white bean hummus

why white beans and not garbanzo beans? because garbanzo beans have a sort of gross flavor that no one ever wants to talk about. but here is a mild, delicious, clean-tasting hummus that even picky eaters will happily dive into.

(2 things about cooking beans: 1. feel free to cook your beans however you're used to—in the slow cooker or regular stove pot. i use my pressure cooker because it's 2 1/2 hours faster than the next fastest method. this is a recipe for white bean hummus, though. not an instructional on how to use a pressure cooker. if you don't have one or don't know how to use one, just cook your beans in a way you're comfortable with. 2. there is a long-standing old wive's tale that says you can't cook beans with salt or they'll be tough. NOT TRUE! i cook beans at least twice a week and always add salt. it does increase the cooking time, so plan on that, but this is an important cooking tip to remember, especially if you're cooking beans for chili or something like that. it's lovely to have a bean that's salted all the way through and not just the skin.)

white bean hummus
makes 6 cups

1 pound dry white beans (such as great northern beans), soaked in bowl over night
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain beans. Place ingredients in pressure cooker, cover with fresh water and pressure cook for 3 minutes. Let pressure drop of its own accord.

Drain beans again and set aside. In a food processor, chop:

2 cloves garlic

Then add:

beans
2 tablespoons tahini (i leave this out all the time. my kids prefer it without, so if you can't find it, or are new to tahini, you can omit it too.)
juice of 2 lemons (or about 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Process until smooth. Divide into containers and freeze any portions you won't use right away. Lasts about 5 days in the refrigerator. I always double this recipe and blend it in the food processor in two batches. Less work, more food!

My favorite snack is just the right size to sneak into my No Food Allowed library for a writing day.

my new favorite things, plus new running music

oh, hello!

how are you? me, i'm good. the world is beautiful. our bodies are miraculous. children are precious. so many things to be grateful for. here are 5 things i've been enjoying a lot.


1. victoria bjorge's sketchbook
isn't the above image great? it's from her online sketchbook which she uses to foster inspiration. i'm going to try a collaging laser beams coming out of people's eyes in my own sketchbook and see if it helps me focus when i'm writing. ha!


2. spotify
am i the last one to know about spotify? it's my new favorite thing.

if you haven't heard about spotify, it's like pandora, BUT WITH DOUBLE RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS. you can create and/or listen to a radio station based on a song or artist, much like pandora, but spotify is like a whole other level of greatness. you can also create playlists to listen to whenever you want. you can find other people who have the same taste in music you do and follow their playlists, or just them in general. you can share music on facebook, twitter, or tumbler. you can listen to it on your smart phone or ipad. and if you are a paying member, you can make ANY playlist available offline. i think it's genius. and you can try it out for free for a month, then cancel your membership anytime you want.

i have playlists for my two novels, for a working idea of a story, and lots of other things. it's so much fun!


3. treadmill workout by iowa girl eats
i usually HATE the treadmill. i think it's ruined many a potential running lover. but, this workout has got me through a smoky, hellish utah summer. it's fast--only 30 minutes, it's really, REALLY hard and i can feel the afterburn from it all day long.[and really, her whole blog is excellent. workouts, recipes, and when i read her blog i feel like i'm chatting with a good friend]


4. running music
and last, a new-to-me running playlist that's making my indoor workouts feel like a party. i always start out with slow tempo and then take off. i think you're really going to like this music! you can see the full playlist over on my spotify, but the first 20 songs are listed below. i'm happy to share if you email me.

1. hit the ground (superman) / the big pink
2. i've got your number / passion pit
3. run on / moby
4. enjoy the silence / depeche mode
5. over and over / hot chip
6. girls like you / naked and famous
7. e-pro / beck
8. ice ice baby / vanilla ice
9. ready for the floor / hot chip
10. sixteen saltines / jack white
11. pull up the people / m.i.a.
12. midnight city / m83
13. lasso / phoenix
14. dilly / band of horses
15. gonna make you sweat... / c+c music factory
16. girl / beck
17. train in vain / clash
18. pure / the lightning seeds
19. someone great / lcd soundsystem
20. on top of the world / imagine dragons

falafel is my favorite

falafel is my favorite meal. after many failed attempts at cooking this at home, i think i've finally perfected a no-fail recipe that i'm so excited to share with you.

just remember, if you skip a step or don't follow directions exactly, you'll end up with a pile of burnt crumbs floating in your cooking oil.

[at least that's what happened to me the first several tries.]

falafel {mediterranean chickpea patties}

1 cup dry chickpeas

1 small onion

5 cloves of garlic

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt (or more. i like more)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons flour

Oil for frying

1. soak the chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) in plenty of water overnight.

