fafi – one of my all-time favorite artists.

you were loved because god loves, period. god loved you, and everyone, not because you believed in certain things, but because you were a mess, and lonely, and his or her child. god loved you no matter how crazy you felt on the inside, no matter what a fake you were; always, even in your current condition, even before coffee. god loves you crazily, like I love you…like a slightly overweight auntie, who sees only your marvelousness and need.

by anne lamott

these blueberries were bought solely for baking purposes, but ended up getting devoured (along with the other fruit in my fridge) before they ever touched a hot pan and after i spent the afternoon in the sun & sand yesterday. a berry cobbler patiently rests on my to-do list waiting to be brought to life, but may be delayed until the weather is not luring me outdoors.

i spent last week in texas with my family. while pictures can’t capture all the beauty that resides in the place i still call home, they give me an opportunity to reflect and remember when i return to what i now consider my life.

photo unknown

words by arundhati roy

the last few days have been spent with these precious faces, shifting my perspective a little each moment, as i see the world through innocent eyes.

within you is a place of love and grace.

it is a place without fear

where there is no need to defend or prove,

no need to lie or hide.

from this place springs words of truth,

actions of courage,

and a life of love.

wait patiently for the voices of fear in your mind

to cease their frantic call to action.

become aware of what the next clear step of love might be.

be patient with yourself.

the qualities of a lover

do not depend on externals.

they take root in your own soul

and grow as your attend to them.

they all lie within you.

by william martin

when my grandmother’s blackberry cobbler is nowhere in sight, chewy chocolate chip cookies are my dessert of choice. i love taking a time-tested formula that has been perfected over the years and transforming it into a cleaner, healthier version of its kind. this particular cookie was inspired by the recipe found on the back of a sunspire chocolate chip bag, undergoing a few tweaks here and there, which resulted in my new favorite chocolate chip cookie.

chocolate chip cookies

1/3 cup sunflower oil

2 tbs. dark molasses

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 organic eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1-2 cups grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Mix liquid ingredients. Stir in flour & coconut sugar. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

heading out of town today to see three of my favorite earth angels…

sending love to my other three.

xoxo

last summer, this chocolate milkshake was my breakfast of choice. every morning included cacao and avocados until the creamy smoothie wore out its welcome here in my abode. these days, i am leaning toward more fruits and veggies for a pick-me-up. it takes minutes to make and not much longer to digest. if you’d like to try it, throw these ingredients into a blender and enjoy!

• 1 orange
• 1/2 avocado
• handful of blueberries
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1 tbs. coconut oil
• ice

i love having the option of breakfast any time of day, especially when it includes beans, potatoes, & eggs. the coffee cup not only serves morning delights for lunch, but also has an amazing blue cheese walnut salad that i seem to be craving every tuesday after class. i spent the afternoon with my sweet friend talitha over some lunch, then took a walk down to the beach to see the seals.

i spent much of my sunday at the swap meet in san diego. the incessant odds & ends available at this place will keep you occupied for hours (maybe even days) if you let them. although my heart was set on an old nightstand that fits perfectly beside my bed, it remains to be found. a few old movies and untouched twizzlers amongst one-of-a-kind treasures was plenty to satiate my liking.

this little hunk of pure sweetness, known as miss v, becomes cuter with each passing day. i kinda can’t get enough of her and the sassy blonde pigtails. does that last photo speak for itself or what?

i finally got to taste the much-talked-about ravioli from assenti’s pasta at a dinner party on saturday night thrown by the world’s best dinner party throwers, sara and will (a.k.a. miss v’s parents). tossed in a homemade sage butter sauce, it was everything i could have dreamed of and more.