It’s a long weekend over here. We’re going out for dinner with friends and family a couple times, planting a few things, likely digging up some stuff, pulling out the patio furniture, and just getting ready for summer! There’s usually fireworks this weekend, which scares my one dog Cleo quite a bit. We make her a little blanket fort with lots of pillows and cozy things in a central part of the house, and that helps her feel safe/less anxious. Because of this (and other reasons), I’m not a fan of fireworks!

I hope that you’re keeping well and taking care these days. The warm season tends to be a pretty action-packed social time for us. I’m surprisingly introverted, so this can be a lot after a while. I’m really leaning into good habits that keep me calm now so that the tools are there when I need them most. Aiming for the slowest, most chill summer possible honestly. Catch ya on here next time!

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. When Did ‘Wholesome’ Become a Gen Z Compliment?
2. How to create a mindful walking routine using ‘habit stacking’
3. Eat more beans. Please.
4. Awaken your senses! How to bring your body back to life
5. It’s not just you: The planet wants a 4-day workweek, too

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Really into playing Mexican Train Dominoes right now.
2. I received this All the Alliums vinegar-based sauce from Acid League as a gift and have been adding a little splash to finished pastas, vinaigrettes, grilled veg, lentil salad, slaw, roasted potatoes, sautéed veg, basically everything! It’s tangy, salty, and rich with robust onion and garlic flavour. This would make a nice gift for the cook in your life :)
3. Watching this weekend: Love to Love You, Donna Summer
4. Tiny fruits!
5. Ryan Holiday on Jay Shetty’s podcast

5 Questions:

1. What are the sealable silicone bags that you’re using in your Instagram stories?
   They are Stasher bags. My favourite, most used size is the Stand-Up Mid Bag. Perfect for freezing banana halves, storing chopped broccoli and cauliflower florets in the fridge. among many other things.
2. Any tips to help with doom scrolling?
   Definitely set a time limit on your social media use. I know that Instagram has this feature and it has been helpful for me in the past. If you need something a bit more heavy duty, the Freedom app/website blocker is also a tool that I can personally recommend. Also an underrated strategy: cultivate non-screen based hobbies! Over the last couple years I’ve become a big time card/board games person, got into exercise and movement a lot more, and even low stakes hobbies like playing my tongue drum. I’d rather do all of those things than scroll through social media, comments etc. Johann Hari’s Stolen Focus isn’t specifically about doom scrolling, but it did help me see how damaging it could be in my life over the long term. I recommend this book to everyone.
3. Any BBQ ideas for a family of meat eaters?
   A quick browse through the Grilled Category archives of my recipes might provide inspiration! The black bean burgers that I just posted would be great or these spicy grilled tofu and pineapple skewers are fun. For sides, I love this creamy mustard slaw, my dill pickle potato salad, or this grilled broccoli and pepperoncini pasta salad.
4. Any tips for new vegans?
   I recommend starting small so that you can avoid that feeling of possible overwhelm. Maybe start with one meal a day, and then work your way up over time. Find well-rated vegan recipes based on your favourite foods (tacos, pasta, noodle bowls, curries etc), and start with those. These will give you the familiarity/comfort of foods you’ve always enjoyed, but cooked in a new way! I also recommend having a handful of very easy (like 30 minutes maximum) meals in your back pocket that you can always bust out when you’re super hungry or in a busy period of life. And also just have compassion for yourself! You might slip up from time to time or get frustrated. This is a normal part of any human experience, and especially part of a lifestyle change.
5. Your skin looks so glow-y! Do you take any collagen?
   I do not because collagen is an animal product. Also, it seems like there’s conflicting evidence on whether it actually assists in the production of new collagen once ingested. I take vegan collagen boosting supplements from time to time (with hyaluronic acid, bamboo silica and tremella mushroom) and I think they do help a bit. Most importantly though, I have been getting a few microneedling treatments recently, and this process can help bolster collagen production on the face through a series of “micro injuries” from the needles. I also consume lots of foods with skin-supporting nutrients like zinc and vitamin C and always stay hydrated.