FriYAY! YAY! YAY!

Who's excited for the long holiday weekend? The unofficial start to summer. I certainly am and we have a weekend full of no plans! May not sound like fun to some, but it's a ton of fun for us! We are having a staycation and planning to visit all of our favorite spots around town, and hopefully enjoy a day or two of great weather before it turns rainy. I'm linking up today for FriYAY with Oh Hey Friday and Five on Friday!

one | Thirst Quenching

Now that it's really getting hot out I've been obsessed with a morning or lunchtime smoothie! My go to combo is banana, raspberries and blueberries with a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter. I usually do my smoothies in my Magic Bullet and add a little water, but recently I started adding V8 Splash Diet Tropical Blend, and it took my smoothie to the next level! Do you have any go-to smoothie recipes?

two | Memorial Day Side Dish

With the holiday weekend already here, I wanted to share with you an awesome side that we enjoyed on our beach vacation. It's so easy and delicious and would be a great addition to any backyard BBQ! This recipe came from my aunt, so I'm not sure exactly the origin, but enjoy!

Mediterranean Quinoa* Salad

*this can be made with orzo

3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic, chopped

S & P

1/4 cup EVOO

1 cup quinoa (or orzo)

2 cups red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 cup pitted kalamata olives

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 pickled cherry peppers, diced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 English cucumber, diced

Feta

Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, garlic and S&P in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Let sit at room temperature. Rinse the quinoa. Combine the quinoa, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in saucepan, bring to boil and cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, fluff with fork and let sit for 5 minutes to cool. Add the tomatoes, olives, green onions, cherry peppers, red onions, cucumbers and dressing. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before serving. Sprinkle with feta before serving.

three | Can't Stop the Feeling

Just a little happiness for your Friday! Came across this daddy/daughter duo dancing to Justin Timberlake's  new song "Can't Stop the Feeling" and it's adorable. Check out the video  here!

I'm keeping it short and sweet this Friday! What are your plans for the weekend? Having a staycation or jetting off? Either way, enjoy the extra time with family and friends!