The Best of: How I’m Surviving Winter Months

A compilation of what I’ve been cooking, wearing, doing, and overall loving.

 

January – quite possibly the most dreaded month of the year by all which also happens to be my birthday month. Fellow January and February birthdays know the pain. Although, this month has been exceptionally well and full of travel, lounging, eating, and making the most of these day cold and gray days.

What I’ve been cooking

I’m not one to start out the new year with resolutions of eating “cleaner” and “healthier”, I try to eat intuitively and in moderation, but after this holiday season with hours spent on the road eating fast food, gas station/stocking treats, and consuming more alcohol than usual (no regrets at all), I was ready to get back into cooking at home with fresh ingredients. I’ve been taking full advantage of the cold to try out new soups and cozy dinners.

I religiously follow Half Baked Harvest and will try out just about any recipe she shares. The easy winner this month was The Spicy Basil Beef Bowl from the Half Baked Harvest Everyday Cookbook (a must have cookbook). It was simple, full of so much flavor, and will now be going into our weekly recipes.

Most Sundays have consisted of warm and filling bowls of soup – Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup – Spicy, so filling, and I now have a new found love of adding rice to soup. Creamy White Lasagna Soup – I live for a creamy based soup. Don’t pass on the crispy prosciutto, it’s the best part. And lastly, White Chicken Chili – a feel good meal that reminds me of cozy winters at home in Alabama.

What I’ve been wearing

I’d be lying if I said I’ve been wearing anything other than leggings, sweaters, and on very rare occasions, jeans. My favorite find at the moment are the Lululemon Align Ribbed leggings. Like the original aligns, they’re buttery soft, but there’s something about the ribbing that makes them feel so flattering.

As much as I would like, you can’t get away with wearing leggings everyday, so I’m reaching for my cashmere sweaters and cardigans. The Reformation Cashmere Boyfriend Sweater is my new found love that I’m wearing at least three days a week whether it be with jeans, skirts, or on my walks with leggings. While cashmere can be quite expensive, I found one of my favorite Cashmere Cropped Cardigan at J.Crew on mega sale this year. I’m starting to realize just about every time I check J.Crew’s website or walk in store, they are running some sort of sale, and it’s my new go-to for quality and affordable cashmere.

What I’ve been loving

Puzzles. I can’t believe its taken me 27 years to get into puzzles. Who knew they were so fun? Since moving to a new city where I don’t know anyone, not only have I become quite anxious, I’ve noticed myself spending an absurd amount of time on my phone. I accidentally found them to be a huge distraction that I can sit and do for a while to get me off my phone and direct my focus elsewhere. I highly recommend if you’re also searching for ways to lower your screen time. The New Yorker and The Gourmet are my favorite brands..if I’m going to do a puzzle it might as well be cute. Plus, they’re great gifts.

Pilates. This month I officially got my gym membership back and have been loving pilates again. I’ve been (mostly) consistently doing pilates at home for the past two years, but living in a small duplex has me a little tight on room now. Getting back into a routine at the gym has been so good for me physically and mentally.

My early 20’s were spent dreading and having an unhealthy relationship with the gym. Thinking it was a wasted  workout if I wasn’t killing myself doing sprints, lifting heavy weights, or working out for over an hour. Since starting pilates I feel so much more at peace with working out and I fully go at my own (very slow) pace. I’ve been following Bailey Brown Youtube videos for years and suggest trying out her workouts if you’re in a funk. I love adding my 1 lb Bala weights to my workouts!

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