with havarti cheese, fresh tomato slices, romaine lettuce leaves, crunchy pea sprouts, and deli mustard… neatly wedged between two artisan whole wheat slices…
ring ring…
nom nom…
Tag Archives: food and foto
{“you can learn a lot of things from the flowers…”}
27 Jun… “especially in the month of june…”
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my roommate brought these gorgeous flowers home from work recently and i gasped with glee when i laid eyes on them… then i immediately grabbed my camera, of course! actually, i waited until about 6:00 the next morning, then took them out on the balcony and sipped my iced americano while snapping images of these amazing beauties. i just love mornings… and i LOVE morning light… especially this time of year!
such pretty tulips, orchids, peonies, and greenery!
i am inspired by LIFE. not necessarily by the world, and the way we live, but by LIFE itself. these flowers are alive, just as we are. i was inspired by the stillness of these flowers, the stillness of nature… how nature just IS. the sole purpose of these flowers is to simply be. if anything, they just long for us to look at them, to bring awareness to them. and i believe when we “stop and smell the roses”, we can connect with them, with nature, in such a way that can offer stillness and peace to our own lives. after-all, i do believe we are just as much a part of nature as nature itself.
i love what eckhart tolle says about nature :
“Even a stone, and more easily a flower or a bird, could show you the way back to God, to the Source, to yourself. When you look at it or hold it & let it be without imposing a word of mental label on it, a sense of awe, of wonder, arises within you. Its essence silently communicates itself to you and reflects your own essence back to you.”
eckhart’s words resonated with me and i’ve carried them in my heart over the years. when i felt the glee i did upon seeing these flowers, i was reminded of that quote… and i thought i would post some pics of these gorgeous flowers along with some of my favourite quotes regarding stillness, spirituality, or love.
i hope you enjoy and i hope this brings some stillness to the mind and a warmth to the heart.
❤
“the earth laughs in flowers.” ~ ralph waldo emerson
“the intuitive mind is a sacred gift, the rational mind is a faithful servant. we have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” ~ albert einstein
“we need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. see how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… we need silence to be able to touch souls.” ~ mother teresa
“there is a voice that doesn’t use words… listen!” ~ rumi
“if we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~ buddha
“after women, flowers are the most lovely thing God has given the world.” ~ christian dior
“the best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.” ~ alexandra k. trenfor
“yesterday i was clever, so i tried to change the world… today i am wise, so i am changing myself.” – rumi
“and when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” – fredrich nietzsche
“be kind whenever possible. it is always possible.” – dalai lama
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enjoy the weekend! ❤
{foto friday : for the love of food!}
26 Jun
brunch! – w/ salmon lox, bacon frittata, cherry almond scones, fresh fruit!
living butter lettuce!
nicoise salad!
danish cream-puff pastry!
bacon, mush, tomato scramble over arugula!
happy hour with fine ladies!
farm-fresh eggs!
oozing danish chocolate cream puff pastry!
tomato pesto turkey salad!
snacks!
vegan dinner! – w/ yucca fries, corn on the cob, quinoa, and garden salad!
classic cobb salad!
potato waffles! – w/ creme fresh and smoked salmon!
flank steak salad! – w/ red peppers, zucchini, mozzarella, and chimichurri!
{foto friday : familiar faces}
19 Juni’m just so thrilled when i have a repeat client.
david farwig is a client/friend from many years back and we’ve remained in contact over time… so when he reached out this spring to discuss another portrait session, i was very thankful and excited! i just love it when someone comes back. that means not only were they happy, but it also means they were satisfied and craved more… it means i’m doing my job well… it means i’ve left an impression… it means they WANT to hire me back… and that feels amazing.
david is a professional choral singer and he wanted some updated images to represent himself for his website… and since we had already engaged in a similar session a few years back, david felt much more comfortable with me and the camera for round two. we strolled around a park in denver, which was vividly green thanks to all this rain. it’s always a pleasure to work with him because david is so easy-going and kind. he has a gentle disposition which i appreciate and he enjoys my work, so it’s a win-win. i hope i can attract more clients like him in the future!
thanks, david!
