My Way, No. 31

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

— “Hot enough for ya?” is an expression you often hear in these neck of the woods. It’s kind of exciting when you actually get to put a coat on the first few cooler weather days. I get over it eventually, haha, but those first few times can be fun. I love shorter, lighter trenches like this, as they can double as a dress (value purchase!): 10 Pecas Basicas No Amario Feminino | uapestilo.blogspot.com.

Speaking of value, I found this office wear page with a lot of great ideas: Work Outfits on Pinterest.

I’ve always liked the idea of versatility within your clothing pieces, so I was attracted to this pic. I love suit jackets, and they are one of my staple pieces. I have a ton, and I will pair them with anything from actual suit bottoms (skirts/pants), jeans with heels, jeans with flats or sneakers, printed skirts…really, quite a few possibilities.

— If you’re in Tucson and haven’t heard about it, I wanted to let you know about RISE Equipment Recycling. “RISE Equipment Recycling Center processes donated office equipment and furniture to sell at a reduced price to non-profit organizations, their clients, and low income familes and their children.” This is a fabulous organization that can always use donations. They also use volunteer staff, if you think that’s something you might be interested in. When I worked as a non-profit operations manager, they outfitted our entire computer center (used for job training computer classes). What a blessing! There were tears of joy!

— Today’s Adventures in Food: Mayocoba beans x 2! Last week, I cooked up a pot and found a couple of different ways to make use of them:

I have always thought I preferred stuffed white potatoes, but this sweetie proved me wrong. Both bean preps had a base of tomato with homemade bread crumbs (from my whole wheat-teff bread) and ground nuts. I added the bread and the nuts recalling the lentil “meatballs” I made here and here. I liked that they gave them a meatier texture. I just varied the base by using “chili-type” seasonings for one & “sloppy joe-type” seasonings for the other (with the addition of green bell peppers). I also smashed half the beans for the sloppy joe, as was indicated in the original lentil “meatball” recipe. I’ve seen several vegan/vegetarian bacons from veggies, but I was unsure of an exact method. For the potato, I just decided to bake off the criminis I had (until crisp) with my smoked sea salt. Pork bacon also has a little sweetness to me, so I hit it with just a few pinches of coconut sugar. Homemade non-fat Greek-style yogurt & chives.

I added homemade coleslaw and zucchini bread & butter pickles (I use turmeric for the pickle coloring) to the sloppy joe. I have never made coleslaw in my entire life, so I was really winging it. I didn’t use a recipe, and I’m sure I broke a few “My grandma makes it this way” rules. I really do not care for it by itself, but I found I really enjoyed it on this hamburger. So, I went for it. I used the Hawaiian rolls recipe from the bread post (I smashed it down a bit) with spelt and vital wheat gluten vs. AP flour. 2 super easy, super casual, yummy meals! I am not sure if mayocoba beans are readily available in many parts of the country. If you’re unable to find them, check out our local Native Seeds/SEARCH online store (also offering a ton of other goodies).

From the last My Way, I made mini Chinese scallion pancakes:

I actually used the traditional recipe from the blog instead of the simplified version I posted (with whole wheat pastry flour & VWG). The traditional version is pretty simple, too, with a food processor — sort of like a tortilla, kicked up with some scallions and 5-spice. I saw a recipe for Asian-style quesadillas, but I forgot to record it. So, I just decided to make my own version with the pancakes. I fermented black beans, then used them to make this Black Bean Sauce – Homemade Spicy Version. Akin to a chunky hoisin. The sauce + pulled chicken + the pancakes. Delish! The pancakes can be pretty addicting, so be forewarned. If you want to make your own hoisin or 5-spice blend, here are a couple of recipes I found: Homemade Hoisin & Chinese 5-Spice Powder. Pic’d with homemade squash ribbon kimchi and squash noodles with ginger-sesame sauce. I wring all of the excess liquid from the noodles before adding the sauce.

Rustic Italian Bread from this post, using whole wheat (+VWG) & the stencil technique. Perhaps you could use edible paint or glitter for the stencils, as well? I added a little beet powder to the stencil flour, but you could do all beet or some other fruit/veg powder:

Was fab with a couple of patés I made and dried figs. I’m always craving dried figs. I would like to find a good figgy-filled cookie recipe. This was a lighter-style wild salmon, white wine, and shingled carrots paté:

— This candlestick holder topiary says it’s for Christmas, but I think you could create one for any time of the year: DIY Christmas Centerpieces.

