Favorite thing – Namely Marly

We returned home from a long trip to Arizona. It’s an adjustment to get back into the swing of things, but we’re getting there. We’re inspired by the big lemons we brought home so you’ll be seeing more lemon recipes soon. It’s my birthday week so help me decide what vegan birthday cake I should make!

Sean is a nature photographer. This picture of a rose seems perfect for Valentine’s week!

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Tennis is a life lesson

I am very proud of myself! Sean has been after me for so long to videotape some strokes. I’ve resisted to say the least!

“If I see myself, I’ll probably quit!” That’s what I told him.

Watching your own videos is the best way to improve. It’s what all online coaches say.

So I gave in and you know what? He was right! We were able to see areas where I could improve…and I didn’t feel like giving up afterwards. Win win!

The video revealed what I thought I was doing, but I didn’t.

Do you know what that means? It’s important to know more about what you do than what you think. That’s where real change happens!

self care

• I discovered Jones Road Miracle Balm this week, and I’m excited to try it. I will update you once in a while to let you know what I think.
• Because we were out of town, we had access to a hot tub. When I needed some self-care, I found soaking in a hot tub. I don’t have a hot tub at home, so I wonder if I can convert to a bather! Who knows!
• This week is my birthday! Should I make any cake? My all time favorite birthday cake is this vegan coconut cake. But a recent favorite is this vegan red velvet cake? Or I also love this Vegan Black Forest Cake.

home

After a month away from home, I’m excited to think about some more home projects. Here are some ideas that inspired me:

• I love the idea of ​​installing a butcher block counter above the washer and dryer. It would be a great update to our laundry room, for sure!
• Food like flowers on the front porch is my thing! This year I’m trying something different. I read about biquinho peppers and bought some seeds. This means it’s time to start these seeds so they’ll be ready to plant in May. I’m so excited!

to read

I’ve read some great books and some ho-hum (to me). Here are some books I read recently:

• You can keep a secret By Sophie Kinsella. Fiction, women finding ways to triumph over injustice. It’s always a winning topic for me! I enjoyed this book and the narrator was great too.
• Anatomy of a Gambler By Jonathan Lethem. fiction A woman finds herself immersed in a kind of Groundhog Day drama where she must retrace her steps in time to save her son. This was an intriguing mystery, and I really enjoyed reading it!
• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue By VE Schwab. fiction I really struggled to get through this book. Was it too detailed? Or maybe I didn’t find a way to enter the plot? I’m not sure, but at some point, I returned it to let someone else enjoy it.

I also have my own book coming out one of these days, The Girl Who Ate the World. Sign up for more info including pre-orders. I am very excited about it!

I see

We made time for TV this month, and here are some favorites:

• modern family. We recently started watching Modern Family and have really enjoyed it so far. What a ridiculous bunch of characters! I hear the later seasons aren’t as fun, but we’ll see. So far so good!
• break point — We love playing and watching tennis, so it’s enlightening to get some behind-the-scenes footage of what the pros go through. There are plenty of glamorous moments, but there are also many difficult ones.
• in full swing — We’re not golfers, but Sean’s dad is, so we watched a few episodes with him. I am amazed at how hard they work on their fitness. I also realized how hard golf is on the mind. Sean and I liken golf to a non-stop tie-break game (in tennis) where every point counts. It’s a lot of pressure!

food

There’s no end to the food I’m obsessed with, but here are some recent favorites I’d like to share with you:

• Baked Tofu — I make most of my own baked tofu and marinated tofu, but sometimes I’m in a rush. Store-bought baked tofu is a great way to get flavorful plant-based protein that’s relatively low-calorie and low-carb. I serve it in a salad or with some cauliflower rice.
• Almost naked popcorn — My mother-in-law, Diane, introduced me to this brand and I love it! Popcorn is a favorite food because it is so filling. For a real treat I serve it with some Coke Zero or carbonated water.
• Order vegan — We did a few fun things this week that I thought you might want to know. 1) We ordered a veggie pizza without cheese. Then we baked it with our own vegan pepperoni, Impossible Sausage and vegan mozzarella. I was fit! Then for Chinese food, we ordered fried tofu with vegetables and no sauce (they had fish in the sauce). Then we added some store-bought Sun-Jay sauce. Another win!

Reader Spotlight

Here is a review of my blueberry sauce recipe.

Recently in Namely Marley

Here are my recently published recipes.

The five most popular posts this week

1. Miso Tofu — This is a great recipe, and I love serving it over brown rice, salad, noodles, or even zucchini noodles.
2. Vegan Cake Pops – This must be party time as people love to celebrate with these delicious little cake balls. They are festive and fun! You can decorate them with dark chocolate or colored vegan white chocolate.
3. Peanut Butter Muffins — I love what vegan peanut butter cookies taste like in muffin form. They are that good!
4. Dairy-Free Creme Brulee — You’ll love this healthy, filling dessert. It’s easier to make than traditional crème brûlée, and just as satisfying to eat!
5. Cauliflower Rice Sushi Rolls — You can eat your favorite plant-based sushi with low-carb cauliflower rice. I’ve got a few tricks that make it easy and delicious!

meal plan

monday — This vegan spaghetti pie is perfect for making on Mondays because you can enjoy leftovers for lunches all week long. Some vegan breadsticks are perfect on the side.

tuesday — If you’re in a rush for dinner (aren’t we all!), throw together sweet potato chili in this slow cooker and let it cook slowly. Serve it with your favorite toppings like cashew cream, chopped jalapeños and more!

on wednesday — We love this vegan chicken and rice casserole. It’s a nice change of pace and so satisfying. Serve it with leftover breadsticks on top, or make some vegan garlic toast to serve on the side.

Thursday — I tend to eat veggie burgers on Thursday nights. This week, serving the Ultimate Veggie Burger with melted vegan cheese and some vegan tempeh bacon is the way to go! I also like to add some vegan Big Mac sauce.

Friday — Let’s keep things super simple with these easy vegan pizzas. You can make your own vegan pizza dough, or use a store-bought crust. Then add marinara, vegan mozzarella and you have a delicious dinner ready in minutes!

Saturday — We like to serve these vegan Reuben Brats with sauerkraut, diced onions, and a special sauce. Serve with air-fried potato wedges and garlic vegan aioli on the side. It’s the best comfort food ever!

sunday — On Sunday, time to eat some sweets! We can start with these vegan oatmeal pancakes and these vegan chocolate croissants. Now, that’s one way to start the day! I’ll add a batch of vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and freeze half of the cookie dough balls to bake throughout the week. The perfect sweet snack meal plan! For dessert, I’m all about vegan lemon bars (thanks to all the lemons we brought back from Arizona!).

Well, let me turn the match over to you. What dishes are you making or dreaming of making this week?