I’m not doing a cleanse this year. To be honest, it’s too much work – between planning, cooking, photographing, and typing up every recipe, I always end the two week period a little worn out and seriously craving some chocolate and pasta and other good things. In general, I think I’ve found a pretty good balance between indulgence and healthfulness, both on this blog and behind the scenes in my daily eating habits, and I plan to continue that without putting too many rules around it. I’ll certainly be posting new healthy recipes in the coming weeks and months, but I’m also toying with the idea of a new “cravings” column featuring homemade versions of my favorite take-out foods, and I’m certainly not giving up dessert any time soon. So, you’ll continue to see a mix of things in these parts.

That said, if you are looking for a more structured eating plan for the new year, I’ll direct you to the last three years of two week winter cleanse plans I put together. Although each year is slightly different in its approach, the plans include two weeks worth of healthy, seasonal breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, with grocery lists and meal plans included.

• 2012: Week One, Week Two
• 2013: Week One, Week Two
• 2014: Week One, Week Two

And for my own inspiration (and hopefully yours), I’ve rounded up ten of my favorite healthy, wintery main course recipes, dishes that are easy to make, nutrient rich, and still hearty and warming enough for cold weather eating. Many of these recipes take their inspiration from Indian and Middle-Eastern cooking, two cuisines that have a knack for turning simple vegetables and grains into flavorful meals with just the right combination of spices.

Pakistani Chickpea Pulao with Sweet-Hot Date and Onion Chutney

A hearty and slightly saucy mixture of spiced chickpeas, rice, and tomatoes, served with a head-clearing chutney. Flavorful and filling and completely vegan.

Lentils, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, and Dukkah-Rolled Eggs

From one of my favorite cookbook releases this year, A Change of Appetite, a simple, nourishing combination of eggs, tomatoes, and lentils, gently spiced with Middle-Eastern flavors.

Bangladeshi Yellow Pumpkin Curry

A vegan recipe that really amazes me – made from only vegetables, water, and spices, it results in a creamy, flavorful, and balanced curry that tastes a lot richer than it is.

Crispy Brussels Sprout, Lemon Chicken, and Brown Rice Bowl

This easy combination of shredded rotisserie chicken, crispy roasted brussels sprouts, brown rice, and lemon sauce has been one of my go-to recipes this fall.

Baked Herb and Pistachio Falafel

Baked instead of fried, wrapped in cabbage leaves instead of pita, and served with homemade pickled beets and tahini sauce, this falafel is about as virtuous as it gets.

Chickpea Crepes with Grilled Curry Chicken and Mango Salsa

This sweet salsa brightens a plate of grilled chicken and gluten-free chickpea crepes for a much needed winter-dose of bright, crunchy, fresh vegetables and fruit.

Black Bean soup with Roasted Poblanos

Simple and spicy, this soup is easy to put together but packs a head-clearing punch of flavor. It’s a good one for days when you don’t really feel like cooking but you do feel like having something warm and nourishing.

Potato-Poblano Enchiladas

These enchiladas are definitely not the lightest dish on this list, but if you’re craving comfort food, a serving of these is a great way to satisfy that craving without totally blowing your diet.

Lamb, Butternut Squash, and White Bean Chili

This chili strikes a nice balance between meat and veggies, and the lamb and butternut squash give it a unique flavor. Rich and saucy from a healthy dose of spices, cocoa powder, and dark beer.

Palestinian Couscous with Chicken, Chickpeas, and Pearl Onions

With 8 different spices and 2 pounds of onions, this feast-worthy dish is packed with warm flavor. Serve with salad or sauteed greens for a balanced plate.

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I’ve said it before: the best part of cold weather is warm drinks when you finally get inside. With or without booze (although personally I tend to choose with), they are comforting and festive and a great excuse for sitting around the fire with friends and family. Over the past two years I’ve built up a small repertoire of festive winter cocktails, many inspired by this lovely book, so as we gear up for the holidays and you all are looking for creative drinks to welcome your guests with, I’ve rounded my favorites up in one place. Cheers!

Hot and Mulled

Burnt Sugar Hot Buttered Rum

Hot buttered rum is an old-fashioned drink, but it’s just as delicious today as it was 200 years ago. This version uses a dark caramel as the base for the drink, giving it a deep, caramely sweetness.

Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy

A mixture of honey, lemon, and rum or whiskey, hot toddies are great when you’re feeling under the weather – the honey and lemon soothes a sore throat while the warm alcohol helps put you to sleep (although if you’re actually sick and not just feeling low, I’d skip the booze and just stick with the honey and lemon). This version uses a sage-infused honey syrup and bright meyer lemons for a twist on the classic.

