Wednesday, August 7, 2013

good eats, good reads


Here's another healthy dish I whipped up for lunch today. It'd also make a great
side dish for dinner. Just saute whatever veggies you have on hand...I used onion,
garlic, carrots, corn, and spinach. I was wishing I had celery and peppers, but all out.
I also sauteed this concoction in coconut oil. If you're not familiar with all the health
benefits (and uses!) of coconut oil, do yourself a favor and google it. Amazing stuff!
Anyway, I then added some chopped walnuts and slivered almonds, and finished
the dish off with a handful of fresh, chopped herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, and
parsley). Again, just use whatever you have available.


While you're chopping and sauteing, make a pot of brown rice. (Or quinoa,
barley, or other healthy grain of your choice.)


When the rice is done, add it to the pan of sauteed veggies. You might want to
transfer everything to a bigger pan though. Don't ask me how I know this. I thought
the dish was a little bland at this point and I love lots of flavor, so I added a couple of
splashes of Bragg's Liquid Aminos. Or, you can use soy sauce or tamari.


Another thing I really enjoy in life besides cooking and eating, is reading.
I'm a self-confessed magazine junkie but I got tired of the usual women's
 magazines years ago (Woman's Day, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, etc).
 I found those types of magazines have the same articles every month, just recycled
 news and tips. My new favorite magazine is a British publication called
The Simple Things.



The photography is amazing...


and the ideas are simple, tasteful, and so artsy.


There's lovely recipes...


and a new featured city or town in every publication.


I also love all the Stampington & Co. publications, such as Artful Blogging,
Where Women Cook, Where Women Create, Art Journaling, and Somerset
Home. Unfortunately, I don't love the price tag! These babies are $15 each.
So what I do is visit Barnes & Noble about once a month, grab a stack of
magazines, get an iced tea or coffee, and sit in the cafe and look through 
all the magazines. Well, it just so happened that I won an issue of Artful Blogging
magazine from Kris at Junk Chic Cottage! I got it in the mail today - thanks, Kris!


What's even more special about this issue is that Kris herself is featured in it!
I haven't read the article yet - like most women, I'm trying to do several things at
once right now (in and out of the house, power washing with hubby; writing this 
blog post; folding laundry; getting the fish out of the freezer to thaw). I will wait
until the house is settled down for the evening, and then I will take my time to
truly savor this article and the entire magazine.


I got a couple of new books in the mail recently too, but geez, this post could
go on and on if I wrote about those books, too. So that will be another post for
another time. What are you cooking up and reading right now? Any new 
magazines that you've discovered?

Linking up to these fabulous blog parties - check them out!

 Home(work) Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesdays
Tweak it Tuesday 


20 comments:

  1. Thank you Melanie for the feature on me in Artful Blogging. It was so much fun to do this feature. Thanks for showing this today in your post. Glad you got your copy that magazine is amazing and beautiful features throughout.
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank YOU, Kris! I can't wait to read this entire magazine - and congratulations for being featured! :-)

      Delete
  2. Oooh, that magazine looks great! I've found that I seem to like (love) British magazines more than American ones, I don't know why. Thanks for sharing this one, I will definitely check it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you find it worth your while, Khammany!

      Delete
  3. I love magazines. I just hate that they have gotten so expensive. I could probably live on what I spend on magazines - even tho I've gotten a little choosier on which ones I buy.

    Judy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a subscription to some of them but I buy The Simple Things on the newstand.

      Delete
  4. I rarely buy magazines anymore. Too expensive, and I love Pinterest. I love what you cooked!
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a subscription to some of them (much cheaper than newstand - and I have found great deals online. I love Pinterest, too! But there's nothing like the feel of a magazine or a real book in your hands.

      Delete
  5. Your lunch sounds so good. I make a mixture similar to that as a filling for veggie enchiladas. I just throw in whatever I have around. I love magazines and I used to read (and subscribe) to all those women's magazines too but I felt the same way, it just wasn't useful anymore. I remember when Women's Day used to do these monthly menus to help you meal-plan, and they would stretch the food so far and make the portions so tiny I couldn't imagine actually serving any of it to my husband and growing children. It was just silly. I love these magazines you shared here, though; is the UK one expensive here? I always want to buy Mollie Makes and similar UK publications but the price is so high in the stores.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The magazine I featured - The Simple Things - is $8. I have a B&N membership so I get a little bit of a discount.

      Delete
  6. Congrats on winning the magazine from Kris! Your dish looks yummy! I could eat rice and veggie dinners every night. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Vickie! I'm with you on the rice and veggies, as I eat mostly vegetarian.

      Delete
  7. Well you learn something new everyday.... I had no idea that there was a magazine about blogging! PS Your cooking looks amazing :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's probably a magazine about anything and everything under the sun! Thanks for saying my cooking looks amazing...I love to cook when I'm in the mood, and make things up a lot of times.

      Delete
  8. Your rice and veggies look fantastic, Melanie! Your magazine finds are great, too. I love the bottles on the windowsill. My 1980's tract home lacks deep windowsills. One of the many features I love about older homes!

    Thank you so much for your sweet words on my dad's tribute post.

    Donna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the same type house you do, Donna. No deep windowsills. That's one thing I've always wanted...plants and bottles look so pretty on windowsills.

      Delete
  9. Melanie,

    Your cooking is right up my alley, in fact I have some Jasmine Rice, yellow squash and red peppers cooking as I write this.
    I too have incorporated other periodicals into my reading-I will have to check out your suggestions.
    Thanks for these great tips!
    Happy and Warm Hugs,
    Jemma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I try to eat healthy for the most part and when it's simple to make, even better, right?

      Delete
  10. I'll have to look for that magazine. Sounds really good! I love the British Country Living. Also beautiful photography and so different from the US version. I go to B&N at least once a month and just sit and read the mags while I have a snack & coffee at Starbucks.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind comment - I read and appreciate each one!