Or, maybe think about alternatives to the pistachios, like coffee beans or dried berries.

The Busy Broad: DIY Blinged Out Flask.

— Today’s Featured Delights. Hope you enjoy!

Pavlova with Red Wine Cherry Compote and Mascarpone Whipped Cream | Cooks with Cocktails.

Napa & Co’s Sea Bass w/ Artichokes & Blood Oranges – CT Bites – Restaurants.

Eating richly even when you’re broke | Thai Recipe: Son In Law Eggs. 

Just one of those simple, scrumptious meals. You can easily make it vegan or vegetarian, too. Asian: Sesame Chicken and Noodles/ | KeepRecipes : Your Universal Recipe Box.

Miso and Citrus Glazed Eggplant | quitegoodfood.co.nz.

Edamame Navy Bean Salad w/ Orange-Balsamic Dressing | Go Red for Women.

For your inspiration: 25 Yummy Fruit Desserts | designsnext.com.

Pumpkin Spice Margarita | realhousemoms.com.

Take care, & see you next time!

My Way, No. 28

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

Hope Rosh Hashanah has been a wonderful time!

— Adventures in Food: Breakfasts for Dinner! I usually have fruit during the morning hours, so here are a couple of evening meals I recently enjoyed:

No, it’s not eggs! It’s a fake-out chickpea flour & tofu omelette. I found the recipe on the same site as the recently posted English muffins: Potato-Avocado Tofu Omelettes. Now, I do love eggs, but I thought the recipe sounded intriguing. If you recall, I did a lot of potato recipes the previous few weeks, so I went with sautéed kale, mini sweet peppers, criminis, and avocado (though, the potatoes in the pic looked SO yummy!). I sautéed the criminis in a little homemade Worcestershire and red wine. This is one of my fave ways to have mushrooms. Sometimes, I add a little butter and thyme. If you’ve never made your own Worcestershire, I just looked up this recipe: Homemade Worcestershire Sauce. I like to make mine with apple & balsamic vin, blackstrap molasses, honey (maybe stevia), smelly fish ;), tamari, garlic, onion, mustard powder, chile, some warm spices, and tamarind. If you run out of anchovies while making Caesar dressing, try Worcestershire to pinch-hit. If you’ve never seen tamarind, this is what it looks like (it’s also available in other forms, like paste):

Apparently, the original version of the recipe calls for Indian black salt to create a more ‘authentic egg experience.’ As I lacked such an item, I subbed the sea salt I smoked. I also ran out of nutritional yeast and replaced it with parm. The recipe indicates you should use a cooked chickpea flour vs. raw, and it gives illustrations of how you can tell the difference (if you purchase your flour). I ground dry peas for my flour and just cooked out the rawness a bit. I really enjoyed this meal (though I will still whip up a traditional omelette every now and then). Check out this recipe for sure if you don’t do eggs.

You know my obsession with carrot cake! Carrot cake steel-cut oats with shredded carrots, raisins, pineapple, walnuts, fresh coconut, ground cinnamon & ginger, pure Mexican vanilla extract, pinch of salt. As with my rice pudding, I like to put the vanilla and salt in after it’s finished cooking (cinnamon & ginger during). I throw the carrots in about a minute before the end of the cooking time (except garnish). Everything else is a topping. I forgot the honey in the pic, but I usually finish with a bit to sweeten.

I made versions of this dish several times: Daikon Radish Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes in Creamy Coconut Sauce.

I didn’t have daikon, so I subbed squash. In this pic, I also bulked it up with 1 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti. If you want to lighten up your traditional pasta dishes, a blend of a veggie spiral and a flour pasta is a great way to go. I just eyeballed the ingredients, but the sauce was fab. I can see it translating to all kinds of things. I used a blend of coconut water & milk I had in the freezer.

I told you I made the lovely Cherry Tomatoes & Basil Sauce from the last My Way post, and that gave birth to these roasted tomatoes:

I know roasted tomatoes aren’t the prettiest thing to look at! This has to be one of my fave preps in probably the past 6 months or so, though. So simple, but I could have made a meal out of them. I made several batches. I filled the pan with a little water (about halfway up to the tomatoes), roasted garlic cloves, salt, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil. After one batch reached room temp, I had a hard time not just popping all of them in my mouth right then. They were SO GOOD! I also used them to top pasta (veggie & wheat spag), and this flatbread:

I adapted the flatbread/pizza dough from this recipe: The Best New York Style Cheese Pizza.

