I have to admit, this whole quarantine thing is really bringing me to a place mentally that I haven't been to in years on top of giving me totally new anxieties. Every other hour I go from being okay to convinced I have or am going to catch this virus. All this during spring allergy season when my breathing is already sub-par? Ugh. And don't get me started on thinking about my friends and family at this time. It feel like everything is just so out of my control! And in a way, it is.

     There are a few things I find comfort in during this time, however. Knowing I'm not the only one experiencing these overwhelming feelings of anxiety and depression. Reintroducing calming self care like yoga and meditation back into my daily routine. Cooking for and therefore caring for my boyfriend and his dad (I LOVE cooking in general, but cooking for the people I love is my absolute favorite). This time has allowed me to get creative with what's on hand knowing that a grocery store run isn't so easy to do. And while we may be stuck inside for who knows how long I refuse to let it stop us from enjoying every meal.

     I’ve been making a conscious effort to be healthier. Not that I wasn’t before, but my sweet tooth was getting a bit out of control, plus I made the decision a couple months back to manage my PCOS with diet and lifestyle rather than with medication (honestly, I hate taking pills. Talk about an anxiety trigger). With this effort, I am learning a lot about not only my habits and cravings, but simple ingredient swaps I can do to make my go-to meals that much better for me.

     Enter salmon cakes. I LOVE making salmon cakes. They are crazy easy to do and are a great pantry dinner (I use canned salmon for these). Typically I make these using [gluten free] breadcrumbs and end up frying them in a pan with vegetable oil, but that’s old me. New me swaps for better ingredients that are still yummy and satisfying while being healthier. So this version has almond flour in place of breadcrumbs and coconut oil in place of vegetable oil.

     I'll be honest, lately I've been so busy and tired that the last thing I've wanted to do is a blog post (more work goes into it than you might think!). Any spare moment to just chill I did. ...damn I've missed this though! I think this recipe is perfect redemption - plus it's inspired by suggestions from friends which makes it even better!

     Before I say anything about the process of making these, I just gotta say...these are AMAZING! You know how sometimes you cook something and once you taste it you're like "damn, I'm good" - I experienced that with this.

​     Moving on...

     If you live in the Northeast, then you know today's weather has been UNREAL. It is so beautiful outside! I've been in a pretty stubborn funk the last few months (hence my absence of regular blogging) but today's weather has been inspiring. In a pretty great way, too, because this broccoli slaw is insanely good.

     Whether you're enjoying the spring-like warmth or actually living in the month of February, this slaw goes great with any light or heavy main dish you may be cooking up tonight.