orangey whole wheat waffles + strawberry puree.

When I think of breakfast for dinner, I am transported to my seat at my sister's turquoise kitchen table. She is over the stove, creating some tasty dish, while her husband, Mark, is chopping red potatoes into impossibly small pieces, and nestling them into the oven to turn golden brown.

Or, it is Jeffrey and I in our small Gainesville kitchen, making a mile high stack of pancakes. My sister is sitting on the bright red stool in the corner and Mark is in the doorway. We're probably musing about Woody's good looks.

Breakfast for dinner is one of my fondest memories of my graduate work at the University of Florida. It just so happened that my sister lived a block away and we walked to each other's houses each week to enjoy some lovingly prepared dish — always breakfast for dinner, usually on a Thursday evening.

Breakfast is special, but breakfast for dinner is magical. It is especially magical when the company is good, the table is small, and the helpings are aplenty. While Jeffrey and I no longer live just a block away from my sister and Mark, our hearts are still neighbors. Sometimes it feels good to create a dish that brings back a memory. A memory of turquoise tables, small kitchens, tiny potatoes, red stools, and the best company in all the South.
O R A N G E Y  W H O L E  W H E A T  W A F F L E S  +  S T R A W B E R R Y  P U R E E

Serves 2 (with leftover puree to drizzle over anything and everything your heart desires!)

I N G R E D I E N T S

Orangey Whole Wheat Waffles

• 1 egg
• 1 cup (organic) whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons almond milk 
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3 tablespoons water (to thin batter)
• zest of 1 (organic) orange

Strawberry Puree

• 6 strawberries
• juice of half an orange (use the one you just zested!)
• 1/4 teaspoon honey

W A F F L E  D I R E C T I O N S

1. Preheat the waffle iron. Set aside.
2. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl, until it is pale yellow and fluffy (a light foam should form on the top).*
3. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients (except for the zest and the water) and beat to combine.
4. Gently fold in the orange zest until well combined.
5. Start by adding one tablespoon of water to the batter and fold to combine. The consistency should be slightly runny, but not too runny (a bit thicker than a traditional pancake batter). Continue adding water by the tablespoon until desired consistency is reached (I added three tablespoons, but could have added four).
6. Coat the waffle iron with a thin layer of coconut oil. Use your waffle iron's directions to heat and cook waffles (the amount of batter per waffle is often dependent on your particular waffle iron). Serve hot with butter (we use Earth Balance), maple syrup, and a dollop of strawberry puree (directions below).

* Note: A fluffier egg leads to fluffier waffles. Beat a little extra if you're a fluffy-waffle lover.

P U R E E  D I R E C T I O N S

1. Wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
2. Place strawberries, fresh orange juice, and honey into a blender and pulse until combined.

As an aside, this makes plenty of puree (much more than we needed for this recipe). Its other possible uses are endless: on yogurt, in oatmeal, on ice cream, added into a tasty smoothie of coconut milk + ice cubes, etc. Yum!

simple things.

{1. I can't seem to get enough of glass jars lately and this one is especially lovely. For the record, I'm also a big fan of these and — of course — these.}


{2. Fresh flowers are always a welcome addition, and I was able to split this particular bunch into three mini-bunches that are still gracing us with their presence.}


{3. This raw whipped cream (made from cashews!) is especially delicious with some spices thrown in: cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, to be exact.}


{4. We're loving our new clock.}


{5. A different spot for our cookbooks will (hopefully) mean they'll get a bit more use.}


{6. Chocolate chips in the pantry mean a batch of chocolate chip cookies aren't too far behind — hooray!}


Other simple things:

• Window shopping (or, cyber window shopping, as the case may be?) and currently eyeing this, this, this, and this.
• The Sufjan Stevens Pandora station, which makes cleaning and cooking a real treat.
• Some words of wisdom.
• And some words to make you laugh.

Happy weekend, dear ones. xo

the midday cookie.

Today's cookie was born from a 2 o'clock craving for something sweet and a bit salty. You know the feeling; it strikes suddenly and quietly — but urgently — and rests in the back of your mind until you find some way to satiate it. When it's Friday afternoon and the pantry could use some attention, one must get creative in choosing ingredients.

