Happy June!

One of my favorite things about the arrival of summertime is a sense of being suddenly unencumbered.

It seems like such a small thing, but it’s so freeing to walk outside in flip flops, to navigate crowded subway cars without a bulky coat on, to leave the house without having to calculate which winter accessories will be necessary.

Each year, when I experience the sense of physical freedom that comes with shedding layers, I’m reminded of how efficiently human beings can normalize discomfort.

And thank goodness for this, of course. We have to be able to adapt to uncomfortable circumstances.

For one thing, can you imagine if people in the Northeast spent all of winter being acutely conscious of how cold it was? Or how cumbersome heavy coats are?

At a certain point, we have to adapt. We find a way to thrive within the cold months.

When summer comes, however, it reminds us that life can feel lighter. Easier. More gentle.

That’s what’s been on my mind this week, and of course I’m not only thinking about seasons.

How often do I get used to hardship, forgetting that things can be less hard? What do I need to carry, and what can I put down?

Are there layers that need shedding, so that I can feel more free?

I’ll let you know how those questions settle.

In the meantime, I’m just happy to be here, winter clothes tucked away, open-toed shoes in hand, with a whole summer stretching ahead of me.

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

Recipes

1. What a beautiful and vibrant pinto bean salad.

2. Zucchini season is upon us, and this recipe for sautéed zucchini looks great.

3. A perfectly simple bowl of vegan garlic noodles.

4. My friend Kim’s mini quiches look like a delicious (and adorable) vegan meal prep breakfast.

5. Blueberry orange bundt cake might become a favorite afternoon sweet snack this summer.

Reads

1. I really enjoyed reading Sara Franklin’s reflections on her lunches with the great, late cookbook editor Judith Jones.

2. Some tips to help women avoid becoming “under-muscled” as they move through the life cycle.

3. Wei Tchou has written a beautiful essay that connects the world of ferns, plants which the Victorians regarded as magical, to her brother’s experience of mental illness.

4. Via USA Today, the profiles of eleven inspiring individuals who have recovered from eating disorders.

I recognized so many parts of these stories from the work that I do each week. While I felt grief about how poorly our society is set up to help prevent and treat these illnesses, I was also buoyed by the descriptions of healing.

5. I’ve talked to so many moms of young kids who describe a completely altered relationship with cooking since the start of parenthood. Julia cook reflects candidly on this change. I love that Laurie Colwin, whose work has meant so much to me, is a part of the author’s process of finding her way back to the kitchen.

I’ve been racing to the finish line with a work deadline for the past two weeks, which is why I was quiet last Sunday. It’ll be behind me in a day or two, so I’ll see you on the other side!

xo