Today I thought I would chat a moment about soup. If you are like me, I can spend hours (okay, minutes) scrolling through Pinterest and admiring all the beautiful photos of thick and abundantly overflowing soups. They’re gorgeous, aren’t they? And every once in a while, I will take the time to prep all the vegetables and cook all the meat and simmer a large pot of whatever tickles my fancy.
But every once in a while, I don’t feel like prepping all the vegetables and cooking all the meats and simmering it all together in a large pot. Every once in a while, I like to keep it simple.
This isn’t a recipe post. This is a how-to-always-have-a-quick-and-delicious-soup-at-your-fingertips post. Let’s talk through the ingredient process.
nwafoodie is a hub for food happiness. Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz focuses on the simplicity of fresh ideas when it comes to the exploration of food, eating, and enjoying life. nwafoodie conveys a sense of joy, curiosity and wonder of all the touch points of eating coupled with a fun and upbeat tone, pulling readers into a welcoming foodie fold that has none of the usual snobbery. She blogs from the perspective of a small town foodie exploring her backyard, spreading the message that eating well is truly one of the most joyful pleasures of living.
Making your own tea from dried herbs is so easy it is a wonder that we aren’t doing it more often. Not only is it simple to prepare, it is often quite cheaper than pre-made tea and there is the satisfaction of making up your own concoctions. Who knows? You might come upon a winning combination that you package and start selling on etsy. (I can always say I knew you before you were famous.)
There are really only three elements to making your own tea. You’ll need access to dried herbs, hot water, and a loose-leaf strainer. READ MORE
nwafoodie is a hub for food happiness. Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz focuses on the simplicity of fresh ideas when it comes to the exploration of food, eating, and enjoying life. nwafoodie conveys a sense of joy, curiosity and wonder of all the touch points of eating coupled with a fun and upbeat tone, pulling readers into a welcoming foodie fold that has none of the usual snobbery. She blogs from the perspective of a small town foodie exploring her backyard, spreading the message that eating well is truly one of the most joyful pleasures of living.
I do my best to try to find ways to make the everyday a bit more special. And you know what? Like exercise, the more I act upon this quest, the more toned I become.
Take my little photo tour of three every day items around my home that elevate pretty in two ways: for the items they cradle and for how they make me feel. Read More.
For fifteen years I lived a dairy-free life and a gluten-free life for five of those years. Those were challenging years, to say the least. Those were the days where you had to travel to large cities and specialty shops to find pre-packaged goodies and staples. Oftentimes it was a crapshoot on whether that $6.00 teeny tiny bag of pasta was actually going to taste anything like pasta… or disintegrate in the boiling water.
While I am no longer gluten-free or dairy free (read the story on nwafoodie) , ninety percent of the time I still gravitate towards gluten-free dishes. All those years proved to me that eating with limitations has merit. You learn to cook, for instance, because no longer can you mindlessly dial the pizza delivery guy or make something quick, easy, and simple as sandwiches or reach for the pint of ice cream if you had a sweet craving.
For those of you who are still living a gluten-free or dairy-free lifestyle or have a loved one who is, this recipe is for you. Actually, scratch that. This recipe is for all of us, including myself. It’s delicious and deliciousness knows no boundaries.
½ cup So Delicious dairy free coconut milk creamer
¼ cup Toffuti milk free Better Than Cream Cheese imitation cream cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 ounces gluten-free spaghetti or fettuccini
Instructions
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, creamer, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir approximately five minutes until bubbles appear and turn off heat. Cover.
In a large pot, cook the pasta according to directions in boiling water for approximately twenty minutes until cooked al dente and turn off heat.
Reheat alfredo sauce and add one tablespoon of the pasta water and stir.
Using tongs, remove pasta from water and add to the alfredo sauce and mix until pasta is thoroughly coated with sauce.
Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz writes about living and eating well from her life in beautiful Northwest Arkansas at nwafoodie. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place, which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey. Read more related to cooking, entertaining, gadget suggestions, ingredient explorations, local finds, local restaurant treasures, kitchen tour spotlights, and always with a healthy and simplistic approach.
It is a perfect snapshot of someone who lives in an idealist-thinking world with dreams of how things SHOULD be and a head full of sunshine, happy aspirations, and an imagination of butterflies singing throughout the hills and saying, “hey, come over here, this garden is magnificent! This garden is the Garden of Eden all over again!”
