breakfast table this morning. It is a
pretty morning.
annoyance and frustration. And yet, it is a pretty morning. We are grounded in
it.
to be in the moment, to really look at the world, no matter what the struggles
of the day might be or have been.
is. A tool to build resilience, for an expanding life.
be away, to travel, to experience life and the ocean, what a privilege. It was
a cold water dive, one of my first, and so as we sank down to admire the
underwater landscape, the dancing kelp, the vibrant colors, I noticed I was
very cold. My whole body was cold. And it made it very challenging to see the
beauty around me. It took great effort, to shift my focus.
our vision. For survival, I suppose. Yet the key to seeing that pretty morning,
was acceptance. Stop fighting the cold, and accept it. Accept needs (whether
met or unmet). Accept the struggles without judging them. And the clouds will
part, to reveal the pretty mornings, that exist no matter what.
how very bad I am at accepting my own struggles, while I am able to meet Pablo’s struggles with acceptance and empathy (most of the time!). My own struggles fluster me, make me feel inadequate.
In short, grumpy 🙂 And stuck.
embrace my struggles for what they are: life’s journeys, tools, resources for
learning and growing.
me from those pretty mornings, those lovely seconds of joy or contentment or
beauty inexorably present even on the worst of days.
very thankful for my mother’s help during this time. And if one thing has remained
constant through these past couple of months, it is our meals.
connection, of being grounded and present. Instead of a burden as one might see
it (to prepare a four course meal in spite of chaos, rush or stress), it has
been a resource. Something that has helped us all through the difficult times. Moments
to grab and rescue us from the whirlwind of projections, fears, anxieties and plans, moments to keep us tethered to life, to the serenity of the here and now… which is all there really is.
time for some fun family food, try this pumpkin fondue we shared on Halloween
night with dear friends visiting from France. It was enjoyed by all ages 🙂
time to work on my book / cookbook. I thank you so very much for your patience
and loyalty.
If you would like a particular recipe on the menu, feel free to contact me! (I marked with a * the recipes that will be the topic of upcoming posts).
MONDAY
Pablo’s Lunchbox:
Smoked salmon, avocado & quinoa salad, cooked zucchini with vinaigrette, goat gouda, tangerine.
Goûter (4pm snack) – Chocolate pudding
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Baked artichokes with shallot vinaigrette
Main course: Mixed vegetable jardinière with pork belly
TUESDAY
Pablo’s Lunchbox:
Boiled leeks with vinaigrette, hard boiled egg, cherry tomatoes & blue potato salad, cheddar, pear.
Goûter – Apple
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Broccoli spinach soup
Main course: Braised endives with ham au gratin (quinoa flour béchamel)
WEDNESDAY
Picnic Lunch
Fennel spinach watercress savory cake, lentil shallot salad, comté cheese, grapes
Goûter – Pear
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Pumpkin celery soup*, apple cheddar muffins
Main course: Trying these lentil cakes from Cannelle & Vanille
THURSDAY
Lunch
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Authentic Greek Salad
Main course: Flaxseed tortilla quesadillas with mozzarella and creamy mushrooms
Goûter – Yogurt with fresh figs
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Watermelon radish (with butter and salt)
Main course: Butternut zucchini Spanish tortilla, with butter lettuce
FRIDAY
Pablo’s Lunchbox:
French-style grated carrots, tuna rice salad with tomatoes and beans, cheese, persimmon
Goûter – Tangerine
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Pea salad
Main course: Pan-fried leg of lamb with flageolets beans.
SATURDAY
Picnic Lunch
Persian cucumber sticks, sardine ricotta pea sandwich, cheese, fruit.
Goûter – Apple compote
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Cream of cauliflower
Main course: Sauteed shrimp with lime over red quinoa
SUNDAY
Lunch
Mixed quinoa salad with crudités, proscuitto.
Goûter – Blackberries & apple
Dinner
Appetizer / Finger Foods: Green beans cauliflower herb salad
Main course: Dutch oven roasted chicken, roasted sweet potato fingerlings
So happy you're going to be posting more often—love reading your voice and trying your new recipes! As always, this looks AMAZING. And super exciting news about a cookbook, I will certainly be purchasing whenever that happens. 🙂
Glad that Pablo is able to remind you of pretty mornings. It's so easy to get caught up in the bad and stay grumpy (especially mornings for me… haha). I hope that life gets smoother and smoother for you!
Ah thank you so very much for your warmth and support, Vanessa! 🙂 Your kind words brought a smile to my face tonight.
I have to compliment you on the delicious (and nutritious) lunches you are preparing for your little one while at school. Such an inspiration! I wouldn't mind some of them for my own lunch 🙂
Thank you kindly Courtney 🙂
Thank you for sharing all these delicious ideas. I'm a huge fan of your blog. I've just started one as well if you want to look at it: http://www.croque-maman.com. I'll try to share some of my little ones week's menu as well so as we can exchange thoughts 🙂 Have a nice evening.
I look forward to checking out your blog, love the name!
I tried the lentil cakes! I added sesame seeds 🙂 So good.. My son ate two! Also, so glad you're back in action, missed you lots!
Nitasha
Yay 🙂 Thank you so much, Nitasha!