Saturdays with Maggy

Homemade Pasta

2012-02-27T19:50:00.000-08:00

Who knew you could score a $20 pasta maker at Ross? That's right folks we are now officially getting our pasta on. You may remember back in December making raviolis with a rolling pin. Such a silly girl was I. A pasta maker is a huge time saver that is really easy to use and (who knew?) cheap.

You may want to mix the actual dough by hand, however, as I found it difficult to tell whether the dough needed flour or water in my food processor. It's something you need to feel out.

I was amazed how quickly this all came together. In about 90 minutes you could be eating the best pasta of your life!

Homemade Pasta

from The Barnes & Noble Essentials of Cooking

makes 1 pound of pasta

2 cups flour + more for dusting

3 eggs

Start with a flour well. Crack in room temperature eggs. Break the yolks with your fingers and slowly begin to mix in the flour, little by little. After a minute or two, you will have a cohesive ball of dough. You don't want it to be sticky, if so, add a little flour. If the dough is not coming together, add some water, one teaspoon at a time.

Knead the dough until supple, about five minutes. Let it rest, covered in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes.

When you are ready to roll the dough out, divide it into three pieces. Keep the remaining pieces covered. Take the first piece and guide it through the pasta maker on the widest setting. Fold the dough into thirds and repeat on the widest setting a few more times, folding into thirds each time. This helps to knead the dough. Sprinkle a little flour on the dough each time you pass it through, this keeping it from sticking.

Now guide the pasta through the next widest setting a couple times. Guide the pasta through each setting until you've reached the second to thinnest. This is the recommended setting for spaghetti, linguini and the like, although I used the thinnest setting, too and it came out fine.

Repeat this with the remaining dough. Allow the pieces of dough to air dry on the counter at least 15 minutes before passing it through the cutting side of the pasta maker. You want it to be a leathery texture so that the teeth can cut it cleanly. Dust the noodles with a little flour if you are not cooking them immediately.

Cook fresh noodles for 2-4 minutes in salted, boiling water. Taste a noodle for doneness. Strain and add your favorite pasta sauce. Enjoy!

All Aboard the Sunset Sail (wordless Wednesday)

2012-02-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Mahalo Ocean Sports!

Sea Salt Latte

2012-02-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

Remember my trip to Maui? One of my foodie highlights was sipping a sea salt latte in Paia town while hippy watching.

The best thing about this latte is the combination of warm and cold elements. Think hot fudge on ice cream. Think ice-cold lettuce on a burger. Think sour cream on nachos.

Hot cold. Cold hot. Warm foam, hot espresso, ice. Salt, chocolate, creamy milk. It's a mouth dream.

Sea Salt Latte
serves 2

2-4 shots espresso (or 1 cup super strong coffee if you don't have an espresso machine)
1 cup milk *(see note below)*
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp chocolate syrup or Nutella
ice

Brew your espresso. Fill glasses with ice. Steam milk using streamer attachment on espresso machine until nice and foamy. Add espresso to ice and stir in chocolate. Slowly pour milk over coffee and ice and spoon foam over all. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt. Use colored salt if you have it. Enjoy!

*skim milk is best for foam, whole is best for flavor. I split the difference and use 2%. I don't normally drink cow's milk at all, but when it comes to espresso drinks, it's my preference. If you can't drink cow's milk, soy milk foams up nicely. Rice milk won't foam at all.

Naked Ladies and Nutella

2012-02-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello orange, meet Nutella. Oh, you've met? How nice. Oh, you're in love and planning a fall wedding? Fantastic!

Would you like to come with me to their wedding? All you need is a juicy winter orange and a scoop of Nutella in a bowl and you're invited.

This wedding feast was an afternoon snack for me as I worked on some drawings. I've been attending a life drawing class at the wonderful Donkey Mill art center.

I'm no artist, but drawing is a sort of meditation for me, it quiets the mind as you focus on light and shadow.

And speaking of shadow, I'm into the shadows in these photos. I know it's not technically "right" but I dunno, I think it looks cool.

Enjoy your snack!

Avocado Festival and Recipe Contest

2012-02-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we attended the 6th Annual Avocado Festival right here in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

You may not know this, but avocados are hands-down my absolute favorite food. The festival hosted a recipe contest, so I couldn't resist entering my first ever live competition.

Over 50 people voted in the People's Choice contest

I submitted two recipes: Avocado Pie and Pan-seared Mahimahi with Avocado Remoulade (recipe below). Both recipes ended up being winners! The pie took the People's Choice contest while the mahimahi won the hearts of the judges.

The one marked "Gwen Edwards" is my Avocado Pie

Mahimahi

The whole thing was quite nerve-wracking for me, as you can see. But at the end of the day, it was a lot of fun to participate and I most certainly enjoyed being part if the Avocado Festival.

There were so many yummy treats and interesting booths at the fest, can't wait to attend next year!

Avo smoothie

Guacamole in a lilikoi cup

Special thank you to the Miyamotos for the wonderful avocados from their backyard tree, this wouldn't have been possible without those buttery beauties!

Pan-seared Mahimahi with Avocado Remoulade (award winning, weeeeeeee!)
Inspired by Simply Recipes

Remoulade:
2 large avocados
4-5 TBL olive oil
5-6 TBL fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 shallot
salt & pepper to taste

Fish:
4 mahimahi fillets
1 TBL cumin powder
salt & pepper
olive oil

In a food processor or blender, combine avocados, lemon juice, shallot, and mustard until smooth. Slowly add olive oil until you reach a "sauce" consistency. You may need to add more lemon juice if you want it thinner. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Sprinkle cumin, salt and pepper over all sides of the fish and gently rub in. Heat a pan over medium high heat and coat with olive oil. You don't want to crowd the pan, so you may need to cook the fish in batches. I did them one at a time. Place a fillet in the hot oil and sear for 5 minutes. Don't touch the fish while it sears. Flip the fillet and cover the pan for another 3 minutes. This last part may take longer or shorter depending on the thickness of your fillets. Again, don't mess with it while it cooks, just touch it with your spatula or finger after the 3 minutes to determine doneness, like you would with a steak.

I served the fish and remoulade with wild rice mixed with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Enjoy!

Skillet Your Way Through the Day (easy breakfast recipe)

2012-02-15T18:48:00.000-08:00

When you have a day that starts with a beautiful skillet breakfast, things are about to be grand.

And I'm not talking about restaurant skillets here people. This is the real deal. Like can't-shove-it-in-my-face-fast-enough deal.

We had one of those skillet days this weekend. We were so psyched after eating breakfast that we drove all the way to Hilo, and straight into a candy shop.

I'm partial to the unlikely gummy creations; gummy false teeth, gummy sunny side up eggs, gummy turtles. I'm also a fan of the long, skinny hard candy that you eat like a lollipop (pictured: in yellow). It's about the size of a sharpie marker and if you work on it long enough you can fashion it into a sharp shank to stab unwitting friends. At least that's what we did with them when I was little. Or maybe I did that to Dustin on the ride home. Whatever.

Hilo is a great town filled with the greenest parks, quirky old buildings, and on a sunny day, it's a stunner of a coastline. We often sigh and dream of living among the giant ferns and dripping moss. A day trip will do for now.

Want to start your day off right?

Breakfast Skillet with Spinach and Avocado
serves 2

1 TBL olive oil
4 small red potatoes, diced
1/2 cup smoked pork meat, cut into bite sized pieces (a couple strips of bacon will do, too)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large handfuls of spinach
eggs (we used 3, but use how many you need)
salt & pepper
1/2 avocado

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Add the chopped potatoes, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat to medium low and add the garlic, spinach, meat, and some salt and pepper, stirring a bit. If your meat is uncooked, you'll need to add it earlier to the potatoes to make sure it gets cooked through.

Crack the eggs into the skillet and cover, 5-8 minutes, depending on how well you'd like your eggs cooked. Check them often, but don't touch them.

To serve, scoop some skillet goodness onto a plate and top with avocado. Add more salt & pepper if desired. Enjoy!

How To Dry Lavender

2012-02-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

My second wedding will be a lavender theme. Lavender bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and tables overflowing with lavender filled arrangements adorn the outdoor setting while my guests dance in a lavender haze.

Well, there is no second wedding, but wouldn't that be beautiful? Check out this real life wedding I found on Pinterest.

Lavender can be sipped in tea or sprinkled in a relaxing bath. It can be eaten in pizza and scones. Or rubbed on the skin. Choose your own lavender adventure, but don't let those flowers go to waste.

All you need to do is trim off the flowers while they are still blooming, making sure you get a long stem on them. Tie the bundle up with a rubber band, and hang them upside down in a dark, dry place, like a garage. Here's my garage!

What's your favorite way to use lavender? Please share!

Black Bean, Spinach & Barley Soup

2012-02-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

"Mmmm...noodle soup." Fifteen 90's points to whoever knows what that's from.

Sorry, this isn't noodle soup but it is very, very easy to put together and very, very easy to eat.

I'm nursing a sore throat today and contemplating calling in sick tomorrow. Things that make me feel better when sick: soup, 7-Up, No Reservations, tea with lemon and honey, the Neti pot, gargling with salt water, laying around in boy style undies, lavender baths, whining.

Black Bean, Spinach & Barley Soup
Inspired by Fitness Magazine
serves 4

3 cans vegetable broth
1 can black beans
1 can crushed or stewed tomato
1/2 cup uncooked barley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
6 cups torn fresh spinach leaves
salt & pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until barley is done. Be sure to taste broth before adding salt, some broths are very salty. Easy, yes? Enjoy!

Tortilla Stuffings

2012-02-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin and Black Bean Tacos

Now that you've made your tortillas (go Jen!) we gotta fill 'em with some deliciousness.

I made some kabocha squash and black bean tacos that were dreamy. Just look at that orange and black dream. The recipe comes from Closet Cooking. The only change I made was subbing the canned pumpkin for fresh.

Burrito Guts

Or you could insert this Burrito Guts recipe into the fresh tortillas (my version of the above).

Eggplant taco fixings

Get crazy with some purple veg and whip up some Eggplant Tacos with Cilantro Pesto.

Roasting tomatillos

Maybe you'd rather tuck into some Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce.

How about an old standby? I make these Swiss Chard and Feta Quesadillas (and variations thereof) all the time. This two year old post was in the pre-photo days. Wow, blogging for over two years!

Banana Bread Muffins with Millet and Chocolate

Speaking of blogging, my little space on the web had a big day today. My Banana Bread Muffins with Millet and Chocolate recipe was featured as a FoodBuzz Flavor of the Month. Woop woop!

Make your own Flour Tortillas

2012-02-05T21:14:00.000-08:00

Guys. I'm making big life steps these days.

Today I went surfing all by myself. Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I've been working on the whole learning to surf thing for about 5 years now. And I'm not being humble here, my skills are still very beginner.

Getting pummeled by waves happens to be one of my biggest fears. So, as you might imagine, surfing has been an enormous challenge for me. Coupled with my perfectionist and competitive nature, it's something I can't let go of. So today was a huge life step! Surfing without anyone there to hold my shaky little hand.

Today we are going to talk about a big cooking step. Homemade tortillas. It's not hard to do, but like make bread or pizza dough, it's time consuming. You need to know that these babies are delicious, so take a breath and a big step and make these immediately.

Flour Tortillas
from The Pioneer Woman
makes 16 full-size tortillas

2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt
1/2 cup + 2 TBL vegetable shortening (needs to be somewhat cold/hard, if room temperature, it won't cut into the flour)
1 cup hot water

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until it reaches the coarse crumbs state. I use a fork for this.

Pour in hot water (seriously HOT) and stir together. Knead 30-40 times or until dough becomes cohesive and less sticky. Put it back in the bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rest for an hour.

Roll in 16 little balls, place on a cookie sheet, and allow to rest for another 20-30 minutes.

Heat up a large cast iron skillet to medium high heat. You will need to play with the heat as you go along to get just the right temp. Roll the balls of dough out, one at a time, cooking them as you go along. I rolled them out on waxed paper because the dough is kinda sticky and you need to roll it as thin as possible, like transparent thin. This is key. Don't worry about getting them into a round shape, it ain't gonna happen.

