You know those weeks where you just need SLEEP! This was one of those. The only thing I wanted to do by the time the sun went down was hit my pillow. Once I did, I was out the entire night. I usually get up at least once, but that didn't happen (most nights). Wednesday into Thursday was a different story. I was a major stress ball for my first big exam in bio, but that was unneeded! It went pretty well and I'm feeling good about it. 5 chapters in one exam? Ain't got nothin' on me!
Anyway, I'm glad about that immense reserve of recipes I always tell you about because I'm feeling major cooking burn out right now. I'm going to take a few weeks off from creating and let inspiration fester inside for awhile. I know I'll come back refreshed and not stressed about it. Just simple cooking, simple favorite meals for me to eat and not worry about testing and shooting. My passion just needs some time to rest and regenerate!
Now, while I decide how I'll spend my weekend, you all can get your weekly inspiration from this week's Finisher! Happy last weekend of February (plus that extra day!), eat good comforting SIMPLE food, chug some coffee and tea, and cuddle up with loved one! xoxo
Monday:Β Mini Microwave French Toast
Tuesday:Β What To Avoid With A Nightshade Allergy
Wednesday:Β Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies
Blog Posts and Links I loved this week:
Life, Mind, Body, Spirit:
+ The Ultimate Guide To How To Not Care What Other People Think
7 essential truths!
+ How Parents And Teachers Can Nurture The "Quiet Power" Of Introverts
O yes! Things need to change.
Yes it is!
+ 6 Signs You're Making The Wrong Decision
Hi, I'm Rebecca and I'm the worst decision maker ever.
Fitness:
+ The Reason People Run Ridiculous Distances Has Little To Do With Physical Fitness
This is so true! How could it not!
+ Which Type Of Exercise Is Best For The Brain?
Mmmm, well, okay.
+ How To Build A Yoga Sequence
When you're ready, make your own flow!
Food:
+ Sugar-Free Citrus & Fruit Sprinkles
Yippie!!!
+ Gluten-Free Eggs And Low-Fat Lettuce
O boy. You know what I think!
+ Who's Really Behind Your Favorite Organic Food Brands
This image has gone around before, but still eye-opening.
+ Diet Fads Are Destroying Us: Paleo, Gluten-Free And The Lie We Tell Ourselves
Amen to the (no more) trends!
+ Here's How Long You Could Survive If You Got Trapped In A Supermarket
I used to dream about living in a grocery store when I was younger. No joke π
+ SNL's Aidy Bryant Teaches An Easy Bake Oven Master Class
I loved my Easy Bake Oven...but only ever got my mom to let me use it like twice π
+ Cheese Alternatives & Why You Don't Need To Eat Dairy
Can I get an amen!
+ What Happens If You Eat Food That Fell On The Floor?
One of the oldest myths.
+ The Surprising Reason You Shouldn't Chug Water With You Meals
I never understood how people drank while eating. I don't. I find it gross actually π
+ Differences Between Baking Soda And Baking Powder
They are very different my budding bakers!
Health, Celiac Disease, & Food Allergies:
+ 5 Things I Wish I Knew About Celiac Disease When I Was Diagnosed
The learning curve that comes after.
+ Digestion 101: The Brain & The Mouth
Love this new series from Beth!
+ How Depression Affects Brain Structure & What You Can Do To Change It Back
This is like a novel, but if you have the time, it's interesting!
Know the signs!
+ Why Your Gluten-Free Diet Is (Probably) Bullshit
Gluten is not the devil...in most cases.
+ The Crippling Thing About Growing Up Poor That Stays With You Forever
This makes a lot of sense.
+ The Celiac Disease Epidemic: Why Gluten-Free Isn't Enough
The scariness of undiagnosed celiac.
+ Stop Making Light Of The Gluten-Free Diet
It may be all fun and games for all the trend followers right now, that will pass with time. But for us CELIACS, it never will. We will always be gluten-free. We must be for our lives.
Blogging, Social Media, Tech & Photography:
+ 11 Photography Hacks For Bloggers
The computer screen was interesting.
+ 3 Brilliant LinkedIn Summaries That Will Inspire You To Update Yours
Or your professional bio anywhere!
+ 10 Instagram Marketing Hacks
If just takes so much work (for me).
+ 10 Words Never To Say In A Job Interview
Don't do it!
+ 11 Of The Best Influencer Marketing Tools
Which ones are you using?
+ The Top 10 Things I've Learned About Creating Video For A Food Blog
Still nowhere near there. That video I promised will be delayed a few more months π
+ Top 10 Tips To Make You A Better Blogger
These are are so brutally true!
+ Feeling Jealous On The Internet...And 12 Ways To make It Stop
Not that everyone hasn't already read Lindsay's (now) viral post but...So I think I do too much commenting and engaging....(but I like to...)
+ The Things To Remember When Reading Blogger Income Reports
Speaking of the blogger mentioned above...don't let that ever get you down!