2. in a large food processor, combine onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro. add the chickpeas and spices and chop until you have a pasty mixture. mix in the flour and baking powder, which will make the mix into more of a dough.

3. cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. after waiting patiently for at least two hours (it's important!), remove the falafel mix from the refrigerator.

4. in a large pot, heat up vegetable oil for frying, careful not to let it smoke too much. to form the falafel balls, I use a medium-sized pampered chef scoop, probably about 2 tablespoons, and form the mixture into a patty shape. it takes just a couple of minutes to deep fry each side. remove onto some paper towels. 

5. i serve with red onion, tomato and a yogurt cucumber sauce. my kids like theirs in pitas, but i like mine without. this recipe serves 4-5 people (about 20 balls) and i always double it and freeze the leftovers.

muhummara is a middle eastern dipping sauce with a roasted red pepper and pomegranate molasses base. i tried it for the first time several weeks ago and it is my new favorite thing. you can order the pomegranate molasses from amazon for a pretty reasonable price. i highly recommend it! [enough to use an exclamation point.] this recipe is so easy, just a matter of tossing in ingredients into a food processor. that's it. you could even use a blender if you don't have a food processor yet.

muhammara

a 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained*

2/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. combine all ingredients except oil in food processor. mix well. [i actually chopped an old dinner roll first to get my 2/3 cups bread crumbs, then added the rest of the ingredients].
2. add oil slowly with mixer going until oil is incorporated.
3. you can serve this dip with pita wedges or like we did, with hearts of romaine.

*to save you some grocery store wandering, you can find these by the jarred olives, peppers and pickles.

gratitude day 9: favorites

time is precious right now. just dropping in to share a few of the things we're loving lately.

1. cocoa mojo.

a healthy, vegan, raw, cheaper, DELICIOUS alternative to my hot chocolate habit. contains a blend of reishi mushrooms, which are wonderful for boosting your immune system, among other things. i would pay almost any price for this, but it ends up being about the same price—per cup— as steven's hot chocolate. (triple the price per ounce, but you use 1/3 the amount in a cup). and it's significantly less than a cup of hot chocolate at starbuck's. i have mine with steamed rice milk. it's so good it makes me want to weep. i recommend going for the 3-pack—at least until i convince my local health food store to carry it.

2. life/planet earth collection.

the earth and all its creations are amazing. this is one of the few dvds that everyone in the family enjoys. again, and again, and again. plus it helps to finally have blueray, hdtv, and surround-sound. come on over and watch it with us.

3. dark water by laura mcneal.

this book is nothing like i'd thought it would be. it is not a romance; it is not your typical ya paranormal thriller; nor is it anything like any other book i've read in a great while. it's set in fallbrook, california and is a fictional account of the true-life story of the evacuation and devastation that occurred during the wildfires. the gorgeous, almost sparse prose, tells a haunting, devastating story that i just can't forget. the characters are real, flawed, wonderfully portrayed. i love a book that turns the world on its axis for me. no happy endings here, just longing, regret, and a look at the bitter truth told in a most compelling way. i would have liked to get a better feel for amiel, one of the main characters, but he remained a mysterious enigma to the end. well-deserving of being a national book award finalist.

4. the above artwork, composed solely of paper. i can't remember the source. anyone know?

5. crane's cool mist humidifier.

comes in almost any animal you could think of. we got the elephant. it's adorable and the best humidifier i've ever owned: quiet, automatic shut-off, inexpensive, and high output. we love it and our sinuses do too.

what are some of your favorites?

gratitude day 2: music

it doesn't matter if i'm playing beethoven's sonata pathétique or zez confrey's dizzy fingers on the piano, listening to band of horses or brahm's requiem, or singing hymns at church. music hits me, moves me, changes me, in a way that nothing else does.

music soothes distress, pushes me to run farther/faster, helps me earn a living, and brings me joy. also, concerts! diversion! fun!

i love discovering new bands and reminiscing as i listen to an old favorite. i cannot ever get enough, which is why i am so grateful to know that there will be music in the next life.

thank you, world, for music.

what i'm enjoying today:

ok go | white knuckles

dinosaur jr. | see you

shout out louds | the comeback

the decemberists new album, streaming in its entirety here, to be released jan. 18.

REVOLUTION by jennifer donnelly

i know i already posted today, but i really wanted to share this book with you. it's for music lovers, writers, historical fiction lovers, anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story. and no, you can't borrow my copy because i am going to reread and reread until i figure out how donnelly does it.

