friday links

Happy Friday!



Homemade sesame sticks! And from reading the recipe, it looks easy.

Delish high-fiber snacks.

Benefits of raw honey.

Best sources of Vit C.


The Bobine: What a great invention for keeping your iphone free-standing.


Why not take your pumpkin cookie and make it into pumpkin cookie bark?

Natural remedies for muscle pain.

Acupuncture may offer real pain relief after all.
I would LOVE to know who has done acupuncture and does it work?

Why you need biotin (and what does it do?)


Excellent idea! How to label your leftovers from organizinghomelife.com

How to freeze cooked brown rice.

Tips for really good smoothies.


Waffles made with.......beer.  Yes, indeed.  A whole new depth of flavor.

How to eat a cupcake.  Yes, there is a video for this. (cute!).

Excellent lineup of some of the best recipes for veggie burgers.

How to make spaghetti-pizza.

How to make Tonkatsu sauce (Japanese style BBQ sauce).

Warm chocolate risotto.

Dorie Greenspan has a new cookie store open: Beurre & Sel

A place I want to visit--soon: Danny Macaroons!

Peppermint patty brownie cups.

Oh my! cinnamon-cream cheese breakfast bars! (bookmarked)


kitty litter cake for Halloween!  Isn't this the best?

Tooth fairy receipts.  How cute are these?

Finally a candy with no chemicals or dyes--all natural.  Unreal Candies.


Pet Peek windows!  Cute!

9 ways to develop true self-esteem.

What gets in the way of your exercise routine?

Breast cancer: knowing the signs.


Salted whiskey caramels.

Homemade tootsie rolls!


I've been slowly inching my way closer towards a paleo/primal lifestyle, and I have to say giving up carbs isn't that bad.  I replaced carbs with bacon.  (kidding).


In my last friday link roundup I shared with you how I am prone to getting SAD (seasonal affective disorder) during the dark and cold months of jan, feb & march here in new england.
I was shocked, and very comforted on how many people emailed me telling me they have it as well.
And a few of you asked what I do to help ease the symptoms.
I get outside as much as possible, even on the cloudy days.  They say even if it's a cloudy day, the light illumination is still there (more so than being inside).
I do weightlifting to help boost/move the blood which helps boost the mood.
I take a lot of fish oil and a good amount of Vit D3. (make sure you get enough of the D3)
If you can, get high quality fish oil that is tested for the highest levels of omega 3's and is low in impurities.
In the photo above,  I use Vital Choice fish oils and TwinLab Tri-boron.  I don't take all the fish oils the same day, rather I alternate one day is krill oil with astaxanthin and the next day is the salmon oil with the astaxanthin....
Do they help?  Yes they do.  There was one winter where I did not take the fish oil for about 2 months and noticed a significant change in my moods.
Maybe Vital Choice will see this post and offer up a giveaway for my fans and perhaps a discount?
Feel free to share with us what works for you in combating SAD?
I would love to share your tips!


Last week it was my birthday as well as my wedding anniversary.
Hubby and I celebrated (and broke our diets) by going to one of our favorite places to eat: Kelly's Roast Beef.
If any of you are from boston, you know how good Kelly's is.
They haven't changed a thing there, no downsizing of meals, no cutting back on quality--same old roast beef sandwich perfection. (that bag of fries? it's a small :-)

What I want to read (don't these sound good?):

Gourmet Slow Cooker 

The Paleo Slow Cooker

FoolProof Freezer Cookbook

Saving the best for last on this friday link roundup......
For those of you that are nostalgic cape cod fans (myself included) here is a wonderful video of the cape cod canal circa 1939.


I am having a really hard time saying goodbye to summer. :-(

friday links

Happy Friday!

I've got a lot to share with you.
First, let's get right to the pumpkin recipes!


Pumpkin pop tarts with buttermilk glaze


pumpkin & vanilla Oreo ice cream


pumpkin funnel cake crispies

pumpkin pie french toast

pumpkin walnut granola

creamy pumpkin smoothies

pumpkin muffins

pumpkin-coconut bread

pumpkin-nutella fudge puddles

pumpkin cinnamon rolls

pumpkin cheesecake buns

pumpkin quiche with caramelized onions, sage & gorgonzola

savory kale & pumpkin scones

pumpkin chocolate chip bars

pumpkin cheesecake with nutella ganache


pecan pumpkin butter rolls with bourbon cream cheese icing


2-ingredient pumpkin brownies


quick & easy pumpkin-cream cheese cinnamon rolls

Isn't this a gorgeous site? I want to go there next summer. (Surf Lodge)

Apple cider vinegar for soft/detangled hair.
Who has tried this?
Does it truly work? I'm scared to try.

Keep cats off kitchen counter.

Amusing video on how ramen noodles are made.

