I don't know about you, but one of my favorite dishes to order when I go out to eat is shrimp scampi. It feels luxurious and decadent- a total treat! But what if I told you that you could make scampi for your whole family at home for about the same price as one entree at a restaurant AND you can control the quality (GF, grass-fed, wild-caught). Saving money and better for you?! Total win! 

Here's what you'll need:

• Linguine or angel hair pasta (I like Banza) 
• 4 Tbsp butter (I use Kerry Gold)
• 2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
• 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 lb. shrimp (Trader Joe's carries wild caught Argentinian red shrimp that are amazing)
• 1 lemon (juice and zest) 
• A handful of parsley roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Here's what you'll need to do:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside, saving a cup of the water the pasta was boiled in. 
2. Coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil, and heat to medium. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and cook in the skillet until opaque. Remove shrimp once cooked, and add minced garlic to the pan. 
3. Once the garlic is soft (watch closely and stir often so that it doesn't burn!), lower the heat and melt the butter in the pan. Add back the shrimp once the butter is melted. 
4. Remove from heat and add in the zest and juice of a lemon, salt and pepper to taste, and parsley. 
5. Use tongs to combine pasta with the butter sauce and toss. If it seems too dry, slowly add in reserved water from pasta. 
6. Serve immediately. For some kick, sprinkle red pepper flakes to taste. 

There you have it! A weeknight meal that feels a little elevated. Let me know if you plan to try this recipe or if you already have, I'd love to hear what you think of it in the comments! 

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Is there anything else quite like a sweet, creamy, ice-cold Frappuccino? There's no denying that they're delicious, but with a whopping 44 grams of sugar (grande caramel), plus some less than desirable additives, it's probably best left as an occasional treat. 

I've come up with a tasty alternative that satisfies cravings, but leaves you feeling guilt-free. 

What you'll need:

• 2 shots of espresso or about 4 oz of dark coffee
• 1/2 tsp of maple syrup
• a splash of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of cacao powder
• 1 scoop of collagen powder
• 8 oz milk of your choice (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• ice

Combine all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Super simple, and tasty! 

​*This post contains affiliate links, however I only share affiliate links for products that I love and actually use. Honest. 

My 3 year old loves Mac and cheese. I mean, he REALLY loves it. This kid would eat it for every meal if I let him. We typically buy a gluten-free boxed Mac and cheese and he eats it once a week-ish for lunch. Last week he asked for it, but we were all out- I noticed however that we had all of the ingredients for homemade, so I put my Mom pants on, and decided to get a little fancy. 

We stayed at Stafford's Crooked River Lodge this past weekend with the boys, and it was a perfect, much needed getaway. We haven't been on a trip since before Henry was born. We attempted a weekend getaway last year when Henry was about six weeks old, but it was just too much for me so newly postpartum. So, needless to say, it's been awhile and a weekend away was much needed for us.

We typically rent Airbnb's when we travel, but we decided that a hotel might be more fun and feel more "vacation-like" for the boys, so we decided to see what was in the area. After a quick search, we came across the Crooked River Lodge and decided that it looked perfect... and let me tell you- it WAS perfect! It was so family friendly- I can't recommend it enough.

When we had our first son, Jack we were gifted a salve from a local soap company that used clean ingredients and we absolutely loved it. It was great for dry baby skin and rashes on little booty's, and the light scent of lavender essential oil and the healing oils was amazing. We were on a TIGHT budget though, so when we eventually ran out, I decided to try to recreate it. I took the wise words of Daniel Tiger to heart, "if there's something you need, try to make it yourseeeelfff", and gave it a shot!

Ever heard of an armpit detox? Well if you’re using a natural deodorant or interested in switching to one (milk of magnesia is a great option by the way. You can read more about that HERE), to see the best results you’ll want to do an armpit detox. The main reason your pits may get stinky is actually due to toxins that build up (partly as a result of using chemical-filled deodorants. Ironic, right?). The bentonite clay in this recipe helps to pull toxins out, while the apple cider vinegar and tree oil are both anti-fungal and anti-microbial. 

Birkenstock Arizona Slide in Copper 

I feel like these sandals say a lot about me - practical, but a little extra ;) 

I love Birkenstocks because they offer great support, and they're super comfortable for walking in the summertime. Supportive shoes can help with foot problems, and help to keep your back in alignment. They can be an investment, but I think it's totally worthwhile to have good walking shoes or sandals. 

​You can shop the ones I've been loving this spring HERE. 

​​Who doesn’t love dry shampoo?! It’s basically a busy Mama’s best friend. I don’t know about you, but as a busy Mom, and business owner, I don’t want to spend precious time washing and blow drying my hair every day. I can probably think of a million other things I could spend my time doing. Thankfully dry shampoo stretches the time I can go between washes a ton- I can usually go 3-4 days between, which to me is huge! 
 
It’s the perfect solution for busy Mama’s, right? But what if I told you that most of the dry shampoos on the market contained multiple harmful chemicals, and it was actually flammable… Seriously. Let’s chat a bit about the problematic ingredients found in most dry shampoos that are on the market. 

When I was pregnant with my second baby, Henry, I knew that I wanted my birth to be different than my first (You can read about both of my birth experiences in my Epidural VS Unmedicated birth series). I wanted to feel in control, and empowered by my birth experience, and ultimately thats how I felt during and after Henry's birth. It was also an incredibly fast birth (less than an hour from beginning of active labor until birth), which was something that I had really been hoping for. 

What's better than chocolate mousse? How about chocolate mousse with gut healing properties, and probiotics! I'm always looking for treats to make for my littles that will be good for them, and won't make me feel guilty, and this one definitely fits the bill. And since this mousse is also paleo, gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, it's a great option for those with food sensitivities.