I was very productive today. This productivity is usually stymied by “wasting” time in my parent’s sauna or watching too many episodes of trashy TV before work. When I sit down and watch Netflix reruns of How I Met Your Mother or Twin Peaks, I always end up eating a bowl of popcorn bigger then I like to admit.  It is huge. Really, really huge. BUT, it is coated in nutritional yeast, so at least it is healthy popcorn.

However, today it was sunny. GASP. The sunshine actually warmed me through my bedroom window and I saw the thermometer hit 50 degrees. Holy hell… spring? Is that you?

Those of you who don’t live in Seattle—perhaps you are in the heat wave of the midwest (you bastards)—50 degrees seems downright frigid. Which it is. The poor daffodils and cherry blossoms are freezing their asses off as they assumed mid March would bring them warmth—sorry little dudes, no such luck.

Here is the thing about sunshine and Seattle. When it is sunny, you do everything in your power to be outside. To be inside is sacrilegious. The sun comes out and people drop their plans, their work, their lives and bask in all that glorious vitamin D. Everyone also assumes that sunshine means you don’t have to wear clothes—but that is a different story for another time.

I spent my morning gabbing with my bestie over coffee as the dogs pulled us down the street, stopping to sniff and pee on every flower that had been brave enough to show its face.

After spending time with a bestie, I feel invigorated—I rode this feeling and did some gardening.

Oh, gardening. How I love you. I adore the feeling of dirt under my finger nails; I seek pleasure in turning over and digging up my garden bed. I like to chat and get to know my worms—feeding them scraps and lovingly covering them with a sheet of delicious dirt.

Today I planted some butter head lettuce, and trimmed back the ever bothersome blackberry bushes. I found my cute little itty bitty terra-cotta pots and started some kale and broccoli starts. Oh my goodness, how excited I am for all things to grow.

All of this walking, gossiping and gardening whetted my appetite and I caught up on podcasts as I whipped up a quick buckwheat soba noodle salad.

What a way to ring in the spring.

Peanuty Buckwheat Noodle Salad

• Buckwheat noodles
• Red bell pepper
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Sesame oil
• Garlic
• Spinach and Kale
  • Cook soba noodles. Or brown rice. Or black rice. Or anything that goes with vegetables and peanut sauce.
  • Warm up sesame oil in a frying pan on medium/high heat, add garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add spinach and kale and quickly saute until slightly wilted.
  • Cut up cucumber and bell peppers, and carrots and set all of these things aside.
  • Toss noodles with vegetables and peanut sauce (recipe below)

Peanut Sauce

• 4 tbsp hot water
• 4 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1.5 tsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp brown sugar
• Dash of cayenne pepper
  • Whisk all ingredients together. If it still looks a little chunky, zap that baby in the microwave for 30 seconds and whisk again. Pour over anything and everything. Lick the bowl. It is okay. Everyone does it.