Thanksgiving is over, I've got Christmas music on full blast, and I can't stop making chocolate chip cookies. It's that time of year! I love it. I had some milestone posts this month, like my favorite pesto pasta recipe highlighting my CSA farm (a post I had been wanting to do for a LONG time - don't forget to use my discount code if you want to sign up for their CSA!), a recap of my trip to Massachusetts to visit blog friends (plus an epic hot chocolate recipe), my TWO YEAR BLOGIVERSARY (!!!) with pie crust animal cookies, and I said goodbye to my #commute painting series (at least for a while). I visited Chicago at the beginning of the month for the BlogHer Food Conference, so I'll have a travel recap post about that coming up really soon. November was another great month. Here are some things I've been loving:

TRYING

SweatStyle - My friend tried this out and then got me hooked. It's a lot like StitchFix, but just for workout clothes. About a year or so ago I got into more "designer" workout gear, like Lululemon. I like working out better in high quality workout gear, they make me feel great while I'm wearing it, and I don't feel weird about running errands in them either. I love them so much that my workout gear is essentially my "at home" uniform (aka evenings and weekends). So with SweatStyle you fill out a profile with your preferences, and then one of their stylists makes you a custom box of workout gear and sends it to you. Try them on, keep the ones you love and send back the ones you don't. I only got one box so far, and I ended up with an interesting tank top I love. If you're a Lululemon or Athleta addict like me, you'll probably love this.

LISTENING

What's Inside by Sara Bareilles - Have you seen the movie Waitress? It's one of my all-time favorites. Apparently they recently put out a stage production of it, and Sara Bareilles wrote the music for it. She just released an album of her performing the songs, and I can't get enough of it. It's so sweet and fun, especially when you know the story. So if you haven't done so already, go watch the movie and then buy this album.

READING

Skin Cleanse - I'm really into natural skincare these days, especially after seeing great results from it. The author of this book, Adina Grigore, is the founder of the Brooklyn skincare line, S.W. Basics. All of the products they sell are made with 5 ingredients or less. Her book talks about the natural way to get clear skin, which has a lot to do with diet and lifestyle. It kind of sounds like a dry subject, but her voice is so conversational, like she's talking to her best friend. I even LOLed at a few parts. It's full of great skincare wisdom and a ton of recipes for DIY (super easy) skincare products. I just did a mask from it the other day which was simply olive oil, cocoa powder and fine sea salt - three things I have in my pantry at all times. I can't wait to try some more of the recipes, and her company just released a line of single-ingredient products for DIY purposes, which will make it even easier.

RECIPE BUCKET LIST:

This month is all about warm, comforting foods:

• Lentil and Goat Cheese Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from A Couple Cooks (they also just started a really fun podcast!)
• Sweet Potato Mac N Cheese from Will Frolic For Food
• Potato, Garlic and Leek Soup from Two Red Bowls
• Cheesy Baked Gnocchi from What's Gaby Cooking
• Donna Hay's Golden Baked Onions (Actually ... we just made these. We put them over a bed of spinach with balsamic roasted salmon and it was SO GOOD. You should make these immediately.)

Illustration at top created with Photoshop.
Prints of my illustrations (plus other products with my work on them) are available in my Society6 shop.