Ok, it might be a little premature to call this a ritual quite yet...but it has great potential. This lovely, loose, blueberry tea was a gift, and I just know that it will make delicious sun tea. 

Heatwaves + drought lead my thoughts to any way we can use less electricity these days, and sun tea is such a humble way to harness the power of the sun. A jar, a tea ball, some tea + a few hours in the sun is all it takes. 

We've been spending most evenings at a nearby park overlooking the lake these days. We chat about our day + read to each other from a book that we've agreed on together. The sky turns pink with cotton candy clouds as the sun sinks behind the trees. I think ice clanking in a couple of jars full of blueberry tea will be a good addition to that ritual.

Love,
Jane

The sun has been shining + the rain has been falling + the seeds are starting to turn into food in our little spring garden. I can't tell you how excited I was to add this extremely local, zero-waste color + flavor to the quick meal we ate last night.

The radishes + chives were the perfect addition to this what's-left-in-the-cupboard meal. Our go-to parmesan pasta got a little upgrade from a packet of miso + it was delicious. Sitting in the sun on the back step was the perfect compliment. 

Miso Pasta ::

box of your favorite pasta
packet of miso
parmesan cheese
pepper flakes
whatever extras are on hand, we used radishes + chives from the garden this time

Boil pasta + drain all but a little of the pasta water (maybe 1/4 cup). Mix miso packet into the pasta until well coated. Top with other ingredients + enjoy.

Love,
​Jane

It's mango season + we're loving these mango smoothies right now. 

​Blend:
frozen mango
yogurt
oat milk
cinnamon
cardamom
ginger
honey

Love,
​Jane

Indecision is not my usual mode. I (usually) know what I like + I (usually) trust my instincts. This year, however, I've noticed that indecision has become a sort of recurring theme. I can't decide which trainers or bed frame or job or city to commit to...these don't fit quite right, I don't like the legs on that one, I don't know if we can afford it. As I put off decision after decision...they pile up + it all starts to feel overwhelming. So I'm starting with a plan to decrease my decision making when it comes to meal planning.  :)

As usual, I don't know if my personal thoughts will be helpful to anyone else, but...here are a few of my recent thoughts on forming (or reforming) a system for meal planning:

• Up until now, my system has looked pretty much like this. 
• I'd been wanting to update this system in order to establish a little more structure + make it a little easier + quicker to plan our meals + grocery lists. Even with my system, I am often just a little too stumped when it comes time to make my list. I feel guilty about repeating meals too often, but then end up doing it anyway.
• I watched a video by Minimal Mom the other day + it just felt good to hear that Dawn makes a lot of the same meals over + over. She said that our moms used to do that + didn't apologize for it before recipe blogs + food shows, etc. Sometimes it's just nice to know that other people are doing something. (I don't really know why.)  :)
• When I sat down to work on my system, my mind was still resisting making it more specific. I realize that I often balk at creating a system, because I'm not sure I want to fully commit to it. I think I'll probably fail anyway...or that I'll want more variety...or that I just won't like it. Well, I just had to tell my brain that I want to try this + I can make changes anytime I want to. (duh.)

So...I decided to keep the plan I've been using...but to give myself two actual meal choices in each supper category...for each season. Right now the categories I'm using include:

• pizza
• rice
• soup/salad
• pasta
• root vegetable
• fish
• for 3 (one less for dinner)

Other categories I have used or considered include breakfast for dinner, frittata/pizza, grain bowl + sandwich/burger/taco. I've also considered using origin flavor categories like Mexican, Greek, Italian, Japanese + Indian.

Right now, we eat mostly vegetarian + gluten-free + considering some other food sensitivities, so coming up with meals can feel like a long checklist of can-we/can-we-not. I decided that two meals in each category would allow for many weekly combinations. I also left a few options in the meals. For example, one of our favorite meals lately is lemon rice. The base of it is jasmine rice, a little butter, lemon, parmesan cheese + scallions (because they are in season now!) + salt + pepper flakes. We would all enjoy eating it just like this, but adding peas, asparagus, broccoli +/or radishes along with some protein offers an opportunity for both variety + for using fresh spring produce.

Making seasonal iterations of this plan will offer even more chance for variety + for using the season's offerings. For spring, I chose lemon rice + broccoli/cashew rice as our rice meals. In the summer, I may choose a deconstructed sushi bowl + rice with peanut sauce as our rice meal choices. I've put some suggestions on the other season's lists, but I'll leave those decisions for those seasons.

This process reminded me of what Courtney Carver is doing with her 333 wardrobe challenge. The three month blocks in 333 have always seemed a little arbitrary for me weather-wise, but I recognize that it's more about dealing with the system (+ the vast majority of the decision making) all at once + then living + resting within its boundaries for the following three months.

I hope it's obvious that we can eat whatever we want to...whenever. This system is not meant to be restrictive in any way. It just exists as a helper for coming up with meals week after week.

A few questions I asked myself along the way:

• What would I like to eat every day? What feels nourishing + delicious + healthy? 
• What do my people like to eat?

