Sweet + Spicy Watermelon

What is it about shower routines?  I find them so odd.  Nearly nothing else in my life is as organized as my routine in the shower.  The time of day varies but the order of events do not.

Is this a little too personal?

Well, what I don't understand is when you have an off day.  Please tell me you know what I'm talking about.

The day when you wash your body before you shampoo your hair, or when you condition before you shampoo, or when you forget to wash your face.  When I finally realize what I'm doing I feel so thrown off.  It makes me want to shower again to get the order right.  Don't worry, that never happens.

Is this a sign for something??

Am I losing my mind?

I blame it on...

A] the heat

B] living in a maze of boxes

C] lack of sleep 

I've come to the conclusion that it's impossible to move from one place to another and not have some amount of chaotic, hair-pulling, craziness.  If you've had a move that was 100% smooth sailing you are my hero.  I want to be you.  

One of the things helping me through the crazy is FOOD.

Bet you couldn't guess that.

And more specifically, watermelon.  Buckets of watermelon.  I would say that 50% of my summer hydration comes from watermelon.  It would be interesting [or scary!]to find out exactly how many pounds of this ruby-red fruit I've consumed in the past month.  And in case you're looking for a little something to jazz up said watermelon I have just the thing.

As you see in the photo above I attempted grilled watermelon.  Cube after cube I tried to enjoy it but just couldn't.  Grilled pineapple?  YES.  Grilled peaches?  Oh.my.yes.  Grilled watermelon?  Nope.  It actually seemed to lose it's sweetness in the process.  I was about to throw this recipe right out the window, but then I took a bite of the fresh watermelon sitting in the marinade.  And then I ate another 1/2-pound. 

Sweet, juicy, smokey, and spicy, this just made watermelon even more addicting.

Print this!

inspired + lightly adapted from: the first mess

Sweet + Spicy Watermelon

• ~8 cups cubed watermelon
• 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon chipotle adobo sauce
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon spicy chipotle seasoning, or other smokey-spicy blend
• pinch of salt
• 1 lime zested, to top

1. Place cubed watermelon in a bowl.
2. Shake the juice, honey, adobo sauce, seasoning, and salt in a jar until fully combined.  Taste and add more seasoning for a spicier kick.
3. Pour over the watermelon and toss to coat. 
4. Let sit in the fridge for 10-15min before serving.  
5. Toss again + top with fresh lime zest and a sprinkle of salt.  Serve immediately.

Now, please reassure me that I'm not alone in my...

A] watermelon consumption

B] shower routine

C] moving anxiousness 

Ashley

simple summer veggie pasta salad

Can I tell you how much I'm loving garden herbs at the moment?  I've tried to grow herbs here + there in the past but never more than one or two plants at a time.  This year I have a fun assortment--my favorite being the lemon thyme--and they're all doing really well!  Each plant cost $2.99 which is equal to ONE of those little plastic packs filled with herbs that you can use for about 1 single recipe.  I find those to be one of the biggest rip offs.  You're telling me 7 basil leaves cost as much as a gigantic head of kale!?  

Rant over.  Point being --> grow herbs because they are delicious + cheap + kind of fancy

Now we can continue to the easiest summer dinner you will ever see.  But let's not get all technical about the term, "easiest."  Microwaving macaroni is definitely easier.  As is making a grilled cheese + avocado toast.  But this is a real-deal meal, filled with fresh vegetables.  Excuse the triple rhyme.  It happened and I left it. 

To start off we have homemade dressing.  No blender necessary and it's filled with just a few simple ingredients.  A fresh + summery Italian dressing, if you will.

Then, you boil a pot of noodles and drain the hot water over the vegetables to cook them in a speedy 3 minutes.  See, super simple, and we're reusing water!  Win!

Next, toss with the dressing + serve.

Done!

What's that?

Yeah, we're already done.

Welcome to your new favorite summer meal.

Print this!

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad

gluten-free, vegan // yields 4-6 servings

for the dressing:

• 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 6-8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, I used lemon thyme, basil, parsley, and oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed + finely minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar, or honey
• 3/4 teaspoon salt + pepper
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon onion powder granules

1. Place ingredients in a jar, seal, and vigorously shake until fully combined.  
2. Place in the fridge until ready to use.  Taste and add more olive oil for a less acidic flavor.  Let the dressing sit for at least 1 hour [or overnight] in the fridge to help the flavors fully develop!

for the pasta salad:

• 1, 10oz package pasta of choice, gluten-free/vegan if needed
• 3 cups sliced + halved green squash
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1 cup green beans, ends trimmed + chopped in half
• 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed + drained
• 1 cup halved grape/cherry tomatoes 
• salt + pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. *Do not discard cooking water.
2. While cooking, place the squash, peas, and green beans in a large pot or heat-safe bowl.
3. When the pasta is finished cooking place a colander over the pot of vegetables and drain the water into the pot until the vegetables are covered.  Let vegetables sit in the water for about 3 minutes.  Veggies should still have a nice crunch.  
4. Finish draining the pasta in the colander over the sink, then run ice cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking. ~30 seconds 
5. Remove pasta from the colander.
6. Drain the vegetables through the colander and run under ice cold water for 30 seconds - 1 minute.
7. Combine in a large bowl or pot with the noodles, chickpeas, tomatoes, and a few generous pinches of salt + pepper.
8. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over the pasta and gently toss until well coated.  
9. Taste and add more salt/pepper if desired.  
10. Cover + refrigerate until fully chilled and ready to serve.  Pour on a little extra dressing just before serving and toss to combine or serve dressing on the side.

*Feel free to top with parmesan or goat cheese if desired.

*If you skip out on the fresh herbs your tastebuds will be sad.

Leftovers are as simple as taking a spoon to the bowl and then straight to your face.  Enjoy!

Ashley