parsnips & prose.

in my own private heart 

there is a heart shaped door

it's actually a cookie cutter and the handle 

is in the middle like a cookie cutter

and i am inside

you can see me through the heart  

i'm in my red striped apron with a wooden spatula

i'm singing like beyonce - no- 

i'm singing like barbara streisand - no - 

i'm alicia keyes 

and i'm singing the new york song

i am roasting parsnips with garam masala 

and the tree house smells divine

i look down 

and i see that i have paws for feet

and i realize that i might be in a beatrix potter book 

so 

before i blink twice 

i want to bathe in this simplicity

i want to walk on my paws 

and pet my hairy self

i feel my face and finally 

i feel those whiskers i knew i was made of

i mean the leo thing everyone has always talked about

and my hair 

is finally standing up like the afro 

i have always wanted 

with no hair goop

i have the longest eye lashes 

my eye ball sockets are so much bigger than before

i look around my kitchen and everything is 

copper & wood

i have huge copper pots that make me salivate as a human

they hang from scalamandre fabric 

from the branch on my ceiling

it's really wonderful in here

it's grounded and feels like life

i mean the one you read about

the one life that fits so efficiently (like copper)

in my fantasy ball, just feels so 

good

warm

connected like abundance

with no guilt or heaviness

feels cozy like all the cashmere and its simple

did i say that already? 

i look at my hands, 

they are paws too

and nothing is inflamed

every finger is happy 

whistling while they work happy

that happy feeling people have told me is

lazy

unimportant

not doing anything in the world

that is not what's happening 

in my tree

in my kitchen

in my copper pots

feels like homeschooling and fabric napkins

the on-going fireplace

music you love

books you finish

it feels like time is 

normal here

i am happy as a lion in my kitchen

no worries about low oil in the car 

or 

the million dollars of debt

that doesn't exist here

there is no room for it

it's actually foreign

it's the language of aliens 

to this jungle 

and that could be genius for me

along with those parsnip fries

*15 minute genius exercise from my writing class*

parsnip fries

*gather*

olive oil

garam masala

cinnamon

(add more spices if desire)

good coarse salt

parsnips

big bowl

wood board

good knife

baking sheet

oven on 375 - 400 bake

*rock it*

peel parsnips

cut them like fries

2 - 3 wrist pours of olive oil

some dashes of spices

in your big bowl

massage the parsnips

love love love

add some salt

you can use casserole dish

or baking sheet with parchment paper

throw them on the sheet

put in oven for 20 - 30 minutes

if you feel that they are not crisp enough

you can broil them for a few minutes

do not leave them or they will burn

also - check in on them every 10 minutes

move them around

give them a chance 

to meet everyone on 

the baking sheet

eat and enjoy  

out of the oven

big love beauties

xxxx

tuscan bean soup.












this is a regular in my house as it has a wonderful 
versatlity and longevity which works for everybody!

you can add pasta or rice one day
chicken, meat, fish another day 
for a new and improved left over

another reason why i love this soup:
you can make it your own!

tuscan bean soup

*gather*
1/4 cup olive oil (2 POW/pour of wrist)
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1-2 cloves garlic (chopped)
variety of fresh herbs if available
thyme, sage, oregano, basil
1-2 vegan bullion
1-2 celery stalks (chopped)
2-3 carrots (peeled/chopped)
1 can of cannelini, garbanzo, or any white bean
or 1 cup of dried beans (soaked for 6 hrs+) 
6+ tomatoes
any other seasonal veggies that inspire
zucchini, parsnips, white yam etc...
chopped ribbons of rainbow chard, kale or spinach

*fire*
choose a soup pot you love
heavy bottom feels good for winter soups

turn the eye on medium & pour olive oil
wait a few minutes for the heat to get in there
put in your base: garlic, onion, bullion, herbs
let heat up, glaze, get to know each other with 
your wooden spoon as the conductor

after about 5 minutes
add carrot, celery, beans & all veggies 
(see pics for the idea)
then add your tomatoes**
bring to a boil
then to a simmer
lid on
let the love cook

add greens at end or 
even as a garnish while warm


*from scratch*
**the tomatoes are a side note**
you can core, steam & peel with a fork
as seen in the photos above 

  this is the base of any sauce or soup with tomatoes
get organic when you can as it makes a HUGE difference in the taste
OR 
you can use a nice organic can of tomatoes
for on the fly tuscan bean soup
either way you are cooking up some love
you are a rock star
enjoy beauties
xxxx

lentil love fest.