To cook the tortillas, you will place them one at a time in the hot skillet. It will take maybe 20 seconds on each side, enough time to roll out the next tortilla as that one is cooking. The trick is to flip it just as it begins to brown. You want the tortillas to remain soft and not get crisp. If you are getting crispiness, your skillet is too cool, turn it up. Play with the heat, don't stress if some of them get crispy, you will totally eat them anyway.

Stack cooked tortillas and cover with a towel to keep warm. These also keep very well, you can enjoy them for up to a week after making. I can't stress enough how worth it is to take the time to make these. Enjoy!

Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes (Maui edition)

2012-02-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

We jetted off to Maui to celebrate five complicated years of marriage.

It's only a 45 minute plane ride, but felt a world away from our complicated lives.

Celebrating love is not complicated.

It involves scenery oggling, whale watching, surfing.

Sometimes we celebrate the little things. Like naked hippies roaming the Maui hillsides. Or prying open bottles of beer with a key.

We celebrated living. Especially after surviving Kahekili Hwy, a one-lane road full of blind turns during which I stress-ate half a bag of s'mores goldfish crackers.

Living is easy to celebrate when one has easy access to a Whole Foods. You're looking at a beach feast of duck mousse, assorted olives, and baguette bread.

My beloved friend Marie also lives on Maui. We celebrated out friendship with sea salt lattes. This is a girl who knows me from the inside. It can be scary when someone knows everything you are, even all the prickly parts.

But it's worth it for the love I get back. And no one else can understand my deep obsession for the perfect cappuccino.

Here's someone else who knows all my prickly parts. Honey, it's easy to celebrate loving you because it really could never be any other way. Ups come, downs go. Loving you is easy.

Maui Bounty (Wordless Wednesday Teaser)

2012-02-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

Legit cappuccino with salmon cream cheese bagel

HELP! I've been married to this man for 5 years!

Don't laugh, I've been Whole Foods deprived

Detox: Wrap-up

2012-01-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Folks! It's almost the end of January and time for us to wrap up our Detox: Life series.

Throughout the month of January I've been detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. For me this has included eating fresh, exercising 30 minutes per day, and a lot less internet time. Maybe you noticed? I've tried to keep you updated on my other detox endeavors including running, organizing, and socializing.

My prized orchids

So, how does this end? What did we learn? Where do we go from here?

First off, I learned that I'm ready to move on. I'm ready to take on the issues that clouded my life last year and work on dealing with them in a healthy way. I realized that the big thing that was missing in my life was FUN. I want to stop taking myself so seriously and let loose a little. Hey, I even sang karaoke for the first time this month and, although pretty terrible, it was always something I'd wanted to do.

Even dogs stop to smell the roses

One very welcome side effect to the detox is that my skin cleared up drastically. I've struggled with acne since my move to Hawaii in 2006, (the humidity?) and have resorted to using fairly harsh chemicals on my face, which I don't like. Since the detox though, I was able to stop using the chemicals altogether. Starting in February, I'm going to try and isolate the cause of this. Was it sugar that caused the breakouts? Dairy? Alcohol? Or maybe all of them? I don't eat a great deal of processed or junky foods to begin with so I know it's got to be one of those three things.

The best aspect of completing this detox was just that, completing the detox. The challenge was just right for me, and while I did slip up a couple times, I am very proud of what I was able to do. It truly is a great start to a new year, this feeling of accomplishment and empowerment.

Today marks the last day of eating detox style. Tomorrow is our fifth wedding anniversary, and we're celebrating with champagne. We're also off to Maui for the weekend, so I'm sure there'll be some splurging here and there. Besides that, I'll be easing back into eating dairy and some meat and fish slowly. I'm going to continue to cut out sugar for another couple weeks at least, to see how my skin reacts. Mind and body restoration will continue on, hopefully, throughout the year.

Thanks to those who joined me on this journey. Here's to 2012.

Try it and love it: Taro Root

2012-01-24T19:57:00.000-08:00

I used to think me and Andrew Zimmern could hang out. Now, I'd rather kick Zimmern's bizarre foods butt when it comes to embracing unusual eats. The reason we can't hang out anymore is because on the Hawaii episode of Bizarre Foods, Zimmern dogs spam AND poi.

I can forgive you for not liking SPAM. Some people are just not down with strange meats. My friend attempted some smoked bear meat my cousin sent us and she just couldn't do it. Disappointed, yes, but I forgive.

A food you really should give yourself time to develop a taste for is poi. It is a wonderfully tangy accompaniment to fish, pork, rice and is famous for it's drippy purple appearance at Hawaiian lu'au.

I'm assuming poi is difficult to find outside of Hawaii. But, you will likely be able to get your hands on a taro root (what poi is made from) at an Asian foods store. Be warned: some would consider the taro root to be a bizarre food due to its slimy texture. There's an interesting explanation of this on Just Hungry. I find it similar to potato and the texture doesn't bother me.

You need to know that the hairy exterior of the taro root can sting your skin. You should take precautions when peeling it, such as wearing gloves. A vegetable peeler will do to peel it.

Prepare the taro root just as you would potatoes; roast, boil, make into chips. In the photo above, I made mine into a taro curry over rice.

While poi is made from the taro root, I have not attempted to prepare it. I'm a bit intimidated by the process.

I'd love to hear your bizarre foods escapades. What's the weirdest thing you've ever tried?

Detox: Food (hearty miso soup)

2012-01-18T21:28:00.000-08:00

Miso is salty and rich and meaty and umami. It's easy to cook with, widely available, and and and! it's got some wonderful health benefits.

I like to think of miso as being similar to yogurt; it's got live good for you funguses growing among the fermented soy bean deliciousness that aid in digestion (aka probiotics). That's why we never boil the miso, it will kill those little guys! Read more about the health benefits here: ProHealth.

That's why miso and yogurt are on the detox, we don't want to miss out on the probiotics that will help clean our systems. Convinced? Make this soup!

Hearty Miso Soup
inspired by theKitchn
serves 4

8 cups water (or dashi if you are not vegetarian)
1/2 cup miso paste (I use the yellow kind)
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 heads bok choy

Cook the brown rice according to package directions. I do mine in a rice cooker and it works just fine.

Roughly chop the bok choy. In a soup pot, bring the water to a boil. Toss in bok choy and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until bright green. Turn down to low heat. Scoop miso paste into a small bowl and whisk in 1 cup of the hot water. Add the mixture into the soup pot and whisk to combine.

To serve, scoop some rice into a bowl and ladle soup over the top. Enjoy!

PS: It would be easy to do lots of variations of this soup, add whatever veggies sound good, or slap an egg on top, like they did on theKitchn. Oh oh oh! And don't you dare miss out on this Carrot Miso Soup from Smitten Kitchen. I made it last week and must say it was one of the best soups I've ever had!

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:
(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7) (Click to see day 8) (Click to see days 9-10) (Click to see days 11-14)

Day 15 of 31: So I may have slipped on the detox slide this weekend. As I mentioned before, one of my best friends came to visit (always purifying) and it was pretty difficult not to indulge. Considering that, my only slip ups were a couple cocktails, some pizza, and a musubi. The emotional detoxing that takes place when you are with your best friend is worth a million days with no sugar, so I'm not feeling bad about it.

Day 16 of 31: Paddle boarded with my friend across Kealakekua Bay, saw some dolphins, and killer coral reefs. No biggie.

Day 17 of 31: Crashed a resort hot tub to ease my aching muscles after a crazy busy weekend.

Day 18 of 31: Lunch with my husband on the beach. I was at a teacher training across the street from where he works so we got to take our lunch break together.

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about detoxing.

Detox: Food (fern shoot salad)

2012-01-14T15:37:00.000-08:00

I ate way too many beets yesterday. But the good news is my dear friend from Maui is flying today and we'll be spending the weekend surfing, sunning, and seeking out all manner of ocean creatures like dolphins, whales, and manta rays.

This salad is made with ho'io, or fern shoots, that have been blanched and tossed with a light dressing. I found them at the farmer's market and they are similar to asparagus in texture. I don't actually know (yet) how or where to forage for them and heard that people keep this secret, so I'm thinking these little shoots are pretty special.

Fern Shoot Salad
serves 4-6

1/2 cabbage, grated or sliced thin
1 lb fern shoots, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 large avocado
1 lime
1/2 tsp chile garlic paste
salt & pepper to taste

Boil a small pot of water. Blanch the fern shoots for 2-3 minutes and strain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking and to clean the fuzzy stuff off the outside of the shoots.

In a bowl whisk together the zest of the lime, lime juice, chile garlic paste, and salt & pepper. Add the cabbage, cooled shoots, and avocado and toss to coat. Enjoy!

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:
(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7) (Click to see day 8) (Click to see days 9-10)

Day 11 of 31: Got all my progress reports done at school! Also organized my classroom and got rid of a bunch of old stuff no one will ever use again, ie. floppy disks and ghastly posters.

Day 12 of 31: Went to the farmer's market to load up on more fruits and veggies. Bought a taro root, can't wait to figure out what to do with it. Took the doggy walking at the beach and stared at tide pools until the sun set.

Day 13 of 31: Danced in the living room with my dog to Michael Jackson. Let it all hang out.

Day 14 of 31: Going surfing and soaking up the sun.

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about detoxing.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

New Year's Day

New Year's Eve: tako (octopus) poke, ahi (tuna) poke, seaweed salad, poi, and rice

Detox: Food (sweet potato & black bean burrito guts)

2012-01-10T20:37:00.000-08:00

Over winter break I got down with some vegetable shortening and made amazing homemade tortillas. I am chomping at the bit to share the recipe with you BUT it's going to have to wait until after the detox in February. Please don't cry, look, I made you some burrito guts. They're almost as good as the entire burrito!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Guts
serves 2

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp chile molido pasilla (mild chile powder)
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
1 can black beans
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 avocado
1 tomato, chopped
1 lime

Place the sweet potato chunks in a large pot and fill with water until potatoes are just covered. Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork.

In another pan, saute onions, garlic, and spices with the olive oil over medium high heat until soft. Add beans and salt & pepper to taste and heat through.

To serve, scoop some sweet potato on a plate, top with some of the bean mixture, pile high with cabbage, avocado, and tomato and finish with a healthy squeeze of lime. Enjoy!

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:

(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7) (Click to see day 8)

Day 9 of 31: Organized my jewelry and did a shoe overhaul. Lindsay suggested I make a jewelry board to organize my necklaces. I took the lazy-woman route and hammered a few nails in the wall next to my dresser and hung them on the nails. It's so nice to be able to see them all at once!

Day 10 of 31: After taking the dog for a walk on a nearby hiking trail, I decided to detox my lungs. We drove as high as we could up Mt. Hualalai, into the cloud forest, and took some deep breaths of the freshest air. It was a clear day as well and could see all the way down to the shore.

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about how your detox is going or your ideas on how we can detox our lives. Recipes always welcome!

Detox: Food (peanut buttery fruit salad)

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

As a kid, my favorite snacks were ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) and apple slices topped with peanut butter. I liked the apple version so much, my mom would often pack this for me instead of a sandwich. So I said to myself, self, let's mix it all together!

I'm doing my best to supply my brave friends out there who are joining me in the detox with recipes. Whether you're on the detox boat or not, try this fruit salad, it's a whole meal of texture. Crunchy, creamy, cold, fresh, peanut buttery, it's all there. Texture meal. Hmm.

Peanut Buttery Fruit Salad
serves 1 as a meal, 2 as a side

1 apple, cored and chopped into bite-sized chunks
5 celery sticks, chopped
2 TBL peanut butter (be sure it doesn't have added sugar if you're on the detox)
1/2 plain yogurt
Dash of cinnamon

In a small bowl mix peanut butter, yogurt and cinnamon together. Add chopped apple and celery and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Here's what I've been up to:

(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7)

Day 8 of 31: Weeded the garden beds, planted a few things, and harvested some sweet potatoes. I don't know why I've been putting this off for so long, but it was great to get it done and looking good again. Also cleaned out my jewelry box and underwear drawer and found lots to get rid of. Now if I could only organize all those necklaces...

