Merry Christmas + Cranberry-Orange Mimosas

Cranberry-Orange Mimosas | reciperunner.com.

I wanted to write a blog post simply wishing you all a Merry Christmas (if you celebrate), but I just came across this festive drink recipe. So, bonus for you and me! I think I will make a non-alcoholic version with sparkling juice for Christmas brunch, alongside panettone waffles. I was inspired by the fruit cake/Christmas pudding pancakes for the waffles. Big-time shortcut (as well as a healthier version), with my traditional panettone flavors. I think the waffles + cranberry-orange mimosas sound splendid!

No ham, duck, steak, or goose this year! I think this is my most casual, simple Christmas meal plan to-date: Seafood lasagna, Caesar salad with homemade croutons, 40 Cents No-Knead Bread w/ fresh butter, Christmas Fruit Salad, and wine. My mom is a big sourdough bread lover, so I almost started to make that…but, you know I am La Cashionista. The 40 cents got me! It’s been cold fermenting since Monday, so I’ll see how it turns out. Fingers crossed. I started putting a little annatto in the butter for color. It just seems more appealing to me, haha. I am going to make the lasagna similarly to this, but I’m going to layer vs. roll-up. I have the ricotta made, but the sauce and assembly will be tonight. I thought about preparing the individual Pavlovas with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Red Wine Cherry Compote again (as I did for Thanksgiving). They were SO GOOD! They will probably show up on my New Year’s table.

I also wanted to share my edible gifts pic (in case you’re still in need of a few last-minute ideas, for gifts or for guests): 

Homemade No-Corn Syrup Marshmallows, biscotti, yogurt banana bread, Fruit and Nut Clusters. The lighting wasn’t that great, so it’s hard to tell the marshmallow is pink. I didn’t have light-colored honey, so I compensated by adding a bit of color (otherwise, they would have been tan, lol). I made peppermint & plain. They were fabulous! I had a mind to make some graham crackers, then cover them in chocolate. Moon pie! I refrained (for now). If you are not an avid pastry baker (like myself), biscotti are some of the easiest cookies to prepare, IMO. You can pay quite a bit if you buy them in a shop, but they are relatively inexpensive to make at home. I did choc-pistachio dipped, choc-dipped, and plain vanilla this year. I think my faves are choc-dipped vanilla-almond and white choc-dipped gingerbread. This was the first year I tried yogurt in place of butter for the banana bread, and I could not have been more pleased. It was just as good as the original version.

I hope you all have a wonderful day tomorrow! Make sure to reach out to those you think might need a kind word or gesture, too. It can make such a difference.

Take care, and I hope to be back soon!

My Way, No. 33

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My mind is already on Chanukah & Christmas. Last year, it took me awhile to get into the spirit. I have decided to go with re&upcycled neutral-colored decorations for both this year. Wood, tans, creams, beiges, burlap, and gold. I’m starting to think about edible gifts for friends and parties, but for me, All I want for Christmas is my 2 Beanie Boos. Have you seen the Beanies with the big eyes? They are so adorable. I bought one as a gift, but they have a penguin and pink owl that I’m just in love with.

I started to feel like I was coming down with something last Tuesday night. I made sure to drink plenty of water, took some Vit C, and got as much extra rest as I could. I felt fine Wednesday morning, but started to feel sluggish again by the afternoon. Out for a walk that day, I saw a sign on a car that read, ‘Say No.’ I have no idea what it was about for the driver, but I decided it was good advice — say ‘no’ to anything telling me to overextend myself (cooking and preparing for the Holiday). The point of this year’s menu was to be “less stress,” as I said. So, I prepared as much as I could, but when my body told me “no more”…I listened. I hit the hay very early and by Thursday, I was bright and chipper — ready to tackle French bread and more. I’m glad I paid attention to the Tips on Managing the Holiday Blues. It would have been unrealistic of me to think I could keep going at full speed (when my body was signaling for me to stop). I have kept going in the past and paid for it…dearly.

— The meal turned out fine, and I was able to make the kale salad the day ahead. I have been enjoying Waldorf salads since then, though. I recall the first time I had one (somewhere around middle school, I think), it was prepared by a family friend’s daughter. I thought ewww, apples and grapes in salad??? Salad is lettuce and tomatoes! Lol. But, I was made a believer, and it’s still one of my fave salad preps. More Adventures in Food to tell you about today: pre-Holiday, I made a vegetarian version of this Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole.

