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Mussels With White Wine & Garlic

When you think “warm-weather recipe” you may think “grill”…but there are ways to make dinner feel light and fresh and summery without breaking out the barbecue.

Mussels, for example. Make some mussels.

I love ordering mussels with white wine and garlic in restaurants and have wanted to try my hand at making the dish myself for years and years, but never have, mostly because they seemed…intimidating. But the other day, I went to the farmer’s market and started chatting with a fisherman who was sitting next to a big ice bucket filled with mussels that he’d just caught an hour earlier, and: hello, opportunity. So I bought two pounds, and asked him to suggest a recipe.

Crafts for the Uncrafty

DIY Big Brother T-Shirt

I’m not really a crafter.

I churn out the occasional DIY project, but when presented with a kit of dyes and sparkles and sponges? I’m sort of at a loss.

But! Crafting is fun, obviously. And two-and-a-half year olds enjoy things like creating disasters with paints and markers, obviously. So: an afternoon of crafting it is.

SWEETS

Banana-Mango Smoothie

On my Farmer’s Market trip this weekend, I spoke with a nutritionist who recommended this smoothie for my particular moment in the pregnancy, since it’s extremely high in calcium (and right now is when the baby’s skeletal structure is developing, so calcium is extra important).

I mean, I didn’t really need any more information after I heard “there is mango in it,” but the calcium is a nice bonus (and good for non-pregnant people too, obviously – did you know that 80% of women don’t get enough calcium from their regular diet? True story).

Entertaining

How To: Throw A Baby Sprinkle

Here is the thing about having a baby, take two: You’re the same amount of “excited”…but how all that excitement gets expressed is a little different. A little toned-down. Mostly because you just don’t have the time or energy to run around scouting a million different stroller options, picking up a carrier in that exact color you wanted, setting up a nursery straight out of a Pinterest board, and throwing a huge, fancy shower…but also because you realize that honestly, when it comes down to it, those aren’t the things that really matter. They’re fun, of course, and they’re an important part of gearing up for the excitement that is welcoming a new member of your family. But they aren’t everything.

This time around, I wanted to celebrate our little girl, but I didn’t want all the fuss associated with a shower. I didn’t want gifts, I didn’t want to dress up (or make my friends pour themselves into dresses on a Sunday afternoon), and I certainly didn’t want to make it about me; been there, done that, and it was wonderful the first time around…but any more would feel super weird. More than anything, I wanted a celebration of spring and the friendships I’ve made here – friendships that I know are going to carry me through the coming months.

My solution: a Sprinkle.