Tempeh & Chickpea Soup

The first principle of New England is that there is no escaping winter. You either embrace it, with warm boots and hearty foods, or you run away – to warmer climates. I used to be more afraid of the cold than I was anything else (or so it seemed). It took me a couple years to realize that a) you can’t wear shoes without socks during this season and b) there is a reason people wear multiple layers.

I was lacing up my shoes to go for a run the other morning. I glanced over at the temperature just to make sure I would be warm enough in what I was wearing – 20-something degrees. Don’t get me wrong, it is still difficult to motivate myself to run outside during the winter, but after five years of being here I know that I can change with the seasons.

This year has been quite the year of changes –  graduating college, landing my first job and becoming an uncle! There are moments where I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I am still trying to register who I am today. Right now. In this moment.

Time passing is inevitable. The only way I know how to not be overwhelmed by that is to give everything I got. I know that during the new year conversations center around change and plans for the future. There is merit in asking yourself how can I do better or how can I be better? I am still in the process of looking inward to say – who am I in this moment? 

Today, we are all the things we have been and what we will be.

—Tempeh & Chickpea Soup–

ingredients.

– 8 oz tempeh, flax or vegetable
-2 tbs olive oil
-2 tbs pure maple syrup
-water

– 1 14 oz can chickpeas, or dried & soaked
-4 tomatoes
– 4 green onions, some for garnish
– 2 cloves garlic
– 2 tbs rosemary, some for garnish

This soup is for the busy ones. It’s very easy and takes little preparation. The only foresight you need is to soak chickpeas over night.

To prepare the tempeh, cut into 1/2″ cubes. Fill a pan with water until the tempeh is mostly submerged. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Once the tempeh has absorbed all of the water, mash until tempeh is crumbled to pieces. Add olive oil until tempeh begins to brown. Add maple syrup and heat for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside, and by that I mean “try not to snack on the tempeh.”

In a food processor, blend tomatoes until smooth. Set aside. 

In a pot, sautée green onions & garlic until onions are translucent. While waiting, mince 2 tbs rosemary. Add tomato purée & rosemary. Heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chickpeas & tempeh. Let simmer for 20-25 min. If you find that you need more liquid, add some water or vegetable stock. I was in the mood for a denser soup (more of a stew) so I did not add extra water. At the end, garnish with some fresh green onions & rosemary. Enjoy!!

Full Heart.

I rode my bike down across the river today. I took my regular route home that winds down through Allston, along the frontside of Harvard stadium & popping right up into Somerville through Harvard Square. The whole time my legs were filled up with so much freedom. They gained pace & seemed lighter than ever before as I zoomed past cars that were carelessly idling.

This morning I woke up with my heart in my chest. When I was going over the bridge to Harvard I could feel it louder than it’s been lately. I imagined if somebody were pressed against my body it would have shaken them like the crashing of Pacific waves against cliffs.

Quincy has been gone for the past few days. I didn’t realize how much he had become part of my life until he wasn’t around. I guess that’s why it is good for partners to leave each other every now and again. Sometimes I think that I forget to really say & show that I love people. I don’t think that I am the only one though. If I am – so bet it – send me your tips!

Last weekend my friends were in from Toronto & New York and for the first time I knew how big of an impact friends have on our lives. After college I think we are all adjusting to new spaces – parts of us that are hollowed out and others that are filled up too fast. I imagine this isn’t specific to leaving college, but that it is an experience that will continue throughout our lives.

Instead of trying to fill the hollow spots where specific people used to be I am trying to recognize how full of love they have always been.

How full of love they will always be.

— Maple Walnut Butter Bars —

Preparation: 30 min.
Cook Time: 20 min
Serves: 10-12 ppl

ingredients.

– 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
– 1/4 tsp sea salt
– 1 cup coconut oil
– 1 cup pure maple syrup
– 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped & toasted at 200°
– sprinkle of brown sugar

Preheat over to 375°.

Line a 9×11 baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside.

Combine the brown rice flour & sea salt in a medium bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. You may have to use an electric mixer to get the right consistency. With the electric mixer on low, mix in the flour & salt adding 1/3 at a time.

If there are a few small lumps in your batter that’s ok! Just try not to over-mix the brown rice flour or your batter will become too much like taffy. Once it is mixed, press the batter into your 9×11 baking sheet. Spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Press walnuts firmly into better & sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Bake on 375° for 15 min. Enjoy!