Detox: Skin (sea salt and avocado scrub)

2012-01-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

Ready to slough off some dead skin detox style? This is a great, all-natural, and very easy way to exfoliate your skin while adding moisture from the avocado oils. (PS: it's avocado season in Hawaii! Best time of year by far!)

My skin gets a fair amount of abuse. Excess sun, hard water showers, and a lotionless diet make for some dry skin days. So I wanted to find a recipe that wouldn't dry my skin out, but that would also do a good job of sloughing off the yuckies.

Voila! I give you sea salt and avocado scrub. Grab your little mortar and pestle (or a bowl and fork), add a few TBL of sea salt and about 1/4 cup avocado and mash until it forms a paste. Rub anywhere you need it (this may be too harsh for your face though) in small circles. Keep in mind that sea salt is quite abrasive, so be gentle. You'll want to do this in the shower so you can rinse it off.

This recipe was inspired by Natural Living for Women, a great resource for creating many different scrubs at home. I also tried Lindsay's honey avocado mask on my face, which left my skin silky smooth.

Your Detox: Life assignment: create your own scrub, or try this one, and tell us about it!

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:

(Click to see days 1-4)

Day 5 of 31: Began the process of detoxing a poisonous person from my life. It's a tricky one because I see this person nearly everyday (not by choice) and have to figure out a way to cope with this person's nasty ways because I can't just avoid being around them. First step? Every time gossipy stuff came up, change the subject, change the subject, change the subject.

Day 6 of 31: Getting my nails did. I'm a DIY pedicurer because I have a thing about people touching my feet. My polish is all chippy and funky and I lost a toenail yesterday paddle boarding (don't worry, this happens to me often, not sure if I have weak nails or what, but it doesn't hurt), so a fresh pedi seems like a good way to detox.

Day 7 of 31: Cleaned out my email inboxes. Phew, feels great to clear the electronic clutter. Going to a baby shower today and feeling nervous about being tempted by all the sugar and goodies that will no doubt be there. Going sugar free is definitely the hardest part of the detox!

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about how your detox is going.

Detox: Life (avocado slaw recipe)

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:

Day 1 of 31: Decided it was time for a major detox and started this series on the blog.
Day 2 of 31: Cleaned up all the Christmas and holiday decorations throughout the house. Goodbye 2011!
Day 3 of 31: Went for the best run of my life. My husband took the dog down to the beach and I ran along the roadside. No keys, no leash, just my legs and lungs. I sprinted the last 50 yards or so and it felt fantastic. When's the last time you actually ran as hard as you could?
Day 4 of 31: Exfoliating my bod with an all natural homemade recipe and ridding myself of dead skin cells. Don't worry, I'll share the concoction soon.

Your assignment, add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting.

On to the recipe! The "eating fresh" aspect of this detox is basically a sugar, dairy, alcohol, meat, and processed food free eating situation. I've already posted a few recipes to get you going here: Eating Fresh. Please take this at your own pace and do what's right for your body.

Avocado Slaw
serves 2

1/2 head small cabbage, sliced thin or grated
1/4 cup very thinly sliced onion
3 TBL flax seeds
1/2 avocado
1 TBL miso paste
juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp chile garlic paste

Place cabbage, onion, and flax seeds in a large bowl. In a food processor combine until smooth the avocado, miso, lime and chile garlic paste. Add this to the bowl with the cabbage and stir to coat.

This salad didn't hold up well the next day, so eat it up the day you make it. I realize that the miso and the chile paste are processed foods, but miso is super good for you and I wanted some spice in this slaw, so enjoy!

Need more recipes for your detox? Try these:
Broccoli Potato Soup (sub butter for olive oil and omit cheese)
Oven Roasted Corn and Potatoes
Eggplant Tacos with Cilantro Pesto (omit cheese and tortillas, serve over brown rice)
Brussels Sprouts with Bulgur (omit vinegar and cheese)

Detox: Life (clear the clutter with Black&BlondeOne)

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. I encourage you to follow along and participate at the level you feel comfortable.

Thank you to those who have commented and offered your support after my first Detox: Life post. It is so comforting to know that you care and while I was nervous to share some of these things about my life, I'm so glad I did.

My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh (recipes included) and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives. Lindsay from Black & Blonde One has provided us with some great suggestions below on how to do just that! She is also one of my favorite New York city girl bloggers who writes candidly about her life in fashion, beauty, food and fun times. Go check out her blog right now!--->Black & Blonde One.

First off, I want to thank Gwen for having me over on her wonderful blog! She has become a wonderful blogger friend of mine this year and I can't wait to actually meet her this summer when she travels to New York!

Being a Cancer, I tend to gravitate toward being a homebody. Because I'm at home quite a bit, I like to make sure it is clutter-free and visually appealing. It's my home and not just an apartment. This year I have challenged myself to become more of a minimalist and try to avoid material objects as crutches. Although I am just starting and far from an expert, I wanted to share a few tips in helping you live a balanced life.

1. Only keep what you need. This one is the hardest, but most important. Some people are more attached to possessions and want to keep more than they actually need. If you are one of these people, do the fire test. What are the essentials you would keep if there was a fire in your house? This will tell you what's important and what's not. After you de-clutter, you will be amazed at how refreshed you feel and how much you can donate to someone who may really need it.

2. Rearrange. At times, change just feels necessary. Instead of going out to buy something new, change around what you already have. Moving furniture or decorations can really alter the feeling of a room and can sometimes make more sense in the space you have. This also helps the creativity flow. Maybe you need a new storage idea for a collection? Think of a DIY solution!

3. Indulge. Although I like to live minimally, I allow myself to indulge every now and then. It makes for a healthy person. If you need a pick-me-up, try buying some fresh flowers or some local produce. These indulgences will help you feel like you can still live without feeling strapped to a budget or plan. It allows you some freedom and will give you an uplifting feeling.

Have you every tried minimal living? What are your experiences and what tips do you have?

Thank you Lindsay! Would you like to participate with us as a guest poster by showing how you are detoxing your life? Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com or leave a comment below and I'll get in touch with you.

Detox: Life (eating fresh)

2012-01-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas belly. It happens. It happened. It's time to get my body feeling right.

There has been so much sugar in my life this holiday season, and I'm so ready to end the saccharin madness.

Therefore, our first assignment for Detox: Life is focusing on fresh foods for the month. Please remember that I'm not a nutritionist or a doctor, so please listen to your body and do what's right for you.

I'll be eating:
Fresh vegetables
Fresh fruit
Eggs
Nuts
Whole grains
Yogurt
Olive oil
Dried/canned beans

I won't be eating:
Dairy (including cheese, Lord help me!)
Meat
Bread, pasta, tortillas, or cereal
Anything pre-processed such as granola bars, chips, etc
Alcohol
Soda
Sugar

Of all these I think it will be the most difficult to stay away from sugar and cheese. But the point here is not deprivation, but to cleanse my body, blood, and organs so that I can get myself feeling as clean and fresh as possible. This is supposed to be enjoyable! Who's with me?

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Green Papaya Salad
Magic Bean Salad
Quinoa Salad
Curried Carrot Soup
Split Pea Soup with a Thickness
Crock Pot Ratatouille
Herbal Tea

Have an idea about how we can detox our lives? Participate in Detox: Life as a guest poster by leaving a comment below or emailing me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com and I will get in touch with you about the details.

Detox: Life

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

It's time for some real words.

I've been feeling exceptionally sorry for myself this past little while. Time is difficult to perceive in such a state, as many of you know. It slips and slips until, before you even know it, time is not a thing at all. And the part of this that has slipped away even more is the reason for it.

There are reasons. But now it's time to welcome in the other side of life: the light, the smiles, the doing of things. Because there is more to it than dwelling in the darkness.

This all seems too much to share. And you should know about Thursday. Thursday brought an unexpected death in my family. Death has a way of waking you from a deep, dark, inner sleep by grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking the nonsense right out of you. This nonsense pours from my nose, from my ears, from the palms of my hands.

I could look back on this year and sigh. Or I could look back on this year and grow up.

To address this need to let the sunshine back in, rid ourselves of the dreaded Christmas belly, and in general cleanse this past year for our lives, I propose a detox. Not of the chile powder and lemon juice sort, but of the mind, body, and soul variety.

The month of January will be dedicated to detoxing one aspect of life everyday, be it sugar, a grudge, or clutter.

Would you care to join me in starting this year off with the cleanest start we can imagine? Send me an email to gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com or leave a note in the comments if you'd like to participate in Detox: Life as a guest poster or have some ideas you'd like to share.

Go ahead and nurse your hangover today, but think about this: what do you need to detox from your life right now?

So Long 2011!

2011-12-31T15:05:00.000-08:00

Before I let the door hit 2011 on the butt on the way out, let's have a quick gander at what this year brought my way.

In 2011:

I gave up meat. Success! Going meatless led to much more creative cooking.

I graduated and became a teacher.

I visited my hometown of Portland, Oregon for the first time in over 3 years.

I rode my first waves.

I backpacked along the face of a volcano.

I started running and completed my first 5k.

I faced my fears in Denver and caught up with some of the best people on planet Earth.

And turned 29 with a bang.

Let's not forget all the wonderful friends I made this year!

In case you were wondering, my most popular post by far was: Birthday Brownies and a List.

Keep it classy tonight ladies! Talk to you next year.

Frozen Hot Chocolate and Eggnog Shake

2011-12-29T20:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to call this post "Faux Frapps" because that's really what's going on here. Why go to Starbucks when you can blend up a treat at home?

Also these blended drinks are good for getting rid of the last dregs of eggnog and plowing into the endless packets and jars of hot chocolate mix you gathered over the holiday.

Plus making a full-on blended drink feels like such a special and fancy treat. Please consider giving yourself a special and fancy treat, it's been, at least for me, an unusually clouded holiday. All there is to do is move ahead, so I'm looking forward to a year of new beginnings. Body and mind detox coming your way after the new year for all who care to join me in stripping away 2011.

Frozen Hot Chocolate
serves 1 (easily multiplied)

1 packet hot chocolate mix
1 drinking glass full of ice
1 cup coffee (or whatever is left in the pot from that morning)
1/2 cup milk
whipped cream

Smoothie TRICK everyone must know about: choose the drinking glass you want and fill it with ice. Then pour desired amount of coffee and milk on top of the ice to fill the glass with liquid. Dump contents of glass into the blender. You'll get the perfect amount every time! This works for all milkshakes/smoothies. For this recipe, make sure you add the packet of hot chocolate mix and blend until smooth. Top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

Eggnog Faux Frapp
serves 2

2 drinking glasses full of ice
1 cup eggnog
2 cups coffee (room temp or cold)

Dump all in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little milk if too thick. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg. Enjoy!

How to Make Your Own Ravioli

2011-12-27T21:31:00.000-08:00

Homemade pasta seems super intimidating. But I'm here to tell you that I made these raviolis with only a food processor, a heavy granite rolling pin, and a little grit.

These little pillows of deliciousness were whipped up for Christmas dinner. Well, "whipped up" is going a little far. You will need a couple solid hours to make this meal happen.

Very worth the effort. Dustin has even dubbed my recent efforts "Delinners," aka delicious dinners. Ok.

Kabocha Squash Ravioli with Mushroom Cream Sauce
serves 4

Pasta Dough
from The Barnes & Noble Essentials of Cooking
2 cups flour
3 eggs

Filling
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups cooked Kabocha squash (can sub pumpkin or butternut)
1 whole head roasted garlic
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt & pepper

Sauce
2 TBL unsalted butter
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup cream or half & half
salt & pepper

Heat oven to 400 and roast your quartered Kabocha squash for 45-60 minutes. Wrap the head of garlic in some foil and roast it along with the squash until cloves are soft.

Measure flour for dough into a food processor. Beat eggs in a small bowl and gradually pour through the feed tube while running. Process until the dough forms a ball that rides on top of the blade. If the dough is too dry, sprinkle with 1 TBL water. If too sticky, add 1 TBL flour.

