← Previous Next → http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cropped-beet-juice1.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Couscous-Breakfast-Bowl.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Couscous-Breakfast-Bowl-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Couscous-Breakfast-Bowl-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Couscous-Breakfast-Bowl-4.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Couscous-Breakfast-Bowl-5.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Flowers.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Spinach-Couscous-Bites-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Spinach-Couscous-Bites.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Spinach-Couscous-Bites-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Blackcurrant-Oat-Cookie-Bars.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Blackcurrant-Oatmeal-Cookie-Bars-Tray.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Tomato-Feta-Salad-with-Couscous.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Tomato-Feta-Salad-with-Couscous-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Biscoff-Strawberry-Tiramisu.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Biscoff-Strawberry-Tiramisu-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Biscoff-Strawberry-Tiramisu-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Tiramisu-Cups.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Tiramisu-Cups-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Asparagus-Sun-Dried-Tomato-Puff-Pastry-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Asparagus-Sun-Dried-Tomato-Puff-Pastry.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Asparagus-Sun-Dried-Tomato-Puff-Pastry-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Asparagus-Sun-Dried-Tomato-Puff-Pastry-4.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Asparagus-Sun-Dried-Tomato-Puff-Pastry-5.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Salmon-Chive-Biscuits.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Salmon-Chive-Biscuits-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Salmon-Chive-Biscuits-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Coffee-Canister.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Coffee-Canister-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Coffee-Canister-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Mediterranean-Potato-Salad-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Mediterranean-Potato-Salad-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Biscoff-Chocolate-Mousse-Cups.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Biscoff-Chocolate-Mousse-Cups-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Biscoff-Chocolate-Mousse-Cups-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Gabi-Well-PHOTOGRAPHY-Logo.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i0.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Website-Logo.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i1.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Website-Logo2.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024 http://i2.wp.com/alittlesweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Website-Logo3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024

On February 3rd 2015 I married the man of my dreams in Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas. We had an outdoor wedding with under 30 guests, sweet and simple. I surprised my husband with a mini Rustic Naked Wedding Cake and Topper that was just for the two of us to enjoy, but I didn’t want to leave our guests out. I figured what better way than with mini mason jar cakes! I used the same butter cake recipe but I made cupcakes instead and made half the frosting with pink vanilla buttercream and half with chocolate buttercream, so that guests would have a choice. Not only could they enjoy delicious cake, they had a little mason jar to take home! We had a vintage and rustic theme so I adorned the mini mason jars with twine, a handmade monogrammed tag, and a mini wooden spoon. I have to say it was one of most rewarding DIY projects I’ve ever worked on. Our guests fell in love! I also designed and made my bouquet, the floral arrangements, his boutonniere, and pieced together the whole setup with furniture we own. The most beautiful day of my life!

 Here’s the baby’s breath boutonniere that I put together for him the night before the wedding.  

Supplies

I add a ton of vegetables to my meals now that I’ve stopped eating meat. It’s actually great because if I want my plate full (literally), I have to add something! This vegetable fried rice is so flavorful and filling and so easy to make! I use real sweet Hungarian Paprika (which I highly recommend) and it makes such a difference in flavor. If you do eat meat, throw in some grilled chicken cut into little cubes or if you like shellfish, add in shrimp (my favorite)! This rice is great for leftovers! Make a big batch early in the week and you have a delicious meal or side dish for a few days.

A while back I made an Avocado Pesto Pasta and it was so creamy and flavorful. I was going for the same texture in this dish and it turned out so good! I picked up a jar of marinated artichoke hearts from Sprouts Farmers Market so they were the inspiration for this dish. I know spinach works great in Spinach & Artichoke dips so I added spinach, along with basil, garlic, walnuts, parmesan/romano blend cheese, and olive oil. This is by far my favorite pasta dish I’ve ever made. It has so much flavor, all the ingredients come together so well, and the little crunch you get from the walnuts is amazing! But the best part is that it’s super easy to make!