Sbiten

Sbiten is a Russian mulled cocktail that’s based on a mixture of jam, honey, and winter spices. Although I never actually had one of these while I was in Russia, the thick and sweet drink is just as appropriate during cold New England weather.

Mulled Pear Sangria

Sangria doesn’t have to be saved for spring evenings and summer BBQs – if you serve it warm, it’s equally appropriate in winter. With a pear and cinnamon syrup and a hit of maple liqueur, this drink is full of fall flavors and a great use for white wine on days when a chilled glass of Chardonnay doesn’t sound that appealing.

Ecuadorian Canelazo

Canelazo is a traditional Ecuadorian drink made from naranjilla, a sweet-sour fruit similar to citrus, aguardiente, a sugar-cane based liquor, and cinnamon syrup. It was one of my favorite culinary discoveries in Ecuador, so I came up with this version to have at home.

Warm and Creamy

Nutella Melt

It’s hard to go wrong with nutella, and this nutella-laden and frangelico-spiked version of hot chocolate is no exception. Serve it without the frangelico for an equally appealing kids’ drink.

Chocolate Orange Tom & Jerry

Another old-timey drink, a Tom & Jerry is similar to eggnog in that it’s made from whole eggs and cream, but it’s served warm. In the US it’s most popular in Wisconsin and Minnesota, but I promise this chocolate and orange version will go down well in the rest of the country (and world!), too.

1,001 Kentucky Nights

This drink is decidedly not a classic. Combining coconut milk, dates, cinnamon, bourbon, and rum, it’s a drink with its roots in the Middle East but a profoundly American accent. Sweet and rich but with smoky, woodsy flavors from the bourbon, it’s a great study in contrast.

Salted Caramel Chai Latte

This chai latte sweetened with salted caramel wasn’t designed as a cocktail, but turning it into an Irish coffee with a shot of Bailey’s or whiskey sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Cold and Bubbly

Cranberry-Ginger Sparkling Rum Cider

Cranberry-ginger syrup, sparkling cider, and dark rum make a pretty addition to any holiday table. As a side note, this drink and the accompanying sweet potato souffle recipe won Captain Morgan’s Thanksgiving challenge last year – it was judged by Hugh Acheson, so you have someone’s word other than mine to go by when I say these are delicious.

Pomegranate Mimosas

These pomegranate mimosas are a standard part of my family’s Christmas brunch, which is slowly replacing opening presents as my favorite part of Christmas. Just looking at them reminds me of bright Christmas mornings spent eating cranberry and vanilla coffee cake and gruyere-baked eggs.

Raspberry Sherbet Champagne Floats

Although these floats could arguably be served at any time of year, I think they’re just right for New Year’s Eve. Festive and pink, they’re a fun way to celebrate a special evening.

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I’m taking a quick break from new strawberry recipes tonight to dig up some strawberry-themed posts from the archives. It’s been a long week, and I’m feeling a little short on words, so I’m going to let the pictures do most of the talking here. Hopefully if you picked a few pounds more berries than you know what to do with, this will provide some inspiration!

Drinks

Strawberry-Lime Agua Fresca

An incredibly refreshing drink for a hot summer day, it’s also a little bit gorgeous.

Strawberry and Rosewater Lassis

Strawberries, buttermilk, cardamom, and rosewater come together for a Middle-Eastern take on a milkshake. Not too sweet, but still feels like dessert.

Savory Strawberries

Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese

This salad is almost like dessert, it’s so sweet and delicious. For times that you need to trick yourself into consuming raw spinach.

Fried Halloumi with Spring Veggies and Strawberry-Balsamic Gastrique

An unusual appetizer that packs a lot of flavor into a little bite. Perfect for that moment in March when you get prematurely excited about spring produce, but are still craving foods like fried cheese.

Breakfast and Baking

Waffles with Strawberry Sauce

The only acceptable breakfast on my birthday…

Strawberry-Sage Muffins

My favorite basic muffin recipe, with the unusual (but delicious) pairing of sweet juicy berries and fresh sage leaves.

Strawberry Cornmeal Breakfast Cake

A quick one bowl cornmeal cake, perfect for snacking on or for serving mid-morning with a steaming cup of tea.

Strawberry Bourbon Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Sauce

Ridiculously rich and addictive dessert. Carb-y and boozy, it’s terrible for you but oh so satisfying.

