Hello and welcome to another edition of our weekend roundup. We had a hectic week, so I’m definitely looking forward to some chill time and watching our Jays in the World Series (!!!). The autumn leaves are at their absolute peak right now. I’m hoping we can squeeze in a nice cool hike if the weather holds out because it’s one of Cleo’s all-time favorite activities. She acts like a puppy again, it’s so sweet.

I am really locked in on my fitness and training right now, and just trying to add more cardio to round it all out. The daily sniffari walks with my dogs are great, but a little more intensity might be helpful haha. I feel great, super strong, and once I finally figure out my sleep issues I might actually be unstoppable! ;)

With recipes, I have an absolutely delicious and kinda quirky salad coming your way this week. I’m also troubleshooting a double crust savory pot pie situation for the holidays right now. Pastry is hard! But it’s all on a positive trajection.

Hope you’re taking care out there!

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. How Much Better Could School Lunch Be? via Eater
2. Actually making things is fun via Blackbird Spyplane on Sunstack
3. Why I Run via The Atlantic (non-paywalled)
4. ‘What I do with my body is none of your business’: musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland on trans rights, cult stardom and living with dementia via The Guardian
5. Embrace the Potato Dinner via The New York Times Magazine (gift link)

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Listening to Daniel Caesar’s new album everywhere, all the time
2. Following @nature_is_not_metal on Instagram
3. Thrilled to be seeing Deliver Me From Nowhere this weekend
4. Watching The Chair Company. There are layers to this show. Some of it is silly and stupid, but there are some cutting observations on human nature too.
5. Watching Ethan Hawke talk about music with such enthusiasm and appreciation on Track Star honestly got me so pumped. I also just love pretty much every Track Star episode where they’re testing someone’s music knowledge.

5 Questions:

1. Deciding if I should get a NYT Cooking subscription. Thoughts?
   I personally have one and think it’s worth it. My partner/most of the people in our lives are not vegan. It’s helpful to have a reliable source at hand for cooking non-vegan dishes to entertain with honestly. I also just learn a lot from the recipes and guidance in general! The comments and recipe reviews are absolutely loaded with wisdom/sometimes funnies. Lastly, one of my fave bloggers/YouTubers Nisha Vora is a contributor there for vegan recipes now!
2. Suggestions for a brothy vegetable soup with beans or lentils without tomatoes?
   Lemony Lentil Vegetable Soup with Rosemary & Fennel or this newer recipe for Vegan Italian Wedding Soup (swap some of the meatballs for white beans). Also this Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale, Rosemary & Lemon is kind of in between the brothy/creamy texture if you can tolerate that. And don’t forget about the Brothy Beans!
3. Make ahead breakfasts that can be served hot without a microwave?
   Freezing pancakes or waffles and popping them in the toaster is a power move. I’ve been playing around with a protein waffle recipe that I just reheat in the toaster and top with jam before heading to the gym. There’s a great guide to freezing them here.
4. Thoughts on Souper Cubes?
   I use them a bit! They are particularly good for shepherd’s pie-like recipes, baked pasta and lasagna, and soup portions (obviously!) because you can just pop them out of the mold, place in their baking dish to go in the oven, and bam dinner’s ready. I also like to do batches of rice and beans and freeze them in the cubes because I do go through phases where I only want that for breakfast with avocado, greens and salsa. Generally though, I spend a lot of time cooking every day and do not have a tremendous need to stock my freezer. For those in a busier season of life with a knack for organization and planning, they could be a game changer though. The Souper Cubes founder posts so many creative ideas for using them on their Instagram.
5. How do you choose the least processed products to cook with?
   I have been a lot more relaxed on processed foods in the last couple years, but if this is a concern for you I simply recommend reading labels and doing a bit of research on how certain things are harvested, processed, prepared, and packaged. If there’s a food product that you’re curious about, chances are there’s a YouTube on how it’s made from field to plate. I used to really fret about processed ingredients and the “purity” of everything I ate, but eventually realized that the low grade stress I was experiencing about that was likely more harmful in the long run.

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto
2. Sautéed Cabbage, Kale & Butter Beans with Mustard Cream
3. Sesame Garlic Noodles with Broccoli, Basil & Crispy Tempeh
4. Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Quinoa & Lentil Salad with Spicy Caesar Dressing
5. Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup with Lentils & Dill