promises made

should be promises kept.  Here's the recipe, for Alice & Black Betty , but for all of you to enjoy!

Grilled Bread with Herb-Infused Oil Topping

a.k.a. Pizza Bread, Communion Bread, and just plain Yummy Bread!

From Simply In Season : A World Community Cookbook.  Herald Press:  Scottsdale, Pennsylvania. 2005.

For Bread:  

1 1/4 c. / 300 ml warm water

1 t. active dry yeast

  Combine water & yeast in a mixing bowl, stirring until dissolved.

1 1/2 c. / 375 ml bread flour

1 1/2 c. / 375 ml whole wheat bread flour

2 T. olive oil 

1 t. salt

Add and stir until a stiff dough forms, adding more water or flour  as needed.  On a floured surface, knead 10 minutes or until smooth.  Place in a bowl greased with olive oil, turn to grease both sides, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.  Rising time can be cut shorter or dough may rise in refrigerator 6-8 hours.  

Start a medium hot charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill to the maximum.  Divide dough into equal pieces and form into flat rounds.  Let the rounds rest a few minutes.  Roll or lightly press as thin as desired, lightly flouring the work surface and dough as necessary.  Brush tops of several rounds with olive oil.  Place on hot grill, oiled side down.  Brush top lightly with oil.  Move bread rounds around the grill to avoid burning the bottom and cook 1-6 minutes, depending on grill temperature.  Turn and brush again with oil or add herb infused olive oil (below)

For Topping:  (double if you want to have some on hand for cooking)

5 T. fresh herbs:  basil, parsley, oregano, or your favorite(s)

1 t. minced garlic

1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

4 T. olive oil

Mix and let mellow.  You can blend this as well, but I like to see the beautiful textures!  With a spoon, generously spread on top of each bread round as it's finishing up on the grill.  Makes a great topping!  

For Pizza:  Add pesto or tomato sauce + cheese & your favorite toppings for a great grilled pizza.  We use this as a grilled pizza (and another printed in bon appetite').  

As a Side:  We also use this bread as a companion to our mediterranean meals in lieu of pita.  

And for those minister-types, I have used this as a communion bread.  In one service I had the children help me to create a fresh batch, then roll out a previously prepared batch as a part of the service.  The grills were outside and we had communion outdoors using the bread.  It was a lot of fun.  Oh, it was also World Communion Sunday.  

the spirituality of bread making

bread making is a sacred task. you use ingredients from the spaces & soil of the earth to create something that fills your body with what it needs. you adjust to your body's needs as well: wheat, wheat-free, dairy-free, whole grain...

you use your hands and you find yourself willing to devote a small amount of time to the task. making your own bread brings a sense of warmth, smells of divine baking, and happy, happy friends & family. besides that, you're making your own bread.

you can use the time to make, bake, and share bread as a spiritual practice. i'll be sharing more on the spirituality of baking bread, but wanted to give you something to think about as i lead workshops on this topic over the next two days.

where does your daily bread come from? are you creating your bread: what you need for your daily growth in mind + body + spirit? if your soul is thirsty, are you spending time trying to give yourself the water to drink? if you crave something more, know something more is within you, are you giving the space for the creativity within to grow?

making bread is about a pursuit of presence in daily living. it's about taking something simple and seeing it's simple. knowing that you can, you can make your own bread. you can feed your soul. you can use your wisdom. you can.

if you're saying YES! to making bread, here's a place to start: Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.

bread making in all sorts

in a variety of forms, bread is taking shape this week. bread is baked for a family welcoming their fourth into their home. bread is baked for our family as we ate with others in our church community tonight. bread dough is made for the upcoming festival, with more and more to be made. bread is taking shape in words, thoughts, and actions that lead to a festival that's meant to be a feast for the mind, body, and spirit.

words are rising within me. the dough is taking shape. the rhythm of writing, reading, and creating forms. my work will be among others in a festival gallery friday and then sold at the Richmond Craft Mafia's Spring Bada Bing THIS Sunday.

though there are holy pauses between what's shared, there will also be bread for the journey. as i was graciously reminded, the pause in writing allows others to read what hasn't been read through the more hurried days. thus, enjoy the archives of these two years of blogging. there is bread here and certainly more to come.

bread baking: reflecting, breathing & living

Today I'm making bread. Not an unusual occurrence, but one that is significant today, the last day of 2009. Bread making always Over the years I've become so accustomed to the liturgical flow of the church seasons that the "new year" begins in Advent for my internal clock. While I'll soon be writing 2010 on dates, I celebrate the change that's occurring in the calendar. I don't share the ritual of resolutions, but I do believe in the rituals of food & remembrance.

