Hello from a rainy, muddy and cold day in my corner of the world. Perfect conditions for endless cups of tea and throwing together our weekly catch up.

We had a successful “buy nothing” grocery week with still quite a few fresh things hanging around! About a pound of Brussels sprouts, one cabbage, carrots, tofu, freezer beans, and some potatoes, are all still in the mix. Sometimes creativity abounds in situations with hard limits, and that was definitely the case for us. A few weird combos, a few things that I can’t wait to make again. Overall, big success and I recommend it.

We’re celebrating my dad’s birthday this weekend and keeping it pretty chill in general. I’m really trying to savor these quiet weekends before the garden season gets going and summertime starts! Be well and keep taking care out there.

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. The Real Cost of a Meal at Noma via The New Yorker (non-paywall link)
2. The world’s biggest ‘doomsday vault’ has now been opened. Here’s what’s inside via BBC Science Focus
3. Diva, You Forgot to Take the Surveillance State Out of Your Analog Bag? via The Official Nancy drew Newsletter on Substack
4. Why Putting Phones Down Isn’t Enough via The Biology of Becoming on Substack
5. How to Say No—and Feel Good about It via The Walrus

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. David Byrne on Fashion Neurosis (the Anthropic ad though, ugh)
2. Price manipulation, powered by AI and data collection, coming to a grocery store near you
3. Watching this weekend: Inside the Manosphere
4. This body serum has been blowing my mind. Love the smell, it’s incredibly hydrating, and it’s fun to apply straight after a shower (while your skin is still wet). Note: this product does contain beeswax.
5. I’ve been making this “fiber gloop” mixture (working title lol) for my smoothies lately. 2 teaspoons psyllium husk, 2 teaspoons ground flax and 2 teaspoons chia seeds in a jar. Cover that with 1/2 cup water (or juice), stir, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning, it will be thick and gloop-y. Then I just add that to my smoothie in the morning!

5 Questions:

1. Why do you have potatoes in the fridge?
   I truly do not know why I started doing this! For background, I posted a video of what was left in my fridge in the midst of our buy nothing week and a lot of folks asked me this question. I just popped them in the fridge drawer once, put the humidity dial to the lowest setting, and I’ve never had issues. By all means, if you have a cool and dark spot that’s working for your potatoes, keep with it.
2. Do you have any convenience/pre-made faux meats that you love? It seems like many have either changed their recipe and taste funky, or left Canada completely.
   I know that the closure of Yves was a huge bummer for a lot of Canadians. Their veggie ground round was major when I first went plant-based! I also enjoyed their veggie burgers from time to time. The only vegan “meats” that I enjoy our Beyond Meat’s sausages, Field Roast’s sausages, Dr. Praeger’s veggie burgers (really wish they’d sell the crunchy ones here in Canada!), Big Mountain Foods’ Cauli Crumble Veggie Grounds, and Gardein’s Seven Grain Crispy Tenders. I have to admit that I am not super experimental with trying foods like this because I find that I’m often disappointed. If folks have suggestions (specifically available in Canada), please let us know in the comments!
3. Do you do food blogging full time or do you have another job on the side?
   I have been doing food blogging full time since my book came out in 2017. Prior to that, I also worked in restaurants part time.
4. More info about enrichment dog treats! What do you fill them with?
   We’ll get plain, nonfat Greek yogurt specifically for this. I usually dab a bit of that in the furthest point of the toy (a Kong or Bionic toy), stick a few dry treats into that, and then spread a small amount of peanut butter at the opening of the toy to entice them. I’ll freeze this setup and give it to them to work on if I’m leaving the house for a bit. Mickie used to act out a bit if we left the house, but now with a proper exercise routine in place and this little enrichment treat, she can’t wait for us to leave lol.
5. I struggle cooking with cabbage. What are your go-to recipes?
   One of my favorite vegetables! I often chop and roast it with spices (follow steps 1 & 2 of this recipe). It gets a little crispy and the high heat concentrates the sweetness. Roasting whole wedges is also nice. I like to sauté it with other greens/beans and finish with a complimentary sauce. I pretty much always include it in the sautéed veggie base of a noodle stir fry. I also love to grill cabbage when the weather warms up!

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Mango Slaw Noodles with Peanut Sauce, Edamame & Herbs
2. 40-Minute Lemony Red Lentil Soup
3. One-Pot Rice and Veggies with Chickpeas & Dilly Tahini
4. Spring French Lentil Salad with Asparagus, Fennel & Orange
5. Spicy Maple Tofu Bowls with Golden Garlic Rice & Broccolini