The Bread of France

This past fall I was fortunate to visit the beautiful country of France. I have been lucky in my life to have travelled a great deal but I had never been to France. I was blown away by the beauty of the country, the  art, the wine, and especially the bread! After spending 10 glorious days in France and eating more baguettes then I would like to admit, I became a bit spoiled. Unlike in America, people are not afraid to eat bread. It is a part of their culture. In Paris, everyone on the metro has a beautiful golden baguette sticking out of their purse or half eaten in their hand. I returned from France in search of the perfect loaf of bread. After failing many times I decided to make my own. I made 2 loaves of no-knead bread last week and it was delicious! I am making another batch today and will share the results in tomorrows post, but in the meantime here are some pictures of bread in France....

Sofa Slip-Covers

Having three kids places a definite strain on your furniture. Luckily most of our furnishings are wood and not fabric. But the one of the sofas we own has sure taken a beating! Our neighbors were getting rid of this sofa and offered it to us. It is a "vintage" Crate and Barrel with nice lines and a great pull out bed. We love the couch but after many smoothie spills it could sure use a face lift. Above is a great hemp fabric I found from hemptraders.com . I want something durable. non-toxic, and eco-friendly. I have also thought about going with white. Something I can throw in the wash with some oxy-clean. Any thoughts on what works best in your home?

Slow Cooker - Lentils

I shared this recipe last year but am reposting it in honor of my friend Lisa who just took the Crock Pot plunge. This lentil recipe is easy, healthy, and inexpensive. It takes me about 5 minutes total (including chopping) to prepare. Yummy and quick! Bon Appetite Lisa!

1. 1 bag lentils
   
2. 1 box chicken or vegetable stock
   
3. 1 cup water
   
4. 1 diced onion
   
5. 1 red pepper chopped
   
6. 2 chopped and seeded jalapenos
   
7. palm full or approx. 2 tbls. paprika
   
8. " " " cumin
   
9. " " " chili powder
   
10. minced garlic to taste (heaping tablespoon for us)
    
11. dash of cayenne
    

put in crockpot on low for 6 or high for 4

serve as burrito or taco filling or nacho topper with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream

freezes beautifully

Do you have a shelf full of cookbooks that looked great in the bookstore but have collected dust ever since? If so then here is the cookbook for you! Make Me Something Good to Eat a cookbook by Tamara Davis has answered my prayers. This small cookbook is full of kid friendly recipes suited for adults as well. The recipes are healthy and quick promoting simple living at its best. I ordered the cookbook after getting hooked on Tamara's online cooking show and have since plowed my way through the book making everything from orange and green muffins to pasta with pesto sauce. OK so here is the challenge, clear out the clutter! Donate any cookbooks that have not been used recently and only keep what you love and use. If there is a cookbook with one or two recipes you like tear them out and place them in your recipe binder. Out with the old in with the new.....

Check out Tamara's Web Site at http://www.tamradaviscookingshow.com/

Bon Appetite!

Batman's After-School Snack

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread/Muffins

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed up

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 organic egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups of spelt flour

Chocolate chips (a many as you like)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Melt butter in bowl. Add bananas and mash them up with fork. Stir together. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over top of mixture & stir together. Add the flour & mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan or muffin pan. Bake for about 1 hour, muffins about 15-20 min. Remove from pan, slice, and enjoy.

The Library - Save on Cash, Clutter, and Waste

A while back I wrote about my love of books. I also discussed my self-imposed restriction on my purchase of books. So far it has been a success. I have continued to utilize the local trade-a-book to get new books while I trade in the old. I have also expanding my library use 10 fold (you know you are a frequent visitor when you don't need to show your library card). With a bit of delayed gratification the library is not only free but efficient as well. Here is how it works. I go online reserve the books and movies that interest me and when they are in I receive an email notification. Usually it only takes a few days to get what you are looking for unless it is a new release & you are way down on the list. The NY Times Book Review online is a great resource for new books that you might want to reserve. Now I am able to read as much as I want without the expense, the waste, and my shelves are relatively clutter free.

The Land of Little Cars…..

It has been 8 years since my last trip to Germany. We traveled there for my husband’s cousin’s wedding. My husband is part German decent and lived there as a child and later as an adult. With two children under age 3 in tow we traveled around for a week or two exploring villages and the countryside. As many of you know a lot goes unnoticed when you have babies. The focus is when they were last fed and if a nap is going to happen that day. We recently had the opportunity for a return visit. This time with three children ages 10, 8, and 4, a bit more self-sufficient and flexible. I arrived with eyes wide open, noticing all the differences in the way most Americans live compared to Europeans. The most profound being how progressive they are and yet how simply they live. From the Wind Mills and Solar Panels lining the Autoban, to small cars and community composting. This progressive and accountable nature is surrounded by a sense of simplicity that permeates their way of life. Clothes lines, kitchen gardens, walking and biking as a primary mode of transportation, small homes, and afternoon naps. Here are some pictures of our adventure...

Garden Update

Here are some pictures from the garden planted in honor of Earth Day.

Recycled Bag Bath-Mat

My Mother-in-Law just mailed this to me, a mat made out of bags she collected from the local market. What a great way to reuse plastic bags! I was so excited at her vision to weave something so functional and eco-friendly. She wrote me that she has already made 11 of these for friends and family. I put ours next to the tub where it keeps water off the floor and dries quickly. Frances, Thanks for the inspiration!

Namaste, Guruji

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, founder of Ashtanga Yoga, passes away at age 94

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Our Vegetable Garden, planted last weekend in honor of Earth Day.... I will keep you updated on it's progress.

Slow Cooker - Lentils

I shared this recipe last year but am reposting it in honor of my friend Lisa who just took the Crock Pot plunge. This lentil recipe is easy, healthy, and inexpensive. It takes me about 5 minutes total (including chopping) to prepare. Yummy and quick! Bon Appetite Lisa!

1. 1 bag lentils
   
2. 1 box chicken or vegetable stock
   
3. 1 cup water
   
4. 1 diced onion
   
5. 1 red pepper chopped
   
6. 2 chopped and seeded jalapenos
   
7. palm full or approx. 2 tbls. paprika
   
8. " " " cumin
   
9. " " " chili powder
   
10. minced garlic to taste (heaping tablespoon for us)
    
11. dash of cayenne
    

put in crockpot on low for 6 or high for 4

serve as burrito or taco filling or nacho topper with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream

freezes beautifully

Quote of the Day.....

Eat when you're hungry. Drink when you're thirsty. Sleep when you're tired.

- Buddhist proverb

Corral your Chaos

You can manage to keep pretty organized by utilizing boxes, bins, and such to corral the little things in your home. By keeping like items together it cuts down on clutter and created a less chaotic environment. You also will save time because everything has a home. Below are some pictures from my home on ways I keep the mayhem to a minimum. 

Knitting Supplies kept neatly in a basket by the couch, ready to use at any time

Bedtime potions and supplies

After school snacks and water bottles kept in wine boxes in the pantry

Ipod and chargers in an antique bowl

Resurrecting the Bread Maker

In an effort to practice what I preach I decided that if I did not use my bread maker on a regular basis it would have to go. So I have documented my bread making experience below. I picked up the mix at Whole Foods, it was cheap, healthy, and easy.... No preservatives or high fructose corn syrup, just lots of whole grain goodness... and my house smelt like a bakery.

Here are the pictures:

What appliances do you need to resurrect? Take inventory of what you really use and what collects dust or just takes up space, & decide if you should keep it or pass it on. My vow to you all is if the bread is all gone and the bread maker sits idly by while I pick up a loaf at the market I will pass it on.