I love nothing more than a fresh beginning and clean slate. We had a last minute party at a friend’s house for New Year’s Eve. About a half hour before midnight we all wrote down things we wanted to let go of in the new year and burned them. It was a just a little game but it was a beautiful little tradition. They also set up a balloon drop with fortunes inside and after they fell we all took turns popping them and reading our fortunes for 2014. I’ve been working on my goals and resolutions the last few weeks and I am so excited about this new year. I really love goals and I realized it is because it doesn’t stress me out if I fail at them. I have friends who hate setting goals because they feel awful if they don’t succeed. I know they aren’t for everyone but they make me happy and excited about the future. Here are a few of mine for 2014:
•Get Craft Night Events and Classes Going Again at the new Studio.
•Eat a Salad Everyday (anyone have good recipes, especially for dressing?)
•Write a Book I’ve been talking about doing this for a few years, and I think this year is gonna be the year.
•Run a Marathon It’s an ongoing joke in our house that I am really good at signing up for marathons but less good at actually running them. I ran a few marathons before I had kids but would love to run another one just to check it off my list.
•Decorate the Studio I got 80% of the new studio set up but I need to finish the last 20%. (Anyone designers want to help me on this?)
•Take a Girls Trip somewhere International I’ve been wanting to take a bigger trip with just friends. I love the idea of being able to travel internationally but it is more cost efficient than traveling with my family.
•Get our Books and Finances Organized I’ve been disorganized with my finances and budget and this year I want to get everything nice and organized (pay those quarterly taxes on time!).
•Plan My Outfits I love getting dressed when I have spent some time trying on clothes. Usually I just throw on whatever because I’m in a rush. I want to spend a little more time in advance planning things to wear so I don’t default to the same three outfits.
Are you setting any goals for the New Year? Bring it on 2014!
Milan Lee
January 2, 2014
Super ding dang cute photo. And I love your two NYE party traditions, with the burning and the balloons. Sounds like it’s going to be a great year, Jordan. 🙂
whitney
January 2, 2014
Love this list, Jordan! And I’m the same way, for some reason it doesn’t bother me if I end up re-evaluating and scratching a resolution off my list. I’d rather try and fail than not try at all! 🙂 Happy New Year to you and your family!
Amy
January 2, 2014
Here is a good salad/dressing recipe I enjoy:
Salad:
Greens
toasted almonds
mozz cheese
strawberries or mandarin oranges(depending on season)
dressing:
1 c vegetable oil
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic,minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
I mix all of the dressing ingridients with an immersion blender to make smooth.
Yvonne
January 2, 2014
Here is a great dressing with no oil and is super simple to make:
Jane Esselstyn’s 3, 2, 1 Salad Dressing
Makes about 1/3 cup–enough for 5 or 6 salads
Every time we eat our daughter Jane’s salads we ask, “What is this delicious dressing?” It is easy to make and to adjust to personal taste. (says Ann Esselstyn)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (my tip: use a good thick balsamic–Olive Tap’s are great)
2 tablespoons mustard of choice (I like grainy Dijon. Mary uses honey mustard)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
and some more healthy dressings
https://sites.google.com/site/hgkprintablerecipes/big-list-of-no-oil-salad-dressings
Bambi
January 2, 2014
A happy new year to you as well!
Love your resolutions….good luck (and discipline and bravery and dedication) on the book project!
Here is my big resolution for 2014:
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.de/2014/01/hello-new-year.html
Love from Germany,
Bambi
Shani
January 2, 2014
Smitten Kitchen’s Caesar dressing is fantastic! No egg or anchovy but still delish. Here’s the link: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/01/chicken-caesar-salad/
samantha hahn
January 2, 2014
good goals! Salads are on my list as well. I don’t have any spectacular dressing ideas but I love throwing in almond slivers and dried cranberries. Easy and tasty! I’m a vegetarian and my cousin suggested cooking a veggie burger and crumbling it up in there. Seems like a good protein idea to me!
