The Weird Sisters tells the story of a trio of sisters — the studious, responsible one, the chic city girl and the free spirit — who all move home after their mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. But what they don’t tell anyone — even each other — is that their returns home are all motivated by other things. They are all getting away from something.

The family has an interesting dynamic — avoiding any deep conversations instead digging into books, which they frequently quote from (especially their Shakespeare professor father). And although the sisters don’t always like each other, they certainly love each other and that comes through again and again in the book.

While the prose was well done in The Weird Sisters, there was a bit of quirkiness that I didn’t love. The book is narrated by a collective “we” voice that represents the three sisters. It’s an odd way to tell the story — I found the “we” voice distracting and unnecessary to the story.

Still, this novel was beautifully written and well-worth reading. If you are looking for a book to get lost in this weekend, I’d definitely recommend this one.

Want to know more? Come join the discussion on The Weird Sisters at the BlogHer Book Club.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation in the BlogHer Book Club but all opinions expressed are my own.

Recently, I was digging through old posts when it occurred to me that I used to do a lot more baking. I can’t put my finger on why I stopped baking so much. Maybe it’s because the kids got a little older. Maybe it’s because I need to devote more time to work. Maybe it’s because I thought the baked goods were hurting my waistline. Really, it could be any of these things. But realizing that I am baking less was a little sad for me. I love having homemade treats for the kids when they get home from school.

So yesterday, with a mere 40 minutes before school pick up time, I tossed together these easy, fast cookie bars. They came out of the oven just in time for me to run to school — good timing, right?

These cookie bars are soft, chewy and so buttery. The ribbon of sweet chocolate runs through them, giving every bite a satisfying richness. Really, every bite is just bursting with smooth chocolate. How can you go wrong with semi-sweet, white and dark chocolate all mixed together? You just can’t.

And the leftovers? Perfect for an easy lunchbox treat today. Hope Will loved it.

Do you bake often?

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars
yields 12 bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3 oz dark chocolate bar, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until it’s uniformly brown and grainy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well on medium speed to combine (about 1 minute).

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the stand mixer running on low, add a little at a time to the butter mixture until just incorporated. Add all the chocolate and mix briefly to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out into one even layer as best you can — don’t worry if it doesn’t quite reach end to end though. The batter will spread while cooking.

Bake for 23-27 minutes, until golden. Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into 12 bars. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago, I bought some brown basmati rice for a night when my husband was working. Though we’ve never really loved any brown rice in the past, this time the kids and I enjoyed the nutty grain. But when it came time to make rice a few days later for the whole family, I pulled out white rice thinking my husband would never want to eat brown rice. So, you’ll imagine my surprise when he made some last week for dinner — without any prompting. Turns out, he was ready to give it another go. And he liked it too.

Well, I guess this makes us brown rice fans. Who would have thought it?

Anyway, when I went to whip up this spicy lunch for myself, I went right for the brown rice … it was perfect for it.

This dish is adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe. Recently, I was asked to join The Food Matters Project — a group of bloggers cooking our way through Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook. If you aren’t familiar with the cookbook (or the book Food Matters), the basic premise is that you should eat like your ancestors would have in the early 20th century. It’s not unlike the lessons I recently learned reading Why Women Need Fat. So, when asked to join in, I said yes right away. I could definitely use the lessons from this book to cook better food for my family.

And me too. Because sometimes recipes aren’t for everyone. This one? Totally not for my kids. And that’s okay.

This week’s recipe for the group was Chipotle-Glazed Squash Skewers. The recipe sounded amazing as is, and I am sure it would make a killer appetizer or side dish. But when I read the combination of flavors, it made me think of lunch. When the kids are in school and I am working, I love having something easy and not-kid-friendly to eat … this was totally that. So I scrapped the skewers, added sweet potatoes and more honey and served this over brown rice and raw kale. Hello.

It’s been a while since I last cooked with smoky, spicy chipotle peppers, powerful little peppers that add a punch to dishes. In this recipe, the chipotles, combined with honey and garlic, turn the sugary butternut squash and sweet potatoes into creamy sweet heat missiles. The nutty brown rice and earthy, firm raw kale make it a total party of textures and flavors.

And yes, I made this one pretty spicy. I love fiery flavors, and love it even more when it’s a sweet fire. Unfortunately, my kids and husband aren’t fans of the heat that chipotle peppers add so this dish really is perfect for my lunch — solo. Oh well, more for me. That’s why it’s perfect for me to enjoy alone for lunch …

You can check out the original recipe at 20something Cupcakes and be sure to check out the Food Matters Project to see how other bloggers interpreted this dish.

