The number of things I want to share in today’s Show and Tell is a clear indicator that it’s been too long since I’ve done one of these posts. Here we go!

The Sequoia is the first car to make me consider ditching my minivan.

Just a few of the places we took the Sequoia this summer! Top left: Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown, MA; Top Right: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, MA, Author’s Ridge in the background; Bottom Right: Off roading on my in-law’s property in New Hampshire; Bottom Right: Centerville on Cape Cod

This summer, Toyota leant us a Sequoia Platinum for our New England vacation. I was excited to give it a try, but had no idea just how much we would love this car. It is honestly the first car that made me go, “Huh, maybe I can live without my minivan.” It’s about time I tell you about the car, given the level of fondness I have for it! Why did we like this car so much? Let me count the ways…

Awesome safety features:

The technology around safety is really well done, with lots of customization possibilities. Note: I accidentally got myself stuck driving down Commercial Street in Provincetown, MA. This was perhaps one of the most stressful driving situations I’ve ever found myself in. It was like trying to fit a grown man’s foot into a baby bootie. However, I was completely able to make it through that crazy street stuffed with cars and people, thanks to helpful beeps if I got close to something as well as a surprisingly tight turning radius on such a large SUV. If I could drive the Sequoia here, I can drive it anywhere.

That is Commercial Street. I think my heart rate is still coming down a month later.

4WD + the ability to fit lots of people and stuff.

I love camping here in California and visiting Joshua Tree as often as possible. As a result, we’ve forced our minivan down roads that it had no business driving down. We would love to have a 4WD vehicle but as yet haven’t found one that we liked that could also fit 3 kids plus 2 cellos. The Sequoia can do all of that. 

I fit those four suitcases and definitely still had space to pack in more stuff…and that was with the third row up! Two cello cases would be no problem!

So much space.

Let’s go back to the whole space thing again. The third row was just as comfortable as the middle or front seats, even for adults. And even when we had tons of stuff in the car, we still had room to fit lots of people comfortably.

Random awesome stuff.

The sound system was amazing. The front seat had double visors so you can block sun on the side and in front at the same time. Heat warmers in the front and middle seats, plus vented seats in the front to help cool you down on a hot day. Buttons that moved the seats up and down in the way back. All the bells and whistles. 

Honestly, this might be the next car we get. I’ll keep you posted! Thank you, Toyota!!

Enamelware Jackpot!

I’ve been looking for pretty white enamelware with a thin colored edge for ages. West Elm would carry it sometimes, but it always sold out quickly. Then, while in Provincetown on Cape Cod, we went to a wonderful home store called Utilities, filled to the brim with great finds, including the enamelware of my dreams, made by Crow Canyon Home. I bought a bunch of plates and some serving bowls, then got home and discovered they have a website, which means I will be buying more. (Seriously, I need more bowls, they are awesome.) Definitely go check them out.

Cedar Grilling Wraps for Cooking Fish

A few weeks ago I put grilled salmon on my weekly menu, and my friend Sharon commented on the post saying she had just used cedar grilling wraps the night before and loved them. When I went to Sprouts to buy the fish, I picked up a couple packs myself. And I am officially joining the “I heart cedar wraps” club with Sharon. 

Why cedar wraps? Well, you’re not really supposed to cook with aluminum foil because aluminum leaches into your food at high temperatures. But buying the cedar planks feels wasteful as you can only use them once. These cedar wraps are the best of both worlds! I have used them twice now for salmon, just laying the salmon right on top of the cedar “paper” and throwing it on the grill. 

You can buy the wraps on Amazon (and actually there are a ton of brands to choose from on there), but you may also be able to find them at your local market like I did, most likely near the butcher. 

I love Lori Gottlieb’s book and everyone should read it.

Looking for a great book? Go read “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed” by Lori Gottlieb. She is a fantastic writer and I found myself highlighting things left and right, something I rarely do. So, so good. Enjoy!

It’s Friday Show and Tell time!

This Week for Dinner is on Instagram!

