Hello and welcome to another edition of our Saturday catch up. Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful comments from last week. It’s a relief to hear the same concerns and outright rejection of AI technology from others.

I’m not resigning myself to the tech overlords any time soon and have been researching ways to keep the website free and accessible, but also offer a paid ad-free subscription option for those that want to support directly. I’m hoping that I can get this going by the end of the year. There would most likely be a login involved and it would all be hosted on the blog–I won’t be moving to another platform like Substack.

We are getting unseasonably warm temperatures and a thunderstorm (!!) this weekend. I want to go shopping for a few seed packets (and also just feel the warm humid air of a greenhouse honestly). I think we’re also going to do a round of simulator golf and we’ll hit up a local spot for coffee. Nothing too out of the ordinary or urgent, just the way I like it.

Take care out there, big hug.

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. The Beautiful and the Inconvenient via Byline
2. Faux or real? via The Globe and Mail (non-paywalled link)
3. the case for boring food via Front Yard Veggies on Substack
4. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THESE FANCY BATHHOUSES, MAN via Highsnobiety
5. We Shouldn’t Want to Eat Like Our Great-Great-Grandparents via The New York Times (gift link)

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. NTS Radio is my new favourite thing–I have it playing in the background most days. It’s helped me discover so much new music. In particular, I like Tommasi’s ambient/classical/jazz sets. It’s nice just listening to a set with no ads, no ever-shifting algorithm, and no idea what’s coming next.
2. I’m on an Insight Timer power streak of 40 days and I feel good! I just meditate with the timer although some of the guided meditations/breath work sessions are excellent.
3. Rosalía and Björk’s performance at the Brits gave me chills. Cannot wait to see her on tour in June!
4. Where are we meeting for winter beach laying time?
5. I’m on a self-imposed bean buying ban until I use up what’s in the pantry, and am down to pinto beans, red split lentils, navy beans and moong dal. Made some excellent and easy Instant Pot black beans this week and froze portions in a Souper Cubes mold (with the delicious bean broth). Thinking of some classic BBQ baked beans for the navy beans next. Also looking at this recipe for the moong dal.

5 Questions:

1. How are you getting up before 5 to go to the gym?!
   I post photos from my gym sessions on Instagram and the timer/clock on the wall will read 4:30, 4:45 etc, and questions like this will flow in. I have always been a morning person and I go to bed early! I do two sessions a week with a coach at 6am and two solo sessions at 4:30ish. I like having the gym to myself and during my peak insomnia phase, getting it going at this hour was easy. My sleep is a bit better lately, but the early gym sesh is just part of my routine now. Sometimes when I go that early I’ll be back and showered before 6am, so I get a cheeky little nap in before I have to let the dogs out at 7.
2. Do you eat anything before workouts? I don’t have the stomach for it first thing.
   I’ve developed an aversion to eating first thing too! I have a small protein shake (scant half of a scoop and 1/2 cup water) and a date or two on the drive in. This has been working for me.
3. I need to eat more protein but I can’t stand tofu or tempeh. I’ve tried both so many ways but I just don’t like the texture. What can I do?
   If you can tolerate other soy-based foods like soy milk or edamame, I recommend incorporating those. The crunchy roasted edamame snacks that you can find at health food stores are particularly good and have about 11 grams of protein a pop. Beans, peas, seeds, nuts/nut butters, whole grains, and a vegan protein powder that you enjoy the taste of are all going to be your friends. There’s a lot of excellent protein-fortified pasta and cereal varieties out now as well. The one that I buy has 17 grams per serving. Lastly, if you’re open to it, some of the more processed vegan sausages, burger patties etc have decent amounts of protein in a more palatable package.
4. Have you tried the cheaper knock off Souper Cubes?
   No, but I have checked them out extensively at the stores. Here in Canada, Loblaws has a store brand version and there’s a box set at Costco under the Trudeau label. They both felt more flimsy to me. The thing about the original Souper Cubes is that they have stainless steel wire inside of the silicone molds. Because of this, they don’t flop around when you’re trying to pop out your frozen portions. The knock offs don’t seem to have this feature. I’m also just keen to support the original developers of this product.
5. Are you going to make another cookbook?
   Nothing planned right now! Although with my recent website/AI-related issues, going all in on a printed collection seems like the most appropriate move. We were all ready to go on starting another one, but I eventually decided it wasn’t the right thing for me. The creation of the first book was a very isolating process for me that went on for over a year. I would need a defined plan in place to collaborate with others if I ever did it again.

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Almond Butter Tempeh Stir Fry
2. Roasted Carrot Fries with Garlicky Yogurt Dip
3. Roasted Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Chili Sauce
4. Crispy & Chewy Air Fryer Edamame
5. Broccoli Dill Pickle Soup with White Beans & Potatoes