3. 2. 1. Happy October!
3. 2. 1. Happy October!
How a cookbook can still take advantage of the very best veggies
October. It’s the month we finally close out our garden. We rip out all the plants no longer producing and turning brown. We harvest what’s left. We plant ground cover to carry it through the winter.
It’s a time of rest. A time of thankfulness, to all the garden gave us throughout the warm months. It’s a time of reflection - what worked, what didn’t.
I carefully make notes in my journal. I have several plant recommendations I can’t wait to try next year. I have a few tips for how to plant a better garden. What I’ll be moving to a new section. What I’ll be looking for when spring rolls in again.
Tomatoes … Tomatoes are everywhere. We have so many tomatoes. But rather than give them away or throw them away (much worse), we’ve made sauces. We’ve layered them in our freezer, ready to pull out and add to soups and stews as we move into fall.
Because if you’ve ever had tomatoes from the garden … oh, they’re so good. I just know my favorite chili is going to have tons more flavor with my own homegrown tomatoes. 😋
And flowers. My dahlias are still at peak, with blooms popping out each day. I invested in mason jars at my local Michael’s, and filled them with fresh flowers. They’re all over my house. I smile, crafting each of them while snipping them off in my garden. I smile when I notice them sitting on my desk, or my end table, or my coffee table, or my kitchen … 🥰
Hygge is on my mind. Snuggling in. Enjoying what I have. Pushing the world away. Letting the best in. Enjoying life.
I wish hygge for you as you move into a new month.
This month’s October Motivation will cover …
Cookbook Time!
“I have an affinity for seasonal vegetables and whole foods with bold dressings or sauces.”
That’s how this month’s author starts her cookbook. And I was hooked!
I remember reading a romance novel where a couple joked about their vegan exes who ate bland rabbit food with no taste at all. I snickered. It’s a common thought.
It’s a common misconception about omnivores - people have no idea how much flavor truly comes from well-prepared plant-based food. As a plant-based chef, you have to understand food and sauces and how to bring out the taste. You have to know how to bring everything together.
And this month’s cookbook brings it all together … and she has a few meat-based options thrown in.
It’s been a journey for me, from vegetarian to vegan to plant-based. I think we can survive on plants alone. I know we can survive on plants alone. My family has done it well for a decade.
But I also believe eating is personal, and it’s up to every one of us to choose what’s right for our bodies.
Ultimately, it’s about really good food.
The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon
By Sara Forte
“I crave healthful, colorful foods that taste good. …
I came to realize that this is the way a lot of whole foods-focused eaters cook: a dish colorful enough to serve when friends are over for dinner, the kind of meal you can bring to the couch with nothing but a spoon or for, or where leftovers can be packed up easily for the following day.”
Simple. Yet delicious. It’s taste that always wins out. And I’ve fallen for her sauces. Like Dark Cherry Hazelnut Salsa or Tahini Citrus Miso Dressing.
Her book is inspiring. The photography is gorgeous. And this is a Gorgeous cookbook to add to your plant-based shelf, ready to pull off and plop onto your kitchen counter whenever you have a hankering for a big bowl of Yum!
Hygge For The Fall …
Time for wellness, time for hygge …
I remember the first months of 2020. My daughter and I settled into a routine.
Take our exercise class after moving the coffee table. Watch our favorite cooking channels to learn how to bake amazing bread. Make our appointment with the library to have our reserved books placed in a bag, placed outside on a shelf at a specified time so we could buzz by and collect them … six feet apart, of course.
It was during this time that I became fascinated with hygge.
I checked out books.
Like The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country. If you haven’t read it, it’s about a London-based writer who decides to move to Denmark when her husband is offered a job with Lego.
“As a journalist on a glossy magazine, I felt like a fraud. I spent my days writing about how readers could ‘have it all’: a healthy work-life balance, success, sanity, sobriety - all while sporting the latest styles and radiant glow. In reality, I was still paying off student loans, relying on industrial quantities of caffeine to get through the day and self-medicating with Sauvignon Blanc to get myself to sleep.”
Isn’t that the truth? I know I’ve been in that situation many times, saying one thing, yet my actions were a complete 180. It happens until something slams against you, makes you take notice, and spins you around to try something new.
Or maybe the book The Simplicity of Cozy by Melissa Alvarez. It’s a wonderful read that helps you get to the heart of what hygge could be.
“Hygge is a feeling. You can also think of it as an emotion, mood, or state of mind. When you’re experiencing hygge you feel safe, warm, and cozy. Hygge brings about a sense of empowerment because you feel the truth of the moment at a soul level. Hygge can bring all parts of your being together in mone moment. You may physically be in an environment that you find appealing, you may be emotionally satisfied, and mentally relaxed.”
I’ve begun to think of hygge as being in the now. Being present. Putting everything else aside. Enjoying every act because I’ve chosen to do it.
Like picking flowers from my garden. Making bouquets to bring the fading warmth from the outside into my home. Wrapping myself in a quilt my daughter made me. Enjoying tea in a mug my friend gave me.
“Experiencing hygge enables you to cherish your soul by immersing yourself in your daily adventures. Nurturing hygge feeling is like shining a flashlight down a dark path, bringing to light all that is unseen so you may walk an illuminated path unafraid and with a sense of calm wonderment.”
Ready to bring hygge to life?
Start my journaling. Download my free guide, then use this for the journal prompts - I give you plenty of space to write. Or feel free to use your own journal if that works better for you.
Let’s get started. I’ll give you the prompts as well as a little guidance to get you started. Hygge is an integral part of my rituals, especially as we’re moving into autumn here in the Pacific Northwest. I hope you’ll learn from my tips.
Kitchen Joy
It’s time to bring hygge into your kitchen. Take inspiration from one of these ideas. Or come up with your own.
🌱Use warm soft lighting with dimmable bulbs, or string up lights! With so many wonderful designs (even fairy lights), there are so many ways to make your space uniquely your own.
🌻Place scented candles with natural, comforting fragrances like cinnamon or vanilla. Or try my simmering pots!
🌱Display fresh herbs in pretty pots on the windowsill.
🌻Use a variety of textures in your kitchen textiles - soft dish towels, woven placemats.
🌱Create a cozy breakfast nook with cushions and throw blankets. Perfect for cold winter mornings!
🌻Play soft, ambient music while cooking or dining.
🌱Use a warm color palette in your decor - think earthy tones and warm woods.
🌻Keep a selection of your favorite teas visible and easily accessible.
🌱Display your favorite cookbooks on open shelving! Use the Cookbook Club as your inspiration! 🥰
🌻Keep a basket of seasonal fruits or vegetables as a colorful, natural centerpiece.
🌱Have a designated spot for enjoying your morning coffee or tea ritual.
🌻Display family photos or meaningful artwork.
🌱Use vintage or handmade items to add character and warmth.
🌻Keep cozy slippers or warm socks near the kitchen entrance.
🌱Have a small, soft rug in front of the sink or stove for comfort while cooking.
🌻Use glass jars to attractively store dry goods like beans, lentils, and grains.
🌱Create a seasonal centerpiece using natural elements you find on your walks. Think pinecones, leaves, rocks, or flowers. Let nature inspire you!
🌻Keep a journal or gratitude list in the kitchen to jot down food-related thoughts or memories.
Have more to add? I’d love to hear your thoughts and inspirations too!
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