 

p.s. This recipe was adapted from Flying Apron’s Gluten Free & Vegan Baking Book!

First Snow.

Lately, my lungs have been filled up with all of my worries. I think people have started to see it in my eyes – how I calculate the firmness of my grasp to this world I call my own. The weeks have been steadily marching by with or without me. Somedays, I wake up wearing somebody else’s clothes, sleeping in somebody else’s bed, going to work at what I think is somebody else’s job – simply to find that it is all my own.

I’m trying harder than ever to answer questions, but it seems like the harder I try the more elusive they are. I got a letter from my kindergarten teacher a couple weeks back. She used to take me out to dinner when I was a kid. She is one of the many reasons why I am here today, in Boston, trying to eek out my ever-shifting dreams.

I remember driving in her car one day and I asked her, “Do I call you Mrs. Cline or Carol?”

She said, “You can call me Carol when you graduate from college.”

I open the letter to find congratulations about my recent graduation and scrawled at the bottom, “p.s. You can now call me Carol.”

It’s amazing how after all these years she didn’t forget that conversation in the car. To be honest, I had forgotten about it.

I have forgotten about a lot of things these days. I am trying to write, to cook, to run, to live, to dream – but the doldrums of life are everywhere. I now know why it’s hard to escape the shallow-eyed look on the train, but I’m  determined to not be there.

I woke up to snow this morning. For the first time in weeks, I felt as though I woke up in my own bed.

I stook at the kitchen sink this morning and knew that the heartbeat in my chest was my own.

Today, I am forgetting the things that hold me be back in the morning.

I am turning on some slow Miles Davis in the kitchen and making a mess.

— Rubbed Sage Pumpkin & Roasted Apple-Kale CousCous —

Preparation: 45 min.
Cook Time: 45 min.
Servies: 6-8 persons

ingredients.

Rubbed Sage Pumpkin
– 1 small sugar pumpkin, cubed 1/2″ (or 1/2 larger sugar pumpkin)
– 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
– 2 tsp dried sage
– 2 tsp brown sugar
– 3 tbs olive oil
– pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper

Roasted Apple Kale
– 1 bunch Scots Kale, stripped
– 1 Macintosh (red) apple, peeled & chopped
– 2 tbs olive oil

Brown Rice CousCous
– 1 cup brown rice cous cows
-2 cups water
– pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper

Topping
– 2 parsnips, peeled & ribboned
– 2 carrots, peeled & ribboned
– handful of dried cranberries

directions.

Although this recipe has three parts (and does take a bit of time) it is super easy and delicious! After this lengthy fall season my house had a collection of pumpkins we never got to carving or baking so I really just used whatever was in my fridge to throw this together. If you would like to add some crunch feel free to throw in almonds and whatever else you like!

Preheat oven to 400°. Start my chopping & peeling the pumpkin. This will take the longest and require the most muscle. My strategy in dismembering the pumpkin was to chop it in half, scoop out the seeds & strings using a big spoon. You can set the seeds aside to roast later, use them in your garden next year, or use them for compost! Once you have chopped the pumpkin in half & emptied out the “guts” – peel the pumpkin using a potato peeler and cube into 1/2″ pieces.

Divide total pumpkin pieces in half and place equal amounts in two 9x11 baking pans that are about 1″ deep. Chop sweet yellow onion and add 1 1/2 tbs olive oil to each pan. Add 1 tsp of dried rubbed sage & brown sugar to each pan & mix well before placing in the oven. Bake in the oven for 30-34 minutes or until pumpkin is golden brown and can be pierced through with a fork.

In a large bowl strip & tear kale into bite-size pieces using your hands. Add peel & chopped apple. Mix in 2 tbs of olive oil & mix to cover kale & apples. Set aside & bake for 15 minutes, or until kale turns golden on the tips, once the pumpkin is done.

In a small pot bring 2 cups of water to boil. Once boiled, turn the water off & pour in dried couscous, sea salt & black pepper & let stand for 10-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. At this point, the pumpkin should be done roasting and you can pop your kale & apple mixture into the oven.

While you are waiting on the kale & couscous, peel & ribbon carrots and parsnips into separate bowl. Once you have done this the kale & cous cous should be ready and you can whip it all together!

In a large bowl layer cous cous, kale & apples, pumpkin & onions, and top with dried cranberries & parsnips & carrots. Admire, mix & enjoy!

