sunday edition no. 12: low effort high reward

the high protein breakfast that tastes like a tropical vacation, and a peak into my shopping cart.

Apr 07, 2024

What a WEEK, y’all. Morale is low but hype is high after a long, challenging few weeks. Today, we are off to the Midwest to take in the solar eclipse with some of our best friends from college. We’ve got folks coming in from all over the country to camp out and celebrate with a chili cookout and a big old bonfire. Think Woodstock, but for early thirty somethings with engineering degrees and toddlers 😂. I’m not sure this is a *relaxing* trip, but it certainly will be fun.

a few snapshots from the week:

My company moved to a new office recently and I’ve been enjoying the opportunity for springy-er office fits after several weeks exclusively WFH. Continuing to love quilted jackets, especially these two with some excellent patterns. .,

The look of a girl *committed* to the spring jacket game

I’m on a roll with new to me coffee shops - new office, different commute etc- and really enjoyed MR.WST in Madrona- this cardamom espresso tonic was one of the best coffees I’ve had in a long time and I’ll be doing my darnedest thing recreate when I get home!!!

We’ll be back in business with regularly scheduled newsletters this week- with all the commotion, the essay I’ve been working on just needed to percolate for a few more days to make sure I felt it was ready for prime time. Giving it some time to breathe was the right choice— the final of Thursday’s issue is one of my favorite things I’ve written in a long time, and I’m excited (and nervous) for it to land in your inbox.

Until then, this week’s Sunday edition is a quick snapshot of a few things on my mind:

a look into my shopping cart
the low effort high reward breakfast that has 30+ grams of protein to grab and go (and is endlessly customizable)
an ask for YOUR recommendations for a few things I’m on the hunt for now that my shopping freeze is up 🫡

Hope you and yours are doing well, and that the energy and renewal of the eclipse brings you some new perspective for the spring!!

xx,

Maggie

SNOOP MY SHOPPING CART

Y’all it’s that time of year again: the Sephora (triannual?) sale. Begrudgingly, I do my best to align any hefty skincare and beauty spend for when I can at least get a discount on it (although I love the beauty accounts that do great research to tell you when the deals are better elsewhere. Doing the lord's work). I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to makeup (mostly just eyeliner and mascara, so not many beauty recs here) and spend more time and energy on skincare and hair.

For your reference: I’ve got fairly dry, reactive skin that freckles easily and is having quite the time with hormonal acne at the moment. My hair is wavy and combination (dry ends, oily scalp) and I’m attempting to cut down on heat styling while my postpartum hair loss grows back in. I’ve broken out the below to call out things I have already used and recommend, as well as those I'm excited to try but haven’t yet.

As with any of my recommendations, please don’t feel like you need to buy a zillion things because they have been highly recommended! Take what you want, and leave the rest!

For your visibility: this post does include affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission at no cost to you if you buy something using one of these links. As always, I’ve called out which products I have bought and can wholeheartedly recommend and which are new to me.

restocking:

Sephora collection wink-it felt tip liquid waterproof eyeliner: i’m a creature of habit and have used this liquid eyeliner in espresso since 2018. I buy three a year at the semi-annual sale, and call it good.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant: I think this is my 3rd or 4th reorder? Works well to exfoliate for clear, unclogged skin without overdrying or irritating my sensitive skin.
Paula’s Choice C15 Vitamin C Super Booster: Again, my 3rd or 4th repurchase here. A morning vitamin C I mix into my lotion in the morning. It’s done great things to brighten the melasma I picked up during pregnancy!
Merit Clean Lash Lengthening Tubing Mascara: This might be my favorite mascara ever - it defines and separates, but wears forever without smudging or clumping.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration: my daily moisturizer. The giant tub lasts forever (I got my last one in September and still have about ¼ left) so grabbing a back up for when I inevitably run out in May

