But this week I realized something else.

Not everything needs to be homemade.

You don’t have to bake your own protein bars to eat a nourishing snack on the go.

You don’t have to whisk together every dressing or sauce for a meal to count.

You don’t have to make fresh pasta to invite people over for dinner.

Convenience isn’t cheating.

Sometimes it’s what creates enough room for what actually matters.

As I was thinking about that this week, I realized I’ve been expecting the exact opposite from myself.

I expect myself to move seamlessly from one thing to the next.

Work to airport.

Airport to family.

Family to old memories.

Old memories to new ones.

Without ever stopping to arrive.

This weekend, my grandpa took Jon and I to Block Island.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you’ve probably heard me mention it before. It’s where I spent so many summer weekends growing up, running around the docks and learning to love the kind of summer that revolves around boats, seafood, and saltwater.

Jon and I have been together for seven years.

This was his first time there.

I’d been waiting a long time to show him this place.

During the ride over, I realized I wasn’t just traveling from Long Island to Block Island.

I was traveling from the woman I am now back to the girl who spent summers there.

At the very same time, my phone kept buzzing with family drama happening somewhere else.

It felt like I was trying to hold joy and grief in the same hand.

By the time we got home, I was emotionally exhausted.

Then, somewhere between unpacking the boat and thinking about dinner, another realization hit me.

When I make pasta, I don’t throw everything into one pot.

I boil.

I sauté.

I let things rest.

I finish with basil.

Every stage prepares the next.

Somehow I’ve never extended that same grace to myself.

Maybe that’s what I’ve been craving all along.

Not less to do.

Not a different life.

Just enough space to arrive before moving on to the next thing. Enough space to savor the moment. Just like the flavor.

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This Week’s Snackagories

This week’s recipes all have one thing in common:

They’re simple enough to make room for the rest of your life.

Because the goal isn’t spending every spare minute in the kitchen.

The goal is eating well so you can get back to the people, places, and moments that deserve your attention.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Banana Pepper Dip with Crostini & Prosciutto

Tangy, creamy, and the kind of appetizer that looks impressive despite coming together in minutes.

Ingredients

• Greek yogurt

• Sour cream

• Banana peppers

• Parmesan

• Garlic

• Lemon juice

• Fresh herbs

Serve with crostini’s and prosciutto.

Niknack Tip: Make the dip a day ahead. The flavors get even better overnight.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Honey Nut Cherrios Protein Bars

Proof that a few pantry staples can become breakfast or an afternoon snack without turning your kitchen upside down.

Ingredients

• Honey Nut Cheerios

• Vanilla protein powder (I always use Nuzest; code NIKNACK for 15% off)

• Almond butter

• Honey

• Ground flaxseed

• Vanilla

• Pinch of salt

🥒 Fresh Produce

Pan-Fried Eggplant with Quick Tomato Sauce

Peak summer tomatoes don’t need much.

Just a little onion, basil, Parmesan, and enough time to let everything come together.

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants

• 1 onion

• 8 cherry tomatoes

• 1 cup tomato purée

• Fresh basil

• Parmesan

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Chili flakes or chili crisp

Niknack Tip: Make a double batch of the tomato sauce. Spoon it over grilled chicken, pasta, eggs, or toasted sourdough throughout the week.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Sorbet

A reminder that summer desserts don’t have to be complicated.

Sometimes ripe fruit does most of the work. All you need for this one is a Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Attachment or Ninja CREAMi.

Ingredients

• Fresh raspberries

• Honey

• Lemon juice

• Dark chocolate for shaving over the top

Seasonal Tip: Freeze raspberries at peak ripeness throughout the summer so you can make this long after berry season ends.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Sesame Chicken, Crispy Tofu & Broccoli

One sheet pan (or blackstone!). Two proteins. Endless combinations.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs

• Extra-firm tofu

• Broccoli

• Sesame oil

• Soy sauce

• Garlic

• Ginger

• Rice vinegar

• Honey

• Sesame seeds

Meal Prep Tip: Cook both proteins together so you can build bowls, salads, wraps, or rice dishes exactly how you like them all week.

Make Space to Arrive

Standing next to my grandfather on the boat ride home, laughing about stories I’d forgotten, I realized something.

Maybe arriving somewhere isn’t about geography.

Maybe it’s about giving yourself enough space to notice where you already are.

This week, I didn’t need to make everything from scratch.

I didn’t need to solve every family dynamic.

I didn’t need to hold onto every version of myself.

I just needed to arrive.

Maybe that’s what I’ll keep practicing this summer.

One transition at a time.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Until next time,

Niknack

Bring on the peaches, blueberries, sweet corn and tomatoes, along with any excuse to eat dinner outside.

But if I’m being honest, my favorite part of summer has very little to do with the food.

It’s the space.

Those extra hours of daylight.

The space to linger after dinner.

To leave the windows open.

To garden for no reason other than it’s sunny.

To go on a walk without checking how many steps I’ve taken.

To sit on the porch with a cookbook and nowhere else to be.

Lately, I’ve realized that’s what I’ve been craving more than anything.

Not more money.

Not more success.

Not another vacation.

Space.

My brain moves slowly.

It feels deeply.

I linger in moments long after they’ve happen.

I’ve always been terrible at goodbyes because I replay them over and over in my head. I write letters that are far too long because I never quite feel like I’ve said enough. I’m always the last one at the table to finish eating because I’d rather savor every bite than rush through a meal.

For a long time, I thought these were quirks I needed to fix.

Now I believe they’re simply clues about how I’m wired.

Maybe I’m not someone who’s meant to sprint through life.

Maybe I’m someone who’s meant to notice it.

The tricky part is that my reality doesn’t always match the pace my heart wants.

Most weekdays look something like this:

Morning workout —> Rush to work —> Meetings —> Emails —> Rush home —> Make dinner —> Niknack —> Husband —> Texts —> Bed.

Everything. All at once.

I’ve realized the only hour of my day where I feel completely present is during my workout.

Definitely not because I love burpees.

But because for one hour, no one can reach me.

There’s only one thing to do.

Move.

Breathe.

Rest.

Repeat.

It’s one of the only times my attention isn’t scattered across a dozen different places.

Which is also why I crave and develop slower recipes.

Not because I don’t love cooking.

I do.

I love spending hours in the kitchen on a rainy Sunday.

But this time of year reminds me that food should make room for life — not compete with it.

The best meals this time of year aren’t complicated.

They’re simple enough that you can make them quickly and get back outside.

Because the point isn’t spending all afternoon in the kitchen.

The point is having people to share the food with once you’re finished.

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This Week’s Snackagories

This week is built around easy summer snacks that leave room for everything else.

Less time cooking. More time lingering.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Creamy Tzatziki

Nothing tastes more like July than cool cucumbers, dill, and yogurt.

Ingredients

• Greek yogurt

• Grated cucumber

• Lemon juice

• Garlic

• Fresh dill

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper

Niknack Tip: Make tzatziki on Sunday and it’ll become your dip, sandwich spread, burger sauce, and grain bowl dressing all week.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

No-Bake Raspberry Almond Protein Bars

Because turning on the oven in July feels like a personal attack.

Ingredients

• Rolled oats

• Almond butter

• Vanilla protein powder

• Fresh raspberries, juice squeezed and dried

• Chia seeds

• Honey

• Vanilla

• Pinch of salt

Store them in the freezer for grab-and-go snacks all week long.

🥒 Fresh Produce

Cucumber Artichoke Pasta Salad

Crunchy, briny, bright, and somehow even better the next day.

Ingredients

• Pasta

• Persian cucumbers

• Artichoke hearts

• Cherry tomatoes

• Fresh basil

• Parmesan

• Lemon

• Olive oil

• Pepperoncini

• Salt & pepper

Niknack Tip: Dress pasta salad while the pasta is still slightly warm so it absorbs all that lemony goodness.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Bars

Five minutes of effort. Dessert all week.

Ingredients

• Dates

• Cocoa powder

• Cashews

• Oats

• Vanilla

• Sea salt

• Dark chocolate

Seasonal Tip: Keep them in the freezer. They taste even better straight from the freezer after a day at the beach.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Blackstone Grilled Chicken & Steak

Summer protein should be just as easy as summer produce.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts

• Flank steak

• Olive oil

• Garlic

• Lemon

• Dijon mustard

• Italian seasoning

• Salt & pepper

Meal Prep Tip: Grill extra. Cold sliced chicken turns into wraps, salads, pasta, and grain bowls in minutes.

Leave a Little Room

I spend a lot of time thinking about how to meal prep more efficiently.

This summer I’m spending time thinking about how to leave more room.

Room to linger over dinner.

Room to send the long text.

Room to watch the sunset instead of another episode.

I’ve spent years building a life that matches my values.

Now I’m learning to build a calendar that does, too.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack <3

I hope you find a little room to linger this week.

Until next time,

Niknack

Coffee in hand.

Cats in the window.

The basil needs watering.

This week felt full.

Not necessarily busy.

Just...full.

Some of my favorite moments were tiny.

Trimming snap peas with the windows open.

Vanilla ice cream with homemade rhubarb compote.

Fries and caviar with a friend on a random Wednesday.

Reading a cookbook on the porch after dinner.

The moments that stressed me out weren’t actually bigger.

They were just the moments where my attention wasn’t where I was.

I spent dinner planning the rest of the week instead of tasting dinner.

I expected my husband to read my mind instead of appreciating the one sitting across the table.

I let work conversations follow me home long after my laptop was closed.

It made me wonder if attention works the same way ingredients do.

When I meal prep, I don’t scatter my ingredients across twenty different recipes.

I choose one beautiful ingredient and let it show up again and again.

Maybe that’s how I want to move through summer, too.

One beautiful thing at a time.

The people in front of me.

The food on my plate.

The breeze coming through the windows.

The season that’s already here.

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This Week’s Snackagories

This week’s snacks are built around ingredients that reward paying attention.

Summer produce is doing most of the work, while a jar of chili crisp ties everything together. The goal isn’t to make five completely different recipes…. It’s to build a week of meals from a handful of ingredients that play well together.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Jalapeno Ranch Cashew Chicken Dip

One creamy dip. Endless uses.

Serve it with vegetables, spread it onto sandwiches, tuck it into wraps, or spoon it onto baked potatoes.

Ingredients:

• Cooked shredded chicken

• Raw cashews

• Greek yogurt

• Pickled jalapeños

• Fresh dill

• Chives

• Garlic

• Lemon juice

• Ranch seasoning packet

• Salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients except for shredded chicken in a high-speed blender or food processor to create a sauce. Fold in shredded chicken. Enjoy!

Niknack Tip: Whenever you’re making a dip, make enough to become tomorrow’s lunch.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Strawberry Lemon Protein Loaf

Summer strawberries don’t need much. Let them taste like strawberries.

Ingredients:

• Greek yogurt

• Eggs

• Vanilla protein powder

• Oat flour

• Almond flour

• Fresh strawberries

• Lemon juice + zest

• Vanilla

• Baking powder

Slice it, freeze it, and future-you has breakfast ready all week.

🥕 Fresh Produce

Cucumber, Corn & Basil Salad

Fresh corn, crunchy cucumbers, fragrant basil, and a spoonful of chili crisp that somehow makes the whole bowl taste even more like summer.

Ingredients

• Sweet corn

• Persian cucumbers

• Basil

• Chili crisp

• Lime

• Olive oil

• Flaky salt

Niknack Tip: Dress right before serving so cucumbers stay crisp and basil stays vibrant. For meal prep; keep the corn, cucumbers and basil in a separate container from the sauce.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

No-Bake Pistachio Bars

No oven. No fuss. More time outside.

