we all start somewhere

today was our first day in the garden!!! well in reality, our first day started last year when we dug up all the plants (maybe not the best idea for a pregnant lady. at least that's what my back thought the next day). then there was the laying of the compost, which i had absolutely zero part in. i really wanted to help (partial lie) but quincy was being cranky (all the way true) so laura did all the hard work. i was grateful (all the way true).

we went to the farmers market this past saturday and picked up some lettuce starts and some good seeds. i planted my red lettuce on saturday. look how pretty!

i promised i would water them everyday and i (kind-of) did...only maybe it was more like right when i planted them and never again... and that's why i was embarrassed when they looked like this today

oops... it'll be a miracle if this garden produces anything.

what i should have said is, this was quincy's first day in the garden! who says 3 1/2 months is too young to use a shovel? we'll save the weed wacking chores until she's at least 6 months.

she didn't do much work, though. kept claiming it was too hot for her and she needed to lay on her blanket. it seemed believable enough until she put the back of her hand on her forehead and feigned faintness. then we knew it was just an excuse. milo stood guard. 

then milo claimed HE was too hot and needed to lay on the blanket, so they switched roles for a minute.

milo did bury a stick in the garden though, so we felt he honestly deserved a little rest. 

we planted the rest of our lettuce starts and seeds, some carrot seeds, brussel sprouts and broccoli. now if only i can remember to water them EVERY day...

Factoid of the Day:

did you know that kale is related to mustard?? check out the seeds - they totally look mustardy!

gardening for beginners - here goes nothing! (what does that phrase even mean?)

this time last year, here's where my food skill level was...

sweet garden, huh? look what produce came from it!

this year, with a little bit of help from my friend laura at yummy yards, my garden's going to ROCK!!!

factoid of the day:
if this little guy can plant a garden, so can you (and so can i....i hope)

World's Best Cook Book

I found it. The world's best cook book (or at least the best one on my bookshelf):

Cooking with Vegetables and Fruits IN SEASON by Sarah Raven

The book takes you through the seasons by month, highlighting which fruits and veggies are at their prime when. Um - brilliant. I guess the downside is, if your recipe doesn't turn out, you can't blame it on your veggies being bad... another thing some people might view as a downside is, the author is clearly a dump and pour cook and writes her directions that way, so if you're looking for step by step and very specific instructions, you might be a little frustrated. But, as a fellow dump and pour cook, I'd like to focus on why this book rocks: 

- Beautiful pictures! Which, come on, everyone knows a cook book is really all about the pictures anyway. Daydreaming about what your meal COULD look like. It's like flipping through Glamour magazine - you can read all the articles you want, but really you're just looking at the models in the ads thinking, "this is what I COULD be if I read this article." I don't think anyone every really believes this, but I guess it's just our instinct that says we have to imagine it's true. I digress

- Awesomely unique recipes. I just tried one out on my brave husband and it turned out really good:

Orange Pasta (I know, right?)

8 Ounces Tagliatelle (aka linguine - I used bowtie pasta)

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (how can anything not be good with this?)

1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled but left whole

Juice and grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp Brandy (I left this out)

3 Tbsp Butter

5 Ounces Parmesan cheese, grated plus a little extra for garnishing

- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just al dente

- When it is cooking, heat the cream with the garlic and bring to a boil for a minute. Remove the garlic and add the orange and lemon zest, some salt and plenty of pepper, then remove the pan from the heat to allow the cream to steep in these flavors for about 10 minutes 

- Add the orange juice, brandy, butter, and Parmesan, and toss with the drained hot pasta

- Garnish with a little more Parmesan cheese and add salt and plenty of pepper. 

It was tasty and really really easy! Next time, I'm going to add some greens in there - maybe some asparagus and peas or something. mmm

I made a rhubarb tart from the book too, but we haven't tried it yet and I'd be lying if I said I was a great baker (refer to "dump and pour" title... doesn't work with baking so much), so we'll see how it works out!

The Salt Lake Roasting Company

Every time I'm in Salt Lake, I make it a point to stop at the Salt Lake Roasting Company because it is the epitome of what a locally owned shop could be.

Here's the skinny:
The owners travel all over the world in search of the perfect cup of joe and then bring their findings back to stick up on their menu. From third world countries, to renowned coffee meccas. Meaning, if you're into the order-a-cup-of-"specialty"-coffee-but-it-still-tastes-like-all-the-other-available-coffees-on-the-menu type of experience, you might not be keen on the SLRC. BUT, if you are looking for a caffeine experience, this is your place.

I say "experience" because it's a little bit of a crapshoot when you go in. At a place like Starbucks, you know exactly what the coffee's going to taste like. Here, you choose from a menu that's not neccessarily the most user-friendly thing (this is my favorite thing about local stores...they don't quite have it all figured out the way chains do. and it's wonderful). Feel free to ask the staff questions, but I have heard them say "I don't know" more than is comforting... So, you kind-of choose blindly. Which is fun. If you're not afraid to end up with a cup of coffee that's so strong it stains the cup (and your teeth) black immediately. I mean, with a slogan like "coffee without compromise," you're kind-of sacrificing yourself to the bean gods when you go in.

And now, the atmosphere:
My next favorite thing about locally owned stores is that they don't have much conformity. The dishes don't match, the chairs and tables don't match, the food menu's written on a blackboard that could change at the drop of a hat (p.s. you don't go to the SLRC for food. Just a heads-up. Eat beforehand. Or bring a granola bar). The building is incredible. An old warehouse type of place with a great main level, an awesome staircase right in the middle that every girl wishes she had in her house during high school when she walked downstairs in her prom dress to make her dates knees buckle, and the perfect amount of loft space above. I'd bet money that anyone who has ever walked in there for the first (or hundreth) time has thought, "wow, I've never wanted to be a writer before, but suddenly I have this urge to start a novel just so I can come in here every morning, nest up, and let this java aura help me create a masterpiece." That's the type of atmosphere it is.