So, again, maybe not the most attractive meal in the world, but this was so tasty (prepared it a couple of times)! I made a honey-whole wheat dough with a little parm and garlic powder added. I adjusted the salt a bit because of the parm and smoked sea salt on the crust (like I did with the Sriracha garlic knots). I can’t remember where I read about the smoked salt, but I really like it. I added a little cornmeal to the bottom of the pan & replaced some of the oil with homemade non-fat yogurt. Sauce was a mixture of homemade non-fat yogurt and homemade (skim) feta (I hafta keep my dairy + fat portions low, boo 😦 ). Little finish of pomegranate molasses.

— Last My Way post, I forgot I wanted to tell you about the convertible Henkaa dress fabric. It’s a wrinkle-resistant fabric. If you’ve ever been to Chico’s, it kind of reminds me of a wrinkle-resistant travel-knit fabric they have. The young lady demo-ing the dress spilled something on it at lunch. She had a spare dress scrunched up in her purse and changed into it after the mishap. No ironing or steaming. The first dress was a floor length, and the second above-the-knee. She was very tall, and both dresses looked fabulous on her. After that last post, I watched a few of the various style vids. You have to see them. Amazing!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page. I think a lot of people know this type of thing goes on, but it’s always still shocking to see it in print: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups | centerforfoodsafety.org.

— I found this article heart-breaking, but I’m glad they took the billboard down:Mental Health Advocates Topple Kenneth Cole Billboard Falsely Linking Mental Health Conditions and Gun Violence | bizjournals.com.

— I read back through a few of the articles from the last installment of my Mental Health Series. This article really hit me, so I wanted to post it here (and I may post it a few more times). Schizophrenia is not a split personality, there are four main symptoms | thejournal.ie. I think everyone should read this. It’s not just about this particular illness. It deals with some heart issues. I think you will find it enlightening.

— DIY Dip Dye Jeans | Fusion e-Magazine.

Maybe you could also DIY something like this: Wheretoget.it.

— I am in the market for a different (neutral-colored vs. my last vibrant color choice) heart rate monitor watch. While searching for one, I came across this sports bra made for the heart sensor chest strap: Pure Lime Compression Bra for Heart Rate Sensors – High Impact.

— OK, these are totally fun and hysterical! I love the bar, cat bed, and speakers.
DIY Retro Furniture — 12 Things To Do With Vintage Suitcases | Loffee.

— Deodorizing Homemade Lavender Linen Spray Recipe | soapdelinenews.com.

— Today’s Featured Recipes:

My mom likes to watch her sugars (and sodium), but she doesn’t care for several sugar subs. She especially doesn’t like stevia! She tried to use the same ratio as white sugar, lol! So, I have to sneak these things into her food sometimes, hehe. I’ve never used the sugar sub called for in this recipe, but you may be able to sub the sub if you need to:
Low Carb Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts – Gluten Free | Modern Low Carb.

Walnut and Olive Spelt Bread Rolls | Quite Good Food.

Brie, Fig Jam, and Serrano Ham Crostini | Flavor the Moments.

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp | Cookbook Recipes.

Jewish Holiday Recipes: Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches | Gourmet Kosher Cooking. An idea you could adapt very easily. They suggest chocolate doughnuts with coffee or cookie and cream ice cream.

Chef JD’s Cuisine & Travel Website Turnstile | Cherokee Hominy and Tomato Soup.

This is not really a recipe, but you could really let your imagination run wild with this one: Home cured duck ham, Hendricks compressed cucumber, summer fruit and nitro sorbet. Due South Chefs Ltd.

