beans, beans, the musical fruit.

The only reason I'm even posting this quasi recipe* is that these beans were RAVED over by two lovely ladies at two separate dinner parties that we hosted in the last couple of weeks. (Yes, I serve beans at dinner parties.  I'm fancy like that.)  Both friends asked for the recipe.  One I saw at the park a few days later, promptly told me she'd been dreaming about "my beans."  The other texted to tell me that she couldn't stop thinking about "my beans."  Well, if "my beans" are that damn good, I guess I should share.  Fair warning, these beans are a slow process, which can be good or bad, depending on your outlook.  Like a lot  in life, yes?

Super Easy White Beans, Scrumptious Style
1 bag of small dried white beans (any kind will do, I used great northern white beans.)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, small chop
3 cloves garlic, minced (I use more.)
1 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons cumin
4 cups vegetable broth  (You can also use chicken.)
For garnish: lemon juice, salt and pepper, olive oil

Rinse and soak beans overnight in 6 cups of water.  Cover the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil and heat over medium.  When oil is hot, add onion and stir, cooking for one minute.  Reduce heat to low and saute the heck out of the onions until they are super soft (not brown) and begin to "melt" into the olive oil, about 15 minutes. You'll need to stir them occasionally.  Add minced garlic and saute one more minute.  Stir in salt and cumin.  Add beans and vegetable broth.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and walk away.  Come back every now and then to stir.  You'll know by looking at them and tasting them when they are done.  Most of the broth will be absorbed and the beans will be quite soft, mushy even.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges or just squeeze a lemon or two over the beans before serving.  To me, the lemon juice is a make it or break it item, but I have a weird obsessed love affair with lemons and should really plant a tree.  A swirl of really good olive oil over the top is also delish.

More on when they are done:
I've left the house, the stove on low, lid on the pot for hours on end, and these beans, well, they are just fine.  You can't really mess them up.  If you want them to cook faster, take the lid off the pot.  I usually do this for the last 10 minutes, especially if it seems like the beans haven't absorbed what I deem as enough of the liquid.

Variations on a theme:
You can add any spice and/or herbs you want.  We have rosemary growing all over our yard, so when I'm in the mood I add that and omit the cumin.  I bet a bay leaf or two would be good.  Or basil.  Spice it up with red pepper.  Let me know what you do!

 {so many scrumptious things start this way}

 {cumin, how i love thee.}

{i do feel a little sorry for beans.  among other things, they aren't very photogenic.}

*All my recipes are quasi, unless I steal them from someone else.  I'm not a good measurer or timer as this "recipe" can attest to!  Sorry.  I'm trying to get better at paying attention to those things as I trip over the fat 10 year old lab under foot, carry around the "hold you momma" two year old, listen to the genius 6 year old read and mentally plan my outfits for my weekend away with Sparky.  xo

thankful thursdays. (a day late)

dear man in the cool old chevy who almost ran me off the road yesterday,

thank you for vearing to the right, missing me by mere inches, as you heard my screaming horn.  thanks for showing distress in your kind eyes through your rearview mirror.  it was obvious how awful you felt for almost smashing into my car.  your hand wave was appreciated and i could almost hear you say "i am so sorry."  we all make mistakes.  next time, try changing lanes one at a time, instead of veering across three at once.

have a safe weekend,
spf

 {not the chevy that almost ran me off the road, just one i wouldn't mind taking for a spin}

eating my vegetables: roasted brussels sprouts (uh, with a little bit of bacon.)

 Take this-

Add some heat.  And get this--

This is why I love cooking.  (Well, besides my love of eating.)  It's like a science experiment and usually the experiment has favorable results.

The "Recipe":
brussels sprouts
center cut bacon
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut brussels sprouts in half.  (I think I had around a dozen.) Take a few slices of bacon and cut in large equal chunks.  (I used 4 slices and cut them in sixths.)  Place on a cookie sheet.  (If you want easier clean up, cover cookie sheet with foil.  I was too hungry and didn't.) Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently.  Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, tossing everything after 15.  Remove brussels sprouts from the cookie sheet and return bacon to the oven as it won't be cooked through.  Roast bacon until it's done to your liking -- I prefer crispy!  Toss everything back together when the bacon is done and sprinkle with more salt and pepper to taste.  I ate this for lunch but of course it would make an excellent side dish.  Super easy and you can make more or less depending on how many you are serving.  And to you (brussels sprout) haters, I simply say that if you don't like brussels sprouts, you've been eating them the wrong way.

six!

I can't affectionately refer to Ava as "the five year old" anymore.

