I literally JUST finished eating this salad (last night) and it was such a delight! I also just finished eating this salad, started my post about its deliciousness, and was on the phone with my sister who proceeded to inform me that she has already made and eaten this salad FOUR times. That’s right. 4 Xs. It’s that good.
I, too, will follow suite and be repeating this recipe many, many, many more times this summer! What is the pop? The pizzaz? The secret YUM? For me it’s the lime, mango, cilantro/basil combo that I find almost irresistible. Such spark! Such snap! Try it for yourself, from The Scramble*.
Wonderful Wednesday, to you all!
XX, Megan
Ingredients for main dish
2 limes, juice only, 1/4 cup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
1 lb. top sirloin steak,or use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or meatless chicken or steak strips
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded or matchstick cut carrots
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or basil, chopped
1 mango, peeled and diced
8 oz. mixed greens
Mix
First mix the lime juice, soy sauce, oil, and brown sugar in a small bowl. (1/2 of the marinade will be used for the steak, the other half will be reserved for dressing the salad!)
Marinate
Place the steak in a shallow container. Pour half of the marinade over the steak. Turning the steak to coat. Set aside to marinate. (Alternatively you can marinate the steak up to 24 hours in advance.)
Chop
Chop the scallions, mango, cilantro, and combine with the carrots and greens in a serving bowl.
Cook
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet and add the steak. Cook the steak 3-4 minutes each side, or to your desired doneness. Discard the excess marinade.
Slice
Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Allow it to cool slightly. Slice it into 1/2 inch wide strips, lengthwise.
Serve
Serve the greens topped with the steak. Don’t forget your reserved dressing! (Or an extra squeeze of lime if you really want to go overboard! 🙂
EAT!
Marinate
Chop
Cook
Slice, Serve, EAT!
*The Scramble is a meal planning service to which you can subscribe here. For a fantastic price you will receive 5 weekly meals which means 5 recipes (main course plus a side dish), complete grocery list, the ability to tweak the number of people you are making for, and full nutrition facts. PLUS tips as to how best to PREP your meal beforehand, add a punch of FLAVOR, and how to SLOW COOK almost every recipe if you’re especially slammed that night. This wonderful service really does live up to it’s name. You can come home at 6 p.m. and be sitting down to a DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, HOME COOKED meal by 6:30 p.m. most nights.
I discussed this a little bit in my post “Visions of Style: How Fashion Works”. But I wanted to expand on the idea that you should seek to find the things you love to wear. Wear them. And make it a point to not let anyone tell you differently or dissuade you from your display.
I really believe that style is the expression of your self through dress. Inherently, YOUR style should make YOU happy. Furthermore, I don’t believe that these expressions have a time stamp or an astronomical price tag on them!
However, not everyone sees style as simply self expression. Not everyone celebrates style as a personal statement to the world. In fact, with shows like Fashion Police, What Not to Wear, and Love, Lust, or Run with Stacy London, it is obvious that there is a such a thing as “mainstream” style or “acceptable” fashion.
I understand that there are fashion do’s and don’ts, and that learning to dress your body appropriately in terms of cut, proportion, and color can really amp up your everyday personal look. I get that. I do have personal preferences about my own style choices. Guess what, there are some things that I can safely say that I would NEVER wear. NEVER. There are also trends and fads that I simply refuse to try or fall victim to. But there is another side of this fashion YES and fashion NO world that I don’t subscribe to!
I certainly do not subscribe to limiting yourself to NO lists or age specific styles. Here’s the thing, if you happen to know me personally, then you probably already know that I don’t really like being told I can’t do something. Nope. No, is not a word I like very much. Cannot and should not are verbs I don’t appreciate.
So perusing the internet as I am wont to do, I came across an article that I knew I’d have to have a conversation about at some point. NOW is that point. The article is titled “24 Things Women Should Stop Wearing After 30”. That link is live, so you can read the post for yourself.
The truth is that I some of the things listed I can say, “Yep, you’re right. I don’t think that a woman over thirty should be wearing Victoria Secret Pink.” But scrolling down, I was aghast at the fact that the list included things like STOP wearing animal prints after 30, and STOP wearing oversized glasses over 30, and STOP wearing hoop earrings after 30.
But when I started to evaluate the way that I chose to approach this list, I realized that maybe I was simply practicing personal preference and in the direction of my style discriminations. In other words, if I felt that leopard print was COMPLETELY ACCEPTABLE after 30, I felt justified because of my personal assurance in my OWN SYTLE. However, I agreed with the advice to stop wearing Victoria Secret Pink because I don’t really like Victoria Secret Pink.
I was willing to discriminate if I found the item or action to be something I would want others to STOP. But if I was going to say that I didn’t think the list had merit, I’d have to reevaluate my ideas of what I really found acceptable or reprehensible in terms of fashion and style over 30.
My newest pair of kicks, for example (pictured below). Some people would find these absolutely BLAH! Maybe even hideous. A style DON’T for sure!
In my book they are the bomb-diggity. But here’s the thing, who cares? Let’s not style ourselves into lists. Let’s style our selves for our LIVES! Let’s live and laugh and have a ball as we engage in the interactive joys of dressing!
