Kitchen Basics - Hemp Milk

Homemade almond milk used to be my alt-milk of choice, and flavor-wise it still is. While it is easy to make at home, between the soaking and clean up it does take a bit of effort. To boot, almonds are expensive. So now I've really taken to making hemp milk which is more economical and easier to clean up, as you really just need a fine-mesh strainer. Plus, it makes very little waste. The fat content is similar to whole milk so it really subs well for recipes that call for a bit of milk or cream (like finishing a soup or baking).

Blend 1/2 cup hemp seeds with 3 cups of cold water on high until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer similar to this...

Pour into a glass container with a tight fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Done!

From My Wishlist...

Right now, this perfect linen jumpsuit is the top thing on my wishlist for spring...

Look at the back!

I love these Ariel Gordon earrings spotted on Frannie (Clare Vivier's gorgeous niece)...

I think these earrings are cool too...

And these delicate ones from Bing Bang...

The last thing I need in my closet is a 4" pair of heels, but I'm crushing hard on these ones from Loeffler Randall...

I still have my eye on this beautiful Janessa Leone hat...

My husband spotted this super cool cuff and ring designed by architectural firm Marmol Radziner on his last trip to SF...

I would also love to have this navy sweater from Sézane...

Super Sunday

After weeks of downpours and darkness, the sun made an unexpected appearance today! I always feel a burst of energy when the sunlight streams though the windows (we all probably do). I opened up the windows to let some fresh air in and went about ticking things off my to-do list before the football game this afternoon.

First, breakfast...

Every Sunday I make sourdough waffles (or today my son requested pancakes) with a special family recipe. They are spectacular. The sourdough starter has been in my husband's family since 1973. Yup, 45 YEARS. You can read more about sourdough here and if you want to make your own to "feed" and keep alive, this is a good place to start.

Last night I was clicking away on Food52 and read this genius recipe about how to achieve fluffy pancakes. They key is to separate the eggs. You don't have to whip the whites or do anything extra. You just add the whites last after you've mixed everything else together. I decided to try the technique this morning and yup, they were the fluffiest pancakes we've made yet. So if you have a favorite pancake recipe, give it a try... 

Next task, the closet... (can you see the sun?!)

After doing a full-on-whole-house-Marie-Kondo-purge three years ago, every 6 months or so I pull everything out of closet once again. I try everything on and cull whatever I no longer love or wear. I refold it all and happily put everything back in its place. I really enjoy this process and it never feels like an overwhelming task...

Going through my denim, I have a few current favorites and they are almost all Everlane. Everlane has really knocked it out of the park with their denim line. It is not only affordable, but the fabric is a premium heavyweight Japanese denim, the cuts are smart and they are ethically made. They also come in regular and ankle length. I love these high-waisted ones  and have them in both the mid-blue wash and black. I also have the modern boyfriend in not only several washes (mid-blue, light and white) but also in a few sizes as well. My regular size is a true boyfriend jean with a nice slouch. But I also sized down one size, which makes them a little less slouchy and a perfect everyday straight leg...

I also love these from AGOLDE (I ordered one size down from my regular size)...

A few other new additions that I love - this bra from Thirdlove...

Some new workout/teaching gear from Outdoor Voices. I LOVE these 3/4 leggings and this bra (the wide straps and scoop back are especially great)...

I picked up a shorter pair as well...

I also love this new bra from Lululemon...

Last thing before gametime, breaking down the recycling. Not a very glamorous task but thanks to my friend Omar I have a new smart little tool for opening up packages and breaking down boxes.

Further proof that good design makes even the smallest, seemingly mundane tasks enjoyable.

Game time!

Celery Root + Cauliflower Soup

This is one of my favorite soups to make in the winter. It is so simple yet elegant. I've served it on Thanksgiving, and to special company and it is always a hit. It comes from Ina Garten's cookbook Make it Ahead. It also freezes well but I usually just keep a big pot of it in the fridge that we eat throughout the week.

If you've never used celery root before it can look a little intimidating to work with but it's a piece of cake...

Cut off the top and bottom so you have a flat surface and rest the celery root on one of the ends. Then start trimming away the sides...

Keep trimming...

Until all the brown has been removed...

Everything gets chopped and goes in the pot to simmer on the stove. It won't look like much when it's done...

But after a turn in the blender it come out silky smooth and beautiful like this...

Ina calls for 2 Tablespoons of cream to be added at the end, however I've never added it as it seems unnecessary but feel free if you prefer!

It is truly delicious on its own but I've added two things recently that take it to another level. A drizzle of this new favorite olive oil from Katz, and a sprinkle of fennel pollen (seen below)...

