Considering our diet last week included a homecooked meal with two meats & the greasiest burger//grilled cheese ever, a good vegetarian meal sounds pretty damn good. This Mushroom + Creamed Corn Cauliflower Bowl just hit all the checkpoints - creamy mashed cauliflower + buttery mushrooms + a creamy corn sauce. Literally all of my favorite things in one meal on a super nice day

Easter is such a fun holiday to meal plan for because you can drift from the typical “holiday menu” - a big roast + mashed potatoes + all that other bullshit - & have a little fun with it. I always like to do something Spring time appropriate - lots of summer inspired salads and fresh produce to have something on the lighter side that still feels fancy-ish

Hoisin Asparagus & Pepper Mushrooms - let me go on the record saying that this is like the ultimate veggie stir fry duo. Either (or both) are go-to’s for Asian meals that need an extra dose of veggies, or when your goal is to put out a big Asian spread. These two veggies are a happy mix of sweet & salty, quick and simple to whip up, and pretty damn delicious.

Yesterday was a good day.  & more like this weekend was a truly good weekend.  In the midst of self-quarantining & embracing life as a homebody (which I must admit I am kind of loving),  I made the shift from being stressed about the current state of our world & the financial implications it’s having on me/our business to feeling really fucking grateful for this time with my family. I’m having fun at-home.  In the midst of all this crazy, we’re making the most of it and having fun. 

I’ve been able to hit a reset button, & today I’m overwhelmingly grateful for that.. We just got back from Utah visiting our friends, and before we left, I can recognize that I’ve been in a funk. I’ve felt increasingly overwhelmed by just going through our day to day routine - blindly getting through my work day (& not really enjoying it), getting way too wrapped up in the opinions & bad attitudes from a select few around me, prioritizing literally everything besides myself - & it caused me to freeze.

If there was one thing I’ve been set on this month, it’s having a full fledged Fall dinner at our house. Savory, full of Fall flavors, worthy of a festive table setting, & the perfect pre-game to an October scary movie night. & this month I’ve been inspired by one of my cooking idols, the Pioneer Woman, & using her ingenuity to turn wonton wrappers into raviolis to make my very best dinner creation of the month: Pumpkin Raviolis with Butter-Sage Sauce & a Fall Harvest Salad.

Ever since we’ve moved, I’ve really battled the ups of downs of feeling settled and more comfortable in our new home, and then just really homesick for our the life we kind of left behind. Specifically the friends we left behind. So with some delays in our business opening, & trying to keep things upbeat during these challenges, I couldn’t be happier that Jordan wanted to go back to AZ for a long weekend.

I remember watching an episode of The Chew and watching them make Tomato Pie & talking about how it’s one of the best kept secrets when it comes to Southern food staples. This sweet girl came on the show and talked all about loving her grandmother’s tomato pie (that’s what she was making), & I remember thinking it was the cutest thing ever.

Let me tell you - this is the easiest & most scrumptious Meatless Monday meal that’s been whipped up at my house in a long time, and confirmation that roasted sweet potatoes of any kind are the perfect go to dinner on a busy Monday. I was running around like crazy today - picking up the house, running errands, and trying to make a big dent in my to-do list to get this week started on a productive note. These Brussels Stuffed Sweet Potatoes were the perfect set it & forget it meal to keep me fed & happy & not a slave to meal prep.

Who says meat-free cooking can’t be kind of indulgent? When meatless nights-in fall on a weekend, & I’m in charge, they better come with some cheese & a good cocktail! For the most part, my weekday routine usually falls in the realm of either plant-based cooking or the Paleo realm (I’ll admit….there are definitely a couple cheats here & there), but one thing that is for certain is all alcohol is totally omitted.

A midweek date-night is one thing that has consistently safeguarded my sanity & kept me always so excited to have a loverly night with my main squeeze during what can be the most mundane part of the week. I mean Monday thru Thursday can be a little bland when you combine work schedules with protecting time to go to the gym, keeping the house somewhat organized, and early-ish bedtimes. I love any excuse to cultivate loverly moments (hence my blog),

IT"S BACHELOR FINALE NIGHT!!! & all I have to say is if Becca does not pick Garrett she is literally a moron.  Perfect & sweet Garett vs the other dude (Blake) who I'd think was her younger brother if I didn't know any different.  & I will leave all of my other side commentary about Blake aside as it is not very nice.  But Garrett - just the freaking cutest!! Like every time he talks about how much he loves Becca, I get goosebumps.  I love their love, so yes if she does not choose him I may loose my marbles, 

Summer 2018 - my time to think light and refreshing when it comes to meal planning.  & I am really feeling the meat free/paleo inspired thing still.  When I ate super strict paleo, I felt my very best.  I had so much energy to workout and it really helped me keep the pounds off without having to really thing about it.  For me it was proof that clean eating works and leaves your body at its best while eliminating the need to calorie count or any other BS.  So ya - sign me up for that!    But with Jordan currently vibing the vegetarian diet, I am

It is round 2 of the vacation detox, and still going hard on the veggie heavy diet.  For whatever reason, I am still on the comfort food kick.  Like I want something ooey gooey that leaves me with the same satisfaction as when I eat a big, warm, cheesy bowl of mac & cheese.  Clearly not part of the detox, so I am resorting to roasted and pureed sweet potatoes to fill my body with something comforting and kind of decadent. 

Finding fun and exciting meatless options can be a big challenge for me.  Of course there is the route of going with a salad loaded with all your favorite veggies, cheeses, and other toppings, but c'mon - salads for dinner are not always the most satisfying thing.  Don't get me wrong - I can whip up a good and loaded salad that hits the spot.  It is just that for me to have salad for dinner I need to be in a certain, salad-y kind of mood, and definitely be inspired by a fun dressing.