We shared our table and lives this year with amazing people. Our son continues to bloom in his third year of life adding much to his imaginative life of robots, monsters, superheroes, scriptural characters (he loves that jonah), pirates, chefs, and knights. We have lived together well in the present. We have adapted to changing needs of family life and have had many laughs along the way. We are content & we are whole.

Here on this final day of 2009 I have much that I'm thankful, offering a small taste here. For the sacred centering, the time & sharing with kindred spirits, the rhythm of my work & play, for the time devoted to mind, body, and spirit. For each who has a piece of silver tree art. For the good space & sacred moments shared in bereavement care. For the many moments celebrated and the amazing souls met. All these connections have been imprinted in this past year. And for the incredible personal growth & recognition taking shape. Each experience shapes me into a new awareness. Just as the yeast moves within the warm water and then into the flour, these experiences have given me new shape. I am given the opportunity to BE. I am in each moment filled with awe and gratitude. When the shaping of the dough comes in deflating the risen bread, I'm also humbled by the grace and attitudes of others. Sometimes what pounds against me isn't all that pretty or lovely to behold, but I rise again. The inner critic is subdued. I am reminded that we are each unique and we each have gifts to offer. Trust happens in that reminding. Each story is important and each telling has a place. My voice is unique, as is yours. For this and more, I am thankful.

While I have no resolutions per say, I do have sparks that I'm grateful for in the coming year. My professional life and personal life are all inter-twine, thus this space. In this space I have my own reflections, deep breathing, and stillness as I write, putting my thoughts, attitudes, and remembrances to the universe. Thank you for being a part.

Much in the same way I have torn off the last of the grocery pad, it's time for a new one. A new calendar month, a new page in the journal. A new spirit of hope and movement. Some of my own inner workings come when I am trying to hold onto what shouldn't be held onto. I find that living a life with palms open, allowing life's breeze to touch is more apt to my spiritual needs. I dare not hold onto what I shouldn't, but use my hands in ways that bring uplifting, caring, sometimes kneading ways. My mothering hands are the hands that hold my almost 4 year old boy (we like to say three and three-quarters). My baking hands knead the dough in gentle but firm ways. My ministerial hands hold the hands of others, providing touch to the hurting. My partnering hands tell my husband that I'm present to him now and always. Oh, the work of our hands.

While there are times that I am able to look to my hopes and dreams for the future, I'm learning to focus on the moment at hand. I'm baking today's bread in today's way. Tomorrow's bread will be it's own loaf, with it's own conditions. Conditions I can hardly control.

Today I rest in the comfort of so much love surrounding me. I will walk through today as any other, baking bread, loving, and creating memories. In this vein, I'll carve the block print I've been working on and treasure 2009 with all of its days, all of its lessons.

May today bring blessing, good food, and rest to you and yours. May you bake bread in your own way: loving, tending, nurturing, and waiting. May the coming days surround you with love, health, and blessing. Peace to you and yours.

life stories: bread making + rest

with my retro sunglasses on and a spring in my step, i moved through the between spaces of retreat with my sweet boy. between sharing the spirituality of bread making and baking bread for communion among these generous folks, my sweet boy and i played a bit.

i admired the landscape in it's monotone story, noting the trees, the snow, and the mountains.

