Cozy Favorites
and a break from Big Feelings
Because I need a break from everyone’s (and my own) Big Feelings, we’re skipping right to the good stuff today. I wish I could light a candle and invite you over for tea, but this will have to suffice. Here are a few of my recent favorites, with coziness and staying home in mind.
ASMR Room Ambience:
Starz has created four Outlander ASMR videos, and they. are. PERFECT. My favorite is The Fraser Kitchen.
My other go-to background noise while I read or write: Winter Whale Cozy Ambience videos.
Several of my favorite meals and kitchen hacks are perfect for quarantine cooking:
Kitchari is an easy and super nourishing rice dish that can be made with lentils or mung beans. The spices are easy to substitute, too. I usually use turmeric, ginger, and garlic in whatever form I have available (powdered, fresh, or dried).
My favorite marinade can be used on pretty much any protein: coconut aminos, coarse dijon mustard, maple syrup, avocado or olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic. (I never measure any of this, so it tastes a little different each time). Sometimes I add balsamic vinegar or citrus juice. This is a customizable marinade situation.
I like paleo baking because, in my experience, it can be less precise (did you see my marinade “recipe” above?), so I always have almond flour in the cupboard. Enter these gluten free, dairy free chocolate chip cookies.
Hear me out. Put some veggies in your smoothies, and I’m not talking kale and spinach. Steam big chunks of zucchini and/or sweet potato (peel the sweet potato first). Let them sit on the counter and cool off for a while before putting them in air-tight containers in the freezer. Add these to your smoothies, and not only will you get an extra serving of veggies, but your smoothies will also have the most wonderful, thick texture. You can’t taste the veggies at all, I promise. Here’s my favorite protein powder.
Instead of cooking rice in water, use broth or coconut milk. The rich taste and slightly stickier texture makes simple rice seem more decadent, but not as rich as risotto.
Thrive Market:
I’ve been ordering pantry staples and various organic items via Thrive Market for almost a year now. I love their mission (for every new membership sign-up, a free membership goes to a family in need), I love their oat milk, and I’ve never been happier to have a home delivery option for some of my favorite foods. Their shipping times are (understandably) delayed, but I’m stilling finding my membership worth every penny, so I thought I’d share. I haven’t tried their meat and seafood boxes, but now might be the time. You can get 25% off your membership with this affiliate link. Here are a few of my favorite Thrive items:
Plant Propagation:
This is a good time to talk to your plants. Tell them how pretty they are. Then give them a haircut. Don’t be afraid to clip them! Place mason jars of water and baby plant clippings all around your house. Treat it like a science experiment. Look forward to potting them in a few weeks.
Reading:
I’ve only just come back around to reading as of … yesterday, so I don’t have much to share. Currently reading: The Fiery Cross, The Kiss Quotient, and An Heiress to Remember.
Thinking about:
Getting some cuter loungewear so that I don’t feel like such a schmuck but also so that I don’t have to put on jeans just to work from my couch.
How I should celebrate my golden birthday on Saturday so that it’s not depressing (ideas welcome).
Fresh podcast ideas to keep us entertained. Stay tuned for new episodes of Novel Pairings and He Read She Read this week.
I hope you are feeling calm as we start a new week. Sending love from Penny and me.
Chelsey