Welcome to the [next-to] last day of May!
Is anyone else’s mind as boggled by that fact as mine is? I almost titled this post “April Favourites” because it literally does.not.feel like the end of May… which may or may not have everything to do with the fact that it’s been cold and rainy here for the past 1.5 weeks, making it feel more like early spring than almost summer.
But whether we choose to believe it or not, it really is the end of May, which means it’s time for me to dote on some of the things I’ve been loving over the past month in another monthly favourites post!
Biggest foodie obsession this month, hands down, was Popchips…
Plain. Sour cream & onion. Straight from the bag. With avocado. With ketchup. As a snack. As a meal. Any way. Every day. You guys remember this pic, right?
I wasn’t joking when I said I was obsessed. And the best part is that they’re relatively not-that-bad for you, since they have no trans fats, no preservatives, no artificial flavours, and a pretty basic ingredients list. I definitely recommend getting your hands on some if you’ve never tried them!
Next up we’re got a reignited love affair with jam, which I’ve been putting on everything from oatmeal, toast, crepes, rice cakes, and cottage cheese, to eating straight from the jar with a spoon #noshame.
Crofter’s makes my favourite jams, with wild blueberry being my favourite flavour. What I love about Crofter’s is that they’re organic, free of preservatives, contain less sugar, and have whole pieces of fruit. You can even buy a variety that contain no added sugars and are sweetened with grape juice instead. And in addition to all that, they just so happen to be pretty darn delicious too.
And because I could probably talk about favourite foods forever, I’m going to stop at two and switch gears to blog recipes because May was a pretty tasty month in the Spoons kitchen…
Flourless Banana Bread Muffins
Chocolate Covered Raspberry Oat Bars
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Date Balls
Sweet Potato Nachos & Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars for Savory Style.
Now that the weather is warming up (in theory, anyways — Edmonton is always late jumping on the bandwagon), I’ve been putting more effort into recovering from winter and getting ready for summer. This means taking up dry brushing again…
(…which I kind of been slacking on 😕 )
… and getting rid of my Casper-esque complexion with some St. Tropez…
(… which I talk more about here)
I’ve also been experimenting with my skincare routine and trying out more essential oils, with Sukin’s rosehip oil being my newest favourite.
Containing essential fatty acids, necessary for protecting cell membranes as well as vitamin E, beta carotene and the powerful anti-ageing antioxidant lycopene to assist in skin renewal and repair. This unique oil feeds the skin vital nutrients to promote radiant, healthy looking skin. Can be used regularly to help soothe skin conditions and assist skin renewal to help maintain optimal skin health. Absorbs instantly allowing the skin to breathe as it works. Rose hip oil can be used to soothe irritated or dry skin assist in repair and renewal and can treat problem skin conditions.
I’ve been adding a few drops to my moisturizer every night, and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in the quality of my skin. It’s become softer, smoother, more even, and more glowy. It’s a lighter and drier oil, so you don’t have to worry about it clogging your pores, and hey… Miranda Kerr swears by the stuff, so you know it’s gotta be good 😉
I fell in love with a new book [series] this month — Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas…
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass–and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
If you’re a fan of fantasy, adventure, and/or young adult books, then I definitely recommend picking this one up. While it wasn’t without its faults, there was also something about it that sucked me in and made it hard to put down. A fierce female heroine who was ruthless when she needed to be, yet was also incredibly poised, intelligent, witty, and at times even girlish; a plot that was fast-paced with lots of twists and intrigues to keep you wondering what’ll happen next; and a sequel that was even better than the first.
There’s action, romance, magic, mystery, tragedy, humour… basically all the elements of an enjoyable and relaxing read.
May was good to me… and Spoons!
- I started dabbling in more freelance work, and landed a gig for an up-and-coming food blog called Savory Style.
- Two of my recipes were featured by some pretty awesome sites!
- My flourless banana bread muffins on Women’s Health Mag.
- My Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Muffins on Huffington Post.
- Spoons hit over 1k likes on Facebook. Woop!
- Food talk (read: WIAW) involved:
- Lots of good stuff came out of my kitchen!
- Flourless Banana Bread Muffins (featured in Woman’s Health)
- Chocolate Covered Raspberry Oat Bars
- Vanilla Cake Batter Smoothie
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Date Balls
- Healthy Rice Krispie Treats
- Sweet Potato Nachos (Savory Style)
- Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars (Savory Style)
- I spilled the deets on oil pulling and how much I adore it.
- Aaaand I shared some great info on how to start a blog (or make the switch to a self-hosted one)
Here’s to an awesome June! 😀
Tell me 3 awesome things that happened in May!
Do you use any essential oils in your beauty routine?
Did you read any good books this month?
More places to find me!
E-mail — [email protected]
Twitter — runwithspoons
Facebook — runningwithspoons
Pinterest — runwithspoons
Instagram — runwithspoons
Bloglovin — runningwithspoons
Geebuz when you correlate everything into one post for just this month- that is pretty epic.
