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trying something new: kale + coconut

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I’m not usually a fan of coconut, but there’s a recipe in Super Natural Every Day that I’ve been wanting to try. Recently my daughter decided she liked coconut popcicles, so I figured since I had a big bag of kale in the fridge, now would be a good time.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I didn’t change much with the recipe, just used a bit less oil, and served it over farro. It was awesome.

I can’t recommend the flat variation enough for baked kale. I used curly for this, and my daughter was finicky because it doesn’t crisp evenly. She still ate most of it, though.

You can find the recipe on amazon if you “look inside” the book. Page 80. Yum.

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my fridge is filled with these

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My husband keeps teasing me about all of the jars in our fridge. I’ll admit, I have quite a collection, but I’m not a fan of plain water. Here are some fun drinks I’ve been playing around with since it got warm outside.

cold-brewed tea: You’ll find at least one jar of tea concentrate in my fridge at all times. Lately it’s been green and I’ve been adding it to my morning smoothies. I also make regular, decaf and passion teas. Just add four bags to a jar and let it steep for 12-24 hours. I dilute it with water in my glass, but the green goes in my smoothies at full strength. GOOD MORNING!

iced coffee: Cold brewed toddy or just leftovers from a morning latte. I’ve been trying to create my own frappuccino at home for an afternoon pick-me-up. I’ve come close, but it’s still missing something. (Probably sugar!)

fruit infused water: This is something new for me. So far I’ve tried cucumber and strawberry (not together) and my daughter and I love them. They are a great alternative to flavored waters, which can have just as much sugar as soda. I fill these up at night and use the fruit in my morning smoothies. We drink the water during the day.

homemade lemonade: My husband makes this from scratch with lemon juice and sugar. My daughter is usually the only one who drinks it, so he just makes a jar’s worth instead of a whole pitcher. It usually winds up getting frozen in popsicle molds.

So, that’s not too many jars, is it? How do you stay hydrated during the summer months? Do you have a stash of jars or are you more of a pitcher person?

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she needs me, she needs me not

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She obviously doesn’t need help with her new bow and arrow.

summer mornings:

“Mama, can you do this for me?”
“Mama, can you get this for me?”
“Mama, can you make this for me?”
“Mama, can you etc., etc., etc., for me?”

In my head: “Really? You’re almost seven years old. Do it yourself. Grow up already!”

summer afternoons:

“Bye, Mama!” after a quick hug in front of camp.

In my head: “Really? You don’t want me to walk you to the door? You can find your class by yourself? STOP GROWING UP SO FAST!”

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recipe: a mellow hummus made with almonds and perfect for experimentation

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I don’t have anything against tahini. I love it. It’s just that I never seem to have any around when I need it. Then, if I buy a jar, it seems to sit in the refrigerator unused forever. So the other day when I had a craving for hummus, I decided to improvise. I may have discovered something awesome: a basic hummus recipe with a window full of opportunites.

Almond Hummus

1 can of chickpeas, drained reserving some of the liquid
1/4 cup almonds
1 small clove of garlic
1 T olive oil
splash of lemon juice
salt
hungarian paprika, optional

The first thing you’ll want to do is remove the almond skins. You could skip this step, but the color and texture might be weird. Drop the almonds in some boiling water (I just microwaved some water in a mug) for about a minute. Drain and cool to the touch. Pinch the almond and the skins should pop right off.

Drop the garlic clove in a food processor and chop it into bitty pieces before adding the other ingredients. The flavor will blend better. Then add the chickpeas, almonds, olive oil, a splash or two of lemon juice and a couple pinches of salt. Process and slowly add some of the reserved chickpea water until you get a nice consistency.

I like to sprinkle a little bit of paprika on top, but the sky’s the limit. This hummus has a nice, mellow taste that can blend well with so many different flavors. I already have a few ideas: lime juice with cilantro and jalepeño, mixing in fresh mint or basil leaves, trying cashews or walnuts.

Tahini definitely gives hummus a distinctive taste and I do love it so. However, I’m looking forward to experimenting with variations of this recipe. Let me know if you try it and discover a special combination of your own.

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summer reading: winstead and osborne

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Summer reading season has officially begun. I thought I’d try to keep track of what we’re reading over here, both myself and my daughter.

First up for me is Lizz Free or Die, a book of essays by Lizz Winstead. I first discovered Winstead on twitter and was a bit disappointed in myself that I didn’t know she was one of the creators of The Daily Show. She’s smart, funny and full of opinions. The essays are about her life, finding her comedic voice, and being a woman in comedy. I’m halfway through and enjoying it so far.

My daughter is reading A Perfect Time for Pandas, which is part of the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. She’s kind of obsessed with the Jack and Annie stories — she’s even taking a Magic Tree House camp this summer. So far, Carnival at Candlelight is her favorite.

So that’s what we’re reading. How about you?

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this moment: “it’s not cold”

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This summer’s first dip in the pool gave the kids shivers, goosebumps, blue lips and chattering teeth. They didn’t last long, but I’ll admit, it was longer than I thought they would. “Really Mom, I’m not cold. I just shiver like this sometimes.”

This Moment is a Friday ritual inspired by Amanda Soule.