{“jimmy nardello” sweet peppers}
18 Mayi think these are so beautiful!!! i just love the interesting shapes they take on…
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and did you know red peppers are loaded with vitamin c?!?! 😀
{light & simple fusilli pasta salad with roasted chicken and fresh veggies}
17 Apr
i love to make this dish… and quite often, too! it’s simple, healthy, colourful, and great as a make-ahead meal to have on-hand for lunches. furthermore, it is an easy to dish to batch-cook… a great choice to take to potlucks or BBQs. it has a lot of fun “crunch” and texture, which we all know i love and enjoy, and as always, you can control the ingredients. i simply buy a roasted chicken from the market whenever they are on sale… then i eat some, shred the rest, and save it for a dish like this or to throw on salads.
i always try to eat something raw with every meal i have – whether it’s a large salad with some warm soup and bread, a ripe banana in my oatmeal, or fresh avocado slices on top of my scrambled eggs – i always try to incorporate raw ingredients. i believe it’s important to balance out a dish with raw components that only fresh vegetables or fruits can offer. what i also love about this dish, is that it can be served hot or cold – it’s great both ways! i love it when my food is versatile 😉
and you can add in whatever veggies you want, really. mix it up with cooked and raw veggies… i would like to try this dish with some fresh spring peas, roasted garlic, and blanched asparagus – to celebrate the season!
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fusilli with roasted chicken and fresh veggies:
– 16 oz cooked fusilli pasta, drained and set aside {reserve 1/4 cup starchy water}
– shredded roasted chicken {about 1 cup}
– veggies {about a quarter cup for each} :
~black olives
~cucumbers
~red onion
~mushrooms
~tomatoes
~corn
~purple cabbage
———
combine all ingredients and mix together. drizzle in reserved starchy water {this will help “marry” the pasta to the veggies}. add in dressing of choice {i opted for a french vinaigrette} and some S&P to taste. sprinkle in some dried herbs, if you wish…
and… “eat the rainbow” 🙂
make a big ol’ batch and take some to work for lunch!
nom nom…
{healthy batch-cooking}
11 Feb
it seems like this is the time of year when everyone promises to “eat healthier!” and so with that in mind, i’m going to write about a little something that helped me change my diet by creating better eating habits and healthier decisions.
i’m referring to BATCH COOKING.
working in the food industry all these years has really helped me learn how to be a better at-home cook. i wasn’t even much of a cook until recently… i’d say within the last 5 years i really discovered my love for cooking. it actually is relaxing to me… chopping, stirring, mixing, tasting… all of it makes me feel good.
anyway – between wacky work scheduling, random one-day sales on groceries, and not having a vehicle -something I’ve kind of had to learn to do well is batch-cook. i find it’s much easier for me to spend an afternoon preparing a bunch of food for the week than trying to figure out how i’m going to get three daily meals in during my regular work week. i was first introduced to the idea of “batch-cooking” when i was working at whole foods market. i had never really thought about preparing food ahead of time… it just wasn’t something i had considered. but the more i thought about it, the more sense it made… especially at the time, when i was working the night shift. i simply didn’t have enough time in my day to cook at home as much.
that has all changed, though. now it’s become a regular thing for me to batch-cook at least 2-3 things each week. i don’t plan my meals before shopping, i let the food guide me. when i shop, i simply look for what’s fresh – as well as local and organic. sometimes i’m inspired right on the spot and sometimes i wait until i get home and look at what i got and create dishes based on that and what i have in my pantry.
every week is different. i don’t {and due to where i used to live, couldn’t} rely on being able to get anything i want at any time i want… which is a much different mentality then my days living in manhattan. but it keeps my diet much healthier because i know what i am buying didn’t have to travel very far and therefore is much fresher, and it keeps me eating in tune with nature and the seasons.
here are a few pics of some dishes i batch-cooked recently :
slow-cooked smoked ham hocks w/ green beans and leeks…
herb-stuffed roasted chicken and veggies…
savory mushroom soup {with homemade beef broth}…
dehydrated {rainbow} bell peppers…
bacon and brussels…
my mom’s recipe : hearty beef vegetable stew… ❤
candied carrots, sautéed cabbage and bacon, garlic and onion kaniwa, and red kuri risotto…
i also have been LOVING these purple sweet potatoes! i like to bake 3-4 at a time and just bust them out when i’m ready for one. they freeze really well, too!
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do you batch-cook? what are some of your favourite make-ahead meals? i love to hear from you, so comment below and let me know what you think!
