Giveaway with Good Karma Foods' Drinkable Yogurts and Flaxmilk!

Happy March everyone! This year is flying by so quick, can you believe it?!

Two months into 2017 and I have to confess something... I didn't stick to my New Year's resolutions. Not even one bit.  :(  With my new business (yay!) and moving the last of my sites to Wordpress (double yay!), I am so pressed for time lately. Hmmm... is it time for a vacation yet? :P

Luckily, I just discovered the delicious Dairy Free Drinkable Yogurts from Good Karma Foods and it's helping to get me back on track! When I am drowning in work, the last thing I am thinking about is prepping breakfast and having to clean up afterwards. So thank goodness that these came my way, and I am so excited to be sharing some goodies with you today...

a giveaway and a coupon to try it for yourself!!!

(but more on that later)

First of all, let me explain another reason why I love the Dairy Free Drinkable Yogurts. Yes, they are convenient and yes they are delicious, but I love that they are dairy free! Some years ago during grad school, I was uber-busy and I would drink another brand of drinkable yogurt for breakfast. I loved it at first, but found that after a while it didn't sit well in my stomach. I am not typically allergic to lactose, but apparently drinking it in large amounts for breakfast every day started to affect me for some reason. So sadly, I thought I wouldn't be able to make it a normal part of my morning... until Good Karma's Drinkable Yogurts came along!

Not only are the yogurts (and their delicious Flaxmilks) dairy free, they are soy free, gluten free, nut free, and vegan too! Yay for basically everyone on the planet being able to enjoy these! :P

As for the nutrition, there are so many benefits I could list out, but I'll hit the biggies for you. Per serving you get:

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Gift Guide: For Him!

This holiday season is flying by so quickly, that I cannot believe we are just two weeks away from 2017! Before that, I put together yet another Gift Guide of presents for all the men in your life, which I updated from last year's, with some help of course.  :)  You will find plenty of fun things to add to your shopping list, and afterwards make sure to take a peek at this year's Gift Guide for Her to inspire your own wishlist!

Happy browsing!

Look and Feel Fresh

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Gift Guide: For Her!

Can you believe it's already nearly November, which means the holiday season is in full swing!  Last year, my Gift Guides were so popular that I decided to do them all over again!  I wanted to be able to include a "Gift Guide for Her" this year, even though I basically had four gift guides revolving around a girl like me: a Travel Bug, Crafty Gal, Tech Geek, and Home Chef!

Well, this guide is chock full of pretty and practical items for you or the girl in your life.  I included gorgeous items to wear, self-care items that smell heavenly, and adorable things for around the house that I have had my eye on.  Enjoy looking through the guide, and I hope you find something to add to your list!

To Wear

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Berry Frozen Yogurt Cake

Happy Sunday!  It's that time of year where the days still feel as hot as the summer months, but it gets busier and busier with school, work, and family.  The last thing I want to do is get stuck in a hot kitchen baking a cake for dessert, so I came up with this deliciously easy Berry Frozen Yogurt Cake!

In about five minutes, with no special equipment or fancy techniques, you can throw this dessert in the freezer lickety-split.  However, the final product looks like it took a lot of time and effort, even though it is super easy.  :)  The cake is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but so pretty that you could serve it to party guests.

It is light and refreshing, like an ice cream cake, but made with tangy frozen yogurt instead!  So it is sweet, but not too sweet, especially with the addition of tart raspberries.  The blueberries are my personal favorite, but you could add blackberries or boysenberries instead.  Add to that a crust made with crushed ice cream cones, and you have a pretty dessert that is both colorful and delicious.

The bonus is that these are ingredients you can keep on hand all year round in the freezer and pantry.  Yes, only 5 simple ingredients, and you have a lovely dessert!  Just two flavors of my favorite protein-packed yogurt, ProYo, two kinds of berries, ice cream cones, and that's it!  By the way, you could use fresh berries, but I used frozen ones since I already had them on hand.

Basically, this is a dessert that requires no prep, a handful of ingredients, looks gorgeous, and can be made from ingredients available in your freezer or pantry year-round.  You're welcome!  :)

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of ProYo.  All opinions are mine alone.

Berry Frozen Yogurt Cake
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Tip: 5 Easy Ways to Maintain a Healthy Meal Plan During the Week

This year, I am getting a lot of things back on track including my meal plan!  As you know, I have a food blog that keeps me busy with events out and about almost every day.  Recently, I decided to scale back because I want to take care of myself better, and eat better too!  That means a lot more eating at home and making sure that I have a well-thought out plan.

Today, I have five simple tips that will help you keep your meal plan on track, even if you are a busy bee like me!

