gorgeous gazpacho.

**BEAUTIES**

there is a particular time in the beginning of a season 

where i ground into the realization that the time

(for that new season) has arrived

as though the page has turned to the next palette 

of tastes, textures, colors & creations 

that i so graciously get to know again & again

another chance to explore, discover & enjoy all that it brings

like seeing a dear friend from a long time ago

we catch up with the new, we recall the past

we make another memory
i felt this feeling when i was gathering the ingredients
to cut up and throw in the blender
like a de ja vu but new :)
this is a basic in my kitchen during the summer
as a light meal, a side or a snack to grab on the go
assuring us that there is always some beauty in the fridge

whether we have come to know it as spring or summer, winter or fall

the change of the seasons is a continuation of our story,
our kitchen culture, it's how we pray in this way
in the celebration of the juiciest strawberry
all over our childrens' cheeks

or the watermelon, peach, apricot that has made

it's way to perfection & all i can hear are the kids calling out

"more! more! more!"

how can we stay away from a church like this? 

how can we not hunger for this kind of beauty? 

how can we learn to feed each other in this way?

gorgeous gazpacho

*gather*

2 - 2 1/2 lbs of the best tomatoes you 

can get your hands on

cut in half or big chunks

(beefsteak/japanese)

***everything about this is the tomatoes***

1/2 peeled english cucumber

(i've used persian too)

2 tbs.red wine vinegar

2 tbs. olive oil

1 clove of garlic (peel & cut up)

3/4 cups of water

*rock it*

this is basically a tomato smoothie!

put everything in the blender together

blend till all the tomato peelings are gone

just a few minutes to a frothy, cooling love fest 

enjoy immediately or put in the fridge for later

(only gets better with time)

i love this gazpacho in a big glass ball jar

i love to pour it in teacups for me and b

it tends to separate

shake it up and enjoy!

let me know how it goes

leave a comment

share the love

xxxx

RSVP

SUMMER SOLSTICE

MIRACLE HERE

JUNE 21

10 - 1PM

squeaky clean spinach sauté.

*beauties*

can you believe the beauty of this bloomsdale spinach!?!?

it's so incredibly fresh, crisp & filled with a symphony of flavor.

it's worth your trip to the market (as is everything ;) 

i am having an appreciation party for this deep green

& weiser farms for making it happen.

the other major piece of this party is my kids are loving it too ;)

yep - i said it...maybe it was my yummmm moan

while cooking that got their attention

i get so excited i can't help myself

& the next thing i know O. is reaching his hand in the pan

for a try of this GREEN goodness!

also - this is a super seasonal situation

which also inspires a deep appreciation

like a dear friend visiting for a short time..

there is a connection & intimacy with our food in this way.. 

i am not sure what made me reach for the coconut oil but that started 

this love fest.. i have been on a kick to peel the carrots into ribbons..

so that happened. then i had the sesame seeds out

and i knew this spinach was going to be in the mix 

(i used kale too that first time)

this recipe just showed up as a gift in my pan!

it's exactly what the doctor ordered as

i have been hungry for SIMPLE love filled nourishment

and this sings that song with a flavor that is

deep, delicious & soft. 

spinach saute

(or any deep greens!)

*gather*

bloomsdale spinach (weiser farms)

OR kale, mustard greens, chard (FRESH)

*to prep spinach: take stems off if want to*

2 - 3 carrots (peeled into ribbons)

black sesame seeds

(small pour) toasted sesame oil

(small chunk) coconut oil

salt & love 

*fire it up*

choose a pan that you have lots of room in 

(more than you might need, you need the freedom!)

you can place heat on medium 

put in coco and sesame oil

add carrots first to get the sweetening happening

saute for a few minutes

then add spinach for a few more minutes

then sesame seeds, salt, love

mix around and serve warm 

this also hold ups well in the pan

throughout the day

or save some for later

enjoy beauties!

XXXX

i love hearing from you

click into blog the

& leave a comment!

