Summer Reading List and Panko-Coconut Zucchini Fries with Sweet Chili Sauce

Hello friends! We are in the midsts of summertime and you know what?, everything is great. Personally, I have really been working, eating, and sleeping, but I am doing my best to enjoy myself and find ways to break up that routine. Lately, I have been reading daily and day dreaming about new adventures. My brother Michael is moving to Madison in the near future, and I really would like to explore what the town has to offer. I don't really know Wisconsin that well because I never really go farther than Lake Geneva when I'm visiting Darla. I'm also in need of a good camping trip. A getaway where I can see the stars and only hear the sounds of nature. One where I can sit by a warm campfire and in the morning go on an amazing day hike. If you know of any places like that, please let me know. I'm dying to go there. 

On another note, I am excited to share my summer reading list with you. I think it's a nice variety. Some are recommendations from friends, some new releases from favorite authors, and the rest I find randomly by browsing bookstores. Enjoy, and please, if you read or have read any that are listed and would like to chat, I would love that. :-)

Her: A Memoir by Christa Parravani

The Swarm by Frank Schatzing

Inferno by Dan Brown

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston

The Dinner by Herman Koch

Look at the Birdie by Kurt Vonnegut

Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff

I also have some food to share with you. Enjoy!

Panko-Coconut Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:
2 large zucchini and/or yellow squash, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/8 cup panko crumbs
1/8 cup coconut flakes
1/8 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
2 egg whites

*if there are any other seasonings you enjoy, feel free to create a new flavor!

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine panko crumbs, coconut, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Place egg whites in a separate bowl.

Dip zucchini slices in egg whites, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Coat evenly.

Spread zucchini on baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes. Turn zucchinis over. Bake another 6-7 minutes, or until they look golden and crispy. Serve immediately. Use Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce for some extra flavor.

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
yields about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp water, divided
2 Tbsp organic cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Fresno, red Thai chilies, or red jalapeño peppers
2/3 cup organic sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp salt

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add remaining cup of water, sugar, vinegar, peppers, garlic, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp water and cornstarch.
Stir cornstarch mixture into simmering sauce and cook until thickened, about one to two minutes.
Remove from heat, let cool completely. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

<3 Heika

Rosemary Bread

I'm in love and her name is Rosemary. She's subtle and sweet with a hint of the forest.
To be fair, I haven't always been the biggest fan of the herb. I think that's because I always overdid it. Rosemary is what we can strive for. Allowing our presence to be appreciated and known without having to lay it on too thick. It's pleasant alone and brings out the best in what it's paired with.
Give this bread a try.

This recipe is adapted from macaroni grill's rosemary bread.

You'll need
2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 tbs yeast
2 tbs honey
2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
4 Tbs chopped rosemary
About 2 cups organic all purpose flour
About 2 cups organic whole wheat flour

Mix the water, yeast and honey and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. Then add in the olive oil and salt. Add flour until the dough pulls from the side of the bowl. It's around 5 cups. So about 2 1/2 cups of each. Then add in 2tbs of the rosemary and knead for about 10 min. (I used my kitchen aid and dough hook)
Roll the dough into a ball, coat with olive oil and then cover with cellophane while you let it rise until doubled (1 hr)

Punch down the dough and shape in to four equal loaves. Sprinkle corn meal on the oven peal and place loaves on there spaced apart. You may need to separate them and have 2 of them rise on parchment paper. Slice each loaf with an X and sprinkle remaining rosemary and a little sea salt. Allow to rise for another hour covered with a bakers cloth.

Bake on a pizza stone at 375 for 15-20 min.
This bread is great for breakfast with eggs. Lunch with tomato slices or served with dinner with a plate of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Enjoy it however you'd like and you'll be so glad you have Rosemary a try.

A word from myself last summer.

Well, at least I’m learning something. Right? Tell me that is the point of all this. Oh please, let me learn something. Let this shape me. Let me look back and say, “I learned so much…I wouldn’t change a thing”.

            Maybe I’m learning to celebrate the finest beams of light. Like my little cinnamon and sugar holder hiding in my mother in law’s kitchen. Like, a perfectly small and sincere egg waiting for me as a little thank you gift from my sweet birds. Like a big open mouthed kiss from the most beautiful girl to ever grace this dark planet. Like a husband who holds my hand even though it makes his skin feel weird. Like a best friend who sticks it out with you even though you’re in a tent in the woods covered in tics in a rain storm.

            Maybe I’m leaning more practical things. Like you have to keep a pair of flip flops in the car if you’re planning on wearing hot pink crocs in your real life in case you want to stop for a latte. Or to thank the great good God above for that daily bread of yours because He gives and takes away. Maybe I’m learning that it’s okay to just keep the olive oil out all day if it’s in a cute canister. Or that a spoon full of sugar helps the oatmeal go down.

            Maybe I’m learning all this to share it with someone who will eventually be in my shoes. Or maybe I’m learning it just as mere tools in my belt to use as I go on in life. Either way, I can trust that there is no such thing as wasted suffering and that everything works together for the good. And so, I will walk through the valley, if you want me to.

