a look back

It's officially 2013, friends.  I'm so glad that we've made it this far together.  And even gladder that 2012 carried with it so many amazing experiences, transitions, and new opportunities.  It hasn't been the easiest year, that's for sure, but, as they say, the best things in life usually take the most work.

I'll happily continue to load up on the tough stuff, so long as life promises to keep throwing its amazingness in my general direction.  I have a sneaking suspicion that 2013 is going to be off the charts.  I'm gonna hustle my butt off to make it that way, anyway.

But before I launch into ideas and recipes to kick off the new year, I want to take a look back at some favorite posts from 2012.

Will you reminisce with me, friends?

oatmeal sweet potato bread

 

I read an article yesterday about two of my least favorite things in this world; fear and trust.  I personally have a difficult relationship with both of these concepts, mainly because I collect and store fears with more determination than I ever have any salt or vinegar, and I turn my back to trust just as persistently.

The article states that:

"The good news is that fear is merely an illusion. Fear is something we invent. The only thing that    gives it any power is when we listen to it.

So since we create fear, that means we can destroy it. Fear loses its power over us if we stop listening to it. 

When it creeps into our head, we can acknowledge its presence, look for what we can learn from the fear message, thank it for its concerns, and then refuse to listen. 

It’s a choice that we can make."

cranberry apple crisp

Times are hectic, friends.  In the best way possible.

I'm cooking and baking away for my new job.  That's got me in other people's kitchens two days a week, and it's got my brain wheels a crankin' at least another three.  The alarm clock is still doing its annoying electronic jingling a few times a week at an awful hour of the morning, reminding me that there are mounds of groceries waiting to be shelved for my other source of income. I'm also immersed in my health coach training, with my fancy little i-pod broadcasting lectures and videos about things like whole grains and the importance of drinking water (have you had enough today?). 

Sprinkled in with those responsibilities, I'm starting to practice health consultations with my classmates.  It's really exciting to have conversations with people about what's going on in their lives.  But who knew it could be such a challenge to shut my own, relentless brain up and really listen?  Not just wait while the other person talks.  Not just think about what I want to say next while they jabber on.  But truly pay attention to everything that's coming from another person's mouth, and then listen some more.  No nervous silence fillers, no finishing sentences in a "you're so predictable" kind of way.  Just listening to someone spill it. 

sweets in the kitchen: chili

It's been over a week since my last post (really?  where does the time go?), and I must apologize for my absence.  There's been this flurry of new activities in my life, as you may know from my last post, and the adjustment to new responsibilities and schedules has taken me a quick minute.

But I'm here! I promise.  And while I've been listening to lectures and working on my health coach certification plus planning recipes and hanging out in other people's kitchens for my new job as personal chef and gluten-free baking instructor, Sweets has been killing it in the kitchen at home.

She really knows how to rise to the occasion. 

endless winter root vegetable gratin

Anyone else sick of winter?  Wishing spring would get its ass in gear and just show up already?  I feel ya.  Earlier today I heard a rumor that the east coast of the U.S. is about to get another snow storm.  Am I the only one horrified by this?  I don't even live on the east coast, and I still want to puke.

In an attempt to restore balance, I thought I'd bring you something warm and rich today.  Something that just screams comfort, since we all seem to be hanging on by the barest of threads in this ceaseless cold, snow, and rain (If it happens to be warm where you are, I don't even want to hear about it.)

I know you're probably not thrilled with the idea of yet another dish centered around root vegetables, but since I'm losing faith in the actual existence of the sun, the goal now is to transform the only produce around into something new and exciting.  How, you ask?

Two words:

Cheese Sauce.

apple crisp and my sugar addiction

First off, I gotta say I'm giddy from the wonderfulness of making the Foodbuzz Top 9 with my huevos rancheros recipe.  So cool.

Second, I must tell you about what's been on my mind.  Don't let the photo of tasty dessert fool you.

Lately, I've been having an internal conversation with myself about my sugar consumption.  I know, sounds like a real downer, doesn't it?  But, an idea has been taking shape in my noggin to enter into a period of self-inflicted self-deprivation.  I want to say adios to the refined sweets.

At least for a little while.

I feel about sugar the way I once felt about cigarettes (which I actually did quit).  "I know that this substance I'm consuming is harmful to my body, but OH MY GOD does it go great with a whisky sour."  Only in this case, the substance in question goes good with just about everything.   Even my toothpaste.