The Internet is a beautiful place because after a quick Google search for a recipe involving buckwheat flour, I found my ticket to satisfaction. Because I must fiddle with things, I made a few adjustments to a recipe that I'm sure was already quite delectable. I picked up a Mast Brothers chocolate bar during a recent trip to New York City, and it seemed a shame not to allow its contents to be the true star of this recipe. Megan, the genius behind this cookie, also wrote the recipe so that it only yields one serving (two cookies). A blessing or a curse? I'll let you decide.
T H E  M I D D A Y  C O O K I E
(Adapted from and inspired by Detoxinista)

Serves 1

I N G R E D I E N T S

• 2 level tablespoons buckwheat flour*
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt, plus more for the tops of cookies
• 3 squares Mast Brothers dark chocolate with Stumptown coffee

*Note: This recipe tastes strongly of buckwheat flour. If you're not a fan, I would suggest checking Megan's original recipe, where she offers an alternative suggestion that might strike your fancy.

D I R E C T I O N S

1. Preheat* the oven to 350º F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Mix all ingredients (except for the chocolate) until combined. They should form a thick, pasty substance, slightly more moist than your average chocolate chip cookie dough.
3. Break the squares of chocolate into smaller chunks and fold them into the dough until just combined.
4. Form two cookies of about equal size on the parchment paper. Gently flatten to desired thickness. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt on the top of each cookie.
5. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes,* and allow them to cool slightly before serving.

* Note: Because this is such a small recipe, I used my toaster oven to bake these cookies instead of a traditional oven. The baking time will change slightly (my toaster oven does not have a preheat option). My cookies baked for 12 minutes instead of the original suggestion of 8 minutes. As always, keep a good eye on your cookies so that you can rescue them at just the right moment!

neighborhood blooms.

If you're a dog owner then you can certainly empathize with the agony one occasionally feels upon remembering the dog must go out in the morning. This is especially true when the heat in Florida can only be described using one word: stifling. After those first steps taken and the delicate art of harnessing Woody into his leash (which is quite the sophisticated contraption during the wee hours of the morning), I am reminded of just how much that morning walk means to my dear pal, as evidenced by the enthusiasm in his jaunty gait, and the way his snout lovingly and happily rediscovers the smells of his neighborhood.

And some days I notice the beauty that surrounds me in such a striking way that I must retrace my steps later in the day simply to snap photographs and share the unbelievable sights with you. You see, Florida is hot and sticky in all the most frustrating ways, but it is also hot and sticky in all the right ways, too. This muggy, tropical climate allows certain beautiful flowers to sprout up and thrive without the help of anyone in particular and that is worth celebrating.

(And a personal thanks to Woody, who singlehandedly ensured I would see these beautiful blooms in all their beautiful, leafy glory. His snout leads the way and calls the shots, and for that I am quite glad.)

the (fabricated) story of my ring, part I.

Quite some time ago, I posted a fictional series on my previous blog about the origin of my engagement ring. Truthfully, we found the set in an antique store in Micanopy, a small town outside of our college town. The woman who sold it to us knew very little about the set, other then when it was likely made. I have always been enamored with history, mostly because I love imagining people's lives and the goings-on during different time periods. The series is still one of my favorite things I've ever written, and for that reason I'd like to re-publish it here. It is entirely fictional and has no truth to it whatsoever, although it is fun to imagine otherwise. 


Sometimes I look down at my engagement ring and imagine the woman who wore it before I did. My ring is an antique, did you know that? My mom and I found it in our favorite little town, Micanopy. When I showed it to Jeffrey, I had a feeling it would be the ring that ended up on my finger.

I like to think that the woman who wore it before me had a grand, romantic love story. Nadine was in love with George, who was 10 years her senior. They met in a hardware store, where George was immediately struck because Nadine looked more purposeful than he did. She was wearing a sweet floral skirt crouched down, examining the screwdriver heads. Little did he know she was decorating her newly rented apartment, just above his. She had rented it because the sun spilled in just perfectly at 4 pm. She always made sure to be home at that time to sit in complete and total relaxation with her sweet cat, Matilda.

