The Anthropologie Black Hole

The Anthropologie catalog came in the mail yesterday... I can usually flip through it pretty quickly and get on with my day, but their spring line up is pretty tight this year. I couldn't help myself, and spent a little a lot of time browsing their website this afternoon. Since I haven't done an Anthro round-up in a while, I thought I'd procrastinate today and show you a few things that caught my eye...

• This jacket is amazing. I could see it pairing well with most of my dresses. And everything else in my closet.
• A skirt that's also not-so-secretly pants? So ridiculous, I can't help but love it.
• Of course a striped sweater caught my eye. 80% of my shirts have dolman sleeves.
• Wide leg cropped trousers are so hot right now, and I can't help but wonder if I could pull them off...

• Red? Check. Stripes? Check. Asymmetrical? Check. This dress? Check.
• I'm on a jumpsuit kick right now. The colors in this one are on point.
• I want to do yoga in this. It looks so freaking comfortable!
• Want a jumpsuit that's both casual and fancy? I want a spring wedding to go to so I can wear it there.

Other honorable mentions: short-alls that remind me of an apron, a gingham dress, another striped sweater, the same dress as above but more colorful, and an embroidered peplum top.

Now that I've thoroughly wasted three hours of my day (and probably yours too), I'm going to attempt to go do something much more productive. You should probably do the same.

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Fun Finds Friday #137

• This bag is for kids, but I'd totally rock it.
• I made this salad last weekend and - WOAH! SO GOOD.
• I am feeling so much kimono love lately.
• This look exudes comfort! I wish there were a Prana store on the east coast.

Also...

• I want to build/live in an Earthship sooooo bad. Been telling Shawn that for years!
• Must make this.
• On making friends; lowering your expectations and putting yourself out there.
• Ain't nobody got time for assholes. (Yes, thank you for all three thoughts, Anthony Bourdain!)
• The busy person's guide to reducing stress.

Happy Friday!!!!

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I've been really into making soups lately- they're quick, simple, and you really don't need more than a few veggies and some water to make a delicious soup. Plus, they warm your belly, you get a large yield, and they're super easy to reheat later! One of the bakeries I used to work at had four rotating soups each day, and one of my favorites was a Tuscan White Bean Soup. I've been trying to get Shawn and I to eat less meat lately, so I thought it would be fun to recreate one of my favorite veggie soups!

This one is great because you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already. (I always have carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the fridge, and I stock up on beans when they're on sale.) To make it vegetarian, just swap the chicken broth for veggie broth - I just don't like store-bought veggie broth because it's often too carrot-heavy.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

recipe makes approximately 3 quarts

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, small dice
• 3 carrots, small dice
• 4 stalks celery, small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-1/2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 cups swiss chard or kale, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, cooking until the vegetables have softened and the onion starts to appear translucent. Add the tomatoes, beans, and broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and add the swiss chard and all the spices. Adjust spices to taste. Once the swiss chard has wilted, the soup is ready to eat! Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve with bread, if you'd like.

This soup keeps well for about a week when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Or, pour it into a large ziplock bag and freeze it flat for easy storage and quick defrosting.

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