I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
I don’t know about you, but I can never make a cup of jo at home the way they do at my favorite coffee shops. I thought a lot about that when we were in New Orleans a few weeks ago and made our way into this gorgeous Stumptown Coffee location.
So naturally, I came home and did some research, and can say that I think I got to the bottom of what it takes to make barista-approved coffee. A few tools are needed, yes, but deciding on which ones you should buy depends on how much of a coffee purist you really are. A Keurig is a really great option for those of you that simply want a quick cup, while a Nespresso machine is perfect for an espresso like you’d order at your favorite cafe. But you may not want either; a French press is for the self-proclaimed coffee snot (I say this lovingly…I know many), while an Aeropress claims to brew a cup that’s even more pure! If you’re a cold brew kinda person, this iced coffee maker will be your new best friend. Lastly, a great frother is an absolute must for any latte (and latte art if you’re feeling extra creative)…most are affordable but I’ve gone through so many that I think it’s worth an investment for a good one.
The list of course goes on, and I’ve broken it down in detail below. But I’d love to know: what kind of coffee drinker are you? Do you swear by any of these essentials? Cheers friends, Kat
When you find great coffee you love, there’s a good chance it’s in whole bean form. You’re going to need a strong grinder to get those beans in the form of grounds to brew your cup of coffee. We’re big fans of this one by KitchenAid to do the heavy lifting.
Making a proper cup of coffee starts with good beans, if we’re being honest here. And in order to store your beans (and their grounds) at their best quality, use an airtight container. It will extend the shelf life and further the flavor.
When you just want a good cup of coffee quickly in the morning or during your afternoon slump, this Keurig does the trick. It keeps the process super simple, the cleanup minimal, and is perfect if you don’t want to find yourself with leftover coffee in a pot.
If you’re looking to make a quick cup of espresso, you really need this machine. Well scratch that, it makes cappuccino, coffee AND espresso. This is your best bet for coffee shop coffee at home, in my humble opinion.
Here’s to you, coffee purists. I know this is the way to do it right. A French press is an at-home coffee staple. It’s the key tool to manually brewing a rich, strong and smooth coffee by simply pouring boiling water on top of the grounds. The method helps the grounds retain their oils for an amazing cup each any every time.
My favorite coffee shop has an Aeropress coffee item on their menu. I had to figure it out, and discovered the Aeropress coffee maker. This is an amazing option for the coffee lover that doesn’t need the fuss of a French press, but still appreciates great coffee on the go. The Aeropress claims to brew an even smoother cup than the French press does, and includes an easier and less messy cleanup. It only takes about a minute to brew a cup of coffee or 1-3 shots of espresso.
This magical tool is a must-have for any kind of latte (even and especially a matcha tea latte!). I’ve tried several frothers in the past, and they all have turned out to be quite dinky, so I definitely think you get what you pay for with these. I’d suggest a higher quality one like this one to last a few seasons of coffee brewin’.
I used to think that I could simply make cold brew by pouring hot coffee over ice. But a proper cold brew will use simple steeping in a coffee maker like this one to bring out all the good flavors in coffee. The steeping actually works to eliminate the bitter, almost-burnt taste you can sometimes get from pouring hot coffee over ice.
I like how you can customize the flavor with one of these, AND the maker seconds as a pitcher to serve once you brew. Bonus!
Lettuce cups are a lot like nachos in my mind (and you know how deep my love for nachos runs). You can truly throw anything you want in them and enjoy as an easy, fresh, guilt-free take on your favorite dishes. I call these particular lettuce cups my “Everything But the Kitchen Sink” lettuce cups because I whip them up when I’m too weary to run to the store, instead using all sorts of things I find in the fridge for an easy and healthy weeknight meal. Sound familiar?!
While these healthy lettuce cups are absolutely delicious the big winner here is the homemade vegan green goddess dressing. I made mine dairy-free, using Vegenaise and Tofutti (two of my favorite vegan substitutions that taste just as good), amongst a lot of other goodness. Guys, this dressing is so good that it might even overtake my love for homemade french onion dip. The dipping possibilities are endless with this vegan green goddess dressing; I’m dunking chips in it as you’re reading this! And I promise you will NEVER taste the dairy free difference.
But back to the lettuce cups. I mixed things up and made a few vegetarian chalked full of Mediterranean chickpeas and fresh avocado and the others with my favorite rotisserie chicken. Even with the pulled rotisserie chicken, the dish is incredibly simple and fast to make, and not to mention super healthy to enjoy. I’m a big fan of making a rotisserie chicken on Sunday, then incorporating it in dishes for 2-3 days during the week. The glory of a great leftover meal like this one never fails to put a smile on my face.
