Hey there again, Friday! And with that our first month of 2016 comes to a close! Looking back, it actually seems like a long month. Christmas seemed like it happened longer than a month ago! Now we're already headed into a LONG February! Those tricky leap years! 366 day! On the 29th we should all vow to do something unexpected and out of our comfort zones. Since it will be on a Monday as well, I'll think of something fun for the blog 😉 Times to get planning for the month of LOVE! (i.e. Valentine's Day!)
I never understood why people got so worked up over this fun silly holiday. I feel like the only holiday people don't get upset about is St. Patrick's Day 😛 Haha! (Actually, I do...so, I guess maybe President's Day would be better said!) Regardless, it's a perfect Sunday to treat yourself to some extra relaxation, love, and of course chocolate! So mark your calendars; it will be a great weekend, promise 😉
Monday: Spicy Red Sriracha Quinoa
Tuesday: Introducing The Freedom Feature
Wednesday: Chocolate Chip Raspberry Granola
Blog Posts and Links I loved this week:
Life, Mind, Body, Spirit:
+ Suck It Up: The Best Advice I Ever Got
I believe so.
+ Turning Comparison From Envy To Aspiration
Another interesting take and explanation.
+ 20 Practical Tips For Understanding The Mind
One of the most complex things.
+ Are Your Chasing The "High" Of Happiness?
This makes a lot of sense!
+ What If All I Want Is A Mediocre Life?
What if? What's the big deal if you do?
+ It's Time To Stand Up And Be Brave
This was a much needed read! Beautiful!
+ 10 Uncomfortable Truths About Why We Lose Friends
I think we all can relate and realize these are the reasons.
Fitness:
These are so so true!
+ How I Overcame Depression Through Daily Walks
You know I love my walking!
+ Yoga Full Strength Or Decaf? The Difference Between Asana & Posture
I loved this insight and analogy!
Food:
+ 10 Foods That Regrow In Water Alone
Team #nofoodwaste!
+ 57 Small Things To Do For Yourself This Year
All about food!
+ Industrious College Students Whip Up A Whimsical Pancake Printer
Genius!
+ 12 Fruits & Vegetables That Won't Go Bad
Er..well..they last a long time! Stock up!
+ 21 New Books That Will Change The Way You Look At Food
If I want non-fiction, this is the gene I love!
+ 15 Asian Chicken Dinners That Are Anything But Boring
I've been creating and eating new Asian chicken recipes all month...I'm obsessed!
Health, Celiac Disease & Food Allergies:
+ Why You Should Fix Your Inconsistent Sleep Schedule
It MUST be consistent!! It will change your life...promise!
+ Just Eat The Fries: A Dietitian's Rant
Omg, yes!
Wow, I can't believe this is how bad it's gotten.
Blogging, Social Media, Tech & Photography:
I'm such a minimalist with my photos, but I'm playing around with "playing" a little more.
+ How To Organize Your Pinterest Boards
Hahahaha...all 160 of them 😛
+ How To Use TheseReads To Grow Your Blog
Just signed up...haven't looked at it much yet!
+ 20 Random Side Hustles To Support Your Dream Hustle
Want some extra cash?
+ Making Space For A Season Of Rest When There's Work To Be Done
So important, and may be more important than anything else you can do for yourself.
+ Blogging Advice: Writing Without Fear
Don't let fear stop you or get in the way.
+ 7 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Work Hard When You're Really Not In The Mood
When you need to, but aren't feelin' it!
+ 8 Blogging Practices You Need To Start Doing Right Now
These are all so true!
Other:
+ 10 Steps To The Perfect Conversation
No more awkward conversations!
+ 12 Swoon-Worthy Reading Nooks
If I had one of these spots I would never stop reading!
Favorite Pins:
(Follow me on Pinterest – RebeccaGF666)
Spicy Thai Sweet Potato Wedges. Anything with the word spicy, I am all over!
Red Curry Lentil Stew. It just screams winter!
Raw Vanilla Cheesecake with Chocolate Chunks. Now that's a dessert!
Raw Carrot Cake with Cashew Frosting. More raw! And the cake of my dreams!
Pinto Bean Skillet Bake with Spicy Sunflower Oat Topping. Get those cast irons out!
Sunflower Seed Oatmeal Banana Energy Bars. Some super power-packed nutrient dense bars!
A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:
+ Did I tell you I DON'T have to dissect anything in biology this last semester? Well I don't...YIPPEEE!
+ Off to the library to pick up a new book. Feels so good to finish one again! I just have to keep it up this year!
+ Stitch Fix? Well, it was exciting to see what I got, but I sent it all back 😛 No go!