\

i admired my boy and his determined steps. playing on the playground in the snow in his new red boots. he's a cool one, my boy.

i played with this whole "self portrait" phase of mine while on the playground. i feel a bit like a mother bee in these sunglasses, one of my favorite shades of green. they'll do.

and my boy knows about pictures of feet. we were standing together and i couldn't resist. he became playful, placing his toes over mine. i dig it.

time in the mountains at Montreat was sacred. each experience of teaching one another through sacred practices was felt: both outwardly and within. i am amazed that even hours after leading, folks were emailing and commenting in person about how much the spirituality of bread making spoke to them and about how i spoke to them. i am so pleased to be living my call to create in these ways. i love, love the life i'm leading.

now to just get ahold of those pesky pieces of really building my own practices of saving for retirement, filling in the gaps that ministry in a structured organization "might" provide, and continue spreading the good word that i am looking for more opportunities to share (retreats, workshops, small group facilitation in the studio and on traveling). thankful to live fully, one step at a time.

whole foods, super natural foods

food creativity.  food thoughts.  we've been incorporate more grains into our diet as well as eating as many whole foods as possible.  our CSA is amazing and inspiring and aids in our quest.  we love the foods we're given and want to use them to the best of their potential.  a friend in st. louis has been a guide over the years in this pursuit, as she's living a healthy whole-foods lifestyle.  one of my favorite cookbooks, super natural foods, came from her christmas 2008 and i'm just now really getting into the recipes.  recipes from that book forthcoming.

because i miss my classes throwing clay, i find a good substitute in baking and making pasta by hand.  yum.  each batch is better than the last, which is encouraging.  fresh spinach & ricotta ravioli like those we cooked on our trip to italy is a must.  the kneading in making bread & pasta certainly connects to my clay work.  my goal is to bake bread once a week, or make the grilled bread we love or fresh pizza dough.  crackers are next on the agenda this week, and i'll tell you how that goes.  a special treat that we made for a few friends last week: oatmeal fruit cookies (mostly organic & whole foods), from the cookbook i recommend below.  

since the recipe below fits into the scheme of our CSA & garden and is so good and comforting, I wanted to share it with you.  we've enjoyed making this over the last year or so.  so good.  so good.

Sausage & Greens Soup adapted from Simply in Season:  Recipes that celebrate fresh, local foods in the spirit of More-with-Less.  Herald Press.  The unadapted version can be found on our CSA's blog.  You can also adapt the recipe to be a meatless sausage or some other creative protein.  

1/2 lb bulk sausage (we had amish sausage on hand, with virtually no fat, so i added 1 T. olive oil)
  Brown in soup pot and drain all but a spoonful of fat. Remove meat.  (though sometimes i forget to remove the meat.  works well either way)

Add: 
1 cup onion, green onion, chives (we love using green onions from the garden)

garlic scapes to taste or 1 clove garlic, minced

  Saute in reserve fat until soft.  Return sausage to pot, if you removed it.  

Add:  
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup potatoes, diced
1/2 cup turnips, cut into sixths (my addition)

sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add: 
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1-3 cups of fresh spinach, kale, chard, watercress, or any other young tender greens or combination of greens, chopped
parsley to taste.  (A must!)

  Cook until tender.  
  Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or other hard cheese and enjoy!  Great with toast & garlic butter. 

Enjoy!

life stories: summer days of food

here's a small taste of some of what's been cookin' in our kitchen:

we are a people of good eats. we three love growing, cooking, and eating food. my sweet one helped this week with some yummy french toast sandwiches. these are filled with cream cheese, dipped in local eggs & fried in butter. all in moderation.

Cream Cheese Filled French Toast Sandwiches

*based on tasty treats at a B&B in Floyd, VA we once stayed with good friends for their wedding.

to make: cut your day old bread into slices. (i use our daily bread.) crack a couple of eggs in a dish, whisk & grate nutmeg into the eggs. (you can add cream if you like them a little fluffy.)

combine in a bowl: mix together 4 oz. cream cheese, 1/2 tsp. butter at room temp, a tsp. or two of powdered sugar, freshly ground cinnamon. (you can adjust the amounts according to your preference. sometimes i add jam or vanilla depending on my desire.)

spread your cream cheese between 2 slices of bread, dip into the egg mixture, & place in a buttered (or nonstick) pan that's been heated well. cook on both sides & eat while hot. these are fantastic with ginger syrup.

jo taking a picture of the process.

red cabbage, garlic scapes, & spring onions cut & prepared for slaw. i had to capture

the great colors with the morning light streaming onto the dish.

the father's day weekend blueberry pie, made for my one-and-only-true-love, who i consider a joy and a gift. i've fallen for him all again with our good summer time together: makes a world of difference. my spirit is renewed and my love grows. he's getting the royal treatment between this pie, baklava, and other homemade goodness to come.

indeed: we love our time together eating, storytelling, and laughing. all in good measure, all becoming good food for the soul.

these days: 100 in 100 is on!

