This post has been sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m constantly striving to live a healthier lifestyle and find new foods to buy that will help and actually taste good. My family loves to eat but unfortunately, we tend to forget about the vegetables. During the week, there are very few meals that Nate and I can share because trying to get a 7 year old or a picky wife to eat healthy with me is no easy task! So, it’s sad to say, getting my son to learn how to eat healthy has been a struggle for me. I know I’m not the only one out there because I remember my mother trying to get me to eat my veggies and let’s be honest, what kid is really into it?
That’s why I’m so happy I was introduced to these new Raised & Rooted™ Nuggets that we got from our local ACME. They’re crafted with pea protein and are a great way to feed my family with a familiar flavor. Instead of meat, they are a plant-based alternative. They are the perfect way to get Nate to eat some more vegetables! I mean, who doesn’t like nuggets?! The Raised & Rooted™ Nuggets honestly taste just like regular chicken nuggets! I was shocked that right out of the oven, they were as crispy as dropping them in a fryer—and nuggets are always better crispy. Nate is big into nuggets and couldn’t wait to try these. He loved the crunch and loved the flavor. We never told Nathan they weren’t chicken, and he still doesn’t have any idea that he’s eating a pea-based nugget. 🙂 Plus, after trying them, he told me these were his favorite “chicken” nuggets. Score! So happy I found another way to sneak some veggies into Nate’s diet.
Now, I can finally sit down with Nate and have a meal where we are both eating the same food. And I can also get my protein and fiber. Plus, I don’t have to spend hours cooking it up. I can just grab a bag from the frozen foods aisle when we do our weekly shopping at ACME. We love ACME. I love using their mobile app, and I feel like I always seem to find and get the best deals whenever we shop there. If you’re looking for ways to switch up your current diet by adding in some more veggies, I highly recommend these. My kid still thinks he’s eating “chicken.” Try them now at your local ACME and save!
Growing up in Brooklyn and always living in an apartment I never thought I would be able to have my own garden. When my wife and I finally bought a house in the suburbs I thought that was finally my opportunity to have one. However, whenever it came down to talking about actually having a garden in our backyard, it just seemed like way too much work, and not feasible with our NY seasons and the limited time that I’d actually be able to grow produce. Not to mention, with all the time I spend working and wanting to make sure I spend as much quality time with my family as I can, I learned very quickly I was probably not going to get that garden that I’ve always wanted.
I thought about just growing herbs and putting them by the window but my wife was not thrilled with that idea either. Not to mention, we don’t get a ton of natural sunlight in our house and also don’t have the greenest thumbs around…even though we are such plant lovers in my house!
So…when I finally got the chance to get a Miracle–Gro® Twelve™ Indoor Growing System I was super excited! Right out of the box the system was pretty simple to set up. I just downloaded the app and followed the step by step instructions. It really was just a couple of screws to get it together. I immediately started growing garden lettuce as a seedling, which again I learned by just following the instructions on the app and it showed me how to put the seedling in the system. After all of your seedlings are planted, that’s pretty much it! The app told me when the water got low and when I needed to add food. Besides that, there was nothing left to do until it was time to harvest! How do you know when it’s time? You guessed it…the app will tell you! It was so cool watching the seedling start out small and over time get fuller and quicker than I expected. Nate and I loved taking a peek together to check on our growing lettuce as the days went by.
Once it was time to harvest, it really was so cool and fun being able to just pick my lettuce right from my living room! Nate helped me out and he got a kick out of it too. Right now, Nate’s not a huge veggie eater, but I’m hoping with our new system, and him being able to grow his own, it will make it a little more fun and make Nate more likely to want to eat them! Since I try to stick to the clean-eating during the week, I decided to make buffalo shrimp lettuce tacos with my newly grown lettuce. I’m always on the hunt for healthy new recipes so I can’t believe I’ve never tried this one before. They were sooooo good! Recipe down below!
