I can't make this soon enough. GF Pumpkin Pie done. #YUMS
Getting Crafty for the Holidays!
No turning back now people...the holidays are upon us, starting with Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. I love cooking and eating with people. I also love the long weekend it creates, and specifically the day after Thanksgiving when my only priority is to eat what wasn't eaten the day before. What a perfect time to casually try some crafting with the vague intention of decorating your house or creating homemade things to give as gifts. I say casually and vague because putting pressure on yourself to become the embodiment of all things pinterest is pretty self defeating. So check out some of these fun crafting ideas and give them a shot. No one has to know if they don't work out! Make the most of your holiday weekend and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
xo
Swans
Pre-Thanksgiving decoration ideas!
Hosting Thanksgiving at your house and want to decorate with something more than food? Try one of these simple ideas!
Oh so easy napkin rings
How about these after dinner "treats"
Pumpkins aren't just for Halloween. You can do almost anything with them!
Don't want to keep all those leftovers in your house?
Post-Thanksgiving projects!
Really feeling the holiday spirit after Thanksgiving? Channel it into some of these projects!
These 7 ideas should get you started!
How about some coasters or jewelry dishes?!
Edible gifts are always a hit!
Got some kids on your present list and not interested in adding to their Frozen memorabilia collections?
Oh Tea How We Love You...Let Us Count The Ways
1) You come in so many flavors. No matter what we are in the mood for, you are always there
2) Although we adore you warm, putting you on ice is totally an option for any time of the year!
3) You are the beverage equivalent of comfort food
4) You often come in lovely packaging and make an excellent gift
5) Your smell floats around the house. You are like a mini humidifier on a cold day!
6) and on and on and on....
Perhaps you are already a tea connoisseur. Perhaps you know one. Perhaps you are cutting back on the coffee and looking for a replacement. No matter what your level of tea obsession, here are some of our personal favorites to add to your collection!!
Know in the Swan realm as "best tea", Good Earth Sweet and Spicy is an absolute must own! (there is a caffeinated version as well!)
This Tulsi Vanilla Creme Tea by Organic India is absolutely wonderful!
The New Mexico Tea Company has two that we love, Chocolate Mint and Hot Cinnamon, and so many more we want to try!
DAVIDsTEA has a limited edition tea that is perfect for your holidays. Snow Day is everything you hope it to be!
Take your Earl Grey to the next level with Mariage Freres's Earl Grey French Blue.
This Kukicha Twig tea is best served with maple syrup and almond milk!
Don't let the name deter you from falling in love with this Harney & Sons tea. It is not just for special occasions!
You have heard us talk about the health benefits of turmeric before! This Turmeric Ginger tea by Rishi is delicious and nutritious! Buy it loose or in tea bags!
This Licorice Spice Herbal Tea will make your insides happy!
Concerned about the buying loose leaf tea? This tea pot will change your life!
The Season of Soup
Fall is upon us. Fall will turn into winter and winter will turn into spring. All of these seasons have the cold weather that most people find necessary to eat soup on a regular basis. And fall is the start of it all. In honor of this most hallowed of seasons, and because soup might be one of the best things on the planet, here is a collection of soup recipes to keep you warm and happy over the next few months. (Love to try new soups to inspire your recipes? Check out the 6th Annual Smith Street Soup Festival, tomorrow October 24 from 1 to 4!)
You can find so many of our other favorite soup recipes here!!
Things to remember about soup making!
- Soup makes excellent leftovers. Sometimes it is even better the next day. So make the full recipe. Don't half it. You will be sorry later! In fact, go ahead and double it if you want to!
- The versatility of soup is one of it's most exciting characteristics. The recipe calls for white beans but all you have are kidneys...go for it. The recipe calls for spinach but you prefer kale...throw it in. It is suppose to have meat in it but you are a vegetarian...add more veggies, beans or something else to keep it hearty and animal free.
- Soup needs time to simmer. All those flavors melding together are what make soup awesome. So give the ingredients some time to get to know one another. Even if it is just 30 min because the smell is too amazing and you can't wait a second longer.
- The broth matters. There is nothing wrong with good ole' store bought broth or stock. It saves time and makes throwing together a soup easier than ever. But if you have the time and the inclination, try making your own broth. It is so good for you and so delicious. Here are some great recipes and tips for making stocks and broths!
Recipes!!
Potato Leek Soup in the crock pot
This soup is perfect to prep the night before and throw in the crock pot on your way to work. You can also make this in a regular soup pot. Just cook everything until the potatoes and leeks are tender and then continue with the blending step.
