by Krista | Jun 23, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
I’m writing to you whilst grinning my head off at GLORIOUS sunshine streaming through my windows. Birds are twittering madly and warm breezes are wafting hither and thither. This has been the coldest, wettest June in my memory, but this evening is making up for it with unbelievable beauty.
Wednesdays I usually feature the marvelous fare whipped up by the Culinary Experimentation Club I’m a part of. Alas, poor health has kept me away the last two events, so I have nothing to share with you.
Instead I have pictures of the things I’ve been using to get myself better or, at the very least, make feeling ghastly a bit more beautiful.
Water with lemons and limes.
Lovely organic grapes.
Cup after cup of tea: Moroccan Pomegranate Red, Good Earth Original, Sweet Orange, Spearmint, Sleepytime.
This evening when the sun came out, I took a little stroll to the creek, closing my eyes and feeling the wind against my skin, the sun on my shoulders, delighting in the blackberry bushes festooned with blossoms.
My friend Alessio from Recipe Taster heard I was sick and encouraged me to partake of spoonfuls of honey and bowls of quark (fresh cheese) mixed with berries and flax seed. He said that in Germany, where he lives, the doctors prescribe quark along with traditional medication. So after my doctor visit this morning, I stopped by the market and picked up a tub of quark and a carton of perfectly ripe strawberries. Reaching home I mixed the quark with agave syrup, topped it with berries and sprinkled everything with flax seeds. Delicious! Tucked up in bed I basked in sunshine and felt spoiled rotten as I ate spoonful after creamy spoonful of Alessio’s concoction. I just KNOW it will help me feel better!
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday hosted by Beth at Wanderlust and Lipstick. Pay her a visit to learn about foods from all over the world.
Alessio’s Get Better Soon Quark
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quark
1 tsp agave syrup
handful of strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 Tbsp flax seeds
Directions:
- Mix quark and agave syrup.
- Top with strawberries and flax seeds.
by Krista | Jun 22, 2010 | Gulliver Tuesday
On today’s post I am thrilled to bits to feature the exquisite photography of my friend, Rebekah Chapman. Her work is featured on her blog Mae Photo Design, and always makes me feel like I’ve stepped into a dream world that has frozen in time. A Southern girl at heart, Rebekah is a temporary transplant to Washington State and has captured its lush beauty in such a wonderful way. Join me on a delightful jaunt as we see Washington through her eyes.
In celebration of Washington, I simply had to feature wild caught salmon. It is such a versatile fish and I have yet to discover a preparation I don’t like. Today I’m dining on one of my quickest, easiest versions: Pesto Salmon. Simply drizzle each fillet with lemon juice, sprinkle with salt, top with a liberal layer of pesto and bake for 10 minutes. Fast, delicious and healthy as can be. Do you like salmon? If yes, what is your favorite way to prepare it?
Pesto Salmon
Ingredients:
Salmon fillets
2 Tbsp pesto per fillet
1 lemon, quartered
Salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place fillets in baking dish. Squeeze lemon liberally over each fillet and dust with salt.
- Spread 2 Tbsp pesto thickly over each fillet.
- Bake for 10 minutes and serve.
by Krista | Jun 21, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning, dear ones! How was your weekend?
I was off to Seattle area on business and got to stay in a darling little bed and breakfast and have Baked French Toast with Apples. It was so fun to have a little excursion, sleep under a down comforter, and oh, that big ol’ clawfoot tub was fabulous. 🙂
After the business conference was over I got to spend the weekend with my dear friends Bekah and Trish. These women never fail to inspire me with their creativity and fabulous talents as photographer and writer/social media strategist. It was so nice to get to see them face to face, sharing fears and frustrations, thrills and accomplishments, laughing hard about our muss ups and celebrating the good things in our lives.
We talked a lot about creativity and beauty, how essential they are to our happiness and well-being. So Sunday afternoon was devoted to sprucing up my blog, feeling so excited when I figured out how to design my own header!! I also added some of my sketches to Facebook and am so happy to be developing these little creative outlets.
What is your creative outlet? Is there something you’d like to learn that you haven’t tried yet? Painting? Sewing? Photography?
After happily indulging in a steady diet of donuts and Cheerios today, I am ready to get back to healthy, nourishing food like this dish of kale sauteed with tomato and garlic topped with Parmesan cheese. Mmm, it’s one of my favorite quick ways to get greens into my diet.
This dish is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays. Pop over to see more inspiring dishes!
Sauteed Kale with Tomatoes, Garlic and Parmesan
Ingredients:
one bunch kale, rinsed and chopped
olive oil
2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
- Place kale in skillet of boiling salted water, simmer for 5-10 minutes until kale is tender. Drain.
- In another skillet cook tomatoes and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes.
- Add kale and cook another 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour into serving dish and top with Parmesan cheese.
by Krista | Jun 18, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Good morning, dear ones! Another week has passed and I’m a happy girl today. It was a rough week being wretchedly sick, but the worst is done and each day finds me stronger and quite amazed at the ability of life to bring so much pain and happiness all mixed up together.
