Almond Butter + Maldon Sea Salt Cookies

One more vegan/egg-free cookie recipe I've been enjoying lately (especially with my morning coffee) are these almond butter and Maldon sea salt ones from GP's book GOOP Clean Beauty.

ALMOND BUTTER + SEA SALT COOKIES

Makes 24 small cookies

1 1/2 cups oats, divided

2/3 cup almond butter

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp Maldon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Place 1 cup of oats in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup oats, the almond butter, sugar, oil, and salt. Use your fingers and combine the ingredients, making sure they are very well incorporated. Add additional almond butter if necessary.

3. Roll the mixture into 24 small balls and arrange evenly, 1 inch apart, on a large baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Friday

Ahh Friday. I am happy to see you. It's been a short week actually as we had an unexpected snow day on Monday. Much of that day was spent sitting at this table drinking coffee...

I also made a batch of Pamela's vegan chocolate chip cookies - one of our favorites, especially straight out of the freezer. I am embarrassed to admit that our small household devoured the entire batch in less than two days. I recently discovered that I have an egg sensitivity. Another stellar cookie recipe (that also happens to be egg-free) are these peanut butter ones from Heidi Swanson (again best enjoyed straight from the freezer).

Speaking of Heidi Swanson, you should give her toasted coconut milk a try...

It's been a quietly emotional week. The kind where a bit of melancholy sits below the surface and I can't quite put a finger on it. I am sure the weather is a contributing factor, as are current events but I realized the source is close to home. Kindergarten tours are going on right now so the realization that my son will be one of those little people come September is sinking in. I have this sweet photo of him posted on the inside of my closet at the studio that I've been spending a lot of time looking at...

Children have a profound way of showing you just how quickly time goes by. And while I find great joy in watching D grow and become a little person, at times it feels too fast. I'm feeling that right now. A mix of joy and sadness all at once.

I think a lot about what my favorite poet-philosopher David Whyte said in this conversation that one of the delusions we have is that we can "take a sincere path in life without having our heart broken. And you think about the path of parenting, there’s never been a mother or father since the beginning of time who hasn’t had their heart broken by their children. And nothing traumatic has to happen. All they have to do is grow up."

To combat the melancholy I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen which has always been an excellent form of therapy for me. I've also been writing - lists and letters and just general thoughts which has been made even more enjoyable since I finally bought myself a proper pen. Two actually. Both are brass which I think will patina beautifully. This one for home...

And this one (also available here) I take with me always along with a lined Moleskine notebook...

I also wrote down this quote from Willem Dafoe in my notebook which is pretty much my mantra...

“There’s a real wisdom to not saying a thing.”

It speaks to the introvert in me, but also perfectly explains my personal ethos as a teacher.

Happy weekend.

Stubborn Gladness

A BRIEF FOR THE DEFENSE

Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter everywhere. If babies
are not starving someplace, they are starving
somewhere else. With flies in their nostrils.
But we enjoy our lives because that's what God wants.
Otherwise the mornings before summer dawn would not
be made so fine. The Bengal tiger would not
be fashioned so miraculously well. The poor women
at the fountain are laughing together between
the suffering they have known and the awfulness
in their future, smiling and laughing while somebody
in the village is very sick. There is laughter
every day in the terrible streets of Calcutta,
and the women laugh in the cages of Bombay.
If we deny our happiness, resist our satisfaction,
we lessen the importance of their deprivation.
We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have
the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world. To make injustice the only
measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.
If the locomotive of the Lord runs us down,
we should give thanks that the end had magnitude.
We must admit there will be music despite everything.
We stand at the prow again of a small ship
anchored late at night in the tiny port
looking over to the sleeping island: the waterfront
is three shuttered cafés and one naked light burning.
To hear the faint sound of oars in the silence as a rowboat
comes slowly out and then goes back is truly worth
all the years of sorrow that are to come.

Jack Gilbert

Read more about Jack Gilbert and his work here.

January 27

As I've mentioned before, I have a cookbook problem. An addiction really. Cookbooks and Clare V bags (as demonstrated by my purchase of this beauty today that was an extra 25% off and is in army green suede)...

Yep. So back to cookbooks, I've only been allowing myself to check them out from the library as of late but then a friend gave me a gift card to the local cookshop and I walked straight to the back and picked up these two that have been on my wishlist...

Gjelina (which includes the recipe for that amazing Kabocha, Olive Oil and Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)...