I didn’t actually make it ahead, but it was still a wonderful treat. I needed a smaller to-go snack, had a couple of bread ends left over, and this popped into my mind. I mixed 1 egg, an egg yolk, and homemade non-fat yogurt, poured it over the bread cubes, topped it with the sautéed veg/seasonings, then popped it in the oven. I made just an individual portion and cut it into quarters. I’ve prepared this several times and have eaten it hot and room temp. When it was room temp, the yogurt gave it a cheesy taste (I didn’t add any cheese with the veggies). This casserole was so satisfying, and you can do it up any way you like. Sort of a heartier fritatta. I think this will be a brunch hit, for sure. You could put it in muffin tins and have some with veggies and some with meat, perhaps.

Vegan Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza

After a couple of bites, I thought, I could give up tomato sauce pizza for this. Then, of course, I came to my senses. But, the thought was out there for a few seconds. Honey whole wheat crust (1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour with vital wheat gluten) adapted from The Best New York Style Pizza. Again, little sprinkle of smoked salt on the crust. Sprinkling salt or a sweetener on the outside of baked goods, etc., is a trick I frequently use. If I can taste the saltiness or sweetness a little more directly, I use a lot less in the overall recipe. I didn’t have broccolini, but the kale was delish! I just should have put a bit more on, I think. Next time. 1/2 of the crust recipe made 8 mini pizzas. Fab to pop out of the freezer when the mood struck (often, haha). This was a pre-freezer pic. I use a cast iron pan for my pizzas, but here’s a fun, inexpensive DIY link: 3 Dollar Pizza Stone.

Wow! A little goes a long way for this Mother of All Bread Dips. A crowd pleaser in which you can pretty much make from everything from scratch, or take easy short-cuts. I ran out of sweet paprika, so I subbed smoked, and used fresh oregano & rosemary vs. dry. You can make your own cheese (Homemade Cheese) and bread (like 40 Cents No-Knead Bread or Whole Grain No-Knead Artisan Bread), dice your homegrown veggies, and brine your own olives, or…get bread from the bakery and buy pre-diced tomatoes & peppers, feta, and olives from the local market. Either way, I think your guests will be pleased. Think about this recipe for those upcoming parties and potlucks.

I want to make this “Feeling Your Oats” Triple Oats Bread recipe one day. Pressed for time, I merged the concept with the NY-Style Bagels recipe (no boiling). It features oat flour, oat bran, and rolled oats (along with wheat). I made two loaves (with about 1/2 hr rest/rise time, instead of 10 min), the first for Whipped Feta-Persimmon Crostini w/ Pomegranate Molasses and Mint.

My store-bought pom molasses were a tad runny, so I reduced them a bit. Now is a good time to stock up on fresh cranberries for homemade cranberry molasses/reducs. I added a little homemade Greek-style yogurt to the feta. The persimmons were really sweet, so I balanced them out with the molasses (vs. my initial thought of balsamic) and a sprinkling of sea salt. This was so simple, but filling and delightful.

Finally, a sweet treat: Spicy Sweet Potato Galette:

Homemade Mexican vanilla soft-serve non-fat froyo, pecans, pom molasses reduc. Short-cut to my craving for Thanksgiving sweet potato pie, inspired by the spicy sweet potato soup I made a few weeks ago. Normally, our pie recipe is mashed baked or boiled sweet potatoes (I prefer baked because I love to eat the skins after baking), butter, nutmeg, vanilla, eggs, salt, and sugar in a shortening/butter pie shell. No whipped cream or ice cream, no nuts. Really simple, but loaded with mucho sat fat, cholesterol, cals, salt, sugar, etc. This was a quick mandoline slicing of a couple of potatoes tossed with nutmeg, vanilla,  a little coconut palm sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and cayenne (not too spicy). I let them sit for a bit while preparing the crust. No sprouted flour left, so oat + whole wheat pastry flour with almond butter. This is my new go-to way to get my SPP crush on! I loved the combo of the sweet, the spicy, the tartness, warm pie with cool froyo, the nuts…just yum! And, it can be made in nearly half the time of the other pie.