Remove the dough from the processor and knead until supple, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting add the olive oil, onion and sugar to a pan over low heat. Carmelize the onion by allowing it to cook over low heat for about 30 minutes or until thoroughly browned and reduced down. To complete the filling, add squash, garlic, parmesan, and salt & pepper to the pan. Mix and heat through.

Back to the dough. Divide the dough in half. Keep one half covered with the plastic wrap while you roll out the the other. It's important that you not let the pasta dry out. Begin rolling out the dough. Don't worry about the shape, just get it as thin as possible. This will take some elbow grease. Don't worry about tearing the dough, it is very pliable. You seriously need to get it thin though because you will be folding it over.

Once the pasta is rolled out, cut it in strips 3 inches wide using a pizza cutter. Place about a tsp of filling, one inch apart along the strip. Work fast so the pasta doesn't dry out. Fold the strip over, then use a fork to fuse the edges. Cut the individual raviolis using the pizza cutter. You will need to fuse all 3 edges with the fork. Place on a rack or dish when completed, now it's ok if they dry out a bit. Do this part with care so the filling doesn't leak out while cooking. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Boil a large pot of salted water and heat the oven to 350. You will be boiling the ravioli and making the sauce at the same time. Sauce: Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft. Add the half & half and salt & pepper and turn the heat down to low.

Once the water in the pot begins to boil, add the raviolis and boil for 4 minutes. You will need to do this in 3 batches so as not to crowd the pasta in the pot. When the pasta is cooked al dente, place them in a 9x13 inch dish, topping each ravioli with a bit of the sauce. Top raviolis with the remaining sauce and mushrooms and bake in the 350 oven for 5-10 minutes to heat through.

Top with more parmesan and serve. Phew...Enjoy!

Breakfast Casseroles Cure Sugar Highs

2011-12-26T11:31:00.000-08:00

There is way too much candy in my house right now. I woke up this morning with a sugar hangover. Is that a real thing? I swear, all the sugar in my system sapped my brain. And any photography skills I may have had.

It's really important to counteract the sweet candy goodness with something eggy and starchy and cheesy.

What a delicious way to celebrate Christmas morning. Yesterday I was really wanting to transport myself back to age 7, when Christmas was IT. The presents, the sparkle, the anticipation, the afterglow.

Christmas is so very different now. We got up, made this breakfast casserole, opened presents, went back to bed, and ate more casserole when we woke up. Two breakfasts is all the afterglow I need these days.

I hope you had a warming, glowing, warm Christmas with a full belly and lots of candy canes.

Breakfast Casserole
serves 6-8 (unless you have 2 breakfasts)

2 large potatoes, diced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 TBL olive oil
2-4 oz cream cheese
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced
10 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt & pepper

Place potatoes and onion in a large pot and cover with with water. Boil for 5-7 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain.

Heat oven to 350. Add potatoes and onions to an oiled 9x13 baking dish. Stir in the cream cheese so that the potatoes are coated. You will need to eyeball how much cream cheese to add. Add some salt and pepper. Sprinkle garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes evenly over the potatoes.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with the milk and some salt & pepper. Pour over potato veggie mixture. Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until eggs are set. Enjoy!

The Zen of Christmas Cookies

2011-12-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

Baking and boiling. Stirring and chopping. Dipping and rolling and spooning and spreading.

Remember this one thing as you roll your dough and sprinkle your sprinkles: you are making these treats for people you love.

Hold your heart in your hands as you make this food.

Cruzer & Dustin

Love is delicious.

Putting socks on cut up feet. Dang lava rock!

Sweet & Salty Rice Cracker Treats
makes 35 squares

3 TBL butter
1 - 10oz package marshmallows
2 cups arare (Japanese rice crackers)
4 cups rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
1/2 package chocolate flavored almond bark (or any meltable chocolate will work)

Melt butter over medium low heat in a large sauce pan. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until melted. Stir in arare and cereal.

Spread mixture in a waxed paper lined 9x13 inch baking dish with a buttered spatula. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Melt chocolate according to package directions. Dunk rice squares in the melted chocolate and allow to cool on waxed paper.

We wrapped ours up in parchment paper and tied with gift tags for neighbors and friends. Enjoy!

The Great Lime Hoax (and green papaya salad)

2011-12-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

At the farmer's market this weekend, I came across these lovely little gems. Their bright orange skin and flesh enticed me.

But don't be fooled, these are little limes. A cross between a lemon and a tangerine the Rangpur lime is super juicy, slightly sweet and can stand in for lime in any recipe.

I've been a bit of a podcast junky lately and have enjoyed listening to Spilled Milk, a silly foodie show starring Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster-Burton.

They did a show recently on Thai salads and hearing them describe the secrets of Thai dressings, I had to give it a go. The big secret? There is no fat in Thai dressings! No wonder my past salads didn't seem quite right.

So the dog and I headed down the street and picked some green papayas from a feral tree. This salad comes together in a matter of minutes but the bright, clean flavors stay with you.

My new favorite salad.

Green Papaya Salad
inspired by Spilled Milk
serves 2

1 green (unripe) papaya (softball sized)
1 tomato, chopped
1 green onion, white part cut very thin
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 TBL peanuts, chopped (almonds work, too)
2 TBl fresh cilantro

Dressing:
4 TBL fish sauce
4 TBL Rangpur lime juice (other limes work fine)
2 TBL agave
1tsp Sambal Oelek (chile paste)

Peel your green papaya. Cut in half and remove the seeds, then grate. Your papaya should have white seeds inside with light green flesh, the one pictured above was beginning to ripen, that's why it has some black seeds.

In a small bowl whisk dressing ingredients. Add vegetables and mix to combine. Top with peanuts and cilantro when ready to serve. This salad can be made up to one hour in advance. Enjoy!

How To Save Decrepit Carrots

2011-12-17T20:31:00.000-08:00

Cooking with fresh ingredients is one of the most basic of pleasures. It keeps me motivated to maintain my garden and get up early to hit the farmer's market.

But in the real world I also buy the 5 lb bag of baby carrots at Costco which eventually become whitish-orange decrepit imposters of their former selves. Which were not that great to begin with.

Since my husband hates it when food goes bad in the fridge, and I really would rather not waste anything, these decrepit imposters must be eaten somehow.

Enter roasted carrot soup, the saver of the less-than-fresh. I first learned about this soup from my friend Becky. She was inspired by Food52. Since my carrots were seriously really old, I doctored the recipe into an Indian version with lots of spices. It worked out brilliantly.

Curried Carrot Soup
serves 4

1.5 lbs baby carrots
3 TBL olive oil, divided
salt & pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chile powder
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
4-6 cups vegetable stock (depends on how thick you want the soup)
cooked brown rice
plain yogurt

Spread carrots out on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle about 2 TBL olive oil on them and toss to coat. Sprinkle a good amount of salt on them. Run under a broiler for about 15 minutes, tossing them every 5 minutes, until browned and softened.

In a soup pot over medium high heat, toast the curry powder, turmeric, chili, and cumin seeds in 1 TBL olive oil for about 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes, then add garlic and ginger and saute another few minutes or until onion is translucent.

Add stock/broth and do a taste test to determine how much salt to add, some stocks are very salty. You may also need to add more chile, depending on how spicy you want it. Stir in salt & pepper, and roasted carrots and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer the soup for 5-10 minutes.

If you have an immersion blender (on my Christmas list!) woo woo the soup. If not, add it in batches to a blender.

Serve over some cooked brown rice with a dollop of plain yogurt, enjoy!

No Carb Lasagna

2011-12-15T21:37:00.000-08:00

I'm getting stressed. I mean, it's pretty safe to say we're all getting stressed right now. The thing that's stressing me out the most though is the smidgeon of weight I've gained since the summer time.

And I'm really trying not to stress about this thing because it is the damn holidays and there is just no way around eating foods that are dreadfully unhealthy.

So I say to myself, hey, these dreadfully unhealthy foods are also awfully good so you may as well enjoy eating them.

Tips on enjoying dreadfully unhealthy foods:

1. Stick to the homemade stuff. If the only desserts on offer are store-bought pumpkin pie or cake, I'm going to skip those because, in non-holiday world, I can eat those anytime. But it is not any old time when you get the chance to devour your co-worker's candied nuts or sister-in-law's chocolate pie. The time is now for these precious treats.

2. Keep it special. My best food memories are of treats that I only got to savor once in a very great while. Keep it that way.

3. Give it away. So you have a hankering for cookies or pie or salmon pate. Cool. Make some, eat some, then give the rest away. People will love you a little (read: a lot) more.

4. Get a dog. Since we got one I have no excuse anymore to skip a little physical activity because now I gotta make sure the dog gets his walk. It's like living with your personal trainer. Except cuddlier.

5. In between parties and big meals, cook the healthiest food imaginable. This totally cancels the bad stuff out.

No Carb Lasagna
Serves 4
Inspired by Dashing Dish

2 cans stewed tomatoes, drained or 1 jar pasta sauce
optional: 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup frozen spinach
2 Japanese eggplant, sliced to 1/4 inch
1 - 8 oz container ricotta cheese
2 large handfuls fresh herbs (I like basil and oregano) or several healthy shakes or a dried Italian herb blend
salt & pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375. If using canned tomatoes, first cook your onions, garlic, and spinach over medium heat. Add tomatoes and cooked onion mixture to food processor and pulse a few times to get a sauce.

In a 9x13 baking dish begin layering the lasagna by first putting down a layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of eggplant. Spread half the ricotta on the eggplant, add some salt & pepper and 1/2 the herbs. Repeat. Top with remaining sauce and parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Enjoy!

Eggplant Tacos with Cilantro Pesto

2011-12-11T15:06:00.001-08:00

Vegetables I'm obsessed with this year: lima beans, Kabocha squash, sweet potatoes, and eggplant.

I'm going to get a little existential on you with some food philosophy. When I cook, it's important to me to honor the essence of the ingredients, to bring out what's fabulous about the ingredient versus trying to alter it or cover it.

When I'm cooking a thing, it's all about maintaining the integrity of the thing. Be it animal or vegetable.

So I think to myself, how can I make these beautiful ingredients: eggplant, cilantro, avocado, and tomato burst into a new thing that's even better than it's original self?

I'm saying this because I don't want you to think of the eggplant as a meat substitute. It's a whole new experience. Let's allow the eggplant to be herself.

She won't disappoint.

Love your ingredients. All they really want in their short lives is to please and impress you.

Eggplant Tacos with Cilantro Pesto
serves 2

2 Japanese eggplants, or 1 regular sliced in 1/4 pieces lengthwise
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced to 1/4 inch or less
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mild chile powder (like chile molido pasado)
1 TBL olive oil
salt & pepper
4-8 corn tortillas
1/2 ripe avocado
feta cheese
hot sauce

For pesto:
2 cups cilantro, stems are ok
4 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup walnuts
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat oven to 400. Drizzle a little of the olive oil on a cookie sheet. Arrange eggplant, onions, and tomato on sheet, spreading them out as much as possible. Drizzle with more oil. Sprinkle all over with cumin, chile powder, and salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes then remove tomatoes to a plate to cool, add garbanzo beans to sheet, flip veggies to other side, and roast for another 7-10 minutes.

For pesto: Add cilantro, garlic, nuts, lime juice, and salt & pepper to a food processor. Pulse until combined. Slowly add olive oil while pulsing until desired consistency is reached.

To assemble tacos, spread a little pesto on a heat tortilla, add some of your roasted veggies, a slice of avocado, a sprinkle of feta cheese, and hot sauce if you like. We are partial to Frank's. Enjoy!

My Home Town - The Big Island of Hawaii

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Aloha lovely readers! I'm so happy to be a part of the "My Home Town"series on Meg's blog, Henning Love, today. She has created a wonderful blog space for us to enjoy in Blogland, so check it out!

Since I write for my blog way out here in the middle of the Pacific, I thought it would be fun to share what makes my hometown great. Please go check out my post on Henning Love!

Aloha,

Gwen

Homemade Butterfingers

2011-12-06T21:55:00.001-08:00

This recipe features a key ingredient that you may or may not be able to get your hands on this time of year. Our school got a huge donation of said secret ingredient so in the spirit of "waste not," I got crackin' on my first batch of candy.