For the actual lettuce cups I prefer to use a head of iceberg lettuce. In order to get 5-6 cups out of each head of lettuce, I first chop off the bottom in one big slice. Next, I flip the head over and very, very lightly hit it down on the cutting board. This will loosen the center pieces, allowing you to slowly pull it apart. Voila! You have your lettuce cups. Check out the recipe in it’s entirety below and please let me know if you decide make these this week, you’ll love them! Truly, MKR
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Everything But the Sink Lettuce Cups with Green Goddess Dressing
I’ve been out of town on work travel for 12 days in January and February. While I LOVE a good trip, and I always see it as a chance to be rejuvenated and inspired, I get stressed out about maintaining my health and fitness while away. When home in Nashville, I prioritize working out 5-6 days per week, and I’m happy as a clam to have a smoothie for lunch during the workday. So when I’m away from my routine for that amount of time, I have to be diligent about the decisions that will help me take care of myself.
That means working out. I was in denial about this for years, I had always heard that working out even when you’re tired would help boost your energy and overall mood. I’m happy to say that I’ve finally embraced a good sweat as essential for my mind-body wellness; it helps me feel good physically while also saving a little sanity while I’m constantly “on-on-on” as I like to call it. And I credit a quick jog, even if it’s just a mile, and a hotel-room HIIT sesh for keeping me happy and healthy during these past two months on the go.
Do you struggle with staying fit while traveling? I think the biggest thing is to think of it like this: your body is truly your temple, so do what you need to do to keep it thriving. That doesn’t stop when you’re away from home; it’s the most important then. Check out a few easy tips to stay fit while traveling below. I’d love to know any tricks you have up your sleeve, too. Cheers, Kat
I really made a point to get outside and move around on our trips. That meant a few mornings I set the alarm earlier than the rest to go for a quick run before sitting down with my coffee and my laptop. Some days it was only a slow mile outside, and other days it was on the treadmill and felt more like a stress-relieving sprint. But all in all, I prioritized to simply break a sweat, and thought if it more as a treat for myself mentally than anything. It may sound silly, but it worked, and it helped me get through a long time away from my routine back home.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a gym or equipment. Like I mentioned above, I used this app a few days in the hotel room when I was too weary to go outside or find the gym. And I found this fun no-equipment workout that would be great to do with a travel buddy, and I’ve always liked this one too.
And get creative! If you can’t dedicate 20-30 minutes to yourself for a workout, think about ways you can work up a little sweat even if it means taking the stairs instead of the elevator or riding a bike instead of catching a cab.
Staying hydrated is especially important while traveling. You do not have the time to be bed-ridden with a migraine or sluggish the day after a client dinner. As McKel at Nutrition Stripped reminded us, water helps healthy digestion too, which is a huge factor in your everyday wellbeing. When you have healthy digestion, you feel better ALL around. I was also excited to learn from McKel that water helps us feel more energized and more alert, making it another no-brainer reason for staying hydrated.
During our two almost back-to-back trips, I made sure to have (read: hoard) water bottles in my hotel rooms, and I always ordered water with every cocktail. I also avoided too many mid-day drinks as I’ve learned I get sluggish, unmotivated and make poor decisions with eating if I’ve had too many! Instead, I ordered unsweetened iced tea during the day so that I could stay sharp and focused.
I’ve realized that having healthy snacks with me helps curb the cravings (and gives me more will-power to say no to the temptations on the restaurant menus).
My favorite non-GMO organic meal bar is this one. I stashed several in my suitcase for both our Louisiana road trip and South Carolina road trip. We also had a bag of Pure Growth Organic munchies for our time in the car; these helped us avoid the dismal snack offering at the gas station.
If your travel allows, also consider bringing homemade snacks like these Spirulina Energy Globes to keep you going full-speed ahead.
I’m sure you’ve already seen me raving about The Five Minute Journal, but I swear this thing is life-changing. I found a pattern in my notes on daily gratitude and my daily affirmations about my health—specifically the food I was choosing to nourish my body with, and the time I was setting aside to have “me time” and workout. I really credit the simple act of writing down those affirmations and grateful thoughts about my health for my continued motivation while on the trips. I felt more accomplished because I prioritized these things for my self.
Other great ways to keep track of your goals digitally while on the go: My Fitness Pal and Map My Run.
Strong immunity is as important as ever while you’re on the go (because who has time to be sick these days?!), and it’s right in line with healthy digestion. When your body is functioning at its best, you’ll truly feel like you can tackle the full schedule ahead. By remembering to pack supplements and vitamins, you’re giving yourself a boost that will have you feeling amazing all the way until you’re back home.
Thieves essential oil (it will help fight germs around you, while boosting your immunity when applied topically)
Peppermint essential oil (Dr. Axe reminded us that it’s great for the tummy, and can offer topical relief after one too many glasses of wine)
Vitamin C (as we learned from The New Potato, this one’s for immunity support)
Sleeping Monk Nite Nite (I discovered this blend of ancient Chinese herbs from a guest on fitness guru Ben Greenfield’s podcast; it always helps me get restful sleep which is SO important on work trips!).