+ Excited about my launch of the Freedom Feature! Make sure you check it out, share, and submit! I'd love to hear from you!
So tell me:
+ Do you "LOVE" Valentine's day?
+ Is there a holiday that you really just can't stand?
+ Stitch Fix feelings?
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Gena
Belated and wholehearted thanks for featuring my skillet! <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, no problem Gena 😉
Erlene
Again, lots of great stuff. I love Valentine's Day, but probably wouldn't miss St. Patty's Day. Heard about Stitch Fix and it looks like a neat subscription box.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, glad you're on my side for the holidays!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
Wow, so much yumminess! Those raw carrot cakes look amazing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That they do!
Donna
You are one busy gal!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Aren't we all?
Evi @ greenevi
Great posts again! Thanks for including my carrot cakes too 🙂
BTW I was totally into this 'regrowing the veggies in water' thing recently. In the past weeks I tried carrots, romaine, celery and spring onions and nothing happens! Why?? It's so frustrating, the internet is full with these things and I wanna regrow them too....No idea what I'm doing wrong...
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
WHAT!? The lies!!! I'll have to try it myself....I would think the romaine and spring onions would work best :/
sue
Lots of great information here Rebecca and I love the photo of the Spicy Thai Sweet Potato wedges they look delicious.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They look like some fantastic sweets!
Harriet Emily
So much deliciousness! I want to grab all of the recipes you've shared out of my screen and eat them now!!!! Loved this Friday Finisher Rebecca! <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks dear!!! Hope you had a fab weekend!
Alex from SewSimmerAndShare.com
What book did you pick up from the library? I’ll be looking for something new soon — currently finishing up “I Am Malala.” Was this your first time using Stitch Fix? I’ve heard nothing but great things, but haven’t tried it myself.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I'm now reading "Help for the Haunted"!
Yes, they let me try it out. Maybe I'm just not not used to blowing $300 on 5 pieces of clothing 😛
Amanda Hunter
My husband and I aren't big fans of Valentine's Day either. But this year my 9-year old daughter wants to do a special family night for Valentine's day. That's the kind of day I can get excited about!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That sounds more than fun! What a fabulous idea!!!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
i'm not one for exchanging gifts (Dave and I don't even do Christmas gifts let alone Valentines Day) and why do you need a special day to feel loved or important. MEH . But whatever it's a great reason to eat flourless chocolate cake right? Yay for no dissections, that sounds horrible!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, classic hater 😉 It's not, but just a fun holiday like the rest! Livelong heart shaped boxes and roses!!!
Yes! No more baby pigs!!!
Erin @ Stay At Home Yogi
I have always loved Valentine's Day, because I've always made it about love for all, not just romantic partners! In my 20's I'd make 'mix tape' CD's and bake cookies for all of my friends and co workers and stick heart stickers on everyone 😉 I love love! <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Exactly! It's just the "day of love" and it does not have to be romantic love! Plus we all could use some love in the dead of winter season!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
PS. Your Freedom Feature is such a great idea!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! I'm excited!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
I LOVE your Friday posts, Rebecca! There's something for everyone and with your permission I'll point my readers in your direction on my Tuesday Tidbits.
I was immediately drawn to the 'Suck It Up' because that's what my family members say to each other in difficult situations, lol. It's become our battle cry and it's meant to make the other person smile and it usually works! And it's good advice.
Happy weekend, friend. xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally! Sharing what we find on the web is what blogging is about!
My mom would laugh at that article because "suck it up" is my motto and I say it ALL the time, but usually to people other than myself 😛 Haha!
xoxo
Farrah
Yay for walks and not wasting food! :] ...and oh hello, Asian chicken dinners!! <3
That's awesome that you don't have to dissect anything in bio, haha. I guess I should refrain from talking about the human cadavers that we worked with in lab...
This month passed by so quickly! o_o
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahahahaha <3 All Asian food!
And to think I always had wanted to go to medical school. I mean...I'll do the dissecting, I had to, but I just couldn't imagine doing it AGAIN!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
Those sunflower seed bars looks amazing. As always, you find the best stuff to make me want to bake and cook.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well I'm glad!
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday
So many great links! Thanks for sharing them! Yay for no dissections 🙂 What was wrong with StitchFix? I've wanted to try it but I'm not sure about sizing, etc...
