It’s hard to imagine that fried food could be healthy, but air frying has completely changed my perspective on what ‘frying’ can be. This healthy Air Fryer Brat recipe is a double whammy for good eating by both air frying the brats and using a a high quality bratwurst from Teton Waters Ranch.
I am working on a TaoTronics Air Fryer review and putting together a few fun healthy spins on my favorite ‘unhealthy’ recipes. With a 6-quart basket I have plenty of space to put an entire package of bratwurst and the frying basket fully detaches for easy cleaning. Air frying is technically convection cooking. The TaoTronics Air Fryer features a 1750W fan that allows air to circulate in a full 360 degrees. This ensures even cooking and gives food that perfect ‘just fried’ finish.
Whole 30 Air Fryer Brats Recipe
One of the best things about using brats from Teton Water’s Ranch is there isn’t as much of a ‘recipe’ as there is an amazing product to start with. Brats are easy to cook, and the air fryer makes it that much easier.
I first discovered Teton Waters Ranch during Whole 30. Completely free of both sugar and chemicals I love how flavorful all of their products are! My favorite thing to do currently is adding brats to a box of mac and cheese but we’ll save that recipe for another day.
For this recipe I used the Classic Bratwurst. Completely hormone, antibiotic, and MSG free I love that these brats taste amazing without even adding a dipping sauce. Its really hard to find preserved meats that you can actually understand all of the ingredients and these definitely hit the mark as a product I can trust.
This is a meal that can be on your table in minutes. Unpackage the brats and place them in the air fryer basket. Set the temp to 360 degrees for 6 minutes.
While the brats cook, slice up bell peppers and onions and sauté them with extra virgin olive oil. It should only take a few minutes for the toppings to cook in a cast iron skillet.
Plate together and serve with your favorite Whole 30 compliant dipping sauce [If you need it]. I feel like these brats are so flavorful and rich tasting that I don’t need anything else to make this meal feel complete.
Disclaimer: I received produce samples of both Teton Waters Ranch Bratwursts and the Taotronics Air Fryer to facilitate this article. I was not compensated in any other way. All photography and writing are my own.
It’s already been a hot minute since December but I’m finally through some big projects and able to catch up on some writing! If you follow me on Instagram you might of seen my snapshot of my appearance on HGTV’s Martha Knows Best last month! If not, I wanted to share the clip and a bit of the backstory.
I was contacted back in early fall about the opportunity to share a craft as an expert on a show and told that ‘I would know who the host is’. I shared a few project ideas and was asked to create a brief video tutorial that could be shared with the producers. Roughly a month later I received a call from a producer asking to set up a zoom time to record the segment. After that, I pretty much forgot about the entire thing! It wasn’t until a friend reached out on a Friday night after stumbling across the video on HGTV that I realized it had made it to air!
As much as 2020 was a bummer, it was such a good year for me and getting to share a project with someone I grew up watching do DIY projects was so amazing. Martha Stewart has always been a huge inspiration of mine and it really was an honor to get to share my work with her and have my work featured on HGTV at the same time.
I do have the full Champagne Glass Etching tutorial as one of my original blog posts back from 2015. Its so crazy to see how far this blog has come and can’t wait to see what adventures are in store for the next five years of writing.
Holiday shopping this year has been weird. Without the ability to go wander the mall and hunt for deals finding inspiration is that much more difficult.
Christmas 2020 may be ‘another’ day at home this year, but the right gifts can ensure that the holiday is still a special experience. I’ve picked a few of my favorite Men’s holiday gifts to help inspire your shopping this season.
Men’s Gifts For Lounging Around the House
Attire in 2020 has been a whole new ball game and comfort has become more important than ever. You’ve probably seen a lot of gym shorts around the house already so Christmas is the ideal time to toss out those old college shorts and upgrade to lounge ware that isn’t older than your friends children.
Pair of Thieves was founded by a group of friends driven to create a pair of socks that could go from the gym to the board room and has since expanded into an entire line of comfort and quality first classics.
Designed with breathable cotton, each item has the perfect cut to fit comfortably and fashionably no matter the day’s plan. Extra soft and fit for public consumption you guy won’t feel bad greeting the UPS driver for the third time this week in his new ‘daily look’.
Lounging around the house wouldn’t be complete without the perfect cup of coffee. Since not leaving the house takes away your regular stop at Starbuck’s a high end coffee is the ideal ticket to create a coffee house experience at home.
Horn Coffee Co. specializes in hand-roasted fair trade coffee means from around the world, giving you the coffee shop experience from your own coffee pot. From the moment you open the box your entire house will be filled with the rich scent of fresh roasted coffee beans.
Coffee is notoriously bad for the environment but Horn Coffee Co. was launched specifically to combat those bad practices with Ethical, Green and sustainable foundations. Each bag is completely recyclable allowing you to enjoy your coffee while doing a bit of good for the world at the same time.
While making choices that are right for the environment, the perfect coffee mug can help prolong that savory coffee journey. Right now most coffee shops aren’t allowing customers to bring mugs from home, but home brewing can empower you to save money while lowering the amount of trash you create each day.
The GoSili reusable Silicone Travel Mug is constructed with 100$ European grade silicon and contains a stainless steal ring to prevent it from collapsing when squeezed. Silicone is a smart and eco-friendly choice for your reusable mugs, and helps lower your personal exposure to toxic chemicals found in plastics.
Paired with the GoSili travel straw this set is the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite guy. The easy to use keychain case allows you to keep a straw with you no matter where your journey takes you. Save for sterilization the silicone straw won’t melt like a paper straw and is extremely easy to wash.
Find these Men’s Gifts
Pair of Thieves Lounge Pants | Pair of Thieves Undershirts | Horn Coffee | GoSili Travel Straw | GoSili Coffee Mug
Men’s Gifts for Date Night
Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you have to cancel date night. Holiday gifts that provide the opportunity to spend quality time together is a great way to change up the pace of your usual day to day.
Without anywhere to go the last time you had a fun craft cocktail was probably last February. Treat your guy to a mixologist set that will have him creating new beverages that rival your favorite cocktail bar.
The Complete Craft set from A Bar Above is everything you need to upgrade your bar cart. Complete with a Boston Shaker, three kinds of strainers (Hawthorn, Julep and Fine Mesh), a jigger, muddler, spoon and even cocktail picks this set will make your home bar into a work of art. The entire set is polished stainless steel, ensuring that the tools will never rust no matter how often you use them, and comes in a beautiful gift box.
After enjoying your cocktails move onto a home made charcuterie board on a custom designed slate platter from Well Told Design. What better gift than commemorating a special memory with a unique night sky permenently etched on slate.
The 11×11 serving plate is ideal for date night and has all the space you need to create an instagram perfect charcuterie board complete with cheese, meat, crackers and fruit from all your favorite stores.
Wrap up the evening with a game from Khepher Games and you’ll your Date night in will be just as much fun as enjoying a night on the town circa 2019. Khepher’s fun games will have you both in stitched before the the night is over.
Find these Men’s Gifts
A Bar Above Craft Cocktail Set | Well Told Design Custom Slate Server | Khepher Games
It seems It goes without saying that 2020 has been a long year. For the women in your life holiday gifts that inspire self-care are some of the best ways to show you know exactly how hard this year has been.
With the extremely good likelihood the Christmas will be yet another skipped family gathering, finding the fun and unique gifts that can go direct to your recipient is the perfect way to add a little joy to the season, completely stress free.
Women’s Self Care Gifts: Skincare
One of the biggest challenges of moving to a fully remote lifestyle is breaking the routines and habits that have been hard won and connected to leaving or returning to the house each day. For me, my skin care routine was definitely impacted by the change in schedule.
Now that winter is here and Colorado’s dry weather is really ravaging my hands and face, I’ve been working on starting new habits based around my new daily schedule.
For a clear complexion I love the activated charcoal products from Space Skincare. While mask wearing has helped remind me that I shouldn’t touch my face when out in public, wearing a cloth directly against my skin has it’s negative side effects.
The Activated Charcoal Mask is a safe way to detox and combat blemishes. Designed to remove blackheads and clear pores this peel off mask is the ideal addition to a new weekly routine.
For a regular exfoliating treatment I love the Activated Charcoal Scrub. Exfoliation should be done weekly and helps remove rough dry skin. Combined with a weekly mask routine I’ve loved how big a change I see in the brightness and clearness of my complexion.
On a daily basis everyone needs a good natural sunscreen. Products you wear daily need to be natural and free of chemicals which is why I love the Daily Sheet Sunscreen from Babo Botanicals. I’ve been working on lowering the number of toxic products I expose myself to regularly and its crazy all the unknown items we’ve conditioned to find in our daily skincare products. Luckily Babo has none of those and is completely natural and hypoallergenic.
Dermatologists recommend a daily sunscreen, even if the sky is overcast. In Colorado our altitude makes sunscreen a necessity and reflections from snow can burn before you even realize it.
Find these Women’s Gifts
Babo Botanicals Daily Sheer Face Lotion | Space Skincare Charcoal Mask | Space Skincare Charcoal Scrub
Women’s Self Care Gifts: Comfort
The work from home ‘uniform’ has changed what lounge clothes (and work clothes) look like. Dressing up for zoom meetings was sooooo 8 months ago. Now the key to working effectively from home is finding the best items to wear everyday that are both comfortable and stylish.
Made with 100% cashmere the Figleaves Bliss Hoodie is the ideal work from home blouse to gift this season. Slightly oversized this sweater is perfect for tossing on over a camisole and starting the day.