Ingredients:

• Medjool dates

• Pistachios

• Cashews

• Oats

• Vanilla protein powder

• Chia seeds

• Coconut

• Vanilla

• Pinch of salt

Perfect straight from the freezer on hot afternoons.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Farro & Lentil Meal Prep

The quiet backbone of lunches all week.

Dress it once and pair it with whatever vegetables, herbs, or proteins end up coming home from the farmers market.

Ingredients:

• Cooked farro

• Lentils

• Feta

• Parsley

• Lemon

• Olive oil

• Pumpkin seeds

• Pepperoncini

• Salt & pepper

Meal Prep Tip: Prep grains and legumes plain, then season them differently throughout the week so lunches never feel repetitive.

One Beautiful Thing

When I’m cooking, I don’t try to make 15 recipes.

I pick one ingredient and let it show up in multiple places.

One ingredient.

Multiple meals.

Less decision fatigue.

More enjoyment.

Last week it was snap peas.

This week it was chili crisp.

Maybe life works like that, too.

Instead of scattering my attention across work drama, future plans, expectations, my phone...

what if I anchored it in one thing?

The meal.

The breeze.

The birds.

Summer.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

I hope you find one ingredient, and one moment, worth paying a little more attention to this week.

Until next time,

Niknack

Today is the Summer Solstice, and in a few hours I’ll be wandering through the Kenmore Farmers Market with my mom, filling a tote bag with whatever catches my eye.

The best thing about farmers markets is that they tell you what to cook.

Yet a lot of people approach the farmers market backwards.

They arrive with a recipe, a shopping list, and a mission to track down every ingredient.

I think that’s the worst way to shop.

Last Sunday at Snack Attack, I tried to drill home a different idea: don’t build your shopping list around recipes. Build it around ingredients.

Take garlic scapes, for example.

If I find a bunch at the market today, I’m not immediately thinking, What garlic scape recipe should I make?

I’m thinking:

How many ways can I use this one ingredient?

Maybe they become garlic scape butter for toast and grilled vegetables.

Maybe they’re blended into a dip.

Maybe they get tossed into pasta.

Maybe they’re folded into turkey meatballs.

One ingredient. Four different ways to eat.

That’s the beauty of seasonal cooking.

The market does the hard work for you.

The farmers market is my meal plan.

Instead of standing in your kitchen asking, What should I make this week? you can ask, What’s growing right now?

The answer is usually more interesting.

I think that’s why I love summer so much.

Summer asks us to pay attention.

To what’s growing.

To what’s in season.

To the people sitting across from us.

To the life we’re already living.

I’m excited to continue leaning into everything this season brings. I’m slowing down, prioritizing my plants, and embracing “no” as a complete sentence. Just because the days are longer doesn’t mean I need to optimize every minute of them.

Today is also Father’s Day, and I couldn’t write without acknowledging it.

Father’s Day can feel complicated for a lot of people, myself included, so I’ll simply say this: to the dads showing up, loving well, and teaching us how to care for other people, thank you.

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This Week’s Snackagories

Built around the abundance of the season and everything I’m hoping to find at the farmers market right now.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Garlic Scape Butter + Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

The first bunch of garlic scapes always feels like the unofficial start of summer. Their mild garlic flavor adds so much punch without overpowering everything else.

Garlic Scape Butter

• 1 stick salted butter, softened

• 3 garlic scapes, finely chopped

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Pinch flaky salt

Perfect on toast, grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, or melted over roasted potatoes.

Throwing a bonus recipe in here today; because my Husband is addicted to Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing and today’s plan includes prepping a fresh batch.

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Salt + pepper

Shake and drizzle over greens, berries, or grain salad bowls.

Niknack Tip:

Whenever you buy fresh herbs, garlic scapes, or green onions, think beyond one recipe. Compound butters, dressings, dips, and sauces stretch seasonal ingredients all week long.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Blueberry Almond Lemon Loaf

Peak blueberry season is right around the corner, and this loaf feels like summer mornings in snack form. It also gives me something to look forward to as I start my work day.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour

• ½ cup oat flour

• 2 eggs, whisked

• ⅓ cup maple syrup

• Zest of 2 lemons

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup blueberries

• Sliced almonds

Slice and freeze individual portions for easy breakfasts, afternoon snacks, or farmers market fuel.

🥕 Fresh Produce

Sugar Snap Peas

If you see snap peas at the market, grab them.

They’re sweet, crunchy, require almost no prep, and somehow make every meal feel fresher.

How I’m Using Them

• Raw with dip

• Chopped into salads

• Tossed into pasta

• Quick sauté with garlic scape butter

• Added to grain bowls

Niknack Tip:

Wash, trim, and store snap peas as soon as you get home. If they’re ready to eat, you’ll actually eat them.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Fresh cherries are one of summer’s greatest gifts, and they deserve more than being eaten standing over the sink (although that’s encouraged too).

These brownies combine rich chocolate flavor with juicy cherries for the perfect seasonal dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2 eggs

• ⅓ cup maple syrup

• ½ cup cocoa powder

• ½ cup oat flour

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 1 cup chopped fresh cherries

• Pinch salt

Seasonal Fun Fact: Sweet cherries are one of the first major fruit harvests of summer in Western New York, making right now the perfect time to lean in.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Turkey Meatballs with Cherry Tomato Lemon Basil Sauce

A reminder that great summer meals don’t need much.

When tomatoes, basil, and lemons are doing the heavy lifting, dinner practically makes itself.

Turkey Meatballs

• 1 lb ground turkey

• 1 egg

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

• ¼ cup grated parmesan

• Garlic scapes or garlic

• Salt + pepper

Cherry Tomato Lemon Basil Sauce

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Garlic, minced or powder

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

• Handful fresh basil

• Reserved pasta water

• Salt + pepper

Roast the meatballs while the tomatoes blister in a skillet. Toss together with fresh pasta, or serve alongside grilled vegetables.

Meal Prep Tip:

Make a double batch of meatballs and freeze half. Future-you will be thrilled.

Summer Feels like Possibility

Not because everything changes overnight, but because the days get long enough to notice what’s already growing.

Today I’ll wander the farmers market, fill a tote bag with whatever catches my eye, and almost certainly come home with more greens than I need.

For a long time, I thought I was building toward a future version of my life.

Lately, I’m realizing I might already be living it.

Summer starts today. I’m excited to lean in.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack <3

Until next time,

Niknack

Nine years ago, I ran my first Corporate Challenge as a first-year analyst in New York City.

If you’d told me then what my current job title is and where I would live today, or that I’d be spending a Sunday teaching people how to stock their fridge with seasonal snacks, I would have laughed in your face.

And yet, here we are.

This past week, I ran my third Corporate Challenge with my coworkers in Buffalo.

As I was running, I kept thinking about that first-year analyst and all the things I would tell her.

First: you are not defined by your career.

No one is tracking your overtime besides you.

Second: mistakes are how you learn.

Early in your career, one mistake can feel like the end of the world. It isn’t. You’re human. Humans make mistakes. The best ones learn from them.

Third: stop living so far in the future.

Have goals, but don’t spend so much time planning your life that you forget to enjoy it.

One day you’ll look back on your early career as the good old days. Don’t waste them worrying about a future that probably won’t unfold the way you imagined anyway.

Fourth: you are your own worst critic.

I lost so much sleep chasing perfectionism and holding myself to impossible standards. It took me years to realize that life becomes a lot more enjoyable when you stop treating every decision like it’s make-or-break.

Fifth: soft skills matter.

A smile, positive attitude, genuine curiosity, and the ability to work well with others will take you further than you think.

And lastly: you become who you surround yourself with.

I was so hesitant to move to Buffalo. Plenty of my New York colleagues couldn’t understand why I’d leave.

But as I said in my wedding vows, one of the first things my Husband ever told me about Buffalo was that it’s a “city of good neighbors.”

Almost three years later, and nearly one year into working for a Buffalo-based marketing agency, I can wholeheartedly say he was right.

This city is filled with genuinely good people.

People who show up.

People who care.

People who root for each other.

Nine years ago, I had a vision for what my 30s would look like.

None of it happened the way I planned.

And somehow it turned out better.

Funny how life makes the most sense when you look back.

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This Week’s Snackagories

Snack Attack #2 is today, and I’ve been spending the week prepping recipes, organizing ingredient lists, and reminding myself that teaching people how to use fresh produce is my favorite part.

This week’s menu is built around one idea: Prep a few versatile components and let them become multiple meals throughout the week.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Strawberry Balsamic Dip

If summer had an official flavor, I think it might be strawberries and basil.

This dip is creamy, tangy, sweet, and endlessly versatile. It starts as a snack board centerpiece but quickly becomes a dressing, sandwich spread, or grain bowl sauce.

Ingredients

• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Strawberries
• Balsamic vinegar
• Lemon zest
• Fresh basil
• Salt & pepper

Seasonal Tip:

Local strawberries are one of the first true tastes of summer. The best ones are often the smallest, most fragrant berries in the basket.

Niknack Tip:

Thin leftovers with olive oil and a splash of lemon juice to create a pasta salad dressing.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Cherry Pistachio No-Bake Cookies

Because it’s too hot to turn on the oven.

These cookies are chewy, nutty, lightly sweet, and packed with pantry staples that actually keep you full.

Ingredients

• Rolled oats
• Pistachios
• Pumpkin seeds
• Dried cherries
• Almond butter
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom

Niknack Tip:

Store them in the refrigerator for an easy grab-and-go breakfast, afternoon snack, or post-walk treat.

🥕 Fresh Produce

Crispy Pea & Herb Salad

This recipe is summer produce at its peak.

Crunchy lettuce, fresh herbs, radishes, tomatoes, eggs, bacon, and a creamy lemon dressing all working together to create something far more exciting than a side salad.

Ingredients

• Lettuce
• Fresh herbs & green onions
• Radishes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Crispy bacon
• Crispy pea “croutons”
• Creamy lemon dressing

Seasonal Tip:

Fresh herbs are one of the easiest ways to make vegetables feel special. Think of them less like garnish and more like a vegetable themselves.

Niknack Tip:

Turn leftovers into a pita sandwich, grain bowl topper, or quick lunch with grilled chicken.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Strawberry Olive Oil Sundaes

A reminder that not every food needs a health justification.

Some foods exist simply because they’re delicious.

And strawberries, vanilla ice cream, olive oil, flaky salt, and rhubarb caramel happen to be one of my favorite combinations of the season.

Ingredients

• Vanilla ice cream
• Fresh strawberries
• Rhubarb caramel
• Olive oil
• Flaky sea salt

Sometimes dessert is the snack.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

White Bean Chicken Salad

One of my favorite examples of practical snack prep.

A single batch can become lunches, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, snack plates, or an easy dinner throughout the week.

Ingredients

• Shredded Chicken
• Cannellini beans
• Green onions
• Celery
• Fresh herbs
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Dijon mustard

Meal Prep Tip:

The beans stretch the chicken while adding fiber, texture, and staying power.

The Good Old Days

One thing I’ve realized recently is that we’re often living through the very moments we’ll someday look back on fondly.

The good old days rarely announce themselves.

They’re a Thursday evening walk.

A Corporate Challenge with coworkers.

A summer workshop.

A dinner on the porch.

A city that slowly becomes home.

For years I spent a lot of time looking ahead.

Lately I’ve been trying to pay more attention to what’s right in front of me.

Because one day, I know i’ll look back on this season of life and miss it too.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack ❤️

Until next time,

Niknack

Which is objectively hilarious considering Buffalo sits on Lake Erie.

