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???

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?

Fantastic Friday Four

Happy Friday!  It's like spring up in here in Jersey, which I'm going to guess is the reason for this lovely head cold I have.  But, even with the stuffiness, I have a few things that I'm loving this week!

Thanks to mom and dad, I now officially feel like a Jetson.  I am loving my Amazon Echo!  I can play my Spotify playlists or just my Amazon music, create a shopping list that goes on my phone (like literally, I notice I'm out of something and just call Alexa!), get the weather, news, and I'm sure so much more I haven't even figured out yet.  Oh, the best thing?  Asking Alexa for cooking conversions while I'm cooking - no more using flour dusted fingers on the iPad!

And thanks to my brother, I'm now officially obsessed with Hamilton, which is a tad unfortunate since I likely won't be able to score tickets until 2030.  I saw a kid at school today with a shirt that said "I had a life and then I discovered Hamilton".  Accurate.

And thanks to my other brother and his girlfriend, these adorable "Cat Nap" pillowcases, which in addition to being precious are super soft and comfy.  Charlie likes them too :)

You guys, this candle literally smells like a fraternity party full of cute guys (like when you first arrive and before the red Solo cups of beer get spilled all over the place) and I am not mad about it.  Have this lit takes me back to my URI days and it is glorious.


What is making you smile this week?

Friday Fantastic Four: Good Reads!

Let's talk books, shall we?

Now that I'm finished with grad school (YAY!), I finally have time to read for fun!  Not something that happened a lot in the past year.

I can't say that I have a particular favorite type of book?  Honestly, it mostly depends on my mood.  But I thought I'd share a few of my faves from the past few months!  Mostly fiction with a nonfiction thrown in.  I will also throw in links if anyone is interested!

Rich and Pretty: A Novel
I literally finished this one in 2 days on my cruise.  The premise is pretty simple - 2 longtime friends - who don't seem to have a whole lot in common - in the city, and how their relationship changes throughout the years.  The writing style itself is witty, a real easy yet fascinating read.  I totally got invested in this friendship!

Attachments
This one was a gift from friends and I fell in love.  A lonely guy whose job it is to keep an eye on the company email for anyone not using it appropriately.  And, of course, 2 girls who are allllll about the personal emails.  It was one I couldn't put down because I couldn't wait to see what happened.  All the characters are really likable and it's a quick moving story!

Beauty Queens
Picture it.  A plane full of teen beauty pageant contestants crashes.  A pageant sponsored by the biggest corporation in America.  What are the stranded teen beauty queens to do?  A satirical look at media and its power, this one also has some terrific characters and is hilarious.

And I Don't Want to Live This Life
You may have heard the tragic story of punk rock star Sid Vicious and his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.  This book is written by Nancy's mother, and details her troubled childhood, her psychological problems, and the pain of raising an extremely troubled daughter that would go on to have her murder splashed all over the papers.  A really gripping and intense story.

What books are you loving?