Reviews #3
The fall is here! I think. It is finally cooling down in NYC, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I love everything about fall; I love pumpkin flavored things, sweaters, the color brown, and “not a cloud in the sky” days. In preparation for the fall, I’m trying to develop a consistent gym habit, shop for new clothes, and consume lots of TV shows and books. Let me know what your favorite fall rituals are.
I’ve been loving Rachael DeVaux’s Good Sweat guide. I haven’t done a workout plan since my freshman year of college BBG days and was happy that way. I’ve always found that these guides get very repetitive and boring after a while. I also never reached the “results” I was looking for, but that’s a different problem. This six-week workout plan is perfect for an at-home life. It focuses on building strength, healthy habits, and a solid routine. I’m starting week two this week, and I’m pleased with it so far. It’s introduced me to a new way of exercising, which I didn’t think I needed, but I’m glad I’ve gotten into it. I’ll keep you guys posted with how it goes.
I also finally finished Untamed by Glennon Doyle, which I started to review last week. It was a little hard for me to finish it (this has been happening to me). It just got a little repetitive, as many self-help books get. But, she truly offers such a spiritual and self-reflective way of handling many life struggles. Even though Glennon Doyle may not have an immense perspective on life due to her selective life experience, she is such a profound person with a huge heart. I related to more than half of her struggles and felt pretty enlightened after every chapter. The biggest takeaway from this book for me was the importance of unapologetically being yourself. I’ve always struggled with being proud of who I am because I have gotten many explicit and subliminal messages that I shouldn’t be. It’s weird because I’ve never believed in haters, but their negative commentary still got me. I connected with Glennon over the idea that it’s okay not to give a fuck about people who don’t like you. I’m so over trying to be someone I’m not.
One day during work, I was inspired to create a taco salad. I created this delicious vegan concoction with what I had in my fridge, and it hit the spot. I’ve been trying to cook a lot more vegan/vegetarian options at home because I’d eventually like not to eat meat at all. It’s hard, but I do think it’s a much more sustainable way to eat. I felt like this salad was equally as good as any meaty Mexican dish. Let me know if you’re interested in more vegan recipes.
Ingredients
Beyond beef
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Crushed tortilla chips
Some sort of vegan cheese (I used Siete’s Spicy Nacho dip)
Peppers
Onions
Preparation
I started by cutting the peppers and onions into long slices and sautéing them in avocado oil on medium heat. While the veggies cooked, I cut tomatoes into small pieces and placed them with the lettuce at my dish’s bottom. Once the peppers and onions were translucent and charred, I added them to the bowl and sprinkled the tortilla chips on top. Lastly, I cooked the Beyond Beef in the same pan with all the Mexican spices (cumin, paprika, chili pepper, garlic, and black pepper). I don’t tend to cook with salt when I use Beyond Beef because it already has sodium. Once fully cooked, I transferred the beef mixture to the bowl and topped it off with the cashew cheese dollops.
Continuing on the topic of food, Sebastian, his friend Riley, and I ate at his favorite brunch spot on Sunday morning. Root & Bone is the name of this comfort food spot, and it’s situated on 3rd and Ave B. We would wait up to an hour to eat here during normal circumstances because we aren’t brunch reservations type of people. There was no wait time for their outdoor seating area! It was a lovely surprise, but they had a bunch of tables. You can also order beer or food to go at their counter. I got scrambled eggs, bacon, and biscuits. Riley ordered the chicken & waffles, which I got a piece of, and Sebastian got the eggs & biscuits in gravy with a side of fried chicken. We feasted.
Later in the day, we all drove to the Bronx Zoo. It was my first time there, and I couldn’t recommend it more. You have to buy tickets ahead of time online for a specific time slot. We arrived at 2 pm and left at closing time. The Zoo is MASSIVE. If you want to see it all in one day, make sure to get there early. We saw a decent amount of the Zoo but missed out on two/three big attractions due to wait times. It’s also a very safe COVID-19 plan because it’s a big place with lots of space and you have to wear a mask at all times. I’d recommend going during this time of the year because of the weather. My favorite animals were the grizzly bears.
That’s it for this week! I hope you enjoyed my week of reviews. Next week, I’ll be including a big clothing and beauty haul!