on nourishing yourself + lemony parsnip and white bean soup

Hello, beautiful people!

I’m back home in Seattle after our trip to Paris and Brussels and feeling super excited for the new year! I always forget how much good it does me to step out of my day-to-day routine and how travel energizes me like nothing else. There was a piece of me that didn't want to leave town before our trip. I could imagine nothing better than spending the holidays catching up on sleep and work. What the eff was I thinking?!? 

This trip was one of the best ever. I feel like I might say that after every trip, but somehow it’s always true. I walked all over the city. I ate amazing food. I got enough sleep for the first time in ages. I connected with some awesome people doing very cool things. I am starting 2017 feeling full of creativity and inspired to bring new projects to life! (Want to come with me to Paris next time? Click here.)

The benefits of our trip have carried over into my routine back in Seattle as well. December was pretty disastrous in the self-care department. But since I’ve been home, I’ve been eating better, going to sleep at a reasonable hour and exercising again. All of which makes me realize how important nourishing myself physically and emotionally is for creativity. 

Before I dragged my ass onto our flight to Paris, I was interested in precisely nothing. I was feeling seriously burnt out and uninspired. Photography: don’t care. Writing: nope. Cooking: hardly. I had slid into old habits of pushing myself to the edge of my mental and physical limits with work, shitty food and a sleep deficit no amount of coffee could compensate for. 

Now that I’m home and feeling excited to create again, I’m writing this post as a reminder to myself (and maybe to you, too) that when we stop taking care of ourselves, everything else falls out of whack.

In 2017, I aim to nourish myself with good food, sleep, connection and travel. One way I keep myself eating well is to fix a big pot of soup for the week. This Lemony Parsnip and White Bean Soup is one of my favorites. It’s got all the good stuff: kale, beans, garlic, olive oil. Simple, hearty and comforting, it’s perfect for staving off the winter blues or a nasty cold. As part of my intention to stay healthier, happier and saner in 2017, I’ll be cooking up a pot (or two or three) of this warming soup in the new year.

xo,

Olaiya

P.S. I’d love to hear back in the comments how you’ll be taking care of yourself in 2017. And for those of you looking to spark your creativity through a retreat in Paris next year, click here!

---

Lemony Parsnip and White Bean Soup

• 1 lemon
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional to serve
• 1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half moons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
• 4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or bean cooking liquid (if you cooked your own beans)
• 1 bunch kale (I like lacinato), stems removed and torn into 2-inch pieces
• A nice hunk of parmesan rind (optional)
• 2 cups cooked white beans (preferably homemade)
• Grated parmesan (optional), to serve

*Notes: You can leave out the parmesan for a vegan soup. 

- When I have time, I like to cook this soup a little longer to let the lemon peels soften and then serve the soup with the peels left in. When cooked long enough, they're almost like preserved lemons.

- For a heartier meal, I sometimes serve this soup with pasta in it. I like conchighlie, trofie, gemeli and orecchiete in particular, but any bite-sized pasta will do. In order to keep the pasta from getting soggy in the soup, I always cook it separately until al dente, then place it in the individual bowls and top it with hot soup just before serving. I think this soup would also be lovely served with a grain like farro or barley.

- For a non-vegetarian version, shredding some cooked chicken into the soup is delicious.

Use a peeler to cut 4 1-inch-wide by 3-inch-long strips of zest from the lemon. Once the zest is removed, juice the lemon. Set the juice and zest aside.

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is translucent and soft, but not browned, 5-8 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, bay and lemon zest and saute for another 4-5 minutes, until the parsnips begin to soften.

Add the stock, kale, parmesan rind and beans to the pot and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently until the kale and parsnips are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice to taste and season the soup with salt and pepper. Cook for a few more minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

To serve, remove the parmesan rind, strips of lemon zest and bay leaf from the pot. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the soup and sprinkle with parmesan (if using) and some more black pepper. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Inspired by this recipe by Heather over at Flourishing Foodie.

roasted cauliflower salad with pomegranate and hazelnuts

For those of you in the US, I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! Ours was much better than I expected. As I wrote in my last post, I had been having a hard time getting in the holiday spirit after the election. A few days before Thanksgiving (with no menu whatsoever in place) I happened upon this article, which gave me the idea to draw on Middle Eastern flavors for our holiday meal. The bright flavors of Turkey, Iran, Lebanon and Israel felt like just what I needed to lift me out of my funk.

