Well hey there! Welcome to the weekend. I was down and out with a doozy of a cold last week. I hadn’t been that sick since I caught covid a couple years ago–went through two boxes of tissues in 2 days! I spent the better part of the week on the couch, which made my return to the gym this week a bit rough. But I’m fully back in action now thank goodness.

We’re finally putting the outdoor furniture away this weekend and I’ll be puttering around with the holiday decorations. It feels early, but the festivities do bring a much-needed dose of joy. I’ve been itching to rearrange my office, so hopefully that’s in the plan this weekend too. Along with the usual groceries, laundry etc catchup, my partner and I are seeing The Beach Boys on Sunday evening, so I’ll be staying up past my bedtime lol.

I hope that you’re taking care of yourself and each other out there 🤍

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. Why Humans Cry via The New York Times (gift link)
2. Changing With Our Climate “a limited-run series exploring Indigenous solutions to extreme weather rooted in history — and the future” via Vox
3. Why Acceptance Doesn’t Mean We Have To Agree via The Good Trade
4. Gratitude Fatigue is Real. Here’s How to Cope With It. via Yoga Journal
5. Next on my book list: Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science by Jessica Hernandez, PhD

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. The Yearlong Pantry by my longtime blog friend Erin Alderson. It’s a recipe book and a guide to working pantry staples like nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains into your meals in new and exciting ways. Very excited to make her freekeh chili this weekend!
2. The Loopy Whisk! Completely in awe of Katarina’s allergen-friendly creations. I can’t believe it took me this long to find her work. Immediately signed up for the newsletter, followed on Insta, and I’m definitely ordering The Elements of Baking.
3. Petition to make Poppi’s Cranberry Fizz a permanent flavor in the lineup PLEASE.
4. Thinking about attempting an XL version of this wreath by Butter Wakefield, who I absolutely adore following on Instagram. We have cute shed that faces the street with a big, empty spot that would be perfect for it.
5. Love Riley Sheehey’s paintings on old books. This one of A Christmas Carol is ✨

5 Questions:

1. How do you keep up with all the dishwashing with being a food blogger, and do you get tired of it? 
   I clean as I go and I am very lucky to have a dishwasher in my kitchen. Cleaning as you go is a game changer for home cooking in general though. When I’m working on a recipe or photographing a bunch of stuff in one day, I make sure the dishwasher is empty and that I have my sink filled with hot soapy water. As I use dishes/utensils, I pop them in the dishwasher or quickly wash when I can. Of course, there’s always a few extra dishes at the end of a cook/photo session, but taking care of what I can as I go along makes the process a lot less annoying.
2. I was wondering if you have suggestions for plates/bowls/cups/utensils?
   My everyday dishes are a mix of Atelier Trema and Crate & Barrel. We use the Bodega glasses from Create & Barrel as well! Our utensil drawer is a mix of hand-me-downs from my parents ahaha. One day I will get it together and choose a matching set!
3. I’m wondering what is an easier or better extension of the kitchen: an Instant Pot (or something similar) or a simple rice cooker/multi functional rice cooker? I can’t fit both in my tiny kitchen.
   I have both–an older Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and a Zojirushi Rice/Multi Cooker. I think the answer depends on what you tend to cook more often. If you’re really into big pots of beans, pressure-cooked stews, braises etc, the Instant Pot might be a good fit for you! Personally, I am just as happy to do these things on the stovetop (unless I’m pinched for time). I do not think that the Instant Pot cooks rice very well, and they are quite big/bulky machines. My rice cooker gets a lot of use because we eat a ton of jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, and steel cut oatmeal.
4. Are you planning a second book?
   I’m not one to speak on things until they’re official, but yes 😊
5. What’s the best way to support you? Comments on Insta posts or recipes?
   Comments and reviews on the blog’s recipe posts is the best way! Google likes it when recipes are reviewed and there’s a bit of discussion generated on the page. They seem to reward these pages with higher search ranking. I think it’s a signal to them that the content isn’t AI-generated and that real people are engaging with/actually cooking the recipes. I also always appreciate it when folks subscribe via email because it is the most direct way to promote new recipes, projects and content.

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Spicy Sesame Carrot Soup with Red Lentils
2. Creamy Vegan Pasta with Mushrooms & Miso
3. Spicy Sesame Slaw with Mushrooms & Edamame
4. Vegan Chopped Cabbage Roll Skillet
5. Sticky Ginger Tempeh with Coconut Rice