Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving holiday!!
This is Sweet Potato Spelt Bread from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. While nice on it's own for breakfast with some cream cheese, or served as a part of dinner or alongside a soup, I think it might also make a good bread to use in some herbed Thanksgiving stuffing (if only my family liked stuffing... it's fresh-baked buttery dinner rolls for my family today).
Enjoy your day!!
Today I cooked off a couple of loaves of Sweet Potato and Spelt bread from some dough I mixed up a week or so ago (from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day aka HBI5MAD). I needed to add a lot of flour to this when I went to shape it as the dough was very wet. I just kept adding flour until the dough was easier to handle and would shape a nice boule and it all worked out well in the end... another testament to how flexible this dough and method is. It puts me at ease knowing that I haven't really had any bad loaves come out of the book yet and I find myself craving more whole grain breads with their toothsome chew and heartier composition. I can't say that Mike would prefer this hearty, dense loaf all the time but he's is more whole- grain-bread-friendly lately... and all of us ARE enjoying the frequency of home-baked bread and the aromas that fill the air. I'm enjoy all of this too AND the fact that baking near the oven keeps me a bit warmer now that the temperatures have begun dipping down into the areas on the thermometer that I'd really rather they not go. I'm a warm weather girl all the way.
Doesn't this look a bit on the wet side?
But with a little flour (okay, more than a little) it turned out to be manageable and even quite cute. Yes, I think bread boules are really cute. I'm smitten with baking bread. Clearly.
Those little orange flecks you see are the shredded sweet potato (with skin on for added nutrients), though Ryan first though it was cheddar cheese.
I had a big slice of this with some leftover soup (Cream of Split and Fresh Peas... photo coming soon) that I packed up in a Thermos for lunch on the pool deck today before I began my second shadowing session on my way to becoming a certified Stroke & Turn Judge official for J's swim team.
I know my lunch of homemade soup and fresh-baked bread beat the cold pizza they were serving on deck by miles!
I'm completely loving cooking through this book and am really eager to get their newest release, Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day, that I have on pre-order and that's set to be released on Tuesday. I may have to take a break from HBI5MAD to cook from the new one. Hope my family doesn't mind having various pizzas and flatbreads for dinner every night next week!
Somewhat off-topic, and yet still connected in a behind-the-scenes way... I need to figure out what to do about the poor lighting situation I have on my hands now. It's getting dark around dinner time and that's when I take most of the food photos that I post here so I'll be needing to research additional photography equipment to get me through these dark months when natural light with be at a minimum.
Summer has been amazing and awesome and all kinds of WONDERFUL! I love the warmth. I love the sunshine. I love our schedule. I'm not loving that I haven't figure out exactly how to fit in my workouts totally (because I'm loving sleeping in a bit later) but I've still been doing very well getting them in (though not at the exact time that I want)... so I've been doing shorter workouts, sometimes in the morning, sometimes after lunch, sometimes more intense and sometimes less so. Today's workout was a steady-state 30 minute indoor ride on the bike trainer, and you know what?! It's all good! Tomorrow might even include a ride out on the trail. I'm taking my bike off the trainer and putting some air in the tires so that I'm ready to go. And let's hope that there's sunshine tomorrow morning!
So can you tell that I absolutely love summer?! Often I just mutter that to myself... or to others (like last night when I said it to Mike during our date night - our first one in 2 months!)
We've been crossing things off on our summer wish list (though we're completely cool if we don't cross even half of them, as long as we're having fun and doing things we want to do). I made a quick digital layout using the activities I listed in my previous summer wish list post. It's great when things come together so quickly. I have a list of more pages to make from things that happened in the last few months but those are going to have to wait because we play hard and then rest hard (LOL! As soon as the kids are in bed I'm in bed with my latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (and any cookbooks that catch my eye while walking to my room)! No, this book is not about bicycles in any way at all, but rather about life and living and intention and creating a good story for your life and other such goodness. I'm really enjoying it so far and I'm trying to savor it instead of rushing through it because then what good is it if a really fun book is over so quickly? It's likely that it would be tempting to pick the next book and move on from this message and I'm not wanting to do that just yet.
So what's been going on? I've been hanging out at the pool deck for swim practice, visiting my in-laws (photos to come), grilling with friends, packing (since Jessi is going away to camp soon), trying to configure coordinating playdates so both kids have a friend over at the same time, getting fitted for a night guard (that was earlier today), scheduling doctors appointments and follow-ups for the kids (and a blood test for Ryan tomorrow - shhh! Don't tell him yet because I'm not telling him until tomorrow when he needs to know), figuring out where we're going on our vacation, and looking through some new cookbooks like:
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (and I DID make room for the ice cream maker so it's ready and waiting for ME ! Though we're recovering from those cupcakes that I posted on Facebook that we made and Jessi decorated for July 4th)
and Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck:
Good stuff!!!