Other Sweets

Strawberry-Rhubarb Meringue Pots

A quick and simple spring dessert, lighter than a pie and without the hassle of making crust.

Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

Still the best ice cream I’ve ever made, and maybe the best I’ve ever eaten. Incredibly rich, but worth every calorie.

Strawberry, Chocolate, and Whipped Mascarpone Parfaits

Layers of creamy sweetness, fresh sweetness, and crunchy chocolate sweetness. Pretty and elegant.

Strawberry Almond Cream Tart

A classic, and deservedly so. All your friends will ooh and ahh when they see it, as an added bonus.

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Drinks

Rhubarb Prosecco Spritzer

Rhubarb is one of the first plants to poke out of the ground, and its small pink buds are certainly a welcome sight. This cocktail celebrates the return of color to the earth with a simple rhubarb syrup and a splash of bubbly, a pretty pink drink for early spring.

Green Pea Rum Cooler

A mix of fresh peas, cucumber, and tarragon muddled together with rum, this vibrant green cocktail is an unexpected departure from typical spring drinks. It’s vegetal yet still sweet, and great for mixing things up a little.

Strawberry-Lime Agua Fresca

This non-acoholic drink is the ultimate refreshing drink for a hot day. When you see perfectly red, juicy sweet strawberries at the market, this is the thing to make with them. Sweet and citrusy, you’ll never go back to lemonade.

Salads and Mains

Cacio e Pepe with English Peas

This recipe was inspired by our trip to Italy last spring, where we had a wonderfully creative version of Cacio e Pepe served on a black bean puree at Il Santo Bevitore in Florence. Instead of black beans, we used fresh English peas to recreate the recipe and celebrate spring.

Green Pea and Wasabi Soup

A head-clearing recipe for early spring, this soup plays on the concept of wasabi peas, using fresh peas and wasabi to make the base and then topping the soup with the classic crunchy snack.

Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese

This salad should almost be in the dessert section, with its super-sweet strawberries, crunchy sugared pecans, and creamy soft goat cheese. But, if you promise to eat all the spinach, too, I’ll let you count it as a healthy meal instead.

Smashed Pea, Dill, and Feta Crostini

These bright little appetizers are a little sweet, a little salty, a little lemony, and a little herbal. On a warm spring evening, you might find that these crostini and a glass of white wine make a perfect dinner all on their own.

Pea, Fava Bean, and Asparagus Risotto

Come April and May, I start throwing English peas, fava beans, and asparagus into pretty much every recipe I make. So why not risotto too? The fresh bite of the green vegetables is a perfect counterpoint to the creamy richness of the mascarpone-laced rice.

Fresh Snap Pea and Radish Salad

This salad uses three quintessential spring ingredients – snap peas, radishes, and mint – to create a nutritious and light dish that’s packed with freshness and flavor.

Asparagus and Arugula Pasta with Almond Parmesan Crumble

You should be warned – if you make this recipe, you’ll become addicted to the almond parmesan crumble that goes on top. It’s the most delicious. The buttery sauteed asparagus and wilted arugula don’t hurt either.

Desserts

Rhubarb-Ginger Bars

These tangy bars are a favorite of mine – with a peppery, gingery shortbread crust topped with tart pink custard, they’re basically dressed up lemon squares. I think these might be first on my list for rhubarb season this year.

Lilac and Blackberry Pavlovas

Did you know that lilacs are edible? While a bit painstaking to clean, infusing desserts with their delicate color and scent is totally worth it. These super light pavlovas with lilac blackberry syrup are a very elegant addition to the spring dessert table.

Strawberry Almond Cream Tart

A very traditional pastry, strawberry cream tarts are always sure to please a crowd. They’re at their prettiest when made with those perfect market strawberries, the ones that don’t need any sugaring, mashing, or macerating to be tasty.

The post 13 Recipes for Looking Forward to Spring appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Soups and Stews

Roasted Chestnut and Potato Soup with Goat Cheese

I really love soup, but this one might be my all time favorite. (Or at least tied with Portuguese Kale Soup and Corn and Potato Chowder). I only get to make this once or twice a year because fresh chestnuts can be hard to come by in Boston, but when I do make it, I savor every smooth, comforting spoonful.

Mushroom and Farro Soup

Here’s a light and healthy soup that’s perfect for fall. It’s very quick to put together (think, 30 minutes, total, with only 10 of that involving being in the kitchen), and satisfying without being too rich.

