Sauerkraut!

When I visited Wormfarm I asked for a head of cabbage so I could make some delicious, simple fermented cabbage-sauerkraut, which translates to sour cabbage.

It's really simple. I cut up the 5 lb cabbage to my liking, mixed it with 3 TBS of salt, packed it tightly into the handmade Crock (made by David Smith), put the weight on, filled the top where the lid sits with water to keep bugs out, then place the top on. The kraut will ferment for 2-3 weeks. I'll check it every few days, pressing the weight down to bring out the water from the cabbage. When it's at the right crunchy, salty consistency I'll jar it, enjoy it and share it! Fermentation is a beautiful thing!  So nutritious and simple!

Wedding Chickens and Cupcake Chickens

-John Soos

-Haim

Haim is my 2014 summer jam.

Kae and Eli got married!  Here is the card I made them. 

The happily married hen herself.

A cupcake chicken for my cousin, Erin!

 The cupcake chicken got a lot of attention.  I had a hard time trying to make a chicken just as good...

Homemade Dinner

Molly and I made a delicious meal tonight.  I made mashed sweet potatoes with coconut milk, ginger and chives.  I also made shredded brussel sprouts with kimchi.  Molly made a delicious dish of caramelized fennel, garbanzo beans and dates served over cous cous.  She also made a spinach (from her hoop house!), apple, avocado, sesame salad.  Food is a beautiful thing.

Met a friend for tea at Beans and Bagels in Lincoln Square and left a chicken and abstract eggplant for someone to take home.

Minestrone!

Jacob and I created a really tasty Minestrone that I'd like to share. We had it for a second time last night along with freshly squeezed lemonade and agave nectar.

Minestrone

about 6 servings

-1 medium carrot chopped

-1 medium red potato chopped

-4 cloves of garlic minced

-1 TBS minced shallot

-1 handful of green beans chopped

-32 oz (4 cups) of tomato soup (We use Organic Imagine Creamy Tomato Soup)

-5 cups of veggie broth (I like to use "Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base" so I can control how much salt I want, I usually do 5 cups of water but only 4 tsp of the base)

1 can of red kidney beans

1 7oz bag of tiny pasta letters or stars! They are so cute :0 )

2 tsp of dry basil

4 cups of chopped kale (depends on how much you love kale)

In a large pot heat about a TBS of oil. Add the carrot, potato, garlic, and shallot. Once the potato seems semi-soft (about 7-10min) add the green beans. Heat for 5 minutes. Add tomato soup, veggie broth, beans, pasta, and basil. Simmer till pasta is soft. Make sure to stir often so the letters don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Once pasta is soft, add the kale. Cook for a minute then turn of heat and serve!

Cayenne Pepper

My new favorite snack is guacamole with chopped cayenne pepper and a lot of lime. I bought this beauty yesterday. I saw her in the fridge an hour ago and decided I'd eat her but then wondered if I should paint her first. I was starving....but I knew I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did not paint her. The bright red is so fascinating to me!