daring to dream.



beauties! 
do you dream?

i am not talking about dreaming while sleeping. i feel that we would all be dreaming of more sleep of course or an on going dream could include black out shades, room service, an ocean nearby... don't get me started. do you dare to dream about your life, your journey, your path? yes, we dream, we hope, we hold the space for our kids & our families. we are on that bus together. i am talking about us. you and me.

i have come to the realization that this dreaming thing is brand new terrain. i have never been here before. last weekend, something happened. i guess you could say a dream came true and as those words come out of my mouth & onto this page i begin to feel hivey all over, my stomach knots, i see blank spots everywhere. it doesn't feel aligned with me, the words, the idea, the concept of a dream coming true... why? wait, did i ever dream? i wrote down intentions to manifest. is that dreaming? did i forget to dream?! 

38 years of no fluffy, light, innocent, prayer hands to my heart, seeing it, believing i can do it, dreaming? you can't be serious. in the last few days i have been traveling back in time, trying to remember if i ever dared to dream without doing? lets take a minute with that idea.

have you? i can tell you what i have been doing. i have been working. i have been doing. i have been doing A LOT of doing. i have been writing lists, scheduling appointments, writing blogs, healing wounds, recreating patterns, healing kitchens, healing everything... have i been living without dreaming?

what is daring to dream? is it a waste of time? does anything ever come true? you gotta keep moving forward and working hard is the voice i hear. who is that? i mean, i definitely believe in working hard at what you love. don't get me wrong. i can put ideas into action. i saw a lot of action as a kid. that is what you do, that is how you stay super busy (from dreaming?) perhaps. i have definitely been surviving. do you dream when you are surviving? dreams can float like bubbles in the air and then fall and break, do you keep blowing? these days i do because it keeps ocean & beauty laughing! 

i am reaching for this idea of dreaming. i keep slipping. i am not able to find the ladder so i am beginning to see it like my 3 year old beauty, something way up there on the counter, far away from her reach. then, she turns into my teacher, she reaches for what she can't see, it breaks all over the floor or it burns her or it makes a mess. i tell her to ask me, to let me help her. that is not her way. now, she grabs a chair, scratches the hard wood floor. she is determined & fearless. she will climb up and sate her hunger. she will see what she can't see and no one is going to take that from her. 

when did i let fear determine my seeing? my dreaming? my ability to get the chair and look far above me, to sate my curious nature. was i too scared to reach for what i couldn't see? did i try once? what happened when i tried to reach for it? i was told i wasn't funny by teachers who didn't fulfill their dreams. i was told to go a safer route then i could turn back around once i had the validation stamp. i thought my talent was a hobby. i was told to do something serious or at least get some letters after my name so i am validated in society and then i could take 'care' of myself. did those ideas sabotage the dreaming? the jury is still out.

the idea of a dream creates an unknown, a loss in my body, a stillborn perhaps, like not remembering to have the baby even though i have been pregnant this entire time. am i just scared? am i so scared to have this baby that my body creates a symphony of symptoms during any labor towards the birth about to occur?  i don't know where to breathe in and how to breathe out.  i want to capture it, understand it, hold the porcupine of my confusion in my hands, hug it out and watch its survival suit fall down to its sides and become cashmere with my love. 

last weekend, we shot a trailer for a show about my work as a kitchen healer & food blogger. i had an incredible crew and an amazing family who is hungry for the love i am cooking up. as you know, i am very passionate about inspiring & empowering our confused, exhausted, scared & hungry American culture. i know i cannot do this by myself nor do i want to. i am all about the village. you are my village. thank you! i have been yearning for a team for as long as i can remember and there i was shooting this love fest with my team!

how do we find our way to dreaming without the noise, the fear, the negative hues in which our background might have been painted? this is a part of my story. i am looking straight in its lonely eyes. i have been doing. doing. doing. when i turn left into exhaustion, i fall down to rest, steam, go to what i know inside words, a soup, maybe some strauss coffee ice cream and a movie. my survival kit to daring to dream is real & genuine. i see now why they call it a dare. are you daring to dream?

the shoot left me wondering about my dreams. how have i travelled this far without really thinking about them? hearing my voice in this way? i want so many things and i am not sure i have placed them into a dream category. maybe it's about admitting my dreams, talking about them OUT LOUD and not being afraid of them or fearing joy or happiness or truly being worth my dreams coming true. i used to freeze when anyone would ask me 'how are you?' i would answer 'everything.' i have no idea how i am as it's evolving every minute. everyone usually answers 'i'm good.' that's that. what is the point of the question? i mean, it's a personal one. i didn't want to lie, it became overwhelming for me! 