I still standby how you need to try the katy perry pop chips. Let’s replace the jam and honey and butter and BOOM.
I did try them! Twice, actually… and they were just okay 😕 Sour cream is still my favourite.
may was very good! congrats on all your gigs! well deserved. Keep inspiring us!
I don’t do a “monthly” post like yours, but I do recap my month and I can’t believe it is almost time to do that again. I still need to catch up on April on the family blog!
I’ve read the first Throne of Glass and some of the novella prequels. I’m LOVING reading lately and having just been finishing up several trilogies (books I’ve had to wait for the final one). While I’m sad to have some of these series end, it’s also nice to have a conclusion.
Congrats on all your successes! Exciting!
That cake batter smoothie is still making me swoon. May looks like it was a pretty fantastic month for ya, girl!
I started oil pulling (read: I did it ONCE), but I never jumped on the bandwagon. Maybe one of these days I’ll try it for real.
3 awesome things in May: Decide on a college, finish APs, and eat peaches!!
Have you tried the avocado/jam combo yet? It is sweet and savory at it’s finest!
Cant decide which of your recipes to try first. I think there is gonna be a lot of baking going on this weekend!
Congrats on all the blog accomplishments! Seriously. You’re my favorite food blogger by far. Your food is not only amazing, but so are your pictures too. I make really good food. But I will never have good pics.
Don’t say that! You can always learn 😀
Um, yes, where DID May go?! That said, May was pretty good to you! 🙂 Now that I’m off for the summer (#teacherperks ??) I can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
You’ve definitely had a fantastic month love! So many amazing opportunities.
And I’m proud of myself – I’ve kept up dry-brushing almost daily for the last…8 months? I’ve definitely noticed a big difference in my skin – in the winter, I usually get mild keratosis polaris on my upper arms. I didn’t get it at ALL this last winter, and the only real change I made was the dry brushing.
You’ve been doing better than I have! I’m just happy that I’m still managing to keep up the memory jar…
I’ve got a whole bunch of old bananas just waiting to be turned into something yummy, so thanks for the recipe 😀
And Throne of Glass has been in my TBR pile for a whileee so thanks for the recommendation!
Congrats on the all awesomeness that happened to you this past month! Two of my favorite books I read the past month were “The Language of Flowers” and “100 Summers”. Those banana muffins do ROCK and that’s awesome that they were featured. Happy “almost” June 1st!
I think my face mask contains rose hip oil but I’ve never tried the actual oil itself. I might have to look into it! I don’t mind having glowing skin! 🙂
I seriously need those flourless banana bread muffins!!
I am so in love with Crofter’s, but St. Dalfour’s is up there also. I’ve been slacking on my dry brushing too, I need to get back to it!
:)Congratulations on being featured in Big Time sites. That is wonderful! I am excited for you.
Good may stuff: can now do unassisted handstands and headstands in yoga, made a new friend, won a comedy improv competition.
This month I have been devouring Amy Hatvany’s novels. I think I read four this month and just started number five this morning. Her stories are engaging and believable, the characters fully-fleshed, and, they are all set in Seattle.
Wow looking back on May, it seems to have been such a wonderfully productive one for you…well done, girl! Hope June is even better! Three awesome things that happened to me in May were a trip to London, celebrating my birthday a month earlier and also being invited to a Forbes event for “30 Entrepreneurs under 30”. I was especially chuffed about the last one! I’ve heard such great things about evening primrose oil & vitamin E oil so I’m thinking about introducing them into my beauty regime!
30 Entrepreneurs under 30?!!? GIRL! You have GOT to tell me more about that one!!
I owe you an email!!! 😀
Three Awesome Things:
1. I finished my first year at college! Bye bye freshie status!
2. I had my one year anniversary of my diagonosis with celiac disease.
3. I baked a kick-butt gluten free pizza crust!
Way to rock life after your diagnosis, girl! I don’t suffer from celiac, but I know how annoying it can be to have to live with a severe allergy and really pay attention to what you eat.
Thanks to you I’m also addicted to Popchips now! I have 4 kinds in my pantry right now and it is my goal to try them all this summer!
What a month you have had!!
My May highlights – progress on mission handstand push up, going to my first ever rugby game (having been an avid tv watched for ever) and generally life in Buenos Aires 🙂
So much love for blueberry jam. When I was little the only one you could get was Bonne Maman when we went to France and I could say Myrtilles Sauvages so would always call it Myrtil’s Sausages…in fact I think I still do…!
So many great posts this month! It is so awesome to do a recap like that so you can really look back on the array of things you wrote about — your recipes definitely take the cake for me. They all look amazing and the photos are perfection. And Women’s Health and Huffington Post?! You GO, girl!! I would read back on some of the awesome topics you’ve covered, buttt I’ve been keeping up so I have already read them, hehe. 😉 And no, I cannot believe it is almost June!! W T F.
I barely remember May, I don’t even realize May happened I swear it is ended so quickly. I am totally ready for June since my birthday is in a few days and I love excuses for multiple slices of cake and goodies!