Ginger Candy Appletini  Recipe | aroundmainline.com. I like the caramel apple garnish 🙂

Take good care of yourself, and I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 23

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

With the pic links now included, these ‘My Way’ posts are becoming as long as a newsletter. I hope you can hang with me!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page, so I thought I would link to it: Who Is Behind Organic Brands. This came as no surprise to me, as I try to steer clear of certain products for this very reason. But, many people assume some of these brands are small (possibly family-owned, or even local) businesses, when they are really just some of the country’s largest food producers. This is also true of natural and organic hygiene/body products, etc. Some of the brands I’ve enjoyed in the past have been taken over by some of these large producers, so I then stop purchasing them. Some brands I have no issues with, though. If you’re one of those who wants to support certain businesses (and not support others), I encourage you to take a look at this list. Or, perhaps take a look for updated info, if this news is already familiar to you. I found several I didn’t know about.

— Did you enjoy the list of coping skills for anger, anxiety and depression? I think everyone can benefit from this list. I have some decent positive ones already in place, but I would like to add a few more. Setting boundaries and learning to say “no” could be improved upon, as well as enjoying more of nature. Also, keeping a positive quote with you seems easy enough. I like, “Ye shall be a blessing.” It’s one thing for others to bless you, but (IMO) empowering others to prosper provides rewards like nothing else (emotional and physical). As far as looking at the negatives went, I tried to not get too down on myself. We can’t change everything at once. I think I have improved in several areas, but still need some work in others. I have been better at not enabling others to take advantage of me. One of the things I despise most at this stage in my life is people attempting to use me for their own selfish ambition. So, I need to make sure I am not just sitting back, allowing those circumstances to occur. Several years ago, I was encouraged by a former football player who said a friend told him (something to the effect of), “Never allow people to use or exploit you for their own profit or gain.” I think as a former ball player, people just assumed they could take advantage of him for their own purposes. Anyway, I’ve carried that bit of advice in my heart since then.

— Speaking of football players, I was really touched by this article concerning Herschel Walker’s mental health advocacy: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/os-herschel-walker-mental-health-orlando-20150513-story.html. If you’ve lived in Texas for even a short period of time (as I have), you most likely know who Herschel Walker is — even if you don’t follow the NFL. A very encouraging story.

After posting the latest installment of my Mental Health Series, I found a few articles that made my heart sink. Many of the most disheartening stories come from major news outlets (not all the time, though, as you can see from a variety of pieces I’ve posted). They so often focus on the negative or sensational. Some of the most sensitive and thoughtful pieces I’ve come across are from student newspapers. I thought perhaps profit has something to do with that, or maybe it’s just that the younger generations are starting to leave behind the stigma and discrimination that has plagued our society for so long. I used to laugh at a news station in the Phoenix area that always broadcasted so much positive news. It was the oddest thing to me, haha. It was a nice change.

— Today’s Adventures in Food: Hot diggity dog ziggity, boom…I didn’t have a chance to pick up hard red winter berries yet, so I made my Memorial Day hot dog buns in the same manner as the previously posted burger buns. Really a joy! The wheat blend is such a great idea. I may try sprouting them, as well. The day old buns were great dippers for a low-cal (non-gratinee) onion soup I made. The adjustable slicing blade in our new food processor works like a dream! It easily sliced through mounds of onion. My last processor, while a decent (very old) model, sometimes had slicing issues.

Holiday chocolate chip cookies had to get packaged up and shipped off so I didn’t consume the whole lot, lol. As they keep nice and soft, I think they would be grand for ice cream sandwiches. I couldn’t wait for the Holiday to make the chickpea flour spätzele. So, I made it Sunday, then again on Monday. I subbed some quickly sautéed kale for the collards (it was less expensive at the store) and cooked it in beef broth. I really like the textures in this dish. I think I will be making it a couple more times before the week is up.

As I was already grinding chickpeas for the spätzele, I thought I would also whip up those Cashew-Mint Pakoda I posted. I left the flour with just a slight coarseness. I went for a bake-fry by Misto-ing a little oil in the pan, as well as on the dough. I flipped them over when they were browned on the bottom. They turned out so nice and crunchy! You would not have known they were baked instead of fried. I really would have liked a dipping sauce with them. Maybe a cashew crema or something? I was too busy munching to make one, though.

The roasted curried cauliflower I made for my garlic, herb, & tomato pita was the tail end of a cauliflower party. I enjoyed the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites posted here and Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous – Tabbouleh (both from the same site). I am not a huge fan of couscous, so I was excited to try a version with cauliflower. I used my homemade skim haloumi, and it was fab. Really easy & delightful. Of course, using the cauliflower slashes the calories considerably, so make sure to take a peek. When I was preparing the Buffalo Bites, I suddenly thought I could also make a few with sesame-honey sauce. So, I did half and half. Otherwise, I only altered them slightly by using whole wheat pastry flour and coating with a bit of panko. I love Buffalo sauce so much, so I put a little extra on the outside, lol.

