EASY DELICIOUS BREAD

I have always wanted to make my own bread, but somehow it always felt too daunting so I left it alone. Then the Pandemic happened, and I have been trying to up my baking game by testing out new recipes, so I decided, if not now, when? I searched around for the most basic recipe I could find and after a few tries I found the one that seems the easiest and most delicious. Trust me, if I can do this, you can too.

Makes One Round Loaf of Delicious Bread

1 Tbs. Fast acting yeast

1 Tbs. Kosher salt

3 Cups warm water (warm to touch, not hot)

6 ½ cups AP flour (more for sprinkling on board)

Large bowl

Medium to Large Dutch Oven

Parchment paper

Serrated knife

 Mix yeast, salt and warm water together in large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the flour and stir until dough forms. It will be loose and shaggy looking, but don’t fret. Cover with cotton cloth and set aside in a cool, dark place for 2 hours.

 Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and fold into itself in four parts. Turn over so folds are on the bottom and top is smooth. Set aside on parchment paper on board and let sit uncovered for 45 minutes.

 In the meantime, turn oven on to 450 for 45 minutes. Place Dutch Oven inside with top on to heat.

 After 45 minutes, make an X on top of the bread with a serrated knife. Take the Dutch Oven out of the oven and gently place the bread with parchment paper inside. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the top and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the bread from the Dutch Oven and let cool on cutting board.

Enjoy!

PANCAKES

Makes 2-3 servings

 2 cups All-Purpose flour

1 T. Baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 T. Sugar

¼ cup Old Fashioned Oats *secret ingredient*

2 Large eggs

2 T. melted unsalted butter

2 cups whole milk

Mixture:

Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside. Melt the butter in microwave for thirty seconds and set aside to cool. Measure out the milk and crack egg into it and beat slightly. Pour the cooled butter into milk and egg mixture and mix together. Add wet ingredients into the dry to combine. Do not over mix.

Cooking:

Prepare pan or griddle by heating on medium high and spray with cooking spray. Test a little of the pancake mixture to be sure pan is at the right temperature. The first pancake is for the cook!

When you have the pan at the right temperature, pour ladles of pancake mix to preferred size and flip when bubbles appear.

 Warm up some real maple syrup or jam, slather with butter and enjoy!

CHICKPEA PATTIES

These are easy and great to do on a Sunday to prep for simple dinners to enjoy during the week. I par bake mine then finish the night I am going to eat one. They are wonderful on their own or on top of a leafy green salad or on a toasted bun with pesto mayonnaise.

Makes 10 patties

3 cups cauliflower

29 oz. can chickpeas, drained

12 oz. frozen chopped spinach

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5 scallions, green and white part chopped

1 shallot, minced

3 tsp. garlic, grated

2 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped

4 eggs slightly beaten

3 cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup set aside

Olive oil for frying

Method:

Cut the cauliflower into florets and steam until soft. Set aside to cool. Mash the cauliflower and chickpeas together until they resemble coarse meal. Squeeze out all the excess water from the spinach and mix into the chickpea mixture. Add all the other ingredients until well blended.

 Scoop out ½ cup and make into patties. Coat the patties in the extra cup of breadcrumbs and fry in olive oil. Set onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then bake for 25 minutes to finish cooking until heated through.

 Enjoy over a green salad topped with tzatziki or other sauce of your choosing.

BOLOGNESE

I typically use a blend of ground beef, pork and veal for this sauce, but my guests requested turkey, so we substituted ground turkey and it turned out just as well as the beef mix.

Makes enough for one large pan of lasagne.

Turkey Bolognese Lasagna

 Ingredients:

Carrots x3

Celery x4

1 White Onion

1 cup Dry White Wine

28oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes x2

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 cup whole milk

Ground Turkey

6oz Can of Tomato Paste

¼ cup Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Fresh Black Pepper

Béchamel:

8 oz. unsalted Butter

2 cups Whole Milk

2 Tbs. Flour

Fresh Nutmeg

To Make Béchamel:

Start Béchamel sauce on low heat and mel the butter; when melted, add two tablespoons of flour and whisk thoroughly for about two minutes until melded but not pasty; add two cups of warm milk and whisk until thickened; season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and set aside.

