I probably eat Paleo about 85-90% of the time, and lately I've added rice and potatoes to my diet (partly because I've been working out a lot harder but also because I love carbs--who doesn't?).

If you've ever been to a Chipotle then you probably know how amazing their rice is. It's citrus-y and savory all at the same time and it pops with the amazing freshness of cilantro--I just love it so much. I used to make a copycat recipe seven or eight years ago but I haven't made it in a while, so when I had all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry the other day, I had to make a big pot of it.

It's seriously delicious, either topped with meat or just on its own, and the next day I actually added chopped cucumber, julienned carrots, and some avocado to make a gorgeous veggie rice bowl for lunch.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/3 cup white rice
• 2 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• A generous pile of fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
• The juice of 1-2 limes, plus more for garnish

Instructions: 

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir around, toasting the grains for about two minutes. Add the lime juice and stir.
2. Pour the water in and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the water. Fluff it with a fork and add the cilantro.
4. Serve warm and garnish with extra cilantro and some fresh lime wedges.

The other day on Instagram, I got a request to share my hair care routine and products, and I loved the idea, so here we go! 

My hair is naturally very straight but it's also super thick, which I guess is a pretty good combination. I rarely wear it straight because I just don't like the way it looks on me--at the least I'll separate my hair into four sections and curl them quickly to give it a little bit of volume. At the most, I'll pin it all up and curl it in smaller sections, which lasts longer and looks a lot better. If you guys are interested, I can share a post (or video!) that shows exactly how I style my hair--just let me know!

I've been slowly going a little lighter with my color so I try really hard to take good care of it, since lifting color can really do a number on your ends. Here's a breakdown of my washing/styling routine and the products I use:

• I only wash my hair once a week, and when I do I use this shampoo and this conditioner. Once I'm out of the shower, I use this leave-in treatment from Redken and comb it through.
• If possible (and because it's so straight), I like to let my hair air dry. I style it with a curling iron a lot so I always feel like this is my way of giving it a break. I'll wash it a few hours before bed (if I go to bed with wet hair it looks crazy in the morning) or in the morning if I don't have anywhere to be for a few hours. I do always blow-dry my bangs right away, though.
• If I do blow-dry, I like to use a tiny drop of this serum to smooth it out and speed up the dry time.
• I use a 1 1/4 inch curling iron by Hot Tools to style. I've had it forever and probably need a new one soon! I like the big curls but sometimes when I'm in Roanoke I use my mom's and it's a little smaller and I think I may like the way my hair looks with that one a bit better.
• I've tried tons of different dry shampoos and I think my favorite one is this one by Dove. I had one by Redken but I didn't love it and it was a lot more expensive, so I generally stick to drug store brands as I continue to experiment and find the ones I love the most. If I run out then I'll just use good old regular baby powder--it works best if you use quite a bit before bed and then brush it out in the morning.
• I like this hair spray by Tresseme a lot, even though I should probably be using something a little bit nicer on my hair.
• This is my favorite deep conditioner. It makes your hair so soft and it smells amazing. I've been using it for years. I think you can use it once a week but since I only wash my hair once a week, I usually deep condition once a month.
• I very rarely brush my hair (I think that might be weird), but when I do I use this bristle brush that I'm pretty sure I bought at Target.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click and/or buy something I'll make money. I only post things I use and love myself, and I value authenticity and your trust as a reader over any commissions I could possibly ever earn. Thanks for your support!

PS If you're in the mood to shop, everything on ShopBop's site is 25% off until Thursday with the code INTHEFAM. I've got my eye on some tank tops and white jeans for spring and summer! You can check out a few more of my favorites below. And if you have any other requests for blog posts, please let me know! I love to hear them and would love to share content that you've specifically asked for!

What a weekend! This trip to Seattle has been everything I dreamed it might be, and for that I am so incredibly grateful. I feel like this event has been in the works forever but in reality it's just been a few months, and it's kind of surreal that it's over already.

I got in on Thursday and Kristan picked me up from the airport and we ran to IKEA to grab a few things before having the dreamiest lunch on a tiny little patio at Oddfellows (the weather has been amazing here these past few days and I'm so glad we were able to catch some of that elusive Seattle sunshine). That night I was able to meet up with my sweet friend Elena, who I never get to see--we had an amazing dinner at DERUmarket, where the slices of cake are as big as your head.

Annie was getting in the next afternoon so Kristan and I headed to the studio we had rented and set up until she landed. We showed her the space and hit Pike Place for lunch and coffee before a marathon grocery shopping session.

On Saturday we were up early and back at the studio chopping and cooking away until our guests arrived. We sliced leeks and chilled wine and deboned fish before arranging flowers and assembling the most beautiful charcuterie board of all time. (I seriously can't wait to show you guys all the photos we got later this month.) Our guests were lovely and gracious and I had so much fun.

Sunday was super relaxing and we slept in a bit before heading out for brunch and a few Seattle explorations. We walked through a farmers market and had a Bloody Mary on the water and ended up at Din Tai Fung for dinner, which I've heard crazy good things about. (It lived up to the hype. Soup dumplings forever.)

The whole trip was wonderful and Saturday was such an amazing day--we put in a good 12 hours of work to pull it off and I found myself tearing up multiple times throughout the afternoon. It was so amazing to see all of our dreaming and planning become a reality, and everyone had such a great time. I've always loved cooking and entertaining but there was something so foreign about feeding a room full of strangers, and yet it came so naturally to us that I guess food and wine really are the greatest connectors in the world after all.

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I hope you all had lovely weekends, as well. I'm flying home this afternoon and can't wait to get back to my sweet husband and pup, and then it's back to regular life again! Feeling really super thankful this Monday.