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Nine Favorite Thingsโฆ
{above: vanilla bean iced coffee}
Hey, hey! Happy April! Have the flowers started to burst up out of the ground where you are yet? Over here itโs still pretty much looks like winter, but itโs OK, because inside I am surrounding myself with all the flowers I can get my hands onโฆokOK in reality theyโre justย a bunch of edible flowers (because Iโm obsessed), and some slightly droopy tulips, but still, Iโll take em!
I donโt know about you guys, but Iโm pretty excited April is here. Or wait, I am excited, but then I also wish time would slow down! Anyone feel the same? With April comes longer days, new produce (spring strawberries and heirloomย tomatoes), and Easter! I have a lot of fun stuff planned for this month. Easter recipes will be showing up in full force starting tomorrow (Iโm talking appetizers, sides, desserts, brunch, the whole thing!). After that itโs Mexican Cinco de Mayo all the wayโฆwhich yes, I have already started planning for, itโs probably one of my favorite โfoodieโ holidays. <โget ready itโs gonna be good! Taking a break from recipes today I am back to sharing some of my favorite Sunday reads! Hope you enjoy, and see ya tomorrow for a serious appetizer platter!
1. As I mentioned, the weather here in Colorado has not been very spring like. Most years Iโm okay with this, only because I know snow in March, April, and even May is just what you get when you live in the mountains. BUT this year itโs really bugging me. For some reason I am just craving sunshine, flowers, and green grass like no other. The one thing that has really helped to brighten up my days, and even my mood, has honestly been having some fresh flowers in the house. Whether theyโre edible and used for cooking, or the real deal sitting on the corner of my desk, they all make me happy. The only flowers we seem toย get up here are roses, tulips, gerber daisies, and if Iโm lucky some chamomile, but I absolutely LOVED reading this post on 16 flowers to try for spring. My twoย favorites are the Straw Flowers and the striped Japanese Ranunculi.
2. Staying active is a big part of my everyday routine. Everyday I get up and head out the door for a hike, itโs one of my favorite things I do for myself, and honestly, itโs when I come up with my very best and most creative ideas. Iโm definitelyย a cardio kind of girl, but recently Iโve been wanting to try to incorporate some strength training into my routine. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I found this articleย on Kendal Jennerโs 11 Minute Workout routine pretty awesome. I did the workout yesterday and thought it was the perfect quick hit of strength trainingโฆwhich is great for me because, letโs be honest, I donโt really want to do more than 11 minutes. On this same topic, Iโm super curious about trying out boxing. Cait (my brotherโs girlfriend) took a class the other day and saidย it was really fun. I love that itโs high energy. It would be great to find a class to try. Does anyone else box as part of their workout? Dying to know your thoughts on this!
3. My favorite spring style inspiration: classic jean shorts, flowy bohemian dresses,ย mini skirt + sneakers, massive flares, and spring braids.
4. Four of my most used kitchen items this month: these pretty glassesย (for this smoothie and an upcoming recipe!), spiralizer (for this noodle bowl), thisย citrus juicer (for these tacos), and Melissa Clarkโs new cookbookย Dinner: Changing the Game. <โif you guys do not have this book, GET IT. I am in love, and just like the tagline suggests, it totally changes the dinner game.
5.ย New video:ย Green Goddess Zucchini Pasta with Fried Halloumiโฆaka spring pasta!
6. On a more personal topic, I dealt with some online haters/bullies this week, and you know, I just donโt get people who want to tear other people down. Typically, I keep these things to myself, but this last experience just left a really bad taste in my mouth. Maybe it was because it came from someone whom I thought to be an empowering person, or the fact that there was zero truth in what was being said, or the fact that someone could even say such things without ever speaking one single word to me. It really just sits with me in such a bad way. Normally I can shrug these types of things off, but this one just got to me, and I canโt lie, it completely ruined my day/night. To move forward, I actually came across all these quotes on haters. A lot of them came from Taylor Swift and can I just say, that girl is inspiringly smart. Her words brought me outta my funk. And with thatโฆ
โyou never look good trying to make someone else look badโ
โdear haters, I have so much more for you to be mad at, just be patientโ
โthey donโt like you but they still find the time to watch everything you doโ
โSHAKE IT OFFโย ?
7. On a more positiveย note, you guys seem to be loving my weekly Facebook Live posts!ย Iโm thinking it might be really fun to do a live Q&A. Would you guys be into that? If so, what kind of questions would you like answered? Leave any that you have in the comments!
8. Favorite pin of the week: concrete kitchen counter tops <โLOVE
9.ย This weekโs dinners:ย 15 Minute Garlic Butter Ramen Noodles,ย Tuscan Tuna Sandwich,ย 10-Minute Creamy, Buttery Herbed Bucatini,ย One-Pan Spring Quinoa Bake,ย Hawaiian Hula Pork Fajitas with Pineapple Slaw + Coconut Rice,ย Super Green Pea and Asparagus Burrata Pizza.
{one of my favorite photos from Fridayโs Strawberry Coconut Carrot Cake}
Check out all the past Favorites postsย here.
This post was originally published on April 2, 2017
RE: #2 check out toneitup.com girl!!! youโll love it for quick toning and HIIT workouts
LOVE your blog
<3
Thanks Allie!
Having been a part of several online communities (mostly writing and fandom) I too have had my fair of mean people, trolls, flames and bad reviews. Sometimes itโs like all the kind things other people have said can be wiped away by just *one* crappy/judgy comment! I know itโs easier said than done, and time will probably make it better, but ignore the (jealous) haters. Know that you are in good company. Anybody who is doing something worthwhile is going to get criticized. Iโm so sorry that it ruined your day.l โ I hope you have had a beautiful week and weekend since, and I love your blog! Iโve made several of the recipes and enjoy it so much.