If you are a 30 something mama who wants to throw on that V.S. Pink sweatshirt and head to the gym, what is wrong with that? Sure I, for myself, don’t love the brand, the image, the idea. But if you feel sexy, and happy, and fun in your gym wear. If you can tastefully execute your PINK, WHY NOT?
While I absolutely LOATH platform flip-flops, why should that matter to you? Maybe you love the added hight with the extra comfort of a flat-form. Maybe you wear your favorite pair to give you enough lift to rock your uber long flared pants. Maybe you wore them in the 90s and loved them with all of your heart and simply don’t want to give them up! Go YOU!
It’s true. I do practice discrimination in other areas of fashion such as age. Moderation and modesty, I say. I do take issue with an over-30 wearing Victoria Secret Pink booty shorts to my son’s soccer game. I think dressing in that way says nothing about style or fashion. It just says trashy, unkempt, and inappropriate for a public event. So there’s that.
I think the reason I took such issue with this LIST is that I have always wanted to be the lady that was rocking a leopard pencil skirt when I’m 70. If you think this is outlandish, absurd, over-the-top. That’s fine! You can perm your hair, stop wearing color altogether, get hooked up with some of those awesomely thick soled corrective shoes, and start to hunch before you have even a hint of osteoporosis, go after it! (Let me also say that this is not a dis on corrective footwear. I have A LOT of foot and ankle issues. Bless Birkenstocks, is all I have to say!)
If you think I am alone in my hankering toward pizazz as an octogenarian, please check out ADVANCED STYLE. Heck, if you don’t have or want anything TO DO with fashion or style and just want to smile, feel some good outfit vibes, and check out some seriously beautiful, seriously old people. Check out ADVANCED STYLE. There’s also a DOCUMENTARY (this is the trailer), and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that as well!
I mean, do you see those ladies! They are rich! (And I don’t mean wealthy.) They are fresh! Unique! Vibrant! Glowing! What fun! Yes this bunch look particularly eccentric and self-made. Yes, they are bright and brazen and fear-less. To see a more subdued vision of Advanced Style click through on the video embedded below (below the picture of Ignacio Quiles.)
This notion does not simply apply to women. I hope that you men find just as much enjoyment in wearing your wardrobe. In fact, sometimes, I think that age gives one extra impetus to shun the crowd and wear what your heart desires. My husband and I recently discussed the fact that we believe that age actually gives the wearer even more opportunity, openness, free-range.
He said, “If I see a 67-year-old man wearing a deep purple suit, I don’t question his style or fashion choice. I feel as though he’s earned it. But if I see that same suit on a 20-something, I’m not gonna lie, I think he’s trying too hard.” In the words of Ignacio Quiles, from the scroll of Advanced Style, “Enjoy what you wear and wear what you enjoy and go out and show the world.”
What about this beautiful creature? So self-assured. So self-possessed. So stylish and fashionable. The scene below is actually part of a hearing aid campaign and advertisement, Advanced Style X Audacious.
I’d love to hear what you think of the “Can’t or Can Wear After 30 List” (there are many (love this one), many, many, many, men check this one out, more of them online). Are there items on these lists you absolutely agree with? Are there items on the list you still love to rock? Are there things on the list you might consider incorporating into your current wardrobe? Who are some of your fashion and style icons? Are any of them elderly? As always, I love your comments and discussion. I hope your Monday has been worth living, and that Tuesday greets you with sunshine, energy, and kindness.
Not too long ago, inside our little home in our little mountain hamlet, it was April. But it looked like THIS (above) outside. Yes, snow. This should no longer be a Spring surprise to mountain dwellers, right? But sometimes, I am still surprised. Wait. That robin I heard chirping his sweet song this morning? Wait. Those full bloomed tulips in my neighbors flower bed? Wait. Those greening buds and blueing skies?
Well, it’s Spring, not paradise, folks. So in this state of blear and drear I hatched a plan. (This plan may have also been formulated by the fact that I had to go to the dentist that day as well, and what better way to cap off a trip to the dentist than with sweets? Right? Anybody?)
I quickly cemented in my mind a desire to make chocolate chip cookies (I just can’t seem to stop with the dental puns here, sorry :). I was’t after just ANY chocolate chip cookie. I had a certain genus in mind. You see I live next to a baking goddess named Carla. I hope that Carla doesn’t cringe when she reads that line. (I don’t know why she would, the title is TRUE. But I hope she doesn’t get embarrassed because it’s the inter web.)
Anyway, Carla was called to this life to start a bake shop, but that business is hard and hot and doesn’t appear to always have the financial meat that a family in today’s world is looking for, and my friend chose a successful career in finance. Banking rather baking. Go figure.
Well, this is to the loss of the entire WORLD, because her BAKING is incredible. These chocolate chip cookies I’m about to paste down are THE BEST! Truly, the best in their class. Holy cow. Hold on to your gluten, cause they are going to knock your socks clean off!! 🙂 (Thank you, Carla, for letting me have the recipe and publish to high heaven!)
