Rainbow Eggs

Clockwise from top: Hot water mixed with blueberries, green tea, parsley, cranberries, turmeric, and espresso.

 Yesterday, I was trying to come up with a way to attractively display the deviled eggs I usually bring to my dear friend and neighbor's annual Easter gathering. I found this website on pinterest. The pastel-colored-eggs are gorgeous but foreign colors for foods can be alarming (purple ketchup?). And food dye's have a bad rap in general. For years I've been meaning to experiment with dyeing eggs from sources from nature. From the research I did (Martha Stewart) they produce more subtle, elegant colors. 

After getting some ideas off the interwebs and checking my kitchen, I ended up using: coffee, frozen cranberries, frozen blueberries/blackberries, green tea, turmeric, and parsley, which I ran through our beloved juicer.

 Pretty and pastel-y, like I hoped!

I wanted to mix in the dill and parsley but in the end allowed people the option by serving on the side.

 I was worried the coffee one would taste too strong--it wasn't. 

 We were lucky to form a quality group of friend our first year living here. Our friends are grad students and spouses, who moved here from other parts of the country. We live in the same complex, so borrowing stuff and watching TV shows in pajamas is our normal.  Without family accessible, we're forced to rely on each other for community in ways you might not have to when living in a familiar place. Recently, we've seen dear friends move on to bigger and better things and leave us. Our time in this humble community has an end in sight. Year five is drawing to a close and I know that someday we wont be carving pumpkins together, crowding around for Thanksgiving, or celebrating Easter together in style. In the meanwhile, I try to live in the moment (and take lots of pictures) so I'll remember these good ole days.

Pretty Much a Perfect Day

Upon reflection, I just realized I just had my perfect day. A balanced day. A happy day.  Note: Last week was underwhelming full of long demoralizing meetings and a generally crappy feeling in the air.

I skipped coffee yesterday or all weekend. It made the coffee I started sipping around lunch time really work.

I tucked myself in before 10pm last night. My sister called at 10:01 and I couldn't move to answer it.

Breakfast was steel-cut instant oats (from TJs) with chopped apple, some cinnamon, and a sprinkle of walnuts. So wholesome and filling and cozy-ish.

I had parent teacher conferences today. The two kids whose parents I met with are such gems.  My eyes watered when I talked about how delightful they are to teach. 

One conference was cancelled. So I took a walk. I walk for about 15 minutes up hill and then 10 minutes back...I keep my athletic shoes in the car and switch out of my work-lady shoes. It is so fun to look at all the beautiful houses and fantasize about what living in a house might be like someday. I love the Mediterranean landscape of Santa Barbara. I  love looking down at the sparkling sea. Ocean views almost make me feel like I'm at the beach. And, I'm addicted to sunshine.

I snuck out of work early enough to run a few errands (a price adjustment on a skirt from Banana Republic).  I happened upon the bustle of the downtown Farmers Market. I missed it last Sunday in my neighborhood. The colorful  dendrobium orchids were 2 bunches for 5 dollars. I'm in love! I feel so happily indulged when I buy myself flowers. And then I greedily bought lettuces, celery, carrots, kale, broccoli.  Everything was so pretty and fresh.

I went to yoga. My favorite and original yoga studio welcomed me back, even though I've been cheating on it with groupons to other places. Andrew always says, "You mean there is ANOTHER yoga studio?" Yaaay, California!  It was a level 2 class which was challenging but luckily still doable. The instructor is so sweet and she plays really great music. And I bumped into a co-worker I admire there. I barely get a chance to talk to her at work. She is so fit and committed and has a frankness about her that impresses me. I am determined to make this a habit (again).

I love driving home in my new car. Andrew installed a bluetooth radio that hooks up to my iPhone. So my phone conversations or audio books play through the stereo. So cool!

Dinner was a BLT: an open faced tomato, fake-bacon, lettuce sandwich and a huge salad with my new goodies...and an improvised tahini/mustard/yogurt/garlic dressing. Andrew and I polished off our refreshing dinner. I got in the bath while he drove down the block to pick up his latest goods from the pottery studio. Which I am now going to admire.

 I know everyone is reading them right now and probably already knows but I am loving a Game of Thrones. I refer to it as a fairy tale because in general the genre of science fiction is rather off-putting to me. It really is so good! Going to go snuggle with it right now...