I learned about Katz from Joshua McFadden's book (which I mentioned here as one of my very favorite cookbooks from last year). Their vinegars are stellar as well.

CAULIFLOWER & CELERY ROOT SOUP

By INA GARTEN

Serves 6

Ingredients

• ¼ cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving

• 2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

• 2 cups (1-inch-diced) celery root

• 2 cups (1-inch-diced) fennel, cored and stalks removed

• 2 lb (1 medium) cauliflower, cored and cut into florets

• 2 cups good chicken stock

• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

• fennel pollen (optional but you really should seek it out)

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and sauté over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Stir in celery root and fennel and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cauliflower, chicken stock, and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are very tender. Add 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, until very smooth. (Don’t fill blender more than half full or it will overflow!) Pour blended soup into a large saucepan and add 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt, depending on saltiness of the chicken stock. Reheat soup over medium-low heat. Ladle into soup bowls, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt and fennel pollen. Serve hot.

Make it ahead: Prepare soup and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Print the recipe neatly here.

JT on a rainy Monday...

Justin Timberlake's new video was done all in one take and all the music was performed live. Read how it was all done here. Enjoy and happy Monday...

For the weekend

Watch this amazing video of Candide Thovex skiing across the planet on everything but snow...

I loved this interview "You Don't Look 60" with Bobbi Brown on Goop...

photo from Goop

I relate to her outlook, especially this part about being curious and open-minded and knowing best...

“I’m constantly curious—I’m a seeker. I try everything. I tried Bulletproof because it sounded great, but I’d consume 450 calories worth of fat in my coffee and I was still hungry—so that didn’t work (for me). So I went Paleo—that didn’t work, either. I try, and I figure it out. What’s working for me is Intuitive Eating. It doesn’t make me feel bad because I had cottage cheese, or I had really good French bread in the best bakery. It’s my body, my health, and I know best. I’m open, though!”

I just got Nadine Levy Redzepi's (wife to Noma chef René) new cookbook Downtime from the library and as you can see below, I've flagged nearly half of it. It is full of lovely, simple and delicious recipes and excellent tips no matter your cooking prowess. René wrote the forward and I loved this passage:

"You may feel it's hard, or even impossible, to cook one meal a day when you have to make a living in the modern world. I see your point (in a way, even I can't do that for my kids!). Yet in this book I see someone who, by creating habits just like people do with exercise, has made the act of cooking effortless and endlessly generative. There is so much you can do if you simply begin to try."

We love Patagonia at our house. If you have 30 minutes this weekend listen to this conversation between Guy Raz and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard on the How I Built This podcast...

Andrew Holder for NPR

The best wisdom comes at the very end...

“I believe in the more you know the less you need.

The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life, because everything pulls you to be more and more complex...Either we’re forced or we decide to go to a more simple life, it’s not gonna be an impoverished life. It’s gonna be really rich.
”

I am still a die-hard Blue Bottle Coffee fan. I make myself a cup or two of Bella Donovan every morning with their ceramic dripper. I often take a cup with me on my drive to the studio, but in my thermal mug it stays way too hot to sip. So I picked up this beautiful little Keep Cup so I could actually sip my coffee while listening to On Being...which makes contending with Seattle traffic all the more civilized and tolerable...

It has been pouring here the last week(s), paired with pretty consistent winds. I am loving our Blunt umbrella that not only shields from the rain beautifully but can withstand the wind to boot. We have the classic but they make a smaller metro size too...

Despite the weather, I picked up these incredibly bright and fun sandals on super sale at Net-a-Porter. They will stay in the box for the next few months but I can wait...

2018

Hello, New Year.

After getting hammered with back to back bugs, the flu, sinus infections...I am healthy and thrilled to welcome the new year. My son and I were fortunate to tag along on my husband's photoshoot last week to enjoy a few days under the Mexican sun...

While it was wonderful, it feels so good to be home; my favorite place. I am excited to be back in the studio and finally back to my regular schedule this week.

While on break I've been hitting my local library hard. The two books I am currently reading and loving; The Lonely City by Olivia Lang. From the first few pages...

“Loneliness is by no means a wholly worthless experience, but rather one that cuts right to the heart of what we value and what we need. Many marvellous things have emerged from the lonely city: things forged in loneliness, but also things that function to redeem it.”

And Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, which I learned about from his wonderful conversation "What Matters in the End" with Krista back in October. 

My husband gave me these perfect little earrings from Bing Bang for Christmas and I don't know that I will ever take them off. Initials for the two boys in my life. They make me wish I still had multiple holes from my 1990s youth so I could have more...

I also love these tiny skulls...

