Where to even begin with this post. It covers so many things I love, all for very different reasons- hurricane relief support, a new way to discover cleaner dairy, and a really effin' cheesy sandwich. For those of you not so familiar with me or my blog I currently reside in California, but my heart is always at least halfway in Texas where I moved here from. Going about my normal routine during these hurricane's (especially Harvey) felt awful. I know I should be so lucky to be away from the crazy storms, and don't misunderstand me - I am SO grateful I stayed dry and my home and belongings are safe, but being away from what feels like home and watching the devastation left me feeling absolutely helpless. I cried every night seeing updates from friends and family affected. It didn't feel right just going to work and being social and enjoying life, I felt like I should be doing something, anything to help. 

I did my part sharing helpful information and news with social media friends, I donated to a children's hospital, I provided moral support but it just didn't feel like enough. But what am I supposed to do if I can't leave work and don't have the means to support in a big way? I know I can't be the only one who felt like this.

I am so excited and so proud to have partnered up with Real California Milk to bring relief to families in Texas and Florida. See that "Real California Milk" stamp on the below dairy products? If you spot it in your grocery store between today and December 31, 2017 snap a photo and share it on any social media channel tagging @RealCaliforniaMilk and hashtagging #SealsForGood and Real California Milk will donate $5 to the national milk drive to support families affected by the hurricane, up to $20,000. Best part? This is free for you to do! 

Y'all, I am so excited about my new meal prep containers from MacroStacks. I went off the breakfast & lunch meal plan at my office in hopes of eating healthier and less throughout the day... plus I'll get to prepare more food for SDE to share with all of you! I think the key to me actually planning out meals for work and bringing them with me is ease to use, put in the fridge without taking up too much space, and easy to clean - these containers are perfect! I reached out to some friends for input on what they'd like to see in my first meal prep post and the majority gave me feedback that it would be great to get some inspiration on a yummy lunch for people on the go who have no access to a microwave or to heat their food while on the go. I loved this idea because for any of you packing for a busy day on the go or for your kids' lunch you can't always meal prep chicken & veggies and such combos. Now that I will be packing my own lunches for work I'll be doing meal prep posts more often and would love for you to comment what you'd like to see in a meal prep post (hot or cold) to inspire me for future weeks! 

Why are sliders so much more fun to eat than a regular sandwich? Maybe because they're mini and everything's cuter mini, or maybe because I get to eat 3 not just 1. Not really sure, but I know I can't get enough of them and can't wait to make many more combinations. These pulled pork with toasted buns & coleslaw were the absolute bomb.com. I made them up for dinner but these would be a perfect appetizer to put out on game day or a party tray as well! I also love that the slow cooker does most of the work on this one so it's a fairly effortless but totally tasty dish... but don't worry, if you don't have time to slow cook and just want to put some sliders together I'll give you the short cut! 

Hi y'all, happy Friday! This wrap is a recipe inspired from a clean eating book I read a long time ago, it quickly became a favorite healthy quick meal and is one I totally depended on in college. I figured it was about time I share with you, because who doesn't love a meal that's super tasty, inexpensive, beginner level, and healthy?! The grilled chicken, healthy thai peanut sauce, and crunch of the slaw compliment each other so well, and another bonus? The chicken and sauce are all made in one pan so minimal kitchen clean up to deal with. With that being said, let's get to it! 

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to share this recipe with you as it's one of my very favorite things that can be made in just a few minutes! Seriously, I had this ready to eat within 10 minutes of starting ... and it is SO good. The combination of the blackberry jam, brie, and spinach just works so well. Now don't get me wrong, I love a traditional grilled cheese sandwich as much as the next person, but it is fun to get a little creative and step it up a notch every now and then! 

I have to admit, after all the good food I enjoyed over MDW it is time for a good healthy week this week. But all the deliciousness was so worth it, including these amazing beer infused burgers. It doesn't take much beer, but it makes them so tender and so good!!! Also, it gives you a reason to crack open a beer to accompany you by the grill. You can totally top them however you want, and use any kind of bread you desire (this fresh from the bakery brioche was pretty darn perfect) ... so I'll just walk you through how to season & cook the meat and let you get creative with how you serve it up! 

Alright, so I'm a day late posting this but yesterday was national grilled cheese day and since I had no idea what I wanted to make for dinner I figured it would be a good night to try out a version of the cauliflower bread grilled cheese I started to see trending on Pinterest. I'd been curious to see how it would come out texture / taste wise. First thing I'll tell you right now is that it doesn't come out tasting like your normal bread, nor is it as sturdy. BUT on a positive note it tasted pretty darn good. I ended up eating it with a fork (even though you can technically pick it up, it's not super sturdy so it got a little crumbly after taking a couple bites). All in all it was interesting to try making and allowed me to feel like I was getting my grilled cheese without the white carbs. Plus, who cares if you need to use a fork? You still get the cheesy goodness and don't feel guilty afterward! 

I know there isn't much originality in this post, and I typically prefer crockpot made meat because it's so much more enjoyable knowing you made it, but sometimes it is really nice to have some ideas on hand for a tasty meal you can knock out in a few minutes. Let's be honest, even the best of us don't have time to make a great meal every single night! These required almost zero effort on my part, and the guys I was serving loved them. Best part? I enjoyed them too and got to spend the majority of my night watching football and relaxing with them while still filling everyone up! 

Coming from Texas I can be pretty picky about my BBQ, especially brisket. I had never tried this Jack Daniels Beef Brisket, which you can find at the grocery store in the pre packaged meat area of the butcher, but last night was feeling a little lazy and really wanted BBQ. I decided to give it a go and make sandwiches with it and they were so delicious!!! I was really impressed with the tenderness and taste of the brisket for being a pre packaged BBQ meat. This recipe is super quick and easy and a great alternative to your go to burger or deli sandwich option. I will most definitely be making these again! I only made 2 sandwiches this time, but I would say you could easily make 4 with the amount of brisket in the package!

A little craft cocktail bar I love used to serve a brie grilled cheese which I loved - unfortunately they removed it from the menu so I decided I'd make my own and it turned out delicious - you definitely need to be a brie fan, but if you are you will love this sandwich!
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