MIRACLE

JUNE 21

SUMMER

SOLSTICE

XXXX

granola love fest.

beauties!

i have a truth to share

i have been in some deep (random)

resistance about making this granola
i just wasn't ready until now

***AND I AM SO HAPPY I BROKE THRU IT***

IT'S THE BEST GRANOLA I HAVE EVER HAD

I DREAM ABOUT IT AT NIGHT

I TAKE A LITTLE HERE, A LITTLE THERE

I CAN'T STOP LOVING IT

am i still in caps? that just means passion 

behind each word, sound, love fest for reals

and now i am a changed woman, mama, human

*no granola can ever compare to homemade*

so here it is:

inspired by 

the kitchn

*jules granola love fest*

*gather*

3 cups gf bobs red mill oats

(old fashioned/no quick oats)

2 - 2 1/2 cups in total of 

pumpkin seeds & slivered almonds

*also added a hand full of some wide flake, 

unsweetened coconut*

1 1/2 tsp kosher coarse (pink) salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

(i did a little less than this)

3/4 tsp vanilla

*mix it up*

first put oven to 350 bake

grab a big bowl you love

pour all the dry stuff together

mix it up

then add the wet ingredients

mix it up

throw it onto a baking sheet

& flatten it out (see pic above)

*fire it up*

bake for about 40 minutes

stir it up every 15 minutes

this granola was pretty wet

even at the end but it dried up 

in the cooling process

*also the coconut i threw in at the beginning

made it very very crispy ;) you can add it in at the 

20 - 25 minute mark of your baking

if you prefer it less crisp!*

also in the pics you will see beautiful dried cherries
the recipe noted to put these in at the end
but i like to put everything together
bc it's easy and i am a 'no time like the present' kinda gal...
well.. they turned into burnt dried cherry whoppers!
so pretty in the pic but a disaster in the mouth :)
so i took those out promptly & this is why i made it first...
so you can know to put the dried fruit in later! 

i am loving this granola by the hand full
or in my vanilla goat yogurt

it's super crunchy & crisp

i wish i could give you a taste right now!

let me know how it works for you

leave a comment below so we can 

feed & inspire each other

have a beautiful weekend

and..........
SUMMER
SOLSTICE

MIRACLE

JUNE 21

10 - 1

MY KITCHEN

RSVP

HERE

XXXX

gaviota strawberry gf crumble.

***BEAUTIES***

it's always a good idea to have some QUICK & EASY

sweet treats up your apron for summer and this one:

never gets old.

this crumble is what i like to call a 'frame' recipe

meaning once you know the bones you can create the body

you can make any kind of crumble you want

shape it any which way you would like because

the information gives you the freedom to be creative

and....make it yours!

this crumble is BEYOND

for a few reasons.. 

1. harry's berries gaviotas 

(need i say more)

2. gluten free

3. 6 ingredients

4. 10 minutes prep

  

back in the day: i would cube the frozen butter sticks, 

crumble it up in my hands & put the sugar in later...

which has it's place on a planet where time is in excess, 

where children play calmly, where i am sure people take naps!

since i have not been to that planet in a long time...

i have this for you! this recipe is inspired by 

nancy silverton & her 'twist of the wrist' cookbook.

it's fast, fun and gets you to the same place: 

yummy in the tummy land 

(or another name for my kitchen!)

gaviota strawberry gf crumble

*gather*

about 2 baskets of gaviota strawberries

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup of cane sugar

3/4 cup of 'cup4cup' flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

*rock it*

turn oven to 350 bake

cut strawberries in half

put them in casserole dish you love

grab one mixing bowl & a fork

melt butter in oven since it's on or micro

mix butter and sugar together first

then add flour, cinnamon, salt

mix it up

crumble on top of strawberries

you can put it on a baking sheet

just in case of juicy drippings

*fire it up*

put it in the oven for 25-35 minutes

depending on your oven etc.. 

you will see it bubbling a bit 

when it's golden at top, it's ready!

take it out

let it cool 

i think you 

know the rest....