To Make Bolognese:

Coarsely chop vegetables (by hand or in Cuisinart), add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and add. Cook until translucent but not brown (probably around 10 minutes), season with salt and pepper.

Add one cup of the dry white wine and stir until evaporated. I prefer white wine as it lends a softer balance to the sauce. Then, add one cup of whole milk and stir until evaporated. Add the ground turkey, chopping up and mix into bits so you don’t have patties. Then add two cans of crushed tomatoes, mix thoroughly and add can of tomato paste. Now add one cup of chicken broth, and if sauce is too thick, add water. Simmer on low heat for 1-1 ½ hours and stir periodically until flavors are melded together. Season with salt and pepper periodically, to taste.

To Make Lasagne:

Put ¼ inch of Béchamel sauce on bottom of pan and pour the remainder into the Bolognese sauce.

 Add a layer of pasta to pan and top with sauce. Alternate with pasta and sauce until desired number of layers is reached. Top with freshly grated parmesean.

 Bake for 30 min to one hour, depending if used fresh or dried pasta.

 Serve with freshly grated parmesean and enjoy.

A nice accompaniment to this dish is garlic bread. Here’s a simple recipe.

Garlic Bread

 Ingredients:

Loaf of good Bread like Ciabatta or Italian whole loaf

¼ cup Olive Oil        

2 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Freshly chopped Garlic, 2-4 cloves

To Make:

Melt butter, olive oil and garlic on stovetop or in microwave.

Cut bread in half and brush the butter mixture thoroughly onto bread

Wrap in heavy aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

A simple, traditional Italian dessert that’s a snap to make is affogato. Here’s how to make it. 

Affogato

 Ingredients:

Vanilla Ice Cream (good quality)

Espresso

To Make:

Prepare espresso

Scoop ice cream into a glass cup

Pour espresso over ice cream in the cup and enjoy!

BEEF STEW

Makes one big pot with plenty for leftovers!

 2 lbs cubed stew meat (beef chuck or top round)

3 Tb flour

1 Tsp garlic powder

2 garlic cloves, smashed

½ Tsp. Kosher salt

½ Tsp. black pepper

5 Tb olive oil

1 onion cut into cubes

1 cup red wine

6 cups beef broth (can use chicken)

2 Tb tomato paste

2 springs fresh rosemary (or 1 Tsp dried)

2 bay leaves

4 carrots, peeled and cut into big chunks

1 Lb Yukon gold potatoes

1 10oz package frozen peas

2 Tb corn starch

2 Tb water

Combine, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss beef cubes in the flour mixture and set aside in one layer on a plate. On the stove, heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Cook the beef, turning to brown on all sides, then add the onions and smashed garlic cloves and cook together with the beef until all are browned.

Add the red wine and beef stock and scrape any bits off the bottom of pan. Stir in the vegetables, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour or until beef is tender. You can move the pot to cook in the oven at 350 degrees or leave on stove. When the beef is tender and vegetables coked through, add in the frozen peas. In a separate bowl, mix together the corn starch and water to make a paste, or what’s called a slurry. A little at a time, slowly add the slurry to the boiling stew to desired consistency.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve the stew in bowls with big chunks of warm bread.

Enjoy!

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

I have been using essential oils for many years, but it was not until I was introduced to dōTERRA oils that my life changed. These therapeutic grade oils are gently and carefully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. 

Each doTERRA essential oil is also carefully and thoroughly tested using the strict CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® quality protocol. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade doTERRA essential oils.  

Recently I have discovered the Emotional Aromatherapy kit. These six ready to use roller balls are filled with essential oils to give support wherever you need it and have been game changers for me. Because they are already diluted with fractionated coconut oil, you can easily tuck in your bag and use throughout the day, whenever you need them.

MOTIVATE:      Feeling frustrated at work or having a setback in your life in spite of your best efforts? This is a natural way to help lift you up.

CHEER:            Offers a bright disposition and helps to smooth over challenges in life you may be facing.

PASSION:        Get your Mojo back!

FORGIVE:        Helps to release that heavy burden you’ve been carrying around.

CONSOLE:       Eases the pain and sorry of losing someone or something you loved.

