Final Move

Two months after a customizable domain name and now I’m spoiled rotten. WordPress, it has been charming, but blogspot allows me to customize more to my liking.

I’ve moved to blogspot. It is final.

Oh, and this is just the start…

>>CLICK ME TO GO TO THE NEW SITE<<

*image: postcard

Chickpea Kale Curry Recipe

Sometimes, even in the summer, the comfort of warm food is appealing. How to achieve this sumptuous end without grilling in blazing heat? I present a warming recipe for comforting, detoxing luncheon:

Chickpea Curry with Kale – serves 4-5

1 head raw kale, chopped
2 large onions, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, chopped small
2 tablespoons coconut oil
10 cloves whole
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp celtic sea salt
1tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin
15oz can Eden brand garbanzo beans (keep liquid)
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro (1/2 a bunch)

Directions:
1. Have your vegetables chopped. Combine all spices in a small dish. Set aside.
2. Fry onion over medium heat in large deep skillet with lid, using oil, until soft.
3. Add garlic and spices, stirring constantly, for about a minute.
4. Pour all of chickpeas and liquid into the skillet, add all of kale, and cover. Turn temperature down to low. Stir every so often until the kale turn a bright deep green.
5. Once done, stir in cilantro. Serve to enjoy.

The end result should look rather becoming, and your house might smell wonderful too…

Wonderful way to spice up the menu and provide warming chewy food. Do note that the amount of onions is quite significant and that the spices are potent. Vary as you see fit for your tastes and please mention anything you prefer with the dish. Suggestions are always welcome company!

Cheers for the final haul…(exam tomorrow), YYLady

PS- No, I am not paid to mention any particular ingredient. In regards to Eden, I prefer there products exclusively since Eden is the only company I know of with BPA-free lining and proper soaking techniques before cooking their legumes. I would not recommend or use anything else for my own family, so I like to share only what I consider most healthy.

image: summer

<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2699720/the-flavor-and-times?claim=rjvr4m586fv”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Delightfully Delicious Whole Foods

My my my! I am in the midst of a moving household, but the beauty of it is my exams take priority. Translate that last phrase into: no packing, no personal fuss. My family can move out until Monday evening, when I will have the official pleasure to join. (a touch of sarcasm)

In the meantime, I threw my hands in the air over a single meal and double meal recipe for the week. Simplicity, you elude me.

Off to the market I went- frozen dinners? Well, em, hmm… A quick glance at my bill and the fates decided- I gleefully whisked myself over to the splurge of a lifetime: Whole Foods prepared bliss! I literally eyed the entire case slowly (it may have been large… the attending woman might have followed me all the way around it). For some reason, the meals this week required little spending. Apparently the fates voted for a feast with my remainder change!

My first selection: Ginger glazed beets

I completely understand the absurd price for this ruby delight- have you ever tried to properly skin a cooked beet? No? Spare yourself, and tell the cookbook to julienne the mess itself, lovelies.

My second prize: Eggplant, Dried Tomato, Bell Pepper Vinaigrette

Superb, light, and slightly chewy. Sun-dried tomatoes add such flavor…

My final giddy selection: Butternut Squash w Caramelized Onions

Simply sweet bliss. Rarely have I eaten the blessed thing, but every time I do I cannot help but smile through caramelized lips.

Only this beautiful galette may have reached a higher perfection:

Ideas, ideas, no? 😉

What might have saved my spending tab? Here is my grocery list:

2 zucchini
2 heads rainbow chard
2 bunches kale
1 yellow summer squash
2 green bell peppers
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno
3 onions
1 Eden can each: garbanzo, black bean, and kidney
28oz fire-roasted tomatoes
6oz can tomato paste
32oz straight cranberry juice
32oz German mineral sparkling water
1 Amy’s frozen dinner

You probably suppose there exists a chili recipe in the making. A rainbow vegetable chili recipe, actually. For lunches, a nice chickpea curry with kale and for breakfast, refrigerator/pantry clean-out: equal amounts almonds and cashews with a cranberry zinger to toast the morning. Nothing like some nonsense to pair with mayhem.

Oh, the mayhem.

