Friday Favorites

TGIF! If you’ve been following my dress saga on Twitter or InstaStories, you know that I’ve tried on probably a dozen dresses for a wedding I have this weekend. I couldn’t find anything that looked even remotely okay, so I decided that I’d save a little bit of money and just wear a dress from my closet. Nothing wrong with a little black dress – especially if you feel great in it. 

Alright, since it’s Friday let’s do a Friday Favorites post. It’s been since April 14 that I’ve done one of these and I have some goodies to share with you. 

1. InstaStories

A month or so ago, I decided to chill it with Snapchat and focus my energy on Instagram Stories. It was the best decision that I’ve made for my brand. Want to know why? That’s where you guys, my readers, hang out! I noticed almost immediately after making the switch that I get way more views on my InstaStories than I ever had on Snapchat, so I made the switch. 

There’s a lot of debate in the blogging/marketing world about InstaStories vs. Snapchat. Everyone has their own opinion about which platform is better. I have one piece of advice: go where your audience is. It’s that simple. If you have a huge following on Snapchat, stay there and provide kick ass content full of value. If you have a much larger following on Instagram, try InstaStories instead.

So yeah, I’ve been obsessed with InstaStories lately. If you’re not following me there – come hang out. I share lots of blogging behind the scenes, recipes, products I’m loving, blogger mail, and more. I love how easy it is to chat with you guys on there too! It’s so interactive. If you ever have a question about something I’m showing on InstaStories, just DM me and I’ll respond as soon as possible. 

Photo via Beyond Meat

2. Beyond Meat Burgers

I was introduced to Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burgers by a friend at my yoga studio. She was raving all about them on her InstaStories, so I had to check them out. The Beyond Burger is the first plant-based burger that looks, cooks and actually tastes like a beef burger. TRUST ME ON THIS. Not only do they take absolutely amazing, but they’re better for you, the environment, and of course the animals too. Each burger is packed with 20g of plant-based protein and has no GMOs, soy or gluten. 

I’ve been a vegetarian for years now, so I’ve tried basically every veggie burger on the market. I’ll be honest. A lot of them are absolutely disgusting. They get waterlogged in the freezer and have no flavor whatsoever.

These Beyond Burgers are to die for.I made two on the grill last weekend for me and Bryan to try. Bryan’s a huge meatatarian – there’s no way he’s ever going to become vegetarian. But… he was shocked when he tasted these burgers. He agree with me that they have a similar texture and taste to real beef. Hands down the BEST veggie burger I’ve ever had (either in a restaurant or from the grocery store). I know this sounds like an ad for Beyond Meat, but I 100% promise you. I bought these with my own money, and they aren’t paying me to say any of this.

I purchased mine at Whole Foods, but if you’re on the west coast, you can also find these at Safeway. Here’s a whole list of distributors. 

3. Air Purifier + Humidifier

This is a weird Friday Favorite, but I’m going to tell you about it anyway.

I’m not sure why I started using these, but lately I’ve been turning on an air purifier and humidifier before bed. The humidifier increases air moisture which helps relieve coughs, colds, nasal congestion, and dry skin and hair. The purifier gets rid of allergens, dust, and all other pollutants present in the air. I don’t know what it is, but the combination of the two has been wonderful. Both machines have a soft humming sound, which mask the annoying crickets that I typically hear outside my bedroom window. Not only have I been getting the best sleep of my life, but I’ve also noticed that my skin isn’t as dry as usual. WIN!

4. Iced Chai Season

You guys know my obsessed with chai lattes – hot, iced, with a shot of espresso… it doesn’t matter. I drink them year round, usually with soy milk {I know soy isn’t the best dairy alternative, but every once in a while isn’t going to kill me}. Well, now that it’s above 70 degrees, I can comfortably drink my chai on the rocks. I don’t know about you, but I definitely prefer iced chai to iced coffee any day of the week. It gives me a slight boost of caffeine without making me feel like my blood is rushing through my veins at 100 mph. 

Chai lattes in general aren’t cheap, so I’ve decided to start making these at home. I’m planning on doing a recipe post for replicating the iced chai lattes from Starbucks, so keep an eye out for that v. soon. 

// Have a wonderful Friday! Be sure to follow on Instagram to see what I’m up to this weekend. xo, Nicole