Lunch Date #6: From “Souping” to Kitchen Organization

I hope you’ve been having a good day so far, and I’m glad you were able to take a short break to catch up!

Here’s my collection of recipes and articles from the last week, from the new “Souping” trend to the 9 kitchen items you forgot to clean…

But First! 2 adorable cards for food-loving people:

What I’m Reading:

Food News & Trends:

• Boutique fitness classes are opening across the country (not just on the coasts): here are the new locations – Well + Good
• Certain gut bacteria may induce metabolic changes following exposure to artificial sweeteners – Science Daily
• Research Shows Artificial Sweeteners Can Raise Blood Sugar– Wall Street Journal
• Keep it simple to promote healthy eating (That’s what I do!) – Restaurant-Hospitality
• Could ‘Souping’ be the next juicing? – Well + Good

Home & Lifestyle:

• 9 Kitchen Items You Forgot to Clean – The Cutting Board
• These parents invented the sweetest birthday present treasure hunt for their kids ever! – House for Five
• 9 Ways to Lose Weight by Rearranging Your Kitchen – USA Today (this is my philosophy – make it easy to be healthy)

Blogging:

• SEO 201: How to Optimize Images, Alt Tags + Page Speed – The Lean Green Bean

Exercise:

• All the Ways Exercise Makes Us Happier (Infographic) – Huffington Post
• 6 Reasons to Start Working Out Outside – Huffington Post

What I’m Salivating Over:

Breakfasts:

• Oatmeal Raisin Muffins – Alida’s Kitchen
• Easy Raisin Spice Oatmeal Mix – according to elle
• The Ultimate Guide to Oatmeal  -the kitchn

Main Course:

• Sweet and Spicy Chili with Cornbread Topping – Iowa Girl Eats

Desserts:

• Pumpkin Pecan Polvorones (Mexican Wedding Cookies) – Cookie + kate
• Plum Crisp with Pistachio, Oat and Almond Meal Topping – Cookie + kate
• Honey and Spice Poached Pears – The Kitchn
• Rustic Pear & Grape Tart – Meal Makeover Moms
• Gluten-Free Pear Cranberry Crisp – Cookie + kate

Good for Company:

• Roasted Grape Crostini with Brie and Fresh Thyme – Cookie + kate
• 22 Desserts for your Rosh Hashanah Table – Serious Eats

The Week in Photos: 

My brother-in-law got married last weekend in Santa Barbara, California. It was a beautiful wedding with a vintage garden feel – our table numbers were pinned to kumquats, we sat at long wooden tables under strings of twinkly lights with mismatched silverware, and garden roses and ranunculus popped out of eclectic white vases. And for dinner, we were served mac & cheese, roasted brussels sprouts and fried chicken!! So. So. Good.

A beautiful wedding in Santa Barbara, California

Adam & me at the wedding

You may recognize these two 90-something celebrities from their Swiffer commercials. My Kaufman grandparents, Morty and Lee found some pretty amazing fame late in life. And yes, they’re as in love in real life as they are in the commercials!

My Swiffering Grandparents!

Be well! See you for another mid-week lunch date next Wednesday!

So, what article or recipe are you most excited to read?