Last week, a friend invited me to go speed sailing. I jumped at the opportunity and somewhere between the wind and the water, I was transported back to childhood.

I grew up on the water. It’s where I feel most at peace. Most at home.

My grandpa had power boats my entire life, and as the oldest granddaughter, I got to go everywhere with him. We spent summers traveling around New England: Watch Hill, Block Island, Nantucket. Fourth of July was usually spent on Block Island or anchored out somewhere watching fireworks dance across the water.

The best day of my life was when I was finally old enough to drive the dinghy around myself. I always joked that one day I wanted a cigarette boat so I could go as fast as possible.

So when my friend invited me to go speed sailing, I had no idea what I was in for. But my sea legs were certainly up for the challenge.

Somewhere between learning how to haul the halyard and winch the line, nostalgia took over.

Not the sad kind. The grateful kind.

The kind that sneaks up on you when you realize just how much your childhood shaped who you became.

I didn’t know how good I had it growing up on boats with my grandparents.

Those memories influenced so much of who I am today.

My grandpa introduced me to nearly all of my favorite foods. He got me hooked on seafood at a very young age.

My grandparents’ house sits on a canal, and some of my favorite Sunday dinners happened after my grandpa spent the day fishing while my grandma cooked whatever he brought home.

Freshly caught flounder was a favorite.

Breaded with mayonnaise, lemon, and breadcrumbs.

Simple. Delicious. Perfect.

The older I get, the more I realize food has a funny way of connecting us to different versions of ourselves.

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This Week’s Snackagories

This week’s Snackagories are inspired by the version of me that grew up on boats, spent summers with sand between her toes, ate seafood whenever possible, and believed every meal tasted better near the water.

In other words: the summer version of myself.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Mango White Bean Salsa

If summer had an official dip, this might be my nomination.

It’s bright, fresh, slightly sweet, a little spicy, and incredibly versatile. It falls somewhere between a salsa, a dip, and a spread… which means it’s exactly my kind of recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango, diced small

• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• ⅓ cup red onion, finely diced

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• Juice of 2 limes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Partially smashing the beans is the move that makes this work as both a salsa and a spread. Serve it with chips, pile it onto grilled fish, spread it onto sandwiches, or spoon it over grain bowls.

Seasonal Snack Attack Hack: Mangoes may not be local, but they’re at their sweetest and most abundant during summer months. Pairing sweet fruit with lime, herbs, and a little heat is one of the easiest ways to make simple meals feel exciting.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Strawberry Protein Balls

Strawberry season is far too short, so I’m finding every excuse possible to work them into snack prep.

These taste like a strawberry shortcake energy bite and are perfect for keeping in the fridge when hunger inevitably strikes.

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh strawberries, finely diced

• ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1 cup almond butter or peanut butter

• ¾ cup honey or maple syrup

• ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp kosher salt

Store these in the freezer. They thaw in just a few minutes and make the perfect grab-and-go snack before workouts, road trips, or busy afternoons.

Seasonal Snack Attack Hack: Fresh strawberries add flavor and moisture, while freeze-dried strawberries concentrate that classic berry flavor without making the mixture soggy.

🥕 Fresh Produce Snack

Grilled Zucchini

The first zucchini of summer always feels like a seasonal milestone. And this summer we’re living for the Blackstone grill.

Grilling transforms zucchini from something mild into something smoky, caramelized, and completely irresistible.

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• Fresh thyme or oregano (optional)

Seasonal Snack Attack Hack: Zucchini plants are famously productive. If you’ve ever had a garden, you’ve probably experienced the annual tradition of trying to find creative ways to use all of it.

Leftover zucchini works beautifully in grain bowls, sandwiches, pasta salads, wraps, omelets, and snack plates throughout the week.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Cashew Clusters

A reminder that not every snack needs to be complicated.

Sometimes all you need is chocolate, crunchy nuts, and a little flaky salt.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cashews

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)

Eat them cold from the refrigerator with an afternoon coffee.

That’s it.

That’s the tip.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Grilled Tuna Steaks

Every bite reminds me of summer dinners near the water.

Tuna cooks quickly, feels special without being complicated, and makes meal prep feel a little more exciting than another container of chicken.

Ingredients

• 4 tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Garlic powder

• Smoked paprika

• Lemon zest

• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Meal Prep Tip: Cook tuna just until medium-rare, then slice and use throughout the week. Serve it with:

• Mango White Bean Salsa

• Grilled zucchini

• Rice bowls

• Salads

• Lettuce wraps

A little protein prep goes a long way when summer schedules start filling up.

Summer Is Upon Us

This week reminded me that some of the things we love most about adulthood are often the things we loved as kids.

Being outside.

Being near the water.

Eating dinner on a porch.

Fresh fruit.

Long evenings.

Good company.

Simple food.

The things that feel magical now aren’t all that different from the things that felt magical then.

Maybe that’s why summer feels so nostalgic.

Not because we want to go backwards.

But because it reminds us who we’ve been all along.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack <3

Until next time,

Niknack

Nothing particularly exciting had happened.

Just strawberries.

The kind that actually taste like strawberries.

And dinner on the porch.

The kind of evening I long for.

As May comes to a close, I’ve found myself reaching for the word quaint to describe how I’m feeling.

But that’s not quite right.

Quaint describes a place.

What I’m feeling is something closer to contentment.

Excitement gets all the attention.

Engagements.
Trips.
Promotions.
New jobs.
Moves.

It’s loud.

It’s easy to identify.

It’s easy to post about.

Contentment is quieter.

It’s walking to the local market.

Seeing summer produce return.

Singing your favorite song with the windows down.

Traveling and then being happy to come home.

Turning the page on a new month with anticipation rather than urgency.

For most of my life, happiness felt like something I would achieve.

Lately it feels more like something I’ve learned to notice.

May wasn’t remarkable because something huge happened.

It was remarkable because so many ordinary things felt worth noticing.

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This Week’s Snackagories

We’ve arrived at the best time of the year. Farmer’s markets are flourishing and simple ingredients are here to make ordinary days feel like magic.

One of my favorite reminders this time of year is that a single prepared component can become several meals. A little effort on Sunday creates a lot of ease on Wednesday, and that’s the goal of these snacks.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Roasted Beet Feta Sauce

Beets have finally arrived at Five Loaves Farm, which means I’m immediately turning them into a creamy roasted beet feta sauce. I never thought I liked beets, but as I’ve leaned into cooking seasonally I found I like them roasted.

Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, while feta adds saltiness and tang. The result is a vibrant sauce that's equally enjoyed at home on a snack board or tossed with warm pasta.

Ingredients

• 3 medium beets, roasted and peeled

• 4 oz feta cheese

• 1 garlic clove

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

The sauce can become a:

• dip for vegetables and crackers

• spread for sandwiches and wraps

• dressing for grain bowls and salads

• pasta sauce tossed with warm noodles

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

No Bake Apricot Chia Protein Bars

These bars feel like sunshine in snack form.

Dried apricots add natural sweetness and chewiness, while chia seeds, oats, and nut butter create a satisfying snack that actually keeps you full.

I love recipes like this because they remove decision fatigue. When a nourishing option is already waiting in the fridge, it’s much easier to choose.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried apricots

• 1 cup rolled oats

• ½ cup almond butter

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• 2 tbsp flax seeds

• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

• Pinch of sea salt

Pulse everything together in a food processor, press into a lined pan, and refrigerate until firm.

Perfect for:

• breakfast; in the car or on the go

• afternoon snacks

• late night snacks

Fun fact: Chia seeds absorb many times their weight in liquid, which helps create structure while adding fiber and staying power.

🥕 Fresh Produce Snack

Little Gem Crunch Cups

We've officially entered lettuce season. The first tender heads of lettuce are one of the most underrated signs of summer. They're sweeter, more delicate, and infinitely more exciting than the sad plastic clamshells of winter.

These little lettuce cups celebrate everything fresh and crisp about the season.

Ingredients

• 1 head Little Gem or butter lettuce

• 4 radishes, thinly sliced

• 1 snap pea handful, sliced

• 2 green onions, sliced

• Fresh dill and parsley

• Lemon juice

• Olive oil

• Flaky sea salt

Toss the filling ingredients together and spoon into lettuce leaves.

The beauty of this snack is its simplicity. When produce is fresh and in season, it doesn’t need much help.

Seasonal tip: Radishes are often overlooked for their greens. If your bunch comes with tops attached, blend them into pesto or stir them into soups.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pretzels

These are the kind of treat that reminds me healthy eating doesn't need to exist at either extreme. Sometimes nourishment looks like vegetables and protein. Sometimes it looks like chocolate-covered strawberries shared on the porch after dinner.

Ingredients

• Fresh strawberries

• Pretzel twists

• Plain Greek Yogurt

• Peanut Butter

• Flaky sea salt

• Dark chocolate chips

The combination of sweet strawberries, salty pretzels, and rich chocolate is one of those simple pleasures that somehow feels special every time.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Ginger Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs

If summer had an official protein source, grilled chicken thighs would be my nomination. Chicken thighs stay juicy, reheat beautifully, and work with nearly every meal you can imagine.

The ginger glaze adds brightness and a little sweetness while keeping the ingredient list simple.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Juice of 1 lime

Marinate for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

Serve with:

• Little Gem Crunch Cups

• Roasted vegetables

• Grain bowls

• Pasta salad

• Wrapped in lettuce with extra herbs

Meal prep tip: Slice leftovers for salads, tuck into wraps, pile onto grain bowls, or pair with crackers and vegetables for an easy snack plate. Having a ready-to-go protein source is one of the simplest ways to make weekday meals feel effortless.

I’ve found myself smiling at the ordinary.

While heading to the gym at 6am.

While planning June’s Snack Attack at Five Loaves Farm.

While noticing the return of strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and all the other signs that summer is upon us.

In the realization that there isn’t somewhere else I’d rather be.

June is arriving with longer days, coffee walks, porch parties, and all the anticipation that comes with the start of summer.

And for once, I’m not in a rush to get anywhere.

I’m just happy to be here.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack <3

Until next time,

Niknack

P.S. If you’re local, June’s Snack Attack is coming up fast and I’d love to see you there. We’ll be talking seasonal snacks, simple systems, and ways to make summer cooking feel more approachable and fun. Sign up here.

Memorial Day weekend is supposed to feel like sunshine, patios, grilling, and the unofficial start of summer. Instead, Buffalo is rainy, grey, and cold. While I hold out hope the weather turns, the plan is to watch Project Hail Mary, on the couch with our cats. And snacks of course.

Coming off vacation directly into Memorial Day weekend was completely unintentional, and honestly, I kind of forgot about the kickoff to summer altogether.

This week felt quiet. A bit of a reset for me while the rest of the world seemed to be gearing up for road trips, lake days, and a long weekend. So many contrasts all at once.

Still, even in quieter weeks, life keeps moving.

Today is the Buffalo Marathon, and I have a handful of friends running the half. I’m really excited to cheer them on and see the city come together. There’s something incredibly motivating about collective effort.

I think that energy is part of what’s been pulling me back toward the gym lately too. Coming home from Copenhagen reminded me how much I rely on movement as part of my routine. Not as punishment. Not as pressure. Just momentum.

Like yesterday, even with the rain and low-energy mood, I still went to Wegmans.

I still bought groceries.
I still thought about what would make the week ahead feel easier.
I still planned out Snackagories.

Because that’s really the whole point of this practice.

Not waiting until you feel perfectly inspired.
Not becoming a brand new person overnight.
Just continuing to build small systems that support you, even during the quieter weeks.

