Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos

April 2019

By Jessica Lee

When I’m in a dinner rut, one of my favorite foods to fall back on is tacos. I make them all the time (remember these breakfast tacos?) because you can throw just about anything into a corn tortilla and call it a taco.

My latest favorite combo? Sweet potato and black beans. Add an avocado crema and you’re good to go! You can mix up the combos depending on what you have on hand. Swap butternut squash for sweet potato or pinto beans for black beans. Not a fan of feta cheese? Queso fresco would be a great alternative. The choices are endless!

Our 10 Favorite Baby Items

April 2019

I’ll admit, before having Jude, we got a LOT of “stuff” for the baby. After having Jude, Blake and I quickly realized you really don’t need all the gadgets that the Internet tells you to buy. In fact, you don’t really need that much “stuff” in general to have a happy, well taken care of baby. My mom went with me to do my baby registry and she was pretty adamant about what we’d actually use vs. what is more of a trend (…and a waste of money…). I sort of feel like the baby industry is very much like the wedding industry…you prep and purchase “all the things” because you think you need them, but then once you have the baby or finish the wedding day, you figure out very fast what is necessary and what’s not. So! These are the 10 things we swear by for Jude. Every baby is different and what works for us may be entirely different from what works for others…but here are our top 10 favorite baby items…

Life Update: Six Weeks Postpartum

April 2019

Hello from one proud (and tired) mama! I decided to take February and March off for maternity leave (…as you may have noticed it’s been quiet around here lately), so personal posts like this one and Jude’s birth story have been really fun to write without any work projects weighing on me. I have been so lucky to devote 100% of myself to caring for Jude and soaking up every fleeting moment…and suddenly, here we are at SIX weeks old! I intended to write a “one month update” but ya know, I’ve learned motherhood (especially for a new mom) is all-consuming and when I do find an hour to myself here and there, I choose a bubble bath or a walk around the block instead of time on my computer. Oh right, and sleep, too. Sleep comes before everything these days, ha!

Lemony Spring Pasta

March 2019

By Jessica Lee

I’m the type of person that brings a list to the grocery store. I plan out my week of meals and buy exactly the ingredients needed. I feel anxious if I don’t have a list. What if I forget something? The last thing I want to do is go to the store again.

But I am open to adjusting my list if something catches my eye at the store. I wasn’t planning on buying asparagus, but it just looked so good, and it was on sale, so how could I not? Anyone else ever feel this way? Just me?

So plans changed, and when I thought of what to make with the asparagus my mind immediately landed on pasta. I love the versatility of pasta because you don’t need a ton of ingredients, usually just a veggie or two, the pasta (of course) and maybe a cheese or some herbs (or both!)…

Jude’s Birth Story

March 2019

I have gotten out my computer countless times to write this post…but I always get too emotional to actually complete it. After three weeks with our precious Jude (…and as he is sound asleep beside me), I’m excited to write out all the details of this insanely wild, beautiful, otherworldly experience. At five days over my due date, Jude Patrick made his debut on Sunday, February 17th at 4:09am. I get chills and tear up just thinking about the moment we finally got to meet the little guy who’d been growing inside my belly…what a little personality was already formed and we didn’t even know it! I had read books, watched videos, listened to friends and family share their own birth stories…but nothing could have prepared me for such a life changing moment.

Valentine’s Day Cocktail Idea

February 2019

By Jessica Lee

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and while everyone else is celebrating with chocolate and sweets, I’m much more inclined to toast to love with a festive red Negroni cocktail.

I was first introduced to the concoction of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth when I was living in New York City and helping recipe test a cocktail book. It didn’t take long for it to become my go-to cocktail of choice. Not only is it super easy to make, but it also just looks so classy. Win win!

Miso Pesto Ramen

January 2019

By Jessica Lee

When I posted this recipe to my Instagram Stories one night, I got more DMs than I’ve ever gotten. A lot of people had seen the recipe on Bon Appetit and were curious what I thought of it. Others were like, “What is that, and how can I make it right now?” I knew I had to share the recipe with you guys ASAP.

A friend of mine made it for her boyfriend the day after I sent her the recipe and he has taken to calling them “Smoothie Noodles”. While that may sound odd, it actually makes sense as almost the entire recipe is made in a blender with the exception of the noodles. As Ina Garten would say, “How great is that?”

12 Things To Increase Work Productivity

January 2019

As we inch our way out of January, I’m still on a “let’s make the most out of 2019!” kick over here. In the midst of being very very pregnant, one thing I am still finding joy in is my work. Though it’s getting more challenging to sit for lengthy periods of time (…pee breaks every 20 minutes…leg spasms…all that fun pregnancy stuff), I am still spending a few hours each day at my desk. Whether I’m sitting down to photo edit (spent a few hours editing the baby nursery pics yesterday…that post is headed to LL this week, yay!), research new content ideas or simply tend to my email inbox, a few trusty things are helping me keep my head in the game (HSM reference, ya feel me? 😉 ), and make me more productive in my work! Sharing 12 items that can come in handy when you’re ready to throw in the workday towel…

3 Books to Inspire You In 2019

January 2019

Refill your mug of coffee, throw on your comfiest lounge pants and cozy up to a new book that will change your year for the better. (…I mean, that’s the goal here!). The older I get, the more I enjoy inspiring reads that force me to self reflect and make positive changes in my own life. Though I love a good fiction novel, a few self-help books have been on my “must read” radar for a while now…and I’m diving right in! I received the new Michelle Obama memoir for Christmas and recently purchased Girl, Wash Your Face after seeing rave reviews flood my Instagram feed. I should also note, The Power Of Now completely transformed my year in 2018 (truly, if you read one book this year, it should be this one!!) and Watson ate half of it after I left it sitting on my bath tray (rookie mistake on my end!)…thus, I ordered a fresh one because I like to refer back to it for words of wisdom, encouragement and to keep my rambling brain (…er, those thoughts of self doubt) at bay…

THE POWER OF NOW / BECOMING / GIRL, WASH YOUR FACE

A big thank you to Walmart for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.

Delicious Honey Matcha Latte

January 2019

By Jessica Lee

I used to be convinced that I didn’t like matcha. When the green tea started gaining traction a few years ago I tried it and immediately wrote it off as a drink that tastes like dirt. Not my finest moment.

So when a friend of mine started singing matcha’s praises (…it’s packed with antioxidants, boosts metabolism, rich in fiber and vitamins…to name a few benefits), I decided to give it another go. She recommended adding a tablespoon of honey to the mix, and it changed everything. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the concoction. I hope you enjoy it!

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