 PEACE:            Helps you to slow down, take a deep breath, and reconnect with yourself.

If any of these resonate with you or someone you know, you need these in your toolkit to help get you through whatever life throws at you.

Let me know if you would like to get these emotional support tools into your life.

MY HAPPINESS PROJECT

I listen to a lot of podcasts as I’m going through my day, and one of my favorites is Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations. She has fascinating guests that are always educational and enlightening.

 Recently, she had teacher and author Shawn Achor on to discuss happiness and gratitude and how we can get more of both in our own lives. Shawn was a teaching assistant for Tal Ben-Shahar’s popular “Happiness” course, a class at Harvard University where students clamor to enroll each semester. He’s also written a book about it called The Happiness Advantage.

Through his years of study and research, he has found that if we do five simple things each day, we can and will be happier and more grateful. Who doesn’t want that? I decided to give it a try and have been practicing this for the past six months as I have gone through a difficult time in my life where the idea of happiness has been challenged. But, I have found that when I follow his steps and really incorporate them into my life I am happier and notice more things I am grateful for. I have found that the simpler I keep it, the happier I am.

As part of a Spring Reset, why not try to begin your own Happiness Project? Here are the simple steps that can have profound impact.

1.    Gratitude – What three things are you grateful for? (Change daily. Can be anything you like from a cup of coffee to the sky).

2.    What positive experience have you had over the past twenty-four hours? Write it down remembering as many details as possible.

3.    Thank someone for something – and mean it! This can be a text, email, phone call or better yet, in person.

4.    At least ten minutes of exercise.

5.    Meditation – start with two minutes and work your way up to more. (This can be to simply notice and follow your own breath for two minutes.)

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE!

HAPPINESS SPREADS!

HAPPINESS IS AN ADVANTAGE!

AUNT JULIE'S SUGAR-CRUSTED BROWNIES

Makes one 9x9 pan.

¾ lb (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

3 ½ Cups Sugar

8 Ounces high quality unsweetened chocolate (99% cacao)

6 Large Eggs

2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Cups All purpose flour

1 Cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large, 12 x 17-inch jelly-roll pan and dust with about 4 tablespoons of the sugar. 

Place the chocolate and remaining butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until both are melted. Remove from the heat. 

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and remaining sugar just until blended, but not frothy. Stir in the vanilla. When the chocolate mixture is no longer hot, slowly pour it into the egg mixture, stirring. Stir in the flour. Fold in the nuts, if desired.

Spread the batter in the pan and bake 35 minutes, until set. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out just about clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

 Note: These brownies are a crowd pleaser, but you may want to keep them all for yourself. They also make a great hostess gift wrapped up in a box with waxed paper, a housewarming gift, work party, school fundraiser, just about anything.

*Rizzoli International Publications (2007) Park Avenue Potluck, Recipes from New York’s Savviest Hostesses

3 Ingredient Cookie

Makes 12 cookies

2 Medium ripe bananas (black speckled skin)

2 Cup Oats

½ Cup Chocolate Chips (mini chips are great for this)

Mix bananas and oats together well. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

 Cookies are also great chilled for breakfast.

Overnight Oats

Here’s an easy way to have a healthy, nutritious breakfast without doing any work. Overnight oats practically make them themselves. Here’s how.

1 Serving

½ Cup Steel Oats

1 Tbsp. Currants

2/3 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/3 Cup Plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp. Chopped walnuts (pecans would work well too)

2 Drops doTERRA Cinnamon Bark essential oil

Add all ingredients together and mix in a bowl to combine. Cover in a jar and store in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, presto breakfast is served.

EAT YOUR GREENS!

Salad’s don’t need to be complicated to be delicious. I often throw one together with fresh vegetables I have in my fridge – lettuce, endive, kale, cucumbers, carrots, celery, herbs, whatever is available. It’s nice to toss some crumbled cheese on top too. I love gorgonzola or goat’s cheese, and a nut, seed or dried fruit can be a nice addition as well.

I always have this simple vinaigrette recipe on hand. It’s the easiest thing to make, so there’s no reason to buy store bought dressings any longer. Plus, many of them are filled with sugar. By mixing a few ingredients together that you probably have in your pantry, you will have the most delicious dressing and your guests will think you’re a rock star.

