Brown Rice Pasta with Sweet Potato Puree

One of my favorite things to do when I am cooking

is to try to come up with something based off what I have in the kitchen

without having to head out to the grocery store.

That’s also just an attribution to general laziness,

but I have found that some of my favorite meals have come together

when I was forced to create something with only whatever is available.

So, I can’t be too upset about it.

It also helps, of course, when you train yourself to only stock

the fridge and cupboards with healthy, fresh, options,

such as a variety of vegetables, protein and natural flavorings.

That doesn’t mean, of course, that there aren’t a few things in my kitchen

that aren’t at the top of the healthy list,

but it’s like I said before:

80% of what you need

20% of what you want.

I’ve been a little slack lately on my posting,

but I was honestly way too busy the past couple of weeks to come up with

or discover any new recipes.

But, I did manage to squeeze in this delicious new recipe that I actually

thought of when I was sitting at my desk at work,

wondering what I was going to make for dinner

because I didn’t feel like going shopping.

I remembered that I had a sweet potato sitting on my shelf

and all of a sudden I had the urge to make pasta.

Yes, pasta doesn’t sound like the best thing to think of,

but when you have an amazing, light and low carb,

brown rice penne pasta sitting in your cabinet,

trust me it is.

It was the weirdest thing, but the idea to make a sauce

just popped in to my head and I couldn’t wait to go home to make it.

It was so delicious and the addition of the pistachios was my favorite part,

with the crunchy, saltiness, adding to the sauce,

but you can leave them out, of course, if that’s not your thing.

Hope you enjoy!

Brown Rice Pasta with Sweet Potato Puree

1 large sweet potato

2/3 cup light coconut milk plus 2 tbsp

1 TSP garlic powder

1/2 TSP salt/pepper

1 TSP sriracha

sun-dried tomatoes

roasted red  peppers

1 TSP garlic puree

1 TBSP of pistachios

1 TBSP coconut oil

Parmesan cheese

Brown Rice penne pasta

1. Skin the sweet potato, poke some fork holes around it and place in the microwave. If your microwave doesn’t have a potato button, heat on high for 5 minutes, or until potato is tender to the touch. Allow potato to cool for a few minutes.
2. While the potato is cooking, heat up a skillet on medium low with a TBSP of coconut oil and the sun-dried tomatoes, peppers and garlic puree and saute.  Also, set a pan of water to boil for the pasta.
3. While the potato cools, put the garlic powder, 2/3 coconut milk, salt/pepper and sriracha in to a large, measuring cup that can fit an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender. Cut up the sweet potato in to 4 or 5 pieces and add to the measuring cup.
4. Blend the mixture until smooth. If it is too thick, add more coconut milk by the TBSP until it is creamy enough. Test for salt and add more if needed.
5. Add pistachios to your pan and allow to brown slightly. Once browned, turn off the heat and add in your creamed sweet potato to heat up and incorporate all the ingredients. Drain your cooked pasta and add the sauce. Top off with some parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Happiness or Satisfaction: Are we kidding ourselves?

When I think about happiness,
I immediately think of someone or something,
a memory, a moment,
anything that is connected to that euphoria
of the complete and utter simplicity of living.

 

Then, I wonder why happiness is only thought of when the question of it arises…

 

It is a completely natural reaction, of course,
and brought me to realize that most people,
when actually present in that moment of happiness,
recognize that moment and take it as a state of being,
rather than a fleeting emotion:
a temporary cognizance of satisifaction.

 

This leads me to believe that our fault as humans has not been in searching for happiness,
but rather in constantly redefining what “happiness” really is.
If we are never sure what it is then how can we find it?

 

I tend to forget that happiness is what I make it.
That to be truly happy, a person must be satisfied,
with not just all they have, but with what they expect to have.

No person in our world is truly happy in that sense,
because every person desires something more,
even past their point of satisfaction.

 

The question is if there is anything wrong with that?

