Soup & Bread

No matter the time of year, when it rains I want a good book, soup, homemade bread and of course a blanket. :) I went to the Gresham Farmer's Market with my mom and aunt on Saturday and fell in love with leeks.  They were big, bright and beautiful.  I decided that at some point either this week or next, I would make vegan potato and leek soup.  Mmmm.


Since you can pretty much count on it to rain in Portland at least once a week I thought it wouldn't be a problem to make this "fall food" in the middle of July.  Sure enough I woke up to rain pounding on the roof Sunday morning.  I loosely followed this recipe and Tiffany and I enjoyed some great potato and leek soup along with my homemade beer bread.  So yummy!

Vegan zuppa toscana is on the menu for the next rainy day!  Who's excited?

The Second Time Around

So here I am again.  It's April 2011 and I find myself in the same position I was in June 2008... recently laid off due to lack of funds.  It's uncanny really...  I mean it's even close to an election year again!

Not often are we blessed with second chances, but this is completely one of those moments that I get to re-live.  I'm oddly calm and incredibly excited about what is to come.  I've learned a lot and I've grown a lot too  However, the question "what will I do differently?" is plaguing my mind..

So far I have cleaned my house, spent time with my sister and sweet little nephew, cheered on the Blazers at the Rose Quarter and ironed my dear Tiffany's lab coat.  I did some homework and wrote a letter to my little brother, too.  I find it so easy to fill my time without even thinking about what should be my main task at hand.

It's kind of fun being a housewife again..

Why giving up sugar will never work

Tiffany: Do you think we could give up sugar?

Natalie: Why?

Tiffany: Because it's making me fat because I eat it all the time.

Natalie: What do you eat that has sugar in it all the time?

Tiffany: Ice cream, Rootbeer floats, Crunch n Munch, Jelly Beans, Mike n Ikes... I want something sweet every night...

Natalie: We don't eat it all that often.

Tiffany: Yes we do... I think it would be good for us

Natalie: But you couldn't eat Craisins

Tiffany: I mean things without added sugar.

Natalie: Do you think cranberries are made with sugar?

Tiffany: Oh shit...