i have always thought swiss chard was so beautiful. the colours, the intricate web-like design on the leaves, the fun “bubbly” type texture… and i thought this one was particularly cool. for one, it kind of reminds me of an aspen leaf – the shape of it. and for two, look at the fun pink tip – it’s like a paintbrush…
nature’s paintbrush 😉
how beautiful and cool is that?! nature does it best. Continue reading
i have been wanting to try sunchokes {aka “jerusalem artichokes“} for a long time now. they are so interesting-looking {as most root vegetables are} and one time i bought a bag when i was doing a cleanse, but i didn’t get to cook them and unfortunately they spoiled.
so, when i was at the cutest little organic store in town the other day, i picked some up so i could fotograph and blog about them.
and of course – EAT THEM! 😀
this is one colourful dish! and fun to eat, too!
simple ingredients :
– 1 pound organic grass-fed beef {i choose 85%}
– 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes {any potato will do, i just had leftovers}
– 1 medium shallot
– handful sugar snap peas, shelled
– organic shredded cheese of choice {i went with cheddar}
tell me you’ve tried these before?! i’m pretty sure i’ve mentioned them at least once or twice on this here blog of mine… they are definitely a staple in my home! what’s better than colourful carbohydrates?!
i was a little surprised and way excited when i spotted this multi-coloured pack at the market. my favourite way to prepare them is to simply drizzle them with tons of olive oil and S&P and roast them in a 400 degree oven for about a half hour…
the finished product is a sheen, tender and sweet potato ready for poppin!
they make an excellent side dish, and are also great in soups.
i saw this somewhere on the web recently and i’ve been so eager to try it. i mean – isn’t is so apropo for food & foto? simple, easy, delicious, and healthy!
two ingredients: {3 if you decide to sprinkle cheese on top…}
– 1 ripe avocado
– 1 medium egg Continue reading
this doesn’t really need words… right?!
*click click*
*glug glug*
it’s like, the beer for fotographers.
and it is soooooo good!!! 😀
it’s a little sad for me to admit that i just haven’t been cooking as much lately. i lovelovelovelovelove my tiny home, don’t get me wrong… but it has been a bit of a challenge to fotograph my recipes in action within 180 square feet.
so, i’ve just had to change the way i do things a little. and that’s okay. i’m super forever inspired by one of my favourite bloggers – i mean she’s cute as a button, and she is into the same stuff i’m into regarding eating healthy and with the seasons. i love her style of fotography as well; so simple and elegant and she’s such a new yorker – so classy.
i’m still working out the kinks to finding the perfect way to fotograph inside the tiny home – but for now, here’s a simple recipe i made up this weekend that turned out delicious! Continue reading
after many years working in the organic food industry, i learned a lot about picking good produce. it’s hilarious to watch me at the market – i take my time when picking out my fruit and vegetables, mostly because i know i’ll be fotographing them. and hey – aesthetics matter! plus, food is outrageously expensive these days and i’ll be damned if i’m going to spend five dollars for a pineapple and not have it be incredible!
therefore, i browse the produce stands carefully when choosing what to buy. have you ever purchased something and it spoiled two days later or when you cut into it, the flesh was rotting or brown? not everything you pick up at the market is necessarily fresh and/or tasty at any given time – it’s another reason i prefer to buy and eat with the seasons… stuff just tastes better when it’s in season! i mean, wouldn’t you like to be picked during your prime?! 😉
speaking of which, do you know how to pick a good pineapple? the beginning of their season is just around the corner… and i’m already salivating thinking about them.
one thing to look for when picking out a pineapple – is how the leaves feel when pulled out from the top. if they remove easily with little force, it’s a pretty sure sign your pineapple is ripe. you also want to pay attention to the scent. i often sniff the bottom of the fruit, looking for a fresh scent that is strong enough to seep through. and finally, you want to look for a pineapple that is a little darker in colour… not quite brown, but just golden… Continue reading
…to capture the beautiful things that happen in your life…
and may i add – THANK GOODNESS that i have the capability to take pictures of life’s – shall we say – “precious moments” 😉
like when my cat totally curls up in my arms for 3 hours while i watch a movie on the couch…
or when i catch a glorious sunset…
or moonset… 😉
or when i’m wondering a trail on my lunch-break, and have a meaningful moment with nature…
have a great weekend!
so, i randomly and spontaneously my have potentially found my new favourite restaurant. the charming place is called town. and the period is part of the title, so don’t forget it. 😉 if the rumour that their menu changes up frequently is in fact accurate, i may make it official. in the meantime, here is what i had for lunch the other day with a friend.
maple-braised pork belly with caramelized onions, pear, and bacon bits on a bed of brussel sprout leaves… and my favourite thing we ordered — it was just heavenly!
rabbit tacos with some kind of amazing salsa and a creamy mild cheese… shredded carrots, pepitas, scallions, and some other deliciousness. and hey – don’t judge me.
shrimp po’ boy… done a little differently, but still good. shrimp was super tasty as well as the homemade sweet potato chips, and the perfectly dill/sweet combo pickles were also excellent.
i tell ya one thing – i cannot wait to go back for dinner!!!!!!! 😀
aaannnnd, i really want to take pictures of/for them!
