"Driving across North Dakota" is shorthand for the most boring sort of road trip: the state is flat and sparsely populated, with vast distances and unchanging scenery. "Driving across North Dakota solo" is pretty much the opposite of my idea of a good time—I'm more of a plane person than a road tripper.

For some people, summer is a season of weekend trips to the cabin. For others, it's a whirlwind of kids' soccer and baseball games. There are people who love camping and avid fans of fishing or boating. We're all about grilling.

I approach my weekly grocery shopping trip with the seriousness of a competitive sport. I start at Aldi because it's the cheapest and try to purchase as much of my list there as possible. Next, I go...

CBD products are becoming increasingly mainstream, and I'm excited to be working with Barlean's this month to promote their Seriously Delicious CBD Chocolate Mint and Extra Strength Ideal CBD Hemp Oil. I've been using Barlean's CBD products for the past several months, and they've helped alleviate some of my longstanding insomnia issues.

I'm a big fan of local producers: I subscribe to a CSA, patronize farmers markets, and imbibe at local distilleries. My love of local flavor also includes wine—yes, even though I live in Minnesota. Thanks to in large part to the University of Minnesota's grape breeding program, the state has a robust wine industry with dozens of grape growers and wineries.

This chocolate chia pudding recipe is the latest addition to my "should've been on the blog by now" series of posts, along with sweet potato mushroom barley bowls. I've been making a batch nearly every week for the past few years, starting back when chia seeds were having a moment and I had gotten very tired of eating fruit and nut oatmeal bars.