Three Things

Cold noodle & cabbage salad, running advice, bring back the candlestick

Greetings eaters and readers! What’s for dinner tonight? I’m thinking pasta with broccoli pesto or fried rice, or the spicy red lentils from my book, or the cold noodle and cabbage salad pictured above (recipe info below) or any dinner that can be enjoyed in a bowl, so I can comfortably eat and watch Coco Gauff continue to crush it at the Open. (And that match is followed by Krygios v. Khachanov — who has tickets for me??) Speaking of which: has anyone watched the new McEnroe documentary? I love him enough to finally pony up the bucks for a Showtime subscription (my Borg-favoring husband most likely does not) so please let me know if you have thoughts. In the meantime, we will keep streaming and loving Occupied, the Norwegian political thriller. Here are your Three Things for the week…

1. Hannah Che’s Cold Noodle Salad

When Hannah Che’s Vegan Chinese Kitchen first arrived on my desk, it was a 90-degree morning in July. I started flipping through the pages, and I’m not kidding, within 10 minutes I was putting together this dinner you’re looking at up top: Cold Vermicelli and Cabbage Salad. It just so happened I had leftover rice noodles and the rest of the ingredients are pretty much staples in my house — cabbage, cilantro, carrots, scallions. It took under 20 minutes to get it in the refrigerator where the chilling and the melding of flavors happened as I just went about my work day. (Why is this so satisfying?!) I found myself making a version of the salad for the rest of the summer, particularly when I was cooking for a vegan or a vegetarian was at the table — it’s just the kind of centerpiece that I’m always looking for on that occasion, 90 degrees or not. You can get the recipe here.

2. Bring Back The Candlestick

Probably a lot of you out there are scratching your head thinking, Did the candlestick ever go away? Well, it did in my house, as unfussy, kitchen-table dining took over my entertaining life about a decade ago, calling for nothing more than a few glass votives and maybe — maybe — a table cloth to make the table feel festive. I’m not going to say that part of me is ever going away, but I did find myself drawn to the understated elegance of these gold taper holders from BeHome. I can picture them on both a holiday table as well as alongside some down-home bolognese on a Saturday night with friends. We picked up two tall large-base ones at the wonderful Sett Home in Great Barrington, MA, but if you aren’t lucky enough to be in the Berkshires, you can also find them here.

3. Busting Out of a Running Rut

I’ve been in a real exercise rut these past few weeks. My routine switches all the time, but it always involves running, and for the past year or so I’ve been consistently lacing up my Hokas three or four times a week, then trying to get at least 10,000 walking steps on the other days. A bout with Covid derailed this — general fatigue was my most persistent symptom — and now I’m in danger of becoming the person who walks around in her exercise clothes all day without breaking a sweat. Yesterday I finally logged three miles, and even though Strava wasn’t awarding me any speed medals for it, I felt really good. It reminded me of some advice my daughter Phoebe, a college runner, texted her friend, who was trying to get into running this summer:

“Know that running is painful. Everyone, from professionals to collegiate runners to your average joggers, thinks running is painful. The essence of running is knowing this fact and not being afraid of it. Run for the post-run feeling, or ‘runner’s high.’ It is real, and there is nothing like it. Soak it in, and use it as your motivation for your next run.”

The essence of running is knowing this fact and not being afraid of it. She’s totally right, and now I feel like I need to post that quote on the bulletin board next to the one that says “Someone busier than you is running right now.” I also loved that Phoebe’s advice to her friend included a recipe for no-bake energy bites. A woman after my own heart. (P.S. That’s Phoebe above, running with her dad in 2020.)

P.S. A Meal Plan for School Nights

Attn: Subscribers. This week is Menu Plan Week! Look for a 5-day dinner line-up (plus shopping list) in your inboxes before Friday. Theme: Back-to-School! (Read: No-Brainer, Easy-Peasy!) Reminder that Menu Plans and all bonus content are for paying subscribers only. You can click on this cute little orange box to subscribe…and in general, to be part of the fun. »»

Have a great week,

Jenny