Monthly Favorites {Trader Joe's Edition}

Hi, all! 
I wanted to start a new series on here that's not really new at all but for my little space it is. I'd like to do a Monthly Favorites post at the beginning (or near the beginning…) of each month varying in topic from food, beauty, fashion, pop culture, etc,. I watch a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube and love when they do monthly favorite videos that include products or items that aren't entirely beauty specific since it breaks up some of the sameness (even though I love me some beauty products, obviously). 
This month I'd love to start with one of my favorite things in life: food. From one of my favorite places in life: Trader Joe's. I can't begin to explain my obsession with Trader Joe's. I just started going within this past year and have no idea what took me so long to get on the bandwagon. 
I love reading what everyone's favorite food items are because I'm nosy and also love recommendations  especially from T-Joe's. I really try to stay away from meat as much as possible for moral reasons so I love how many alternative options they have there so all of my picks for this month (some I discovered this month and some were repeat purchases this month because they're.just.so.good) are meat less. Sorry you carnivores. I feel you though, I miss my corn dogs real bad. 
Some of my favorites below if you'd like to see:

Sweet Corn Tamales

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Holy shit, yes. Yes. These are so good I can't stand it. Finally I have an alternative option for when my family has Mexican food I can pull out and heat up really quickly. I'm always afraid when things seem to be primarily only cheese that they're going to be too cheesy, because they're overcompensating for a lack of meat, but these are not like that at all. The flavors are perfect and you don't feel like you're eating something "veggie" or something is missing. I would recommend these to anyone. 

Fat Free Cottage Cheese

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I realize this is like a stupid one perhaps, but this is the first fat free cottage cheese I've ever really liked. I bought this once, loved it, and now buy several at a time and am going to buy one to keep in the fridge at work to add to my lunch easily. The taste is there without the fat and since fat is one of my favorite things I appreciate having at least one food in my life I don't have to worry about. 

Chickenless Crispy Tenders

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This could be my favorite product at T-Joe's which is a pretty big statement for me. I've tried a lot of meat alternative products, and I mean a lot, and I will admit there are some that are just bad. Most are good, or really good even, but some are bad. These are on the really, really good list. To me, they taste just like chicken tenders which is a food I really missed when I gave up meat (for the most part…). I actually made them last night and have them packed up in my thermos for dinner during my graduate class tonight! Love, love, love. 

Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burgers

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Probably the most tried meatless product I've purchased have been alternative burgers. Personally, I am an avid fan of almost all Morning Star products so I don't ever really feel the need to find new burgers but I picked these up during one of my last trips to T-Joe's and recently repurchased them. They're filling and I never feel like I'm unaware of the ingredients in them. I eat them plain with other sides and have found that they're so flavorful on their own they don't often need many condiments or other add-ons. Definitely give them a try if you're into alternative burgers. Also, they come individually packaged which makes them really easy to pack in my lunch bag.

Baked Cheese Curls 

These are my kryptonite. I finish the entire bag in one sitting and don't feel guilty about it even though I definitely should because although it says 35% less fat… that means shit when you're eating the entire thing during an episode of Parks & Rec. One. Episode. They're that good. 

I will admit, I kind of remember feeling like they were an acquired taste during my first bag but clearly I acquired that taste real quick. And the price tag being under $2 doesn't help when I have to put three of the five bags I've furiously grabbed back on the shelf. Okay, two bags go back… 

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Please, please, please let me know if you have any favorites from Trader Joe's! I'm always looking to blow more money in that place if that's even possible.

Have a great Thursday, all. We're almost to the weekend!

monthly favorites {october}

I know we're a wee bit into November already but I still want to do my monthly favorites from October! I really like the template that Meghan used over on her blog so I'd like to copy her. I hope she doesn't mind ;) If you aren't already, you guys should check her blog out! She has such a warm, funny and smart writing style. I know you'll like her blog as much as I do. 

Anyway, on to the favorites!

{beauty}

If you don't already know, I'm beauty obsessed. I love makeup and skincare and trying new products and it's really becoming a problem because I'm running out of money and then some ;) I'm having a hard time thinking back through October for my favorite product because I just went to Nordstrom, MAC, and Sephora and got a bunch of things I've been trying currently. I'm going to be writing a haul post later this week if any other beauty obsessed individuals are interested.

I think the product I've been using the most this October, and all of Fall for that matter, has been Bahama Mama by Essie. I think it's the most beautiful color for fall ever. It feels refreshing after wearing Lincoln Park After Dark for so many seasons. I won't wear another color I love it that much.

{food}

My favorite food this month would have to be all the festive food that comes with fall. Caramel apples, pumpkin spice anything, and Halloween candy of course!

{activity}

I'm gunna pick two activities as my favorites for October. One definitely has to be the pumpkin picking & carving date my boyfriend and I went on. Definitely one of my favorite dates so far.

& then the second would be the baths I've been taking lately. That might sound weird and kind of lame but I've really been making an effort this month to make time for myself and I have started a new tradition of Monday Night Baths haha. It gives me something to look forward to on Monday evenings which makes Mondays a little better. Especially when I use this stuff. 

My absolute favorite aromatherapy scent from Bath & Body Works. I could smell it all day. I have the candle as well and it really is so calming and relaxing. I'm totally obsessed. 

I need to get better at updating my "monthly" posts like favorites and recaps. I still want to do my November goals! Ugh, what a blogger newbie I am ;) Anyway, have a great & relaxing Sunday, all.