After I harvested all of my lettuce, I decided to try mint and sage next…you know, for those weekend mojitos. 🙂 I’m thinking I will probably use the system more for herbs because I use them more frequently when cooking. I love eating healthy and always use different herbs in my meals. But honestly, there is nothing worse than when you get to the supermarket and find that the mint and cilantro or other herbs just don’t look fresh or they’re out of stock completely! Happens to me more so than not. So, I just went to the app, changed what I was growing and it gave me step by step instructions on how to clean the system to prep for my new growing period. Whenever you change plants, it tells you to clean the system and start fresh. This only took me about 15 minutes and again was super easy.
This time around, I started with a young starter plant that’s already been growing in soil, and again, the app gives you the steps you need to do so. Once you plant the herbs you are pretty much on autopilot until it’s time to harvest. Besides having fresh herbs right at my fingertips, to be able to use in all of my recipes, there’s nothing better than walking past the system and getting the scent of that fresh mint! We put the system in our living room right next to our favorite chair and love hearing the running water in the background. The LED light also works as a great night light. It just sets a whole new vibe in our house amongst all of our other plant decor and we love it!
Since I’ve had the system, I’ve grown lettuce, kale, mint and sage and my entire family absolutely loves it! My grandfather, who has an outdoor garden in Arizona was so intrigued when I was telling him about it, he was asking how he could get one for his house LOL Now I officially have my fridge, my stove, and my Miracle–Gro® Twelve™ Indoor Growing System all synced up to my phone…so crazy & convenient that it is now all connected!
BUFFALO SHRIMP LETTUCE WRAPS
Ingredients (Makes 6 tacos)
• 1 lb raw peeled + cleaned frozen shrimp (thawed)
• 1/3 cup Buffalo Sauce
• 2 tsp oil or butter for sautéing
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 6-12 leaves of lettuce leaves
Toppings
• shredded carrots
• chopped red bell pepper
• chopped or sliced jalapeño pepper
• pickled carrots or pickled jalapeños
• shredded cabbage or slaw
• chopped red onion
• chopped green onion
• fresh cilantro
• crushed red pepper flakes
• extra red hot sauce for drizzling
Instructions
1. Set defrosted shrimp in fridge, covered, while you prep your tacos
2. Wash lettuce & chop your choice of veggies from the topping list
3. Heat a large pan or skillet to medium-high heat with 2 tsp of butter or oil and sauté your shrimp. Season with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes until shrimp curl and become opaque. The cook time will depend on the heat setting you choose and the size of your shrimp
4. Add buffalo sauce to pan and mix to coat while the pan is still hot
5. Add shrimp to the tacos whole or chopped
6. Pile the shrimp on your lettuce and top with your choice of taco toppings
This shop has been compensated by Schwarzkopf. #got2bPhenomenal #sponsored
Listen up…I’m gonna be real! As many of you can see, I’m not getting any younger LOL. So, it’s more important than ever for me to stay up on my grooming regimen and find great products to help fight the effects of aging, like thinning hair. Growing up I always had a full head of thick hair and a baby face and never imagined the day when that would change. I used to love shaving my head for the buzz cut look, but unfortunately, as I aged my face became a little more round and I no longer looked good with a shaved head. It’s funny because when I was younger, everybody used to always ask me why I would shave my head if I wasn’t losing my hair? Here I was shaving it all off, when people I knew who had thinning hair, were trying to get theirs thicker!
Now that I’m older, I sometimes wish I could go back to shaving my head to hide my thinning hair, but I can’t. I don’t think it would look as good without my baby face, and to be honest, I’m a little nervous that if I shave it all off. It will grow back even thinner, so I gotta work with what I have LOL!
One of the products I started using is the got2b® Phenomenal Thickening Shampoo. It’s officially time for me to start preserving all the hair that I have before it’s too thin. Honestly, I’ve noticed that when I’m using good products like got2b® Phenomenal Thickening Shampoo combined with their got2b® Phenomenal Texturizing Clay, you will never even notice that my hair is thinning. The shampoo gets a great lather and tad bit of tingle, which to me, makes me feel like it’s working and doing its job! I can definitely notice a difference from when my hair dries after this shampoo vs. other shampoo’s I’ve used before. Somehow it just dries looking a little fuller! On top of that, once I add in some of their texturizing clay, it helps make my hair have a thicker and fuller look and also brings out the curls in my hair, which in turn, also helps it to appear thicker!
