Turkey (or shall I say, seitan) Day

I'm out of my Thanksgiving coma, and what a wonderful fullness I was in! I managed to make my first seitan roullade, if you will- filled with sage and pecans and glazed with maple syrup! It was a welcomed addition to the classic Thanksgiving feast- as was some new tart recipes whipped up by two beautiful Swartwood ladies! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

We ♥ Veggies

We're mildly obsessed with pad thai in my house, which means my trip to Thailand this winter will only help the cause. Taking a break from thai deliciousness, I made carrot burgers with basil and quinoa!

30!

My man turned 30 yesterday, (woah!) What a better way to celebrate on the cold November day than with red wine, an amazing grilled salmon salad and a rich chocolate cake topped with decadent chocolate covered strawberries! And to think.. he didn't even want to celebrate!

{try marinating salmon with equal parts soy sauce-I use Braggs- and good maple syrup, simple and so delicious}

Leftovers

We love leftovers in my house! Using the leftover beet mixture from the burgers, I made "beetballs" over pasta! Leftover raw spinach blended up with ricotta cheese and olive oil for a pesto is a cheery way to use up bits of raw greens!

Falafel

The thought of making falafel always scared me, {it sounds like it would be difficult} but, since chickpeas are one of my favorite beans, I decided to face my fears and give it a go! Besides, what could be better than chickpeas, flour and a few herbs tossed into oil and served with a yummy yogurt cucumber sauce? Yum! Success!

Its about time to EAT!

5 days of the Master Cleanse, and I was ready for some veggies! Beet burgers loaded with beets, quinoa. carrots and herbs did the trick! Served with baked sweet potato and carrot fries- delicious!

Rawmazing

After a big week of fireworks, the fair and plenty of drinks, we've decided to take the week off and go raw! Smoothies for breakfast, big salads for lunch and I've been having fun learning about cooking {or lack of} raw meals! First night was tacos, with a walnut, portobello mushroom "meat" topped with TONS of yummy guac and fresh cilantro!

Thai Shrimp

Long time since the last post, and due to a dead camera battery, not a lot of pictures to show for it! Last night to get back into the swing of things, a spicy thai shrimp curry with snap peas, bamboo shoots, shallots and cilantro served over couscous (SO easy when you don't have an hour to wait on rice!)

Lazy Mornings

A long night of catering a gorgeous wedding followed by a simple morning of waking up slowly, making baked eggs with thyme, rosemary and tomatoes from the garden, bloody Mary's (Which I haven't taken to yet) and a swim in the pond with the most beautiful babies was such perfection!

Pan Seared Goodness

We've been craving scallops in my house the past few days, so when the sign went up for a sale on sea scallops yesterday, dinner was set. Seared in coconut oil and served with roasted potatoes, asparagus, carrots and beets was colorful and delicious!

Mussels!

A warm day on the island and a good bargain on mussels was the perfect combination to make mussels in a white wine sauce (and an excuse to sip on some white wine while I cooked)! Steamed with garlic, shallots, tomatoes, thyme and sage was delicious!

Southern Twang

Inspired by looking at the State Road restaurant menu and the hot last-day-of-June weather, I made shrimp and grits last night.. seasoned with thyme and rosemary from the garden.. yum!

Key Lime Pie

I tried my first go at a raw key lime pie last night, which turned out to be a little less lime-y than we would have liked, and a little more coconut guacamole with a yummy crust a raw whipped cream on top. I hear I missed a few key ingredients, whoops!

Fresh

A fun night at the Taste of the Vineyard called for lots of sleep, a full day of gardening in the rain the next day to rid myself of champagne toxins and these incredible fresh rolls I came home to after work!

Soup

Its been a cold few days in the gardens, making me dream of warm soups! Last night I made butternut squash soup with lemongrass and coconut milk. Super easy and so delicious- especially topped with crunchy, homemade croutons and basil from the garden. Unintentionally vegan, yum!

Lemon Pasta

My sister and her boyfriend are a bit obsessed {in a great way} with Cooks Illustrated. Inspired by a Cooks Illustrated recipe, I made lemon pasta.. super simple, topped with basil from our garden and a glass of pino grigio was a nice welcome to summer!

Chipotle

Channeling Scottish Bakehouse, I whipped up chipotle sweet potato mash, kale sauteed with coconut oil and garlic and black beans- seasoned with cinnamon and cumin. Topped off with a huge salad from our own veggie garden was incredible! Scottish bakehouse- Watch Out!

Its June!

Its already June and the days are filled with planting flowers and the hopes of jumping in the water at the end of the work day! After planting my own raised beds with tons of herbs and veggies I was treated to homemade veggie burgers.. perfection!

RAW!

