Hello from a beautiful autumn weekend. This week was so busy with a little sprinkle of disruption thrown in (we unexpectedly had to replace our furnace), so I’m looking forward to a chill weekend. Also, wow I forgot how dark it is in November! I go to the gym for 6am and it’s still pitch black when I get out at 7. This time of year basically makes me want to go to bed right after dinner (see below lol). Definitely getting into my hot drinks and candles era to romanticize it all a bit.
A gardening question for the pros out there! My rosemary plant/bush is absolutely flourishing right now. Do any gardeners in southern Ontario (or similar climate) have advice on how to carry it over to next spring? I have to bring it inside, don’t I? Maybe risk it all and cover it in burlap and mulch outside?
Alright, it’s gonna be a quick one this week! Holiday recipe mode is kicking off soon, which is just wild to me. I’ve exhausted the savory holiday options and really want to lean into sweets this year. We’ll see! Be well and take care of yourself 🤍
5 Things I’m Reading:
- More schools than ever are serving vegan meals in California. Here’s how they did it. via Grist
- Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula via The Atlantic
- A Couple Are Captivated by Nature. They Think You Should Be, Too. via The New York Times (gift link)
- Vegan: The product label which shall not be named via Food Dive
- Buddhist Advice for Election Anxiety via Lion’s Roar
5 Things I’m Enjoying:
- Watching this weekend: Martha on Netflix
- Trees Knees Cinnamon Maple Syrup drizzled on porridge, waffles, in my coffee, peanut butter toast, everything!
- I do love a kitchen lamp! The ambiance is especially nice this time of year.
- Add to cart: The Big Book of Bread from King Arthur Baking Company
- 6pm that’s enough goodnight
5 Questions:
- What’s your coffee order?
Soy milk latte! Simple, effective, classic. Although a lot of places seem to carry oat milk as their exclusive non-dairy option these days. And I mean, oat milk is fine! But soy is superior in my opinion because it’s creamy, a bit nutty, and you get a little protein boost too. I really think soy milk is going to make an aggressive comeback in the next year or so. At least I’m hoping it will 😉 - Why do you use shallots far more often than onions? Mostly interchangeable?
I just personally like the slight sweetness and less sharp characteristics of shallots. I’m also mostly cooking for two, so the smaller size of a shallot is useful! Where I live, the cost of shallots isn’t too prohibitive (vs onions), but if they are where you live, you can definitely swap with onion. - How’s the lifting going?
I’m still doing it, so it’s good! Weights are getting heavier and I still go 3 times a week no matter what. I’m also very slowly feeling more comfortable in the gym, which is the most important thing. I avoided starting for so long because I was afraid of looking silly/not knowing what I was doing. The confidence boost of doing a hard thing consistently has been one of the biggest benefits. - What holiday recipes are you looking forward to making this year?
I have these very fond memories of the Starbucks cranberry bliss bars from ages ago (in my pre-plant-based life). I really want to recreate them, but as a blondie maybe? Like a rich cookie-ish base with fresh and dried cranberries, vegan white chocolate chips and a lemony icing drizzle to finish them off. I also want to publish a classic nut loaf recipe, but dressed up with a cranberry and pomegranate molasses glaze. I’m on a real cranberry thing! I think they’re so underrated as an ingredient and I want to feature them more. - How do you get the majority of your daily protein requirements?
This question comes up a lot, and I am guilty of answering it multiple times. But if people continue to be curious, I will continue to answer! I’m trying to hit over 100 grams a day now with the lifting and sometimes it is hard! But trying to do the exercises when I haven’t had enough is harder, so I always keep that in mind. I admittedly do a lot of protein shakes with vegan protein powder. Also, a good amount of tofu, edamame, soy milk, tempeh, lentils, beans, frozen peas, nuts, whole grains, and pasta made from lupini bean flour. I picked up this frozen veg blend at Whole Foods the last time I was in the US and really enjoyed it. I also just like the marketing strategy of vegetables/plants = protein. Clever! Obviously this blend would be so easy to DIY (and I may do just that for the blog eventually).
5 Seasonal Recipes:
- One-Pot Vegan Minestrone Soup with Potatoes & Beans
- Kale Power Salad with Spicy Almond Dressing & Crispy Tofu
- Crispy BBQ Pulled Mushroom Sandwiches
- Creamy Vegan Gnocchi Skillet with Pesto, Lentils & Broccoli Rabe
- Sweet Potato Walnut Chili with Corn Dumplings
Omg yes, please do a vegan Starbucks cranberry bliss bar! Here for it! Love hearing your protein go-tos. My favourite high protein vegan meal to make is a brown rice bowl with roasted tofu + broccoli with a peanut sauce. I also add a side of edamame. We are weight lifters (my husband also cycles) and we do a lot of oatmeal, soy milk, vegan protein shakes, tofu, beans and lentils and nuts and higher protein flours in our waffles/pancakes/cookies/muffins. Not exactly revelatory tips, but they work :)
Cranberry, yes! And, I’m hoping for the soy milk return to top of the list too, like a grand re-opening!
Hey Laura –
I’m an experienced gardener in New England zone 6b. My experience with rosemary is that it usually doesn’t winter over, BUT it has if winter is mild enough. Bringing rosemary in extends its life for an extra month or so, but they don’t love the dryness and heat of indoors. I have settled on mulching well and seeing what happens, pulling out and replacing in spring if necessary. And, of course, intentionally cooking with Rosemary a lot until it’s gone! A word of caution re the burlapping: if you get warm spells, that blanket can fool them to push out growth and then they do not fare well with subsequent cold snaps. You could seek advice from a local nursery in your area on that point. Good luck, and thanks for all the recipes and thoughtful weekend curations!
Hi Patricia!
Thanks for these super helpful tips. I think I’m going to try mulching it really well and using up as much of the herb as possible. The plant is right up on my house, which could be a benefit–especially if the winter is mild like it was last year. I really appreciate the time you took with this comment!
-L
Yeaaa! More cranberry things (especially fresh/frozen)!