Love, Darla

Bowl of Lunch: Squash

We lunch often, right Heik? I mean, sometimes we go to Simple, but mostly we put stuff in a bowl. It doesn't sound fancy, but it is. 
This particular bowl is a squashy, tomatoey, oniony bowl. So good. So, so good. 

I think healthy eating gets lost. We lose ourselves in complicated recipes. We just keep searching for a healthier version of a brownie. Then, it's lunch time and you're just hungry. A flour-less, egg-less, chocolate-less, love-less brownie won't save you now! 
You need some real life options. I suggest experimenting with Bowls Of Lunch. 
If you fuel yourself with powerful and clean food all day, then you can just eat a regular brownie for dessert. As my wise Grandma would say, "All you need is a taste". Meanwhile, bring life and color and excitement to clean eating. It doesn't even feel like a sacrifice if you put a little love in it. 

Bowl of Lunch: Squash

You'll need:
A buttercup squash, pealed and sliced
A thing of grape or cherry tomatoes halved
A white or yellow onion sliced in to rings (or strips if you can't handle it) 

3 tsp oregano
olive oil (wing it) 
S&P
Cooked brown rice or Quinoa (pasta works too) 

Set your oven to 375
Start with tossing your squash with a splash of olive oil and some salt. Lay each piece evenly on a greased and lined pan and roast for about 50 min until it's soft through and starting to get a nice golden crisp. 
In a medium mixing bowl, toss tomatoes olive oil and oregano together and coat evenly. Give it a little salt and pepper and spread it evenly on a lined and greased baking sheet. Roast them for 20 minutes, stirring them half way through. 
Once those two things are in the oven, sauté your onions until translucent. 

When all of your timers go off, assemble your bowl over some rice and add a bit of S&P to taste. The tomatoes should give it enough moisture to feel like a sauce. Happy Bowling!

My Thoughts on a Day

     Some days, you don't know where to begin. Today started off, the way days do. I woke up, started the coffee maker, and let the chickens out. Then Lila woke up, so I brought her in to kiss her daddy and brought her down to make her breakfast. The lake was calm and beautiful. The sky was clear. My sweet husband came down and greeted me warmly. So why did today seem impossible?
It's because today started out as days do. It's going to be a regular day. I'll pack Jordan a lunch and send him off to work and then do whatever I want with Lila.

     What an impossibly simple task. I couldn't. I looked at Jordan all ready for work and didn't know what to do next. How could today be normal when I lived a nightmare two days ago? When are my days supposed to be normal again? I don't think there is an answer.

     My reality is this, on May 28, I had a regular day. I sent Jordan off to work and kissed him and wished him a happy anniversary. I had a couple of things to do and then I packed Lila up and took her with me to my doctor's appointment. It was just a check up. I was 12 weeks pregnant. After the initial pleasantries, my doctor tried to find the heartbeat. I had been in on May 11 for an ultrasound and heard the heartbeat and was eager to hear it again. I saw concern sweep over my doctors face even as she tried to hide it. I handed Lila a toy to try to get her to stop crying but I think she knew I was nervous and it scared her. I was sent over to the hospital to try to get them to find the heartbeat. After confusion, back and forth, and a half hour wait, I was led in. At this point, my sweet Lilliana had used up all of her patience points and was losing it. She climbed up on the bed with me as the technician tried to find my baby's heartbeat. I saw it on the screen. I recognized the little bean, I had seen it only a couple weeks earlier when I got to see and hear it's perfectly tiny heart flutter. There was nothing. It wasn't a regular day anymore. In fact, that day threatens the normalcy of any day from now on. Phone calls were made. My loved ones were on their way. I'd never be the same.
  So here I am. Two days later. My heart. My heart is so sad. I loved the little baby I held in me for a short 3 months. I didn't even get to see my baby. If I did, I'd say,
              "Sweet one, you are so beautiful and loved. You were loved in my dreams before I even knew you were a part of me. You were created by a wonderful God. I wanted you so bad. We all couldn't wait to meet you. You would have loved your big sister and, let me tell you, she would have loved you. I'm sorry that I can't keep you. I would have done my very best, but God has a plan. We can't possibly see it from here. For some reason, you were called home early. That does not mean you aren't missed. I'll think of you always and forever. My sweet lost one. Your Mommy loves you."

    So, now, I'm faced with days. Mountainous regular days. It's going to take prayer, and practice and perseverance, but I'll be able to do it. Today's mission. Banana Bread. My Lila and I set out on a mission. we putzed and shopped and played and napped and eventually got a loaf of banana bread out of the oven. What a small thing to feel so accomplished about. We did it, though. On an impossibly regular day we accomplished a simple thing and I needed that.

   

     Meanwhile. I woke up to a regular day. With my precious little girl and my strong and sweet husband. The lake was beautiful and our garden is flourishing. The wind smells sweet and the sun is shining. I must be the luckiest woman alive. It's perspective that makes or breaks a day. I have to remind myself to count my abundant blessings and move forward. I don't have to forget what happened. I don't have to pretend I'm whole. I just have to see the big picture and embrace an eternal and all knowing God. 

