Mental Post-Its

Everyone has favorites at certain restaurants. Some people even constantly visit the same places, and order the same items. But that’s not typically me. I usually prefer more variety, including the restaurants I visit and the food I order. And I often try to patron local restaurants over chains, because I’d rather “buy local.”

However, lately I’ve found myself obsessed with some of the same food items at the same restaurants. And I love perusing the aisles at the grocery store for new brands and items, but I’ve recently been buying the same things there too.

Here are my current favorites in case you’re looking for food and drink recommendations. Bon appetit!

• Tiff’s Treats: I both love and hate my friend, Kari, for introducing me to these cookies! This company is Texas-based, but they have expanded into Georgia over the past year or so. And there is a location only about two miles from me. Get this: they deliver, fresh, warm cookies! They’re baked once you place the order, and they are fantastic! My favorite are definitely the chocolate chip, though the other flavors are excellent too. I even turned this obsession into a paying gig. I’ll be writing about them for an upcoming magazine article. Being a freelance writer pays in more ways that one!
• Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad with Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing: This is my biggest obsession right now. The past few weeks, I’ve even eaten it multiple times per week! I love this thing so very much. Yum, give it a try. And if you want to throw in some Icedream for dessert, I won’t fault you.
• Figo’s Arugula Salad: This is my favorite local chain. And while it may seem odd to order a salad at an Italian restaurant, you clearly haven’t had this salad. It’s incredibly simple, and incredibly delicious. I love arugula, but it’s the dressing that makes this salad fantastic. Very lemony, slightly sweet, and lots of basil.
• Zoe’s Live Mediterranean Salad: Yes, I’ve had quite a thing for salads lately! They are one of the best ways to enjoy summer veggies, and while I love veggies year-round, I definitely eat a lot more during warm weather. Zoe’s has a lot of great salads, but this is by far my favorite. Again, the dressing is key to this one, but I love all the ingredients together.
• Pumpkin: Last year, I read a book about incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle, and the author mentioned that she put 1/4 cup of pumpkin in her morning smoothies to add more fiber and thicken it up a bit. I thought this was a genius idea, so I’ve been doing it every weekday as well. And I order it online because it can be hard to find out of season in stores, and cans are heavy to carry around. You can’t taste it, and it does give the smoothie more staying power.
• Bean and grain chips: Another switch I’ve made in order to eat a little bit healthier is sub traditional chips for ones made of beans and grains. And I absolutely love them! Simply7 has some great tasting chips! I know because I’ve had most of them. Plentils are another favorite of mine.
• PERRIER Pink Grapefruit Flavored Sparkling Mineral Water: I’ve been obsessed with sparkling water since coming back from Barcelona last year. I had it before that trip, but didn’t like it. Weirdly, now I love it. Guess that’s the charming, European influence! I love this Perrier brand, especially because it comes in a smaller can, which I prefer. Sometimes I even add grapefruit or lemon essential oil, or a lemon slice, to jack up the flavor a bit. Very refreshing for summer!
• Trader Joe’s Instant Coffee with Cream and Sugar: I needed to throw this drink in here as well. I love coffee, but I don’t drink it all that often. Mostly when hanging out with people, or on the weekends at home. But since my apartment has limited kitchen space, I don’t own a coffee maker. And when I tried to make it at home, the organic and all-natural creamers would often go bad because I didn’t drink it fast enough. So, I discovered these little gems, and I love them. Not as good as a latte for sure, but they do the trick for me! (My one issue is that they do have an artificial ingredient, so I’m hoping they change that.)
• Emergen-C Energy Plus: This is probably a bit odd to throw in, but you do actually drink it. I’ve talked about my chronic illness, and because of it, I get sick a lot. This is a great way to get in some extra vitamins, and it has added energy as well. Energy is often lacking for me, especially in the afternoon, so this has been a great supplement.

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