I feel so scattered right now. Please forgive me for being away so much lately! The longer I’m pulled away from the blog, the harder it is to sit down and write something meaningful. I don’t know why, but nothing feels right lately. There’s so much on my mind and so much to say, but I just draw a blank when I finally sit down to type. I’ve written 3 draft posts recently and scrapped each one of them. Eric, the stater-of-the-obvious, looks at me and says, “Well, why don’t you write about how you’re having a hard time writing then?”
I’ve turned into a 90 year old woman who goes upstairs only to forget why she went up the stairs in the first place. This is mildly concerning at my age. The other day, I found a new jar of almond butter in the freezer. Scary. Shifting from cookbook mode to blogging mode has been more challenging than I anticipated and my best work seems to result from the days when I totally step away to saturate myself in one thing. Multitasking can be a double edged sword – trying to do everything at once often gets me nowhere, but when I only focus on one thing I have guilt about the other things I’m leaving behind. To this Eric says, “Well, don’t feel guilty about it then.”
This right here is the difference between men and women.
All of this self-indulging talk today is for me to say: it’s not you, it’s me. This long-distance thing has been a drag and I’m counting down the days until I can run to you and twirl you around in a big bear hug. Until then, I’m doing my best each day and trying to forget about the word balance because sometimes that just doesn’t exist. Let’s be real. The good news is that I finished shooting all 100 photographs for the book. Twenty-five of those photos were shot in the last 7 days alone. Yes, it was insane and no I don’t ever want to do that again.
Currently, I’m knee deep in the editing process which probably won’t let up until August. Even though it’s been a crazy time, I’m so grateful to be able to do the kind of work that makes me feel excited when I get up in the morning. No one said the worthwhile things in life would be easy. I’m trying to be mindful each day and not worry needlessly about the future. These are the moments I will look back on with fondness…even the days when I spill milk all over my photo.
Plus, there’s always coffee.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Iced Mocha Green Monster Smoothie
Yield
2 servings or 3 cups
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
This icy drink is a hybrid between an Iced Mocha Coffee and a Green Monster Smoothie. I snuck in a handful of greens, but you can’t taste them one bit.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coffee, room temperature
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 small handful spinach
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 large Medjool dates, pitted (or sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 10 large ice cubes
Directions
- Blend until smooth. Gulp. Cool down. Enjoy summer!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)I’ll leave you with one of my photo set-ups (Jared this one is for you!). I was cleaning up yesterday and turned around to catch this angle. I had to laugh at this hot mess. There’s an antique, beat up baking sheet for the background, and old wood slab for the base, and a white board to reflect light coming in from the window. The baking sheet is from a garage sale. The poor lady looked at Eric with great concern and said, “You aren’t going to cook with this are you??” Once she knew it was for photography she was relieved. Oddly, enough the photo turned out quite nicely despite its apparent shortcomings!
Many of you are asking about the date of my cookbook release and I don’t have an official date yet, but it’s slated to be released early in 2014. My publisher is hoping for a January/February release to kick off the New Year. Yay! I’ll be sure to keep you up to date as soon as I know for sure. As always, thank you for your excitement and support. It means the world to me.
If you’d like to sign up for my cookbook newsletter, you can do so here. I haven’t sent anything out yet, but I hope to send some juicy tidbits as the date gets closer.
By the way, happy almost summer! Bring on the fruit and veggies.
I’m probably not just speaking for myself when I say it is ok! I miss your frequent posts but I want that book in my hot little hands as soon as I can get it. – Am I right people?
What you are doing is amazing and such a fine achievement – be present and relish in your incredible talent girl!
Is there anything I can do to help you out all the way from California? I’ve got more time on my hands now (cut down on a job I don’t love – inspired by you!) and if there is something I could do please email me.
That’s so sweet of you to offer – seriously I might take you up on that! Would you be up for testing a couple recipes by chance?
I would love to! LOVE to.
Awesome – thank you! I’ll shoot you an email if I need a couple tested again (and probably will, just need to go through the rest).
You can add me to your list of people volunteering to be a tester. And I am SO excited for your book to come out!
Thanks Jessica! :)
Funny, I was just thinking how impossible it is to try to keep everything going. Multitasking is not working for me and takes the fun out of everything…. Good luck with the editing process and we’ll be here when you get back :) I’m first in line to buy the book. I want that burger.
I can sooooo empathize with the plight of multi-tasking! Whenever I try to do it, I wind up flopping — often spectacularly — at everything. Almonds that were supposed to be toasted are burned to the point of being carbonized, sentences are gibberish, and dishes get dropped. Basically, multi-tasking turns me into a hot mess. You’re not alone in that boat!
That said, I totally agree with what Kathryn said above — you have nothing to feel bad about. Seriously. I can’t wait for your cookbook to come out, especially knowing how incredibly hard you’ve worked to make it happen! In the meantime, be kind to yourself and take it easy whenever you can. If that means fewer blog posts, that’s okay — the most important thing is that you take good care of yourself. And, just as Kathryn said, I think everybody would be happy to help out in whatever way possible, so if there are any tasks that can be delegated, don’t hesitate to ask!
I can’t wait until your book release! You will be on the best selling charts before you know it and that is such an awesomely incredible accomplishment. Give yourself a break if you need one!
I love the title of this post, so funny! I can only imagine how hard you have worked on the cookbook in the recent months and how exhausting that can be. It’s totally understandable that you’re feeling drained and it’s okay. Your readers (me!) love what you do and will check back everyday until you post something new. We’ll be here no matter how many times you post because when you do, it is worth it. As an amateur food blogger/photographer, I love reading about your experiences with it as well as seeing your set up. You always make it look so effortless in your photography so it’s kind of cool to see that you spill things too! ;) I can’t wait to see your cookbook, I know it’s going to be gorgeous!