Wow, this is one of the nicest comments ever! Way to start my day of right (: Thank you for that!
You have some great advice Rochelle!
I box as my main form of exercise. I did a class at the Y for years, but three years ago it was cancelled. I floundered for awhile trying out different classes but really, I only ended up working out less and less. When I found that a Title Boxing Club opened near my work I thought, yeah, thatโs what I love. I should be doing what I love!!! I went and tried the free class and Iโve been boxing ever since. Of course, Iโm still trying to get back my endurance and itโs hard, if Iโm telling the truth, but I love it! Give it a try. Hope you like it too!
I really enjoy your blog. Iโm so glad I found it!
Ah so happy you were able to get back into it Molly! Iโm really thinking about it! Thanks Molly!
Ugh, so sorry about your experience with negative comments/haters. Itโs amazing how easy it is for people to hide behind a screen and spread negativity. Just do your thing and keep being you, because you are amazing! ๐ Hope your week is off to a great start!
Its to easy! Iโm sure it would be different in person! Thank you so much Laura (: Hope you have an amazing week!
Ugh โ trolls/online bullies/haters are the WORST!! My blog is small enough that I donโt have to deal with them too often, but when I do get a comment from one it feels a punch in the gut! I think as bloggers we make ourselves vulnerable and trust our audience to be respectful of that, so when someone decides to be rude it hurts even more. I love your attitude though โ just shake it off! In a day or two you wonโt even remember their stupid drama.
It hurts a lot more than it should i think!
Your right (: Thanks so much for talking with me about it!
ahโฆ the haters & the bullies, it is disappointing to deal with. But!โฆlet them empower you, instead of bring you down. Turn a negative into a positive! Take it as giving you that extra edge or push (aka being pissed, lol) to tap into a more positive & constructive frame of mind. Itโs annoying but itโll keep you on your toes. It can shape you into a better person dealing with life lessons & other peoples stupidity or bad behavior. What Iโve learned is that itโs not us, but them that have the problems & issues & they lash out at anyone to deal with their own troubles. It makes them feel better or thatโs just how they deal with issues in a very negative way (putting people down). Like someone said above, Karma gonna catch up with them.
You got nothing to worry about, couple of haters/bulliesโฆ.but look at all your very positive loyal followers, which is probably in the thousandsโฆ
Keep doing what your doing, your really great at it.
Keep your chin up.
This is such good advice, thank you Karen!
You rock and your blog is amazing!! Screw those haters! Iโm a new blogger and I look up to you. Thank you for giving me inspiration! Xoxo ๐
Awh that is so sweet! Thank you Kelly!
Iโm sorry about the internet haters, even when you know not to let it get to you it can sometimes be impossible not to! I am totally going to try out that Kendall Jenner workout tomorrow, usually I donโt mind strength training but have been having a hard time fitting it in lately. Iโm like you and would much prefer to get outside and soak up the Spring weather.
PS, that Strawberry Coconut Carrot Cake looks so yummy and I think Iโm going to attempt it for Easter!
I hope you love the Coconut Carrot Cake Sarah! Thank you!!
Itโs hard to deal with negative comments sometimes. It sucks. Iโm sure youโre way more used to it than I am because youโve been blogging a lot longer, but I am sure it can still sting. Hang in there. I am sure part of it is jealousy-related!
Thank you Natasha! I hope you donโt get them too!
Tieghan Iโm so sorry to hear about the terrible comments you received. I rarely comment on your blog but I read it all the time and love it so much. Iโm so impressed by how much you post (seriously, no other blog posts as much content!), and the quality is always top notch. I love reading about not just your recipes but your daily life as well. You were the first person to get me to try anything that required yeast and now I make bread and rolls all the time. You are just the best. And the NYTimes 7-minute workout is great for a quick workout if you get bored quickly!
Thank you Erica! I am so so happy you enjoy my blog and have started making rolls!! Arenโt they just the best homemade? Oh and I will check out that workout!!
Happy people donโt say mean things.
You brighten my day. Thanks for all you share.
Those home grown vegetables will be here soon.
Awh thank you Nancy!
I hear you on the weather!! We just got another ten inches of snow here in Maine yesterday and thatโs not unusual this time of year, but I swear Iโm about ready to get a hair dryer out there and melt it! But weโve made it to April so weโre on the up and up. Your beautiful pictures and spring recipes brighten my day everyday and youโre the greatest talent I know of! I canโt believe what anyone could say negative and theyโre obviously wrong and jealous. Iโve been listening to โHappyโ by Pharrell and โCanโt Stop The Feelingโ by Justin Timberlake to cheer me up
Considering that idea of taking the blow dryer to the snowโฆ lol!! Thank you so much, Amy. This is so sweet and I am so happy you like my recipes and blog!
Tieghan, I freakin love you. I love everything you do. You are one of the most hardworking, kick ass bloggers I follow and you are always so kind. I love that you take the time to respond to nearly every comment and I hope you never lose that (though I imagine itโs very time-consuming!). I donโt know why itโs easier for haters to be mean to nice people, but that seems to be the case in my experience. Keep your head up and โshake it offโ ๐
I love hearing from you guys and really connecting cause thats just the best!! Thank you so much for the kind words Rachel!
iโm sorry you had to deal with those people :/ music makes me feel better, and i love having a playlist full of kick-ass music (itโs literally titled โgirl boss musicโ). i bet a massive one with plenty of taylor swift would be helpful to have on hand (:
Haha sounds like a great idea! Thank you Heather!