The silver lining of being homebound is having more time to be creative. Our goal has been to keep things moving forward in a light, fun and fresh way. The blue-sky, warmer days are the best for spending time outdoors - in the garden, reading a good book or simply soaking up the sun. Rainy or chilly days are best for brisk walks, trying a new recipe, cleaning out the attic and even binge-watching a new show.
I asked the DINEvent team how they’ve been keeping busy now that they have a little extra time on their hands. Read on to discover what the team has been up to during Q!
In the Kitchen
Rachel and I are the resident cooks within the squad and we have been spending a ton of time in the #quarantinedkitchen.
Rachel rolled these No Bake Energy Bites (the recipe can be found on the back of any bag of Trader Joe’s Organic Flaxseed Meal). She also whipped up some Protein Pancakes made with one scoop of protein powder, two bananas and three eggs. Mix all ingredients in a bowl then bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
I baked the gluten free version of these English-Style Scones and have been making almost everything in The Defined Dish’s arsenal. I tend to wing it more often than not and have been spoiled by my brother’s occasional cooking as well!
We occasionally reach for a glass of wine but in solidarity with Amanda (who is pregnant!), we are not drinking much alcohol. Once the temperature heats up, I look forward to trying Ranch Water, a popular Texan drink in the summer.
The Defined Dish
If you’re not feeling the whole “home chef” thing, these are some of our favorite meal delivery companies: Sakara for clean eating, Freshly for comfort food and Snap Kitchen for everything in between. No cooking required!
Between the Lines
Rachel just finished reading Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Amanda’s latest reads include: Open Book by Jessica Simpson, Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong and Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster. Can you tell she is prepping for Baby Abigail to arrive?! Amanda liked Open Book so much that she gave it to Rachel to read also!
Are you interested in picking up a book but don’t know where to start? Check out Book of the Month for inspiration or a subscription. The service features five new reads each month, you decide if you want one (or more!) then you read, review and repeat! Currently, you can get your first book for $9.99 with code MAY5 at checkout.
For light reading, positivity and inspiration while sitting at home, I signed up for the Girls’ Night In email-newsletter; it comes to my inbox every Friday. For current events, theSkimm keeps me informed and is delivered each morning.
Sweat It Out
Our resident Orangetheory Coach has had to take up a new exercise routine with the loss of her in-person OTF classes. Using the Peloton Bike, Rachel gets her sweat on spinning from the comfort of her own home. Her favorite Peloton class has riders rocking out to the musical-stylings of Celine Dion!
Amanda and I burn most calories walking outdoors, then somehow manage to gain them all back by stepping foot back inside… where the refrigerator and pantry await our return. Anyone else? Amanda is pregnant but I don’t really have an excuse…
If you’re looking for a different kind of workout, check out Bulldog Yoga who offers a ton of online classes at a very reasonable price. Your first 30 days are free, then it’s only $12.99 per month. Bulldog offers a mix of classes: Activate, Invigorate, Exhilarate and Meditate. obé fitness seems to be a very popular platform for live and on-demand fitness classes of all kinds at all levels; they too offer a free trial for new users!
If you’re looking for something short and sweet, check out IGTV (Instagram TV). I have seen pilates, boxing, HIIT classes and more available!
Can’t Stop Watching
Well basically, every Bravo show ever… Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules, and Summer House. I started watching The Real Housewives of New York City at the beginning of Q and am FINALLY on Season 11 - just one season away from being caught up. For a long, long, long time, I refused to watch this show. What a mistake! For anyone who hasn’t yet witnessed the glee and terror of RHONY, I am a convert and I encourage you to turn on the TV.
On E!, we love Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Very Cavallari. Our favorite major broadcast network shows include: This Is Us, A Million Little Things, Grey’s Anatomy and The Good Doctor.
Hulu recently turned the book, Little Fires Everywhere, into a limited-series. I must say that I enjoyed the show much more than the book, but I think Rachel might tell you the opposite. The Bold Type is another Hulu-favorite of ours; Season 4B premieres next month so you’ll have plenty to catch up on.
Last but certainly not least, Amanda and I have a tendency to repeat the classics = Sex and the City. Rachel JUST watched Episodes 1-94 and she was not disappointed! Now, it’s time for her to turn on the movies.
Casting the Pods
My favorite dietary health podcasts include Be Well by Kelly, The Genius Life, Doctors Farmacy and Diet Starts Tomorrow. For inspiration, I turn to Second Life to hear about strong women who have pivoted their career and life for the better.
Rachel loves pop-culture related podcasts to listen to in the car or on a run! Favorites include The Morning Toast, Straight Up with Stassi and Heather McMahan’s Absolutely Not.
Clean & Cozy
Respectively, Rachel and I have tackled improvement projects around the house like gardening, cleaning out the garage and organizing old photo albums. I even installed a new bird feeder. Very proud.
However, Amanda’s latest cozy and clean project was extra special - the outfitting of Baby Abigail’s nursery!! Amanda gave us the first look at the finished nursery and we are so excited to share it with you.
Baby Abigail (due in June!) is going to love her room almost as much as we do!
Please share with us how you’ve been keeping busy during Q in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you!
STT,
Anayis