June’s Snack Attack is somehow right around the corner, which feels both exciting and slightly terrifying in the way all meaningful things tend to feel. I’m nervous, energized, inspired, and hoping this month’s event feels like the start of a really beautiful summer.

If you’re in Buffalo and want to join us on June 14th, sign up for Snack Attack here.

This month feels especially aligned with what Snack Attack is becoming though: simple systems, seasonal food, community, and making nourishment feel less overwhelming.

I’m off to prep a fruit salad for a BBQ: strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and Three Wishes chocolate granola with maybe some kind of yogurt-honey-lime situation.

Nothing revolutionary. Just colorful food during a grey weekend.

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This Week’s Snackagories

late-spring-meets-early-summer

The transition between spring and summer always feels especially fun to cook through. The markets start getting fuller, berries slowly become sweeter, herbs taste fresher, and everything feels lighter after months of comfort food.

This week’s Snackagories are built around colorful produce, easy flavor boosters, and recipes that make weekday meals feel a little more exciting without requiring a ton of effort.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Roasted red peppers are one of my favorite shortcuts because they add instant depth without needing to roast anything yourself. I love recipes like this heading into summer because dips become the backbone of easy meals: snack plates, BBQ spreads, sandwiches, wraps, bowls, etc.

Ingredients

• Roasted red peppers (make your own if you have the time, it’s so worth it)

• Greek yogurt or whipped cottage cheese

• Garlic

• Lemon juice

• Olive oil

• Smoked paprika

• Salt + pepper

Serve with:

• cucumbers

• pita chips

• crackers

• sandwiches

• grilled chicken

• grain bowls

Fun fact: red peppers actually contain more vitamin C than oranges.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars

Rhubarb season always feels like the official bridge into summer to me.

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but almost always treated like fruit because of its tartness. It needs sweetness to balance it out, which is why strawberry-rhubarb works so well together. Sweet + tart + jammy is hard to beat.

I wanted something easy to grab throughout the week that also felt seasonal and cozy enough for rainy mornings with coffee.

Ingredients

• Strawberries

• Rhubarb

• Oats

• Flour

• Coconut or brow) sugar

• Cinnamon

• Butter or coconut oil

• Vanilla

• Chia seeds (optional for thickening)

Perfect for:

• breakfast; in the car or on the go

• afternoon snacks

• marathon spectating fuel

🥕 Fresh Produce Snack

Tajín Cucumber Salad

This is one of those recipes that barely qualifies as a recipe, which honestly makes it perfect for Snackagories. I love keeping cucumber salads in rotation because they pair with basically everything and make heavier meals feel brighter.

Ingredients

• Cucumbers

• Lime juice

• Tajín

• Fresh mint

• Salt

• Optional: avocado or feta

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Cherry Mug Cake

If you’ve been reading, you know I’m very into chocolate + cherry. I’d love to know if my readers agree so please leave a comment about how you feel about cherries.

Cherry season aside, frozen cherries are one of my favorite things to keep on hand because they work in smoothies, desserts, overnight oats, yogurt bowls, and quick sauces. Paired with chocolate, they somehow make a 5-minute microwave mug cake feel a little elevated.

Ingredients

• Cocoa powder

• Flour

• Baking powder

• Milk

• Maple syrup

• Chocolate chips

• Frozen or fresh cherries

• Vanilla

• Pinch of salt

Optional topping:

• whipped cream

• yogurt

• extra cherries

• flaky salt

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Teriyaki Orange Chicken

My goal is to focus on proteins that can work across multiple meals throughout the week, and this one checks every box.

Sweet, savory, citrusy, and easy to throw into rice bowls, lettuce wraps, salads, or eaten cold straight from the fridge while deciding what to make for dinner.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs or breasts

• Orange juice + zest

• Soy sauce or coconut aminos

• Garlic

• Ginger

• Honey or maple syrup

• Rice vinegar

• Sesame oil

Serve with:

• rice

• cucumbers

• edamame

• roasted broccoli

• spicy mayo

• green onions

Meal prep tip: this gets even better after sitting overnight in the fridge.

Sometimes nourishment is just continuing.

Continuing to stock your fridge.
Continuing to move your body.
Continuing to invite people over.
Continuing to build routines that make life feel a little softer, easier, and more colorful — even when the sky outside is grey.

And honestly, maybe fruit salad on a rainy Memorial Day weekend is its own kind of optimism.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack <3

Until next time,
Niknack

P.S. If you’re local, June’s Snack Attack is coming up fast and I’d love to see you there. We’ll be talking seasonal snacks, simple systems, and ways to make summer cooking feel more approachable and fun. Sign up here.

Not the pastries. Not the colorful buildings or beautiful canals. Not even the Barr at Noma dinner.

On our last day in Copenhagen, we sat outside at a picnic table in the sun, surrounded by locals speaking Danish around us. We had white wine, roasted almonds, sourdough bread and butter sprinkled with the perfect amount of flaky sea salt.

That moment felt like the entire trip distilled into one meal.

I love traveling because it forces me to slow down, pay attention, and step into someone else’s rhythm for a while.

And Copenhagen’s rhythm felt especially beautiful.

Every morning smelled like espresso, rain, butter, and fresh bread. People lingered over coffee. No one seemed in a rush to get anywhere besides where they already were.

Travel always expands my senses, but eventually you have to return home and translate inspiration back into ordinary life again.

And honestly, I already know the hardest part will be resisting the urge to rush straight back into productivity… which is ironic considering I’m writing and scheduling this at 10pm while severely jet-lagged.

But maybe that’s part of it too. The best parts of this trip happened in the middle.

Sitting on a park bench. Wandering side streets in the rain. Chatting with bartenders. Walking 25k steps a day and somehow never feeling rushed.

I find I learn more about myself through the travel experience itself than during the “peak vacation” moments. Travel strips away routine and reveals how you move through the world. And maybe food does the same thing.

Copenhagen’s food culture wasn’t flashy or overcomplicated. Everything felt unintentionally seasonal, built around what was local, fresh, and readily available, then elevated through care and simplicity.

The best meals weren’t complicated. They were intentional.

Copenhagen’s Palate

Pastries

So. Many. Pastries.

Our first full day in Copenhagen was naturally a bakery crawl, despite the rain. We started with a cardamom bun and somehow spent the rest of the day trying every bun imaginable — chocolate buns, cinnamon buns, cream buns, milk buns.

However the first winner was a rhubarb-filled pastry. Tart, jammy, buttery perfection.

I was really excited to have the BMO: a poppy seed bun with cheese and whipped butter. I learned the locals eat it as two halves and the American or “Instagram” way is to eat it as a sandwich.

Butter

Europe simply does butter better. I can’t explain it.

The whipped butter on my BMO. The salty butter served with fresh sourdough at nearly every restaurant. At Barr Noma, we had new potatoes covered in a vibrant green herb butter that might’ve been the best thing I ate all trip.

Proof that the simplest foods are often the most memorable.

Rye Bread

Copenhagen’s famous smørrebrød is essentially an open-faced rye bread sandwich, but the bread itself almost eats more like a seeded cracker than traditional soft rye. Perfect with egg salad, herbs, butter, or smoked fish.

I already know I’m going to spend the next few weeks trying to recreate versions of it at home.

We tried a mushroom toast from a street vendor and a chicken toast from a take away restaurant.

They were both dense, earthy and delicious.

Why Travel Always Changes The Way I Eat

Travel makes me pay attention again.

There was rhubarb everywhere. Herbs in everything. Local ingredients woven naturally into daily life.

One afternoon we stopped into a local cafeteria-style lunch spot and paid around $10 for whatever the daily plate was. No menu. No customization. Just lentils, salad piled with herbs, fresh bread, butter, and cheese.

Simple food. Good ingredients. Community eating together.

It reminded me that eating well doesn’t always have to be optimized or complicated.

Sometimes it’s just slowing down long enough to enjoy it.

Travel also reconnects me to appetite in a way normal life often disconnects me from. You walk more. You sit longer. You eat for pleasure. You notice rituals. Food becomes memory and place instead of just fuel squeezed between obligations.

Makes sense why I love it so much.

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This Week’s Snackagories

A cross between post-travel rest, Copenhagen inspiration, and recreating tiny moments at home.

The goal, as always: make everyday nourishment feel exciting and accessible.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Horseradish Dip with Pickled Onions
Horseradish is in peak season right now, and after having freshly shaved horseradish alongside pâté in Copenhagen, my immediate thought was: horseradish dip.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream

• 2 tbsp prepared horseradish

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp whole grain mustard

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

• 1 tbsp chopped chives

• Salt + black pepper

• Pickled red onions for topping

• Optional: drizzle of olive oil

Serving Inspo:

• rye crackers

• cucumbers

• smoked salmon

• baby potatoes

• pretzels

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Chai Chia Protein Bites
Inspired by all the warm spices and cardamom buns from our bakery crawl.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

• 1/4 cup almond butter or cashew butter

• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp cardamom

• 1/4 tsp ginger

• pinch of salt

• splash of vanilla extract

• Optional: white chocolate chips or chopped dates

🥕 Fresh Produce Snack

Crispy Greek Chickpea Spring Salad
Built around a can of Trader Joe’s Greek Chickpeas sitting in my pantry waiting to become lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 can Trader Joe’s Greek Chickpeas

• 1 Persian cucumber, chopped

• 1 cup snap peas or sugar snap peas

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

• handful arugula or chopped romaine

• fresh dill

• fresh parsley

• crumbled feta

• crispy quinoa OR pita chips for crunch

• lemon juice

• olive oil

• flaky salt

• black pepper

Optional Mix-in’s

• avocado

• pickled onions

• pepperoncini

• salami/prosciutto

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Rhubarb Compote Sundaes
Vanilla ice cream topped with warm rhubarb compote, olive oil, and flaky sea salt.

A little Copenhagen-inspired magic at home.

Rhubarb Compote

• 3 cups chopped rhubarb

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple syrup

• squeeze of orange or lemon juice

• pinch of salt

• optional: vanilla bean or cinnamon

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Dill Egg Salad
Dill egg salad on pumpernickel rye is what I’m most excited to make this week — naturally inspired by Copenhagen’s smørrebrød culture.

Ingredients

• 6 eggs

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or mayo

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• lots of fresh dill

• chopped chives or green onion

• lemon juice

• flaky salt

• black pepper

• optional: cornicrons, or pickled onions

Serve With

• pumpernickel rye bread

• cucumbers

• arugula

• microgreens

Niknack’s Palate

Honestly, this trip reminded me exactly why I started Snack Attack in the first place: to help people treat food with intentionality and see meals as moments of connection and nourishment. June’s Snack Attack event is around the corner, I’m so excited to finalize the menu this week. If you’re in Buffalo, sign up to snack with me here.

I’m ending this trip feeling deeply grateful. For good food, long walks, shared meals, and the reminder that life is meant to be savored a little more slowly.

Maybe that’s the real purpose of travel after all. Not to fully escape, but to expand what feels possible in your ordinary life.

Thanks for reading this week’s SubSnack <3

Until next time,
Niknack

To the moms, grandmothers, stepmoms, chosen moms, future moms, grieving moms, trying-to-be moms, and women who mother in a thousand invisible ways — you are extraordinary. Women are the infrastructure of so much love.

And a special shoutout to my mom, the #1 reader of this Substack since day one. Love you Mama. Sorry I’m in Europe on Mother’s Day… but honestly, this is nothing new. We’ve spent many Mother’s Day weekends apart over the years, and somehow our love has always traveled well.

Travel gives you more than photos and passport stamps. Sometimes it gives you perspective, appetite, gratitude, and a version of yourself you forgot was still there.