Peanut Butter Coconut Cream Cookies

On Sunday evening, I sat around the television with some friends tracking the approaching hurricane. Fortunately, for Boston, Monday only brought heavy rains and strong winds. As I am sure you all know by now, not other regions were as lucky. We sent messages to our friends in New York making sure their apartments weren’t underwater or damaged. By in large, our friends were some of the people whose apartments were spared from damage. For everyone else, my warm thoughts go out to you during this period. It seems like during times of crises I realize the difficulty to string together language that consoles and supports others. To all my friends in New York, my thoughts go out to you. If you need a box of any vegan treats send me a message and they will be in the mail.

That being said, Monday we were stuck inside in Boston. I spent most my day catching up on rest from a work event Sunday evening. I thought it would be nice to occupy my time by baking up some cookies. We spent time inside together catching up on our week and cooking food together. For some reasons cookies in the oven & lazy days inside remind me of home.

I have been gone from California for a quite a bit of time now. I haven’t truly been home to stay (at least) for a very long time. I miss California some days, the family & all my friends. That’s the interesting thing about life after college. You start to come to terms with the idea that you are building your own home, complete with family & friends. My sister has been sending me ultrasound pictures lately of my future nephew and every time I ask my partner to make out the face, the small toes, and hands for me because I can’t see them myself.

We are back in Boston. I make deliveries to everyone’s bedroom of fresh cookies. I see their faces light up as they are still in pajamas or waking up over tea even though it’s 2 pm. I’m standing in the kitchen staring out at the storm wondering if the rain will ever stop. Wondering if I ever imagined myself 22 years old in my partner’s house baking vegan cookies in Boston. Wondering whether the cookies taste good.

I think of how big the word family feels tucked inside my lips.

— Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip* Cookies —

Preparation: 30 min.
Cooking: 12-14 min.
Yields: 2 dozen cookies.

ingredients.
-2 cups whole wheat flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-3/4 tsp sea salt
-1 cup chunky unsalted peanut butter
-2 tbs coconut cream
-3/4 cup pure maple syrup
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 cup almond milk
–1 package fair-trade chocolate chips

directions.

Preheat the over to 350°. Line a baking pan with parchment paper & set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flower, baking soda & sea salt. In a large bowl, mix together  peanut butter, coconut cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract & almond milk. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, add the flour mixture 1/4 at a time. Once it is thoroughly mixed add chocolate chips.

Spoon (1 tbs) onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper & press down with fork. Sprinkle sea salt & sugar in the raw over the top. Bake for 12-14 min. Cool for 5 min. Dip in a glass of almond milk & enjoy!!!

For other great cookie recipes visit

Fall Changes.

Hello everybody! Thanks for following along the last couple of months as I have tried out new themes, names & recipes. I have been working on changing the name of this blog for sometime now. Although Project Roots served me well for awhile; to be honest, I’m not quite sure where it came from. It was a conversation with a friend of mine when we were talking about making a completely different blog. I have been itching for a name change lately and I have been trying to figure out just what would work for the next chapter of this blog.

I started brainstorming words that mattered to me, ingredients that I enjoy cooking with, and my thoughts on how food brings people together. I’m trying out this one, Tea & Stories: nourishing each other & caring for the earth. It seems like the bulk of my inspiration comes over morning tea, whether I am sitting alone in my house or conversing with friends. Tea is a staple in my life.

It means tranquility, community & love.

When I was living in Hawai’i with my friend Chloé, tea meant everything. It meant family, conversation, and nourishment. After a busy day of running & surfing & hiking we would come back home to sit around the dining room table & have tea late into the night.

In Boston, this ritual has become a way to bring people together & to focus my energy & thoughts. I hope this space becomes like a good cup of tea shared amongst people who you love or ideas that inspire you. Through this space I hope that we can share stories that will bring us together (make us smile, think & dream) & recipes that fill us up with wholesome (vegan) food!

Feel free to send me an email at teandstories@gmail.com or connect with me on facebook!

Friends Let Friends Eat Tofu Omelets.

Try & try & try & try again. At least that’s what it took to finally make a tofu omelet. Last night, my friend Sasha, a fellow veg & blogger, crashed on the pullout couch. We tucked in early after scarfing down some late night leftovers from my meal with my good friends Bridget & Ian. It seems as people are coming together over food at my house these days. Whether I am whipping up something in the morning for myself or headed to the farmer’s market to get some early fall inspiration – there seems to always be a couple pair of hands and feet in the kitchen.

