fall in full force

How’s that for alliteration?!

Fall [weekend] mornings = big sweaters, opaque tights, and homemade pumpkin spice lattes.

 

And the farmers’ market…do you have certain things that make you feel at home no matter where you may be? This is definitely one of them for me. Buying eggs and fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers makes me incredibly happy.

Making curtains was also on my hipster hit list. I got these fantastic curtains from the ex-apartment mate, took out 60 billion weird pleats, and worked a little sewing machine magic.

  

Finished product. Oh, yes. That is a record player, and it is amazing. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. Or maybe I just enjoy things that were more thoughtfully made and built to last vs everything fashioned from cheap particle board.

 

And here is an interesting recipe for you. Meat-less muffins with a lot of flavor, but you have to be ok with a bean-y texture. I’m always looking for quick weeknight recipes, and I’ve made this one twice.

Excited for the weekend, which will (among other things) include sleeping in and making delicious something(s) from my farmers’ market produce…

 

a confession

I have a relationship with my BBQ sauce. It is delicious, and I love it a lot. But…it also contains high fructose corn syrup and modified corn starch among other things. Now, I’m pretty sure a couple tablespoons per day won’t kill me, but I’m always up for a challenge, and reducing the number of processed products I consume is a constant process.

Homemade BBQ sauce is surprisingly easy to make (recipe here), and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out; I might use a little less smoked paprika next time. I also added pineapple concentrate for a little sweetness.

I made a huge batch of this salad last week and ate it pretty much every day. It is fantastic to have a giant bowl of vegetables at your disposal after work…makes it easy to sneak in your veggie servings each day.

[In the mix]: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, olives, cucumbers, wild rice, and homemade Italian dressing (olive oil, vinegar, Italian spices).

I also made almond milk ice cubes for my coffee; I normally add a little almond milk anyway, so now it won’t be completely diluted just because it is iced coffee.

Whenever I feel like life’s getting a little too measured, I do something random like making wall art out of paper towel tubes (design sponge idea). At the rate of my paper towel usage (probably not the most green friendly), this piece has the potential to go far…

In other news, it has been incredibly hot here lately, causing two temporary power outages at the hospital (thank goodness I was NOT in the middle of writing a chart note), and making me want to eat ice cream for dinner.

What are some things you’ve done lately to make life easier…or entertaining?

belief ----> action

Whenever I move to a new place, it’s not long before I start to notice little quirks…like the large flock of geese that honk at all hours of the day (and night) and a very sensitive smoke alarm that went off no less than 4 times when I was roasting butternut squash. But, that just gives the space character, right?!

I had some requests for an apartment tour. Honestly, it makes me cringe to let you see everything half finished, but here’s one wall in progress; there are faux polaroid photos going on top of the corkboards eventually. Btdubs, everything is not crooked, the photographer just doesn’t know how to hold a camera straight…

Embroidery is super easy, and it makes inexpensive wall art [tutorial here!]. The frames are simply embroidery hoops that I painted in 5 minutes.

I stitched this piece during the snow craziness this weekend. To me, trees symbolize growth and hope, so I think it’s a pretty relevant piece of wall art for this stage in my life…

Lately, I’ve been pondering the intersection between belief and action. If you truly believe in something, won’t you do it? And if you don’t, does that mean you don’t really believe it after all?

For me, this means putting into practice the nutrition principles I value: eating real food, moderation, local and sustainable food, etc. I find it ironic that my busy dietitian job is forcing me to be more thoughtful about nutrition [as in, I have to plan healthful meals or they won’t happen!].

I’ve seen variations of sweet potato hummus floating around the blogosphere, so I decided to give it a try. I’m definitely more of a savory hummus fan, and the sweet potato gives this a sweet bent, so I’m not quite sure what I think of it.

[modified] sweet potato hummus :: based on gena’s recipe

• 1 large sweet potato, cooked, skin removed, and cut into chunks
• 1 can chickpeas, drained,
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• juice from 1/2 an orange
• 1 small clove of garlic
• black pepper to taste
• shake of cinnamon
• water

Mix everything together and blend via food processor. This hummus also weirdly tastes good with bbq sauce. Maybe because I love eating sweet potato fries with this particular condiment?

Anyone else have any unique hummus recipes?!

list for a tuesday…

Thanks for all the comments on the protein post. I do want to say that although I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, I don’t worry about protein. I eat lots of vegetables, and I love nut butter and quinoa.

1]. I’m not over eating pumpkin yet. I don’t care if it’s winter. I miss fall, and I will continue to eat pumpkin in protest [pumpkin pancake recipe here].

2]. I love artsy gift tags. These were pretty fun to make, but I should probably practice cutting out circles by the looks of those edges.

   

Want to print out your own? Click here for the PDF download…

 

3]. Did you see the NYT article on exercising before breakfast? I always eat before running or working out in the morning, and I think this article was very interesting. More on that to come…

4]. I don’t know who is behind the christmas is happening music project, but it’s pretty awesome. I hear that some of the songs will be available for download soon, so check it out for some musical inspiration.

5]. Day 6: Forgive.

This one is definitely intangible but still powerful. Hurt we carry is often more damaging to us than the person who wronged us. So forgive someone else...or yourself, and welcome the freedom that comes with it.

Do you exercise before breakfast?!

{gifts from the kitchen} a holiday guide

As mentioned in my last post: while I think the material greed monster associated with the holidays is ridiculous, I do love giving and receiving thoughtful gifts. Here are some foodie-friendly ideas:

1) homemade bread

 

My family has a tradition of making Swedish coffee bread every year(side note: I’m adopted if you are thoroughly confused). While our recipe is [kinda] a family secret [meaning: if you emailed me, I’d probably share], here are some other breads that make great gifts.

• berry chip bread
• cinnamon rolls
• homemade sourdough 
• vegan pumpkin bread
• zucchini bread

2) sweet treats

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caramel photo via live, laugh, eat

• 40 homemade gifts from the kitchn
• eggnog caramels from live, laugh, eat
• gluten free brownies
• hot chocolate mix + homemade marshmallows
• peanut butter cups

3) cookies. I feel that an explanation here isn’t necessary. So many kinds of delish cookies to make…so little time.

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• 101 Cookbooks: Xmas Cookie Recipes
• best big fat chewy chocolate chip cookies
• beth’s oatmeal raisin cookies
• peppermint pinwheels
• sugar cookies

4) handcrafted items: Ok, so these aren’t really from the kitchen, but I thought I’d include them anyway. It’s no secret that I’m a little obsessed with crafting.

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• chapbooks
• embroidered pillowcases
• homemade cards
• marble magnets
• potholders
• anything from etsy.com! [check out the ex-roomie’s store!]

Day 4: Time

I know I’ve focused primarily on monetary gifts so far, but I also want to think about other ways to give. Time is probably one of the most valuable non-material possessions in our society today, and there are so many ways to share it.

• shovel your neighbor’s driveway: this is the ultimate gift, people, especially if you live in a snow-heavy area. and maybe they will offer you some hot chocolate in return?!
• meet friends for coffee: this is mutually beneficial, but sometimes just clearing your schedule can be a sacrifice.
• find somewhere to volunteer: read books at your local library, serve at a local food pantry…the possibilities are endless.
• host a dinner party: what better way to show your friends that healthful eating can be delicious…and who doesn’t like free food?

Other ideas?!

Happy Giving…