soooo – the broncos lost the superbowl. yeah, in like a MAJOR WAY! *sigh*
i’ll leave the rants for the professionals – all i’m going to say is it’s a good thing i was surrounded with fun people and lots of delicious food.
it was a “soup-or-bowl” party – bring a soup or a bowl of salad. i brought maryland crab soup. so i thought i’d share the recipe 🙂
i had never made this before – though i remember eating it almost every day for lunch when i was living in aberdeen, maryland many years ago. my favourite little cafe on the side of the highway always had the biggest vat of it simmering all day and it smelled so amazing!
i just made it based on what i remembered and “winged” the rest… Continue reading
…and i took a ton of pics with my favourite iphone app, shake-it.
beginning with a shameless selfie 🙂
POWDER DAY!
so pretty. Continue reading
walking through the filthy snow-packed hills during x-games this weekend, i became inspired… and thus, i have begun working on an actual artistic series called “the dark side of snow” 😉
i’ve been taking my camera with me to fotograph such things, but i wanted to share these few i snapped with my iphone. do you ever stop to look at the details these old and dirty piles of snow create?! between the melting and re-freezing and various winds and plow trucks, snow forms from fluffy white flakes into slushy mixed-coloured mounds and stark white turns pitch black. it transforms from graceful to treacherous, from beautiful to ugly, from light to dense, from snow to something else entirely…
by the way, it’s almost time for mercury to go retrograde again… 😉
i went to work – this is what i see when i arrive… 🙂
i had edible flowers in a salad i bought at the market… that was a first, for sure! especially considering i just grabbed it from the salad bar… i also discovered that they sell boars head meat, which got me all kinds of excited and happy! 😀
i took a selfie at the bus-stop…
i enjoyed this amazing spread with some friends…
i saw this sunset over mt. sopris…
and now i’m off to check out the WINTER X-GAMES!! 😀 pics to follow…
have a great weekend, ya’ll!
how cool is this on-the-go french press coffee maker/holder that my neighbour got me for christmas?! it was a total surprise, i can’t believe she bought me something, let alone something THIS COOL!
and so practical, too! Continue reading
i don’t eat a ton of red meat. however when i do, i prefer it be as local, organic, and grass-fed as possible.
have you ever had grass-fed beef? you may think to yourself, “what do you mean, don’t all cows eat grass?” when you think of a cow, you picture a field or pasture and you see them eating grass, right?! well, you may be surprised to know that most cows are actually fed a grain or corn-based diet – that stuff is in everything!… again, i encourage you to do your own research.
there is lots of fresh, organic, local, grass-fed beef where i live. and that makes me so happy! i have mentioned before that i don’t really subscribe to any “diet” per se – but if i had to pick a category to fall into, i would say my diet is totally intuitive and mostly organic. and it varies all along that spectrum. this time last year, i was totally vegan and coming off a major 2-week cleanse of only veggies, fruit, kombucha, and water. i remember around christmas, trying some of the ham at whole foods one day and i actually spit it out. and now, i can’t seem to eat enough meat! so i’m just listening to my body and rolling with it.
i recently bought this adorable little crock-pot, which is perfect for the tiny home, and it fits about a 2-pound roast just perfectly! it only has one setting – ON. but it totally does the trick!
i like food you can consume without utensils 🙂
and there’s something about the word “artisan” that makes things more fun and enjoyable to eat 🙂
when i spotted this bag on sale at the market, i nabbed it up. it looked super fresh and crisp and i had some leftover polenta at home that i just knew would go great with it.
so i made a simple red sauce with the remains of a jar of marina i had in the fridge. then i tossed in some extra garlic, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and a little cheese, and boom! – i had a simple and delicious red sauce to pour over my polenta.
foodie side note : i only use organic corn products – corn is THE MOST genetically modified plant out there. and it’s in everything. do your own research, i highly encourage it 🙂 Continue reading
it’s a tiny tuesday update! 😀
i have made a lot of changes to my adorable tiny home, but i wanted to share these fotos so you can see the progression 🙂
main entrance, with ladder leading to loft…
computer desk to the right… it’s kind of like having an “office” 😉
behind my “office” – an open space and area for coats, etc. Continue reading
this is my third year making my vegan thumbprint cookies {AKA “vitamix breakfast cookies”} to give as gifts or to share at work… or eat all by yourself 😉
so, here’s the original recipe in case you missed it…
———
these are always always always a hit. i’m not much of a baker, but when i find something that is easy to make and that people like, i try to perfect it and make it my own. i have yet to quite create the perfect consistency for these {i’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to anything i make or do}, but i do think i found the right name for them. the ingredients are so simple and healthy that you could literally eat them for breakfast – and not feel at all guilty about it!! they are also great for holiday parties or after school snacks. a good source of dietary fiber and protein as well as healthy fats.
yields about 3 dozen cookies, depending on size variation.
as always, i’m a huge proponent for using as many organic products as possible when i cook or eat…
– 1 cup almonds or pecans or a mix of both
– 1 cup rolled oats {gluten-free works, too!}
– 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
– 1/2 cup maple syrup
– 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil {which i haven’t yet tried}
– 1/4 teaspoon salt {i believe this constitutes as a “pinch”}
– your favourite jam or conserve {i have wanted to try a savory jam like jalapeno berry or something}
begin by preheating your oven to about 400 degrees. Continue reading
food & foto 