2015-10-19

Happy Fall from Amy's Nutritarian Kitchen!

I have mentioned probably about a million times on this blog how much I love fall... I love pumpkins and apples and crisp temperatures and cozy blankets and rainy days.  But, before I start sounding too much like a "Basic B*tch", I'd like to share some of our new house's fall/Halloween decor I have recently put up.

Last Wednesday's decorating started with stopping by my favorite farm stand for some pumpkins.  The three big pumpkins were $10, while each set of three little pumpkins were $1.  $12.  Not bad for so much fall color!  I sent this picture to my husband before heading home.  
I bet he was thinking "So it has begun..."


The mini pumpkins went perfectly on our front living room mantle.  This room doesn't have much in it to begin with (which I am currently working on, but that is a post for another day).  The one extra white (pokemon) pumpkin went on a coffee table for decoration.  In case you are wondering, the three pictures above are of old Tacoma, WA (30 minutes from where we live).  Kevin estimates that the two on the right are early 1900's, while the left is a bit later around the 1930's.  Several months ago my work was going to get rid of these out of someone's office who had left the company years ago.  I snagged them and they fit our front room perfectly.  



Here is where the three larger pumpkins went along with some purple string lights, spider web net, a metal pumpkin patch sign, and a scarecrow.  Other people on our block go all-out for Halloween with fake gravestones in their yards, strobe lights, and black lights, but I think for our first year owning a home, this will do.



Here is bit of a better view with our porch light on.  Poor Kevin that first night after I put up decorations.  We were cozy in bed when I remembered that I forgot to turn off the purple lights.  I wasn't sure how warm they might get against the spiderweb and if that could be a fire hazard, so Kevin went out and turned them on.  What a gentleman!  Hehe!  I think I will work on getting a timer for the lights that we can use later for Christmas lights this winter.


Here is a closer view of the fall wreath that I made for the house a few weeks ago.  I purchased all of my supplies from Michael's for only $20 and put it together myself.  Not bad when the pre-made wreaths at craft stores go for $30-$75 depending on their size.

What things are you doing around your place to enjoy the spirit of fall?


Health and Happiness,

Amy

2015-08-31

Curry Carrot Soup

We just got back yesterday from a week long vacation on an Alaskan Cruise (a few pictures are at the bottom of this post), and I came home to a bare bones fridge without any willpower to make it to the grocery store.  I grabbed all of the surviving veggies out of the pantry and fridge and got to work.  Sometimes the best recipes come from those we throw together out of necessity, and this is a keeper!

It is ever so slightly starting to feel like fall in western Washington, so this creamy, comforting soup just hit the spot.  Along with an afternoon of football, knitting, and tea, this soup got me in the mood to cuddle up on the couch, wear fuzzy socks, and relax.  Ahhhh... :)

I made this recipe in my InstantPot Duo pressure cooker, but it can easily be done on the stovetop or a crockpot by adjusting the cooking times.  See my notes below for suggested adjustments.

Curry Carrot Soup
(Pressure Cooker Friendly)
Time: 10 minutes prep, 6 minutes high pressure
Servings: 6-8 servings


Ingredients:
        2 cups chopped onion
        2 celery sticks, chopped
        4 cups chopped carrots
        1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
        1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
        1 tsp minced ginger
        1 tsp cumin seeds
        1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
        1/2 tsp dried mustard powder (optional)
        1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubbed
        1 cup dried yellow split peas
        1 cup dried red lentils
        6 cups water (boiling water will bring pot to pressure faster, optional)
        2 Tbsp mild curry powder
        1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

        3 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, deseeded, and chopped

Pressure Cooker Instructions:
1.)  In a large pressure cooker, saute the onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, cumin, and fennel seeds for 3-5 minutes.
2.)  Add in the remaining ingredients except for the roasted red bell peppers.  Stir to distribute spices throughout.
3.)  Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes.  Allow the pressure to come down naturally for 15 minutes, and then release any remaining pressure.
4.)  Carefully remove the lid once pressure has been released.  Add in the chopped roasted peppers.  Serve chunky or use an immersion blender to cream the soup, adding additional water to reach the desired consistency.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Amy's Notes:
To make this soup on the stovetop, follow the same directions to saute, but simmer for 20-30 minutes in place of the 6 minutes cooking at pressure.