 

The answer is there isn’t.

 

Every person that breathes has the same goal to be happy.
The path to that goal is what is always different,
but in a lot of ways, the same.
Money, fame, success, beauty, love, family, acceptance.

Who wouldn’t want all of that?

 

Our mistake is that we naturally assume that people who have the things we covet,
are happier than we are, which leads us to be angry and jealous
and also leads us to take on those goals as our own.

 

But, we have all seen the classic scenario of the wealthy business man,
with the young, beautiful, wife,
three talented children
and just about everything else one could want,
who ends up sleeping with his secretary,
frauding his company into bankruptcy
and losing his children in a bitter custody battle.

 

Why would a man who has every tool in his life to be happy, ruin it that easily?

 

Answer: He was happy, but he wasn’t satisfied.

 

We see these stories every day, and we ask ourselves that question,
because society defines happiness for us
and we look every day for that definition.
If we do not have it, we conclude we are unhappy.

 

Happiness does not equal satisfaction,
but satisfaction can bring you happiness.

 

I truly envy the tribes of the world who live day to day with only the expectation
to survive to see the next.
These people don’t worry about money, beauty, career
the way that we do in the industrialized world,
because it is valued at what they want it to be.

 

So, I will not wish anymore to be happy,
as that feeling is controlled by my own expectations.

If I need happiness, I need only take a deep breath,
hug my family,
kiss my boyfriend,
and text my friends.

 

I will only wish to reach satisifaction so one day I can look around and truly appreciate
the things and people in my life who I need and who need me back.

 

I’m not saying satisfaction is an end-point,
because it is good to raise your goals and your expectations,
but, rather, it should be a rest stop between those goals and expectations,
so when you are chasing after something,
you need only go back to your last rest stop and find that happiness,
instead of having to start at the beginning.

Spicy Salmon Cakes

I have stated before how much I love Salmon.
I mean, it is freaking amazing.

And why shouldn’t I love it?

It is such a quick and easy meal and can leave you with lots of leftovers
and plenty of ways to recreate it into something else
so you don’t get bored with the same old thing.

Which, is why I love this recipe,
because it takes Salmon to a whole new level
and leaves you wishing you had more of it.

Plus, it is sooooo good for you!

Now, I’m not talking about the canned salmon,
while that can be great and all too,
I’m talking fresh, not frozen, just-off-the-boat,
red and shiny Salmon.

First a little background on the benefits of eating Salmon,
thanks to www.FitDay.com,
and then on with the recipe:

omega-3 Fatty Acids

The characteristic that sets salmon apart and makes it pretty desirable as far as health foods go is the high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to not only adults, but evenchildren. You want to have more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet due to the heart benefits that it provides. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can stave off heart disease and then even lessen the mortality rate among current heart attack survivors. One serving of ocean-caught, Atlantic salmon will already net you almost two grams of omega-3 fatty acids. This characteristic of omega-3 fatty acids is found in these high quantities only in another kind of fish, the mackerel, which has even more omega-3 fatty acids than does salmon.

Trans-Fatty Acids

Trans-fatty acids, put simply, are deleterious for your body. They are connected to LDL cholesterol, which is branded as the bad kind of cholesterol. As if that wasn’t enough, trans-fatty acids also reduce the good kind of cholesterol, called HDL cholesterol, which just heightens the risk of people succumbing to either stroke or heart disease. Trans-fatty acids have been linked to Type 2 Diabetes. Salmon is very low in these toxic types of acids, which is great, considering that in 2003, the FDA actually recommended that Americans’ daily intake of trans-fatty acids be as low as possible. If you want salmon that is truly low in trans-fatty acids, though, you must be sure to buy the ocean-caught kind of salmon, as processed salmon is still relatively higher in trans-fatty acids.