REVOLUTION by jennifer donnelly

stunning, heart-breaking, masterful prose. a book about a troubled teen, riddled with guilt, with only her music helping her hold on to her sanity. donnelly is a master of the metaphor, one any writer would do well to study for her sheer writerly-crafing-genius, but she is also so much more. she takes a wounded, imperfect character, makes her grief, guilt, paranoia, and rage real for the reader, and then leads us on an incredible journey to healing, hope and peace. with cleverness, subtlety, and judiciousness.

if this were a movie it would be rated "r" for language and a few references to substance abuse—but in my opinion, totally worth the read and i wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone 14 and up.

musical wanties

so many great albums out or coming out in the next weeks! here's a few i have my eye on.

arcade fire | the suburbs

ra ra riot | the orchard

the weepies | be my thrill

belle and sebastian | write about love (so excited for another album! i prelistened in npr and it's a beauty)

weezer | hurley (front man como has an english degree from harvard)

sufjan stevens: the age of adz (which sounds nothing like his previous stuff, but i love it somehow anyway)

what are you listening to?

design worship

have you heard of coralie bickford-smith? two of my loves coming together: design and literature in the most incredibly beautiful way. looking at her work never gets old.

a friend gave me the edition of EMMA by jane austen (shown below), which is my favorite book of austen's and matches my kitchen wall color.

and while it shames me to admit that fitzgerald remains one of those "huh?" authors for me, these might be my favorite of all coralie's designs.

matched

oh dear! i can't believe this is my first post for september. lots of ideas, little follow through. all in good time.

i had the pleasure of reading the ARC (advanced reader's copy) of MATCHED by ally condie last month as part of some "research" for a blog banner design. it can be scary reading something that a friend wrote, for everyone involved. but, i am so happy to tell you that i loved this book. we (the book and i) made an emotional connection and we are going to be besties for life.

it's a new favorite of mine. it's not what you think it's going to be if you've read a lot of the hype surrounding it. it is not heart-thumping, action-packed or throbbingly romantic. it is quiet, gentle—and in its own way—a page-turning novel about a girl who decides to choose a life for herself. it's about poetry and art, love and death, with the perfect combination of sweetness and atrocity. it left me feeling warm and fuzzy and wanting to read the next installment in the series. in short, it is lovely, just like ally herself.

it comes out in november and i can't wait to own a copy of my own. (having a beautiful cover design is just icing on the cake)

Current Favorites: Part 6

Item number 6: Slumdog Millionaire.

I don't know how to write movie reviews. I think this might be my favorite movie. Ever. The cinematography, the soundtrack, the story line, the actors, the kiss. The kiss! It was worth buying a Clearplay just to watch this one movie. I watched it 3 times in a week. I felt like giving the disc a kiss goodbye before I placed it into the red Netflix envelope to mail back. Will I buy my own copy? Yes, yes I will.

It is written.

Current Favorites: Part 5

Item number 5: Dial Nutriskin with Fruit Oil Glycerin Bath Soap, Grape Seed Oil + Lemongrass.

Orgasmic olfactory amphibious experience. That is all.

Current Favorites: Part 4

Item number four: BibliOdyssey website.

According to their description: Books, Illustrations, Science, History, Visual Materia Obscura, Eclectic Bookart.

Most of the ephemera they post is available in a large enough format for your own printing. They post obscure folk art from around the world, ancient book design (like the photo above. How would that change your scripture reading if your New Testament looked like that?), the most unusual botanicals (an entire collection of Fungi, anyone?), cartography, and current and recently current finds. I always find my creative well filled.

Enjoy.

Current Favorites: Part 3

Item number three: 101 Cookbooks website.

Around this time last year, I made a decision to eat meat sparingly. I've experimented a lot, both to the joy and horror of my family. We are now eating meat-free about 5 days out of the week. I knew it would be a long process and it has. There has been some weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

But guess what? I am a lioness at the gate. As Julie Beck said in her speech Lioness at the Gate: Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her. She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her.

So, I ignore the complaints and try to create the most delicious, healthy meals I can. I focus on healthy, fresh, local produce "in the season thereof." And the kids are slowly coming around. They love quinoa and raw macaroons and green smoothies. Mr. Coleman goes to Del Taco some nights. (You can't win them all.)

I love this website. Beautiful photography, seasonal-based meals, new ways to use all types of grain, searchable by category or ingredient. And lots and lots of vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Some favorites have been:

Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad

TLT Sandwich

Autumn Potato Salad

Caramel Apples

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Happy eating.