Yesterday We Arrived in London

My husband and I landed yesterday morning after a red-eye that I did not sleep a wink on (but I did watch an entire show, that was incredible, All Her Fault on Peacock). We got to our hotel around 9AM, couldn’t check in until 2PM, and did what all overtired travelers do: dropped our bags and powered through.

We wandered Borough Market, revisited some London staples, drank water like it was medicine, and tried to outrun the jet lag.

I studied abroad in London, so this city holds a special kind of nostalgia for me. It’s the second time I’ve visited with my Husband, which feels meaningful in its own right — sharing places that shaped you with the person you chose.

I’m writing this now from the social lounge of our hotel before our first true vacation day begins.

This trip was our delayed one-year anniversary gift / birthday gift(s), built around the things we each love most:

• today we’re going to a soccer match (Crystal Palace — Jon’s dream)

• later this week we’ll see Olivia Dean in Copenhagen (my dream — live music forever)

That feels like marriage to me. Your joy, my joy, our joy.

It Took Me a Minute to Arrive

I’ve been so heads down with work, content, routines, obligations, trying to stay consistent, trying to keep momentum, trying to do everything “right,” that this trip almost snuck up on me.

And if I’m honest, the anxiety didn’t fully leave my body until I took a nap yesterday.

Then at dinner, somewhere between the first bite and the second pint of cider, I felt it happen:

the stress left.

Vacation mode entered.

Sometimes rest doesn’t begin when you board the plane. Sometimes it begins when your nervous system finally believes you’re safe.

Europe Changed My Life Before I Even Knew It

One of the best gifts my small high school ever gave me was exposure to the world.

Each year, the sophomore class took a Europe trip tied to history curriculum. Every class planned a different route, so no two trips were the same.

Mine took me through Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

I had just turned sixteen. I got my first job nannying to help pay for it.

And I remember standing in Venice with my best friend Halle, looking around at the winding streets and water and magic of it all, saying:

I need to study abroad.

And later, I did.

Funny how certain moments quietly decide your future.

The Truth About Where My Food Love Comes From

When I first started Niknack, my Grandma always asked:

“Where do you get this love of food and cooking from?!”

My instinctive answer was always:

You.

And yes, that’s true.

But now I understand it’s more layered than that.

It came from

her.
It came from family.
It came from curiosity.
And it came from Europe.

Because Europe snacks and eats differently.

They prioritize real food.
They sit down together.
They treat meals as moments.
They eat seasonally without calling it seasonal eating.
They build meals from culture, not trends.
They enjoy without obsessing.

Meals that don’t perform.
Meals that nourish.

That philosophy has shaped me more than I realized.

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Travel Is Work. But So Is Staying Small.

Yes, travel can be exhausting.

Red-eyes. Jet lag. Delays. Packing. Logistics. The older you get, the less glamorous it feels.

But nothing compares to the perspective that comes from leaving your routine and seeing life done differently.

Travel reminds you that there are countless ways to live.

And sometimes that reminder is worth every ounce of effort.

Maybe This Is What Success Looks Like

There’s a quote I keep thinking about:

You don’t have to love your job. You have to love the life it fuels.

For the next seven days, I get to do exactly that.

I get to walk unfamiliar streets with my husband.
Eat beautiful food.
Listen to live music.
See things that wake me up.
Remember there is more to life than inboxes and algorithms.

And honestly?

That might be the healthiest thing I do all year.

This Week’s Snackagories

Paused for a very official and necessary reason:

Europe Snacks Edition.

Trip recap + regular Snackagories will resume next week.

Until then, I’ll be gathering inspiration the old-fashioned way:

by living.

Xoxoxo,
Niknack

There’s something about flipping the calendar that feels like permission to begin again. New produce. New energy. New chances to do things a little differently.

I’m excited for this month, but if i’m honest, it’s been a weird week.

Busy in the kind of way where your calendar is full, but your spirit feels empty.

I’ve been running from one thing to the next, being productive, being social, being “on”. And by the time the weekend arrived, all I wanted to do was absolutely nothing.

Instead, Saturday looked like waking up to an alarm, errands, family obligations, social plans.

On paper? A perfectly normal, even lovely day.

But lately I’ve realized exhaustion doesn’t always come from doing too much. Sometimes it comes from being in spaces where you don’t feel like yourself.

My social battery hasn’t just been drained — it’s been depleted by surface-level conversation, polite versions of myself, by biting my tongue when what I really crave is depth.

Honesty. Meaningful exchange.

I want to talk about ideas, patterns, dreams, food, feelings, why people are the way they are, what makes life feel alive.

Instead, life often asks for small talk.

And I know that’s normal. Not every room is meant for depth.

But I’m learning that wanting honesty, substance, and connection does not make me difficult.

It means I know what fills my cup.

The older I get, the more I understand that nourishment isn’t only food.

It’s conversation.

It’s environment.

It’s who you spend your time with.

It’s whether you can exhale around the people in your life.

The good news is I also feel myself getting stronger.

I’m getting better at letting things roll off my back at work. Better at releasing the need for every day to go according to plan. Better at taking things one day at a time.

And that’s growth.

Today, more than anything, I’m excited to cook.

Because when life feel chaotic, I lean into flavors I’m excited about, recipes I can create, snacks that make the week feel easier.

Food may not be the whole answer, but it is one of the ways I return home to myself.

And right now? Home tastes like May.

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This Week’s Snackagories

A reminder that feeding yourself doesn’t need to be complicated. A few good components can become breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and little moments of joy all week long.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Whipped Strawberry Goat Cheese

Creamy, tangy, lightly sweet. Spread on toast, crackers, rice cakes, or dolloped onto roasted beets.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz Goat Cheese

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or whipped cottage cheese

• 4–5 Strawberries

• Drizzle honey

• Pinch salt

• Lemon zest (optional)

How I use it:

• Spread thick on toast + topped with pistachios

• On rice cakes for an afternoon snack

• Stuffed into dates

• Dolloped onto roasted beets

• Tossed into warm pasta with beets + arugula

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Blackberry Olive Oil Breakfast Cake

This feels bakery-quality, but practical enough for a weekday morning.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Blackberries (fresh or frozen)

• 1/3 cup Olive Oil

• 2 Eggs

• 1/3 cup Maple Syrup

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• zest of 1 Lemon

• 1 cup All Purpose Flour

• 1/2 cup Vanilla Protein Powder

• 1 tsp Baking Powder

• pinch of Salt

Glaze:

• Greek Yogurt

• Maple Syrup

• Lemon Juice

How I use it:

• Slice with coffee before work

• Packed as a mid-morning snack

• Warmed up with yogurt on top

• Afternoon reset snack when I want something cozy

• Frozen individually for future me

🥕 Fresh Produce

Cauliflower Couscous Crunch Salad

Fresh, crunchy, bright, and full of texture. A side that makes you feel alive.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Riced Cauliflower; sautéed

• 1 cup cooked Couscous

• Arugula

• Radish, thinly sliced

• Feta

• Avocado (add day-of if possible)

• Pistachios

• Parsley

Dressing:

• Olive oil

• Lemon juice

• Dijon Mustard

• Chopped Chives

• Salt/pepper

How I use it:

• Lunch bowl with chicken on top

• Side salad with dinner

• Scooped into lettuce cups

• Add chickpeas for extra staying power

• Eat outside in the sun whenever possible

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Strawberry Protein Pudding

No-bake, satisfying, and the answer to wanting dessert on a Tuesday.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 scoop Chocolate protein powder

• 1 tbsp Cocoa powder

• Splash milk

• Strawberries folded in

• Dark chocolate chips (optional)

• Crushed freeze-dried strawberries for topping

How I use it:

• Post-dinner sweet fix

• Afternoon snack when I need something substantial

• Layered into jars for grab-and-go

• Topped with granola for breakfast dessert energy

• Straight from the bowl, standing in the kitchen

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Balsamic Mushroom Chicken

Savory chicken with caramelized mushrooms and balsamic to anchor meals all week.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb Chicken thighs

• 1.5 cups Mushrooms, sliced (any type will do)

• 1 small Onion, sliced

• 3 cloves Garlic

• 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

• Salt + Pepper

• Italian seasoning

How I use it:

• Over crispy potatoes

• With rice + salad

• Chopped into wraps

• Tossed into pasta with extra mushrooms

• Cold from the fridge when life is moving fast

The Role of This Newsletter

The role of this newsletter is to help you think differently about feeding yourself — to simplify, to notice patterns, to remember that meals and snacks can support your life instead of complicating it.

If you’ve been feeling overstimulated, disconnected, or unlike yourself lately, maybe you don’t need to “fix” everything today.

Maybe you need to make one snack you’re excited about.
Maybe you need strawberries.
Maybe you need to eat lunch outside.
Maybe you need a little less noise.

Maybe that counts more than you think.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack

Not in a judgmental way. Not in a “they should be doing better” way. In a visceral, hard-to-explain way. Where you can see so clearly how small shifts could help someone feel better, have more energy, maybe even change the trajectory of their health… and they just… don’t take them.

When my dad was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease, I tried to help the best way I knew how: through food.

I’d research meals that were simple but nourishing. I’d offer ideas, bring ingredients, try to make cooking feel easier, more approachable, less overwhelming. I wanted “eating healthier” to feel doable.

And sometimes it landed. But most of the time… it didn’t.

That’s the part no one really talks about.

Because when it doesn’t land, it’s not just frustrating. It’s confusing, sometimes infuriating. You start questioning yourself.

Am I overstepping? Am I not thinking about this right? Am I expecting too much? Am I being dramatic? Is food not actually fuel?

You care, you try, you adjust… and nothing really changes.

At some point, I had to face something uncomfortable:

You can’t help someone who doesn’t want help.

You can’t nourish someone who doesn’t want to be nourished.

And I don’t mean that in a harsh way. I mean it in the most honest, grounded way possible.

Because knowing what to do is rarely the problem.

We all know what supports us. Drink more water. Eat more whole foods. Move your body. Get enough sleep. It’s not groundbreaking information.

The gap is in the doing.

In the choosing, over and over again, to follow through on what you already know.

And that choice has to come from the person themselves. No amount of love, effort, planning, or perfectly prepped meals can force it.

That realization was a turning point for me.

Not only in how I showed up for other people, but in how I started showing up for myself.

I grew up in a dynamic where I learned responsibility early. I became the one who noticed things, who tried to help, who tried to smooth things over or make things better where I could. And for a long time, I carried that into everything I did. Including food and meal prep.

But there were so many things I couldn’t fix. So many patterns I couldn’t change.

And eventually, I got tired.

Tired of pouring energy into things that weren’t mine to control.
Tired of trying to solve problems that didn’t want solutions.
Tired of feeling like my effort was going nowhere.

So I shifted.

Instead of asking, “How can I get them to change?”
I started asking, “What can I change for myself?”

That’s when I really leaned into building Niknack.

From the decision to focus on what was in my control.

Simple, supportive food.
Snacks that are easy to make and actually enjoyable to eat.
Things I could come back to again and again, even on low-energy days.

Because if knowing isn’t the hard part, then the system has to support the doing.

That’s what I care about now.

Not convincing people. Not forcing change. Not overcomplicating it.

Just creating small, realistic ways to follow through on what we already know.

And if you’ve ever felt that tension, between knowing and doing, between caring and feeling stuck, you’re not alone.

Start small.

You don’t have to overhaul everything.

You just have to start showing up for yourself in ways that are sustainable.

Because at the end of the day, that’s the only place real change actually begins.

