Things I'd like to learn how to do, or do more of:
- Make and can jams
- Make pickles; cucumbers, beets, saurkraut
- Knit/crochet
- Make soy milk
- Make soy yogurt
- Make granola; cereal
- Make candles
- Make soap
- Make natural cleaning products
- Bake bread; sourdough
- Make own makeup
- Sprout seeds
- Write on stationary
- Make pasta
- Pottery
- Homemade wine
Monday, November 17, 2008
My Dream House
Yesterday I got to talking with my friends about the "ultimate" life. My dream has always been to escape to a quiet, rural house (it is white), on a large piece of fertile land, where it is always warm, the growing season is long and there are squash of all sorts growing in my back yard. I spend my days working in the garden, taking care of neighbor's children, perhaps teaching yoga from the home, and offering rooms and meals for passing travellers. The neighbors (whose house is a mile up the road) come over for dinner - they bring overly sweet homemade wine, grown from grapes grown organically in their backyard, and we serve thick vegetable soup, prepared with vegetables picked from the garden hours before, with fresh and warm kamut bread. For dessert, roasted apple crumble bakes in the wood stove and this is served with iced vanilla bean soy cream. The fireplace keeps us warm, and conversation lingers till the thin hours of the night, until the children have crashed in the living room, blankets half-covering their dirt-smudged legs - they can sleep here tonight. In the morning we'll wake with the sun - there is no need for alarm clocks here. In tall, second-hand crystal parfait glasses, we'll enjoy the seasonal fruit, layered with fresh yogurt, and just-toasted granola. The rest of the day I am busy - but not busy - with tending to the house, children, pets, guests, those who knock on the door. I cook, I create, I read, I write, I LOVE....
This has always been my dream, or at least I have included it as the epitome of the ideal "retirement" for every one the various life "plans" I have created. As my friends and sat there, discussing this over coffee that hand now gone cold, my dream became more and more plausible. it became tangible. It became possible for NOW (or at least sooner than retirement!). I want to live my dream NOW - because now is all I can be sure of. This dream is too beautiful to place so far in the distance; there are simply too many obstacles in between that could foil the 'plan'. Logistically, I know I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and see my vision in full bloom - but I CAN start planting the seeds. If I don't sow now, I may never reap. However, I would rather die with mere seedlings, than to not have planted at all. The perfect season to plant the seeds of your dreams is NOW, and the growing season is the rest of your life.
Tally ho!
This has always been my dream, or at least I have included it as the epitome of the ideal "retirement" for every one the various life "plans" I have created. As my friends and sat there, discussing this over coffee that hand now gone cold, my dream became more and more plausible. it became tangible. It became possible for NOW (or at least sooner than retirement!). I want to live my dream NOW - because now is all I can be sure of. This dream is too beautiful to place so far in the distance; there are simply too many obstacles in between that could foil the 'plan'. Logistically, I know I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and see my vision in full bloom - but I CAN start planting the seeds. If I don't sow now, I may never reap. However, I would rather die with mere seedlings, than to not have planted at all. The perfect season to plant the seeds of your dreams is NOW, and the growing season is the rest of your life.
Tally ho!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thanksgiving!
Happy thanksgiving! This year we celebrated our 2nd thanksgiving together in Vancouver with a bounty of food, a bottle of wine and sharing eachother's lovely company.
My day began quite early; at 7 am, to the cellphone rendition of 'Santa Baby', I peeled myself out of bed and ventured to Oakridge mall to run a prenatal yoga class at Lululemon. For thanksgiving Sunday morning, there was a nice turn out! It was really nice to center and prepare (physically AND mentally) for the long and full day ahead. After a few grapes at Kim's mart, I hit the road home. There, Kathy waited, and by noon, we were already eagerly prepping the many dishes we would devour that evening.
Our dishes included recreations of classic sides that would be enjoyed back home, 'veg-a-fide' of course, as well as some new, modern creations.
The feast consisted of: Sweet and sour 'neat-balls', kabocha squash stuffed with curried lentils, whipped turnips and carrots, cheese-roasted mashed potatoes, balsamic brussel sprouts and beets, mushroom gravy, butter buns, roasted chestnuts and vegan pumpkin pie, complete with kathy's soy and amarula whip cream!
To keep with 'tradition', we served a roasted tofurkey, stuffed with a delicious medley of wild rice, as our main course. Wade - after a long day at the shop, of course - came home just in time to carve the first slices. Kathy had the creative idea of using this distorted carrot as the wish bone! We froze it, and a few days later, while watching an Oprah episode regarding factory farming, made our wishes. She won. My wish was that the 'little piggies would be set free'. I was sad that I had let down the wee piglets. Next time I'll 'try harder'!
