bakers trade recipes on a knead to know basis

I made bread from scratch for the first time this past weekend (besides sweet breads like banana bread which I don't think count). I used this recipe for 9 grain, vegan bread. The bread turned out a little more moist and dense than I was expecting based on the picture, so after soaking the grains I'll probably focus on drying them more before adding them to the dough. But all in all the recipe was easy to follow and I'll definitely make it again.

The trickiest part was obtaining all nine grains to go into the recipe, especially since I hadn't heard of most of them. I was able to find them all at whole foods in the bulk bins:

Then I soaked the grains for a long time and let the dough rise for a long time. I mixed everything together, kneaded the dough, and then waited for a long time again. And eventually I baked it in the oven and got this nice loaf of bread:

This bread goes amazingly well with this raw cheddar cheese recipe. Try it out if you get a chance. Once Zach and I discovered this cheese and bread combination, the rest of the loaf lasted a few hours.

when they stepped in the mud, they softened their stance

Zach and I had a blast at the mud run this past weekend. I was feeling pretty sick, so we had to take it slow, but it was still very fun. The weather was great, the obstacles were great, and we didn't end up ruining any of our clothes. Here's a picture of us at the end of the race:

I'm looking happy because I haven't realized that I'll be picking dirt out of my ears and nails for the next week.

This race is so fun, it makes me feel like I'm on Wipeout. The obstacles included climbing over walls, running through tires, swimming through mud tunnels, racing down water slides, and tons of wading through mud pits. Definitely check it out if it's in your area, the mess is worth it for how much fun you'll have. Here are some more pictures from the race:

recipe: mole with veggies and tempeh

Zach and I made the most delicious meal this week. It's so good that we're going to remake it again this weekend because two days of eating it wasn't enough for us. If you've never had mole, it's a classic Mexican sauce with complex sweet/savory/spicy/smoky flavors. Usually the sauce is already vegan, but in this version there's also no added salt or oil. This recipe was adapted from this blog.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried coriander
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (1/2 T chopped de-seeded chili, 1/2 T sauce)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

3 bell peppers, sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced
1 pkg tempeh, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 handful chopped cilantro leaves
1 lime, sliced into wedges

Directions:
1. In a pot, saute onion in water  for about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, almonds, and raisins and cook for another 5 minutes - add water as needed to prevent burning.  Add the cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and oregano;  heat for 1 more minute.

2. Add the chipotle, adobo sauce, tomatoes with their juices, and vegetable broth.  Heat to boil, then add chocolate and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.

3. Meanwhile, grill peppers, jalapeno, and tempeh in a grill pan.

4. Remove sauce from heat and puree with immersion blender. 

5. To serve, drizzle sauce over a plate of grilled peppers and tempeh. Garnish with avocado slices, cilantro leaves, and a lime wedge.

recipe: blueberry pie smoothie

This smoothie is delicious, it tastes like blueberry pie filling to me, and is very simple.

Ingredients:

1 overflowing cup of frozen blueberries
1/2 banana
1/4 tsp cinnamon (add more to taste once everything is blended)
1 pinch allspice, nutmeg, or cloves (or all three)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (add more to taste once everything is blended)
1/2 cup almond milk

recipe: tropical kale smoothie

I've been wanting to make a smoothie with kale for awhile to use up some leftovers I have in the fridge and to get more greens in my diet, but since an arugula smoothie debacle from last week, I've been hesitant to try kale in a smoothie. I'm been afraid of overpowering the smoothie with a bitter kale taste and wasting a lot of perfectly good fruit. I took a risk with this smoothie this morning though and it was really good. You can still taste the kale, but it's not overpowering or unpleasant:

Ingredients:

1 large kale leaf, rough stem removed
1 peach
1 banana
1 cup tropical frozen fruit (my mix has mango, pineapple, strawberries, & papaya)
1/2 cup almond milk

mickey mouse gives some people disney spells

I love Disney! I’m planning out all of our vacations for the rest of the year and Disney World is the big one and the one that I’m the most excited about. I have our hotel picked out, all restaurant reservations setup (6 months in advance, of course), and now all we need is plane tickets.

A lot of people we talk to don’t understand our fascination with Disney World and why we enjoy going as adults without kids. So I’m going to try to explain my reasons for loving Disney World.

For me, one of the best things about being on vacation is being in a place that is very different from home. It’s not fun to go to the trouble of traveling somewhere to just end up doing all of the same things I would be doing if I had stayed home. I like going to Atlanta because my family is there, and I don’t usually get to see them. Traveling internationally is fun because I get to experience foods and cultures that are very different from those found in Utah. And being in Disney world makes me feel like I’m in this unique, detached world.

The Disney staff does a great job of manipulating every detail of their properties to make those places feel special. For example, when you’re at the Germany exhibit in Epcot all of the employees are from Germany and they’re selling real German food at the restaurant. Or if a little girl is dressed up like a princess and walking around a park all of the employees are trained to curtsy or bow to her and refer to her as “your highness.” When I visit I love trying to find these little details which constantly keep me impressed and happy, which are great ways to feel on vacation.

Additionally, there are so many fun rides, dining experiences, characters, shows, games, etc. at Disney that you’re constantly being entertained. Being there makes me feel like a kid because I’m not normally having fun so frequently in my normal life. So in conclusion, I love Disney because it’s very fun and very well executed. I appreciate entertainment mixed with efficiency and excruciating attention to detail.  If you’re questioning whether Disney really is worth the time and money, just give it a try and see what you think, you definitely won’t be disappointed. And if you’re an adult, try to schedule your trip so it coincides with the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. Now it’s time to share pictures, here are some from my recent trips:

Zach and I on Splash Mountain, ready with ponchos so we don’t get too wet

Zach and I on our honeymoon in front of Cinderella’s castle (we wore those hats the whole time)

Heather and I goofing off with masks before our Cirque du Soleil show

Heather and I with beer steins in Germany at Epcot

Dad, Heather, and I at Epcot

Hanging out with princess Jasmine near Morocco at Epcot (Heather’s not into it)

Sharing a margarita in Mexico at Epcot

Heather and I made potato heads at Downtown Disney

Elaborate Christmas lights at Hollywood Studios

Heather and I on the spinning teacups ride at Magic Kingdom

Mom looking crazy on the Buzz Light-year ride at Magic Kingdom