I picked up my got2b® products at my nearest Walmart, so look for them at your nearest location! Also, check your local Walmart for the $2.00 off the got2b® Phenomenal Shampoo! If you’re starting to notice your hair is thinning, don’t wait, and take action while you can. You’re going to be washing your hair on the regular anyways, so may as well do it with a shampoo that you know is working in your favor!
Being a lifestyle blogger, I’m always trying to stay on my A game. Whether I’m out trying to shoot for the blog, taking wifey out for a drink, or just running around with the family I always want my look to be photoshoot ready! 🙂 So, I’m always down to try new products that are going to help the outfit details stand out, or not stand out and help me when I’m on the fly.
I can’t believe it has taken me so long to find out about Dapper Dots. Dapper Dots are a small double-sided tape in the shape of a small circle about the size of a dime, that come perfectly packaged in a small easy open & shut tin. These dots are strong enough for just about everything clothing related. Lose a button? Neck tie keep flopping around? Collar keep popping’ up? And the most hated of them all…have a floppy belt? No problem…Dapper Dots got you! All you have to do is grab one of the sheets from the pocket-sized tin, peel off one of the dots, remove the easy-to-remove backing and press the two pieces of clothing together and you are good to go!
When wifey and I went out shooting I ended up using Dapper Dots on my watch strap to keep it from sticking out. I can’t stand it when watch straps (just like belts) don’t stay tight to each other. I also used it to help show off a little chest and my new tattoo while trying to get the perfect collar crease to the top of my shirt. In the day of Instagram, these are perfect for guys and gals like me that are trying to get the perfect shot, with all the perfect details, when out and about. I can think of multiple occasions where I had to shoot a product that needed a little finessing before being shot, so my wife had to unfortunately photoshop out the safety pins and clips we had to use. How did I not know about these?! Seriously perfect for my lifestyle!
I can already think of more instances I’ll be needing my Dapper Dots for…like when I wear baseball caps that have that extra strap hanging in the back of the hat! These dots are made to just peel right off but strong enough to stay on all day. They won’t ruin your clothes like a safety pin either, and the fact that they’re clear makes them perfectly hidden! They’ve officially found a home in my glove box and have become part of my everyday shooting.
Use my code BLUECOLLARPREP to get 20% OFF your Dapper Dots order! They also make double-sided tape strips and a combo pack. Check them out so you can perfect all those outfit details!
Now that all of the holidays are over, it’s time to start getting back into my routine! Unfortunately, every year from about October to December, I gain a bunch of weight…and this year was no different. I gained 17 pounds!!! I know some of you might be thinking where? You seem like you’re in decent shape. Trust me, if I took a photo of myself now and compare it to myself in the summer, you’d see it! LOL So it’s time to get back on it!
If you ask anybody whose in good shape they will tell you that it all starts in the kitchen. So, I’m going to share one of my favorite foods to cook when I’m eating clean. Now this isn’t one of my really strict dishes, so instead, I might eat this on a Friday night to reward myself for the week. 🙂 And the dish is…..Spaghetti Squash with spinach, pesto, and shrimp! Spaghetti Squash is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. It’s easy to cook, and there’s so many recipes out there for it. Ingredients & instructions are below! Or head to my “At Home” highlighted Instagram story to see how I do each step!
Now that I’m back on the clean eating routine, my new Samsung Flex Duo Range is going to come in handy more than ever! My wife and son aren’t always on board with the strict meals I’m eating, so we end up making 2 different meals. One for me, and one for them! LOL While I was making my spaghetti squash, they opted for some baked ziti. With our new range, we’re able to cook 2 different meals, at 2 different baking temperatures, and for 2 different time frames…all at the same time! It’s awesome. Previously I’d make their food, and then while they’re eating, I’d pop in mine next. Now, both of our dishes can be finished and we can sit down and eat together! 🙂
When I’m not cooking 2 different dishes I just use the top portion of the oven, and I can’t tell you how much quicker it reaches the temperature compared to our old stove. With the smaller section it just heats up so much quicker. I absolutely love it!
