Howdy, mates and fellow residence cooks!
That is my weekly e-newsletter, which incorporates 7 weeknight meals + 3 wholesome salads (for the week of September 23-29, 2024) + 3 new posts printed within the final 7 days!
On the backside of this article, I am sharing some superb images from our hike to Columbine Lake close to Silverton, Colorado. It’s a lesser-known however difficult and strenuous hike that rewards you with a wide ranging turquoise glacial alpine lake sitting at 12,690 toes!
7 weeknight meals + 3 wholesome salads
DAY 1: Creamy Mozzarella Shrimp Pasta
DAY 2: Lemon Pepper Hen with Creamy Garlic-Lemon Sauce
DAY 3: Mediterranean Salmon with Rice, Chickpeas, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta (One-Pan, 30-Minute Meal)
DAY 4: Hen Risotto (creamy rice) with Spinach, Solar-Dried Tomatoes, and Parmesan Cheese
DAY 5: Southwestern Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole (Meatless. You need to use candy potatoes or yams as a substitute of butternut squash).
DAY 6: Hen Florentine Bake with Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Solar-Dried Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Cheese (30 Minutes, One-Pan)
DAY 7: Vegetable Beef Soup with Carrots, Potatoes, Bell Pepper, and Inexperienced Peas (ONE-POT)
SALAD 1: Apple Spinach Salad with Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Goat Cheese, and Maple-Lime Mustard Dressing
SALAD 2: Strawberry Mango Salad with Arugula/Spinach Combine
SALAD 3: Roasted Candy Potato Salad with Spinach, Apples, Pecans, Pumpkin Seeds, and Feta
New posts printed within the final 7 days!
NEW: Sausage White Bean Soup with Spinach and Carrots (30 Minutes, One-Pot)
NEW: Steak Enchiladas
NEW: My Finest 26 Apple Recipes to Make within the Fall (each Savory and Candy)
High feedback of final week!
I’m so fortunate to obtain so many sort, candy, and heartfelt feedback about my recipes—it significantly makes my day! I even screenshot them and add them to my “Affirmations” folder on my iPhone (sure, it’s a factor, not less than for me!). Now, I’ve determined to begin sharing my high 3-5 most encouraging and uplifting feedback from the earlier week in my e-newsletter. Unfold the love!
From Deirdre on my Fb web page:
“Julia’s Album, I’ve to shout out a Thank You to you!! I’ve been battling quite a few well being and surgical points and these recipes not solely give me pleasure to make however my surgeon and oncologist are so completely happy that I’m making an attempt to remain as wholesome as attainable in between surgical procedures. It’s all due to your scrumptious and wholesome meals!!!
😀😷😷🙏🙏🙏”
From Claudia on my weblog:
“Hello Julia! you might be fantastic! thanks for sharing your ardour about meals! that is nice….. blessings. right now, my husband and I are following your creamy shrimp and mushrooms pasta recipe.
Cheers!!”
From Fran on Fb:
“Your recipes are ridiculously scrumptious. You’re like a meals savant! My sister and I are nuts about the whole lot we’ve cooked of yours. Pics are fabulous!”
From Kristine on Fb:
“Love the mountain climbing pics! Now we have been having fun with numerous “Julia dinners” this week. Sustain the nice work! You might be so beloved and appreciated at our home!”
An enormous shout-out and THANK YOU to everybody who leaves feedback on my web site! Your suggestions and recipe critiques are the whole lot—they preserve me motivated and forestall me from feeling like I am simply tossing recipes right into a culinary black gap!
Climbing Columbine Lake close to Silverton and Ouray in Southwest Colorado
Let me let you know about one other considered one of my favourite hikes—Columbine Lake, nestled within the San Juan Nationwide Forest close to Silverton and Ouray in Southwest Colorado. It’s a 7-mile round-trip hike to a shocking alpine glacial lake that sits at 12,690 toes elevation! The elevation on the trailhead (the place the hike begins) is 10,350 toes, and your ending elevation on the lake (on the finish of the hike) is 12,690 toes. So, you are a strong 2,340 toes of elevation acquire over 3.5 miles one method to the lake. Then, in fact, you retrace your steps on the way in which again. It is an out-and-back hike, and wow, it’s value each step.
Columbine Lake is situated in a glacial bowl surrounded by peaks over 13,000 toes. Alpine lakes at all times have a stunningly clear, jewel-like look.
What makes it additional particular is that it is considered one of Colorado’s hidden gems—not as well-known, however completely attractive. You begin by tackling a steep path by means of the dense forest, then break by means of the tree line into breathtaking alpine meadows, and at last, you attain the jewel of the hike: a crystal-clear glacial lake, framed by rugged 13,000-foot peaks. It’s nothing in need of magical.
Now, I’ll be sincere—this hike isn’t any joke. It’s strenuous, off the overwhelmed path, and you should be in fine condition and acclimated to the altitude to actually get pleasure from it. We barely noticed a soul on the path—perhaps three folks whole—which was a part of the attraction. In the event you’re an skilled hiker, that is an unforgettable journey. However for an off-the-cuff hiker? In all probability not your best option.
Listed below are some images from our journey! I can not wait to do that hike once more!
Proper from the beginning, the path kicks off with some steep switchbacks by means of a spruce-fir forest, and let me let you know, it wastes no time getting your legs burning! You’ll be gaining elevation quick. However when you energy by means of that, the path chills out a bit, and you end up in wide-open meadows above the tree line. Usually, these meadows can be bursting with wildflowers, however since we hiked in September, this was our view:
Right here we’re getting into the zone above the tree line:
The path turns into steep once more in the midst of the basin, and we discovered ourselves climbing by means of rocky meadows. We needed to hike throughout scree slopes and piles, which might really feel like navigating a large slide fabricated from rocks. It’s a must to watch out, listen, and put on the proper sneakers.
And there’s Kevin, standing on the fringe of the abyss—in all probability pondering whether or not he’s courageous or simply barely loopy!
In any case that mountain climbing and climbing, we had been lastly rewarded with a shocking view of Columbine Lake at 12,690 toes! It’s positively above the tree line—no timber anyplace in sight! Simply pure mountain glory!
Columbine Lake is ready in a glacial bowl surrounded by rugged ridges over 13,000 toes. The elevation at this lake is 12,690 toes.
On the way in which again, the climate modified quick, and it began raining. Right here we’re, descending from above the tree line into the wooded space.
This stuff had been falling throughout me at one level. Undecided what it was – rain and wind or an offended squirrel.
We had numerous rain (once more!) on our means again which made the descent really simpler as a result of the path had extra traction. On dry days, some trails can have free gravel or compacted dust that acts like a layer of sand, inflicting hikers to lose stability. So the rain can typically be a hidden benefit on some trails, so long as you are not climbing up or down large slippery rocks and so long as there aren’t any bolts of lightning.
At this level, we had been nearly carried out with our hike. Take a more in-depth look and also you would possibly simply spot a moose hanging out by the water’s edge!
There’s one other moose we noticed! There have been three in whole—one was an lovely child calf. The opposite two had been “taking part in hide-and-seek” behind the timber and bushes, coming out now and again.
Life could be so unhappy and I feel it is necessary to give attention to optimistic issues we’ve and issues we are able to nonetheless get pleasure from.
Please do not be shy and say Howdy within the feedback and let me know the place you’re from (I’m from Colorado) or share one good or enjoyable factor that occurred to you this week! (For me, it’s all about mountain climbing nowadays, lol!) Or, inform me when you’re planning to strive any of my recipes, it is a meal plan, in spite of everything! 😍🥰
