flip flops.
sunglasses.
sunscreen.
pool passes.
short road trip.
a bright striped swimsuit to cover a very large belly.

We were ready for summer sun weeks ago, this week we're making it official;

and we took the frozen lemonade to go.

nesting

I have been spending my time knitting, sewing, cleaning, gardening, and planning. Oh, the planning. I am grateful for days when it seems my energy has no end, but it usually follows with a day that is slow and recuperative. There is a list that I am continually adding to, and happily for my nesting heart, I am just as often eliminating things done. Though as much as I'm able to accomplish, there are still things on my list to do, and the laundry seems to stay in a constant state of undone-ness. This is a universal thing though, right?

Those little seedlings never grew, and after a conversation with a garden therapist (aka the nursery owner I happened to ask) I gave up on them and planted my summer seeds directly in fertile soil. After a couple weeks and daily morning visits they are indeed growing, though I am not sure if they are growing fast enough for any real harvest.

Details seem to be nowhere near ideal, but ready or not summer will come.

the seeds

"The seeds begin abstract as their species,

remote as the name on the sack

they are carried home in: Fayette Seed Company

Corner of Vine and Rose. But the sower

going forth to sow sets foot

into time to come, the seeds falling

on his own place. He has prepared a way

for his life to come to him, if it will.

Like a tree, he has given roots

to the earth, and stands free."

Wendell Berry

I planted seedlings a couple weeks ago. Watermelon, tomatoes, flowers, berries, and lettuce outside. The only thing that has shown any sign of life is the lettuce, which is thriving well enough (meaning it's growing). As for everything else, I guess I will take Emerson's advice and adopt nature's pace with patience. Though with all this waiting I hope those little seeds know, I have big plans for Mother's Day weekend.

living without: cashew cream

When I first started this little blog I wanted to share my favorite recipes with people. Along the way I started posting fewer recipes that I actually used, and tried to come up with unusual dishes, things that I would make once, post about, and never eat again. Eventually I came back around, sharing more of my favorites, and fewer of the one time use recipes. Part of it was because I was discovering so many new favorites, which is a necessity when branching out on a new diet. Sometimes I think I use my blog more than anyone else. It has become my own personal recipe file, and I know what to post about next when I go looking for a recipe on my blog and it's not there.

This cashew cream recipe isn't much of a recipe (cashews and water) but we use it a lot when in need of cream and almond milk isn't thick enough. We've had it with an extra bit of sweetener to go over fresh berries and summer fruit, mixed in soups or sauces, mixed with almond milk for a thicker cream over my morning muesli, granola or stewed oats, in my peanut butter banana shakes, to thicken hot chocolate, or as a cream substitute in ice creams and other desserts and frostings. Omit the sweetener and vanilla if you want to use it for more savory purposes like soup.

happy spring!

I feel the same way each year around the same time. A slump begins in late January/early February and seeps into March, but halfway through the month I start to get more energy, I feel more inspired,  and I am more and more excited for warmer weather. In the past week I started to actually prepare things (using my hands and getting them dirty, yay!) for this year's garden. We prepped the garden beds (with a lot of help from my husband and toddler), we planted our little seedlings, and will plant flowers this weekend, a worthy activity for the first days of spring. This will mark my second year as a legit gardener (meaning growing things I actually eat) and though I still feel clueless, I can't wait. The past couple days have also included walks in the sun with sandals on and bare legs, drawing on the sidewalk with colored chalk, and the years first skinned knees and elbows.

I read in a book once about a girl who celebrated her birthday in March. She thought of it as the gateway to summer, when the sun becomes warmer on your skin and everyone is drawn outdoors. I feel the same way come March, I am already making summer plans. This year, it will be filled with tomatoes, huckleberries, strawberries, a couple watermelons, some of my favorite flowers that I pray will not die on me, and welcoming another little one into our family. I love summer babies. I can already imagine the sleepless nights that will be a little sweeter with a new life to hold and fragrance from the blooms under our window filling our room with every summer breeze. Assuming my brown thumb doesn't take over, I did make sure to purchase hardy plants this year.

What plans are you making? Spring is here!

conscientious cookies

I am supportive of putting your money and time towards people and businesses you believe in, and veering away from those who don't uphold your standards. It is a big reason we love local food and choose it over big agriculture farm foods. I have even researched companies I buy stock from in the past to make sure I am investing in good companies.

For the record, I am pro-life, and before you ask what that has to do with cookies, let me explain. When I was craving girl scout cookies, a comment from a friend about the relationship between the Girl Scout Organization and Planned Parenthood caused me to research a little more about who supports this pro-abortion group (or as a commenter clarified, pro-choice) that seems to differ from my beliefs. I discovered that not only has the Girls Scout Organization supported Planned Parenthood, but so does my husband's employer, where he volunteers, my previous employer of about 6 years, our gas station, bank, even Whole Foods to name a few; all companies/organizations we support and love.