{my first post in 2015 – an overdue update… with tons of pics!}
6 Feblast day in the tiny house…
hey gang – how’s the new year treating you so far? did you make a bunch of resolutions? are you off to a healthier new you?! seems like many of us make those kind of promises in honour of the new year.
me?! i moved… again. and so i figured it was time to clue you all in.
i’ve missed blogging… but i have literally been living like a gypsy for the past month – and i simply didn’t have time to update as often as i had before. plus, my camera is still broken so i haven’t been fotographing as much. i’ve been relying on the trusty iphone to supplement in that regard… but this will all change very soon… it’s just life, i guess.
in my last post of 2014, i mentioned that i had to leave the tiny house… it was something i wanted to do but also something that was hard to do. it wasn’t so much that i wanted to leave the house, it was more that i wanted to leave the area. it’s a beautiful place, but i am simply not cut out for the cold weather or the culture. if i could have taken that tiny house and put it on wheels to travel with me, i so would have. but alas, it’s a stationed tiny home and that wasn’t an option. c’est le vie. it was an experience i will never forget, and one that changed me and molded me into who i am today.
anyway – i can’t go into the whole story because i could seriously write a book about the circumstances around my final decision to leave the valley. it was just a series of events, some unfortunate, that paved the road to open up new directions in my life. and i have no regrets about it. i feel content in my choices and in the things i’ve learned, and i am excited for a new beginning in my life.
i’ve always been one to change my surroundings if i feel the need… and this move was no exception. home is truly where the heart is… so as long as i have ME, i’m good.
and so without further ado, here are some snaps of the haps in january… enjoy! i look forward to reconnecting with you and hope you all are well!
this message really helped me as i made the final decision to leave colorado… the best word i can use to describe all the feelings… bittersweet.
i will miss seeing the deer in my front yard every morning… that’s for sure.
as i was packing and downsizing even more, i came across all these notebooks i saved from all my years working as a shift leader in NYC. i miss that job and that city so much, but it was an experience like no other and one i will cherish.
fracking is a big thing in colorado – i would see signs all the time and people in the town where i lived were not at all ashamed of expressing their opinions on it… do you see the hand-painted sign on the bottom? it reads : “fracking gassholes” — haha! i loved it.
i took myself to breakfast here on moving day… it’s called heidi’s deli. they make one of the best pastrami sammies i’ve had this side of the hudson… i will miss them.
… and their ham, swiss, egg, and avocado croissants!
i swear i wear this hat every day, lately…
i was nervous moving in january… it’s not something i tend to plan out, what with unpredictable weather and all. but i was so thankful that wedged in between all the snowy days, was sunny friday – the day i moved my things out of the tiny home.
i left this for the new tenants… cuz i’m like that.
i also “left my mark” under the kitchen sink… 😉
moving day lunch – cubano tacos. AH-mazing.
while in gypsy mode, i was staying with some friends out in the sticks… literally. i helped them chop and stack some wood for the winter… okay, mostly i stacked. 😛
i’m learning to incorporate more salads into my diet in winter… my dear friend miss M taught me about the simplicity of putting cooked veggies in with your greens to add more dimension and warmth during the cold months… so simple, so easy.
gettin’ artsy with a clementine…
… and some window light!
who wouldn’t love cooking your oatmeal on a wood stovetop?!
i was SO thankful to be able to spend plenty of time in the private hot springs near carbondale… it was so healing, so sacred.
doesn’t this look so bizarre and cool?! it looks like some kind of alien snow crop circle or something… but it’s really just an indentation from a cross-country ski pole…
the roaring fork…
this reminded me of new york…
never grow up…
moving day dinner… i will miss the local grass-fed burgers!
ran into a little weather on actual moving day…
i’m so grateful my chauffeur {kind of a joke – a good friend drove me the entire 8 hours to my destination!} was fully prepared with snow tires!
…and i’ve pretty much been eating a lot since i got here!
homemade vegan pizza…
with tons of fresh mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and jalapenos!
good wine, good friends…
and my goodness, is it warm here! and i love that!
❤
{some virtual holiday haps}
16 Dechey gang – how’s winter treating you?
i really don’t wanna jinx it, but this time last year we had like double the amount of snow, if not triple, that we do now. we had a storm blow through this weekend, but nothing really accumulated or even fell from the clouds. i’ll probably get chastised for saying this, but i am perfectly fine without all that cold white stuff. {i do, however, like to see it flurrying down my screen from wordpress tech wonderland…}
i’m still in the holiday spirit, though. my tiny tree has been up in the tiny home since thanksgiving weekend and i’ve been watching tons of christmas movies and listening to christmas albums. i save “home alone” for christmas day – i wouldn’t say it’s my favourite, but it’s just one of those classics i have to watch every year. my favourite christmas movie ever is probably “love actually” ❤
what’s your favourite christmas movie?!
i also plan on pretty much not taking off this santa hat until december 26th. i have two cowlicks in my hair and when it’s short it’s fine, and when it’s long it’s fine… but i’m in the funky “growing out my hair” phase and sometimes throwing on a hat is the only way to get through my day and be happy about my hair. this time last year, it was about the same length, but i got impatient and cut it all off. this time, i will persevere! 😛
occasionally we get some really cool clouds up here. have you been looking up in wonder at the sky lately? …you should, and often.