I am that dreamer.
That ridiculous photo captures good intentions and good will. I HAD good intentions to install raised garden beds in our backyard this year… after the deck was repaired… and a lower deck was built… plus a new sidewalk constructed… and then I would know EXACTLY where to put those buggers. I HAD good intentions to use these tomato plants as good will. How? They were going to be a gift of love for those friends and family members who weren’t able to pull it all together this year. Our Foodie Friday gal pal Debbie Arnold was the one who shared those awesome seeds in the first place. I couldn’t let her down, right?
Instead… they grew and grew and grew and grew some more. Every day they are stretching their wings and reaching for the sky. And every day I think, “man… I should put them in the car and bring them to someone before it is too late.”
Reality check.
It’s too late.
But it is NOT too late for us to share our community gardens with each other. I love seeing your instagram photos of your kids holding that giant squash and your proud blog posts of freshly created recipes with YOUR bounty. I am so proud of you!
And then I got to thinking… we have a community garden of sorts, a virtual community garden.
So, keep sharing.
Keep growing.
Keep reading and commenting and reaching for the sky.
May your garden be blessed with a zillion butterflies.
Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz writes about living and eating well inspired by life in beautiful Northwest Arkansas at nwafoodie. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place, which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and- honey. She doesn’t think you have to live in the big city to be a foodie. All you have to do is explore your own backyard. Light-hearted and approachable, nwafoodie is conversational with a healthy and simplistic approach to eating well.
Dining with Lincoln and Washington {Foodie Friday}.
Written by Lyndi Fultz of NWA Foodie
On Tuesday everyone got allllll worked-up and excited about Valentines Day when clearly their focus was in the wrong place.
C’mon people… you missed Lincoln’s birthday last weekend!
Thankfully you STILL HAVE TIME for Washington’s birthday next Wednesday. Shew! I almost felt sorry for you if you had missed that one, too.
Let’s get real.
Does anyone really go all-out for President’s Day weekend?
Where are ads for that day? The gifts? The lavish family meals?
Since the powers-that-be determined that both Lincoln and Washington should have their own day, let’s dig a little deeper into the fetishes of two of our founding fathers.
Food fetishes, that is.
A quick google search reveals a surprising amount of juicy gossip when it comes to their habits and desires. “Juicy” and “gossip” may be stretching it just a bit, I realize. Although, I must admit, I am curious about the dining delights during that day and age. Aren’t you curious, too?
President George Washington
According to foodtimeline.org. [insert link: http://www.foodtimeline.org/presidents.html#washington] “George Washington’s own eating habits were relatively simple. One observer of the time said that he “took what came with philosophy”; certainly no one could accuse our first President of having been a gourmet. Custis, Martha Washington’s grandson, described Washington’s food preferences: “He ate heartily, but was not particular in his diet, with the exception of fish, of which he was excessively fond. He partook sparingly of dessert, drank a home-made beverage, and from four to five glasses of Madeira wine”…A special passion of the President’s was nuts. He would buy hazelnuts and shellbacks by the barrel.”
There you have it. He ate simply and heartily and was excessively fond of fish and nuts. If it is true, Madeira may have been his best friend. Or at least got him across the Delaware River more comfortably.
Here’s an idea. Perhaps Monday should be called Madeira-Monday instead of President’s Day?
Let’s move on.
President Abraham Lincoln
Let’s learn what foodtimeline.org’s [insert link: http://www.foodtimeline.org/presidents.html#lincoln] has to say about the man who instituted my personal favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. “Lincoln relied on food to feed the furnace. He ate well when served a tasty meal, but was usually so preoccupied with problems of politics and power that he gave little thought to food unless faced with it. Then he could enjoy a delicious meal as well as the next one…”Family meals at the Lincolns’ were routine. Early in the morning the President liked a “good hot cup of coffee.” But often he would forget about breakfast until 9 or 10A.M. John Hay, one of Lincoln’s privage secretaries, occasionally ate with the President. He noted that the frugal repast might consist of “an egg, a piece of toast, coffee, etc.” On occasion breakfast was a single egg. For lunch, Hay reported, Lincoln “took a little lunch–a biscuit, a glass of milk in winter, some fruit or grapes in summer…He ate less than anyone I know.” Lunch was usually eaten irregularly…”
Boring.