This is super easy and does not involve a candy thermometer or even the stove. Just the microwave y'all!

In other news, we randomly acquired a dog over the weekend and are in dire need of a witty name. We already have a cat named Abba Zaba, named for this clip from Half Baked. In that same spirit, we are considering naming him Cuban B. Other options are Scooter, Radar, Cruiser, Johnny Utah, and Kip. What say you dear readers?

The big reveal:

Candy corn! Yup. You gotta have the corn if you wanta make the butterfinger.

Homemade Butterfingers
from Plain Chicken
yield varies depending on size of candy bars

1 - 24oz package of candy corn
2 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 - 24 oz package chocolate almond bark of chocolate candy coating or just use chocolate chips

In a microwave safe bowl, nuke the corn on high for 2 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon and continue to heat them in 15 second intervals until corn is melted, stirring between each interval.

Add peanut better and stir well to combine. In a wax paper lined 13x9 inch baking dish, spread mixture evenly using the spoon to press down.

After the corn mixture has completely cooled, remove from dish and cut into desired sizes.

Melt chocolate according to package directions, usually in the microwave.

Dip corn pieces into melted chocolate, allowing to cool on wax paper. Yummy in my tummy. Enjoy!

Weekend Fun and News

2011-12-04T19:28:00.001-08:00

What a weekend!

Dustin and I were whisked away for an evening of amazing treats and food at the VIP Sunset Circle. This is an event put on at the Waikoloa Marriott for concierge in the resort area where our business is located. Since we sell activities at our shop, we got to attend. The best part was the restaurant showcase. All of my favorites were there including Merriman's and Sansei. I really wish I'd taken photos of the food but my husband said that would be weird, so we just enjoyed the evening sans blog documentation.

As if that weren't enough, we were running errands today and saw signs at Petco for a dog adoption event. We've been in the market to get a dog for awhile, but were unsure of what we wanted. But there he was, little Cruiser, just waiting for us to scoop him up. So now we are official dog owners of a one year old mixed breed with huge ears and a friendly disposition. Our cat immediately let him know who was boss, which is just find because I was afraid she'd get pissed at us for bringing a dog home and never return. It's looking like she'd rather rule over him.

Hope you all had a good weekend, recipe posts coming soon, just now getting to the end of our Thanksgiving leftovers if you can believe that.

Pheasant Stew and Fricassee

2011-12-01T20:52:00.001-08:00

My husband has taken up hunting the last couple of years, which is great for me because I grew up hunting and eating game all my life.

Hunting on the slopes of Mauna Kea

Just to be clear, as I've been harping the vegetarianese over the last year, I've got no problem eating meat that's been sustainably harvested. (Wait, is meat "harvested?") I'm just doing my best to avoid industrialized meat that been packaged and shipped to us across the Pacific.

Urkel

We've had fun creating recipes around the lovely pheasant, urkel, and turkey he's brought home. I had the most fun showing him how to skin and prepare the birds for eating. It reminded me how much more the food is appreciated when you can make a connection with the life (be it plant or animal) that it once was.

D with pheasants

Dustin made an awesome fricassee with the breast meat and I cooked up some stew in the slow cooker.

One of the most difficult aspects of preparing game birds is that they dry out very quickly. You have to have a strategy for keeping the meat moist, which means adding some sort of fat. The recipes below are really just guidelines, ideas to help you in preparing game birds.

Fricassee

Finished fricassee

Pheasant Fricassee
serves 4

Breasts of 2 pheasants, skinned and deboned
1 cup milk
1 glug olive oil
1 cup white wine
5 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 yellow onion
large handful mushrooms, slices
salt & pepper
large handful of mixed fresh thyme, oregano, and sage
1 smoked pork sausage (bacon can sub here)

Marinate the breasts in the milk, olive oil, and wine for at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours.

In a large cast iron pan, heat some more oil over medium high heat and cook up the onions, mushrooms, sausage and garlic with some salt and pepper. Add the breasts along with the marinade and herbs into the pan and turn the heat down to medium low. Gently simmer the mixture until the breasts are cooked through, maybe 20-30 minutes.

Pheasant Stew
serves 4

Legs, thighs, wings, and backs of 2 pheasants (backs may be stretching it for some, omit if you don't like a gamey flavor)
1 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
salt & pepper
olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, slices
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 TBL fresh thyme
2 cups stock

Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add some olive oil. Put flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a paper bag. Add the pheasant pieces and coat with the flour mixture. Brown the pheasant pieces in the pan, making sure not to crowd the pan so they will brown. You may have to do this in 2 batches. As soon as the meat is browned, add it to a slow cooker.

Deglaze the pan you just used with the wine by adding the wine to the hot pan and swirling to loosen the the browned bits. Add this to the slow cooker.

Add the veggies, stock, and herbs to the slow cooker on top of the meat. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with rice or biscuits. Enjoy!

Gift Idea: Autobio Playlist

2011-11-30T20:56:00.001-08:00

dannyphillipsart

Last year I quickly adopted my friend Becky's idea of creating an autobiographical mix as a gift idea. It's fun to make, instantly personalized, and entertaining when you get other friends involved.

What a great way to save a few pennies on Christmas gifts, too.

Here's my mix for 2011:

OMG by Usher - In tribute to my middle school dance team girls, they killed it!

Love's Not by Mars Ill - For a very memorable lesson I gave during my first few weeks of teaching.

Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson - I gave a lesson on this song at one point, too and really feel it sums up my first teaching position.

I Never Told You by Colbie Caillat - One of my 8th graders sang this as part of a presentation she gave last spring. It was the most beautiful performance I'd ever witnessed and brought me to tears.

Personal Jesus by Johnny Cash - Heard this version of the song in the car when on vacation in Oregon. Just stayed with me.

The Tracks of My Tears by Dolly Parton - I am a recently converted Dolly fan. Sorry.

Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band - Really love this song because of this line: "pair or jeans that fit just right..."

Wild World by Cat Stevens - Because it is.

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters by Elton John - Something from my favorite movie is a must.

New York City by The Peter Malick Group - Keeping the dream alive. New York, you will be mine.

Want a copy? Email me your address at gwenedwards82(at)gmail.com and I'll be happy to mail you a copy! What's your mix for 2011 going to include?

Leftovember cont. Shepherd's Pie and Fruit Salad

2011-11-27T16:43:00.001-08:00

I picked up a copy of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones after reading a review by my friend Becky. As many of you know, Mrs. Jones discovered Julia Child and got Mastering the Art of French Cooking published during a time in America when canned food was king.

Mrs. Jones describes the time she spent in Paris eating fabulous food and living by the seat of her pants in order to absorb as much Parisian culture as possible. All of this I love.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that Mrs. Jones mentions an Elizabeth David who was offended when Jones suggested she list ingredients and precise amounts in her cookbook.

"Inconsistencies are inevitable in a cookery book and preferable, I think myself, to absurdities brought about by overzealousness in the matter of literal renderings...I don't think one does any harm in crediting one's readers with a little imagination and knowledge of their own," insisted David.

The more entrenched I've become in food blogging, the more loudly the message blares about perfecting recipes so that your readers can trust you. Ok, I totally get that but, for me, the fun of cooking comes in the creativity and in the ability to not follow the recipe and go with your gut.

I can't tell you how many times I've been elbow deep in a recipe and my taste buds start nudging me. "Hey," they start to shout, "that doesn't sound right!" I ignore them and press on, wanting to honor the process of the recipe. And of course they were right, my taste buds that is, if it don't feel right, it probably isn't.

That's not to say there aren't solid cooks and chefs out there who can consistently be trusted to produce fine recipes. The fact remains we all have different taste buds. So don't be afraid to play a little. Unless you're making something ultra-technical, for which there are many wonderful resources out there to come to our aide.

My hope is that when you come to this blog, you leave feeling empowered, inspired, or maybe just hungry. I'm not a chef (although I do hope to someday become one) but I'd like to share with you what tastes good to me and hope that you will use your imaginating powers to please your taste buds.

Mini Shepherd's Pies
No ingredient list cuz it depends where you are in Leftovember

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with wax paper, making sure some it hangs over. Press leftover biscuits bits in the bottom of eat tin, you will have to rip them up to do so. Leftover stuffing would work well for this if you don't have biscuits.

Add some turkey and whatever leftover veggies you have on top of the biscuits. I sauteed up some green beans, mushrooms, and garlic with a little broth. Whatever you have, make sure it has lots of moisture. Gravy would be awesome if you still have some.

Spoon mashed potatoes on top and press down with a fork to get the layers to stick together. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of each little pie. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes begin to brown.

To serve, gently remove pies from the tins by lifting edges of the wax paper. So fancy and so cute. Enjoy!

Cranberry Fruit Salad

Cranberry sauce
Orange segments
Whipped cream

No amounts here either. Just cut up some oranges and toss them in a bowl with your leftover cranberry sauce and whipped cream. Retro and heavenly. Enjoy!

Leftovember

2011-11-26T12:24:00.001-08:00

There is a vacuum of time between Thanksgiving and the first of December in which all we eat are leftovers and the son of leftovers. Therefore the birth of Leftovember: the forgotten month of scrap eating.

This time can be boring, or this time can be glorious.

Let's begin by scooping dollops of whipped cream into our morning coffee. And drinking that coffee with some leftover pie, because that's breakfast in Leftovember.

Lunch, perhaps, is biscuits slathered in cream cheese, cranberry sauce, and topped with turkey.

The crowning glory of Leftovember is pot pie. Here's where I pretend to not have eaten any turkey (due to current vegetarian status) and fill my pie crusts with all the veggie leftovers.

But this is real life where I can't resist the turkey and certainly don't want any to go to waste. Pile that pie high with whatever you got: brussels sprouts, squash, mashed potatoes, green beans. We ran out of gravy so I poured the remaining garlic soup overall for moisture.

And for the final last gasp of Thanksgiving enjoyment, pop the turkey bones in the slow cooker with some salt and herbs, and fill with water. Lazy-woman's turkey stock. Freeze for later use.

What are your Leftovember specialties?

Cook, Eat, Love, Repeat

2011-11-25T15:07:00.001-08:00

We cooked our hearts out yesterday! Wait, that sounds gross.

Deviled eggs topped with Hungarian paprika (Thanks Loree!)

How about this: we cooked with love and shared a wonderful meal with family.

Aromatics for the turkey

My brother, his girlfriend, my nephews, my sister, her boyfriend and our BIMC ohana joined us for the meal.

Garlic soup

We are very blessed to have family to spend holidays with all the way out here in the middle of the Pacific.

Sweet potato casserole

Brussels sprouts mushroom bake with crouton topping

Avocado pie

Nephew in grandma's apron

Dustin's Manola: Granola for Men

2011-11-23T16:00:00.001-08:00

My husband is a real man.

And real men eat granola. Scratch that, manola.

Back in college I started eating yogurt and granola everyday for breakfast. If you are a regular granola eater like me you know that the good granolas (without lots of sugar) are pretty spendy. This naturally progressed into homemade granola.

After getting married it wasn't long before Dustin began taking up my habits; coffee drinking, granola eating and reality TV watching are just a few. We were just living our lives, eating tons of granola, but it seemed like I could never make enough to keep up with the demand. This made Dustin a little grumpy. So he took matters into his own hands.

He concocted his own granola recipe. Because that's what real men do.

So be a real man and make this, it's dang good, I finally had to admit.

Manola: Granola for Men
makes enough to fill a giant cereal container

4 cups oats
4 cups nuts (we use a mix of almonds and walnuts usually)
1/2 cup agave or honey
1/4 oil (usually olive oil, but coconut is super tasty if you have it)
1 TBL cinnamon
1 TBL dark cocoa powder
2 cups dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, or raisins)

Preheat oven to 325. Toast oats in a 9x13 baking dish for 15 minutes.

While the oats toast, chop nuts using a food processor. They should be chopped in very small bits, the size of grains of rice.

In a large bowl, combine nuts, cinnamon, and cocoa. Then add toasted oats and mix to combine. Add oil and agave and mix well. Scoop the mixture into an oiled 9x13 baking dish (it won't all fit, you will either need to do two batches or use two baking dishes). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.