LOVE : that wonderful feeling that can present itself in many forms. and sometimes the only place to find it is in a sticker plastered on a bench at a bus-stop… but it’s still there! ❤
a random salad i whipped up : brussel sprouts, cabbage, bacon, tart cherries, flax seeds, and parmesan cheese in a french vinaigrette. i admit i do not eat nearly as many cold salads in the winter… i just can’t get down with cold food in the cold months. but i do try to squeeze in some raw greens when the mood strikes me.
as a child of the 90’s, peace signs were kind of cool when i was growing up. we drew them on our notebooks, put pins on our backpacks, some of us even got tattoos of the peace sign! but it’s kind of weird to me that you don’t often see it anymore – at least not like we did when i was a kid. seeing this peace sign drawn in permanent cement made me smile – it’s there forever, dammit! 😛
something so simple as a wreath does so much for my holiday spirit. perhaps they remind me of my mom, in a way… i am pretty sure she would make them and we always had them on our doors, growing up. my neighbour thoughtfully bought me this wreath for the tiny house door… Continue reading
{eat the rainbow : purple sweet potatoes}
11 Dec
i get super excited when i see a rainbow on my plate. it just makes me happy to eat COLOUR! and these wonderful bright purple sweet potatoes please both the palate and the eye.
i love how they grow in weird shapes, too.
have you ever had a purple sweet potato? i was first introduced to them many years ago at whole foods, as they tend to get the “cool” produce a lot. since then i have been seeing them in mainstream supermarkets and grocery stores, as well. unlike purple potatoes, these do not lose colour when you cook them. in fact, they get BRIGHTER! it’s the coolest thing. Continue reading
{homemade nutrient-dense beef bone broth}
7 Dec
it seems like bone broth is all the rage these days. everyone is talking about it, bloggers are writing about it, and i see articles in random magazines about it, too. i also find it funny that food has like, fads. i mean – i figure diets have fads because that is essentially what “dieting” is… but it just tickles me when i notice certain “food trends”… you know what i mean?! nevertheless, i’d be lying if i didn’t say i recently jumped on the bandwagon regarding bone broth. 😛
———
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH BONE BROTH, ANYWAY?!
– bone broth is ancestral food – our grandma’s grandmas probably made it all the time!
– bone broth contains many nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.
– bone broth is also high in beauty-supporting collagen and amino acids.
– bone broth is comforting, and great for those days we feel “under the weather.”
– bone broth supports a healthy gut and intestinal-lining.
– bone broth contains joint-supporting gelatin, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
– bone broth is very cost-effective and you can control the ingredients when you make it yourself!
———
anyway, my cute little store sells beef bones with the marrow included, which is what you want for making broth. i’ve read several articles and books about the benefits of ancient cooking and bone broth is something that always seems to be at the top of the list for overall health-boosting properties. i usually opt for a veggie broth when i am stocking the pantry. however, i couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make something new from scratch. i just love to create things. plus, understanding the health benefits of bone broth make it extra appealing to me.
after perusing several recipes and suggestions, i did what audrey typically does and i created my own version of bone broth. this entire batch {which made about a gallon} cost me around $4.00. try comparing that to the stocks or broths you find in the store… it simply doesn’t. nor does the nutritional value.
ingredient guidelines for bone broth :
– 2 lbs grass-fed beef bones
– 2 large carrots, chopped
– 2 celery stalks, chopped
– 1 yellow onion, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 3 or 4 sprigs fresh parsley {optional}
– 1 bay leaf {optional}
{red kuri squash risotto}
3 Decit’s comfort-food season!
i will preface this post by saying that this dish, albeit exquisite, took a little time to make. typically i prefer my meals to be a little more “easy breezy” to prepare… however, this one is oh-so-worth the time and effort!
and let me reiterate – this dish is absolutely DIVINE! i totally love risotto any way i can get it, really… it’s one of my staple dishes, for sure. when i discovered this new squash, i was inspired to fuse it with some risotto and eventually make it into risotto balls.
