Spring is finally springing in Boise. I’m seeing robins on a regular basis and the daffodils, tulips and trees are starting to bloom. Of course spring in Boise means the weather is at its most fickle. You can experience all four seasons in 15 minutes and then be wind-blown the rest of the day.  We are also busily prepping for graduation, Portland State and being empty-nesters. Here are the highlights from my week:

Plant-based winners

I made a couple of winning recipes this past week.

Buffalo’d Soy Curls gives a nod to buffalo chicken. I found them to be way easier to cook and just as tasty. If you’ve never tried Butler Soy Curls definitely give them a go. They a great meat alternative.  They are made with non-GMO soybeans grown without chemical pesticides so a win there. Check out all the nutrient info here on Butler Foods.

The winner for an after dinner treat in cupcake form was the Customizable Cake recipe, by Lauren Toyota from her newly released Vegan Comfort Classics. Her buttercream icing turned out rich and not too sweet. I made the vanilla cake recipe with chocolate buttercream but she also gives you the variations  to make chocolate, apple spice or lemon cakes along with vanilla, maple and raspberry buttercream options.

(recipes linked under Recipes → Plant Based Recipes)**

50 New Things Progress

I finished up photo I and II last week at Cole/Marr Photography Workshops. I just signed up to go on an excursion to Leslie Gulch with them later this month.  Now, I need to get busy practicing so I am ready to get some good shots of the geological formations and maybe even some big horn sheep!

I have been to Leslie Gulch before. Here is a photo I took on the hazy/gray-ish day when we were there last April.

On Being More Mindful

I have blocked out everything I think I know about yoga (I don’t know much at all) and began a 30 day yoga challenge. I decided to use a service I already have – Amazon Prime. I searched through Prime Video and after trying a few decided on 30 Days of Yoga to a New You . I like Jess Timsit’s ques and friendly style. The episodes all seem to be about 30 minutes – perfect for doing in the morning. This has segued nicely with my mediation.

These practices have left me feeling calm and energized with a positive attitude. I’m just 5 days into this but I am loving the way I am feeling. My goal is to be happy and confident in what I am doing and the choices I am making.

Blog Plan

I am struggling a bit with my focus for this blog. Mainly because I am unable to figure out some WordPress features. I am planning on going to a WordPress meet up next week (this might qualify for one of my 50 things)! In the meantime I’m still trying to figure out how to get the menu and categories to work like I want them too.  It’s definitely a learning process!

**working on linking these correctly and having the menu reflect this!