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This Week’s Snackagories

This week has been one of the busiest yet. I’m writing this from my parents’ house, which always brings up more emotions than I expect. So instead of overcomplicating things, I’m leaning all the way into simple, seasonal, supportive.

Minimal effort, maximum return.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Whipped Goat Cheese + Artichoke Dip

I get why goat cheese gets a bad rep. I too, slept on it for years. But when it’s whipped and paired with bright, briny flavors? Game over. If you like spinach artichoke dip, this is your entry point.

Ingredients

• 8 oz plain goat cheese, softened

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 2 jars (14 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 2 tbsp fresh dill

• Olive oil, salt and pepper to finish

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Bars

Bright, slightly sweet, and perfect for the week ahead.

Base: Combine 1.5 cups oat flour, 2 tbsp maple syrup, and 1/4 cup melted coconut oil. Press into an 8x8 pan and bake at 350°F for 10 min.

Filling: Whisk 2 eggs, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and 2 tbsp poppy seeds.

Assembly: Pour filling over crust, top with 1 cup fresh blueberries, and bake for another 15-20 min.

Chill: Let the bars cool completely and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set before cutting.

🥕 Fresh Produce

Italian Fava Bean Salad

Fava beans are another ingredient that gets a bad rep, but they are abundant right now so naturally, I must take advantage of them. Fresh, satisfying, and a great way to mix up your usual rotation.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh Fava beans, shelled

• 1 fennel bulb, finely sliced

• ¼ cup pecorino cheese, shaved

• ¼ cup mint leaves, chopped

• 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

• ½ teaspoon honey

• 1 small garlic clove, grated

• ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt, to taste

• black pepper, to taste

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Raspberry Almond Bark

Smashed raspberries, sliced almonds, Greek Yogurt and Dark chocolate.

Simple. Crunchy. Hits every time.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Mason Jar Chicken Bean Salads

This is a tried and true, go-to, Niknack recipe. I grab my extra-large Mason Jars, start with a lemony dressing and layer white beans, black beans, roasted red peppers, banana peppers, grilled chicken, spinach, parm cheese, repeat. White beans, black beans, roasted red peppers, banana peppers, grilled chicken, spinach, parm cheese.

When you’re ready to eat: shake or dump into a bowl. Done.

If this week feels heavy, or busy, or like you don’t have the energy to “do it all”, take this as your reminder:

You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need a few things that make taking care of yourself easier.

That’s it.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

If this resonated, please forward it to someone who might need it.

Or make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss next week’s Snackagories :)

Happy snacking,

Niknack

I’m nervous, excited and proud. I keep thinking ‘I can’t believe I’m actually doing this’, but this has been in the works for years. It’s lived in my head, excel docs and various kitchens as I’ve moved from one city to another.

Simply put; I love to eat food, talk about food, and cook food.

Today I get to do that with a group of people that reflect my current world.

Moving to Buffalo wasn’t an easy transition for me. I struggled with the idea of living in the shadow of my partner. This is his hometown, his world. But this event is the result of putting in the work to make Buffalo my own.

Everything I’m teaching is based on how I actually eat, and the method that’s held me together through various life challenges. It’s the method that structures this newsletter.

I don’t eat in a hyper-structured, meal-prepped way.

I eat in a way that’s guided by the season, and supported by a system.

I prep components. Things I can mix and match depending on my mood, my energy, or what I have going on during the week.

If you’ve been reading, you’re familiar, I call them:

Snackagories

And at Snack Attack, we’re making three of my go-to staples:

• A dip/spread

• A crunch mix

• A no bake sweet treat

Not to just make three new recipes. But as a way to think about feeding yourself that makes your week easier.

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How to Eat Seasonally (without overthinking it)

I get it. “Eating seasonally” can sound intimidating.

Expensive. Complicated. Slightly unrealistic.

But it’s not.

It just means starting with what’s available… and building from there.

I’m hosting Snack Attack at 5 Loaves Farm, which is the perfect example of that.

The farm is literally part of the neighborhood. It’s built across lots on Buffalo’s West Side and reflects the people who live there. What’s grown isn’t random — it’s useful, accessible, and meant to actually be cooked and eaten.

It’s food shaped by community.

Now here’s how I actually apply this:

I don’t plan my whole life around what’s in season.

I let what’s available guide what I prep.

• Carrots + herbs → a carrot puree or bean smash base.

• Strawberries + Rhubarb → a no bake sweet snack.

• Asparagus → wrapped in puff pastry and done.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

It’s just about letting fresh ingredients make the decision easier.

My Snackagories are my system for holding everything together.

Instead of asking myself “What am I making for dinner every night?”

I ask “What’s in season? What 2-3 things can I prep that will make eating this week easier?”

And suddenly:

• lunch is easier

• dinner comes together faster

• snacking feels intentional instead of chaotic

I used to overcomplicate what to eat for dinner. Especially after moving in with my partner, I thought dinner needed to an elaborate production every night.

It doesn’t. And you don’t need to overhaul your life to eat better.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

You just need a few things ready.

And that’s what I’m teaching today.

A few go-to snacks you can make on repeat.

Snacks, meal components, are what allow me to stay consistent without getting bored.

I plug seasonality into a system that supports my real life routines.

For a full break down of my Snacks Prep Method, read

If you try this, I’d genuinely love to hear what you make first.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack

There are a handful of folks signed up, all of them are my friends.

I’ll be honest, I thought more people would see it and think, wait, I need this. I thought more strangers would be curious.

But this isn’t about filling a room on the first try. It’s about building community and showing up honestly. Every event has a first room, this just happens to be mine.

I am a Certified Health Coach, and I keep coming back to how I got here. My health coaching journey started in 2018, while I was working at a bank in NYC and started noticing the toxic eating and lifestyle habits around me. We were all working demanding corporate desk jobs, so I started sharing my own tips and tricks for how I was thinking about food and meal prepping for myself during the week.

This evolved into joining the banks wellness team and ultimately becoming a health coach.

My instagram account, my brand, NiknackSnackattack, has been along for the ride. My Snacks Prep Method has silently fueled me for years.

Snack Attack exists because of one very real, recurring question everyone asks themselves:

what the heck am I going to eat this week?

I don’t think about food in a Pinterest picture-perfect, meal-prep-for-the-week way. I center myself in reality. Real life often looks like busy weeks and low energy evenings. When I open the fridge, I want something that actually sounds good, feels good, and doesn’t require a full production.

This is how I actually eat.

I don’t prep full meals, I prep snacks.

More specifically, I prep what I’ve been calling Snackagories.

• A savory dip or spread [something savory and scoopable].

• A grab + go pantry snack [something nonperishable that lives in your bag or pantry].

• A fresh produce snack [something fresh and crunchy].

• A sweet tooth snack [something sweet to reach for without thinking twice].

• A bulk protein source [something with protein that actually fills you up].

When I have these things prepped, I’m a different person. I’m more energized, less overwhelmed, and way less likely to spiral into “I have nothing to eat” territory.

Snack Attack is me teaching this system in real life.

It’s not about strict recipes. Honestly, choosing recipes for this first event was the hardest part. Snack Attack is a formula that can be customized to your personal palate and preferences. It’s how to build a week of food that meets you where you are.

If you’re located in WNY, let me give you a preview of what joining me next Sunday would look like:

You’d walk in and immediately have something to snack on (because obviously).

You’d watch me make a few of my go-to staples in real time, then have the chance to make them yourself. The kind of things I make on repeat because they’re easy, flexible, and actually taste good.

You’d leave with simple formulas you can reuse, not just one-off recipes you forget about.

You’d start to see how a week of food can come together in under an hour without overthinking it.

And you’d be in a room with other people who are also just trying to feel a little more put together when it comes to eating.

A small group makes it even better.

More conversation. More connection. More space to actually ask questions and make it your own. If you’ve been thinking about coming, I’d genuinely love to have you in the room. There’s still space, and it’s going to be a really great afternoon.

And if not this time, that’s okay too. This isn’t going anywhere. Heck, maybe one day i’ll have a Snack Attack tour.

Because this is how I eat, and I know I’m not the only one who needs structure around food prep. You can join me for Snack Attack next Sunday, April 19th at 12:00 PM in Buffalo.

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This Week’s Snackagories

The first of spring eats! Spring is here and I’m leaning all the way in.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

White Bean Peanut Sauce

A creamy, nutty, slightly tangy sauce that does everything—dip, drizzle, dressing, marinade. This is one of those “make it once, use it all week” staples.

Ingredients

• 1 can white beans (drained + rinsed)

• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

• 2–3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1–2 tbsp maple syrup

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 small garlic clove

• 1–3 tbsp warm water (to thin)

How to use it this week: Drizzle it over your bulk protein, dunk your snap peas in it, toss it with leftovers… it’s an anchor that makes everything else feel put together.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Carrot Cake Loaf

Soft, lightly spiced, and just sweet enough. Feels like a treat, eats like a snack. Perfect with coffee or as your “I need something but don’t know what” moment.

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated carrots

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1/2 cup flour (any kind)

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: walnuts, raisins, or shredded coconut

🥕 Fresh Produce

Snap Peas and Marinated Artichokes

This is peak April energy: crisp, bright, a little briny. Minimal effort, high reward.

Ingredients

• Fresh snap peas (washed, ends trimmed)

• 1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (Optional)

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

How to eat it this week: Snack plate style with the peanut sauce, or toss together for a quick crunchy salad situation.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Salty, chocolatey, a little fancy but still easy. The kind of cookie you keep grabbing every time you walk through the kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 cup butter (or coconut oil), softened

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

• Pinch of flaky salt

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Sheet Pan Peanut Chicken

This is where the peanut sauce really shines. Roast it once, and you have protein ready for bowls, wraps, salads, or straight out of the fridge.

Ingredients

• 1–1.5 lbs chicken thighs or breasts

• 1/3–1/2 cup white bean peanut sauce (from above)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Salt + pepper

How to make it: Toss chicken in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F for ~20–25 minutes (until cooked through), then drizzle or toss with peanut sauce.

How it all comes together: Chicken + snap peas + extra peanut sauce = a no-thought, actually satisfying meal. This is the kind of combo that carries you through the week.

If you make nothing else this week — make the sauce. Everything builds from there.

We’re doing it anyway

I think I thought this first Snack Attack event needed to “prove something.”

But the more I sit with it, the more I realize:

This is the beginning.

I’m building something in real time, figuring out what resonates, what sticks, what people actually need more of.

And I want to keep doing this.

Bigger rooms, different formats, seasonal versions, bringing Snack Attack into more spaces and more communities.

This is just the first one.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack

We were at my in-laws for Easter, and at some point in the afternoon, the weather shifted. It got warmer — a drastic 40 degrees warmer. I was sitting on the porch, no jacket, no rushing, just letting the sun hit my face. We made it through winter was my only thought.

I brought a few things to share: Peanut Butter Reese’s Egg cookies, Mushroom biscuits, and Easter carrots. Dinner felt like the first tastes of spring: lighter, brighter, playful. Spring cooking to me is about cooking for flavor and enjoyment, not out of survival or necessity.

I love this time of year for many reasons, including my birthday. I’m an Aries baby, and my first Birthday fell on Easter. It hasn’t since, but I think that’s why I look forward to spring so much. It’s quite literally the time of year I was born.

I turn 31 on Tuesday, and for some reason this feels like more of a turning point than 30 did. I think 30 came with a lot of pressure to have it all figured out. 31 feels quieter. More grounded. Less about becoming someone new, more about trusting who I already am.

I’ve been thinking about what this past year taught me, and the biggest thing I keep coming back to is:

It’s not that serious.