Roasted Carrot and Tahini Soup with Spiced Chickpeas

It took me a long time to find a carrot soup that I really loved, but this one is a winner. Roasting the carrots makes them sweeter as well as making it easier to achieve a super smooth puree. A few spoonfuls of tahini gives this soup an intense, nutty depth. Topped off with a handful of crunchy, spicy chickpeas, it’s a slightly exotic-tasting but extremely comforting meal.

French Beef Stew with Red Wine

This beef stew, adapted from Home Made Winter, is the most popular recipe I’ve ever posted on this blog, by a long-shot. Beef stew is a favorite meal for many, and adding a sophisticated French twist in the form of red wine, oranges, and olives elevates this to a company-worthy dinner. Serve over super-smooth garlicky mashed potatoes with a nice bottle of red wine and everyone will be satisfied.

White Bean, Kale, and Pesto Soup

This is another quick-and-easy favorite for me. If I have any leftover pesto on hand, I’ll almost always make this soup. I love how decadent the pesto and grated pecorino make it taste, when really, I’m mostly eating vegetables. This soup is not too heavy, but is filling enough to make a meal on its own.

Salads and Mains

Curried Apple Couscous

This is a favorite quick meal for me – I love the contrast of the curry butter, the sweet apples, and the crunchy almonds. It’s great on a busy Saturday when you only have a few minutes for lunch but want a real meal.

Pear and Pomegranate Salad

This pretty salad is sweet and crunchy, which are my two requirements for salads that don’t contain bacon. Of course you probably could add bacon to this – it would be delicious.

Sage Pesto, Apple, and Goat Cheese Flatbreads

When the basil plants finally give in to the cold, I like to make a nutty pesto from hardier sage leaves instead. Mixed with sliced apples and goat cheese as a flatbread topping, it’s a pleasantly different combination of flavors.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Moussaka

While this autumnal re-interpretation of the Greek classic is admittedly labor intensive, it’s worth the effort at least once a season. Adapted from The Country Cooking of Greece, the sweetness of the potatoes and pumpkin are a great counterpoint to the salty meat and the rich bechamel sauce.

Brussels Sprout, Sweet Potato, and Chorizo Hash

This recipe has three of my favorite fall foods – brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts. Topped with a runny fried egg and a sprinkle of goat cheese, it’s super satisfying at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Baking

Pumpkin and Cheddar Muffins

Pumpkin and cheddar may seem like an unusual combination, but these muffins, from the genius guys at Baked, prove that pumpkin can successfully straddle the sweet-savory divide. A twist of black pepper really ties these together, and I think they’re perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Fig and Almond Custard Tart

Figs are one of fall’s fleeting treasures (and the few we picked from our new tree this year were so perfect). I made this tart for Trevor since figs are one of his favorites, and he devoured every bite. It’s a little bit fancy, but great for company or a special occasion.

Quinoa Apple Cake

I love this recipe, another one from Home Made Winter, because it really tastes like a cake (you know, sweet, and moist and all that) but I know it’s healthy so I don’t feel bad having a big slice. It’s also quite filling, and I love the fall spices in it.

Overnight Cinnamon-Pumpkin Rolls

Cinnamon rolls get a fall makeover with a pumpkin-based dough in this recipe, which is actually fairly simple to put together. Made the night before, everyone will love you (or you’ll seriously love yourself) in the morning when you pop them in the oven and the house starts to smell amazing.

Cider Doughnut Cake

Once October starts, I pretty much lose the ability to turn down any cider doughnut that is offered to me (or that I purposefully walk by at the farmer’s market). I love this cake because it allows me to consume cider doughnuts en masse without breaking out a fryer or a doughnut pan. It’s also a great one to bring to parties or brunches because it’s made to serve a crowd.

The post 15 Favorite Fall Recipes appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Spicy Grilled Pea Pods with Chili Soy Glaze and Mint from The Kitchy Kitchen

When I first spied a picture of these fabulously blackened grilled pea pods on Pinterest, my mind was a little bit blown. Grilling pea pods whole? Genius! Claire Thomas, author of The Kitchy Kitchen, is the one behind this brilliant idea to treat shelling peas like edamame – cook, season, and then suck the peas out of the pods with gusto, being sure to lick your fingers clean of all the spicy-salty goodness left behind. Also, I’m extra grateful to Claire for helping me prove to Trevor that peas are interesting enough to be the star of a recipe. Head over to Claire’s for the recipe, and to find more super-creative ideas (like roasted pineapple butterscotch pudding. Yum.)