I found another comfort food use for my pitas. Did you ever have spaghetti and meatball sandwiches when you were younger? I made spaghetti and Italian lentil meatballs (just like the ones here, but with “Italian” seasonings), and the next day had a craving for this sandwich, haha:

We used to slather butter on good Italian bread and stuff it with our leftovers. Good memories!

— How quaint is this?

White Garden Canopy | housetohome.co.uk.

Ahhh…I wish I were there right now. *Sigh*

25 DIY Headboard Ideas | Freshnist.com.

This is a cute idea. Music sheet decoupage on wood: Paper | Valerie Carr | Pinterest.

— In this AZ summer heat, I adore white clothing. Linen is especially lovely. What about your plain white tee? Check out this easy corseting technique that you could apply to a number of items: DIY Corseted White T-Shirt or What to Do with the BF’s Old T-Shirts #2 | Chic Steals.

And, you know I love RE:Fashion: 13 DIY Clothing Refashion Ideas with Picture Instructions | Clicky Pix.

— The FFFF for today (Fab French Food Finds ):

You know my affinity for all things French, so here are several selections from the same site:

Provencal Style Mussels | French Cooking for Dummies.

Beetroot and Goat Cheese Foam | French Cooking for Dummies.

Artichoke, Fig and Parmesan Salad | French Cooking for Dummies.

Strawberry and Peach Salad with Wine Syrup | French Cooking for Dummies.

Parisian Shirred Egg/ Oeuf cocotte à la parisienne | French Cooking for Dummies.

Herbed Mascarpone Stuffed Chicken | French Cooking for Dummies.

Ham and Cheese Crepe/Galete Complete | French Cooking for Dummies.

White Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries | French Cooking for Dummies.

‘Til next time!

Recipe: Memorial Day: Chickpea Spätzele with Shallots and Collard Greens + Blasts from the Past

Recipe: Chickpea Spätzele with Shallots and Collard Greens | mynameisyeh.com.

I think this recipe would be a great addition to your Holiday. I considered the standard macaroni salad, but then I saw this. If you don’t have a fancy pasta machine, but still want a good, homemade hearty dish…spätzele is a fab choice. It’s so simple and quick, and again, another dish children will have fun participating in. Holidays are the perfect opportunity to get kids into the kitchen (if they haven’t been coaxed already). As I’ve said before, my family loves greens of all types, and they’ve always been one of our household staples. So, this recipe leaped into my heart when I saw it. Utilizing a nutty, nutritious chickpea flour base, this recipe is also perfect for those requiring a wheat-free pasta.

I’m on to a busy rest of the weekend, but I thought I would post links from a gaggle of previously blogged about recipes. Many, many wonderful selections and blogs to choose from! Please search through their entire blog, though, for an even more comprehensive list.

One easy non-recipe recipe idea from me for the Holiday is frozen chocolate-covered bananas, or I made these Chocolate-Covered Coconut Ice Cream Pops:

Just homemade coconut ice cream dipped in melted dark chocolate (I used store-bought chocolate to save time, but you could certainly make your own): fresh coconut milk/cream, maple syrup, and organic coconut extract (my mom happened to have some, so I pinched a bit from her…not absolutely required. You could add any flavoring you like, or none at all). If you use an ice cream machine, I would just follow the manufacturer’s instructions. And, you could skip the chocolate altogether and just make coconut ice cream or ice milk pops.

Past posts:

I know I just posted this, but to consolidate:

 Homemade Hamburger and Hotdog Buns & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rhubarb-Wrapped Pineapple Mousse Cake

Homemade Ketchup

8 Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups

Labor Day Recipes 

Homemade Cream Cheese

Crab and Goat Cheese Guacamole

What’s Cookin’? Food for the Fourth

Raspberry Lemon Curd Madeleines

Pan Bagnat

Maple-Shallot Brussels Salad

Tiramisu Cupcakes

If you want to whip up your own mascarpone for those cupcakes (it’s SO simple), or if you want recipes for other quick cheeses, check out this post:

Homemade Cheese

Patriotic Pops

All of these links can be found under the category of Recipes, Food, and Drink on my blog menu. Also, do please check ‘featured’ My Way recipes for more inspiration.