I do not agree with this all, but an intriguing post from the famous Carly. Good read!
Other:
+ 26 Crazy-Amazing Products That'll Make Your Life Easier
That bowl and that strainer!
+ Why You Can't Win An Argument On The Internet
Haha. Yes, that's about right!
+ 23 Things Only Girls Who Live In Sweatpants Will Understand
Haha, my life!
Geeking out over here!
+ What Makes Swear Words So Offensive?
And the difference between swears and slurs!
Favorite Pins:
(Follow me on Pinterest β RebeccaGF666)
Honey Mustard Pecan Crusted Salmon. I've told you how much I love honey mustard on salmon!
Vegan Beet Stew with Celery Root Puree. Hello, winter dinner!
Vegan Happy Meal. This will make you more than just happy!
Peanut Butter & Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies. Imagine that soft gooey bite!
Vegan Gluten-Free Date Squares. Fig newton, meet date!
Oatmeal with Dried Figs & Cherries. The fig cherry combo is calling me!
Black Pumpkin Sushi. Bet you've never had sushi like this!
Honey Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls. Would you ever pass this up? No!
Baked Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice and Cinnamon Sweet Plantains. Do I even need to explain?
A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:
+ My new tripod!!! It's amazing! So many years of struggle, forever in the past now!
+ Sleep π Really, it's a good thing!
So tell me:
+ Why is it called a leap year when we are ADDING a day. Shouldn't it be the other way around? When the year LEAPS over and skips the 29th? I'm so confused!
+ Have you ever given yourself burnout on something you love?
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Amy Hinds
Awesome! This post is full of yummy goodness! Can't wait to try making Honey Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls for my kids.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Those bowls do sounds amazing!
Marie
That baked jerk chicken looks incredible! Can’t wait to make that.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It does!
Bianca @ ElephantasticVegan
Awesome links! Now I've got again 10+ tabs open, thank you Rebecca π
LOVE the photography hacks for bloggers.
Your new tripod looks really cool - so professional!
I'm really looking forward to your promised video. I've been meaning to make more recipe videos for the blog as well, but it's so time consuming and so hard. :'(
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's hard!!! No matter what anyone says...it just doesn't work for me! My house is not set up for it, nor is my camera...or, maybe I'M just not "set up" for it π
Leanne@crestingthehill
so many interesting links and so much to read! I've bookmarked a couple to come back to later. ~ Leanne π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That's great!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table
I want every single one of those pins. No exaggeration. Especially the PB & marshmallow cookies.
Totally with you on the leap year thing. I have no idea.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Those cookies look like pillows from heaven!!!!
Haha, yea! No ones seems to know the answer!
Farrah
I'm not a fan of that "type of exercise for the brain" article, but may be biased just because endurance running is my least favorite type of exercise ever. (I'll take resistance training or HIIT anyday, kthx. ;_; )
I'm proud to say that I've never said any of those words (that I can recall) on my interviews. I hate the word "ma'am" too. I'm okay with "miss" though!
YAY for sweatpants! ...and ew, keyboard warriors. I never bother reading the comments on news articles and the like anymore (especially not on facebook). I feel like my IQ used to drop whilst scrolling through, haha.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha! No, I agree, I think you can get the same benefit in other forms too!
I've been called ma'am and I'm like....not old so it's just weird...haha!
Sweat pants make the world a better place!
The greatest American freedom? Saying anything stupid we want on the internet. π
Mandy
I hear ya on the burnout! Sometimes we just need a break to recharge - and like you said, to allow the creating and inspiration to settle - That's exactly what I needed last week, so it's nice to hear you're doing the same <3 I hope you're having a great weekend!
Oh! I used to dream about living in a grocery store, too!!! π As always, thanks for posting these because I'm constantly learning new things or ways to just BE. I loved that post about Feeling Jealous on the Internet - very enlightening! xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ah, yes! You too Mandy xoxoxo
I think we should just move in to a grocery, at least for a few weeks! It would be fun π
Kalee @ The Crowded Table
Burnout is no fun, and it seems to happen to me when I'm trying to do too much. There are only so many hours in a day! π Enjoy your mini-break from recipe creation and have a great weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Kalee! Yea, too much and for no good reason!
Regan @ The Healthy Aperture Blog
Glad you found the video tips helpful. Good luck on your first video. It's usually the hardest, but you'll be so happy once you've done it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope to take a stab at it again soon!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
You amaze me! Busting out all that coursework and running this amazing blog. Plus checking out others, supporting posts, and promoting such great work every Friday? You ROCK.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha, well thank you so much Chrissa! That means a lot xoxo
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
I can't imagine not having a tripod! Glad you have a ton of recipes stored up, I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve!! Yes for passing your exam, I would have been brain dead after 5 chapters!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I've only shot one thing with the tripod, but I know once I get used to it, I'll really love it!
