Saturday Sun 11.23.2024

Created by Laura Wright
A head-on shot shows a jack russell and hound mix dog resting up against a pillow. She is looking right at the camera.

Hello and welcome to the weekend! I know that my American pals are in for a big week coming up with Thanksgiving on Thursday. I’d love to hear about what you’re making and if you have any fun traditions! A friend of ours holds a Friendsgiving (yes, in Canada even though we already celebrated the holiday in October 😂), so I’ll be enjoying the holiday along with you from across the border.

We’re making pizza and of course pizza night salad on Friday. I’m putting up the Christmas tree and getting into all the decorations this weekend as well. We’ll also be visiting my family’s dog because she’s recovering from a major surgery. She’s 14 and still such a tough girl.

I know that I linked to The Atlantic twice this week, but I just loved both pieces so much, and this weekly feature is a true expression of what I’m taking in and thinking about week-to-week. Also, finding engaging articles that aren’t about Black Friday is honestly tough right now, yikes 😑

Be well and take care of yourselves out there!

A head-on shot shows two vegan advent calendars with a Christmas tree motif.

5 Things I’m Reading:

  1. Why Are Dogs So Obsessed With Lamb Chop? via The Atlantic
  2. Meet the peach that traveled the Trail of Tears and the elders working to save it via Grist
  3. Why Are People So Freaked Out About Seed Oils? via Eater
  4. I switched to a flip phone and dramatically improved my well-being via The Washington Post
  5. One Food to Change the World via The Atlantic

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

  1. Movies that aren’t Christmas movies but feel like it
  2. Also on Instagram: love following this little cowboy cat + impressed by this cornucopia hairdo.
  3. Earlywood wooden tools make the best holiday gifts for the cooks in your life! Just a reminder as we get into the season of gifting (affiliate link).
  4. Purdy’s vegan advent calendars are beautiful, festive, and the chocolate is delicious–a mix of dark and their dairy-free mylk chocolate. I already snuck a taste of both and they’re great 😉 (a note to say that these were gifted to me by Purdy’s, but I do absolutely love their chocolate).
  5. For my American friends celebrating Thanksgiving this week: leftover cranberry sauce is exceptional on steel cut oatmeal with a bit of cinnamon, almond butter, and maple syrup. I’ve had it every morning for the last week. I am a certified cranberry FREAK though lol.

5 Questions:

  1. Can you recommend some of your best recipes for freezing ahead of a very busy season?
    Pretty much any of my soups/stews, braised bean, and pasta recipes will freeze well. Pasta will typically need a few splashes of stock/water to loosen things up after thawing. My french onion shepherds pie freezes nicely in individual portions (especially in Souper Cubes!). This sesame garlic tofu marinates in the freezer. Also: black bean burgers and lemony oregano vegan meatballs are great to have on hand! In my experience, the only cooked vegetables that get a little weird after freezing and thawing are mushrooms and bell peppers.
  2. Do you ever have recipes that just totally fail/are inedible?
    I had one this week, which is why there was no new recipe! I had been workshopping a classic vegan lentil and nut loaf for a while. I tested it in a standard metal loaf tin and in muffin tins with great results (although the muffin cup portions were a bit large). The recipe seemed perfect to me and I loved the flavor. I went to take photos of it this week in a more “aesthetic” ceramic loaf pan with slightly different dimensions than what I had been using. All was going well until I got about 3 slices in. The edges were crumbling off and just not holding in clean slices. Knowing that folks are working with a variety of loaf pan sizes and loaf pan materials, I couldn’t share it on the site. That’s the way the lentil loaf crumbles sometimes! I kind of spiralled about it in the moment because the weeks leading into Thanksgiving are like the Superbowl for food bloggers. But then I remembered that there’s a solid collection of 60+ Thanksgiving-appropriate recipes already up here and accepted the situation. I will keep trying though!
  3. I’m spending Thanksgiving in an AirBnB and am not sure about the kitchen situation. Can you recommend a vegan main that uses minimal equipment?
    I recommend either my French Onion Shepherds Pie with Lentils and Creamy Cauliflower Potato Mash or this Mushroom Bourguignon Pot Pie. For the shepherds pie, you can make both components ahead of time and assemble them in a baking dish at the AirBnB! If you want to make it there, you need a couple pots, a potato masher and a baking dish. For the mushroom bourguignon pot pie, you can make the filling ahead of time and simply tote along the frozen puff pastry. You’ll just need a baking dish and a rolling pin at your destination. If you decide to make the whole thing there, you’ll just need a large pot in addition to the baking dish and rolling pin.
  4. Favorite Christmas cookie?
    I’m a shortbread girl for life–either plain or with a bit of chopped chocolate in the mix! Very classic and perfect with a hot cup of earl grey.
  5. What are your favorite ways to use the greens from carrots, beets etc?
    I usually save them for a minestrone-style soup or simply sauté them with garlic, red pepper flakes and finish with a splash of red wine vinegar or lemon. I know lots of folks like to turn them into pesto or use them as a spinach alternative in spanakopita.

5 Seasonal Recipes:

  1. Simple Chickpea Soup with Rosemary & Garlic
  2. Chopped Kale Cabbage Salad with Sweet Mustard Dressing, Chickpeas & Avocado
  3. Sticky Marmalade Tofu
  4. Creamy Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
  5. Spicy Vegan Buffalo Meatloaf Minis
23/11/2024

5 comments


  • Melanie

    Sorry, just read your response to another comment about a shortbread recipe. Thanks for the link. Enjoy the holidays and I trust your tree decorating went well!

  • Melanie

    Always so enjoy your posts,, such interesting links and great recipe suggestions. Wondering if you have a go-to shortbread recipe? I so enjoy shortbread, too. Take care.

  • Susan

    Love the pics of your dogs…..and the 2 Atlantic pieces were good. Thank you.

  • Elizabeth

    I’m so surprised that your favorite cookie is shortbread but you don’t have a recipe on your site. I’d love one if you ever get around to it! Otherwise, maybe you could share what recipe you do use if you make it yourself?
    Have a good weekend!