Food Diary

Ok. I had to double post on both SKCC and here because so many of you asked me for this recipe. The first time I made this, I was literally grasping at what was left in the fridge. It made a wet... Please visit Sprouted Kitchen to view this Recipe.

We love Barcelona and if you are following us on social media you might have noticed that we return there in the summers. Our family has an apartment in the Raval area and Barcelona has therefore become almost a second home to us. It has that rare combination of big city vibe, great weather and long beaches. We have shared a few recommendations on instagram but we wanted to put together a more proper guide of the places we like to visit for good food and family friendly places. We are leaving out the Gaudí attractions, the Picasso museum and all other regular tourist attractions and focus on good vegetable centered places to eat, great coffee and delicious ice cream. There are thousands of restaurants and places in Barcelona and this is by no means a complete guide. But it’s the places that we often return to or have been recommended by people that know our preferences. If you think we have missed something good, please leave a comment and we might include it when we update the guide

Here’s how we’re drinking red wine this summer:  with orange soda and ice.  I first had this easy-drinking red wine cocktail years ago in Austin, Texas at the Hotel San Jose. Now every time the deepest summer days rolls around and the hot wind loses a bit of its humidity, I find myself craving this sparkling and lightly fruity drink.  It’s a little bit sweet and a touch dry and really very drinkable this time of year.    We’re doing ice in our wine.  We’re doing orange soda in our wine.  We’re making up the rules and breaking them when we want to ok?  It’s too hot not to. Continue reading Super Simple Lambrusco Sangria at Joy the Baker.

Hello friends, happy Sunday!  We made it to this sweet sweet day. This week I’ve been trying my best to move blocks out of my way. Obstacles in travel, challenges in relationships, blocks in writing.  I’m acknowledging them and with my mind’s eye, literally pushing the unwanted stuff aside.  The visualization hasn’t made things perfect by any stretch.  In fact, maybe pushing too hard is what caused me to drop an entire bottle of laundry detergent on the floor… but there’s a lot to be said for persistence, and trying, and being on your hands and knees scooping laundry detergent back into the bottle.    Is Mercury retrograde almost over because I’m sure doing my best to power through.  Beyonce says we’re limitless and I choose to believe her, ya feel?  I hope this day treats you well.  I hope there are oatmeal cookies and cold watermelon chunks (or whatever your heart desires).  The offering this week is below. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 232! at Joy the Baker.

I want a cookie, but make it breakfast.   I’m thinking a little chocolate something with the second cup of coffee I know I don’t need (but I’m going to have anyway).   I’m hoping for a little snack distraction with an afternoon cup of tea while I think about what to make for dinner.   The answer to all of these wants and thoughts and hopes is biscotti.  A sweet but not too sweet cookie.  These are flavored with tahini, a sesame seed paste that’s thinner in consistency than a peanut or nut butter and is more earthy in flavor.  I love what the earthiness and extra fat adds to these cookies – balance and softness.   Studded with salted pistachios and dipped in chocolate, these cookies are right for everything from breakfast through dessert.  All purpose? Continue reading Tahini and Pistachio Biscotti at Joy the Baker.

Hello my dears!  Another steamy Sunday, welcome to it! I spent this week home in New Orleans, watering and talking to my outdoor plants and watering and talking to my indoor cat.  This weekend I’ve been in Austin Texas learning the art of pretzel making from the head dough-pincher at Easy Tiger. And while I find ease and excitement in travel, this weekend has kinda handed me a slice of humble pie.  So many little travel things have gone sideways it’s a good reminder to be early and gracious and flexible.  And to carry a small bag and a no-nonsense attitude, really.  I hope you’re well this week. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 231! at Joy the Baker.

