A Very Classic Apple Pie

I have been following "A Cozy Kitchen" on Instagram for a while now, but never cease to be amazed by her beautiful creations. Her pies are magical, always with the most immaculate, yet rustic aesthetic. She gives off that vibe that she's naturally perfect but doesn't try. I'm just a little obsessed with her. Today I finally decided to make one of her pies, and I was NOT disappointed. I would say with full confidence her pie crust is my favorite recipe yet! It is not fussy, its easy to work with, and delicious! Find her recipe here.

Top with some vanilla ice cream and you have perfection!

Vegan Jalapeño Cornbread

Nathan and I have been vegan for about the past 3 weeks. It is a bit easier on me than him so I have been trying to make lots of hearty vegan baked goods to ease the transition for him. I made a delicious batch of butternut squash soup, and this cornbread compliments it perfectly. This bread is very simple, very delicious and the jalapeño adds the most mild kick. Perfect for this windy fall day!

You will need:

1 1/2 cups rice milk

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

3/4 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Combine rice milk and vinegar and let sit. 

Combine all dry ingredients. 

Add the milk mixture, the oil, and chopped jalapeños stir until blended. 

Pour into lightly oil sprayed baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Enjoying some coffee of course, Nathan makes the BEST coffee! 

Fall Fashion

Transitioning into new fashion for new seasons is fun but stressful. By the time summer is over, I'm usually SO over my summer clothes and ready for new styles. I always feel major pressure to get new looks to fit the fall fashion vibe I am feeling! This year I am all about texture, neutrals, and simplicity. My fall mantra is LESS IS MORE.

I'm loving cream colored, chunky knit sweater dresses and suede over the knee boots. I love a simple leather bag, gold cuffed bracelets, belts, and a blunt, above-the-shoulder haircut. For makeup, I'm all about the skin, sheer tinted moisturizers, great brows, and some sort of berry kissed lip. I'm thinking the,'I just rolled out of bed with mymessy bob and just swiped on some lip stain' vibe.

Click through these photos of inspiration I pulled that are fueling my fall obsessions!

Vanilla Mango Chia Pudding

I was not amused by the chia pudding hype. I never had the desire to try, but a friend suggested I make it so I did. IM NOT LYING, I REPEAT IM NOT LYING, this stuff tastes like horchata and I'm not sure why. I highly recommend this because it is SOOOOO GOOOOOOD and EASY.

You will need for pudding:

1 3/4 cups vanilla soy milk

6 tbs chia seeds

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 packets stevia

Mix all these ingredients together with a whisk. Leave the mixture sitting in room temp for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes whisk again, cover up and refrigerate over night.

Mango puree

ROUGHLY 1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks

splash of vanilla soy

Mix in a blender until smooth. Remove Chia pudding from fridge and serve together!

My favorite rosie mauve lip colors.

I have to be honest, ever since Kylie Jenner started the mauve lip liner trend I have been completely on board. I have narrowed down my favorite Kylie-esque lipsticks and liners! Some colors are a bit more pinky than Kylie rocks but in the same family nonetheless. Enjoy!

1. This L'OREAL is definitely on the bolder side but I think the color is beautiful. It truly lasts all day! BUY HERE

2. I really like the way this NYX lip cream feels on my lips. I usually have this in my purse because it is such a nice, low-key color. BUY HERE

3. I LOVE this color. I actually wore it on my wedding day! It is such a beautiful color that truly enhances the natural lip color without being too overpowering. BUY HERE

4. This NARS is true to its name; it really does feel like satin on the lips. It is again another mellow enhancement to the lips' natural color. BUY HERE

5. This is my favorite nude lip liner! It is a true nude that doesn't wash out my face. I love it! BUY HERE

6. This color, "Ever," is bolder, but I wear it almost everyday. It is a deep, pinkie-nude, with just enough brown undertones. BUY HERE

7. I LOVE this mauve color called, "Natural." It is the perfect "Kylie Jenner" type of mauve color. It is an everyday contender for me! BUY HERE

Spicy Squash Orecchiette

I made this delicious butternut squash orecchiette I found on Bon Appetite for sunday dinner. I changed a few things, but it was absolutely delicious! Recipe found HERE

Recipe Changes: I skipped the hazelnuts all together, just not my thing. I replaced the mint with basil and added a dash of white wine in with the butternut squash while cooking. I also really cranked on the fresh pepper before serving. The rest is great! 

