When thinking about ways to improve your day-to-day, it's likely there are an inevitable few that will always come to mind. I mean, how many of us want to eat better, exercise more, and drink more water? Even those of us with the healthiest of diets (I suspect) will always say these things.

Of all, there is still this major road block for me when it comes to something as dead simple drinking water. What is it? I honestly couldn't tell you, other than I struggle with getting down even the minimum amount that I should. It might be I'm so used to feeling thirsty that I'm honestly just not bothered anymore, and most of it I chalk up to habit…..and old habits seem to die harder the older (and harder) we get. Oy.

The answer? I'm way ahead of you.

Just like exercise and getting fit, we've got to walk before we can run, so what am I doing? Starting small. Literally. How many of you have large glass mason jars you tote around the house that are usually full of unconsumed water? Well if you are anything like me, you fill it up with every intention of chugging it, only to find that mass of fresh liquid to be just too overwhelming -- it sits there like it's mocking you and still, you go thirsty. So I'm over it, I'm done - no more mason jars for me. I'm headed back to (gasp!), cups & glasses and the best part? They go down easy and make you feel good. Small efforts done regularly are always better than large efforts done rarely. That's my little trick of the week, so don't stay thirsty, just start small! Clean water is a gift, so drink up.

Here's a tasty salad that's an ode to the season: roasted local potatoes (take it from me: buy German Butter potatoes, they are worth every cent) with garden kale, veggies & that Glory Bowl dressing that makes everything taste silly good. Keep it simple, and keep it small. Change happens in increments, so don't try to do it all at once.

Have a lovely week everyone :)

Side Note: If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed I'm currently on the Wild Rose cleanse. I did it in the spring and you might ask with all my clean eating, why the need to cleanse? I think I will follow-up with a more in-depth post about this but it goes without saying I've had a rather big year. I'm working pretty hard and it's important to me that I keep my physical self in top shape. Without my health and feeling good in my body, all the other efforts I need to expend are 10 times harder, almost impossibly so. It's all too easy to think that allowing taking care of ourselves to go by the wayside is the only option through busy times, but I'm taking another approach here by giving myself a little extra help in times of physical strain or stress. I'll keep you posted and until then, you can catch a glimpse of my cleanse-friendly meals on the old IG. Hint: it's really not much different from what I usually eat!

Farmer's Market Potato & Kale Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing:

• 2# German Butter potatoes (or golden potatoes)
• 2 tbsp olive oil for roasting potatoes
• 1 bunch Lacinato or dinosaur kale (from the garden if you can)
• 1 red pepper, sliced in strips
• 1 fresh yellow zucchini, medium-sized, sliced in rounds
• 1 fresh green zucchini, medium-sized, sliced in rounds
• 1/4 cup white onion, sliced thinly
• 1 can whole artichoke hearts
• (1/4) cup small nicoise olives

Glory Bowl Dressing (from Whitewater Cooks):

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) Tamari or soy sauce
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) water
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
• 1-1/2 cups olive oil

Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees and unpacking all of your market goodies. Wash your potatoes and cut them, lengthwise into quarters or sixths, depending on the size. Toss them with a little olive oil and a pinch or two of salt and lay flat on a roasting pan. Roast at 400 for 30-35 minutes, or until brown and crisping at the edges. Turn once or twice during the cooking to ensure evenness.

While the potatoes cook, prepare the dressing and set aside. Wash and finely slice the kale leaves crosswise as thinly as you can, until they resemble strips. Before preparing the remaining vegetables, toss the shredded kale in with a 1/4 cup of dressing and set the bowl aside (this will allow the kale to soften while you prepare the rest). Slice the white onion and put in a bowl filled with water to cover and tsp of salt - leave this to site while the potatoes cook to take the edge off the raw onion.

Next, put up a small saucepan of water to boil and gently add the chopped zucchini slices. Boil at a low boil for 2-3 minutes, until just soft and then drain and set aside to cool. Slice the pepper as thinly as possible and set aside and drain and slice the artichoke hearts into quarters.

When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool to almost room (or handling) temperature. Just before serving, toss together the cooked potatoes with the dressed kale, peppers, steamed zucchini, artichoke hearts & olives together and add dressing to taste (up to a 1/4 - 1/2 cup more). Transfer the sale to a serving bowl and top with the drained white onions and some more olives.

This salad works well for a midday lunch and keeps well in the fridge for days. Enjoy as a last hurrah to farmers market season and give thanks -- to those who grow. We wouldn't be where we are without them.