Let the adventures of SIX begin...

eating my vegetables: roasted beet and citrus salad

One of my favorite restaurants in Newport Beach is Gulfstream.  I'm guilty of always ordering the same thing--their amazing ahi burger with roasted beets on the side.  (I want to note that I substitute the beets for incredible shoe string French fries because I'm that healthy.)  While I don't think I could ever duplicate the ahi burger, I have always wanted to try my hand at a roasted beet salad.  And Pretty Mommy's Brighter and Lighter Recipe Exchange was a perfect excuse to do it.  That, and the fact that I like to eat.  Here's what I came up with.  (It's better than the inspiration.)

Roasted Beet, Citrus, Mint, Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad, serves 2 or really, just me
3 red or golden beets, roasted and peeled and cooled. (See how here but increase temp to 425 degrees so that you can get to eatin' quicker.  Also, a suggestion -- wear GLOVES when peeling!)
1 orange or two tangerines or something orange colored and citrusy (see photo below.)
1/2 cup walnuts (Put in oven for 5 minutes while you roast the beets.)
few handfuls of organic baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh crumbled goat cheese (More is good too.)
2-3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

Citrus Dressing
zest of one orange
zest of one lime or lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh (or not) orange juice
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Then whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  You will have leftover dressing and it's good.

{Do you ever have to label your food in your own house?  I don't know what this actually is.  The produce 

man at Gelson's told me to get it.  Best orange-like substance I have ever tasted.  I will ask him the next time 

I go grocery shopping, which is pretty much every day.}

Cut the beets into large chunks. Peel orange and cut into bite size pieces.  (You could be fancy and section your orange like this, but I save fancy for when I'm going out to eat and someone is serving me, not when I'm making myself a salad for lunch.)  Put the oranges in a large bowl with the spinach, walnuts, and mint.  Pour a little dressing over and toss lightly.  Plate the salad.  Top with chunked beets and crumbled goat cheese.  Drizzle with a bit more dressing.  Eat it up.  If it's after four in the afternoon, drink a glass of cabernet with it.  Also, go ahead and roast some more walnuts because you'll eat them while you are drinking your wine and waiting for those beets to hurry up and be done.

Thanks to Michelle for including me in her recipe exchange.  Please check out the rest of the scrumptiousness right over here.

take silence and respect it.

Have you met The Chirpy Bird?  She's witty, cooks up a whole lotta scrumptiousness, weaves a great tale, and is gorgeous.  (Yes, I know that last one shouldn't matter...)  In fact, she's the kind of girl I'd like to set up with my older (hot) brother, if this were the real world, and not imaginary blog land.  The Chirpy Bird (she's also known as Tash =) recently started a series celebrating the things in life to which she is saying YES.  Today Tash's post centered on aloneness.  It brought to mind this amazing video by film maker, Andrea Dorfman, and poet/singer/songwriter Tanya Davis.  

I can't remember where I first saw the video, but it made a huge impression on me (as I'm sure it has on countless others.)  I mentioned it in a comment on The Chirpy Bird's blog, assuming that she must've seen it before.  To my surprise she had not, so I thought perhaps I'd share it here in case you've not as well.  Even if you have watched it, it's worth a revisit, yes?

two forty.

I woke up this morning thinking about that number.  Yesterday, I wrote about my cleanse, mentioning that the three day endeavor cost $240 and suggesting that perhaps the money would have been better spent on a pair of shoes.  The two forty definitely would have found me closer to a pair of neutral heels I'm currently coveting for spring.  For example, these perfectly casual espadrille wedges--

or maybe these fabulous cutouts--

or these camel colored babies, which would put me a tad over 6 feet tall--

or perhaps this pair with the sexy ankle strap...

Sigh...  

However, while I doubt I will ever spend $240 on another cleanse, I have to retract what I said earlier.  

In the past, I've been motivated to better health for many reasons.  My motivation has been intrinsic as in "I really want to FEEL better."  It's also stemmed from pure vanity as in "I will wear (and look hot in) that damn black string bikini again!"  It's even, at times, been altruistic as in "Sparky is going to love my legs in that short skirt."  Never before had I been monetarily motivated to feel and look better.  The simple knowledge that we had spent that money was motivating in and of itself; it kept me a little more focused on seeing the program to completion without any cheating (it was only three days after all!)  If I'd cheated, it would have felt as if I were throwing two hundred and forty one-dollar bills in the garbage can.  Or worse yet, as if I were throwing a pair of these in the garbage can!  And so in truth, I must say it was $240 very well spent.