Spring Vegetable Potstickers with Sweet Chili Soy Dip from The First Mess

These aren’t really a pea-specific food – they have lots of other veggies in them, like cabbage and asparagus and shallots – but they’re so cute and so clever that I just had to share them. When I think potstickers I always think meat, but these veggie ones that Laura made look just as satisfying and tasty as those really-bad-for-you-but-really-addictive pork filled ones.

Home Made Pea and Ham Soup from Souvlaki for the Soul

When I think of pea and ham soup, I usually think of a bowl of muddy green, overly salty, overly watery, and generally unappetizing soup reserved for days when there’s not much else in the cupboard than dried peas. I never even considered the possibility that it could be classed up with fresh peas and high quality smoked ham until I saw Peter’s photograph. What a difference! This soup looks thick and hearty and flavorful, a complete departure from my mental image. I’ll for sure be breaking this recipe out on the next chilly day we have.

Savory Quinoa Muffins with Peas and Spinach from Rachel Cooks

This is another recipe where you perhaps can’t call peas the star – but it’s certainly a unique use for them! Other than the occasional grated carrot or zucchini, vegetables don’t find their way into my baked goods very often, but I love the idea of having these healthy, veggie-packed muffins around for an easy and filling snack.

And… I’m going to cheat a little bit and include a few of my favorite pea recipes that I’ve posted here over the past few years as well. They’re worth sharing again, I promise.

Mint Ravioli with Sweet Pea and Goat Cheese Filling

I remember really loving these. Rolling the chopped mint out into the pasta dough makes for such a pretty green-flecked raviolo, and it’s certainly impressive if you want to serve these to friends. And apparently I’ll never get tired of pairing sweet fruits and veggies with tangy goat cheese. It just works.

Pea and Wasabi Soup

This is a recipe I put together for Greatist last year (adapted from Radically Simple). It has a short ingredient list, but the combination of sweet peas, tangy buttermilk, and head-clearing wasabi is intriguing and unique. And topping the soup with dried wasabi-peas is a fun use of an ingredient typically relegated to the snack bowl.

Lemon Broccoli Pasta with Peas

Last but not least – peas and cream and pasta. I know it’s overdone, but seriously, it’s so good. Quick to make, comforting to eat, and at least there’s a little bit of green on your plate. Peas are good for that.

The post Ingredient of the Week: English Peas // Around the Blogs appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Danish Buttermilk & Rhubarb Summer Bowl from A Tasty Love Story

I was fascinated to read Josephine’s post about koldskål, a Scandinavian summer treat she describes as falling somewhere in between ice cream and yogurt. Once she continued to explain that it’s made from pretty much all of my favorite dairy products – buttermilk, yogurt, heavy cream, and egg yolks – and flavored with sugar, lemon, and vanilla, then served with “sweet butter biscuits,” I was drooling. Her twist on this summertime specialty includes a drizzle of fresh rhubarb syrup and a bowl full of fresh red berries.

Quinoa Porridge with Almond Milk, Rhubarb, Apple, Nuts, and Coconut from Finger Fork Knife

I am definitely a fan of breakfast porridges. Although simple cream of wheat served with butter and sugar will probably always be my favorite, I occasionally dabble in healthier recipes, and Kate’s Quinoa and Rhubarb breakfast bowl just moved to the top of my list. Not only is this recipe packed with healthy and filling ingredients – quinoa, nut milk, fresh fruit, nuts, coconut, and yogurt – it also sounds amazingly flavorful. The rhubarb is cooked down with orange and ginger, the quinoa is cooked in milk and cinnamon, and it’s all topped off with plenty of crunchies and a drizzle of honey. I’ve added all the ingredients to my shopping list for next week – just saying.

Indian-Style Sweet-and-Sour Pickled Rhubarb from A Brown Table

Most rhubarb recipes published these days are some form of dessert or sweet drink, but rhubarb can definitely hold its own in savory preparations as well. Nik’s sweet-and-sour rhubarb pickles are a perfect example – they take a week to age, but when you open up your jar you’ll have a sweet-tart condiment filled with the flavors of ginger, chili, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek. Nik suggests using the pickles on sandwiches with roast lamb or beef, or in a simple bowl of rice and fish, and now that I’m thinking about it I can’t seem to get the idea of an Indian-spiced lamb burger with rhubarb pickles out of my head…

Strawberry Rhubarb Meringue Tartlets from Completely Delicious

A classic strawberry rhubarb pie is really one of the best uses of rhubarb there is, balancing sweet and sour and buttery for a nearly perfect spring dessert. But sometimes even classics can benefit from a little updating. These miniature pies from Annalise bring just enough novelty to the table with their pretty meringue topping. Plus, they’re so cute and little that it’s hard for me not to envision picking one up in my hands and taking a big bite (what a fun way to eat pie!).