Hope your Holiday is grand! I’ll be back sometime next week.

To Market to Market…4/16/2015

Pics from the Farmer’s Market at the Downtown Mercado, Tucson, Arizona. I love this market at the quaint Mercado, with its live folksy musical performances and enticing surrounding local restaurants. Kumquats caught my eye this trip, and I quickly found a dish for them (Moroccan Tofu with Apricots, Olives, & Almonds. Apricots were replaced with the kumquats, will post a pic soon). Of course, I enjoyed some raw, as well. I spotted a variety of kale (Russian, Siberian, white, among others, I was told by the farmer), turmeric tonic, nopales, herbs, cholla buds…and, well, so many exciting things this trip. I am always drawn to pasta, and this time I snagged a bit of a dessert chocolate and cherry gemelli. I am not extremely fond of chocolate desserts (except candies, fudge, and brownies), but I love cherries and dark chocolate combined. So, we’ll see how it goes! I saw a batch of raw pecan fudge I might try to replicate. Yums!

We have Farmer’s Markets year-round in Tucson (because of our warm climate), so make sure you stop by a few if you’re in town.

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!

My Way, No. 9

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

— Made any New Year’s resolutions? Gonna get fit, stop smoking, treat your spouse better, cut down on coffee, etc? I must admit I do not make them, but I think it’s a good idea. It’s always a good idea to set goals (IMO), but I tend to set them at random times throughout the year. My mini-goal for this week is to eat plenty of salads (in addition to the juices I posted) to help cleanse from Holiday foods. As salads are one of my fave things to eat, I don’t see it as some sort of post-Holiday self-torture. Here’s a list of 10 Homemade Salad Dressings (nothing exotic or fancy, just everyday dressings).

— So sorry, I found a lot of typos in the last ‘My Way’ post. I usually find something after I post, but there were quite a few. My eyes can get tired after staring at text for so long. It doesn’t help when the writer is also the editor, lol. I’m sure you will be patient with my mistakes in the future (pretty please?). Thanks for understanding.

— Are you a DIY cook? Take the quiz. It’s from a British site, so some of the questions may be geared a little more towards British culture. I am more of a DIY cook if I have decent space to work in, proper equipment, and accessibility to certain foods (and am not pressed/stressed for time). I am good with space, equipment, and food accessibility (for the most part) right now, but I have had limited resources in the past. In those instances, I tend to rely more on pre-packaged or store-bought items. And, sometimes I buy items that are perhaps better homemade, but they are ‘familiar’ or convenient (items I grew up with a lot of the time). I think many people do that…familiarity can bring comfort sometimes.

— Speaking of familiarity, I was telling my mom I find it odd that companies that sell a lot of processed food (many times not very wholesome) also sell medicine. So, it’s like…after you become sick from eating their unhealthy foods, you can purchase their medicine. And, stores that market a lot of processed and junk foods also have pharmacies. Once you become ill from what you’ve eaten, you can get prescriptions to help you feel better. That’s really one-stop shopping!

— I am not the best at gardening, etc., as I grew up with other folks taking care of things like that. My weeds were getting out of control, so someone gave me a recipe for homemade weed killer: 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of salt, 2 cups of vinegar, and 2 TBSP dish soap. I used this for a while, and it works well. I saw a gentleman just sprinkling salt on his weeds, so I just recently tried that. It rained right afterwards, so I thought all my work had gone to pot. It worked beautifully, though! A great alternative to traditional methods.

— My Holidays were filled with lots of cooking, baking, jam making, and pickling. I made the potatoes recipe I posted for Christmas and absolutely loved it. It was super simple. It had a mixture of tomatoes and olives (which are, of course, faves of mine), but I would have never thought to add raisins. Really different and tasty! I also made a few loaves of the bagel/baguettes as gifts and decided at the last minute to make biscotti. As I’ve said, I don’t bake a lot of confections, but biscotti is fairly easy. I usually just make almond biscotti dipped in chocolate, but I added dried cranberries and orange zest this time (sans chocolate). I took a pic on my kitschy vintage Christmas platter (I inherited it from my step-family, lol). Isn’t Santa cute?