If given the opportunity, I would skip dinner with Lincoln and accept that invitation with Washington.
Here is what I suggest…
This weekend, in honor of President’s Day Weekend, take a few minutes and do a google search on “favorite foods of presidents” and review the culinary delights, passions, and good-old-fashioned-yarns about our forty-four presidents.
At the very least, pick up a bottle of Madeira. That is what I’m going to do.
You don’t have to be a food writer to engage your senses when you write.
As bloggers, we often work in the deeply heartfelt emotional realm when writing our posts. Have you ever stopped to think about writing from the see, smell, hear, touch, and taste perspective?
As we entered into the new year, I took a perspective on where I am with my blog and where I want it to mature. One missing aspect became VERY apparent. Many of my posts exclude the “taste” element.
As a foodie, that warrants a citizen’s arrest.
Instead of booking myself into the county jail, I am challenging myself to improve specifically in this area.
Yesterday as I sat down to write a post about the humble carrot, I tried something different. I took out a sheet of paper and on the left hand side of the pad I wrote all the senses: see, smell, hear, touch, and taste.
Free-flowing scribble emerged next to each category as I pondered the experience pre and post roasting.
Let’s try this together. Take a look at this jar of pickled rainbow carrots.
At first glance we could describe it as: colorful, cloudy, inviting.
Now, let me engage the senses:
See:colorful, cloudy, inviting, a nostalgic nod to a day when women canned and preserved for a future event instead of simply running to the closest Walmart
Smell:as I prepped the pickling juices, the pungent, acrid smell attacked my nose and caused me to pause and ask, “ do I really want to finish this?”
Hear:my husband, walking into the house with panic in his voice “what is the smell? did something happen?” (again I question myself “do I really want to finish this?”)
Touch:crisp, snap, crunch
Taste:think pickled okra, only crispier, I imagine how it will add the perfect touch minced up in egg salad or adding as a pop of shredded color to the humble coleslaw
Better?
The blog challenge for all of us is to try this with our next post (include a link in the comments so we can all read it). Start off with something ordinary, like your daily walk, playtime with your kid, or movie night with your significant other. Or something as simple as sipping your morning coffee.
Describe how you feel within.
It’s not just coffee, it is the carrier of life on a chilly January morning as the first sting of heat slips past your tongue, the heady aroma wafting up your nostrils, begging you to wake up and face the day ahead.
Now it’s your turn.
How are you engaging your senses when you write?
Eat well, my friends. Eat well.
Lyndi
Lyndi of NWAFoodie is a girl who just happens to live in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey.
As this new year broadcasts its frantic message of resolutions and fervent hopes for tomorrow, twitter and the blogosphere is abuzz with diet tips, calorie counters, and an overall confusion of diet, diet, diet, and denial.
A healthy diet doesn’t have to mean denial.
A healthy diet should mean eating for pleasure.
First, let’s talk about the word “pleasure.” Webster defines “pleasure” as desire, inclination; a state of gratification; sensual gratification; frivolous amusement; a source of delight or joy.
These are strong and healthy phrases. Pause and dwell on them.
When we talk about eating for pleasure, it means that we should not focus on the guilt of eating. Eating is a privilege and should be a source of delight or joy for us.
It’s all about mindset.
Sometimes we just need a little tweak or reminder of our priorities!
The RIGHT mindset when eating
1) Slow down.
2) Engage all of your senses.
3) Consume half of what is on your plate.
4) Savor by taking time to chew.
5) Give thanks.
The WRONG mindset when eating
1) Fret about calories.
2) Fret about fat grams.
3) Don’t pay attention to what just went into your mouth.
4) Shove.
5) Regret another dissatisfied meal.
Let’s face it. We all have gone down the wrong mindset path a time or two. But that’s okay because that was yesterday. Today we start anew…
Which would you rather choose?
Eat well, my friends. Eat well.
Lyndi
Lyndi of NWAFoodie is a girl who just happens to live in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey.
It is quite possible that indeed we have sometime over twitter, facebook, meet-ups, tweet-ups, or the Arkansas Women Bloggers (ARWB) Unplugged conference last summer.
I fondly remember my first meet-up with Beth Stephens and together fervently declaring: “the ARWB website is a goldmine! It could be so much more!”