                            

 




lentil love fest

list it.
a few circles of olive oil
medium brown onion
garlic clove (s) chopped
1/2 repunzel bullion
mix of spices:
cumin, garam masala, curry
you can do a teaspoon (each) or less of these
1/2 cardamom pods (if you want to go deeper)
i tend towards no spice so i just do a hint of each for the flavor
1 1/4 puy, cardina, green or brown lentils
2 tomatoes peeled and chopped
spinach/chard/kale cut/chopped into ribbons
juice of one lemon 
(meyer lemon is the best about now)
sea salt/pepper if want

do it.
heat oil in sauce pan on medium
add onion (let glaze, see pic)
about 5+ minutes
add garlic, spices, bullion mix well 
cook for a bit more
add lentils
add about 3 cups of water
bring to boil
then down to low with lid
cook for 40+ minutes
checking in every 10 minutes to stir
when lentils are soft:
add tomatoes, green ribbons, lemon juice, salt 
mix around, check in on it, 
might need more water or time to cook

with it.
i love this with a short grain brown rice, 
basmati or jasmine 
you can make white in 10 minutes
and brown in 25! 
grab a chunk of earth balance 
put it in your pot
the other 1/2 of the bullion
let it melt for a minute
add rice
add water
2:1 white
2 1/2:1 brown
boil then simmer with lid
put on timer
voila!

enjoy beauties
have a gorgeous friday
xxxx

 adapted from eat drink live by fran warde

artichoke leek soup.









ginger?  tumeric? jerusalem artichoke!

jerusalem artichoke leek soup

2 large leeks 
3 tbs of butter 
1 lb. jerusalem artichokes
2 bay leaves
4 cups light stock/water

it''s been a thousand years but i did it
i used butter

slice the leeks: white & green parts 
make sure its all clean and ready
melt butter in heavy bottomed sauce pan/pot
add sliced leeks
allow heat & butter to soften
low to medium heat
15 - 20 minutes
don't let them go brown 
(look at glazey pic)
rinse and coarsely chop artichokes
add to leeks
wait & stir
add bay leaves
add stock/water 
(you could sprinkle repunzel bullion or powder here too)
bring to a boil then simmer on low
lid on
let the love fest begin
let it all melt into each other 
about 25 minutes at least 
more if you can
let cool
blitz it in the blender
add a 3 minute egg
some kale on top
if you want more love in there 
xxxx

thank you
for this recipe

3 for 5.





 
 


celery root, apple & russet potato soup

this truly just came together in a very hodge podge way 
it started as it always does at the market
3 celery roots for 5$
i couldn't resist
*make it yours* 
if you are so inspired

good for 4 - 6 servings 
depending on how you are going to serve it 
(6 tea cups/4 bowls/1 pot etc)

 peel 1 - 2 celery roots
they are so gorgeous
(you can find faces in them with the kids)

just get in there with your peeler 
you will begin to see their bare white skin
chop up into chunky cubes
do the same with 2 fiji or gala apples 
(i love the sweeter ones)
1 russet potato
set aside in bowl you love
then...