Calories

If you have not been sold on salmon’s nutritional value just from the above mentions of omega-3 fatty acids and trans-fatty acids, then consider how low in calories salmon is. In just one serving of salmon, you get only 183 calories; to put that into perspective, both chicken and beef have higher calorie counts per single serving, as do other forms of fish. Adding more ocean-caught salmon into your diet is an effective way of lowering your caloric consumption.

Makes you want to run to the store and stock up on your Salmon, doesn’t it?

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

It went really well with a spicy yogurt dipping sauce.
Don’t worry, that’s below too.

Salmon

1 Salmon Fillet (1 lb)
Juice from half a lemon
1 TBSP crushed garlic
Salt/Pepper

Cakes

1 Roasted Red Pepper (diced)
1 Medium Red Onion (diced)
3 Green Onions (diced)
Handful of Cilantro (chopped)
2 Egg Whites
Juice from one lemon
½ TBSP Sriracha
1 TSP Oregano
1 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Dried Parsley
½ cup of Plain Bran Flax Cereal (ground in food processor)
2 TBSP Olive Oil

1)      Follow this recipe for cooking the Salmon, but leave out the Sesame Seed Oil.

2)      While the Salmon is cooking, heat up 1 TBSP of olive oil in a medium size pan on medium-low heat. Sauté both the onions until translucent and slightly brown. Throw in the red pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Take off the heat.

3)      When the salmon is done cooking, allow to cool for 15 minutes. When cool, use a fork to gently break it apart into flakes, leave the skin behind. Place the flakes into a large mixing bowl.

4)      In a separate bowl, mix the egg whites with the Sriracha, Oregano, Garlic Powder, Parsley,  and the lemon juice.

5)      Pour the egg white mixture into the large bowl along with the chopped cilantro and using your hands, mix it all together.

6)      Add in the ground up Bran Cereal and mix enough to incorporate.

7)      Shape mixture into even sized balls and place on to a cooking sheet. Place the cooking sheet in the freezer for a few minutes.

8)      Take them out of the freezer and then heat up the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Place the cakes on to the heated oil, flipping on to the other side only when browned. Once both sides are browned, take off the heat and place them on a plate with a paper towel.
Let sit for a few minutes to soak up any leftover oil.

9)      Make the spicy sauce by combining ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt with ½ TBSP of Sriracha and ½ TBSP of mustard.

Read Those Nutrition Labels!

I don’t know about you,
but when I have a sweet tooth, I have it so bad
that I literally will tear apart the room looking for anything
to satisfy it.

My problem is that my sweet tooth cravings can lead me to
bite off more than I should, so to speak.
Ice cream cartons make it difficult to scoop out just a single serving;
Cookies, both handmade and boxed, are way too available
when they are made visible upon entrance into the kitchen;
and candy is just never a suitable sweet tooth satisfaction.

This is why I love Trader Joes.

Have I mentioned that before?

When I came across this beautiful box of “Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls,”
my first reaction was “omg they look delicious, but I really shouldn’t.”
Then I took a moment to read the nutrition label and
immediately put the box in my basket.

I can’t tell you how many times the nutrition label on a product
has both saved and excited me for a purchase.

So, here is a great example of breaking down a nutrition label
to find out if it is doable for your “lifestyle.”
(notice I did not say diet)

Always look at the serving size on a label, first,
because that is what the rest of the label is dependent on.
Some people make the mistake of reading a label
and thinking to themselves, “oh, this isnt that bad,”
but then miss the fact that the serving size is ½ of the actual package.

What does that mean?

That means that the package of Ramen noodles you are able to enjoy,
which, let’s face it, requires the whole package to be an actual meal,
isn’t only 600 mg of sodium.
It’s actually 1200mg because Ramen is sold as a serving for two people,
but only on the nutrition label.
Many products get away with lowering their unhealthy nutrition labels
by reducing the serving size.

So, the next time you pick up a package of ramen,
take a look and see all the numbers you need to multiply by two.

Scary, right?
These cookies have a serving size of 2,
which, in the case of a sweet tooth,
is an amazing thing because when I eat one of these,
I get to cut all of the nutrition numbers in half.