And Julia Turshen's Small Victories which is crazy good for both a novice in the kitchen and the well-seasoned home cook. The recipes are delicious and simple and she also shares some really fantastic tips. Like the one to make a perfect margarita without a shaker which I utilized this evening...

"Whisk together the juice of one lime with 1 Tbsp agave nectar and 3 Tbsp good-quality tequila. Serve over plenty of ice."

Last night for dinner I made her Potluck Quinoa which was stellar - comprised only of quinoa, hazelnuts browned in a good amount of olive oil, lemon juice, arugula, dill and Maldon salt. 

Image from On Being

I've been working my way through the On Being archives and just listened to Krista's conversation with Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons and Lucas Johnson. It was recorded nearly two years ago but current as ever. Lucas's words on "revolutionary pacifism" stuck with me (especially the bit about the importance of "internal work")...

“Muste would talk about a revolutionary pacifism, right? That was his expression and that was his way of describing this notion of direct engagement. Pacifism was not about neutrality while injustice was around you but it was about finding the courage to respond in love. And I think that it begins with a commitment to love. I describe it as a spiritual discipline, right, as something that requires a lot of internal work in order to see others as opponents but not enemies, to see others a part of the social transformation that you’re seeking to create.”

In the same vein I love this shirt from Everlane...

I also bought these really fantastic pants from Kit & Ace for teaching at the studio. But they look so great and have a nice heavy drape, more like a trouser, that they'd make a great travel pant and are totally appropriate for wearing out on the town...

A few weeks ago we had a stretch of some pretty cold temps which had me searching for a pair of proper winter boots. If the cold returns I think I'd like to order these!

Happy New Year!

Image @Drawbertson

December 7

I am up early today. My current view...

As I wait for the boys to wake up I'm looking at cookie recipes on The New York Times and just saw Melissa Clark's video on these pistachio morning buns. Yep, I am definitely going to be making these in the coming days...

A few more gift ideas. My husband has this down sweater which is super affordable and has a cool vintage vibe...

I'd love to get this scarf for my husband (also so I can borrow it myself)...

It seems a bit wrong to be looking at these today as the temps are in the low 30s here, but holy smokes do I love these...

I bought a Nespresso Aeroccino a few months ago to make heating up milk (or almond milk) quicker and easier for making turmeric lattes, chai and hot chocolate for my son.

It is super slick. In less than a minute it heats the milk to a perfect temp that my kiddo can drink right away. This would be a cool gift with a special hot chocolate mix.

Give + Receive

Today I made a double batch of this lentil soup (since I devoured it the first time around just two days ago), poured myself a beer, put on some Bach and tackled some online holiday shopping. Here's what I'm eyeing this year for myself and others...

First off, I think this dress would be a knockout for the holiday party circuit...

This griddle from Baking Steel would make an epic gift for the cook in your life. I may have already bought this for myself...

My friend Omar has these salt and pepper grinders which I have long wanted for myself, only I don't use a salt grinder. I finally got wise and figured out I could use the other one as a spice mill and finally get rid of my old cuisinart coffee grinder that is too loud and does just a so-so job of grinding spices. So I'd love to have these...

I really love this bomber jacket from Everlane...

After hosting a crew for Thanksgiving I realized that I could really use a couple of really big 8 and 10qt stainless steel restaurant bowls like these...

A book for my pie baking best friend...

And a good book for all of us...

I already have one of these great totes which I use for everything from groceries to carting things to the studio. I could easily use another one myself and will order another for my sister-in-law...

This super soft and generously sized scarf doubles as a blanket, perfect for my travel-loving girlfriend...

I'd love to get these for my brother...

And this Lumio lamp in walnut for my design-savvy husband...

A month or so ago while having lunch with a friend, I was served a Sapporo in a glass like this which never tasted so good). I've been on the search ever since...

I will forever have at least one thing from Clare V on my wishlist. Right now I'd love to have this simple wallet clutch...

A pair of these rad socks for the many Star Wars lovers in my family...

A special body scrub for my mom (and for me!)...

One of these beautiful salad bowls would make a lovely hostess gift...

And even though my wardrobe is predominately black and gray, I can't stop thinking about this scarf...

The Long Weekend

I finished the last of the apple crisp this morning for breakfast. As delicious as it was, after three days in a row I am looking forward to a more "well-rounded" start to the day tomorrow. We had a wonderful holiday at home with family. I wore my new favorite hat for the day-before preparations...

