some of my loves

Fall Leaves

Picnics

photo found on Oh Happy Day!

Photo found on World in a Paper Cup

Wild Horses

Photo found here

Photo by Stan Engelbrecht

Garlands

Photo found on Design Sponge

Photo found on Once Wed

Photo by Wunderlust

Succulents

photo found here

Mobiles

Photo found on Spool

Photo by Elsie Marley found here

Organic heart shapes

Photo by unknown source

Photo by uknown source

Photo by unknown source

Glowing lights

Photo found at Oh Happy Day!

photo by: Nicole Carmen via The Coterie

Photo by unknown sourcehttp://jordanferney.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-09-20T01%3A30%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=20

fall vegetable pesto soup

fall vegetable soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion 

2 leeks

5 garlic cloves

2 beets (roasted and sliced)

2 tomatoes (chopped)

1 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes

1 apple (grated)

2 carrots (grated)

1 can of black beans

2 cups of cooked or canned lentils

3/4 cup of pesto or chopped basil leaves

4 cups of vegetable broth

2 cups of water

Salt and Pepper to taste

1) Slice beets in half and roast in a 350 F oven until tender (30-40 min). Cool, remove peel and dice.

2) Dice onion, garlic and leaks.  Saute in soup pot with 1 tbsp of oil.

3) On medium heat - Add diced beets, tomatoes and crushed tomatoes.

4) Add grated apple, grated carrots, black beans, lentils, pesto, vegetable broth ( I used organic mushroom broth).

5) Add salt and pepper to taste.

6) Add approximately 2 cups of water - assess consistency, add less if you would like a thicker soup.

7) Turn heat down to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Black Bean Brownies

Amazing Black Bean Brownie Recipe
* adapted from 101 cookbooks
* photo from 101 cookbooks

Keep these brownies in the refrigerator, they will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or preferably overnight.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate


½ cup unsalted butter


2 cups soft-cooked or canned black beans, drained well

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup walnuts chopped

1 tablespoon vanilla extract


3 large eggs


1/2 cup corn syrup (or agave nectar)

¼ cup honey

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

- Prepare (grease) a 9 inch square baking pan.

- Melt the chocolate and butter in a sauce pan. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely.

- Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and cocoa in a food processor.  Blend for about 2 minutes, or until smooth. Add melted chocolate mixture to bean mixture and blend for 1 minute. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Pour chocolate / bean mixture into a bowl, mix in remaining walnuts and set aside.

- In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the corn syrup and honey and beat well. Set aside.



Combine the egg mixture with the bean/chocolate mixture.  Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

dinner party inspirations - thinking of summer...

Photos from top to bottom: 1&2 -Oh Happy Day, 3-Once Wed 4- Oh Happy Day, 5- Style-Files