Mediterranean Bean Salad

We're always looking for healthy sides to go with summer-time food. I just feel like it kind of evens out the greasy hamburgers and hot dogs, right?

 

I made this salad last weekend, and we had it with turkey sandwiches. It's perfectly light and fresh, and I just love the addition of mint (which came from our garden...yay!).

 

Bonus: it keeps well in the fridge. We enjoyed it over three days! Hope y'all enjoy too.

 

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Mediterranean Bean Salad

{Skinnytaste} 

 

1 (15.5 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped grape tomatoes

1 large garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

Juice from 1 medium lemon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

 

In a large bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, garlic, onion, parsley, and mint.

 

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice until smooth and emulsified.

 

Pour the dressing over the beans and veggies, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste and carefully toss with a large metal spoon. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so flavors combine.

 

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Happy Hump Day, friends. And let me know if you have a go-to side this time of year!

 



Weekend Update

Hey guys! How was everyone's weekend? We were able to get some things on our to-do list done, but we were also able to have a lot of fun...the perfect weekend, right? :)

And, full disclosure, I have used some affiliate links in this post which means if you click the link and make a purchase I might receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting me! :)

Now on to the good stuff...

 

Friday night Rob and I went to a surprise birthday dinner for one of our friends, and it was so good to be out with other adults! The food was yummy, and the company was even better. I wore this cute top with skinny jeans and black sandals...love the bell sleeves and the tie at the front. It's sold out in black, but I've linked the striped version (which I'm kind of wanting now!).

 

Bell Sleeve Tie Front Top

 

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Saturday we went swimming at Pop and J's house. The water was cold, but it was still fun. I love that kids don't even notice the water temperature, but adults can barely put a big toe in. Hadley and Pop shared some potato chips on the side of the pool while the rest of us swam.

 

 

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We missed church yesterday but were able to get a lot of things done around the house. I'm working on the girls' playroom and upgraded their art table with a new one that's a little taller. This table is seriously the best. It's a great height, but it's not too bulky. The chairs come in an assortment of colors and are big enough for an adult to sit in! Plus, it's 15% off right now!

 

Industrial Kids Activity Table

Industrial Kids Activity Chair (Set of 2)

 

I picked up the pom pom garland at Hobby Lobby, and the cups that hold their art supplies are old and from Target. I wanted them off the table (to give more room for drawing and painting) and had the idea to use Command hooks to hang them within their reach. I love the way it turned out! And while I was feeling crafty I put together the unicorn banner. I love this little area and know the girls will enjoy it too!

 

I also framed some of my favorite pieces they've created over the years and plan on creating a gallery wall in the playroom. And I spray painted this unicorn head I found at Hobby Lobby. It was white, but duh...we had to make it purple. The horn is gold and glittery and just pretty much perfect!

 

 

 

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We picked up a bubble machine recently, and the girls had the best time with it. These things are worth every penny. I don't know about you, but I can't blow bubbles for too long! The girls enjoyed every second being outside with their new toy.

 

 

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Hope everyone has a great Monday and a happy week ahead. And just remember...

 

 

 





Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

Holy smokes, this was probably one of the easiest things I've ever made...and it was so yummy, guys! Rob said it was his new favorite way to have tacos. Winning!

I know everyone and their brother has heard of Skinnytaste, but this was my first time making one of her recipes. I was so impressed and can't wait to try out more of her stuff.

Has anyone made this before? Any other Skinnytaste recipes you love and recommend?

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Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

{Skinnytaste}

1 1/2 pounds raw, skinless chicken tenders

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt, to taste

16 oz. Roasted Salsa Verde (I used the Herdez brand)

Season chicken with garlic powder, oregano, cumin, and salt and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Cover chicken with salsa verde and cook on high for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove chicken from pot and shred. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid in the pot and discard or set aside. Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot and stir to combine with remaining salsa. Adjust seasoning if needed and keep warm until ready to serve.
 

 

I served our chicken with corn tortillas and a few toppings. I've found the best way to heat corn tortillas is to stack and wrap them in a damp paper towel, then microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

Spoon chicken mixture over tortillas. Any other toppings are up to you, but I thought a dollop of sour cream kind of calmed down the spicy chicken. I also added a slice of avocado to each taco, along with cilantro (from our garden!), and a few pickled jalapenos.

 

We're having this again tonight, and I'm honestly counting down the minutes until dinner!

 

And below is a pic of the brand of salsa verde I used. I thought it was great.

 

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Hope y'all have a great day!
 

A Little Bit of This...

I'm back with another installment of A Little Bit of This...where you'll see just how all over the place I am! :)

But first things first, how was everyone's weekend? I worked on Saturday, and it was a full day...physically and emotionally. Yesterday it was so good to go to church with my family and to spend the rest of the day just being together...you know, doing the things we so often take for granted.
 

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I've shared the good news on Instagram and Facebook but wanted to let everyone here know as well that I was accepted to the rewardStyle program! This was a goal of mine from the get-go, for a lot of reasons. RewardStyle is an affiliate program that makes your links shoppable. That means if you click on one of my links and then make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission. I'm all about transparency, so if you have any questions or input, I'm all ears! I plan on posting more about the program soon to help my readers better understand what it's all about.

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Has anyone read Option B by Sheryl Sandberg? It's on my to-read list next, and I'm looking forward to it. I read a wonderful essay by her, and I imagine the book is full of even more wisdom. 

You can read the essay here.

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy

*Side note: when doing a Google search to find an image of the book cover to share above, I googled Plan B instead of Option B. Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets things mixed up so easily!*

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I am trying really, really hard to eat better. I'm the queen of snacking, and I pretty much love any kind of carb. I've always been able to eat most anything I wanted without any repercussions (annoying, I know), but I feel like it's finally catching up to me at 36. Wah. Anyway, I'm also just trying to be more aware of what I'm putting in my body, and I'm trying to focus more on protein. I picked up these snacks at the grocery store recently. Any high-protein snacks y'all would add to my list? And, Noosa yogurt is my new favorite. Holy smokes that stuff is good! I buy a new flavor each time we're at the store!

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I know most of y'all have heard of LipSense by now. It's a long-lasting lipstick that comes in tons of pretty shades, and I'm hooked. I don't sell it, but I have a good friend who does! If anyone wants to try it, Kim is your go-to! You can connect with her here. 

I'm wearing Aussie Rose in the picture below. I also love Sassy Z (a deeper pink than Aussie Rose), and I just purchased Apple Cider.

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We had Sloppy Joes and Broccoli Salad for dinner last night...a perfect summer meal with plenty of leftovers. I've shared both recipes before, and you can find them below!

Sloppy Joes & Broccoli Salad

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How cute is this necklace? It's only $16.99, and I'd wear it with denim shorts, a white tee, and my trusty Birks. Easy summer outfit.

Layered Necklace with Strung Sequins

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I'm one of those lucky peeps who has keratosis pilaris (tiny bumps on the backs of my upper arms and upper legs). There's no sure-fire way to lose them for good, but exfoliating in the shower helps smooth my skin and makes me a lot less self-conscious. I stumbled upon this scrub at Target, and it's my new favorite. It smells heavenly, and it leaves my skin so soft.

 Alba Body in the Buff Scrub

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Lastly, a Monday funny. I hope everyone has a great day. I'm trying my darndest to be a better blogger so keep checking in. Hope to have some good stuff up in the days and weeks ahead!
 

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