::: This post has been brought to you by coordinated kids' play dates (of which this is the first of the summer) so I've been able to cut up a cantaloupe, put some food in the cooler in preparation for tonight's swim meet, sync my phone so I know where tonight's swim meet is, and post this. All without being interrupted. Amazing. Must try to do this more often. Now to see if I can fit in some core work. Booyah! :::
I made Chickpea Spinach Burgers for Jessica and I the other day from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way (which has not disappointed yet and I've tried 3 recipes so far, including this one, 2 ways) and they were YUM-my!
I froze a bunch of them so that I can grab some and defrost when I need to pack something for J's lunch or when I want something quick and don't want to think too hard about it. This pairs wonderfully with avocado or salsa or a salad.
I look forward to making more from this book over the coming months!
Simple. Good. Lunch.
Heidi's broccoli gribiche is absolutely delicious! The tarragon in this was awesome and added such a mesmerizing layer of flavor. Even though I would never say that I'm a fan of tarragon (and I detest licorice), when used in small amounts it elevates a dish to spellbinding. The last time I remember being completely shocked by it was in Asparagus Soup from Love Soup by Anna Thomas. Maybe I am becoming a fan of this little herb after all.
I had previously (lightly) steamed broccoli for another meal and I tossed these leftovers in the oven with the potatoes during the last 5 minutes to heat them through instead of roasting it entirely as the recipe suggests.
Colorful fingerling potatoes.
Shallots, parsley, chopped hard-boiled egg.
The dressing was addictive (even without the capers that I could've sworn I had in the pantry but could not for the life of me find). You start by mixing an egg yolk in with the vinegar which I had never done. I made the dressing with less oil as I like things more on the vinegar-y side (3tbsp red wine vinegar to a little more than 1/4 cup olive oil) and had just enough rather than extra dressing. Next time I'll increase the amount I make so I can use it on other things. I couldn't keep my hands off this. I will definitely be making this again!
I've been battling a cold the last few days so I can't completely taste things (the sense of smell/taste just went out the window today) but to my surprise, my 9-year-old daughter confirmed this was delicious and couldn't believe I made it). I didn't expect her to appreciate the ginger flavor but she did. From what I tasted I liked it but I'll be making it again once the taste buds return to normal. I'm hoping the citrus and ginger kick this thing out of me!
It starts by simmering some grated ginger and confectioners (superfine) sugar in water and then straining the ginger out and combining the liquid with the freshly squeezed citrus juice. Mix, pour, enjoy.
We have fancy labeling systems around here.
Not.
I managed to hop on the bike today for 30 minutes... nothing too strenuous but just enough to get some sweat going and blood pumping.
In addition, I've been crossing things off my "to do" list left and right today. It's been strangely satisfying (oh who am I kidding? It's always satisfying to cross things off my list, what's strange is how much I've been able to do all while feeling this icky. But I'm not questioning, I'm just going with it.) I've managed to give away about 100 books cleaned from the kids' shelves today to the school library, to one of their teachers for classroom use, to their former preschool, and to our cousins who just had a baby. There's no sense in keeping things tucked away for 30 years until my kids have kids. The books should be enjoyed now by people that need and want them. And besides what shape are the books going to be in by then? I'll keep a list of our favorites and add to it as new ones arise and be well-equiped to build a children's library for when the time comes.
Our house feels so much lighter. Ahhhh... so nice.
Over a week ago the long-awaited, much anticipated Super Natural Every Day* from Heidi Swanson arrived at my doorstep.
(cover photo from Amazon)
As soon as Mike brought it up and laid it on the bed next to me I grabbed it up and went through it page by page. It was the only thing that could have got me to put down the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book that I was on. I've since gone through it 4 times or so. I love the feel of the pages in my hand. I pay attention to stuff like that. Always. I can't help it.
This is how many things I already have flagged (and that's only a view of the top half of the book... there are flags on the bottom half too). This baby is going to be very worn, I can promise you that!
This book was an affirmation of the way I like to eat and prepare food so it felt so comfortable and familiar. It's filled with whole grains and vegetables, and pestos using herbs and veggies, and it really is everyday food. All of the things I have flagged are doable with a hectic schedule and most of the ingredients I have in my pantry (dried beans, grains) or fridge (herbs, veggies). All of them are flexible. If there's a cilantro pesto mixed in with store-bought ravioli, you can sub out basil pesto or parsley pesto or sorrel pesto (my red-veined sorrel is growing nicely outside my front door so I'm likely to make a salsa verde with it in the mix to use over ravioli along with some chickpeas). It's very down-to-earth if you are already at home with healthy foods and many of the recipes I came across I was shaking my head in affirmation like, yep, that's right. That's good stuff. That's what I like to do... pick a sauce, whether it's a vinaigrette or pesto and use what's in your fridge and pantry. So the key is building a pantry that can work for how you want to eat and how you will realistically eat.
There's a broccoli pesto that had previously been on her website, one of my absolute favorites, and it's featured in here too. You can also make a kale pesto or spinach if you'd prefer.
Book Breakdown
The book is broken down into the following sections:
Cooking from Super Natural Everyday
Yellow Split Peas with Greens
I had some cilantro leftover from a recent Mexican burrito night so the first recipe I tried from the book was Yellow Split Peas (with cilantro pest) with Greens.
Cilantro.
Toasting pumpkin seeds/pepitas in my cast-iron skillet.