Take care to take tea, YYLady

*images: ballerina, beets, eggplant, butternut squash, galette, sigh

Lemon Surprises for Tomorrow

OH what a week and it has yet to finish! Luckily, there are wonderful things happening, like the Little Man’s birthday tomorrow!!

To create a lovely lemon surprise for his birthday, some almonds and cashews required salt-water soaking and then some oven dehydrating.

With a little impromptu coercion, I managed to shock both my parents into appreciation for the soaked, and dehydrated nut. Luckily, I had the raw counterparts available to provide a taste reference for the two of them. My dad mentioned his distaste for nuts in general, but found he liked the raw organic almond I handed him. Well, alright. A start.

HOWEVER, once he tried the prepared almond, he opened his eyes wide and tried to come up with a flavor comparison, ending with a shortbread wafer. Recall, this is my dad. If he “likes” a dish, I can usually manage a head nod and shoulder shrug. Not once have I had such a reaction. Not even with the hand-kneaded cinnamon rolls. These are definitely worth a try, my dears. My resource for accomplishing nut soaking/dehydrating appropriately can be found here. I find Mrs. Harris to be a wonderful cook and resource.

Today, outside of working the oven and taking care of chemistry quizzes, I finally managed to write back to my dear friend D, currently stationed at Land’s End for internship. While writing, I envisioned where I thought the best letter conversations might be had in person…

A discussion over teacake and milk would be lovely…

A lounging beach view might suite certain conversation…

Surrounding art, in any form, really unlocks a meaningful exchange of ideas…

…and an occasion to attend never hurt the situation either.

Where do you imagine a perfect conversation among close girlfriends? Any inspiring places? Share yours below loves.

Floating off to sleep now, YYLady

*images: almonds, picnic, beachside gossip, talking art, masquerade

Tizzy with a Dash of Gluten free

My the time passes by! Since the weekend began, the flurry of activities have yet to stop.

Meanwhile, my sad little phone pictures will have to do as I spoil the weekly mealplan…

My Spunky Coconut Grain-free Cookbook arrived in the mail! These are the orange scones recipe, but a little ugly since I am working with a wee processor, not an actual FOOD PROCESSOR. 🙂 Moving does make things complicated.

The past two evenings I have enjoyed gluten-free matzo ball soup. Perfect comfort food for a week so jam-packed as this! Instead of using a simple broth, I made my own veggie stock, keeping the vegetables to add a little more bulk. Elana’s Pantry offers these fluffy matzo wonders in her recipe, which I recommend. Did you know you can freeze the batter into balls and then boil them as necessary? Perfect convenience food!

For the other meal ideas, I have made (but alas, not pictured) Palak Dahl for lunches, paired with a fantastic gluten free chip company, Food Should Taste Good. Last week I tried their Jalapeno chips, which I absolutely loved. These Blue Corn Dipping Chips are wonderful too.

You realize these are quite addictive and spicy… must!! Perfect solution for a salty tea time moment with roasted red pepper hummus. Mmmm…

Til we meet again, YYLady

*images: blow dry, chips

Cascal & Xocolatl Review

Been balancing an act of study and tea time lately. With a 5 week last hurrah of 4 summer courses all piled on top of one another, it is full on. I have not failed to sample all of my experimental concoctions this week…

Review for Cascal Crisp White:

This one was my favorite. Do expect a sour/bitter kombucha-esque flavor, similar to that of other fermented beverages. This is not a coke. However, there is a sweet fruit essence, roughly 30-40% of the total flavor. Very nice. I think I would get this again in the possible future.

Review for Fine Dry:

Obviously, this would then be the least favorite. I anticipated a stronger fruity flavor, but sipping proved the opposite. It did not feel as crisp and fresh to me. I would prefer to try other flavors before purchasing this one again.

Review for Dagoba Xocolatl:

Ohh my gracious. What a fabulous inkling purchase this was. Perfectly spicy and chocolatey. More spice than chocolate, in case you wondered what my preferences are. Definitely something to purchase again and again in the future for those who, like me, adore the cinnamon cayenne chocolate.

Next week, perhaps there will be more recipe reviews to add! Until then…YYLady

*images: balancing, cascal crisp white, cascal fine dry, Dagoba xocolatl, bicycle

Ancho Lentil Tacos

Not the highest quality photo (I am reduced to camera phone and webcam at present), but a delicious gluten-free lunch addition!

