three protein packed recipes, how I read so many books, and a podcast I'm loving
the weekly R.E.P.O.R.T 04.17.26
What is the Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T? I wanted to create a fun weekly format to share food, reads, hobbies, items, shows and more that I’m currently loving or making my life easier. I see “Efficient Kitchen” embodying the whole home as well as the people in it. I also want to hear from YOU. What are you enjoying? Comment on the post anything you’re loving in a R.E.P.O.R.T category.
I’m sad to report that this is my last Beth Brower book update. I read Beast of Ten, which is a stand alone fantasy novel that is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast. Beast of Ten explores redemption and the idea of can someone be redeemed even if they are “too far gone.” It is a truly beautiful and deep story with a complex magic system.
If you want a fantasy novel with pretty much zero romance, this book is for you. I could NOT put this book down. Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed it more than the Books of Imirilia. It’s also nice and chunky but not “door stopper” level in the 500ish page range.
I hope to spread the word far and wide about Beth Brower because she has become my favorite writer. I hope I can influence you (wink!) to read her books. I’ve had multiple friends read her Emma M. Lion books, and they have become “addicted” to them. If you’ve read her historical fiction, definitely give her fantasy novels a try because they are equally page turners!
You can read about Beast of Ten on her website here. I love that she has follow ups after you read her books.
On Wednesday, I posted about my Tahini Chocolate Chip Protein cookies. I’ve been tinkering with this recipe for a month or so, and my family begs me for these cookies. They are really great for that after school/afternoon snack to get you to dinner because they have approximately 10g of protein in them, 16-17 g of carbs and 10-11g of fat. I always struggle with a good balanced snack in the afternoon to help the kids make it to dinner. They come in STARVING from school. I enjoy them too on days that I was a bit more active and need something to get me to dinner. (My husband enjoys nuking them in the microwave for a few seconds to make them warm and gooey again!)
After my third was born, I’ve taken a bit of a break from needlepointing since my hands were constantly full. Lately we’ve found our rhythm with baby number three, and I have found pockets of time again to stitch! I truly enjoy this hobby and love it even more when I’m able to listen to a book or podcast while doing it. It feels like it completely resets my nervous system because you have to slow down so much to do it.
I finally finished my door hanger for my second child and love how it turned out. I hope to capital F finish it this weekend where I can hang it up. I completely designed the canvases myself and am so proud with how they turned out. I’m working on monogram ornaments from a vintage needlepoint book that will probably take all year to stitch all five!
Several friends in my book club suggested the Literary Life podcast to me after having a lot of trouble with reading a classic novel. I have absolutely devoured this podcast. If there’s a book you’re struggling with, I would highly suggest listening to their podcast. I learned so much from listening to them break down a tricky novel, and they opened my eyes to reading classic literature differently. It felt like an English class that I actually enjoyed because I learned so much.
You can find it here.
I shared on social media this week about my Tahini Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies and also that I am now an affiliate for Equip Prime Protein. I’m excited about this because I’ve been telling everyone about this protein powder for years. I think our family has been using it for about four years now, and it’s the only one that I like. Our family uses it every day in some capacity. While I’m a staunch believer in most of your nutrients coming from real food instead of powders, I really love this when you’re in a pinch and just need some nutrients. It definitely got me through a lot of nausea in pregnancy when I could only tolerate a smoothie. If you’re weirded out by funky protein flavoring, the unflavored only has one ingredient: beef. (and no it doesn’t taste like beef!) The code JORDANEK will save you a bunch or you can click the link here.
Our family’s other flavors are the low sugar chocolate and the low sugar vanilla (no stevia yay!). Below are two other recipes that I made using their protein powder:
I’ve set a goal to read thirty books this year including some “door stopper” books. (I’ve read 14 books so far!) I finally made a list of some top classics that I want to finish this year. After I read the Count of Monte Cristo last year, I found that really increased my confidence not being intimidated by “hard” books. I hope to retackle Jane Eyre with the help of the Literary Life podcast, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser.
You may wonder how I read a lot. Well, I discovered how much time I was wasting on social media, so I now have strict settings on my Brick app. The other way is that I am always multitasking. As much as I would love to just sit and read, that only really happens for a small amount of time a day. Maybe 20 minutes? A bit more on the weekend.
I love the read and listen option books on Kindle Unlimited. To be honest, I don’t know how it works. I checked a book out from the library and it had that option.
I listen while I’m in car line, washing dishes, doing laundry, cooking, and while I’m walking. I try to walk on my walking pad for 30 minutes every day even if it’s interrupted. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but it’s one of my favorite purchases. We previously had a bike and sold it. I find I use the walking pad far more even if it is not a great piece of “decor” in my house. You can find all my favorite barefoot shoes here.
Let me know any of your recommendations below! I would love to hear them.