Spicy Honey Chipotle Squash and Sweet Potatoes over Brown Rice
serves 4
Adapted from Mark Bittman’s Chipotle-Glazed Squash Skewers

 1 1/4 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 – 1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
2 chipotle chilis, finely chopped
2 tbsp adobo sauce (from the chilis)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup bite size pieces of raw kale

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with non stick aluminum foil.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chipotle chilis, adobo sauce, garlic, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the butternut squash and sweet potatoes and toss well to combine. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring 2-3 times, until tender.

Arrange one cup of brown rice on each of four plates. Top with 1/4 cup kale each and 1/4 of the glazed squash and sweet potatoes. Enjoy!

Don’t worry if you missed it: You can still watch the recorded video from the class on The Motherhood.

There were a lot of awesome questions asked — about slow cookers themselves, what works best in cookers, etc.

For my part, I asked Chef Duran if it’s okay to just toss raw ground beef in a slow cooker to make chili. He said you can (yay!) but the flavor deepens if you get a good sear on it first. Still, after watching many episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I am really tempted to try making a super easy chili in the slow cooker without cooking the ground beef first. It seems to break down the ground beef into tiny pieces, which could be awesome for a chili to top nachos, baked potatoes and more. Have you ever done that?

Duran also suggested that it’s a great idea to spray the slow cooker with cooking oil spray before cooking because it makes cleanup easier later. I always forget to do that, but can’t wait to try (and hopefully have easier cleanup!).

If you missed the class, you can read more about it by heading over to The Motherhood blog for a full recap. Also, special thanks to ReadySetEat, George Duran and The Motherhood for allowing me to co-host.

Disclosure: I was compensated for co-hosting the class. All opinions are my own.

Last year, a restaurant dedicated solely to macaroni and cheese opened nearby. Shawn and I had heard about it months in advance and were so excited to try it. Once it opened, we were almost instantly there with the kids. The premise is genius — take a classic comfort food and make it a bunch of different ways. Serve it in skillets. The restaurant has really taken off and is even expanding into a larger space.

Pretty awesome, right?

Well, eating there has made me rethink mac and cheese. I’ve always been of the creamy cheddar mac and cheese persuasion. But it can be so much more — you can change up the cheeses, do more than one, add toppings, mix-ins and drizzles. And you can bake it (or not). There is so much room for adaptation with basic macaroni and cheese.

This one? I was mulling over it after having a pulled pork macaroni and cheese at that mac and cheese place. So when the Wisconsin Cheese Board contacted me about participating in their annual 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese, I immediately sent this idea over. They loved it as much as I did. Head over there to read my blog post on my mac and cheese philosophy.

Then come back, so you can read a little more about this plate of heaven. It’s okay … I’ll wait.

Now, about this recipe … It’s like a BBQ joint on high.

The silky cheese sauce is laced with a familiar smokiness usually reserved for fall-off-the-bone-tender treats from the smoker. You can thank the Apple Smoked Wisconsin Cheddar and the smoky brisket on top (I used leftover Smoky Slow Cooker Beef Brisket). But it doesn’t stop there … it’s drizzled with sweet honey barbecue sauce and sprinkled with sharp Wisconsin blue cheese.

When you dig in with your fork, you have to stab a bit of the creamy macaroni and a piece of the brisket — preferably one that is laced with barbecue and blue cheese. It’s a total explosion of flavor … kind of like when they shoot off all the confetti at the end of the Super Bowl. (Psst – This would be perfect to make for Super Bowl Sunday.) If you like mac and cheese and brisket, you will adore this. Swear.

Be sure to check out all the mac and cheese posts at 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese. Heaven!

Smoked Cheddar and Blue Cheese Brisket Macaroni and Cheese
serves 8

1 lb macaroni
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground mustard
8 oz freshly grated Wisconsin Apple Smoked Cheddar Cheese
kosher salt, to taste
2 cups leftover beef brisket
¼ cup honey barbecue sauce
4 oz crumbled Wisconsin blue cheese

Cook the macaroni according to package directions.

While the macaroni is cooking, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is smooth and liquid-y. Whisk in the milk and ground mustard. Cook, whisking occasionally, until  well combined and hot.

Whisk in the Apple Smoked Cheddar Cheese until smooth (if necessary, raise the heat on the burner a little to aid the cheese in melting). Taste and season as needed with salt.

Combine the cooked macaroni and the cheese sauce and pour into an ungreased 9×13-inch glass baking pan. Smooth into one layer.

Spread the brisket over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and sprinkle all over with blue cheese.

Set the broiler to high. Slide the macaroni and cheese into the oven placing it about four-inches from the element. Broil for 5-10 minutes until hot and bubbly. The blue cheese should start to lightly brown in places.