i am realizing that dreams are nourishment. if we do not dream then how will our kids know how to dream? we can say the words but if we are not truly living it, they will not have it in their bodies to know what it really feels like, to go for something even if you fall a lot of times or you lose everything or fill in the blank. we are teaching them how to get back up and keep dreaming. for me, o & b are inspiring me to dream, they are nourishing me so that i can continue to nourish themxxxx

i want to hear YOUR dreams! click to the blog & lets have this conversation.  i thought i would kick off my daring to dream-athon with being nominated for best writing blog of the year for saveur magazine! will you nominate me? here is the linkxxxx



carrots, turnips & broccoli soup! oh my!



beauties!

the other day i was feeling super low...
more in the heart than the immunity
but they definitely run in a pack when
feeling low is the theme... i was not inspired
to write, to work, to manifest, to dream
i was just having one of those BLAH days.
so i took my own advice and l turned on the fire
i started by cleaning out the fridge....

i found one crown of broccoli, a few turnips & some carrots
the sunday before, i was inspired by a 2 minute chat
at the market with a sweet friend telling me about some sort of 
turnip leek soup she had been making.. i LOVE hearing
what you are making.. as it inspires me & my own
creative healing happenings in the kitchen
it goes somewhere in me and then returns 
when i feel lost at sea or trying to reach for something new

i had no idea what i was making
other than mixing up a remedy to lighten
the heaviness i was feeling... so i started
with my regular soup base of 
herb bullion, olive oil & 1 yellow onion
did i add garlic? i can't remember!
is that a bad thing for a food blog!?!
then i added some chopped turnips, the one crown
of broccoli** and 3 or 4 or 5 carrots... once everything was
mixing together, i added 6 cups of water
let it boil then simmer on low for an hour or more
i did a little immersion action & then i tasted it...
DIVINE!
so healing, so sweet, so savory, so perfect!
i am excited to pass it on to you
and hear what you think!!

let me know
how you go
beautiesxxxx
so grateful
for you.

**i also tried some kale instead of broccoli
that was amazing too**

also... i sent this olive oil cake post
out last week and i am not sure if it made
it's way to you.. check it out! it's so good!


olive oil cake.








BEAUTIES!

i had all these great ideas of blood oranges and cara caras
sliced thin for the top but when it came down to it....
the kids wanted 'just cake, no topping'
it's so spongey and dense and fluffy and moist
you are going to love it!

i saw this cake on food 52
they call it genius
now i see why
it's what i love to bake
there is the wet
then the dry
put them together
throw them in the pan
put it in the oven
easy peasy
& in one hour
you have cake!

this one is gluten free! 
i used the raw dairy from the
market for the milk.. but i am sure you 
could substitute almond, rice or whatever you fancy!

inspired by food 52
maialino's* olive oil cake

*gather*
2 cups cup4cup gf flour (or all purpose)
1 3/4 cup sugar (i did a little less)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup whole milk (organic!)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tbs grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup grand marnier (didn't use this)

*rise*
heat oven to 350
oil up 9" cake pan
line with parchment
in one bowl: whisk flour, sugar,
salt, baking soda & powder
in another bowl: whisk olive oil,
mik, eggs, zest, juice
add dry to wet and whisk until just combined
pour batter into prepared pan
bake for 1 hour
until top is golden and toothpick 
comes out clean (you can see above)
transfer to rack/cool for 30 min
you can let it stay out for 2 hours to 
cool completely... i wrapped it in foil 
to stay out on counter
*maialino's restaurant is in nyc*

*ENJOY*
let me know
how you go
big love
xxxx

and.........
if you are hungry to
cook it up with me
nourish with me
be inspired by me
heal your kitchen
your body &
your family's body with me
go to the market with me
miracle it up with me
XXXX

little miracles all around.







BEAUTIES!

here are some of the photos from the seasonal 'little miracles'
i create & share in ocean's 1st grade classroom.
the idea started at his preschool when i would bring 
'jules basket' ('what's in jules basket?') with a few things
from the farmers market for the kids to see, taste and 
begin their connection with food that is locally grown
and cared for in a different way then what they might
be experiencing in their day to day lives with
snack life & their food story at home
(bunny love carrots & apple squeezers ;)

it was amazing what happened....
kids that have no desire for anything
other than white, white, white and maybe an apple
were HUNGRY.. actually they were
starving for this kind of love!
the menu would range from roasted asparagus,
roasted purple cauliflower, raw shredded beets to 
more beauty that you wouldn't believe your 4 year old
would be eating let alone wanting more...
we talked about the beauty of trying new things,
what it's like to eat food that is grown
during a specific time of year and why it has
a hard rind or it's super juicy inside and more & more.
i would leave these classes HUNGRY for more too!