Answering these two questions released me from feeling like I would not be offering meals that I am supposed to offer. I know this sounds ridiculous...but I had to process that. If I am offering the nourishing things they most like to eat = great! When I think about what I would most like to eat, the answer is short...not varied + long. (A grain bowl.) Great...sweet release.

• Are we getting enough protein?

This allowed me to look at my plan + to see the holes in that one area. I decided to address this by looking at the whole week in order to add a few things to incorporate throughout the week.

I have to say that I feel pretty good about crossing this task off my list. My list looks nourishing + delicious + budget-possible. I don't have to make my shopping list until Friday + it's only Wednesday. I feel like I've done my future self a favor. 

Love,
Jane

A great way to avoid food (+ money) waste is to make the produce we bring home last longer. It doesn't take long for carrots to look like this, though a flabby carrot is still edible...to a point. When I take a little time to prepare my produce for storage after my weekly shop, I can be sure it will last the week. Meal prep goes faster too.

A few ways to make produce last longer:

• broccoli :: wash, cut + put into a jar without letting it dry off first, refrigerate
• carrots :: wash, cut into the shapes you'd like to use + cover with water, refrigerate
• scallions :: wash, cut them up + refrigerate, shake every day

• bananas :: brown bananas can go straight into the freezer with their peels on to be used for banana bread or smoothies, but I find it easiest to peel them when they have spots, break them into a few pieces, put them into a jar + freeze :: when I want to use them it is easy enough to break out as many as I'd like
• apples, lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit :: we keep in them in the fridge (apples separated from other produce, because they accelerate ripening...which can be used to advantage when desired)
• mangos :: I put them in the fridge until the night before I want to use them, when I put them on the counter
• berries + other fruit :: wash + freeze to use in smoothies, muffins or pancakes

My goal is to eat fruit fresh, but I'd rather freeze it than let it go bad.

Love,
Jane

The spice drawer offers some eerie similarities to the overstuffed closets in many homes. There are the spices that were used once for that one recipe. There are duplicates bought when we couldn't remember what we already had. There are spices that have completely lost their flavor. We can't bear to throw some away, because they were expensive. Maybe it's time to take stock of the spices hanging out in the kitchen.  :)

When I started cooking for myself I didn't really know how to use spices unless I was using a recipe. I wasn't even really sure what flavors some of them brought to the table. Without the knowledge of how to create flavor, I had little ability to create dishes out of what was left in the fridge or pantry at the end of the week. All of this can lead to waste + frustration.

I find immense pleasure in experiencing traditional food from various regions around the world. Some of the most delicious flavors I've tasted were generously shared by neighbors originally from Iraq + India. Food is one of our favorite parts of traveling. We savor eating in restaurants with experienced Mexican, Thai, Chinese + Japanese (etc., etc.) cooks. My at-home cooking really cannot compare to these offerings, but spices can offer a hint of the flavors I wish to recreate. 

A few spicy things to consider:

• spices lose their flavor with time, so using them up in a timely manner is key
• stocking a tight collection of spices + knowing how to use them helps me use them up
• figure out which spices you like/dislike 
• take note of versatile spices
• in order to taste it, don't skimp on the amount of spice added (spoon it in!)
• salt enhances flavor...use it as a complement
• choose less expensive spices + ones that really add flavor, if budget is a concern
• many spices bought in bulk are quite inexpensive

The spices I stock include:​

• cayenne
• turmeric
• cumin
• cinnamon
• ginger
• salt
• pepper flakes
• seasonally: cardamom (winter) + dill (summer)

I try to keep things relatively simple in the kitchen for both my budget + waste concerns. But taste is still the number one priority. Here is my personal, simple spice strategy (including one example of something I make in each category):

• Indian :: cayenne, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, salt  (curry sauce: these spices, a jar of my tomato sauce, half can of full-fat coconut milk + half a lemon, squeezed)
• Mexican :: cayenne, cumin, salt  (taco bowl: olive oil, onion, tomato sauce, these spices, beans on brown rice topped with avocado, lime, fresh cilantro)
• Asian :: ginger + cayenne  (stir fry: jasmine rice + steamed broccoli + cashews + sauce made of tamari, lime, these spices, a tiny bit of brown sugar + spring onions or fresh cilantro)
• Italian :: cayenne, salt  (pasta sauce: olive oil, onion, tomato sauce, these spices + pasta + parmesan + fresh basil or fresh parsley)
• (Alternatively, you could buy ready made spice blends. I found those expensive + not always to my taste...and that's actually what led me to figure this out.)
• Pumpkin spice :: substitute cinnamon + a little cardamom, if I have it
• Pickle spice :: dill, a tiny bit of sugar, salt, cayenne or pepper flakes
• Pepper flakes :: a liberal sprinkling goes onto just about anything we eat  :)

Someone just starting out without a whole lot of cooking instruction behind them could try this strategy...but could also just be observant when eating food they like. Take note of menu descriptions/combinations. Try to deconstruct surprising flavors. And then try it at home. 

