I Had Dreams of This Tostada….

Yes, I dreamt up this tostada, fully awake but mesmerized, standing in and meandering through the fall garden, creating in my head with what was possible – given ingredients in my pantry and what could be harvested that day. Autumn in the garden is soo beautiful, with goldfinches landing on ripe sunflower heads, making them bob and…

Unexpected Beet Conversions – A (Tongue in Cheek?) Religious Experience

When cooking all those lovely offerings from your garden, it is hard, no impossible, not to go into rapture about their exquisite taste. It was an unexpected surprise to hear, a few weeks ago, my simple preparations would result in the shock of true conversion status. Something like this: I’m referring to beets, and their effects on unsuspecting friends and…

Surprises in Life and the Garden: And Oh! the pang of unrequited love

Oh my! All is well. To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn, and a time for every purpose under heaven….. I found out this morning a dear friend is considering a move to another country, and even the suggestion of this change wrenched my heart. Aching! Already, and nothing has…

Wasabi Egg and Avocado Salad Stuffed Cucumbers

Cukes galore at Ft. Collins, Colorado CSA Happy Heart Farm inspired me to create this recipe back when I provided food demos monthly on pick-up days. It often turned into a party on these afternoons – 4 to 5 dishes for all of the members to taste based on what was being harvested. That hot summer the cucumbers…

Late Summer in the Garden

Even after the sun rises, Orion you watch, silent over me I was up before dawn, with the moon and constellations glowing, in a beautiful hot springs with steam rising all around me. The sky lightened and day gave way. Away from home for a short time… Grateful to be there, happy to be back…

The Sacred Pocket: Contemplation, White Sage and Sweetgrass

Yesterday, it rained again. We are so grateful, as the moisture seems to be cycling back into more regularity after a hot, hot summer. There is no wildfire smoke in the air, at least these past several days in the valley. So many prayers for rain – and they have been answered. The elements of…

The revolution is here: a brand new urban balcony garden

I have always been a rebel. You know, I liked coloring outside of the lines. I liked to explore the woods behind our house and catch butterflies, raise pet mice and chameleons waaayyy more than playing with dolls. Fast forward and you’ll see me getting arrested for civil disobedience at a nuclear rally when I was 20. The list goes on, within…

KIMCHI !! Making Korean Sauerkraut straight out of a Colorado garden

I’ve been doing some miles on my kitchen floor these days – August is that glorious crazy time when winter visions of this season’s garden are coming into wild, abundant fruition and there is plenty to pick, eat and preserve! I love kimchi and have been waiting all season for my cabbages to arrive at…

Garden Party!

Pachamama loves color! This bright wheel of steamed garden delights was simply drenched in fresh lemon, basil and dill vinaigrette and spun off to a garden party a couple of nights ago. This is my first post from the WordPress for iPhone app! So it will be short and sweet. My times in the kitchen…

Broccoli, Sharp Cheddar and Five Herb Soup with Peppered Cornbread

AND NEW KITCHEN GADGETS: While in Laramie, Wyoming I happened upon several great finds in Mimi’s consignment shop – the most exciting of which is this fantastic fish cast iron muffin pan! It’s made by the company Lodge from the U.S. I’m a big fan of cast iron cookware, and have quite a few pieces…