Welcome to our weekend hang. It’s my partner’s birthday next week so I’m in prep mode for that. He’s requested a coconut cake, which I’ve shockingly never made before! The temps are coming down a bit this weekend, which will be a nice break from the intense heat we’ve been having lately. We’re heading out to our favorite spot for coffee and enjoying a bit of family time too. Apparently the first local peaches are starting to show up at the farm stands as well.

Hope you’re keeping well out there and finding pockets of time to sloooow down. As always, if you have questions for a future edition, don’t hesitate to leave a comment, email me, or even DM me on Instagram. Take care :)

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. Something Bigger Than AI is Happening via AI, Humanities, and the Future of Work on Substack
2. I Wanted an Ecologically Responsible Garden. It Was Harder Than I Thought. via NYT (gift link)
3. Canada relies on Black farm workers. So why are there so few Black farm owners? via The Narwhal
4. Why “neighborism” is having a moment via Vox (click here for non-paywalled option)
5. Just ordered!: Ways of Listening by Rollie Pemberton

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Two episodes of Rich Roll’s podcast that caught my attention recently: The Rise and Fall of Plant-Based Eating with Simon Hill + his interview with Danny McBride
2. Coolest photo booth probably ever!!
3. Watching: Widow’s Bay
4. Mind blown at this cake pan lining method
5. Trying a little turmeric sun printing this weekend! Just need to get my hands on a pane of glass.

5 Questions:

1. Are you able to enjoy your own cooking, or maybe a better question how are you able to? Maybe this seems like a weird question but for me, when I made something myself it never tastes as good vs when someone else has cooked for me. Maybe it is because you go straight from the kitchen to eating your meal and with the heat from the oven, the smell etc… but I figured as you do this as your job, you would maybe have some tips :)
   I fully understand this question (it’s not weird!) and think it’s a normal thing. I find that especially in a scenario where we’re hosting or I’m bringing a dish to something, I don’t really thoroughly enjoy my own cooking that much. I’ve already tasted every component at that point and I’ve been in it for a couple hours. Maybe because I’m feeling some sort of pressure to make it great, or I’m in a time crunch and that’s colouring my mood a bit? Given what I do for a living, I do put a lot of pressure on myself with it. For all the super involved things that I make and have made over the years, nothing pleases me more than my mom’s cooking or my partner making me spaghetti with red sauce on a Sunday night. And also very simple things that require zero mental load–I find I can enjoy those things quite a bit. I wonder if we’re both being a bit self-critical and overthinking it all? I might need to sit with this question a bit longer. Would love to hear other folks thoughts and if they deal with this also in the comments :)
2. Have you ever thought about switching to a vegetarian diet? I think I am now 6 years Plantbased, and I do it ‘wholefoodswise’. I use oil etc but no fake meats and cheeses. Lately and especially in the summer I get so bored of my main protein sources (tofu and tempeh) and find myself fantasizing about the easiness of baking up some halloumi, sprinkling some feta without having to start a whole science project… Any tips on this aspect? I feel like sometimes being vegan means for me that I am very occupied with thinking about food, something I want to get away from as I have a history with disordered eating. So whilst vegetarianism would help me (maybe) mentally, it doesn’t sit right for me ethically.
   I find that the vegan swaps for dairy are so good now that I don’t feel like I’m missing out when I use them. There’s lots of good brands using all whole food ingredients in their cheeses, yogurt etc these days. But I do hear you on the the mental load of always trying to make the best choice for everything and everyone.
   
   I had a similar conversation with a friend that’s trying to consume more protein lately. They lamented that their goal would be easier to achieve if they could just eat Greek yogurt. In my head I was just screaming “So eat it then!!!” Plenty of people are plant-based plus one or two things that they haven’t been able to let go of. They express this lack of perfect adherence with such guilt and shame, which makes me sad honestly. Lots of people making an effort to eat more plant-based food does have an impact. Once you learn more about our global food systems, you realize that it’s incredibly difficult to produce food on a large scale that is 100% free of harm–from the treatment of farm workers to even drug cartel violence. I’m not suggesting that people should just give up, but being dogmatic about this fundamental aspect of our lives (that is so incredibly individual!!) is not helpful. It’s obvious to me that you care.
   
   Ultimately, it’s your life and you’re the one who has to live it. I’m not sure if your ethics is more on the side of animal rights or the environmental toll of animal products (never forget that roughly 100 fossil fuel-centric companies are responsible for 70+% of global emissions). Maybe it’s both, or something else entirely. Of course the “vegan” label absolutely points to one thing: abstaining from all animal products. Only you know what you can tolerate in your situation. Also, everything changes all the time. Nothing is set in stone. You can try another way of eating/living on your terms and always go back to what you’ve done before.
3. Do you cook differently for just yourself vs cooking for your partner, family, guests etc? Everything is always so garnished up!
   I cook much more simply for myself when I’m solo. The food is often kinda ugly or like, spare looking? This time of year, it’s easy because most of the local produce is beautiful and needs little intervention for big-time enjoyment. With the work that I do, I get tired and bored of it more often than you’d think. When I cook for my partner and everyone else, of course I try to make it nice and I want it to feel special!
4. What’s growing in your garden right now that’s making you the most excited?
   We just emptied all of our potato tubs and got a pretty decent harvest! Very excited to boil them with salt and simply toss with olive oil and fresh dill. Also just started a row of Romano beans that are sprouted up nicely. I’ve never grown them before and am hoping that they turn out :)
5. What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in the kitchen over the last few years?
   Pretty much everything! I used to be really strict about homemade vegetable stock, unrefined ingredients, using cane sugar, convenience items (pouches of cooked rice, bagged slaw, vegan sausage, Better Than Bouillon paste), eating takeaway, and all sorts of things. Some of this is admittedly dietary and cooking stuff. 2020 messed me up in a lot of ways (maybe others can relate lol), and cooking is one of those things that fundamentally changed for us during that time. It’s okay for things to not be 100% homemade and exquisitely sourced. Wanting things to be easier is normal! We are allowed to change our perspective and do things differently!! I just had microwaved rice from a pouch with tofu and greens for lunch and I feel free! Hahaha.
   

Pinned Recipes This Week:

1. Gochujang Peanut Sweet Potato Salad with Green Beans
2. Black Lentil Salad with Peaches, Tomatoes & Fresh Basil Vinaigrette
3. Tender Grilled Eggplant Slices with Barbecue Sauce
4. Cherry Tomato & Butter Bean Skillet with Caramelized Fennel
5. Vegan Peaches & Cream Muffins