To make this soup in a crockpot, throw all of the ingredients in and cook on high for about 4 hours.

I would suggest topping with green onion, cilantro, parsley, basil, or nutritional yeast.  Again, I was running on empty cupboards, so mine pictured is merely garnished with fresh ground black pepper.

Now, here are a few pictures from our Alaskan Cruise last week... :)

Our first stop was in Ketchican.  We started the day by going to Creek Street (the old red light district), and then continued for a hike up Deer Mountain.  I hiked about halfway up (1500 feet) until we got to a beautiful overlook.  We met my parents halfway up the trail and Kevin and my dad decided to continue to the top of the mountain (3200 feet) while my mom and I slowly made our way down the mountain so I would have time to check out a yarn shop in town.

This is Kevin after the long hike.  The peak above is where him and my dad made it up to.  We were all a little sore the day following, but the views and scenery made it all worth it!

Our next stop should have been up the Tracy Arm Fjord, but unfortunately someone had a medical emergency that day on the ship and we had to proceed to Juneau instead of  seeing the Tracy Arm Glacier.  Huge bummer!  Thankfully, we didn't have any hard-set plans in Juneau and were able to take a shuttle up to Mendenhall Glacier.  The weather was perfectly sunny, but just cool enough that I got to rock some of my favorite knitted pieces.

Later in Juneau we took another shuttle to the Alaskan Brewery for a guided tasting.  Lots of fun to learn about the innovative ways the brewery has adapted to produce the quantities they do with more efficiency and less environmental impacts (recycling CO2 from fermentation and using spent grain biomass for energy).  The beer was delicious!

Health and Happiness,

Amy

2015-07-14

Berry Poppy Seed Dressing

My two favorite parts of a grocery store are the produce section (for obvious reasons) and the bulk bin section.  Bulk bins are getting much more popular these days and carry just about everything including dried beans and legumes, whole grains and flours, nuts and seeds, as well as spices.

Buying items in bulk is great for getting as little or as much as you want of an item.  I also appreciate how it cuts down on packaging for sustainability reasons.  I find that when I shop in the bulk bins I save money on items in each section, but particularly on beans, whole grains, and spices.  When bought by the bag, beans can cost $2-$3 per pound, whereas I find them in the bulk bin around $0.50-$1 per pound.  Grains are about the same ratio in price differences as beans.  Spices are often where the biggest difference is.  Some tiny spice jars can cost $4-$8 depending on what you are getting, but in the bulk section can be a quarter of those prices or less.

Some of my favorite items from each section that are staples in our house are as follows (because I love making lists!):

  • Dried beans/legumes: pinto beans, small red beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, black eyed peas, brown lentils, red lentils, yellow and green split peas
  • Whole grains: rolled oats, steel cut oats, brown rice varieties, wild rice, pearl barley, millet, quinoa
  • Flours: whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, chickpea flour, almond flour, smelt flour
  • Nuts and Seeds: (all raw) cashews, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and ground flaxseeds
  • Spices: cumin, coriander, chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried basil, dried parsley, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried oregano, dried ginger, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder

Last time I loaded up in the bulk bin section, I thought I would try something new and decided to get poppy seeds.  I thought a sweeter poppy seed dressing sounded wonderful and remembered that I had froze some raspberries and blackberries a week ago when they were on sale at the produce market.


Berry Poppy Seed Dressing
Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings


Ingredients:
        1 cup frozen mixed berries
        1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
        1/2 cup raw cashews
        4 pitted dates
        3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
        1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
        1/2 tsp ground dried ginger
        1/2 tsp dry mustard
        1/4 tsp cinnamon

        1/4 cup poppy seeds

Instructions:
1.)  In a high-powered blender, blend together all of the ingredients except the poppy seeds.
2.)  Blend until smooth and creamy, adding additional plant-based milk to reach desired consistency.
3.)  Add in the poppy seeds and blend on low to mix.
4.)  Serve chilled over a salad or as a sweet, tangy dip.


Amy's Notes:
In my recipe I used a mixture of frozen raspberries and blackberries.  You could also use blueberries, huckleberries, strawberries, or any mixture of your favorite berries.  I also used unsweetened soy milk, but feel free to use whatever plant-based milk you like best.  Because of the sweeter nature and the acidic ingredients in the recipe it has a slight yogurt-tangy flavor.