Denim

Dress found HERE

Shoes found SIMILAR ONES FOUND HERE

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Not So Classic Avocado Toast

Every one is making fancy toast these days, and I am not complaining. I grew up on avo toast;  I quite literally ate it 50% of the mornings of my childhood. This toast is just a more flavorful adult rendition. Three words: feta, garlic, aoli. YUM!
 

Aioli:

1/3 cup mayo

1/4 cup feta

juice of 1 lemon

1 large garlic clove

scant 1/4 tsp of basil

Throw all ingredients into food processor, mix until smooth.

For Toast:

2 pieces of sourdough bread toasted

1 heirloom tomato 

1 avocado

2 eggs

pinch of salt

fresh ground pepper

pinch of crushed red pepper

Toast the bread and fry both eggs. Assemble like the following photos. 

Our New Home.

As some of you know, Nathan and I moved to Austin! It has been our dream since getting married to move to a new city together.We decided to visit Austin and luckily for us, our first try we hit gold! We absolutely love this city; it is overflowing with culture, amazing restaurants, endless beauty, and the kindest people! We found the perfect little house that fits us nicely for our first home in this city; it is incredible to have our own yard to garden in and BBQ out back. Here are a few odds and ends of our new place, hope you enjoy!

Right after I took pictures of my place I went to Goodwill and found this amazing basket! I love its pattern and am obsessed with how it looks on our coffee table! 

This basket is the perfect home for our Austin book. :) 

Our faithful little fig. It took a beating on the road trip; luckily it is recovering. 

This 'Be happy my baby print' is special to me. Nathan and I got it on our honeymoon in Paris. The little keys are from our lock on the famous love lock bridge - also in Paris! 

Color coordinated bookshelf. 

I have wanted a Restoration Hardware lamp forever but they are SO expensive; I was overjoyed to find this equally chic cheaper Ikea lamp. 

Desert painting curtesy of my brother Jade.  

Hill Country Drive

Nathan and I ventured into the back roads of hill country on Saturday. It was such a perfect way to unwind from Nathan's first week at his new job! We had nothing on the agenda except sippin' coke out of glass bottles and enjoying the views. 

Dress: Abercombie and Fitch

Shoes: Forever 21

Belt: Forever 21

How to achieve a messy textured bob!

I recently chopped off all of my hair! I have always preferred long hair over short but with a lot of changes in my personal life I decided I was ready for a new look also! Since my hair is so drastically different I have been experimenting with lots of different styles to find the one I am most comfortable with! The textured messy look is definitely my favorite so far!

You will need: curling iron/wand, clips, dry shampoo

My hair is naturally completely straight lacking any texture. I find its easier to create this look with day old hair! 

I first spray dry shampoo in my roots to add some texture and remove any oil. 

Once you have applied the dry shampoo shake it all out! As you can see my hair already has much more volume. 

Pin your hair half up so we can curl in sections. 

Wrap your hair around the wand leaving the end out, we want that part to remain straight. I vary in the amount of hair for each curl because we want it to appear messy! 

Shake it out, run your fingers through it and flip your hair! You are done, so easy! 

Southern Tomato Salad

There is absolutely nothing better than southern tomatoes, they are juicy and flavorful like no other. Since I now live in Texas it is mandatory that I make a tomato salad before summer is up. Please make this. Heirloom tomatoes, garlic breadcrumbs, feta cheese, and dressing, what could be better? Not much, now get on it. 

For the salad you will need:

3-4 heirloom tomatos 

garlic flavored bread crumbs

feta cheese 

basil

Throw everything in a food processor and mix up with chopped tomatoes.

For the dressing you will need:

-1/2 cup grated parmesan

-1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar

-2 tablespoons lemon juice

-2 1/4 teaspoons dijon mustard

-1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1/4 of an avocado

Throw everything in a food processor and mix until smooth. 

Denim & Sneakers

DIY Coffee Table Cactus Garden

I love the variation of cactus' and succulents. To me they are like jewels of the earth with their pristine shapes and their unexpected blooms. A while back I scored this really neat rectangular gold planter at a thrift store for like 10 cents and I knew I wanted to fill it with something special. A trip to home depot later I have this neat high-end looking coffee table piece for a grand total 25 bucks! 

You will need:

-some sort of pot or bowl

-cactus or succulents

-potting soil

-decorative rocks 

If whatever planter you choose does not have holes you must add them! Holes are crucial for drainage when watering your cactus. I used a hammer and nails to poke a couple across the bottom. 

