A Day in Pictures

confidence in the kitchen

I am really starting to have more confidence in myself and my skills in the kitchen. I am experimenting more. I am thinking of adding or taking away ingredients as I make recipes. I am losing the feeling of structure and anxiety I had when I started cooking raw. 

I admit, when I was hit with a truffle order I thought to myself- is this the BEST truffle I know? what's out there I don't know yet?

Between my cookbooks and websites and blogs, I found a good combination of ideas and ingredients that gave me a truffle I think will be a big hit.

It came from the blog Golubka which, if you haven't seen is a must read daily- this woman is truly awe inspiring. her photos alone make me want to jump right into them. She writes about raw food, and also her family, her experience and her hits and misses- very well done.

Her truffle, mixed with Cafe Gratitude's raw chocolate Ganache recipe and my own tweaks here and there brought out a truffle I can be proud of. It's here now... TRUFFLES 

I also went out in the garden today and planted lettuce in pots. I have wanted to do this for a LONG time now- I love picking my own greens for salads.

I went to my local nursery and bought 8 cell packs of lettuce. I planted those in pots I had at home. I also asked for plastic pots at the nursery for growing seedlings. I bought some soil and brought home 9 pots to re-use and transfer my sprouted basil and lettuce I have in my kitchen. Even thought it's just February and most of the country is freezing, I am enjoying 60 degree weather right now and feel like spring is already beginning. 

So check out Golubka and her beautiful blog. If you don't want to hunt and gather for Maca, Mesquite and Cacao, I'll make some truffles for ya-

little beds

I spent the morning thinking and plotting my desires of growing my own produce. I recently moved- well 9 months now, but I have yet to be in my new house through all the seasons so it still feels new to me. 

In my old house, I had a large raised bed in which I practiced square foot gardening. I also had a vertical gardening apparatus to allow for climbing fruits and veggies like cucumbers, summer squashes, or even some butternuts. So long, awesome garden. hello new house I don't know!

I put in a new set of garden raised boxes, with highest hopes of creating a year-round haven of produce. Little did I know- or think of, was that in the winter the boxes would be in shadow almost all day. I needed a new plan.

After pick axing- yes, me doing this, I removed two hedge-like pomegranate (ornamental) bushes and cleared a spot for a new box to catch some winter sun and allow for some greens to grow. Alas, as the day went by, I again saw that it too would be in shadow much of the day. Silly me.

I was a little tired and upset by then.

Finally I found a sunny spot that is sunny all day. 

End of this story is that I transplanted some perennials and now have 3 very neat rows of kale, lettuce and tomatoes that will hopefully sprout in a few days and bring me joy as I nurture the little plants. Then I will pick them and make yummy meals and snacks with them.

I feel a little foolish, but it was great to be outside all day regardless, instead of sitting inside at my computer or TV.