And, I let myself have a small portion of those scrumptious Cranberry-Sage Goat Cheese Crostini and Panettone.

I made individual panettone to help with portion control. I baked some in ‘soup cans’ lined with parchment paper. I used homemade candied citrus peel (with citrus from my grandmother’s tree), dark and golden raisins, and dried cranberries. I was a little heavy-handed with the dried fruit. I used a bagel/baguette for the crostini, so it saved a lot of time. I think I will have to make poviticas another time. I’ve had my fill of heavy foods for now, haha.

— I love to work with wood and collect pieces as I find them. A pallet is ideal for a lot projects, and this link gives a few pointers on disassembling one without injuring yourself.

— Someone gave me a pair of jeans that do not fit, so I’m trying to come up with a way to up-cycle them. I found this link, so I thought I would share it. I particularly like the flip flops, iPad cover, and crop top ideas.

— A few recipes: Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos, Sugar Snap Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles, Vegan Coconut Butter check out her links for soy-based butters from another site as well, Salmon Noodle Soup, Beer Cheddar Waffles, Chinese Duck Tarts w/ Plum Sauce, Pear-Vanilla Upside-Down Cakes.

‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 6

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

— After posting so much about the waffle sandwich I had at the Viva La Local Festival, I thought I would link you to a resource for mesquite flour. I figured it may not be available in many places outside of the Southwest. You can purchase it at Native Seeds/SEARCH’s online store (see my pics from our local Tucson store here). It’s organic and Kosher, and a great alternative if you cannot have wheat.

— I know it’s winter time, but I had to share these totally adorable DIY Fall Boot Cuffs. One of the easiest projects I’ve seen, and you could certainly carry them into these winter months.

— Hanukkah, Chanukah, however you spell it…will soon be upon us. This blog post had different intentions, but I think this twig star is a perfect DIY project for the occasion (I also see by a couple of the comments that others agree). And, check out this website for modern decorations and edibles (the modern bite cookies are stunners!)

— Read about Brazil’s biggest mass wedding. Awesome! It was held in Rio de Janeiro and involved nearly 2,000 couples!

— I had a little disappointment this Thanksgiving…for the past few years, my mom and I have been working with the Jewish Federation and the Salvation Army to carve turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals served to the public. This year, we didn’t get a call and found out too late that the SA had a new director take over the program. I look forward to seeing the same folks each Holiday, so I was kind of bummed. Some of them have been carving the turkeys for 15 – 20 years, so I can imagine they were also disappointed. Hopefully, we’ll get to participate in some way for the Christmas meal.

— I did make the berry and pom Antioxidant Detox Smoothie I posted after Turkey Day, and it was delish! I used my homemade yogurt and whey along with some fermented beets. As I said, it made me a little chilly, so I had a cup of hot tea afterwards: turmeric, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and lemon. Really a warm and soothing blend.

— I also sipped on hot tea all day yesterday, as it was rainy and cold (like mid-50’s, low 60’s, which is cold for Tucson). I had a ‘bread bowl’ from Beyond Bread (a local bread and pastry shop), so I decided a hot bowl of soup was in order. I didn’t know if I would use the bowl for a dip or soup when I purchased it, but the weather made my decision for me. They only have sourdough white bread bowls (I usually buy whole grain breads), but I really wanted it at the time. I figured it would be a treat meal. I started to make a cream of asparagus soup, but eventually made a curried chunky tomato. It’s such a comfort food for me:

The bread was SO good! I had to force myself to not eat the entire bowl in one sitting. I usually try to buy whole grains (as they are healthier), but I still love refined bread and flours…and white rice, OMGoodness…I really have to restrain myself if I start eating white rice, lol. I’ll try to post a few pics from Beyond Bread soon.

— Just saw these DIY Mint Julep Favors on the Curbly site. Too cute! More DIY here: 101 Homemade Holiday Gifts. All sorts of fun ideas from food to beauty to fashion and more.

— Yummy-Looking Food & Bev: Ficelle Picarde, Kimchi Ssambap, Butternut and Sweet Potato Lasagne with Sage Toasted Pine Nuts and Nutmeg, Berry Entremets (Beautiful! If you don’t speak Russian, you’ll have to translate), Homemade Gingerbread Syrup, Vegan Whole Wheat Maple-Oatmeal Bread.

See you next time!