Hi there. Hard to believe it’s already Thursday evening. This week has flown by for me. My parents just called me from the middle of the Amazon River in Brazil. They’re on a month-long cruise that takes them through the Caribbean and through Brazil on the Amazon River. Today they went on a rainforest tour. I’m so happy for them that they are getting to do this together. It was always their dream to do some traveling once they retired and I’m pleased that life has calmed down enough for them to do it now. <3
I’ll be packing up to head to Florida on Saturday to visit my grandmother for a few days. I want to check in on her since my parents are gone and it will be nice to get some one-on-one time together! I also love the beach in the fall. It’s incredibly peaceful and healing.
Some recent eats to share with you today. I think you’ll notice that they’re slightly different from the stuff you’re used to seeing on the regular. I’m 100% eating based on what I feel like eating so here that is…
BREAKFAST
Cranberry sauce, ham, a fried egg and cheddar cheese on a buttered whole wheat “British” muffin. I love how Trader Joe’s calls them that.
I made a breakfast casserole out of leftover stuffing and ham and it was delish! Details on IG.
Sweet potato breakfast bowl with cashew butter and granola.
Plain full-fat Fage with honey, banana, granola, dried fruit, figs and cherries. Topped with Wild Friends peanut butter. This peanut butter has officially moved to the #1 spot on my plain peanut butter list and I will be ordering more soon! Remember, you can get 15% off your Wild Friends order with code pbrunner15!
LUNCH
Cranberry sauce, mayo, leftover turkey and provolone cheese on honey wheat and all heated/melted under the broiler.
Leftover egg casserole with a side salad and grapes.
Leftover turkey chili.
Ham sandwich with avocado, cranberry sauce, mayo and provolone cheese. Again on honey wheat and again melted under the broiler.
DINNER
Blue Apron seared chicken with some sort of “suhsi sauce” aioli with miso kale and roasted root veggies. Talk about a bad week to forget to skip Blue Apron…I got a delivery the day before Thanksgiving.
One night I made chili with the remaining turkey leftovers. (Determined not to let any of it go to waste.) It was REALLY good! Especially topped with avocado, cilantro, crushed chips, cheese and sour cream!
Dinner out at Brixx with BFF Dorie. I had a pear and arugula salad with salmon.
ETC
On Monday night I baked banana bread at 10 p.m. I hid it away from Tanner and I’ve been enjoying a piece every day…although there’s nothing like those crispy end pieces when it’s fresh out of the oven! I’m down to two slices so as you can tell, I’ve enjoyed it! I used a recipe for a “chai-spiced” banana bread but it wasn’t very chai-y at all so I’ll have to play around with those spices.
THE PUPS
I haven’t run Zoey in SO long because I feel SO guilty for leaving Sullie behind. I usually just walk them together independent of my own run but yesterday I just had to take her with me. We left Sullie with a peanut butter bone and took off for an easy 3 miles. Y’all, I have got to run this girl more, she was in her glory and so, so happy! And I really loved having her with me. It felt really good and comforting.
Clearly, Sullie’s feelings weren’t hurt. She was like, “please…go on without me!”
BOOKS
I am a little blah on the book front. I listened to this one on Audible and finished it in 3 days. It sucked me in but I can’t say it was the best ever and kind of predictable but still a fast and easy listen if you’re looking for something. I’m mostly needing a book can read before bed. I was on such a roll this summer with Lilac Girls, Before We Were Yours, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Small Great Things.
The last couple of books I’ve tried reading have just not grabbed me and I only make it a page or two before falling asleep and I don’t look forward to getting in bed to read them. I would be SO GRATEFUL if you have any suggestions along the lines of the titles I mentioned above. Please and THANK YOU! I’d love to run out and buy a couple books before I head to Florida as I hope to do a bunch of reading while I’m there.
Okay, off to watch The Good Wife on the couch (we’re almost done with the series) and to eat a bowl of ice cream! 🙂
recommend “insomniac city” by Bill Hayes.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn!
Have you read The Nightengale? I loved that one while at the beach this summer.
I totally get the guilt of taking one dog and leaving the other(s). I agree, it looked like was just fine with her treat and quiet time!
Was just coming to recommend The Nightingale! Sooooooo good.
I have read it and loved it! ❤️
Have you read “The Two Family House” or “The Couple Next Door”?
Right now I’m reading “Open”, the autobiography of Andre Agassi. Even though I’m not at all a tennis fan, it’s so good!
I second the Alice network and all the ugly and wonderful thing (so far) is good!
Little Bee – Chris Cleave
Sarah’s Key – Tatiana de Rosnay
Silver Star – Jeannette Walls, author of “Glass Castle”
Also –
The Boy in the Suitcase – Lene Kaaberbøl
Just Mercy – Bryan Stevenson
Check out The Miniaturist and The Muse, both by Jesse Burton. Both historical fiction but tackle different time periods than WWII and those we’re used to hearing about.
I just downloaded The Alice Network and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Little Fires Everywhere was good. Also, if you haven’t read The Art of Hearing Heartbeats (and the sequel A Well Tempered Heart), I loved those.
The Rules of Magic!
Also–do you know the name of the cruise company that your parents used–that sounds amazing!
Three I read this year that you might enjoy: Commonwealth (by Ann Patchett), The Wonder (by Emma Donoghue), and Everyone Brave is Forgiven (by Chris Cleave). Have a wonderful trip filled with wonderful books, whichever ones you choose! 🙂
i am in the middle of Sourdough by Robin Sloan and I think you would enjoy it. And yes…. sourdough bread is involved.
Eight hundred grapes by laura dave, recommended by Grace at The Stripe and I loved it! Super quick read!
What is your Dad doing with his sourdough starter while he is gone? I have been making your sourdough recipe every week since July with great success! I have even started substituting 1/3 the flour for a 7 grain flour.
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, especially since you loved Lilac Girls! I’ve read The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, Those Who Save Us, and Before We Were Yours all in recent months and it’s been an awesome book run!
I LOVED Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty! All of her books are fantastic, but this one really stood out because the characters had amazing depth.
when i need to spice it up a bit i go non fiction. maybe not a good beach type thing to do but generally that is what i do. i recently read Malala’s book (it was so inspiring) and Shoe Dog which is Phil Knights the nike founders book. Not as good (a little long) but fascinating. not sure if you like john grisham, but camino island is next on my list for fiction.
Since you enjoyed Small Great Things, I have to recommend everything by Jodi Picoult! I just love her books. The Plain Truth is one that has really stuck in my mind. Leaving Time was wonderful too <3
The Alice Network was a really good book but my favorite this year has been America’s First Daughter! A long but interesting book. Seems as if we like the same type of books so…
I just ordered “The Royal We” because several recommended it and I love all things Royal!
Enjoy Florida! I too love the beach in fall! Maybe a Kelli James Precourt class at Balance will be on your agenda.
Have you read The Rent Collector? One of my favorite books in the last few years and I read all the time. Also, The Nightingale. They’re two books you will enjoy getting in bed to read!!
Sarah’s Key, A Hundred Summers, Violets of March, The Language of Flowers, Orphan Train, Secret Life of Ceecee Wilkes or anything by Liane Moriarty.
Love your book recs – can’t wait to hear what you choose!
Book suggestions – Final Girls by Riley Sagar – finished it in two days!
The Glass Castle, The Kitchen House, Z: a Novel of Zelda FItzgerald.