One of the reasons I pop into the kitchen nearly every day is to create or recreate a memory.  I feel like… standing over the stove, I can bring back to life a meal, not just in taste, but in feeling, too… like I can feel the heart and laughter inside the food.   It might be that I’m always chasing those good feels or trying to create new good feels in the kitchen.  It’s just my way.  This pot of chicken and rice is a memory recreated.  My favorite Friday night in Israel a few weeks back was a Shabbat dinner with a friendly family of strangers.  Ori and Anna welcomed all of us sun-weary travelers into their home for an incredible table of food (that Anna tenderly mentioned took her three nights after work to prepare).  A big pot of chicken and rice was my favorite dish on the table (before I discovered a lemon pie in the kitchen) and it was only luck that I happened to be seated near the chicken pot for dinner.  The dish was spiced with Baharat, a Middle Eastern spice blend that co

Hello my dears!  Happy Sunday!  Welcome to another – aren’t we fortunate?  I’ve spent the last few days in  Pawhuska Oklahoma with Ree, The Pioneer Woman .  We’re old friends since we were among a handful of other people blogging our little hearts out in 2008.  She’s such a dear, and such a big deal now, and she was kind enough to open her Mercantile space (and The Boarding House ) to me for a Bakehouse Nola style workshop on beignets.  It was the absolute most fun making beignets and meeting so many of you. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday , 230! at Joy the Baker.

Hello friends!  I’m sneaking in with a baking project for your weekend.  A baking project that you might also consider meal planning for your week (because who doesn’t want a warm muesli muffin every morning of the week) .  A baking project that could keep you indoors in the air conditioning for the hottest part of the afternoon and make your house smell like bread and success. This recipe is a true mashup.  It’s muesli meets pull-apart bread. Continue reading Spelt and Muesli Morning Buns at Joy the Baker.

Fruit smoothies are a refreshing and easy breakfast or snack option on a hot day. But as delicious as they are, I often want something a little bit more indulgent for a dessert. This Tropical Smoothie Ice Cream was inspired by a smoothie I had for breakfast recently – but converted into a more decadent no-churn ice cream recipe that is perfect for treating yourself on a hot summer night. The ice cream starts with a variety of frozen fruits: strawberries, pineapple, banana and mango. I used equal parts of each of the fruits, but feel free to mix it up based on what you have available at home! The fruit should be pureed before the other ingredients are added, then the ice cream base is blended at high speed to whip in plenty of air, allowing you to freeze it right away without churning in an ice cream maker. I often use frozen fruit to whip up a quick smoothie – since frozen fruits mean a thicker smoothie – and I stuck with frozen fruits for the base of the ice cream to bring down the

Hello dear friends!   I hope this finds you fully steeped in this holiday weekend.  The days feel a little sideways but that’s the nature of a Thursday holiday.  I spent the entire week at home in New Orleans which, for some reason, feels like it hasn’t happened in a while and feels like an absolute treat, humidity and all.  I’ve been doing things around the house that make me feel grounded.  I’ve replanted some beauties in the backyard.  I realized that my front office had become more of a closet than a functional room and I managed to tackle that so… well, at least I can see the floors and the couch again.   Life requires so much maintenance and while I quite enjoy a lot of it… my how it can get away from me.  It has felt good to dig into it before I fly away from it again this weekend.  I’m taking a short work trip to Toronto, filming as a judge on one of those race-to-make-it Food Network shows.  Gosh what do I know?  I guess we’ll see! Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 229!

ICE CREAM! ICE CREAM!! ICE CREAM!!!  These are the days, my friends. These are them!  It’s been my great pleasure to bring you premium ice cream content for the past decade but this year… well, I’ve yet to take out my ice cream maker for the season.  In year’s past we’ve done really cool things like Red Velvet Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream .  Those days will come this year, I’m sure… but the day hasn’t come just yet.   Right now I want the short path to sweet cold treats which generally includes store-bought ice cream, melted chocolate, something with a hint of salt, and a good cold freeze.   Making my own sweet frozen treats also means that I can use almond milk ice cream or coconut milk ice cream as I’d like.   The upcoming holiday weekend feels like the perfect time to raid the ice cream aisle.  The invitation is to emerge with all of the sugar cones, armfuls of chocolate chips, and as many sprinkles as you can handle.  We’re making our own magic f