100 in 100.  it's on. 100 square inches.  it was a thought, almost an inspired call.  i'm called to create.  i'm called to minister.  i'm called to share.  i made a comment about wanting to do 100 mixed media paintings in 100 days and the interest was instant.  i started the list of 100 calling it the 100 club.  some have chosen certain numbers to represent anniversaries or birthdays while others just want their piece, whatever the number it ends up being.  i'm creating each original work of art to be a color story of its own with vintage goodness layered between paint, oil pastels, pencil, and ink.

oh, my.  i'm already in love.  

10x10x2 on canvas.  ((awaiting words of wisdom.))

the first in the 100 club has requested a beautiful bit of wisdom "share joy relentlessly" with extra greens in the color story.  she may love this piece or another.

i find with this work that you'll know yours when you see it.  and i believe you will.  each of these will become a network of love and wisdom.  as you follow their creation here on the blog or on instagram ((@slsvinson)), you'll see what comes to life through color, texture, and word.

i am so very excited.  all this good work and energy is pouring from within.  there's so much bubbling out that i. must. share.  and this is where i feel called to share right. now.   with you...

you'll place your own story into the piece as you witness it, adding your own blessing/good energy/delight to the work itself.  you'll be breathing into these works your goodness.  can you imagine?  these will carry such goodness into homes, offices, or others spaces that aim to delight!

there's so much more to come!  i'll officially "begin" on july 1st, but i'm warming up before then with a few paintings.  these aren't all going to be created in the same day as they're started, though i want to aim to complete one each day.  there are so many layers that go into each piece they need time to rest.  ((much like daily bread.))

i'm still taking pre-registrations for the 100 in 100 for $100 each.  contact me to register at any point in this process.

daliy bread. yes.  that's what i'm kneading here.  let what rises come to you!  are you yeast that's causing the dough to rise?  will you help bring my daily bread to life?

oh, much. much. much more to come, lovelies.  much more.

xo.
s

good food: creamy wild rice soup

creamy wild rice soup with fresh croutons
adapted from heidi swanson's Super Natural Cooking.

2 T. coconut oil
3 t. red curry paste (less if you don't like the spice)
1-2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 white (or yellow) onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. wild rice, rinsed
6 cups water
1 sweet potato, peeled & diced into 1/4 inch cubes
sea salt
2 1/2 t. turmeric
1 T. natural cane sugar
1 T. shoyu sauce (or good quality soy sauce)
1 (14 oz. can) coconut milk
squeeze of lemon juice (lime if you have it)

Heat 1 T. coconut oil in heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste, garlic, shallot, and onion. Saute' for 3 or 4 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Make sure the curry paste is evenly distributed.

Stir in the wild rice and 5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes or until the rice starts to soften, split, and show its fluffy insides. Taste it.

Prepare your croutons. Here you see sliced daily bread of ours, but I also used Heidi's suggested sweet potato croutons for the other half of this soup. To make: heat the other 1 T. coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed potatoes (or bread) and toss with a pinch or two of sea salt to coat with oil. Cook a few minutes, turn, cook until the sides have been browned. When cooked through and crunchy, place on your silpat or on a paper towel.

When the rice is tender, stir in the turmeric, sugar, shoyu, coconut milk, the remaining cup of water, and 1 t. salt. Stir, return to a simmer, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. Remove and finish with your squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Taste for salt.

To serve, top with a lovely mound of croutons. Delicious.