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Cheap quality and way overpriced! It's really not worth it :/
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday
Wow - surprised it gets so much love!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
No, not wow. This was the biggest concern I had and reason I'd read most bloggers ended up not continuing with them.
lindsay
this week was SOOOOOOOOOO long and this MONTH was too! haha. I"m ready for february! and i think i need a few of these recipes to try, including your beet root risotto!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That risotto will be on your Valentine's Day menu 😉
Kim
Thanks for including my rant! What a great roundup of recipes & links. I think StitchFix is hit or miss, right now in on a break from it but I've gotten some good stuff! I just always feel like what I see others get is so much better than mine! 🙂 have a good weekend!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Loved it!
Haha! Yea, it's just not for me, but I loved being able to finally try!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
We don't really celebrate Valentines Day, however, I'm not one of those anti V-Day people. If someone wants to celebrate it that's their choice!
I need that pancake printer in my life!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes, exactly!
I think we all do! That would just be the coolest thing!
Linda @ Veganosity
Great links as usual. 🙂 I especially liked the one about running. So very true!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! It so was!
Lindsay
I say no dissections in your class this semester is pretty awesome news. I used to want to be a doctor and then had to dissect a frog in grade 10. I quickly realized as much as sciences fascinated me, it wasn't my cup of tea. Lol
Have a great weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I've done so much dissecting now, after last years pig...I just would not have been able to handle more!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
I have no issue with Valentines Day! Any excuse to eat chocolate must be a good thing. Those sweet potato wedges look so good along with the raw cheesecake and carrot cake! I really want to finally try a raw dessert, need to carve out the time.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Agreed! But do we ever need an excuse 😉 NO! Hahahaha!
Yes! Me too!!!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
I have defied the odds and actually had garlic so long it went bad! It started sprouting...freaked me out 😮 There is something about sprouting veggies that creeps me out! And then once you read that potato sprouts are poisonous or whatever even more scary stuff. Although still less gross than mold I suppose. Anyways, I'm cool with all holidays, gives me a reason to bake something special 🙂 And bummer about Stitch Fix 🙁 I would probably have the same issue, I'm picky. Even when I order it myself I still send stuff back like half the time. Yay for no dissection though! And reading! Happy weekend <3 xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well anything "sprouted" comes with some risks...as we know 😉 Hahahahahaha!
Yea!! Holiday supporter!!!
The clothes are just was overpriced and the quality was like...I made it 😛 Bahahaha!
Laura
Thanks for including my running post Rebecca! As always, your selections make me want to stop everything I'm doing and just sit and read all the links. And cook more food. Thanks for sharing:)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Of course! xoxo
Melissa @ vegan does it
Always so many useful links even if it takes me the whole week to check them out, haha! I don't really hate Valentine's Day, but I also don't really celebrate it either. Never felt the need to, we should tell our loved ones how much they mean to us everyday not just 1 or 2 days a year. I'm definitely going to check out those sweet potato wedges. They look amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
We don't "celebrate" it either, but there is no need to hate it like so many do!
rachel @ Athletic Avocado
Valentines day is so overrated! The only good thing about it is the chocolate!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahahaha 😛
lisa
thank you for including my post. honored 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Of course!
Kristen
So many great posts! I am dying to try the granola and spicy quinoa!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Kristen!
Allie
I've been on an Asian food kick lately myself and pinning and saving so many recipes to try
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I think it's my new favorite cuisine!
Shana
Like really, where did January go? The year is going so fast already. Have a great weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha yea! It will be 2017 before we know it!
Emily @ My Healthyish Life
I don't mind Valentine's Day! I think Halloween is oddly my least favorite. Never liked the dressing up thing! Those sunflower seed bars look great. I've been loving those lately.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well I'm glad your not a V-Day hater! Haha!
Sunflower seeds are always good!
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health
those bars look sooo dreamy..definitely checking out dietitian's rant 🙂
my boyfriend's birthday is a day before valentine's day so its like a double celebration for us..so yes! have a lovely weekend 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O that's wonderful! Cook him up something spectacular!
Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete
You are so wonderfully organized!
You know what? I'm getting to the point where all holidays bother me, and only because people are so hellbent on celebrating them far too early. I saw Valentine's Day stuff out the day after Christmas. I mean, wow.
But I digress...
Stitch Fix sent me a few boxes, and I ended up keeping one. They seemed to have missed the mark, no matter what I review, so I cancelled the service.:(
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! And it's only gotten worse now that, being a blogger, you're "told" to start promoting the next holiday months and months in advance. It ruins the joy of just the simplicity it should be in normal life :/
The quality of the clothing is NOT worth the outrageous prices :/
Sonali- The Foodie Physician
That pancake printer is awesome- my daughter and I would have so much fun with it 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Are you kidding me, it would make my life! Hahahaha!