I reminded Matilda of how lovable she is…

This is true.. I should also note that Matilda is no ordinary dog. No, I have to lure her with treats to go out for walks, and she doesn’t settle for just any kind of food, toy, or other dog. She can also eat an entire bar of dark chocolate without repercussions. Lucky her, but I don’t want to go through the experience of the latter again.

When I came across Ashley’s recipe for ‘Chocolate Coconut Fudge Sauce‘, I went to the store to fetch some coconut milk to make it later that day. The coconut milk was incredibly thick, so I knew this was going to be a yummy, decadent affair.

Yes, please. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this jar was nearly empty by the end of the morning.

Since it’s Friday and the weekend is beginning, I thought I’d share some breakfast ideas with you.

Katie’s ‘Deep-Dish Cookie Pie‘

Some people like their cookies crunchy all the way through, but I like to have a little bit of both worlds. Something that will melt in my mouth, but with a crunch my teeth I have to bite through first.

This cookie pie is mostly made with beans! Red bean cakes anyone?

With a drizzle of amaretto syrup. I wonder if the noblemen during the Medieval times would’ve scoffed at the notion of this.

if I had the crusts cut off! Here’s a throwback recipe for you:

Suppe dorate [Gilded sippets]
Take slices of white bread, trimmed so that they have no crusts; make these slices square and slightly grilled so that they are colored all over by the fire. Then take eggs beaten together with plenty of sugar and a little rose water; and put the slices of bread in this to soak; carefully remove them, and fry them a little in a frying pan with a little butter and lard, turning them very frequently so that they do not burn. The arrange them on a plate, and top with a little rose water colored yellow with a little saffron, and with plenty of sugar.”
—The Medieval Kitchen, Recipes from France and Italy, Odilie Redon et al, (p.207)
(recipe translated from Libro de arte coquinaria, Maestro Martino [1450])

-Source.

Rose water and water colored yellow with saffron… definitely a recipe for the old-world elite.

This recipe for “Kañiwa and Coconut Pancakes” uses a grain that’s similar to quinoa, but doesn’t have the layer of saponins that quinoa has. Kañiwa even sounds similar to quinoa! I don’t have this particular grain in my pantry so I just subbed in the quinoa. Since I ended up cooking too little of it I threw in some whole oats. I actually liked the texture the oats lent to the pancakes. Something the tongue can hold on to, and the teeth can chew. Can you tell I’m keen on textures? The pancake was originally paired with a ’Chunky Cherry & Prune Syrup’, but I used papaya instead of cherries.

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup blanched almonds, soaked for a few hours or overnight

2 cups water, (I like to use distilled)

3-4 medjool dates, pitted

1 tbl coconut butter–not the same as coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Fruit to serve

Directions

1. Place chia seeds in a bowl and set aside.

2. Pour the water out to strain the almonds and rinse well.

3. In a blender add the almonds, 2 cups of water, dates, coconut butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.Strain cashews and rinse well. Place in an upright blender add 4 cups of filtered water, dates, salt, cinnamon, coconut butter and vanilla extract. Blend on high speed for about 2 minutes.

4. Then pour into the bowl with the chia seeds, whisking as you pour. Let it sit for 15 minutes, keeping an eye on it and stirring every once in awhile. This keeps the chia seeds from clumping. You’ll see the seeds starting to soak up the liquid.

5. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.

6. When the hour is up, remove it from the fridge and serve chilled topped with the fruit of your desire.

This recipe keeps for a few days, and it’s easy to mix up. For instance, instead of using water you can use coconut milk, and even add some shredded coconut as well.

Afterall, for some folks the weekend is the only time they get to relax. Some mornings one may jump out of bed, and head straight to the kitchen to prepare an elaborate breakfast spread. Other mornings, they may just feel like pouring their favorite cereal into a bowl till it overflows. On mornings like that I just grab a fruit.

I love how they work like magic.

While organizing the cupboards I found a box of tapioca pearls I purchased awhile ago. I’m the kind of person who likes to use things, rather than just let them sit around for that unknown, mysterious occasion. It’s not about the occasion. It’s about the mood.

Yucca! Preparing tapioca pearls is a process that requires attention, but it’s rather simple and quick. I followed this recipe for ‘coconut-tapioca in a papaya bowl‘.

Something about using fruits as bowls, or what have you–actually, I’m going to call them vessels–takes me to a place without windows or walls. A place where I’m living off the land and the days don’t seem like they’re speeding by because of my perception. A place where I’m more connected with the rhythms of nature, rather than the constructs of my mind. I stand humbled and grateful for all that it offers and all that it is… making life more succulent by tasting delicious and being so beautiful.

That’s the dreamer in me.