*I think adding a leafy green like kale would be a nice addition. I'll try further variations on additional batches, as this is a new favorite.

happy new year

we have enjoyed a day with some of life's simple pleasures:  fresh baked bread, hot coffee, a game of scrabble, and gumbo.  of course there's more i can add to the list, but no need.  each day that i spend with my husband, my partner in life + love of my life, i am better.  i am more whole.  i see reflected in our time the love shared.  

this week we've had good time to spend with each other while our son has traveled to AL to visit the great grandparents and some grandparents. we're lucky to have family we trust who care for our son so well.  he is better for their love and we're truly grateful.  

many folks look to this time to set goals for the year ahead, to promise to weigh less, love more, and display some higher rank or honors (job, wealth, etc.).  while i appreciate new years resolutions, i try to maintain presence to the moment.  a friend and former professor taught me the mantra long ago, "suzanne, do the best you can today."  i try to do the best i can.  today that means letting hubby win at scrabble, enjoying coffee at a local coffee shop, creating a new bread recipe, and trying to move into the new year with a whole heart.  a heart set on my family, my craft + art, my devotion to those who grieve, and my pursuit of health & wholeness for women in ministry.  

to my friends both near and far, be blessed.  enjoy your day off.  enjoy your time to reflect and to live.  enjoy the new babies growing within, the children running around, and the partners & spouses who surprise us.  welcome, 2009.  welcome new days and new nights.  new spaces to grow and new opportunities yet to be revealed.  

peace.

daily bread: good quotes no. 23

‎"Try to love someone who you want to hate, because they are just like you,

somewhere inside, in a way you may never expect, in a way that resounds so deeply within you that you cannot believe it.”

- Margaret Cho

{via a FB friend. daily bread comes in unexpected spaces.}

daily bread: good quotes no. 1

good quotes speak well. they connect souls. they inspire. they stir something within you. i attempt to do some small piece of that as i type words to this blog and follow wise words of other blogs.

as i prepare myself, offering myself daily bread in the form of books, art, coffee, vino, and conversations, i want to share some of those savoring words, quotes, and insights through images you can copy and carry with you.

may these words serve you well.

life stories: self portraits.

there just aren't many images you'll see of my face. you'll see my hands. oh, yes. you'll see my feet, of course.

i'm not sure why that is. it's the hands and feet that i enjoy taking photos of. i love seeing feet mid-step or pausing in the spot where they stand. i love seeing photos of hands holding objects at work, or at play.

i feel that you get a glimpse into my soul more through the work of my hands and the steps of my feet than you would seeing my face. though, it's the face-to-face interactions that i yearn for with my kindred spirits. i want to see you. to see you that sits before me and to see the you that is more than the skin and bones. the you that is singing, dancing, delighting within.

maybe that's why i know my studio is for me but for others, too. maybe that's why we believe in sharing family meals with folks beyond our family of three, but to our larger family and friends. maybe that's why i love leading retreats, facilitating small groups and worship services. maybe. just maybe.

and there are spaces where i hope to connect: in the studio, here on the blog, via FB and twitter. there are spaces that seem to take a lot of time and energy, but just don't. i don't let them overwhelm, but let them lean into my day for a moment and the i move on.

i make the bread. i bake the bread. i chat over coffee. i create art. i do a lot of things in a short amount of time. and i've learned a few things about myself on the way that i have a feeling might be of service to you.

i begin the day. whatever mood, whatever day. it begins. there's a time and space for the day that's at hand. all i have is the present and i need to be awake for it, whatever happens in that moment. then when it's time, i end the day. i close my eyes and rest, allowing my mind + body + spirit the time and space it needs for a fresh start. {repeat}

rather than dwell, i breathe deeply. breathing in, breathing out. releasing whatever anxiety or stressor that's set me into the spin cycle mentally, i exhale that churning out into the world. for instance, if someone has entered into my brain, like the inner critic, i listen and release. then move on.

i open my eyes. rather than ignore the pain of others, deny that death happens, hold my breath when fear begins to show up: i open my eyes wide. when i was a child, i believed that someone, something was in the room after dark with me. instead of hiding under the covers, i let my eyes adjust to the darkness so that i could see everything in the room. then i'd inventory what was there to make sure it was in its place. i believe i do the same now, in real and present ways.