risotto is hearty and filling while still being gluten-free, which i kind of love. the red kuri squash is in its prime season right now and it is just beautiful! full of vitamin a {that lovely colour!} and potassium [like most squash}, it added so much flavour to this amazing dish!
red kuri squash is delicious on its own, too. the flavour is reminiscent of chestnuts, and the flesh has a rich and creamy consistency when cooked.
risotto itself is very simple, it’s just a little time consuming to make. the ratio for making risotto is about 1:4 – one cup rice to 4 cups liquid. you can use a blend of water and broth or just water or just broth. i tend to mix it up a little, but typically i use broth. the key {and magical} ingredient in making risotto is white wine. you can use any ol’ wine – cooking wine, cheap stuff at the liquor store, whatever. but it must be dry and it must be included! the wine gives the risotto TONS of flavour and really rounds out the dish. Continue reading
{october round-up}
1 Novhello, november!
this is definitely my favourite time of year… even though it always shocks my system a little to do this whole daylight-savings-time thing… seriously, my sleep is jacked up for like 2 weeks after that happens.
c’est le vie, eh?!
at least it won’t be pitch black at 7 a.m. anymore…
anyway, here are a few of my favourite shake-it snaps from recent days. i hope you all had a fun, safe, and happy halloween!
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sopris never gets old…
this is the time of year when they move the cattle down to graze in different pastures…
this kind of colour is pretty much totally gone, now…
but i made sure to soak it all in…
i just love it…
mmm, apple pie………….. soooo good!
i did a little dog-sitting last month… and our shadows were GIANTS! teeeheheeee….
i also did a little chicken-sitting… and had the freshest eggs i’ve ever eaten! like, 40 minutes old – fresh!
frost!
sopris… again.
i’ve been making and eating a ton of sauerkraut…
and making and taking a bunch of pointless selfies…
i dunno, this just looked cool…
so did this…
fall!
this time you couldn’t even see sopris…
fiery sunsets!
a rainbow over my tiny house!
i’m so in love with lense-flare.
oh yeah, one day i found these guys in a head of broccoli… they both took a poo on my hand – hysterical!
mmmmmmm, nothing like cozying up by a wood-fire!
an archery target! which i SOOOO want to use some day soon!
weird stuff you find on hikes…
… like the pumpkin graveyard… 😉
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have a great weekend!
{pickled gherkins}
30 Octwhen i say, “gherkins” – what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
for me, it’s the movie dirty dancing. weird, right?! there’s the scene where neil is asking baby if she is hungry, and he’s looking in the fridge… “leftover cabbage roll, fruit salad…? sweet gherkins?!” 😛
anyway… i don’t really like sweet pickles. but i do love dill pickles. and when i found these *adorable* baby gherkins, i literally squealed in excitement! apparently, they are also known as “cucamelons.” {teehehee}
they are slightly sour, and very juicy! which, i admit, was a little surprising. i also read that they are very easy to grow… which makes me totally want to try to include some in the garden next year!
they look like little watermelons!! eep! so cute. Continue reading
{seasonal eating : wild chanterelle mushrooms}
27 Oct
i looooooove mushrooms, did you know this?! it was amazing to discover that some mushrooms grow WILD up here in the high country. morels, boletus, and chanterelles, to name a few. and they are all something special. when we received some wild chanterelles at the store, i eagerly nabbed some up so i could try them for the first time. they are only available for a short time, and many of the “professional” foragers are extremely secretive about their “finding spots” – and who can blame them!!?? – they sell for upwards of $20.00 a pound! we had a very rainy august here in the valley, and that made for some ideal mushroom hunting-and-gathering!
the peak season for chanterelles is in the fall… we have had a little frost in the mornings lately, so i’m kind of assuming they’re done for the year… but i could be wrong. i’m also just a little late in posting this blog 😛
i most likely have had chanterelle mushrooms at some point in my life and not realized it. i’m sure at some fancy dinner in NYC, i had a couple in a dish once… but i wanted to truly truly taste the mushroom – being a purist and all – so i simply sauteed them in some awesome local pasture butter.
i sauteed the golden fungi for about 15 minutes, until they were nice and aromatic… then poured the whole mixture over a yummy baked russet potato…
it was a taste of heaven…
do you like mushrooms? have you had chanterelles? what is your favourite mushroom??
i am audrey michelle
i am a minimalist
food & foto 