Happy Friday! Who's pumped for a long weekend?!
This weekend, Shawn and I are celebrating our sixth anniversary! We don't have much planned other than a date night out and another hike. We are going to ATTEMPT to go out to eat tomorrow. It's supposed to be miserably hot outside this weekend, and restaurants are only operating outside for dining, so it could be a total bust. Wish us luck, and pray I don't sweat all my makeup off. I may be looking more forward to the steaks we're planning to grill at home on Sunday.
It's been a while since I've done a faves post, so I'm excited to share some of the products, foods, workouts, and more that I've been loving lately. Hopefully this list inspires you a bit, but I'd also love to hear about some things you guys have been enjoying lately too! Comment below to share some of your weekly faves with me!
1. Pumpkin coffee. I had to start out with this right?? I know it's still 100+ degrees out here in California, but Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year, and if I have to pretend for a while, then so fucking be it! My typical order lately is a grande iced coffee, no classic, with 2 pumps of pumpkin, and a splash of half and half. It's delish. I also love a nitro cold brew (or regular cold brew) with 1 pump of pumpkin and sweet cream, topped with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, but I'm trying to limit my caffeine intake a bit right now. I know. It sucks. Anyways, I could not recommend these drinks enough. They taste like Fall in a cup.
This stuff is the jam. It is definitely my favorite new skin care product I've purchased lately. I use it in the morning after I moisturize underneath my eyes and on my eyelids. You can either use it by itself or wear it under your makeup. I love Tula because their products are made from probiotics and superfoods. It's literally food for your skin. The cooling sensation on my skin makes me feel awake and more energized while concealing any puffiness or under-eye bags from the night before. Basically, I'm obsessed.
3. Mediterranean Chicken Bowl. I posted about this bowl of heaven on my stories the other day. I was going to do a full post on the recipe, but I decided just to give you guys the basic run down, because it is SO easy and so customizable to your tastes. I've eaten one of these babies for lunch every single day this week. That's how much I love it.
Step 1: Start with a base of cauliflower rice (I've been using frozen, pre-riced)- sautéed in a dash of olive oil, sea salt, garlic and onion powder.
Step 2: Next, I add in my veggies. Lately, I've been doing red and yellow pepper and red onion- these can be raw or sautéed with a little oil and salt.
Step 3: Add in all your mix-ins. I throw in some capers, chopped cucumber, and kalamata olives. Obviously, you can change it up by adding in/taking out whatever you like! Some other toppings that come to mind- feta cheese, sliced pickles, artichokes, black olives, fried egg, and arugula. You could also change up the base by using rice instead. Totally up to you!
Step 4: Add your protein. Typically I add in some shredded rotisserie chicken, but you can choose any protein you like- I have also added in leftover meat from dinner the night before. Steak is another great option.
Step 5: Then, the magic happens. It all comes from the next 2 pieces. I add in 1-2 teaspoons of Majestic garlic dip (see below), and about 1-2 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce to the bowl. Sprinkle with some fresh dill, mix it all together and voila! All the veggies, all the flavors, party in your dang mouth.
4. Majestic Garlic Dip. I know most of y'all were probably like what the heck is this Majestic Garlic Dip you speak of. Well, here is is! It truly is majestic. Unfortunately, I was never able to find it back East, but the Whole Foods here in California had it, so I finally got my hands on some. You can also order it off their website here. You really don't need to add a ton of it to your dish, because it has a ton of flavor to it. A little bit goes a long way! You also probably want to avoid it if you plan on kissing someone in the next 24 hours. However, if you love garlic as much as I do, it is freaking worth it. Sorry, Shawn.
5. Orange Mango Spindrift.
Although I found this drink over the summer, and I believe it's the perfect non-alcoholic, refreshing poolside beverage, I plan to keep drinking it even as the temps start to fall. This is my favorite Spindrift flavor. I love that their drinks are flavored using real fruit, and that they don't add any weird ingredients.
6. Zevia. Speaking of beverages, I'm also a huge Zevia drinker lately. I have really committed to cutting out Coke Zero, as well as limiting my caffeine intake, as much as possible, and this has become my alternative. This, to me, tastes pretty dang close to real cream soda. I also love the grape, orange, strawberry, and ginger ale flavors.
7. Rogue Echo Bike. This has made the BEST addition to my home gym. We decided not to bring my rower across country with us, so I wanted to get another piece of cardio equipment to use out here, indoors, since it's been so hot outside. This was my pick. I chose this particular model because I love the moving handles, I think it's built sturdier than other models like the Assault Bike (Rogue is an amazing company with very high quality equipment), and I have experience with it from previous gyms. I choose to spend a bit more on equipment for my home gym since I don't have a gym membership right now, and I feel like it's an investment in my future health and fitness. The more I enjoy my workouts, the more motivated I am to keep them up. My advice is to start small- a set of bands here, a dumbbell there- and add little by little to your collection over time.
8. Unreal chocolate gems. I bought these on a whim for a snack on the plane trip out here, and I've been addicted ever since. If you like M&Ms but hate all the junky ingredients, you should check these out. I've also had their peanut butter cups which are also amazing. If that's more your style, check it out next time your sweet tooth kicks in.
9. Boom Chicka Pop (Sweet and Salty). I'm honestly a little embarrassed to admit how much of this popcorn I've consumed over the past couple of months. I eat a bowl of it every. Single. Night. I keep thinking, "surely I'll get sick of this stuff soon." Then I fill up another bowl. It's the best.
10. Umbrella Academy. Shawn and I decided to give this show a try the other night, and we've been loving it so far. We're planning to watch the season 1 finale this weekend, and then start the next season. It's about 7 kids, born under strange circumstances, who are adopted by a billionaire and raised to become superheroes. It's got action, a little romance, drama, suspense, magic, a talking ape, a robot mom...what more could you ask for?
That's going to round out this week's list! I hope you guys enjoy. Let me know if you check out any of my faves and tell me what you think. Have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!