For my pictured salad below, I served the berry poppy seed dressing over a bed of green lettuce (from my neighbor's garden, score!), shaved carrots, fresh strawberries, sliced radishes, diced avocado, hemp hearts, and ground flaxseed.  Yum!


Health and Happiness,

Amy


2015-07-08

Indian Mixed Dal

I first tried Indian cuisine a few years ago while my brother and sister-in-law were in town for Christmas.  They insisted that my nutritarian parents and I give it a try since many recipes are vegetarian and often rely heavily on beans and legumes.  Wow!  Fantastic!  We couldn't get enough.  Soon most dinners out with my parents were to our new favorite Indian restaurant.

Now, I know Indian restaurants aren't necessarily Nutritarian friendly since they are generally higher in salt and often use ghee (clarified butter), but that's why I'm bringing you a recipe today that can be made at home with no salt, oil, or ghee!  For other Indian recipes I've done before including whole wheat naan bread, click here.

Indian Mixed Dal
Time: 5 minute prep, 8 minutes in a pressure cook or 30 minutes on the stovetop
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients:
    Saute:  
        1/2 large onion, chopped
        2 cups sliced mushrooms
        1/2 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
        1 Tbsp minced garlic
        1 tsp minced ginger
        1 tsp cumin seeds

    Dal:      
        1/3 cup red lentils
        1/3 cup yellow split peas
        1/3 cup green split peas
        3 cups water

    Spices:
        1 Tbsp gram marsala
        2 tsp ground coriander
        1 tsp smoked paprika
        1/2 tsp ground cumin
        1/2 tsp cinnamon
        1/2 tsp turmeric
        1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes            /

Instructions:
1.)  Saute the first 6 ingredients over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, adding small amounts of water as needed to prevent sticking.
2.)  Add in the dal, water, and spices, and stir well to combine.
3.)  If using a pressure cooker, set the cooker to 8 minutes at high pressure.  When 8 minutes is up, release the remaining pressure and stir thoroughly to mash up the dal.
      If cooking on the stovetop, bring the pot to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally and adding additional water if it becomes too dry.
4.)    Serve hot over a whole grain or with steamed veggies.

Amy's Notes:

Since doing the ETL 6-Week Challenge, I'm trying to limit myself on whole grains, so instead of serving my dal with brown rice, I decided to cut up zucchini really small (like rice) and steam it.


Health and Happiness,

Amy

2015-07-02

Cilantro and Hemp Seed Dressing

I love Mexican flavors.  My husband will tell you that if anyone mentions Mexican food I immediately perk up and ask where and when are we going, often not dropping the subject until the date has been set.  Since starting the ETL 6-Week  Challenge last week, I realize that there probably isn't much for me to eat at a Mexican restaurant for the next few weeks.  Cheese comes on just about everything, the chips are deep fried, and the sauces, salsas, and beans are heavily oversalted.

BUT, that won't stop me from making dishes with some Mexican flavors at home!  Cilantro is a fantastic herb that can go well with many different cuisines, and I love it in Mexican dishes.  Since on the 6-Week ETL Challenge I have been eating big big salads and lots of steamed veggies daily, I thought I would make a yummy cilantro dressing to use throughout the week.

This recipe features hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts), which are small seeds from a commercial hemp plant (related to marijuana plant family, but with none of the inebriating side effects).  I buy my hemp seeds in a large bag from Costco and I store it in my fridge next to my ground flaxseed and chia seeds.  To find hemp seeds where you live try Costco or your local health food store.  They can often be found in the bulk bin at the grocery store as well.  If all else fails, order them on Vitacost or another health/bulk food website.

If you don't have access to hemp seeds and HAVE to have this dressing right this minute, the hemp seeds can easily be replaced with raw cashews or raw sunflower seeds.

Cilantro and Hemp Seed Dressing
Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4-6 servings

Here I enjoyed the Cilantro and Hemp Seed Dressing drizzled over
steamed green beans and topped with raw sunflower seeds.
Best way to get your 1 lb. of raw veggies in a day!
Ingredients:
        1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds
        1/2 cup chickpeas
        1/2 to 1 cup water
        1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
        2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
        2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
        1 Tbsp your favorite no-salt seasoning blend (optional)
        1 tsp minced garlic
        1 tsp chili powder

Instructions:
1.)  In a high speed blender blend all ingredients starting with 1/2 cup water until smooth and creamy.
2.)  Add more water and blend for the desired consistency.
3.)  Serve on top of steamed vegetables, or chill and serve as a veggie dip or salad dressing.