P.S. Does this blog post look naked with no picture?

Farmers Market: Fall Version

Pom Poms.

More Jewels.

 

Fresh flowers...smell like Hawaiian leis.

Where almonds come from.

 Healthy mama.

Blueberries for All

I went on my first blueberry picking expedition. 

A novelty to this island girl!

We ate as much as we picked. So yum.

My cousin I worked hard picking the best ones
while the hot sun beat down on us.

Janna threw together a cool blueberry mango tart
with a graham-cracker crust.
Our first time using a Andrew-made pie dish! 

Summer Season

It's fava time again. I planted them a season late
but they are still a go.

Purifying white sage, bundled from the garden.

 

Peaches for me...

I buy the Very Ripe and Slightly Bruised at the Farmers Market for $1 a pound. Then I chop them up for a peach fruit salad. My favorite breakfast these days: A brown rice cake, layered with raw almond butter ("rawmond" butter--way tastier and nutritious than roasted), and topped with farmers market peach or strawberry slices. Yum.

Flavors of the Month

On a whim I picked up a $2 bag of dried wakame seaweed. It rang a bell but I wasn't super familiar with it. I recently rehydrated some to add to a pot of miso soup. Actually, more of a miso stew since I add tons of vegetables and whisk in a few eggs so it is rich and egg-drop-soup-esque. Turns out, I love wakame! It is the bit of green you often find floating in your restaurant miso. I added it to my packed lunch of brown rice, cucumber slices, and tofu. It added the refreshing salty tanginess of sea vegetables.

I am really appreciating our new glass tuperware. It's BPA free and a lot more elegant to eat out of.

Beet greens are SO delicious. I may have waxed poetic about them before but it is worthy saying again. Even if you aren't one for the sweet earthy flavor of beets, the greens are delightful. Especially after wilted in cast iron with a bit of garlic. I am the person who scavenges the farmer's market for the tops you've asked to be cut off.

An ordinary dinner of impromptu curry was made special by the last minute addition of mango. It made the meal. I used frozen Asian vegetable, frozen peas, frozen mango, and a bottle of red curry sauce all from Trader Joe's. Recommend.

I usually not one for following or recording recipes so I find taking a picture is a fabulous way of recapturing the essence of a successful dish.

Patio Tomatoes

Fuzzy canary-colored tomato blossoms preview
delicious sandwiches to come.

Patio tomatoes are great for apartment dwellers. Find a sunny spot on your porch or doorstep because this compact variety was bred for containers. Though I have 12 huge tomato plants growing happily in my outside plot I can't help also having one waiting to greet me when I come and go.

The first tomato!
Pink geraniums, pictured in the shadows,
also love this time of year.

Tempting Tempeh

I grew up with tofu, not tempeh, but this Indonesian "meat" has recently emerged as a household staple.  I generally love fermented foods (miso, kombucha, pickles, yogurt, sauerkraut, poi) and this makes the list.

I usually cube it and cook it like any stir-fried protein.  For preparation I use combinations of soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, molasses, black bean paste, nutritional yeast. Whatever I grab first from the shelf really and it usually comes out great.

I ate this plate with couscous, wilted beet greens, and some chopped farmers market goodness.  Beet greens are also amaaaazing if you haven't yet indulged.

One can find tempeh at Trader Joe's and most other stores.

The Magic of Pazelle

My friend invited me over

to show me the ways of her

late Italian grandmother.

The secret ingredient.

Magical pazelle, warm from the press.

 Light, flakey, and delicious.
Italian Christmas cookies.
A tradition worth sharing.

I am...

Reading…"The Middle Place."  It has a cancer-theme so part of me thought enough already while the other part of me thought the-cover-is-so-appealing and Oprah-Magazine-recommended-it and there-it-is-sitting in-the-library's honorback-pile.  

Keeping…my spirits up. Yoga, great friends, a fun job (kindergarten!), and an easygoing boyfriend all contribute greatly. So much to be grateful for.

Baking… A gigundo Italian squash a neighbor offered me from his garden.  For ratatouille-ala-Emily.  But thinking about baking coffee cake .

Watching…last seen: Friday night double feature of "Shrek the Halls" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Gosh we are wholesome.