Ingredients
4 to 6 baking potatoes, peeled and diced
4 to 6 leeks
1 carton vegetable or chicken broth
cream
a mix of cheeses to taste, I love to use a sharp white cheddar and some shaved parm (cheese is optional)
salt and pepper
You can add other spices such as rosemary, thyme, marjoram and fresh parsley. In this simple soup, the spices will add a distinct flavor so only use ones that you love!
Chop the leeks and rinse thoroughly.
Place the leeks, peeled and diced potatoes, a pinch of salt and some pepper and enough broth to cover into the crock pot and set on the low setting for 8 hours.
When you come home, check on everything and make sure the potatoes are very tender. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. You can leave it chunky or make it very smooth and creamy. You might need to add more broth if it looks a bit dry or two thick. Add cream to taste (I usually add less than 1/2 a cup) and cheese if using. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. This soup is so delicious to serve with a piece of crusty bread and a light salad for something fresh and bright to balance!
These are my three go to soup recipes as soon as the weather starts to cool. There are so so many more that we love and love to make. Stay tuned for more #soup recipes on the Swan Blog and let us know how these turn out for you. Add what you like, take out what you don't, and create your own favorite soup recipe today!
Easy Black Bean Soup
This soup is quick, easy and filling. I make it without meat because of the vegetarian in the house, but adding shredded chicken would be a great idea. Just make sure to cook and shred the chicken separately and add it just after you mix in the pureed beans!
Ingredients
3 cans black beans
1 can diced tomatos
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 red or yellow onion (medium), chopped
1 can of corn
jalapenos or green chilis to taste (I use one can of the green chilis and a few slices of jalapeno, diced)
vegetable or chicken broth
sour cream, cheese and fresh cilantro for garnish
You can add so much more to this soup if you would like. How about red and green peppers? That shredded chicken I mentioned. Kale or another hearty green. Serve it over brown rice. The options are endless!
Start by sauteing the onion in a little bit of olive oil until it becomes translucent and soft. Add in the garlic and saute for another minute or two. Add the peppers if using (jalapeno, green chili, red or green) and saute for another few minutes. Add the corn (drained) and the tomato (not drained) and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. While that is cooking, drain and rinse the beans. Add about half to the pot and continue to cook. At this point you can add a bit of broth to keep a little bit of liquid in the pot. Add a pinch of salt and some pepper and turn heat to low. The more broth you add, the thinner your soup will be. I do not add more than a cup to this soup.
While the soup is simmering, mash up or blend the rest of the black beans. I use an immersion blender, but you can do this by hand or in a food processor. You just want to create a bean paste to thicken your soup. Add this in after the soup has been simmering about 10 min. You will need to stir for awhile and mash up the paste so it dissolves into the soup liquids. At this point you can add chicken, greens, or anything other ingredients that are already cooked or do not take long to cook. Once all your ingredients are in, add more broth to bring the soup to the consistency you prefer. I do not add a lot of spices to this soup because the flavors are already great, but you can add things like garlic powder, chili powder and cumin if you like. Let simmer for at least another 20 to 30 minutes with the lid on and add seasoning to taste. Serve with whatever garnish you prefer!
Spicy Vegetable Beef Soup
This is an old classic of my mom's. The original recipe calls for mostly canned veggies and ground beef. You can also make this with mostly fresh veggies and/or boca crumbles. It is one of those "whatever you have on hand" kind of soups!
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (or one package of veggie crumbles)
1 container V8 juice
2 cans each of: french style green beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce
1 large yellow onion
2 backing potatoes, peeled and diced
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
5 beef bullion cubes (or vegetable bullion), you can skip this and use stock instead!
Brown the beef along with the chopped onions. Drain any grease and add the potatoes and the bullion. Add water to cover and simmer for 30 min or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add all of the canned items (drain the green beans and the corn). Add the container of V8 Juice and the spices. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer with lid on for 30min to an hour. Taste and add seasoning if needed.
Salmon Cakes
I post this recipe with a big full heart. I learned it in the kitchen of my first Pilates teacher, mentor, and one of the three who certified me to teach, Jocelyn Nugent. Spending time cooking dinner and learning all things life, food, and Pilates with Joc shaped me greatly. Think of Charleston, SC, long walks with dogs along the water, and Pilates cues that reference sea creatures and beach life while you make these!
