Tulip time

 

I think that any time at all is a wonderful time for fresh fruit but never more so than at breakfast.

It satisfies that craving for something a bit sweet without overloading on sugary pastries, French toast, 

or maple syrup drenched pancakes. And, of course, fruit pairs so well with most grains.

The perfect way to start your day!

This morning I put a pot of steel cut oats on the back of the cooker and let it simmer away for about a half an hour. I stirred in some ground flax seeds, some dried barberries, walnuts cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric when it was almost done.

While that was doing it's thing I tossed some fruit in a large pottery breakfast bowl.

Strawberries, which were rather large so I cut them in half

a handful of blueberries

a few rasberries

some sliced mango

and a pear that was calling to me from the kitchen window sill

When the oats were ready I poured them into the bowl and gave it all a bit of a stir. For me, this was the perfect ratio of grains to fruit and it was delicious!

A few months ago I noticed that I was tossing a lots of produce into the bin at the end of the week.

In my quest to eat healthier I spent most of my grocery budget in the produce section of the market but I wasn't actually eating much of it! What a waste of time and money.

After seeing a particularly beautifully arranged fridge on Instagram one day I decided to do the same thing in my fridge.

I haven't wasted any food at all since I started doing this. Everything is right at my fingertips.

It also inspired me to do some prep-cooking which makes it easy to pull healthy food out for meals or snacks. 

a salad fit for a king

 

It started out as a Caesar salad with romaine lettuce and tomatoes...

The beets looked so pretty at the market on Saturday morning so I brought them home and roasted them with some shallots and when everything was soft and smelling delicious I pulled them out of the oven, sprinkled some orange zest over them and put them in the fridge for later use. 

It turns out they were perfect for topping a salad along with some alfalfa sprouts and chickpeas. 

I had made a dip with plain almond milk yogurt, fresh dill, and finely chopped shallots which I thinned out with a bit of almond milk for a dressing, and then added cucumber to the salad since it goes so well with dill. 

March is a funny month here in New England. It is not quite spring and not quite winter...though this weekend definitely feels more wintery. Some folks got quite a bit of snow but here in our little seaside village it was heavy rain and heavy winds all weekend. Blustery days indeed...perfect for making soup.

This one included red lentils, chickpeas, zucchini, celery, and onions. I added some fresh herbs, whirred it around with the hand held stick blender, and served it with a few pepitas. Healthy, delicious, and plenty left over for Monday's lunch!

zucchini bread

One thing you will almost never hear anyone say at the end of August is, "We don't have enough zucchini."

The nice thing about zucchini is that it is quite versatile.

One can bake it in breads, cakes or cookies,  Sauté it in stir fries, roast it, bake it into pasta dishes, slip it into soups...even turn it into a roasted french fry.

My daughter has been kind enough to gift me with two baseball bat size squash which I am in the process of cooking.

Zucchini bread

1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce 

1/3 cup of plant based milk

1 TBSP of ground flax seeds (this will replace the egg)

1/2 cup of brown sugar or 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup

1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup of grated zucchini

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp each of baking powder, baking soda, and salt

1 tsp cinnamon

I also add a handful or so of chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and/or dried fruit such as raisins or prunes. You could use vegan chocolate chips instead of fruit, nuts, and seeds. 

First pre-heat your oven and line a bread pan with parchment paper. 

Combine the wet ingredients from the applesauce through the vanilla in a large bowl.

Blot the zucchini with a clean dishcloth and add it to the bowl. 

Add the dry ingredients from the flour through the cinnamon and mix gently just till combined.

Add the seeds, nuts, and/or fruit or chocolate chips.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Let cool before slicing.

grains, greens, and beans

 

For me, a plant-based diet includes plenty of grains, greens, and beans.  When I can get them all together at one meal that is a bonus. 

a table to gather round