I upgraded our kitchen glasses over the holidays and picked up these bodega glasses from Food52 and am loving them. I have the 12oz size and also the squat 7.5oz size which, just like the description says, I use for everything: small dishes for mise-en-place, condiments, ice cream...

Speaking of Food52, I discovered these gluten-free and vegan spicy ginger cookies on the site and have been making them possibly a little too often...

I did reduce the cloves to 1/8 tsp and added a handful of chopped candied ginger. They are heavily spiced and delicious first thing with a cup of coffee, or late afternoon with a mug of peppermint tea. 

Another new addition to my kitchen is this fantastic silicone ladle from GIR...

The GIR spatulas are the only ones I use. I have three of the ultimate size and four of the mini ones. I use them every single day for pretty much everything.

Lastly, I wrote a few months back about my favorite non-toxic deodorant and I have a new one to add to the list. AER from Vapour Beauty is fantastic. It is a gel to powder formula, super effective and long lasting. I bought it online but just saw it at my local Pharmaca. 

Hostess Gifts, Stocking Stuffers + More

Whether you need a hostess gift, a stocking stuffer, something special for your wife, or something for yourself, here is a round-up of some knock-out gifts for giving this season.

If you live in Seattle, these are a few of the local shops you should hit up...

Stock & Pantry on Capitol Hill

Flora and Henri in Pioneer Square

Marine Area 7 in Madison Valley

Little Lago in Portage Bay is a fantastic place to not only pick up something for lunch but is also an expertly curated shop and has you covered for the perfect hostess gift. This little Italian grocer has a lovely selection of wines, olive oils, Rancho Gordo beans and these gorgeous jams from Ayako & Family, which are my personal go-to gift for any occasion...

I also personally would love to have this tote I just saw on their site...

I'm gifting many jars of this wonderful body scrub from Seattle company Herbivore...

I love Donald Robertson and would love to spread some holiday cheer with his new book...

For the cook in your life, you can't go wrong with a beautiful apron from Hedley & Bennett (you can even order them in petite for short people like me)...

A fun game to play after the kids have been put to bed...

A sweet universal cheese knife...

I love this set of ornaments from MOMA...

A nice pair of gloves for the man in your life...

Or an equally cool but more rugged pair...

I think this scratch off world map poster would be cool for friends of ours whose kiddos are already serious world travelers...

These teakwood and tobacco candles are my go to at home...

I have loved using this beautiful ceramic diffuser this past year. It sits on my nightstand and I use it every night, almost always with eucalyptus oil blend...

The best ice cream scoop out there and a pint or two of Frankie + Joe's would be well-received...

If you don't have something in mind for your wife yet, these tiny sapphire beauties can be found at Flora and Henri. I tried them on way back in August and am still dreaming about them...

Finally, these two cookbooks are my most favorite from this year and would be a great addition to anyone's cookbook library.

Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat...

And Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden...

From My Wishlist - Holiday Edition

I hope you all had a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving with friends and family. And with that, the holidays are upon us.

The first thing on my wishlist this year is one of these grounds crew jackets from local Seattle company Ebbets Field Flannels. I just can't decide between this Seattle Metroplitans one...

Or this Portland Fuji one. (See the whole collection here.)

I think the Fuji jacket would look pretty fantastic with these silver Loeffler Randall boots that are also on my list...

I love this large barrel jug from Farmhouse Pottery...

This Away carry-on...

My friend Rita has enviable style and is a champion hat-wearer. She makes me want to be a hat-wearer as well. I can't decide but I think this one from Janessa Leone would be a good place to start...

Or this one (also available at one of my favorite local shops Flora and Henri)...

I would also love this half apron from Gjusta Goods...

And if I could ask for anything, I would love to find a place for this classic now available in MOHAIR...

More gift ideas on the way!

November 11

THIS IS FANTASTIC and in my mind, how Thanksgiving should be done. Even if you're not cooking this holiday, click through. It is hypnotic and lovely to watch Melissa and Sam in action. 

A few other things that caught my eye this week...

Photo from NYT

“At some point, the priest during the Mass says, ‘Lift up your hearts.’ He does not say, ‘Lift up your cellphones to take pictures.’”

— Pope Francis

Applicable not only during Mass but in life. Here.

It was the perfect crisp, drizzly Saturday to make Judy Rodgers' roasted applesauce. I didn't even bother to peel and core the apples and just ran them through the food mill after roasting which worked beautifully. 

This liquid zinc has been a lifesaver keeping us healthy over the last few months with the start of school and the change in season. I always have it on hand and take it daily. Elissa Goodman has a really good list of additional immune support here. 

Inspired by my five year old's (currently six page) xmas wishlist, pictured above, I am starting to think about holiday gift ideas myself. Those lists are coming soon!

Happy weekend.