Easy Summer Kale Smoothie

I love making smoothies at home. When I was growing up I would usually come home starving after track practice and make a fruit smoothie that filled me up until dinner. Since kale smoothies are the latest trend, I started to incorporate the green leafy treat into my fruit smoothies for a simple and healthy recipe that kick starts my morning. It's so easy to make and gives you a great balance of fruit and vegetables before morning coffee or after a long run. 

Simple Kale Smoothie Recipe 

INGREDIENTS 

1/2 plum, cut and diced 
1/2 mango, cut and peeled 
1/2 banana 
Two kale leaves, stripped and washed 
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I usually just buy whatever is on sale but always double-check the level of sugar to be sure I'm not over doing it)
1/2 cup almond milk (I used vanilla flavored this time & it added a sweet punch) 
4 ice cubs 

Mix everything together in a blender, added the ice cubs last after a few spins. Enjoy! 

Shine Bright like a Diamond

I've been loving the gem trend that has been popping up all over the web. From gem tattoos like this one found via Jennifer Fisher, to beach towels perfect for looking glam while sun bathing {this one from One King's Lane}, it's all about the glamour. As obsessed I am with BaubleBar, I even found that their little "please wait" icon features a fab new gem - have you seen it?

{towel, crown, tattoo}

Asian-Inspired Soba Noodle Salad

I could pretty much consume Asian inspired food every night. I love that it's relatively easy to create at home with a mix of spices and fresh items I usually stock in my fridge, and that curry packages and noodles are always readily available at my favorite markets. 

Inspired by yet another recipe via Pinterest, I updated this cold soba noodle recipe to feature a few seasonal ingredients that I had stocked up already. I sliced up some fresh cucumber and mushrooms with my oxo mandoline, and added a few pieces of seasoned tofu to the mix. I was initially attracted to the recipe for it's use of avocado, so I didn't leave that out of the recipe I adapted.   

Wednesday Pick-me-up {Lorde 'Royals'}

If you need a pick-me-up for this hump-day Wednesday, Lorde's "Royals" is that song. 

Lorde is only 16, from New Zealand, and sings about real life. No, she didn't come from money. So she's singing about it. The Cut (a la New York Mag) interviewed the starlet, whose real name is Ella, about recording her first studio-album and how she's not like Taylor Swift. 

Enjoy. 

Foursquare + Samsung

It's amazing what you find when perusing the Internets all day. While scrolling through Twitter last week I found a partnership between FourSquare and Samsung Galaxy. 

With four million users, FourSquare is a unique platform that engages social savvy audiences with local destinations. When I first started using the platform, it was all about the specials - our favorite San Diego deli handed over a free bag of chips with every sandwich order, or our local pub gave out free tater-tots with every drink. 

Now it's less about the free stuff and more about socializing with likeminded individuals via local hot-spots (just the other day I bookmarked a new sushi place to try that was recommended by someone in San Diego). 

This Time Machine project is all about exploring where you've been, and where you're expected to go. My map is pretty California heavy, as you can see above, with a few outliers. It's a nice walk down memory lane, done beautifully (no doubt thanks to Samsung). 

Simple Shrimp Salad

Packing up new and exciting lunches is never easy, but I'm constantly inspired by Pinterest (shocker there!) so when I found a yummy recipe with ingredients I already had in the fridge, I was stocked to try it. 

This shrimp salad recipe is one of the simplest salads I've ever created, and also one of the most delicious. I modified this simple recipe I found via Pinterest, and included some goat cheese, cucumbers and corn for a nice little summer touch. 

Sprinkle whatever you have got lying around with fresh olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of rice wine vinegar and it's perfectly refreshing for a hot summer day. It was actually quite filling, too. 

INGREDIENTS 
6 cooked and peeled shrimp, diced 
1/4 cup red onion 
1/2 cup cucumber, diced 
1/2 cup yellow corn 
1/2 avocado 
goat cheese 
salt & pepper to taste 

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl (or tupperware - for a take-away lunch). Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil to your liking. 

Go Crazy, Conscious Consumer {at Zady}

When I first started Surviving Green, I had a notion that I'd focus on eco-friendly fashion and living. It proved rather difficult in 2009, but today more designers are under scrutiny about where their fabrics are coming from and how their designs are coming to life, and the conscious consumer is becoming much more prevalent. 

So when I heard about Zady, a retail startup focused on the conscious consumer, I just about jumped off my seat. Created from the mind of a Foodspotting co-founder, which I am also a huge fan, now we can do some serious knowledge-shopping (meaning we'll know where every product comes from). Already a stellar list of local brands are lined up to join Zady during their premiere next month, according to TechCrunch, including Nashville denim designers Imogene + Willie and handbag creators Clare Vivier. 

{shop more at Imogene + Willie}

Plan a Picnic Party on your Phone

Picnics are usually easy - in my mind stopping by a Whole Foods on the way to the park to pick up cheeses, meat and bread is the perfect afternoon. Plus, we always bring lots of books to enjoy the sun. 

{Josh & I in Balboa Park}

Whenever planning a potluck, our group of friends usually sends out a mass email chain with event details and suggested food items. By the time the actual day of the event rolls around, there are more than a dozen emails floating around my inbox with the possible food item that might appear just hours later. Planning a party isn't a precise science, but when I discovered the app Springpad I thought finally! a place to organize every little detail, updated minute-to-minute. 

