Happy Sunday, friends!

So far, this weekend has been wonderful. Friday night, the husband kicked off my birthday weekend by cooking a delicious steak dinner for the two of us while we watched the Olympics opening ceremonies.

Yesterday, we drove to downtown Fairhope for lunch at Panini Pete’s and walked around by the pier for a while. It was an absolutely beautiful day. After some bay-side reading and antique shopping, we drove back home to get ready for Bill Maher (after sharing a mixed grill from our favorite place). It was a good show, though a lot of the jokes were similar to what we hear on “Real Time.”

Today, I enjoyed a Bikram class (a healthy way to end ’29’ and begin ’30’), and later we’re going over to my parents’ house for a birthday dinner. I’m sure it will be delicious.

I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend my last few days as a twenty-something! 🙂

.Recipes.

Curried Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup with Kale and Toasted Chickpeas via Choosing Raw

I’ve yet to come across one of Gena’s recipes that I didn’t like. Everything she creates is always so simple, yet creative, and this looks like a bowl of absolute perfection.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cheesecake Ball via Chocolate Covered Katie

Chocolate Chip + Peanut Butter + Cheesecake = 100% happiness.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Avocado-Pepita Dip via Cookie & Kate

Apparently I’m still on a Mexican/Southwestern streak. As much as we love cooking tacos at home, we generally never venture outside of the ground beef or shredded chicken categories. I love a good, filling vegetarian meal—and the avocado-pepita dip is sure to be a winner.

Red Velvet Gooey Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies via Averie Cooks

Red Velvet cake is not one of my favorites, but everything about these cookies is calling my name. Talk about decadent—and perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Tortilla Chip Chicken Nuggets via Snack Therapy

Tortilla chips make every meal better (just ask the owners of Mexican restaurants!), and I love this creative breading technique. Though Mark and I rarely cook chicken at home, I think we need to try these soon.

.Reads.

Will McDonald’s Stop Serving Big Macs With a Side of Antibiotics? via Mother Jones

Until they define exactly what they mean by “sustainable beef,” I take this lofty goal with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, if other chains like Chipotle can do it, then it’s certainly possible for McDonald’s.

Organic Schmorganic via Slate

First, the author is not condemning organic fruits and vegetables or claiming we shouldn’t be concerned about chemical use in our daily lives; she’s merely stating that it’s better to feed your children conventional produce than none at all. I admittedly buy conventional produce 90% of the time because it’s more affordable. I do my best to wash it (or peel it, though I rarely peel apples, cucumbers, etc.), and I’d certainly buy organic if I had more disposable income. In my opinion, you pick your poison (pun intended). I’d rather save a bit of money buying conventional than consume fewer nutrients because I couldn’t afford the same volume of organic produce.

Eating too much added sugar may be killing you via USA Today

…which is why they say, “everything in moderation.” I’m actually trying to cut down on my wine & beer consumption for this reason. While I don’t eat a ton of processed foods and don’t drink sugary sodas, I still consume more sugar than necessary.

Witness The Birth of a McDonald’s Chicken McNugget via NPR

Ok, perhaps McNuggets are not as bad as we’ve made them out to be, but I’m still not convinced enough to eat them!

Subway to remove chemical from bread via USA Today

Although I’m usually ravenous after my Bikram classes, I’ve never attempted to eat my yoga mat. Thankfully Subway (a place I don’t frequent too often, but will choose over other fast food restaurants if I didn’t pack a lunch) is removing the chemical, Azodiacarbonamide, which of course has long been banned from use in food in other countries. Go figure.

Ladies: Good Bacteria In Yogurt May Be Good For Waistlines, Too via NPR

I always knew my yogurt-eating habits were positive ones!

How The Biggest Loser Sends An Unhealthy Message via Better With Sprinkles

Even though I’ve never watched more than 5 minutes of “The Biggest Loser,” like many people, I found the recent winner’s weight loss and unhealthy appearance to be quite shocking. I never got around to writing my own post on the issue, but I think Sam’s perfectly-written post sums up a lot of my own feelings.