Happy Friday, everyone! How was your week?
Per usual, mine flew by. The other day someone said something that really resonated with me – when you have a young baby, the days are long but weeks and months are short. Truer words have never been spoken, I’m sure of it! This week Lincoln turned 8 months old and next week Ben and I will celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary.
Hey time…slow down!
Anywho, tell me about your weekend plans! The boys and I have got a few fun things in the pipeline. I’ll fill you in on Monday. : ) In the meantime, wherever you are and whatever you do have a wonderful weekend, as my homey Ellen would say – BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, and please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!
Click the light blue links to be taken to the original source.
Favorite devour: Homemade Monkey Bread with Caramel Sauce. Two words – YOU’RE WELCOME. Ok, how about a third. OMG!
Favorite geek: CrashPlan. A few weeks ago I signed up for Pinch of Yum’s weekly blogging tips emails, and it’s already paid off in spades because it led me to CrashPlan. CP backs up your entire computer plus external drives (not iPhones though, unfortunately) to their cloud, another computer, and/or an external hard drive so should your computer ever decide to go rogue, you’re golden. I lost my hard drive last year and as a result, nearly lost my mind. Never making that mistake again! (FYI this is not an affiliate link, I’m just that excited about this affordable back up option!)
Favorite slurp: Spicy Shrimp and Saucy Guacamole Ramen Noodle Bowl. I’ve been craving shrimp like a crazy person lately, and also have a soft spot in my heart for ramen noodles. Especially the creamy chicken kind. Mmm…creamy chicken. Anyway, great combo of spicy/cooling flavors in this slurpable bowl.
Favorite splurge: Lululemon Studio Pant II. Both girls I went to Seattle with had these pants on at some point during the weekend and I fell in love. Totally comfy yet cute enough to run to the store in so I splurged and bought a pair. Lululemon even hems them for free (key for a shorty like me!)
Favorite dessert: One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake. If this picture alone doesn’t suck you into wanting to make this incredible cake, the story behind it will. Totally reaffirms the fact that chocolate is my love language.
Favorite find: Chalkboard Baskets. I’ve been searching for a storage solution to corral Lincoln’s toys and blankets, which are currently taking over our living room, and these baskets from Target are totally it. Stylish enough to sit out, but also kind of kid-friendly with the little chalkboard feature.
Lincoln approved! ; )
Favorite journey: Join My Journey. I’m excited to hit the road again this spring and summer for the next leg of Join My Journey with the Iowa Food and Family Project, learning about agriculture in Iowa and the many people and places that support it. Last month I visited Shannon Latham of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, and together we made this yummy Vegetable & Tofu Stir Fry. Check out the recipe and story of her family business that goes back three generations!
Favorite fitness: The BEST Ab Routine. Over the past few months I’ve had the mentality that I had to give all or nothing to a workout – which simply isn’t true. Routines like this can be easily busted out while Lincoln’s gnawing on a toy next to me. My abs hurt just looking at it!
Favorite dinner: Turkey Meatloaf Florentine. It is well documented that I. Love. Meatloaf. A florentine version incorporating yummy Mediterranean flavors with a ketchup crust looks like a perfect, crowd-pleasing dinner idea.
Favorite bite: Healthier Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Don’t these look so fun? I’d love to make them for Easter.
Favorite beauty: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. I have terrible genetic under-eye circles and have tried juuuust about every concealer under the sun. Well, I don’t need to look any further because this stuff is da bomb. Thick like shellac, it stays in place for hours. Sometimes I combine it with Benefit Erase Paste for even more coverage. Love it!
Favorite skillet: Quinoa with Spinach. Atichokes and Chicken. This looks similar to my Spinach and Artichoke Dip Chicken which I ADORE. I can’t imagine how fast I’d gobble it down with quinoa thrown into the mix.
Favorite fitness: 30 Minute Treadmill Workout. This routine looks amaaaaaaaaaaazing!!! I can’t wait to collapse in a useless heap after doing it!