Add your potting soil nearly to the rim. You need to add enough dirt to cover the plants roots entirely. 

Decide on your placement and be careful not to stab yourself! 

Add your gravel.

Wa La! 

Don't forget to follow me on instagram! @mersierrra

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in my entire life! Being there feels like you left reality and appeared in a dream. 

Romper & Shoes- Forever 21

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I love the mornings Nathan gets to stay home. I always try to make him a special breakfast those mornings. Today it was chocolate chip pancakes; you can't get more special than that! I love this recipe because the pancakes always turn out so light, fluffy, and delicious! I always use Martha Stewart's easy pancake recipe and just add chocolate chips! Easy enough. Recipe found HERE

Asparagus-and-Lemon Risotto

Nathan and I are going to Austin, Texas next Monday! In anticipation for our trip and the amount of Tex-Mex I plan on consuming I am doing a week long juice cleanse. Today is day one. I am currently sipping my carrot juice which I swear tastes like chocolate milk - when you are starving. The juicing brings me to the risotto. While starving earlier (not really - I'm perfectly well nourished), I imagined what I wished I could eat for dinner and decided to make Nathan whatever that was. I decided on risotto, because: it is cheesy √, it is warm √, and most importantly, it is not juice. This risotto recipe is a favorite, it is bursting with flavor and so worth making! Find recipe HERE. 

P.S. The more cheese the absolute better. 

A day well spent.

It was 90 degrees today so Nathan and I packed up and sped to the beach. We boogie boarded, sipped coconut juice, ate carrots and hummus, closed our eyes, made smoothies, smelled the roses at the mission and devoured mexican food. I would say today was as close as it comes to perfection. I long for more days like these. I think I will work on making that happen. 

Breakfast: Steel cut oats, mango, chia seeds, and rice milk. 

Spent some time plant shopping with our morning coffee. 

Smoothie: Spinach, pineapple, mango, banana, rice milk, ice. MMMMMMMMMMM!!!

And to end the day on a perfect note, this little number I ordered for our upcoming trip arrived! 

Spring Favorite: Gladiators

In the past, I really avoided and even disliked the gladiator shoe trend. For some reason this spring it is all I can think about!

I love simplicity when it comes to fashion. I always prefer solids over patterns, and diamond studs over lots of accessories. I am obsessed with the idea of a completely simple outfit spruced up by these complicated sandals. They add just the right amount of bohemian to my other wise classic style. This type of sandal is the perfect addition to your spring shoe collection. Scroll down for more similar styles!

Buy these HERE. 

Buy these HERE.

1. Splurge on these Valentinos.

2. Almost identical to the Valentino's but for a fraction of the cost! HERE.

3. Mellow, cute and the price is right! HERE.

4. I love the unexpected baby blue, especially for spring! HERE.

5. I love these tassels! HERE.

6.These grey Gianvito Rossi beauties are definitely a splurge, but oh so worth it. HERE.

Butternut Squash Kale Salad

Let me apologize in advance for how much I have been posting about kale lately. I started this new blog because I wanted to be authentic about what I am actually eating and doing on a day-to-day basis. So, that means I am going to talk a whole lot about kale - until I am onto my next obsession. The whole kale fascination started when I realized how life changing it was to throw it in a food processor. Since I started doing that, I have been eating about a half bag of kale each day. I am obsessed with the idea of how happy my body is with all the nourishments it's getting. Today I chopped up some butternut squash, avocado, sunflower seeds, and basil, which resulted in what may be my new favorite salad combo. I am not into salad dressing much these days because of all the foreign ingredients, so adding a blob of organic hummus and some fresh lemon juice does the trick, adding flavor and extra nourishment! Hummus is good for you! Enjoy!

Chop that kale up till it resembles kale no more! 

You will need:

Organic Tuscan Kale

Avocado

Butternut squash (Trader Joe's has a wonderful bag of pre-cubed butternut squash)

Sunflower seeds

Organic hummus

Lemon juice

1. Chop the butternut squash cubes into smaller cubes (I cut in half, then halve the half). Over a medium flame, sauté butternut squash with olive oil, fresh ground pepper and kosher salt until you can poke easily with a fork. Meanwhile, food process 2 handfuls of kale and about 1/4 cup  of basil. Once butternut squash is cooked, add it to the salad with fresh avo, a spoonful of hummus and a few squirts of lemon juice. Top with desired amount of sunflower seeds!