So, my blog turned 12 last week. I totally forgot about the blog’s birthday, so, you know, Happy Birthday, Blog! Good job on 12 years and all that. Anyway, I’ve been on Instagram forever but have never focused exclusively on food content because, well, Instagram was sort of my happy place where I did whatever I wanted. It still is, but I have finally pulled the trigger and got This Week for Dinner going on Instagram. I would love love love it if you want to follow me over there. I’ll share content from the blog as well as the podcast (which will be starting up again soon!), the weekly menu and great food! The handle is simply @thisweekfordinner.

Recent Podcast Recommendations

Two of my favorite podcasts had some great episodes lately talking about plant-based food. They’re really well done and super interesting, so I definitely want to share them with you!

Science Vs

I love Science Vs, it’s a delightful science podcast by Gimlet media and the host Wendy Zukerman is one of my favorites. Anyway, they recently did an episode about vegan diets, looking at different vegan and anti-vegan claims (like vegans are better for the environment and you need cow’s milk to be healthy) to figure out what was true. You can listen to the episode here: Vegans: Are They Right?

But what I really want to share is the follow up episode about milk alternatives, or shmilks as Wendy calls them. It’s a super short episode that looks at the environmental impact of soy, almond, oat and cow’s milks. At the end of the episode, my 11-year-old Anna said, “Well, it looks like probably our whole family should start using your oat milk, huh, Mom?” You can listen to the episode here: Soy, Almond, Oat Milks: Are They Udder Bull?

Freakonomics

Freakonomics is another of my favorite podcasts. Their recent episode The Future of Meat is fascinating and great food for thought. Pat Brown, CEO of Impossible Foods, is interviewed extensively and he has really thoughtful ways of looking at the future of food and meat production. (Fun fact: my husband Nate’s company synthesized DNA for Impossible when they were developing their ground beef product. Cool, huh?)

That’s all for today! And, as always, show and tell is for the whole class! Feel free to share whatever you want in the comments below!  

Happy Friday! I have a few things I want to share with you, so I think it’s time for Show & Tell!

Wild Kratts Live

A few weeks ago we had the chance to take the kids to see the Wild Kratts Live 2.0 show, (big thank you to PBS Kids for the tickets). My kids love the Wild Kratts (even Cate who is pushing 14!). Nate and I kept the show a secret and surprised them the day we went. When we arrived we discovered we even had VIP tickets, which meant we had the chance to meet the Kratt brothers after the show. It was such a fun day!

If you have kids that like Wild Kratts I definitely recommend the live show. The show itself was adorable and the sound of children’s laughter was non-stop. Owen (7) was completely engaged the entire time. Cate decided that watching all of the little ones in the audience was as much fun as the actual show. Meeting the Kratt brothers was awesome. Chris and Martin have boundless energy and are so kind, speaking to each child individually and really taking their time with all the kids. We walked away from the experience in a great mood, with positive feelings and happy hearts.

Click here to check out the tour dates and locations!

Imperfect Produce

In my ongoing effort to make the food I buy more environmentally friendly, I recently started ordering from Imperfect Produce. In terms of environmental impact, the very best thing we can do is buy local. After that, buying food that would otherwise go to waste is pretty awesome, too. Imperfect Produce sources “ugly” and surplus produce from farmers and producers and then sells it at a discount to customers. The box of produce is delivered to your house each week. I love their mission since wasted food is something I think about all the time.

I am absolutely loving Imperfect Produce. There is minimal packaging and all of the produce we have received has been awesome and delicious. Each week an email arrives reminding me to customize my box. You can choose from whatever they have in stock that week and there is both conventional and organic produce. In addition, it tells you were each item is grown. The website is so easy to use and my new system works great: I keep a list on my phone that tells me what will be coming each Friday from Imperfect Produce so that when I go shopping at the farmer’s market and grocery store each week I don’t overbuy anything.