After reading the nutrion values, always read the ingredients.
It is important to understand where all those nutrients are coming from!

Hope this helps you out and be sure to check your labels from now on!
They’re your friend in a clean-eating world!

F-It Fridays: Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

 

I have decided to initiate “F-it Fridays.”

Nope, that’s not a typo, just a play–on-words.

The F stands for what you think it does,
but before you think I am some vulgar so-and-so,
I think you’ll completely be in love with the idea
because it basically means I will be putting up those recipes
that destroy the clean-eating aspect,
but leave you oh so satisfied in the craving department.

 

Oh, you’re welcome ahead of time.

I stand by the legendary 80-20 rule of the clean eating world,
where you should eat clean, natural, unprocessed foods 80% of the time,
yet allow yourself to indulge and waive-guilt for the remaining 20%.

I truly believe this is where the diet world fails.
Whereas diets tend to create a world of fast results,
the standards of that “diet” are impossible to live up to,
causing the dieter to fall back in to their typical ways
and then subsequently back on the road to a new diet.

F Diets.

Embrace the idea of a new way of living: a healthy lifestyle
as opposed to a temporary diet.
A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be painful
or unsatisfactory.
That is where the 80-20 rules comes in.

I typically work off the Monday-Friday plan as my 80%,
with the weekend accounting for the remainder,
but I try not to over-do it.
Your 80-20 also affects your wallet, which is something to remember.

Now, that doesn’t mean your 20% should be wasted all at one sitting,
at least not on a regular basis.
If you have a wedding or special event coming up where you know
it will be hard and/or useless too fight the urge,
allow that to be your 20% for the week.

Okay, so on to this recipe I am sure you are so anxious to read about.

Today’s F-It recipe is absolutely delicious, richly sweet and completely bad for you.
But, damn it, so worth it!

When Tara told me that we were going to be having some of her girlfriends
stay in our apartment this weekend for a bachelorette party,
I immediately offered to bake something yummy for them to indulge in.

Knowing Tara and her love for the chocolate and peanut butter affair,
I was quick to pick this recipe up.

While the prep time was a little messy and took much longer than
the actual cooking time,
these cookies were so worth the effort and so easy to make!

I will be looking for a way to “healthify” these,
so be on the look-out for that in the future!

Hope you all get the chance to try it out and enjoy!

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

(adapted from BigOven)

 

— Cookie Dough —
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Cocoa unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar (I used organic)
1/2 cup Brown sugar firmly packed
1 stick unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup peanut butter (at least go for the organic kind)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large Eggs

— Cookie Filling —
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup Confectioners Sugar

1. Set oven to 375 degrees
2. In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; blend well.
3. In large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, butter, and 1/4 cup peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and eggs one at a time; beat well.
4. Stir in flour mixture just until blended and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, combine filling ingredients and blend well. Roll into 30 one-inch balls.
6. For each cookie, take about 1 tablespoon cookie dough into your hand, roll it slightly and then palm it into a circle, then place one peanut butter ball in the center, bringing the dough around it, covering completely.
7. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of your hand.
8. Bake for 7 – 9 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool on wire racks.

 



My First 5K!

I have been involved in athletics my entire life.

 

My father was a well-known soccer coach when I was growing up,
winning multiple titles, coach of the year,
securing the most career wins in the state of VA at his time,
and even holds the third place spot, today.

He also went on to be an athletic director at a high school
for 17 years, including finding time to coach
my brother’s soccer team at one point.

 

So, naturally, being involved in sports as a kid
was just something that was going to happen for my siblings and I.

But, I loved it.

 

While I was obsessed with soccer and volleyball and just about
any sport where I was given the opportunity to show up
boys and even get injured,

for some reason, I hated running.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved it during soccer,
but the idea of running without a soccerball at my feet
was just excruciating to me.

