Success! Swiss Chard soup and the egg!

Deb's soup

My soup

Cause I know you were all waiting with baited breath! ;) It went off without a hitch! And my soup hating roommate even loved it! It's a miracle! I love the hint of white wine and sherry vinegar in the recipe! It really took it to the next level. A definite repeat dish!

Oh and following Deb's perfect poached egg tutorial was a major game changer. Incredible advice. If you have trouble poaching eggs head over here to check it out.

Love and Hugs

A moment of freedom

A teacher raised a glass of water to her audience and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water ? "

Answers called out ranged from 8oz. to 20oz.

The teacher replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.
"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance."

In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.

She continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. "
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. "

So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work/life down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow.


Love and Hugs

Home from Church, Swiss Chard soup

This recipe and photo were found at Smitten Kichen and since on my way home from Church Tuesday I encountered a lovely bunch of swiss chard (by way of the corner veggie truck) I decided it's fate and this soup must be made! The poached egg on the other hand may not be made depending on my bravery but life is short I say! give it a try! And try I will! Tonight.

Here's her list of ingrediants:

1 pound Swiss chard (can also swap kale, spinach or another green), ribs and stems removed and cleaned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) chopped carrots
1 cup (5 ounces) chopped celery
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) chopped shallots, about 4 medium
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 15-ounce cans (or about 3 3/4 cups) white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups (or more to taste) vegetable broth
1 cup pureed tomatoes (from a can/carton/your jarred summer supply)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Toasted bread slices, poached eggs (tutorial), chopped herbs such as tarragon, parsley or chives or grated Parmesan or Romano to serve (optional)

Looks easy enough? Right?

For the rest of the recipe please go here. Thanks Deb! Can't wait to try this out!

Love and Hugs

Three cheers for Buckwheat

Breakfast Buckwheat with milk, nectarine, almonds and a tsp of honey

Dinner Buckwheat (with oilves, tomatoes, chickpeas, cumin, lemon juice and lettuce!

Wozers check out the pics my new camera makes! It's insane! Expect many more foodie pics to come! ;)

Anywho so Buckwheat! Yay! Yesterday was our first try and it was a delicious success!

While many people think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain glutens.

Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Whohoooooooo!

Also, Buckwheat contains almost 86 milligrams of magnesium in a one-cup serving. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure-the perfect combination for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Whoa! Buckwheat is healthy and available and easy to cook. Here's how:

No soaking or rinsing required. Bring two cups of water to slow boil, stir in 1 cup of buckwheat. Put lid on, reduce to low and boil until water is absorbed which is about 10-15 mins. Don't let it get too mushy. And voila! A great whole food that seems like carbs! Use it intead of white instant rice, or white pasta, or boiled potatoes. Make it for breakfast like oatmeal with fruit, honey and nuts on top. Or at lunch in salads with anything!

Next up is Millet. What the hell is millet anyways and is it even good for me? How do I cook it? We'll find out!

Love and Hugs

Do you want to smile? Just listen to Micky!

Isn't she adorable? I have a serious problem! I have listened and watched this video 6 times in a row now! AHHHHHH! Help me stop!

But seriously she is so much fun! I love it! Her name is Micky Green and she's an Australian singer who grew up in Paris. I first read about her on the chic photographer Garance Doré's blog. They are real live friends!
No fair!

P.S. I know Sue is going to love the styling in this video! Am I right?

Love and Hugs

Conversations with your mother

What do you and your Mom talk about? Is it always as fun as the above conversation? My Mom and I seem to gave the best conversations in the car when we are completly lost and giggly and couldn't care less.
What about you? Are they serious, funny, respectful, light or even annoying? Come on give me the truth! ;)

P.S. the above little monkey is Vince's niece Lise and her Mom Nathalie. They love to gab it up and can often be found together having a chitchat about the serious stuff like hello kitty, who's at the table, the latest playmobile, what everyone ate today and other interesting subjects. Gosh I miss them already!
Love and Hugs

Before we go.....

Goodmorning guys! We are back in Malta! We got in late last night and upon touchdown Vince and I decided to make a few New Year resolutions for our last month here:

1. Drink more Cisk!
2. Eat more Octopus!

We are leaving for who knows where on the 31st of Jan and must fill our bellies with the above two Maltese specialties as much as possible! Yummmmy January here we come!

Love and Hugs