Not in a dismissive way. Not in a “nothing matters” way.

But rather, the things I used to overthink, spiral about and hold myself back over, aren’t nearly as big of a deal as I used to make them.

No one is thinking about me the way I think about me.

Positivity and presence will take me further than perfection ever could.

And most things — especially in the kitchen, but also in life — can be figured out as you go.

This year, I leaned into that more than I ever have.

I experimented more with food. I stopped trying to follow everything perfectly and started asking, what if I just tried it my way? I’m someone that often needs to have a plan. I challenged myself to let go of the plan and just start. That’s how my “better than Boursin” broccoli rabe situation ended up happening on the fly. That’s how snacks become systems. That’s how something simple starts to feel like something of my own.

With Niknack, I’ve been practicing the same thing.

Showing up before I feel fully ready.

Sharing half-baked ideas online while they’re still forming.

Letting it be imperfect and real and evolving.

There are still only a handful of people signed up for my first Snack Attack event.

And I’m doing it anyway.

Because this year taught me that waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect response, the perfect version of myself… isn’t the point. The point is showing up. The point is doing the damn thing. The point is building something that means something, even if it starts small.

Especially if it starts small.

Today, I’m back in the kitchen experimenting. My line up is a little chaotic, a little ambitious and very me. Cooking is feeling different than it used to. There’s less pressure to get everything right. More trust that it will come together.

That’s the energy I’m taking into 31.

I don’t have it all figured out, but I’m showing up anyway. With snacks in hand and a little more trust in myself than I had last year.

I’m building something I care about, one snack at a time.

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This Week’s Snackagories

The first of spring eats! Birthday snacks!

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Pineapple Jalapeno Jam

Bright, sweet heat… made for spring boards + snack plates + my coworker who is 36 weeks pregnant trying to induce labor :P

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped (or crushed pineapple, drained slightly)

• 1–2 jalapeños, finely diced (seeds removed for mild, keep some for heat)

• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• Pinch of salt

• 1–2 tsp chia seeds

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Birthday Cake Protein Muffins

Because it’s my birthday week and we’re celebrating accordingly.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups oat flour (or blended oats)

• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup milk of choice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup sprinkles

🥕 Fresh Produce

Roasted Carrots + Whipped Feta

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch carrots, peeled

• Olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• 1/2 cup feta

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

• Drizzle olive oil + squeeze of lemon

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Crunch Bars

I’m a sucker for chocolate covered strawberries, so obviously I need a version of them during my Birthday week!

Ingredients

• Fresh strawberries, sliced + patted dry

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• Crushed graham crackers and walnuts (for crunch)

• Flaky salt

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Pulled Pork

Ingredients

• 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (pork butt)

• salt, pepper

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp onion powder

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack

Ten years ago, a trip to Ithaca meant cliff jumping after finals, flower power beers, and a version of me who had no idea what was coming next.

I went to college in Binghamton, just an hour away. Close enough that Ithaca felt like an escape, but still ours in a way. We had our side of the falls, Cornell had theirs, and you simply did not cross.

I’ll never forget taking my last final of sophomore year, packing up my entire dorm room into my little Honda Civic and driving straight to the Ithaca falls. We spent the day there, encouraging each other to jump from the highest peaks, baking in the sun with the kind of adrenaline rush and freedom that only exists when something ends and you have no real plan for what comes next.

On other occasions, I was here in the fall. Usually for Apple Fest. Walking these same streets with my college friend group, making the drive when we needed a break from campus, from routine, from everything that felt small at the time.

And now I’m back. In Ithaca, NY.

Same town. Same streets. Different life entirely.

I’m here with my husband, in this new version of adulthood that once felt so far away. The kind of life I used to try to imagine during those college days, but could never quite picture. At that time, my world was a blank canvas.

Yet being here this weekend, I’m realizing something I didn’t expect.

The girl who came here ten years ago — unsure of herself, her relationships, her place in the world — she isn’t all that different from the person writing this now.

And I think that’s the point.

Because as much as life changes, expands and evolves, there are parts that stay the same. I still think about food holistically, let the season influence me and prepare snacks.

I still quietly observe, ask questions, and feel a little out of place. I used to think that feeling would go away. That one day I’d arrive fully confident, fully certain, fully settled.

But that’s not how it works.

Instead, you just get better at holding it.

At knowing you’ll be okay, even when you feel a little off.

At trusting that not everything, or everyone, is meant to fit perfectly.

If I could talk to the college version of me, I’d tell her that her world is about to get bigger than she can imagine. That she won’t keep all the people she thinks she will. That she’ll grow into a completely different life, one that feels more aligned, more grounded, more her.

And I think the version of me writing this right now needs to hear that too.

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This Week’s Snackagories

It’s the end of March in the middle of New York. It’s freezing.

Technically, it’s spring. But it doesn’t quite feel like it yet.

Everyone is ready for it. The shift, the sun, the reset. And yet, we’re still in this in-between where winter hasn’t fully let go. I think that’s why I keep coming back to seasonal food.

It’s a way of stepping into what’s next, even if it hasn’t fully arrived. Cooking like it’s spring, even when the weather disagrees. This week’s Snackagories are inspired by my weekend in Ithaca, where it’s maple fest and cold, yet spring is hiding right beneath us.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Green Goddess Hummus

Herby, bright, and exactly what I crave this time of year. Something that tastes like spring even if it’s still cold out.

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained + rinsed

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 1–2 tbsp olive oil

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 small garlic clove

• 1/2 cup fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives—whatever you have)

• Salt + pepper

• Splash of water to blend

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Mocha Chip Protein Bars

A little coffee, a little chocolate. A little something easy to grab that still feels like a treat during busy (or slow!) spring mornings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate protein powder

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup almond butter

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup brewed coffee (cooled)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

• Pinch of salt

🥕 Fresh Produce

Roasted Broccolini and Mushrooms

Still very much in that “roast your vegetables” season but prioritizing greens as much as possible.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccolini

• 1–2 cups mushrooms (I used Portabello and halved but any time will do)

• 1–2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Garlic powder or fresh garlic

• Optional: squeeze of lemon or sprinkle of parmesan after roasting

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bites

Another nod to channel spring. Fresh, bright, and just enough sweetness without being heavy.

Ingredients

• Fresh strawberries, sliced

• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 scoop nuzest Vanilla Protein Powder

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• Optional: flaky salt or crushed nuts

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Maple Mustard Chicken Cutlets

A subtle maple moment (because Ithaca), balanced with mustard for something savory, simple, and versatile all week.

Ingredients

• 1–1.5 lbs chicken cutlets

• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1–2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Garlic powder

• Optional: fresh thyme or rosemary

These are the kinds of snacks that keep me grounded even when I’m traveling or out of my routine. They’re flexible, simple, and able to meet me wherever I am.

Because that’s really what this all comes back to. You don’t need to have everything perfectly figured out. But you do need to know how to take care of yourself in the middle of it.

This system—these snacks—help me do exactly that. Even in the in-between. I’m teaching my method in person on April 19th. We’ll talk about how I think about food preparation and meal planning. We’ll taste some snacks. We’ll make some snacks. If you’re in Buffalo, click here to sign up and join me :)

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack

There’s a soft breeze moving through the apartment, the kind that feels like a reset. My cats are posted up in their window seat, fully locked in on squirrel watch. I can hear birds chirping, and dare I say the air smells different? Lighter, like something is shifting.

It’s the first official weekend of spring. And it feels like the world is waking up again.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this “in between” season of life.

The part where you know you’re on the edge of something, you can feel it. And you keep telling yourself, I’ve never felt so set up for success.

And yet, showing up still feels hard. Kinda heavy.

Not for lack of effort. Not for lack of belief.

But because somewhere along the way, I think I started trying to make it make it make sense, instead of letting it just be.

My Snacks Prep Method? It’s real, it’s how I’ve eaten for years. It’s how I make life easier for myself.

But when I sit down to “plan content” or “strategize Niknack” something still feels slightly off. Slightly forced.

I’m starting to think this season is about letting it be simple again. Not strategized.

Because the truth I keep circling back to is this:

I’m not behind.

I’m not late.

I’m not doing it wrong.

I’m just… in it.

The middle.

The part where nothing feels impressive, but everything is becoming.

And honestly? There’s something kind of beautiful about that. It’s scrappy, it’s real, and it’s mine.

I’m entering this spring with no pressure to “figure it all out.”

I’m using this weekend to spring clean. Open some windows and let the fresh air — literally and figuratively.

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This Week’s Snackagories

Simple, seasonal, and craveable.

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Sun-dried Tomato Bean Spread

My husband isn’t a huge pesto fan, but we had a sun-dried tomato pesto at his parents this week that we couldn’t stop raving about. Naturally, I had to try my own version. This is a creamy, protein-packed, spreadable situation that still hits like pesto

It’s savory, slightly tangy, rich, spreadable and snackable. It can be used as a dip with bread or pita chips, on toasts, in wraps, grain bowls, pasta, or be spooned straight from the fridge.

Ingredients

• 8 oz can sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (not drained, you want the oil in the recipe)

• 1 can cannellini beans (drained + rinsed)

• 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano

• 1 small garlic clove

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Salt + black pepper to taste

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Toasted Almond Oatmeal Bars

These bars are. lightly sweet, nutty and soft-baked. I’ll eat them pre or post-gym, as a mid-afternoon slump snack, crumbled over yogurt or grabbed on the way out the door.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup vanilla pea protein powder (I use Nuzest)

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp flax seeds

Wet:

• 1/2 cup almond butter

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup milk (any kind, I used oat)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

🥕 Fresh Produce

Air Fried Carrot Chips

I like to keep these on hand for dipping, throwing into bowls, or just grabbing straight from the fridge when I want something mindless but nourishing. They’re thin, crispy-edged carrot chips that hit that salty/crunchy craving but still feel fresh.

Ingredients

• 4–5 large carrots, peeled and diced into circles

• 1–2 tsp olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Garlic powder

• Smoked paprika

• Hot honey drizzle after cooking (elite)

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Clean Out the Pantry Chocolate Nut Bark

We cleaned out the pantry this weekend and this is my way of turning random pantry bits I couldn’t bring myself to throw out, into something that feels like a treat. I keep it in the freezer and break off pieces when I want something sweet without overthinking it. A no-rules, use-what-you-have chocolate situation.

Ingredients

• 1–1½ cups chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet)

• 1–2 tsp coconut oil

Clean-out-the-pantry mix-ins (choose your chaos):

• Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts)

• Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia)

• Dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, chopped dates)

• Coconut flakes

• Crushed pretzels or granola

• Any leftover chocolate chips or chunks

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Mediterranean Meatballs

I love having these meatballs on hand. They’re delicious, herby meatballs that carry meals all week long. I use them in bowls, wraps, dipped in my sun-dried tomato spread, or thrown over greens when I need something fast but grounding.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground meat (I prefer turkey or chicken for these)

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

• 1 egg

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt + pepper

• Drizzle of olive oil

• Lemon zest

• Crumbled feta

• Handful chopped spinach

I don’t have all the answers right now.

But I do know this:

I’m excited for what’s ahead.

I’m excited for spring eats.

I’m excited to keep going. Even when it feels slow or unclear.

If you’re in your own “in between,” consider this your reminder:

You don’t need to rush.

Just keep showing up. Messy. Imperfect.

Spring always comes back around.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack

The kind of unnecessary that shows up as last-minute “fire drills,” unclear requests, and problems that probably could have been avoided with a little more communication or a little better delegation.

I’m sure you know the kind of week.

You start with a plan.