Amy's Notes:

Now, some people don't have a taste for cilantro, and that's fine, but for those of you who do, check out some awesome reasons to add cilantro to your repertoire today!


On another note, check out the gorgeous lavender I harvested from my garden earlier this week!
Some of it ended up in a vase in my kitchen and the rest is drying in bundles to be saved for tea and aromatic crafts.

Health and Happiness,

Amy


2015-06-17

Current Happenings

Wow!  Where has spring gone!?  We hit warm weather in western Washington about two weeks ago, and it has stayed around 75-85 and gorgeous!

This last week was a whirlwind of fun and craziness!  My 25th Birthday (gasp!) was on Friday, so I took an extra few days off of work to travel to my hometown and spend it with family and friends.  Kevin and I were also in some of our best friends' wedding this weekend.

On Wednesday I left (Kevin was driving over with his dad later) for Spokane and once in town I spent the evening with my best guy friend from high school.  It had been a long time since we have gotten time to catch up alone outside of a group party.  I always lovingly refer to him as our "Ted" from How I Met Your Mother.  He is about the nicest, most gentlemanly guy there is who often goes on dates with girls who say they want "the nice guy" when they really don't appreciate those qualities in the end.  What can I say... girls can be dumb.

The next day (Thursday), I spent shopping with my mom around town.  My parents don't usually get me a wrapped present for my birthday because my mom and I enjoy shopping together so much, she gets me presents while we are out and about.  Oh, how I have missed shopping since we have been so good about saving for a house!  While bargain shopping I ended up getting a bright blue purse, khaki shorts, blue blousey top, three dresses, and a few B&BW shower gels.

That evening at my parent's place we had a small backyard party with some of my closest friends for my birthday.  We dug out the croquet set and had a fun time attempting to play.  I got dead last in the game!

The next day, my good friend April came over to enjoy the sunshine on the back porch with my mom and I.  My mom made my favorite for lunch: veggie Thai pizza!  Yum!  After lunch, April took me to get a pedicure which was fantastic.  Sparkly gold was my color pick this time ;).

Beers in the sunshine!

Gorgeous earrings April got me for my birthday!
I'm also wearing the blue blouse and shorts my parents got me.

My brother and sister-in-law also got me a Fitbit Zip.  I've enjoyed using it this week so far!

Friday evening, I headed up to the wedding rehearsal dinner at the bride's parent's home where the wedding would take place.  Rehearsals are always so exciting and hectic, in a good way of course!  The rehearsal dinner food was mostly BBQ, but I enjoyed the big platters of veggies and fruit provided.

Where the ceremony took place.  At the rehearsal we practiced walking on their gorgeous flagstone walkway.

The bride and groom practicing their first dance.

All of the wedding party practicing how to dip when we join in at the end of their first dance.  Another bridesmaid's boyfriend was standing in with me because Kevin was across the state for his youngest brother's high school graduation.


The day of the wedding was a long one.... but so much fun!  I got up around 6:30 so I had time to pack up my things, pick up some teas/lattes, pick up another bridesmaid, and get dropped off at the Bride's house by 8.  From there we packed her up, picked up one more bridesmaid, and headed up to her parents' house.

The morning and most of the afternoon was spent enjoying mimosas with lots of giggling, as well as getting our hair and makeup done.  After that was pictures and waiting for guests to arrive.  The ceremony was beautiful, and the reception was a blast!  We stayed until nearly midnight after the bride and groom left.

The men all dressed up in their finest.  My hubby looking the most adorable of all on the groom's left shoulder.

The bride and groom getting their pictures before the wedding.  She looked like an absolute princess

April and I enjoying the party.  Damn she tans well!

