Kitchen & Instagram Round Up

Hey friends,

We have had some busy days and weekends filled with family, baseball and just doing our thing. I actually spent sometime in the kitchen this past week and it was great! When I eat processed foods more than I should, my body can totally tell. I get really sluggish and lazy. It is pretty crazy the difference I see in myself. Now that I have thrown the Easter candy in the trash and poured soap on it I can get back in the kitchen, snacking on the healthy stuff!

I get a lot of questions about clean products I use. I am always happy to share my finds, so feel free to reach out any time. I also have a “highlight” reel on Instagram titled “Clean Finds”. Every time I find something at the grocery store that is clean and good I will post a picture of it there to save for you to view anytime. Be sure to check it out occasional for updates. I could also turn it into a blog post for reference.

Today’s blog post is filled with what I have cooked this past week in the kitchen and all recipes are linked! I also am sharing an Instagram Round up of all the latest outfits from my posts. So many pieces are on sale!

Click here to view in your browser to see clickable widgets.

KITCHEN

Last week’s blog post was about one of my favorite smoothies in the morning. I usually miss out on this smoothie when I am grain free because it has oats in it, but sometimes I just can’t resist myself. It is so good!

If you missed my blog post, click here for the recipe to one of my favorite smoothies.

I also made my favorite protein pancakes over on my Instagram stories this week. The pancakes are so good and easy to make! Click here for the recipe.

I mixed things up at dinner time, and started cooking part of my meal in the AM. This sounds totally weird unless you are using a crock pot, but I remember my mom doing it and I always wondered WHY?!?!? Well, I tried it last week and it was amazing!

As a stay at home mom of 3 boys, I am exhausted come 4pm and we’ve got homework, baseball, playtime, etc…. so cooking is hard unless my husband gets home early.

So, this chicken dish that my entire family loves is so good, but it does take a little extra time getting it all together, so I don’t cook it very often. BUT, I decided to get it all done in the morning, so all I had to do was put in the oven at 4pm to cook. This was the best idea I had all week. I could focus my entire time to my littles and dinner was already together. This is also one of those dishes the longer it sits in its juices the better, so it was perfect.

This recipe is linked on my blog from last year. It is one of our family favorites! Click the blog post link below for our 4 family favorite recipes. Make sure to scroll to the end of the blog post for recipes. :). I promise you will love this chicken dish. Ryan and I serve it over a bed of fresh spinach. The heat from the chicken wilts the spinach and it’s a good way to get in more greens.

Casual Monday | Cleaning Eating | 4 Favorites

This is the lemon pepper salmon I try to make once a week that you may have seen before. All of my boys love this recipe. I just go easy on the lemon pepper if they are eating it since they aren’t pepper fans. Click here for this recipe.

FITNESS

shop the look: compression leggings | NIKE

I am currently working on finding workout wear that is functional, has a great fit and can be actually used to work out in! My blog post is in the works so stay tuned, but one of the first pairs of 7/8 leggings that I have been wearing for over a month now are these compression leggings. They say mid-rise but I’d say they have a high-rise. They stay put while running and don’t sag or stretch out. For reference, I am wearing a small and would say they run TTS.

If you are looking for a pair of leggings to wear for working out or athleisure wear, these are a good pair to try! They also come in a moto legging too that I am anxious to try!

Instagram Round-up

shop the look: LOFT denim jacket |Old Navy dress | DIFF sunglasses| Nordstrom earrings

I love having a denim jacket for spring. It is such a great staple item to throw on when the restaurant is too chilly or the breeze picks up outside. I love pairing it with a sundress, like this cute little blue stripe that has been on sale!

shop the look: Quay sunglasses | JCrew Factory dress | Steve Madden slides | Old Navy bag

My newest purchase from my try-on session was this linen stripe dress. Is there such a thing as too many stripes? I love the t-shirt collar of this dress, and its breezy feel with the linen material. A great spring/summer dress! For reference, I am wearing a small and have plenty of room.

This top has been a new favorite! I had never shopped Shop Bop before, but so glad I did. If you are unfamiliar with this shop, they have a wide range of clothing and accessories ranging from designer brands to fun affordable finds. You also get free shipping and returns on all orders, plus if you have Amazon prime, you can get free 2 day shipping! AMAZING! This peplum was selling out last week during the sale, so check back for sizing. It also comes in black and fits TTS. I am wearing a small for reference.

shop the look: LOFT black top |similar black top | similar favorite jeans | JCrew Factory sandals (come in 3 other colors and gingham)

shop the look: JCrew Factory gingham top | Target boyfriend jeans | Lucky Brand booties (similar) | Old Navy bag (linked bag, my color is sold out)

This was my look while shopping last week with friends at Round Top! Such a fun day exploring and shopping for all the things. I love throwing on boyfriend jeans for a comfy look. These jeans are under $30 and I LOVE them!

I also love having a good pair of comfortable booties to wear year round, and Lucky Brand booties ARE COMFY! I walked all day in this pair. They are unfortunately sold out, so I linked a similar spring pair above. For reference, these booties fit TTS. I did size down in these jeans for a better fit.

One of my favorite things to do is put together a date night look! These outfits can be recreated with items in your closet. For example, black and white are a classic go to look that I love adding fun pops of color to. In this outfit, I wanted to branch out and try the kimono trend. I loved the fun colors in this one, and also liked it was under $30. I don’t like to spend a lot on a trend, but this seemed reasonable to me. For reference, I am wearing the XS/S and would say it fits TTS.

shop the look: LOFT dress | Target earrings | DSW heels |

LOFT is having their friends and family event and this gorgeous dress is part of the sale! I wore it for Easter and think it will be great for wedding season and also holidays. The color is a gray/bluish tone and perfect for year round. The friends and family event is going on now, so use code FRIENDS at check out for 40% off everything.

These are some of my favorites picks from the sale! Click here to see clickable widgets.