Imperfect Produce is expanding across the country and San Diego was one of their latest additions. Click here to visit their website and see if Imperfect Produce is in your city. I highly recommend them! (Note: Links to Imperfect Produce in this post are referral links. If you sign up using this link you and I both get a $10 credit. I have no relationship with Imperfect Produce other than being a customer and once you are a customer you can refer people, too!)

Native Deodorant Update

Remember my new favorite deodorant? I’ve been using Native for over a year now and still love it. In fact, I’m kind of addicted and have never had such a large stash of deodorant before. Their scents are just so great! Anyway, Target started carrying Native. Woohoo! Keep an eye out next time you visit Target!

Oatly Update

A few months ago I sang the praises of Oatly oat milk. Since then Oatly has become nearly impossible to buy because it’s just so darn popular (with good reason!). They had a day a few weeks ago where you could buy one case on their website. It felt like buying tickets to a concert – I had to set a reminder on my phone and it sold out within 20 minutes (I succeeding in getting a case!). I have confirmed with the Oatly team that they are building a factory here in the United States that will be opening in early 2019, which means pretty soon it will be much easier to get Oatly. I CAN’T WAIT. Good work, people. Keep the demand up! We want Oatly everywhere!

That’s all I got! Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday! I have two quick things to share today. These two things are awesome. Ready?

Joy’s New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice

When I went to New Orleans about 347 years ago I bought a bag of Camellia Red Kidney Beans, a New Orleans classic. And then I came home and put the beans in the pantry. And then I didn’t do anything with them in forever and the beans were sad. But now they’re happy because they finally made it into a pot. One of my blogging friends Joy the Baker moved to New Orleans a few years ago and has a recipe for Red Beans and Rice on her site. I trust Joy, so I decided to give her recipe a try.

Oh goodness I really loved this dinner. Joy’s Red Beans & Rice are delicious. And I didn’t change the recipe at all, which means I’m just gonna go ahead and send you on over to her site! (Okay, I did double the amount of pancetta and sausage, a decision I firmly stand by. We also served it over brown rice, which worked great.)

Also, people from New Orleans say you have to use Camellia’s Red Kidney Beans. And you can buy them online so there really is no reason not to.

Also, I bought a canister of Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Seasoning for this recipe and have since used it three times on other foodstuffs, too. So, that is also a worthy investment.

Chompers Podcast

If you have any kids in your life that you have any kind of influence over then you need to keep reading. CHOMPERS IS THE GREATEST THING EVER. What is Chompers, you ask? It is a twice-daily podcast show for kids that teaches them how to brush their teeth and gets them to brush for a full 2 minutes. They tell jokes, share facts, do quizzes…the list goes on. It’s the best. Owen, our 6 year old, especially loves it and has listened to the Chompers podcast twice a day every day since we discovered it. And he totally brushes the whole 2 minutes every time.

Seriously, go subscribe STAT. (I hear even some adults listen to the podcast to make sure they get their full 2 minutes of brushing in, too!) Click here to visit the Chompers website or simply subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

I have so many things to share today, ranging from a non-wheat pasta product, a non-dairy milk alternative, a super cool kitchen tool that made making cut-out cookies delightful, cool shoes AND a live show for the family that is sure to be awesome. Let’s just jump right in, shall we?

Banza Chickpea Pasta

I don’t follow many celebrities on social media, but I do follow Kristen Bell (who I actually saw speak last week and she is tiny and adorable and smart and she even sells really delicious bars that save lives, go check them out!). Back in February she posted this cute Instagram video about Banza pasta. I’ll be the first to admit I ordered six boxes almost immediately after watching it. I have eaten the pasta a few times now and am ready to report that…

I love Banza! It smells and tastes a little different than normal pasta. Because, duh, it’s not normal pasta. It’s made out of chickpeas. Which means it’s full of fiber and protein and all kinds of good nutrients. But, also, when you top it with whatever you normally top your pasta with, it totally tastes good. If you’re looking for a wheat alternative or just want a pasta with a healthy boost, I recommend Banza!