XXXX

please tell me if you LOVE this as much as i do, 

your ideas & more! leave a comment on the blog!

ALSO...

i am having a summer solstice MIRACLE 

in the kitchen on friday, june 21, 2013

rsvp asap

xxxx

(life saving) quinoa.

beauties!

i am finding as i travel deeper into my journey 
as a renaissance mama that simplicity 
is such a gift, especially in the kitchen 

(can i hear a woot woot).

the journey of discovering 'simple' is varied and 
i rarely know when it will find me inside a warm tea, 
an afternoon walk, a less anxious collection of minutes ;)

so simple and so FULL of what i need at that moment.

i created this quinoa as a new mama with a few week old O.

i was home alone, breastfeeding, stumbling over my new self, 
a new rhythm, searching for the old me under all the swatches 
of fabric that no longer looked or felt like me. maybe i was looking
for the bridge that could take me from one end to the other. 
maybe this way i could understand what was happening. 

i used to put life's equations on a canvas, moving paint 
with a tongue depressor, sponge, bristles with the hopes 
of understanding relationship, love, how we do this life thing... 
exploring inside words on a page, a dance with my body, 
my hip, my arm, creating a kind of physical medicine, a remedy,
a tincture, something to understand the pain, the joy, the layers.
i was teaching myself how to make a life. and now,
i was life. i made life. i was nourishing our lives for the first time.

alas - the quinoa in the rice cooker was born.

YES! that's ice and those are frozen veggies ;)

jules (life saving) quinoa

*gather*

1 cup organic quinoa

1 - 2 chunks earth balance

(soy free if you want!)

1 repunzel vegan bullion

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup of  frozen veggies 

(peas/garbanzo beans)

1 cup water

a rice cooker

*rock it*

plug in rice cooker

put a chunk of earth balance in the bowl

you can do this in ANY order you wish

i usually unwrap the bullion cube 

(good for 2 cups or more liquid)

put in 1 cup quinoa

the veggies of your choice
then the liquids

put the lid on
and press go, cook, 
or whatever it says!

you can leave the house,
you can go take a shower,
you can go nap it up!
and
in 12 minutes you will have the scent of 
nourishing food inside your home!

*jules ideas*
my favorite is the warm quinoa in a wood bowl 
with a cap full of flax seed oil, braggs,
a little goat gouda on the side &
some roasted veggies or a saute of deep greens..
i have also been adding this to my spring salads!
you can also make the quinoatkes with the left over quinoa!

please comment on the blog! 
i want to know what you are up to with the quinoa! 
or if you already make this life saving quinoa, 
how has it saved your life!?


*NEXT MIRACLE*
summer solstice
june 21
click here to rsvp
last one had a wait list!
XXXX

baby artichokes.

hi beauties!

my sweet neighbor anna taught me 

how to pan-sear these babies

a few years ago when we collaborated in a 

'tuscan wood fired oven pizza' miracle

(that was not the original name)

it's a very simple recipe that requires 

some intuitive inner wisdom ;)

pan-seared baby artichokes

*gather*

artichokes

olive oil

salt

saute pan

fire

*work it*

first you want to clean them up 

(as you can see in pic # 2)

take off some of the leaves

with a softer core of the artichoke

turn the dial to medium/medium high

add some olive oil

wait a few minutes depending on your stove

place them face down

*this was an important part*

do not mess with them for a few minutes

let the heat do it's magic

then after a few good minutes

you can move them a bit

not too much.. not like a saute

where we like to do the wrist dance....

you can add salt

(here is the intuitive part again)

you can try one and see if they are ready

some parts are still hard and not edible

but the edible parts are really good!

what i love about this? 

it naturally, gently coerces us

to connect with our food 

and how it's relating with fire

we decide (together) 

when it's ready

*also*

no leaving the pan with this love fest

it's about 10 minutes in all 

enjoy beauties

xxxx