And then suddenly your whole schedule becomes reactive.

I don’t think this feeling was soley because of work. It feels like the entire world is operating in fire drill mode right now.

Everyone seems a little overwhelmed. Or a little behind. A little in survival mode, to say the least.

If you’re reading this and feeling that too, please know you’re not alone.

When my world starts to feel overwhelming, I try to focus less on the chaos, and more on the small things that still feel calm and controllable.

For me, that looks like:

• Cooking something simple

• Planning something creative

• Small talk with a loved one

• Small talk with a stranger

• Making snacks for the week

I find something oddly comforting about my snacks prep method. My snacks are small. They’re simple. And I love sharing them.

St. Patrick’s Day is Tuesday, and I accidentally created the most on theme snack imaginable.

Last weekend, I bought one of those bags of tiny avocados from Trader Joe’s with every intention of using them throughout the week,

But of course, I did not use them.

By the time the weekend rolled around, all six avocados were perfectly ripe, which meant I needed to use them immediately.

I briefly considered making (and eating) an aggressive amount of guacamole.

But instead, I made avocado ice cream.

In a food processor, I combined:

• 6 tiny ripe avocados

• 1 can coconut milk

• A generous tablespoon of local raw honey

• A pinch of salt

• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

It’s currently sitting in my freezer. And come Tuesday, my dessert plan is green avocado ice cream topped with a chocolate sea salt magic shell.

Not exactly traditional. But all snacks rarely are? I’ll call it my version of a Shamrock Shake 😂

Anywho, onto the important snacks. For anyone new here, Snackagories are the five snack categories I prep each week to make weekday eating easier.

Instead of meal prepping entire dishes, I focus on having a few simple snack components ready to mix and match throughout the week.

This Week’s Snackagories

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

Caramelized Onion + Cannellini dip

Ingredients

• White onion

• Butter

• Cannellini white beans (1 can)

• Fresh thyme

• Olive oil

• Salt

Slowly caramelize the onions in butter until deeply golden, then blend with cannellini beans, thyme, olive oil, and salt until smooth and creamy.

Perfect with crackers, pita chips, pretzels, toast, or fresh vegetables.

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Everything but the Bagel Granola

Ingredients

• Rolled oats

• Olive oil

• Maple syrup

• Everything bagel seasoning

• Sunflower seeds

• Pumpkin seeds

• Almonds

• Salt

Bake until golden and crunchy.

It’s great on avocado toast, eggs, salads, or cream cheese-smeared veggies. Or enjoy straight from the jar.

🥕 Fresh Produce

Crispy Asparagus “Fries”

Ingredients

• Fresh asparagus

• Olive oil

• Garlic powder

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Grated parmesan

• Panko breadcrumbs

Spring is slowly but surely showing up here in Western New York, and asparagus always feels like the first sign.

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Cashew Protein Cookies

Ingredients

• Cashew butter

• Vanilla protein powder

• Maple syrup

• Egg

• Vanilla extract

• Baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• Chopped cashews

These are a soft, nutty cookie that always hit the spot and sits somewhere between snack and dessert.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

Taco Ground Turkey

Ingredients

• Ground turkey

• Olive oil

• Chili powder

• Ground cumin

• Garlic powder

• Onion powder

• Smoked paprika

• Salt

• Lime juice

This is one of my favorite “build anything” proteins. Cook once and use it all week in:

• Breakfast burritos

• Taco bowls, wraps, salads, etc

Small Joys

If the world has felt a little heavy lately, here’s my encouragement this week:

Find one small, unnecessary joy.

Maybe it’s:

• Making something green for St. Patrick’s Day

• Experimenting with a new snack/recipe

• Calling a family member or friend for five minutes of small talk

• Going for a long, interrupted walk outside

• Slowing down long enough to eat something you made

Sometimes the smallest rituals help carry us through the bigger weeks.

If snacks, seasonal cooking, and small weekly rituals resonate with you, you can subscribe to Niknack below to receive these Sunday snack notes each week.

Subscribe now

And if you’re local to Western New York, come snack and chat in person at my Snack Attack Snack Prep Workshop.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Happy snacking,

Niknack 🥑

It stops being hypothetical.

This week, my Seasonal Snack Prep Workshop Series went live through Read It & Eat. The graphic was posted. The event exists. People can sign up.

And suddenly I’m feeling… exposed.

Because once something is out in the world, you can’t hide behind the plan anymore. The only thing left to do is show up and invite people in.

For the past few months, I’ve been rebuilding my rhythm with Niknack. Experimenting in the kitchen. Writing here consistently. Paying attention to what actually works in my real life instead of what I think content or meal planning should look like.

But as I said to Kim when I first pitched the idea, Snack Attack has lived rent-free in my head for years. It’s what I wish existed when I was first learning how to cook for myself.

It’s not complicated meal prep or perfectly portioned containers.

It’s simple, sustainable snack building using seasonal ingredients.

It’s things you can make quickly. Things you’ll actually want to eat all week.

We’ll talk about how to eat seasonally here in Western New York, prep a handful of snack staples together, and everyone will leave with containers full of food they actually made themslves.

Bring containers. Leave prepped.

It’s equal parts cooking, conversation, and creative snack building.

And if I’m being honest, putting this event out into the world has stirred up some imposter syndrome.

Who am I to host a workshop?

But then I think about the hundreds of snack combinations I’ve tested in my kitchen over the years. The systems I’ve built to make food easier during busy weeks. The way snacks have quietly become the backbone of how I keep my body nourished without overthinking it.

This reframing feels a lot less like imposted syndrome and more like sharing who I already am. How I already live.

So this week’s snack prep felt especially fun because I prepped it knowing these exact types of recipes might show up in a future Snackattack workshop. Here’s what’s in the rotation.

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This Week’s Snackagories

🥣 Savory Dip / Spread

White Bean Avocado Egg Salad

A creamy, protein-packed mash that lives somewhere between egg salad and a bean spread. Perfect on toast, crackers, or scooped with veggies. It’s what I make as soon as I get home from the gym, or for a quick lunch.

All you need:

• 1 can Cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy beans

• 1 Avocado, mashed

• 4 Hard Boiled Eggs

• 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt

• Juice of 1 Lemon

• 1 tbsp fresh Dill

🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Chocolate Sumo Citrus Protein Balls

Sumo Citrus have been the talk of the season. The bright citrus meets chocolate in these little protein energy bites.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats

• 1/4 up medjol pitted dates

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• 2 tbsp flax seeds

• 2 tbsp Sumo Orange zest + dash of juice

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp unsweetened flaked coconut shreds

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

• 1 tsp flakey sea salt

Blend, roll, refrigerate, and suddenly you need to make another batch.

🥕 Fresh Produce

Hot Honey Baked Sweet Potatoes

This one feels almost too simple to be a recipe.

Slice sweet potatoes in half.
Add butter to a sheet pan.
Drizzle generously with hot honey.
Place the sweet potatoes face down into the butter-honey situation.

Bake until caramelized and jammy.

Sweet, spicy, and wildly snackable. But I like the most paired with BBQ Chicken!

🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack

Date Take Fives

I’ve made these a million times and have probably already shared them here, but they’re that good. Inspired by the candy bar, but healthified and made with pantry staples.

All you need:

• Medjool dates

• Snap pretzels

• Natural peanut butter

• Vanilla protein powder

• Roasted salted peanuts

• Chocolate chips

• Coconut oil

Stuff, stack, drizzle, chill.

Dangerously good.

🍗 Bulk Protein Source

BBQ Pulled Chicken. My usual backbone of the week.

I boil chicken. Shred in my kitchen aid. Then mix with my simple, homemade BBQ Sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp chilli powder

This week feels like a small turning point.

Not because everything is perfectly figured out. But because I’m finally doing the thing that moves the needle forward. I’m building, I’m sharing, I’m inviting people in.

If you’re in Western New York and the Snack Attack workshop sounds fun, I would be honored to host you. You can learn more and sign up here. I’d truly love to snack with you.

And if you’re not local, don’t worry. You’ll still be seeing plenty of snacks coming out of my kitchen.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

Until next time,

Niknack

I’m happy. Not in a loud “I’m on vacation” way, but in a steady way.

The world around me feels calm and ambitious at the same time. Kind of like how I feel thinking about the turn of the month. February treated me well. We locked in the first in person Snack Attack event date. I’m 7 months into my day job and things are feeling clearer, less frantic. My husband and I are riding the married-no-kids-wave with intention.

There’s momentum, but there’s also peace.

When I’m away from my kitchen and routine, I see what actually matters. I spent a lot of my 20s trying things and anticipating what my life could look like. Testing identifies and forecasting futures. Now that I’m 30 and married, I’m settling in. I’m accepting. I care less about what people think about me, and more about feeling joy. I’m showing up with confidence and owning my narrative. I’m choosing visibility even when it feels vulnerable.

Travel always clarifies things for me. I used to think confidence meant a lack of nerves. Now I think confidence is building anyway. In March, I’m not shrinking to make anyone else feel comfortable. I’m building by design.

I’m going to keep showing up.

I’m going to keep making snacks.

And I’m going to keep talking about both.

And maybe (hopefully?!) I’ll bring a little of this sunshine back to Western New York with me. Because what travel really reminds me is that routines will always be there. Systems are portable. You can fall back on them anywhere.

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Snacks Prep Method: Travel Edition

I studied abroad and have backpacked Europe and Thailand. It’s safe to say I know my way around the travel snacks department. While the scenery changes, my Snackagories are ingrained.

Grab + Go Pantry Snack

Travel snacks start with nuts. Cashews, Peanuts, Almonds. Roasted or salted, I’m not picky. Backpacking Nicole always had a pack of corn nuts on her. Present-day Nicole builds from the same foundation. I start with nuts, then layer dried fruit, banana chips and yogurt-covered raisins.

Sweet + salty + protein = stability

Emergency Protein: Airport Insurance

When I’m stuck in an airport and need fuel, I usually reach for a Perfect bar, Luna Bar or ONE Bar. Those are my go to brands. They may not be glamorous, but they are extremely effective.

Airbnb = Guaranteed Grocery Haul

These days, I usually prefer to stay in an Airbnb over a hotel. My mom and I landed in the rain this weekend, so before we even checked in, we went straight to the grocery store. We spent our first night catching up over snacks. Our board included cheese and crackers, specifically vanilla-blueberry goat cheese and Ritz crackers. Salami Mozzarella rolls, hummus and pretzel thins, strawberries, bananas and personal pizza supplies.

Vacation doesn’t need to mean abandoning all structure. It means choosing it intentionally.

Eating Out: Anchor the Meal

While eating out, I try to anchor meals so I don’t swing between starving and stuffed. I’ve been opting for fish, especially since grouper is the local speciality. So far, I’ve had ahi tuna nachos (incredible), grouper nuggets, old-bay crab fries and an egg sandwich from Caffeinated Bakery.

Being here in the sun with my mom, at the turn of the month, has me in my feels. I keep coming back to a theme: I don’t want to shrink my ambition or joy anymore. For a long time, I think I confused visibility with arrogance. I worried that sharing my life and what I’m building might look like rubbing it in.

But that’s not what I’m doing.

I’m building something that lights me up. Something I care about. Something I want to host in real life.

That’s alignment.

If this season of building, anchoring, and not shrinking resonates with you, please drop a comment.

For me, March is about expansion.
April 19 is about gathering.
And Niknack is just getting started.

Subscribe if you want snack systems, seasonal living, and a front-row seat to building something real in Western New York.

And if this felt like a deep exhale, forward it to someone who needs that too.

Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3

With sunshine,

Niknack