— #GivingTuesday. Happy to read these articles: The Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal 2015: Rethink Mental Illness, Last year’s Guardian and Observer charity appeal: mental health. Also, Trisha Goddard, Ade Adepitan, Lenny Henry Support Rethink Mental Illness Campaign | blacknet.co.uk.

— Going to get a little shimmery & sparkly for the Holidays? Several style inspirations here: Boat People Vintage – DIY style & art de vivre.

Or, what about plaid? Can’t be bad. DIY Plaid Blazer & Skirt | mimigoodwin.blogspot.com.

DIY tea bags from wrapping paper: Love Mae Blog | Tea Bag Gift Tag Tutorial.

Love this circular log holder and porcelain tableware: Porcelain Dinnerware and Ironworks | athome.kimvallee.com.

— Today’s Delights:

Bharwan/Stuffed Fish Recipe – Boldsky.

The Perfect Caramel Cake | cleobuttera.com.

Carrots, Dates, and Mint Salad | foodpleasureandhealth.com.

Beet Sports Energy Shots | yurielkaim.com. Great info in this post!

Butternut Squash Nachos | greenhealthycooking.com. You know I cannot have too much full-fat cheese at one time, so I made a version of these as tacos. Super!

Herring Apple Potato Salad | Kosher Scoop.

Pistachio Mulberry Fruit Nut Clusters | gourmandeinthekitchen.com.

Jack Frost Cocktail | Pretty Drinks | Pinterest.

It’s late, so have a great Wednesday! Until next time. Take care!

My Way, No. 27

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you’ve had a lovely day! Several Adventures in Food to share with you. Last week, I had a day I wasn’t feeling so hot. All I could manage to eat was a thin slice of a toasted bagel. I was looking over the Healthy Snacks Under 200 Calories post and thought the mango-lime sorbet sounded like something I could handle. I added a wee bit o’ rum (to keep it from freezing too hard), some red chile, and key lime zest. I tried to make it look tropical to cheer myself up. That’s also the reason you may see plates/dishes beyond my plain white on this blog — oftentimes, different serving wares give me a boost in mood. Perhaps this is why I have a hard time not buying every other set of dishes, glasses, silverware, etc., that I see, haha. I do love just the ordinary white plates, though, too — très simple.

What are your go-to meals when you have a ton of veggies (besides just eating them raw and unadorned)? I think pasta or salads come to mind first for me, also stir-fries, soups, stews, sandwiches/toast, and curries. A few weeks ago, I had potatoes that needed to be used, so I made these Mustard Seed-Potato Curry Lettuce Tacos: potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, garlic, quartered shallots, fresh coconut milk, apple, raisins, cilantro, lemon, yellow mustard seeds, and a blend of curry spices. Homemade Greek-style yogurt to top them off. They were very satisfying.

2 more dishes with potatoes: Grilled Summer Salad w/ Queso Fresco & Potato Croutons. My initial craving when composing this salad was raw squash, potatoes and grilled corn. I added to it a bit with spring mix, grilled asparagus & peppers, and roasted tomatoes. I used the queso recipe from this post, but with skim milk. I made a quick cilantro dressing and squeezed the charred limes over the top. Really delicious. I decided to add about a 1/4 cup more corn after I snapped the pic.

Gazing at the Healthy Snacks post, I also decided to make the Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites (simple and tasty!) and Skinny Pizza Potato Skins:

The pizza skins in the post were pepperoni, but I usually prefer veggie pizza. I made these on the spur of the moment, so I had to whip up my short-cut pizza sauce. I took the pic pre-oven as I was starved & knew a post-oven pic would delay my eating (toaster or convection ovens are a great option here). Toppings were sautéed squash & kale, caramelized onion, marinated artichoke, and the queso. Instead of cutting the potato in half, I just cut small rounds. I think I’ll go with the halves (as indicated in the recipe) next time. The small rounds were difficult to get enough of the toppings on. But, I think they would be fab party apps. These really hit the spot, and I will be making them again for sure.

