Hello and happy 2025! It’s our first weekend catchup this year. Not gonna lie, it feels good to get a fresh start. I am grateful as ever to share more recipes and goodness with you this year. Food trends come and go (I’ve seen more than enough in/out lists the past week), but my love for vegetables remains constant. It’s a privilege to share that passion and experimentation with you week after week!

With goals and intentions for this year, I want to spend less time online FOR SURE. I do still lean on social media to promote new work and to connect with folks, but I know that the sometimes endless scroll and absorption of Instagram’s curated algorithm can be stifling creatively. And sure! At times it is inspiring as far as cooking, gardening, nature etc goes, but generally I find its presence in my life means that I’m actually doing less. I’m liking and commenting on Reels about gardens, saving posts about plants to add to my yard, but never actually doing anything with that information! And with the news that Meta wants to introduce AI “user” accounts… it’s all a bit much. My goal ultimately is to have a “post and close the app” routine, to find other ways to connect, and to spend more time in the garden of course 😌

As a reminder (if you follow along via Insta/another platform), I post all of my best stuff right here on the website! If you haven’t subscribed to my email list yet, I would be over the moon to have you. New subscribers receive my beautiful pantry and equipment guide as a bonus, and I only send 2 emails a week maximum–one with a new recipe and one with this weekend collection of reads and links. I love responding to your questions and comments here and via email as well. TAKE GOOD CARE out there and have a great weekend/start to 2025 🤍

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. I Want Your Attention. I Need Your Attention. Here is How I Mastered My Own. via The New York Times (gift link)
2. Lost biblical plant with medicinal properties resurrected from 1,000-year-old seed via CNN
3. People Are The New Brands via No Mercy/No Malice
4. The Strange Challenge of Small Talk via The Atlantic
5. On my nightstand: From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. A harp serenade for the pigs + sheep experience snow for the first time 🥹
2. A sweet pet adoption story
3. Ina Garten on The Oprah Podcast
4. Love so many on this list of The 38 All Time Best Food Movies. Personal Faves: The Taste of Things, The Menu, Minari, Phantom Thread, Ratatouille & Spirited Away
5. Drinking Tealish’s Holiday flavor bundle like it’s my job right now. The Winter Blend is sooo good!

5 Questions:

1. Getting so bored with roasted veggies. What to do to switch up the flavors?
   I definitely rotate my spice blends for roasted veg all the time! From za’atar, Montreal steak spice, baharat, dry harissa seasoning, so many store bought blends from NY Shuk and Kanel, and even some homemade blends! If folks want my go-to blend that I use on pretty much everything, let me know! Also a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of nice balsamic vinegar right out of the oven is always a nice touch with roasted vegetables. And don’t forget sauces! Some of my favorites: Vegan Green Goddess, Sweet Mustard Dressing, Spicy Tahini Ranch, and Creamy Peanut Sauce.
2. How do you set up you camera/phone to film from above/behind while cooking?
   I use this tripod with the little bendy arm on top. I just set it up in front of my stove, slightly higher than my height. Set the iPhone camera to cinematic mode, make sure the focus is proper, and I’m good to go!
3. Which replacements for dairy really have it dialed in?
   ♥️ Butter: Miyoko’s or Nuts For Cheese
   ♥️ Milk: None of the vegan options taste like cow’s milk in my opinion–not even the Not Milk brand/other options designed to mimic it. For versatility, taste, and protein content, Silk soy milk is my go-to. If I’m making something where I really want to enjoy the milk specifically (like a latte), I prefer homemade nut milk or one of the fancier store bought nut milks like Three Trees, Elmhurst, or New Barn.
   ♥️ Cream Cheese: I know that there’s been a ton of innovations on this front, but I still prefer the original Tofutti Better-Than Cream Cheese product. It’s the best one for baking too.
   ♥️ Sour Cream: Forager Project’s is very good for baking, but I do prefer homemade for dolloping on chili, baked potatoes etc.
   ♥️ Cream for cooking: nutpods original or Califia Farms’ Better Half
   ♥️ Yogurt: Culina or Yoggu
   ♥️ Soft cheeses: Nuts For Cheese or VegNature
   ♥️ Feta: I used to love the Trader Joe’s one (RIP), but I tried Nafsika’s Garden recently and it’s pretty good!
   ♥️ Mozzarella: Miyoko’s is decent! Still not a huge fan of 99% of vegan melting cheeses available.
4. Would love to know your current skincare lineup!
   🌝 Cleanser: Osea Ocean Milk
   🌝 Hydrosol: Either Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator or Heritage Store’s Rosewater toner
   🌝 Serum: Sahajan Pure Radiance + 2 drops Consonant’s Hydrextreme (the Consonant line no longer exists and I don’t know what I’m gonna do–this serum was a game changer for me 😕)
   🌝 Moisturizer: Sahajan Nourish Creme Riche
   🌝 Oil: Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate
   🌝 Sunscreen: Elta MD SPF 40
   🌝 Retinol (3x a week): Skinceuticals 0.5 Cream
   🌝 Exfoliator (2x a week): The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA
5. Favorite winter smoothies?
   Salted Caramel Apple, Spiced Orange Cranberry, Chocolate Sweet Potato (sounds wild, is soooo good!), Creamy Pear Vanilla Chip, Peanut Butter Mocha, and Beet Blood Orange Spice.

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Crispy Air Fryer Tempeh with Gochujang Glaze & Snow Peas
2. Creamy Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
3. 30-Minute Hearty Vegan Chili
4. Kale Power Salad with Spicy Almond Dressing
5. Green Lentil Edamame Salad with Spiced Lemon Dressing