what’s trending on pinterest? | a focus on health & wellness
hey gang! i decided to do something a bit different today. given everything that’s going on in the world, i went over to Pinterest to see what the trending topics were. i just wanted to know what people are talking about—what they’re thinking about and focused on—given the changing landscape. it came as no surprise that health & wellness was the #1 trending topic: i think most people’s focus right now is centered around maintaining and improving our health. but other topics that came up were recipes, reading, and skincare. funnily enough, we cover all of these topics regularly over here on the blog. so i thought i’d put together a mega-post today, pulling in all of these trending topics under one hood. enjoy!
pinterest roundup
i’ve had a presence over on Pinterest for a while now. it’s been a great tool for me personally, as it allows me track my personal interests in fashion, home design, and yes, health and wellness. i went through some of my old photos from my Pinterest archive. thought it would be fun to share some of my fashion choices throughout the years.
focus on health & wellness
health & wellness is an important topic on the blog. over the past few weeks, we’ve talked about everything from boosting your immune system to staying active by adopting a daily walking routine. for my regulars, you also know my involvement in FASTer Way to Fat Loss (FWTFL) over the past few years. i have shared and will continue to share my health journey. and as i’ve said before and will continue to say, FWTFL is a lifestyle, not a diet. this program, run by mastermind Amanda Tress, teaches how to fuel your body and maintain energy throughout the day while you naturally burn fat. it’s a proven method of restructuring and repairing your metabolic system and increasing your metabolism – something many of us struggle with since hitting menopause and beyond!
beauty & personal care
last week, i dedicated a post to my beauty routine. while poking around on Pinterest this weekend, i came across some DIY face masks that i’d thought i’d share. they’re both natural and super simple to make. i’m trying to the yogurt face mask today.
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon water
favorite recipes
for my regulars, you know how much we love food and drink over here on the blog. fridays with oscar is our regular column that we’ve been rolling out, well, every Friday since the inception of the blog. there, we bring you a casual OOTD, a recipe, cocktail and pictures of my German Shepherd Oscar and Maine Coon cat Ollie. and yesterday, my daughter-in-law, Kelly, published her first entry for her new weekly column Kelly’s Kitchen. now that we’re all at home, there’s obviously more time to spend in our kitchens cooking delicious and healthy meals. a few weeks ago, i rounded up some of our favorite recipes from fridays with oscar over the past few months. i couldn’t resist. here are a few more of our favorites.
sheet pan cajun shrimp, sausage and veggies
this is an easy one-pan dinner full of veggies and protein. i posted this one this past winter, and as such, i swapped the zucchini and squash for brussels sprouts. and because i didn’t want the extra starch, i omitted the potatoes. (remember, make all these recipes your own!) the old bay seasoning adds a ton of flavor reminiscent of the low-country boil we made a while back.
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Pan Sheet
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 14 oz chicken sausage sliced
- 2 zucchini sliced
- 2 yellow squash sliced
- 1/2 bunch asparagus sliced into thirds
- 2 red bell pepper chopped into chunks
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp cajun seasoning
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, add the shrimp, sausage, zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, bell pepper and salt and pepper. Add olive oil and cajun seasoning and toss until coated.
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Spread evenly onto a sheet pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until shrimp is pink and vegetables are tender.
chickpea and chorizo tacos
this recipe is easily customizable to your taste. it’s so simple and really takes no time at all. make the yogurt sauce a day ahead if you like. i used the full can of chickpeas instead of the half cup the recipe calls for.
Chickpea and Chorizo Tostadas
- 15 oz can chickpeas
- 1 lime
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 8 springs cilantro
- 2 links fresh chorizo (8 ounce total)
- 4 tostada shells
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Rinse and drain 15 oz. chickpeas in a colander. Measure out ½ cup; reserve remaining chickpeas for another use.
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Finely grate zest of 1 lime with a microplane or grater into a small bowl.
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Cut lime in half and squeeze juice from one half into bowl with zest. Cut remaining half into 2 wedges; set aside for serving.
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Gather 8 cilantro sprigs on cutting board. Starting at the stem end, finely chop stems until you get to the leaves; reserve leaves for serving. Add stems to bowl with lime.
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Add ¼ cup yogurt and ½ tsp. salt to bowl and mix with a spoon to combine.
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Remove casing from 2 chorizo links; discard. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low. Cook chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until partially cooked, about 3 minutes.
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Add reserved chickpeas and remaining ½ tsp. salt and mash together with back of spoon until chorizo is cooked through and crispy, 7–10 minutes. Remove from heat.
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Spread reserved crema over 4 tostada shells.
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Top crema with chorizo mixture.
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Top with reserved cilantro leaves and serve with reserved lime wedges alongside.
book club
with mandatory shelter in-place orders in most states, we’re spending more time at home than, well, i don’t know when. a lot of us
i created the Facebook group, book club with style, as a place to discuss books and your love of reading as well as to connect with others of like mind. this group is also a place where you can connect with authors and get a ‘behind the scenes’ look at what it takes to write a book from beginning to end. published authors Hank Phillippi Ryan and Kerstin March are my lovely book club co-hosts. each month, one of us will lead a live video discussion where we will discuss the current book club selection. last month, we read woman on the edge and this month we’re reading the wartime sisters. make sure to join us!
woman on the edge | the wartime sisters
I want to thank you for continuing to bring us the posts during this time of isolation. For many of us who do not blog or put ourselves on social media it is so nice to have a look at the world through your eyes. You certainly give us lots of content, and it is always interesting to read your blogs. I look forward to each of them, and also welcome Kelly’s posts. It is like having a coffee break with a friend. Please stay strong and healthy.
thanks so much for all of the love and support. it means the world to me! xo
Beth, I want to thank you for your work. You fill a sorely needed diversion in our daily lives. Thank you.
thanks so much for following along with me, marilyn! xo