Mop Philosophy Monday

 A wooden salad bowl is a classic that never goes out of style, it just always looks good.  Do you have one?  They seem like a standard in most kitchens since about the 1970's.

I have a kitchen tip for you: if you make your own almond milk a little funnel is essential.  Before this red funnel entered my life I would try to ladle almond milk into jars and bottles only to waste the precious stuff and make a big mess.  It was frustrating enough to almost create Crying In The Kitchen.
Little red funnel: problem solved.

Little red funnel.

 As you know we're on a plant-based diet for the most part, sometimes a bit of butter or other dairy might creep in, especially if we're eating at a restaurant.  One thing we haven't stopped eating is fish and some seafood (salmon, haddock, oysters).
Last week I cooked a haddock dish that turned out really nice: I baked it with some smoked salmon layered all over the top, alongside some tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Haddock with smoked salmon: roast at 350.

 It was a very simple dinner, with just a salad and some fresh bread.

 I have a new bread addiction and it has nothing to do with homemade bread: it's all of the bread from Polestar Hearth.

My homemade mini baguettes.
They're just not as good as Jesse's bread at Polestar Hearth.

 One of my favourite things to buy at the bakery these days?  The pizza dough.  It's great for pizza of course, but it's also so delicious just rolled out as a flatbread, with dried herbs and maybe some olives pressed into it.

 I served it on Friday when we had our friends around, along with a carrot and red lentil hummus.

How's your Monday shaping up?  I have about three hours of admin today and a meeting at the accountant's office.  Then it's off for my Graston treatment, the very thing that has seemingly cured my migraines, it's such a miracle.  I'll tell you a bit more about that process and progress this week.

I hope your own week starts off full of energy and productivity.
xoxDani

Mop Philosophy Monday

 We had a house full of our Rascals this weekend and it was the best.  I like to place some flowers in the Rascal bedrooms when they travel home from Toronto, I picked these ones up at the grocery store.
I added a little bowl of green apples too... always trying to get fruit and veg into those kids, it doesn't matter how old they get.

We went for a hike on Saturday and the weather was fine, cold and clear.
We've been hiking this area with the Rascals since they were really small and it brings back lots of memories.
Now that they both live in a concrete jungle they really appreciate visiting the woods when they're home.

Scout, Ole Rascal, Middle Rascal
On the trail

 The trails were so muddy that Scout had a perfect coat of mud covering her underside by the time we left for home:

You can bet there was a bath in Scout's future!

Did you cook any Easter meals?  Our plans completely changed this weekend after Poppa suffered a fall on Friday.  We didn't want him making the journey by car to our house for the Easter lunch so we made reservations at an Italian restaurant instead.
(Don't worry, he's fine.  He needed a few stitches but otherwise it wasn't serious: thank goodness.)

There's something to be said for going out on a holiday: no dishes!

I have a day of admin and cleaning.  Somehow the mud from the hike made its way into various corners of our house so a floor scrubbing is in order, as well as the usual Monday Reorganizing.
Hope your day gets off to a productive and cheery start.
xoxDani

Mop Philosophy Monday

Sweet Violets Bouquet

 Now that I'm recovered from the Plague it's time to catch up on all the stuff I didn't get done when I was ill.
It's a long list!
I have several hours of admin to do this week at my desk, never a task I look forward to.  I'll have to take frequent housework breaks, just to cheer myself up.
Cooking any easy dinners?  I think I'll put a butter bean gratin on our menu this week.

 This is so easy when served with some whole wheat couscous.  The butter beans themselves are from a can (very cheater-like) and if you see this Italian brand in your grocery store I recommend them.  The beans are steam-cooked before canning and they have a perfect texture.
I had a lovely large bunch of Swiss chard, and after sautéing it with shallots and mini sweet peppers I added the rinsed butter beans.

 Add some cashew cream...

 ... and top with my favourite mixture of ground nuts and nutritional yeast.  I posted the recipe for this nut mixture at the end of this post.

How's your week shaping up?  Any big projects to tackle?  Lots of eye-crossing admin to get done?
Whatever you're dealing with, I hope it goes well.
xoxDani

PS it seems I'm taking the week off blogging... not my intention to do so and I hope to be back by Friday/Saturday with a party-prep post. xxx