Me and the Husband :)


My dad and I joining in on the father-daughter dance.
It got chilly once the sun went down, so I was happy when we started
 the more lively dancing later and I could keep warm
with jumping and dancing around.
This week is another crazy one... although not nearly as crazy as last week.  Yesterday evening we had a friend over to help us put together a poker table he acquired off of Craigslist to go in our bar room.  Tonight we have another friend staying the night with us because he is here as a sports writer for the U.S Open.  We'll also be going to our favorite local trivia spot for some fun.  Then on Friday we have retirement party to go to for one of Kevin's coworker's.  I'm most looking forward to Saturday when we have local friends and co-workers over for a house warming party.  It'll definitely give me some motivation to keep working at cleaning up the yard!

Hope everyone else's week goes well!

Health and Happiness,

Amy

2015-05-12

Mother's Day Weekend 2015

Happy (belated) Mother's Day to all of the moms out there.  Since just buying our first house and having all those "adulting" things that go with that, I'm so happy to have my mom be my biggest cheerleader through it all!

Kevin spent the last weekend in Spokane for a friend's bachelor party, so it was happy timing that my parents wanted to come visit last weekend for Mother's Day and to see our new house. I'm always so happy to see them, and it is so nice to be able to cook whatever nutritarian thing I want and know it will be loved and appreciated.  No need to make any substitutions like I have to do with Kevin; my parents love every veggie and fruit under the sun!

On Friday, my dad had business in Seattle, so my mom and I enjoyed breakfast at home, then shopped around the area for a few new things for the home, including extra rugs and trash cans for two bathrooms and the kitchen.  While out shopping, Mom and I had lunch out at my favorite Indian restaurant in Puyallup.  That evening, we enjoyed my new "cabana" having some chips and guac and probably way too much wine!

The next day, we headed to Northwest Trek, a wildlife park only 20 minutes south of our new house.  We spent the majority of our day here enjoying the cat, wolf, bear, wetland, and aviary exhibits, as well as an hour long tram ride through 400 acres of protected natural habitat that housed 8 different types of herbivores and other small critters.  It was a beautiful way to spend a sunny, warm Saturday.

Saturday evening, we enjoyed a homemade dinner of corn on the cob, two different salads, and a quinoa red kidney bean burger I made (can you tell we love our food?).  Then, we all got to work on little things around the house.

My amazingly handy dad, with the help of my mom's coaching, tore apart pieces of our recently broken couch, reinforced it, and put it back together.  I couldn't believe it!  Kevin and I had bought this (cheap) couch with part of our tax return the first year we were married, after I begged for months for us to have real furniture rather than a futon.  About a month ago, a few weeks before we moved, a heard a clunk in the couch and the entire back cushion just collapsed.  It was still sit-able with a lot of pillows behind, but Kevin and I figured we would have to toss it for a new one soon.  Thankfully, my dad was able to save it, so when we do get a new bigger couch for our family room, it will move to the living room next to the fire place.

A few other things my dad helped me out with include fixing the tight door to the closet below the stairs, fixing the front door deadbolt so it slides into the lock position without pulling the door tight, hanging Kevin's United States map in the stairway, hanging our family room clock, checking what was malfunctioning with our new lawn mower, and changing the battery on my garage door opener.

While my dad was busy with his fixes, my mom helped me by making a curtain for my small pantry doorway, weeding a portion of my garden, figuring out how my garden soaker system worked, showing me how to use my sourdough starter, helped me set up my new hummingbird feeder, as well as drinking wine and mimosas! ;)

Here are a few pictures of all the fun...

My parents arrive Thursday evening and I give my mom her Mother's Day present.
Part of it was this bottle of merlot from Columbia Winery,
where one of my best childhood friends actually works at near Seattle.

On Friday shopping, we find a clock even bigger than the one we already have.
Kevin has an obsession with gigantic clocks for some reason,
so I assume we will get another one someday for our house.

Getting every scrape of Indian leftovers from my favorite Indian restaurant in Puyallup.
I love that we can always find beans/lentils at Indian restaurants.


In the evening, we enjoy too much wine, and my dad figures out how our lighted grape string work.

Mom and I getting ready to go into Northwest Trek.

On the tram ride through the wildlife reserve we see caribou...

One mountain goat,

Two mountain goat,

some elk, and much more!

Later on Saturday evening, my dad hangs Kevin's U.S. Map.
This is one that Kevin snagged from an alternative school he was student teaching at when it closed last year.
The map was made in 1969, and it truly one of our favorite things we own.

