February Favorites!

Can you believe it's the end of February?  Of course, it feels like August here in Jersey, which is nice but...odd.

Some random favorites this month, a food fave, a cleaning item, a TV show and a playlist!

So I've been trying to eat and drink less dairy.  I had tried the Silk and So Delicious creamers and I like them, but this?  This creamer by Califia Farms is a game changer. It's super thick and creamy and only 15 calories for a tablespoon!  Also, REALLY good ingredient list.  Took me forever to find it by it was worth it!

I've been all about Spotify lately, even bumped up to the premium edition.  I love LOVE that you can download lists to play offline, follow people and see their lists, as well as create your own.  But this playlist has quickly become a fave.  Discover Weekly is a list by Spotify that updates early Monday morning and basically creates a playlist based on what you've listened to, with some songs you probably know and then those you might like based on what your tastes.  It's a great Monday morning playlist to get you into the week, and I've found myself adding quite a few of these new discoveries to my own playlists.

Let's be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of cleaning.  I'm still not, but this Method polish definitely helps. Not just because of the polish itself, but the scent.  Oh the scent.  It's almond scented and made my apartment smell like almond and I kept wanting to dust.  Who am I? 

P.S. - it's also non-toxic, which I like for many reasons, including my cat :)


                                              

If you are not watching this show, you should be.  It's on the CW on Thursdays at 9 (and on demand), and it's a darker, slightly more twisted take on Archie comics.  The cast is great and the mystery is intriguing.  Also, Luke Perry, aka Dylan McKay, plays Archie's dad.  All you 90210 fans let that sink in for a minute.

What are you loving this month???

What's on My Workout Playlist?

I always love reading posts like these because I get inspiration. 

When I workout, I either run or do a video.  When I run, I *need* music. 

But I also have the tendency to get super bored with the same playlist over and over, so I do change it up a bit.  To add to that, I have seriously eclectic (some would say weird) taste in music.  Put my iPhone on shuffle and basically you go from Broadway to rap to country to 80s to TV theme songs.

I make no apologies.

So here is a look at my current running playlist (which I've actually had since summer, believe it or not!).

Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC (I blame this one on Iron Man)
Bait a Hook - Justin Moore
Clint Eastwood - Jesse James Decker
Danny - Tiffany
Fight Like a Girl - Kalie Shorr
Four Years of Chances - Margo Price
Home Alone Tonight - Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild
I Knew You Were Trouble - Taylor Swift
I Saw Him Standing There - Tiffany
I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
It's a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler
Moneytalks - AC/DC
Mony Mony - Billy Idol
My Church - Maren Morris
Old Alabama - Brad Paisley
Oh L'Amour - Erasure
Red - Taylor Swift
Sunshine Superman - Jewel
Waste Another Beer - Old Southern Moonshine Revival
We Are Never Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
Without a Fight - Brad Paisley and Demi Lovato
Young and Crazy - Frankie Ballard
Cruise Remix - Florida Georgia Line and Nelly
Point at You - Justin Moore
Peter Pan - Kelsea Ballerini
Think of You - Chris Young and Cassadee Pope

What's on your workout playlist??

Banana Tahini Smoothie

I know what you are thinking.

Tahini?  In a smoothie?

Sounds weird.  I mean, when I think of tahini, I'm thinking hummus.  I'm thinking savory.

But not a smoothie.

However, I saw @thymeandtoast on Instagram putting tahini in smoothies and raving so I was like, ok, why not give it a shot?

So, on this snowy day (which equaled a snow day from work for me!), after my workout, I totally wanted a smoothie.  I had tahini so I figured, what better day to experiment?

The result was a super creamy smoothie that wasn't overly sweet and had hints of savory.  Suffice to say, I'm obsessed.

(Real talk - ignore the nails - they are recovering from weeks of gels.  Seriously, I need a manicure!)

I topped mine with a sprinkle of the Trader Joe's Super Seed Blend which I'm legit obsessed with.  Perfect topping for smoothies or a mix-in for yogurt!

Banana Tahini Smoothie
Serves 1

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
1 frozen banana
1 tbsp. tahini
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 scoop Vital Proteins collagen peptides (optional)

Combine and blend!  Top with whatever you like!

January Favorites

So it's officially February.  And I'd like to point out that the only snowstorm we have had was on a weekend.  Which, teachers, you all know what I'm talking about. 

I've tried a few new things this month that I am LOVING, so I wanted to share!

So true story, I don't like nuts.  I'm not allergic but I don't like the texture - I can handle it if they are super ground up, but that's about it.  And it's very difficult to find protein bars that don't have big chunks of nuts. 

Enter these Square Bars.  Wow!  SO good, and super filling.  I have had the Chocolate Cherry, the Chocolate Mint, and the Chocolate Coconut and all are yum, though the Chocolate Coconut may be my favorite because it straight up tastes like a Mounds candy bar.  These have been a terrific pre-workout / late afternoon snack!

I'm not dairy free as a rule, but I am trying to lessen the amount of dairy I eat (let's be real, I'm not giving up cheese).  Basically, if it's a substitute I don't mind, then I will go with it.  Not only don't I mind this, but it has quickly become one of my two favorites (next one coming up later).  This Kite Hill yogurt is super creamy and has a very different texture than Greek yogurt, but it is also really refreshing and light.  Topped with some granola, it's a great snack.  I've had the blueberry and the vanilla, both of which I love, and was psyched to find some new flavors, including pineapple and key lime, at my Whole Foods!

And my other favorite is this So Delicious coconut milk yogurt.  Again, very different texture than Greek yogurt but really light and flavorful.  The chocolate flavor is AMAZING!  It's legit dessert.

I am a popcorn junkie to the extreme.  The boxes of microwave popcorn I would go through - not okay.  But, in trying to institute some healthier habits, I came across the idea of popping popcorn in coconut oil and was hooked.  Then, on Instagram, I noticed this Nutiva buttery coconut oil and I knew I HAD to try it.  I pop the popcorn in about a teaspoon of this oil, and then melt another teaspoon to put on top and it tastes SO buttery.  Definitely calls back to that buttery, delicious movie popcorn.  I've also used this to fry up hash browns and eggs and it's amazing!

So, all food faves this month as I've been trying to make some healthier choices and found some things I was super excited about.  

What are some of your favorites this month?