Five Easy Ways to Maintain a Healthy Meal Plan During the Week

1.  Meal Plan!

A plan isn't a plan until you write it down.  Scout out recipes that you want to eat during the week that fit into your goals.  Plan out every breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack for the week.  Then, go ahead and write down all the ingredients you need, so you are fully stocked up at home with everything you need!  A bonus is that you will not be tempted to overbuy or pick up something extra, if you stick to your list.

2. Schedule "Off" Days

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Roasted Tomato & Pesto Toast

Today's second recipe is a hearty toast with roasted tomatoes and pesto that I make for a quick lunch or snack.  From start to finish, it takes less than 10 minutes, and you have something warm, satisfying, and fresh.  Actually, I think it looks pretty gourmet if you ask me, so you can even make it for a party appetizer as well!

Also, you may have come over from my California Fresh Avocado Toast recipe that I eat for breakfast.  Basically, every meal can be made on toast, don't you think?  ;)

Once again, I used one of my favorite San Luis Sourdough® Bread varieties because it is perfect to top with all the different ingredients and still hold up!  Their Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread has the perfect flavor to go with all the pesto, tomatoes, and delicious seasonings!

Now are we ready for the recipe?  Scroll down for more!

Roasted Tomato & Pesto Toast
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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California Fresh Avocado Toast

I love being in California where so many food trends get their start before making a splash on the rest of the world!  Just to name a few, there are the gourmet food trucks, juicing, and (my current favorite) avocado toast.  :)  Today for you, I decided to put together one of my fave easy, fresh, and tasty dishes.  It is totally a copycat from a popular local deli here, so now all of you out there can enjoy it!

This California Fresh Avocado Toast is super simple and delicious for either breakfast or snack, and I think it is pretty gorgeous if you ask me!  It's so simple, it takes about 15 seconds with TV magic...  See the video here or below!  :)

Speaking of California, I used one of theSan Luis Sourdough® Bread varieties because they have been a California favorite since 1983.  Totally delish!  In particular, I used the Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread to build my creation on, because it is hearty and the texture is absolutely perfect to withstand all the avocado-y goodness.

Are you ready to get the recipe?  Let's go!

California Fresh Avocado Toast
A Vintage Zest original recipe

Ingredients

• 2 slices of San Luis Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread
• 1 avocado
• 5 - 6 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 Tbsp. crumbled goat cheese
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. Watercress or arugula
• Drizzle, balsamic vinegar

Directions

1.  Toast bread to desired toastiness!

2.  Top each slice with an avocado half and smash with a fork.

3.  Top with grape tomatoes, then goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and a few leaves of watercress.

4.  Finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

And that's it!  Like I said, it is really simple and the results are beautiful!  I even whipped up a second toast more hearty toast with roasted tomatoes and pesto at the same time (get that recipe here), and the whole thing took me less than 10 minutes.

In fact, take a look at how quick everything comes together with this mini video I put together.  :)  Easy peasy, right?

Just remember to pick up the Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread for that authentic sourdough flavor, and crisp, bubbly crust.  I love the Sheepherder's Bread as well, which is much softer and absolutely delicious for so many other recipes!  Recently, a number of San Luis Sourdough Bread varieties were officially Non-GMO Project Verified*, so you know that you are getting the best quality product out there.  :)

I absolutely love this recipe and I hope you do too.  Let me know what you think!

Happy toasting!

*What does it mean to be Non-GMO Project Verified? 

The Non-GMO Project offers North America’s only independent verification for products made according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance. For more information, visit  the Non-GMO Project website: http://www.nongmoproject.org/

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by San Luis Sourdough. All opinions are mine alone.

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Homemade Kale Chips

Grilled Tilapia with Spicy Mango Pineapple Salsa

Favorite Breakfast #5: Easy Green Smoothie!

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Motivational Printables & Phone Wallpapers!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #V8LlenodeSabor #CollectiveBias 

Can you believe how fast 2016 is going by?!  This is about the time of year that a lot of people end up bailing on their resolutions... but I say let's get motivated instead!  Today, I put together a set of three printables plus phone wallpapers for you, which help keep me on track with my goals.

These are positive messages that work for just about anyone, but personally I am working on choosing healthier options and taking care of myself.  Before I get to the fun freebies, I have a few tips that are helping me to set my sights on my goals and achieve them ASAP!

At first, I wanted to just make some free printables that you could hang on your wall for inspiration, as you can see below.  They are pretty cute, but not too cute for the man in your life.  :)

Then, I had a lightbulb moment to turn my images into phone wallpapers as you can see above!