I’m finding so many ways to use the homemade yogurt! I slathered a bit on a piece of fish for a pistachio crust:

I enjoyed this particular meal so much, I made it 2 days in a row. I had a flashback to culinary school (way back in the day) the first preparation. During one class, the chef instructor decided that I should be the ‘chosen one’ to filet a sturgeon. I just recall that it was HUGE — almost as big as I am, haha! Plums (raw) are a fruit that I have to be in the mood to have. Grilled, though, I could eat them every day. I served the fish with a berry-shallot relish, and a baby chard, spin, kale salad w/ berries, sunflower seeds, and a berry vin. For the most part, when I mention I made a vin on this blog, it doesn’t have as much oil as many recipes call for. I usually find some other flavor-packed liquid to sub & punch it up with other herbs, spices, etc. Oil, of course, has a certain mouth-feel and balancing quality, so I try to find things comparable. Also pic’d is a petite rosemary baguette (used this technique w/ my food processor) and rosemary tea. Just hot water & fresh rosemary. One of my fave comforting teas. Yes, it’s hot outside! But, there’s A/C inside, and I always prefer hot tea to cold when I can have it.

Last item for today: I finally had a bit of chicken, so I was able to make the grilled chicken with the Turkish spices. I used the same honey & balsamic mixture as the chickpeas. Yums! The Turkish spices were also great on home fries. I was inspired by the Grilled Chicken Caesar Skewers with Kale Pesto, as well. I used the same lemony-buttermilk Caesar dressing as in this post, and a baby chard, spin, kale, sunflower seed pesto. As with vinaigrettes, I usually lighten up my pestos by using less cheese & nuts and replacing some of the oil with stock. I might also add in some other wacky ingredients. Other skewers pic’d here are pomegranate molasses-mint, and homemade Italian dressing.

— Went to my friend’s fashion conference last week and all was grand. There was an Arabian horse show, as well as jewelry, accessories, and clothing galore. There are 3 class “break-out” sessions, so I chose to attend the Latin dance class the first session. It was SO fun, but I really should have come prepared with a workout outfit (instead of my vintage frock). There were also hula dancers for entertainment:

If someone can turn Latin dance into a fitness trend, I think the next one should be hula. It looks like it would be a blast.

This year, there was an award given for ‘Best Dressed,’ and one dress that had many of us “oohing and ahhhing” was this:
Sakura | Henkaa.com.

It’s a convertible dress by Henkaa. This style is called Sakura, but they have several other styles available. You choose your length and color, and they also have additional accessories to coordinate. I think the young lady demo-ing the dress said there were as many as 60 style possibilities. Now, that’s what I call a SQUEAL DEAL! Make sure to check out the website! *Edit: Here is a direct link to the young lady’s personal page for the Henkaa dresses. FYI, you can also host a style shoppe and earn 1/2 OFF items, as well as rewards dollars to spend on items from Henkaa. Awesome!*

I barely snapped ANY conference pics this year, but here are a couple of things I found interesting:

Rolling bag & the black fringe bag next to it

Handmade jewelry

I like these flowy prints (will Hello Kitty ever stop being so popular? I think not, lol).

— 67 Homemade, All-Natural Cleaning Recipes.

— And, I thought a cutting board is a cutting board is a cutting board. After seeing some of these beauties, I might have developed a new culinary product love. Why do people have to tempt you? Fabulous cutting boards and other kitchen goodies here (several items on sale & have a peek at the accompanying food blog while you’re there):
Products – Bowl & Pitcher

— Upcycled Furniture / awesome ideas! | Decorating Ideas | Pinterest.

— Today’s good eats: 
Impressive Date Night Desserts: Raspberry Souffle With Framboise Liqueur | cravelocal.com. 

52 Herbal Tea Recipes | adelightfulhome.com. Enjoy them hot or cold!

Seafood Lasagna Recipe For The Seafood Lovers | Taste the Food and Fruit.

Fermented Food for Kids: A Guide with Kid-Friendly Recipes | fearlesseating.net.

 Baked Mediterranean Fish | texies.co.za Easy Peasy

Salted Chocolate + Caramel Ice Cream Cake | Coley Cooks.

Cherry Tomato Sauce | frogsinmykitchen.com.

Ginger Sweet Potato Juice | Natural Thrifty.

Blackberry Gin Fizz Float | browneyedbaker.com.

‘Til next time!

