As a child, one of the vegetables we frequently order when we got Chinese food was broccoli with garlic sauce. I found it to be one of the only vegetables I remember that stood alone, not in fried rice or lo mein. I am excited to share I have managed to recreate that experience at home which makes a simple side that takes barely any time at all. Broccoli with Asian Inspired Garlic SauceWhat are your favorite vegetable sides? Any recipes you want me to recreate?
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This month my reading came back on track I know last month reading tended to be a struggle, but this week I was more willing to and dedicated to try more books, which meant abandoning many books as well as eventually finding a few I loved.
Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman
I started reading parenting books before I knew I was pregnant. One of the pieces of advice that I found in looking for books to read was to only read books that make you feel more sane. This was the first book I started reading and I found this book to be a delight. I devoured it and appreciated how it gave me confidence to trust myself and not feel overwhelmed by the sea of information and I found I was able to trust myself and my instincts more. This book is a mix of memoir and advice. I would describe her style as less is more. I also love that she describes not only things she does well, but also missteps, failures and how she rectifies these things. I really appreciated her perspective and through this lens I was able to continue my journey into books.
Book Rating: 4/5 Cress by Marissa Meyer
One of the themes you may have noticed in my fiction books as of late is that I am loving fairytale retellings or fairytale related books. This book falls into that category. This book is the third in a series called the Lunar Chronicles. This book continues the story incorporating the fairytale of Rapunzel into the dystopian universe that the storyline contains. I have to say I really enjoyed this and I find this young adult novel has a fast pace and keeps me engaged. My one critique is that I found the characters to be pairing up in expected ways and I wish that there was more diversity of relationships and that some of the characters did not end up in romances.
Book Rating: 4/5 Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole
This I started reading when I found out I was pregnant. I was not sure how to eat while pregnant when I am not dieting. I had been wanting to read this book for a while and I was glad I used that as the impetus to start reading it. As I read this I found myself making the changes it suggests and it just makes more and more sense. For me I found that listening to my body and not losing my mind over trying to be healthy has been a welcomed change. I feel like even if I am not ever going to be the thinnest person on the world there are many other goals I care about more and my mental health and physical health are both important factors, one should not dominate the other. This is a nonfiction book that describes a way of eating that is sustainable and long lasting through listening to your body and trusting yourself with food and enjoying the food you eat rather than being filled with shame and guilt.
Book Rating: 4/5 The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
This is a book I have been meaning to read for a while. I have even had it on my shelf. My mom gave it to me because she thought I would enjoy it. This book is adjacent to books on old men. The main character is not as old as most of the characters in those books, but his attitude is similarly curmudgeonly. This is a novel about a bookstore owner who is quite grumpy and it shows how his life changes over the course of many years. I loved the scope of this novel and I found it to be quite detailed and nuanced. I appreciated how realistic it was and how the character's stories were not tied up in a neat bow, but still ended in a satisfying way. I loved this book so much I read it in a single day.
Book Rating: 5/5 The Science of Mom by Alice Callahan
This book is another parenting book. I have found that some of the parenting books I have appreciated the most are ones that are science based and that do not preach what to do. I really have found that these books give me the information that is scientifically based but in a way that is not written to incite fear or to preach what to do. This book falls into that category and describes many decisions to be made over the first year of your child's life.
Book Rating: 4/5 Pride and Prejudice
This is a book I was supposed to read in high school, but honestly never did. I know I read parts, but I did not read it in its entirety. I was quite familiar with the story having watched the film and the miniseries. I have to say I think that made quite the difference in reading this book. I did not feel like the language was a barrier, because I had an idea of the basic plot line I really did not struggle with following the story. I have to say I did find that because it had been a while and because this was a book not a film adaptation I really wanted to know how it ended and stayed up late to try to find out how it ended. I noticed that there were a number of differences in the format because it allowed you more of an omniscient viewpoint. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and really loved reading this book.
Book Rating: 5/5 Winter by Marissa Meyer
This is the final book in the Lunar Chronicles series. This book adds the fairytale of Snow White to the dystopian world, and wraps up the variety of plot lines from all the characters. I found this to be quite satisfying read, but I also wanted a little more nuance, which again for a young adult book is not always present.
Book Rating: 4/5
What have you been reading recently? Any recommendations or books you have loved?
What are any tips you have for people in the kitchen? I would love it if you would share them below.
