Monday, August 28, 2023
Recipe - Pumpkin Smoothie
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
- 6 oz nonfat Greek or plain yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, or more to taste
- 2 tsp packed brown sugar, or maple syrup to taste
- add a scoop of vanilla protein, optional
DIRECTIONS: Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Divide in two cups.
Serve with a straw.
NUTRITION INFO: Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 185.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 40 g, Protein: 10.6 g, Fat: 0.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0.1 g, Cholesterol: 1.2 mg, Sodium: 66.8 mg, Fiber: 2.6 g, Sugar: 10.2 g
(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste)
Friday, August 25, 2023
Review - Love and Other Words
AUTHOR: Christina Lauren
RATING: ★★★★
Summary (from Goodreads): The story of the heart can never be unwritten.
Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.
But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.
Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.
REVIEW: Love and Other Words is a wonderful story of “firsts” - first boyfriend, first love, first kiss - and it’s also a beautiful story about loss, family, and friendships that withstand the test of time. I’ve always been a huge fan of Christina Lauren, and these two authors have such a magical way of weaving a story together that pulls you through every emotion you can possibly imagine. Elliott and Macy’s relationship made me cry, laugh, sigh…and I couldn’t help but reminisce about my own first love and the powerful and complex emotions that came with it. I adored the closeness Elliott and Macy shared, and the way they learned and grew together as a couple was so endearing. The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is because the ending felt somewhat difficult to believe. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but I’ll just say that I found it very hard to believe Elliott didn’t know about Macy’s “revelation”, especially considering how much they were in love and how much they knew about each other’s lives. It just seems impossible he wouldn’t have found out sooner, in some way or other, about what happened. Despite that, I would still wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone, and it’s definitely earned a place in my top three favorite Christina Lauren reads.
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Recipe - Pasta Fagioli Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans, not drained
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes,
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 tbsp dried basil, or 2 tbsp fresh
- 1 tbsp dried parsley, or 2 tbsp fresh
- 1 tsp dried oregano, or 2 tbsp fresh
- 2 14 ounce cans chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 6 oz dry Ditalini pasta or other small pasta
- grated parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
- fresh basil, for serving
DIRECTIONS: In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.
Blend the beans with one cup water in electric blender until almost smooth.
Add blended beans to pan then add the can of tomato sauce, celery, carrots, chicken broth, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated cheese (extra), if desired. Meal Prep Tip: Cook the pasta separate if you want to make this ahead. If you refrigerate with the pasta, it will soak up the liquid.
NUTRITION INFO: 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 262.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 46 mg, Sodium: 623 mg, Fiber: 5.5 g, Sugar: 6 g
(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste)
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Review - The Women
AUTHOR: Kristin Hannah
RATING: ★★★★★
RELEASE DATE: February 6th, 2024
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
REVIEW: The Women is another prime example of why Kristin Hannah is, and always will be, my favorite author. My father-in-law served in Vietnam, so I’ve heard numerous stories over the past 30 years of the horrors he faced during the war. Reading Kristin’s account of a woman’s Vietnam experience gave me a whole new and different perspective on this tragic time in America’s history. As always, Kristin’s extensive research is evident in her work, and her vivid descriptions made me feel as if I was there, seeing the devastation through Frankie’s eyes. I felt so many different emotions while reading this book - sadness, anger, disbelief, and hope are just a few that come to mind. There were many times I caught myself crying over the injustice and despair Frankie encountered during and after the war. Her moments with Barb and Ethel were some of my favorite scenes in the story, and I truly loved their closeness and loyalty to each other. I also enjoyed the many layers of Frankie’s relationship with her parents and how it evolved over time. I can’t recommend this book enough. It will certainly open your eyes and broaden your view of the Vietnam War as you discover a part of it that is rarely talked about. I was hooked from the first page, and I know The Women will remain in my heart and mind a very long time.
(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)
Monday, August 7, 2023
Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo Now Available
The Good Morning America book club August pick, Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo, is now available in my Little Free Library! The second copy is going into circulation at work, so it should be available to check out in a couple of weeks. If you take it with you, please consider returning it after you read it so other people can enjoy it. (NOTE: I read this book, and I believe it’s best suitable for adults only, but that’s just my personal opinion).
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Review - Family Lore
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Acevedo
RATING: ★★★★
Summary (from Goodreads): From bestselling, National Book Award-winning author Elizabeth Acevedo comes her first novel for adults, the story of one Dominican-American family told through the voices of its women as they await a gathering that will forever change their lives.
Flor has a gift: she can predict, to the day, when someone will die. So when she decides she wants a living wake--a party to bring her family and community together to celebrate the long life she's led--her sisters are surprised. Has Flor forseen her own death, or someone else's? Does she have other motives? She refuses to tell her sisters, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila.
But Flor isn't the only person with secrets. Matilde has tried for decades to cover the extent of her husband's infidelity, but she must now confront the true state of her marriage. Pastora is typically the most reserved sister, but Flor's wake motivates this driven woman to solve her sibling's problems. Camila is the youngest sibling, and often the forgotten one, but she's decided she no longer wants to be taken for granted.
And the next generation, cousins Ona and Yadi, face tumult of their own: Yadi is reuniting with her first love, who was imprisoned when they were both still kids; Ona is married for years and attempting to conceive. Ona must decide whether it's worth it to keep trying--to have a child, and the anthropology research that's begun to feel lackluster.
Spanning the three days prior to the wake, Family Lore traces the lives of each of the Marte women, weaving together past and present, Santo Domingo and New York City. Told with Elizabeth Acevedo's inimitable and incandescent voice, this is an indelible portrait of sisters and cousins, aunts and nieces--one family's journey through their history, helping them better navigate all that is to come.
REVIEW: This book was…interesting. I did enjoy it, but there were so many layers it was hard to keep up. First of all, there are numerous characters, and at times I struggled to keep track of them all and they’re own unique storylines. Secondly, there is a ton of Spanish in this story, so there was a lot of highlighting text and translating it, which was distracting. Thirdly, there is a lot of jumping back and forth between the past and future, which was a bit confusing. BUT, all of that aside, this WAS an enjoyable read, and the author has a beautiful voice and a special way with words that kept me turning the pages. I would recommend it to everyone. (Okay, maybe not those under 18 years of age, but I would recommend it to everyone else).
(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)
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