Style For On- and Off-Stage: Stitch Fix Review!

Life, Uncategorized | July 11, 2016 | By

“I received a credit to try Stitch Fix as a result of this promotion. By posting this review I am entering a contest sponsored by Stitch Fix and am eligible to win a prize. I was not compensated for my time. This post contains affiliate links.”

 

I have a confession: I’m addicted to clothes, and have been ever since I learned how to pick them out for myself. 

There’s something about stepping out in a new outfit that is just so satisfying. I don’t have expensive taste, but I do have a constant itch to change up my wardrobe, so discovering Stitch Fix last year has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. That’s why, when I heard they’d be hosting a sponsored contest with The Recipe Redux…

“I MUST SHARE THIS NOT-SO-SECRET SECRET WITH THE WORLD!!!!”

 

For those unfamiliar, Stitch Fix sends you clothing personally hand-picked for you by a stylist. Now, I love a good trip to the mall (and like to think I can dress myself halfway decently), but I’m the kind of girl who finds a good pair of pants and then buys them in six colors. So, having an expert pick out styles for me allows me to go outside my comfort zone and incorporate unique, adorable pieces I probably wouldn’t try on otherwise!

Another great thing about Stitch Fix is that your stylist tailors each “fix” to your needs and budget. For example, I wrote in my “Style Profile” that I’m a musician, and am always looking for cute (yet conservative) black blouses for concerts. And whenever I have an event or recital coming up, my stylist is always there to help me find the perfect dress. I also connect my stylist to a Pinterest board where I can share all of the latest trends I’ve been loving. I DON’T love to spend a fortune, though, so my stylist makes sure the pieces I’m sent are within my budget.

Every time you request a “fix,” your stylist sends you five pieces. Whatever you don’t absolutely love, you can send back for free! This month, my pieces were:

Gaura Back Detail Knit Top

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This is an adorable top! I was skeptical of the horizontal stripes at first, but they didn’t end up being unflattering. What WAS a little unflattering was actually the detail on the back which, although very cute, pulled a bit with my arms relaxed. I really liked the shirt on (especially with these sage green pants and wedges) but decided after lots of thought that I wasn’t in love with it enough to keep it. However, it has TOTALLY renewed my faith in horizontal stripes! 😉 

 

Bowie Solid Dolman Sleeve Top -and- Arden Printed Maxi Skirt

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I loved the fit of this skirt when I first unboxed it. It hugged my curves in all the right places! Unfortunately, the faux wrap look (which I usually love) did not flatter my figure in this particular style. My stylist knows I lo0o0ove floral prints too, but I felt the large, chunky print was overwhelming for my height (or lack thereof). I paired the fitted skirt with the looser dolman top, which was super soft and comfy but not my favorite style. Though I loved the wide neckline, I’m not a fan of sleeves that are purposefully baggy under the arms – they make me feel like a bat! 😛


Lisbon Stud Detail Blouse

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This piece and the next were sent to me as options for concert blouses. The length, neckline, and overall cut of this blouse were SO flattering, but in my opinion, the stud detail would be a bit too loud for a concert or gig. I also didn’t love that the sleeves cut off and went in at the elbows.


Nevis Embroidery Detail Blouse

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We have a WINNER! I have been looking for a light, sheer black concert blouse for ages and have been having a surprisingly hard time finding a cute one. The embroidery on the front is understated but decorative. The length is not too long, which is hard to come by with a loose tunic-like top, especially when you’re fun-sized 😉 Paired with my favorite go-to concert pants, this blouse was just perfect! I can’t wait to wear it to my next concert or gig.

Curious about trying Stitch Fix? See for yourself! 🙂


 

 

Fig and Olive Risotto

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by USA Rice Federation and am eligible to win  prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

I can’t figure out whether I’m a patient person or not. 

If we were to find ourselves on an NYC subway car, for example, and an announcement came on that we were being held until further notice, you would never hear me shout, “AWH YOU KIDDIN’ ME?” I’m a rarity in New York. Also, I can practice violin for extended periods of time with (relative) success and with (debatably) good concentration, which I definitely consider one of my best achievements.

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But in the kitchen, I’m super inconsistent. I love the mundane aspects of cooking that a lot of people hate, like chopping and measuring. But if a dish is slow to cook on its own, and yet STILL requires my constant attention, like risotto? Ugh. Also, oats made on the stove. What even are those? I’m hungry in the morning… Team watery, high-risk-of-overflowing microwave oats all the way.

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I have been trying to improve my kitchen patience, though. I mean, I’ve gotten SUPER picky about cutting all of my vegetables perfectly into appropriately sized, even cuts. I know that’s not really anything special, but whatever, just humor me. I think I’m doing a good job here.

Another thing I’ve been trying to do lately is balance my food groups better. With my ridiculous, often unpredictable schedule, it becomes so easy to fall into food routines – and not necessarily good ones. It becomes so easy to miss meals and then rely on snacks during lunch and dinner hours, which has become more normal than I’d like. Example: I had popcorn for dinner a few weeks ago. It was homemade though, and then I covered it in cilantro (that I dried myself – boo yah!) so I guess there was a serving of greens in there? Ugh. Also, “lunch” has recently become a spoonful of plain greek yogurt with cinnamon, pomegranate seeds, and a tablespoon of homemade granola. There was one day last week I ate that twice… In one day.

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But now I feel that things are looking up, because I conquered this risotto, and have thus conquered my two biggest food-related weaknesses; kitchen patience, and food group balancing. The patience is worth it though, because this risotto is the BOMB DIGGITY. Do people say that anymore? Also, the base of this dish is rice, which makes for a great balanced meal that is also delicious!