Ever make a recipe and find it bland and boring. Oh the number of times I have done this and been disappointed with all the effort I have put into my meal. One of the things I have gotten good at is what I call doctoring recipes, meaning I adjust the ingredients at the end or add something else to make the meal more delicious. The following are what I reach for when I find my meal to be bland. There are times where a food simply tastes bad and it is not worth eating, but hopefully these tips will help with you budget and help you to enjoy your food. Add SeasoningsI usually reach for garlic salt first, because I find it to be a flavor boost and typically cook with large amounts of garlic. You could also add simple salt and pepper, seasoned salt, everything bagel seasoning, taco seasoning or simply start adding spices from your cabinet. When I was in graduate school and my former boyfriend now husband was living in Florida with all of our belongings. He would make ground beef in a skillet and simply test out all the seasonings. I have always been something of a spice hoarder. In this case, I find it to be extremely useful. Add a SauceYou can use sauces in your fridge to play with the way something tastes. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ketchup, oyster sauce, chili paste, salsa, and simply get creative with what already exists in your pantry or your fridge. Condiments can make a big difference. Add DairyTypically I mean sour cream. I find that if a sauce needs a bit of creaminess you can add yogurt or sour cream to enhance the flavor and give a bit more of a rich taste. I also sometimes to a pasta dish will add a dash of heavy cream to add that richness too. I will also add extra cheese, because I love it and I find the flavor to help most dishes. Add FatFat also adds that richness like dairy, I usually add avocado, a bit of butter or olive oil can do wonders for a dish. Additionally you can use nuts to add a fat and a crunch, which might help if your dish has a more lack luster texturally speaking. Add a CrunchSometimes if what you are eating is too uniform in texture you can find the experience to be bland. If you had a few nuts, a couple crushed up chips, toasted breadcrumbs, all of these components and I am sure more add a textural contrast that can make the eating experience more enjoyable. A crunch of sugar on top of a pie crust or a sprinkle can add a contrast to sweet things too. Add SugarI usually only use sugar to combat a spicy curry, but I find a pinch of sugar makes it taste a bit more edible. Eat With StarchSometimes if a meal is too intense stirring it with some rice, or eating it with pasta or over a potato will make it lose some of its potency because you are spreading it over something milder. Keep in mind though if you do this you are likely to eat it for longer because you will eat smaller amounts at each meal. What do you do with your meals that don't come out as you expect? What are your tips and tricks?
Ever felt fed up by trying to find the tool you need but overwhelmed by clutter. Here are ways to clear space and create a kitchen you love. There are many things that may not be for me but are for you so as you read this keep that in mind. Not working for me does not mean it won't work for you. Here are things that I do not have or do in the kitchen:
What are things you avoid or ways you try to keep your kitchen a place that you love?
Does baking bread intimidate you? It really doesn't have to and I have some resources that can help. I have been making bread for a few years. In college, my final roommate baked bread and it inspired me to try, before then I had only made yeasted rolls. I would be lying if I said my bread was always great, I had many loaves that were undercooked and inedible. After college, I took a few years before I started baking again. I checked out Baking with Julia from the library and started baking bread in Florida. I found the most challenging part finding the ingredients. The breads in that book required many trips to stores and were eventually acquired at a local beer-making store. Next I started with a sourdough starter my mother in law bought me for my birthday. I tested all the King Arthur recipes that came with it, some had better results than others. What I found to be most helpful and free when I was getting started was this blog, The Fresh Loaf. Specifically this guide helped me to understand the steps of bread making and make my attempts at the other loaves better. What has really been a game changer started with this recipe, also free online. I found this to be the best loaf I had made at the time, the photos and descriptions were also quite helpful. In reality though now the best loaf I have made has been from the book Tartine Bread. I have found it to be simple to follow and also gives me the irregular crumb structure I am looking for me inside my loaves. If you have made bread, what resources do you find useful? I am always looking for new ideas and any suggestions would be great. Right now I am testing out varieties of bread with different grains and I am excited to see the results.
Is blogging old? It doesn't need to be. I find blogging to be as relevant as you choose to make it. One of my goals for the upcoming months is to become a better blogger. In the first few months of this year I have started being extremely consistent and blogging five days a week, but I do feel like there are many things I can do to improve. Below are five videos I watched recently that helped me think of blogging differently. I share them in the hopes they may help you too. Blogging in GeneralVideos about Writing a PostPlease share below any videos that have helped you or any resources that have been useful to you as you blogged.