Lately, I've taken an interest in raw foods. My first venture into raw was a pasta sauce made with cashews and carrots, delicious! And to get my chocolate fix, raw chocolate cupcakes with cacao, walnuts dates and coconut, amazing and so easy!

Sunday Morning

Its a lazy Sunday morning filled with herb filled baked eggs, cherries and coffee. Hoping to visit the greenhouse next, to buy veggies to grow in the freshly built raised beds!

Rain Days

This long week of rain days has just ended and sunshine is here, {hopefully to stay}! The cold, rainy days drove me to look into my cookbook collection and make some delicious soups! Roasted potato and leek soup with crispy shallots on top was a favorite in our cabin!

Wrap it Up

After a long and windy day in the gardens, coming home to plates of freshly cut vegetables, waiting to be tucked into nori wraps was a perfect surprise.

Asian Influence

Inspired last night by the smell of yummy thai food in Oak Bluffs, I made tempeh with a peanut sauce {actually I used almond butter instead} on steamed broccolini covered with sprouts!  Accompanied by a big salad and a glass of South African white wine!

May Day

Happy first day of May! Its a gorgeous day, made even more gorgeous by all of the yard work I got done today! All of my herbs are planted and basking in the sunshine!

Goodnight

A long {though gorgeous} day in the gardens after a night of restlessness called for veggies and a big glass of Malbec, in hopes of a wine induced sleep tonight!

Happy Easter

Its Easter, which means the daffodils are in full bloom and the yard work is increasing every day! The chickens must have known what day it was because they provided me and my parents with tons of fresh eggs this morning for eggs benedict with asparagus! I'm having a hard time believing that last year I was cooking up an Easter storm in my apartment in Boston... the highlight of last years Easter- my vegan, gluten-free carrot cake!

Box Lunch

My new neighbors, 5 little chickens, are asleep in their cage and I'm packing my lunch for tomorrow, inspired by the Scottish Bakehouse. Mashed sweet potatoes, spinach and beets! Hoping for sunshine for work in the gardens tomorrow morning.

Camping

I'm fully moved into my new cabin and ready for the summer! Its so cute and cozy inside. Fell asleep last night bundled up in down comforters, listening to the cackling of the fire. Bliss! Tonight's dinner {made by moi on the fabulous little cooktop} was sauteed spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and tempeh. A full day in the gardens deserved tons of veggies!

Moving Day

Just cracked open a bottle of tempranillo, put on a little Billie Holiday and whipped up my first dinner in the new cabin! Toasted whole wheat pita bread with hummus and mixed greens, a veggie burger and apple slices! Off to enjoy by the raging woodstove..

Waiting...

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of a friend to the island, which was pleasantly distracted by an afternoon yoga session at the ever enchanting yoga barn! Craving the asian salmon salad, sounds like a good plan for dinner!

Signs of Spring

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the gardens are waiting for me to start getting them ready for summer! Up until a couple years ago, I hated tomatoes. Thank goodness my taste beds have changed since then, because spring days like this make me crave the classic combo of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil!

Home Sweet Home

Another chilly and windy day at home. This weather is getting old. Here's something new we tried last night... Whole wheat pasta with asparagus in a basil aioli, topped with an egg! Delicious, especially served with my dad's homemade ciabatta bread drizzled with olive oil!

Warm Up

Its a chilly, grey morning on the island, so I imagine that today will be filled with warm tea, good books, lots of blankets and possibly some soup. This butternut squash and sage risotto also sounds pretty perfect for today!

Smoothies

I have gotten into the routine of making smoothies every morning after I wake up. My usual, as of late, has been frozen blueberries and strawberries with crushed flax seeds, a scoop of plain greek yogurt, a scoop of almond butter and a splash of water. What a wonderful way to start the day!

Spring has Sprung

Flower bulbs are peeking their tiny heads out of the cold, winter ground and bringing smiles to everyone, especially those who stayed the long winter on the island. Vegetable broth simmered with coconut milk, snow peas, seared tofu, scallions and pea shoots topped off with a spritz of fresh lime is a soup that just screams spring!

The Art of Breakfast

One of my most missed foods from back home whenever I go away is the breakfast sandwich from a small food lovers dream house, called the Scottish Bakehouse. This morning was my first one in three months. Egg, cheese, avocado, portobello mushrooms and fakin' bacon on whole wheat toast was a lovely way to start the morning with one of my most missed people- my sister!

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone

I'm home on Martha's Vineyard after an incredible 3 month stint in Central America. True to form, April has begun in full force with rain and the occasional threat of snow. This leaves me no choice but to dream of the sunshine down south! I miss the sand in my toes, salt water beach hair and currently, I miss this veggie lovers sandwich from a little cafe in Costa Rica! My avocado intake has rapidly declined once I hit US soil, which is going to need to change asap!