{this moment}

Fridays inspired by SouleMama:
{this moment- A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.}

Photo taken by dad. 

impromptu pizza party

On the way home from RI, we decided to stop off and visit with my bro and his little family.  This led to an impromptu pizza party before we headed back to the Jerz.  Kevin and Mike were in the kitchen with the oven at 450.  It wasn't quite like our pizza party in Italy.  For instance, we weren't on vacation near an olive grove and beautiful water, and ready to explore the heel of the boot.  But the pizza and family time was 'awesome' (as they say in RI).  It took my mind off my impending root canal!

My nephew, Orion, is in an adorable phase...sitting up all by himself and eating smashed up stuff and laughing out loud a lot!  I fed him some pears and I laughed at each bite.  He has a lot of faces, all precious.  I almost ate one of his cheeks!  They are difficult to resist!  There is seriously nothing like a baby's laugh out loud.  LOL!  Nothing as sweet!

You have to wait for the laugh, but it happens.  Orion was actually laughing at a photo of himself up on the huge Mac computer screen.  Apparently, he thought his photo was amusing. 

more dark chocolate

Donna made this amazingly fancy raspberry tart with 4 or so different layers!

I don't have the slightest interest in football or superbowl games, but I enjoy the gatherings that tend to happen around me. This year, we ended up down the street at Auntie Donna's.  I think she cooked for days!  The peace tart was only the end to a delicious meal.

mexican chocolate fudge

dark chocolate gives us energy right??

Dark Chocolate Fudge with cinnamon and cayenne pepper

{this moment}

Fridays inspired by SouleMama:
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

i think i can...i think i can

My thinking brain has been focused on my dissertation when I am not working.  As a result, I still haven't sat down and contemplated my intentions for 2011.  I guess my downtime has just been a little less than productive.  I did buy a new book, Crazy Sexy Diet, which has gotten a ton of press lately.  The author has stage 4 cancer, a very rare cancer, and has been stable for 8 or so years, so she is a nice reminder that stable is good, no, Great!

I was looking through the book and felt inspired to try a green smoothie.  I have read a lot about green smoothies and juicing.  I used to juice all the time but at the moment, juicing does not agree with my chemo meds so I think smoothies are a little more tolerable.  I made one this weekend and it was quite delicious.

I have fallen off the 'kick cancer's ass' diet lately...just a little.  I have been a little more 'flexible' with snacking out - mainly with white flours and sugar.  Maybe it is the winter and the lack of farm fresh veggies? I try to bake whole grains at home, with less sugar and no white flour.  But I don't always have time lately.  Then, I am at work and it is 3 o'clock and I am tired and I crave a baked good and I don't have a homemade one from home.  Starbucks is right there, outside my office building and across the street...marble pound calls my name...

So anyway, back to an intention...they say green smoothies (and juicing) really helps with energy.  Since I am working, writing a dissertation, and trying to celebrate life and stable cancer with Mike, one of my intentions this year is to try to find healthy ways to naturally increase my energy.  I will start with trying out some green smoothies for breakfast!

Here is one recipe in case you want to experiment!

baking with whole-grain flours

I have done a lot of experimenting with whole grain flours in my baking.  I have made some delicious things.  However, it is not always successful.  Sometimes, the flavor is delicious but the texture can be 'funny'/bad.  There are some recipes I have tried 3 or 4 times before getting it right and sometimes, I just have to add in a 1/4 of a cup of the (bad) white flour...

This wonderful book has helped me a lot!

It is organized by type of whole grain flour for each chapter.  I actually haven't tried the exact recipes from the 'amaranth' chapter yet but I put some in chocolate chip cookies recently.  Seriously, they were the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever tried.  Mike agrees.  I do love the whole grain amaranth, I mix it with millet or quinoa and it is yummy, but now, I want to put amaranth flour in everything!

From the cookbook, I have made spelt carrot muffins, barley strawberry scones, spelt currant scones (we like our scones here), and a few things with buckwheat.  I can't wait to try the chocolate persimmon muffins when persimmons are in season next.  The beet and quinoa pancakes sound amazing.  Ginger peach muffins with oat flour?!  I am making corn flour and gruyere muffins tonight...

A lovely, delicious book, and the photos are beautiful.