I didn't have a serrano chile but had a jalapeno on hand so I used that instead.
A light lunch for one.
The leftover cilantro pesto since I only made a small portion for me at this sitting.
It would also be good on any grain salad or vegetable if you thinned it out with water or stock.
Millet Muffins
The head note of this recipes was spot on... sweet but not sugary, crunchy, a smidgen lemony. It was very tasty and I plan on making these again (though if you're not a fan of texture in your muffins in the way of the crunchy millet you'll want to pass on these... but I thought they were GREAT!).
I split the muffin in half horizontally and slathered it with some homemade cinnamon vanilla maple almond butter and put a layer of strawberries on top of each layer of almond butter. It was deLIscious.
I still have a long list of recipes that I want to make from this book. I'm only just getting started and there are a few that I will save for fall/winter but still plenty to cook from over the next few months. Thank you, Heidi, for another beautiful book.
If you don't already have Heidi's other books, Cook 1.0* and Super Natural Cooking*, I highly recommend both of them, as they are each wonderful in their own way.
Still on my "to cook" list from this book:
Updated to add
I still can't say enough about these three books and Heidi's website. It is through her site and her books that I learned so much about healthy and flavorful eating... the kind that's good for my body and soul. Heidi's were the first cookbooks I found that I felt understood how I wanted to eat and showcased those kinds of foods in thoughtful ways. I also love the photography because it uses natural light (my favorite) and feels cozy and old-world. It's pretty much a given that I will buy any book she authors from here on out.
*Disclaimer: If you purchase the books using the book links I've provided I get a small amount from the sale. Feel free to use these links if you want or go straight to your favorite brick and mortar or online store and order it whichever way you'd like.
I had planned to only have breakfast here our first morning... and we had planned on going to the Dutch Eating Place because I heard that they have great pancakes but when we went by they were closed for Good Friday so we walked around and instead ate at this delicious bakery. No seriously. It was so good we ditched our previous breakfast plans the next day at this other restaurant that I had planned and came back and had the exact same thing.
This place had AM-MAZING brioche rolls with egg and cheese. Jessi and I split one and it totally hit the spot each morning.
Look down an aisle and this is just what you may see. Tons of signs vying for your attention. And the only challenge is deciding where you will spend your precious stomach space. It's a rather large challenge, too, since the offering all look so good and are so varied. There is Middle Eastern food, Italian delis and bakeries, Indian food, Mexican.... you get the picture.
There was this great juice bar that we had fresh squeezed juice at both mornings with our breakfast.
The first day I had carrot + orange juice which was great. And the second day I had orange + kale + pineapple which was unbelievable. I even made everyone try it (including the person that turned down the offer 4 times to try it and he thought it was TASTY! My finicky little tasted too once he saw that dad didn't die on the spot from it and he loved it too). It was a bit on the yellow-green side which is why they balked... well that and the fact that I mentioned the word kale. I often add kale to my green smoothies but the kids have only gotten so far as baby spinach. It probably doesn't even need to be said... but I'm planning on adding kale to theirs pretty soon. Mwaaahhaaa mwaahahaha.
There was a shoppe that sold homemade soups and lotions and I've really been interested in making my own cold-process soaps (when Ryan goes to school in the fall) so we stopped and talked a bit with the shoppe owner, Lynette, who could not have been nicer.
There was a spice shop filled with heady aromas of all varieties of herbs, spices, and coffees. Mmmmm.
And then I found the Cook Book Stall.
<<insert angels singing>> <<Aaaaaaahhhh>>
I felt like I had found a home away from home. An entire stall of ONLY COOKBOOKS!! Do you understand how excited I was. I grabbed a hold of Mike and started mumbling and saying omig-d, omig-d, omig-d. The best line of the whole trip is when he told me to stop humping his leg and he'd let me take a photo of the place. (He only needed to offer permission because he had taken the camera away because it was the beginning of the day and I had probably already taken 50 photos of FOOD....he said, rightly so, that we would run out of batteries and memory card space if I was allowed to hold the camera in the market. LOL! It was all in good fun because as it turns out all it takes is a little leg humping and he caves.)
)
We met incredibly nice people everywhere we went. At this cookbook stall, Jill, was super sweet and talked with the kids while I browsed (and she said my reaction to the store was the best she's ever seen... and she wasn't even the one who was getting her leg humped).
Had to stop by Termini Brothers, a bakery that has the best Italian baked goods.
I ordered and ate a post-breakfast cannoli... how could I not? (No wonder I wasn't hungry for dinner on either of our Philly nights). Front loading was a pretty good idea as far as I'm concerned.
Directly across from Termini was a chocolate shoppe where we bought some truffles to bring home. Next time we're bringing back more, that's all I'm saying.
This was the box we brought home for our consumption.
The ones on the right were for some friends.
Other souvenirs from the Reading Terminal Market:
Whole Wheat Spelt Flour
Sweet Hungarian Paprika
4 soaps from Lynette at the Terralyn shoppe (one that Jessi picked out for herself).
Close-ups
I turned my attention to our bookcases. Here are some more things that I've decluttered:
