Hi all,
We’re on our way to Maine for the long weekend and intend to do very, very little. I’m packing not one, but two books (ambitious but have to take advantage of eager grandparents when you can) and am planning on logging as much porch time as possible.
Here are a handful of things to take you into the weekend (and June!).
Tiny smoothie fan
Important book recommendation: My brilliant friend David Epstein published The Sports Gene a few years ago and it changed the way I and many others thought about athletic ability. His new book, Range, is out next week and similarly eye-opening: it’s a globe-trotting, deeply researched look at why generalists have a leg up in our increasingly specialized world. I got my hands on an advance copy and can confirm that it’s fascinating—and, as a generalist myself, extremely reassuring.
Next-gen cleaning products: Never ever did I think I would get this excited about counter spray, but Blueland is just genius. They’ve created concentrated cleaning formulas that come in tablet form so all you have to do is add water to create non-toxic solutions for bathrooms, counters, and glass. You start with their Clean Up Kit, which comes with a set of “Forever Bottles” and from then on, all you do is re-up on the tablets—less packaging, less clutter, more happiness.
Nut butters, oh my: My dad helpfully sent me this NYT article about how eating nuts during pregnancy may lead to smarter babies. I told him that luckily, my diet is about 50% peanut (a legume, I know) and almond butter. On the nut butter front, I have two new discoveries: Better Almond Butter, which I discovered at Pop Up Grocer, and is pricey but one of the freshest I’ve ever tried. On the less expensive front, after extensive trial, Rob and I have decided that Santa Cruz Dark Roasted Crunchy is our household’s peanut butter of choice. Nut-free? I’m very intrigued by Seedible Sesame Butter, and I bet it’s excellent with honey and banana.
Smoothie diaries: As it’s gotten warmer, I’ve started to crave smoothies. My go-to is a reverse engineered version of Juice Press’ Clean Green Protein, with frozen banana, spinach, almond milk, chia, hemp, almond butter, and dates (tons of at-home versions on the internet, including this one). I also hopped on the Vital Proteins bandwagon and have been using their unflavored Collagen Peptides, which add a creamy texture and are great for nail/hair/skin health.
Belly-friendly athleisure: I’m just shy of 25 weeks and while my Outdoor Voices leggings held on for awhile, they’re not cutting it anymore. My sister gave me a pair of these Lululemon Align pants, which are insanely soft and stretchy and are generally regarded as the pregnant lady legging of choice. (If you’re a shortie like me, go for the 25” version!)
Summer slides: In anticipation of wanting sandals I didn’t have to bend over to buckle (hello beach ball), I picked up these Everlane slides in pretty muted rose. They’re comfortable, even for my wide feet, and look great with jeans or dresses.
One very good cake: Strawberries are finally popping up at the markets and I can’t get enough of them. I love them on cottage cheese (yes, cottage cheese, but only this brand) and yogurt, but especially in this Smitten Kitchen cake. It’s extremely simple but you’ll be amazed at how light and deeply strawberry-y it is.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Mollie
P.S. Most definitely will update this with old editions.