Current Favorites: Part 2

Item number two: Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album

It was mid-February. I was in the copy room at the tax office where I worked during tax season feeling like bashing my head against the wall, poking my eyeballs out and screaming: why, Rachel why!? How did it come to this? You've sold your soul. You have become an empty robotic shell who types numbers into a computer. All. Day. Long. When did you give up on your dreams?

Also, I was listening to Pandora.

And a song came on. I loved it. It perked me up. I wrote down the name of the band: Phoenix. Awhile later another song came on that I liked. I wrote down the name of the band: Phoenix. This song was from the same album: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. And then it happened a third time. So, not being entirely soulless after all, I recognized it as a sign from the Universe saying: Buy this album.

Which I did. And have been listening to ever since. On continuos repeat. Every song. At home, in the car, when I run. This is perk-you-up music at its best: catchy percussion, percolating guitars, and melodic, sweet sounding vocals.

Take a listen and if you like it you should probably go ahead and buy the whole album.

Phoenix :: Lasso

virtual dreams (of the pipe variety)

doing a virtual search for posters for micah's room. i love this combo.

his room is still in the drywall stage with no hope of it being finished anytime in the near future. sometimes i search for hardwood that i like, or sofas. also library ladders. because you know, i have a giant collection of shelves that are so tall they require a ladder. (okay, no, i don't.) anyone else do this?

for joan; because she asked

photo from flickr

Strawberry Milkshakes

Combine in a blender:

2 cups vanilla ice cream*

2 cups strawberries, cored

enough milk to blend, about 1 cup

Blend and enjoy.

*Our favorite vanilla ice cream is the Kirkland Signature brand from Costco.

lime ricki swimwear

i've found the swimwear sweetspot:

stylish, modest, AND relatively cheap. thought i share it with all of you. plus, they're doing a giveaway on their blog until march 29th. all you have to do is post a comment.

may i introduce you to lime ricki swimwear...

mexico 66

Inexplicably giddy about the shoes that showed up on my doorstep earlier this week.

In stock here in a myriad of delicious colors, on sale, with free shipping.

2009 Top Ten Favorite Things

1. Cannon Rebel T1i

You probably know how long I've waited for this camera. It is my Christmas present this year, but yes, I've already opened it and used it. It's a beauty. Here are the geeky specs: 50D's sensor (a 15.1 megapixel CMOS with sensitivities up to ISO 12,800) and 5D-Mark-II-like 1080p video capture. Costco has a deal going until January 15 for this camera body, plus two lenses and a 4gb SDHC card for $799. Incredible.

2. Grandeur Luxury Towel

Again, from Costco. Hygro Cotton, which means it's small in the washer and fluffy coming out of the dryer. Every guest that uses these towels asks where I bought them. Under $8.

3. L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

Finally. After 19 years of searching, we've found each other—water-proof, smudge-proof, and goes on without clumping. Even if you don't want the undercoating that really does make your eyelashes longer, use the mascara part alone. This mascara is as close to perfect as it gets.

4. Biolage Cooling Mint Conditioner

Cooling Mint Conditioner cleanses and awakens the scalp and hair with an energizing scent for an uplifting experience. Works great with my new short hair.

5. Quilt Home.com

If you are looking for a great online fabric source, try here. I ordered fabric and paid extra for shipping and it came the NEXT day, before 10am, wrapped up in tissue paper, tied with a bow, with a hand written personal note. Their prices are the lowest you will find on designer fabrics like Amy Butler and Joel Dewberry. A perfect apron-making source.

6. Eureka Lemon Tree

Purchased at Home Depot in Lindon, UT for $14.95 (weird, I can usually only find these in Arizona. I've never seen one there before or since). Lives in a pot outside when the weather is nice, and then comes inside for the winter where it blooms and fills my home with a heavenly scent.

7. Green Smoothie

I got this recipe from the cleanse I started in October, but this has become an almost daily habit for me. I love seeing that bright green color in a glass every morning. The original fast food.

Green Smoothie

blend until smooth:

1 1/2 cups almond milk*

2-3 leaves black kale (or any other greens)

Then add:

3/4 cups frozen mango chunks (or any other frozen fruit)

1/4 avocado

Blend again until smooth. Serves 1.

*you can use whatever kind of milk you want, but I think almond milk is one of the things that makes this smoothie so delicious

8. Heifer International

According to their website, this non-profit organization's mission is "to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth. Heifer does this by providing appropriate livestock, training and related services to small-scale farmers and communities worldwide."

You donate, Heifer gives the flock of geese, the water buffalo, or whatever is most needed and teaches the recipient how to care for their gift animals. The recipient agree to share the offspring of gift animals and the cycle continues.