Allow to cool then add the dried fruit. Store in an airtight container, like a cereal keeper. Serve with yogurt or milk. Enjoy!

This Bread is Bananas

2011-11-21T20:05:00.001-08:00

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

My nephew is bananas, too. While hanging out with him today (he's two) he lifted up my shirt to expose my belly, then lifted his, and insisted on lying down belly to belly. This was totally bananas, but it felt comforting and great, until he told me I had a baby in my belly. What!?!

My cat is bananas. She tries everyday to climb into the entertainment center, but never does fit. Her favorite toy is an empty Coors Light box. Her name is Abba Zaba, and she is my only friend.

Black Friday is bananas. Especially after a day of merriment. Getting up early is so not on my agenda. Consider supporting a small business instead. We small business owners sure could use your support.

There are some ingredients in this bread that are a little bananas. Like millet and unsweetened chocolate. It's hippy food fo sho, so don't go sharing it with folks unless they are down with whole grains and infrequent showers.

Banana Bread Muffins with Millet and Chocolate
makes 12 extra large muffins or 1 loaf
recipe adapted from: Simply Recipes

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened chocolate chips
1/2 cup millet

Preheat oven to 350. If making a loaf, butter the pan. If making muffins, line your muffin tins with baking cups.

In a large bowl mix the mashed bananas with the melted butter. I like to lightly mash the bananas so that there are some big chunks in the bread. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla, soda, and salt making sure it's well combined. Mix in the flour until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and millet.

If making a loaf, bake for 1 hour. If making muffins, bake for 25 minutes, until golden. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Bleu Cheese

2011-11-19T19:45:00.001-08:00

Just in case you didn't know already, Thanksgiving is next week. I feel that as a food blogger, I should contribute to the general theme of "Thanksgiving eats" that is the food blogosphere at the moment. You know, just trying to be helpful.

But, guess what? All this T-day overkill is burning me out. And I'm so not into getting burnt out over my favorite holiday.

So let's talk about something else. Let's get inspired to have the warmest, fuzziest holiday season of our lives with some random tidbits that I hope will make you smile.

1. The other day I asked my husband what his favorite cartoon was when he was small. Yep, he said "My Little Pony." I knew there was a reason I married him!

2. Committing random acts of kindness is apparently a major trend these days. That fact gives me hope for humanity.

3. Find more great blogs to read in this well-written post. Thanks Chrissy!

4. Do what you love. And if that means blogging, read this: Real-Talk Blog Tips. And if that means living, give yourself a high-five.

5. “This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don't wait.” -Natalie Goldberg. Read "Writing Down the Bones." Love it. Live it.

6. Eat this.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Bleu Cheese
serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3+ TBL butter, divided
1 heaping cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 cup bleu cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup brown sugar

Boil a large pot of water and add sweet potatoes. Boil for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Drain in a colander. Return to pot (but turn off heat), add 1 TBL butter, and mash.

Heat oven to 325. Grease a 8x8 baking dish with some of the butter. In a small bowl combine 2 TBL melted butter, walnuts, cheese, sugar, and cranberries.

Spread mashed sweet potatoes in baking dish. Top with nut mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Bleu Cheese, Pear & Lavender Pizza

2011-11-17T17:47:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure if this pizza could get any more girly. I mean, it has flowers on it.

But if you're not a girl and you still want to eat this, then do that.

This pizza was born when my husband wanted to get the Safeway take-and-bake pizza AGAIN. I have a hard time eating the same things over and over so I got myself one of their raw pizza crusts. And no, Safeway is not paying me to post this. I freaking wish.

The main goal was to make a pizza Dustin wouldn't want to eat so that I could have the leftovers all to myself. Trust me, he ain't eatin' nothin' with lavender on it.

This pizza was super easy to throw together and the mix of delicate flavors and zippy cheese makes me feel like a natural woman.

Feel Like a Woman Pizza with Bleu Cheese, Pear & Lavender
serves 4

1 - 12" pizza crust (I used the Safeway take & bake version)
olive oil
1/2 Asian pear, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup or so bleu cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 TBL fresh lavender or 1 tsp dried

Pre-heat oven according to directions on pizza crust. Drizzle olive oil on the crust after stretching it to desired thickness. Sprinkle on bleu cheese, crumbling it as you go along. Arrange pear slices in a pretty pattern. Grate parmesan over all. Sprinkle lavender on last. Bake according to crust directions, usually 15-20 minutes at 375.

Garnish with some lavender flowers to serve. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Risotto

2011-11-15T17:47:00.001-08:00

Your breakfast just put on some fancy pants.

I've been meaning to try oatmeal risotto ever since I discovered the blessings of savory oatmeal.

My husband and I are in an ongoing death battle over the definition of savory. He insists it means anything tasty, I'm trying to say it means anything with non-sweet flavors (i.e. gravy is savory, pancakes are not). Care to weigh in?

Ah, the things we fight about. It's seriously hilarious, except not in the moment. I got so mad at him last night for buying a turkey (more on that later) that these words actually left my lips, "well don't ever ask me to get you pizza EVER AGAIN!" As a teacher, I should know that you should never make empty threats. I mean, hello, I love pizza, too. As a matter of fact I have really girly pizza pie to share with you later this week.

In the mean time, make this risotto on a cozy Sunday morning with your little cup of coffee and your big dreams.

Oatmeal Risotto
serves 1 (easily doubled/quadrupled)

1 tsp butter
1 TBL olive oil
1/4 cup sliced yellow onion
1 cup oatmeal (uncooked)
2-3 cups warm water
salt & pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss chard, kale, or spinach leaves
1 tsp fresh thyme
small handful sliced green onion
parmesan cheese

Heat your butter and oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until clear and soft. Add the dry oatmeal and toast for 3-4 minutes. Add some salt and pepper and the greens.

Begin slowly adding the warm water (I used my tea kettle for this task) a little at a time, waiting to add more until the oatmeal has absorbed it. You need to be stirring constantly as this happens pretty fast. It shouldn't take more that 15 minutes total, depending on the type of oatmeal you use. You will know when it's done when it's soft. You will have to taste as you go to determine this, so add salt & pepper as needed.

Turn off the heat, add the thyme, green onion, and parmesan. Stir it up. To serve, add a little more parmesan on top. Enjoy your fancy pants breakfast!

Don't Be Scared: Brussels Sprouts with Bulgur

2011-11-13T15:59:00.001-08:00

I'm all about facing fears. Got certified to SCUBA dive even though I'm afraid of drowning and of the ocean. Took a job at a middle school last year even though tweens terrify me.

One fear I'd avoided facing in my adult life had been the brussels sprout. I was tortured with this vegetable as a young child. Our household growing up had a strict code of non-refusal. It just wasn't allowed to refuse food you were given. So I gagged my way through a brussels sprout or two, all the while my dad's words of encouragement to force down foods we didn't like was, "eat it! It makes ya regular!" Thanks dad, but staying regular is not a high priority for an eight-year-old.

But alas, like other foods I disliked as a child, I suspected my opinion of brussels sprouts would morph over time. So, heart in throat, I roasted some up.

Not only are they the cutest little vegetable on the block, they are pretty tasty, and surprisingly versatile. Can't wait to experiment more with them.

What foods did you hate as a kid but have grown to love as an adult?

Brussels Sprouts with Bulgur
serves 2

For the sprouts:
1 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced in half
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

For the bulgur:
2 TBL olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup bulgar
salt & pepper
2 1/2 cup boiling water

parmesan cheese to serve

Heat oven to 375. In a bowl, toss the sprouts with the olive oil, vinegar, and some salt & pepper. I didn't specify amounts because you just need to eyeball this one as each sprout should be coated.

Place the sprouts cut side down in a baking dish and roast for 15 minutes. Turn sprouts over and roast for another 10 minutes.

While the sprouts are in the oven, heat a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Saute the garlic and pepper flakes in olive oil. Once the garlic becomes aromatic, add the dry bulgur and toast for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the boiling water, cover, and allow to rest 20-30 minutes or until tender and water is absorbed. This may vary depending on the coarseness of your bulgur, coarser bulgur will need to sit longer, and you may need to drain off some of the liquid when ready.

To serve, place some bulgur on a plate, top with brussels sprouts, and grate some parmesan over all. Enjoy!

I loves you.

2011-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

I have something to say.

You're beautiful. You're smart. You're sassy. You're chic. You're special. You're wonderful. You're someone to be admired.

Now I have something else to say. Something I learned back when I only had 13 years under my bra. When someone gives you a compliment, say thank you.

ColourTreeStudio

Don't think to yourself, "She's only saying that because I look fat and she wants to make me feel better."

Can you do me a favor and allow yourself, for one moment, to believe that the compliment was given because it was true? Yes, they said it because they wanted to make you feel better. Not because you look fat, or ugly, or run-down. Because they like you, or something about you.

When someone gives you a compliment, say thank you.

AmeliaKayPhotography

Own that compliment.

Be someone who breaks down and reshapes the very concept of beauty.

Be someone fearless. Law school and a mere 26 miles doesn't stand in her way.

Be someone fierce. This girl's got it goin' on, and she knows it.

Be someone happy. This blogger is nothing but sunshine.

Be someone grateful. She once said gratitude is our best and only defense against the worst in this world.

SpringFlowerChild

But most of all, be someone that loves herself; someone that says thank you to a compliment.

My favorite photo featured on Anonymous was a Woman

2011-11-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

Hop on over to Anonymous was a Woman (love that name for a blog) today to see my little write up about my favorite photograph. "My favorite photo" is an ongoing series on Sarah's blog that I just love. She also takes wonderful photographs herself and writes ever-engaging blog content. Please do check out her blog!

Photo from anonymous was a woman

Kona Coffee and Art Stroll

2011-11-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

Did you know Kona, Hawaii produces some of the world's best coffee? It's a true fact.

This is lucky for those of us who a) love coffee and 2) live in or get to visit Kona. November is an especially great time to be here, as we get to enjoy the spoils of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.

This weekend I strolled through the town of Holualoa (where I also teach elementary school *shout out*) tasting some fine coffees, enjoying works by local artists, and searching for some good eats.

One of my greatest accomplishments in life has been converting my husband from orange juice to coffee drinker. I just couldn't let him miss out on the soothing, delicious treat that is coffee in the morning.

Not only is the coffee here spectacular, but the coffee culture is interesting as well. Coffee history runs deep around here, witnessed by the generations of Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino families who have lovingly massaged and extracted "Kona gold" from the land.

Coffee country is lined with well-loved "coffee shacks," coffee cherry weighing stations, workers walking home in muddy boots, and when the time is right, coffee blossoms create Kona "snow." It's a dreamy atmosphere, but don't fooled, picking coffee is brutal. It's a determined people who have labored to make these farms sing.

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit

2011-11-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

Wait, are beans really a fruit? Or does it just rhyme with toot?

Someone help me out here.

In other news, we went to a bbq this week and wanted to bring a side dish to share. I looked in the cupboards, I looked in the fridge and whammy! This magic bean salad was born. It screams healthy living, so you should eat a lot of it and enjoy your healthy warming glow.

Magic Bean Salad
serves 10ish

Dressing:
1 TBL finely minced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minces
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder (I used chili pallisa molido, a mild one)
1 tsp honey or agave
juice from 1 lime
salt & pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Salad:
3 cans of beans (I used 1 each: pinto, black, garbanzo)
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, seeds and membrane removed
1 avocado, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro

In a large bowl whisk together the minced onion, garlic, mustard, cumin, chili powder, honey, lime, and salt & pepper. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking to incorporate.

Add the beans, tomato, onion, and pepper to the bowl and mix well to coat all with dressing. Add green onion and avocado and mix gently so as not to mush up the avocado. Top with cilantro.

You may want to make this a couple hours ahead of time to allow the beans to really soak up the flavors of the dressing. Or not. Whatever.

P.S. This salad would be great as a taco filling.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Ratatouille

2011-11-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

I've made ratatouille before but was honestly annoyed with how long it took to make something as simple as a veggie stew. Since eggplant has been coming out of my ears (or eggs?) lately, a ratatouille was in order.

