Hey hey! Coming atcha with some GOOOOOD eats, workouts, and general favorites. Excited to catch up with you all; I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these.

Oh and this is always true, but particularly this week, don’t sleep on these recipes. These seriously were showstoppincgly good and have been added to my to-make-again list (no easy feat considering I’m always trying new things).

Also, for those of you who watched the debate last night, please treat yourself to some pancakes and baked goods and good coffee today. Those make everything better, I find. 😉

Eats

Outrageously Fluffy Pancakes

Starting off with perhaps the star of this post. This…is my new favorite base pancake recipe. Yep, I really went there. Previously that title was held by these pancakes, which are still wonderful, but these just blew those out of the water. Seriously BOMB. I made them with blueberries, just for a classic pancake, but I’m excited to try them with chocolate chips and bananas! Bookmark and make ASAP.

Best Black Bean Burgers 

These really were one of the best black bean burgers I’ve ever made. They held together WONDERFULLY and were super easy to put together. They tasted awesome, especially dipped in some ketchup or BBQ sauce, and I served them with some roasted mushrooms and red onions (from our FLX farm trips) and these crispy sweet potato fries. I’ve shared the fries before, and they are phenomenal too.

Super Easy TJ’s Pesto Pasta

A super simple TJ’s recipe for ya. This was the easiest and quickest dinner that was super satisfying and delicious. WIN. I boiled some brown rice pasta I had lying around in the pantry, and meanwhile, sautéed a chopped small yellow onion with local tomatoes. Once everything was cooked through, and the pasta was done, I added the drained pasta to the pan along with the spinach. Then I dolloped on a few spoonfuls of TJ’s kale spinach basil pesto (LOVE) and added some creamy chive cheese (this was a cow’s milk cheese, but it was super similar to goat cheese).  Add lots of spices, S&P, and garlic powder, and BAM. Dinner is served.

NOMO Kitchen Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Just look at this beauty. A true work of art, no? I often find that in NYC, these super trendy brunch spots with the Instagrammable dishes tend to lack in the taste department a bit, but these pancakes were truly wonderful. And you guys know, I’m serious about my pancakes. 😉

Also I never used to like citrusy flavors in things, but I’ve discovered that lemon ricotta pancakes are usually one of the best things on the menu. I feel like it’s the ricotta; it’s impossible to make pancakes that are not soft and fluffy when you use it (I don’t really know what I’m talking about, but sounds legit right?). These were super thick and delicious, and you should definitely get them if you find yourself here.

Two Hands Coffee

Yayyyyy, I got one of my favorite Australian coffees when I was in the city for the above brunch. I specifically didn’t get coffee with brunch because I knew we were super close to Two Hands, and I wanted their coffee. It had been way too long. My cold brew with oat milk hit the spot, but it made me miss sitting in their cute airy cafe with an acai bowl or their famous banana bread. Soon, Two Hands, soon.

Maple Cream

Oh hello, my new obsession. I purchased a teeny tiny tin of maple cream when I stopped by the Union Square Farmer’s Market, just because I really missed my favorite maple stand and we didn’t need maple syrup. You guys. This maple cream is FIRE. It tastes almost like a cross between maple syrup and speculoos (cookie butter) and is absolutely DIVINE spread on pancakes or toast. I hear TJ’s has a maple butter that I think might be the same thing, but I can’t speak for that one yet. If you happen to come across maple cream at a farmer’s market near you, this is your PSA to go get it.

Simple Mills Almond Flour Bread

I’ve fallen in love with Simple Mills baking mixes, and I don’t care who knows. I’ve shared before about their FIRE pizza dough, but this was my first time trying out the bread, and yum. So dang good with some Irish butter and smoked salmon (loving the EBTB Smoked Salmon from TJ’s currently). It definitely tastes different from your regular bread, but I love the taste. I baked it as a loaf, but you can also turn it into rolls or flatbread! I’m so excited to try their sweet baking mixes and pancake mixes too because dang, those guys are doing something right.

Best Oatmeal (Raisin) Cookies

Best oatmeal cookie recipe. Full stop. I’ve previously made these with chocolate chips for an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie for my housemates last year, and they went nuts over them. This time, I kept it classic for an oatmeal raisin cookie (my mom’s fave), and they still slapped. Ew I never say that, who am I? I obviously have a case of cookie brain. Make these.

Best Peach Cobbler

Yummmmmm. LOL that’s all I will say. Just go make this, okay? If you have any straggler peaches from the summer season that you really need to use up stat, let this be your saving grace. I’ve only ever made peach crisp in the past but decided to be experimental with my last batch of peaches. So glad I did. Only thing is, I kinda burned the top by leaving it in the broiler too long (oops) as the recipe isn’t super clear. Definitely don’t do the broiler for more than 2-3 minutes. But yeah, cobbler is where it’s at. Basically a cross between cookies and fruit crisp. Pro tip: get the So Delicious Cashew Milk Vanilla ice cream to have with this cobbler. Match made in heaven.

Unreal Dark Chocolate Covered Peanuts

For all you peanut M&M lovers out there (hai!), this is the stuff you need. Tastes just like the stuff I grew up on but with all-natural colorings and way less ingredients. Plus I like it even better because it’s dark chocolate, so the flavor is much richer and more satisfying. I also really like their regular M&M dupe, but this one’s my fave! It’s my go-to late-night dessert these days 🙂

Movement

4 mile run + this 10-minute booty workout + this 6-minute thigh workout (the legs were FEELING this the next day, but it felt awesome after a few rest days)

Yoga for Softening + Rose Yoga (really nice active recovery and a chance to tune in and connect with my heart chakra in a deep way)

43 Minute Upper Body and Kickboxing Workout

Quick 17-minute HIIT Workout + this INSANE 30-minute butt Pilates routine

1 Hour Intense Core Power Yoga Flow

 

Currently

Reading: Emma

I am FINALLY reading Emma after years of wanting to. I guess the timing was never right, but now it is, and I’m loving it. I really enjoy Jane Austen, some books more than others, but I think she is especially wonderful at building characters that feel real. I really really like Emma as a character, and the whole book is just such a nice escape into a world so very different from my current reality. Much recommend if you’re feeling like classic fiction. 🙂

Watching: Veggiekins Youtube Channel

Remy is adorable, and I’ve loved following her on Instagram for ages. Her vegan recipes and food styling are next level, and her whole aesthetic is just incredibly pleasing haha. I started watching her Youtube because she is also in a long-distance relationship, and I just wanted to watch her video on the topic for solidarity. Since then, I’ve binge watched dozens of her videos. She is such a calm sweet human, and her videos are just all good vibes. 🙂

Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts

LOL this is so absolutely random, but I really love this show. It’s funny and weird and just puts me in a great mood. Also I think James Corden is one of the genuinely nicest  TV personalities of our time. They had a COVID-times video they just made with Alicia Keys with a few minor adjustments, and it’s HILARIOUS.

Listening To: Hamilton soundtrack

The more I listen, the more I love it. Currently can’t get enough of Burn, Satisfied, and Wait For It. Also it’s a surprisingly awesome running playlist (thanks to my boyfriend for the tip! :p )

 

That’s all for me today, loves. Hope you check out some of my recs here (especially those pancakes!!!), and I’ll see you on here soon!

Sending love xx <3