The last few days I have been doing a lot of cooking, baking, exercising and knitting. All of these activities are very grounding. I feel calm and relaxed after completing them. A few days ago, I made homemade pizza from scratch. I love the rhythm of kneading the dough, letting it rise, and keeping it in the fridge overnight. That way it becomes easy to handle and elastic. Delicious food takes time to prepare, but the results are well worth the effort.
I added fresh herbs from my garden to the sauce. I bought some Italian crushed tomatoes on sale, since the cans were slightly dented. It came out really well. I had forgotten to buy more tomato paste, so I just left out the water and tomato paste in my pizza sauce recipe. It was still flavorful and tasty.
I baked a lemon pudding cake using Meyer lemons from my tree. It's one of my favorite vintage recipes. I used goat's milk in place of the regular milk. It's a treat to have a freshly made dessert sitting on the kitchen counter.
I picked a bag of homegrown Algerian tangerines, Navel oranges, and Meyer lemons and dropped them off at my neighbor's house. She loves citrus, and runs a wonderful co-op for us in Wrightwood, I knew she would appreciate their organic goodness and flavor. Fruit is expensive these days, too.
I have been biking Jacques on one of our local trails. It's safe from cars, and the mountain scenery is gorgeous. I like being around the other locals who walk or run each day. Daily exercise is such preventive medicine. Being out in the fresh air is an added bonus, too. Home cooked meals have been tasting so good to me lately. Maybe it's all of the time outdoors and the cardio. I have been kayaking and walking the dogs regularly, too.
How about you? Are you able to get outside where you live?
Sounds like you've been spending your days doing lots of good things, Stephenie. Home made pizza from scratch and lemon pudding cake sounds delicious! How kind of you to drop off a bag of fresh homegrown citrus at your neighbor's! I'm sure she'll appreciate them. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bless. Yes, she loved the lemons and their citrusy scent.
DeleteOur weather has been just spectacular. It is really chilly during my pre-dawn walk each morning, but by the afternoon it is sunny and clear. I also enjoy rhythmic activities. Kneading Steve's weekly bread loaves, knitting, gardening all give me peace. Lemon pudding cake sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anita. It was divine. I made more lemon bars today. Your home-based life sounds wonderful. That's great that you make bread each week.
DeleteHow lovely to have home grown citrus to share. Does goats milk change the taste of the lemon pudding? It all sounds delicious ☺️
ReplyDeleteThanks, PP. I don't notice a difference in the taste of the cake with goat's milk. I use it instead of cream in my morning coffee, too.
DeleteThe citrus fruit fresh picked from your tree sound wonderful. I bet the fragrance from the blossom is incredible. I love my daily walk even though it's been cold and dark and I can hardly wait for Spring with all the colourful flowers that will be popping up everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI bet it is cold and dark there, Cherie. Good for you for still getting out and walking. I love the flowers in the spring, too. I planted tulips and daffodils.
DeleteWe are in deep winter here. It was -15 one morning last week when I woke up. The house felt unusually cold. The furnace was having a hard time keeping up. Thankfully we are up out of the sub zeros now and it feels much better to get outside for my nature walks. Thank you for your blog posts. 😊
ReplyDeleteOh my God, Courtney. I can't imagine how cold that must feel. A furnace sounds like a must where you live. Dressing in layers really helps.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you included cooking in being grounded- it makes sense. Maybe that's why I enjoy cooking so much. It probably grounds me.. Never thought of that.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know what you mean. I find exercise, (especially cardio,) to be very grounding, too.
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