Take me away Tuesday

Tuesday is the hardest day, the bleak wasteland of the week for me. The day I would most rather be anywhere else.  And so, today is a take me away Tuesday.

We're in Tulum, known as the Mexican Riviera.  The sea crashes against the beach just feet away from us, and sand is in between our toes.  We're sitting on the porch of our bungalow, the wind blowing through the palm trees that cast shadows at our feet.  We took an early morning swim in the ocean, and when we came back breakfast was waiting for us.  Someone took care to arrange sweet fruit, yogurt and granola, and local honey.  We wash it down with the freshly squeezed orange juice before slathering on the sunscreen and heading back to our beach towels. Our priority today is to sweat, swim, and snooze.

The simple things seem so beautiful in paradise.

xoxo,
MF

The Modern Femme eats...Today's Breakfast

Morning all.  It's a gray and gloomy Monday morning here, which I think is actually perfect, because who wants to head into work on a sunny, glorious day?

Let's start off the week gently with a simple post about the most soothing of subjects: food.  My breakfasts during the work week consist of a variation on the following ingredients:  vanilla yogurt, bananas, and granola.  If those three ingredients are in my fridge and pantry, then it's going to be ok.  If not, the work week is off to a baaaad start.

Here's what I had today (told you this would be a simple post!): vanilla yogurt with fig preserves, a sliced banana, and healthy sprinkling of granola. 

I'm really into fig preserves lately.  They have a nice nuanced taste, and aren't as cloyingly sweet as I had imagined they would be.  Definitely worth a try!  

A note about the brands in this photo - Bonne Maman is my absolute favorite jam.  It is off the charts good, and I reuse the jars when I'm finished - they are perfect for storing homemade salad dressings, housing cupcake liners, etc.  The granola pictured here is Michelle's Granola.  It is hands down, the best granola I've ever had in my life.  I buy it in bulk in my local Whole Foods, but you can also order it online. Chobani is my favorite Greek yogurt, the right combination of thick and smooth.  (All my opinion, I have not been asked to endorse any of these.)

Do you have a breakfast staple you think I should try? Hit me up in the comments!

xoxo,
MF

The Modern Femme gets away...Provence

Happy Friday, everyone!

As we enter the final countdown to the weekend, let's flex the collective muscles of our imagination.  We're not behind desks, sitting in windowless meeting rooms, or listening to conference calls.

No dear friends, we are in the south of France...

Deciding whether to have one croissant, or two, or three, for our breakfast.

Agreeing that an early lunch at a sidewalk cafe is exactly what we need,

Before taking a swim in the Mediterranean and a nap under a striped umbrella.

We will take a leisurely afternoon stroll and take in the spectacular view,

Which whets our appetite for a dinner flavored with fresh herbs from the garden.

As the sun sets and gives the sky that magical Provencal glow,

We gather at the table to recount our day's adventures over glasses of wine.

La vie en rose - bathed in candlelight, we laugh late into the night.

Have a wonderful weekend all.  See you back here bright and early Monday morning, where we will face down another week together.

xoxo,

MF

The Modern Femme makes...Banana Bundt Cakes



I heart you, my little Banana Bundt Cakes.

 I love banana bread.  I love it so much that I hoard old, over ripe bananas in my freezer and fridge.  Lately, I've taken to making banana bread in mini bundt cake molds because I think the finished product looks so darn cute.  Especially when you pile them on a cake stand and cover them with a dome.  Decoration, breakfast, and dessert, all in one spot.  Yum!

Here's my favorite recipe for banana bread, adapted from the classic Joy of Cooking.

You will need:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional...I guess!)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Start with the "wet" ingredients.  Using a stand mixer or a hand-held electric beater, cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and beat the mixture to a golden smoothness.

Next, sift together the dry ingredients - I prefer to use a fine mesh colander placed over a mixing bowl for this step, because I'm too impatient to use a sifter.  Once combined, add the dry ingredients in thirds to the wet ingredients.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once to make sure all the dry and wet ingredients have been thoroughly combined.

Add the banana, blending well to incorporate.  Toss the your mixer attachments in the sink and get a spatula - it's old school time!  Fold in the chocolate chips, if desired. Pour into well-greased loaf pan or mini bunt cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until done. A word of caution here - everyone's oven is different, so I recommend checking the banana bread after 35 minutes, if you're using a loaf pan, or 25 minutes if you're using the bundt pan.  Dip a toothpick into the center/thickest part of the bread.  If it comes out clean, it's done!

Remove from pan and cool on rack. Best enjoyed warm or cold, morning or night. 

xoxo,
MF

Modern Femme at Work: Desk Drawer Emergency Kit

Oh Martha, all hail the queen.

Confession time:  my mother calls me the Bag Lady.  I can't leave my house without the security of an overloaded purse.  I like to think I put Boy Scouts all over the world to shame with my level of preparedness.  Skinned knee? Neosporin and bandaids, check. Red wine spill? Shout wipes, check.  Migraine? Advil, check.  Impromptu social gathering? Hair brush, lip gloss, compact mirror, check.  The list goes on and on.  And that's just what I take with me when running to the corner store.

So, when it comes to my office desk drawer, let's just say I'm ready for the apocalypse.  Here's a list of what I've got stashed away:

• Shea hand lotion (L'Occitaine)
• Lip balm (Chapstick and the Body Shop)
• Lipstick (Benefit Sample)
• Concealer (No.7)
• Neutral eyeshadow palate (Sonia Kashuk)
• Mascara (YSL Sample)
• Shout wipes 
• Tide Pen
• Mini lint roller
• Nail clipper
• Clear nail polish
• Mini sewing kit
• Multi Vitamins
• Fish oil capsules
• Emergency C 1,000 Vitamin C packets
• Feminine hygiene products
• Eye drops
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Herbal Tea Sampler (Celestial Seasonings)
• Bag of popcorn
• Mini Tabasco bottles
• Fork, knife, spoon and pair of chopsticks

And I still think I'm missing some things.  Notice I don't have a toothbrush  (not sure what happened to it, I know I had one once!).  I could stand to add:

• Advil
• Deodorant
• Breath mints
• Safety pins
• Bandaids
• Neosporin
• Copy of my house keys
• Cream blush
• Hair clip
• Small hairbrush

I can hear my mother muttering "bag lady" to herself from here.  But I can't help it!  I need the security of a fully loaded desk.   What about y'all?  What do you keep at work for emergencies?

xoxo,
MF