Happy Friday!

Here are my Friday Favorites for the week:

If you follow my Instagram, you’ve seen me obsessing over my new Sseko Two-Toned V Boots, and for SO MANY good reasons! These are brand new to Sseko’s Fall Collection, and have been the HOT item of the season! Perfect stacked heel height of 2 1/2 inches (not too tall, just enough height to feel sassy), rubber heel cap for easy walking, zippered back, full genuine leather sole, lining, and exterior, handmade by artisans in Peru, and the caramel and black leathers look amazing together!

Sizing/Fit:

I normally wear 6-6.5 for sandals/flats, and 7 for boots/sneakers, and I have the size 7 in this boot. The recommendation is to size up if you’re in between sizes, or want slightly more room in the front since it’s a pointed toe. I normally do not wear any heels higher than 2 1/2 inches, so this heel height is perfect for me. The first day, it was definitely snug on the sides of my toes due to the point, but after a few hours, it had already started to soften the leather. Now, day three of wearing it for me, it feels great and easily my favorite fashion boot in my closet!

These are an investment of $249.99, and will last a lifetime. An investment that is not only for the boots, but to support the livelihood of the artisans who carefully handcrafted every stitch of the boots, the leather tanners who use eco-friendly processes, the jobs created and scholarships given to the women in Uganda, and the overall mission of Sseko. Assuming my feet won’t balloon up a full size, I will be wearing these boots for decades! The colors are never going out of style, and look good with almost everything! The V Cut on the side is so flattering, and overall this boot is very chic and classic!

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This is my FAVORITE jewelry box, and it’s from Amazon, the BEWISHOME Jewelry Box Organizer.

Faux leather, removable tray (bottom has the same layout), holds a TON of stuff (the smaller sections can be adjusted by removing the horizontal pieces, so some custom layouts can be done!), as you can see here, my KEEP collection is very nicely organized in it! That mirror is nice and large, so getting ready is nice and easy! It’s pretty deep too, so even though I have a lot in the top tray that comes up higher than the edge, the extra room in the lid makes up for it so that it closes easily.

The only thing I wish it had were something to better organize my thin chained necklaces, but for now they are carefully dropped into the bottom tray, in one of small sections. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this one if you’re in the market for a jewelry organizer!

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Have you ever tried Bulletproof Coffee? If you haven’t, and you’re a coffee drinker, this is a must! It was created by Dave Asprey of Bulletproof 360 and Bulletproof Nutrition.  The science backed claims for this keto morning coffee routine comes with increased focus and brain function, curbs cravings, promotes fat burning, weight loss, and overall more energy without the crash! Read more about the benefits here, but I’ve been doing it every day this week, and my days have felt kick started!

There is the official Bulletproof recipe (High grade coffee, Brain Octane oil, and unsalted grass-fed butter. You can get the starter kit (Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee & Brain Octane Oil) here from Amazon, and just add your unsalted grass-fed butter.

At home, I just made my dark roast coffee in my Keurig, added Coconut Oil (instead of the Brain Octane, similar benefits, read the differences here), collagen powder (good for  skin, bones, joints), and unsalted grass-fed butter.

You wouldn’t think buttered coffee was tasty, but this combination makes it a very smooth creamy taste without any cream. This recipe is obviously served hot (otherwise the coconut oil and butter would solidify!) I drink it only in the mornings on the way to work, and it helps curb my appetite longer and I have a ton more energy starting and throughout the day. Try it!!

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EASY & HEALTHY & DELICIOUS MEAL PREP OF THE WEEK

When I’ve eaten through all my left overs, food from my mother’s fridge, or sick of buying overpriced food for lunch, I make my Chicken, Rice, and Frozen Veggie combos for lunch! The main three components are:

• “Everything Chicken” made in the slow cooker (Here is that SUPER EASY RECIPE)
• Frozen Stir-Fry Veggie Mix
• Choice of rice (I just use Jasmine Rice at home)

The chicken doesn’t even need anything else on it, but it will go well with any other flavors you want to add to it dish by dish. That’s why it’s called EVERYTHING chicken! I pick what flavor I want for the day, mix a sauce together or drizzle a marinade for my dish.

I throw the frozen veggies into a glass tupperware to bring to work with my desired flavorings or sauces mixed in to microwave. I slightly open the lid and microwave about 1-2 min (depending on how much I have, usually not more than 2 min for my serving size) and drain the liquid out afterwards. I put the veggies with my separately microwaved chicken and rice, and Voila!, I have a well balanced lunch! Obviously, you can add more things to it, but the core components is usually satisfactory enough.

I will usually do a homemade marinade for my veggies consisting of balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of choice), extra virgin olive oil (or a flavored EVOO is even better), various spices, flash dried minced garlic and onions (if I’m too lazy for freshly minced), and some honey or sugar to make it less tart. I’m very experimental when it comes to my marinades, and it always turns out yummy!

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While on the topic of food.. I’m really excited to try this place I can’t believe didn’t know was right by me! Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, established in 1946 on the historic Route 66, and still has people raving about how good their food is, especially their fried chicken.

It still has that vintage look to it, and was a popular spot to stop and eat at when people used to come in and out of Chicago taking the historic route. I’ll post about it in my Instagram (@so_helainey) so if you follow me, you’ll get that update first!

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That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned for my Weekend Update on Monday!

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