excited to try

Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA - have heard great things about this one for dry, rough skin and keratosis pilaris - hoping to clear up some remaining winter dryness before summer!!
The Crown Affair Refillable Dry Shampoo & Mini Hair Hydration set: I’m generally obsessed with the name and branding of The Crown Affair, but after trying a few samples this winter I became an actual superfan. I’d love to swap out all my hair care products to CA, but starting small with the dry shampoo (heard it’s one of the all time greats) and a travel set to try out some of the other products so I can make a decision where to save up for the full sizes. (other things I’m considering: the new Necessaire Rosemary line. Keeping an eye out for sample sizes to compare!)
Ceremonia Aceite de Moska Hair Oil & Scalp Massager Set- my favorite part of a hair cut is the shampoo bowl scalp massage, and I’m living my truth that I simply cannot recreate that one at home. Have been eyeing this set for months.
JVN complete hydrating air dry crème- buying the mini to trial this one out on my journey to less heat styling. I rarely air dry my hair because it’s so long. The results are unpredictable, but have heard good things about this one!
DIEUX forever eye masks- I’m a huge fan of dieux ( co founder Charlotte is so delightful and I have learned so much from her about skin science and product formulation). Love their moisturizer, and looking forward to these reusable masks as part of a nice get ready routine for office days or date nights.

things I don’t need to restock but emphatically love and recommend:

SuperGoop Unseen Sunscreen - has been my go-to since 2018. The only one for me. I restocked in November for winter travel and skiing, otherwise I’d be taking advantage of the discounts because it’s a bit spendy.
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate Moisturizing Face Oil - a super soothing, hydrating serum I use in the winter or after to much sun to soothe - it’s also excellent if you’re trying to start a retinol to manage dryness and irritation. .
YTTP Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask: shared about this one a few weeks ago but I am literally excited to finish my tub of night moisturizer so I can move on to a full size of this one. It’s excellent, no notes.
Merit Bronze Balm in Clay and Great Skin Serum- Have been using this combo since 2022 and it’s single handedly responsible for making me look presentable during little bears' myriad of sleep regressions in his first year of life. Both products last forever, and give off a breezy sunkissed glow.

Thank you for reading early bird. This post is public so feel free to share it.

*THE* ANTIDOTE TO MONDAYS:

HIGH PROTEIN COCONUT MANGO CHIA PARFAIT

I have never been a breakfast girl, but in my old age (and especially while I was breastfeeding) I have turned into a ravenously hungry monster first thing in the morning. Long gone are the days where I would consume nothing but a cup of coffee and ambition for breakfast (i know, i know, it’s terrible but it worked for me). These days I’m looking to maximize nutrients AND efficiency, and ’ve found that a chia parfait might be as close as I could ever get to perfection: with about 35G of protein per serving, plus vitamin c, a and b6 from the mango, fiber, and fat from the coconut milk, it’s a well rounded way to start the day. I too was a chia pudding skeptic, but this one made me a believer.

I’ve made a few versions of this recipe (strawberry rose, blueberry lavender coconut, chocolate and date caramel) but my all time favorite flavor combo is this coconut mango version, which tastes as close to sitting on a beach in tahiti as you can get without getting on a plane.

Prep your tropical milk: (this is where the magic happens)

Blend together 1-1.5 cups milk of choice - a lite coconut milk works great here - and 2 scoops unsweetened vanilla protein powder (I use Ritual postnatal protein, which has approx 20g protein per scoop).
Once this is blended smooth (no clumps!), add in around ¼ cup of either mango or pineapple. This is a great way to use fruit that ’s no longer pretty and is on the way out, or just use frozen.

To make the chia seed pudding, combine:

1.5 cups of your tropical milk
5+ tbsp chia seeds (I like more to make things a bit thicker)
2 tbsp flax seed
3 tbsp hemp seed

Whisk together ingredients in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate for around an hour.

To assemble the parfaits, I recommend a medium size resealable jar. Add the following ingredients in layers until the jar is full (I like more, thinner layers vs. fewer thicker ones). The above recipe should make 2-3 jars with 2-3 complete layers each (depending on the size of your jar!).

⅓ cup chia pudding
1-2tbsp coconut yougurt (i like cocojune or coconut cult)
¼ cup diced mango
2 tbsp granola

I personally find these a wonderful thing to prepare Sunday afternoon to have in the fridge during the early part of the week for a grab and go breakfast or afternoon snack.

IN SEARCH OF:

Y’all I am having a *time* and could use your help! I am in the “graduated immediate postpartum body changes and settled into a whole new body that mostly is the same but also completely different” phase and have gotten the “ick” with every single pair of jeans I own (they are all somehow too big and too small at the same time? Love this for me!!!!)

I’m in search of a straight and/or wide leg jeans (basically any wash but black) that can work for those of us with hips and thighs that don’t quit without turning into skinny jeans on my quads or being so baggy as to be unmanageable. Second hand or vintage welcome!