4 Tiny Sunday Ideas+Rituals

#1 A Softer Start to Your Week

Feb 10, 2025

For years, I’ve written about food—recipes, memories, the way certain dishes root us in time and place. But food is also about rhythm, ritual, and the small things that shape how we move through the week.

So I’m starting something new. Every Sunday, I’ll be sharing ‘4 Tiny Sunday Ideas+Rituals’—little things that make the start of the week feel a little gentler. Some will be about food, some about beauty, some just about finding a little steadiness before Monday rushes in.

Happy Sunday.

I hope your weekend has been lovely. Here are 4 tiny Sunday ideas+rituals I am leaning into this week—simple things that make Monday feel a bit more intentional.

1) A Sunday Veg Prep You Won’t Regret 🥦

Steam or boil (I know that boiling isn’t ideal since it leaches nutrients, but do whatever works for you) a batch of broccoli on Sunday, so you have an easy, versatile veggie ready to zhuzh up all week.

The 3 delish ways I do this:

i) Sesame Seeds & Chili Oil – Toss prepped broccoli with a drizzle of chili oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for a pop of flavor

ii) Garlic-Soy Sauté – Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add a whole garlic clove, and let it shimmer until golden along the edges. Toss in your prepped broccoli, add a splash of soy sauce, and done

iii) Tahini-Lemon Drizzle – Whisk tahini with lemon juice (it’ll look pasty and curdled, don’t panic!), thin it with water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until smooth. Drizzle over broccoli for a creamy, nutty sauce.

2) A Sunday Cake Tradition 🍊

I adore a tiny Sunday baking ritual that makes Monday feel gentler. My Blood Orange Loaf is one of those things. The house fills with the scent of cardamom and orange peel, one of my favorite ways to lift the mood on a winter’s day. This cake is perfect with jasmine green tea (for my Torontonian followers, I go to this place in Summerhill, a place my father discovered upon his visits).

And for those who want to see my son and I making it (he was so little here 🧿) here’s a video link.

(While this content was previously sponsored by Sunkist, please note that what I write to you today is not part of that collaboration, I am merely sharing an old photo that brings back beautiful memories.)

3) The Beauty You See Shapes Your Monday ✨

I like keeping my kitchen counters clear, but one thoughtful detail, like this tray I set up, with local honey, ceramic bowls made by a friend, and a bowl of fruit with calamansi (a gift, from the Philippines) feels intentional, not cluttered.

Even if you prefer clear counters, that one little thing can make you so happy when you wake up on a Monday morning; it could be a flower in a bud vase, a pretty teapot, or a linen you love. If you add something beautiful in your kitchen this week, please do share that with me.

4) A Gentle Reminder to Do Absolutely Nothing

It has been very cold in Toronto (it dropped to -16°C one morning), so last week, after dropping my son off at school, I went to Buno, a café I love. I left my AirPods in my pocket, my phone buried deep in my coat—too cold to reach for either.

For one hour, just me and the world around me, with the crunch of salt under my boots. Dogs were pulling their owners along the icy sidewalks, as I walked past old mansions with deep porches, their railings lined with icicles. The city felt slowed down, hushed by the cold.

And then I went home, made myself a pot of tea, and sat at my desk. I work for myself, so I can bend my schedule, to take that time.

Today, I want to offer a gentle reminder: mark your calendar to do nothing—for just a brief moment, like my hour-long walk.

Yes, nothing. Because in the midst of creating Ivy Lee lists, time blocking, and brain dumps, we forget to comfort ourselves. Take care of yourself.

May my ideas+ritual tips be useful, and bring a little ease to your week. If you give any of them a try, I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts in the comments (and a ‘like’ helps this post reach more readers, so I’d be grateful for that). Wishing you a calm and intentional start to the week ahead.

All love, Shayma x

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