Chicago weekend staycation || TAKE TWO

(photo credit: TSNY) 

Oh hey. Remember when I posted about the epic Chicago Staycation Weekend Ben and I had a few weeks ago? I think I might have just topped it. This has officially been the craziest and busiest summer I've experienced since moving to the city in 2012 and I am absolutely loving it, while also trying to slow down and appreciate the present moment as much as possible!

My high school intern program officially ended last week, so I was lucky to get a three day weekend as I transition back into the normal Monday-Friday work week again! My best friend Anna came up Thursday night for some girl time, and in typical A^2 fashion we went all out.

Starting with Friday breakfast.

Backstory: I have been lusting after this frozen banana soft serve maker called the Yonanas for months, but haven't been able to justify the purchase since you can blend frozen bananas in a food processor and get the same delicious end result, it's just messier and less fun. AND THEN Ben and I were getting our weekly grocery haul at Aldi last and I found a generic Yonanas maker for only $29.99 in the magical aisle of random household goods! I WAS SO EXCITED! Aldi has slowly infiltrated my life from the random semi-creepy place my grandma always dragged us through as children, to my all time favorite grocery store. They are seriously stepping up their game lately and if you have an Aldi near you I highly recommend checking it out! It's an experience and worth a blog post in itself.

But back to this generic Yonanas maker! It is awesome. You add frozen bananas or any frozen fruit and it grinds it down into a creamy and indulgent sorbet. Magic, I tell you!

So Anna and I made the most epic bowl of cinnamon walnut oatmeal ever. I am going to start topping everything with banana soft serve!

After breakfast, we showered (oh yeah, plus we ran almost five miles before breakfast because that's how we roll) and went on a SECRET MISSION that I'm not allowed to talk about. It was fun. This is the only clue I'll share: IV

Then we hit up Native Foods Cafe for some delicious vegan comfort food! Once we were all fueled up, we headed downtown and proceeded to shop until we dropped.

Since epic is the name of the game, we decided to land at one of the best rooftop bars in the city for happy hour.

It was fun to enjoy the view of the Farm in the Zoo from above! All summer I was stationed out of the farmhouse that is hidden by the trees to the left of that barn.

We made our way through several of these delicious concoctions (the Bramble On and Summer Harvest are my personal faves)...

And then we took a selfie.

And ordered a delicious cheese plate.

Then Ben crashed the girls day, and we ended up meeting up with some more friends for dinner at our favorite BBQ place, Sheffield's!

Saturday morning, we woke up and sweat out all the cocktails at spin class. Then I joined up with my sister in law Ashley and her crew to celebrate her bachelorette party! We got lunch at an adorable and cozy library themed place called Wilde, which I can't wait to re-visit in the winter. Then we had a relaxing afternoon with some shopping, pedicures, ice cream, and ended up in Belmont Harbor for trapeze class! This was the only requirement Ashley had for her bachelorette, and I must admit we all thought she was a little crazy when we first arrived....

I've always wished I could fly!

It ended up being the most incredible and exhilarating experience! Ashley and I loved it so much we signed up for two more classes on the spot. I blame the adrenaline...but seriously, I highly recommend taking a class with the Trapeze School New York. They have locations all over the country and it is SO fun! Although two days later my back and upper abs are still more sore than they've ever been.

And of course, an epic weekend wouldn't be complete without some sort of frozen treat. I am trying to maintain a balance between active/healthy and fun/indulgent this summer, and I think it's going pretty well so far! Even though Ben has officially gone back to school, we still have 6 weeks of the season left. So re-visit that summer bucket list and make it happen!

(all trapeze action shots c/o TSNY) 

salmon with warm bacon and mustard sweet potato salad

Every once in a while I find or concoct a recipe that is just so delicious I want to save it to remember for later! Since I'm such a recipe hoarder, I rarely make the same thing more than once (excepting basic proteins like chicken, steak, and salmon) therefore I'm going to start posting the recipes that were a hit so I can remember to make them again! And so you can enjoy them too. All my dinner recipes are healthy, simple, and fast, perfect for busy weeknights (and then you'll have room for ice cream if it's one of those nights!)

Tonight we made a basic broiled salmon and I paired it with a warm potato salad inspired by a recipe from a Martha Stewart cookbook. I tweaked the ingredients a little bit and it turned out absolutely delicious! I love sweet potatoes and need to make them more often. They are delicious with salty bacon. Yes I'm on a bacon kick.

Salmon with Warm Bacon and Mustard Sweet Potato Salad

Serves 4

Salmon:

-4 wild caught Pacific salmon filets (we usually broil them straight from frozen)

-1/2 lemon

-spices to taste

Potato salad:

-3 medium sweet potatoes

-2 celery stalks, chopped

-1 or 2 slices of cooked bacon, chopped

-1/4 c. red wine vinegar

-2 tsp. Dijon mustard

-1 to 2T whole grain brown mustard

-1T olive oil

Chop potatoes into 1" chunks, place in a large pot, fill with water and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes for 10-12 minutes, until soft when pierced with a fork.

While potatoes are boiling, squeeze lemon juice over the salmon, liberally sprinkle with spices (we like Mrs. Dash lemon pepper and Old Bay), and broil until cooked through.

Combine vinegar, mustards, and olive oil in a small bowl. When potatoes are done, drain them and dump the dressing into the pot, stir to combine. Add the celery and bacon.

Serve the salmon over greens with a side of potato salad, and enjoy!!

the EPIC bacon and nectarine summer salad

I think I might have just concocted the best salad of my life.

A few days ago, I was scrolling through my blog reader (guilty pleasure when I get a spare five minutes at work), quickly and mindlessly skimming titles and pictures until I came across THIS salad from one of my favorite food blogs, How Sweet It Is. Oh my goodness. It's been on my mind ever since, and tonight our nectarines were finally ripe enough to throw together my version of this bowl of summery goodness.

This salad has it all. Crispy radishes, creamy avocado, juicy and sweet nectarines, salty and crunchy bacon, goat cheese, a tangy lemon vinaigrette, juicy chicken, and whatever else you might have picked up at the farmer's market! It's my favorite kind of "kitchen sink" concoction. When it comes to salads, more is always more.

Seriously. Go make this.

Epic Summer Salad with Bacon and Nectarines

Serves 2

Inspired by How Sweet It Is

Salad ingredients:

- 4 to 6 cups mixed greens

- 1/2 avocado, sliced

- 1 ripe nectarine, sliced

- 4 radishes, thinly sliced

- red onion, sliced (to taste)

- 4 slices nitrate free bacon

- 1 chicken breast, chopped

- crumbled goat cheese (to taste)

- salt and pepper

Cook the bacon until desired level of crispiness, then set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Drain all but ~2 T of bacon fat from the hot pan, and cook the chicken in the bacon fat with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and your favorite spices. Let the epicness commence.

Assemble salads with your desired proportions of all ingredients, drizzle with Lemon Vinaigrette, and enjoy with a glass of rose!

Lemon Vinaigrette

Makes approx 3/4 cup dressing

- juice of 2 lemons

- 1/4 cup olive oil

- 1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar (Bragg's)

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 2 tsp maple syrup (more to taste)

- salt and pepper

Shake all ingredients in a jar, and store in the fridge!