Recipes: Resurrection Sunday (Easter)

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Some Happy Easter Lamb Recipes | foodwishes.blogspot.com.

Happy Good Friday if you’re celebrating! I am celebrating several Holidays this next week or so: Passover, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter). Hopefully, some of you are having a long weekend away from work. I’ve been thinking a lot about life symbolism this week. My brain started churning after watching a 1940’s movie (full of symbolic meaning for me). Then, I started thinking about Holiday food symbolism…for instance: the unleavened Passover bread, and what that means in my life. I then began to think about lamb for the coming weekend. Many have ham to celebrate this weekend, but lamb has more significant meaning for me. I often read British recipe sites, and they always have an abundance of lamb. I want to yell, “Stop it! Just stop torturing me with the lamb recipes!” lol. Lamb is not as common in the U.S., from what I can tell. Aisles and aisles of beef and pork, with a lonely section for lamb (if there is one at all). So, I decided for those of you in favor of lamb, I would share this link. There are several tasty-looking options to choose from: Grilled Lamb Steaks with Minted Honey Sherry Vinaigrette (pic), Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops, Toasted Sesame and Root Beer Glazed Lamb, Grilled Lamb Chops with Orange and Fresh Mint Sauce, and Jinx-Proof Braised Lamb Shanks.

Savory Herb Cheese Bread | fivehearthome.com.

A bread wreath is also common for many. This monkey bread recipe immediately reminded me of the ‘crown of thorns,’ but also of the fact that this dough is ‘risen.’ The recipe is quite simple and uses fridge biscuits. But, you could easily make your own.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend (whether you are partaking in Holidays this week or not). I will be back sometime next week!

2 Pear Recipes

Doenjang-Glazed Fish Tacos with Shingo Pear Salsa | koreaforniacooking.com.

2 pear recipes for you today. These tacos look absolutely delectable. I think this dish would also be fab served just as a main without a taco shell. Or, you could even use a lettuce cup (like little gems). I can’t wait to make a version of this soon!

Almond Chocolate Dipped Poached Pears | Almond Board of California | almonds.com.

While looking at pear dishes, I also came across this simple and elegant poached pear recipe. Wine poached pears were very common on menus for a while, but I have not come across many of late. They are such an easy, yet impressive looking dessert.

Hope you enjoy these!

Recipes: Valentine’s Day Desserts

Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Strawberries | hoosierhomemade.com.

I’m back with sweet treats for Valentine’s Day! I turned my attention to chocolate-covered strawberries as I do every year about this time. This comes from fond memories of a chocolate shop in Austin, TX that sells giganormous CCS for Valentine’s. They sell a lot around Mother’s Day, as well. You can purchase a dozen in an egg carton, if you like. I really like the idea of putting them in a mug or vase, too, as is pictured on this site:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries | Pinterest | Zena.

This is a very popular idea, and all you need is floral foam (to put your skewers in) and a little greenery (looks like they used kale in this pic). You can be as simple or as fancy as you like. This particular site also has several other ideas pictured, so make sure to take a look. If you use good quality dark chocolate, this can be a relatively healthier type of treat (unless you eat several dozen, which I always want to do, lol. I try to remember portion control!). I don’t care for microwaving too much, but melting chocolate in it is super quick in a pinch. If you don’t feel like pulling out your double boiler, micro is the way to go. It also eliminates water possibly getting into your chocolate and making it seize up. Either way, I think chocolate-covered strawberries are one of the easiest and most elegant things you can make for your Valentine.

Here are a few other desserts to tempt you:

White Chocolate Semifreddo with Pistachios and Raspberries

Strawberries and Champagne (must see — may not be what you think! très chic.)

Gemma’s Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake (video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLjHDpj_bmQ

Slice and Bake Valentine’s Biscuits (Cookies)

Blood Orange Sorbet

How to Make Heart Cupcakes

Waffle Cone Fortune Cookies

Whole Wheat Chocolate Wine Cake with Caramelized Figs

Valentine’s Recipes with CHOCOLATE!