I suppose I might mention what all will be gracing the screen this week, if I manage some more pictures:

Bfast: GF Zucchini Bread + Eggs
Lunch Options: Ancho Lentil Tacos or Nacho Supreme
Dinner Options: “Spicy” Zucchini Soup or Pumpkin Soup
*note that all options include some addition of greens or crunchy vegetables, and are gluten-free and vegetarian recipes

Yes, I am on a gluten-free diet at the moment. At first, I thought there might be a need for some testing to be sure and whatnot. However, after viewing an interview where an MD specialist described how gluten encourages autoimmune diseases to thrive, I thought- to heck with it! Feeling like I need a furnace to keep blood in my hands in the middle of a desert summer means I will do anything to naturally cure or assist my body. If you too suffer these things, I recommend reading more here about her work.

Marvelous 4th Wishes, YYLady

Femme Experiments for Mankind

How I feel about writing papers for English today:

In the name of avoiding more revisions, I look to some interesting tea time news… Grocery Findings!

2 (Hopefully) Tantalizing Experimental Products:

xocolatl by Dagoba: dark chocolate, cinnamon, cayenne – sounds sexy, doesn’t it?

Crisp White & Dry White fermented sodas by Cascal: no wine? is fine.

Hopefully this July 4th holiday is looking wonderful for you. I have plans to donate a plethora of canned goods to the food bank since so many are needing. There are so many different mini-disasters happening out there, I think everyone would do well to offer support to those who might like a fourth of July better with a can or two extra to put on the table. Yes? All these extra cans may be found in your pantry if you look hard enough. I live week to week on my groceries, but my family does not. With permission, I managed to raid the pantry for a nice stash: soon-to-expire, excess, etc. types. You might be able to as well, with a little commotion and perhaps some work boots…?

My femmes, we too can be manly in boots. 😉

Editorial, YYLady

*images: rollerblades, flag, xocolatl, bubbly, boots

Letters!

Apologies, loves. My schedule and gut have been a bit frazzled this week. Tomorrow I hope to have some pictures taken as a break from yet another paper-writing session, but until then…

…a letter from my friend interning at Land’s End! Oh, how I love to receive mail. You’ve brightened my day, Chuuuu. 😉

Any of you interested in a gander of her work? She’s a dazzler: {Dazzle Me}

Love & Wishes, YYLady

Diagnosis Help!

Gracious alive, I believe I have found my own food allergies (but I need your help!). My story:

Until 5 weeks ago, I ate a primarily vegan diet, with a focus on strictly raw vegan eating for 2 months. Never had I enjoyed such an ease of digestion and adequate waste removal in my life. Wonderful, wonderful feeling and completely worth experiencing at least once in your life. Now that said, I have since re-introduced a plethora of food items. In this process, I realized today that my indigestion issues over the past few weeks could be stemming from consuming certain products again for the first time in months.

In fact, my indigestion symptoms, upon thinking, reminded me of all these allergy-related symptoms I read about in blogs I came across while searching for brother-friendly recipes (he’s a celiac). Abnormal bloating and feeling just weak and sickly really put me off the past two days more than I feel okay with. It suddenly reminded me of experiences from elementary school, experiences when I stopped feeling hungry after a point. I realize this may seem odd, but my stomach could go eight hours without any sense of hunger, though my energy and adrenaline would just continuously spike. Really odd, I realize. I just always felt super “full.” Or now, I think, rather bloated.

Contemplating this more, I reason that I must be either allergic or experiencing an autoimmune response to some food(s). My brother is a diagnosed celiac, so it would not be unreasonable to think that I have some gut issue. On top of this, Reynaud Syndrome is an autoimmune disease I already have, so there might be even more sensibility in looking to food allergies/responses.

Would anyone be willing to share how they tested themselves or others for allergies? Perhaps what the symptoms were like? The internet is only so helpful with its inexhaustible, vague descriptions of symptoms… I might have every disease if I tried hard enough. 😉

Thank you loves, YYLady

PS- this is gorgeous:

images: fall, pink