Bleu Cheese, Pear & Lavender Pizza

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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!