Serve immediately.

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Disclosure: I was compensated for the ingredients that went into developing this recipe. All opinions are my own.

I’m mildly obsessed with superfruits, which are basically the health super heroes of the fruit world. They provide so many valuable nutrients like antioxidants and just taste so good too. Really, I can’t get enough of pomegranates, adore blueberries and crave cranberries (which are huge here in New England). Recently, I got to try another superfruit — tart cherries.

Are you familiar with tart cherries? I wasn’t until a big ol’ package of them arrived in my mailbox recently courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute and Kitchen PLAY. But after one sweet-and-sour taste I realized two things: I’ve had them before, and the tangy flavor is slightly addictive. They are available all year in frozen, dried  or juice form. The dried are my fave and make a great addition to salads, cookies and trail mixes. But the frozen ones are delicious too and they can be used in sweet or savory dishes.

So, what about these healthy attributes to the tart cherry? According to the Cherry Marketing Institute, more than 50 studies on tart cherries linked it to anti-inflammatory benefits, arthritis pain reduction and heart health benefits. It might even be helpful for post-workout recovery.

Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed Salmon with Rustic Tart Cherry Salsa is a great way to get some tart cherries into your diet (Psst! February is National Cherry Month). For this recipe, I used frozen tart cherries to make a slightly spicy and very zesty salsa that goes so well with the sweet Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed Salmon. The contrast of zesty spiciness and sweetness is irresistible. It’s the kind of thing that could lead to licking the plate clean … if no one is looking, of course.

Also, this is a recipe easy enough to make for a quick lunch or dinner. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, total … though you could also make it low-effort when you are in a pinch by making the salsa ahead of time. Save leftover salsa for dipping tortilla chips in or enjoying over tacos.

Have you had tart cherries before? Do you like them?

Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed Salmon with Rustic Tart Cherry Salsa
serves 4

Salsa:

1 cup chopped tart cherries (thawed from frozen)
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
salt and pepper, to taste

Salmon:

1 lb salmon fillet, cut into four pieces
1/4 cup tart cherry juice (I used juice from the frozen cherries)
1/4 cup honey

In a medium bowl, stir together the ingredients for the salsa until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment (foil preferred). Rinse the salmon fillets under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Arrange on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cherry juice and honey. Spread half of the mixture over the salmon fillets, reserving the second half.

Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until just about cooked through. Drizzle the second half of the tart cherry-honey mixture over the fillets and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until slightly golden at the edges.

Serve the salmon fillets on a bed of greens with the tart cherry salsa on top. Enjoy!

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Cherry Marketing Institute and Kitchen PLAY. I am being compensated for developing this recipe and also for writing this blog post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Also, there is a special giveaway going on at Kitchen PLAY right now. Here are the details:

The Cherry Marketing Institute is also sponsoring a delicious giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate one or more recipes from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win the following prize pack shipped directly to each winner (valued at $100).

- A recipe rock- Sur La Table red measuring cup set- Sur La Table red mixing bowls, set of three- Yaritza apron- 1 lb bag of dried tart cherries
- 1 bottle of tart cherry juice
- branded cherries toteNo purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents only. The deadline is February 29, 2012. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!

Sometimes you need a hands-free dinner. Like when the kids have activities after school that keep you running. Like when you know you’ll be home just in time to sit down to eat. Like when you want to be spontaneous and don’t want to have to cook when you get back.

Whether you love to cook or tolerate it, sometimes you just need dinner to make itself.

Slow cookers are great for that. When the kids and I recently took advantage of an unseasonably warm day to picnic at the beach and take a bike ride, having a meal in the slow cooker was a godsend. It meant that we could take our time, enjoy ourselves and when we arrived home, dinner was waiting.

Are you a slow cooker fan? I didn’t use one for years, but I’ve become a convert — it’s just so easy, convenient and handy to make a good dinner without a good deal of time in the kitchen. Mine makes an appearance two to three times a month. How about you?

If you aren’t using one, I urge you to give it another try. Coming home to a fresh dinner bubbling away in a slow cooker is such a treat.

Also, I wanted to invite you to a fun slow cooker event that I am co-hosting on Thursday with nine other bloggers. It’s virtual cooking class on The Motherhood hosted by Chef George Duran. The topic is Game Day and Slow Cooker Recipes. With the Super Bowl this Sunday, there couldn’t be a better time for it.

What to come? Here are the details:

What: A virtual cooking school class called Game Day and Slow Cooker Recipes. The class is part of the Cooking Connections series on The Motherhood.

When: Thursday, February 2, at 1 p.m. ET.  It will last 30 minutes.

