Things I’m Loving Friday #323

Another week of social distancing has come and gone. I don’t know about you guys, but I sure would like to have some kind of an idea of when life will get back to normal. Are we talking weeks? Months? I admittedly don’t love the limbo phases of life too much and I’m trying my best to roll with the punches and keep my focus on gratitude during this crazy time. Some days are better than others but we’re doing pretty well over here. How are things with you?

Our weekend plans are similar to what they have been for the past few weeks… Lots of family time + outside time. I’m also hoping to enjoy a little takeout picnic at some point. I hope you guys have a good weekend and are able to fill your days with some things that make you smile. And, as usual, below you will find my weekly roundup of some simple things that are making me smile right now!

Things I’m Loving Friday 

• Ice Cream Creations 

Since opening my new ice cream maker last weekend, I’ve been an ice cream making machine! I had no idea making homemade ice cream was so easy and I’m loooving this early birthday present so much! So far my flavor creations have included cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream, cinnamon oatmeal cookie ice cream and strawberry ice cream. Every single one was a winner but the standout was my cinnamon oatmeal cookie ice cream. Inspired by my beloved (retired) Ben & Jerry’s Oatmeal Cookie Chunk ice cream, I set out to try my hand at recreating a masterpiece. I LOVED the base of this ice cream but still need to work on finding a good oatmeal cookie recipe to serve as the cookie chunks.

In the meantime, here’s the sweet cream cinnamon base I made that was a slam dunk!

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

I blended everything up in my Vitamix and then put it in the ice cream maker for 30(ish) minutes. I added my chopped cookie pieces for the final five minutes. It was absolutely fantastic but I know it could be even better with the perfect oatmeal cookie recipe! Stay tuned because I am determined to perfect this one.

• Orange + Eucalyptus Essential Oil Combination

As I’ve researched essential oils that are safe to diffuse during pregnancy, I’ve come up with some combinations I’ve absolutely loved in recent weeks. My favorite this week was a combination of sweet orange and eucalyptus essential oils. I love the way the soft, woody scent of eucalyptus mixes with the vibrant, citrus smell of sweet orange and found myself diffusing this combination almost every afternoon as a little pick-me-up. (Note: I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but after attending a seminar about the safety and efficacy of essential oils, I became a firm believer in the power of essential oils and also the importance of choosing high-quality oils. I look for organic oils and have loved Plant Therapy and NOW organic oils. This organic oil sampler of Plant Therapy’s most popular oils is a personal favorite and includes both orange and eucalyptus oils.)

• Worms, Bugs, Slugs and all the Critters

Some of my fondest childhood memories center around searching for toads, frogs, tadpoles and other little critters in the pond behind our house in Palatine, Illinois. It was so fun to find new little animal friends and seeing Chase and Ryder’s excitement level shoot through the roof when they find a worm, slug, ladybug, etc. brings all of those memories to the forefront of my mind. (The fact that I found a slug in our bathroom last night is not quite as lovely… ahem, Chase.) The boys have now pinpointed the best “worm spots” in our neighborhood and found a slug jackpot under rocks in our backyard earlier this week so the entertainment provided by Mother Nature has been non-stop over here!

• Daily Harvest + New Flatbreads

I know I’ve shared my love for Daily Harvest bowls and smoothies for well over a year now, but they’ve become extra handy right now when we’re not going to the grocery store nearly as often and food seems really picked over in our area. Thank goodness for healthy, freezer-friendly harvest bowls and smoothies! Plus, some days I am just OVER cooking a bazillion meals for our family and having something I can quickly heat and eat feels like a gift to myself.

Daily Harvest recently reached out to me about trying some of their new flatbreads and I was all about it. The flatbreads are made with an all-veggie crust (seriously ONLY veggies + seasonings!) and after less than 20 minutes in the oven, bakes up into a perfectly doughy and crispy flatbread! They’re completely gluten-free and vegan with zero additives. So, so good!

If you’d like to give the flatbreads or any the Daily Harvest goodies a try, my affiliate link + code pbfingers will give you $25 off your first box. Let me know if you need any recommendations because my list of Daily Harvest favorites continues to grow!

• Around the Internet

Food: Butterscotch Banana Bread / Instant Overnight Oats / Healthy Pantry Staples

Fitness: 15 Minute At Home Barre Burner / 25-Minute Quiet At Home Workout

• Friday Flashbacks 

Vegetarian Chickpea Curry (I had a few of you tag me in you IG Stories this week when you made this recipe and it made me so happy! LOVE this recipe so much! Serve it on top of rice or all by itself for a flavorful, veggie-packed meal.)

1000 Rep Workout (A great workout to keep on hand when you want to ensure you won’t be bored for one second!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing making you smile this week?