Breakfast Banana Splits . . . you want one.


My favorite story about banana splits involves my dad and Uncle Mike .  It seems years and years and YEARS ago, they decided to have an eating contest.  They consumed massive amounts of pizza and then went for banana splits.  My dad finished his, but my Uncle Mike saved his favorite part of the banana split for last, and was too full to eat it.  Somehow, this made a very big impression on me when I was a kid.

Moral of the Story: Finish your banana split whether you're too full or not. 

I found this idea through Pinterest...which led me to The Kitchn (love).  Their breakfast banana splits may be a *tad* bit healthier, topped with jam, but hey...you have to get your daily intake of Nutella somewhere!


Breakfast Banana Splits

1 banana
Greek yogurt (I like Fage)
sliced strawberries
Nutella
chopped nuts, toasted


Slice the banana lengthwise and place in a bowl.  Add 2 scoop of yogurt...I used an ice cream scooper for this.  Greek yogurt is so thick that it keeps it's shape.


Add the sliced strawberries.


Heat some Nutella in the microwave for about 10 seconds.  Drizzle over the sundae.


Add toasted, chopped nuts. (I used almonds here, but pecans might be my favorite.)


Ta-da!  Breakfast Banana Splits!  

Make them soon.  I won't tell if you eat all of the Nutella off the top first.  You know, just in case you're too full to eat the rest. ;)

ANDREW ROSEN AND JENNY DYER ~ AT HOME ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE

Andrew Rosen and girlfriend Jenny Dyer live in a renovated apartment on the Upper West Side. Dyer decorated the space with its floor to ceiling windows, adding warmth and style while integrating the furnishing and artwork owned by Rosen.  What resulted is a modern space for the young couple.  ENJOY!




Elle Décor October 2011

BELGIAN DESIGN ~ JEAN-PHILIPPE DEMEYER

Belgian antiquaire and designer Jean-Philippe Demeyer of Brudges in East Flanders renovated this medieval manor.  Leaving the stone floors and plaster walls intact, Demeyer decorated the home with lush fabrics and used a mix of contemporary and antique furnishings.  He searched everywhere he went to find old pieces from courtyards and building sites.

The manor was built as a hunting club in the 14th century, with additions built in the 16th and 19th century.  The renovation took five years, and the manor serves as home and workspace to the businesses’ three owners, Demeyer, Frank ver Elst, and Jean-Paul Dewever.  ENJOY!










VERANDA MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2011

DESIGN IN MANHATTAN ~ NINA SEIRAFI AND TIMOTHY ARCHAMBAULT

Interior designer Nina Seirafi and architect Timothy Archanbault renovated and decorated this 1990’s loft, changing it into a comfortable home for a couple and their children.  The home, directly across the street from the former World Trade Center, is reflected in the glass of the newly constructed building that is exactly where the buildings were.

The gray floors and walls work beautifully with the Art Nouveau Vienna Secession furnishing and artwork.  ENJOY!






Teresa
xoxo
Elle Décor October 2011

DIY Vanilla Extract . . . Works for Me Wednesday

 
Christmas is less than 3 months away.  Honest.  I counted it out on my fingers twice just to be sure.

I really like making homemade gifts for friends and neighbors at Christmastime...and I like to mix it up a bit and not give only decorated cookies.

Last year, I tried vanilla extract.


The cool thing is....you can start NOW!  Make up several jars and start checking off that Christmas list.

To make Homemade Vanilla Extract, you're going to need:


vanilla beans (I bought mine from Beanilla)


...and vodka.


Split the vanilla beans, leaving one end intact. (I had to cut mine in half to fit.) Place in bottles.  These are from The Container Store....aren't they cute?


Top with vodka.  A good ratio is 1 vanilla bean per 1/3 cup of vodka.

Store in a cool, dark place for at least 6 weeks before using.  The longer it sits, the darker the extract will become.
 
This is what it looks like after being tucked away for 2-3 months.

Refill with vodka and fresh vanilla beans as needed.


It's that easy!  Really! And it works for me

ORLANDO DIA-AZCUY ~ DESIGN IN MANHATTAN


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, ANGELA!  SHE IS SUCH A BLESSING!

Using artwork and sculpture as a backdrop for the neutral palette in the pied-a-terre, Cuban designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy decorated using furnishings from his own line in addition to other carefully chosen pieces.

VERANDA MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2011

Karina's Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Karina's gluten-free apple crisp
The best gluten-free apple crisp I've made. In this lifetime anyway.

I've been pondering identity lately. As in, am I the I writing this as Gluten-Free Goddess, or am I a word-free, less defined kind of I that isn't actually I at all but merely a spark in the collective energy source that is the great Mystery? Or Universe. Or Divine. Or whatever conceptual nomenclature you prefer. Am I my thinking mind- or am I more of an essence, what we call soul, a truth beyond the assumed collection of thought patterns and personal history framed by a set of beliefs and separation known as the ego?

I do know I am not my disease.

One of the reasons I chose not to use the word celiac in my blog title was for just this very reason. I do not define myself as celiac. In an identity sense. Yes, it says so on my medical records somewhere (in full disclosure, I think it actually says "possible sprue, resolved by the patient going gluten-free"). But I do not identify with my disease. That would be identifying with my limitations.

Hello, my name is Karina. And I have screwed up villi.

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BARRY DIXON AND DANIEL LEE ~ POLITICALLY CORRECT DESIGN

Senator Bill Frisk and wife Karyn called on interior designer Barry Dixon and architect Daniel Lee to renovate and design their Nashville estate.  The Greek Revival mansion was the childhood home of Senator Frisk.

The renovations included additions and enlargements to the home.  Using contemporary and antique furnishings, the home is not only livable, but intimate. The calm color palette adds to the warmth of the manor.  ENJOY!










See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo

VERANDA MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2011