thanksgiving break, so our freezer is full of ground venison! i had to warm up to the idea of deer meat, but now i am a fan! i have made meatloaf, chili and now these meatballs from venison. i also love the venison sausage as a healthier alternative to all pork sausage at breakfast! still a red meat, ground venison is much leaner than traditional ground beef. it has much less fat (you would be amazed at what little grease cooks out), less calories and more protein. it does have a bit of a gamey-flavor, but i can barely tell the difference when i use it over ground beef! the recipe that follows i made with venison, but it could also be made with ground turkey or beef. it was a "you can make this again" recipe! we had meatballs over angel hair pasta nests with homemade marinara and served with a side salad. 

venison meatballs

1 lb ground venison (or ground turkey or extra-lean beef)

2 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs

1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry

1/4 c part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp italian seasonings

1 egg

1. preheat oven to 375.
2. combine all ingredients for meatball in ball and mix together,
3. portion out meatballs with a tablespoon. shape into balls.
4. spray a large skillet with nonstick spray. brown meatballs on all sides in skillet. 
5. transfer meatballs to cooking sheet and bake in oven for about 10 minutes, until no longer pink inside. 

(recipe slightly adapted from Mantitlement)

tomorrow i will be working all day at LEONA on 12 South so make sure to come and see me! they are offering amazing holiday specials right now and i would love to outfit you for all you holiday gatherings! i can also be your little elf and mark those last things off for everyone on your christmas list! 

xoxo,

clp

chicken and gnocchi recipe

i realize i have been blog-MIA lately, but with exams, coming home and getting ready for christmas, i have been quite busy! nonetheless, i have managed to cook some delicious (if i say so myself) suppers for the Parsley household! i just really love coming home and cooking for my family! it is so much easier to cook for more than one and to try out new recipes on them! last night for supper, i found this delicious southern living recipe and altered it to make it a little bit easier and healthier. it is a twist on classic southern chicken and dumplings, and turned out to be so good and so filling. we had a citrus salad on the side and it was the perfect winter supper! 

chicken and gnocchi

1 package mini gnocchi

1/2 tsp rubbed sage

1/4 tsp ground thyme 

2 tbsp butter

1 c carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 c celery, chopped

2 garlic gloves, minced

1/2 c dry white wine

1/4 c whole wheat flour

4-6 cups chicken broth

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

shredded/shaved parmesan, for serving

1. cook chicken and shred. set aside. 
2. melt butter in dutch oven over medium heat. add carrots, celery and herbs. cook until carrots are tender. add garlic and cook 1 minute. 
3. stir in wine and cook until reduced by half. add in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. gradually stir in broth (we used the leftover broth from boiling our chicken). 
4. bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. reduce to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until slightly thickened. add more chicken broth if desired. in last 5 minutes of simmering, add in gnocchi. stir in chicken and cook 3-5 minutes until hot and gnocchi is soft.
5. serve with parmesan cheese.

(recipe makes about 4 2 cup servings)

with christmas just a week away, i am certainly in the christmas spirit. my sweet tooth is as well... i made peppermint rice krispies and white chocolate avocado biscotti this week! it is so hard to resist all the holiday treats! i hope everyone is getting into the spirit and maybe this recipe will inspire you to get in the kitchen too! check out some of my other recipes here as well! 

xoxo,

clp

the best SAMPLE SALE of the year at LEONA

its the most wonderful sale of the year... sample sale that is. this weekend only, LEONA nashville is hosting their bi-annual sample sale at the 12 south flagship store! this only happens twice a year and this time around, LEONA fall 2014 samples are included! find more information about the sample sale on the Biannual Sample Sale event page on Facebook and get yourself to LEONA nashville as soon as you can THIS friday, saturday and sunday!

i already have a sample sale wishlist running and hope i can snatch up these amazing deals before they are gone! and if you can't make it this weekend, come see me at LEONA nashville sometime this month when i get to work the store over my break! i am so looking forward to being back at LEONA for a little while and can't wait to see what all is in store! let me help you find your perfect holiday soiree outfit! 

xoxo,

clp

P.S. you still have 7 days to shop my stella&dot trunk show! click here to RSVP and get some jewels to go with your LEONA sample sale finds!

good reads

i am lucky that i was given the "enjoy reading" trait in my family. i, like my brother, mom, grandmother and many other family members can't put down a good book. because i now have a kindle, and have for about a year, i find that i read more than i did before. i love the portability and slim design of the kindle, it fits easily in my purse and on the treadmill reading ledge. i also get some daily reads delivered to my inbox. right now, i just get two which is more than enough along with the other emails i receive (i'm on about every store's mailing list). keep reading for my most recent book review, my favorite online publication, and my two daily reads that come straight to my inbox!

• three wishes by liane moriarty: i picked this novel out after i read moriarty's other novels (the husband's secret and big little lies). like her other books, this one did not disappoint. the book follows three triplets who when together, share laughter, thrills and chaos and apart each have their own trials and tribulations. from fork throwing to affairs, the reader follows the three sisters as they grow older and up and the life of a forever-together trio. the novel opens with a prologue that is explained in later chapters and keeps the pages turning. i quite enjoyed the books with its clever plot turns and believe that you will too!  
• the skimm: the skimm is a daily email newsletter that gives you everything you need to start your day and be able to carry on an intelligent conversation about current events. i skim through it while sipping my morning coffee or walking to class and i feel relatively well informed 
• she reads truth: she reads truth is one of the newest things coming to my inbox, and one that i look forward to. it is a daily devotional for women to read together and to grow in christ. right now, the 'plan" is the advent, which i especially enjoy. it is an easy way for me to read the scripture and bring christ more into my life wherever i am since i can just pull it up on my phone each day! 
• matchbook magazine: matchbook is an online magazine i have been reading for a couple of years now and it is one of my faves! with the slogan "a field guide to a charmed life", it celebrates the "classics - shaken and stirred". from interviews to gift guides to fashion to decor and everything in-between, the magazine never ceases to inspire me to live the life i adore!  

i have been at home for the majority of this week since my first exam isn't until monday. tomorrow i am heading back to knoxville to study and finish up my second to last semester! i can't believe how fast it went by, but am looking forward to being home for the holidays! 

xoxo,

clp