The Chocolate Fig

I had forgotten how happy cookbooks make me. Last year, I brought them all to school with me. Not because I had a well-equipped kitchen to cook in (rather, I had only a hot water boiler for making tea in my little dorm), but because they served as a slice of home, comfort, and bedtime reading. I would gaze at them sitting on the shelf above my bed and feel soothed in times of stress and homesickness. This year, however, I neglected to bring them along. And this morning, when I opened up my closet where they live at home to search for a recipe, I was blown in the face by familiar, long-lost feelings of joy, curiosity, and enthusiasm for life and experimentation. I'm sure many of you know exactly what I'm talking about. It hit me that this entire academic year, I've felt like my little single room was missing something very important. Turns out, the missing ingredient was my collection of culinary literature.

Newly full of glee and smiles, I grabbed them by the armful and rescued them from dust-collecting doom. They're now sitting on my desk, where they seem to radiate sunshine and where they will stay. I had to dedicate a post to these wonderful books, because not only does just looking at them make me happy, but they are filled with my own memories and I can read them over and over again without ever getting bored.

obviously, I have a book dedicated to chocolate...

the timeless and beautiful Giada

My plan for the summer is this: The Los Altos farmers' market started yesterday, and I plan to go every Thursday afternoon to stock up on fresh fruit and veggies. My goals are (a) to try at least one new vegetable every week, and (b) try at least one new recipe from my cookbook collection every week.

My library contains everything from chocolate to baking to Italian to farm-fresh to homemeade baby food to food-as-medicine to vegan and beyond. Obviously, it's going to be one helluva summer!

I'm leaving you with a couple pictures of my breakfast this morning, a delicious Green Monster. If you haven't tried one of these bad boys yet, do get your blender out ASAP! These things are dangerously uplifting and you will soon be addicted.

before I added berries

after adding berries

Today's ingredients:

Greek yogurt

wheatgrass powder

hemp protein powder

spinach

frozen berries

homemade vanilla almond milk

maple syrup

Blend yogurt, powders, spinach, maple syrup, and almond milk for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add berries and pulse or use the ice-crusher setting, then blend for a few more seconds. Enjoy!