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The Raw and The Cooked

Simple Meals + Honest Book Reviews + Practical Living

Episode 134: Keeping the Playroom Clean, Tidy, & Organized

It’s been a fantastic (and very full) week over here. We’ve had contractors inside the house, contractors outside the house, and what feels like every home project my husband and I have been queueing up finally coming together at once. And honestly? It feels so good.

We’re about 95% finished with our backyard renovation, and it’s everything I hoped it would be. A fully fenced yard, fresh turf, playground mulch, curved planting beds for trees and flowers, a fountain, and brand-new deck furniture. Sitting outside in the evenings has been pure bliss — truly one of the best feelings. And with all that goodness happening, it felt like the perfect time to talk about something very real and very necessary: keeping the playroom under control.

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Episode 128: Ten Food Items to Make at Home Instead of Buy

Let’s not dance around it: America’s food supply is a mess.

Our grocery stores are packed with ultra-processed foods, chemical additives, and “ingredients” that are banned outright in many other countries. Flip over almost any package and you’ll find things you can’t pronounce — or worse, things labeled bioengineered with zero explanation.

Between corporate corruption, weak regulation, and a healthcare system that profits more from treatment than prevention, the result is predictable: rising obesity, chronic illness, and kids consuming far more sugar and additives than their bodies were ever meant to handle.

So instead of spiraling (tempting!), I’m focusing on what is within my control: making a handful of simple foods at home. None of this is extreme or crunchy-for-the-sake-of-crunchy. These are realistic swaps that save money, reduce garbage ingredients, and give you peace of mind.

Here are 10 foods I now make at home instead of buying at the store 👇

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WHAT WE ATE THIS WEEK #15

Monday holidays always throw off my entire week. I don’t know. It just does. It was a really fun filled week, lots of snow showers, though it’s a bit too warm to accumulate into actual snow. We had lots of hot chocolate, and great adventures. I’m giving this week a B- for meal planning.

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23 Favorite Books I Read in 2023

As the year wrapped up, I realized just how much reading I managed to fit into life with a baby and three young kids. I set a very modest goal of 30 books — and ended the year around 72.

To close out 2023, here are 23 standout reads, spanning fiction, thrillers, romance, and nonfiction. These are not ranked — just books I truly loved.

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Book Club | The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

For our December book club, I’m thrilled to share a truly thoughtful and beautiful novel: The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. I’ll admit—at first glance, the subject matter might feel heavy. This is a fictional story centered around a death doula, her work, and her personal life. But I hope you won’t let that deter you. This book is poignant, inspiring, and deeply life-affirming in the most unexpected way. 🤍

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