Weekend: Laying Low + Cooking + Christmas Trees

It’s a chilly, rainy day in Charlotte and I think it’s perfect for getting back into the groove. I was up early to promote our Cyber Monday Specials for the studio and then taught and took a class. Great start to a week that needs to be ultra-productive.

Before we launch into the new week, here’s a look back at weekend highlights.

We were pretty boring this weekend and stayed in Friday and Saturday night. A Blue Apron delivery was delivered while we was in Edisto so it was a great excuse to lay low and cook at home. We loved this Spiced Pork, Winter Squash and White Bean Soup. I actually just had the leftovers for lunch today while writing this post.

I spent Saturday morning at the studio practicing and teaching. I was super surprised to walk in to teach my class and find 70 yogis in attendance, including a few families. I had a father/son, father/twin daughters and mother/daughter combo in class. It warms my heart to see families practicing together. This is my friend Rajul and her daughter. She wanted to grab a photo after class and I wanted to take a second to brag on her. Rajul started a blog this year, Charlotte Veggie, and she is doing such a great job with it! She shares all sorts of healthy, delicious, vegetarian foods and lots of family friendly stuff as well. Check her out!

Post-yoga sushi in the cafe.

We spent Saturday afternoon shopping for Christmas decorations and running errands. I entertained myself in the car by SnapChatting this joke to some of my girlfriends. I sang the joke to them so let’s be glad it was never to be heard again after they watched it. 😉

I cooked up another amazing Blue Apron meal on Saturday night and we started a new Amazon original series, The Man in the High Castle. The premise of the show is an “alternate history” that shows what life in the U.S. would be like if the Nazis had won WWII. It’s based on a novel by Philip K. Dick.

Sunday morning brunch was simple but so good. Buttered sourdough toast, scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, turkey bacon and a fruit mix of grapefruit, apples, pomegranate seeds and raspberries.

We went and picked out our Christmas tree after breakfast. I think we were a little overzealous with our idea of what would fit comfortably in our house. We went with a very full 7-8 ft tree and I think 5-6 ft would have been just fine.

I refused to leave Home Depot without a snowman yard statue, a rosemary Christmas tree and a photo with my head stuck in this tree.

Lots of golden retriever SnapChat stories happened this weekend (<– follow me @jendecurtins).

And lots of “awwwwwing” over baby Zoey. My TimeHop has been filled with puppy pics.

I wrapped up the weekend by cooking Sunday dinner. I did spinach and artichoke stuffed portobellos topped with panko and marinara sauce with sauteed garlic herb shrimp on the side. I have been making these mushrooms for years but have never posted the recipe. I need to get on it! (In the meantime, these crabcake stuffed portobello mushrooms are amazing.)

Did you stay in or go out this weekend?

When do you get your Christmas tree? I used to wait until the first week of December but now I love to get it right after Thanksgiving.

Need a post-Thanksgiving workout to get you back on the exercise wagon this week? Check out my Give Thanks Workout. It’s received lots of great feedback!

Did you miss my Thanksgiving recap? We spent Turkey Day in beautiful Edisto Beach.