Classic Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp. finely diced shallot

1 Tbsp. good French mustard – I like Dijon style

Juice from ½ a fresh lemon

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Pinch of coarse sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1 Cup good olive oil

¼ Cup Avocado oil

In a jar, add the mustard, lemon, vinegar, salt and pepper. Shake it well to combine. Add the oils and shake vigorously until combined and emulsified. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Pour enough to coat each leaf to a beautiful glossy finish. This salad would be perfect with lemon thyme roasted chicken and a crusty baguette.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

If there’s one thing I know for sure, change is inevitable. It’s how you navigate that change that can determine how you get through it. When we’re young, change is easier to accept, and new experiences are part of life. But, as we age, we tend to rely on sameness and turn away from change. This is a form of control, of safety, when we try to keep our world from shifting.

 Yoga can serve as one of the most useful tools to help us manage the divine nature of change. Through daily practice, I have been able to get through many transitions in my own life, both good and bad.  Learning how to accept these with equanimity and loosen the controlling grip to find some breathing room can provide the safety we need. Through asana, breathwork and meditation, we can learn to sooth the discomfort change can bring and tap into our spiritual side of healing and love for ourselves.

 We can use these self-care tools everyday and be guided by a sense of peace from within to make better decisions and navigate any of life’s ups and downs. When we practice mindfulness on and off our mat and focus on the present moment, we can tune into our breath and better respond by knowing that strength can be found in that stillness.

“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”

B.K.S. Iyengar

MY TRIBE

Community is about surrounding yourself with your tribe – a group of people who love and support each other. I am fortunate to have wonderful friends and close family around me to lift me up and help keep me centered. Tradition is a big part of my family, and each year we get together to make holiday cookies. We bake ourselves silly with the amount of cookies we make to give as gifts to friends and loved ones. We plan for it all year long, perfecting our lists, researching new recipes, as well as keeping the tried and true ones. By the end of the day we have dozens and dozens of cookies!

Devotion360 has created a strong community through love, acceptance and meaningful relationships that I feel equally blessed to be a part of. As a teacher, it is very gratifying to see students finding classes they gravitate towards and connecting with fellow classmates to deepen their practice. One of my favorite parts of the week is spending time getting to know students after Friday night’s Wine Down class and share some laughs and refreshments. We always have a great time!

Our yoga practice extends far beyond the mat and to be a part of something larger than ourselves is rewarding in so many ways and to be a part of a community allows us to strive to be our best and to see the best in each other.

Wishing you a very happy holiday season filed with joy, love and comfort!

SELF-CARE IS NOT A DIRTY WORD

The basic needs to survive are: air, water, food, shelter, sleep and clothing. But, what about self-care? Taking care of our bodies, minds and spirits should also be included on that list, for without it, we are not fully tending to our complete self that deserves our full loving attention. It is not self-indulgent to treat yourself well. Self-care is the source that supports the body’s balance, reduces stress and anxiety, heals and brings abundant joy. Give yourself time each day to be in the present moment, which can be in the form of making a healthy meal choice, meditation, yoga, or even simply closing your eyes for a few minutes and listening to the rhythm of your breath.

When we treat ourselves with loving kindness, we are giving ourselves the gift to rest and restore, nurturing and caring for our true essence. And in this way, we not only open our hearts and calm our minds, but replenish energy and transform our bodies, minds and spirits.  When we believe we are enough, we show ourselves the love we deserve, which not only benefits us, but all those around us as well.

Tips for Self-care:

• Make yourself a nourishing breakfast each day.

• Take two minutes each day to meditate or be quiet with yourself.

• Establish a consistent yoga practice either by taking a weekly class or develop a home practice.

• Say hello to a stranger on the street. Remember, your friends were strangers before they were friends.

• Jot down a positive word each day and read it throughout the day.

• Make plans with a friend to meet up for coffee or social activity.

• Listen to some music or read a book or poem.

• Spend time in nature or go for a walk.

• Breathe in some essential oils, like doTERRA Lavender to calm the mind. 

“Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others…….we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.”

Parker J. Palmer