I use my phone wallpaper as a reminder to choose those healthy options.  The best part is that I get the motivational messages on the go, especially when I am faced with food decisions.  In fact, when I was at Walmart the other day, shopping for some road trip snacks, I pulled out my phone to make sure that I skipped the bad stuff and instead bought my favorite healthy items!  V8 V-Fusion®, I'm looking at you!

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Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sliders

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

As you may have noticed, it's been pretty quiet around here because... I am moving to Wordpress!  Behind the scenes, I have been doing the usual cooking, crafting, traveling, and eating, plus lots of updating, rewriting, photo editing, and everything else to get the blog over there ASAP.

What that means is that I am super short on time when it comes to just about everything.  So when my mom asked me to whip up a recipe that my dad could use for his game day crowd, I had to think of something that was quick, easy, and still delicious.  Introducing my Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sliders!

First of all, let me tell you have easy these are to make.  There are seven ingredients total, most of which you can keep on hand in case of a last minute shindig.  There is no measuring whatsoever, so you basically can't "mess up" the recipe, and there's less clean-up with zero dirty spoons and cups!

Not to mention that this takes all of maybe 10 minutes to make, 30 if you do it "from scratch."  Like I said, easy peasy!

You might be thinking that if there are only a few ingredients, it is lacking flavor.  Not at all!  I use one of my favorite secret ingredients, La Morena's Chipotle Sauce, to pump up the volume, and it tastes as if I have been slow cooking the chicken for forever.  Add a few other ingredients and the sliders are ready for the partay!

P.S. - If you want to make these with beef or pork, it would be just as delicious.  Also, if you prefer to make these full sized sandwiches, that would be great too!

By the way, how did the crowd like it?  Well, we were practically feeding an army... my dad's soccer team!  Yes, he still plays on a team with a bunch of other "men of a certain age" who are sports fanatics.  When they got to my parent's house, they were hungry and ready for the football games on TV, so we had an antsy crowd on our hands.

I made sure to make my recipe extra spicy with the addition of some La Morena Sliced Jalapeños for my Latino tíos (uncles) on the team.  Otherwise, I know they would be asking for more sabor (flavor)!

But everyone loved the sliders so it was mission accomplished!  I'm sure your football party guests will be happy to eat these too.  :)

Before we get to the recipe, here are a couple of tips to make this super quick.  You can keep most of the ingredients on hand in the pantry, so I always make sure to buy double when I'm at Northgate Market.

To make it even simpler, you can buy a precooked chicken for super easy shredding which will shave off even more time.  Smart!

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sliders
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Hostess Survival Kit for Party Disasters!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Albertsons. All opinions are mine alone. #AwardWithSavings #Albertsons #CollectiveBias

Now that the holidays are over, it's time for a new season... awards season!  Being in Southern California, I personally know a ton of people who work in "the biz" and that means we are REALLY into our viewing parties.  Since I'm known as the girl who is always prepared, I decided to put together a quick tutorial for my Hostess Survival Kit!  Put one together for yourself or for your favorite hostess to keep those party disasters from ruining your swanky soiree.

Let's get to it!

Personally, I headed to Albertsons since it's a one-stop shop for all my party supplies, plus all of the food that I'll be whipping up as well!  Here's a peek into my shopping down each aisle.  :)

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Minions Whoopie Pies

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MinionsAtTarget #CollectiveBias

Recently, we had a good old-fashioned movie night at home with Minions, and I baked up some adorable whoopie pies to go along with it!  This recipe is kid-friendly, so everyone can enjoy baking and decorating them.  :)

The cookies in the whoopie pie are a luscious lemon flavor, with bits of lemon zest throughout.  The filling is a light and airy blueberry and lemon zest whipped cream cheese frosting.  You know that cream cheese frosting is my favorite kind, so I had to include it!  I used blue food coloring in the filling because I thought it would look like their little pants.  Right?  :)

Lastly, I think the Minions Whoopie Pies look adorable!  It's so much fun decorating them by choosing one or two eyeballs, deciding on if they'll smile or look shocked, and designing their goggle straps as well.  :)

Are you ready to take a bite now?

But first, back to the inspiration for this sweet dessert...

I must admit that I'm one of those adults who loves cartoons and sometimes borrows nieces and nephews just to have a reason to see the movie in theaters.  Actually, I was bummed that after seeing both Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 with the little ones, I missed out on Minions in theaters.  That's why when the movie came out on 12/8/15 on DVD, I rushed to Target to buy it!  I bought the Target-Exclusive Deluxe Minions Metalpak Blu-ray/DVD, which has 40 minutes of extra content.  The DVD case was just too cute not to buy!  There was also an exclusive $5 Target gift card deal upon purchase, so it was a total no-brainer.  :)  Besides, I was able to pick up all of the ingredients from my shopping list.  Easy peasy!