And finally, the people:
I don't get the impression that the SLRC is meant for large social gatherings... I might be wrong. I've noticed it more as a place where the SLC introverts can all get together to be alone. So, if you're looking for a place to cozy up to your neighbor, you might want to skip this one. But, if you're looking for a place to write that masterpiece, you might want to take a few writing classes first, but then maybe try your luck at the SLRC.

Tasty Little Rimini

After a long journey snowshoeing in Beaver Creek, we stumbled upon this confectionary heaven: Rimini Chocolate. If the fresh, untouched snow on the mountains does it for you, just wait till you see the fresh mounds of gelato displayed to artistic perfection in this little shop. 

I love love love the creativity they use to strut their stuff - I mean hello? Why wouldn't you want to see an entire pineapple cascading down it, or a cute little mug full of pistachios nestled amongst it staring at you saying "you see that glorious gelato right here? I'm a feature in it!" It definitely helps make your decision easy to get gelato (not necessarily which flavor to get though..)

 

Of course you immediately get distracted when the staff brings out a fresh batch of their handmade chocolates, each handled like they were little diamonds right off the smoothing belt. I needed one of each of them, and I don't even like chocolate that much! Thank goodness for the boy, who insisted that I only needed one flavor. 

Now maybe it is because I don't love chocolate, but I do have to admit, it looked way too good for how it tasted. Don't get me wrong, it tasted fine, but when you see the classiest lady you've ever seen before in your life, and then she burps just like everybody else... you just can't help but be a little bit disappointed. I expected/hoped this chocolate to be universes above any other chocolate out there. I mean, it had glitter on it for Pete's sake! 

But don't even get me started on their hot chocolate. If your goal is to sing The Beatles' "Baby You're a Rich Man" with every sip of your choc, this is for you. I couldn't get past the first verse it was so creamy. 

So, even with a slight chocolate deceit, you get a thumbs up, Rimini

Baked Bell Peppers

I LOVE this recipe. A super flavorful mix of sweet and a mild spicy. Takes a lot of ingredients and some time (it does get much quicker the second, etc time you make it...), but it's totally worth it! 

I've made it a handful of times for different people and have always gotten the same response (which usually consists of, "I figured since you're vegetarian, dinner would be bland. And I've had stuffed peppers before and they ARE bland. But these are incredible") and requests for seconds. It's awesome (the actual recipe AND the compliments). You'll make insta-friends. Money-back guarantee - I'll pay for your groceries if you don't

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

pinch of saffron

1 1/3 cups brown rice

6 tbsp pine nuts

1 onion, finely chopped (I've never actually put an onion in mine... the boy's "sensitive to onions" ;)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 cup cooked chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried apricots, soaked in water, drained and chopped

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 large red bell peppers, halved and deseeded, stalks in tact

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

salt and freshly ground pepper

Smoked Almond Dukkah (p.s. who in the world knows what dukkah is??)

1/4 cup smoked almonds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

salt and freshly cracked pepper

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.

2. Gently heat the vegetable broth in a pan and infuse the saffron in it for 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the broth has been absorbed

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet, add the pine nuts, and cook over a low heat until golden; remove and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in the pan, add the onion, and cook until lightly golden. Add the ground coriander, cumin, chickpeas, raisins and apricots and cook for 1 minute.

5. Stir in the rice and chopped parsley and season to taste

6. Fill the pepper halves with the prepared pilau (rice mixture) and place in a large roasting pan

7. Mix together the vinegar, honey and 1/2 cup of water, then pour that mixture into the base of the roasting pan (I usually do this while the rice is cooking just to save on time)

8. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes

9. For the smoked almond dukkah: heat a dry skillet and, when hot, add the almonds and seeds and toast for 30 seconds, stirring all the time. Transfer to a mortar and crush with a pestle, but not too finely, and season (and I do this while the peppers are cooking just to save on time)

10. When the peppers are cooked, remove to four serving plates, sprinkle liberally with the dukkah, whisk the pan cooking juices and pour over the peppers.

The Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant

So, you know it's bad when even a vegetarian is afraid to go into an all-vegetarian restaurant. I have to be honest here, good veggie restaurants are very very few and far between.

I can literally count on one hand the ones I've been to that I would not only go back, but recommend to non-vegetarians.

The Leaf is at the top of that list. The first time I went in (yes, not only am I recommending it... I've since been there MULTIPLE times), I was very hesitant. My now husband took me there on a date - so proud to prove that he can take care of me because he knew where this restaurant was where I could eat anything on the menu. (side note - I've been on a lot of these types of dates in the past and 9 out of 10 times, I actually prefer to go to any old restaurant and just choose the one veggie item they have... makes ordering MUCH easier and it's usually better food...but it IS cute that the guys think they're doing me a huge favor...)

Anyway, I was immediately impressed by the decor. It didn't look like most vegetarian places - where you can tell that they want it to look organic and natural...and it usually ends up looking like you'll be eating dinner in a barn.

The Leaf was very classy. And the menu had some really fun items on it - nothing too interesting, which is a great thing for meat-eaters visiting. People are afraid of vegetarian restaurants. They always feel so foreign. Shoot - I'm afraid of vegetarian restaurants, in case I haven't made that point obvious enough yet. 

The Leaf doesn't feel like that at all. And the food is excellent. I've never been unhappy with my order there.

Even the vegan - yes, vegan - desserts are tasty.