 

A pain I still have today, sadly, not having touched a soccerball in years.

I love exercising and aerobics,
most specifically yoga and pilates,
but running is still a sore topic to me.

 

So, when my sister and her best friend asked me to join her in a
5K race last weekend in memory of a friend of hers
who had recently passed away,
I was a little nervous and skeptical,
but decided to just go for it and support her.

 

When the morning of the race came, however, I wasn’t exactly
in the best condition to run a 5k,
for which I not only did not train for,
but was also scared of to begin with.

I showed up at 8 AM with no sleep the night before
and had even woken up with stomach nerves that kept me
in the bathroom on my knees (TMI, but it had to be said).
Needless to say, I wasn’t able to eat a breakfast, either.

 

I had resolved myself to back out of the race
and just watch in support, but thanks to my friends,
I was convinced to try it out and work with what I had.

 

Yeah, I almost passed out.

 

I was able to complete the race, but let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.
Despite having to stop and walk a few times on this very hilly course,
and getting dizzy multiple times,
I can honestly say that I am actually really glad that
they convinced me to go for it.
I pushed myself farther than I have in anything
in a really long time and being able to say

“Hey, guess what? I did a 5k”
feels amazing.

 

I wasn’t first, but I certainly wasn’t last.
Which, is a motivation to do another one soon,

this time training for it and getting lots of rest the night before.
I figure, if I can complete something like that
in the condition I showed up in,
then I should be able to do it again,
in better shape and maybe even do well.

I’m so proud of myself and reccomend a race like this for anybody
looking for a “pick-me-up,”
even if you hate running as much as I do.

Especially for such a great reason and with great friends like these.

P.s. my sister, Vasilia, was unable to race due to back problems
from a recent car accident,
but having her on the sideline cheering me on was the best!
Thanks Silly!

 

 

 

What do you think of my medal??

Sesame Lemon Salmon

If I told you I was Greek

and that I didn’t really like to eat fish,

you’d probably think I was crazy.

But, I have always had one exception:

Salmon.

 

Salmon is one of those foods that is not only easy to make,

but it is quick as well and you can make it so many different ways.

Plus, it is one of the healthiest meals you can have,

especially when coupled with veggies,

like I did when I made it with my Cauliflower Rice.

 

I love buying fresh salmon and making it straight as a fillet,

or turning it into Salmon Cakes (recipe on that to come),

or even using leftovers to create a yummy wrap or salad!

 

Salmon possibilities are endless.

If you havent tried it, yet, go for it.

Start with this recipe and I promise you won’t regret it.

 

 

 

 

1 Salmon Fillet (about 1 pound)

Juice from half a lemon

1/2 TBSP Sesame seed oil

1 TBSP Crushed garlic

Salt/pepper

1. Set oven to 400 degrees
2. Place two sheets of tin foil over a pyrex big enough to hold the filet with space on the sides to spare. The sheets should cover each other in a cross shape. Place the fillet skin side down on top of the foil in the middle of the dish.
3. Season the fillet evenly with salt and pepper. Spread the crushed garlic evenly on top and then top with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the sesame seed oil over the filet.
4.  Bring up the sides of the foils to cover the filet in a “tent” fashion. Place in the oven.
5.  After 20 min, unfold the top of the tent to expose the fillet. Bake for 5-10 more minutes or until the fillet is flaky and light pink with no red.

Ricotta, Lime and Almond Cookies

So, this is a throw-back recipe from a past blog,
but it’s super delicious and had to share again.

 

These cookies are light and fluffy
and full of citrus flavor.

They’re pefect with a cup of coffee.

I had a whole container of ricotta cheese
and nothing to do with it
so I decided to bake these gems
so it didnt go to waste.

 

I adapted the recipe from one I found on Big Oven
for Citrus Ricotta Cookies.

 

A lot of my baking has revolved around
not wanting to let things go to waste,
which begs to question,
why the hell am I buying all these groceries
if I am not using them?