Now, let's get to the recipe!

Minions Whoopie Pies
Adapted from this recipe

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5 Useful Tips for Off-Season Storage

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ZiplocSavesSpace #CollectiveBias 

Recently, I was at my parent's house when I noticed a sneaky pile of cushions and blankets in the corner of the living room.  Being a neat freak, I immediately noticed it, even though my mom had scooted a bookshelf over to try and hide it.  :)  You have to understand that I am such an organization aficionado, that as a kid I would organize the kitchen, garage, closets, and every other room in the house for fun.  Basically, she's used to me poking around in her closets!

So when I asked my mom about what was going on, she told me that the storage closet was already full!  When the holidays come around, my family loooves hanging out here because there are three couches, plus lots of comfy pillows and blankets.  That means she has a stash of guest blankets that only need to come out for the big holiday parties.  Also, this summer she bought new cushions for her patio chairs.  Now that winter is rolling around, she decided to store them inside to avoid weathering

Well that explains it!

I suggested that we maximize the space in her closet by using Ziploc® Space Bags®, which create three times the storage space.  Get this... my mom has never used them before!  Immediately, I decided that I needed to share a few useful tips on how to use Ziploc® Space Bags® with both her and all of you.  After I show you how well they worked for my mom, then I'll share those helpful hints.  First stop, Lowe's!  You can find the Ziploc® Space Bags® in the Home Organization section, in the Storage aisle.  Easy peasy!

So here are the items that I started off with in the Ziploc® Space Bags®.  I stuffed them in there a bit, so I thought they were already compressed.

Nuh uh!  I always feel like it's magic when I see HOW MUCH space is saved!  I mean, on the box it says it compresses up to 3 times the space compared to uncompressed storage volume.  I believe it!!!

Now, are you ready for the tips?  Let's get started!

Tip #1: Utilize Your Sizes

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Gift Guide: for Home Chefs

Welcome to my tenth gift guide of the season, for all of the home chefs and kitchen dabblers out there!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other nine gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, Everyone, the Home, Tech Geeks, Crafty Gals, and The Edible Gift Guide!)

The room where most probably spend the most time in could arguably be the kitchen, because who doesn't love eating and making delicious treats?  Then, why not outfit your favorite room with some awesome appliances, pretty serving pieces, and a complete library of cookbooks!  Hopefully you can find something new to add to your shopping list.  :)

Let's get to the guide!

Cooking Appliances & Tools

• 8 inch Chef Knife Crimson Series High Carbon German Steel With G10 Ergonomic Handle, $65.95 :  I personally use this knife for all kinds of chopping.  The ergonomic handle is both functional and pretty!
• Tagine, $99.96 :  I bought this tagine a few years ago, and it serves as an elegant serving dish as well!
• Automatic Stirrer, $59.95 :  You mean you don't have to spend all your time by the stove stirring and stirring?  It's SUCH a lifesaver for people like me who sometimes forget to keep an eye on all the burners.  :)
• Adjustable Pastry wheel, $21.95 :  Not only is this pastry wheel a useful tool, it's adjustable with interchangeable discs!
• Kitchen scale, $12.14 :  Every home cook needs a kitchen scale.  :)
• Kitchen Torch, $27.99 :  Use this to make my easy S'mores Mini Donuts!
• Draining sieve, $29.95 :  This tool is so useful for draining quickly, without having to take out (and wash) a colander.
• Salt & Pepper shakers, $27.97 :  You can adjust the coarseness of your salt and pepper with these grinders.
• Butter warmer, $9.99 :  Need that butter warmed through?  These may help.  :)
• Measuring cups, $24.90 :  I love the cheekiness of these measuring cups from 1/4 cup of kisses to 1 cup of love!  :)
• Food Mill, $49.95 :  Food mills are such a helpful kitchen tool, streamlining so many of my kitchen jobs!
• 5-in-1 Grill, $74.99 :  This grill also functions as a waffle maker, griddler, and panini press.  It's definitely on my wishlist!  :)

Ingredients & Serving Pieces

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Felt Flanerie feature + GIVEAWAY and promo!

Welcome to another Shop Small Saturday Showcase!  This week, I am featuring one of my favorite new shops: Felt Flanerie!  I met Amanda at a recent craft show and I was totally enamored with her pretty items, and I'm so happy she's being featured today.  In fact, I have already featured her in my Gift Guide for Kids!

