I love pomegranates. They are a pain to prepare, they make a mess and all that effort seems to yield so little usable fruit. And yet, there is just something so endearing about pomegranates in the fall.
What to Do with this: Pomegranates
Soup, Salad and a Sandwich
The past week has been testin’ this foodie girl’s patience. With my kitchen in complete disarray (not that there was much order there to begin with) and my favorite space invaded, I was compelled to seek the path of least resistance. That being, the simplest suppers imaginable. We’re talking soup, salad and a sandwich.
Perfect Day for a Picnic
Today was a beautiful day. Autumn seems to be getting comfortable, blessing us with its presence and promising to stick around this time. It was a perfect day for a picnic and a delightful day out for the doggies.
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Protein-Packed Pumpkin Spice Granola
By now you may have caught on to the fact that I have been anxiously awaiting Autumn’s arrival (sorry, I don’t mean to complain). And for just a brief moment, I allowed myself to believe that the glorious moment of seasonal transition was finally upon us…only to find myself, once again, sweating up a storm, shrugging the long sleeves and cranking the cooler. Oh well, what can you do? Sigh. Over the years in these desert parts, I have come to realize that summer does not easily give way to fall. However, in a delightful moment of fall fervor, I totally and completely embraced the mood and indulged in creating some autumn spiced eats to commemorate that fleeting, teasing moment. Among the goodies was this protein-packed raw pumpkin granola, too tasty not to share.
Autumn Spiced Butternut and Apple Soup
Yesterday morning I woke up early. Too early for a Saturday. I couldn’t imagine why this body of mine insisted on rising at the crack of dawn on this particular day, when sleeping late was the simplest and most important goal. I stumbled and grumbled my way to the kitchen to brew the coffee and let the dogs out. When I opened the door I was hit by the most delightful sensation…the morning air was so cool and crisp. I dare say, it was downright chilly. Oh, yay! Autumn! It’s here, it’s finally here! I felt a celebration was in order, so I decided to commemorate this moment of autumnal bliss with a warm pot of seasonal soup.
Skyscapes
I struggle with this season of change, or rather, this season that stubbornly refuses to change even though Mother Nature claims it should be so. Feeling hot, ornery and uninspired, I allow myself to become absorbed in the business of everyday tasks and I forget to stop and enjoy the moment of sunset. So, lately I have been making an effort to be mindful of those moments whenever they happen to present themselves. And looking back, I have discovered a small collection of skyscapes too lovely not to share.
Spiced Pear Cake
I knew, the moment I opened my eyes in the early am hours, that this was going to be one of those cake for breakfast kind of days.
What to Do with this: Fresh Figs
Since we started receiving our weekly box of organic and locally grown produce, I have come to adore this time of year. And that is saying a lot. At this point in the year, I am mentally and physically done with summer. The desert heat is trying my patience, it is draining my energy and any twinge of adoration I might feel for this season is attributed to only one thing: food, of course. I may not feel it in the air just yet, but I can see the beginnings of that blessed seasonal transition in the contents of our weekly produce box. Heirloom tomatoes, Asian pears and fresh figs. I absolutely love fresh figs and their appearance in my box is a reassuring sign that yes, autumn will eventually bless us with its presence. And yet, the bounty of beautiful fresh figs in my kitchen provokes that all too familiar question: what to do with this?
Cool It, Summer
With August nearly done and a new school year begun, I keep expecting a shift to occur. You know, those subtle changes that come with the changing of seasons. The air gets a little crisper in the early morning hours. The light begins to change and long shadows fall a little earlier. Mother Nature hints that autumn is finally making his way around. In the desert, it is a very subtle shift, nearly imperceptible. But you can feel it, if you’re paying attention. And I, for one, have been attentively and not-so-patiently awaiting that shift. Unfortunately, Mama Nature’s not quite ready to indulge, so summer is still very much in full swing in these parts. C’mon, Summer. Cool it!
What’s in Your Lunchbox?
At the last minute, my hubby and I decided to take a break from the everyday and indulge in (what seems to be turning into an annual thing) an adventure of a different sort…Las Vegas…Star Trek convention. Yes. That’s what I said. And while we were there, we experienced quite a few fun Trekkie moments. But my favorite was this…Teacher got herself a new lunchbox!
Seek a Little Solace 