Besides this spaghetti squash dish, I also always get a package of chicken sausage and make a quick dish with it. I just cook the sausage, cut it up and throw it in with the spaghetti squash and tomato sauce and boom…lunch is served for the week! If you have any questions let me know…and if you try making it yourself, comment below and let me know what you think!
INSTRUCTIONS
• pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds
• rub the cut side of the squash with 1/2 tsp olive oil and place on a baking sheet
• roast face-down for about 40 minutes or until tender
• while the squash roasts, measure our your seasoning, clean your shrimp & defrost if needed
• once squash is roasted, allow to cool slightly
• while it cools, pat shrimp dry and season with paprika, garlic powder & cayenne pepper
• heat a skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tsp of oil & sauce your shrimp. cook on each side for about 2 minutes.
• use a fork to separate the strands of spaghetti squash and remove
• toss the strands together with spinach, pesto & parmesan & season with salt & pepper
• top it off with your shrimp
Like most families, during the holidays, we tend to spend more time in the kitchen. We really wanted to do something festive on Christmas Eve before heading off to make our family rounds, so we decided to bake some of Aunt Sue Sue’s famous Anisette cookies! And what better way to christen our new Samsung Flex Duo Range!
I love cooking (even though I’m not great at it LOL) and think it’s a great way to spend time with the family where everyone can get involved. We just popped on some Christmas music on our Samsung Family Hub and got right to baking feeling those Christmas vibes! Nate was especially excited to be baking these because he was going to leave some of these cookies for Santa tonight, and thought it was really cool that he actually was making them for him this year!
If you want to try the recipe you can check it out below! They’re a family fave! However, if we try and make these again next year, we will be asking Aunt Sue Sue to come over and help us. Even though the cookies came out ok, we definitely did not make Aunt Sue Sue’s cookies LOL, but we sure did have fun making them! She normally makes a classic ribbon shape, but Nate really wanted to try out different shapes and use his Santa cookie cutter, so that was fine by us. We also went a little more crazy with our sprinkles than Aunt Sue Sue does, so I’m not sure ours came out as picture perfect haha, but again, still a ton of fun!
I haven’t really gotten the chance to use all the features of the range just yet, but I am blown away on how it elevates the look of my kitchen. I love that all the dials and controls are in the front and because of that, it shows more of the backsplash and overall, is just a cleaner look. One of my favorite features is that the stove top hangs over the countertop about a quarter of an inch. This means no food or crumbs can fall in the pesky little cracks…that always drove me crazy! This stove is going to be key for my meal prep for the week or cooking big dinners with the added dual door. By keeping the insert inside the stove I’m able to split the stove and cook with the top and bottom at two different temperatures and times. So awesome!
Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season!
Icing Ingredients 1 Cup of confectioners sugar
5 tsp Anisette
1.5 tbsp Water
Baking Steps 1. Blend eggs, margarine, and dry ingredients (except flour)
2. Add Anise
3. Gradually add flour
4. Bake in preheated oven at 400F for 8 minutes
5. Let cool, then dip tops in icing and sprinkle away!
This post was in partnership with Samsung, however all thoughts, opinions and comments are my own. We love this stove!
It looks like Nate and I have another brand to shop together! I had no clue that AG Jeans made children’s clothes, but boy am I glad I do now. If you’re not already familiar with it, AG Jeans is a premium denim/lifestyle brand that really cares…cares about what? Just about everything. They care about the quality of their denim and that the design of their collection reflects the sensibility of the brand, and they care about being socially responsible for the blueprint they leave behind. They have partnered with Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations and have Ozone Technology. And, they also use eco-conscious fibers. I know most people probably don’t consider these things when they’re trying to shop for an outfit, but it’s always great to hear that there are companies that do care about these issues and help out where they can!