Making… Vegan food. And not deliberately.  I find windows to grocery shop ｗhen not headed home therefore avoiding things that require refrigeration (eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt). Guess I have to fatten my man up on olive oil.

Grinning... over the 2 month-old Bulldog puppy I saw at a coffee shop today.  She was a drawing a crowd with her sparkling-pink-collar and roly-poly piglet-like body. Is my new affinity for bulldogs due to my results on an online quiz entitled, What Dog Breed Are You?

Admiring...the white gerbera daisies sitting before me, carefully arranged in an Andrew-made-vase. Flowers= the best $2 I spend at the Farmers Market each week.

Congratulating…Boyfriend for completing his Oral Exams--now an official PHD candidate, Sister for finishing up her part in decorating the Trump Tower in Honolulu, and Cousin for running the 13.1-mile Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half Marathon, to raise funds for a cure for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

What's up in your life readers?  Feel free to comment with a verb from your life.

Textures of Thanks

So much to be thankful for.
The colors and textures of this holiday captured me
As I meditated alone in my kitchen.
Savoring moments with beautiful plants
Carefully grown for us to enjoy.

Colors were collected for display:

Prehistoric pink proteas,
Purifying white sage, 

Cheery citrus boughs,
 And golden pomegranate branches 

Dotted with jeweled fruit.

 

Celebrating *true* riches 

With good-hearted people.

So much to be thankful for. 

The Cherry On Top

I was very very pleased to find this sort of happiness at the farmer's market. Just what I had been hoping for... I also stocked up on apricots & got a 10 lb bag of organic oranges for $5.

I harvested my first homegrown leeks.We made fava beans on the grill with great edamame-like results.

I have been learning about shading and the value scale in my drawing class. I spend every free minute playing around with the handful of Prismacolor colored pencils I've acquired. We have an "art show" the weekend after our class ends. ;-)May Gray is upon us. I am loving the coastal fog that has rolled in: It sure beats smoke! And the purple jacaranda trees remind me of Upcountry Maui.

Cherimoya was a Bullfrog

Joy to the world,
All the boys and girls,

Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea,

Joy to you and me.

My favorite fruit lately is the cherimoya. Mark Twain called cherimoya, with its fruity bubblegum taste, "the most delicious fruit known to men." I remember eating this white creamy "ice cream" fruit as a kid on Maui. I was thrilled to discovered it here at the local farmer's market. I found that they sell the hard, unripe cherimoya for only 99 cents a pound. After it's ripe in a few days, keep it in the fridge for a cold, yummy treat.

They do sort of look like bullfrogs don't they, with that green scaly skin? I just remembered in elementary school we used to sing "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" in class. Fun, positive song, but some racy lyrics. We also sang Bob Marley songs and "Under the Boardwalk" so go figure. I love Hawaii.

Magic Beans: Celebrating Favas

I spent a glorious weekend mostly outdoors. Biking, pottery in the outdoor studio, prepping garden beds and planting summer squash and tomatoes. After living in the NW for so many years, I still wake up with a tinge of surprised when it isn't gray or raining. I feel celebratory when I see the sunshine. Fortunately, that's most days around here.

I harvested the first of my fava beans. Fava beans are also known as "English Broad Beans" and were the only beans Europeans knew before discovering American legumes. The magic beans featured in "Jack and the Beanstalk were probably favas. They are so quick growing and low maintenance that if I threw some out the window like Jack's mom, I might have some plants in a few days. Plus, they do branch out in a ladder-esque way that would make them the right shape for climbing. The reason most of us don't eat or see fava beans regularly is because they are not very cost effective to produce. The big spongy pods only have about two or three beans in them each:

Labor intensive, yes. But so worth it. Fava beans taste like gold...buttery, with a rich, almost meaty taste. They are super high in protein and have been a staple for people around the world for ages.

The prepackaged kind at Trader Joe's are not very yummy...I think they may have to be fresh to be really appreciated. If you don't have any growing space, I've also seen them for sale in the springtime at farmer's markets. I sauteed mine with a some chopped garlic and a splash of olive oil--I'm glad that I only had to share with A:

I staggered my planting so I' ll hopefully have many more to harvest (the blossoms smell SO good). I look forward to sharing some different recipes--and maybe even some beans, or at least some seeds so you can experience your own magic beans.