How to make it less annoying you ask? Throw it in the crock pot and be done with it. Serve it over cornmeal mush because that's living. Or serve it over proper polenta if you prefer to be fancy. I just think something as humble as ratatouille ought to be served over an equally humble mush. Plus I am weirdly craving mush and white rice all the time now.

Do you want to know why? I'm deep in my first read of "To Kill a Mockingbird" and all things Southern sound amazing, plus my eyes see everything right now as Scout would see them. Do you get like that when you read a good book? Or maybe that's crazy talk. Still doesn't explain the white rice obsession, but just go with it.

Ready to make some veggies into a fancy French word? Do it.

Crock Pot Ratatouille
Inspired by A Year of Slow Cooking
Serves 4-8 (depends on if you serve as a main or side)

1 TBL olive oil
1 zucchini, cubed
3-4 eggplant, cubed
2 cans diced tomatoes with juices
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil)
salt & pepper

Chop all the veggies. Layer the ingredients in your crock pot in this order: onion, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, tomato, herbs. Do several layers like this, I ended up with 3 layers. Salt and pepper after each ingredient so it gets seasoned all the way through. Don't worry if you have to pack the crock pot super full because it will cook down.

No, I didn't forget the bell peppers, I'm just not a huge fan. Add some if you like.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Serve over cornmeal mush, polenta, or with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

Witches Brew aka Broccoli Potato Soup

2011-11-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I happen by a recipe that brings out the little girl in me. Little Gwen would have loved a thick green soup concocted in a pot with a handle. She would have also loved mashed purple sweet potatoes and homemade butterfingers.

Halloween is definitely the holiday that brings out little Gwen the most. It was a relief to see her this week, as things have been, well, less than cheerful around here. I was totally not into Halloween this year. Thank God I'm a teacher because, once again, the children have saved me. Little Gwen just could not resist dressing up for school, in a chef costume.

Dustin liked the hat, too. Yes, I made it.

The festive atmosphere at school spiraled. When I got home we decorated the house, carved a pumpkin and whipped up some witches brew. Sadly, we did not have any trick-or-treaters, but we had fun getting in the spooky spirit.

Halloween is over but that doesn't mean your little self can't enjoy some roasted pumpkin seeds, a scary movie on a stormy night, peanut butter hot chocolate, or all of the above.

Here's to our inner children. Let 'em out.

Witches Brew (Broccoli Potato Soup)
inspired by Food and Wine
serves at least 6

2 TBL butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 cups water
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, saute the onion until translucent. Add some salt and pepper.

Add the garlic, broccoli, potatoes, water and lots more salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then bring down to a simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until your veggies are soft enough to squish with a fork.

You can throw it in a blender at this point for a smooth soup, but we opted to just smash the veggies until it was the consistency we wanted.

Add some parmesan, a good handful should do in, and stir, tasting to see if you need more seasoning.

Serve with more parmesan. So easy. Enjoy!

Lemon Thyme Bulgur Risotto with Asparagus

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

I need to tell you something. But you have to promise to not get mad. Ok here it is: my tomatoes are looking gorgeous and going nuts. I realize it is the end of October and those of you who can feel winter coming on may read this as a bit of braggadocio, but seriously the reason I have to tell you this is because I'm so proud of my garden and my exceptional tomatoes.

One thing you must know is that it is notoriously difficult to grow tomatoes in Hawaii. My theory is that it doesn't get quite hot or dry enough most times, leaving the plant susceptible to bugs and mildewy type funguses.

There are no mildewy type funguses on my tomatoes and the fruit itself is about the size of my fist, by far the biggest maters I've grown in my little plot.

I've also been scoring lately with big bunches of asparagus from the garden, plants I've babied and coddled for going on four years. They are finally repaying their mommy. So I said to myself, self, let's cook some risotto, shall we?

Lemon Thyme Bulgur Risotto with Asparagus
serves 4

1 TBL olive oil
1 TBL butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups bulgur
4-6 cups water or veggie stock
salt & pepper
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 lb asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 TBL fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dry
parmesan cheese

In a heavy pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes.

Over a separate burner, warm the water or stock over medium-low heat.

Add the bulgar to the pan with the onion and toast for 2-3 minutes. Add some salt and pepper and the garlic, too. Begin slowly adding the the water/stock one soup ladle at a time, stirring occasionally. You will know to add more liquid when the bulgar has absorbed what you added before. You don't have to constantly stir, but you can't walk away from the stove either. The whole process takes 20-30 minutes and you may or may not use all the liquid.

You will know when the bulgur is done by it's creamy texture. Taste it, it will still have a very slight crunch, similar to oatmeal. What I'm trying to say is that it won't be completely soft, like rice. When the bulgur is done, add your asparagus and cook maybe 2 minutes, or until bright green. Now add your lemon juice, zest, and thyme and more salt & pepper to taste.

Top with fresh grated parmesan to serve. Enjoy!

Dinner for Two: our week in food

2011-10-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday: Roasted eggplant bruschetta

Sunday: Udon noodle soup at Lemongrass Bistro. Love that place!

Monday: Roasted kabocha squash with lemon butter thyme lima beans and thick slices of wheat bread from the farmer's market. I have a secret love for lima beans. Am I alone on this one?

Tuesday: Costco cheese pizza topped with eggplant. Gourmet to the max.

Wednesday: Lemon-thyme bulgar risotto with asparagus. Can't wait to share this recipe!

Thursday: Baked potatoes smothered in roasted garlic and cheese. Been doing a lot of roasting this week, maybe the oven needed a workout.

Friday: Zucchini "pasta" with roasted garlic cream sauce. Deadly.

Saturday: Pasta with chard, mushrooms, and goat cheese. Farmer's market score!

Highlight of the week: heading to the farmer's market in Waimea for lots of lovely island treats.

Honeycomb ginger flowers

Lilikoi juice

Teri steak for D and veggie lau lau for me!

Hash Browns for Dinner

2011-10-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

Stuck in a rut? First, listen to this: Joy the Baker podcast. Then, make yourself some hash browns for dinner. Shutterbean is my constant inspiration! Third, make the hash brown fill the entire pan and then (try to) flip it. This type of challenge is good for your brain. And your wrists. Look at that giant hash brown!

Never made hash browns? Don't be afraid, it's quick and easy and your belly will be happy. Oh and it's fun to flip them in the pan. Did I mention that?

Hash Browns
serves as many as you like!

grated potatoes (as many as you need to feed your household, 1 per person if this is a main dish)
grated yellow onion (onion to potato ratio should be 1:4)
olive oil
salt & pepper

After grating onion and potato, mix them together in a small bowl with a little olive oil and some salt & pepper with your hands.

Place a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Slap some hash in the pan and brown in for 6-8 minutes, flipping once browned.

Top with avocado, tomato, a fried egg, hot sauce, whatever sounds good.

I dare you to make a giant hash brown! Enjoy!

Zucchini "Pasta" with Walnut "Sausage"

2011-10-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't real pasta or real sausage. It's even better with tons of healthy deliciousness. Come on, get healthy!

As I mentioned before, my husband refused to admit this tasted like sausage, but in the same breath he said it was one of the best dishes I've made. Healthy is to delicious as win is to win.

I must admit, I've very jealous of all the fall posts filled with beautiful colors and recipes. What I wouldn't give for a trip to Vermont right now!

Zucchini "Pasta" with Walnut "Sausage"
Inspired by Shutterbean and Choosing Raw
serves 2

2 medium zucchinis
2 TBL olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
salt & pepper
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan

Boil a pot of salted water on the stovetop. While the water is heating up, make noodles out of the zucchini by slicing them up with a vegetable peeler. Boil the zucchini for 2 minutes then strain and set aside.

Add the onion and olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Cook until transparent then add garlic and chile and cook a minute more. Add the walnuts, sage, salt & pepper and cook until heated through.

To plate, add some sausage to your pasta and top with grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Baby Lu'au - Monster Style!

2011-10-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

My nephew Parker is one! A baby lu'au was in order.

Look at this incredible cake his momma made for his monster party.

He dove right into that cake, but got a little freaked out by all the people laughing.

His big brother was worn out.

This little girl is a master of pinata candy-gathering.

Even Dustin got into the spirit!

My siblings and their sig-o's. We make a pretty good clan!

Dinner for Two: our week in food

2011-10-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday: Leftovers from my nephew's first birthday party, including my lemony pasta salad and my sister-in-law's amazing baked beans.

Sunday: Zucchini "pasta" with walnut and sage "sausage." Genius! Although Dustin wasn't fooled and refused to admit it tasted of meat. Recipe coming soon.

Monday: Veggie burger at Bubba Gump. Not a fan, but am perpetually forced to eat there due to my brother's employment at this establishment. Also celebrated my nephew's birthday (yes, again, yay!) with our family's traditional lamb cake.

Tuesday: Awesome pizza at Kona Brewing Co. Yes, again. Having guests in town is a pretty good excuse.

Wednesday: Chips, Nutter Butters, and French Fries at girl's night while watching (part of) Bad Teacher. Not a film I'll recommend but stress-eating junk food after a hard week is a practice I will recommend.

Thursday: Asparagus and avocado pasta a la Martha Stewart. Dustin loved this one. Next time I'll add some lemon juice.

Friday: Black bean tacos with avocado. It is the start of avocado season y'all! My favorite food.

Highlight of the week: making a fort at the beach with my nephew.

Went crazy at the farmer's market today, can't wait to share what I've been cooking up. Have a great weekend everyone!

Backpacking Bliss

2011-10-20T19:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a fact: I love camping. Backpacking to be exact. Last week I escaped with my friend Rachael into a not-so-well-known valley for a little adventuring.

To get there, you gotta repel down a steep grade on ropes tied to the trees.

And in a place where you'd least expect it, a house. It reminds me of The Animal Family. Did you read that story? I half expected to find the hunter and his mermaid living there.

I won't tell you how long it took us to start a fire. But hey, it was windy, and we eventually got it going.

We found lots of treasures.

And of course I packed healthy meals. It was part of the detox. Remember that?

Ahhh. Sweet escape.

Dinner for Two: our week in food

2011-10-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

This week I am in deep cooking mode trying to figure out my Signature Dish for my MasterChef application. One of my goals before I turn 30 is to try-out for a reality TV show. Therefore, October is Signature Dish month, can't wait to share what I've been creating!

Saturday: Roasted eggplant tacos with asparagus and avocado salsa. Signature Dish possibility.

Sunday: Fresh tombo ahi (albacore tuna) steaks with stir-fried buckwheat noodles, broccoli and chard.

Monday: Duck at the new Sam Choy's in Keauhou. Meh, we were expecting better. But, this was still a really fun night (my make-up date).

Tuesday: Seared albacore with roasted eggplant and arugula salad, balsamic sauce, and tapenade. Signature Dish possibility.

Wednesday: Roasted broccoli pasta dressed in olive oil, garlic, and olives. Signature Dish possibility.

Thursday: Store-bought cheese tortellini with asparagus and tomatoes.

Friday: Wild Mushroom and Puna Pie pizzas at Kona Brewing Co. with my folks. They are visiting from Washington!

Blog Action Day: Let's Talk About Food

2011-10-16T00:55:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of this year, January 1st in fact, I went meatless. This was not due to wanting to save animal lives, or lose weight (in fact I think all the cheese has added to the old waistline). Really, I wanted to do more to preserve the environment. Composting just wasn't cutting it for me anymore.

The truth is, I'm an Oregon girl at heart. And Oregon people are full-on tree hugging, trail hiking, scat identifying, one with the Earth types. Full-on. And so it just became too difficult to justify my frozen chicken breast consuming ways.

Not only that, but after reading Julia Child's My Life in France and all of her wonderful descriptions of chickeny-chickens I realized that I'd never in my life had fresh chicken, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon due to what's available in my local grocery stores. Julia's fervent appreciation of food got me to pay more attention to what I was stuffing in my own mouth. And the reality is, flash-frozen chicken breast tastes like crap. So does the vast majority of grocery store meat. I don't like to eat food that tastes like crap. So I don't.

