My faves are nothing fancy...just little blessings in a busy week......
- MAPLE COFFEE! My oldest gal (Courtney) and I went to the Berkshires to these outlet stores for an afternoon of lunch and shopping. What fun we had. We both needed some new work clothes and I chose something for my upcoming 40th high school reunion! We decided to do a little Christmas shopping at this place and we discovered this new flavor of coffee. We were offered a sample and it was so delicious. I can't stand pumpkin spice coffee which seems to be everywhere...the only pumpkin I like is pumpkin bread, muffins or scones. I can't stand it as a coffee flavor. But this maple is absolutely delicious. No sugar is needed although I did put in a tiny drop of maple syrup and it was so good! I'm thankful for the time we had together and for a coffee we both love!
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| Plant-based dinner |
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| Thai Mango Tofu |
- MEATLESS MONDAY: Mondays are always meatless here. For protein this week, I chose tofu and I finally made it come out perfect! I bought a block of it rather than the cubed and cut it into thirds, freezing 2 of them. I then cubed the remaining tofu and pressed the water out. Then I marinated it in 2 tablespoons of Thai Mango sauce and then dusted cornstarch on top. I heated a tablespoon of sesame oil in the pan and then added the tofu, sauteing it for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, I cooked rice noodles. And in another pan, I heated a tiny bit of sesame oil and sauteed fresh red peppers, broccoli, pea pods, green peppers, onion, and squash "noodles" drizzling just a couple tablespoons of orange ginger sauce on top. I tossed it into a bowl with the rice noodles and voila...dinner was ready. I'm thankful it was a hit with Dave and Courtney and I even texted Claire a photo so she could see that I finally made tofu that tasted good!
- FIRST ISSUE! My first issue of Forks over Knives came in the mail this week. I get their weekly emails but those just give you 2-3 recipes. The issue explains the difference between whole foods/plant-based (me) vs totally vegan (Claire). The issue is chock full of amazing recipes. My goal is to try one new one each week this winter. I'm thankful for cooking magazines.
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| Moreau Lake eastern foothills of the Adirondacks |
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| my kayak in late afternoon sun |
- AFTER WORK KAYAK: Wednesday I didn't have to rush home so when I left work at 3, I headed north to the lake where we keep our kayaks. No one wanted to go with me, so I enjoyed a quiet paddle on the lake by my self. There was one man fishing, several families swimming, (no life guards after Labor Day) and only 2 other kayakers. I paddled for about an hour, then headed home. It was so relaxing. The day was a perfect late summer day....temps were in the low 70s and there was no high humidity like the last several weeks! I'm thankful for these last days of summer to kayak. Since my husband has to be away next weekend, we will probably be getting them back home on Sunday. I'm really glad I went up one more time.
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| New autumnal sign for front door |
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| Leaf pillow for casual corner |
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| Autumn Wreath for Living Room |
- AUTUMN DECOR: Last year I got rid of a lot of old and outdated autumn decor. This past week, a favorite store of mine had a 40% off sale so I grabbed a few things. The wreath is one I bought at an arts and crafts store that our oldest daughter worked at when she first graduated from college. So it's a couple years old but I put it up this week to bring some autumn into the house. The front door sign was one that caught my eye due to the fantastic sale and I love how the colors go with the blue background. And the pillow was....because I love pillows...so cozy in our casual reading corner of the living room. This weekend I will decorate the rest of the house (family room, dining room and a little in the kitchen)....because...I'm thankful that Autumn begins tomorrow!!
HAPPY ALMOST AUTUMN EVERYONE!!
I hope you all have a wonderfully relaxing weekend......do share a fave of your own!
5 comments:
I'm planning to put autumn things out this weekend and looking forward to it. Yours look nice! I had not heard of that magazine but it sounds interesting. Have you ever tried this device that turns zucchini into noodle shapes? I forget what it is called. I got one a while back and it works well.
I'm afraid I don't care for any flavored coffees. But I'm glad you found one you like!
You asked about the cookies I mentioned on my blog. I had put a link to the recipe in the name of the cookies, but I'll include it here: https://barbarah.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/my-favorite-cookie-recipes/. The topping is made of melted chocolate chips.
Oh my Goodness Faith..that coffee sounds delicious..I must admit I do like the pumpkinspice one...but after drinking it for an entire season it gets a bit much. That sounds like a great Fall alternative
My Fall decor will be going up over the next couple of days. Your new bits and pieces are very pretty..I especially like the wreath
Have a wonderful weekend
Phoebe x
That title Forks Over Knives seems familiar. I think there is a documentary by the same name on Netflix that I started watching? I don't mind tofu once in awhile but not on a regular basis. Anything with mango calls my name though. The pictures from the lake look very relaxing. I've gotten the odd bits of fall decor out but a lot of mine is outdated and showing it's age. I may have to do a little shopping at Marshalls this weekend see what I can find for a good price. Your wreath looks really nice against the wall color.
I've seen the Forks Over Knives documentary and it was so informative! I hadn't realized that there was a magazine now. Maybe my library has it.
I'm such a lazy person. I just don't decorate for holidays except Christmas. But I enjoy seeing how lovely your home is!
That last kayaking adventure--wonderful!
I LOVE your summary of a healthy life: "Movement and a true sabbath rest with Whole Foods." I am learning more and more how much I need and benefit from a sabbath rest. It improves me in every area - mind, emotions, body and soul!
How fun to start putting out Fall decor. That wreath looks so AWESOME!!!! I am not one to decorate seasonally except for Christmas. Although I do have a few Fall decorations. Who knows, I may get inspired to pull them out, especially if I am procrastinating on doing something else.
Great idea to have an after work kayak session. That is something you'll never regret doing. Although I bet you'd regret it, if you didn't go when you had the chance. I would like to do that but my hip makes it hard for me to bend. I would have to plop into the kayak and that could be bad on so many levels. So for now, I will enjoy it vicariously. So thanks for going and reporting back.
Harry & David is such a fun store to experience. I've never tasted maple coffee but I bet I would like it, too. Your magazine Forks Over Knives also sounds like a great magazine to experience. Slowly and regularly trying a new recipe sounds like a great idea. Who knows how many keepers you'll find? I just cannot make a tasty tofu. So I have pretty much given up. Hurray that you did well, this time. And you've photos to prove it.
Have a great week!
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