I am in love with The Axle Shop Jacket. I have been searching for the perfect buffalo plaid jacket and couldn’t be happier with the way this one fits. The length of this jacket falls perfectly and gives it just the right look. The Tellis jean has a stiff look to it, but it actually has some stretch, which means comfort! I love how these pants looks stiff, which is how I like all of my dark denims to appear, but secretly they are super comfortable. Score! I really like the way you can fold these jeans up with an extra large cuff. This style really goes well with the Axle Shop Jacket and gives this look an edgy Williamsburg Brooklyn type of vibe!
When Nate was younger we tried to force him into wearing jeans that weren’t comfortable on him and now whenever he sees jeans he wants to run the other way LOL. So, we either have to get him jeans that have some stretch to them so we can show him that they’ll fit comfortably, or get a colored denim to try and sneak one past him HaHa. Luckily, we didn’t have to do either because Nate was such a fan of the mustard color of the Ryker denim jeans he was excited to wear them. We also gave him the thick cuff to match my look. 🙂 My wife and I get such a kick out of hearing him get excited about wearing clothes…it’s too cute. Usually he’ll just wear what we tell him but when he likes something, he now makes a point to really voice it and he always has such great taste. Honestly, it’s to the point now where if my wife and I are undecided on something, we go to Nate to help make the decision…and he’s usually right! The kid’s got style! We all love denim, so we always make sure to have a denim jacket for Nate. It’s the perfect jacket that goes with any look, and The Drake Jacket also has that bit of stretch to it (that Nate loves for comfort) and has just the right amount of fade to it!
Most of the time when Nate and I get to coordinate our outfits mommy gets left out. So it’s always fun when the whole family can get in on the matchy-matchy! What better way to get to coordinate than to share your love for one of the most iconic characters ever…Mickey Mouse! It’s hard to believe that Mickey and the LACOSTE Croc have been around for 90 and 85 years, so it’s only fitting that these classic icons come together for a classically clean & fun capsule collection, available for the entire family!
Nate and I scored matching striped polo’s where Mickey Mouse showed off his tennis skills. Nate looked too cute in his polo! He’s always been a fan of Mickey, so this was definitely a fun outfit to coordinate with him on.
I liked the tennis Mickey Mouse so much, I had to go with the white hooded sweatshirt with the larger Mickey on the front. Nate went with the grey sweatshirt with the oversized Mickey head, and my wife went with the crew neck sweater with the oversized Minnie face. With all of the love for Mickey we couldn’t forget about Minnie, so it was fun to get wifey in on our coordinating looks & rep the Minnie! Of course hoodies and sweatshirts are going to be comfortable, but my wife, whose top was a sweater, couldn’t get over how comfortable it was. She said it was one of the nicest feeling sweaters she’d ever worn! I loved how all of these sweatshirts and sweaters had the detailed images on the front, but also had a blacked out version of the silhouette on the back. Seriously…too cute! We definitely got some “aww how cute’s” when we were out and about in our Mickey gear!
We all could not get enough of the LACOSTE Mickey trainers! Mine and wifey’s were white with just a touch of tennis Mickey on the right side of the shoe, but Nathan’s were Mickey’d out! Nate’s had the same silhouette but it completely covered his entire shoe. They’re seriously adorable! These clean, crisp low-top style trainers are very in right now, so the touch of Mickey really separates them from some of the other trainers on the market.
The LACOSTE x Disney Holiday Collector Print Leather Tote that my wife was rockin’ is one of the coolest pieces in the collection. It just screams Mickey and Minnie Mouse and has a pop art feel to it. It has an oversized print, lots of color, and if perfect for when Sarina (wifey) is holding all mine and Nate’s things LOL. My mother-in-law, whose a Mickey Mouse fanatic, was completely in awe of all of our pieces and is currently trying to take over the bag from my wife! Haha.
It was so fun walking down the street with all of us wearing matching pieces and hearing some of the reactions from people walking by and checking us out. I can’t think of another character that can capture the heart of so many generations and give you that same magical feeling throughout your whole life. The love for Mickey just never leaves you.
