In My Queue, On My Shelf

Thanks for your phone sympathies… sadly mine still won’t turn off, but the good news? The iPhone has been ordered! You’re going to have to tell me which apps I *have* to get .

I was a little too enthusiastic about eating my breakfast that I totally forgot to snap a photo… until this was all there was left. Whoops! It was Overnight Oats (1 t chia seeds, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt) topped with apricot jam and cashew butter.

Ran errands and got some things done around the house, then sat down to a big salad with fresh spinach, tofu-spinach stirfry, and roasted zucchini + butternut squash.

I munched on some Terra Chips (from my Lollihop box). After eating Popchips nearly every day, these tasted so greasy and weren’t filling at all! (I miss you, Popchips. Come back to me.)

While I ate, I watched Lars and the Real Girl, which I’d never seen all the way through. I really liked it! It’s poignant and interesting and although the subject matter is a little “different,” really made me feel good about people.

I finally made it to the gym (for the first time two weeks… not very cost efficient!). I took it easy and started this book while I biked for 30 minutes. Munched on a granola bar on the way to the CSA to pick up this week’s veggies…

Our CSA actually continues through the middle of November, which I am so excited about! Summer produce has transitioned to Fall, and I’ve been picking up carrots, sweet potatoes, pears, grapes, and apples galore. The fridge is stocked with plants!

Last Christmas, I gave my parents a gift certificate for cooking lessons with our favorite teacher, Karen Lee. They finally found time to go, and graciously brought me home some leftovers, which I incorporated into my meal. Steamed yellow beans, spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, spaghetti with walnuts and anchovies, and sautéed broccoli rabe.

To drink, I made a mocktail with key lime juice, seltzer and ice. Sipped in the fancy Tervis Tumbler that Foodbuzz sent! Created in 1946, the double-barreled cup keeps hot drinks hot (and it’s almost cocoa season!) and cold drinks cold. The company is family owned and based in North Venice, Florida, where all of their products are made.

They can also be personalized, which I love! (One of the bars my friend Greg and I used to frequent in St. Paul, Minnesota, The Nook, used to keep personalized beer mugs available for regulars. Love that.) They would make great goody bag gifts, too.

For dessert, I finished off a carton of ice cream and ate it straight form the carton (classy!). Crumbled in a square of dark chocolate with almonds. I also watched the pilot of American Horror Story, which was so creepy! I can tell it’s going to be a great series.

All in all, it was a really relaxing day. I spent a good portion of it reading, which rejuvenates me much the same way a good massage does. In the past few days, I’ve finished these books:

Baker Towers – I’ve read everything by Jennifer Haigh. Her latest, Faith, is one of the best books I’ve read all year- and possibly ever. I can’t recommend it enough. Baker Towers was not my favorite of her books… it was well-written, but I didn’t find the characters or the storyline as interesting.

A Visit From The Good Squad- It seems that people either love this or hate it; and I loved it. I read almost all of it in one sitting and really liked the linked narratives, and found all of the tidbits about the music industry really interesting.

Cross Country- This isn’t normally the kind of book I’d pick up, but I needed a book and was at a store with a really limited selection. My parents and I have listened to many James Patterson books on car trips (thrillers tend to keep you entertained and alert) and while the writing itself was a little silly at times, I also read this book in just a few sittings. And Morgan Freeman played Alex Cross in Along Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, so I couldn’t help but hear his voice in my head!

What’s in your Netflix queue? What are you reading?