Nadine was an employee at a theater, where she was always eager to audition for the parts, but could never quite work up the courage. Her boss, Gerald, was kind enough to let her leave for one half hour daily at 4 pm to enjoy the aforementioned spilling sunlight.

George was a writer. The kind of writer hopelessly indebted to his characters -- so indebted that he rarely left his apartment. Except on that fateful day, when he walked into the hardware store to ask an employee about how easy it would be to self-repair a broken typewriter. And that was when he saw Nadine, her hair pulled back just so. He stood in shock and awe -- he felt as though he was witnessing a sweet and perfect creature from one of his stories, the kind of woman that could only be true if she had been written that way.

Nadine was trying hard to look as though she knew what she was doing, although she really had no idea. George caught her eye because his hair was perfectly tousled. It reminded her of her childhood friend, Raymond, who had gone to war and never returned. She cocked her head in disbelief. Alas, it was not him, but she instantly felt comfortable without even talking to the man in the hardware store. She liked the way he was wearing a dress shirt without a tie, and the way his pants were too short and revealed bright red socks. She wanted to know this man, befriend him, walk with him in the park. What a silly thought, she said to herself. George wanted to hold this woman's hand, show her his first draft stories, and buy her a coffee on a cool, bright evening. Nonsense, he said to himself.

simple things.

{1. Beautiful vines in beautiful Brooklyn.}


{2. Our wedding nook: complete with our cake toppers, Jeffrey's boutonniere, my ring box, trinkets from our honeymoon, and two meaningful postcards.}


{3. This new gold ring, which I picked up in New York, and just happens to match Jeffrey's wedding band quite perfectly.}


{4. This book, and full, lazy days for enjoying it.}


{5. A pal who doesn't mind days that are for relaxing.}


{6. This candle, which fills a room with a pleasant, cozy scent. (I would love to try this scent next.)}


Other simple things I'm grateful for:

• A fun trip to New York City to kick summer vacation off in style. (We didn't take many photos — the shame! — but we did keep up on Instagram. You can follow me here, if you'd like.)
• Jesse Terry, whose music I adore.
• My New Roots, which is a blog that has provided me with endless inspiration over these last couple months.
• Summer goals that keep me busy and motivated.

a week of lunches.

1. Chopped strawberries + unsweetened coconut flakes // 2. Brown rice pasta, cucumber, carrots, green pepper + garlic-ginger pumpkin seed sauce // 3. Cucumber + carrots with black bean hummus

1. Romaine lettuce + spinach with cherry tomatoes, carrots, navy beans, and sunflower and sesame seeds // 2. Chopped strawberries + kiwi // 3. Garlic-ginger pumpkin seed sauce (to dress the salad) // 4. Chickpea croutons

1. Black beans and brown rice, covered by mixed greens, sunflower sprouts + avocado (and some red blanket sauce is hiding under there) // 2. Chopped Granny Smith + almond butter // 3. Turkish dried apricots, banana chips + dried mango

1. Romaine lettuce + spinach with green peppers, cucumbers, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds // 2. Chopped Granny Smith apple + almond butter // 3. Chopped kiwi + unsweetened coconut flakes // 4. Garlic-ginger pumpkin seed sauce (to dress the salad)

1. Black bean salad with cumin-roasted carrots, over a bed of Romaine lettuce // 2. Black bean hummus // 3. Watermelon + cucumber spears

I find a sort of comfort in my lunchtime meal. There's something nice about a midday break and the opportunity to sit and enjoy some sustenance. During the school year, I made my lunches the night before, and while it was sometimes a bit of an inconvenience, I always appreciated the forethought when it actually came time to sit and eat the tidbits I had lovingly prepared for myself. Now that I'm on summer vacation, my meals look a bit different, but I still do my best to prepare them with the same amount of care and attention so that I can honor my body and give it the fuel it deserves.

P.S. I'm in the process of revamping the blog, so please excuse the dust! :)