as jayme and i were on one of our many walks & talks, i tried to articulate that i'm not good with drawing people, but i'd like to be. what i've realized recently is that i'm pretty good at drawing people out of themselves, shedding light on some of the goodness that radiates from them. while i'd still like to create lovely portraits of folks, i'll accept what i can do well and move from that space. hopefully by allowing you to see me through my inner workings & processing i can see you more clearly.

life stories: always remembering.

there are times when we break bread together, sharing our stories, hopes, and hurts. there are times when we drink together, doing the same and also adding laughter and love.

i've been thinking a bit about confession & communion through deitrich bonhoeffer's life together as i've prepared a creative worship service for VA ministers attending an overnight retreat.

i think about how we hold ourselves back from others, whether in protection, fear, or routine. i think about how we carry hurts and wounds far longer than we ought. i think about the places for healing that shape us in our lives of caring for others. healing that takes place through tree branches, light, and color. my mind wanders over the landscape of memory to recall those i have hurt, held myself arm's length of, those i've misunderstood.

changing the vantage point, the space where i view the road traveled, i am given hope. we are all becoming. in the spaces of living, of being present, we are blooming into being. we are given the chance to become new again and again.

each day i awake to possibility. when i listen to inner wisdom, when i am present to myself, when i am fully attentive to the present moment, when i am seeking, when i am centering, when i am becoming mindful of those around me, i am living fully. there will always be difficult moments. there will be argumentative folks, negative folks, disagreeing folks. there will always be the other choice, the other road, the other response. breathe in, breathe out. move on.

again and again we return to breaking the bread, sharing the meal together with stories, hopes, and hurts. we share the cup and add laughter and love. we offer ourselves to one another and we are fully present to this moment, this body, this space. we can become for ourselves and one another the healing that we each need.

my theology always returns to a theology of presence. who are you present to in this moment?

draw in a deep breath, breathing in love for yourself. draw in a deep breath, exhaling the love from within sharing it to those that surround you.

kitchen table memories

each day brings something new. my spirit continues to grow and to be fed through the every day arts: through sweeping, baking, cooking, gardening.... i'm so glad to see others who are finding their spirits renewed and delighted through what their hands can create, make, bake, or discover. friends are baking bread, feeding their young new first foods, engaging in play, and creating. oh, it is so welcomed to see and hear what others are bringing into their daily rhythms.

each day brings something new. my routine continues to be refined for this day, this moment. each day that i am able to practice yoga or pilates, to use my hands in preparation of art or to write a letter, i find myself more centered. my mind becomes in focus of the breath and the spirit's breathing within. i am upbeat and focused.

often each day brings something familiar. i mentioned the path of my lent to live into the "long spring days" and to grow something new from within. my discovery of the desire to write to others, making contact with neighbors, creating new rituals is good and will stretch my body in new, loving ways. the familiar voice of the critic seems to be a little louder, trying to be heard. with intention & the daily moment-by-moment practice of mindfulness i will stretch myself into new, loving ways as i learn to silence the inner critic. rather than carry baskets filled with the noise of the inner critic, i will carry baskets filled with what i create: art, love, bread, letters, vegetables from the garden, and inspiration.

sometimes the day calls lost memories like a gift. i keep returning to an image i have of my grandmother, sitting at her kitchen table with the phone in hand. the oven is hot and the stove top is on with simmering pots. she's talking to her friends with the southern blend of community gossip, recipe trading, & stories of family happenings. she has her community within reach and can respond to crisis within seconds. she is well known and well loved. her table is always open to others to drop in from the fields, and the pastor & family are welcomed on sundays. there's a welcome and wisdom at this table. there's a welcome & wisdom in her presence.

the gift that my grandmother gave me after making divinity in home economics in junior high, "if you can make divinity successfully, you can make anything." she taught me to make biscuits, cornbread, apple fritters with her pie crust. i watched as she created endless dishes, worked hard in the garden, collected pecans. she watched from that kitchen window as we fished in one of the ponds. we children were happy little chicks playing around the hen house.

