heal your kitchen, heal your life.

beauties! this is my part 2 interview with alisa donner of pregnancy awareness month... she asked me about the kitchen healing work and here is what happened! i hope you love itxxxx

Here is more of my interview with Jules Blaine Davis, kitchen healer, based in LA, who is redefining nourishment in our kitchens and what it looks like to gather, cook and eat simple healthy beauty food inside all the needs of a busy life.

PAM: How do you work with new moms in the kitchen? How do you help them transition from breastfeeding to hand feeding?

JBD:  When we are breastfeeding we are connected to our food source in so many ways; physically, emotionally and so much more is going on. This gorgeous variety of feelings is the creative source to nourishment. When we breastfeed, we are sated in such a deep and intimate way by feeding our babes, the connection truly feeds us. This hormonal dance between you and your baby is such a beauty love fest! It is creating what it means to nurture each other and be nourished. You and your baby are learning this together, it’s magical to learn about food in this way. You, as the mama, are giving your love, your medicine, your best cake, all to your baby and it’s so vital that you are feeding you too!  It is definitely a ‘from the neck down’ experience to create food in this way! 

Who knew we were so hungry for this kind of love? When we shift over to feeding our families and ourselves food from our own hands, we want to keep this same connection to our feelings, to the emotional source, the intimacy we felt and the SIMPLICITY of it all…. in how we gather and create simple healthy foods. The first step is in the gathering of your food. I always suggest finding what is growing closest to your kitchen with love and integrity; your nearest farmer’s market or your garden! Seek out what makes you say ‘BEAUTY!’ and buy all the beauty you can. You will be inspired to cook, cut, and chop. If you don’t know what to do with it, look for it on the blog or email me!

PAM: And by “healing kitchen” you mean what exactly?

JBD: My goal is to get you cooking (healthy, delicious, beauty) within your life, your schedule, your budget, your everything, inside a kitchen that you love, that inspires you, that feels like you. To heal a kitchen is to connect to it, the actual space, to do that we have to break open the heart of it. Our first meeting is a consultation where I meet your kitchen and hear your story. We make a plan.

Part one is about cleaning it all out, the drawers, cabinets, pantry, fridge, and freezer. We listen to the stories inside our tools, our heirlooms, our crap, all of it. We keep what inspires us, what works, what we need to cook simple healthy food. We get rid of what is no longer serving you. It could be unhealthy, broken, or something you need permission to give away sustainably. Once the kitchen is cleaned out, we replenish it with the essential tools and a basic pantry. I create a flow that is aligned with the physical space that you have to work in. Once you feel this shift, you begin to feel excited and inspired to cook! 
Part 2 is about shopping. We go to the markets, super & farmer’s together.  I see how you do it, where you get stuck & I show how to gather in this new way. Part 3 is all cooking! Once we have gathered the food, I show you all the ways you can cook and make this nourishment happen inside your newly inspired kitchen. 


We do this a few times until you feel like you have the wheel and feel confident. Then you can seek seasonal inspiration on the blog, see me at the market, a check-in consultation and come back every season for a miracle in my kitchen! 


PAM: What about your work has inspired you the most?
JBD: This process is hugely about trust; trusting me, trusting yourself, trusting the process, trusting that this investment of time and money will create a cook in the kitchen, a connection to food in a new way and a healthier family dynamic around food and eating together.

I am inspired by my client’s courage to create a new story, their hunger to grow & expand with grace no matter how deeply emotional it may be…I am inspired by the vulnerability we bring to the process. Then we make a soup, sauté some kale, hug it out and call it an amazing day. 


Jules Blaine Davis is creating a movement in redefining what it means to nourish ourselves and our families with food and beauty inside our busy lives. You can find her expressing this movement on her blog, instagram (@julesbdavis), the Hollywood farmers market on sundays, one on one in your kitchen, inspiring & speaking to groups all across America and of course in her kitchen.

cooking inside a busy life//part 1.

beauties!

have you noticed a shift?

where the heck am i? 

where are all the recipes, posts & poetry?

i am on a remote island where there

are no bars (wine or cell phone),

there are no extra hands, only mine &

i am needed 24/7.. sound familiar?

i am writing you from motherhood

as i always have yet we are a bit

under construction here...

therefore the ability 

to do it all

has temporarily changed 

to doing what

i can in the rare increments 

of time that

show up like a surprise goat at my door

offering my favorite yogurt

(which we spoke about before)

i could tell you that i am on vacation

but that would be flat out lying.

here is some inspiring beauty 

from

windrose farms

they have some gorgeous carrots this time of year

and it's time to roast em' beauties!

roasting is SO easy and

here is the secret

if you are home for an hour

put something in the oven

don't worry

about

when you 

will eat

or how

or with what

just MAKE FOOD!

on your way to make your coffee

turn the oven on to 375 - 400

grab your carrots or a whole butternut

(whatever you got)

put them in a casserole dish

pour some olive oil & salt

put in oven & let your day begin

(put on the timer for 20 minutes here)

what do you usually do now? 

shower? kids brekkie & lunch?

check email? go cray cray in the club?

whatever it is 

you can be cooking while you

are rocking your life at the same time!

after about 20 minutes:

fork your veggies & move them around

and with the (softer) squash:

cut it in half with the flesh down, 

skin up

and go for another 20 minutes

(the timer is KEY here)

then take out, turn it all off &

put a cloth over the roasted veggies

let it be OUT on the stove top

yes.. this is another secret

that i had no idea was a secret

until my clients couldn't believe

the FREEDOM 

of just leaving it out!