There are so many items different items in her shop, from pretty floral arrangements to scary and cute zombies and even groovy ornaments... and they're all made out of felt!  The creations are ridiculously cute, and you even have the chance to win one.  :)

Amanda will be giving away a set of peat pot flower arrangements, which are great for gifts, displaying on a bookshelf, or adding a pop of color on your desk, without having to worry about watering it every day.  So make sure to stay tuned until the end of the post for that, as well as a promo code that will save you 10% off her entire shop.

Now, let's find out more about Felt Flanerie!

********************

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

My grandma taught me to sew when I was ten, maybe even younger, but I remember ten, haha!  After that it was a whirlwind of bobbins, needles and threads.  Any chance I had to use the skills, I did, always trying to make my own halloween costumes or set pieces for school plays and projects. I got into sewing plushies when I needed some gifts for my four siblings one very broke holiday season and then I was hooked. I haven’t really looked back since. I love it too much to stop.


Where did the name of your store come from?

“Flanerie” is one of my favorite words in the vocabulary that I know and my favorite material to work with is felt. I guess it just felt right when they came together and it stuck. Ultimately it made me smile when I said it and I think that how I knew it’d work. Can’t argue with a smile. :)

Why did you start making goods for Felt Flanerie?

I got into sewing plushies when I needed some gifts for my four siblings one very broke holiday season. When I saw my two year old sister open the gift, it was hard to ignore just how much it made her smile, whether she really knew what it was or not.


What is your favorite item?

Favorite item right now is Mr. Mint.  He's a one of a kind XL plushie and he’s made with different shades of minty green hues, mint being one of my favorite colors. His shape is a cuddle conductor, his size is conducive to those seeking unscripted play and imaginative fun, and his minty shades are minty fresh. ;) He can work as a decorative throw in your living room or even as a child’s plush play toy.

What is your most popular item?

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Stress-Free Holiday Gifting with Fragrance Gift Sets

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiftingAMemory #CollectiveBias 

This year, I feel like the holidays have been impossibly busy, and I am doing my best to make sure that everything is as stress-free as possible.  One thing that I plan to do is make my holiday shopping list as streamlined as possible but still make sure I give thoughtful presents too!  One way I'm doing this is with COTY Holiday Gift Sets, because there are so many options to fit everyone from my niece, to my boyfriend, and everyone in between!


In particular for my boyfriend, I knew that I was going to get him a fragrance right away for the holidays.  For one thing, he's a guy who likes to "suit up."  He can kick back with the best of them, but when he's in professional mode, he has his whole set-up on lock-down: tailored suit, pocket square, and a manly fragrance.  It's pretty dashing if you ask me.  :)

In fact, his scent is one of the first things I remember for our first date.  We had texted, talked on the phone for hours, and I had met up with his friends and him, but we hadn't spent any time alone together yet.  Maybe it's crazy, but we decided to go to a beer festival TWO HOURS away from where I lived.  When he picked me up, I remember stepping into his car, and it had the scent that I now associate with him, in the good way for sure.  :)  It was easily the longest first date I've ever been on, which turned out to be a very good thing!

Yes, I removed the sticker before giving it to him.  :)

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The Edible Gift Guide!

Welcome to my ninth gift guide of the season, and it's chock full of delicious, edible presents!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other eight gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, Everyone, the Home, Tech Geeks, and Crafty Gals!)

Since I am a huge foodie, one of my favorite kinds of gifts to receive for the holidays is food!  I did dedicate a whole other blog to places that I eat...  A lot of my picks are of the sweet variety, but I do have a wide variety of edibles on my list.  I included a few favorite shops from Shop Small Saturday and a few other items that you'll want to add to your shopping list!

Let's get to the guide!

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Take a Holiday Break with Dunkin' Donuts!

Disclosure: Sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts. All opinions are mine alone.

This weekend, I was on a shopping mission with my grocery list in hand, my map app with a preloaded route with all the stops to be made, and my boyfriend to carry a growing list of bags.  We started pretty early on Sunday with errands, gift shopping at a bunch of different stores, and the regular grocery trip.  Seriously, I crossed off SOOO many things off of my to do list for the holidays.  Tiring, but so rewarding!

Near the end of our journey, we both needed a little break.  For a quick pick me up, we ended up at Dunkin' Donuts before braving the last bit of our errands.  We arrived just in time for their National Afternoon Latte and Macchiato Break promotion.  At first, I was going to get a small iced Latte, but when I found out that it was only $1.99 for the medium size, I totally upgraded!

Here are the deets: every day from 2 PM to 6 PM from November 30th through December 27th, medium hot or iced Lattes or Macchiatos are only $1.99 at all Dunkin' Donuts locations nationwide.  Basically, it's a great deal that you can enjoy every day through Christmas, when you need a holiday break the most!

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