Mini Victoria Sandwiches

Chocolate Cream Pie

Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart

Hippie Chocolate Bourbon Balls

Raspberry Coconut Scones

Heart-Shaped Raspberry S’More Macarons

Instant Strawberry Gateau

Raspberry, Dark Chocolate, Oat, & Coconut Muffins

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

Red Velvet Crepes

The food blogs on my blogroll also have many recipes that would be fab for the occasion. I only have time to post so many, so please check out their sites! A couple of them are primarily dessert focused.

Happy Valentine’s Day, & I’ll see you next week!

Recipes: Valentine’s Day Heart-Healthy Meals

6 Heart-Healthy Valentine’s Day Recipes You’ll Love | movelifestyle.com

I love these ideas for heart-healthy Valentine’s Day recipes! Now, I don’t mind indulging a bit on Holidays (OK, any day, really, haha), but I thought I would look up a few recipes for those of you who want to keep it a bit lighter and healthier. I will probably skip a heavy meal this year, but pasta always sounds good to me. Of course, my fave is just spaghetti with red sauce, but a lobster pasta with gobs of butter sounds lovely. As I am trying to severely limit my butter intake (I’ve told you my body doesn’t care for it all that much), this is the only lobster that will be in my house this Valentine’s:

lol, that’s Lonnie Lobster who hangs out in my home office. Isn’t he cute?

I made this fab salad that I think would be a great Valentine’s dish: Arugula, Blackberry, & Chèvre Salad with Blackberry-Thyme Vinaigrette.

As you can see, I didn’t have one of the main components of the salad: arugula, lol. Arugula is my favorite salad green after butter lettuce. I had little gems lettuce, though, so I subbed it. It doesn’t have the bite of arugula, but it was still pretty tasty. I thought about using the little gems for wraps (like I used to get at a restaurant in Scottsdale), but my love for salad won out. Little gems are the perfect size for petite wraps or ‘cups.’ Anyway, I used some of my homemade blackberry jam for the vin, but you could easily use store-bought. It was delish! I think I am going to use it for a glaze/marinade soon. I’m sure frozen blackberries would work in place of fresh. I let myself have just a wee bit of cheese for a very light meal, but you could add more protein (like chicken, turkey, tofu, etc.) for a main salad. Beyond the original recipe, I subbed spicy roasted almonds (s&p, red pepper flakes) for hazelnuts, and added some toasted coconut, red onion (for a little bite), and chia seeds.

Here are 2 more links you might enjoy:

Heart-Healthy Valentine’s Day Meals

Heart-Healthy Valentine’s Day Recipes for Two

Take care, and I hope to post a few dessert recipes before the big day!

My Way, No. 12

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I was extremely busy this past week and could not find the time to blog. So, I will try to let you know some of the things I’ve been up to. But, before we get into all of that, I wanted to express my deepest appreciation to the late Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family. I, like so many others, would have never had the opportunities that have come my way without them. I believe MLK’s legacy has been felt across all of the nations. So, today, we honor that legacy. It encourages one to stand up for what one believes in. Common men and women have sometimes had as great an impact on society as royalty and world leaders (if not greater, in some instances, perhaps).

— From the Arizona Jewish Post, I thought this was a very thoughtful MLK, Jr. Day article.

— You know I love food and often write up all sorts of food-related tidbits on this blog. On this MLK, Jr. Day, I thought it would be cool to showcase a few chefs and recipes from the US and Britain (as you know, I adore British culture & food). Speaking of Britain, have you ever seen the television show Chef? I do not recall when it ran because many times we (the US) receive British programming much later than the original air dates. Perhaps it was from the 90’s…it was such a fab and funny show. I’m sure it’s in some sort of digital format, so check it out if you get the chance.

Avocado Tacos & Brown Butter Roasted Tomato Pasta by Latrice Fowler, African-American Chefs Shine in Atlanta, Black America Cooks, The Top Black Chefs Around the World, 3 Black Vegan Chefs You Should Know. From Britain: Mustard, Bacon, and Caramelised Onion Scones & Pea, Courgette, and Parmesan Rosti w/ Tangy Tomato Dressing by Ainsley Harriot, Spicy Curry Carrot Chutney by Jo Wesley and Avril Rogers, Pancetta Wrapped Scallops w/ Quince and Pear by Patrick Williams, Chai-Spiced Ginger and Date Tea Loaf by Kimberley Wilson, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds Savoury Biscuits by Enwezor, Lamb, Yam, and Butternut Squash Soup by Lenny Henry, Nice and Spicy Thai Chicken Salad (Larb Gai) & Vegetarian Nut Roast Pie w/ Cranberries by Lorraine Pascale, Citrus and Pomegranate Salad w/ Chili Honey Dressing & Lime and Cranberry Bread and Butter Pudding by Levi Roots.