On Sunday we have steel cut oats for breakfast,
 and my mom poses with the small yellow rose plant I got her for Mother's Day.
My parents got married with yellow roses, so I always try to go for yellow roses for her when I can.

After my parents left on Sunday (after an already extremely productive weekend),
I started gardening in my front yard with all of the new garden tools my parents gifted to me.
I should have taken a before picture or two, because it was a BIG improvement!  

Out of this front yard bed I pulled out tons of weeks, some tulips, and daffodils.
Not sure why, but tulips and daffodils don't really ring my bell.
I'm saving the bulbs I pulled and thinking I will plant elsewhere come fall.
In this bed, there are hydrangeas in the middle,
lavender in a "L" that I transplanted the middle ones,
and day lilies (I think?) in the bottom that I left in place.
My first hummingbird visitor came when Kevin got home
and we were catching up in the Cabana on both of our fun weekends.

I mentioned that my mom sewed me a curtain for my small pantry door this weekend.
She also brought me this dress and one other top she had made me.
I can't believe how much talent (and patience) for sewing she has!  

Health and Happiness,

Amy


2015-05-04

Pressure Cooker Potato Leek Soup

In our house, we have potato leek soup a couple of times a month.  The facts that potatoes keep on the shelf so well, are often the last produce around before grocery shopping day, and cook relatively quickly have made this soup one of our main staples.

When I first became a Nutritarian, I really missed the creaminess of thick soups and sauces, so potato leek soup was one of my first favorites because it gives you that creaminess without any cow cream.  To make a similar recipe, but on the stovetop, refer to Katie's Creamy Potato Soup recipe here.  This was a recipe I adapted from my sister-in-law that I love love!

Now-a-days, I make my potato leek soup a bit differently, and in "my precious" pressure cooker.  Quite literally, I called it "my precious" in our move last weekend while a coworker of Kevin's was packing it.  Yep...  I went full-on LOTR Gollum with an appliance, but if you have one, you will know what I mean.

In the recipe I am about to share with you, I like to add lots of veggies besides potatoes and leeks.  I often throw in whatever sounds good in my fridge that needs to be used up, but this is my general recipe.  In the pressure cooker, this takes only 6 minutes at pressure with a quick release at the end!

Pressure Cooker Potato Leek Soup
Time: 10 minute prep, 6 minutes high pressure, quick release
Servings: 8-10 servings


Ingredients:
        2 lbs mixed white, red, golden potatoes - peeled if not organic and cut into 2 inch cubes
        2 leeks trimmed, washed well, and sliced including most of the green portion
        2 cloves garlic, minced
        3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
        3 medium celery stalks, diced
        1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped, any variety
        1 Tbsp dried herb mix - see note below
        8 cups of water (boiling when added, if desired to reach high pressure faster)
        1-2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (optional)

Instructions:
1.)  On the saute function, saute the chopped leeks and minced garlic for 3-5 minutes, adding water as needed to prevent burning.
2.)  Add in the remainder of the ingredients EXCEPT for the plant-based milk.  Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and cook at high pressure for 5-7 minutes.
3.)  After the allotted time, do a manual quick release of the pressure, or allow the pressure to come down naturally.
4.)  With an immersion blender or high-powered blender, blend the soup to your desired thickness, being cautious not to overprocess.  Potatoes can get a bit gummy if they are blended too much.
5.)  Stir in the desired amount of non-dairy milk.  Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm topped with fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, and/or green onion.


Amy's Notes:

Sometimes I substitute one leek with one yellow onion or two bunches of green onions, depending on the price of leeks during the year and my pantry stock of onions.  I find the flavor to be just as nice, and save me a bit of money as well.

For the dried herbs, I like to mix it up from batch to batch, but I generally add at least 1 Tbsp total of dried herbs.  My favorite lately is Herbs de Provence, but you could also do a mixture of thyme, rosemary, fennel seeds, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, sage, etc.



Health and Happiness,

Amy


2015-04-27

Moving Weekend

This was a very exciting weekend!  We were able to move into our first house!