So I decided to scrap the turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce in favor of lemony leek meatballs; a basmati pilaf with chickpeas, currants and dill; homemade flatbread with za’atar; cucumber yogurt and a beautiful pink beet hummus. The star of the dinner, though, was this roasted cauliflower salad with pomegranate and hazelnuts. 

The recipe comes from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi--one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. This salad is earthy, nutty, sweet and tart all at once. The silky texture of the roasted cauliflower is balanced by the crunch of raw celery and toasty hazelnuts. The fact that this salad sits at the unlikely intersection of so many contrasting flavors and textures is a large part of it’s appeal. The fact that it’s beautiful and healthy doesn’t hurt either.

After I made this for Thanksgiving, I realized how festive those jewel-toned colors are--perfect for adding a bright splash to your holiday table. Or a quick weeknight supper. Either way, you can’t go wrong. 

And in case you’re wondering, my post-election blues seem to be fading. I’ve been talking to friends about meaningful ways to take action and stand up for what I believe in. And gathering around the table with loved ones as often as possible. Which, in my opinion, is the best ways to cure any sort of blues.

---

Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad

• 5 tablespoons hazelnuts, raw or toasted
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• Kosher or sea salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 large stalks celery, cut on the bias into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/4 cup celery leaves
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves

*Note: I recommend toasting your own hazelnuts for this recipe so their dark, nutty flavor really comes through. But pre-roasted nuts will do in a pinch.

If you are using raw hazelnuts: preheat your oven to 325° F. Spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed sheet pan and roast until the skins start to loosen and the nuts turn golden-brown and fragrant, 8-12 minutes  Transfer the hot hazelnuts to a clean tea towel. Gather the four corners of the towel and twist them together to form a parcel around the hazelnuts. Rub vigorously to remove as many skins as possible. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Increase the oven temperature to 475° F. Place the cauliflower on a parchment lined sheet pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss with a generous pinch of salt. Roast until browned in spots and tender, 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, sherry vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Roughly chop the hazelnuts and place them in a large bowl along with the cauliflower, pomegranate seeds, celery, celery leaves, parsley and the vinaigrette. Stir to coat, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Serve at room temperature.

Makes 3-4 side-dish servings.
Adapted slightly from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

charred brussels sprouts with turmeric vinaigrette and toasted cashews

Hello, friends.

It’s been a rough week, hasn't it?

Whichever side of the political fence you find yourself on, the events of the past few days (and months, for that matter) have been pretty stressful. Which is why I’m glad Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It gives us a perfect opportunity to put our conflicts aside, gather friends and family around the table, and reflect on all that we have to be grateful for.

To help you make this Thanksgiving as stress-free as possible, I have another easy holiday recipe for you. This one is courtesy of my friend Kyle. To my mind, this is the best sort of Thanksgiving fare: the traditional roasted Brussels sprouts enlivened with a bright turmeric dressing, crunchy cashews and radishes, plus a handful of fresh herbs. It’s a beautiful combination of flavors old and new, ingredients from near and far--like America herself.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I don't normally get that excited about Thanksgiving. But this year, I’m going all out to make our celebration bright. As we sit down at the table to share and give thanks, I’ll be hoping the holiday encourages us all to extend a little extra warmth and kindness towards those who need it.

---

Charred Brussels Sprouts with Turmeric Vinaigrette and Toasted Cashews

• ½ cup cashews
• ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons neutral oil (we used avocado oil), divided
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. brussel sprouts, cleaned, halved and patted dry
• 1 large or 2-3 small radishes, sliced into thin rounds (we used small watermelon radishes)
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, picked or roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon dill fronds, picked or roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 350°F. 

Place the cashews on a sheet pan and toast until they smell fragrant and have a light golden color, 10-12 minutes. Transfer cashews to a plate to cool. Crank your oven to 500°F.

While the oven is heating, make the vinaigrette: place the onion in a small saucepan with the mustard seeds, turmeric and ½ cup of the neutral oil and the olive oil. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place the Brussels sprouts on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons neutral oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Place into oven and roast for 10-12 minutes. Take care not to overcook the sprouts. You want them cooked through and charred in spots but still bright green. Check their doneness with a fork or paring knife; you should be able to poke all the way through but still feel a tiny bit of resistance. Pull the Brussels sprouts and set aside to cool slightly. Place the sprouts in a large bowl. Add the cashews and radishes

When the dressing has cooked for 20 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the honey and lime juice. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

To serve, add ¼ cup of the cumin vinaigrette and most of the herbs to the bowl with the sprouts. Toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the rest of the herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by Kyle Wisner