Hey guys! This is my first FULL Friday post and it happens to be on June 1st! I am planning on posting every Friday, along with my other bi-weekly blog posts, about 5 things that I enjoyed throughout the week. The more I appreciate the little things, the more I find myself feeling grateful. This week I was all about:
1. Quality Sleep
I have always been one to need a good amount of sleep to be functional. I am such a night owl though, so I have a hard time forcing myself to go to bed at a set time. I have always had a difficult time falling asleep ever since I was little, but listening to a little meditation music and trying to shut my brain off 1 hour before my bedtime has been working. It’s been difficult to stick to, but I have seen a difference in my energy levels. I also struggle, like REALLY struggle with waking up. If I don’t have an alarm set, I could sleep for hours! To help get in a more consistent sleep routine, I do this thing when my alarm goes off, where I count to three and as painful as it is sometimes, I roll out of bed (gasp). I then take the next 30 minutes to just relax, stay off my phone, do a little light yoga flow, and sit on my porch. Having this quiet time to just sit and not do anything specific has made me, dare I say, look forward to my mornings.
2. Lifting Weights
I have never NEVER been into lifting weights. Well, believe me, I have tried but I never understood it. I tend to be one who has a hard time jumping into something unless I can grasp the FULL concept or understand exactly how something works. So, with lifting I have been just doing my reps daily and just focusing on the the process and not worrying about the details. As I start to train for my runs this year, I am becoming more aware of how I need overall body strength. You wouldn’t think your arms would be so sore after running, but I found that out the hard way last year running my first marathon. So, I have been using my husband’s dumbell set to do 3 sets of 12 different movements and I feel stronger already. Back when I was a pastry chef, my left arm was so much stronger than my right arm from all the mixing and whisking that I would have to try to use my right arm more just to even it out. Now that I am not working in a commercial kitchen, I find it easier to lift weights. Bazil likes to offer moral support with a generous amount of meows.
3. Rainbow Carrots
Going back to school full-time has left me with less time to plan snacks or meals so having a ample supply of snacks on hand has been crucial to avoid running into hangry Britt. I have really been into carrots lately. Yes, carrots! I was headed home after a long day, just ravished, but I was determined to not spend money and wait the extra 20 min til I got home. I ate about 5 big carrots and they were so good! I felt better almost instantly and with a good amount of carrots in my belly, I was revived enough to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things to make a budget friendly meal. This week I couldn’t get enough of these organic heirloom carrots I picked up on sale for only 99 cents a pound at my local Jewel Osco! Rainbow carrots have such a nice flavor, and the purple ones are my favorite. If you peel them, then slice them in quarters and store them in a jar filled with filtered cold water they stay nice and crisp and last longer! Just make sure you leave a little room in the jar, as the carrots soak up water they will expand, making it hard to grab one if you fill your jar to full (oops!).
I love making a little homemade hummus for dipping or picking up my favorite Original Cedar’s hommus when it is on sale. If you are not into peeling, the pre-peeled baby carrots are good to have on hand too. When you bring them home just drain the water and put the carrots in new, cold filtered water so they last longer. Carrots are great for a quick snack because 1) they are cheap and 2) because they help regulate blood sugar levels among many other health benefits.
These carrots in a jar are a great portable snack to take with you anywhere. I brought some up to Lake Geneva over Memorial Day Weekend and they were amazing. Some beaches do not let you bring glass, so I brought some in a Stasher bag filled with a little filtered water and that worked really well too!
4. Nature Walks
Lately, I have been literally taking any chance I can to get outside now that the weather gods finally decided what season to agree on! (haha) Getting a little warmth on my little porch or going for long walks or runs have been very restorative. I always feel like a weight is being lifted off my shoulders when I get outside. Hearing the birds chirping, and getting my feet on the earth brings me so much calm. I have been exploring different places and stopping to smell all the flowers I can find.
I love walking when the sun is about to set. Yesterday I took a day trip up to Lake Geneva, WI with my husband and it was so breathtaking to walk along the lake. I could listen to the waves crash up on the shore for hours.
Lake Geneva, WI
5. Homemade Latte’s
If you have been following along on my Instagram stories you KNOW the love I have for a freshly frothed latte! I love experimenting with different dairy free milks and ingredients. One of my favorites has been the Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Maca Latte that is saved under my recipe highlights! Being a student, it is not as financially feasible to just stop somewhere and get a latte when I am feeling it, so I have resorted to getting creative at home. These are super easy to make, and take less than 5 minutes! Plus, they are much cheaper than your local coffee shop latte.
Now that it is summer, I have been frothing a batch, letting it cool, then pouring the batch into this Tovolo silicone ice cube tray. When I am feeling a refreshing cold frothy latte, I can pop 4 or 5 of these cubes into my Vitamix Blender with 1 cup of my favorite non dairy milk and blend! When making cubes I just make them a little more concentrated by using less milk and more of whatever ingredients I am using so that when I blend it later, it is not too milky and has all the flavor!
Blended Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Maca Latte
A couple of regular ice cubes, and a dash of ceylon cinnamon and I am ready for anything! I always have copious amounts of beverages on hand, and sometimes I make more than one of these throughout the day.
Well, that wraps up this week’s FULL Friday post! What have you guys been loving this week? Let me know in the comments! Hope you have a lovely rest of your weekend!