Spinach, Basil, & Artichoke Pesto Pasta * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

1. 8 oz pasta of your choice
2. 1/3 cup olive oil
3. 1 – 6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
4. 1 cup spinach leaves
5. 10 large basil leaves
6. 2 garlic cloves (one if you don’t like a strong garlic taste)
7. 1/4 cup walnuts
8. 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
9. 2 tablespoons juice from artichoke hearts
10. 1/2 teaspoon salt
11. Pinch pepper

1. Cook pasta according to instructions on package.
2. In a food processor or Vitamix blender add olive oil, artichoke juice, spinach, artichokes, basil, garlic, walnuts, cheese, salt, and pepper in that order. Blend about 30 seconds or until the desired consistency is reached.
3. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot. Spoon pesto over pasta and mix until everything is coated well.
4. Plate and serve.
5. Store leftovers in refrigerator. This dish is just as good reheated the next day!

A Little Sweet Life https://alittlesweetlife.com/  

My husband and I have been talking about a vegetable and herb garden for the longest time. When we were living in Las Vegas where my husband is from, we decided to start out with some tomato seeds. It’s difficult to grow anything in Las Vegas because of the extreme heat, but our little tomato plant did alright with lots of tender love and care. When we moved to Southern California our little baby flourished. After a lot of going back and forth we finally decided to start our vegetable garden. We’re no experts and we still have so much to learn but I hope this gives you some valuable information and maybe even some inspiration! I cook everyday with the vegetables and herbs we planted so I’m so excited to have them in our backyard! You’ll find my recipes along the way so stick around and enjoy!

This is what the space looked like before. We wanted to start small and get our feet wet first! This spot was perfect because it gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day.

And because I love my sweet husband and he did most of the hard stuff…

The first thing we did was clear all the rocks. Then we plowed the soil and removed weeds and debris. We found lots of worms which is a good sign!

We were both so excited about the white picket fence my husband made so that was the next thing we put up.

My husband took care of the irrigation system (of course). We already had one in place but we purchased some additional attachments to make sure the soil would be properly irrigated.

Next step was testing the soil to see what we could grow. You can buy these really cool kits at your local hardware store.

And the results…  

Now we were ready to plant everything! Basically the soil test told us our soil is alkaline. I’m pretty sure we still bought whatever our little hearts desired. It’s all an experiment and learning process for us anyways.

Some strawberries of course because I love to have a good Smoothie every now and then.

Some yummy and delicious basil because I eat my Spinach, Basil, & Artichoke Pesto Pasta and Couscous Breakfast Bowl almost every week!

Went a little overboard on the basil because I cook with it so much!

Swiss chard for my Green Goose Juice.

Fragrant chives to garnish my Chive & Dill Crepes and Smoked Salmon & Chive Sandwiches.

Flat leaf Italian parsley to garnish some Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup for those cold rainy days.

Transplanted our tomato plant. How about a delicious salad? Check out my Tomato & Feta Spring Salad and Orzo with Mushrooms, Asparagus, & Cherry Tomatoes recipes.

Spinach seedlings after a week. Can’t wait to make my Spinach & Couscous Bites with these!

Kale seedlings after a week so I can make my Kapple Juice!

Lettuce seedlings after a week so I can make a salad and top it off with homemade Croutons!

Carrot seedlings after a week and a half because I need carrots for my famous Beet Juice and for my easy and delicious Vegetable Fried Rice.

Green bean seedlings after a week and a half because I can’t make Couscous & Green Beans without the green beans!

Let me sneak in another one of my husband working hard as usual.

So I present to you our little vegetable and herb garden…

I really hope you’ve enjoyed this post and I hope you’re able to start your very own vegetable and herb garden!

Mmmm…couscous….

So quick and easy to make, the possibilities are endless. This breakfast bowl is the result of being extremely hungry one morning. I wanted something quick and easy and in my tummy in under 10 minutes! Success! I will be making this breakfast bowl over and over and over again. It’s delicious and so fresh. Plus I get to use the basil and chives my husband and I are growing in our yard so that makes me extra happy! And if you love couscous as much as I do, be sure to check out my Couscous with Garlic Green Beans, Spinach Couscous Bites, and Tomato & Feta Spring Salad with Couscous recipes!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup couscous
• 5 asparagus spears chopped
• 1 cipollini onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 1 egg whisked
• Sprinkle of chopped chives for garnish
• 2 basil leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Cook couscous according to package instructions.
2. Place olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until translucent. Add asparagus and some more salt and pepper to taste. Bump up heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes or until asparagus becomes tender. Add in your whisked egg and mix with the asparagus and onion until cooked.
3. Place cooked couscous in skillet and mix. Add in sun dried tomatoes.
4. Plate and garnish with chives and basil leaves.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/couscous-breakfast-bowl/

I finally made biscuits! Not just any biscuits…salmon and chive biscuits!