Oatly

Okay, so I have pretty much cut dairy from my diet. I still use butter, but whenever I eat anything with cream or milk, I feel awful. Which means I haven’t had a decent latte in months, which is a cryin’ shame. Then, last week, I went to one of my favorite local coffee shops Revolution Roasters and discovered they had “oat milk” as one of their milk options. After a lengthy discussion with the barista (because once you get me talkin’ ’bout food I can’t stop), I gave the oat milk latte a try and SKIPPED HOME SINGING TRALALA BECAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY THE END.

Oh wait. That’s not the end. I went home and ordered a whole lotta oat milk from Oatly, the very oat milk my barista raved about.

So far Oatly’s oat milk is my favorite milk alternative I have tried. It has a unique flavor, as all milk alternatives do, but it’s my favorite so far, and the flavor is more subtle than say almond or coconut milk. It kind of tastes like, well, granola or oatmeal, but, like I said, it’s subtle. And the oat milk plays nice with my body. No nuts to worry about, no dairy to worry about and I feel good afterwards. Oatly is a plant-based, sustainable product, which is another big reason I am happy to support them.

King Arthur Rolling Mat

Oh my goodness I am so happy I bought this rolling mat. SO HAPPY. Here’s the background: my grandma and my mom always had the Tupperware rolling mat, which I received as a wedding gift many moons ago. I know they loved it, but I never really did (sorry Mom and Grandma!). The mat would slide around and over time it started cracking and falling apart (which made me sad because nostalgia, but I haven’t missed it in the kitchen as far as cooking is concerned). Once my Tupperware rolling mat bit the dust, I bought a new rolling mat from King Arthur. It came in the mail and I promptly put it away for a few years. It stayed in the cabinet, patiently waiting, until yesterday.

This mat is seriously awesome. It stays put on the counter beautifully, it’s really big, and it just plain worked great. I highly recommend it! Click here to buy a King Arthur Rolling Mat for yourself.

My New Favorite Birkenstocks

I didn’t start wearing Birkenstocks until a few years ago. Once I did, I was hooked and it’s pretty much the only shoe I wear (as made apparent by the T-shaped tan line on my feet that I just can’t shake). The Gizeh style has served me well and I own three pair. But, I’ve gotta admit, I was getting a little tired of them. So, I started poking around, looking at different kinds of Birks. I ordered a pair of the Mayari sandals in Stone and the Daloa sandals in Mocha, just to try on, mind you. And, well, I kept both pair. They’re my new faves. Which means now I’ll have even more Birkenstock tan lines on my feet. 😐

Wild Kratts Live!

My kids love Wild Kratts on PBS. A lot. Even Cate, my 7th grader. I just learned that there is a Wild Kratts Live show and the U.S. tour kicks off in September. We are totally going no matter what. But it’s a surprise, so don’t tell my kids. (Hopefully they don’t read this, fingers crossed!) Click here to get tickets for a show near you!

In Conclusion…

Please don’t tally how much money I have spent on this post. Thank you and good day.

Today I have a special edition of Show and Tell for you: Things That Made Me Cry. Fun times! Two of these totally awesome things are music related and the third has to do with food. All three are wonderful.

May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers

I must give credit where credit is due…my husband Nate has been listening to the Avett Brothers for ages and is the reason I know who they are. They are hands down one of my favorite bands and their concert a few years ago was one of the best we’ve ever seen. Judd Apatow must share the same sentiments as we do because he recently produced a documentary about the brothers and their band for HBO, May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers. Please go watch this documentary. It is just so wonderful I don’t know what else to say. Oh, I do know one more thing to say…I cried pretty much non-stop through the last 45 minutes of the movie. IT IS SO GOOD.

