summer

Citrus salmon salad is one of my favorite quick and easy weekday lunches. I usually eat lunch between going to the gym and my last few office hours before picking up my daughter from school so I only make dishes I can prepare and eat within 20 minutes.

This salad is rich in omega 3 acids, nutrients and vitamins so it is an ideal post-workout meal and it will certainly not leave you hungry. If you are missing carbs in this meal you can also add a handful of whole grain pasta to it.

INGREDIENTS

  • orange
  • 2 small or 1 big avocado
  • 9.5 oz smoked salmon
  • 3 handfuls of arugula salad
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill leaves

Dressing:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • salt per taste

DIRECTIONS 


1. Wash orange with baking soda and water ideally and set the zest aside. Cut the orange ends and peel the rest of the orange peel off, slice the orange into thin slices and set aside.
2. Add olive oil to the zest and then add the lemon juice. Add salt to taste and whisk the dressing well.
3. Mix the arugula, fresh mint and dill leaves together, add orange slides pour the dressing over the mixed salad.
4. Arrange the smoked salmon pieces over the salad.
5. Cut the avocado into large chunks and add it to the salad, gently mix ingredients with salad spoons and serve immediately.

Voila, ladies and gents! Enjoy your salad made in quick 5 min :)




We are now in Dubrovnik for about ten days but only last three have I been on vacation so my boyfriend and I decided to make it short but absolutely relaxing and zen. Our daily routine is now to go to private beach at Palace hotel in Dubrovnik where there is only about five people there max, we order morning coffee and some fruit for starters, have a swim and read our favorite magazines and books for couple of hours while sun bathing and sipping our favorite cocktails.

Those of you who read my blog regularly might be already guessing my favorite flavors, just like in cosmetics - berries, vanilla and coconut.  Alcoholic or virgin, I like to keep my cocktails as low on sugar as possible, fruity and creamy. 


Drunk fruit.


Photo by Joanna Sciarrino


Choose your alcohol. I like to choose vodka (obvious choice) but you can also choose red whine if you want to make it as a sangria or brandy or grappa. Don't choose to cheap but not to expensive liquors either. 

Choose your fruits. Usually I choose seasonal fruits but like blueberries (vodka), apricots (Eu de Vie) and pineapple (rum) the best. Remove peels and skins plus any part of the fruit that you wouldn’t want to eat: Stems, pits, cores, and seeds. 

Pack & wait to be done. Fill a clean glass jar or bottle with fresh, cleaned fruit and top off with liquor and  close the lid. Place in a fridge until the flavors infuse (anywhere from a week to a month). Shake the jar every few days. When you’re happy with the flavor, strain out fruit and pour infused spirits into a clean resealable glass jar or bottle.


Mojito.



Ingredients: 
2 small branches of mint leaves
1/4 cup of white rum
2 tablespoons of simple syrup
2 tablespoons of lime juice
a bit of Angostura bitters (not mandatory)

Preparation: Use a muddler or handle of a wooden spoon, beat 1 mint branch in a cocktail shaker. Add rum, simple syrup, lime juice, and bitters. Fill with ice, cover, and shake strongly 20 times. Pour into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with remaining mint leaves. 

Luau Coconut.


Photo by Nigel Cox


Ingredients:
Quarter cup of sugar
2 fresh coconuts
1/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup light rum
1/4 cup gold rum
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
Ice cubes
2 lime slices (for garnish)
2 maraschino cherries (for garnish)

Preparation:
Bring sugar and a quarter cup of water to boil in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool this simple syrup.

Cut off top 2 inches of coconuts and set a side the coconut water. Mix a quarter of cup simple syrup, coconut milk, light rum, gold rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, and 1/2 cup coconut water in large cocktail shaker. Fill with ice; cover and shake strongly for about 20 times. Pour all from the shaker into coconuts, dividing equally (don't strain in). Garnish each with lime slice and maraschino cherry. Serve with straw and spoon for scraping out fresh coconut from inside of shell.

Enjoy! :)



Photo:   www.bikbok.com

One of my favorite Summer vacation activities are Summer festivals and listening to live music performances out in the open during warm Summer nights. Next vacation which is actually going to happen quite quickly, I planned it for last week of  June when I will spend a week at my boyfriends parents place in Dubrovnik and at the friends wedding in Montenegro couple of days after.

Judging by the weather so far seems like we might have quite an unpredictable weather all through the Summer, thus, I plan to pack wisely (hopefully I won't overpack...again...as always.)

As you know, I live in between Budapest and Barcelona and vacationing in Dubrovnik so I decided to list best Summer festivals hapening in these cities this year and propose best outfit options for each.

Dubrovnik Summer Festival - 10th of July - 25th of August

All dresses via  www.lulus.com 

BUDAPEST

Sziget Festival - 5th of August - 12th of August
WAMP designer fair - June 9th and 23rd, July 7th and 21st

 Crochet top and stripped dress via  www.asos.com 

Festa de la Musica - late June
Musica al Parcs - June - August
Montjuic de Nit - July

All via   www.nastygal.com

When one saids music festival, I automatically think of leather fringe purses, crochet tops and dresses worn over denim shorts and suede boots. When packing for Summer holiday I definitely plan to pack my 'festival staples' like a couple of denim shorts, white cotton and jean long sleeve shirt and a plenty of maxi and cocktail dresses. This season, small bucket bags are making a come back and I have selected a couple of my favorite ones for inspiration in this post. I am planning to get one in beige or salmon color for myself.

Jackie geo black stud purse, 39,90 USD | Topshop 

Other then suede boots which would have been way to hot for Dubrovnik Summer weather I think that when packing for Summer holiday festival converse sneakers are an absolute must for men and women, my favorites are mint color and leopard print pairs from the photo below. For a more romantic and girly look I suggest   Valentino rubber flats (94 Euro) and in case of the bad weather foldable   Butterfy Twist Windsor boots (55 Euro).





Are you ready for Summer vacation darlings? I am about to start packing! :)


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