Coffee and Tea

Coffee and Tea are my favorite drinks! I rarely drink soda, water of course has to be a staple I've come to realize (I did not do well drinking a lot of water when I was younger) and  alcohol beverages are nice on that special occasion or nice dinner. 

I love making different types of coffees, such as lattes, cappuccinos, cold brews, and the different types of espresso beans you can use is so interesting to me! I am still getting the hang of things and do not have anything fancy, so I'm working with the Starbucks Verismo machine which is very similar to the Nespresso or a Keurig k-cup. I also have a french press to make a cup of coffee here and there, I have used that to experiment that with cold brews and different types of ground coffee as well! 

What I found that makes the most different is a milk frother! It really is a must when experimenting with coffees! This can turn your average cup of joe into an amazing morning experience and really make a great start to your day! If you have a Keurig or any type of pop taking machine you can get espresso pods which is amazing! this will allow you to skip those lines at Dunkin or Starbucks and make your favorite lattes at home! 

How I make my go to morning pick me up!

Caramel Latte

 

1. Fill the milk to the right below the max line on the Milk frother (i had linked the one i use daily on my amazon finds post, hoewever you can also find that one at target and other major retailers too)
   I love Fairlife whole milk but you can use your preference in milk, I have made this with oat milk as well as 1% and it still tastes amazing! 
2. In a cup add you flavoring, I add just a splash of the Torani caramel, if you have pumps it would be equivalent to one pump 
3. Add you Espresso shots, I do 2 blonde espresso shots with the Verismo machine  (if I'm really tired or going for a workout without preworkout I go 3)
4. Add you steamed and frothed milk
5. Enjoy! But also try and clean the milk frother right away, I hand wash it with a scrub brush right quick after each use so that it does not create a build up of the milk film.

    Tea is another thing I have been getting into, it kind of creates this overall wellness of mind and body and brings them together in one cup. I have started to realize that not all teas are created equal and after watching an herbest and fellow blogger alike I have definitely learned that teas are healing in their own way. Organic Olivia has taught me quite a few things but one that really changed me was herbs and medicine in a different level but that's a whole other topic. Her insight on teas was completely enlightening, 

    I always thought all teas are the same right? you take a plant and steep the leaves you cant really mess that up. That was wrong in ways too. Different chemicals can go into making you favorite cup of tea, so not all bags of tea are created equal and there is a really cool thing called tea crystals!

Well she put me on to this company Pique tea, which makes tea crystals and then you put that in hot or cold water it dissolves (COMPLETELY NO LUMPS OR CLUMPS) and bam you have an amazing cup of tea! What I noticed when drinking it too was there was no weird bitter after taste, it was such an earthly beautiful cup of tea. I love there matcha too! i make a wonderful Matcha Latte when i just need a little warmth in my soul💚

Matcha Latte:

 

1. Pique Matcha ( or your favorite matcha) mix with a 1/3 cup of hot water in your glass
2. Milk of your choice in the Milk Frother to right below max line wait for it to finish the cycle
3. Mix the Milk in with the Matcha but hold the foam back, then you want to mix thoroughly to mix tea and milk together
4. Add foam and Enjoy!
   Also try and clean the milk frother right away, I hand wash it with a scrub brush right quick after each use so that it does not create a build up of the milk film.
   
   
   
   
   *this is not a sponsored post nor am I getting commission on these products*

Alcohol Infusions!

I was given this amazing alcohol infusion kit for my birthday by my boyfriends sister Jess and it is so cool! You put your favorite liquor in the bottle and then the dried fruit it came with, she had choose Strawberry, lime and jalapeno for me which I had mixed with Patron silver! We had let that steep for about 8 day, it does says one week but we did first try it after 6 days and it was good! I will keep it in the fruits to grow a stronger taste as we only had a little bit of it on the 8th day. 

It is definitely an added bonus that you don't get the added sugar from the store bought mixers but of course you can still do splashes of them with the flavored liquor but I prefer to drink it on the rocks or with a splash or regular or flavored seltzer! 

What is great is that each kit comes with a drink idea and they also have refill kits on their site too! 