We carry our phones everywhere these days. It's the latest accessory. So offering an app that not only delivers real-time news on the latest event but helps to ease the tension of planning earns a gold star in my book. As someone who constantly finds recipes via Pinterest, Springpad will help launch a mini-salivation fest for all my friends - hopefully enticing a few more to show up to the big bash. 

Springpad is simple. You can save recipes, placed you'd like to go to on your picnic, things to bring (like a favorite book or magazine), by "springing" them into a Notebook that enables you to save and share with the entire clan. Plus, get this - the app will automatically store all the ingredients from each recipe in a notepad - how is that for efficient?  Share and save your plans while on-the-go (who isn't always on-the-go?) for real time fun. Plus guys, it's free! 

{picnic images via}

Out to Sea

One of my birthday requests (besides getting this guy up here - fail.) was heading to Tomales Bay Oyster Company for a few hours of shucking in the sun. 

The holiday weekend packed in the picnic tables with more Marina-frat-boys playing beer pong than usual, but it was still a pleasant weekend spent in the shelter of a lone tree and sparse grass (note: tree attracted a family of Asian tourists who took refuge in the rare shade, and camped out in our food!). Once we returned to the city, it was pretty obvious we had made the right decision to get out: the cloud cover was heavy. 

Great Summer Reads

Summer reading is typically categorized as light, frilly pieces that don't bring any weight to conversations once fall hits. Inspired by Buzzfeed's "65 Books You Need to Read in your 20s", I compiled a list of my favorite books that take beach reading to a whole new level. Instead of suffocating your brain with romance novels or frolicking tales of sex and lies, turn to historical literature that feeds your hunger for appealing literature that stimulates.

"Dearie" The Remarkable Life of Julia Child," was a hefty number by Bob Spitz that I couldn't put down, even when poolside. Even if you aren't a self-proclaimed foodie, I would suggest this one as well as this summer's popular hit for women, "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead" from Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg. 

1. Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle 
2. Bossypants, by Tina Fey 
3. Little Bee, by Chris Cleave 
4. The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver 
5. The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain 
6. The Last Time I Saw Paris, by Elizabeth Adler 
7. Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child, by Bob Sptiz 
8. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg 
9. Summer at Tiffany, by Majorie Hart  
10. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway (suggestion: read on tape)

Next up: Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Woman's Prison. I saw the title while scooping out new books in the city this past week, and was immediately attracted to the back cover. Anyone else read it? 

Lou Mora is my Photographer

I love all the things one can discover when perusing through the Twitter universe. While scanning some of my favorites, I noticed a conversation between two bloggers about Lou Mora's recent project at the Sunset, a distinct neighborhood in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles. The portraits of neighborhood rascals are all beautifully shot with a unique personality, but his lifestyle pieces really caught my eye.  

The Los Angeles based photographer has contributed to a number of some spectacular publications, including the visually stunning Kinfolk Magazine and Filter Magazine. He's even worked with a few San Diego favorites like MiresBall. I love that he's locally based, and has a long list of clientele as diverse as his work. 

To see more of his portraits and lifestyle shots, visit Lou Mora is my Photographer. 

Summer Swimsuits

I love finding a comfortable bathing suit that I can wear all summer long. 

Since I was born and raised less than a mile from the beach, it was a tradition to pick up a new swimsuit every summer. When my tastes starting evolving to more designer wear, I kept up with my desire for an annual suit for summer by shopping at H&M and Target. While I love my strapless swimsuit from the season, I don't mind coveting a few numbers found on my Pinterest boards {I wear.... & Seasonal}. 

Happy Birthday America {& Me}

Fourth of July is most often characterized as a day of BBQ, drinking and fireworks. While it's a celebration for America, I also celebrate my birthday. Yes, I get fireworks on my birthday every year.

It's not quite as glamorous as one might think, though if I had to have a holiday birthday I would take this over Christmas. So today I turn 27, much to my chagrin, and look forward to another year of firsts, exploration and growth. 

Tootsie Time

I love clogs, but haven't purchased a pair since I still have memories wandering around in my mother's clogs that were heavier than a pair of anvils (at least from what I recall). But I love that the Maguba clogs are lightweight and extremely versatile - making me feel like they'd go with both sporty weekend wear and fancy workday outfits. 

{If it wasn't obviously via Pinterest, I love shoes. Inspired by Santa Barbara Chic, I think it's time to feature my passion on the blog}

Summer Cocktail

While in Chicago a few summers ago, we stayed at the Affinia Hotel just off Magnificent Mile. The summer heat called for a few afternoon cocktails, and with our travel plans on hold we slipped into the hotel's roofbar bar, C-View. As part of Marcus Samuelsson's C-House (which recently closed), the bar was a perfect mix of comfort and class. 

The Darren

Citrus vodka 

Pomegranate puree 

Fresh lemon

Basil 

Spruce up your Dog: Hot Dog Recipes

{mango relish dog}

{grilled guac dog}

{7-layer dip dog}

I'm an all-American girl, meaning that when it comes time for a BBQ (or cook out as the boy likes to call it) I usually go straight for the dogs. I haven't been a hot dog lover forever, so I tend to mask the real taste of my meat pop with a ton of sugary sauces. 

The best recipe I've found comes from my Colombian girlfriend who layers sliced pineapple, crushed Kettle chips and green onions on her dog. It's messy, but feels devoid of any excess processed sugar (like ketchup), without overwhelming me on the doggie front. 

What are your favorite dog recipes? 

One of my favorites from Chicago