I Found One

Annoyed by the deceptiveness of the name of our current street — Quailview Loop — I was convinced there were no quail here

until tonight 🙂

Happiest moment all day.

It didn’t even matter that dinner would be served late & not exactly what I had planned.

I have little bopping quail to humor my walks again.

~

I hope you found something beautiful today as well

or at least something delicious 😉

Braised Lebanese Eggplant with Chickpeas

Adapted from a recipe in Fitness Magazine

6 servings

• 2 T EVOO

Heat in a dutch oven or large pot or deep pan over med-high heat.

• 1 large Onion, diced

Add & saute ~7 minutes, until soft.

• 1 large Eggplant or 6 small, cut into 2-inch pieces

Stir in.
Cook 5 minutes, until Eggplant begins to brown.

• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• ½ tsp ground All Spice
• ¼ tsp ground Cumin
• 1 can Tomato Sauce
• dash of dried Basil &/or a Bay Leaf
• 1 T Red Wine

Stir in & bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to medium & simmer 5 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Stir in:

• 2/3 C Water
• 2 C cooked Chickpeas
• S&P

Transfer to a slow cooker on low for 2-4 hours until the eggplant is tender.

[you can also transfer it to a preheated 325*F oven for 45-50 minutes, covered, if using a dutch oven.]

Years ago, this was one of my first experiences with eggplant, & I absolutely fell in love.  It just sort of falls apart in your mouth…marrying with the all spice perfectly.

It was meant to be served in grilled spaghetti squash bowls…but alas, due to an empty propane tank & a little misunderstanding, we will just have to dress our bowls up with something else tomorrow.

~

You Are Exactly Where You Are Supposed to Be

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t embrace the experience of growing, improving & learning.

It is getting over the attachment to the I-won’t-be-happy/successful-until-I-have/accomplish-“this” mentality.  As long as we embrace each step as part of the experience, it is perfectly fine to look forward. Just don’t forget to accept & embrace this very moment.

We easily get stuck in every day, monotonous habits & forget to truly live. Goals can be crucial to keeping us on the road that keeps us happiest.

It’s not simply a matter of ‘what do I want to do?’ or ‘what are my goals?’.

Instead, ask, “what would excite me?”

Entrepreneur & author, Timothy Ferriss, created a process that resonates with me of applying time-lining to what most would consider dreams: dreamlining.

I do not adhere strictly to his method, but use it as a guideline for my own goal setting. Short-term have been most effective for me, ~3 months, which I have realized make them perfectly suited for the seasons.

FALL DREAMLINING

Climb V6

Practice yoga every day ~ Open my hips! ~ Master Pigeon, static Handstand, Dancer variation, extended Side Crane

Take a new yoga & spinning class [I love checking out different teaching styles]

Find a new gym / establish new workout setting & commit ASAP

 

Tickle the ivories daily ~ Master a new piano piece

Pick up the needles ~ Knit at least one new project

Listen to one new audiobook [perfect for road trips & knitting ;)]

Make All winter solstice/holiday gifts for friends & family

 

Make a new friend

Buy another camera [currently I  use Dave’s & would like my own]

Sell remaining items from the “move” & 100 Challenge

Write/blog daily ~ Explore resources & styles

 

Embrace Time & Mobility

Establish a viable income in AZ

Launch database website

~

Since the last couple weeks have been a bit hectic preparing for the move, simple meals that use up our pantry goods & are still deliciously satisfying have been a must.

Chunky.Red.Spaghetti.Squash.Bowl

Angela’s Chunky Red Sauce is simple & amazing.  Just combine [I left out the scallop squash], stir & simmer for ~45 minutes, which is about how long the squash will take to bake.

Match made in heaven my kitchen. 😉

Cut one spaghetti squash in half length-wise, scoop out seeds & guts [there is not much in this variety] & lay cut-side down in a glass baking dish with about one inch of water.  Place in a preheated 400*F oven for ~45minutes, until the flesh is cooked & flakes easily, checking occasionally to make sure the water does not evaporate completely.  I usually turn the squash cut-side up for a few minutes to “toast” the flesh a bit at the end.

Now…instead of flaking & scooping the flesh onto plates — burning your fingertips all the while — simply fill with red sauce & serve individual squash bowls [our squash was small & perfectly portioned for a half each].  Let each diner enjoy the flaking & mixing. 🙂  Cook smarter not harder, plus creative serving presentations are always impressive. 😉

~

What are your “goals” for Fall?