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Because of its many benefits, the USA Rice Federation has encouraged the Recipe Reduxers to spread the love, and “Think Rice.” USA-grown rice is naturally trans fat-, cholesterol-, sodium-, and gluten-free, so if you’re watching your intake of any or all of those things (…or not), rice is a great choice. It’s also inexpensive, easy to buy in bulk, and goes well with pretty much anything you want to put on or in it. It gets this hungry-but-frugal grad student’s seal of approval, and you can definitely be “Thinking Rice” with this mighty tasty risotto! Although it takes some time, it’s pretty easy to make. It actually tastes way more complicated than it is. In the words of my spirit animal Ina Garten, “How easy is that?!”

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Fig and Olive Risotto


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbs. dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 c. boiling water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 generous sprig sage, chopped
  • 3 tbs. plus 1 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 medium-large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups U.S.A. grown, organic arborio -or- short grain brown rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/3 cup dried mission figs, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pitted, oil-cured black olives, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste (if desired)

Instructions

  1. Soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes, or until fully hydrated.
  2. Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a saucepan. When boiling, reduce to a simmer.
  3. Chop garlic and sage. Set aside.
  4. Chop onion. Set aside.
  5. Chop figs and olives. Set aside.
  6. Once mushrooms are hydrated, strain and then reserve the soaking liquid through a cheesecloth or paper towel. Chop the mushrooms. Set aside.
  7. Add 3 tbs. of olive oil to a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sage and let sweat until fragrant.
  8. Add onion to skillet. Stir frequently, cooking until semi-translucent, about 3 minutes.
  9. Add rice to skillet, plus one more tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to coat, and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  10. Add wine to skillet.
  11. Once wine liquid has cooked off, add mushroom liquid and a ladleful of the hot stock. Stir occasionally, until liquid is absorbed.
  12. Add 1-2 more ladlefuls of stock. Stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed, then add more stock. Repeat until rice is al dente. Add figs and olives to pan about halfway through the cooking process (when stock is half gone).
  13. Remove risotto from heat. Stir in cheese, plus salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Notes

  • Garnish with sage leaves, thinly sliced fig, and/or extra pecorino. Because cheese.
  • Save time by chopping your garlic, sage, onion, etc. while the mushrooms are soaking and the stock is heating up.
  • Kill time while waiting for the risotto to cook by drinking the leftover wine 😉

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4

 


Mini Spinach & Artichoke Mac and Cheeses

“I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe challenge sponsored by Cabot Creamery and am eligible to win prizes. I was not additionally compensated for my time.”

 

They say it’s football season, but I don’t watch football. I’d rather cook game-day food for you while YOU watch football. 

I’ve been going to Superbowl parties for years, and have never been in the room where the game is on for any time period exceeding five minutes. I’d need three hands to count the number of times I’ve had football explained to me, and it’s just never going to happen. Thus, my job is to wander aimlessly between the dining room and the kitchen, sampling the waves of various bite-size things that come out of the oven. You know, for quality control. 

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Usually, the standard fare for football games or Superbowl parties are bite-sized treats: wings, mini hot dogs, mini meatballs, mini quiches, mini pizzas, etc. Another big thing is dips, and one of my all-time favorites is spinach artichoke. So, I combined all of these concepts into a super creamy mac and cheese, and then baked it in little paper baking cups I found at Michael’s. (*Note: to be more eco-friendly, bake these in a muffin tin.)

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Did I mention that it also contains two kinds of cheddar cheese? Cabot Creamery was kind enough to send the Recipe Reduxers (count ’em) SEVEN different kinds of cheese this month. You can imagine my heaven. I am a huge Cabot fan, because not only is the cheese amazing, but they’re owned by family farmers and give all of their profits back to the 1200 farms that provide the dairy for their products. Just when I thought I couldn’t love cheese any more.

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I used two cheddars for this recipe: Cabot’s Seriously Sharp and Alpine Cheddars. I’ve always loved the Seriously Sharp just for straight-up snacking. It is SO good that once, I bought the cracker cuts to try and control my portions. The opposite effect occurred, so I (begrudgingly) went back to buying the block. 😛

The Alpine, which I’d never had, was delicious and super nutty, kind of like a parmesan. It totally reminded me of the melty parm blanket that sits atop a big bowl of spinach artichoke dip (*le drool*), so I threw it in. I also included some Cabot greek yogurt in the mix, which upped the creaminess by about 200%. SO good.

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I’ll just leave all of this here. Go forth and be cheesy.

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Mini Spinach & Artichoke Mac and Cheeses


Description

Perfectly portioned servings of creamy mac and cheese for your next game day party!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 paper baking cups (available in crafts stores) -or- a muffin tin with 12 compartments
  • 1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta
  • 5 large canned artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1 package frozen spinach (810 oz.), thawed, squeezed thoroughly, and chopped
  • 4 oz. (1/2 block) Cabot Alpine cheddar, grated
  • 4 oz. (1/2 block) Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar, grated
  • 1/2 cup Cabot Greek-style yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Topping

  • 1/2 cup unseasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 tbs. Cabot Alpine cheddar, grated

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  2. Put pasta into a pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil to the water. Bring water to boil. Shortly after coming to a boil, the pasta should be cooked. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
  3. Return the reserved pasta water to the macaroni. Add cheese and mix until melted.
  4. Add yogurt and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Fill each baking cup with a generous portion of macaroni.
  6. Combine topping ingredients and mix until oil is evenly distributed.
  7. Sprinkle topping evenly over the individual mac and cheeses.
  8. Bake until topping is golden, about 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Depending on the size of your baking cups, this recipe may yield up to 16 servings.
  • For an eco-friendly/less-waste approach, use a muffin or mini-muffin tin!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 12

 


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