hey gang, happy summer!
i hope you are enjoying the season, wherever you may be reading this.
here in colorado, it has been very hot… like in the high 90s and even 100 degrees! yesterday, to officially kick off summer, i walked to my local pool for a dip. it was the perfect way to welcome in the new season!
another fun thing i did to celebrate summer and the solstice, was make this beautiful solstice summer tea… or as i named it, “prosperi-tea” … cuz i’m cute and nerdy like that. plus, it sounded super magical.
the idea came from an online source that suggested putting various herbs and flowers in a pitcher and sitting it out in the sun during the day of solstice. here’s what i put in mine :
fresh lettuce leaves, pea shoots, roses, lilies, strawberries, succulent, snapdragon, various flower petals, mint, and tons of sage.
all of the ingredients came from my local community garden… the pea shoots and lettuce came from my plot! 😀
here is the finished product :
someone said to me, “it looks like perfume!” which made me giggle. in a way, it IS like perfume in that it is made from beautiful summer flowers! 🙂
this lovely “prosperi-tea” was so easy to make and it was delicious, too! it was light and soft and refreshing. i also love the colour it developed! i put a lot of love into this tea as well, which i believe makes a big difference! 😉 ❤
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what did you do to ring in summer?
bbq pulled pork sammy w/ mac n’ cheese & a rich brown ale… flank steak salad w/ chimichuri…
breakfast! w/ salmon, avocado, & a purple sweet potato… a variety of cheeses & caviar!…
hearty tomato soup w/chicken salad over a bed of arugula… a beautiful spread of tapas…
mixed green salad w/carrot ribbons & cilantro dressing… potato waffles w/creme fraiche & smoked salmon…
potato parmesan soup w/garlic foccacia breadbowl… pastrami sammy w/ceaser salad…
colourful roasted fingerling potatoes… israeli cous-cous w/ fresh herbs over a bed of spinach…
eggs benedict two-ways… prosciutto & manchego pop-tart w/ balsamic glaze drizzle…
those of you have been following me for a while {thank you, and welcome to the newcomers!} know that i am obsessed with romanesco. and clearly, i’m also obsessed with “baby” foods… as in, super tiny versions of amazing fruits and veggies.
well, you can imagine my excitement when i saw BABY ROMANESCO at my local grocery store!!?!? i will say, it is not at all organic and it is not at all in season… however, it is still magical!!!
…right?!?!
also, how adorable is my cute cutting board?! 😀
i hope i can find a way to grow these myself some day soon… i would love to find a way to become or marry a farmer… seems like the most appropriate lifestyle for me.
😉 ❤
once upon a time in february it was 70 degrees, and I walked around a lake in a t-shirt…
along the way, i spotted lots of beautiful and interesting things… like naked trees and cracks in the earth…
like, crazy amounts of cracks… like the earth is erupting from below!..
along the way, i also spotted crazy amounts of geese… walking around, and walking on ice…
and speaking of ice, i spotted parts of the lake that were still frozen and parts that were melting…
it was a lovely site… the wind blew crazy in my face and yet the sun on my face kept me crazy warm…
the clouds were very interesting… and this picture looks like an alien ship about to land!…
cat tails… everywhere!!!
shout out to the east coast… and to interesting angles!…
…
art… is… everywhere…
once upon a time, i saw interesting patterns in the ice… and in my shadow…
and in the geese’s {is that right?!} foot prints…
and then… one of the geese flapped his wings… and a ton of birds flew by…
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j.good would appreciate this blog ❤ i hope she reads it!
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i haven’t written a meatless monday recipe in a while. i came up with this one by accident.
i love love LOVE fresno peppers. they are so full of flavour and yet mild enough in heat to not overpower most dishes. i also love couscous; it’s simple and easy to make and reheats well, so i will often batch-cook it.
i shared this dish some with a friend this weekend over brunch and she commented on how much she liked it, so i thought i would share the recipe. as i said, i sort of came up with this on accident… but i’m glad i did, as i’ll be sure to make it again in the future!
simple ingredients :
this is a very easy recipe to make. simply saute peppers in olive oil until tender then pour in water. bring to a boil and add in couscous. remove from heat, cover and let sit for at least 5 minutes. fluff couscous with a fork and sprinkle in salt and pepper.
i also added in some cumin because i’ve been experimenting with spices… and i really liked it in this dish!
i am truly fascinated by nature. nothing makes me feel more connected than LIFE itself… you know, the being alive part, not the stuff we fill our lives with. food gives me a feeling that is unlike anything else. when i chop up vegetables, i stand in awe for a minute and marvel at what is before me. i am taken aback every single time i cut a cabbage in half. it blows my mind… i always find myself thinking, “BUT WHY?! why do you grow like that?!” …not to mention that stunning colour!
it truly does amaze me that nature has such intricacies about it. romanesco is one of the biggest food wonders, in my opinion. cabbage is a close second. i am also fascinated by swiss chard. sometimes i look at food and think about how similar it is to us, to humans… so many details going on inside and out. my hope is that we can all try to be a little more like food, like nature. be more of the BEING and not just the human.
i digress.
i hope you enjoy these fotos i took while feeling inspired by this cool, intricate cabbage.
when i flipped it upside down, i thought it kind of represented a face. 😉
are you fascinated by nature?!
don’t you just love “baby” foods!?!?
i love swiss chard for so many reasons! not only is it good for you and high in vitamins like A and C, but it has a mild flavour and is great either raw or cooked. i adore all the colours – they are why i like to call swiss chard “nature’s paintbrush.” 🙂
happy new year, friends!
in honour of resolutions and commitments to a healthier life and all that jazz… and just because i truly believe in this lifestyle, i want to present a gentle reminder – don’t forget to “eat the rainbow!” as in : plenty of colourful foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables!
some things i’ve been enjoying lately:
– baked purple sweet potato
– roasted cabbage w/ bacon bits
– kaniwa w/ sautéed garlic and onion
– slow-cooked smoked ham and green beans
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nom nom!
food & foto 