sundays are cook days: the muffin edition

As part of this week's big cook day, I did a batch of our favorite muffins.  They come from Terry Walters' excellent book Clean Start. They are vegan, gluten-free and delicious.  It amazes me how wonderful all the recipes I have tried in both Clean Start and her other book Clean Food are - without the addition of oils, gluten or refined sugars.  I have also had other vegan cookbooks that require expensive specialty ingredients or processed meat substitutes - Ms. Walters relies on neither for her scrumptious recipes.  This is the Zucchini Carrot Muffin from Clean Start.  The recipe is not online, but I think that buying the book is well worth it - just for these!

portrait of isabella blow

I saw this portrait of Isabella Blow by Noble and Webster on Garance Dore the other day and I can't stop thinking about it.  Beautiful, creepy, disgusting, inspiring.  I think what I like about it the most is that it challenges all of my ideas of what a portrait is, and what it can be.

the delicious miss dahl

 

As a fan of the book Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights, and of Miss Sophie Dahl herself, I was thrilled to see that she has a show based on her book, which is currently showing Sunday nights here in Canada.  She has a simple approach to making mostly vegetarian food - she doesn't eat meat herself, but will cook it for others - and is just a treat to watch.  She cooks on a giant white Aga in a beautiful, vintagey kitchen that I would love to own.  Some people have criticized the show because she isn't a chef - but I think that's precisely what I like about it.  Sadly, I hear that the show has been cancelled by the BBC - so I am going to savour the existing episodes.  If you'd like to try one of her recipes, I have made her flourless chocolate cake a number of times, and it's divine.  Just use a really good chocolate, like Green & Blacks, and you can't go wrong.

sundays are cook days

I've started spending the better part of my Sunday cooking and shopping for the week ahead.  I usually try to bake some muffins or sweets and also a soup and a casserole for us to eat that day, and pack up for lunch over the next few days.  We are trying to be mostly vegan - at least during the week - and there aren't a lot of choices out there.  And - it's also fiscally responsible!  Anyhow, this week's cookie is the "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie from Everybody Likes Sandwiches.  Great blog, great cookie.

holga self-portrait

Thought it was time for a new profile shot, so I did this self-portrait.  The holga effect is mainly to hide the cluttered background.  I hate having photos taken, so this is a big deal.  Note, new glasses.  You can't see from this - but they are purple with tortoise-shell arms.

melrose & morgan

Melrose & Morgan - possibly the most beautiful grocery store ever. (via Remodelista)