I roasted chickens instead of turkey. There was stuffing with lots of fresh herbs, mashed potatoes and Ina's gravy.

Pie of course...

My stand-by shredded brussels sprouts and kale salad with a lemony vinaigrette was a nice compliment to the other richer dishes...

One of my favorites was this chard gratin...

Photo by Olaiya Land via Milly's Kitchen

Today, we were ready for a quiet, lazy Sunday. We slept in and stayed in our pajamas all day and I made this really lovely lentil soup which I will definitely be making again. 

The holidays are here. Now it's time to do a little shopping.

Giving Thanks

We just returned from four days together in San Diego. Four days of no iphones, no Instagram, no news. We took photographs with a point and shoot camera instead of our phones. We just enjoyed time together that looked like this...

And this...

It felt so good to create some space and limit the amount of "input" I was exposing myself to so I'm going to keep it going. I deleted Instagram from my phone so I wouldn't be tempted throughout the day to pick it up and just mindlessly flip through. Instead of NPR and the NY Times, I've been listening nonstop to On Being. I've been trying to write a post about Krista Tippett and On Being for several months (and I mentioned it back in September). I still can't find the right words, so again I'll just urge you to start listening.

“On Being opens up the animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live? We explore these questions in their richness and complexity in 21st-century lives and endeavors. We pursue wisdom and moral imagination as much as knowledge; we esteem nuance and poetry as much as fact.”

From here.

I am thrilled to be hosting Thanksgiving this year and am ready to put our new kitchen through its paces. At this very moment I have the house to myself and while I listen to the new Kings of Leon album, chicken stock is burbling next to me. By the way I'm head over heels for my Miele induction cooktop. One of these days I will give you a full report on the kitchen...

If you have never made homemade stock before, it is so easy and the reward is rich. You can always trust Pamela Salzman. Find her basic chicken stock recipe here. I love PCC which is where I do nearly all of my grocery shopping and in the freezer section in the meat department you can find organic chicken backs/bones and even chicken feet which are stellar for stock and all super affordable.

If you've made stock before, you know that as soon as it starts to boil a pretty unsightly foam appears on the surface which you are supposed to skim off. If you've never made stock it looks like this very un-Instagram worthy photo...

A cool trick I learned from a cooking class at The Pantry awhile back, is to put the bones in the pot, cover with water and bring to a boil and just let the bones boil for 10 minutes to bring out all the impurities. After 10 minutes, pour it all into a colander and rinse/clean the bones in cold water. Put the bones back in the pot and fill with clean water and begin your stock. Not only do you not have to fuss with trying to get all the foam out but it results in a beautifully clear looking (and tasting) broth. After it has cooled and I've skimmed the fat, I freeze my stock in these containers...

Next up on my to do list is pie dough.

I come from a line of epic pie bakers. My grandmother used to make her crust by feel, a scoop full of flour, some fat, a little salt, a little water. That sense was not passed down to me, but I took one of the very first Pie Ninja classes that Brandy taught when she opened The Pantry. She completely demystified the seemingly impossible feat for many of making a pie with a flaky butter crust. The world needs more pie. If you're intimidated, again you can trust Pamela Salzman. Find her apple pie recipe here. She'll even show you how to make the crust, roll it out and get it into the dish...

Also, it's good to know that flour goes rancid quite easily. Fresh flour pretty much has no smell. If you open up your bag of flour that has been sitting in your cupboard for several months and it has a distinct smell, it is bad. You might even think that that smell is what flour is supposed to smell like. Dump it. If you live locally, find Stone-Buhr flour from the good people of Shepherd's Grain at PCC. Also if you are like me and don't often use AP white flour, you might want to store it well sealed in the freezer to prolong its life.

With all that has gone on in the last few weeks, I am hopeful, and I am grateful. If anything I think many of us have replaced a sort of complacency with a new sense of ownership in our lives asking ourselves, "What can I do?" Where to begin? Open your mind and your heart and your eyes to others around you. When you are waiting in line for your coffee, or sitting alone at lunch, whatever it is, resist the urge to look down at the device in your hands and instead lift your head up and appreciate the humanity that surrounds you.

With immense gratitude, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

And hell yes REI. #optoutside

Keeping Quiet

"KEEPING QUIET" BY PABLO NERUDA

Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth,
let's not speak in any language;
let's stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

Fisherman in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.

What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.

If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.
Perhaps the earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.

Now I'll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.

—from Extravagaria (translated by Alastair Reid, pp. 27-29, 1974)

The Stutterer