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Baked Maple Pears
When I’m in the mood for a healthier fall dessert that’s warm and comforting, I bake pears with the flavors of maple syrup, vanilla, and spice. Some nights wellness looks like a simple, healthier treat after dinner. Other nights it looks like curling up to enjoy the earlier sunset, catching up on reading that nourishes your spirit, and listening to your innate need to relax. Learning to understand and adapt to your true needs throughout the week while also maintaining supportive routines is just one of the vital skills that I help clients with in our wellness sessions. Bake up this sweet simplicity with the ingredients and steps below. If…
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The Wisdom of Letting Things Be
On Sunday morning, a flash at the window caught my attention, and I spotted a goldfinch arriving at the garden. Perched atop a coneflower, previously purple, it pecked at the dried center to find its seeds. The flowers appear bronze casts of what they were. This late in the growing season, dark florets invite the birds to feed. If I let them complete their full cycle, they will do so until the snow arrives. As I watched, more birds landed atop the sculptural shapes mostly disregarding the newer, vibrant blooms. I thought about the wisdom of letting things be. For the goldfinch, dried cones feed a growing nest. Had I…
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Baked Figs with Cheese, Honey & Herbs
When figs are in season, we need plenty of ways to enjoy their deep sweetness – and to add a savory dimension. One of my favorites is to bake figs with goat cheese (though you can substitute Brie, blue or another cheese), honey, a touch of olive oil and flaky sea salt. In about 10 minutes I have the most delicious appetizer or snack, and it’s luscious enough that I often scoop all that goodness onto a cracker. The lovely part about this roasted fig and cheese recipe is that you can adjust it based on how many you plan to serve. As you can see, I often bake up…
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Grow a Salad Garden for Plentiful Greens All Season Long
If you love salads as much as I do, lettuce and other salad greens are some of the best (and easiest) spring vegetables to grow at home. Leaves develop quickly, and you can clip as many as needed at a time. New ones will continue to grow from clipped plants, meaning you will definitely be able to cross at least one ingredient off your shopping list once the plants are in full swing. With warmer night temperatures here to stay, I’ll be filling the raised lettuce beds this weekend, but you can also plant seeds in deep hanging baskets and portable planters. Consider this encouragement to visit your favorite garden…
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Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes
Blueberries remind me of summer farmers’ markets and vacations in Maine, and they make their way into my classic fluffy blueberry pancake recipe whenever I find a really good pint. I love how the height of these pancakes allows the berries to stay nestled inside, where they become juicy and even sweeter from the heat of the pan. A bit of butter and a generous drizzle of maple syrup finishes a homemade stack perfectly. On weekend mornings, I rotate through a variety of recipes including these ricotta pancakes, whole grain spelt versions, and plenty of fruit-laden buttermilk stacks. Making pancakes from scratch is simple, and they can be customized in…
