Perhaps it was the intense energy of the election, I'm sure in part it was the hurricane... I've felt quiet lately. My parents are here for a few weeks and we're all trying as best we can to keep our completely home-based work and school life as we are used to. Other than that we'll enjoy Thanksgiving, hanging out, and I'm sure some hunting for dad and Adam. There was talk of fly fishing too (it's cold!).
Along with drawing inward a little, I'm also feeling excited about the upcoming holidays! We haven't played Christmas music yet or watched holiday movies, but there has been talk of both. This year we'll put our outside decorations up the weekend before Thanksgiving, an extra week or two of twinkly lights means an extra week or two of pretty. And happy.
I've done most of my shopping already (gifts aren't a huge focus for us so this was fairly simple), which leaves the height of the holiday season for the slower pace of handcrafting seasonal gifts and decor, and for spending extra time in the kitchen.
With the seasons turning and the holidays approaching, our appetites begin to change once again. Cold yogurt with fresh berries is replaced by baked fruit with vanilla nut cream sauce. Sauteed greens with a single egg is replaced by the heartier "two eggs scrambled with a slice of (our current favorite) toast, please." Cold months, warm foods.
Would you like to make some baked fruit for your breakfast?
Baked Fruit for Breakfast (with Vanilla Nut Cream Sauce)
Ingredients:
- 4 cups sliced apples
- 2 cups frozen blueberries or cherries
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- hemp seed for sprinkling on top
Directions:
preheat oven to 350°
- In a glass pie plate arrange fruit, toss with cinnamon. Drizzle with honey.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Serve, passing the hemp seed and Nut Cream Sauce at the table.
Nut Cream Sauce
Makes about 3 cups. Cut the recipe in half for a smaller batch.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight then drained
- 1 cup dates (soaked first if dry)
- 1 1/2 cups water or almond milk
To make the sauce: Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. May take a minute or so, scrape down sides if needed. The sauce will keep, refrigerated, for up to one week.
Print: Baked Fruit for Breakfast (with Vanilla Nut Cream Sauce)
Sunday felt so cold. As happy as my herbs looked in the gardens, I knew it was time to gather what was needed for winter use. This year I did a second planting of dill and cilantro, what a good idea that was! Into November we had plenty of both - all lush and green, loving the cooler temps and not rushing to seed. I will defintiely do that again next year.
As it turned out, harvesting the herbs was perfect timing - nature had plans for a snowstorm this week! A classic nor'easter came our way yesterday afternoon, leaving several inches of snow across our state and other parts of the northeast.
If I may put in a request, Mother Nature... as pretty as the snow is, and as much as it truly hushed the day, please send only warmth and sunshine our way until those still without power and homes can get back on their feet. Thank you kindly.
As much as I'm wishing for a storm reprieve, Scout is beside himself with the snow! Seeing a puppy experience their first snow is one of the funniest things. He wouldn't go out the door on his own, he just laid down once he took a look outside and did not budge a muscle. So I picked him up, carried him over the threshold and down the steps - then he immediately thought it was the best thing ever! Running, jumping, eating, sneezing... so cute and hysterical. Then we came back inside and he spent much of the afternoon sitting in front of the sliding glass door barking at the falling snow. Later in the evening Adam took him out for a game of snow-soccer as all of his beloved sticks were now buried. I think snow-soccer was such fun he's forgotten about those sticks... for now.
I hope you don't mind, but as life and energy are what they are these days, I may drop into a little morning, noon and night rhythm for a bit. Perhaps sprinkled throughout regular posting - yes, that feels right for now. My shoulders just relaxed thinking about morning, noon and night. Such a favorite.
