Today’s Blog Post
Last week, we started a new blog post series sharing five things we had been loving that week. We want to continue this, as it’s a really fun way to share other parts of our lives with you! Obviously, there will still be food-related things, as baking and cooking are our main hobbies. However, we also do plenty of other things, so we wanted to share more about those activities with you! As I explained in last week’s post, while some of our “five favorite things” may be actual physical items that you can buy, we also love to share recipes or activities that we are loving. Honestly, most of us don’t need to buy more things and I know that some people are actively trying to buy less, so hopefully these lists can be useful to you as well. Enjoy the post!
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Thing 1: At-home YouTube Workouts
This is actually something that Sofie and I started loving during the start of the pandemic in 2020, when we were confined to our houses but still wanted to work out together. These YouTube workouts came in super handy, as we could FaceTime and do them together! Plus, at-home workouts are great if you live somewhere with unpredictable or extreme weather. Obviously, when the weather is nice, it can be great to get outside and work out. And we do love running, as we mentioned in last week’s post. But for example, here in the UK, the weather can go from sunny to pouring rain in a second. And when I lived in Philly, the winters were usually too cold and the summers were too hot to run outside.
So, if you can’t go outside and you don’t have a gym membership, a YouTube workout is a wonderful alternative. Our favorite fitness YouTuber is MadFit, because her workouts are so varied and very easy to follow. She also does some amazing dance workout videos which can be a lot of fun, especially if you have a workout partner! Check out her channel at this link here.
Thing 2: Homemade Pasta
Another thing I rediscovered that I absolutely love this past week is making homemade pasta! I had only tried once or twice before, and both times it was successful, but I never really thought it was worth the effort. This time, though, I definitely thought it was worth it! My boyfriend and I made spinach and ricotta ravioli in a butter and lemon sauce.
The process of making the pasta dough was actually very easy. All it takes is plenty of kneading and letting the dough rest for about 45 minutes to ensure that it is the right consistency for pasta. We didn’t even use a pasta machine and just rolled out the dough with a rolling pin until it was nice and thin. We filled our raviolis, sealed them, boiled for 3 minutes and tossed them in our sauce. It was such a delicious and surprisingly simple dinner, so I would highly recommend it!
Recipe for pasta dough: https://www.insidetherustickitchen.com/homemade-pasta-dough/
Recipe for filling: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spinach_and_ricotta_21673
Thing 3: Warmer Weather and Flowers!
This week also gave us a little taste of spring. Here in the UK, the sun was shining and it was Easter weekend, so most people had Friday and Monday off of work. The beer gardens were brimming with people laughing and enjoying themselves with friends and family. And it seemed like everyone was out for a walk in the park on Sunday too! I love this time of year, because people start to come out of hibernation and the warmer weather really brightens things up. Not to mention the beautiful flowers and greenery that start to bloom all over the place! Sofie took some lovely pictures in Boston over the weekend, where spring seems to be on its way as well (although a little farther behind than some places, as usual).
Thing 4: Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Another thing I loved this week was a book that I read: Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. I have set myself a goal of reading 25 books this year and this was only number 4. As you can tell, I am already behind on that goal (lol). I actually only bought this book in Waterstones because it was their Crime Thriller of the Month, which means when you purchase it, you get a free hot drink in the cafe. I wasn’t expecting that much, but it was really a great read!
In short, it is a very exciting thriller involving a mother traveling backwards in time and trying to determine why her son committed a crime. It took me a little while to get into the writing style and there are definitely some cringey bits of dialogue, but the plot kept me engaged and made me want to keep reading. If that sounds like something you would enjoy, definitely check it out*!
Thing 5: Spring Produce
Finally, this time of year means that we are starting to feel inspired by fresh spring produce! Vegetables and fruits in season include asparagus, arugula, radishes, mango, rhubarb, and much more. It is the season of green things, so we are definitely craving lots of big and fresh vegetable-heavy dishes! Honestly, it’s no wonder that everyone seems to feel a bit better in the spring. Not only does it feel easier to eat veggies, but the sun is out and we can all finally get some vitamin D! Anyway, we would highly recommend checking out a local farmer’s market or the produce at your local grocery store for inspiration. We are hoping to post plenty of springy recipes coming soon, so you can look forward to that as well!