I remember earlier in the summer I was up at Sasha’s apartment and she baked breaded vegan eggplant and we sat around eating & chatting until we lost track of time. We both graduated back in May & there have been overwhelming transitions in our lives. I forgot to mention, I also worked with Sasha for the past eight months, we lived in the same apartment complex, and shared an office – we have been joined at the hip since May. I haven’t had the opportunity to see her lately now that we don’t share the same physical space. It was nice to have her here. To chat over all the things we haven’t caught up on & to lounge in the dining room over warm tofu omelets.

Around noon Sasha started to get ready for work and there I was, in full unemployment splendor, on the couch in my pajamas at noon pouring over job applications, cover letters, and resumes. My phone rings from a blocked number and it happened, a job offer. The one reason I feel like I have been holding my breath for months. It seemed like the perfect morning for this – sun shining through my windows & a good friend at my side.

The last few months have taught me more lessons than I can count, but I know this. The people in my life matter. Every successful & failed vegan meal, every late night drink & brief conversation has helped me to get through this tough period. It has been the people in my life that helped me to get through this last period and I thank each and every one of them for that. This week, there will be pumpkins carved, appetizers made, and roaming around the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival.

To everyone who I have talked to on the phone, had over for dinner or life chats, and/or given me a hug or a brief word of encouragement, thank you. I could not have done it all without you.

–Tofu Omelet–

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 2-3 omelets

ingredients.
-1 14 oz package soft tofu, partially drained
-2 cloves of garlic
-2 Tbs nutritional yeast
-2 Tbs olive oil
-1/4 tsp ground mustard
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 cup hazelnut flour
-1 Tbs arrowroot
-1/4 cup water

filling:
-1/2 yellow onion
-1/2 roma tomato
-1 cup swiss chard, chopped

directions.
Slice tofu into 1″ squares. Place in food processor & puree on high until smooth. Add garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, mustard seed & salt until completely mixed. Make sure at this point that you reach a smooth consistency. If you don’t, you will have a clump mess that won’t produce a consistent texture.

Add hazelnut flour, arrowroot, & water. Mix thoroughly so that the tofu mixture & the flour is completely combined. The consistency should be similar to that of pancake batter. The original recipe called for chickpea flour; however, I just used whatever I had in my cabinet. In came out nutty & delicious, but I had to play with the measurements in regards to water. Make sure that the consistency is thin enough to spread.

Pour batter into a non-stick pan & cook on medium until golden brown on the bottom side. The top side will be golden & semi-dry. Place whichever vegetables you have chosen to fill the omelet with & fold top half over onto the contents. Let cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat & pair with sprouts & hot sauce! Enjoy!

*This recipe was adapted from the Post-Punk Kitchen, Tofu Omelet Recipe.*

White Bean Puree

I remember when I first discovered my food processor in high school. I turned everything in our kitchen into a puree or a nut butter. I spent an entire summer dedicated to this process. I no longer had access to a food processor at college & lost the obsession.

Throughout this moving process I have tried to buy as little as possible for the purpose of being both environmentally conscious and (let’s be honest) thrifty. I have been using Freecycle & Craigslist to try to get things for my house. The other day, a lady was giving away a chair (in great condition), and when I showed up she had a pile of things in her house that she couldn’t take with her. I scored a bunch of great things in the process, but the most exciting item – a new food processor.

I have been really excited to have it back in my life and I am back at it again, as though I was 18 and just discovering the art of turning solids into a mushy mess. I wanted to start with a twist on hummus, which I used to make by the barrel.

I made this yesterday afternoon to dip vegetables in for lunch. It’s been a long week & I was craving something fresh and simple. This morning, I am taking care of a few cats for some friends. They are stretched out on the couch in Sunday morning laziness. I am reflecting on a great night with friends, that consisted of too much vegan muddy buddies and root vegetables.

This morning, I am filled with gratitude.

— Simple White Bean Hummus –

Preparation Time: 30 min. (building in time for playlist changes)

ingredients.

– 2 cups (16 oz) white beans, canned or dried & drained
– 2 cloves of garlic
– 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
– 1/2 lemon, juice
– 1/4 tsp cumin
– 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
– cracked pepper & salt to taste

directions.

