It’s finally Friday — what a week! I hope everyone has fun plans for a great weekend! Let’s get started with Amy’s 4 things for this week from her podcast, “4 Things with Amy Brown.” Be sure to go listen to the episode!
- Huddled over grace. If you only listen to part of Amy’s podcast this week, please, please, please make it this part. Amy’s mom passed away from cancer a couple years ago, and in this segment she discussed a blog post her sister wrote shortly after where she compared a bottle of Pure Grace soap to the grace that we receive. Our grace, God’s true grace, is never empty.
- Positive affirmation. This was such a good reminder to begin each day by acknowledging something positive about yourself. It will really transform your mindset for the day. I know I tend to be critical of myself (I’m a self-admitted perfectionist), but it makes such a difference to think of the good things about yourself — your positive qualities, things you’ve accomplished, how well you’ve handled certain things.
- The perfect red lips. Amy had Kelly from Velvet’s Edge podcast on to discuss how to find the perfect red lip color for you. I always feel like red is too bold for me, but it really makes a difference if you pick the right shade of red. Someone with pinkish skin is better off with a plum or blue-red, and someone with yellowish undertones can do the brighter orange-y reds.
- Detox smoothie. Amy talked about what she puts in her glowing green smoothie. I love the fact that it can be made ahead in a bigger batch so it can last up to three days! The main thing is to make sure you’re using 70% greens and 30% fruit. Amy mentioned that she has a Vitamix and I’ve really been wanting to try one! I’ve had my Ninja for a while it’s been great, but it doesn’t really grind up veggies as smooth as I like them for a drink. Maybe eventually I’ll give the Vitamix a try!
Now, here are my 4 things for this week.
- Open-faced hummus sandwich. Last week, I told you how much I’m loving Ithaca cold-crafted hummus. Well, this week I tried it a new way and loved it! I toasted a slice of Ezekiel bread, spread some of the lemon beet hummus on it, then topped it with sprouts, goat cheese and Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning. So good.
- Skinny Pop microwave popcorn. I like the pre-popped popcorn that Skinny Pop makes, and the other day, the microwavable version caught my eye in the grocery store. There’s just something about fresh, hot, buttery popcorn. And what’s even better is that this kind is healthier, and I honestly think it tastes better than the grease bucket you get at a movie theater. The Skinny Pop pops in a box instead of a bag, too. It’s really buttery and I liked it better than any of the other microwave brands I’ve tried.
- Ninja air fryer. I had been on the fence about purchasing an air fryer for a while. I don’t eat fried foods very often, so I wondered if it was something I’d get enough use out of. Well, I’ve only had it a week, and so far I’ve made cauliflower in it twice (the second time I did buffalo cauliflower) and I made spring rolls. I think it’s going to come in handy to roast smaller amounts of veggies without heating up the oven, too. In case you don’t know about an air fryer, it essentially “fries” your food using very little or no oil (just a spray of olive oil is what I used) by circulating hot air very rapidly around your food. It’s basically a smaller version of a convection oven. I’m really impressed with it so far, and it’s super easy to clean!
- ESPWA star necklace. Amy and her friend, Meri, run The Shop Forward, which is a fun online shop that has lots of cute items, and each purchase gives back to a great cause. How cool is that?! This particular necklace has been a favorite of mine for a while. I love that it’s a shorter choker style, and you can layer it with longer necklaces. It’s also adjustable. Each necklace is handmade by women in Nashville who are given an opportunity to earn a living and would otherwise be living in poverty. Each necklace also makes a difference for families with special needs, including orphans.
That’s a wrap for this week. See you next Friday for more 4 Things!
Love these posts Jenna! I have yet to find the perfect red lipstick and I was thinking about going to Sephora for help with that. I love your star necklace and that the purchases go towards such a great cause! My little sister showed me how her air fryer works but we crammed too many things inside so it did not work as well it should have. Totally blame it on user impatience and hungry bellies. I have a small toaster convection oven that I’ve used to roast cauliflower that I love and prefer it over our regular larger oven. It cooks things more quickly and evenly especially when using a non-stick silicone baking sheet.
Thanks so much for reading, Jess! Your little convection oven sounds amazing! I bet it basically does the same thing as an air fryer. I hope you’re able to find the perfect red lipstick, too! 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!