Finally, it was time to sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labour. For our Vancouver-family, it is a rare gem to sit down for dinner at the table. So between bites of tofurkey and sips of white wine, we talked about what we were grateful for - everything from mom and dad's donation to the dinner, to the cats getting along while we ate, to all the water and energy needed to create the dinner, to not having hairy bums! (haha.... long story - re: kenny vs. spenny)
We ate to our hearts' contents, but not surprisingly, there was much left over. Today, four days later, we are still working on the leftovers... It's fantastic. All in all, it was a really beautiful Thanksgiving. When we have the opportunity to create a meal together, to have meaningful conversation with those with whom, in the midst of the busy city life, we barely have time to make small talk, and to enjoy the feeling of a full belly and empty mind, we realize that life is simply SO beautiful.
May we find moments to appreciate this well into the winter season and new year!
To keep with 'tradition', we served a roasted tofurkey, stuffed with a delicious medley of wild rice, as our main course. Wade - after a long day at the shop, of course - came home just in time to carve the first slices. Kathy had the creative idea of using this distorted carrot as the wish bone! We froze it, and a few days later, while watching an Oprah episode regarding factory farming, made our wishes. She won. My wish was that the 'little piggies would be set free'. I was sad that I had let down the wee piglets. Next time I'll 'try harder'!
The Wishbone:
Finally, it was time to sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labour. For our Vancouver-family, it is a rare gem to sit down for dinner at the table. So between bites of tofurkey and sips of white wine, we talked about what we were grateful for - everything from mom and dad's donation to the dinner, to the cats getting along while we ate, to all the water and energy needed to create the dinner, to not having hairy bums! (haha.... long story - re: kenny vs. spenny)
We ate to our hearts' contents, but not surprisingly, there was much left over. Today, four days later, we are still working on the leftovers... It's fantastic. All in all, it was a really beautiful Thanksgiving. When we have the opportunity to create a meal together, to have meaningful conversation with those with whom, in the midst of the busy city life, we barely have time to make small talk, and to enjoy the feeling of a full belly and empty mind, we realize that life is simply SO beautiful.
May we find moments to appreciate this well into the winter season and new year!
Cheers and Namaste <3>
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Bye Ric! - a story about cake
Bye Ric! This recipe is for you!
If you're wondering what I'm taking about, Ric is one of my managers. Unfortunately, he will be leaving us and moving to another location after tomorrow's shift. It's always a bummer when someone you enjoy working with moves on, but on the other hand, it's also pretty delicious!
... what?
Well, if you read my blog religiously, which I'm sure you all do - haha! (*cough*, wow, tough crowd tonight! :P) - you would realize that I ALWAYS bake a vegan desert for 'going away' events. My schedule is pretty full as it is, and sometimes I only have time for the things I HAVE to do, not always being able to do the things I'd LIKE to do - like baking! What does this all mean? Well, I just put the 'like to's on my 'have to do' list: Ric is leaving, so I have to bake a cake!
In conclusion, I'm pretty great at justifying how I spend my time :)
well, enough of this rambling (how'd that happen?!) let's bake!
Brenna's Cha-cha-chai Cake with Almond Latte Icing
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 1/2 cups organic sugar
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup firm tofu
- 3 egg replacers
- 3/4 cup each grated carrot and apple
- 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh
- 1/2 cup grated coconut
Icing:
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup (scant) coffee
- 1 tsp almond butter
Directions:
1) Combine dry ingredients, including sugar, in a mixing bowl.
2) In a seperate, smaller bowl, whisk together tofu, oil, and eggs - it looks like mayonnaise!
3) With a wooden spoon, add 'mayo' to dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Add grated apples, carrots, coconut, and juice. Stir with wooden spoon JUST until combined.
4) Pour mixture into greased bunt pan and bake at 350oF for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature.
5) Meanwhile, while the cake bakes, combine icing ingredients, making sure to add coffee slowly until the desired consistencey is reached (you want it JUST pourable, not watery). When the cake is cool, flip out of bunt pan, and spoon icing onto cake so it spills sexily down the sides of the cake. (yummmmmmmmmmm)
6) Refrigerate before serving!
We'll miss you lots ric - especially the way you ALWAYS have something to say! Whether it's a dirty joke, discussions of alien conspiracies, or the politics of eating meat, it's always a great chat.
Love B!
If you're wondering what I'm taking about, Ric is one of my managers. Unfortunately, he will be leaving us and moving to another location after tomorrow's shift. It's always a bummer when someone you enjoy working with moves on, but on the other hand, it's also pretty delicious!
... what?
Well, if you read my blog religiously, which I'm sure you all do - haha! (*cough*, wow, tough crowd tonight! :P) - you would realize that I ALWAYS bake a vegan desert for 'going away' events. My schedule is pretty full as it is, and sometimes I only have time for the things I HAVE to do, not always being able to do the things I'd LIKE to do - like baking! What does this all mean? Well, I just put the 'like to's on my 'have to do' list: Ric is leaving, so I have to bake a cake!
