It is Saturday, and boy, am I excited about it. I've recently moved to working out just 4 days a week, and that means I have so much more time to dedicate to other things: family, friends, house projects, and now, the blog! I still aim to get 10k steps a day, so I will get outside and take the dogs on a hike before running errands.
I wanted to kick off a new weekly blog post theme - a weekly round up, if you will, of some of my favorite things: foods I'm trying, new products I'm loving, books I'm reading, etc.
Forewarning: I have an Amazon Prime account, so you know I'm shopping there 99% of the time. I have zero desire to go to a store and waste time shopping around - when I can jump online and have the item shipped right to my house. Does anyone else feel like shopping online has caused them to actually save money? Way less trips to Target or HomeGoods, where I leave with a cart full of shit I *didn't need*. Most of what I link to Amazon will be affiliate links, so if you do click through, I might get a tiny kick back. Full disclosure. Even if I didn't, I would STILL be shopping on Amazon, and I would STILL be sharing these products I'm loving with you.
So, without further ado ...
Favorite Purchase of the Week:
A coffee bean canister. If you've been following me on Instagram or Facebook, you know my coffee obsession is real. I've recently discovered the joy of freshly roasted beans, and the process of brewing a good cup of coffee. If you're using your Keurig and drinking Hazelnut flavored coffee from the grocery store - friends, you are missing out.
I subscribe to Trade Coffee Co, a coffee subscription service, which ships freshly ground coffee from different roasters right to my door every 2 weeks. (PS, if you follow that link, you'll get 50% off your first order. And if you're insistent on using k-cups, they do those, too!)
So now I have this bag of freshly ground, gorgeous beans, that I want to keep super fresh. So, I researched a little, and it turns out, you don't want to keep beans in the fridge (why I thought this is what to do, is beyond me). Storing in the fridge causes coffee to condensate, pushing all of the oils to the surface. So, it actually ages coffee faster. Hmmpffff, I was doing that all wrong.
You want to store beans in a foil-lined bag with pinholes (so those brown bags are a no-go) or in an airtight, dark container with a C02 filter, away from light. The filter or the pinhole allow gas out but no air in. This = ultimate freshness. Beans that will last for 10-14 days before starting to go flat.
I've been using this Java Shield Canister and I absolutely love it. It holds a LOT of beans and has a C02 filter. It also has a neat little dial on the top that lets you set the date, so you know how old the beans are in the container. Super duper neat. Tons of different colors available, so you can find one to match your kitchen decor if you're storing it on the counter - as I do. I am a becoming a coffee snob, I need people to know it.
What I'm Brewing This Week:
In the subscription this week from Trade:
This is my first time trying Joe Coffee Co, and this Amsterdam roast did NOT disappoint. It's gorgeous and creamy, and the dark chocolate notes blend incredibly well with my dark chocolate collagen.
Wine of the Week:
I'm still in a mood for a deep, moody, full-bodied red. This will change as the weather heats up and the sun comes out, when I typically move to Prosecco, rose and white wine blends. I splurged this week and bought myself a bottle of Pinot Noir (my favorite grape) from A to Z Wineworks in Oregon. I was feeling nostalgic, maybe even a touch homesick. A glass of this was the perfect end to a long week.
Did you know that the Pinot Noir grape is 1,000 years older than Cab Sauv?
What I'm Reading:
I just finished reading Kingdom of Exiles on my Kindle. I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, for $10 a month I get a huge choice of magazines, books, audiobooks, etc. Worth it, when I'm burning through 2-3 books a month.
If you like romance, fantasy, adventure, then you will love this book. I couldn't believe how it ended. I am DYING for Book 2, which is supposed to be released soon. In the meantime, I'm going to start Draken, another book by this author, one that she promises will somehow tie into this series.
I'm looking forward to this coming week: I'm trying a new training program, shopping at Trader Joes, getting some vegetables planted in a small container garden, and re-painting the bathroom! Will definitely be touching on some of these items in next weeks Favorites roundup!
What are you reading, what are you drinking, what are you brewing this week? Anything I *NEED* to get at Trader Joes? (I live over an hour from one, so I don't shop there frequently). Let me know in the comments!
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