Here’s the thing. The recipe is SIMPLE. I’m talking simple! But the miracle in your mouth doesn’t taste that way at all! They are everything I look for in a cookie. Just chewy enough on the inside. Just crispy enough on the outside. Just enough chocolate chips. Just enough sweet to the salt. Just… PERFECT!
I cannot wait to hear how yours turn out! PM me. Comment here. FaceBook your results. Instagram your pics. Cause you’re gonna be happy you made these babies! Recipe below followed by picture steps. Please be sure not forget step 7 and step 8. Have a great day!
XX, Megan
The recipe is as follows:
1 C Butter Flavored Shortening
3/4 C White Sugar
3/4 C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Salt
1tsp Baking Soda
2 1/4 C Flour
1 Package of Chocolate Chips
Cream shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar with a beater. Then add one egg at a time and beat the dough untill it’s light and fluffy– no more. Add the dry ingredients. Continue to mix the dough on the lowest setting. Add the flour at the VERY END. Barely incorporate the flour into the dough, until it is just mixed through. Add the chocolate chips. Fold in. Then mix once by hand.
375 for 9 minutes.
1. Cast of Characters.
2. Get her going!
3. Incorporate until just mixed.
4. Stir once or twice by hand.
5. Make into 1 inch balls.
6. Bake at 375 for 9 minutes. Oh, BOY!
7. Look out your back door to make sure it’s still __________ (insert current weather pattern here).
8. EAT! Thank you again to my dear friend. The most incredible cook I know!
Some of the things I feel and think about the desert return to me over and over again. A desert mantra, maybe.
From the moment I arrive to the moment I leave I never cease to want to take it with me somehow. I don’t understand exactly how this works psychologically or physiologically or why I feel it so strongly. What makes you want to take landscape, skyscape, rock color, tree buds, flower blooms, blazing stars and hold it to you? Put it inside your chest? It feels as though the beauty is so raw, so deep, so filling, that if I could somehow contain it— take it with me— maybe I would never be empty again.
No technology, no technology, no technology.
In the same moment, I realize that another thing I love about wildness is juxtaposed directly opposite to that “take it with me” desire. The fact that we have managed to preserve (and up to this point keep) a fair amount of vast, open, uninhibited spaces for humans to venture “off the beaten path” whether relatively so or sometimes completely is another one of my desert mantras. Wide and airy and clean and open and unadulterated. So much space. So much beauty. It boggles and soothes me. Keep it that way.
No technology, no technology, no technology.
No technology, or very little, because we did use our phones as cameras. But I count that as a capture, a memory, a breath. Not constant interface. The singular reminder that we are all wanderers is a persistent part of the desert chant. All wandering. All lost. All seeking. All hoping. The desert reminds me of how fragile I am. How mortal. How sustained by the great pyramid Loren Eisley described. And sometimes I don’t know whether it brings peace or fear. I am reminded about how small I am.
No technology, no technology, no technology.
I am reminded of the Greater, the Creator, the Sculptor, the Crafter, the Master. The Grand Design. I am reminded that I should hold my ears more and listen inside of me. Not to the spew, churn, and tumult of all that surrounds me. I should listen to the beauty that surrounds me, teaching me that God is in the details. I should listen to me. To that thread of conscience from the Divine.
No technology, no technology, no technology.
Conscious deep breaths. Breaths allowing me to connect with the audacious colors of the sand, rock, and sky. Breaths seeking to hold in the goodness for another moment. Breaths clearing my head and readying my eyes for the vistas, the views– the scuttling lizard, the claret-cup cactus, the aubergine petrified wood, the desert bar berry bush, the someday arch, the desert firedot, the rocky mountain juniper, the emerald rivoli’s hummingbird, the rainbow gradient sands– the memory of being young and vibrant and unstoppable. Grounding, renewing, refreshing, giving me strength. Strength to return to the city, the town, the village, the civilization I have chosen.
No technology, no technology, no technology.
It’s not best to look behind as I leave, but forward. Life calls me on, away. I cannot stay forever, not this time. I feel the comfortable grit of desert days on my skin. Hair standing on end, eyes light with all they have seen, I tell myself I will be back again. Again and again. The van turns North toward home. Some things will come with me. Some things will always be different now. I am changed every time– better. Desert chant.
“We need wilderness preserved– as much of it as is still left, and as many kinds– because it was the challenge against which our character as people was formed.” –Wallace Stegner
Image 1- Headed east on State Hwy 95. This prominent rock feature is known as Jacob’s Chair. In the foreground you see White Canyon which parallels 95 until you reach the turn-off to 276.
Image 2- Hite Crossing Bridge. Crossing the Colorado on Hite Crossing Bridge, via 95, Mt. Hillers in the background.
Image 7- BLM road 1200 meets up with the Burr Trail. Capitol Reef National Park.
Image 8- The Burr Trail Switchbacks.
Image 9- At the top of the switchbacks. Lay of the land behind us.
Image 10- Undulating teeth and a sandstone window.
Image 11- Just keeps getting better. Cutoff road 115.
Image 12- #vanlife
Image 13- Morning and moonset at the mouth of Little Death Hollow.
“We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we do no more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope.” –Wallace Stegner, Wilderness Letter
