One thing I really love about the blog-o-sphere is that people can just come up with random themes for random days (ex: What I Ate Wednesday, Marvelous Mondays…) Well here’s my contribution: Sum-Up Saturday. Basically it’s like the reader’s digest version of what I did/cooked/made/experienced/was grateful for in the past week, minus the overly-dramatic human interest stories and ambiguous surveys. Let’s begin!
Recipes to Try
Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Balls from Robyn at The Real-Life RD
Robyn is absolutely fabulous in her own right. I love her blog because everything she posts comes straight from the heart and her recipes are always simple and satisfying!
Remarkable Root Soup by Katie at Produce on Parade
Ever come across celeriac? Don’t worry, it’s not a disease or a pokemon. Rather, it’s the fugly root of the celery plant and guess what? tastes way better than celery 🙂 But unlike it’s bland offspring, celeriac makes a wonderful potato-y addition to soup or to a shepherd’s pie. So go out and catch get yourself one that is firm and gnarly and make this deliciously earthy soup!
Healthy Cauliflower Popcorn/Kettlecorn by Brittany at Eating Bird Food
If you hadn’t jumped on the cauliflower-substitution train yet, than ALL ABOARD! Can you really go wrong with anything roasted with coconut oil and maple syrup? Nope nope nope.
Happenings & Highlights
- Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! I may have to divert from my cherished pumpkin oats routine(!)- The increasingly strenuous hunt for the cans of vitamin A-packed goodness has made for depressed-Aly faces after leaving the Dollar Store empty handed (they had their brand for only $1/can!). But no worries, I picked up Mr. Acorn Squash yesterday who got roasted this morning, mashed, and plopped in my oats instead 🙂 Look at me adapting!
- Kudos to not being afraid to feel hungry. Not gonna lie, sometimes figuring out all of the food I’ll have to pack in the blue duffle in the morning is a serious coffee buzz-kill. And after working long shifts at the new job left me practically skipping meals, I realized how non-painful hunger actually is. It ain’t the end of the world people. So now I stick with just bringing along a post-workout green smoothie and lunch, knowing that I can wait it out the PM munchies until I get home.
- Big Deal. I carried three plates in my hands last night. Big accomplishment, believe me.
- Man in my kitchen. I’m incredibly grateful to have a boyfriend who can cook (with little instruction 😉 His classes don’t start until next week so on the days when I was kept late he prepped up some pretty amazing meals (a chili-inspired fritatta & an incredibly creamy blended lentil soup). Thanks hun 🙂
- Chit-Chat. Getting the chance to talk with the chefs at the second job last night and hear their passions firsthand is a pretty awesome and highly recommended experience. Their knowledge is boundless and I loved hearing all about where all our ingredients come from 🙂
News Notables
Americans’ Eating Habits Take a Healthier Turn, Study Finds
What’s this? A turn for the better? Well…maybe. The study in this article hangs its hat on interviews and what Americans say they are eating. Call me a cynic but basing conclusions on surveys tends to lead to flawed conclusions. But who am I to be a pessimist? Yay America!
Does diet soda actually make you eat more calories?
More evidence that you should kick the soda habit altogether. Scientists are hypothesizing that the artificial sweeteners “disrupt the way our brains interpret hunger” causing an overweight person who chugs diet coke to nibble more. But the studies findings apart from that were a bit more complicated. The study of normal weight people who drank diet soda showed that they nibbled less not more. In any case, keep your ears and eyes open for more studies to come. Want to kick the habit? I recommend switching to carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon- it’s a great way to get a similar jolt 🙂
And that just about sums it up 🙂
Be Well,
Aly
Return to your Root 