So it caused me to wonder, do you research what your purchases are indirectly supporting? Does my shopping at Whole Foods, or buying a few boxes of thin mints from some neighborhood girls make me a hypocrite? If there's a local food provider or artisan who is pro-abortion and atheist (I am also pro God), I would probably still buy food from them (so long as they aren't vehemently opposing my beliefs), but would rather support and encourage them in their efforts of creating and providing good real food. Building good relationships between people and communities seems more important to me than voicing my opinion about my standards in a confrontational way. There has to be a better way to share what you believe in. I also went as far as researching where the money for those little cookies go, and most (aside the money paid to the bakers themselves) of the profits are said to go back to the troops and area I am buying from, according to the girl scout website.

Though it doesn't necessarily justify my buying girl scout cookies if I want to "make a stand for what I believe", we will keep getting good gas for our cars, my husband will keep his job to support us, we will still volunteer and give to the organizations we love and believe in, and we will probably keep buying girls scout cookies every once in a while because we like them, despite their ties with a group that offers abortions. Even with the numerous recipes available to make tasty versions at home, like this one.

What do you think?


side note: In sharing this post I don't want to offend my friend, or anyone else not buying girl scout cookies/gas/health food/whatever it may be for similar reasons (there are endless things to boycott and protest). Truly, I was grateful for her brave comment and it caused me to make a more informed choice, which I hope to do more often than not.
I also don't want to offend anyone who supports Planned Parenthood, or any other group that supports and encourages abortion. I may not be completely supportive of abortion, but I am also not completely against it. People have a right to choose, a great benefit to life.


post update: Thank you to everyone who has commented! I am grateful for the conversation that is happening. I especially love the personal stories that are about you, real people, being directly affected in a positive way by a supposed "big bad business". 


I didn't really mean to come across like I was completely against PP, I have read wonderful things about the organization and keep learning more. Also, I am not entirely anti-choice, there are situations where I think abortion is necessary. And though I don't agree with abortion in general, I do believe in good health care for everyone.


Also, a friend and I were chatting about researching companies and whether not it is actually effective to boycott every group you have something against. It's not. If you really wanted to get down to it, you could protest anything and everything. For this reason, I stopped researching companies I invested in a number of years ago (something I could have mentioned). I just wasn't willing to put in the time, and who knows what information you receive is really viable? I would rather spend my energy elsewhere, emphasizing the good than pinpoint every company that had a little bad in it. I myself am not perfect.

something savory

I love breakfast. There are my favorite (and habitual) morning dishes that frequent our table, stewed and soaked grains sweetened with maple syrup paired with crunchy nuts and seeds and bursts of fresh fruit. We can't seem to get enough pancakes on the weekend, though admittedly they'd probably be waffles if we had an iron. Then there are husband's green smoothies that energize and awaken my body with a slice of golden toast smeared with coconut butter. But every now and again I want something hearty, rustic, a little pastoral and entirely savory. This often happens on lazy saturday mornings, for sunday brunch, but mostly on wednesdays. Makes sense, right?

This omelet is an example of those mornings.

sweets for the sweet

Another sweet for your valentine. These little profiteroles (aka cream puffs) are a bit of a mess to eat, especially when the ice cream has melted a little and the sauce is a generous helping, but gracious how I adore them.

See my recipe here.

Happy Valentine's day.

back and forth

A couple months ago, we started to introduce dairy back into our diets. After being dairy free for over two years we decided to start with cheese and yogurt since all I've read says those tend to be easiest on dairy sensitive systems, next up is raw milk. Things have been going well and the little one even had her first legitimate ice cream cone from an ice cream parlor. Of course it had to be bluebell, loyal to my texan roots.

Though my little toddler has had the time of her life eating string cheese and ice cream every so often, my body has not taken to eating dairy as flawlessly. It's possible that this dairy free business will become a permanent thing and I'm alright with that, especially when I have so many decadent dairy free indulgences to splurge on. This festive Valentine's day dessert is presented in two versions, a dairy version and a raw vegan version for those living without.

I will be demonstrating the dairy version of this recipe saturday morning on Fox 13 news here in SLC. If you're awake around 8, be sure to watch me and my little belly (p.s. I'm pregnant). But then you're probably always awake and watching the news at 8AM on Saturday morning... right?

harvest treasures

Back in October of last year, my little family and I went on our annual raspberry picking venture. We recently discovered frozen raspberries in our freezer that reminded me of fall's harvest and the warm sun that ended our berry picking exploit short because it got so hot, those were the days... Then I began to dream of ice cream, tarts and other sweet things I could make with the frozen berries, and realized I had better move quickly before my husband swiped them and put them into a green smoothie. It seems like he has been trying anything and everything lately. Can I admit that pea smoothies are not a favorite?

Though they'd undoubtedly be delicious in a normal green smoothie, let's make ice cream instead.

above. below.

