Happy Tuesday! It has been so nice finally having some sun this week after several weeks of cold, rainy, and cloudy weather – such a terrible start to spring! Although now it is supposed to get up into the 80s (at least in Michigan) this week which is a bit hot for May in my opinion!! Can we not just have a few weeks of 60s and low 70s?? But as long as it stays sunny that is most important weather-wise in my opinion! I have enjoyed getting outside in the morning and hopefully catching the sunrise while I am out running or walking. I am also enjoying having some more time for cooking and baking now that I am done with my internship and exam! Here are some tasty eats from the past couple weeks!

Very delicious key lime cheesecake that I made for Mother’s Day! I have never been the biggest fan of key lime pie, but key lime cheesecake was a whole other level!

The makings of a large Fattoush salad to take to a dinner with friends. Toasted pita chips and mint dressing on the side for adding later!

My first attempt at sourdough pizza! Topped with homemade pesto, shredded mozzarella, red onion, and bell peppers. It turned out pretty well but I would like to get a pizza stone at some point because I definitely think that will help with getting the texture of the crust more how I want it! Please share if you have any pizza-making tips!!

Cuban-style beans and rice topped with marinated tomatoes, cilantro, and a drizzle of coconut cream.

The best carrot cake protein bars!! Heading into the freezer for solidifying more before slicing later.

My fave tahini date smoothie topped with homemade molasses tahini granola for an early morning breakfast. What better way to start the day?

Simple but tasty new recipe of broccoli and carrot pasta with a cheesy/buttery sauce. Trying to get creative with new vegetarian recipes as meat is still so expensive! :/ I would make this one again!

Don’t these berries look delicious?? So happy that so many fruits and veggies are coming back in-season!! Most days lately breakfast has been overnight oats topped with a big glob of almond butter, drizzle of organic honey, and fresh berries.

Shakshuka with homemade sourdough and side salad for dinner. The best!

Roasted veggies anyone?? I have been obsessed with roasting bell peppers and red onion lately – such a good combo! Broccoli thrown into this mix as well. I throw all the veggies into a large bowl, drizzle with avocado oil (better for high temps), spread on a baking sheet with parchment paper, season generously with salt and pepper, then bake in the oven at 425 until they are looking crisp/well-cooked but not quite burnt!

Iced orange cookies – you must give these a try! This is not the type of cookie I would generally think to make (no chocolate!!) but they turned out amazing and I will definitely be keeping the recipe on-hand for the future!

Strawberry avo smoothie – 1/2 avocado, 1 cup frozen strawbs, ~1 tbsp chia seeds, two dates, ~1/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and enough almond milk to blend all thrown into the Vitamix. So refreshing!

Chicken marsala served over parsley pasta. The marsala wine and mushroom duo is always so good and gives off the best aroma!

Spring green veggie curry served over brown rice. Comes together so easily! Mix and match the veggies as you like!

Lastly… lemon bars made for church lunch! The most succulent lemon topping over a thick shortbread crust.

Everyday Enjoyment:

Being done with my test! : This one is a no-brainer! It feels so nice not having my test hanging over my head anymore, and I am able to move on with working at the cafe and working on launching my business. It is nice not to have any pressing “deadlines” and to have more time to relax in the evenings, spend time with friends and family, and make other fun plans to look forward to.

Reading interesting books: We read Phantastes by George MacDonald in the book club I was participating in through my church. This fairy tale / fantasy novel is probably not something I would have ever read on my own as that is not generally a genre I spend much time in, but I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and finished the book! Interesting to reflect on the value of fairy tales/fiction/fantasy as well as some of the deeper meanings of the text. I am also now reading The Body Keeps the Score  – I need to finish it this week as I was on a massive waitlist at the library and can’t renew it – it is very fascinating and I would highly recommend it!!

My weighted blanket: Do you have or have you ever tried a weighted blanket?? It has made such a difference in my sleep quality! I got this one in the full-size, 20 lbs. (If you are the only one using it I would recommend the full-size since you don’t really want it hanging over your bed). I love the feeling of the weight without having to pile on a million covers!

Enjoy the rest of your week! If you have any recipes you would like to share, feel free to leave them in the comments!