Sunday Saves 3.5.23

a spring smoothie hack

Some people subscribe to meteorological spring (March 1-May 31), and some prefer astronomical spring (this year: March 20-June 21). But I know it’s spring when I suddenly crave smoothies or salads instead of soups and stews, and do you know what I thought the other day?

“Gee, I could really go for a green smoothie right now.”

Spring is here! I ordered new protein powder and put frozen fruit on my grocery list, so let’s kick Sunday Saves off with my favorite smoothie hack.

• For a thick smoothie with an extra serving of veggies (but no veggie taste), chop a zucchini in chunks, steam it, let the chunks cool when they’re soft, and freeze. Throw the frozen zucchini chunks in your blender with the rest of your favorite ingredients. Zucchini goes well with banana, berries, peanut butter, and chocolate protein—or with fresh mango, pineapple, spinach, and coconut water. Note: this hack also works well with sweet potato.

• Speaking of frozen fruit, these silicone teething pops provide Theo with much-needed relief when he’s teething (in addition to doctor recommended Motrin and Tylenol). It’s been a rough week for the poor guy, but a strawberry and mandarin orange pop in the bathtub works wonders.

• A couple weeks ago, Curtis and I browsed a new-to-us indie bookstore for date night. Neither of us found a book to take home for ourselves, but of course we found two books for Theo. He’s loving A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree and Little Pups in Big Trucks—and so are we! Both books are too cute.

• Over the last two weeks, I escaped into the world of ballet, koalas, and the Sydney Opera House and loved every minute. Pas de Don’t was the vicarious getaway I needed while dealing with bitter cold wind and a teething toddler. Go ahead and pre-order this swoon-worthy story of forbidden romance, redemption, and the arts. (See this review for content warnings.)

• The End of the English Major? I’m dying to discuss this article with Sara and the Novel Pairings crew.

• I’m thoroughly enjoying our Novel Pairings deep dive into classic children’s literature this season. In addition to savoring bookish nostalgia while reading our selections, I’m processing big feelings on book banning, censorship, and which books deserve a place in the classroom. If you’ve been thinking about listening to the podcast, now is a fabulous time to jump in. You’ll definitely remember some of the titles we’re reading this spring, so you can download a few episodes without rereading (unless you want a delightful dose of nostalgia, too!). This month, we’re reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Catherine, Called Birdy.

If you have any thoughts to share on the official start of spring, smoothie recipes, or what you’re currently reading, I would love to read them in the comments.

Have a lovely week full of good food and great reads!

Chelsey

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