In conclusion, I'm pretty great at justifying how I spend my time :)
well, enough of this rambling (how'd that happen?!) let's bake!
Brenna's Cha-cha-chai Cake with Almond Latte Icing
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 1/2 cups organic sugar
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup firm tofu
- 3 egg replacers
- 3/4 cup each grated carrot and apple
- 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh
- 1/2 cup grated coconut
Icing:
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup (scant) coffee
- 1 tsp almond butter
Directions:
1) Combine dry ingredients, including sugar, in a mixing bowl.
2) In a seperate, smaller bowl, whisk together tofu, oil, and eggs - it looks like mayonnaise!
3) With a wooden spoon, add 'mayo' to dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Add grated apples, carrots, coconut, and juice. Stir with wooden spoon JUST until combined.
4) Pour mixture into greased bunt pan and bake at 350oF for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature.
5) Meanwhile, while the cake bakes, combine icing ingredients, making sure to add coffee slowly until the desired consistencey is reached (you want it JUST pourable, not watery). When the cake is cool, flip out of bunt pan, and spoon icing onto cake so it spills sexily down the sides of the cake. (yummmmmmmmmmm)
6) Refrigerate before serving!
We'll miss you lots ric - especially the way you ALWAYS have something to say! Whether it's a dirty joke, discussions of alien conspiracies, or the politics of eating meat, it's always a great chat.
Love B!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
White Pea Potluck Salad
Good morning!
Oh, how I love saturdays, don't you? It may be grey, chilly, and wet outside, but - at least for the lucky few of us who have weekends off - it still feels warm and sunny inside :) Another reason to smile is the upcoming potluck I'll be going to tonight. If there's one big difference between Winnipeg and Vancouver, it's definately all the potlucks happening every weeekend! I love it.
So, since I have class all day today, I've already prepared my dish - simple, easy, and cold, so it doesn't need to be reheated when I get there. It's a white bean salad made with soy beans, chick peas, and some other nummy ingredients. I've made this salad many times back home and my mom LOVES it. In essence, it's much like a hummus, only not mashed. So, fellow pot-luck-lovers, here's the recipe!
White Bean Salad
Ingredients:
* 2 cups soy beans, dried
* 1 (14 oz) can of chick peas, rinsed and drained
* 1 small cucumber, halved, sliced
* 2 shallots, thinly sliced
* 1 tsp garlic, minced
* 3 tbsp lemon juice
* 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 tbsp each oregano, thyme, basil
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* 1 cup mesclun mixture, chopped
1) Place soy beans in a soup pot. Add water to cover 1 inch above beans. Cook on low-medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, or until beans are cooked but still have a bit of a crunch to em
2) Place cooked beans in salad bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add chick peas, prepared vegetables, and garlic. Toss gently. Combine wet ingredients with spices, then add to salad. Toss to coat. Taste. Control yourself - don't get munchy-happy yet - and add salt and pepper as desired.
3) Add chopped greens and mix gently.
4) Place in a pretty salad bowl, cover tightly with saran wrap, and get your butt to that potluck - you're late!
Oh, how I love saturdays, don't you? It may be grey, chilly, and wet outside, but - at least for the lucky few of us who have weekends off - it still feels warm and sunny inside :) Another reason to smile is the upcoming potluck I'll be going to tonight. If there's one big difference between Winnipeg and Vancouver, it's definately all the potlucks happening every weeekend! I love it.
So, since I have class all day today, I've already prepared my dish - simple, easy, and cold, so it doesn't need to be reheated when I get there. It's a white bean salad made with soy beans, chick peas, and some other nummy ingredients. I've made this salad many times back home and my mom LOVES it. In essence, it's much like a hummus, only not mashed. So, fellow pot-luck-lovers, here's the recipe!
White Bean Salad
Ingredients:
* 2 cups soy beans, dried
* 1 (14 oz) can of chick peas, rinsed and drained
* 1 small cucumber, halved, sliced
* 2 shallots, thinly sliced
* 1 tsp garlic, minced
* 3 tbsp lemon juice
* 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 tbsp each oregano, thyme, basil
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* 1 cup mesclun mixture, chopped
1) Place soy beans in a soup pot. Add water to cover 1 inch above beans. Cook on low-medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, or until beans are cooked but still have a bit of a crunch to em
2) Place cooked beans in salad bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add chick peas, prepared vegetables, and garlic. Toss gently. Combine wet ingredients with spices, then add to salad. Toss to coat. Taste. Control yourself - don't get munchy-happy yet - and add salt and pepper as desired.
3) Add chopped greens and mix gently.
