Happy Friday, everyone! It’s Inauguration Day, which I know elicits a variety of feelings for many people. Whether you’re feeling happy, sad, angry or inspired today, we live in a country that allows us to openly express our beliefs. There’s a lot to be said for that freedom. Anyway, I often report on politics for my day job, so let’s talk about some less serious subjects. Here are a few of my favorite things from this week!
Healthy Almond Butter Banana Bread
I made a batch of this lightened-up banana bread earlier this week and it’s been a lifesaver. I am not at all a morning person, which means I’m often rushing to get ready. If I’m low on time I’ll often skip breakfast to avoid being late. Being able to grab a slice of this bread on my way out the door has made life so much easier! I’ve noticed my energy is awful all day if I don’t get a healthy, filling breakfast.
Antique Shopping
I’ve always loved hunting for gems in antique stores and James and I were inspired to check out a few new stores this week after seeing friends post pictures of the amazing inventory. We didn’t walk away with a vintage chandelier like we hoped, but we did snag this massive, beautiful mirror for our guest room. You can tell it’s made well because of how heavy the mirror is. And, it was only $35 — a complete steal!
We are going to setup a vanity area so our guests have their own space to get ready in our spare room. My parents are bringing over an antique desk my mom refinished to serve as the vanity. I’ll be sure to share pictures of the finished product!
Bloomington’s many breweries
We are so incredibly lucky to live in a town that’s home to several amazing breweries. We somehow visited almost all of them this past week, including the Wood Shop. I love being able to try some of Upland’s famous sours at this bar. If you’re not a sour lover, there are also plenty of traditional beers on tap. And, the Wood Shop is usually much less crowded in the evenings than the brewery next door.
Enchilada night
For the longest time I made tacos about once a week for dinner. Because you can never have too many tacos, right?! I decided to switch it up this week and make a batch of these beef enchiladas. James and I are huge fans of this recipe because it’s absolutely delicious and it results in lots of leftovers for a household of two! I’m one of those people who loves leftovers for lunch, so I was sad when we finally made our way through the rest of the pan halfway through the week. I was also sad that the guac and beer pictured didn’t last longer than 30 minutes … oops!
What are some of your favorite things this week? Tell me in the comments!