there is something within these lenten days that brings the images of her kitchen table to mind. the memories of her and her hands are filling me as i silence the critic's voice. there's clarity in creating sacred space for new growth. i always connect my grandmother's hands to mine on days that i make pie crust, like today.

there's a desire within me to keep my community close, to respond to crisis within seconds. my community is stretched from the deep south to home in VA to a country an ocean away. the gift of this here internet is good, but a hand written note or piece of art or edible treat sent to them is something better. as i am mindful of my own care, i am mindful of them. i send blessings to each on their lenten journey and spiritual lives rooted in the every day. from sweeping to baking to playing to writing and all the spaces between. i pray a blessing on their hands, and yours, for you are in this community as well even if i don't see your face or know your name. you bless me, just as one of you sent the kindest of remarks in a moment that was appreciated on friday.

and it's sweet to feel that connection through the sharing of good recipes. i see so many online and mark them to return to them, but often through divinity girl, a still life, and others, i can get a taste of what will fit into my rhythm. now i'm the one sitting at the table on the computer saying, "Yes! i have made this recipe and have that cookbook on the wish list. the sticky buns, rolls, and loaf from that recipe made us so happy...and here's what i want to try next." there's an intimacy in food that's so rich and beautiful and of course, tasty. and i love sharing. i get so much energy in sharing and its witness to others.

each day brings something new. these days i can feel the something rising within, a birth taking shape again (metaphorically) where all this good energy, focus, baking, writing, and work is going to become something beautiful. i look forward to the day that i can name that something, but i know that it's connected to both the mindful act of silencing the critic and the mindful practice of living creatively. once named, then i can fill those baskets again and again, sharing them with you, my community.

good food: creamy wild rice soup ((reposted.))

since i'm making this soup for our family tonight, i thought i'd share the recipe with you today.  as these days move into fall weather, a hearty bowl of this goodness is just what the body craves.  enjoy! 

creamy wild rice soup with fresh croutons
adapted from heidi swanson's Super Natural Cooking.

2 T. coconut oil
3 t. red curry paste (less if you don't like the spice)
1-2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 white (or yellow) onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. wild rice, rinsed
6 cups water
1 sweet potato, peeled & diced into 1/4 inch cubes
sea salt
2 1/2 t. turmeric
1 T. natural cane sugar
1 T. shoyu sauce (or good quality soy sauce)
1 (14 oz. can) coconut milk
squeeze of lemon juice (lime if you have it)

Heat 1 T. coconut oil in heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste, garlic, shallot, and onion. Saute' for 3 or 4 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Make sure the curry paste is evenly distributed.

Stir in the wild rice and 5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes or until the rice starts to soften, split, and show its fluffy insides. Taste it.

Prepare your croutons. Here you see sliced daily bread of ours, but I also used Heidi's suggested sweet potato croutons for the other half of this soup. To make: heat the other 1 T. coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed potatoes (or bread) and toss with a pinch or two of sea salt to coat with oil. Cook a few minutes, turn, cook until the sides have been browned. When cooked through and crunchy, place on your silpat or on a paper towel.

When the rice is tender, stir in the turmeric, sugar, shoyu, coconut milk, the remaining cup of water, and 1 t. salt. Stir, return to a simmer, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. 

Remove and finish with your squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Taste for salt.

To serve, top with a lovely mound of croutons. Delicious.

*I think adding a leafy green like kale would be a nice addition. I'll try further variations on additional batches, as this is a new favorite.

gratitude :: good food. soul food. soul friends.

so happy to have a new delicious, healthy salad for fall!  

mmm. 

 casey's eat more kale post on the richmond food collective blog. 

light whole wheat bread topped with pepitas and black sesame seeds.

a soup duo!

chicken soup.  butternut squash soup.  

a plate for the good, good salad + bread.

the chocolate pudding went fast!  

a favorite recipe for years :: dutch chocolate pudding.

wisdom shared.  

xo.