we were not taught to prioritize food in a simple

way unless you lived in a home where

cooking was happening as a natural part of the day,

like bathing, laundry, working, talking...

 allowing for the creation of our food to

meld into our everyday, our 

connection

to nourishing ourselves & doing everything

else at the same time is vital to cooking inside a busy life!

so try it & let me know how it goesxxxx

high and holy.


gathering for the new year
round challahs from the west side
babes inside the ritual
giving them the beginning
of their stories
colored sprinkle cookies
in pink boxes

 getting ready to pray
cut, boil and bake
break open my heart
inside an apple kugel,
a matzoh ball soup
the grace of a white carrot ribbon saute
and that speckled lettuce- 
like a bandaid curing everything
with some drops of pumpkin seed oil & salt

 i can hear the sermon
inside pomegranate seeds
i can smell my story
on a wood board love
honey crisp, gala, windrose gold
avocado honey dripping thin strands
streaming a new set of mantras
resetting hope with
the needle on the record
turning it up high and holy
and sweet
xxxx

baked blueberry oatmeal.








hi beauties!!
here is the beauty of this love fest...
i woke up late this morning &
as i am running up the stairs i realized
i made that baked oatmeal yesterday!!! 
just need to turn on the oven
then i can start on O's lunch
that's what i am talking about!

baked blueberry oatmeal
*gather*
2 cups organic oats (if you can)
1/3 cup cane sugar//maple syrup
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups milk (i used almond)
1 large egg
3 tbs organic unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, sliced thin-ish
1 1/2 cups berries of any kind
(i used blueberries)
you can also add 1/2 cup
toasted & chopped walnuts! 
this one is nut free!!

 *mix & fire it up*
put oven on 375 bake
butter an 8 inch square dish
(or whatever you have!)
in one bowl mix the wet &
in another mix the dry
arrange the bananas on the
bottom of the dish
you can also sprinkle
some berries on the bottom
cover fruit with oat mixture
then add the wet/milk mixture
on top of that
you can give the baking dish a few
thwacks on the counter top to make sure
the liquid seeps through the dry bit
scatter remaining berries (& walnuts on top)
bake 35 - 45 minutes until top is nicely golden

 let me know how you go!
really love the simplicity
 with a different texture of this one
& a super healthy love fest

 side note: kids loved it warm :)
& i used a little cookie cutter in it
added it to ocean's planet box
2 birds, 1 stone
YAY

 enjoy beauties!
xxxx

hi from motherhood.

- eating too much goat dairy

- feeling like i have no time

- maintenance feels good

- 1st grade is sweet

- i am a dancer

- we vowed to change the patterns from which we came

- motherhood was not valued as a life changing job

- redefining motherhood

- conversations inside my body

- i love my body

- i love my babies bodies

- ready to let the intense stress go

- loving the

 first scent of soup meandering about the house, in and out of corners, stirring up my desire to write words down

- looking at the clock: a killjoy on my insatiable hunger

- learning to trust

- taking more showers

- trying to let go of heartache

- drinking (a little

) more water

- loving me some rose with an accent over the e

- grateful for the figs from the post manxxxx

midsummer cake.










beauties!

this was SO gorgeously good
& feels so deep in it's midsummer-ness....
in it's lightness & it's subtle rich feel
you are going to LOVE it. 
i didn't switch out any ingredients
as i wanted to taste it from the recipe
and then i will make changes if need be

nigel slater has it down....
midsummer cake

*gather*
(in image above)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup minus 2 tbs cane sugar
3-4 emerald pluots
2 eggs
11/3 flour
a scant cup ground almonds
2 tbs almond milk
1 1/2 cups yellow raspberries

*mix*
butter 8 or 9" pan
line with parchment paper
cream butter & sugar together
until pale & fluffy
chop pluots//put on side
beat eggs lightly 
add to butter/sugar action
(if curdling occurs/add 1 tbs flour)
then...
mix flour and almond meal together
i put slivered almonds into a coffee grinder
and created the almond meal
add this dry to the mixer
add the almond milk
once incorporated add the fruit

*bake*
preheat oven to 350
scrape mixture into buttered pan
for an hour & ten minutes
toothpick test
and voila...
it's SO darn good & simple
which we really love!

if you are inspired...
please let me know
how it goes
leave a comment below
xxxx

farmer spotlight//silverlake farms.










SILVER LAKE FARMS
owner: tara kolla
mission: supporting local agriculture
expressions of her mission:
csa programs//organic (edible) garden care//
locally cut flowers

hi beauties!
this is the first post for the 'farmers spotlight' series
these are monthly posts that will give you an opportunity 
to meet my hand picked peeps who are incredibly
passionate about their work, the land & feeding us!

this is where all of the beauty love fests begin...
locally grown, raised with love & sustained with passion

i love knowing who i am buying from,
why they do what they do, where their farm is & more.

if you have ever had the opportunity to see the
amazing BEAUTY of tara's stand at the hollywood
farmers market...you know what i am talking about..
her stand is an altar of celebration, of lightness, of
colorful gifts from the earth.. she will custom create
a bouquet in whatever price range you wanna go for..

i am all about flowers all the time
(not waiting for any other time but NOW
to celebrate & adorn my home)
so the next time you are at the market
meet tara & tell her i sent you
she will give you a beauty love fest
also check out her website here.