Drain & rise white beans. Place them in the food processor. Add chopped garlic, onion & olive oil. Puree mixture until mostly smooth. Add lemon juice, cumin & rosemary. Puree until you reach the consistency you would like. I left mine a little chunky just because I like the texture of a thicker mixture. Feel free to puree on high if you like smoother hummus. Add cracked pepper & salt to taste. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil & cayenne.

*I toasted bread from my last recipe & cut fresh red, yellow, and green peppers to go with this.*

Good Morning, Boston.

Quincy headed off to New York for the weekend. I face one more interview this afternoon and I am getting ready for it all now. It’s a quiet morning, the roommates’ dog, Eva, is laying on the hardwood floor in the kitchen staring at me. Last night, I gave her the nickname, Shadow, because somehow she is always right behind me. The air is heavy with a storm today, and I’m looking forward to the clean feeling of the rain.

This morning I put tomatoes, hummus, and some arugula on the bread that I made yesterday. It was great! I sat around with Quincy’s roommate over a cup of tea (as we do every morning) and talked. I’m headed to the farmer’s market this afternoon to get some inspiration. I know that I will, by default, have to buy some beets & kale, but I am hoping to try something new today. I don’t know whether it’s the pressure of getting a job, or the fact that summer has ended, but lately – I crave adventure. The crunch of new trails under my feet. The sight of new mountains & paths I have yet to climb.

For now, I turn up my music, get out the iron, and stuff all of my interview materials into my portfolio. I put up the quote (albeit overused at times) that used to be on the back of my cross country gear in high school…

“To do anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine –

I ended up running a little bit with a cross country team out at Fresh Pond the other afternoon. It felt good to be pushed by runners again, to be in a sea of legs moving as fast as they could pump & to hear my breath short & quick trying to keep up with their college-trained athleticism.

Don’t want to live my life like a story, always thinkin’ that I could have been somethin’ – Tegan & Sara –

Whole Wheat Bread & the Radio

Earlier this week I promised a bread recipe, which I thought would be done yesterday. I adapted a non-vegan recipe and tried to make it vegan & utterly failed. When it came out of the oven & cooled the inside was a dense yeasty disaster! This has been a busy week and I don’t think I had the time I needed to properly convert the recipe. I am also a complete novice at bread making so if any vegan bakers have any advice feel free to pass it on.

Anyway, I had three job interviews this week (two so far and one tomorrow) & the bread failure didn’t seem to help my mood yesterday. Maybe it was a little unrealistic to attempt to prepare for three interviews and post a recipe in such a short time. This whole process of cooking & interviewing has taught me a lot about trial and error (and I imagine I still have a lot to learn). Last night, after my interviews, I settled down with my partner in our favorite burrito place & enjoyed having somebody cook for me. Some nights, it’s nice to chow down on a burrito filled with vegan cheese without a care in the world.

I woke up this morning with new resolve to tackle this bread debacle. After cycling home from the market I tuned my radio to NPR (which will be relevant at one point in this story – I promise I am not dropping my radio taste for no point at all) and set to work. I’m still not quite sure what went wrong yesterday, but it’s amazing how the effectiveness of my food preparation can sometimes match my mood. For example, when I am feeling angry all the flavors seem to come out harsher than if I am relaxed and enjoying company. Regardless, this morning I had the determination to get it right this time.

I have been thinking about the concept of failure lately (or maybe I always am, but for some reason I am just realizing it now). I was listening to 90.9 WBUR today and Sherry Turkle, the founder of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Initiative on Technology and Self, was talking about the connection between technology and our identity. If this interests you I would definitely check out the audio file, In Constant Digital Contact, We ‘Feel Alone Together.’

Professor Turkle says, “There is only one identity that counts – that’s the Facebook identity.” I thought about the relationship between what Turkle is talking about and what we do in the blog-sphere. Does writing a blog become your identity, or is it a part of your identity in a way?

There is a pressure to create an identity that is packed & neat. I say this, because I hope that I haven’t done that. I hope that by sharing my successes & failures in cooking & in life I have shown that life is, in fact, messy. I hope that it shows that sometimes when you fail it takes longer to get back up, or sometimes it’s alright for somebody else to help you back onto your feet.

I hope that this blog functions as a space for playful self-exploration for all who interact with it. Perhaps that’s the daunting feeling that people talk about when they are discussing the reasons why they have never created a blog – the presentation pressure – the pressure to create a neat & packed identity. An identity without failure.