— Also from Britain: Is the Media Industry Sufficiently Diverse?

— Have you ever been under a time crunch and forced to go to places and do things you would rather not? That’s how last week was for me. Sometimes, my whereabouts/locations can make things difficult. I managed to make the Minimalist Entryway Organizer I wrote about. Instead of bungee cords and a wood frame, I went for a solid wood plaque and elastic. I attached the elastic with a staple gun and drilled a hole in the back for hanging. Such a practical idea for your keys, glasses, etc.:

Also, I’m making a shelf, so I stained a cedar board (after power sanding) with a mixture of coffee and black tea (as I wrote about in my post on The Many Uses of Food Powders). I used soybean oil for finishing, but I’m sure you could use any fixed drying oil (like linseed, hemp, walnut, or sunflower). Super easy and inexpensive. The lighting wasn’t great, so I do not think the pic (before and after) does it justice. It’s a rich caramel color — turned out beautifully:

— I had to pick up a few items for my mom and snapped a couple of cute DIY craft pics:

These DIY’s were made by the store staff. The ‘button letter’ would be totally fun in a child’s room. Or, if you have a more eclectic decor, you could probably make it work in any setting (possibly changing up the color scheme). First initials for couples would be a neat idea.

— What have I been eating this past week? Well, I made a few more of the Detox Drinks with a repeat of the Grapefruit-Cado. I forgot to mention that anytime the recipes call for juice, I use whole fruit. It was such a busy week that I didn’t get a chance to make granola bars. Luckily, I found some organic store-bought ones that were wickedly reduced in price. SQUEAL DEAL! They saved me! I always like to carry some sort of snack bar with me when I go out (so I don’t grab at the nearest candy protein bar in a vending machine, haha). And, I had a couple for snacks in place of my (of late) usual nuts, figs, oatmeal & honey, or za’atar roasted chickpeas. I’ve found the chickpeas curb my cravings for sweets (as you know, I have a sweet tooth). I did have time to whip up a quick cream of roasted garlic and white asparagus soup (with olive oil roux & skim milk, finished with a little extra-virgin and chiles):

And, the Sicilian Roasted Potatoes I made for Christmas have made an appearance 4 or 5 times now. Perhaps I will take a pic soon. I’ve started using a mix of baby Yukons and sweet potatoes. Really quite delicious. As I had a lot of running around to do, I made a batch of egg sandwich fillers. I reheat them in the oven or on the stove, but I suppose you could use the micro (not too long, they might get rubbery). I just used leftover veggies and cooked them in oval rings to fit my homemade bagels. I start them on the stove top and then give them a hit under the broiler:

1) Spinach, Red Bell, White Asparagus, Garlic 2) Kale, Black Olive, Red Onion 3) Broccoli, Feta, Chile (just a little bit of cheese, and my body seemed to handle it OK) 4) Marinated & Grilled Artichokes, Capers, Tomatoes.
Other than that, I began to have a few heavier meals starting with a yummy hamburger (on a bagel, of course 😉 ) and a side of healthy Brussels and smashed baby Yukons bubble and squeak.

— I love to collect tea tins, so I was excited when my fave step-uncle brought me back this Burapa Bird’s Nest Beverage from his trip to Malaysia:

— I was inspired by this Pitaya Breakfast Bowl to purchase dragon fruit for the first time. Wonderful! I consumed some raw and threw the rest in the freezer for smoothies:

— Remember the DIY Silk Scarf Kaftan I posted? Well, here’s a DIY Kimono Cape along the same lines. While running errands for my mom, I saw someone with a gorgeous kimono fabric. You can make this piece with just a couple of scarves, needle & thread, though. Also, make sure to check out the link from this blog post on how to dye shoes.

— From organization to DIY suds: 8 Laundry Room Hacks, Tips, and Ideas.

Take care! See you next time!