Happy weekend to you! Celebrating all of the fathers and father figures while also thinking of folks that struggle on this day with lots of compassion and love.

I went to our local farmers market for the first time of the year this week and it made me so happy to see the fresh veg and just loads of strawberries. Seasonal abundance is here! What a gift. I think I’m going to make strawberry danishes or something similar this weekend. Will share that on Instagram if it’s a success 😉

Aside from the danishes and seeing my dad, we (of course) have some yard work to do. Our new fence is done, but there’s a bit of cleanup and reconfiguring to do now. The fence installers also found a yellow jacket nest in a tree stump, so that’s an extra fun thing that we’ll have to scheme around. My parents and I planted a hedge of dappled willows last year and some of them aren’t taking well, so I’m going to do some pruning and I’ll try to establish some new ones with clippings. I’ve got a dogwood to transplant as well–the red branches are so lovely to decorate with come holiday time!

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. I’m a Dietitian Who Got Burned Out by Cooking. Here’s How I Learned to Love It Again
2. Sweeten Your Springtime With Japan’s Fruit Sandwiches
3. What Are Doom Boxes (And Why Do So Many Of Us Have Them?)
4. Electricity prices in Finland flipped negative — a huge oversupply of clean, hydroelectric power meant suppliers were almost giving it away
5. The Instant Pot Failed Because It Was a Good Product

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. A sweet bee friend
2. The stunning floral photography of Katrin Engler
3. A quiet place on the internet
4. The most effective natural deodorant I’ve ever used
5. I absolutely need to make this mango lime sorbet

5 Questions:

1. What stevia brands do you recommend for adding to hot or cold drinks, and is there a different one you like for cooking and baking?
   Okay so a number of years ago, I thought I’d give up all sugar and started using stevia drops in my coffee. Even though I’m more relaxed about sugar these days (while also fully recognizing that a lot of folks live with conditions that don’t allow them to be as relaxed), I still use stevia drops in my coffee! I guess I’m just used to it. I use SweetLeaf brand’s Vanilla Sweet Drops. My partner prefers the caramel flavour. With baking, I make sweet treats so rarely that I’m fine to use regular cane sugar for our own use. If I’m baking treats for someone that cannot have sugar, I opt for Lakanto’s granulated monkfruit sweetener.
2. What are you growing in your garden this summer?
   For veggies and edibles, I have lots of culinary herbs and also herbs for making tea/infusions. I have kale, lettuce, and that’s about it! We were going to plant some veggies in an old perennial bed, but we decided to clean it up and just let the hydrangeas in there do their thing. I love veggie gardening, but it can get a bit raggedy looking after a couple months and Im more than happy to support local farmers anyway. I’m finding a lot more joy in the perennials, flowers, and greenery side of gardening this year, so I’m embracing that.
3. Do you have a meditation practice?
   Yes! I try for at least 10 minutes every day, usually with the Plum Village or Headspace apps.
4. Best vegan sub for Greek yogurt that doesn’t contain coconut?
   I think this might be too much of a magical unicorn concept unfortunately! No other vegan yogurt is going to get you the super thick qualities of a traditional Greek yogurt other than coconut milk. I’ve been experimenting with a homemade cashew option, but the results just aren’t as fluffy and thick as coconut based ones. I’ve heard good things about Kite Hill’s Greek-style yogurts (which are almond based), but haven’t tried them myself.
5. How do you make your go-to fennel salad?
   I was saying on Instagram how I pretty much always make a shaved fennel salad when I entertain. It could not be simpler! I use a container of baby arugula, shave one bulb of fennel really thin on a mandoline, and toss that with lemon juice, the best-tasting olive oil I’ve got on hand, lots of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and some vegan parmesan. Sometimes I’ll top with toasted pine nuts/sunflower seeds/sliced almonds as well. Fresh, well-seasoned, so easy to make, and somehow it always seems to go with whatever else I’m serving.