Category Archives: Random

Cuban Sandwiches and Soup for Hispanic Heritage Month

This post is sponsored by the Celebrate Hispanic Heritage promotion at Publix. The opinions and text are mine.

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month! I married into the most amazing Cuban family, and I have been introduced to so many amazing dishes that are as rich in tradition as they are in flavor. Over the years, my mother-in-law has shown me that Hispanic food is more than just a meal – It’s a connection to the past and an amazing way to celebrate with our family and community. 

Her favorite meals that she’s shown me how to make are the Cubano (the Cuban sandwich), Cuban chicken soup, and Arroz con Pollo. I love learning more about my Mother-in-law’s culture through food.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to share a few of my favorite Cuban recipes!

The crispy, gooey Cuban sandwich is super easy to make. It’s a combo of seasoned and roasted pork, deli ham, and Swiss cheese on Cuban bread. There’s also usually yellow mustard and pickles in there too! The flavors are so amazing. 

To add a little extra kick, we love using Sir Kensington’s Chipotle Mayonnaise; this sauce is such a good addition! You can also use a little bit of Hellmann’s Vegan Dressing on there, too! Both of these ingredients are on sale at Publix! See the list of offers at the end of this blog post. 

The key to a great Cuban sandwich is the press. You can use a Panini press grill, or you can also cook the sandwich using the weight of an iron skillet as the press. 

Another great recipe my Mother-in-law makes is Cuban chicken soup! My favorite way to eat it is with half of the Cuban sandwich. 

Cuban chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food. To make it, we love using Knorr Chicken Bouillon Zero Salt for an amazing flavor without the sodium. Visit GettheSavings.com/Hispanic-heritage to access print-at-home coupons and view other offers available through the Extra Savings “Hispanic Heritage” promotion at Publix.

Cuban chicken soup is very similar to the American version but has a lot more flavor. My mother-in-law always makes it for us when we’re sick, but now I just enjoy it on regular days too! We usually add whatever vegetables we have on hand, such as potatoes, onions, garlic, and carrots. Also, angel hair noodles are the best option for this soup. 

To properly end a good Cuban meal, you need a little Cuban coffee and ice cream, and we absolutely love Breyers Ice Cream. Breyers has such a great flavor, and it pairs so well with a café con leche!

Visit Publix.com or head to your local Publix to grab the in-store 9/10 Extra Savings flyer to see a complete list of product savings included in the Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month promotion.

Look for the at-shelf signs located throughout the store which highlight the savings during the promotion, and if you don’t see the flyer in the kiosk at the store’s entrance, ask customer service for one!

Here is a list of some of the great promotions happening now: 

$1.50 OFF Any 1 Breyers Ice Cream 1.5-qt

$4 Sir Kensington’s Special Sauce or Chipotle Mayonnaise 12-oz your choice

$3.99 Hellmann’s Mayonnaise 24–30-oz your choice

2 for $6 Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, Spicy Mayonnaise or Vegan Dressing & Spread 11.5-oz your choice

$3.49 Knorr Chicken Bouillon Zero Salt 2.6-oz

$2 OFF Any 1 Eucerin Lotion or Q10 Face Cream 1.7–16.9-oz

$2 OFF Any 1 Nivea Body Wash or Lotion  6.7–20-oz

$1 OFF Any 1 BodyArmor Sports Drink 8-pk. 12-oz

$2 OFF Any 1 Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats 40 or 64-ct.

$4.99 Keebler Export Sodas Crackers 28-oz

If you don’t see the Extra Savings flyer in the kiosk at the store’s entrance, ask customer service for a flyer! The promotion runs now through 9/23 at Publix. 

VEJO Blender review – Smoothies on the go!

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

I don’t know about you guys but this whole quarantine situation has made me crave all things healthy and fresh. I’m finding myself making more Vejo smoothies than ever… so I wanted to make this post sharing my new favorite kitchen toy! 

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

Meet the Vejo! This thing is crazy cool. It’s a portable blender that connects to these super delicious pods and blends. 

It’s the world’s first pod-based blender. What’s awesome about this is you can literally make smoothies ANYWHERE. Just bring your Vejo + a pod! 