Big month for spoons!!! Cannot believe how quickly it flew by. This year needs to slowwwwwww down.
I had a loan nanner sitting on the kitchen island, so I made your flourless almond butter muffins yesterday. SO good! I have been slacking majorly on my book reading, but hopefully laying out and just sitting outside will spark my reading desires again. I seem to go through phases of reading ALL the books to reading trashy magazines. lol
Seems like a perfect balance 😉
I cannot believe it’s almost June. 2014 where are you going?! My favorite things from May: finishing my sophomore year of college (and coming home!), starting my summer internship and starting a blog (with the help of your post earlier this month!).
I love jam/jelly too! I’ve really got to pick up that organic brand of jelly though. I hate when they’re full of added sugar and other yucky ingredients!
I didn’t know if you were serious about ketchup with pop chips buttttt i love ketchup with EVERYTHING.. yes i feel like a toddler but love it lolol So many recipes to try !! I actually have some very ripe bananas sitting on my counter right now… may need to make those muffins stat..
Also, I feel you on the “cant believe its May” front… here in NY it went from freezing and snowing (not as cold as where you are but you know) to SO HOT and HUMID. Where did spring go? Global warming??? Seriously i went from heat on in the house to air conditioning with maybe a few days in between with windows open lolol
oh my word i cannot wait to move to make some of those recipes. living out of boxes and no kitchen has made me eat a lot of cereal, tuna packets, and eggs… how i long for some of those baked goods.
Great reminder!! I need to make those flourless muffins, maybe this weekend! 3 things that happened this month: I started working on my jewelry line, I finished my classes (and actually passed!), and I began skateboarding: it was pretty much love at first sight 🙂
Go girl! I tried skateboarding on a few different occasions but gave up after I fell on my butt a few too many times 😆
I love love love rosehip oil! I’ve been using it for years already almost nightly (I switch off between avocado oil, baobab oil, and rosehip) – I just put a few drops around my eyes before going to bed and it (hopefully) helps prevent those pesky aging lines 🙂
That jam is fabulous indeed! I tend to go for jams that are sweetened only with natural juices and pectin (i.e. no sugar) and that is one of my go-tos as well.
Oh boy, there’s that cake batter smoothie again. YUM! I know this month has been a total blink of an eye. I’m really loving these super long sunny days and don’t even want to think about how quickly summer will fly by. 🙁
Crofter’s blueberry jam is one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life! For a while, my spoon ended up in there instead of my AB! I really need fig jam in my life, though.
Whoo boy!..this was one bumper to bumper, epic month for you hey 🙂 . Ooh I need to check out those blueberry crumble bars.
I’ve been seeing “oil” having a moment in the limelight recently; oil pulling, various articles on oil cleansing..and after expressing my shock at MAC’s make-up removing oil I saw its fabulousity being broadcasted all over..and ended up talking my Mum into getting us a bottle. I hardly ever wear make-up, but I wanted it around for whenever I do 😉 . I am thoroughly intrigued about mixing rose-hip oil in {face} moisturiser…right? I use a body oil that has a blend of rose-hip, sweet almond, wheat germ and blackcurrant – which I absolutely love!
That MAC oil is what I use to take my makeup off too! So good. And yup! I just put some face moisturizer in the palm of my hand, add two drops of rose hip oil, and mix it up before applying it onto my face.
Ever since I started using coconut oil on my face every night, I’ve been wanting to check out essential oils more. I’m intrigued by dry brushing since I have absolutely no idea what it does!
Gah! It’s amazing! Best benefits I noticed were improved circulation and way smoother skin!
Those sweet potato nachos look awesome!! Definitely trying!
It has been a fantastic month for Spoons, I couldn’t agree more! Your smoothies and flourless muffins have been everywhere, and deservedly so!
well what a seriously fabulous idea to round up all the amazing things you did in a month…I think I’m exhausted just considering doing it. now to go read more on dry brushing!
Nope – I can’t say that I’ve tried any essential oils. Does that mean they’re not so essential?
3 awesome things: beach weekend, mother’s day, my first (and only) photography class… maybe one day I’ll be nearly as good as you 😉
3 awesome things: added track workouts into my training, made a new running friend, and going strong with blogging this month. Also discovered some great new recipes both on my own and from other blogs. I really admire your food photography skills, your stuff always stands out as looking delicious and artistic!
I’ve JUST started dabbling in essential oils. I suffered a pretty intense coconut oil burn the other day and dabbed lavender and coconut oil on it. The next morning, all the redness and pain was gone. I’m impressed! 🙂 and excited to use more.
Another great thing to use on burns is apple cider vinegar! It’s amazing at taking the pain away and keeping blisters from developing.
Throne of Glass sounds very entertaining. I love the classic C.S. Lewis books (Narnia etc),Tolken’s Lord of the Rings. As a teacher I am amazed at how little kid’s read. Hopefully that trend will not continue.