Aged and Infused

(Not sponsored or anything I just thought this was an amazing idea and wanted to share! Also, again if it is sponsored I'll add that in the blog!=))

Liquid Collagen

The Liquid Gold I’ve been taking and loving!🥰

You’ve probably seen it everywhere right? Collagen that is! In all kinds of forms it comes powdered, liquid, in bards and added into different drinks like supplements or even in capsules too right? I use to and still sometimes do add the powered one I have into a smoothly when I make one and that works when I make it but it’s definitely not as effective as 1) I don’t do it on the regular and 2) Your body just doesn’t naturally absorb power collagen. 

Now I saw the Instagram ads for liquid collagen everywhere  and I mean literally EVERYWHERE. All types of brands and flavors, but which one is right for me?! So I didn’t a lot of research and reached out to different people around me I knew who tried it as well and then I there’s  Modere. At first I was like okay not bad tastes like fruit punch I can totally do this twice a day! I’m gonna also track my progress because if I want to see results I also need to know where I start at. This product is no joke amazing, I love it! I tried it for a month before taking a second photo and that’s where I saw the results! The growth on my hair was awesome but the less loss was more of the change for me! 

More so my joints feel way better! They are less sore after workouts and less cracking and creaking when stretching and moving around too! I’m excited to try out more of there other products and report back because they seem to really know what they are doing! I have started the trim and noticed a little more definitions in spots where I normally don’t store fat. As long and I’m consistently with my workouts I also seem to be losing weight more rapidly there as well! 

Update: I got Kevin my Boyfriend to start taking it regularly with me, which he has issues with his hips and needs to stretch them on a daily sometime 2-3 times a day basis to feel better. He has been taking it for two weeks only once a day and notices he does not have to stretch as often if at all! 

The joint relieve alone is a huge benefit, the hair and skin is definitely a plus do not get me wrong but if your joints feel better you can move more freely and that opens up more doors to what you can and want to do! If you feel better you’re happier and want to be more active which is amazing!

I loved the products so much I decided to work with them to get you all a discount, so anyone who buys with me will get $10 off your first purchase!

For $10 off your first order you can use this referral code: 3702288

Update(3/20/2021): I’m still loving this product! I needed to reorder and was out for a week and noticed my skin starting to go back to being dry like before not as bad but definitely dry. Once I was back on for 2 days I’m back to fresh moisturized skin! Also my baby hairs have grown in so much more and I have new ones now!

Some of my favorite Amazon Finds!

Amazon finds I love!

Quarantine is difficult there’s no doubt about that! 

For me, I’ve been working from home for the first time ever and it’s been about 4 months and counting. I live with my boyfriend Kevin who is also working from home. This is really the first time we’ve had to cook for ourselves for every mean besides the occasional Grubhub or DoorDash delivery. 

Now you are probably thinking what does this have to do with Amazon right?! Well spending more time home and less commuting has given me more of a chance to online shop, which I use to hate to be honest. I’m more of a in store person I like to visually see it and grab it before I buy. I’ve taken my fair share of chances with online ordering and have done more research on items I’d usually buy at at whim in store or not purchase at all. So, here’s my best picks at some around the house items you might not think about purchasing that will make your everyday routines easier or get you into a better, easier schedule! Also all of these items I got the “do you really need that? Will you use it enough to to purchase it?” Talk from Kevin and I’ve thought about myself too.  Which is fair that’s always a thought when buying things in general, but he’s come around to all of these things and loves them almost as much as I do! He’s even apologized for questioning then too. 😆 

• Milk Frother: 

You might have a coffee maker, it may be a regular old fashion one, a Keurig, Nespresso or my odd Verismo machine from Starbucks but a milk frother is a game changer! From those instagramable whipped coffees to hot lattes with fresh foam to even my favorite green tea lattes! This little gadget will take your at home coffee routine up a notch! Saving money on you to go coffee is made so simple and it’s quick and painless! I’ll do a blog on how I use it to make my favorites soon! But this had me making my regular Starbucks/Dunkin’ drinks at home at a way less too which is the whole goal! Less time waiting on lines and paying way more than you need to for your favorite pick me up! 

