Welcome to another beautiful summer weekend! Yesterday was my partner’s birthday, so we’re celebrating all weekend long. Last night we saw a movie at the drive-in with friends. He requested calzones for his bday dinner, so we had fun making those. We’ll be heading out for a nice dinner/snack and drink outing and a few other things. Overall: pretty low key!

I’m also 95% sure that I’m deleting TikTok this weekend. I initially got on there to reach a new audience with my recipes–innocent enough! But I find myself spending way too much time on it lately. Flipping through the feed is highly addictive for me. I’m generally a person that is focused on their goals and committed to accomplishing them. My energy just zaps if I’ve been on the app for even 20 minutes. Goals out the window! I think it’s time to take a break and see what kind of energy comes about without it. What’s your experience of the app?

As we start on the second half of the year, I’m just looking to weed out as many distractions as possible. Focusing on my relationships, being in my body and in nature, and publishing the best plant-based recipes possible are my priorities. We love a mid-year reset! Be well and take care this weekend :)

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. The Duality of Hummingbirds
2. It Was Only a Matter of Time Before Everyone Started Dressing Like Kramer
3. How to learn something new every day
4. Young People Have No Idea What We Used to Do After Work. Let Me Regale You.
5. Do Insects Feel Joy and Pain?

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. The Merlin Bird ID app! I love sitting out on my patio in the morning and seeing what birds it registers based on calls/chirps that are happening in real time.
2. This Instagram account that chronicles Francois the cat just enjoying life and finding peace 🥹
3. I got a sample of this Josh Rosebrook Hydration Mask and it is exceptional. Since I had C02 laser treatment, my skin has been a touch drier and one application of this mask had my skin looking outright JUICY.
4. This Evolved Oatmeal Cookie Chocolate is one of my favourite treats. A local grocery store had it on a BOGO sale this week, so I stocked up haha.
5. I’ve been using the I Am Positive Affirmations app for about a year now and I recommend it to everyone!

5 Questions:

1. What do you cook for dinner when you are really lazy and it’s a hot summer day?
   If it’s really balmy out and I’m just tired, I’ll sometimes do a little snack plate with dips, a nice vegan cheese (Nuts For Cheese makes some good ones), bread/crackers, pickles, olives, cut veg and fruit, nuts etc! I also love just having a big salad with a dressing that I’ve (hopefully) already made during the week, some grilled veggies, shaved raw veggies, chickpeas, chopped salted nuts and maybe I’ll make a little bruschetta/tartine to go on the side. If it’s EXTREMELY hot and my energy/appetite is iffy, I’ll just make a green smoothie haha.
2. How do you deep clean a Dutch oven?
   I use a baking soda and water paste along with my Scrub Daddy sponge (and some elbow grease) to get spots or discolouration out of my Dutch ovens (and also my stainless pans). Works like a charm 98% of the time and there’s no harsh fumes involved or anything. If I need something more heavy duty, I’ll use Bar Keeper’s Friend.
3. What are your favourite ways to use the greens from carrots, beets etc?
   Fresh carrot tops have a nice, lightly sweet and earthy flavour that reminds me of parsley and carrots (obviously haha). They work really nicely in homemade pesto or chimichurri! Really fresh and young carrot tops can be chopped and used in salad greens mixtures, grain salads, and in panzanella-style salads too. You can also chuck them into a green smoothie. I like to sauté beet greens in olive oil with garlic, ground chillies, and I just finish them with lemon juice or sherry vinegar (and salt and pepper).
4. Dream Collaboration?
   Surprisingly not a food thing! I would love to collaborate with a journal or stationary company (Intelligent Change would be the absolute peak of this dream!) on a simple journal with prompts or something like the DIY “sleep journal” that I’ve been keeping lately to help me connect my daily practices with how well/not well I sleep.
5. What’s your favourite drink before bed?
   I love Lake & Oak’s Ashwagandha + Chill tea or just some high quality chamomile. I drink both with a little bit of lemon squeezed in or a spoonful of tart cherry juice. I won’t make more than 6 ounces of tea before bedtime for obvious reasons haha.