August Favorites and an Easy Lentil Salad

Happy Monday!  Here are are few things that were on my radar in August:

OXO Herb Saver | I store my herbs in the fridge in a glass jar with an inch of water and a produce bag on top.  Admittedly, sometimes the jar gets knocked over and the plastic bag takes up too much space.  A few of my cooking class students were praising OXO’s Herb Keeper which keeps herbs fresher for longer.  I love not wasting food!

Daughters movie on Netflix | Wow.  This is a powerful story about four girls who are reunited with their fathers through a special dance at a DC prison. Very moving, but also heartbreaking.

Trader Joe’s Carb Savvy Tortillas | My friend Jenny Jiles was talking about these tortillas being great but with a bad name.  Totally agree!!  I really like them because they have a lot of added fiber, which makes them “carb-savvy.”  Plus they taste like “normal” tortillas. Most standard tortillas have very little fiber and we need fiber to keep us regular and full and keep our blood sugar stable.

So Cal friends, did you hear Koo Koo Roo is coming back???!!!

Precooked lentils | If you’re not buying precooked lentils, what are you doing? I am crazy about lentils and legumes, in general.  If we buy cooked beans in jars and cans, why not cooked lentils?  I keep several boxes of Melissa’s organic steamed lentils (about $4 at Sprouts) in the fridge at all times. Canned are fine too, just drain and rinse.  I add these to tomato sauce for a vegan Bolognese, salads, stir-fries and more.  Even though I love rice, I often sub in lentils for the extra protein and FIBER.

Epic Water Filter Pitcher | Just got this for my son in college who lives in an off-campus house.  It’s a great option for filtering out forever chemicals, chlorine and more. Also available on their website. 

Fage Creamy Dreamy Straciatella | My sister shared this yogurt with me which is basically chocolate chip Greek yogurt.  It is delicious, but it’s a dessert or snack, not a breakfast since it only has 4 grams of protein.  Not enough protein but this is a great option instead of ice cream or candy when you want something sweet.

Is it too early to think about pumpkins? Because Staub has THE CUTEST cast iron pumpkin cocottes.  3.5-qt, so not terribly big, but perfect for dips, and small amounts of soups or stews or even a baked oatmeal. Also looks cute with florals. I have a few ceramic ones but I might need this in cast iron in burnt orange or basil.   

Even More Musings is an extension of my weekly newsletter, Monday Musings. My newsletter is a sponsor-free zone and is fully supported by readers like you. Consider becoming a paid subscriber to get Even More Musings! Each week, I share my tips and tricks along with a new recipe. For only $5/month or $50/year (less than $1 a newsletter), you'll also gain access to the entire archive, featuring favorites like My New Hyper-fixation High-Protein Fluffy Breakfast Bowl  and the Hillstone Copycat Emerald Kale Salad.  I recently made a super easy work-from-home lunch, which could also double up as a late summer dinner or a portable lunch.  Enter this lentil salad with sriracha dressing!