Check out the LACOSTE x Disney Collection that just launched in November! It’s classic & clean and allows the entire family to coordinate in a cool & timeless kind of way. Mickey, you definitely are the “True Original”!
This post is sponsored by Zappos, but all opinions and product selects & styling are my own!✌I’ve always been a fan of wearing basic style pieces. When I’m wearing basics, I try to find brands like 7 For All Mankind that make quality pieces. When it comes to basics, it’s all about the quality and fit! Their Long Sleeve Army Henley that I ordered from Zappos is soft and comfortable, with a thick quality that just feels good on due to the fabric used and the double-faced knit for that touch of texture. You can just tell if a piece has that quality feel to it when you put it on, and this Henley definitely does!
Known for their premium denim, the 7 For All Mankind Paxtyn Skinny Jeans fit perfect because of their really nice tapered fit. I’m not really into jeans that are too tight and look like I’m wearing leggings LOL so the fit on these, mixed with the knee rips is right up my alley! For this look I gave mine a slight cuff, because…well, I just like how a cropped jean looks sometimes!
I was able to pick up both of these pieces online at Zappos. They are one of the best online shopping sites and they literally have just about every brand you’re looking for. You can get everything you need for any occasion and the best part is that both shipping and returns are free! I shop online all the time. It’s actually where I do most of my shopping, so if you’re anything like me the one thing that makes me question making any purchase is the thought of losing out on money if I don’t like it or if it doesn’t fit. That’s why it’s a no brainer when shopping on Zappos! They honestly eliminate my hesitation of hitting that Complete Order button! 🙂
Check out all the 7 For All Mankind pieces on Zappos and try out a few different styles. This way you can try on, keep what fits and ship the rest back for free! 🙂
Is it me or does summer continue to get shorter every year? As soon as Labor Day ends the temps start dropping and the sun starts setting earlier and earlier. I always get a little bummed this time of year, but once the limbo of weather stops and it starts remaining cooler, I immediately start enjoying this cozy season.
This year I plan on starting to wear more sweaters. For some reason I went years without wearing sweaters. I think it’s probably because once the summer ends I tend to put on my winter weight LOL and sweaters have always just made me look bulkier than I would like. Luckily, the past year or so I have been doing a better job at staying leaner through the winter and not completely throwing my summer routine in the toilet. I’ve also been doing a better job at finding sweaters that fit me best and that are either loose enough for that oversized look or fit just right and still make me feel comfortable when wearing them.
I really love these graphic sweaters from Old Navy! They have a rugged cool vibe to them and were really fun to dress up and match with Nate (men’s | boys). I have yet to find another brand that does such a good job of coordinating the mens and boys lines. Nate and I layered our sweater with some sherpa-lined denim jackets and some comfy fitted jeans. Old Navy’s Sherpa Denim is great because it’s not too bulky or stiff, which makes it great for layering. Nate’s Sherpa-Lined trucker jacket is just too cool. We love that the arms are lined with a red flannel so we could roll up the sleeves a little to show it off. That added detail definitely made his jacket stand out from all the other sherpa’s I’ve come across and is perfect for both fall and winter.
If you’ve read some of my other Old Navy posts you know how much I like their flex denim. I think these might be my favorite pair to date. They are the perfect fit: not so skinny where they look painted on but they still look skinny enough and have just the right amount of taper. It can be really tough sometimes convincing Nate to wear jeans but I love seeing him in a skinny jean and how they fit his skinny little legs! Luckily he doesn’t mind wearing the Karate skinny jean. He’s also a fan of the comfort of the flex!
Both of us topped off our looks with Old Navy hats: my Graphic Felt Baseball Cap matching the color of Nate’s sweater and Nate’s Sweater Knit Beanie matching my sweater. I thought it was a cool way to add to the coordination of our outfits! We love these sweaters!
This post is sponsored by 
Is it me or does summer continue to get shorter every year? As soon as Labor Day ends the temps start dropping and the sun starts setting earlier and earlier. I always get a little bummed this time of year, but once the limbo of weather stops and it starts remaining cooler, I immediately start enjoying this cozy season.