Favorite forkful: Easy 30 Minute Cinnamon Roll Skillet Cake. I almost can’t handle the chewy, gooey factor of these cinnamon rolls. Saturday morning bliss (and perfect to indulge in after that run!) ; )
Check out past Friday Favorites >
Have a great weekend, everyone!
I’m going to give that Monkey Bread a try! I made your GF dinner rolls at Thanksgiving – the first time I had used GF flour and xanthan gum! I am going to try to those ingredients into the recipe – and we’ll see how it goes! I have been GF for about 3.5 years, and I really miss cinnamon rolls! (And croissants, too, but that’s a project for another day!)
That cinnamon roll skillet cake. Oh my gosh. I wonder if I can make a “healthier” version of that. :D
I love the look of those pants! But the price makes me want to cry.
Thanks so much for including my carrot cake cupcakes!
LOVE mac pro longwear concealer – I completely agree, it’s the absolute best for highlighting and under eye concealing! And I’m buying myself a pair of those lulu pants for my bday in a few weeks… however I’m intrigued by the underarmor ones someone commented about above. Aaaaand I love those baskets. I also have an 8 month old, so I totally get the living room being taken over by baby stuff! I think I love your friday favorites!
Ah those Target baskets are the best! My mom got me a couple for Christmas a few years ago and I always ask for another one for birthdays and holidays. I love the round ones for all the winter gear that is FINALLY getting put away this weekend!
My daughter loves Lulu’s! I buy her a pair for every occasion and their skirts are cute golf skirts!
Always love your link-ups, Kristin! So awesome to see that you included my local CLE blogger friend Chelsea’s amazing sweet treat at the end!
I was cracking up at the order of your faves! Dessert, dessert, workout, healthy meal, workout, dessert…too funny. It was like you thought oh crap, all this unhealthy stuff, better find something to work it off! Love the blog as always! :)
Has it really been 8 months since your beautiful baby boy was born?! Geez. Amazing finds! I’ll be trying those ab moves, the treadmill workout and that monkey bread this week!!! For sure.
Thanks, Kristin, for featuring my ramen noodle bowl! For the folks asking about a gluten-free option … I think I have a much higher flavor/texture tolerance for gluten-free pastas than most folks (I tend to like all of them), but my favorites are corn and rice blends. An “angel hair” weight pasta will produce a very similar noodle bowl to the ramen noodles. Or, just serve it over brown rice.
Ok Kristin…so I’ve been reading your blog for, idk, a few years? A long time. And when you posted your first quinoa recipe I was all, “What the…huh? What IS that? Tapioca?” I’ve been 100% intrigued and 99% leary ever since that first day. I’ve read each recipe containing the stuff 19 times.
Well, I’m just finishing week 4 of the Kosama challenge so on Day -1 (the day before it started) I went out and stocked my fridge and pantry with everything good for me. Quinoa included. And it has remained in the pantry for the last 4 weeks because I’m a fraidy cat! But last night I finally said to my boyfriend, “I’m doing it! We’re having quinoa…whatever this stuff is. Sorry if I make you gag.” So Garlic & Parmesan Quinoa was on the menu. OMG…I want to SMACK.MY.SELF!!!
I’m addicted. What the heck was I waiting for?! The ONLY problem I have with this quinoa stuff is that I wanted to eat the entire pan. ALL OF IT! Good thing the boyfriend was there to stop the madness. :)
THANK YOU for introducing me! :)
Your little boy is the cutest. Seriously. THE CUTEST. I smile every time you post pictures of him b/c I can’t get over how seriously adorable he is. :)
You had me at free hemming…. I’m a shorty too! Might just have to get me a pair of those pants.
Love those baskets. I have some similar Target baskets that hold all of my son’s books and toys, keeping his room and our living room tidy. Nice thing about those baskets is that they are “grown up” enough to put anywhere in the house, whenever you’re done using them for toys and whatnot!
Can’t wait to try that workout on the treadmill and the TIU abs. I recently discovered the TIU girls yoga on youtube and love it! Lululemon is a slippery slope….one that I love and am addicted to, but you’ve been warned! :) Have a great weekend!