ocean is now at a public school that doesn't have that
sweet private protective halo over it so i was not so 
sure how the teacher or the students would receive
this love fest i wanted to offer our class. lets just say
when they see me at assembly or just walking by 
they yell out 'hi yummy lady!' "when are you coming back to class?"
or "your food is my favorite' 'when will you bring your good food!'

and here is the kicker... this has nothing to do with me!
i am just creating the space for their food story to BEGIN!
yes, the environment is one of celebration, they are surrounded
by excited friends, with no expectation or the stress
we mamas carry around for our kids to be healthy & well fed!
can i hear an amen?!! along with my own stress about
all the 'other things' i carry (& then eventually heal) into the kitchen..
it's such a HUGE piece to how my kids eat and feel...
in the little miracle the kids do have to try
everything our saying is: try it, see if you like it.

i am sharing this for a few reasons.
i am so inspired by our kids hunger, their curiosity about food
and their desire to learn thru taste, smell, feel & more..
they yearn to have sensual experiences just like us.
they are us and we are them. we are all so hungry for
someone to nourish us, fill us up with beauty, inspire
us in this way of real food in a simple offering.
even if you don't know it yet, when it happens
something inside of us wakes up!

when in our personal story did this turn off?
when did our life (as we know it) slowly diminish
our cravings for beauty? when did we begin our journey
to sacrificing flavor, health, our passions to feed ourselves
for no time, no money, no sleep? OR did we ever have it?
did we see a glimpse of it as kids?  what was happening
in the kitchen at 5, 6, 7 years old and older? 
whatever our story, we are hungry for this conversation.

i see it in the little miracle, the big miracle, the park,
the supermarket and the mother at pick up who says
pretty loudly 'oh my kid won't eat anything!'
as she wears one babe in the front and holds hands with the other.
sounds like she is PISSED OFF! and i totally get it!
it's so frustrating! it's so many things....

in the same breath....
i hear her saying 'hey i am alone on this island
and i am trying to do it all by myself and what the f*(@#*@(*#^@(#^!!'
sound familiar? and then i wonder...is this mama nourishing herself?
do her kids see her enjoy and love food?
do the kids have a food story led by their mama or papa?
how can we do this alone? how do our kids know what to do
if we do not give them the space to explore, discover, create
a sensual experience with food... and i am not talking about
making coq au vin and a side of something even fancier...

we were never meant to figure this all out on our own!
for me, it begins when i let go of my expectations
& reconnect with my own nourishment.
when i create more space for me it creates more space for them...
to eat, to nourish, to receive, to breath, to all of it..
when they feel the shift in my story,
they have room to write more of theirs.

would love to hear
your thoughts
BIG LOVE
XXXX

blueberry muffin cupcake.



beauties!
i have not been sharing too much baking lately
so i want to break the silence with this 
this bad boy... baking bad with this blueberry muffin...
i am sure that one has been taken by now!

i haven't fully shared with you my sweet and deep
love affair with nigel slater... i can only read him in 
small spurts of time...we share a super concentrated love
for one other... i mean, ripe, tender, notes from the larder..
he kills me with love, beauty, knowledge and passion ;)

so here is a little ditty on this 
blueberry muffin (cupcake)
from ripe//nigel slater

*gather*
i used cup for cup for the flours in recipe*
you could also try other gf flours for texture
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole grain spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbs butter
2/3 cup golden bakers sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup yogurt (i used buttermilk here)
1 1/2 cups blueberries

*mix & rise*
preheat oven to 375//place cup liners in muffins tins
sift flours and dried things together (i did no do this)
cream butter and sugar together until pale
scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula
lightly beat the eggs and add to butter/sugar mix
beat thoroughly then add the vanilla
then mix in buttermilk or yogurt or....
gently add dry ingredients, continue mixingg
and then fold in the blueberries
drop mixture in cups
you can add a little demerara sugar and oats on top if you wish!
bake for 20 - 25 minutes
let cool and ENJOY!

o & b called this a cupcake ;)
and now i am seeing why!
i messed up in the sugar measurement!

let me know
how you go
XXXX


what journey are you on?

beauties!
i am so grateful to be featured on the website journey for earth. annabel ruffell creates this beautiful space where she explores & interviews people's passions, intentions and manifestations in the world... she begins each conversation with the question what journey are you on? it has taken me months to answer her! it's a pretty HUGE question. annabel is a beauty mama, an artist, a writer and a creator of this movement with journey for earth.. 
here is part of our interview... hope you love itxxxx (check out her website here! it's really wonderful)

My name is Annabel Ruffell and I am the founder of Journey for Earth, a socially conscious media company that shares the personal journeys of inspiring individuals making a positive impact in the world.

The intention with these interviews is that they inspire people to take action in any way that they can for our planet – humanity, environment, animals and also to inspire us to be the best that we can be on our journey through life, for ourselves, our community and our world.