Rainy Sunday in February

Andrew's birthday was last Thursday. He means the world to me! I realized I have helped him celebrate 6!!? birthdays so far. We have grown up a lot together, through fun times and adventure, as well as through grief and challenging times. Elderly women, little kids, dogs, and even moody felines are all taken with this gentle, handsome man--why wouldn't I be? We really love one another more with every year that goes by...it just keeps getting better and better.

We celebrated with Mexican food and more friends than I've ever tried to squeeze into our little living room. I forced myself to get over my fear of fussing hosting and made a fruity hummingbird cake with gray lavender frosting:

Also...

*I have job interview tomorrow! I am too nervous to say anything more about it.

*The rainy weather brought in pounding surf. Much more reminiscent of Maui's North Shore or the constant, choppy waves off of the Oregon coast.

*I've been posting pics on my new flickr account. My sweet friend Heidi surprised me with a pro account of my own so I can share to my hearts content. But I still haven't figured out how to download the flickr uploader, since my computer runs Linux and I know nothing about code. Help!

*Andrew's little sister is moving from Belgium to the LA area in late February. She will be driving down from Oregon and we look forward to seeing her and meeting her new husband(!!!).

*With my cousin's constant coaching, I am becoming a better (and braver) sourdough bread baker. My new goal is to try making bread using yeast, rather than starter, and I want to make all our bread from now. No more store bought slices for us!

Fruit, Photos, Clay & Dirt

Recently, whenever a recipe turns out really well I consider it as a possible blog post. So, I snap a quick photo and later when it is time to add a pic, I am horrified with the results. Images of awful slop (and that's putting it nicely) almost negate the positive memory of a meal. So, as my passion for photography and good food develop, I've decided I want to combine hobbies and get better at food photography.

The blood orange featured above was almost gobbled up by my bf before I could capture nature's candy in all its glory. I've been delighting in citrus this winter--it is the best snack--neatly wrapped, gives you pep, and it's good for you. While regrowing my love for blood oranges (which I became terribly sick of while living in Italy--it was the ONLY fruit I ever got) I came across an article on NPR about their merits. This last batch we got is so red that it's purple, which according to the article is due to the same chemical that makes blueberries blue.

We've also started up ceramics again--this time in a new place with new materials. Now we're getting our artistic groove on in an old pottery shack that's even closer to home. It is indoor/outdoor, VERY funky, near the ocean, and has 3 different kiln options (rakku, salt, and regular). Plus, I have been experimenting with new materials. I was getting almost decent with stoneware, so A talked me into experimenting with b-mix (stronger but I don't like it--too sticky feeling!) and porcelain. I have fallen for porcelain: it is so soft and light and easy to center and shape (but alas, also to ruin). I appreciate that I can work and still enjoying the sunshine and fresh air from the day:

The garden is growing wonderfully. Our brief spell of rain really brightened things up. I just planted some more strawberry and asparagus root systems, and got some summer bulbs to plant between the rose bushes. Gladiolus' galore:

The veggies are also prolific and I am looking forward to the harvest. I have Fava beans, celery, and a ton of leeks in the plot on the left and on the right are the peas, artichokes, Swiss chard, and a patch of cruciferous veggies (mainly broccoli and Brussel sprouts).

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie
Originally uploaded by Emily October

We've had a few overcast, almost winter-like, days lately. And suddenly I am craving fruit and thinking of the amazing fruit salads my dear friend Cristina can throw together on a whim. Bruised supermarket produce is rarely inspiring and the farmer's markets, though still going, aren't at their peak for much other than citrus. So, my best choice is my stockpile of frozen fruit. I threw this together a quick smoothie.

Plain (unsweetened) soymilk
Frozen strawberries--make it pink!
frozen mango--make it creamy!
frozen pineapple--make it sweet!

Since I only had plain soymilk on stock (which I like to use as creamy base for sauces) I added a wee bit of:
vanilla extract and a
squirt of agave nectar.

This natural sweetener from the agave plant feels so appropriate to use in this climate. The desert-loving agave (or "century plants") decorate just about every parking lot.

Voila--tropical delight on a "cold" winter days.

Culinary Successes and other Standouts

Neatloaf
Who knew? This was a cousin Janna recommendation. This is the hit (and formerly top secret) recipe from the veggie restaurant Ananda Fuara in San Francisco. It was a perfect hearty main course during the holidays. It is a strange medley of ingredients, some a bit more processed than I typically use, but it actually combines into deliciousness.