It's all about moderation, though, right?  Exercising self-control? Well, anti-moderation slogans like, "I want a dessert buffet," having been tumbling from my lips as of late.  A dessert-only potluck was suggested (by me, of course) in honor of my coming graduation.  I guess moderation isn't my forte.  I'm more of an all-or-nothing kind of gal.

cajun-style stew with Alaskan spot prawns

 

We're getting battered with rain and wind here in the Puget Sound region, to the point that a "significant weather advisory" has been issued for the area.  Downed trees... power outages...  wetness that permeates the clothing, followed by the soul.  That's our home here.  Of course the advisory only lasts through the evening, but the wet,  it'll be with us.... let me check my calendar, here... oh, until about a week from eternity.  At least it seems to be so.

After yesterday's break in the clouds and subsequent migration of every single Seattleite and sweatered dog to Greenlake (or similar patch of green space), we're hunkered back down to wait out this next stretch of gloom.   Are those snow showers I see predicted for later in the week?  Lovely.  Nothing like very cold rain to perk up the spirit and make you want to walk to work. Huhhhh.

Okay.  I'm done complaining.

There is one exciting thing happening this time of year that I think tends to be overlooked by the masses.  It's actually been going on for a few months now, but I'm a little on the slow side sometimes, so I'm only now partaking.  That thing is spot prawn season.

red lentil dahl; a Hawaiian story

In the fall of 2002 I stepped off an airplane into the palm and pineapple humidity of the tropical paradise known as Hawaii. I was swimming through the groggy delirium of a summer spent on the road, followed by a sleepless night waiting in line for a stand-by seat at the Oakland airport.  I was twenty-two years old and felt like the world was out there lying in wait for my arrival.  I wanted to consume it.

technology fails me; butternut squash gratin does not

Are you familiar with the term Luddite?  Apparently, it originated with some angry British folks around the time of the industrial revolution who were bent-out-of-shape about certain technological advancements that allowed unskilled laborers to do work that had previously required people with specific expertise.  Today the word is used to describe anyone who has a burr up their butt about the technology of the day.  You won't see a Luddite anywhere near an Apple store on the release date of a new i-(insert name of device here) or scoping the newest smartphone apps online.  You may, however, see one attempting to figure out how to text message on their flip phone from 1999.

I tend to be one of those people. 

One device that I do find life difficult to live without, though, is my computer.  Obviously I have a decent relationship with that one gadget, or these words would not be finding their way to your eyes at this moment.  For 5 years now, Mad Sweeney (yes, I named my PC after a fictional, alcoholic leprechaun) has been my keeper of secrets, my jukebox, my photo album, and my gateway to the universe of the interweb.  This last one nearly brought on his demise.

Merry Christmas

The sun has set this Christmas day, and I type this as we've reached a lull in the action of our day.  I'm drinking tea, and Dan is napping on the couch.  Not that there's really been too much action.  Wedecided that this year we'd spend a quiet day, just the two of us, free from the strains of company and a dinner deadline.  No time schedules today.  No planning around anyone else but us.  Sound selfish?  Good.  That's what we were going for.

It's been a good Christmas so far.  We ate a killer breakfast that included potato cakes and poached eggs.  Expect more on that later.  After we'd digested a bit and talked on the phone to our families in their parts of the country, we went for a walk.  Someone ordered sunshine today, and the weather gods relented, giving us clear skies as the short afternoon turned to dusk.  We sojourned to our community garden to pick rosemary and sage for our dinner tonight.  Then we pseudo-hiked through Ravenna Park, the wooded ravine near our apartment with trails cutting through amongst giant trees and ferns and other greenery that almost lets you feel like you're walking in the woods.  The sun and the park turned into a great prize in the Cracker Jack box of our day.

Christmas in Paris

No, I"m not actually going to Paris for Christmas.  That would be a dream come true, but this year is definitely not the one.  I do suspect, though, that at some point in the future I will be wishing people a merry one en Francaise.

Instead of crossing the Atlantic this year, my lovely friends Mark and Laura held a Paris-themed Christmas party at their house last weekend.  It's not the first dinner/cocktail party of theirs that I've attended, but it was perhaps the most beautiful. 

Applesauce Muffins

Whooooooohhhhh.....

That was my big 'ol, 3 months of school stress, tension-releasing sigh of relief.  I'll be letting out an even longer, more serenity-inducing one once Thursday rolls around, and I finish my last final.  Eight quarters down, one to go.  I don't pretend to think that an associates degree is worth a rat's ass, especially in an uber-educated city like Seattle, but I must admit that I do feel a little bit accomplished.  The girl who shunned the college experience, who bounced from this to that for nearly a decade, sampling but never staying, has committed and nearly completed a two-whole-year endeavor.  Those who know me well may indeed be astonished.

