As I’m writing this, it’s 13 degrees out and gorgeously sunny. I can’t wait to get out there with my dogs for a nice long walk. You can also see in the photos that my hellebores buds are emerging from the ground. Where I live, these are like little Spring “snacks” in a long, cold Winter. I’ll take them! And then go right back to enhancing the coziness of the more seasonal days. That’s the ebb and flow of life 😌

I’m going to get a picture framed this weekend and I’m hoping to start peeling wallpaper off of our entry. I also want to go out for a nice coffee (RPM Bakehouse is the current fave), get a new indoor plant at a local greenhouse, plus do some laundry, snuggle the doggies, go for a run, stay off of the screens as much as possible, the usual stuff. We’ll probably do a nice snack spread for the Super Bowl too. Let me know your fave game day snacks in the comments! I’m partial to cauliflower wings, homemade pizza, and anything involving ranch dip.

Be well and have a great weekend! A lot of folks have been emailing me their questions for Saturday Sun lately, and I so appreciate it. Keep them coming 💞

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. ‘Friluftsliv’ Is the Mood-Boosting Nordic Concept for Embracing the Outdoors—Especially in the Winter
2. Therapists Trade the Couch for the Great Outdoors
3. The Hottest New Accessory in LA Restaurants? Your Takeout Containers From Home.
4. Hot? Hungry? Step inside these food forests.
5. Through the Digital Veil: Inside the World of VR Meditation

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Reflecting on Roses, Thorns & Buds daily
2. This episode of the Spirituality + Health Podcast: Don Miguel Ruiz, The Art of Being Energy
3. So excited for the Usher Bowl (and cauliflower wings) on Sunday! This made me laugh
4. @floretflower and @garden.charm giving me hope for Spring
5. The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down with Seth Rogen!

5 Questions:

1. Do you have recommendations for quality whole wheat pastas that taste good and have at least 5 grams of fiber?
   I am so particular with my pasta now! We prefer to use whole grain wheat/spelt pasta 95% of the time and there are plenty of good brands that don’t have a cardboard texture. I prefer to source whole grain pasta that is made in Italy because I find that the texture is always superior, likely due to the longer drier time and bronze cutting. Felicetti is my go-to brand. Their premium line called Monograno is fantastic as well. Garofalo and Rummo are also excellent, more widely available options.
2. You mention having a non-vegan partner, wondering how you deal with judgment from other vegans in your life for pairing with someone who eats differently/has a different philosophy on such matters? I’ve been vegan a long time and people are surprised to find out my boyfriend eats meat, and I feel that other vegan people probably look down on me to an extent for not dating someone who shares my values on diet and lifestyle?
   Your values and their meaning to you are yours and yours alone. Of course sometimes we share the same values with people in our lives, and that can strengthen the bond of the relationship. But they do not have to be 100% the same. The values that my partner and I have are a Venn diagram; not two overlapping circles. I have not been on the receiving end of judgment for my partner’s lifestyle choices, but I can imagine the concern that this might cause amongst vegan friends with a more dogmatic worldview. In situations where the thing that I fear hasn’t actually happened or hasn’t been explicitly communicated to me (but perhaps I fear that it’s possible), I try to imagine what my response would be if it did happen/was communicated. In your case, what’s the worst thing that could happen if one of your friends raised this concern with you? You’re not going to end your partnership over it, right? Your friends are not in a relationship with your boyfriend. If you are fine with your boyfriend’s lifestyle and choices, that’s all that matters. The possible judgment of your friends is not your weight to carry–it’s theirs!
3. What do you have for grab and go snacks (not full meals) to have around? Things to make a batch of for the week and munch after dog walks, a jog etc?
   I am so boring on this one. I love making a batch of peanut butter oatmeal cookie bites or nutty vegan breakfast cookies, or something similar for a sweet option. Also enjoy apple/banana with some nut butter. For savories, I like to cut celery and carrot sticks and store them in water for the week. I’ll pair the veg with a homemade dip (made an excellent spicy white bean dip this week), some Simple Mills or Mary’s crackers, nuts etc. 
4. Do you have a good black bean burger recipe?
   Have you done a vegan shepherds pie recipe?
   I feel like Nick Cave answering two similar questions at once (if you subscribe to his newsletter, you’ll understand haha). Yes and yes! These bbq vegan black bean burgers are delicious and only have 10 core ingredients. They’re also firm enough to grill, which is key. And my french onion shepherd’s pie with lentils and cauli-potato mash remains one of the most popular recipes on the site. Deeply flavourful from caramelized onions, hearty with the lentils, and the mash is like a cozy veggie cloud blanket on top. So good!
5. Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your partner?
   Yeah a little bit! We get each other cute little gifts, cards, and always chocolate. I don’t really enjoy going out for dinner on Valentine’s Day because it’s always so crowded and it borderline stresses me out from my memories of working as a server all those years haha–just the high volume of reservations, pressure to turn tables quickly, and the sometimes not nice vibes of people dining out together because they feel obligated to is… a lot! My guy and I usually cook something nice at home and chill. I got the dogs new toys for V day, so there’s also that 🥰