Hello and welcome to another edition of our weekend hang. There’s a lot of rain on the horizon in the next couple weeks, so I’m going to get some gardening done while I can in the sunshine (also a frost warning tonight yaaaay). I’ll be planting broccoli, kale, lettuce, and some other cool weather friends (check out my wonky radish row dug up by squirrels below lol), and covering up where appropriate. Slooow start to spring this year!

We are going to see my cousin’s new movie this weekend as well. If you’re local to me, it’s playing at The Film House 2 more times after this weekend.

Take care out there!

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. The Glamorization of Drudgery: Cottagecore, Canning, and the Tradwife Trend via Front Yard Veggies on Substack
2. From taking to the streets to risking jail time, six Canadian activists are spending their twilight years fighting for the environment via The Globe and Mail (non-paywalled link)
3. The dying breaths of Instagram via Field Guide for Creatives on Substack
4. What Is ‘Nonnamaxxing’? The Italian grandma lifestyle might be the secret to longevity via GLAMOUR
5. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo for the Lilith Lit virtual book club!

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Listening to a lot of Charlotte Day Wilson’s music recently!
2. Loved watching Flea on Track Star. If you’re into biographies, his memoir is one of the better ones I’ve read. He kind of jokingly talks about a sequel at the end of it, and I found myself wanting it to be real!
3. From the Seamoss Girlies podcast: Don’t Ask ChatGPT for Health Advice
4. Watching Secrets of the Bees
5. Real chimes to wake me up!!

5 Questions:

1. What’s the best way to cook with rosemary? I sometimes find it makes soups taste (dare I say) “moldy”/too woodsy.
   I love rosemary and I can also totally understand what you’re saying here! The key is to use a really small amount, mince it quite fine, and to always sauté it in fat with other aromatics (garlic, onions, spices) before adding any liquid to get the best flavor out of it (this would be in soup or braise applications). I do generally prefer it in dry heat cooking situations like as part of a rub for grilling or in the spice blend for roasted vegetables in the oven. Something about the dry, high heat brings out a smoky element that is complimentary to the pine-y essence. Your palette may also just not like it! I do find that there is a big difference in flavor between grocery store rosemary and homegrown. If you have a sunny spot with well-draining soil, it’s easy to grow–it just takes a bit longer than other herbs.
2. Starting a new job where I have to be onsite 5 days a week. Haven’t packed a lunch in six years. Any favorite GF and vegan portable lunch ideas?
   This depends if you can tolerate the same thing every day or if you need variety! I am the packed lunch queen for my partner right now (he needs variety), so I’m glad you asked. Most of the time, I am making extra dinner (that is leftover lunch-friendly) and packing that up for him. Other times I make up a few staples on Sunday to mix together: a really good bean/lentil salad, a big pot of soup, a batch of quinoa or brown rice, mixed roasted vegetables, and a salad dressing/sauce. I can usually remix and combine some of those into something great.
3. Do you use a veggie chopper for most recipes? Is that why I am slow in my prep time?
   I don’t use a chopper when I’m working on recipes for the blog. I have a lot of experience and confidence around chopping and prep in general, so maybe that accounts for the speed. I time myself when I’m working on the recipes and have been adding 5-10 extra minutes to the prep times lately to account for my experience. Having a sharp knife and a big, secure cutting board makes a difference. It’s less fiddly than constantly trying to find space for everything you’re chopping to make room. Sometimes folks just need more prep time because of other things going on in the home and that’s okay!
4. Can you share your favorite / go-to nut milk that you use for lattes etc.?!
   I have this recipe posted, but lately I’ve just been doing half cup almonds and half cup raw cashews. Soak them overnight and rinse/drain them really well the next day. I do remove the peels of the almonds (it’s like a little meditation)! Then, blend the nuts with 5ish cups of water, strain that through a nut milk bag, and then store it in a bottle in the fridge for up to a week you can add vanilla extract or a little salt if you want). I use the steam wand of an espresso machine and the froth/microfoam is excellent.
5. Can you repost the old grilled potato salad with pepper almond sauce please?
   Please just email me and I’ll see if I can dig it up for you! For everyone else reading this, if a recipe you like is missing from the site, don’t hesitate to drop me an email.

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Spring Rice Noodle Salad with Chili Maple Peanuts, Celery & Peas
2. Herby Whipped White Beans with Smoky Mushrooms
3. Seedy Rhubarb Strawberry Overnight Oats
4. Spring Green Orzo “Risotto”
5. Crunchy & Creamy Dill Pickle Broccoli Slaw