Lately: Yoga, Cookbooks, and The Medicine Ball

Woop woop. We made it to Friday. I’m in the mood this morning to do a Lately post and just chat. K? 

This week wasn’t too bad overall. On the plus side, Bryan and I went out to dinner with his mom and I went to yoga with my friend Bridgett (more on that later). However, I got a cold this week and have been feeling really under the weather. I’ve been drinking lots of fluids in hopes that it goes away soon, but I think I just need some rest. So, if this post is a bit scattered, I’m blaming it on my cold and I’m sorry.

1. Getting Back Into Yoga

I’ve talked about this many times, but I’ve been really wanting to get into a more regular yoga routine. For Christmas, I got a Lululemon yoga mat (3mm) and yoga pants, and the presents couldn’t have been more timely! I’ve been feeling on-edge lately, and yoga always seems to calm me down.

Last night, I went to restorative yoga and it was so incredibly needed. Restorative yoga helps with flexibility and relaxation, and also decreases anxiety. While at the yoga studio, I finally signed up for an unlimited monthly yoga package!  I’m SO happy that I did, because it will encourage me to practice more and make better use of my time. So many nights, I’ll get home from work and aimlessly watch TV or browse the Internet. That’s fine on occasion, but I’ve noticed that I’ve been doing that a lot lately, and it’s making me feel very unproductive.

So expect lots of yoga-focused blog posts soon! 

2. The Forest Feast Gatherings

My friend Bridgett recently bought me the book, The Forest Feast Gatherings by Erin Gleeson. The book is part of The Forest Feast cookbook collection and extends to creating vegetarian, organic and artful gatherings. I love entertaining, so this cookbook is right up my alley. Each recipe is accompanied by beautiful photographs, so you can clearly see what the dish is supposed to look like at the end. 

Personally, I always struggle with creating a cohesive menu and pairing food together that makes sense. Most cookbooks have chapters based on recipe type {appetizers, entrees, desserts}. This book is different because it groups recipes together for an entire event. For example, there’s a collection of recipes called “Summer Feast,” which helps you create the perfect summer gathering from start to finish. The recipes in this collection are watermelon mint water, floral summer rolls, peach panzanella, sesame-farro salad, portobello and chimichurri, and grilled pineapple with cinnamon cream. Yum, yum, yum. 

3. The Medicine Ball

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been dealing with a cold this week which is the WORST. I was googling drink recipes to help with sickness, something other than boring hot lemon water, and came across The Medicine Ball, a secret menu item at Starbucks. Oh man, you guys. This stuff is so incredibly amazing. I texted probably 4-5 people yesterday telling them they needed to try it. It helps clear out your sinuses and soothes sore throats. 

My Starbucks knew what The Medicine Ball drink was when I ordered it, but in case your local store doesn’t, here’s what it is: 

• Venti hot tea with 1 bag of Jade Citrus Mint and 1 bag of Peach Tranquility
• Half hot water, half steamed lemonade
• Add a packet of honey for it’s anti-microbial effects  

If you end up trying it, let me know!

// Alright, that’s all for today. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Stay tuned next week for more delicious recipes and wellness tips. If you have any post requests, leave them in the comments below or tweet me.