Spring Sprouts! At the long house today for lunch there was a amazing sprout carrot salad. which is so exciting after months of winter. to have fresh little baby sprouts! 

For Lunch

Adzuki Bean Brown Rice

(watch and learn how to make Brown Rice here)

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Sprout Salad with grated Carrot and creamy Dressing

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Sautéed Broccoli

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Roasted Carrots

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Kimchi

 (Our Kimchi is finally ready and it is so good! everyone should make kimchi or some kind of pickle at home)

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Bancha Tea

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Brown Rice

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Kinpira with Carrots, and Burdock

(watch and learn how to make Kinpira here)

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Blanched Collard Greens

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Red Lentil Soup

 The only thing I can crave in the morning is creamy oatmeal! Not the kind of oatmeal where 70% of the bowl is sweetener nuts and berries.

 Just plain oatmeal cooked with love and care. 

My favorite oatmeal is made with whole oats cooked overnight. but that is difficult to do some times. 

So ever since my father got this amazing grain roller, we can have freshly rolled creamy oats when over we want! 

Lately how I have been enjoying cooking them is 

Putting 3 cups of cold water on the stove. adding two handfuls of rolled oats, one pinch of salt. 

Then bringing it up to a boil. Putting on a flame tamer and turning the heat on low. Cooking it for 15min.

I like oats that are cooked. not chewy and raw. soft and creamy and maybe decorated a little with a piece of fruit but that is manly to make it more photogenic ;) 

I am a person who needs breakfast every morning or I just feel strange all day. 

My digestion is very sensitive. and I find that starting out the day with something simple like this oatmeal and a nice Miso Soup gets the day off right overtime. 

(watch and learn how to make Miso Soup here)

Feels like Spring is coming sooner every year up here in Alaska. today was above freezing all day, with huge puddles forming from the melting snow. It is one of the most exciting times of the year I think. where you can feel such change happening all around. 

It felt like a day to make a bunch of my favorite foods all in one meal!

For Lunch 

Udon and Shoyu Kombu Broth

(watch and learn how to make Udon here)

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Baked Squash and Tofu with Olive oil, Salt, Shoyu, and Mirin

(watch and learn how to make Tofu here)

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Pan Fried Mochi with Sweet Adzuki Bean Paste

(watch and learn how to make Mochi here)

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Blanched Vegetable Salad with Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Kale and Cucumber with a Scallion Umeboshi Dressing

 Five months with out thinking of writing,posting, or photography. anything creative really.

To be open and truthful it has been a intense winter. 

I with my siblings have been giving our selfs completely into the role of caretaker for my father with the support of our community. 

He has been struggling with effects of cancer for the last year. 

I felt that I did't have time for such things as blogging or any creative outlet,even cooking has been tough task.

But I have been missing the satisfaction I get from creating something. really putting in the time and making mistakes and in the end having something to share and enjoy.

I think it is important for me to do something like this , something seemingly unimportant comparison to the situation I am in. something just for myself. 

I was so happy to see that while I was absent the blog continued to get visited everyday. it makes me so happy that you enjoy this blog and all that it offers. 

Well, to get to the food.

For Lunch 

Brown Rice 

(watch and learn how to make Brown Rice here)

with Sesame butter

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Fried Kidney Beans

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Carrot, Cucumber Salad with Cilantro, Capers and spoonful of Vegenaise for dressing

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Baked Squash and Sweet Potato

first boiled until slightly soft then drained and mixed with Olive Oil, Salt, Oregano

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