Throwback Thursday: Texas Caviar

Happy Thursday!

My week so far has been mildly entertaining. The best part was Tuesday. I went downtown to the Aquarium to see my Shedd friends because I missed them and all the animals I used to care for. It was a perfect day out...so nice that I took one of our tortoises out for a walk. The other awesome part was to see all the new stingrays for Shedd's new exhibit. My old supervisor is leading the team, so she gave me a tour of the new exhibit space and a little sneak peek behind the scenes. They are incredible creatures, but man do they like splashing you with water! I am so proud of her and extremely happy she gets this opportunity. I can't wait for it to open...We will have to bring Li back sometime this summer!

On a different note, this bean dip reminds me of summer. It's so simple and delicious and perfect for sharing. I can't wait to spend my days outside...reading, playing, swimming, strolling, maybe even gardening if I get to it.

Texas Caviar

Ingredients:
4 peppers (green, red, yellow, and orange), diced
1 white onion, diced
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can white beans
1 can shoepeg corn

Sauce:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup white or apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Combine peppers, onions, beans, and corn in a large bowl.
In a small sauce pan, bring sugar and vinegar to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour sauce over bean mixture and chill for about an hour.
Serve cold with tortilla chips or over a bed of lettuce. Or simply eat it right out of the bowl. (We all have).

Enjoy everyone! It's raining here...a perfect opportunity to try and finish a book!

Love, Heika

Chicken noodle soup and Crusty Soup Bread

You know those days when the rain is falling and you can't seem to warm up? We all experienced them with this last flood. It's all too easy to sit back, complain about the weather and dream of summer days. It just so happens that on those summer days, you are burning hot and praying for some rain. I'm working on that part of myself. The part of myself that is always looking for greener grass and future happiness. I think it's a poor habit. It leads to pretty permanent discontentment. So, as a declaration of my new outlook, during this last rainstorm, I dressed Lila and me up in our rain boots and set out to make Soup Day happen. We went to the store, used a giant umbrella, and made the most of the monsoon. We made an entire afternoon revolve around yeast, dough, veggies, broth, and plenty of "noonals". Which is her way of begging for noodles.

I want to share these recipes with you. The chicken noodle soup is just a staple. Totally make your own, or change mine anyway you'd like. But, this bread is amazing. Make this bread. I'm so serious. You can't stop. Chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Baking bread is such a joy for me. I don't know why I love it so much. It is a lot of work, but it's so rewarding. It is always pleasing to watch the yeast at work and pull steamy bread from the oven. Try it! And try to make the most of your day. Embrace your weather, work, home, and circumstance. And while you're at it, make something fresh.

Crusty Soup Bread

2 cups warm whey or water (90-110 degrees)
1 tbs yeast
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sugar
2 tsp salt
5 to 5 1/2 cups flour

Now, the recipe mentioned that you could throw this all in a bread machine on the dough setting and pick up after the first rise. I didn't this time but I'll try it in the future. If you'd like, go for it.

Otherwise, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the bowl of your kitchen aid or just a regular bowl and let it "sponge" for ten minutes.
Add salt (2 tsp), oil (1tbs) and 3 cups flour. Beat for 2 minutes using the dough hook
Then add 2 cups of flour to make a stuff dough and beat it (or knead) for 10 minutes.
Place in an oiled covered bowl for an hour

Bread machine users, pick up here!

Punch down and divide in half


Make two long slender rolls and slice diagonal lines in the loaves. Place them on a pizza peak with corn meal or just a prepared pan with parchment paper and cornmeal if you have it.
Cover with a cloth and Let it rise for another hour.

Heat your pizza stone/ oven to 375 and place a pan full of water on the bottom rack.

When the rise is over, slide the bread onto the stone and bake for about 30 min

Then eat it all.





Chicken Noodle Soup

3 cartons of organic broth. I do 2 veggie broths and 1 chicken
1-2 cartons filled back up with water
1/2 of a celery package sliced
6 carrots peeled and sliced
2 cooked chicken breasts (I jut used leftovers)
1 bunch of parsley chopped
1 bag of small or medium egg noodles
S&P to taste.

In a medium to large soup pot, sauté carrots and celery with a bit of olive oil.

Then add your broth and water S&P and bring to a nice boil and cook for 25 min on medium heat. Add shredded chicken and parsley. Cool for another 25 min. Or pretty much whatever you want.

Soup is great if you're under the weather. The salt in the broth heals your throat and the pepper clears your sinuses. We like ours a little on the spicy side. I got that from Lisa. It adds a unique flavor. So don't be shy with your S&P!
In a SEPARATE pot, bring your water to a boil and add your egg noodles. Cook for 6 minutes and then drain.
Serve in a bowl with noodles and pour soup over. At the end of the night it's ok to add the noodles to the soup to store in the fridge once the soup is cooled. Otherwise they will just get too soggy.

Enjoy soup day!