The best life advice from William Faulkner


Some of the best homemade egg rolls I've seen (and 3 types of sauces).

Real video (time lapse) of flight-deck. Do NOT watch if you are afraid of heights!

The evolution of the scrollbar.

4-types of breast cancer. Must read.

BPA (plastic) and your ovaries.


Photos from an airplane graveyard.


I love this tentacle cake stand. (pricey though!)


The ostrich pillow! A safe cocoon for naps.
I totally need this in my life!

Plot-toon: a battalion of toy soliders traverse the dangerous landscape of a garden vegetable patch.
(great video).

Google street view now has under the sea!

Jamy smart toaster.

Yoga for runners: 3 poses for your hamstrings.

Yoga Is: a documentary film.

chipotle chicken fajitas with black bean spread.

slow cooker Sindhi beef curry (I can only imagine how good this must smell while cooking)

chicken tikka salad

frosted speculoos cookie bars



Have a wonderful weekend!

friday links

Happy Friday!

Today I was able to see gorgeous waves AND a giant rainbow--all in one day.
Had to share them with you.


Nauset light beach in Eastham, MA.  Just one of my surfing buds out today.  Water temp. 64-66?  I think.


Nauset light beach again.  This is where I walk to strengthen my quads.  The sand is deep, yet soft, so it's easy on the knees.  Funny how this end of the cape was dark and cloudy and the other end was sunny.


And now closer to home, the rainbow we saw tonight was absolutely stunning and thick too.  Never saw a rainbow width that wide before (if that makes sense). This was taken at town neck beach--boardwalk side. 


Here is the other end of the rainbow.  Hard to see, but it's in the middle of the two houses.  This is when I wish I had one of those fancy zoom lens cameras.  The sunsets on cape cod are memorable.

Today is the last day of summer.  Booo.
I'm sad.  I'm a sun-loving water girl; I hate to see summer go.
When I was younger I loved the fall and loved the snow in winter
Now any weather under 80 degrees and I'm frozen.
Could be old age, who knows.  I do know for a fact, that come February I get a small case of the blues--SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
This is one of the reasons hubby is working so hard (god bless and love him) to get us back out to cali.
No snow there and plenty of sunshine.
I would be curious to know if any of my readers suffer from SAD?
What do you do to keep it at bay or minimize it?
I up my fish oil, stay outside more since they say even being outside even if it's cloudy the outside/sky illuminations helps the brain.


My friend has made coconut cupcakes with marshmallow creme frosting.  I adore coconut cupcakes.
She has one of those fancy schmancy cameras and is quite good with it too.

How 1-hour on Sundays will change your life.  What do you think?

Photo booth art from around the world.

Carole Feuerman sculptures. Hand painted resin sculptures that look exactly like humans.
You have to see her work.

How to make Jello worms (just in time for Halloween).


Interesting.  Saw this at Whole Foods.  Had no idea that Kale had that much Vitamin C.  Did you?

What your belly fat really means.

Why CrossFit is getting popular with women.

Oh I love this!  Getting the best hamstring stretch.

And for those of you who love to stretch moreso than working out, this new book maybe for you.  Ballet Beautiful.  I firmly believe that stretching is a great way to strengthen and tone up the body.


Ballet Beautiful is great book!  I highly recommend this if you want to be more flexible and want a change up from your yoga routine.  Definitely not as hard as the NYC Ballet Workout book.  Remember that one? Oh that was hard.

Read an interview with Jennifer Graham, author of "Honey, do you need a ride? Confessions of a fat runner". 

Learn more about the craze of this new book: The Whole 30: A Paleo Diet.

High levels of arsenic in our rice.  How sad is this? 

Slow cooker recipes that are fairly healthy. (I'm making the breakfast burritos!).

10 awesome bunkers (just in case the world ends). 

Gorgeous lighthouses from around the world. 

Meanings of 11 common dream symbols. 

7 natural energy boosters! (I disagree with the bee pollen--I still think that is all hype). 

10 different ways to dress up your egg salad. 

Repel house flies with clove? 

DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte

Good food on a tight budget. 

Pumpkin sandwich cake. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

friday links

Happy Friday!

The weather is still summer-like so I'm very happy.
Did I mention I saw one of these cupcake trucks the other day?
Did I squeal like a child when I saw it? Yes, yes I did.
Cute truck right?



