Happy Monday! This is a very exciting time of year - it’s the unofficial start of summer. It’s all ahead of us: the slower pace, maybe some vacations, delicious, juicy produce, warmer days and nights, time to read books, no school! Here are a few things that were on my radar this month:
Freeze Sleeve: Hubs found a lot of relief from this “sleeve” you keep in the freezer. He fractured his ankle in January and he’s finally back to exercising YAY!
Strovori coffee: I am not a coffee drinker but my son is. He’s in college, studies a lot and likes to be focused. He is a huge fan of Strovori Coffee which contains adaptogenic mushrooms. He feels like it makes a big difference in keeping him focused, alert, but not jittery. He likes the “Lion’s Focus.”
Baby Reindeer tv series: Everyone is talking about this show which is supposedly based on a true story. It is a little controversial for a number of reasons which I will not discuss so I don’t spoil it for you. The show is a little dark and sometimes hard to watch due to the subject matter of sexual assault and stalking, but Hubs and I thought it was really well done.
Halloumi: This is a salty sheep's milk cheese that is usually seared or grilled until soft but it doesn’t melt into a puddle. It’s really tasty and delicious in salads and sandwiches. It is a seasonal item at Trader Joe’s and they just started carrying it for the summer season. I have a new recipe coming to my website for a Halloumi Salad with a Sumac Vinaigrette. In the meantime, there’s this salad from the archives for a Salad with Halloumi and Cantaloupe.
Stella West Hollywood: We had a delicious meal at Stella. Great vibe, loved the decor, food was amazing (we loved the pastas, cocktails, pizzas, and salads.) It’s on the pricier side, but we really enjoyed it.
Lemon on Pizza I had a pizza at Fini in Brooklyn that blew my mind. It was a white pizza with two cheeses and lemon zest and lemon juice and it was one of the best pizzas I have ever had. Then I had a white pizza at Stella which was served with a lemon half to squeeze on before eating. Delicious!!
Real Canasta: I am learning how to play canasta with some friends and I really like it. It’s a card game you play as a foursome and I think it’s important to try to learn new things as we age. Plus, it’s a social activity that doesn’t involve eating a huge meal. A few friends told me to play Real Canasta online and I like it better than Canasta Junction, if anyone is learning.
BBQ Daddy Grill Brush: It’s BBQ season and if you didn’t know, wire grill brushes are NOT recommended. The metal bristles can fall off and onto the grill and then get into your food. It happened to Hubs!! Fortunately, the wire got stuck in the inside of his cheek and not his intestines. Do yourself a favor and ditch the wire brushes in favor of a BBQ Daddy. It works better to clean the grill and much safer.
Hummus Hack: I was in Los Olivos staying at my friend Jane’s house. She served a delicious hummus that was so flavorful. Jane learned a hack from our friend Cheryl who takes the canned Greek chickpeas from Trader Joe’s and blends them in a food processor with some lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil OR lemon-infused olive oil and an extra squirt of lemon. So yummy and easy! While I’m talking hummus, I had a delicious and beautiful loaded hummus at Roblar Winery in Los Olivos. See image below. It was served with Zhoug (a spicy cilantro sauce), za’atar (a dried herb blend with thyme, sesame seeds and hyssop), sundried tomato pesto, toasted pine nuts, radishes, cucumber, pickled celery, and pita.
My newsletter is a sponsor-free zone and is fully supported by readers. Consider being a paid subscriber to get Even More Musings! Today I am sharing an easy, delicious AND FLEXIBLE recipe that is a copycat of the wildly popular Emerald Kale Salad at the Hillstone restaurants. There is a reason this salad is so legendary. It is very flavorful, hearty with lots of texture but you do not need to spend $$$$ to get it. I have cracked the code and am posting it here!
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