Rhubarb Swirl Ice Pops from Hungry Girl por Vida

I have yet to give in to buying a popsicle mold (my kitchen is so full), but this might be the summer that does me in, especially if Cindy keeps posting delicious popsicle recipes like this one (and like these honeydew mint ones too!). Besides being pretty to look at, these make use of coconut milk for the base, which makes them that much more intriguing for me. Get me one of these and a sunny spot on a front porch and summer will be mine for the taking.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tiramisu from The Tart Tart

I love this fresh (and pretty!) take on tiramisu by Linda, via her friend Luzia. I’m imagining that between the ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and sweetened fruit it almost tastes like an elegant strawberry shortcake – but with a healthy splash of booze to make it more grown up. Bonus: Linda just posted another delicious rhubarb recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Ginger Crumb Bars tonight… it’s also worth drooling over.

Rhubarb Week Part One: Rhubarb-Prosecco Spritzer
Rhubarb Week Part Two: Rhubarb Custard Fool
Rhubarb Week Part Four: Persian Rhubarb and Beef with Rice
Rhubarb Week Part Five: Rhubarb-Ginger Bars

The post Ingredient of the Week: Rhubarb // Around the Blogs appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Now that two whole months of 2013 have passed, I just wanted to check in and share some of the things I’ve been doing, reading, eating, and loving, that may not have made their way onto the blog. I’m glad that it’s almost March, because March means spring, but there have been some good things about winter, too, and it would be a shame to forget about them.

Did you know I got my very first smartphone in January? Yeah, I know, I’m 3 years behind. Still, it’s awesome, and I may have been going a little bit overboard with Instagram… it’s just so fun! It turns out that most of the pictures I’ve taken recently are of gardening – one of the best things about this time of year is planning ahead to the summer and watching all the little tiny seeds burst into a much needed flourish of green:

1) Seeds arrived! All from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. 2) T planting the first batch of seeds. 3) First sprouts! Basil seedlings. 4) Eggplant, onions. 5) Impulse buying a key lime tree and an orange tree on a recent trip to Mahoney’s. 6) Peppers, varieties might be named after Game of Thrones. 7) Blossoms on my Meyer Lemon. 8) My Christmas present – an olive tree – before it lost all it’s leaves (don’t worry, I’m nursing it back to health)

It also feels like we got a never-ending amount of snow these past two months. First there was the blizzard (Nemo, if you must call it that), which mostly involved shoveling (and was the beginning of two full weeks of being sick for me), and it seems like every few days since then we get another few inches. I don’t mind snow, but in the city, it gets so slushy and gross so quickly. I’ve had my fill for this year.

1) More snowflakes, sigh. 2) Trevor preparing to face the blizzardy streets. 3) Boston common in the snow and fog. 4) Pretty on the trees, if only briefly.

To stay warm, I’ve been filling up on plenty of hearty foods. A spicy chicken soup Trevor made for me, this vegetarian chili with chocolate from Green Kitchen Stories that I made for the Superbowl (during which I may or may not have watched an Anne of Green Gables marathon instead…), sausage and tortellini soup from Handle the Heat, and plenty of hot chocolate with Bailey’s.

And books! I’ve read a few really great ones recently. I just finished Exit the Actress tonight and it’s the only book I’ve read in a while that has had me up late at night reading. It follows the life of (real) historical figure Ellen Gywn, an orange-seller turned actress turned King’s favorite mistress. The characters and story are so compelling. I also read Pretty Birds, a deeply moving but disturbing account of the Bosnian War, told through the eyes of a female sniper. I think it had such a profound impact on me because it was so recent. A worthwhile read. Last, Fearless, which chronicles the journey of Freya Hoffmeister as she circumnavigates Australia in a kayak. Fascinating, and kind of makes me never want to go to Australia – too many ways to die. Now, she’s 407 days into her journey around the entire continent of South America – you can track her progress daily on her blog.

I’m realizing that this post makes me seem like I might be the most tame 23 year old on the planet – gardening, snowstorms, reading. I don’t have any pictures to prove otherwise, but I promise I did spend a couple nights out doing fun things as well. I even stayed up past 2am last weekend. Crazy. I’ll try to get some proof for you in the next few months that I’m not a little old lady. Until then!

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