9. Voss. Artesian water bottled at the source in Norway. Comes in a glass bottle, and makes me feel like I am really in Norwegian fjord country.

10. Owl City: Ocean Eyes album

Effervescent electronica with a geeky sounding male vocalist. If I could dream up my favorite musical sounds, this would be the result. Favorite songs on the album: Fireflies and Vanilla Twilight.

11.Women's Perfect Khakis from Old Navy

Yes, these pants are so awesome that they compelled me to add another item to my top ten list. Boot-cut, smooth, brushed twill, and works some magic with my rear end that even Mr. Coleman noticed. My favorite colors: jalepeño and whistler blue (shown).

Top 10 Reads of 2009

Keeping my New Year's Resolution for 2009 to read less, I cut my reading down to 107 books. (Although I think I might read at least 5 more before the end of the year). These are my favorite reads of this year, but obviously not all these books were published this year.

10. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. My only non-fiction on the list. This book is awesome because it made me think in a whole new way, laugh a lot and cry once. And a caveat: if you live in Arizona (as some of my readers do), it might depress you. The author begins the book by explaining why she is leaving her home of Tucson for greener pastures. And those reasons are compelling.

9. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. Jenna has transformed herself from chubby outcast to popular teen when her long lost childhood friend returns and throws her for a loop. Not a book for everyone, but this one really struck a nerve with me. I love stories about people returning from our past, and found this one hitting just the right spot with me—not too melodramatic or predictable; incredibly sweet and very emotional.

8. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Brutal, startling, poetic novel about forgiving and accepting oneself. The best example of the technique and artistry of the writing craft I read all year.

7. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Lyrical, dark, paranormal romance. This book was a great escape from the real world, and I loved the ending. I am anxiously awaiting the next in this planned trilogy: Linger. Oh, and printed in blue ink. What's not to love?

6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Apparently, there are people who have not read this yet. This was every bit as good as its prequel: The Hunger Games, except for a few melodramatic moments for the main character. But overall an adrenaline rush with plot twists, building political tension and a killer love triangle. I cannot wait for the third installment.

5. Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. The most fun and refreshing read of 2009. A novel that left me feeling lighter and happier than when I started. So delightful that I didn't mind one bit that there wasn't much of a plot at all.

4. The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale. Hilarious clash of two different cultures, an exploration of friendship, but mostly a beautifully romantic husband-wife love story, and an emotionally charged tribute to motherhood. I found a little bit of everything in this book with a hopeful, richly satisfying ending. Highly, highly recommended. I absolutely loved this one.

3. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. This is NOT a book for everyone, but for me it was practically perfect. Really interesting, mysterious characters (and some are quite funny); a deep and intricate plot that takes the entire novel to unravel and totally surprised me the whole way through; witty references to other works of fiction; the sweetest touch of romance—just enough detail to make it lovely, but not any explicit details; funny; and heartbreaking over and over again. It was a totally unexpected treat. Every detail is crucial to the story, but I didn't realize how genius the plot was until I finished the book.

However, it is really confusing in the first chapters—there is no background given for any of the characters, so as a reader you really have to work hard to stay with the story. I think the book had to be written this way though, since it was in first person present tense, and that is exactly what the main character is experiencing: confusion. It just takes a lot of work from the reader. Possibly that's why I loved it so much. I did edit my version with a sharpie, this author uses a lot of profanity, but I forgave her because I loved everything else so much.

Well-deserved winner of the Michael Printz Award and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

2. Fire by Kristin Cashore. In a perfect world everyone would love this book with the fiery and passionate fervor that I do. A slowly enfolding romance, poetic writing, political intrigue, fantastically imaginative, a lovable best friend, and a leaning horse. I loved this book so much, I immediately had to reread it after finishing it.

Cashore shows her skill at story telling again in this one like she did in her first novel, Graceling, but the writing quality felt more lyrical and honest to me. It hit me right in the heart. I think that's why I love it so much. This is categorized as Young Adult, but on this issue I have to whole-heartedly disagree. The main character is an adult, and all the situations she is in are adult issues.

I knew I would love it when I first read the poem A Dellian Lament that comes before the Prologue. Absolutely lovely. I would love to discuss this book with anyone who reads it.

1. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marrillier. (And also, every other book written by her. Juliet is an auto-buy for me now. I love all her books and own them all.) And I know I already reviewed this book here. So just to recap: as close to perfect as a novel can get. A lovely heroine who grows, learns and changes over time; beautiful, poetic writing; epic plot; emotional depth; themes of sacrifice, family love, and romance—one of the greatest stories ever written. I found it utterly enchanting and haunting as well. Beautiful and an absolute favorite.