I loved my weekend up in Canada with my rellies seeing so much beauty, having grand adventures, making more good memories. On our way home, Mums and I stopped by this river, entranced by the sun glistening on the water while a humdinger of a storm brewed in the background.
I arrived back at my beloved little apartment to find this sight welcoming me home.
The next three days were dreadful, with much pain and a few tears, but there were bright spots even there. I got to work from home with my windows open, listening to the birds and the creek. I had lots of homemade soup and various teas to warm me up. I watched a wonderful movie, The Visitor. I started reading a novel that was an unexpected reflection of my dark years as a teenager trapped in a religious cult. The story was gutting and healing for me. As I cried through the memories that gushed to the surface, it helped me see how far I’ve come, how much I’ve grown, and later I smiled so big.
I am not afraid like I used to be.
I am secure in my faith and lifestyle.
I can forgive my abusers.
I hardly ever have nightmares now.
I know what real love is.
So this morning I’m celebrating those precious gifts with a delicious breakfast. 🙂 I’m not even sure what it will be yet because I’m staying at a bed and breakfast on a business trip, but I know it will be something marvelous like French Toast with peanut butter and syrup, or…
…scrambled eggs with salmon and goat cheese.
Wherever you are today, I want you to know how grateful I am you are part of my life. Your comments and support and friendship are such a treasure to me, and I wish you a truly beautiful weekend knowing you matter, you are loved, and you are worth fighting for.
by Krista | Jun 17, 2010 | Literary Nibbles
While the Beavers, Peter, Susan and Lucy were having a most splendid tea, Edmund was utterly miserable.
He had slipped away while the others were merrily feasting, crept behind a curtain, then scooted out the dam door before anyone noticed he was gone. In his haste to leave he had forgotten his coat, his cozy, long, fur coat that would have kept him snugly warm in spite of the rapidly falling snow and deep darkness. Instead he was in his shirt sleeves and short pants as he hunkered down and forged ahead through the swirling snow, heading for the home of the White Witch.
His way was slow and treacherous as he slipped down snowy banks, bashed his shins against hidden rocks, and fell into drifts. Soon he was battered, sopping wet and cold to the bone. He would’ve turned back if his selfish little heart wasn’t clinging fast to the image of himself as King of Narnia, lording it over his brother and sisters, paying them back for every perceived slight. His dreams of grandeur and power gave him renewed strength and he pressed on until he came to the massive iron gates of the White Witch’s castle.
How I shivered at the thought of that bleak, imposing place, all spiky turrets, ice, and menacing silence. My eyes widened as Edmund came upon the courtyard filled with lions, dwarfs, and centaurs all turned to stone. I could feel the dread that must have been in his heart, the first inklings of fear, the sure knowledge that he had made a terrible, terrible mistake. And my heart leapt in fright as he stepped over a stone wolf that suddenly rose, very much alive and absolutely terrifying.
He was a massive grey beast, Fenris Ulf, Chief of the White Witch’s Secret Police, and within moments he was leading Edmund into the presence of the White Witch.
The meeting was nothing like Edmund had expected. There was no warm greeting, no thanks for the vital news he had risked his neck to bring, and not a single piece of Turkish Delight. Instead a dwarf brought him an iron bowl of water…
…and an iron plate with a dry hunk of bread.
Before he could finish he was commanded to sit beside the White Witch in her sleigh, joining her on a nightmarish journey to find Aslan. They rode swiftly at first, the snow cold and slick beneath the sleigh, but after a few hours they were unable to move, all the snow melted into great puddles. Spring had come to Narnia. The White Witch was livid! Anyone standing in her way was turned to stone and Edmund was bound and driven like a prisoner, cursed and whipped by a malicious dwarf. He stumbled and slipped and kept walking, tripped and fell and kept walking, until at last they stopped and he collapsed face down on the ground, not caring what happened to him in his relief to be resting at last.
I was so scared for him as he lay there. I wanted to warn him that they were going to kill him, that he must summon a last bit of strength to run away and save himself. But there was nothing I could do. I simply listened in anguish as they hauled him up roughly, bound him to a tree, bared his throat, and sharpened a knife, whir, whir, whirrrr.
Suddenly there were shouts and shrieks all around them! Hooves beating, wings flapping, the White Witch screaming.
Then it was over.
Edmund felt his bonds loosen as strong arms held him close, and kind, strong voices murmured comforting words as a glass of wine was pressed to his lips.
Around him figures bustled and called out and just as things got interesting, Edmund fainted. Moments later he was carried off to Aslan by a jostling party of unicorns, centaurs, birds and deer. He was safe at last.
Bread and Water
Ingredients:
one hunk stale bread
8 oz none-too-clean water
Directions:
- Toss bread on plate.
- Splash water in bowl.
- Drop on floor and serve with a snarl.