I hope this blog hasn’t tricked you into an ideal that is unattainable, but provides tangible & realistic inspiration for you to try on, like an outfit. Maybe my stories of baked loaves & steel cut oats do nothing for you, but maybe my random links to music & thoughts play into your journey in a unique way. This blog has always been about the journey.

There is a fresh loaf of bread in my kitchen cooling off on the wire rack. This morning, when I looked at the wheat & yeast & water & sugar – I knew it was going to be a journey that could have ended in a yeasty mess, or a fluffy loaf of bread. Luckily, today I came out with the latter. Some days I am not so lucky, but it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that you wake up, dig your hands into the flour, and commit to the journey.

One last quote I want to leave you with is from the radio show today that really hit home. Professor Turkle is talking about our soup of connectivity, in that we often feel the need to be connected with our phones and the internet.

She says,

“If you don’t have a capacity for solitude you will always be lonely.” – Sherry Turkle –

— Nothing-but-Bread —

Preparation/Cook Time: 3 hrs (2 hours of just hangin’ out)

ingredients.

– 1 package activity dry yeast
– 1 1/3 cup warm water (100°)
– 1 tbs olive oil
– 2 tbs brown sugar
– 3 cups whole wheat flour
– 1 1/2 tsp salt

directions.

Mix together active dry yeast & warm water in a large bowl. Stir until yeast is totally dissolved in warm water. Add the rest of the ingedients. Mix & kneed until the dough is completely smooth. Cover & let stand for 2 hours, until the mass has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350°. Punch & kneed dough on a floured surface. You can either place the dough in a loaf pan, or I used circular glassware because it is what I have in my home. It’s up to you! Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Let the loaf cool on a rack & enjoy!

*I made this recipe because I need some bread for the week and I happened to have extra flower & yeast! Next time, I am going to try lightly brushing it with olive oil and throwing in some rosemary. For other great vegan bread recipes (or things to do with bread) check out Isa Chandra’s Olive Oil Bread, VeganYumYum, and Sticky Banana Bread Quinoa Breakfast Bowl.*

Slow & Steady.

It has been a busy weekend. I spent Saturday and Sunday chaperoning Hike for Hunger for the Boston University Community Service Center. That’s right folks – I am old enough to be a chaperone. I remember the days when college students seemed old  & chaperones were just another extension of my parents. Here I am – almost 23 – a recent graduate, chaperoning a trip. I have to say, it was better than I expected. The weekend has set me behind a bit on pumping out a recipe for this week, but I harvested some sunflower seeds from the garden last week and I am working on a bread recipe as I type this post.

The hike was over twenty-miles and it raised awareness around issues related to hunger, as well as funds for Heifer International. Overall, it was a great experience, but there was a moment last week that I stayed preoccupied with the whole weekend.

Earlier last week, I was absorbed by a movie, The Hours. If you are like me, then it means a lot when you are absorbed by a movie. I generally don’t sit down long enough to watch the introduction before I am criticizing it for one reason or another. The movie is based on the life of Virginia Woolf & weaves together the story line of the author, an early twentieth century mother, and a twenty-first century woman.

I’m going too far into the details, I know, but there is this scene where Meryl Streep is talking about one of her friends, who is a writer, and who is also dying. She says, something like, “He gave me that look, as if everything I do is insignificant.” She lifts her arms and points around her: to the party planning, the menu building, and the interior decorating.

I think it hit me harder than I expected. I imagine it would do the same to others as well. I think sometimes I can get caught up in my own importance. As if the blog, and job interviews, and the ideas are all more important than everything else.

It made me critically think about the purpose & direction of this blog and whether I perceive it as being something significant. After all, I think we would all like to be doing something of significant, of purpose, and of value.

I am confident in this space to say that it is shaping up the way I would like it to be. A collection of recipes, thoughts, ideas, and links that help remind me and (hopefully) others that by living fully we can work on being happy.

This week I am going to focus on putting intention on the tip of my tongue, on putting intent & purpose into these days of unemployment that can stretch on in an unbelievable way, and on doing something that holds significance.

Tomorrow I will try to post the bread recipe that I finally conjure up, as well as some new things to do with kale that I found out last week. For now, slice up an orange bell pepper, crack open an avocado and sprinkle some sea salt, black pepper, and hot sauce on it. Eat a whole food. Unprocessed – whole – like living with purpose.