I know right!? My professor seems to be a pretty stellar teacher though and the test was pretty spot on when it comes to tests!
Meme
Yay for getting some sleep. Boo for being stressed, but I'm glad your exam went well π
And I feel ya on the burnout. Every year I get severe blogger burn out. Woof. This year, I'm determined not to let that happen haha!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Maybe that just calls for even more sleep? Hahaha π we'll see how it all pans out, thank you dear!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
I LOVE that you asked this question as I asked the exact same thing to Jesse earlier in the month and he told me I think too much π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
What question?
The Vegan 8
Good for you for taking a break when you feel the need! Blogging is a lot of work, so let your mind refresh and come back with all those awesome recipe ideas! Sometimes we all just need some time off to re-energize!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, no no, I have plenty of ideas and tons of recipes ready to be posted, I just have been putting pressure on myself to make more and more new things when I obviously don't need to!
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats
Love this post- so much goodness!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Melanie!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
I'm jealous of your sleep! Usually I'm out as soon as my head hits the pillow until my eyes fly open. But this week with being in a new bed, different bed times/wake up times/activities while on vacation, I'm a mess!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well that's expected! But I always find I sleep the BEST in a hotel! Haha!
Irene
The post is fantastic! I love it so much:)
Have a nice weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O thanks! You too!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
55 years!?! But the problem is after about a week you'd be eating only processed crap, so that would be a long 54.9 years :/ I love using freeze dried fruit as sprinkles! The dehydrated zest sounds neat too! And yay for your new tripod! I really need to get a video microphone, that's next on my list. Looking forward to your video still, don't let me down pleeeeeassse! Oh and those hunky date squares, that is a date-y newton match made in heaven <3 Good for you for knowing when you need a creativity break! When I have gone on a trip or just for any reason taken a few days away from the kitchen I always come back super excited again. IT's a good feeling. Hope you have a great weekend, and yay for bio test being behind you!! xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Canned and frozen veggies!!! No processed! And see, you would need the deli and bakery ovens to work so you could cook quinoa...and oats...and what not :/ Well those are just "minor
details π Hahaha!
I guess I'm making progress if I now have the tripod...now just need to figure out how to work my camera's videoing....
Nadia is a bar genius!!!
(I'm hoping I can actually hold off on cooking anything new.....we'll see if it even lasts π Hahaha!)
xoxoxo I'll talk to you this weekend!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
I wish I was sleeping like that! I've been going to bed later and later, although at least staying asleep after that. Getting up has been hard. I had to do a double take on those marshmallow cookies - insane!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The days I didn't get up in the middle of the night, I woke up even earlier! (i.e. in the 3am hour!) Hahaha!
Sandi (@sandigtweets)
I love these Friday posts of yours. Burnout can be rough, especially with everything going on at school. I have started taking weekends off from all things bloggy and it is helping me quite a bit. It gives me more time with the family...which is both good and bad LOL. (Reffing kid arguments is not the fun part!)
Good luck and enjoy your creative time π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha! Yea, I write all my posts on the weekend, but yea, I've been staying OFF social media as much as possible and only for my own necessary "promotion". It feels good to get away from the noise!
Lindsay
Oh my gosh, the vegan happy meal looks DELICIOUS! I'm wanting that right this second! ahah~!
I'm so feeling burnt out this week and unmotivated. I'm also very tired of cooking in the kitchen. I guess it's just one of those weeks....
Hang in there hun, I hope you have a great weekend my friend! xo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I still love cooking, I just need to give myself a break from "creating" and "photographing". Nothing new!!!
That meal...genius!!
Have a beautiful weekend yourself, my friend!
Leah M @ love me, feed me
I've experienced blog and baking burnout a few times ;( it sucks, but taking some time off instead of forcing it to happen is definitely a good idea.
That black rice pumpkin sushi hnnnng!!
Also you reminded me that I really need to look into getting a new tripod haha! I don't have one in NYC with me and the one I have at home was my step dads and is like 40 years old ahah!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right? And I;m just making pressure for myself when there is no need! I don't need to create anything new right now! Haha! All the new things wouldn't be posted for months anyway π
Get this one!!! It's fabulous and such a good price! None of this $200+ nonsense!
Nadia
So many great and informative articles! And lots of lovely recipes π Thank you for featuring my date squares lovely π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I want those squares!!!
Emily @ My Healthyish Life
Sorry your feeling burnt out but some rest and time off will DEFINITELY help. I can tell I'm on a path to burn out when I lose interest in things I normally love (running, writing, reading). We all need to change it up once in a while. Oh and I love honey mustard on salmon too...and Dijon. Have a good weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O no, I'm still loving and find my calm in cooking, I just don't want to put pressure on my self to make new things when I really REALLY don't have to right now! Ha!
Jess
Cant wait for new and improved recipes, have a great week! xo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
What?