Knit with cashmere the soft texture is extremely comfortable and ties make adjusting the fit of the top easy. This is my new favorite sweater for chilly days and is perfect for long hours in front of the computer.
While work from home is amazing, eventually we will head back to the office. When we do, having a bag that can bring all your daily gear, and lunch into the office is going to be key. The Axis Backpack from Petunia Pickle Bottom from Better Options Co. is the perfect transition backpack that can be used today for lunches on to go, and in the office later.
As a daypack I love how easy it is to bring along everything I need for a hike or walk with large top compartment. The bottom unzips and a fully insulated bottom doubles as a lunch sack or snack system for a hike. Comfortable compartments make bringing everything you need on an adventure that much easier.
Find these Women’s Gifts
Figleaves Bliss Hoodie | Axis Backpack
Women’s Self Care Gifts: Relax
It’s no secret that 2020 has been a stressful year. Gifts that can help remind us all to relax a bit are a well appreciated sentiment. At the end of a long week (or long year) a hot bath with music is just the ticket for starting off a weekend refreshed.
In addition to a nice glass of wine, scented candles and music can elevate the bath relaxation experience. Wick and Glow Candle Company has combined candles and music for an innovative gift idea that is the perfect reminder to take more time to yourself.
Each hand poured candle uses soy wax and essential fragrance to create an aroma therapeutic experience. Each scent includes a custom matched 90’s R&B Spotify playlist, accessed with a QR code added on the backside of each candle. You truly can not beat the full experience of a bath with candles and the hits of the 90’s.
Each change is 8 oz and has a burn time of over 120 hours. My favorite scent from the Love Song scent was ‘Real Love’, full of lavender, rosemary and chamomile. The gift set includes three unique scents, each ideal for lighting up depending on different moods of times of the day.
After a bath a luxurious towel is a must have for wrapping up in warmth. Towels are an overlooked gift item but a nice gift set is the perfect holiday gift. Bamboo Bath Towels from Cariloha are an amazing gift any woman in your life would love.
A bamboo blend, each towel is packed with softness that holds up to multiple washings. Bamboo is naturally odor resistant, making these towels a quick favorite even if you have a habit of forgetting to change over the laundry.
Find these Women’s Gifts
Wick and Glow Love Song Gift Set | Cariloha Bamboo Bath Set
Women’s Self Care Gifts: Stay at Home
The theme for 2020 is stay at home, but home doesn’t mean not having fun. Being at home more has translated to more home projects, more togetherness and more reason to update things you use everyday.
Decorating and sharing memories is a great way to be at home, while enjoying the time’s you’ve been able to travel. One fun way to marry both past travels and home decor is with a custom frame from Dune Jewelry & Co.
Dune showcases sand or natural elements from your favorite vacation spots along side a 3×3 photo of your choice. I picked sand from the Galway Bay in Ireland to add a touch of our first trip to Europe to my décor.
I’ve always been a huge fan of mason jars but if you tried to pick some up this fall you know that 2020 has truly been the season of the jar! I use Mason Jars for storing food, drinking glasses, vases and keeping dry goods in my cupboard.
When I first learned about Mason-Re I was excited to give them a try. Mason-Re makes silicone koozies for all your favorite jars, allowing you to protect the glass or even keep hot and cold beverages the appropriate temperature.
Each koozie fits perfectly on a wide mouth jar and comes in a variety of colors, allowing you to customize a set for the whole family. Each silicone koozie is BPA free and completely dishwasher safe making it easy to work them into daily use as your favorite new drinking glass.
One of the upsides of being at home more is getting to spend a ton of quality time with the dogs. One of the downsides of being at home with the dogs is they can be rambunctious at the most inopportune times. We’ve always used a basic dog gate to keep pups from being able to freely wander the house, but that gate wasn’t well constructed or a matching part of our decor.
When I’m working I try to keep the dogs out of my office because they like to “talk” during meeting and while Drew is sleeping I try to keep them from waking him while he prepares for an overnight shift. A good gate has helped us keep this separation, while maintaining fun décor.
Stair Barrier from Better Options Co. is the ideal way to keep the areas of our home separate. Easy to install the barrier attaches to the wall on one side and the banister on the other. We can roll it up out of sight when not in use or clip firmly closed when we need the keep the dogs out of certain areas of the house.
Find these Women’s Gifts
Dune Jewelry Square Picture Frame | Mason-Re Gift Set | Stair Barrier from Better Options Co.
Interested in other holiday shopping inspiration? Check out the Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide.
Disclaimer: I received product samples to inspire the creation of this guide. No additional compensation was provided and all reviews and thoughts are my own. Affiliate links are used throughout this article. Purchasing through the use of an affiliate is of no cost to the end buyer and helps support the production of this blog.
Welcome to My Bliss