Banana Bread
I doubled this simple recipe, gave some away, and brought it to a New Years Eve fest. i wouldn't normally write about something so basic, but it was very popular. I gave it to a Taiwanese friend who had never had anything like banana bread, and she had me teach her how to make it (she calls me Super Girl and Super American for my domestic skills). I threw in a handful of dark chocolate chips which made it more of a gooey treat than muffiny wholesomeness. Make sure you use overly ripe bananas!


Barbecued Beans
Buying beans from the bulk bins has several benefits--it's more economical, tastes waaaaay better, and allows you to avoid cans. We've been avoiding canned foods since they are lined with the hormone altering plastic BPA. BPA is linked to reproductive cancers; I plan to keep my breasts (1 in 8 women, people!) and Andrew needs his remaining testicle so we are being as careful as we can be for now. So now what do you do when you need a few quick servings of ready-made beans? Turn to the freezer!

Right now I have a huge vat of bbq beans. I sauteed a few yellow onions and some garlic in olive oil and then threw in some pinto beans that had soaked overnight in purified water. I covered the beans with water, added a jar of Ghetto Gourmet BBQ sauce, and brought it all to a boil. I then covered it, reduced the heat and let it simmer on very low for a few hours.

Delicious! One of our favorite meals? Bean sandwiches. Sounds a little weird but it is quite good. I took some dark rye bread, a thin layer of Mayo and some cold clumpy bbq beans, topped with avo and lettuce. Pack a sandwich like this for your man and it's enough to make the other boys at school jealous.

I now have freezer bag portions of black beans, pintos, and garbonzos which are great for quick meals. As needed, I cut them out of the bag and then heat in a ceramic bowl in the microwave.

Middle Eastern Pizza
This pizza was inspired by my friend Linda and her adventures on recipezaar. I was out of tomato sauce so we made this very unpizzalike pizza for dinner. I cooked the pizza dough first, then spread it with a layer of homemade hummus. I then topped with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms, sprinkled with the red chili flakes. I de-veganized this recipe with a tiny sprinkling of goat cheese. Muy bien!

Sourdough Magic

My cousin Janna came down from San Francisco for Thanksgiving weekend. She brought me an exciting gift: a new pet. It came in the form of gloppy white paste in an old glass salsa jar: sourdough starter. It requires daily feedings of fresh flour/water combos if you allow it to incubate on your counter, in the refrigerator about once a week will do.

I have never made bread before that requires yeast...only quickbreads that call for baking soda or powder (and sometimes beer!). While making sourdough you skip the process of adding yeast as well—since it adds it itself from the air. Who knew yeast was floating around?

The starter froths in a jar into a consistency much like pancake batter. If all is good it gives of a yummy fermented smell like beer. Before you feed it it is important to remember to pour some out. You can always give away the babies... so your friends will have their own starter. I will be passing on this living gift to another friend tonight. I 'll add a ribbon to a recycled pickle jar—and I'll have an affordable gift that can keep on giving. 　　

On a side note, despite these times of fear and a plummeting economy, I appreciate how being thrifty/edging-toward-poverty is suddenly more socially acceptable.

The recipe I used for a basic loaf goes something like this (I've done it 3 times, so I've got it down)

Take two cups of starter (aka sponge) and add
1 tbsp of butter or olive oil
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Next you start mixing in, a half cup at a time:
3 cups of flour

After mixing in about half of this, you will need to knead the flour into the dough. This is the fun part! It's like wedging clay and is very therapeutic.

Once the bread is properly kneaded cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rise for an hour or more. You'll know it has risen enough when you poke it and the divet you make doesn't bounce back.

Knead it again...punching it down. Then shape it into a loaf, re-cover and let it rise again.

Now it is time to bake the bread! Do not preheat the oven—put it in and set it at 350 degrees. Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.

Voila: Sourdough bread

Delicious! Andrew thought so too:

We served it for dinner with a container of hummus—it did not last long.

Before making this I hadn't decided if I even liked sourdough very much. Through this process I felt connected to our ancestors, making such a simple food, seemingly from out of the air. Thank you Jan for sharing the latest from your test kitchen.