Or just start with salt + pepper flakes. Some of our favorite meals need only those:

• pasta, a little butter, parmesan, salt + pepper flakes
• rice, frozen peas, butter, parmesan, squeezed lemon wedge, salt + pepper flakes 
• add salt + pepper flakes to toast topped with an over-easy egg or mashed avocado 
• roasted, root vegetables + onion tossed with olive oil sprinkled with salt + pepper flakes + hard-boiled egg

Obviously, you stock what you like + use. This is just my approach....and my belief that simple can taste so good!

Love,
​Jane

Every once in a while I find a cookbook that looks interesting, but I'm not really a cookbook person. I often find cookbooks overwhelming. The recipes frequently involve too many ingredients + too many steps. And I get distracted with hunger looking at all those mouthwatering dishes.  :)

I do, however, like to discover new flavors. When I look at cookbooks, I'm looking for inspiration + for recipes that fit into my simple way of collecting ingredients + cooking. I like to buy (not too many) fresh ingredients that we use every bit of, and I prefer to spend less than an hour making dinner. 

I also like to take pictures of meals I've made that we really like + don't want to forget. Often the picture is enough to spark the concept, so no notes are necessary. Even a recipe that I make weekly for a season can slip my mind by the time the next similar season comes around. A little visual reminder is just the spark I need to get it back on the table.

This technique would also work on that shelf full of cookbooks that one might like to downsize.  :) Pass the books on to friends over the holidays along with a bookmarked favorite + a jar of jam...or take them to a book reseller + receive a little cash along with the lovely space created.

Top two photos in this post feature pages from Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients: Quick Easy Food.

Love,
​Jane

There are a few adaptable, staple meals that we eat on repeat. One of them involves roasted potatoes + whatever other vegetable is in-season. This week's summery variation took advantage of tomatoes + peppers from our garden as well as corn, avocado, scallions + hot sauce. Colorful + delicious! It's always nice when someone at the table says, "I could eat this every day!"

Love,
Jane

Just a few lovely things I've come across lately: Go Gently Nation's summer collection is gorgeous. I love the guaze-y, strappy dress + the story shared along with it of the founder's trips to Palm Springs packing only this dress. The colors + easy fit of these natural-fiber, made-in-Los-Angeles pieces are completely dreamy to me. And these photos have me longing for California sand between my toes.

I'm loving the simplicity of these meals offered as inspiration for what to do with our farmer's market or CSA hauls. It always feels affirming to see recipes listing a limited number of common ingredients that result in super tasty meals. (Also- yay!- summer produce!)

I enjoyed spending some time this week with this article by Laura Rubin about writing for self-worth. I tend to spend a lot more time thinking about ways that I need to improve rather than respecting who I am. I appreciate Laura pointing out that self-worth "creates a beautiful foundation for self-improvement" (if that is what we want to pursue) as well.

And I'm looking forward to diving into the Self-Compassion Workbook alongside Julia. I'm hoping that the illustrations by one of our favorite artists help sweeten the willingness to engage.  :)

I hope you are finding some mind, body + soul-nourishing ways to spend some time each day.

All lovely images via links.

Lots of love,
Jane

Thoughts I had while picking + eating these strawberries from our garden:
-I don't care that it hasn't stopped raining. I really want to eat some of these for lunch.
-A penchant toward questioning the meaning of life may be extinguished by eating strawberries.
-The verse...Taste + see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)...might have something to do with strawberries.
-I wish I could share one of these little treasures with each of you, because then you'd all be convinced to plant some of your own (if you don't already).  ;)

Have I convinced you yet?  :) If you have access to a sunny patch, plant strawberries.  :) It doesn't take much effort or expense...they start like the picture on the left. (Look for strawberry starts in the early spring.) We've even gotten a few strawberries off these starts.

Next year, those starts will have sent off their shoots + filled in + will look more like the picture on the right. All it takes is watering them every so often throughout the summer. We don't cover them with straw or anything during the winter...though it might be a good idea in places where there is more snow or much colder temperatures (though we do get a few feet of snow at a time + very cold temperatures too).

These plants produce fruit for three or four weeks + look pretty the rest of the time. I think they would look nice in a front yard or as ground cover on the side of the house too. I feel like it's totally worth it to devote a little space to strawberries.

If you have to wait until next year to plant those starts, look for a U-pick farm in your area. In less than an hour you'll have enough deliciousness to eat to your hearts content + also to make some jam + to freeze some for later in the summer.

These strawberries are nothing like the ones in the grocery store. They are much sweeter + softer...which is probably why they wouldn't travel well from field to store shelf. I love them straight off the vine...or as a part of my very favorite lunch...with homemade yogurt + granola (homemade or from the bulk bins).

When there are too many to sit down + eat right then (because there will be more to pick tomorrow)...I really feel rich + freeze some. The frozen ones make amazing smoothies or ice cream treats later in the summer!

When Jo ate her strawberries, she mused, "I wonder why more people don't grow their own strawberries!" And I said, "I'm writing a post about that right now!"  :)

Love,
Jane