And, one final thing: if you don’t know who the Avett Brothers are, start listening stat. Their most recent album True Sadness is perfection, but here are a few of my favorite older songs: Murder in the City (this one made me cry at the concert, it was embarrassing), Morning Song, and (of course) I And Love And You. (Photo credit: HBO)

Yo-Yo Ma

I took the girls to see Yo-Yo Ma at Copley Symphony Hall in San Diego. Yo-Yo Ma played the Brahms piano trios with pianist Emanual Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos and it was, well, beyond words. Three masters playing music written by another master on world-class instruments (some with the name “Stradivarius”). There were a few moments where the violin and cello played harmonies where I felt overwhelmed by what we had the privilege of watching and listening to. Another fun part of the night was Yo-Yo Ma’s countenance: you can just tell the man is filled with humility, kindness and joy. (And after hearing a few personal stories from Cate’s cello teacher about him after the concert, well, he is very firmly on my list of favorite humans.) If you ever get the chance to see Yo-Yo Ma in concert, make it happen. Click here for his scheduled concerts and appearances.

Ugly Delicious: Season 1 Episode 5

I know I already told you to watch Ugly Delicious on Netflix, but I do want to specifically call out a beautiful moment in the series. In episode 5 of the debut season, David Chang visits Yakitori Masakichi in Tokyo, where Chef Masahiko Kodama makes David yakitori, a Japanese-style skewered chicken. The chef grills Niigata-sourced chicken seasoned with Niigata salt over Japanese binchotan charcoal. David is pretty much overwhelmed by the perfection of what he tastes. When he tries to tell the chef just how amazing his food is, the chef’s reaction is, simply put, beautiful. Click here to watch Ugly Delicious.

Happy listening, viewing and crying!

I haven’t done Show and Tell in SO LONG. It’s time.

TV Loves

Okay, so Netflix is keeping us busy lately. Here are a few of our recent favorite discoveries:

• Julie’s Greenroom. Julie Andrews is the best person EVER, amiright? I just discovered that she has a new Jim Henson Company children’s show streaming on Netflix called Julie’s Greenroom. I already know I love it and I haven’t even watched it. Here’s an article from The Guardian that gives a nice summary of the show. My kids are going to be watching this show no matter what.
• The OA. Have you watched The OA yet? WHAT DID YOU THINK?!?!?! I’m not even 100% sure I know what I think about it all, but I do know we blasted through the first season in about half a second. It was crazy and fun and mysterious and that-last-episode-what-the-what?!?!
• The Grinder. This comedy series starring Fred Savage and Rob Lowe originally aired on Fox and is now streaming on Netflix. Nate and I cannot figure out why it was cancelled after one season because it’s hysterical. We’re considering watching all the episodes again because we need more Grinder in our life! (Hey, Netflix, maybe a Season 2? Just sayin’…)
• Hap & Leonard. Netflix recently suggested this show to us and Netflix was right again. This Sundance series is great. We’re only about halfway through the first season but we are totally loving it. Also, OMAR. (If you see the name Omar and know what I’m talking about, then you’ll know you need to watch this show.)

Cookbook Loves

One of my long-time blogging friends Robyn Stone just published a beautiful cookbook and I’m so excited for her! Robyn has been blogging at Add a Pinch for many years (seriously, I’ve known her forever in blog years!) and has published her cookbook of the same name. It’s as beautiful as I anticipated it would be and I can’t wait to dive into the recipes she shares in the book. The premise of her book is easy, fast, fresh Southern classics, which sounds just about perfect to me. A big congratulations to Robyn on the birth of her book baby! I am so happy for her and she deserves the very best! You can pick up Robyn’s book on Amazon.

Local Loves

I need to throw out some local love from here in North County San Diego. If you’re local or vacation in North County San Diego, be sure to check out the recently re-opened shop Seaworthy in Carlsbad Village. My talented friend Ashley now owns the store and is doing beautiful things there.

Thanks to Ashley’s store I just now have discovered SAND+GRIT jewelry, made by a local artisan in Carlsbad. I LOVE HER STUFF SO MUCH. I wear my new triangle necklace and copper cuffs every day. The Seven Earring in 14K Rose Gold is next on my to-buy list. Bonus: SAND+GRIT is high quality and affordable, a great combo. You don’t have to be in Carlsbad to get your hands on this awesome jewelry…just visit their website! (And good luck not buying everything.)