Ingredients
2 large cans or 4 small cans of boneless, skinless, wild caught, thoughtfully caught salmon or cook your own!
2-3 eggs
1/4 cup of finely chopped chives
1tbsp of Capers (optional)
1/4- 1/2 cup of diced red pepper
1 teaspoon of ground mustard
1 teaspoon of dry dill and 2 teaspoons of fresh dill
1-3 tbsp of Almond flour or teff flour to sprinkle as needed if mixture too wet
salt and pepper as you like, freshly ground
1 tbsp of mustard- any kind
1 tbsp of mayo
High heat oil for cooking
Lemon Wedges for garnish and you can use the left over fresh dill to make an easy greek yogurt, caper, lemon and dill sauce for the side. Just combine these ingredients plus caper juice to taste!
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. You want the consistency to stick together. If it's too dry they will crumble. If it's too wet they will fall apart in the pan. Add a little more almond flour if too wet and mustard if too dry.
Heat your oil to high in a large skillet. Scoop out enough mixture to make a patty between your palms. Place 4-6 patties in a the pan at once depending on your skillet size. Allow to cook from 4-6 minutes on first side, until they brown and easily flip. Repeat on second side. Place on a plate covered with a tower or paper towel to cool.
Serve over greens and eat with good friends who nourish your heart and mind.
#adventuretime - OBX!
I recently took a trip to the Outer Banks and it was oh so lovely! We stayed in Corolla which is the farthest north you can go before you have to drive on the sand. A few of my favorite things:
1. Watching the sun set over the sound. Duh! Grab a glass of rosé or local beer and head out to the pier closest to you. If you're lucky you'll choose one that isn't too crowded. The view from The Whalehead Club is AMAZING.
2. Getting fresh fish every day at the market. I went to Dockside North Seafood Market, flirted with some surfers and bought whatever looked delicious...and it WAS! (here's a tip - bring a big pot of water with a Zatarain's Crab boil packet, a halved lemon and a cup of vermouth to boil, add a couple pounds of shrimp for like 3 minutes and immediately strain and dump them into a big bowl of ice. #YUMS)
3. Wild horses! Need I say more?
4. Beer and seafood at North Banks Restaurant and Raw Bar. Delicious and reliable! I went there every other day... I highly recommend the steamers and they have a great lunch.
5. The Shack: a coffee house and beer garden. Ok. This place is crazy. It's a coffee shop during the day and turns into a beer garden at night. There is a huge outdoor area with rocking chairs and driftwood furniture. Huge beer selection and local music. Very chill, very beachy. Kinda feels like its not 2015 when you're there.
6. The Blue Point. Fancy. Delicious. Sunset. Date Night!
7. Rundown Cafe. This place is a great stop when you are turning from the bypass onto the beach road. It's kinda Caribbean, kinda fusion-y (I mean, this is the south people), but in a good way and definitely a good stop after you've been driving for a while. FYI: it is a good 45 minutes drive north from Kitty Hawk to Corolla even though its only like 20 miles...
8. Kayaking, body surfing, jet skiing, surfing, HANG GLIDING!!
YAAAAAASSS
Two New Turmeric Recipes!
We just can't get enough and these look SO very yummy.
Coconut, Tumeric, Ginger, Berries? Doesn't get better than this.
This one is a little more involved... but ROSE COCONUT TURMERIC LASSI? Yes, puhleeeezz.
picture courtesy of mindbodygreen
See more recipes here!
This is so good it will make you cry.
What is better than figs and chocolate? I honestly cannot come up with a decent answer.
A recipe recap for your holiday weekend!!
Long weekends are the perfect time for some kitchen adventures. Why? Because Sunday is followed by yet another day of fun and relaxation which can give you the energy you need to try a new recipe just for fun. Not to mention, long weekends usually happen because of a holiday and holidays usually mean get-togethers and get-togethers usually mean bring food to share! We love love love finding new recipes to try and share with others. Check out some of our favorite recipes from the Swan Blog and start making your grocery list!!
#grillmaster
I LOVE a whole grilled fish. Yes, there are bones, a head and a tail but the flavor is so much richer and I feel good about being able to see the whole thing. I may be alone here...
This grilled whole Snapper from Food and Wine looks amazing and the radish salad caught my eye, partially because I recently learned there is a NIGHT of the RADISHES festival in Oaxaca. How cool is that>!>!> It happens during Christmas time and the winner who makes the craziest radish sculpture wins a cash prize. I couldn't find a radish Swan so I think we may have a unique advantage.