Jade Sheldon-Burnsed
January 2, 2014
This book is a lifesaver when it comes to salads: http://www.amazon.com/Vinaigrettes-Other-Dressings-Sensational-recipes/dp/155832805X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388691290&sr=1-1&keywords=vinaigrette
Kia @ With Lovely,
January 2, 2014
Here are a few of my favorite dressings! Sorry there are no measurements, I sort of just pour and mix and taste.
Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing: goat cheese, good balsamic, fresh (or thawed) strawberries, sugar or honey, and olive oil – it’s sweet, creamy, tangy, and delicious and goes great w/ arugula or baby spinach and nuts. Excellent for people who “don’t like salad”.
Creamy Asian Dressing: mayo, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, lime – perfect with baby spinach or kale, some shaved baby carrots and granny smith apples, and a bit of radicchio.
Super Simple Dressing: evoo, good thick balsamic, garlic, lemon, shaved parmesan – excellent with kale, radicchio, and toasted pancetta.
Happy New Year!
Erin
January 2, 2014
ugh, gosh that last goal is mine too! Its so hard for me and that bugs me and it seems like it should be easy and that bugs me too!
Kelly H
January 2, 2014
I have the same salad goal as well! I really like all of Mark Bittman’s cook books. Food Matters and VB6 have a ton of really good salad and dressing recipes. Here’s to both of us achieving our goal!
Sarah
January 2, 2014
This salad dressing bottle comes with recipes on it!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002OOVB0I/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SY115
connie chung
January 2, 2014
Hey Jordan,
My office is a door down (I’m at Vanguard Properties!) and would love to help you finish decorating your studio! 🙂 You should also come by my office– if you need a bigger event space, I’d love to help co-host a craft night. 🙂
cheers,
Connie
Katie
January 2, 2014
Get Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookboow “it’s all good.” Lots of delicious, healthy dressing options.
Tamara Mack Design & shop MACK
January 2, 2014
Tamara Mack Design and shopMACK would LOVE to help you finish your studio. It appears to be off to such a great start! Check out our sites and let us know how we can help! http://tamaramackdesign.com/ http://shopmack.com/
April
January 2, 2014
I love the cookbook Salad for Dinner by Jeanne Kelley. 2014!!
Sarah
January 2, 2014
cool! two years ago I ran my first marathon and participated in NaNoWriMo. you go girl 😉
April
January 2, 2014
My favorite salad is on a great blog called Cookie and Kate and there are lots more great salad recipes there:
http://cookieandkate.com/2013/raw-kale-and-brussels-sprouts-salad-with-tahini-maple-dressing/
That one is amazing but there’s also a great one involving figs and cantelope.
In the summer I love the classic watermelon/red onion/feta/basil/balsamic salad, I eat copious amounts!!
Hailey
January 2, 2014
1T olive oil, 2T vinegar, 1T honey. The simplest, the best.
Rebekah Carey McNall
January 2, 2014
I feel the same way about goals, motivates me, not stresses! I can’t wait for your craft nights to come back, I had such a blast at the calligraphy one!
I would love to help you finish off your studio too!
Katie
January 3, 2014
Google Rose’s vinaigrette from Martha Stewart Living. Fantastic
Flora
January 3, 2014
I love kale salad with sliced carrots and green apples. I usually just use a very basic vinaigrette dressing. This always works for me: three parts vinegar to one part olive oil, a squirt or two of dijon mustard, and salt, pepper, and a sweetener such as agave syrup to taste. Balsamic vinegar is my favorite, but red wine vinegar works well too. The best part about this dressing is that you can use different a vinegar or add garlic, shallots, or herbs to completely change the taste.
Sarah
January 6, 2014
Perhaps surprisingly, Gwyneth Paltrow’s “It’s All Good” cookbook is excellent. Healthy, delicious, easy and lots of great salads and dressings. Good smoothies and juices too, which I’m adding to my New Year’s resolutions list!
Robyn
January 9, 2014
Nummy, nummy salad:
Trader Joes blueberry goat cheese (utterly fantastic!)
Pears
walnuts or pecans