Tag Archives: abattylife

Curried Chicken Salad

Posted in Sunday Supper Series by

Luke and I treated ourselves to an extra-large, all-you-can-eat, brunch buffet yesterday, so when it came time for dinner I wanted to make something light and refreshing while sticking to the South Beach Diet rules.

A small sandwich shop by my old apartment made the best curry chicken salad that I decided I wanted to attempt to replicate. It includes purple grapes, celery and lots of curried deliciousness.

Because I really can’t stand the taste of plain chicken breast (it’s sooo boring and dry!) I opted for a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. The meat is so much more flavorful and tender. It broke apart with just a fork.

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I added some diced celery (three stalks) and halved grapes (about 1 cup) to the chicken. There are many things you can add to chicken salad- almonds, raisins, water chestnuts – but I like the simple mixture of the crunchy celery and sweet grapes.

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Finally I added one package of plain yogurt, a half cup of light mayonaise and two generous teaspoons of curry powder to bring it all together. Just stir, season with salt and pepper and it’s all ready to go onto your bread of choice.

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To round out the meal I made some caramel peanut butter dip to go along with some freshly slices apples. This dip is super easy and really yummy.

Just combine 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and two tablespoons of milk.

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And finally for dessert I concocted a sugar-free parfait that delivered on taste.. I made some sugar-free fudge pudding, added three scoops of sugar-free Cool Whip and smashed up four sugar-free chocolate chip cookies.

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I topped them with some more Cool Whip and a couple more sugar-free cookies. I just can’t go without dessert on Sundays!

All in all, I’d say this was a great meal for a night when we didn’t want to stuff ourselves. Very light but packs a lot of flavor.

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Deciding Factor

Posted in Wedding Planning by

A lot of people ask me why we’re getting married in Chicago vs. my hometown Toledo, Ohio. It’s WAY more expensive, harder for people to get to and not near either of our families.

The answer… I feel connected to my church here in Chicago in a way that I don’t with any in Toledo. When it came to deciding where I’d make the commitment to spend my life with Luke, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

Ever since joining St. Vincent DePaul parish three years ago, I’ve dreamt of getting married there. The magnificently beautiful church is located in the heart of Lincoln Park and in my opinion is just as breathtaking as any cathedral I’ve seen in Europe.

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Photo by Michael Kardas, Kardas Photography

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Kramer Olson Architecture

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Kramer Olson Architecture

But beyond appearances, the community at St. Vincent’s is dear to my heart as well. I’ve been lucky enough to sing in their 5:00 pm choir with other young, amazingly talented musicians.

The music we sing is a departure from the traditional church music, incorporating many different, modern styles and instruments like the bass guitar and drums.

Here’s a recording of us singing a few of my favorite songs.

“Wade in the Water”

“If Today You Hear His Voice”

I know that one of the moments I will cherish most about our wedding will be walking down the aisle in a space I feel so at home and close to God in, with the beautiful music of the choir filling the air.

Bridal Bootcamp

Posted in Wedding Planning by

The holiday season is over and I must admit I’m feeling a little depressed. No more presents, days off work or time with family. But what’s even more depressing for me is that I’m no longer allowed to eat cookies and skip the gym.

Yup- it’s come time for me to focus in on getting into pre-wedding shape!

With about 3 1/2 months to go until April 17, I’ve dedicated myself to eating right and working out at least four times a week to get myself into killer bridal shape.

I know what you’re thinking…”shut it you skinny girl! You don’t have to lose weight!” but my dress is preeeeetty tight and shows everything, so I’ve got to slim down a bit and tone up a lot.

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So here’s the plan:

Nutrition

I’ve started the South Beach Diet, which cuts out carbs, sugar and starch and loads up on veggies, lean meats and low-fat dairy (I can’t give up my cheese!).

I did this diet for a bit this summer and saw great results- especially in the stomach area. The hardest part is the first couple weeks when you have to really strive to cut the sugar/carb habit.

Last night kicked things off with some brocoli cheddar soup, string cheese and sugar-free pudding.

Exercise

This part is going to be a bit tougher for me as I loath the gym and adore my couch. Luckily, my gym is literally across the street and I have my own personal trainer AKA Luke AKA Mr. fanatical workout man. =)

He’s introduced me to a pretty great workout routine from the book “Men’s Health Cardio Strength Training.”  It involves circuit training that kicks my butt and takes less than 30 minutes.

Essentially what you do for each work out is a series of 4-5 strength training exercises in a row to create a circuit. You do 8 reps of each exercise to complete one circuit, rest for two minutes, and then repeat the entire circuit two more times at 8 reps.

I’d highly recommend you check it out if you’re looking for a routine that gets you in and out of the gym quickly, but also returns results.

If you’re intimidated by weight lifting, just remember that with strength training you’re getting added calorie burning two ways:

  • As your sore muscles recover, you burn an additional 25 percent of  your total calories burned, which you can’t get with cardio
  •  For every 3 pounds of muscle you build, you’ll burn an extra 120 calories a day — just vegging — because muscle takes more energy to sustain

So that’s the plan- lose fat by eating right and tone up with strength training. I actually think I will stick to it pretty well considering I have my wedding and and a tight dress to motivate me.

What do you guys think? Can I stick to it? What nutrition/exercise plans work for you?

Something Old Something New

Posted in Wedding Planning by

Yesterday I was trolling around on Twitter checking out what my favorite wedding people were talking about when I came across this tweet.

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The word “vintage” stuck out at me and I decided to click the link. What opened was a lovely online boutique called Orange & Blossom. Their “about” page said they cater to ” modern couples seeking something beautiful, different, real.”

I spotted their “vintage and rare” section and fell in love with everything! Here are some highlights:

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Aren’t those cuff links and blue shoes precious?!

If you’re a busy bride like me who’s elders aren’t bursting with georgous 1940’s jewelry, you probably thought having anything vintage incorporated into your wedding was too much work. I love that Orange & Blossom makes it so easy to add unique, timeless and sweet items to your wedding day.

The best part is, their prices are really reasonable. The items above range from $18-$44! Their vintage pieces get updated every Thursday, so don’t fret if everything looks sold out.

They also have a ton of new items handmade by artists including a great selection of eco-friendly products for brides having a “green” wedding.

Brides- what vintage items are you planning to incorporate into your big day? Mom’s veil? Dad’s cuff links? Grandma’s jewelry?