We bring ours on day trips all the time! It’s a game-changer if you’re trying to get some more fruits and veggies in your day! 

They have SOOO many blends. I have tried a lot of them and they are all great. Lately I am loving their new Collagen glow

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

The Collagen Glow blend is to minimize the appearance of wrinkles, strengthen hair and nails, and keep you looking young and radiant! I’ve been wanting to incorporate collagen in my day + this is the perfect way to do it. 

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

The Collagen Glow blend has 4x more collagen than other products! It has a hint of watermelon, too – so I LOVE it. 

My other favorite blends are the Strawberry Banana and the Matcha Latte! 

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

All the Vejo Blends are freeze-dried at peak ripeness. So you get all of the flavor of fruits and veggies and all the nutrients! 

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!
Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

Vejo is also super techy. They have an app, too! And their pods are biodegradable which is a huge perk. 

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

Anyways, this is definitely a product I’ve been loving lately and I know you will too! It makes a great gift for someone, too. 

Use my code: GRACEFUL8PACK to get a complimentary 8-pack of blends on top of your starter kit! All you need to do is add both a starter kit and the 8-pack of your choice to their cart, enter GRACEFUL8PACK, and checkout to redeem the offer.

Vejo Blender Review - Smoothies on the go!

Afloat: Not your Parents’ Waterbed!

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

I just woke up from the best sleep, ever. And it’s all because of our brand new bed. And not just any bed. A WATERBED. Did you know waterbeds are making a comeback?!? I’m so excited to share my experience trying the Afloat waterbed. 

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

We’ve been sleeping on our waterbed for a couple of weeks now, and I feel like I have had enough sleep on here to truly tell you all about it! 

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

Let me first start by saying, this is NOT your parents’ waterbed. Not even close. Afloat has redefined the waterbed and it’s incredible. I’ve never tried a waterbed before, so I was super excited to see what the hype was about. 

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

Water contours and supports you better than any other mattress. Water moves as you move, so it constantly reshapes itself to support your body. The Afloat bed truly does contour you while you sleep. It’s seriously magic

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

The Afloat bed was surprisingly easy to setup. It took us about 2 hours (but we had multiple distractions, LOL!). You basically put the platforms down, set up the foam sides, then add the liner! After that you put the waterbed mattress in and FILL HER UP!

What’s awesome about Afloat is it came with a care kit that includes everything you need for setting up the mattress and taking it down (if you’re moving).

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

Another thing I love about the Afloat waterbed is that it reduces any pressure points on your body. The water adjusts to your body fluidly and instantly reduces pressure points that can interrupt your sleep. I totally notice myself not tossing and turning as much in this bed and I wake up feeling rejuvenated and not sore in places. Other mattresses leave my hips and shoulders feeling SO OFF when I wake up. 

What I love about Afloat is that it is temperature controlled! This is a game changer! The Afloat waterbed comes with a temperature control pad that allows you to adjust the temperature of your bed. Water is a great medium for heat/cool transfer + with the remote, you can easily adjust the temp to where you like it best! 

So a big problem about other mattresses is that they aren’t very hygienic. Most beds have critters like dust mites and (EW!) maybe even bed bugs?! But the Afloat waterbed is impermeable to critters! And the Afloat Fabric stretch cover is machine-washable. You literally just unzip it and throw it in the wash and your bed is clean. 

Keeping the bed hygienic is even more important to us now with 2 kids and a BRAND NEW PUPPY! The Afloat bed is pet friendly and puncture-resistant because the vinyl surface is loose. Also, if there are any kinds of kid or puppy accidents on the bed, you just take that fabric stretch cover off and wash it, and wipe the vinyl water mattress surface underneath! No worries! Any other mattress is a DISASTER if an accident happens on it. 

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

Our Afloat came with a memory foam mattress cover to give it a little firmer feel. If you prefer to be even closer to the water, you can opt out of that cover!

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!

This bed freaking rocks. It’s SO incredible comfy that it’s hard to even describe. What’s awesome about Afloat is that they give you 100 nights to try it. If you don’t love it, they will fully refund you! I promise you though, once you try it – you’ll be HOOKED!

Shop the Afloat Waterbed here!

My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!
My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!
My Review of the Afloat Waterbed - This is not your parents' waterbed!