That’s it for me today. As you know, Show and Tell is for the whole class…feel free to share anything you like in the comments! (And, if you watched The OA, seriously, I want to know what you thought!)

Happy Weekend! I meant to write up this Show and Tell yesterday but…well…NBC Nightly News (!!!) came to our home to film the kids and me making dinner, while interviewing me about the “natural” food labels. It was awesome and a really fun experience, although now that it’s done, I think I’d rather not watch it. 😉 If it looks like the story will air, I will of course let you all know. All I know right now is it will probably air early next week. You never know in the news world!

So, here’s what I was going to share yesterday…

I was recently introduced to the company A Heirloom, a husband-and-wife team based in Brooklyn that makes beautiful cutting boards and other handmade items. I’m pretty much addicted to cutting boards, so this company is right up my alley. Among my favorite A Heirloom items are the state-shaped boards, cocktail muddlers, and cake stands. A Heirloom graciously sent me the thin based maple cake stand and it is, quite simply, lovely. My cake stand is 10 inches in diameter and about 5 1/2 inches tall. They also have larger 14-inch cake stands as well as mini 4-inch cake stands. If you’re looking for a great gift option or are addicted to cutting boards like me, be sure to check them out!

And I have a bunch of articles over at Cool Mom Eats you should check out, too!

• 6 kid-friendly, non-meat sources of protein and ideas for how to prepare them.
• 6 easy breakfast for dinner recipes that go way beyond pancakes.
• Skinny snack dips”¦ so that you can eat more chips, of course.
• How to make tea eggs with kids for Chinese New Year. (You need to check these out…so pretty!)

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow with the weekly menu! And, as always, feel free to share whatever you like in the comments!

Happy Friday, everyone! I have a few quick gift ideas for you today and some food links (one of which I am especially proud of!)

For Cool Mom Eats this week I made 10 different flavors of cookies from ONE sugar cookie dough. It was nothing short of miraculous and it was surprisingly easy. Also, slice-and-bake cookies are my new favorite thing. Be sure to check out the article!

For Alpha Mom, Cate learned how to make grilled cheese and it was a great success!

Here are a few fun gift ideas (just 1 week until Christmas!):

• I am loving these hand drawn prints from Chelsea Harp. There are holiday-themed prints as well as general quotes. SO CUTE.

• If you are looking for some really fun and unique clothes for girls, check out Zaza Couture. The Chagall line…oh man, SO CUTE. (Apparently I can’t stop saying “SO CUTE” today.)

• The Le Creuset Butter Crock is my go-to kitchen gift. I know I keep telling you about it, but it is seriously the best!

• Heifer International is always a great gifting option and one that does a world of good. As most of you probably know, I met many Heifer farmers in Malawi this year and the work that Heifer is doing is AMAZING. So, I have to plug them whenever I can, and the holidays is one of the best times for that plugging! Click here for their gift catalog.

That’s all for today! As usual, please share your own stuff in the comments if you like, including gift ideas!

Happy Friday, everyone! I’ve have some stuff to share with you today that I’m excited about!

First, for Cool Mom Eats I wrote an article about how to make pie dough and pie crust, with photos and tips. After all the pie recipes this week, you’re definitely going to want to check it out! I also put together a roundup of eggnog recipes to get your holiday on.

Remember a few months ago how Cate was in charge of planning the weekly menu and making dinner every night? She and I wrote about the experience and the article just published on Babble.

I started writing for the website Alpha Mom! I’m going to be writing a monthly article with Cate sharing recipes kids should know how to cook before they leave home. We kicked things off with omelets!

Last but not least, To the Market featured me as a Tastemaker this week! I had a lot of fun working on this piece with them, be sure to check it out!

When it rains it pours…things have been busy for me lately! I’m sure they are with you, too, but be sure to share your own stuff with us in the comments!