Hello and welcome to our weekend catch up!

I did a poll on Instagram recently gauging interest in a “Back To Routine” recipe roundup–a selection of quick meals, one-pot/tray meals, meal prep-friendly salads, and healthy-ish sweets for the week. Normally I would post this on the blog, but the practice of posting roundups is unfortunately frowned upon by Google these days. So! I will be sending it out exclusively to email subscribers this coming Monday (August 24th). If you’d like a little inspiration for welcoming back the season of structure, make sure you’re signed up.

I’ll be sharing more and more stuff to my email subscriber base in the future. Think of it as some fun and surprising bonuses alongside my usual recipes and Saturday Sun content. Today, there was a preview of Sheil Shukla‘s stunning new vegan cookbook KARI with a recipe for zucchini and corn pakoras–perfect for late summer! On the horizon: more cookbook shares from Mississippi Vegan, Eat With Afia, and Grace Elkus. I’m also dreaming of doing more recipe swaps like I did with Birdhouse Bakeshop previously. If you’re a creative with a cool newsletter thing going on, hit me up! Maybe we can do a trade–doesn’t have to be just the food space either.

As I’ve mentioned before, there are challenges in the content creation space currently (see #2 in the reads this week). But I will never put my stuff behind a paywall. My goal is to always provide as much inspiration as possible and to send out big, compassionate energy to those who are actually here for it. Sharing better, 100% human-made goodness (and more of it!) is always the goal. I will reiterate: MAKE SURE YOU’RE SIGNED UP :)

Popping out to get ready for the weekend. We’re going up to a cottage next week (my partner and the doggies of course), and there’s lots of stuff to look after before we go. Big hug and take care!

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. Everyone Has to Be Annoying These Days via Cultural Cyberbully on Substack
2. The End of Google Search—and the Internet—as We Know It via The Ringer
3. Céline Dion Goes On via Harper’s Bazaar
4. Looking for Simon in the Night Sky via Vogue
5. The Return of The Monarch via The Atlantic (non-paywalled link here)

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Trying this soy milk-making method asap! Loved watching Chef Shota on Top Chef. I wanted to try it immediately, but all I have on hand is smoked tofu–can’t imagine that making a great milk for lattes lol.
2. Also making this Seedy Choc Top Slice from Emma as soon as I can get some rice malt syrup.
3. An older episode of Krista Tippett’s On Being podcast that caught my attention recently! David Whyte: Seeking Language Large Enough
4. So much Instagram stuff this week, oops! But this mother daughter stained glass project made me smile. Their joy is infectious.
5. I treated myself to a big bag of the Farm Girl cinnamon crisps cereal at Costco recently and I think they somehow made it even better? This bag is super crunchy and satisfying. Love the bump of protein and fiber too. I usually have it with soy milk as a pre-workout snack.

5 Questions:

1. You mention your rice/quinoa/lentil mix you make in your rice cooker. Can you tell me more about that. I’m in the market for a rice cooker, which one do you have and would you recommend it?
   I have the Zojirushi Micom rice cooker (model NS-LGC05) and I LOVE it. It’s been a life changing appliance for me honestly. Especially for meals where I’m cooking solo! Makes the best (fluffy!) quinoa and steel cut porridge also.
   For my lentil rice quinoa etc mix: In the rice cooker, I put an even amount of quinoa, white jasmine rice and brown/green lentils (very well rinsed). Add seasoning and the appropriate amount of veg stock. Set it to the “quick” setting on my machine. With 20 mins left on the timer, I add frozen shelled edamame (let it sit on top, don’t mix it in). Then I fluff it all when it’s done.
2. In some of your older tofu recipes, I notice that you call for pressing the tofu. In your air fryer tofu it’s a boiling method. Do you still press tofu? Is there one that you recommend if you do?
   I do still press tofu–kind of got back into it again recently! If I’m thinking ahead, I get my block of tofu set up in the EZ Press, draining into a sheetpan (turned on its side) on the counter for up to an hour. Then I can just cut and go. I love the salted water boiling method if I haven’t pre-gamed.
3. What’s your go-to meal when summer produce is overwhelming?
   Endless variations of succotash! Lots of tomato salads/sandwiches and cherry tomato pasta sauce. Lastly, we’re mostly eating a lot of simply steamed or boiled veg (specifically green beans, potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli) with drizzles of olive oil, maybe some lemon and flaky salt. Taking produce right off the plant and eating it right away… it really doesn’t need much!
4. Can I make your pastry in an upright blender or by hand? I really want to try the tomato galette but don’t have a food processor.
   A friend recently made it using the pie dough instruction from one of Claire Saffitz’s videos! You can check out her technique here.
5. Is there something you’ve been wanting to try in the kitchen before summer officially ends?
   I’m doing it now! Fermented fruit syrups aka cheong. I have a peach lavender one going right now, a strawberry sumac, and a plum thyme option. All of them are for matcha lattes haha.
   

Pinned Recipes This Week:

1. Braised Harissa Eggplant with Chickpeas
2. Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Walnuts & Spiced Bread Crumbs
3. Spicy & Crispy Peanut Tofu with Green Beans
4. Smoky Vegan Corn Chowder with Potatoes
5. Red Wine Lentils with Confit Cherry Tomatoes & Fennel