Where: TheMotherhood – here is the link to the page where the class will be held: http://www.themotherhood.com/talk/show?id=62363

About the class: Get ready – and hungry – for Game Day! Cold weather and football puts us in the mood for some tasty slow cooker recipes.  Join us to share your favorites and be inspired by suggestions from others! We will watch a live video demonstration of a slow cooker recipe from website Ready Set Eat while chatting via text.

The class is sponsored by ReadySetEat.com and ConAgra Foods, and it is hosted by TheMotherhood.  You can get and share suggestions for crowd-pleasing halftime recipes during this class and turn to recipe website ReadySetEat.com for more quick and easy meal ideas.

The other nine co-hosts are …

Johanna, Momma Cuisine
John, Stay at Stove Dad
Liz, Thoughts of a Mommy
Melanie, The Coupon Goddess
Migdalia, Latina on a Mission
Robyn, Robyn’s Online World
Shari, Earth Mother Just Means I’m Dusty
Silvia, Mama Latina Tips
Yoly, Cuponeando

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation in this virtual cooking class. All opinions expressed are my own.

This might just be my favorite scone recipe ever. It’s everything a good scone should be — subtle, but flavorful. Perfect with coffee or tea. And totally memorable.

Scones unfairly get a bad rap, I think. It’s usually with folks who’ve only had the dry, rock-like version that some stores sell. And really, if that’s the only way you’ve had them, it’s not surprising if you groan and turn away when you see someone writing about them. Those scones are an acquired taste, for sure. But I urge you: give homemade scones a chance.

Homemade scones are different. They have a crusty outside, yes, but that gives way to a soft, tender interior. Scones are definitely best the day they’re made, warm from the oven. But they are good the next day too — especially if you warm them up briefly before serving. But you should know that scones won’t last more than two days (they lose that softness after that) … but then again, scones rarely last more than two days in my house anyway.

When Shawn asked me to make some scones this weekend, I decided to just work with what we had in the fridge — and this recipe was born using flavors we love with a tried and true process. This is a mash-up of my family’s favorite pancake recipe for Blueberry White Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes and a killer recipe for Raspberry White Chocolate Scones that’s another favorite. Tangy buttermilk, sweet white chocolate chips and some delicious tart wild blueberries are like breakfast-craft for me. So good.

These scones are buttery with a nice coarse sugar sprinkled top … You’ll love them. I swear.

I heated up a couple of these for the kids this morning and Will was so excited that the flavors were like his favorite pancake. He’s declared this his new favorite scone. Sweet.

Blueberry White Chocolate Buttermilk Scones
yields 8 scones
adapted from Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp reserved
2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
coarse sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then set side.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt (a wire whisk is great for this). Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the 1/4 cup of cold butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Fold in the white chocolate chips and blueberries.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until well-combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir gently from the inside  out until the dry ingredients are all moistened. The dough will be crumbly.

Turn out the dough onto a floured board and with floured hands, pat into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Using a pizza wheel, cut into eight triangles. Carefully move from the cutting board to the prepared baking sheet. I use an offset spatula, which is perfect for it.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the tops of the scones with it. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through and just starting to turn golden at the peaks.

Enjoy hot from the oven or let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperate for up to two days.

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More from Sarah W. Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella

• Snapshot: Sarah Caron in the Newtown Bee (a profile by our local weekly newspaper)
• How to create the ultimate chili bar for your Super Bowl 2012 party on Chef Mom

With the Super Bowl approaching, I am kind of like a kid anticipating a favorite holiday — Easter or a birthday or something. See, I am from New York and my home team — the Giants — are playing. Super Bowl Sunday will be extra special for me this year as I get to root for a team I’ve had an affinity for since childhood. Of course, there is that little detail that my husband is from Massachusetts and will be rooting against my Giants. But that may make it more fun, actually.

Of course, everyone knows that the Super Bowl isn’t just about the game or the teams. It’s about commercials that may or may not be the talk of the water cooler. And it’s about the food — the delicious game day food.

Have you thought about what you’re making this year? If not (or if you are thinking now), this list will help. I scoured Pinterest, Foodily and my favorite sites to come up with 50 fabulous recipes perfect for your Super Bowl party. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite game day food?

