a workless week.

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With Jessi’s wedding just two days away, I’m so glad I decided a few months ago to take this whole week off from work. I knew there would be last minute things to be done, and I wanted to help as much as possible.

Other than wedding errands and preparations, though, this week has been full of some simple pleasures as well.

…like Justin’s Vanilla Almond Butter. Um, where have you been all my life?!

…or this beautiful New Wave Caffe New York set I was sent from Villeroy & Boch.

How cute is that? It’s part of Villeroy & Boch’s “Cities of the World” collection. I especially love the mug, which has great images of the Empire State Building and other iconic NYC landmarks. It has definitely made my routine morning coffee just a bit more special.

I also managed to have a much more productive week than I anticipated. Nothing feels as good as accomplishing something you’ve put off for…years.

My productivity was thanks in part to an extremely clean (and de-cluttered) apartment…

(Hey Jess, just realizing you forgot this picture. haha)

…and energizing snacks like this Skinnygirl bar from my Bethenny swag bag. I loved this – it’s like a really hearty granola bar meets a candy bar.

I spent today packing for the weekend, and I paid a visit to my favorite girl Nadia at Arrojo to get my hair done. Fresh blondes – check.

Another great part of the week - as you may have seen on my post from Tuesday - tonight was mine and Jessi’s first Community Group gathering of the season. It was so great getting to know the girls in our group!

I welcomed them with some Cake Batter Blondies, naturally.

And now, I’m going to try to go to bed since we’re leaving super early tomorrow morning. Enjoy the rest of your week, babes :)

What was the highlight of your week so far?

my top 5 healthy snacks.

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I’m a snacker.

Whether it’s in between meals or just grazing all day, I usually eat something at least every few hours during the day. To keep that working in my (metabolic?) favor, though, I do my best to keep those snacks on the healthier side by having them be 150-250 calories and a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat. Starting with…

1) banana + nut butter
Anyone who has ever lived with me knows that I’m slightly addicted to nut butter. Paired with a banana is a snack I have almost every day.

My favorite nut butters are Skippy Natural Peanut Butter, Maranatha Almond Butter, Justin’s Maple and Honey Almond Butters, and Artisana Walnut Butter.

2. avocado toast
Who would’ve known that something as simple as avocado on toast would be such a delicious, satisfying snack? I don’t know where the avocado toast trend first started, but it’s one that’s definitely sticking around for me.

Half of an avocado mashed on a slice of toasted grainy (Ezekiel) bread is just enough to hold me over.

3. oatmeal
Yep – the breakfast favorite is also one of my favorite snacks. The key to keeping oatmeal from turning into a full meal is to go easy on the toppings. For me, that looks like one packet of instant oatmeal (cooked with water or almond milk), topped with either fruit, or a tablespoon of nuts/nut butter.

4. peanut butter protein “fudge”
This is a snack I created a few years ago, but never blogged about it for some reason.

In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (you might have to melt the peanut butter first). Once mixed together, form it into a square, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in freezer. The result may not look pretty, but it really does taste like fudge!

5. protein/energy bars
Bars are a perfect snack, and they’re especially convenient when you’re on the go. I’ve posted about my favorites often, and they are Quest, KIND, and Zing.

What are your go-to healthy snacks?