reverberations: 5 mintues: day 15

December 15 – 5 Minutes Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)

when i think about losing memory, i start to remember. i remember the memories i carry regardless of what biology or fever or illness swipes from me. in my fingers making biscuits i hold the memory of the touches of my grandmother's hands, her smell, and her comforting presence. as i care for my almost five-year-old, i remember seeing his face for the first time and holding him beside me to nurse. i remember my sweet one's excitement of today and the way he doesn't seem to take life for granted because he delights in so many moments.

i witness memory as tears come to the surface. i remember the tattoo of a dancing woman moving on my grandfather's arm and his smells of mingled old spice and american produced beer. i remember the spaces where i'd play pool, swim, and play the penny slot machine.

i hear laughter, questions, and fears. i hear egg hunts, picnics, family reunions, and the sound of the tree swing in motion. i feel the sensations of fishing and the penetrating glance of one who watches for our safety.

these aren't memories of 2010, but memories that fill me now, in this moment, here in 2010. this marker is a representation of memories that surface within the me that is now. the me that is present and willing to just be. the me that is willing to say things that might be uncomfortable, to sit still and listen in the presence of deep sadness and the most raw hopes.

the me that is willing to swallow pride, the me that is willing to be vulnerable through words, actions, and art. the me that knows lighting candles, taking deep breaths, practicing yoga, mediation and sacred centering are meaningful spiritual acts. that baking bread and cooking whole foods bring life and maintain health. that my space is a gift and the dirt and dust of daily living is sacred. that spirituality happens in the daily movements of sacred acts. that we fulfill our needs as we interact within community. that openness to people different than ourselves can be our salvation. that we are called to create from within, with each breath. that truth telling and peace + love making matter. that sharing peace through piece work is important, sacred, and pure. that just Being is enough. that we don't have to prove ourselves through words other than those that are true. that digging in the dirt is to touch the sacred. that earth worms are my favorite. that we have so much to grow in our gardens. that story plants are the best. that kindred spirits speak and give life.

if you've been reading this blog long enough, you'll witness memories deeper and rooted in who i am as a mother, artist, minister, friend, bread maker, cook, stranger, guest, hostess, risk-taker, practicer, sweeper, silent, talkative, soulful human being. you'll see and feel the roots that have grown deep in 2010. just as my free flow here in these five minutes speaks, so too does my soul speak. peace. rest. renewal to you and yours.

daily bread: good quotes no. 40.

july just flying by

wow.  who said that july would be a slow, leisurely month?  if anyone in this household did, we were misinformed.  while it's been a very good month, it's been one filled with surprises and unexpected gifts.  i am grateful.

i appreciate the past sunday's lectionary text a great deal.  especially when there's so much to do, places to go, people to see, work to accomplish.  whew.  my heart beats a little faster each time i write or think about all that has been done and what is left to be done.  our pastor and ministers reminded us through sermon and worship that we are called to rest.  not because we have done so much or because we earn the rest, but because that's part of the gift of creation:  rest.  so, today, for a moment (maybe two) i rest.  i rest with my feet up.  i rest as i inhale deeply.  my heart slows and my anticipation for the next two weeks is soothed.  i rest because it's a gift to receive today.  a gift for myself.  

as a minister, as a mother, but especially as a woman oriented to being highly productive, it's a must to balance and believe in rest and recovery in the daily routine.  while that doesn't always come, i consider a moment reading with my son as rest, for that engagement speaks to my soul.

the rest that i need isn't the same as the rest you require.  my soul rest involves a movie sometimes, a good drink often (right now sweet tea), a book (a favorite activity), paper and a few items to draw with.  what do you need to rest?  what do you need to find recovery from life and the demands you face each day?  

while july is just flying by, i remember our promise as a family to spend a day a week engaged in nature or learning.  i remember our promise to love each other well and to care for each other.  we've done this well.  what i often forget in the spaces between is how to care and love myself and give myself the rest i need.  

so today i will not be at bryan park market.  today i will spend the afternoon at home.  today i will make dough to grill bread with friends.  we will enjoy what time we have individually and as a family with friends who have become dear.  

so, as i tell myself:  stop.  take a deep breath.  close your eyes.  another deep breath.  and another.  open your eyes and inhale gratitude.  let your mind and body have 30 seconds of deep breathing bliss.  even that moment can work miracles.