August, where did you go?
You may have noticed that this August I took a break. I’ve been churning out 3 new recipes a week for over four years, and this month, instead of creating new content, I decided to just repost some old favorites. And to be honest…it was great. I very much needed that break.
It gave me more time for all the things I needed to do in life (namely, we moved across the state on fairly short notice, so packing, moving, unpacking, and all the things that go along with that) and more time for all the summer things I wanted to do like going for long hikes with the pup, swimming, weekend trips, etc. Also, just keeping it real over here: my computer is pretty sure it doesn’t want to edit any more photos and is so low on disk space it won’t even delete anything (which seems like a total self-sabotaging feature that doesn’t even make sense to create, if you ask me) so we have a new one coming in the mail this week. Thus, even if I wanted to post the dozen or so new recipes I have waiting in the wings, I literally cannot edit and upload the photos. So, there’s that.
If you missed them, here are the old recipes I re-shared this month:
HOW TO MAKE COLD BREW COFFEE / CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL BITES / THICK + CREAMY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE / WHOLE GRAIN RASPBERRY CRUMB BARS / BLUEBERRY OATMEAL BANANA BREAD / MAPLE ROASTED PEANUT BUTTER / CARROT APPLE GINGER JUICE (MADE WITHOUT A JUICER!) / CARAMEL APPLE STEEL CUT OATMEAL
In the midst of all the packing, moving, settling into our new place, etc, there were a few things that I discovered and/or loved having around this month, like my favorite new tea kettle, the tee-shirts I can’t stop wearing, and more! None of the links below are affiliate links so, sadly, I will not be making any money off your purchases (ha!). Enjoy!!
HARIO TEA KETTLE
Love love love this tea kettle. I’ve been using a glass tea kettle for years that I like, but whose lid broke long ago and, since it has since been discontinued, there was no hope of finding a replacement. In anticipation of our move, I decided to treat myself to a little housewarming gift (the things I rationalize as ‘gifts to myself’ are bizarre, I know) and buy a kettle I’ve been eyeing for a while. I use and love Hario’s glass French press, so I knew I would love their white enameled ceramic kettle. It looks so cute on my stove, I love the narrow pour spout for making coffee, and it feels sturdy enough that it should last for years. The handle also stays cool to the touch, unlike my previous kettle, so I don’t have to use a potholder to pour it. Win. I bought mine from prima-coffee.com as it was the cheapest option I could find. It’s also on Food52’s site and amazon, but more expensive at both.
YAT CAT TEE SHIRTS
First of all, just the artist’s shop name alone is enough to get me to buy something from her. The fact that she sources ethical and sustainable tees, uses eco-friendly practices in her shop, then designs and prints the shirts herself is even better. I have the doggy. contour tee in pink and the orange moon phases tee, and love them both. It looks like she’s having an end-of-summer sale right now, too, so head over to yatcatnola.com and snag one of these cute custom shirts! I have my eye on the lemon and the mushroom tee and am currently trying to convince myself that I don’t need four shirts from the same artist. But, I do, right?!
SUNDERLAND FARM COLLABORATIVE
I just discovered that some of my favorite local small farms (Warner! Kitchen Garden! Queen’s Greens! Riverland! Old Friends! High Lawn! Thomas! and so many more!!) all teamed together this spring to create an online marketplace where you can shop all of their products in one place, then have them delivered to your house or pick them up at one of several local drop-off spots. It’s essentially like going to the farmer’s market, but online. I love it so much. If you’re in the Pioneer Valley, I highly recommend checking them out. This week I got bagged salad greens, green beans, tomatoes, a loaf of bread (rise above bakery makes such good loaves!!), eggs, butter, chicken, blue cheese, shishito and Jimmy Nardello peppers, garlic, onions, and the first of the fall butternut, delicata, and kabocha squash…all for under $100. So, essentially our entire week’s groceries, all from local farms. I then came home and made a giant salad fulllll of all the goods and it was amazing. Consider me a very happy Chelsea. Check out the SFCo here if you’re local and looking for an alternative to the grocery store and/or want to avoid weird covid rules at the farmer’s market!
COCOA DUSTED ALMONDS
I discovered these babies in the bulk candy bins at the co-op just last week, and ooooooohmygod they’re so good. They’re also, like, pretty darn expensive. Which is kind of ideal because it helps me purchase fewer and cherish them. I’ve been snacking on a few here and there through the day when I’m craving a little something sweet, and I don’t foresee quitting them anytime soon. These beauties are fair trade, organic, and made with dry roasted almonds so there’s a pleasant crunch factor that most chocolate covered almonds are lacking. I found them online here if you want to order them directly from the company that makes them; otherwise, keep an eye on the bulk bin at your local market, or chat up the manager to see if they can start carrying them (you’d be surprised at how many products grocery stores are willing to order if you just ask them to!).
HOMEMADE NUT MILK
This month I hopped back on the homemade nut milk train biiiiig time. Like, possibly made more than one batch/week? I don’t know why, but sometimes making nut milk seems like a chore that I happily pass on, and sometimes it seems like an adventure that I love embarking on, and right now it’s the latter…but who knows what next week will bring. My latest favorite is a combination of almonds and cashews (say, a cup of each?), soaked for 4-6 hours, then drained and blended with 4 cups of water, a little drizzle of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Strain through a nut milk bag and you have a rich, creamy, perfect-for-morning-beverages milk. I’ve been saving all the leftover nut pulp and tossing a spoonful into smoothies and stirring into pancakes and muffins, to avoid wasting it.
That’s it! Well, other than my forever august loves of buying/eating/freezing as many raspberries and peaches as humanly possible, slow roasting tomatoes to make into sauce for the winter, and generally just soaking in the gorgeous late summer weather in New England. I hope your august was full of all the things that bring you joy!