A few weeks ago, I gave you guys a sneak peek of some of the pictures I had of our house... and that garden with a "Cabana"!  I've spent many a nights leading up to our move cherishing these photos and trying to imagine how our stuff will look in them.  What pictures I'll hang on the wall (actually using levels for once to get everything just right).  How I will organize all of the kitchen cabinets (and teaching Kevin where everything goes this time so he has no excuses to not put away the washed dishes).  What colors I want to paint the walls (I actually have a few paint swatches hanging out in my purse that I pull out and admire in different lighting from day to day).  I know... I'm a big nerd.

I'll tell you right now.  I am not a good mover.  I grew up in the same house my whole life until I moved for college and then when Kevin and I were first married.  In total, I've moved about seven times in my whole life.  Kevin, on the other hand has moved nearly 20 times.  He moved many times as a kid in California because his dad was a real estate agent and was able to find them really cheap rent until certain houses sold.  His mom and him made it a game, so Kevin thoroughly enjoys moving.

I do not.  I hate the feeling of all my things in boxes not ready for me to grab when I need them.  I don't like the uncertainty of when those boxes will be unpacked someday.  I hate the anxiety of feeling temporarily homeless because a place doesn't feel like home until I unpack.

This move, however, felt a bit different.  I did get anxious from all of the chaos, but not nearly to the extent I have in the past.  I think the peace of mind of knowing that this is the last move for a long while made me more calm.


On Saturday, we finished packing up the apartment and cleaning a few things.  Then on Sunday, Kevin had several of his coworkers come (with trucks, yay!) to load up.  We ended up making it in two trips with four trucks and two cars.  We worked loading and unloading from 11 to 4, but we got it done!  We spent the rest of the evening unpacking (the kitchen for me, the tv room for Kevin), and were able to set up our bed in the spare room to sleep in (we are getting a new master bed set soon).


It was exhausting and exciting all rolled into one.  I ended up hitting my step count goal around 1 (10,000) and the majority of that was stairs since our apartment was on the 3rd floor.  After a long weekend, we are in and so excited to be home owners.  Hopefully (!) very soon I'll be able to start bringing you some new recipes from my own kitchen!


Health and Happiness,

Amy


2015-04-20

Hike at Carbon River in Mt. Rainier National Park

This weekend was GORGEOUS!  We spent the majority of our Saturday hiking in Mt. Rainier National Park.  Did you know that Saturday started National Park Week?  We didn't either, but were able to park and hike for free this weekend.

For us, we had sunny weather in the upper 60's, lower 70's for most of the weekend.  Here are a few pictures from our great 11.5 mile hike.

The one-lane bridge we had to go over to get to the Carbon River Ranger Station. 

At the Carbon River Ranger Station before our hike.  This station is 2.5 miles from the parking area and trailhead.

Kevin at the Mt. Rainier sign near the trailheads.

A few miles into our hike, we just can't believe how big some of the trees are.  The entire hike is through old growth forests.

We hike 0.3 mile uphill hike from the main trail to check out an old mine.

Another hike 1 mile uphill and off the mail trail is Ranger Falls.  The picture really doesn't do it justice.  This thing was pretty tall!

Again, this picture makes it look not as grand as it was.  It looks like it is right behind us, but it is a good 50 yards away.

We continue along the trail that brought us to the Ranger Falls and along the way we cross a stream on this little bridge.

Along this path we also saw some old trees that had fallen over the years.  I'm touching the root system of one and the root system alone was about 2.5 times my height.

At the end of our hike we make it to Green Lake.  Across the water is snow.  Actually, some of the only snow we've seen in person this year.  The lake indeed has a green tint to it, but from the furthest log we could climb to, you can see down over 60 feet deep.  We were the only ones at the time on the lake, so it felt pretty cool to have it all to ourselves.  Too bad it wasn't swimming weather!

Green Lake


A view into the lake.  So clear and green.  No fish to be seen or aquatic birds, but plenty of water bugs.

We were pretty tired the rest of our hike back.  With only fruit for breakfast that morning and a large apple each for lunch, we were in need of some serious fuel!  This was the cross-section of a fallen tree, which was my arm span (I'm about 5'5").  Wish I could have stayed to count the rings!

After our hike we pass back through the small historic town of Wilkeson.  The old buildings on the main drag made it seem like an old western town.

After a stop for a beer at the local historic saloon, we were on our way to grab some food in town and go home... for an amazing night's sleep.
Health and Happiness,

Amy