 

I feel this a problem shared by many.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

1 1/4 Cups Almond Flour

3/4 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/3 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1/2 Cup Truvia (or 1/4 cup of organic sugar and 1 tsp vanilla)

1 Egg

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese (plus 1/2 cup for glaze)

Juice from one lime

Zest of one lime

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2) In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3) With an electric mixer combine the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lime juice and zest. Beat to combine.

4) Stir in the dry ingredients, but only enough to incorporate.

5) Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.

6) Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

7) To make the glaze, just add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to half a cup of ricotta cheese and stir. If it is too runny, add more ricotta cheese, if it is too thick, put some more powdered sugar. Trick: put the glaze in a ziplock bag, push all the glaze in to one corner, twist the top of the bag then snip the end (just a tad) to create a piping bag!

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I just want to take a moment to express my deep sadness
at the terrifying week we have been having in the United States,
but most specifically Boston.
It is a sad feeling to know that we live in a world
where it can change for the worse at any given second
simply because of the selfish cruetly of another person or people.

I’m so thankful that one of my longest and closest friends, Jessica,
and her sister are safe and accounted for,
but my thoughts and well-wishes are for those
who have been hurt by this great tragedy.

God Bless America.
From this we will rise as well.
________________

 

Happy Friday!!!

 

Can I just say how much cauliflower has blown my mind in the past few years?

 

Seriously, I didn’t like it much growing up,
well pretty much at all,
but I remember the first time I tried it raw and fell in love with it!

That was about the time I realized I was allergic to carrots,
which was super sad because I couldn’t enjoy a carrot dip snack anymore,
but that was where cauliflower came in!

 

Little did I know that the power of cauliflower doesn’t end at
a nutriously crunchy raw snack
or a yummy, crispy, roasted side dish!

On that note, I would like to thank my sister for introducing me to the
wonderful world of cauliflower-used-for-anything!
She was the first person I know to make this amazing pizza
and I gotta tell you, I thought she was crazy
to even try it!
But, boy am I glad she did!

 

This dish is so light and yummy,
you forget that it is called pizza!
There is no flour, no oil and you can eat as much as you want
without getting that “I am so stuffed, but I already started
so maybe I should finish,” feeling.

 

When decorated right, this pizza can be the ultimate power dinner,
covering all bases of your nutrtion requirements.

 

Try it out and let me know what you think!

 

 

(adapted from LoveandLemons.com)



 

2 cups ground raw cauliflower flourettes (about 1 small head)
1/2 cup almond flour (then add more as you need it)
3 eggs (or you could try flax eggs if vegan)
pinches of salt

1/4 cup of low fat mozarella
a few grinds of pepper

1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)

 

 

1. Set oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut up the cauliflower into flourettes and pulse in a food processor until it resembles rice. Don’t overprocess or else it will be too mushy. Place the “rice” in a towel and squeeze out the excess water from the cauliflower.
3. Whisk 3 eggs in a bowl with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder (and any additional spices or the yeast). Add in the mozarella, almond flour and cauliflower until fully incorporated. Use those hands! If it is too wet to handle, add in a little almond flour and mozarella until it is able to come together into a ball. (note – this will NOT resemble regular pizza dough – it won’t be as easy or pliable to work with – that’s ok).
4. So, here is the tricky part. I don’t like to use the parchment paper because in my experience it always ends up sticking to my dough. So, I reccomend either greasing a cooking sheet or using a silicon baking mat. Gently mold the dough a circle on the cooking sheet. Try to spread it to be a little less than 1/4 inch thick.
5. Dust the oregano on top of the dough and place in the oven for 20-22 minutes, or until firm, but not crispy.
6. Take the crust out of the oven and add on your sauce and toppings. I used yellow bell peppers, cilantro, marinara sauce and low-fat mozarella. Place back into the oven until the crust is crispy and your cheese is melted.
7. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 



DIY: Turn A TV Stand into A Bar

So when I moved into my apartment last year,
I knew that I wanted to find the perfect wet bar
to have in my new home
and impress all my friends.

