Top 6 Fall Ankle Boots

This fall I have been truly tantalized by all the upcoming fall fashion pieces. As much as I love my flip flops and summer dresses there is nothing better than a cozy knit sweater and a great pair of boots. This season has been favoring ankle length boots with a chunky heel. I am very excited for this trend due to the versatility of the shoes (goes great with a cute skater skirt or jeans!) and how easy it will be to walk around Manhattan in them. See below for some of my top fall picks, all each under $250!

Madewell The Ames Boot

Jeffrey Campbell Forecast Rainboot

Madewell The Chelsea Boot

Sam Edelman Petty Boot

J Crew Chelsea Boots

Silence + Noise Half-Stacked Heeled Ankle Boot

Kale Chips

My personal weakness is potato chips. I could easily eat a giant bag in one sitting, which is why I generally avoid keeping them in my apartment. These kale chips have the same satisfying crunch and saltiness as my favorite junk food, but are high in calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A. These "chips" are truly addicting and there's no guilt involved in eating a whole bowl!

You'll Need:

Kale leaves

Olive oil

Salt

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Baking sheet

How To: 

Set your oven to 350 degrees. First step is to wash and cut your kale, you don't want any of the stalk attached to the leaves. Lightly grease your baking sheet and dust with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Make sure your kale leaves are mostly dry and lay out on the baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil on top of the kale leaves, making sure its evenly distributed. Add another dusting of seasoning. Pop in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until crisp. If you like more of a kick, I recommend adding some old bay seasoning.

Crunch away!

American Flag Cake

In honor of the 4th of July, I decided to get a little festive this weekend and surprised my friends with a fourth of July cake to kick of the festivities. Even though the holiday weekend is over, this cake is the perfect way to impress friends and family at your next summer BBQ, because who doesn't appreciate some extra Americana with their hotdogs, hamburgers, and Samuel Adams??  While the cake looks super impressive, its actually quite simple to make. All it takes are a few ingredients.

You'll need:
Any cake of your choosing-homemade, store-bought, so long as the cake is simply frosted with just vanilla icing
Blueberries
Strawberries

How to:
If your cake is homemade, make sure it is fully cooled before frosting it with vanilla frosting. If the cake is still warm, it will make the frosting melt, and not be a secure "glue" for your berries.

Next make sure your fruit is thoroughly washed and dried. In the top left corner of your cake begin laying out your blueberries. The size of your cake will affect how many berries you use. I baked a cake in a 9x13 pan and used 36 blueberries (6 per column and row). Lay out the blueberries with a bit of space between them.

Slice the strawberries down the middle so that you have two halves that lie perfectly flat. The shape should resemble a heart if your slicing them in the correct direction. Lay them horizontally along the cake creating a straight line. Repeat this step down the cake, leaving strips of frosting in between each row, creating the look of stripes.

When finished, serve and enjoy your slice of Americana!

Low-Cal Iced Chai Tea Latte

One of my favorite spring drinks at the coffee shop is an iced chai tea latte. I generally avoid them and consider ordering one a treat because they can be pretty caloric and sugary. I recently decided to take matters into my own hands and try to recreate a healthier version of the iced chai. After some experimenting, I've finally came up with the perfect recipe that's under 100 calories! It's delicious, refreshing, and the black tea gives you a little caffeine boost.

You'll need:
Plain black chai tea bags (I've been using Yogi Chai Black)
Soy Milk
Artificial sweetener of your choice
Coffee Creamer
Cinnamon

How to:

Brew the tea and add your sweetener (I prefer mine on the sweeter side so I use two Truvia packets). Next add your soy milk and leave the tea bag in as you mix to really get that strong chai flavor. Add just a dash of coffee creamer and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Refrigerate until chilled. Add ice and enjoy!