A friend introduced me to Jules and her wonderful, colorful food blogging site. I love that she has this beautifully creative connection with food and making healthy eating a joyful lifestyle. Yes it is possible within our busy lives!


Jules Blaine Davis inspires and nourishes people to reconnect with their kitchen, their food story and their hunger for beauty. She is cooking up a culture where we connect with our food in a new way; redefining what nourishes us and teaching us how to cook local, delicious and simple food inside our busy lives. Jules is a food writer/poet, a kitchen healer, mama to two zen masters (ocean and beauty) and on most days, she is funny. You can find her musings on motherhood & beauty, simple recipes, finds at the farmers market and more on her blog www.julesblainedavis.com. You can also follow her daily food inspiration on instagram @julesbdavis. 

Jules has seasonal classes in her kitchen called miracles.
She also comes to you for one-on-one cooking sessions and consultations
You can see a list of Jules services at www.julesblainedavis.bigcartel.com


1) What Journey are You on?

The first thought that comes to mind is what journey am I not on!!!? I feel like I am on a million journeys like so many colorful wires all braided, knotted and aligned in some beautiful mess all going in the same direction. We are in a time where the opportunity to be passionate, inspired and connected is all around us, it’s in every moment, to how long we keep the faucet on to what socks we wear to how we parent, how we educate, what we eat…pick your passion! In our normal day to day, every decision we make seems to lead to a journey we are on, let alone something outside the home or outside ourselves. With that said, my journey is one of connection, nourishment, beauty, growing out from under resistance and fear, changing patterns that no longer serve me, living inside a vulnerable & intimate experience, beginning a conversation with joy and creating a culture that is inspired to nourish with beauty and be free of the noise inside.

My journey is a creative movement, where so many of those colorful wires converge and converse to exchange ideas & thoughts, building something that can teach us a better, more efficient and loving way to live.

2) What has been one of your greatest challenges over the years, either with the work that you do or in another area of your life, and how did you overcome it?

So many challenges!! There a lot of those too! I would say one of my challenges is balance. Time is so precious at this phase in my life.
continue reading the interview here....xxxx

put an egg on it.

sweet beauties...

i am finding that raising 2 kids, creating a nourishing beauty food
movement in america, keeping a marriage alive, maintaining a strong
immune system, barely sleeping, feeding my own story
and taking the dog out makes for a very busy life.

you wanna know my secret? 
did i hear 'live in nanny?' 
almost but not yet! 

my secret is...
EGGS!

they are the answer to nourishing myself in a jiffy, for adding
protein, color and love to an ordinary bowl of veggies and/or pasta!
if i have a little more time.. i will pair it with something new.
in the image above we have: day old roasted chiogga beets
& sauteed kale with garlic and olive oil (might be a
day or two old as well).. mix it all together and i'm in heaven
i love making 3 minute eggs for the kids too
(otherwise known as dippy eggs)
we put them on top of pasta, breadcrumbs & parsley
OR
a crunchy rice cake in a bowl broken into pieces
with whatever herbs i have around, cherry tomatoes
and a dollop of apricot honey goat cheese
OR
roasted asparagus or brussel sprouts & prosciutto  
with chopped up basil or pesto
OR
dropped into some cauliflower potato, broccoli
or any silky blended soup

what i am trying to say is you can put an egg
on/in anything and it will make your day better
it will leave you nourished & sated fully 
*also the best eggs are local organic eggs*
the brighter the yellow the better for everyone

a recipe for the 3 minute egg....
the jury is out on the various ways
to boil an egg...
i bring a small pot of water to a boil
put eggs in while it's boiling
put the timer on for 3 minutes
this is for smaller to medium size eggs
you can leave in a little longer for a bigger egg!

let me know
how you go
enjoy beauties
xxxx

(3 more spots left!)

tatsoi.



hey beauties!

i am inside a new love affair with this beauty above...
is it calling to you like it calls to me? 
i can't believe that i am just nearly getting on board
with this japanese spinach. if bok choy & the freshest new zealand
spinach had a baby it would be tatsoi! it's sweet, crunchy and not
like any spinach i have ever experienced...

you can saute it with any oil you wish...
i have used olive oil & sesame oil, salt and love
(which will not be hard to find once you taste it!).
this simple saute takes about 3 minutes.

Tatsoi is high in beta-carotene and
Vitamins A, C, and K as well as other minerals.
i wanted to show you the bottom because these (in the photo)
are grown hydroponically.. i am hoping you can find tatsoi
at your local farmers market...
i believe one of the farms that sells it is called Kanji Yasutomi
they are at hollywood on sunday (8am - 1pm) &
south pasadena on thursdays (4pm -8pm)

let me know
how you go
xxxx