4) Place in a pretty salad bowl, cover tightly with saran wrap, and get your butt to that potluck - you're late!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Get-Better Buttercup Soup
*cough* *cough*
I woke up a few days ago with the most irritated throat, a heavy head and a sense of vertigo as I rolled out of bed. Arrrrrgh, what happened?! It was the end of the weekend. I finally got some sleep - and some yoga - in, and this is my body's repsonse. Hmph... well then... time to battle some bad ass cold I guess!
What better to celebrate being sick than with a delicious soup? I was inspired by a soup at a potluck I went to last night (it was an awesome butternut squash, apricot, ginger, and coconut milk soup a la Misha :) ) . It's just simmering on the stove right now - YUM, it smells delicious - so here's the recipe!
Get-Better Buttercup Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 small buttercup squash, peeled, seeded
- 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 small piece ginger, diced
- 1 clove garlic, diced
- 4-6 cups water
- 1/2 cup - 1 cup nuts (I used walnuts and peanuts. You may want to chop the large pieces a little)
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1) Cook squash in microwave to soften (2-3 minutes). Peel and seed. Note: The skin is delicous, so cut it up and snack on it while you wait for your soup. Trust me! If you're feeling ambitious, clean, salt and roast the seeds and use to garnish the final soup.
2) Chop vegetables, and cut squah into chunks. Place in soup pot with water. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Turn element off, cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
3) Carefully pour soup into blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.
4) Stir in butter, nuts and raisins.
5) Pour yourself a bowl, grab a cup of tea, and curl up to re runs of the OC for the rest of the night. Enjoy your healin' mealin'!
Love B
I woke up a few days ago with the most irritated throat, a heavy head and a sense of vertigo as I rolled out of bed. Arrrrrgh, what happened?! It was the end of the weekend. I finally got some sleep - and some yoga - in, and this is my body's repsonse. Hmph... well then... time to battle some bad ass cold I guess!
What better to celebrate being sick than with a delicious soup? I was inspired by a soup at a potluck I went to last night (it was an awesome butternut squash, apricot, ginger, and coconut milk soup a la Misha :) ) . It's just simmering on the stove right now - YUM, it smells delicious - so here's the recipe!
Get-Better Buttercup Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 small buttercup squash, peeled, seeded
- 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 small piece ginger, diced
- 1 clove garlic, diced
- 4-6 cups water
- 1/2 cup - 1 cup nuts (I used walnuts and peanuts. You may want to chop the large pieces a little)
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1) Cook squash in microwave to soften (2-3 minutes). Peel and seed. Note: The skin is delicous, so cut it up and snack on it while you wait for your soup. Trust me! If you're feeling ambitious, clean, salt and roast the seeds and use to garnish the final soup.
2) Chop vegetables, and cut squah into chunks. Place in soup pot with water. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Turn element off, cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
3) Carefully pour soup into blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.
4) Stir in butter, nuts and raisins.
5) Pour yourself a bowl, grab a cup of tea, and curl up to re runs of the OC for the rest of the night. Enjoy your healin' mealin'!
Love B
Monday, March 17, 2008
Yoga Potluck!
(I'm dedicating this entry to all my beautiful yoga-teachers-in training, who now know about my nerdy blog addiction!)This past weekend we had a gathering of the yogis for a lunch/potluck to celebrate our third practicum - and hey, who needs an excuse for a potluck anyway?! It was awesome. We had the chance to step off of our mats, and really get to know eachother. Also, I can't fail to mention, there was QUITE of variety of delicous tastes !
Mom-made apple pie, sweet potato sushi, endive boats with goat cheese, poached pear, and candied pecans, mimosas!, lemon and basil green beans with toasted almonds, yummy fresh oranges, blueberry bread, organic raisin bread, and lots more - sorry if I've missed anyone's delicious dish!
My dish was a mediterranean roasted vegetable salad. For those of you who enjoyed it - here's the recipe!
Mediterranean Roasted Veggie Salad
* 2 yellow peppers
* 2 red peppers
* 1 zucchini
* 1 eggplant, or 2 smaller asian eggplants
* 1 eggplant, or 2 smaller asian eggplants
* 2 cups mushrooms
* 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* Salt and pepper, to taste
** Feel free to use other inspiring vegetables - chunks of red onion, whole cloves of garlic, etc!
1) Cut and prepare vegetables: Peppers into thick julienne, squashes into dollar slices (a little larger than bite size, you may have to cut eggplants in half), and mushrooms into quarters.
2) Toss vegetables (except artichokes) with olive oil, place on baking sheet, and roast in oven at 400oF for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are "half-cooked"
3) Allow vegetables to cool to room temperature. Toss in large bowl with artichoke hearts (including marinade!), balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings. Maybe throw in some oregano and basil, herb it up!
This recipe is SO EASY - the secret (er.. not so secret) ingredient is the marinated artichokes. They have SO much flavor, and the dressing is in the jar!
Looking forward to the next yogi gathering!
Sat nam, B
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