Whether you're a new or returning reader, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit this blog, leave a comment, write me an email, save my recipes, DIY crafts & natural living articles to Pinterest, reply to my stories on Instagram, and share my stuff on Facebook.
Every little bit helps - truly! And your interaction & support is what motivates me to keep learning & creating. It gives me such joy when I hear from folks who've tried my recipes or read one of my articles that they found inspirational or helpful.
Life Right Now
I've been in hibernation mode the past few weeks with a gnarly head cold, but now I'm feeling more like myself and am eager to use up the food in my fridge, pantry & freezer to save money, set up a simple meal plan so I eat out less, and begin my seasonal decluttering (winter is a good time for this).
If you've been following me for a few years now, you'll know I'm obsessed with Outlander. So, it's no surprise that I'm super excited for the 5th season, which premieres on Feb 16th. Je suis prest!
I watch the show via Amazon Prime using the Starz Channel, so if you've never seen it or read the books, I recommend going that route (Starz also has an app but I've never used it).
I plan to binge-watch seasons 1-4 the next few weeks in preparation. Once that's over & Droughtlander starts, I'm re-reading books 1-8. (I already started book 1 and am about halfway through.)
2019 & Real Talk
Ahem. Now for 2019. It's been another rough year with highs & lows.
First the good. My better half is amazing and I'm so proud of the hard work he's put into his latest project (a video game) over the past few years. They're releasing it in March, which is rapidly approaching. I can't wait to see the response from the fans. :) We also went on two awesome trips: one to Breckenridge, CO over the summer and another this December to Disney World. Both were a ton of fun!
Now the not so good. I'm trying to cope with my dad living 9 hours away and his health deteriorating dramatically due to the strokes and a laundry list of other issues. And my own health stuff, which I believe stems from a combination of years of repression (grief trauma) and my work from home situation that is much too isolating & involves WAY too much sitting.
So, I'm now seeing a professional counselor. Just to talk about things. I'm going for my third session tomorrow. It felt awkward at first, but she's so nice and it really is cathartic to discuss my feelings & issues with a neutral party. I also plan to join a local rec center soon to focus on regular exercise and getting out of the house.
I have high hopes for 2020, but I realize that real change won't happen without me doing the work. Self-care isn't always a bubble bath & a glass of wine at the end of a busy day. Often it's the uncomfortable, not-so-fun daily activities you have to push yourself to do until they turn into habits, which will then (quicker than you think) positively impact your life.
Recipes The Past Year
In between the stress & anxiety of the past year (the latter makes my appetite disappear), I've been focused on trying new recipes and updating old ones with better instructions, photos, and tips. I've been blogging since late 2012 and started with a point & shoot camera + no experience. So, there are lots to go back and improve! :P
Several of my old recipes that I republished this year were good traffic drivers, so I'd like to give them "honorable mentions" since I didn't change them enough to be included on the main "top 10" list: how to make basil salt, roasted balsamic green beans, healthy peanut butter balls, maple pumpkin butter, pumpkin spice latte, flourless peanut butter cookies, and blood orange margaritas.
The older ones that I did include in the list below? They received complete facelifts. All new photos, new writing, and/or new recipe instructions or recipe ingredients with clearer writing & more tips.
Note: If you're a new reader, check out my past "best of" round-ups to see what was popular then. Some of them are still my all-time top posts even if the photos aren't great. The further back you go, the more obvious it is I took pics at night with my old cellphone camera under a yellow light - LOL!
Top 10 Most Popular Recipes On The Rising Spoon in 2019
Are you a new reader or want to catch up on posts you missed throughout the year? Here are the top ten most popular recipes from The Rising Spoon in 2019 (according to you guys)!
1. How to Make Cold Brew Tea (For The Best Iced Tea) - Published July 30th
We almost always have a pitcher of cold brew tea in our fridge because it's my beau's favorite thing to drink year-round (even right now in the middle of winter). Making it at home instead of buying the bottled stuff saves us SO MUCH MONEY. And it tastes really smooth! This is our current favorite tea blend that I like to mix with a bit of regular green tea & black tea.
I could live off of meat & cheese appetizer platters. Seriously! I love a hearty, well-rounded meal but I also appreciate variety + an occasional night off cooking, which is where the appetizer platter shines. If you want to learn more about making a charcuterie board (it's simple), I share a TON of tips, tricks & ideas in the post.
This has been my favorite salad dressing for the past few years and it used to be included in my Chicken Hummus Naan Wraps post since I use it to dress the veggies for the wrap. I decided to move the recipe to its own post since I use it for other dishes like Mediterranean salad. If you enjoy tangy vinegar-based dressings, I highly recommend making a batch. It takes all of five minutes and you can store it in your fridge for several days.
This is my go-to "lazy" meal for weeknights when I want something that I can prep quickly and walk away (with a timer set, of course.) I've been fixing it for 10 years now and I'm still not sick of it. If you need an easy, comforting, and budget-friendly meal, add this to your meal plan soon.
I actually came up with this recipe before the Keto craze happened (Paleo was the thing back in 2013) but since low-carb is popular now, I figured I'd re-shoot this and share it again. If you want to fix cauliflower for a veggie hater, this is the way to go. Roasting the cauliflower, mixing it with roasted garlic, then adding in buttermilk + butter adds a TON of flavor to an otherwise neutral veggie. I love serving this with crock-pot Mississippi roast or parmesan-crusted chicken.
My beau & I love breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks (especially when we're traveling), but they are NOT cheap. To save money, I make my own version at home with English muffins, double the eggs (the extra protein helps us stay full longer), thick-cut bacon, and cheddar cheese. If I make a double batch, half will go in my freezer and the rest in the fridge. I include tips for reheating them straight from the freezer or fridge, as well as oven & microwave methods.
I've been into vinegar-based slaws & barbecue sauces lately, so I decided to remake the tangy red cabbage slaw that I originally published back in 2014. However, this time I updated the recipe by adding fresh jalapenos and cilantro, which gives it more layers of flavor. I typically serve this slaw with crock-pot ribs or on top of slow cooker pulled pork for sliders.
This is the other go-to salad dressing that I love to serve on leafy fruit salads or steak salads, especially with blue cheese. The maple & balsamic vinegar combo is SO GOOD. Please try it sometime! I think it's better with maple syrup than honey or sugar. :)
I'm a huge fan of homemade hot cocoa using cacao powder (it's healthy & decadent), but I like to switch things up on occasion and use good-quality bar chocolate (especially the peppermint kind) to make a homemade hot chocolate instead. If you love hot cocoa, give this a try sometime with your favorite bar chocolate + some whipped cream. It's super-duper cozy!
This is my new favorite cookie recipe. It's pretty dang close to a brownie cookie for me in terms of taste, but it's cakier. If you love my original flourless peanut butter cookies, you HAVE to try this one. It's just as easy (20 minutes start to finish) and even more chocolatey!
Again, thank you so much for supporting The Rising Spoon. Cheers to 2020 and may your new year be filled with good health, peace, and abundance!
<3,
Elaina
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. However, I ONLY recommend helpful products that I myself would use!
MEDICAL DISCLOSURE: The information included on this website is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions expressed here are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own situation or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.
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