create your soup base in a 6 - 8 cup pot on medium
a 2 circle pour of olive oil OR 
a chunk of ghee, earth balance, butter 
whatever you got

chop up a medium size sweet yellow onion 
sweat that love for about 5 - 8 minutes 
a cube of repunzel vegan bullion (herb or sea salt) 
mix together with some herbs if you have 
(parsley, thyme for a rustic way)

now the onion should be giving you that glazed look 
add bowl of roots and apples
add 4 - 5 cups of water (just enough to cover)
you can always add later
bring to a boil
then to a simmer 
with lid on
30+ minutes (more the merrier)

fork it all to see if it's ready
wait to cool or use immersion blender
puree & taste
it might need a little more bullion 
OR it might need salt
i found that mine needed all the broth to make it thinner

 you could add 
a nut oil like hazelnut or walnut or chopped up pistachio or walnuts
some parmesan or manchego never hurts
a 3 minute egg is deluxe

i love to eat soup out of a tea cup
makes it fancy pants
enjoy beauties
xxxxx

make....





                                              

          roasted carrots with citrus, dill & pistachio nuts

gather the most beautiful bunch of carrots you can get your hands on 
the smaller the better as you will not need to peel the baby ones
(the skin is so thin, it adds to the flavor & the nutrient value)
put oven on 375 convection bake or bake
gather a casserole dish, pyrex or baking sheet 
pour a loving amount of olive oil in the dish
tear any herbs you have around 
i think i did a combo effort in the picture: sage, dill & lavender
(don't let that stop you)
you don't need any herbs just some salt and carrots
they can cook for 30 - 45 minutes depending on their size & thickness
check in on them every 10 - 15 minutes and move them around
see what they need, you can use a fork to see when they are ready
take out when ready, place linen (you love) over them 
you could be done here!
this is some perfectly good wood board love
or 
you can tear some dill
cut up any citrus you are loving right now
blood orange, cara cara, page mandarine, kichu tangerine
it's local citrus heaven at the market right now... 
so go for it & ask to try each one
then add pistachios, walnut oil, bit of salt and mix with love. 


2013
happy new year beauties
beauty
freedom
wood board love
miracles
grounded joy
healthy bodies
weekly blog posts
LOVE
xxxx


make what you most need to find
sabrina ward harrison




dear america.


dear america, 

 i'm nervous to be writing you as i have so many things to ask, to bullet point, to list, to understand. i am so confused by you. but first, how are you america? how are you feeling? 'oh, yes, i understand that deep exhaustion...oh, rape? oh, i am so sorry to hear it, to see it, to smell it, to live inside so much of your rape.'

 i am so sad for you, for us, for everybody. does anyone else know about it? dear america, where are your gentle parts? are there any left? is there anything left of you? i miss a piece of you, many of you, all of you, that i never met before. you are gorgeous in so many places and i have hope for you. maybe that's what keeps you going? everybody's hope? is it working? 

 is there enough light to keep you alive? are the wounds sutured? did you get staples? where does stainless steel come from? is it all ok in your skin? dear america, dear america, dear sweet, needle-point pillow with a smoking cabin on it america. can we weave a new quilt with a new mission for you america?

  can we believe in the real things and not kill so much? can we live in an honest, core based truth, where we unfold our bodies like Rilke and listen to what we need? can we trust you again america? 

 are you still there? 

 you are so young and so sick, too early in your life. what can i do to help america? my heart is oozing out to you with these words. where to begin? how to ask you about all the things that don't make any sense... how are you handling all of our garbage? is our recycling being exported to china on huge barges? what should we do to change it all? 

 how can i help america? can i get you a green tea with a three minute egg? it's a really good start. dearest anerica, are you hungry? please, come into my kitchen, allow me the honor, the vital tincture of today is about feeding you. let me roast a butternut squash and puree some mint with zucchini and sweet onion. 

 oh and lets warm the ground. lets plant some seeds together and renew our vows america. i would love that...would you dear america? let me tie my apron around you so that you can feel centered in this story. let me put a lavender warmer around your head like a crown. 

 let me share (with you) what continues to save my life: look at this cake plate, this deep wood bowl, this deep green cavolo nero kale, this red vained baby chard.....hold on to this persimmon. let it change your life, america. she was grown here. she loves you, we love you. please, enjoy this warm love, digest it and maybe you will feel better. 

 i think i feel better. 
do you? 
america? 

 -jbdxxxx