One of the big adjustments that I’ve worked on in the past few years is to know when and how to slow down.

But occasionally there’s a week in which slowing down is impossible, or so inconvenient that it might as well be impossible. This past week was one of those.

On top of it all, I was battling some sort of stomach bug that was mild enough for me to keep going but pronounced enough for me to be aware of it. Thanks to a combo of said bug and stress, I wasn’t sleeping well.

All this to say, I felt pretty rough as Friday rolled around.

Now that the weekend is here, working—even writing, even a little bit of meal prep for my own benefit—feels as unlikely as rest and relaxation did a few days ago.

As a result, I’m keeping this weekend reading post short and sweet. But I’m happy to be checking in, and also happy to tell you that the lunch wrap I mentioned last Sunday will actually get posted in the week ahead.

Whether you’re speeding up or slowing down today, I’m wishing you the things you need—strength, support, steady breath, laughter, caffeine, patience, etc.—in order for you to do what you need to do.

Happy Sunday, friends. Here are some recipes and reads.

Recipes

1. To be honest, I’ve never once made a vegan matzo ball soup that worked. Maybe I need  a new recipe?

2. Also within the Passover theme, Megan’s vegan matzo brei looks so good.

3. I could always use some inspiration for new lunch bowl recipes. Right now I’m eyeing Karen’s roasted veggie lentil bowl with cashew cream curry sauce.

4. Speaking of bowls, who doesn’t need some simple, marinated chickpeas for all the grain bowls (or wraps, or pastas)?

5. S’mores cookie bars are definitely going to be my next baking project.

Reads

1. I really commend the researchers and clinicians who are working to raise awareness about ADHD being under-diagnosed in girls and women.

2. Becoming an obsessive worrier in one’s forties—oof, I can relate! I’ve always been stress-prone and had many tussles with depression, but being a worrier is fun new development. At least it’s not just me?

3. Speaking of worry, alarmist health reporting has always been around, but I notice it more these days because my worry-load is higher.

It’s good to be informed, but it’s not good to be constantly and unnecessarily freaked out by what you read. This article on alarmist health reporting offers some tips on becoming better able to distinguish helpful headlines from attention-grabbing ones.

4. For the imagery alone, not to mention the heroic efforts described, this article on saving underwater kelp forests is worth reading.

5. As a defender of non-al-dente pasta, I feel seen.

OK, friends. It’s time for me to go rummaging through my freezer, fridge, and pantry in order to cobble together something that looks like meal prep and a meal plan for the week ahead.

Freezer foraging can be fun—we’ll see what I find!

xo