It’s Pumpkin Month! Over the years I’ve accepted that I like pumpkin but not pumpkin spice. That said, with the numerous varieties of pumpkin beers that exist now I still had a pretty giant gourd cache this year.

P.S. Sunday night Adam and I went on a seasonal date to buy a big pumpkin and try the Wendy’s pumpkin spice frosty (the initial flavor was an 8/10 but the aftertaste was too much spice. I also tried the new nacho chicken sandwich – also only ok)

Highlights from the weekend included…

Green protein smoothie – frozen chopped spinach and banana blended with a Premier Protein cake batter.

This bar has been one of my top-three favorites for more than five years.

Spicy rice cake snack. These were almost too spicy and very satisfying.

These Trader Joe’s brigadeiros were good but not great.

This dirt cake Ben & Jerry’s was very good but not great.

Meanwhile, this ice cream cozy my mom bought me for my birthday is one of the best things we own!

Salad night. Romaine / baby bell peppers / Trader Joe’s strawberry basil vinaigrette / Beecher’s Flagship cheddar / dried cherries / bacon-seasoned crunchy mung beans / super-firm tofu that I shredded; tossed with canola oil, white pepper, and Sichuan pepper salt; and roasted.

Sandwich and salad night; Adam and I split two things from Roast. The weekly special – bbq brisket, cheddar, crispy onions, peach slaw, and a cherry pepper aioli on a brioche roll.

The bbq chicken salad with ranch, avocado, roasted corn, crispy tortilla strips, and pepperjack.

Chicken tacos from Burrito Blvd – with zucchini, tomato, roasted corn, cheese, and chipotle aioli.