I’ve been craving hot biscuits fresh out of the oven for months now.

I don’t know what it is about smoked salmon that I love so much but I’ve been wanting to incorporate it into everything. When I made my Chive & Dill Crepes what’s the first thing I wanted to top them with? Smoked salmon! And when I decided to make biscuits, what’s the first thing I thought about to mix in? Smoked salmon! 

Ok, you get the picture, I love smoked salmon!

This recipe is so delicious and what’s even better is that you can freeze them and pop them back in the oven when you want hot and fresh biscuits and they’ll taste just as good as when you first baked them!

Smoked Salmon & Chive Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 oz smoked salmon cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add your vinegar or lemon juice to milk and set aside.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add to food processor or Vitamix blender.
4. Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to flour and pulse about 7-8 times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Pour in milk and pulse just until mixture starts to stick together.
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Work salmon and chives into dough. Knead a few times until you can form a ball and flatten out into a 9 in disk. Using a biscuit cutter cut out rounds and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
7. If you have scrap dough flatten out again and cut out more rounds.
8. Mix 1/2 teaspoon salt with 1 tablespoon water and brush the tops of the biscuits.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and serve warm or place on rack to cool.
11. If you have leftovers, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a plastic bag. Reheat in a 325 degree F oven for about 8 minutes.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/smoked-salmon-chive-biscuits/

Everyone knows beets are good for you and my mom always said they help with blood flow. Well, she was right! They do just that and so much more. Anything that naturally rich in taste and color has me sold. I use my fabulous Breville juicer for all my juices, I highly recommend one.

Ingredients

• 1 large beet
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 2 purple carrots

These crêpes are so savory and delicious! I just love how versatile a basic crêpe recipe can be. All I did was use my crêpe recipe, omitted the vanilla sugar, and added in chopped dill and chives. So easy and the possibilities for filling these are endless! I chose to spread a little whipped cream cheese and layer slices of smoked salmon and cucumber inside. This is probably one of my favorite ways to eat smoked salmon now. Make these crêpes, you won’t be sorry!

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

1. 1 & 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2. 1 cup milk
3. 1 & 1/4 cup sparkling water
4. 2 eggs
5. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6. 1 tablespoons chopped dill
7. 2 tablespoons chopped chives
8. Pinch salt
9. Extra vegetable oil for pan

1. In a large bowl mix flour and salt. Make a well in the center, add your eggs, and mix. Gradually add your milk and sparkling water and incorporate using a whisk. Once everything is incorporated and mixed well use a sieve to get rid of any clumps. This will ensure you have a smooth and silky batter. Add chopped dill and chives to batter and mix.
2. Heat a 9 in skillet on medium heat. Add about a teaspoon of oil. Once oil is heated, use a ladle and pour a small amount of batter into pan. Lift pan and turn so that almost the entire pan is coated. Cook until edges start to brown. Flip and continue cooking until a golden brown color. Continue to add a small amount of oil each time you cook a crêpe. If you feel your batter is getting too thick add more sparkling water or milk.
3. Fill with desired filling. Cream cheese, smoked salmon, and thinly sliced cucumbers is my favorite!

A Little Sweet Life https://alittlesweetlife.com/

I’m so excited to share these adorable envelope seals and thank you card templates that I designed for my wedding! They’re so versatile, you can use them for any occasion that’s vintage inspired. I used Vistaprint to print everything out. The website is so easy to use, the prices are fantastic and the quality is great. These thank you cards are even great to keep on hand in your desk. You never know when you’ll need to send a note! And to make it even more special, seal your envelope with one of these adorable stickers. Just click on the links below and save the PDF files!

If you want to go the Vistaprint route, you will need the sticker and thank you card images to upload to their website when customizing your order.

Vintage Key Sticker Image  

Vintage Key Thank You Card

If you’d rather print the envelope seals on your own, I’ve also created an entire sheet of stickers for you! The sticker paper you will need for this is Standard White Matte 1.5 in Circle Labels. If you like this idea better click here: