Hello, friends. Many of you remember when I used to regularly post Monthly Favorite (little things) lists, and several of you have expressed interest in seeing these posts again. I’ve been wanting to return to this tradition, but I’m thinking maybe a Quarterly Favorites list would make more sense than a Monthly Favorites, yes? First quarter 2024 closed at the end of March and here we are at the beginning of May, so to simplify, we’ll just say that the list below captures my favorite little things of the year thus far.

Let’s start with entertainment, shall we? Enjoy!

1). Warrior (T.V. series) (HBO Max and Netflix)

We’ve watched many a fantastic show and several movies this year, but I only wanted to recommend this one. If you know me, you know I love martial arts action movies and T.V. shows with stellar fight choreography, and this show features some of the best fight sequences I’ve ever seen. If you’re a fighting-arts fan, you may also enjoy Warrior. Set in late-1800’s San Francisco, you’ve got a clash of Chinese immigrants and Irish immigrants amidst politicians’ shameless shenanigans, warring between the tongs (mobs) in Chinatown, and complex family dynamics. Loyalty; family; rivalries and revenge; money, money, money; power. Those fight scenes, though!

The trailer:

On to food! This list is mostly food and drink, so settle in:

2). It’s Delish Sugar-free Dark Chocolate-covered Espresso Beans.

These sugar-free vegan dark chocolate-covered espresso beans provide a delectable little zing of energy after lunch. They’re pricey, so we limit ourselves to just five per day, each, which is actually perfect.

3). Zoa energy drink.

My favorite pre-workout boost is an energy drink, which, I’ll admit, I drink on my one rest day, as well. Zoa zero-sugar energy drinks came to my attention when a search for “healthiest energy drinks” directed me to an Eat This, Not That! article: “10 Best Energy Drinks, According to a Dietician.” I’ll go ahead and quote the Zoa entry:

Perhaps the most “traditional” of these healthier energy drinks is Zoa’s line of zero-sugar energy drinks. The caffeine in Zoa is derived from natural ingredients such as green tea and green coffee beans—which are raw, unroasted coffee beans. Without any artificial flavors or colors, this is a great alternative to more mainstream brands. Additionally, this energy drink offers a plethora of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins B6, B12, and C.

We get our cases of Zoa from Costco, and my favorite flavor is Cherry Limeade, of course. Cherry-flavored anything!!!

4). Protein bars: Barebells Vegan Hazelnut & Nougat and NuGo Vegan Slim Chocolate Mint.

I’m always on the lookout for zero-sugar plant-based protein bars that can pass as candy bars, and today I’m here to share with you my recent finds, my treasures, my pretties: The Barebells Hazelnut & Nougat plant-based protein bar is my current favorite meal-replacement bar (usually breakfast, sometimes lunch) on the rare occasion that a regular meal isn’t possible. The NuGo Slim Chocolate Mint bar has been my daily mid-late afternoon snack for months now, and I’m still not tired of it. If you love chocolate mint as much as I do, you’ll probably enjoy this one! Both of these bars are delicious. Highly recommend.

5). Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein powder.

With 160 calories, 30 grams of protein, and BCAA’s, this plant-based protein powder has become my post-strength-training-workout staple.

6). Trader Joe’s frozen organic blueberries.

I start almost every day with a quarter cup of frozen berries on my Ezekiel cereal. Frosty, creamy, and sweet, they complement the hearty, crunchy cereal delightfully.

7). Yogi ginger tea.

Another daily staple: hot ginger tea after dinner. For years I drank apple cider vinegar in ice water every night as a post-meal tonic. Not anymore! Mom got me into hot ginger tea, and I haven’t looked back. I like it extra strong, as that’s how it’s spiciest, and I don’t add anything to it.

8). Trader Joe’s Piquant Popcorn.

Popcorn is a whole grain, and this popcorn creation of Trader Joe’s has protein along with other nutrients (from the nootch). It’s our favorite! We split a bag for lunch one day a week; it’s become a weekend tradition. Half a bag has 350 calories and 8 grams of protein. We do eat a few other things in the same sitting, but the popcorn’s the star of the spread.

9). Trader Joe’s frozen Japchae (Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles & Vegetable Stir-fry).

(Apologies for the blurry photo!) Trader Joe’s Japchae is our current favorite convenience food for those times it makes the most sense to throw something into the microwave and call it dinner. The delicately seasoned sweet potato glass noodles with stir-fry veggies go beautifully with tofu, Sriracha sauce, and Romaine hearts. We each get our own! You’ll find this Japchae in Trader Joe’s frozen foods section. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you… I’m sorry.

10). Sprout’s lavender-rosewood moisturizing body lotion.

Yikes!! This pic is also blurry! Please to ignore that. I’m not sure what happened.

At any rate! Towering over everything else in my skin-care box, this Sprouts brand body lotion gets nightly use, as I put it on after my shower. It’s lavender, which amounts to sleep-assisting aromatherapy. I like it a lot, though I’ve used richer body lotions in the past. While I’m enjoying this lotion, I’ll have to search for another affordable cruelty-free lotion that’s a little thicker and richer (once I’ve used up this one). My all-time favorite is an Alba Botanica body lotion; I may have to return to it. Meanwhile, I really love this sweet-smelling lotion.

The End. Go forth and try some of this stuff!

And a good-night or good-day to you all. Thank you for being here, for reading and for sticking with me. I appreciate you more than you can know.