Welcome to SpiritScout
Wisdom for the ages infused by single track, snow, and spiritual adventures.
Hello and Welcome to SpiritScout!
Yup, only worse…
Wisdom for the ages infused by single track, snow, and spiritual adventures.
Hello and Welcome to SpiritScout!
Yup, only worse…
I love a vegetable-forward kitchen. Lightly steamed, then oven-roasted local carrots with pickled onions and crushed pecans serve as a main course in our home. (And yes—my hubby has eaten happily right along with me!)
I’m a devout foodie who grew up cooking at my mother’s side; I waitressed and cooked at ‘What’s Your Beef?’ in college, and even earned a certificate of classical training with Anne Willan at La Varenne Cooking School in Burgundy, France. I am fascinated by all things food: restaurants, cultures, techniques, recipes, food personalities. I travel on my stomach. I’ve enjoyed writing about food over the past decades with my Everyday Gourmet book and newspaper column. I’ve cooked, eaten, and loved it all!
Over a decade ago, I tried the Paleo diet with my CrossFit pals and made the mental and physical leap to eliminating processed foods from my pantry. That was a mind-expanding experience that empowered me to think anew about food choices—and one I will cherish, as it opened the gates of possibility for me. The Paleo was fun for a while, but my aging, vertigo-stricken body yearned for more, so I decided to try going vegan/vegetarian at sixty for a couple of years—and I loved the results.
When Covid hit us with a houseful of hungry people, and I read Dr. Longo’s Longevity Diet book, I adapted towards a more balanced plate, as I require more animal protein with age.
At sixty-nine, I’m feeling my best on this menu, and not restricting ingredients has reignited my enthusiasm for cooking again. I consistently make good choices—stress-free, and I’m enjoying my meals more. As we age, it’s vital to listen to what our body is calling for and be willing to pivot with more information and consciousness. I choose the cleanest, most nutrient-dense food available in the moment. I’ve never felt healthier, stronger, or leaner—so in this section I’m going to share with you some of my discoveries and delights.
When I was vegan, I discovered a fun paradox in the kitchen: restricting ingredients actually made me a more creative and daring cook. I learned many cooking techniques that are tastier and healthier than traditional recipes, which I continued to develop and use. Cashew cream, dairy-free pesto, vegan aioli, pickled golden berries, and spicy romesco sauce adorn my daily table— they are mind-blowingly good! I’m not a fan of mock meats or trying to mimic classic dishes with inferior substitutes. I still prefer baked vegan goods to bakery standards. I am all about considering all of the choices out there and picking the best whole food in the moment. I’ll continue to be curious about new skills and creative ways to incorporate the rich inventory of healthy plant-based foods, creating fresh new flavor profiles and hearty, healthy dishes to share.
Currently, I’m on the Sourdough Train, along with millions of others, and loving the ride! I hope you’ll join me in the kitchen—and please, share your discoveries with me as well.
I am a firm believer that coffee cake is the glue of weekend. No matter what else happens, if you have a perfect bite of cake paired with a hot cup of coffee, or my Maple Magic Iced Coffee, then everything else is going to be okay.
Two kitchen hacks that I’ve created also feed my irreverence and creativity when it comes to seasoning. A cook’s seasoning confidence is what transforms good food into great food.
Even if our story is Trauma with a capital T, it’s still just soup without a recipe, without a direction, and because we know it by heart, it’s in danger of becoming a stale default that no longer nourishes.
The Japanese have a word ‘otaku’ which means when one becomes obsessed with an idea, product, or hobby they simply must tell their friends all about it. Well, SpiritScouts, this is what I’m excited about right now, so I’m sharing this éclat of hacks with you to inspire some summer fun!
This relish instantly elevates simple basics into a meal worth celebrating, exactly what we need in the heat...
The holidays are right around the corner and visitors with food preferences from A-Z will be joining us for Christmas Eve. I like to serve an array of desserts that appeal to each of my loved ones, but are also simple enough for me to do-ahead.
We bounce between chilly bike rides, soccer schedules, and dressing for every kind of weather as a wild effervescence reboots our spirits—everything feels illuminated! I think the sunlight is the most spectacular part of this season—brilliant afternoons that dapple riots of color against cobalt blue skies…
Something holy happens to me when I am touching this beautiful, live dough that I created. It is there to support and sustain me, and it truly possess a kind of cellular magic…
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted in the Kitchen Spirit section, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been cooking up a storm…
I attribute our momentum to my daughter Kate’s prescient initiative: putting us ALL on a preschooler’s schedule right from the get-go. I can attest there is nothing more soothing than the reliability of a routine that includes snack time, hopscotch, and episodes of the Magic School Bus during a pandemonium.
We can all enjoy indulging in this yummy plant-based treat without sliding down the pandemic nutrition hole. Many folks are worried about gaining ‘the Covid-19’ but with some daily walking and smart choices, my prayer is that we all come out of this thing stronger physically and emotionally.
The Hunter’s Moon appears today and with it a desire to cook richer, more deeply satisfying foods from the autumn harvest. The sun is opposite the moon for the longest period of the year and this provides us one 'last call' for the joys of Indian summer.
It’s time to start treating our bodies less like graveyards and more like the gorgeous gardens they are created to be.
Time: there is never enough, yet we have all there is. Here is a post about a simple formula for making the most of our time.