This is the one I use is $29.92 

Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother, 10 Ounce, Black

• Egg Cooker:

How many times have you tried to hard boil an egg yet under cook it or forget it’s on the stove and over cook it or had to google how long to boil an egg for for soft boiling eggs? Well I’ve done it too many times to count! Never did I think about an independent egg maker but it’s made faster healthier breakfasts an ease and it’s not just for boiling the eggs! You can make fresh omelettes without the extra pans! Devils eggs are a breeze! Poached eggs for your brunch day, done! Plus it’s super fast to cook, I’m obsessed! 

This is the one I had bought was priced at $14.99 

Elite Cuisine Egg Cooker with Auto-Shut off and Buzzer, 7 Egg Capacity, White 

• Humidifier with essential oil diffuser:

Now this won’t expedite your morning routine but it does make your room smell wonderful and keep it nice a humid too for those rooms that are too dry. I personally keep mine in the bedroom to run at night since I have some dry skin and was prepping for a nose surgery to correct my breathing issues and this actually helps out! Plus I add the lavender essential oil to create a calming smell for relaxation to help me sleep better at night! I’ll sometimes switch it up and do tea tree oil or lemongrass whichever one I’m feeling at the moment!

The one I got is $56.93 

GENIANI Top Fill Cool Mist Humidifiers for Bedroom & Essential Oil Diffuser - Smart Aroma Ultrasonic Humidifier for Home, Baby, Large Room with Auto Shut Off, 4L Easy to Clean Water Tank (Black) 

• Outdoor Smart plugs!

 While I love my apartment, it does have poor lighting for our porch and I sometimes like to sit out there at night and read, watch some nice thunderstorms roll by or just relax and talk. So like ever basic outdoor area you see on Pinterest, I added string bulb lights but I didn’t want to plug and unplug it every time I use it. I thought: there has to be an easier way, right? There is! It’s an outdoor WiFi switches you can control from you phone or google home/Alexa! I’ve tried a couple but this brand has been, by far, the easiest to set up, pair with your phone and smart devices(alex/google home) and just overall durability too.  

My favorite: Outdoor Smart Plug, it’s $26.99 only uses one outlet but gives you 2 waterproof outlets 

TECKIN Outdoor Wi-Fi Outlet with 2 Sockets, Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, Wireless Remote Control/Timer by Smartphone, IP44 Waterproof, FCC/RoHS certified 

• Indoor Hydroponic Garden

Now hear me out, this one I did a crap ton of research on And it sound a little scary and sketchy but it’s amazing! It’s a countertop garden you can grow fresh herbs, salads, flowers and really whatever else you would grow in a standard garden! I really love that I can grow it year round no matter the weather, I live in NY so the snow would kill any outdoor plants I would normally grow in the spring/summer months. This thing is so easy to set up and you’ll start to see the plants emerge after just a couple days! Fresh greens at your countertop saves you money and also cuts down on waste too. No more buying herbs and forgetting about them in your fridge or bags of salad you accidentally let go bad because you didn’t eat it on time. 

I’m starting with this one: this I did get on sale for $119 but regular price is $149 

AeroGardene Black Harvest Indoor Hydroponic Garden, 2019 Model 

• Blue light filter glasses 

I’ll admit I thought this was crazy when people where first talking about how blue light messes up your sleep schedule, can cause headaches and makes your eyes just hurt. Fast forward to a couple years later and numerous articles read about how it effects the brain and I understood it but I guess I still was a little bit skeptical still but science is science and you can’t dispute the facts when you try it first hand. I’m a migraine sufferer and working from home had me going from my phone to my computer, iPads and then tv screens which is a lot for your poor eyes. So I figured why not try blue light filter glasses it’s only $13.99 for 3 pairs. Welppp, Game changer! They helped my eyes not feel tired at night and I slept better too but the real results where when Kevin had a headache and needed to still use his devices but they hurt so much to look at. I got him to tried them and was raving about them, then he mentioned them to his family, friends and even other coworkers. That how I knew they worked for reals 

These are the ones I grabbed, $13.99

Blue Light Blocking Glasses - 3Pack Computer Game Glasses Square Eyeglasses Frame, Blue Light Blocker Glasses for Women Men, Anti Eye Eyestrain Reading Gaming Glasses Non Prescription