April 21, 2022

Sweet Hazel & Co | SLC Bakery Reviews

Have you tried VEGAN chocolate before? 

Vegan chocolate is any chocolate that is made without ingredients that come from animals.

This girl had never tried vegan desserts before finding Sweet Hazel so I went in not knowing what to expect...

The bakery owner was so friendly and helped me chose. OMG! this will not be my last time at Sweet Hazel. Everything I have tried so far is delicious and if she didn't tell me they were vegan I would not believe her. I can't wait to come back and try the other sweets. The flavors are very robust in every bite. The peanut butter chocolate bar one was 10/10. 


They have a variety of chocolate bars to choose from that resemble the non-vegan ones (such as butterfinger, almond joy, snickers and so on). The size is huge for the price per bar and you can tell how good the quality of each ingredient is. Everything is listed so you exactly what to expect.  The list is usually five ingredients or less!


Sweet Hazel also offers vegan cakes, caramel, tarts and other delicious vegan desserts. 

If you are in Murray, UT go check them out! 

SWEET HAZEL & CO: 167 W 4500 S, Murray, UT 84107

Review: 5/5


Xo,

Karina 

April 5, 2022

Gourmandise Bakery | SLC Restaurant reviews

Avocado toast (gourmandise bakery)

Gourmandise is our go-to restaurant here in SLC for desserts and yummy breakfast! 

Rating: 5/5 

We always have a great experience and I have never had a bad pastry (trust me, we’ve tried lots of them). My avocado toast and chips are always delicious and the tiramisu is to die for. The cannoli, tarts, and coffee drinks are all delicious. Lastly, the Oatmeal is so delicitous and super filling! 



The staff is always so friendly and knowledgeable. The restaurant itself makes you feel like you're out of town.  Its really cute and clean. Next time you’re in SLC stop by and try them out! 


They have two locations! One in downtown SLC 250 S 300 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 and one in Draper 725 E 12300 S, Draper, UT 84020

#slceats

March 1, 2022

My Postpartum Depression Story | How to feel like yourself again

My Postpartum Depression Story | How to feel like yourself again

It's no secret that postpartum depression plays mind tricks with you and makes you feel like a stranger in your own body. With my third baby I didn't experience PPD until almost a year later. It honestly took me a while to realize that's what was going on. 

What are the most common Postpartum Depression symptoms? According to the Mayo Clinic here they are: 

Mood: anger, anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, or panic attack
Behavioral: crying, irritability, or restlessness
Whole body: fatigue or loss of appetite
Weight: weight gain or weight loss
Cognitive: lack of concentration or unwanted thoughts
Psychological: depression or fear
Also common: insomnia or repeatedly going over thoughts

After scheduling an appointment with my OBGYNs office this mama had so many thoughts: Am I going crazy? Is this really PPD? My baby is almost 13 months? What's going on? My life is amazing and I have the most supportive husband but why do these thoughts keep me up at night?


After waiting for what it seemed to be like the longest week of my life (so dramatic I know) my appointment day was finally here!

Now, I distinctly remember that as soon as my OBGYN walked into my room I started bawling my eyes out like a baby... Right there and then she diagnosed me with postpartum depression and anxiety. All of my symptoms were suddenly making sense to me. 

You see for my two previous pregnancies I was never officially diagnosed because one: the situation I was in was different and honestly thought it was just regular depression because of the events happening in my life/relationship at the time and two: because no one really talked about it back then and there was this stigma surrounding this topic. It really was an embarrassment to me. (Crazy I know)

What my OBGYN told me at that appointment instantly changed the way I felt ( and of course the medicine she prescribed me did too) I figured I would share it with other moms that might be going through this too! 


1. You need to spend time by yourself doing things that you truly enjoy ( go for a walk, learn a new hobby, try a new recipe, read a book, go thrifting, start a journal) really anything to keep your mind busy.

2. Ask for help! This has always been a hard one for me because I would rather do something twice and fail before I ask for help. I promise you that your loved ones want to help you but they just don't it. 

3. THERAPY! I can't express this enough! Go to therapy! It's good to talk to someone that's on the outside. You'll feel so much better. 

4. Aim for atleast 8/9 hours of sleep. You will wake up feeling well rested and ready to take on the day. ( I suggest getting off your phone once you lay in bed and maybe just listen to some calming music) 

5. After you have worked on all of the above you can start to focus on your physical health and nutrition. Try to eat a healthy meal at least once a day and drink plenty of water. You can also start working out from your own home or go to your local gym. 

When I started focusing on those things above (on top of taking my medicine daily) my mood instantly changed! 

You can check out Betterhelp.com and postpartum.net for expert help. 

Xo,
Karina