Chinese New Year edition.

winter's cake

Typically around this time of year, lawns are covered with layers of past snowstorms, each melted a little and refrozen during the cold nights, then given a fresh powdering of new snow not many days following. Instead, this winter I have seen more blue skies, frosty windows, and green-ish brown grass than any other January I can remember. It has been a strange winter, although I have been secretly grateful for the fair weather as we lost part of our roof in a freak windstorm not too long ago..

Even though we've only had enough snowstorms to count on one hand, it hasn't stopped me from enjoying the winter meals we habit around this time of year, roasted vegetables, creamy soups, crusty breads, boxes and boxes of citrus, and stick to your bones desserts. I'm sure the majority of you out there are planning meals with health and a low calorie count in mind, but for us January is when we nestle into the rhythm of winter, a slow pace, hearty meals that sustain us through the cold days, and quiet early evenings with a good book in hand or favorite movie to watch, with or without forecast snow. Admittedly, there may be a green smoothie in there every now and again.

A Christmas Wish

Things have been quiet over here. Lack of a working computer made it impossible for me to update much of anything these last few weeks. But it came at the best time, we have been celebrating every day, making the moments merry and bright. I will be back, posting recipes and whatnot in the new year, but I wanted to share one of my favorite messages for the most magical of holidays.

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Christmas is a celebration, and there is no celebration that compares with the realization of its true meaning—with the sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself unselfishly in the things that matter most."

From McCall's Magazine, Dec. 1959, quoted by President Howard W. Hunter here.

Merry Christmas friends, see you in the new year.

above. below.

in Helper, Utah.

more here.

have a wonderful weekend!
Maybe you will be coming to say hello at our Thanksgiving cooking class?
If so, see you tomorrow.

the recent past

I ran a marathon (and have run very little since). We saw a lot of corn; in fields, in pits, in stalks, in underwear.. We picked pumpkins, watched the sunset, changing leaves, enjoyed a couple hayrides, and even had a halloween party. We've been having lots of soup, bundling up on our walks, and frequenting the indoor park more often than outdoors. We took a road trip, ate out, ate ice cream (!), ate cheese(!!!), decided hotel living was nice for a few days, stood under arches and at the edge of cliffs, then came home and had the season's first hot pot.

We've been having a grand ol' time. How have you been?

All but the last photo were taken with instagram.
look for me if you're on too : jenniferhoiyin

cooking class :: Thanksgiving

Melissa and I are teaching our Thanksgiving class this weekend! Because of limited space, this class has registration cap. Please sign up early to ensure a spot!

A Local Thanksgiving Class

November 12, 2011 - 11:00 to 1:30 p.m.

class venue :: Johnson residence in Provo,Utah

(address given after registration)

price: $35

the menu:

roasted acorn squash stuffed with bing cherry and apple stuffing

wild rice salad with citrus and pomegranate

sweet potato pie with orange wedges

REGISTER HERE.

come on over

We will be having a cooking class this saturday. It will be quaint and intimate because it will be held in my own home. I would love to have you over, to share some conversation, probably a few laughs (and blunders) and a warm, seasonal lunch this weekend. Hope you can come.

Soup, Salad and Sandwiches Class 

October 22, 2011 - 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.

class venue :: Johnson residence in Provo,Utah
(address given after registration)

price: $35
 

roasted tomato soup

autumn vegetable minestrone

gruyere and kale pesto grilled sandwich

  caramelized brussel sprout salad 

free form apple and lemon balm galette

REGISTER HERE.

baking an apple tart

If you're in south jordan, come say hello along my race route! It's always fun seeing supporters cheering you on. Even if the cheers are meant for someone else, they make my steps a little lighter.

a few links for you this weekend:

+ I love Sheena's reply to the view that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are not Christian. We believe in Christ. Really, I do.
+ I love Susan's series of her favorite instagram photos, I love when things relate by chance.
+ The days that I have been following Robin's 100 ways to thank your body, my body has been thanking me.
+ I know Halloween isn't for a few more weeks, but I am so excited for Christmas!
+ Recipe for this apple tart on zupas today.

have a lovely one friends.

listening to food

So remember how I ran a half marathon back in June? And remember how I scoffingly said meh I'm pretty much halfway there, may as well keep running? Well I did. I kept running; and running; and running. I ran so much I had to buy new shoes, and new shorts, yes I even got a new running top (or four). I also got a visor which may or may not be the most fashionable clothing purchase I've ever made but gracious I love that thing, especially in the rain.

I ran so much these past 16 weeks that I am days away from running my first marathon. Yes, I am officially one of those crazy masochist people who will be voluntarily putting my body through a ridiculous amount of strain (it's actually not so bad when you take it on gradually), all for the glory of a free t-shirt and a knick knack of a medal (where do I put/do with them?) I guess it's not really official until I finish, I will finish.

During my training, I have missed the conversation I had with my running partner before she moved away. I couldn't go back to listening to music, especially for my longer runs. I needed the real time of a voice, of conversation, something that engaged me mentally and intellectually. So I started listening to audio books and podcasts, many of which (surprise!) dealt with food. I now realize just how obsessed I am.

Here are a few of my favorites..