Bites

• Chili Cheese Dip on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Brown Butter Garlic Snack Mix on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Roasted Garlic and Artichoke Bread on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Hot Spinach Artichoke White Bean Dip on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Italian Gorgonzola Bread on Sweetnicks
• Hot Pretzel Bites on Betty Crocker
• Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Ham on Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Ginger Spice Mixed Nuts on The Perfect Pantry
• Bacon-Wrapped Apple and Sausage Bundles on Recipe Girl
• Roasted Pancetta and Herb Butter Crostini on Family, Friends and Food

Chili

• Autumn Vegetable Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Turkey Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Meat-Lovers Chipotle Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Texas Chili on Soup Addict
• Steak Chili on Food for My Family
• Chili con Carne on The Foodies Kitchen
• White Chicken Chili on Cinnamon Girl Recipes
• Chipotle Sauce Chili with Apple and Black Beans on VeganYumYum
• Cincinnati Chili on Framed Cooks
• Spicy Vegetarian Chili on Joy the Baker

Wings

• Chili Garlic BBQ Sauced Wings on Cheeky Kitchen
• Chili Lime Chicken Wings on Kitchen Wench
• Teriyaki Chicken Wings on White on Rice Couple
• Kimchi Chicken Wings on Men Who Like to Cook
• Cajun Wings on Andrea Meyers
• Gin and Lemon Chicken Wings on Food Republic
• Smoky Sweet Spicy Chicken Wings on Steamy Kitchen
• Barbecued Buffalo Wings on Simply Recipes
• Buffalo Chicken Dip on Closet Cooking
• Skinny Buffalo Wings on Skinny Taste

Nachos

• Shredded Chicken and Black Bean Nachos on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Fajita Style Vegetarian Nachos on Apron Strings
• Ball Park Jalapeno Nachos on Pham Fatale
• Baked Potato Nachos on How Sweet It Is
• Cinnamon “Nachos” with Fresh Fruit Salsa on The Family Dinner
• Greek Nachos on Macheesmo
• Beef Fajita Nachos on The Pioneer Woman
• Quick Chicken Enchiladas Nachos on Real Mom Kitchen
• Buffalo Chicken Nachos on The Girl Who Ate Everything
• Guacamole Loaded Nachos on Aggie’s Kitchen

Pizza

• Puffy Prosciutto and Tomato Pizza on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Chicken Bacon Pizza on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Portobello Pizzas with Bruschetta on Dinner with Julie
• Chipotle Black Bean Pizza on In Good Taste
• Potato Leek Pizza on Tartelette
• Mexican Pizza with Corn, Tomatillos, and Chipotle Chiles on Dana Treat
• Shaved Asparagus Pizza on Smitten Kitchen
• Three Cheese Pizza on Sacramento Street
• Zucchini Sausage Pizza on Eats Well With Others
• Pizza Breadsticks on Tablespoon

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More from Sarah W. Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella

• Sarah’s Cucina Bella is now on PunchFork!
• Barbecue Chicken Salad on Tablespoon
• Spicy Sriracha Potato Leek Soup on Betty Crocker

Football photo credit: jeltovski from morguefile.com

When I was making my bed recently, I noticed how the morning sunlight was streaming through the windows onto my bed. It fell in lines of light and shadow, coming through the bed frame and the window. The beauty caught my eye — It seemed to be begging to be photographed. So, I quickly whipped up breakfast and took a few shots.

I don’t often have breakfast in bed (though I love it) and I don’t often have a bagel and lox for breakfast (though I love that too). But there was leftover lox and bagels in the kitchen and I had to use them. It would be wrong not to.

It’s a special treat to have breakfast in bed — especially if it’s accompanied by a good book and some fluffy pillows behind you. Simple acts like this can lift our spirits and kick off our days with a spot of joy. That’s a good thing. If you haven’t had your breakfast in bed lately, perhaps it’s time. It’s totally worth it for the mind-body balance thing.

Are you a breakfast in bed fan?

Eat. Live. Be. Reboot

When I decided to give up all dieting recently, I didn’t really know how it would work. Would I be frustrated? Would it be easy? Would I stick to it? One week later, and I have a few first impressions to share:

• After a lifetime of dieting, it’s hard not to do a mental count of calories, points or whatever.
• It’s freeing not to do that count.
• Being absolutely ok to eat as many fruits and veggies as I want is amazing. I had a bowl of roasted Brussels sprouts for lunch yesterday. They were divine.
• Since I am not stressing about food, I have more brain room to think about exercise.
• I am working on fitting in exercise wherever I can — including going to the second floor bathroom at work just for the exercise.
• It’s easy to fall in love with a diet that relies heavily on fruits, veggies and whole grains.
• Taking it one day at a time works.

I really haven’t weighed myself yet and I probably won’t for awhile. But my belly feels way less bloated and I am enjoying eating thoroughly. Both are important. So far, this new road to healthfulness is working for me.

Be sure to check out Joanne‘s, Patsy‘s and Cate‘s blogs for more Eat. Live. Be. Reboot discussions.