Truly one of the great mysteries of life that men can just LEAVE guilt behind … I’m so jealous of my husband’s ability to do this, too! He can compartmentalize different aspects of his life so well. Anyway, don’t feel guilty at all – you have to do what’s right for you!
I’ve been reading you for years now, have never commented, and I have to say that this morning was the first time I tried the overnight oats! It’s a keeper! And I’ve been making those green monster smoothies for years, too, thanks to you! Thanks for the new coffee green monster! And thank you for being so true to yourself here. One last thing…..last summer I read a book about our brains and learned that our brains are not meant to multitask, so don’t feel bad at all!
I can’t wait to get my hands on your cookbook! Your blog has helped me so much since I went vegan and I can spend hours going through your old posts and stories. I come back every day hoping you posted something new but it is totally understandable that you have been so busy! We appreciate you dropping in with updates!
I have to say, this post brought back the writing/editing/photographing process for me. . . with a bit of a shudder! (and then I smiled, because, you’re so right–in retrospect, it was SO MUCH FUN!).
On another note, though, I’m sorry you’re feeling scattered (welcome to my world). I have no doubt it’s connected to doing too many things at once, and doing them all exceptionally well. But the book will be over eventually, and you’ll be so thrilled to see it in print–as will all of us waiting for it!!
And that Eric. . . wow. Sounds just like the HH. (I guess all guys really ARE the same, right? Or as one of those circulating emails I got once said to describe men: “One mood, all the time.” So true!!). :D
I believe that the condition Scatterbrain has no age limit – or at least that’s what I tell myself. When staring at my bike in the morning trying to figure out what I forgot (turned out to be helmet, keys to lock the door, and my coffee mug) I try to remember the simple things. In you case, these things could include:
1) Cookbook = dream. Yes it is at times painful, frustrating, and some days make you want to curl in a ball under the covers and hide, but these ‘features’ make success all the more satisfying.
2) The days are long, but the years are quick. The pain will be over before you know it and your cookbook baby will be more glorious than you ever envisioned.
3) Eric is a smart man. Listen to him.
4) You see a ruined picture. I see pre-dipped chocolate truffles … it’s all about perspective.
If any editing includes recipe testing, I’d be more than happy to lend a helping hand!
Good luck!
Very wise words (especially about the dipped truffles. hah) Thanks Katie :)
After reading this, all I want to say is that I love ya. That’s all. :)
P.S. I kind of love Eric too and his simplicity.
Don’t stress! Your blog is amazing and your cookbook will be too. Just focus on the task at hand, and I’m sure it will be great! :)
I hope things slow down for you soon! Hang in there!
I’m excited for your cookbook and the smoothie sounds great!
Hey Angela! I’m so happy you’re back! I’ve been checking your blog for new posts every day. I thought you died or something :( No worries about having writer’s block! I’ve been having it lately too…..Whatever you write always turns out great though! I always just start writing and it usually turns into something. I’m so glad you posted this smoothie recipe today! I <3 smoothies and I've been wanting a new recipe to try.
Angela, you are a serious hot mess, but I’m glad you made it happen :)
Can’t wait to see more “behind the scenes” shots from OSG HQ, and of course the book!
LOL…I know you mean that in the best way possible. ;)
Hopefully I can do a whole post on the photography stuff soon. Still want to do that!
Thanks everyone for your comments – I appreciate them so much! (even those of you who thought I died…bahaha)
Super excited for your book but I swear this post is exactly why when people ask me if I ever want to write a cookbook my answer is a big fat “HELL TO THE NO”. I feel stressed just reading about your process! haha.
Hope the editing goes a bit better :)
Dear Angela, I think it’s great you feel safe enough here to admit that you are very much human. I know life to be pretty overwhelming from time to time and I’m still learning how to deal with that. Sounds as though you are getting better at the game :) (We probably will never know the rules exactly, but hey…) Keep up the good work, don’t forget about yourself, we can handle fewer blogs much better than you losing your sanity.
I LOVE your site! I am so grateful to the time and energy you put into your recipes, posts and pictures. For me, you are a saving grace as I navigate this new gluten free vegan world. I have found great success duplicating a few of your recipes and I sincerely look forward to trying several more. I’ll admit, it’s been tough learning to do this new way of eating/cooking/grocery shopping, especially for someone who used to be quite a good cook. But thankfully there you are with a wonderful library of delights that make my life and several other peoples lives that much easier!
I look forward to it ALL; the successes and the frustrations makes it all very human and helpful to view and be apart of. Cheers to you and thank you for all that you share!
Hugs,
Mel
“This right here is the difference between men and women.”
Ah, truer words were never spoken. Isn’t it so amazing how men can compartmentalize and simplify EVERYTHING to an almost child-like way? It’s most definitely one of their greatest qualities. Women have such a tendency to blow everything out of proportion, making things a much bigger, more dramatic deal than they are. (I can do this with ANYTHING. I feel a little bit like I’m on the debate team because of my ability to stress over ANY topic/situation.) Men sometimes remind me of dogs (and NOT in the awful way that sounds). I just mean that both watch “their women” flit about like crazy people, with confused looks on their faces, not understanding what is going on, all the while wondering when their next meal will be. It’s such a blessing to have them in life, putting things into perspective for us.
PS That spilt milk would have made me curse like a sailor. ;p