Back to Work

We're wrapping up the long Thanksgiving weekend here in the US. A sense of melancholy has drifted over our home as the reality of heading back to work tomorrow sets in. Let's face it, getting back into a typical routine is never easy after you've had some time off. But I read a quote yesterday (in a fantastic book I plan to write more about soon...) that is the perfect antidote to the Sunday-evening blues.

"Let's become more creative, more loving, and more joyful in our work, care more for the earth and each other, and reinvent work as the joy it is meant to be - as the expression of our heart's purpose." - Will Tuttle, PhD

Now get out there and kick some ass.

Kale Chips Made Easy

I enjoy dabbling with raw food recipes that preserve each and every enzyme naturally found in tasty fruits and veggies. Delicious and nutritious to the extreme! But sometimes raw food recipes can be even more intimidating than their cooked counterparts if for no other reason than most of us didn't grow up creating these culinary delights, so it's a bit unfamiliar. For example, I thought for the longest time that those crunchy and addictive kale chips I'd get at raw food restaurants were beyond my reach. There's no way I could recreate that signature flavor or incredible crispiness on my own, I would think... so I never tried.

Well, a few weeks ago I decided to pull out my trusty Excalibur dehydrator (ok, who am I kidding, this thing is huge and doesn't fit in any of our cabinets so technically it required no pulling out, only plugging in) and give homemade kale chips a go. A few hours later, and my world was forever changed. It is the easiest this you could possibly make and so freaking good! So I thought I'd share this remarkably easy, 3 step technique for making incredible kale chips on your own.

1. First, rinse a giant leafy bunch of kale. Tear the leaves from the tough stem, and toss into a salad spinner for a quick ride.

2. Next, transfer the leaves into a large bowl a handful at a time, spritzing each pile with just a little extra virgin olive oil (I recommend using a Misto sprayer). Then, once you've got your bowl filled with kale, add a few shakes of soy sauce and toss the leaves to distribute that liquid flavor!

3. Finally, throw that leafy goodness onto your dehydrator trays and set the heat to 105-110 degrees. That's it! And a few hours later....

Oh baby. It's time for some crispy, crunchy, savory kale chips! Such a simple process yields such major return. If your chips taste at all chewy, get them back in the dehydrator - stat! When they're ready they will crumble to bits the instant they hit your tongue. Pairs perfectly with a good movie or as a prelude to a creative raw dinner.

Spotted in Georgetown

Please pardon the terrible photo quality (the camera on my phone has lost its ability to focus) but I spotted this festive doorway, cascading with pumpkins and gourds of every stripe, and had to document it for longevity. What a great idea! They did such a good job finding just the right spot of every last pumpkin and gourd. I'm a huge fan of the mini pumpkin myself. We have a little guy keeping us company as a kitchen table centerpiece - and if you get a couple in different shades they just as colorful as flowers, but WAY less expensive and last for months.