Recently I was on a trip to western massachusetts to see one of my best friends. We visited the area of Shelburne Falls on the Mohawk Trail. What a nice area for for walking and eating. I was blown away at how many fabulous places to eat. Not only was the food good, but most of the restaurants served locally grown foods.
We went to West End Pub for these lobster rolls that we're the size of your head! And I'm from cape cod--we never get them that big!
We also ate at Hope & Olive in Greenfield, MA. And I cannot even begin to tell you how absolutely perfect their food was. It had been a long long time since I've been a restaurant that prides itself on local harvest with family owned values. The food was fresh, seasoned just right, and a huge array of choices not only in the tapas side but on the daily special dishes as well. I'm not a drinker, but I was at Hope & Olive because they had speciality drinks such as the swan dive:
tarragon infused vodka martini, with grapefruit, sugar and black pepper.
I had the coco mojo, a traditional mojito made with housemade coconut cream. A delight on the tastebuds.
I had photos, but they got deleted from my iphone sadly.
If you are making a trip out to western massachusetts this fall, please pay them a visit. They open at 5pm for dinner, and by 7pm they are already packed. Thankfully the seating is very roomy.

Of course a trip would never be complete without finding the perfect little gourmet resource shop for cooks.
I swear I seek out these gourmet kitchen stores whenever I'm on vacation.
The Lamson & Goodnow Factory Outlet in Shelburne Falls, MA.



You might have heard of Lamson & Goodnow maker of LamsonSharp™ cutlery, is the oldest cutlery manufacturer in the United States. Lamson & Goodnow was established in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts in 1837. The factory outlet in Shelburne Falls is the ONLY place where you can buy Lamson & Goodnow cutlery seconds at drastically reduced prices.
When I say reduced, I mean a true factory outlet price, not just discounts on crappy, scratched up seconds.
The knife in the above photo, is from the vintage collection, with super alloy american steel, double tempered, morado wood handle, and full tang with double brass rivets. A true knife, that is handcrafted to last. I was very impressed by how well made these knives were.


The Lamson & Goodnow factory outlet store in Shelburne Falls, MA.




Another knife that caught my eye!

What did I buy?
Oh you know all kinds of little knick knacks because they are so small, so cute.
I mean who doesn't love mini souffle dishes?



Are you interested in what's happening at the planet Mars?
The rover Curiosity?
I am too, and I found this neat little curiosity cam website.

DIY banana liqueur? Yes please.

20 ways to cultivate intermittent euphoria in your life. Interesting indeed.


frosted carrot-ancho snack cake! From scarletta bakes. Seriously.


Apple pie bundles from bake or break.


peanut butter & jelly blondies from averie cooks.


Has anyone tried this yet?
I hope it's not too sweet. I adore flavorful coffee's but not sugar-filled.


Downton Abbey fans?
Have you seen this cookbook?
It's actually quite good.
Has actual recipes as seen on the show; dining with the Crawleys!
I was drawn to this cookbook because of those "breakfast baked beans". Remember those? The recipe is in here.
One could really say these are vintage-like recipes. Even the book is laid out with a vintage-like theme.
Nibble on Sybil's Ginger Nut Biscuits during tea. Treat yourself to Ethel's Beloved Crepes Suzette. Feast on Mr. Bates' Chicken and Mushroom Pie with a room full of guests.
With this collection of delicacies inspired by Emmy Award winning series Downton Abbey, you'll feel as sophisticated and poised as the men and women of Downton when you prepare these upstairs and downstairs favorites. Each dish finds its roots within the kitchen of the grand estate, including:

Mrs. Isobel Crawley's Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
Filet Mignon with Foie Gras and Truffle Sauce
Walnut and Celery Salad with Pecorino
Decadent Chocolate Almond Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Icing
Very Vanilla Rice Pudding


Fig & blue cheese tarts. Pg. 33


Butternut squash soup. Pg. 42

Tips for keeping your hormones in balance. (very helpful).

Curious. Do you believe (and practice) the health benefits of apple cider vinegar?

Superfoods for youthful skin. (they should have added blueberries!--the miracle fruit).

For those of you that love vintage recipes (I do).
You're sure to love this food blog: Kitchen Historic.

Craft junkies? Have you seen this new website: craftgawker.
Find a lot of inspiration here for your next crafting project.
Mine is sewing. I am determined to take up sewing. Knitting didn't go so well.

A wonderful piece in the New York Times about happy cows, happy farming,and healthy food.
How I wish we had more of these kinds of articles and more of these kinds of dedicated/caring farmers.

Mini moon pies. And one has mint! I'm in heaven.

Info-graphic: how women are being set up for eating disorders.

Coconut oil may help prevent tooth decay?

4 new tick-borne illnesses have been identified.

Buffalo "chicken" vegetarian style. You must see these!

How to manage the 7 most common sleep disorders.

10,000 unwanted books take over the streets of melbourne.

Intimate and revealing backstage photos of famous musicians.

Merguez hot dogs with pickled carrots & cumin aioli.

How do foods affect my sleep?

Before you tell yourself "I can't", watch this video.

Easy peasy ways to add more raw fruits & veggies to your diet. (you can easily do these).

It's going to be really hard to say goodbye to summer.




We had one heck of a beautiful (and hot) summer here on cape cod.


....really hard to say goodbye to summer.....


Have a great weekend everyone!