Welcome to another weekend! I love kicking it off with you here. I’m seeing Beyonce on the Renaissance Tour on Sunday and could not be more excited. I haven’t been to a concert in over 4 years! So I’m dipping into Toronto for 24 hours to see Bey with a friend, hopefully getting a smoothie at Nutbar and maybe popping into the Detox Market if I have time. It’ll be a whirlwind and I’ll probably be VERY happy to head home after it all haha. I’m a shameless homebody 😌

I signed up for Threads (Meta’s version of Twitter) on Wednesday and have spent WAY too much time on it this week. I know that I need to unplug this weekend, look at some trees, and talk to folks in real life. Even as someone who is in tune with how controlling and addictive social media is, it’s so easy to get sucked in by the shiny new thing! Sometimes I justify the social media use by telling myself that it’s part of my job, which just makes things more complicated. Anyway! I’m going as low tech as possible this weekend and the thought alone feels like relief.

Be well! Don’t forget to touch some grass :)

5 Things I’m Reading

1. Why eat 30 plant foods a week?
2. How Podcaster Andrew Huberman Got America to Care About Science
3. Finding Joy in the Garden
4. What Did People Do Before Smartphones?
5. Girl Online by Joanna Walsh

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Can’t wait to make a bird bath like this.
2. This clay toast art is so cool!
3. Watching: Platonic and season 2 of The Bear
4. New email newsletter I’m learning a lot from: Big Brain Daily
5. Three Ships biodegradable eye masks. Effective and they dissolve in a glass of hot water!

5 Questions:

1. Oven-free meal ideas? We are remodelling and won’t have an oven for a while!
   Remodelling or not, I personally avoid using my oven in the summertime! If you still have stove usage, I recommend my creamy vegan red pepper pasta, lemony orzo with chickpeas and broccoli, veggie sausage and white bean skillet. If you have access to a grill, I recommend my new grilled cauliflower wedges with tahini yogurt and sumac onions or my grilled cabbage steaks with lentils & jalapeño chimichurri.
2. Favourite vegan fast food?
   I love a fully loaded Harvey’s veggie burger and frings kinda night! I apply my own vegan mayo when I get it home haha.
3. Is there a secret to removing stuck pits from peaches and nectarines?
   Certain varieties of peaches and nectarines are “freestone” meaning you can separate the flesh from the pit pretty easily just by cutting around the circumference of the fruit and using your hands. These varieties tend to come later on in the season–here in southern Ontario it’s typically at the beginning of August. I don’t think I’ve ever had a freestone nectarine locally. I’ve seen folks use this pliers hack with great success too!
4. What podcast shows do you regularly listen to?
   Food Heaven, The Rich Roll Podcast, Reset, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, How to Talk to People, Daily Stoic, Corporate Gossip, and Maintenance Phase.
5. How do you find novelty or fresh inspiration?
   An anti-climactic answer, but spending time away from screens and just letting my mind wander really helps in this department. Also the simple things like going to a new café/restaurant, hiking a new trail, observing someone do something that they’re really good at (cooking, playing an instrument, arranging flowers, public speaking, anything!), and actively listening to people when they talk. Appreciating the simple things always leads to big ideas for me.