Hello and welcome to the weekend! We’re in for some very summery weather here. My mum treated me to some perennials and shrubs when we were out the other day, so I’ll be busy planting them and doing some much-needed garden cleanup. Beyond that, the usual grocery shopping, laundry, meal prep, content planning etc!

I’m starting back to 4 days a week at the gym with a big goal of bench pressing one plate (135 lbs) before the end of the year. It’s giving me some back-to-school energy–even though I maintained a consistent gym schedule all summer. Despite the protein-everything fatigue (why is it in popcorn now?! ), I have my personal protein goal absolutely dialed in. Unfortunately it really does help!! There’s probably a lot more tofu and tempeh recipes on the horizon here lol.

I hope that you’re keeping well and enjoying the last weeks of summer! Still firmly in the peach, tomato, corn, and eggplant zone. Pumpkin and squash can wait! Hard to even conceive of cozy season when the humidex is still cranking. If you have any questions for a future edition, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments or in an email. We had lots of good ones last week! Take care out there :)

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. Are Crows Really Our Friends? via the National Audubon Society
2. The Truth About Brain Rot: It’s a Cry for Help via The NYT (the comments are worth reading here)
3. The Missing Ingredient of Modern Life via The Atlantic (for non-paywalled option, click here)
4. Why I Don’t Panic About AI via AI, Humanities and the Future of Work on Substack
5. 20 Ways I’m Inviting Fall in Without Buying Anything New via Quartier Social Club on Substack (this post made me realize that I have the perfect spot right by the bed for a hook to hang a big slouchy sweater/robe)

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. This community gardening initiative made me smile. The gentleman at the end says something about waking up, seeing flowers, and already your day is starting perfectly. I couldn’t agree more!
2. This post from Ali Slagle really got me thinking! I think folks tend to zero in on 30 minutes or 10 ingredients as the hallmarks of recipe efficiency. If I’m looking for weeknight ease, the amount of dishes is a huge hurdle, arguably THE hurdle. I’m fine to measure out 12 different spices if all the action is happening in one pot. Similarly, if something needs one full hour to cook but is largely hands-off and in one pan, that fits my definition of “easy.” Would love to hear your thoughts on this int he comments if you have the capacity!
3. Watching: Beautiful and Mary Oliver: Saved By The Beauty of the World
4. Just discovered The Perfect Loaf recently and became an instant fan! I think one or two of you may have referred to his book/site when I mentioned sourdough baking a couple months ago. Cannot wait for his sourdough pizza book.
5. Who’s That is certified platinum in our house. New album pleeeeaaaase!!!!

5 Questions:

1. Laura, I’m going to be hosting a gathering of folks to celebrate the completion of our home renovation. The house is an original 1960’s bungalow so I’m wanting to prepare some apps in that theme / era! It’s on my mind to create a vegan fondue – any tips or a First Mess rendition of this iconic dish? Any other appetizer suggestions?
   Fun! I’ve never made fondue, but if I was planning to I’d take inspiration from vegan cheese QUEEN Miyoko Schinner. Check out her fondue YouTube here. I’ve never been led astray by her recipes. Other ideas: the relish tray (apparently having a moment again?) Just a nice platter of pickled and raw vegetables, which all happen to go perfectly with fondue! Stuffed mushrooms are a classic, maybe a little retro vegan “cheese” ball (unless that’s too much cheese haha), a potato-based play on devilled eggs, and I bet you could scheme up a little vegan pigs in a blanket kinda thing–like little cuts of veggie sausage wrapped in vegan puff pastry?! If you don’t have dessert sorted, I think a grasshopper pie-inspired treat is a necessity! Just thinking about it makes me want to work on a vegan version for the holidays. Mint and chocolate forever!
   
2. I’d love to hear more about your gym journey / routine if you are open to share. It sounds like it’s mainly strength? Do you do anything for cardio? How did you get started? Anything you wish you had known at the start or takeaways you have along the way?
   I started with a coach over two years ago so that I could actually learn how to work out. I wanted to lift weights, didn’t want to injure myself, and also wanted to get the hang of going to the gym in general. I can be nervous in new settings, so the accountability of meeting with a coach helped. My routine is all strength-focused, based around compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press. Beyond that, I walk my dogs every day and generally get up to 5 miles of walking in over the course of a day. I could probably stand to do more cardio focused stuff to be honest–heart health etc! Fueling properly and making sure that you eat enough is not something that I was paying attention to at the beginning. It makes a big difference. When I can get a good night’s sleep, it really helps with recovery and soreness. I do everything I can to sleep better because it makes my fitness life a lot easier and more productive. If you sleep well, protect it with your life!! My best takeaway is this: just keep showing up. Some of the best workouts I’ve had were on mornings when I really wanted to stay in bed or when I was on day one of my cycle and miserable. Consistency compounds and yields rewards over time, so just stay with it.
   
3. I see many recipes with peaches in them and they look sooo good. I love this fruit and rarely if ever buy it because it is picked then sprayed to ripen and the ripening makes the peach turn thick, mealy, and mushy. No possibility to eat or to cook with. I especially would love to try the many peach salads that are shown all over the place in summer. How do you choose your peaches? I try to always do organic, but even these turn mealy and mushy. Is this a problem for Canadian shoppers as well? What advice might you have?
   I only buy peaches in the summertime at the farmer’s market–these usually ripen in a couple days naturally. I have to note that I live in a region that is known for having a microclimate that supports tender fruit production. Most of the peaches sold across Canada in the summertime come from the Niagara region where I live. It sounds like the spraying is the main issue for you though? I found this article that came out in one of our local papers to be quite illuminating when it comes to the challenges of growing organic tender fruit. It’s not for everyone but I eat the conventionally grown ones that have been sprayed. In my area, there are a couple local farms that have organic and “low spray” tender fruit. I’m not sure where you’re based, but if you can plug into your local food scene and do a bit of digging, you might be able to find something that works for you!
   
4. I tried to make some quick pickled apple cider vinegar red onions and the vinegar flavor is very overpowering. I used about 2/3 vinegar, 1/3 water, a pinch of salt and small spoon of sugar. I did not heat the liquid, i just put it room temp and stored in the fridge. The vinegar was from the bottom of the bottle with the cloudy “mother”. Any way to fix them at this point? Or, any ideas to use them without going to waste?
   Sounds like too much vinegar. You need my go-to formula! For quick pickled vegetables in the fridge, I follow this ratio: 3, 2, 1, ½. 3 parts water, 2 parts white vinegar, 1 part sugar, ½ part kosher salt. I do heat the mixture on the stove until the sugar/salt dissolves as well. Pour the liquid over the sliced veg in a jar, let it cool, and then put a lid on top before putting in the fridge. I apply this formula to pickled red onions, carrots, fennel, radishes, beets, and more. As for using your vinegary pickled onions: blitzed into homemade salsa, puréed into guacamole (you won’t need as much lime juice), or blend them into a salad dressing (go easy on the vinegar/acid).
   
5. I was wondering if you had cozy music YouTube channels that aren’t AI that you would share as we enter the fall/winter cozy season?
   Some options: Autumn Cozy, The Dead of Night, Ambience of Yesteryear, Miracle Forest, and Shadow River Ambience.
   

Pinned Recipes This Week:

1. Shredded Fall Greens Salad with Sherry Thyme Vinaigrette
2. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Olive & Chickpea Dressing
3. Pesto Orzo with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Fennel & White Beans
4. Sheet Pan Roasted Carrot Fries with Garlicky Yogurt Dip
5. Creamy Chocolate Pear Smoothie with Cinnamon