I love to use this as an opportunity to reflect on what is amazing in my life each week. I hope you use this to do the same and share what amazing things are going on in your life below. MeatballsI made my tried and true meatball recipe last week for my husband's work and we had some before they were taken in. I have to say I forget how much I love them until I make them and I am reminded again and again how delicious they really are. The pan is a mess because this was the last of four batches all made on the pan, but also because that is how real life goes. Also yes, they are stuffed with mozzarella. LaughterOne of the things I have noticed in pregnancy is I am genuinely laughing more and tend to be more jovial. I basically a few times a week will laugh until I cry. I thoroughly enjoy this and find it to be good for the mind and the soul. I also feel like I am either funnier or just willing to engage with humor more and I am willing to laugh at myself. I love this perk and hope it continues after I have given birth. Positive PeopleThis week I met a woman who was the most positive. I have not spoken to someone so positive in quite a while and I found it gave me hope, peace, and a deep sense of calm. I am so glad to have met her and our brief interaction really made an impression upon me and reminded me that we make the choices as to who we want to be. I am choosing to be positive and I really feel like it makes all the difference. MinimalismI have written about my journey to have a little less here. I will at some point write a dedicated post on minimalism. One of the things I love about it is how simple it makes having guests at our home. We have less to clean and everything is organized and in it's place. I find myself more peaceful and less stressed at the prospect of having someone to my house which makes me willing to have people more. All of this makes my daily life easier, but I am surprised at how it makes special occasions easier as well. NapsI am not a huge napper. I am typically not a fan, but I have to say listening to your body in terms of sleep just makes so much sense. I am not eating to stay awake but rather am giving my body what it needs to be at it's best. I have not taken many, but I hope the one I took this weekend will remind me to nap more and that it really is what I need.
What are you loving this week? Please share below. I know at this point if you have been reading for a bit you will know some things about me, but I figured I would use this time to share a little more. I started blogging in high school and college, but I was not consistent. I was not able to put up content and to be honest I loved food, but I did not share my cooking because I failed quite a lot and because I did not think I would ever be able to write a recipe. Now that I have been blogging here for a bit over a year, I want to share the truth. I still fail quite a lot. I make things that are recipes that I do not love and to create a recipe myself takes time and effort and many attempts to get it just as I want it. I thought I had to wait until I was done, or a finished product to start sharing my journey. I thought I could only share recipes because I am passionate about food. What I have learned though is that this blog will change as I do, it will grow and adapt and I am willing and able to try new things. I think it will always involve food because food is my favorite, but I do not have to be a finished product. I find the process of writing to be useful even if I never share it. I enjoy working through ideas and thinking in community. I look forward to every comment and find it fascinating that people read this blog from places I have never been. I did not always blog and career wise, I have been a bit all over the place. I have worked at Old Navy, worked as an office assistant, and worked as a teacher. I probably at some point down the line will have more of a "career" in a traditional sense again, but for now. I love that this is what I get to do every weekday. I look forward to sharing and seeing your response and I would like to say thank you for reading, even if you never comment or like, I appreciate you and I hope in some small way I inspire you to do what makes you come alive.
One of the things I have noticed living in different places is the way people shop is different. When I was growing up, shopping was an activity to do, some way to hang out with my friends. As I have shared recently shopping is not my favorite thing to do, but I will do it as a way to spend time talking to others. The one thing I am noticing the most here is the intensity of shoppers and the quantity. Living in Florida and even Iowa there were not many shoppers. In Florida people meandered through the aisles at a leisurely pace and when I first moved there I felt like I was always running into people. In Iowa people were not in a rush, but not as leisurely but by then I had adjusted and I was in less of a rush too. Living in New Hampshire I am noticing that the quantity of shoppers seems to always be plentiful no matter when you go, weekend or weekday. Also people seem to shop with a fierceness I am not used to, sprinting through the aisles and hurrying to get on with their day. I think really my ability to notice this says more about me than it does about them, because in reality I used to be one of them. I used to sprint through the aisles and try to hurry through as best as I could. Now though I take my time and I wonder why the rush, what is going to happen with those five minutes. What will you do with them that is worth the rushing now? I find for myself that nothing is that important and I wonder if it ever was. I am now slow and meandering, I walk intentionally and I am enjoying the process. I think the joy in the doing is more important than the time it takes, because if I am enjoying the process I am just in a better mood for the rest of the day. If you find yourself rushing, I would ask you to stop and think if this is helping or not? Only you can know and only you can decide what is right for you. For me, I will be going slower and being present in the small and mundane moments.
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About MeI'm Sarah; a wife, traveler, foodie, and adventurer. Archives
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