I knew exactly where I wanted to put it as well.

The only thing I didn’t know was how HARD it would be
to find that perfect wet bar,
let alone how expensive all the best ones were.

Yeah, living in a luxury condominium,
even with the amazing rent deal I have,
doesn’t allow for me to budget that much for home decor.

So, I decided the most logical thing for me to do,
would be to build my own!

Crafting can be such a great way to relieve stress and always leaves
you with something memorable and personal.

My first roommate, Kathie, happened to stumble upon
a picture somebody had posted online
of an old bookcase that they had turned into a bar.
This got my wheels turning and I decided to start scouring
my local thrift stores to see what kind of old furniture I could find.

Thankfully, I only had to make one trip.
As soon as I walked into a local Salvation Army store,
I saw it and I knew what it could be.
 

 

Best of all, the tv stand was only $55!!!

Best be sure I snatched that baby up quickly!

My parents live in a family size home with a basement,
so I decided the project would best be completed there,
with more room to paint and store everything.
 

The first thing I did was take off the hideous cardboard backing on the stand
and remove the shelf from the top.
Luckily, the shelf was held by adjustable pegs so it was easily to take out.
I planned on screwing the shelf in eventually.
 

 

Taking off the cardboard backing was easy enough, but the next part
was the hardest part of the entire process:
replacing it.

Mike took me to Home Depot to help me take a look at materials
and I was able to find some fiberboard that was relatively inexpensive.
Even better, Home Depot was able to cut the boards for me on the spot.
Being a girl, however, I definitely took the wrong measurements,
luckily too long, and Mike’s Dad was nice enough
to cut the rest of it for me at his house.

After I screwed the fiberboard pieces in,
two smaller sides and a large board in the middle,
I needed to fill the corners.
I found some slender pieces of molding for practically nothing
and nailed them into the corners.
Not to toot my own horn, but it looked amazing!

After that, I painted the entire tv stand!

 

Next step was to paint the shelf then screw it into the peg level where I wanted it to stay.
This part was tricky because I had to estimate how high the PVC pipes
were going to go, which would be holding wine bottles,
by measuring them not just by a double height,
but also by how I could secure them from top to bottom.
 

After the shelf went in, I painted the PVC pipes then positioned
and secured them with an all-purpose glue I found at Home Depot
that is used for pretty much anything and holds forever.
 

I then bought some wine glass holders from Bed Bath and Beyond
and screwed them underneath the shelf,
leaving sufficient space on the sides and between them,
so that the glasses wouldn’t knock the wall or each other.

 

The gems you see in the picture above are glass-like jagged rocks
I found at Michael’s for only a dollar a bag.
Yup, a dollar.
These were perfect because I wanted to make the PVC pipes look like they were
surrounded by ice cubes.
 

 

I bought about 20 bags and carefully glued them into the spacing around the PVC pipes.

This was a long, tedious, process as I had to allow them to dry between additions,

using that all-purpose glue with my fingers to apply.

I added about 5 to 10 gems a day.
 

Next, I added some shelves to the back of the bar for shot glasses.
I bought these from Bed Bath and Beyond on clearance

In case you haven’t noticed, I am a bargain shopper.
 

 

Next, I used Champagne corks to create new handles for the bottom cabinets
by screwing them in from the inside.
 

I also decided I needed to add one final touch to the bar:
a mountable bottle opener.

I was able to find one for $3 online and to my amazement,
it arrived with my last intial engraved into it!
Total surprise, but a great one.

 

 

Aside from completing the gluing of the rocks,
the only other task was to screw in some blocks of wood
to the bottom back of the bar to provide some more stablization.

Getting the bar to my apartment was quite the task:
one that took three people.
But, we got it there and it fit perfectly into the corner spot I had picked out for it.

 

 

So, what do you think??