That is not to say I will not eat meat ever or that I'm above cheating. You can call me a meat cheat if you want as my will-power is sometimes too weak to resist a SPAM musubi. If I can get my hands on some locally caught fish, the best is from the guy who sells it on the road-side, I'm totally game.

See what I'm getting at here? I'm just trying to do my part for the environment.

Not convinced or not ready to give up meat? There are so many other ways you can do your part:

-Write your own post about food.
-Get inspired. Get informed.
-Boycott high fructose corn syrup.
-Plant something. Anything.
-Compost your food scraps.
-Feed a kid in need.
-Buy and eat local.
-Try not to waste food.

This rant is done! Thanks for reading.

This Broccoli Soup will Change Your Life

2011-10-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

Want a creamy soup without the cream? You can have your soup and eat it, too because I have a life-changing tip for you.

Replacing the cream with a potato makes the soup creamy without the fat. Boom.

Does it taste the same? Hell no. Cream does not equal potato. But, it does taste great and you won't miss the cream.

Broccoli Soup
Serves 4

2 TBL butter
2 TBL olive oil
1 1/2 lbs broccoli
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped or a handful of baby carrots
salt & pepper
3 TBL flour
4 cups water, or vegetable stock
1 vegetable bouillon cube (omit if using stock)
1 potato, chopped

Melt butter and olive oil over medium high heat in a soup pot. Add onions and saute for a couple minutes, then ad broccoli and carrot and lots of salt & pepper. Saute for another few minutes, until onion is translucent. Add the flour and cook about 1 minute or until flour begin to brown very lightly.

Add water, cube, and potato and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until broccoli and potato are soft.

Pour, in batches, into a blender to get a creamy, delicious soup. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Big Island, Hawaii

Cool Your Jets with Hot Tea

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm dating someone. He's handsome and manly and we've been married almost five years.

We've been in a bit of a relationship rut, you know the kind: I make dinner, we eat it, we watch some TV, lights out. Inspired by the Joy the Baker podcast on this very topic, I decided it would be a great idea for us to go on a proper date. Arrangements were made and I was stoked.

And then he stood me up. For real. Like totally forgot about our date until it was too late to go out and I finally broke my secret mad silence. He of course promised to make it up to me, blah, blah, blah.

So I waited until 4pm today, by the phone, hoping and wishing that he would ask me on a date. Which he finally did. After which I made myself some damn lavender tea to relax after being thrown back into dating anxiety land.

Moral of this story #1: dating is rough, I forgot how hard it is and I appreciate all you single ladies who are still fighting the good fight. I mean that.

Moral of this story #2: if you are in dating land some herbal tea will really help you cool your jets. Seriously. Lavender is a known stress reducer.

Add a few fresh sprigs or a tablespoon of dried lavender to a tea pot or French press and allow to steep in hot water for a couple minutes. I also added lemon verbena to my tea, but do what you want. If you can get ahold of fresh herbs, this is definitely the way to go. There is a distinct sweetness and specialness to fresh herbal tea.

Chill out! Drink some tea. Have a date with yourself because you matter.

Biscuits

2011-10-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about sounds I love.

The zipper of a tent. Not just any zipper, but a tent zipper, that fast zzzippp, zzzippp!

Dustin's motorcycle pulling up to the garage. It seems like I can hear it a mile away.

The chugging of a train. Where I live now there are no trains, although sometimes my ears are tricked.

The air popping out of a milk glass when you use it to cut biscuits. This was the way my mom always cut biscuits and the way I always will, too. There is something very satisfying about making something with only your hands and a milk glass.

Try it.

Mom's Baking Powder Biscuits
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (whatever you like, I use olive)

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients. Use your hands. Add milk and oil and combine. This time think a happy thought about how good these biscuits will be with whatever you're making. On a floured surface, press dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Grab a milk glass and cut biscuits out with the open end. Savor the air popping sound. Arrange biscuits on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!

Psst! These are by no means a fancy or fluffy biscuit. They are great for dipping into hearty soups and complimenting just about any main course. Add cheese and herbs if you want to gussy them up.

Denver Eats

2011-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

We played. We drank. We put blue feather extensions in our hair. We reminisced about piano bars and cute boys and Halloween costumes. This equals good times in Denver with great friends.

And we ate.

Much needed hair-of-the-dog bloody mary's at a French bistro for brunch.

Veggie burrito at Illegal Pete's.

Local "beer" my friend was sold after asking for something made in Colorado. Note: it says malt liquor on the can. Heehee.

Candy apple from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I realize they have these shops in virtually every mall in America, however we do not have one where I live, so this was exciting. I also bought Dustin a piece of chocolate covered bacon.

Yummy locally brewed beer where we met Denver's most eligible bachelor (according to 5280, but I can't find the article to link to, sorry!)

This is where I ordered the rattlesnake and pheasant dog. You read that right. It was delicious, however, it wrecked my stomach. I think I'm just not used to eating snake.

Jessica snapping away for her amazing blog, love, ayi. Click on over and check it out!

Please do check out Biker Jim's if you are ever in Denver. Unique and delicious. Score.

Also, feather hair extensions really get the party started. Mine is still nestled in my hair. It may or may not be forming a dread lock.

This is not me. You really don't want to see the dread lock.

Dinner for Two: our week in food

2011-10-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

This week should really be Dinner for One since I spent most of the time out and about with my girls in Denver and backpacking with my friend here on the Big Island. Let me tell you, it was an interesting week of food and my tummy really needed a break by the time I got home. This is just a sneak peak of all the Colorado goodies we found, will be posting more about Denver food shortly.

Jessica floating down Larimer Square

Saturday: Shepherd's pie with Colorado lamb at the Wynkoop Brewing Co. in Denver, followed by bar hopping and good fun with my Americorps pals. A night like that brings a girl right back to her early 20s.

Sunday: Cup of tortilla soup and a strawberry margarita at the Rio in Denver. We used to come here for happy hour all the time back in the Americorps days.

Monday: Rattlesnake and pheasant sausage with fried green tomatoes at Biker Jim's in Denver. Could not pass up the chance to try snake, plus where Anthony Bourdain goes, I follow.

Photo by Love Ayi

Tuesday: Airplane cheese and fruit platter. Blegh. Stomach and liver detox in order due to eating snake and drinking too much beer.

Wednesday: Broccoli soup with carrots, onions, and absolutely no cream. Recipe to come. My version of a detox is a fruit and vegetable only diet for as many days as it takes for my tummy to calm down.

Thursday: Badass backpacking trip with my girl Rae led us to a secluded valley on the northern part of the Big Island. Bliss. Camper's salad of garbanzo beans, cucumber, tomato, Swiss chard, and macadamia nut oil.

Friday: Scrambled egg, tomato, cheddar cheese, and avocado on a roll made by my loving husband after coming home tired from camping.

Highlight of the week: How can all of this have happened in one week?!? Seeing my Americorps pals again was exceptional!

Have a great weekend!

Microscope Heart

2011-10-07T22:56:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering the smallest thing that makesme happy thanks to the Microscope Heart series on one of my favorite blogs,Vintch. My post on the fork was featured today so go check them out! It is a very interesting and insightful blog that I love to read.

The smallest thing that makes me happy is thefork.

The fork can mash, the fork can feed. The fork canwork magic with cold butter and flour. The fork is my trusty go-to kitchenutensil. It never fails me when the food processor won't process or the beaterswon't beat. It knows when the meat is done and how much longer the potatoesneed cooking.

My mother was not much of a cook, but when in doubtshe'd advise you to use a fork to stir the biscuits or mix the cookie dough.And she's right. All you need is a fork and your hands. It lets you feel thetexture of the ingredients, the weight and the thickness. The fork brings meback to the taste of things, the enjoying of things, the slow mixing togetherof sugar and eggs.

The fork doesn't mind if you scrape the bowl or smash the bananas extrahard because you're mad. It keeps quiet when you eat just one more bite ofcake. We can do this thing called cooking, me and the fork, and we cancertainly do the eating, too.

The Doors are Closing

2011-10-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying the glow after a brief but satisfying visit with friends in Denver. As I mentioned on Journal Day, my exit from Denver was filled with turmoil and I never felt quite at ease with the way I left this city. Closure was due.

Denver, CO

Joining Americorps in Denver was important to me. At that time, it was the most important thing to me. I didn't take choosing to leave lightly, however it was a choice I made suddenly. Feelings were hurt and matters were settled unpleasantly with some of my friends.

My first fall colors in 5 years:)

The openness with which I was received the last few days by these same friends was heartwarming to say the least. We move on. Our lives change and sometimes, it's just better to remember the good times.

Morrison, CO

Life just wouldn't be as sweet without the tough choices I had to make. As the voice on the airport tram announced, "the doors are closing," after facing my big "what if," it is with absolute certainty that I write these words with no regrets.

Found: on a garbage can on Sante Fe St. in Denver

Goodbye Denver.

Dinner for Two: our week in food

2011-10-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

birdAve

Sunday: Vegetarian musubis. I made them with brown rice and jalapeno tofu. They were tasty, but totally fell apart. Will have to explore further options.

Monday: Crostini with roasted onion, eggplant, and brie served with a tomato and arugula salad dressed with basil infused macadamia oil.

Tuesday: Safeway pizza. Dustin claims this is the best take and bake around. I'm on the fence.

Wednesday: Teriyaki veggie stir fry with brown rice.

Thursday: Pizza, smoked salmon straight from Alaska, and my coleslaw at a beachside "Welcome Home" picnic for my brother in law. He has been away fishing salmon for the summer in Alaska. Glad you're back Brendan!

Friday: First day in Denver! Ate bar food that is too embarrassing to share. Let's just say I'm not certain it was food.

Journal Day: A Haircut Can Change Your Life

2011-09-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here is today's prompt from Sometimes Sweet:
Looking at all of the life you've lived so far, can you pinpoint one time frame or instance that you feel truly contributed to your growth as a person? This may be a turning point, a positive or negative experience, a moment or collection of moments that stand out in your mind...something that changed you as a whole.
Write about your own experience on your blog and share it with me and Sometimes Sweet in the comments. Links welcome!

This journal prompt couldn't be more fitting as I pack my belongings to head off to the place where the biggest turning point of my life occurred some six years ago. I'm flying to Denver tomorrow for an Americorps reunion and while my flight itinerary say DEN, my emotional itinerary says OMG. You see I abruptly left my Americorps assignment that year, and all my best gal pals, on a stroke of intuition.

My life in Denver was great. I was just out of college, my colleagues were the most interesting and fun people I'd ever spent time with, and I was adjusting well to a new city and a new life. All this despite facing the end of a two year live-in boyfriend situation, working seven days a week, and making very little cash. I was on a serious mission to be the most independent, fearless bitch you ever met. And oh baby, did I ever accept that mission full-force. It was just so great to be free; free from boyfriends, free from living near anyone I knew, free from college, free of expectations. I had never felt more like myself. In no time at all I had an amazing group of friends, a new boyfriend, and dreams for the future I'd never even considered.

And then came the ring. My live-in boyfriend situation showed up in Denver unexpectedly and asked me to marry him. I said yes. I didn't think, I just said yes. Yes to a man that in some weird knowing way, I always knew I'd be with.

He came to Denver and moved in with me. Everything changed. I couldn't be Denver Gwen anymore because here was this person who knew me in a very different context and it just didn't work anymore. We fought. I wanted my Denver life and the ring. It just didn't work both ways.

He rented a U-Haul and started to re-pack his things. We cried all night after making the decision to split, again. The day he was to leave I was sitting in a salon getting my haircut.

And then.

And then something hit me hard in the guts. As I watched the stylist comb my hair I knew that this wasn't how it ended. Something else took over and there was no way I was going to let him leave like that. I blew off work and rushed back to the apartment. We went for a walk. As we circled the park again and again, I knew it was time to go, this wasn't going to work in Denver, in the context of my new life.

So we bought some plane tickets that very hour and got the hell out of there.

This was the hardest choice I ever made. But those rocks in your gut don't lie. Do I miss my friends and think about how different my life could be? Yes. Do I have an amazing husband and life I never could have dreamt of in a million dreams? Hell yes.

It just doesn't work both ways, and that's ok, this is how it's meant to go.