Potato Leek Soup

It's snowing today.  The flakes are coming down like it's actually winter (anyone else in denial?), and an inch or so of white fluff has accumulated on tree branches and overpasses and windshields.  Here in Seattle, snow days are pretty big deals.  For one thing, it's rare for the stuff to even fall, let alone actually stick to the ground, so when it does happen, people get giddy over the novelty.  Some set to work building sculptures and ice forts, sledders hit the hills (or the streets) with everything from plastic, drug-store sleds to Lazy-Boy recliners, and some even cross-country ski to the grocery store.

Carrot Ginger Soup

This is the second post in a series focused on ginger, its health benefits, and the versatility of the root in recipes. I would love to hear your favorite uses for ginger, so please feel free to comment or email if you have something you'd like to share.  
If you missed the first post in this series, just click on the link below.
Ginger, Lemon & Honey: Tea for the Season

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Ahhuhhhhh. That's how I spell a sigh.  It's my thank-you-god-it's-finally-Friday sigh, and I'm oh-so-glad to be breathing it.  Chemistry exam weeks are always a little on the horrendously stressful side, but I've made it through, and I'm just a few hours away from a glass of red and my PJ's.  But we're not here to talk about my school schedule, we're here to throw down and get the lowdown on some Zingiber officinale.  Ginger.

I've been doing some research this week (during that time when I'm procrastinating on the quantum mechanical model) to learn some new and exciting things about ginger.  In my last post, I discussed the use of ginger for coughs and colds, but this herbal root has a few more tricks up its sleeve.  It turns out that the most common and most studied medicinal use of ginger is in the treatment of nausea.

Project Brussels Sprouts

Blogging has turned into this thing I used to do. So has cooking, for that matter. Back before the fog of school blanketed my life, and time became increasingly elusive. It's a sad sad situation, especially since I have two, count 'em, two classes this quarter that are directly related to food. I have a plethora of topics and information to share on both the nutrition and the sustainable urban agriculture fronts. Yes, I am cramming all sorts of food wisdom into my eager noggin, but lamentably, I can only spend so much of my life in front of a computer. The weather is beautiful in Cascadia at the moment, you'll just have to trust me on that one.

I do have a couple of recipes to share. In my nutrition class we were assigned what our teacher refers to as the "Foreign Vegetable Project". For this project we were to visit a local farmers market (sweet!), choose a vegetable that we have never (or rarely) eaten, prepare a dish and present our experience to the class, including information that we researched about the farm we purchased from.



First off, I have to give big props to my professor! What an incredible way to - 1. promote seasonal foods - 2. learn about local farmers - and 3. get tasty recipes from classmates. I was actually excited to complete this project, and I'll tell you... that is a rarity.

So for lack of a vegetable at the market that I had never had, I chose one that I absolutely adore. Brussels sprouts are like the strawberries of winter, as far as I'm concerned. I look forward to their green, little cabbageness the way I anticipate the arrival of heirloom tomatoes in summer. And since I love the taste and texture so much, I decided to prepare my sprouts as a side dish for the project with a hearty lentil stew for a main course.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts
(vegan)
serves 2

20-25 Brussels Sprouts (approximately)
1 T. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 C. finely grated cheese (like Parmesan or manchego) optional

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Wash the sprouts thoroughly, trim off the rough stems and cut large sprouts in half through the stem.

Place the sprouts in a baking dish and drizzle oil over them. Sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Arrange the sprouts in a single layer in the dish.

Place the dish on the center rack of the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, stirring once. The sprouts should be tender but not mushy. Sprinkle with finely grated cheese (optional) and serve immediately.

Lentil Vegetable Stew
(vegan)
serves 2

1/3 C. dry lentils (any variety will work)
1 T. olive oil
1 C. diced onion
1 T. flour
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. cumin
2 C. vegetable broth
1 C. potato, ½” dice
¾ C. carrot, ½” dice (about one large carrot)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 C. packed kale, chopped into 1” pieces

Put the lentils into a large saucepan, cover with 1-2” of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat slightly and boil until the lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Strain the lentils, pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium and add the onions. Saute until they begin to turn translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, cayenne and cumin and cook another minute.

Pour in the vegetable broth, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, turn heat to medium-low and simmer 5-8 minutes, until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrot and garlic and continue to simmer another 5 minutes, stirring a few more times.

Stir in the kale and cook another 3-5 minutes. Carrots should be tender but not soggy, and kale should be bright green and slightly crisp.

Turn off the heat, ladle into bowls and serve piping hot.