Hey all! I cannot believe we are at the last month of the year. I’m already starting to feel extra reflective, and I’m thinking about things that I want to work on and create next year. Amidst the busyness, I love the energy of possibility as a new year approaches.

We’re going to a Christmas market at one of our favourite farm stands this weekend, and I have a bit of work to do on Sunday, which is totally fine with me. There’s lots of things to get squared away before the holidays hit and I take a little break. January is always a huge month for my site (lots of folks trying to eat vegan for the first time, which is fun!), so I want everything to be just right.

Hope that you’re having a great day so far! Enjoy the weekend :)

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. We at Instagram want you to know that if you don’t use Reels, we will hurt you and your family (it’s a satire piece, friends!)
2. How to Spot Fake Olive Oil
3. Unexpected phone calls: A modern horror story
4. Love this idea! A meditation “advent calendar”
5. Vegetarianism is on the rise–especially the part-time kind

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Veg Nog Espresso Mocktinis with festive spices! So fun. Also, make mine a decaf please haha.
2. Watched The Biggest Little Farm recently and was so moved by the story of Apricot Lane Farms. They’re making a sequel and a TV series!
3. Brown noise > white noise
4. Legacy Regenerated
5. How to retain your sparkle

5 Questions:

1. Favourite condiment these days?
   It’s not new, but Brooklyn Delhi’s Roasted Garlic Achaar is pretty incredible. I use it in sauces, add a dab to bowls of soup, stir some into vegan mayo for a dip. Everything that they make is so delicious.
2. Have you ever thought of shifting careers?
   A few times! I went through a couple rough patches with the blog and social media where I just totally lost confidence in my work and really wanted to try something else. Sometimes I find social media to be so toxic/icky feeling that I just want to leave it entirely (I haven’t felt this way in a while thankfully). I also have had periods where I’ve totally lacked inspiration, which is natural in a creative field I think. I still try to think long term about what would be fulfilling for me as I get older. This job is great for me at the moment, but sometimes I catch myself thinking of a “way out” via another type of work. And those possibilities range from mindfulness teacher training to working the checkout at Costco.
3. What’s your morning routine? Does it change with the seasons?
   Right now, I wake up and meditate for 10-15 minutes, write in my journal, drink water, move my body somehow (sometimes a workout/Pilates, sometimes some light stretching), I shower, and then I have coffee, breakfast etc. In the summer, my morning movement is walking the dogs because if I wait too long, it gets too hot for them. If I want to do another workout, I’ll fit it in later. Aside from that, not much changes!
4. What ingredients do you splurge on vs buying generic?
   I love this question. I splurge on things like finishing olive oil (for dressings/drizzling), canned tomatoes, certain spices where freshness is important to me (chillies come to mind) and then things like cashews, chocolate, coffee and coconut products because I know that the cheaper versions have non-equitable/harmful working conditions-related issues in the supply chain. I’m thinking about making an ingredient/pantry guide eBook as a bonus for my email subscribers, so if folks are interested in this, let me know.
5. Your fave go-to comfort meal?
   So a comfort meal for me implies two things: it has a familiar flavour profile that I’m craving AND it can come together pretty quickly. I don’t have it posted as a recipe here, but I make broccoli rabe and vegan “sausage” pasta pretty much every Sunday evening. I dice up the vegan sausages and cook them in olive oil with a big pinch of ground chillies and minced garlic. Once those bits are browning up nicely, I cook the thicker broccoli rabe stems until tender, and then I wilt the leaves. From there, I pour in some jarred marinara sauce, get that up to a simmer, and then I stir in the cooked pasta. So easy, delicious, and nourishing too.