And more, it is. The goldmine of ARWB is the discovery journey. Simply because of the ARWB resource, I am enjoying getting to know… you.
When the ladies of ARWB approached me about writing a bio for the “Miss January” slot, I thought okay, no problem, I can do that. Then I thought about my ‘about’ page on my blog, nwafoodie, and pondered, well, what else is there to say that I haven’t already said?
Silly me.
We’re bloggers and we love to over-share.
For those of us who haven’t met yet, let me introduce myself…from my refrigerator’s perspective.
15 things my refrigerator reveals about me
1.I am an organizer and a planner. It is a powerful feeling to be one step ahead. Why not have a lemon sliced up and ready-to-go? Or, why not buy Parmesan cheese or nuts in bulk and store the excess?
2.I like adding that extra touch. Why store your cherries in a pre-packaged container? Why not wash them for easy snacking and store them in a beautiful colander?
3.I never stray far from the egg. Quite possibly the most perfect ingredient in the world (we can debate that later). Besides the practicality of the multitude of uses that an egg presents, eggs were the first cooking experiment I conquered as a wee child. Sick of waking up early in the morning to runny scrambled eggs, I quickly learned that if I took over the skillet, I could prepare it any way I would like. I introduce to you master omelet maker, circa age 5.
4.I like being prepared. It doesn’t cost anything to have (reusable) bottled waters waiting for when you need it. It makes me feel, well, pulled-together.
5.I love thinking of others. Me? Red wine drinker, all the way. However, I will always have a bottle of white wine chilled and waiting for my family and friends who don’t see red.
6.I believe that quality counts (sometimes quantity, too)! My husband and I love chicken tortilla soup. This time of the year it is a repeat visitor several times a week. There is nothing easier than SmartChicken™ chicken pieces slow-cooked during the day and then stripped and ready for several meals. It’s inexpensive and the flavor will blow you away. How easy is that?
7.I wasn’t born a chef. Eating out is one of the extreme joys of life. I relish in what a chef can do. If there are leftovers, score!
8.I like to splurge. Ingredients like horseradish and olives are everyday. But what about oil-brined olives from France? Or, plum sauce from the Asian supermarket, or Indian green-curry sauce? You may not use these everyday, but they are there, waiting. I know that I am just fingertips away from an amazing food event.
9.I am impressed when an ingredient serves double-duty. Remember that slow-cooker chicken? Guess what happens when you strip the meat off the bones? Put the bones back in the cooker and add water and make broth. Viola! Store them in reusable spaghetti sauce jars.
10.I know how to seduce with food. Our house is currently for sale. When a potential buyer is scheduled for a showing, I heat up apple cider vinegar to scent the air. As we head out the door, we have a tasty treat.
11.I am always on the lookout for the unexpected. See that Gerbers™ pear juice? It is not for a baby, it is for me. Besides its tastiness, it has health benefits (new-year/new-you tip, you’re welcome).
12. I love to make the ordinary less ordinary. Glass containers rock. You can take something ordinary that comes in a plastic shrink-wrap package and transform it. Each time I open my crisper, it is extra special to pull out a block of parmesan cheese or gruyere that is in a pretty container. It makes me feel like I’m on a Food Network television set. Like Giadia.
13.I am constantly on the search for long-term healthy improvements. Several months ago my doctor informed me that I had high levels of styrene (aka plastic) in my body. One of the first improvements was to replace the plastic produce bags with breathable and reusable vegetable bags for storage. Just like glass containers, each time I open my vegetable crisper, it is an extra special (and healthier) event.
14.There are essentials, as a foodie that I will always have on hand. Buttermilk? Check. Olive tapenade? Check. Capers? Check. Heavy cream? Check. Balsamic glaze? Check.
15.There are essentials, like everyone else that I will always have on hand. Mustard? Check. Mayo? Check. Lemon juice? Check. Simple syrup? Check. The moral of this point? Being a foodie does not mean snobby gourmand. It just means you have a love of all things food related: ingredients, gadgets, dinnerware, spices, restaurants, and an overwhelming urge to talk about it.
So there you have it.
I’m a foodie who just happens to live in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. It’s a gem of a place, overflowing with the proverbial milk-and-honey abundance that is begging me to share what I have learned. Pop on over and check out my blog, nwafoodie, and drop by.
